[MF] Ch 11: Risei Kotomine

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[Lmao!]

Even the System couldn't help laughing at what Kaito had just pulled off.

Tempting Kirei Kotomine with mapo tofu so he'd actually consider going all the way to Sichuan? That was a brand-new kind of mischief.

Sure, the system's vision was only one possible future. It didn't necessarily mean Kirei was destined to turn into that kind of guy. But the fact he was already entertaining the thought of traveling proved that Kaito's gentle nudging had worked.

And whether the "food bait" would succeed in the end? That wasn't even a question. Even the future version of Kirei—the full-blown masochistic priest—couldn't resist mapo tofu. So the temptation was basically absolute.

Kaito was more than satisfied. Kirei had already generated 508 Fun Points, an insane haul for a single person.

Just from him alone, Kaito was raking in almost as much as the entire Tohsaka family combined.

"Tch. The Tohsakas can't even compete with one zesty priest."

After that, Kaito mentioned wanting to continue touring the church. Kirei immediately offered to be his guide, but Kaito waved him off.

He'd already established the image of a "mysterious wise man" in Kirei's mind. Better not break that illusion. 

Kirei, being the straightforward sort, didn't press. He thanked Kaito again before returning to his cleaning duties.

Kaito then stepped into the church proper—and immediately spotted another Kotomine kneeling in prayer before the crucifix.

Risei Kotomine.

A silver-haired old man with shoulder-length hair, perfectly groomed, no beard, and the same clerical outfit as Kirei—except draped with a purple stole that marked his higher rank. The priest's garb was tight enough to show off his physique; beneath the cloth was clearly a body of well-trained muscle.

If this had been before Kaito crossed worlds, he'd have sworn the guy could punch him once and then beg him not to die.

But the old man had one major flaw: he was blind. And because of that, despite his power, he ended up getting offed in the Fourth Holy Grail War by a half-crippled Kayneth of all people. On paper, Risei was respected and high-ranking, but in terms of battle record, he was a solid zero wins, ten losses.

Kaito's disappointment spiked immediately. Risei didn't even have a character card in the system. First person to appear in the Fourth War storyline without one.

And his Fun Point cap? A pathetic 312.

"Useless."

Kaito looked at the old priest with open disdain. No need to hide it—Risei couldn't see anyway.

Still, when the blind priest noticed his presence, he put on a polite smile and turned toward Kaito's direction.

"Welcome. I am Risei Kotomine, priest and overseer of this church. It is a blessing to meet you, stranger. May the Lord's grace be upon you."

Hearing that, Kaito instantly shifted gears. He strode forward, grabbed Risei's hand before the man could react, and shook it enthusiastically, his face brimming with over-the-top warmth.

"Ah, Daddy! You're far too kind. No, really—it's my honor. Truly, deeply honored. Exceptionally honored. Because, you see, meeting a genuine priest like you… this is a once-in-a-lifetime rarity!"

"Yes, yes—a real, authentic priest like you is a rare breed. I had to meet you. What a blessing."

The barrage of overly passionate yet strangely vague praise left Risei utterly stunned. Even without eyes, he could feel how weird the atmosphere was, and the mismatch of words and tone had him producing Fun Points nonstop.

To a sixty-something priest living in 1993, every single one of Kaito's words sounded bizarre. It was like being trapped in a loop of "What the hell is this guy even talking about?"

By the time he managed to collect himself, Risei gave a stiff smile and carefully withdrew his hand.

"Sir, you flatter me. But forgive me—what do you mean by 'authentic priest'? Are you implying you've also encountered… inauthentic ones?"

Kaito slipped into character instantly. Even though Risei couldn't see him, his expression shifted to dark melancholy, radiating heavy emotion—anger, sorrow, betrayal.

Risei might be blind, but he could still feel the emotional weight of others when they didn't suppress it. And right now, the intensity pouring off Kaito was impossible to ignore.

The priest's curiosity was piqued. As a man who often heard confessions and counseled troubled souls, he instinctively tried to comfort him.

But Kaito only deepened the gloom, his tone low and aching. "Father, you truly are an outstanding, devout priest. But not every priest is like you."

That caught Risei's full attention. There was a story there, and he invited Kaito to sit with him and share it.

Kaito agreed. They sat down on a pew, and he began. "Father, I'm still a student, here in Japan for a short trip. Before this, I was studying in America. My university was in a small town, and there was a church there."

Risei listened silently, trying to trace where Kaito's hostility toward priests had come from. He could tell—it wasn't just dislike. There was resentment.

Kaito went on, voice slow and measured.

"At first, I respected the priest of that little town. I've always held a certain reverence for people of the cloth. But then something happened. Something that completely changed the way I saw him."

"What happened?" Risei asked gently.

"One day, a case of demonic possession shook the town. The priest was invited to a family's home to perform an exorcism. The possessed one was just a little boy."

Risei's eyelids twitched at that. A bad feeling welled up in his chest, though he couldn't say why. Maybe it was just the mention of demons. Or maybe it was something else.

He wondered—had this stranger really witnessed something supernatural?

Either way, the unease alone was generating Fun Points for Kaito.

"And then?" Risei prompted.

Kaito fixed his gaze on the old priest and said in a calm, deliberate tone, "That day, my classmates and I happened to pass by. We were curious, so we snuck closer. We saw the exorcism ourselves—and even heard the demon and the priest speaking to each other."

Risei frowned. That was dangerous. Proper exorcists were taught to avoid engaging demons in conversation. Words gave them openings.

"What did they say?" he asked.

Kaito's lips curled faintly.

"The priest said: 'Demon, leave this boy's body.'"

"And the demon replied: 'No. You're the one who should get out.'"

"…What?" Risei froze.

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