Fate: Edmund

In his hotel suite, Edmund leaned back in the armchair while holding a glass of red wine in his hand. It was an exceptionally expensive Merlot, imported directly from France. Its aroma was intense, with notes of red fruits and a hint of smoky wood. He savored it slowly, allowing its complexity to unfold on his palate as he watched the screens in front of him.

The sun had begun to set, and the shadows of night enveloped the city of Fuyuki.

Edmund activated several transmissions on his monitors, focusing on different key points in the city. His expression reflected a mixture of calm and anticipation.

"Night has always been the best setting for drama," he thought as he watched the first activities of the masters and servants in the Holy Grail war.

His attention was caught by the Tōsaka mansion, where an interesting scene was unfolding.

Assassin, with his characteristic stealth, had managed to infiltrate the surroundings. The servant, fragmented into multiple bodies, moved like dancing shadows around the magical field that protected the mansion.

Edmund smiled slightly.

"Typical Tokiomi theatrics. Haughty as always, seeking to impress everyone, even when no one is watching."

Assassin was methodically working to weaken the magical barriers protecting the property. Edmund knew that these barriers, designed to repel intruders and warn Tokiomi of any threats, were effective but not invincible. Thoroughly, Assassin began to disable the cores that held the field.

But before he could complete his task, a golden figure emerged from nowhere. Archer, Gilgamesh, with his majestic bearing and an expression of utter disdain, hovered over Assassin.

Golden portals emerged before a barrage of weapons from his treasury, Gate of Babylon, shot towards the intruder.

"So predictable," Edmund muttered as he took another sip of wine.

"Gilgamesh has always been a spectacle of hubris. But even that can get tedious after a while."

On the screen, Assassin fell defeated, his fragmented form vanishing into thin air. Gilgamesh, satisfied with his victory, returned inside the mansion without bothering to check for survivors.

Edmund sighed. Although the display of power had been impressive, it failed to hold his interest for long. He switched transmissions, looking for something more intriguing.

His next target was Ryuunosuke Uryuu, a mage with no notable bloodline, but a twisted and dangerous mind. He had summoned his servant, Caster, and the scene Edmund watched on the screen was as grotesque as it was fascinating. Caster, Gilles de Rais, was talking excitedly as he admired his master's "works," which consisted of macabre patterns made from the bodies of his hapless victims.

"The genius of depravity," Edmund thought, resting his chin on one hand as he watched.

"It's a perfect reminder that the Holy Grail does not discriminate in its choice of participants."

Edmund, however, did not intervene. He knew that every act of madness perpetrated by Caster and Ryuunosuke would attract the attention of the other masters and servants. It was a convenient distraction, and Edmund saw no need to get directly involved.

He let time move forward, watching the night come to life with small tensions and movements on the chessboard that was Fuyuki.

..........

The next day, the sun was shining over the city, dispelling the shadows of the previous night. Edmund, in his suite, was enjoying a breakfast fit for a king. On his table was a selection of fresh fruit, freshly baked croissants, eggs prepared to perfection, and a cup of coffee that exuded a heady aroma.

As he ate, he checked the updates from his relatives. The movements of the masters and servants were beginning to delineate clear patterns.

"The first few nights are always preliminary," she mused as she nibbled on a piece of croissant.

"But soon, the real games will begin. And I'll be ready to watch every moment."

The sun reached its highest point in the sky, and in the hotel suite, Edmund finished his breakfast with a contented sigh. The culinary selection had been impeccable, and now, with his mind clear and his energy renewed, he was set to enjoy a day with no apparent worries.

"A little time to yourself never hurts," he thought as he rose from the table and made his way to one of the shelves filled with console games.

With a casual movement, he selected a role-playing game that he had left half-finished on some other occasion. He turned on the console and plopped down in the comfortable armchair in front of the television. The lights on the screen illuminated his face as the game's melodies filled the room.

For hours, Edmund immersed himself in that virtual world, defeating enemies, exploring dungeons and completing quests with an efficiency that mirrored his own strategic skill. As much as he enjoyed it, his mind could not help but wander from time to time to the events of the Holy Grail War.

From time to time he would pause the game, his eyes wandering to a corner of the room where two objects rested on a specially designed glass pedestal. The two relics that were now in his possession. The splinter of Hector of Troy's spear and the worn bracelet that had served as the catalyst for Perseus.

He rose slowly, setting the control of the game aside. His footsteps echoed softly on the wooden floor as he approached the relics. His gaze was lost on the splinter first, recalling the bearing and presence of Hector, a warrior who had been both a leader and a victim of his time.

"How much you must have carried on your shoulders, Hector!" she murmured, almost in a tone of respect.

"Fate was not kind to you."

Then his attention turned to the bracelet. Though deteriorated, its history was unmistakable. It had witnessed countless battles, and now, after centuries, it had found its place in Edmund's machinations.

"Perseus...the first hero. Your story is so mythical it almost seems unreal. But now, you exist here, in this war."

Edmund stood silently, staring at both relics as if searching for answers in them. Finally, he returned to the armchair, letting his thoughts flow unhurriedly.

..........

The afternoon passed uneventfully. Edmund alternated between his console, some books he had brought with him and music that filled the room with soothing melodies. It seemed like an ordinary day, without the pressures of a secret war being waged in the shadows of Fuyuki.

But night fell quickly, bringing with it a different air. Edmund turned on the surveillance screens in his suite and checked the transmissions from his familiars and magic cameras. As always, his map of Fuyuki came to life with the small lights representing suspicious movements and activities.

With a glass of wine in hand, he sat in front of the monitors, ready to watch the events the night would bring.

"The real drama always begins when the sun goes down," he thought with a quiet smile, awaiting the next moves on the chessboard he himself had helped mold.

.............

I'm taking longer than expected because I wanted fluidity in the fights that will happen later, and I also don't have time to be able to write without interruptions, which is why I'm late in uploading them. Also, I'm thinking about stopping translating the other fanfic for the time being, to focus only on the ones I'm writing, which would be two, one is this one, and the other I'm still writing, I'm just at chapter 26 of the other fanfic that I'm writing... I'll publish it when I have 40 chapters in a row without interruptions when I get to at least chapter 40