I think the contract thing can work out. All the arranging was done in advance, so if his goal of having the character die is magically removed after the completion of the contract, he's fine unless a a goal of actively saving his life is also magically added.
Perhaps there was a nuance in the original Japanese, but as I read the deal in the fansub and thought about exactly the question "are there any loopholes in this?", I was sure that the answer was no and the language completely excluded any clever tricks Kiritsugu pulled or could pull... until I saw that the shooter was Maiya (rather than any other faction), at which point I was furious.
(And if the contracts are that easy to subvert, Lord Kenneth should have easily spotted the loophole as a pretty devious and experienced mage himself.)
This is the monthly thread for posting media of various types that you've found that you enjoy. I find that exposure to LW ideas makes me less likely to enjoy some entertainment media that is otherwise quite popular, and finding media recommended by LWers is a good way to mitigate this. Post what you're reading, listening to, watching, and your opinion of it. Post recommendations to blogs. Post whatever media you feel like discussing! To see previous recommendations, check out the older threads.
Rules: