These directives practically amounted to aiding Jiang You in violating the fundamental rule of "Mystery Should Remain Hidden," bordering on outright appeasement.
"Miss Bazett, have you been affected by Suggestion Magic?" Rin Tohsaka quickly retrieved her gemstones, ready to dispel any magical influence.
"If only it were Suggestion Magic..." Bazett replied. As an enforcer for the Mages' Association's Sealing Designation Bureau, she was intimately familiar with the Clock Tower's usual modus operandi. Ordinarily, someone like Caster, who so blatantly disregarded the rules, would undoubtedly be targeted for immediate elimination.
The Clock Tower's current stance completely contradicted its established practices. While Bazett couldn't help but question the veracity of the information, the encrypted messages from headquarters repeatedly confirmed its authenticity.
"The Clock Tower must be facing immense external pressure," she said. "It's unimaginable that anyone could force the entire organization to yield so swiftly."
Bazett was certain that external forces were at play. The rigid Lords of the Clock Tower would never have made such a decision on their own.
Rin Tohsaka felt as if the world had truly gone mad. The Clock Tower, the very institution responsible for maintaining order in the Magic World, was now gleefully joining in Caster's antics.
"What's wrong with this?" Archer asked, genuinely pleased with the outcome. "If even the Clock Tower is willing to help, Jiang You's ambition to blanket the globe with his Noble Phantasms can progress much faster."
"Rin, you're short on funds too, aren't you? Whether you use the Soul Crystals yourself or sell them, you won't be disappointed."
"Why is everyone acting like this?!" Rin exclaimed, exasperated.
She had painstakingly studied magecraft to showcase the power of her Jewel Magic in the Holy Grail War and restore the Tohsaka Family's glory. Now, she was told that magical prowess didn't matter anymore—everyone was just playing cards. Even if she won, she felt it would have little to do with her family's Jewel Magic.
Though she appreciated her father's acknowledgment, she remained deeply grateful to Jiang You.
Bazett stared intently at the intelligence reports in her hand, pondering silently for a long moment before finally deciding, "Miss Tohsaka, Caster has also taken your Saber, Jason, hasn't he?"
"Here's the situation," Bazett explained. "Because of Medea, Jason was her primary target from the start."
Rin Tohsaka couldn't shake the humiliation. Having her Servant stolen was an unprecedented blow to her pride.
"Medea must want something from Jason," Rin insisted. "If she only wanted to kill him, she wouldn't have needed to seize control. That means I still have a chance to reclaim him!"
"You still haven't given up on confronting Caster head-on, have you?" Bazett shook her head. She didn't have much of a relationship with Rin. Their previous cooperation had been due to Jiang You's actions threatening the interests of all Magi. But now that the Clock Tower had issued its orders, she naturally had to comply. After all, it was her job. "I'm sorry, but I can't continue assisting you. If you insist on this course, our next meeting will be as enemies."
Cu Chulainn nodded in agreement. He was the type to meticulously follow orders. "If it's a mission, there's nothing I can do, little lady. Sorry about this. Since my Master has received these instructions, I have no choice but to comply."
Bazett led Cu Chulainn away, having already decided to withdraw from the Holy Grail War. The conflict had proven more emotionally draining than she anticipated, starting with the revelation that Kirei Kotomine, the Church Executor she had once admired, had torn away his facade. Then came a Caster who turned the city into his personal playground, wreaking havoc. Her sole remaining goal was to complete her mission for the Clock Tower, after which she planned to take a long vacation.
"Archer, what exactly is going on with this Holy Grail War?" Rin Tohsaka pressed, seeking validation from Archer. "Right now, you and Rider are the only combat-ready Servants left on our side. Do you really think you can defeat him within his Noble Phantasm?"
Archer's expression was subtly complex. Like Rider, he was secretly working against her, meaning that aside from Rin and Shirou Emiya, who was still clueless about the situation, everyone else had either abandoned their original objectives or had been aligned with Jiang You from the start.
Archer hesitated, torn between telling Rin the truth—that the Holy Grail War had effectively ended and this ritual no longer justified her sacrifices—and keeping it to himself. In the end, he decided it was better for her to uncover the truth on her own.
"By the way, where's Sakura? I haven't seen her all day."
Rin Tohsaka's mind was still reeling from the day's events, the constant barrage of information having overwhelmed her mental capacity. It was only then that she remembered her sister. "Wasn't the Noble Phantasm that sent Caster near Gilgamesh Rider's? Has Sakura already found Caster?"
Typical of you, Archer thought, admiring Rin's unwavering faith in her sister even in such a situation. He felt increasingly sorry for her. "It's likely just a temporary alliance. Caster's goal is to complete his event, and he won't harm his participating Servants until then. He might even protect the audience. Since he lacks aerial capabilities, Rider joining forces with him makes perfect sense."
In a normal Holy Grail War, Servants and Masters often exploited each other. Rin nodded in agreement. "Given Sakura's personality, she would definitely make such a decision. If Caster wants to hide in his fortress, we'll beat him at his own game!"
Without Jason's Noble Phantasm and no additional Heroic Spirit for direct combat, this was Rin's only option. Moreover, Lancer had now become like Illya's Berserker—a Servant who, while not aligned with Jiang You, was committed to maintaining the rules of the war.
"Here's the problem," Archer reminded her. "To qualify for the Duel City finals through Caster's rules, you need to be in the top four by tomorrow's final tally. And because of your instructions, neither of us has earned any stars. Your stars are with Jason, but now they belong to Medea. So, you only have the two basic stars I possess."
"Damn it! What's the situation now?" Rin Tohsaka asked, her brow furrowing.
Rin had been vaguely aware of the Duel rankings. Now that all the neutral monsters had been eliminated, the only way to collect stars was by stealing them from other Magi.
"Judging by the current rankings, there aren't many Magi left. And Rin, your current stars aren't enough to knock the top four off their perch in one go. You need to start dueling immediately."
Under the equal-stake dueling system, even if Rin won against all four of the current top duelists, she still wouldn't qualify for the finals (since Jason had been disqualified by Gilgamesh). She had to start challenging every Magus she encountered from now on.
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" Rin muttered, her frustration growing.
That night, Rin joined the hunt.
"Where is everyone?" Shirou Emiya asked, poking his head out of the kitchen after finishing the chicken soup. He noticed that Sakura hadn't returned, and neither Bazett nor Rin were there.