You call this a projection?

If Caster simply wanted to stay alive, it would indeed be beyond reproach. Since Emiya Shirou could not accept the ideology of sacrificing the few to save the many, he naturally wouldn’t have much to say about the fact that Caster would die if she didn’t absorb magical energy.

Even if Caster was already a dead person... Even if Caster being alive meant needing to absorb the lives of the majority to sustain her alone...

It wasn’t that Shirou felt this was right. Rather, as someone who also felt it was wrong, he found himself in a situation where every choice was an ”incorrect” one. In such a dilemma, no matter which side one chose, it wouldn’t fit the definition of a Hero of Justice.

Otherwise, the Emiya Shirou who regained the memories of his past life wouldn’t be so lost. It wasn’t just because, in his memories, every person in the Type-Moon world who chose the path of a Hero of Justice was targeted and driven mad.

It was also because of this:

In this world, there exist choices where ”justice” simply does not factor in.

But was that Caster’s true situation? No, not at all!

Even without hearing Caster’s verbal answer, Shirou saw her inner thoughts through the mind-reading ability of [Pseudo-Atum].

Initially, after losing her Master, Caster truly would have vanished due to a lack of magical energy. But once she met Kuzuki Souichirou and established her temple at Ryudou Temple, her situation had completely changed.

Not only could she draw magical energy from the leylines via the temple, but because the Greater Grail of Fuyuki was hidden beneath Ryudou Temple, it was impossible for her to miss the magical traces.

Caster, who couldn’t possibly fail to discover the Greater Grail, could even siphon off a portion of its mana for her own use.

Otherwise, Caster wouldn’t be able to casually use space displacement, a feat approaching True Magic. Even if she possessed the technical skill, the nature of a Servant’s existence dictated she wouldn’t naturally have that much mana.

But Caster, having solved her basic survival needs, was far from satisfied.

She wanted to win the Holy Grail War; she wanted the Grail.

This wasn’t out of a desire to go back to the past—back to the homeland she hadn’t yet been tricked into leaving by Jason. It was because she wanted to be with Kuzuki Souichirou.

To realize this wish, Caster began to relentlessly plunder the mana of the leylines and even the lives of Fuyuki’s citizens, squeezing them dry for magical energy.

This went far beyond the scope of self-preservation.

”Hmph, hehehe, hahahahaha~~”

Shirou had his logic, but Caster was simply amused by his words.

”So, you want to persuade me to do nothing? Even if I’m about to die, I shouldn’t use unrelated humans as sustenance?

Since you’re so selfless, why don’t you sacrifice your own life to let me, who is about to lose this temple, survive?”

Did Caster not know of heroes? She did.

Despite being tricked onto the ship by Jason, she had seen the most illustrious group of heroes in all of Greek Mythology aboard the Argo. To say nothing else, Heracles—who was summoned in this war as Berserker—was on that ship.

This was likely why, after draining the leylines, Caster continued to harvest the lives of Fuyuki’s citizens. It was also why, after her irregular summoning of Assassin, she still set her sights on other Servants.

Only those who knew Berserker understood how monstrous he was at his peak.

Naturally, Caster never thought she had done anything wrong. With that legendary Berserker as an opponent, if she didn’t frantically accumulate magical energy, how could she possibly stand a chance at winning?

”Sorry, that’s impossible,” Shirou replied honestly.

”See? No matter how pretty your words are, when it comes down to it, you’ll only...” Caster didn’t mind lecturing this idealist on reality.

It wasn’t that Caster forgot that Saber and the others were closing in outside. Rather, realizing that Emiya Shirou was no ordinary Master, she wanted to play it safe, using this time to accumulate more mana for her spells. Or perhaps she hoped to distract Shirou through this dialogue.

After all, as the Witch of Betrayal, Caster’s wisdom and insight were top-tier. Didn’t Shirou want to be a Hero of Justice? Then she would shake his conviction.

However, before Caster could continue...

Shirou went ahead and admitted it: ”Yes, you’re right, Caster. That’s why I’m destined to never become a Hero of Justice.”

”...?”

Wait, she hadn’t even finished her point. Why was he already admitting it?

Caster stared blankly at Shirou, who had learned how to blurt out the answer before the question was even finished. Moreover, as he said this, there wasn’t a trace of hesitation on his face. He even looked poised for action, actively closing the distance between them.

Was... was this right?

”But what I’m going to do this time has nothing to do with whether I can be a Hero of Justice or not.”

—Assassination Art: Snake!!

While Shirou was speaking, Kuzuki Souichirou struck.

As Shirou continued to approach, Kuzuki’s instincts as a former assassin warned him incessantly: he could not let Shirou get any closer, or they wouldn’t even have the chance to fight back!

However...

[Pseudo-The World]!!

Kuzuki Souichirou’s intuition was remarkably accurate this time.

”This isn’t just to avenge those who died.

It’s because if you happen to survive this battle, Caster, you will inevitably go out to ’feed’ again to win the Holy Grail War, killing even more people to replenish your mana.”

In the world of stopped time, Emiya Shirou walked up to Caster and said:

”Hurting others like this—regardless of whether it’s ’justice’—is simply wrong.”

Smash!!

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