a hollow perception (Fate/Zero × Demon Slayer)

second: imaginary blood-red flowers

Kirei stayed silent. His master noticed this. "You have nothing to say in this matter?" he asked.

"I do," Kirei said, "I think Tsuyuri was rather hesitant to join as a participant."

"Obviously," his master said matter-of-factly, "But I'm a bit worried if she did. Kirei, you know your role of our plan, isn't it? When your Command Seals will allegedly appear?"

"I, Kotomine Kirei, will leave your apprenticeship," he replied promptly.

"And how does Tsuyuri Kanao fit in all of our plan?" mused his master.

Kirei doesn't have to think long enough of his master's intention. "You wish to make her join into our...?"

"Her decision to become a Master lies in her Command Seal," said Tohsaka Tokiomi, "Even though she has no intention to join the war, she will be forcibly dragged if it appears. She's just a pawn waiting to be used."

A familiar desperation and insistence; once again, Kirei heard it tinging the words of Tohsaka Tokiomi. It was the same subtleness when Kirei asked why he had been chosen by the Holy Grail as a Master. "Would ask her before or after her Command Seals appear?" he asked calmly.

"It would be better if your father see to this, Kirei," his master suggested instead, "Since your father is the Supervisor, Kotomine Risei is obliged to see the potential Master."

"As you wish." Kirei knew the tone Tohsaka Tokiomi used. It left no arguments. "I shall call my father tonight." He paused as he remembered suddenly, "Master, what do you mean Tsuyuri would be an obstacle?" he asked.

"Ah," his master realized, "I meant the Mage's Association," he told him simply.

Kirei immediately knew what his master meant. "I see," he said, nodding. If the Mage's Association found out about her Command Seals, there's a possibility they would make her became another representative Master for the Association. But, in this war between mages, there's also a possibility that she would lose at the first round seeing she was no mage. But then again, Kirei recalled, her training to become an Enforcer...

"I hope you still remember your other responsibility, Kirei," Tohsaka Tokiomi said suddenly, "About her," he clarified.

"I haven't," Kirei assured.

"Good. I was afraid you had."

Kirei clamped his mouth down to prevent his unvoiced answer. I haven't. Even if I wanted to, I can't.

...

A single candlelight was his only source of light in the darkness-ridden workshop. Despite no longer being taught, Kirei still continues to read the mysteries of magecraft, holding an old book in his hand as he stared and trailed his eyes repeatedly in a certain passage written in it.

Breathing and Walking, he read. Kirei never expected to come across such a passage in a mage's book. He was merely skimming through the dozen books until this particular term in a worn-out book caught his attention. The book told him it was one of the key concept in magecraft, including martial arts. It is a high-level secret that can't be easily imitated nor learned, and in turn, not valued by the western mage who simply used incantations instead. But those who are simply born with this (the proper way of breathing and walking), it caused their body to act as a one pure and natural Magical Circuit, and they could create greater miracles than any mage even without any prior knowledge about magecraft. A rare instance, but not impossible to find in a person, it told him.

It is a rare find indeed, thought Kirei, since they found Tsuyuri Kanao who happened to possess these kind of skill. Kirei remembered that his master told him she was an orphan, and the name, Tsuyuri Kanao, was given to her as an identification of distinction. Other than Tsuyuri, it implies there are other orphans like her taken in the organization she was connected with. And the reason why she was offered to become a Special Enforcer, Kirei realized. The Mage's Association was clear as transparent about the intention why they gave the offer to Tsuyuri, planning to hunt them down for their own interest, or for incarceration. Either the former or the latter, nevertheless, the fact they have their attention to these people was too obvious to see.