“True… Emiya Kiritsugu can see through you, but you’ll never see through him… Kotomine Kirei, you don’t have any of the things that man has in his soul.”

Kirei grasped her slender neck before more mocking words could flow out of her throat. The rage and confusion swirling within Kirei’s heart at that moment was incomparable to what he had felt back in the Einsbern Forest even if the fatal battle there was to be repeated.

“… I admit it. True, I’m an empty man. I have nothing.”

His roaring seemed to be calm at the beginning, or maybe traces of agitation only surfaced later on.

“But what’s the difference between Kiritsugu and me? Between me and that man who only devoted himself to senseless war – a man who never got anything out of it but only repeated his slaughter?! He departed so much from common sense and he got absolutely nothing. What is he, if not a lost soul!?!”

Kirei rebuked her desperately and hoarsely.

His inquiry was like the angry roar of an anguished soul that could not obtain the answer it sought even after having experienced every kind of trial imaginable.

“Homunculus, answer me if you can. Why does Emiya Kiritsugu seek the Holy Grail? What is the wish that man bestowed upon the all-powerful wish-granting vessel!?!”

As if provoking her, Kirei loosened his hands, which were grasped around the homunculus’s neck, and permitted her to breathe so she could answer him. There was an unspoken warning that if he received a vague answer, he would end her breathing forever.

Even so, this woman did not express even a sliver of terror. Kneeling before Kirei’s knees, she weakly gasped for oxygen in such a pitiful manner. But the look that she gave Kirei still contained the derision and superiority reserved for the victor.

It was almost as if Kirei was the one kneeling.

“Alright, I’ll tell you – Emiya Kiritsugu’s lasting hope is to save humanity. It is to end all wars and bloodshed and achieve eternal world peace.”

That only seemed like jestful nonsense for Kirei. After a few seconds, he burst out laughing.

“– What was that?”

“You can’t understand it. That is the difference between you and him. You believe in nothing while he does.”

Was this woman really talking about the man Emiya Kiritsugu? Kirei had doubts. What kind of man did Emiya Kiritsugu pretend to be while in front of this woman?

“… Woman, what are you to Emiya Kiritsugu?”

“I gave birth to his child as his wife. I’ve looked into his heart and shared his worries for the past nine years… unlike you, who has never seen him.”

Nine years. Perhaps he had passed such a long time in a lie? Kirei had such doubts, but he instinctively felt it would be impossible. What existed in this woman’s heart was undoubtedly her trust toward Emiya Kiritsugu. It would be unimaginable to form such a strong personality within her if she based it on an empty lie. This woman was originally only an ordinary homunculus after all.

The focus of his anger began to shift away from this woman before her. Kirei gave out a melancholic sigh and sat down onto the chair next to him.

“Irisviel von Einsbern, were you always a good wife in those nine years? Did you win Emiya Kiritsugu’s love?”

“… Why do you care?”

“I don’t understand the bond between you two – you took pride in having Emiya Kiritsugu as your husband and trust him as if you’re a real couple. However, if Emiya Kiritsugu is a man who seeks the Holy Grail, you should have been just a tool with which to fulfill his wish. He has no reason to give you something as unnecessary as love.”

“… I won’t forgive you if you laugh at him for being stupid.”

Those were the decisive words spoken by one who had something that could not be violated.

“… I have no parents, and I’m not a product of love. Therefore, I can’t understand what a ‘good wife’ is. Even so… the love he gave me is my entire world. No one can humiliate that.”

“Then, Irisviel, you’re a perfect wife.”

Kirei said as if making a disinterested judgement. It was not praise, nor was it sarcasm.

“But I can’t understand Emiya Kiritsugu because of that. Since he loves you as a wife, then why… why would he want eternal world peace? Why would he sacrifice his loved one for such a pointless aspiration?”

“… Such an odd question. For you, a man who has admitted that he has no reason for existence… You’re mocking others and saying their aspirations are meaningless?”

“Any sensible adult would have laughed at him.”

This was an anger completely different from before. Kirei’s heart swelled up.

“Combat is instinctive of humanity. Eliminating it is no different from eliminating humans. What else could be more pointless? This so-called aspiration of Emiya Kiritsugu’s – it shouldn’t have been called an aspiration to begin with, but the dream of a child!”

“… That is why he could only rely on a miracle…”

Irisviel tried her best to keep her cool and continued speaking.

“He lost everything for the aspiration he sought… He always suffered through his punishments for wanting to save those that could not be saved, and everything around him was robbed… I am also someone taken away from him. He has been forced to discard his loved ones many times…”

Kirei stood up from his chair and gazed at Irisviel with a bottomless and gloomy look.

“You’re saying it’s not just limited to this once – but that this is the way of existence for this man?”

“Yes. Kiritsugu is far too gentle. He doesn’t hold back on his love even though he knows he will lose those around him sooner or later…”

Those answers were enough for Kirei. He completely lost interest in the homunculus before him.

“… I understand.”

He grasped the woman’s neck with his strong fingertips and stopped her blood flow.

Looking at the other’s weak and painful expression, Kirei calmly said.

“I finally understand. So this is Emiya Kiritsugu.”

Kirei threw the woman, who had already fainted, to one side, and gazed emptily into the darkness.

- Fate/Zero: Act 15, Part 3