*edit*

ptl: thank you for pointing out the mistake, added more words in order to clarify it.

Chapter 17: The Price

3 Days Later…

"Waaaaaaaaaahhhh…." Mashu was stupendously terrified as she looked at the newspaper. She had to double-take, blink twice before she had to stare at the headlines of the newspaper. It was just surreal.

Mashu's hand was shivering, and so does the newspaper she was holding.

It shouldn't be possible.

All of this should be impossible!

Mashu was about to faint when Ritsuka caught her body immediately. "So what's the problem here, Mashu?"

"S-Senpai… look!" Mashu was literally speechless, she can't give an explanation to her Senpai. Ritsuka immediately obliged and read what Mashu was pointing on the newspaper.

The thing that made her caught the attention wasn't the headlines but rather the picture taken.

It was a replica of the Camelot Castle, the one that appears whenever Mashu activates her noble phantasm—

Wait, this is literally Mashu's noble phantasm! Ritsuka herself was surprised too. The Camelot Castle covered the school on that day.

"It's… it's your noble phantasm, right?"

"Senpai! I-I don't know what to do!"

"Yeah! Real bummer though, Master!" Rider side commented as she stole a glance toward the newspaper. It was Drake herself who bought that newspaper.

"Good news, Master! I tried to spy on the school where Shieldy's Noble Phantasm was still active and it was now gone… recently!" Drake said with a thumbs up. "I've heard some rumors that the 'projected castle' disappeared just this morning… so there you go."

"B-But what if someone managed to study it? What if they somehow figure out my true identity?"

Ritsuka meanwhile seemed to be nonchalant. "In the world plagued with everyday Spirits? I don't think so. Best case scenario? Just make this an evidence of an unknown Spirit. Worst case scenario? Hmmm…"

Mashu was sniffling. "S-Senpai! D-don't give me that look!"

"It seemed that Jackie has a hobby for a moment."

"Here I am!" Jackie quickly presented herself.

"Ah! My cute little assassin… you are here!" Then Ritsuka proceed to carry Jack by her chest like a baby and whispered something in her ear. Jack felt tickled by Ritsuka's breath as she nodded accordingly to Ritsuka's whispering.

Finally, Ritsuka finished giving her instruction. Jack let go of herself from Ritsuka's grasp and gave her a salute before she reverted herself into corporeal form.

Mashu was curious what Ritsuka said to the little assassin. "What did you said to Jackie, Senpai?"

"Ah, my little eggplant, worry not for your safety and identity… I sent Jackie to all of the newspaper office and have her sabotage every information regarding to that castle. It might not completely eviscerate the evidence but at least it will reduce the story into mere myth? Not satisfied? I already wrote some fake articles connecting to the castle and made some assumptions like it was just a hologram, a replica, etc."

"Wow, Senpai, I've never thought you are so clever in this issue!"

"Leave it to me, Mashu and I will make you safe." Ritsuka felt sticking up her nose for some reason.

"Now, why won't you be lovey-dovey?" Rider was really pushing them into a boundary as she was amused by their partnership. She even advertised them to kiss now already, like what Shidou do to his Spirit.

"Eh? –M-me and Senpai kissing?" Mashu was really red all over as she fiddled her fingers. Her eyes danced at the happy memory.

Ritsuka just breathed in deeply. "Mashu I have a job for you."

"Y-yes? What is it, Senpai?"

"I need you to check Kurumi to that monastery… of course, you'll be accompanied by Nightingale."

"Yes, Master." Nightingale appeared by her side immediately, now dressed in a modern nurse outfit. Mashu was promptly surprised by her sudden entrance.

"Yes, Senpai. I'll do it!"

"Good. I still need to continue my job as a librarian assistant…" Then she sighed for some reason. "Sadly, I insisted Scathach to continue her profession but she resigned after that fight." Ritsuka felt saddened by that news. Scathach can do what she wanted to do nothing she can do about that. Unless she used a command seals, she just can't violate their freedom.

"Senpai, please take care… or at least bring one Servant."

"On it. Mashu."

Kotori frowned.

She was currently in the ship Fraxinus together with the staffs and crew. Her mouth was stuff with a chupa-chops, which its stick shifted whenever she thought of something deeply. Her commander uniform was draped upon her shoulder.

On that day, it was so full of interesting and whacky events that she couldn't get the list of and it was making her head hurt.

"Commander, may I suggest that you need to rest." Reine remarked stoically. She clasped a board close to her chest and the black bags under her eyes were visible as usual.

"I can't, not especially if this is the biggest convening case that we have encountered."

In front of Kotori, as well as the other staffs were various images that was taken on the school 3 days earlier, the most prevalent of them all was that the school 'transformed' into a magnificent white castle that is brimming with mana. Kotori wondered if this is an 'Angel' of the [Knight].

Also the [Knight] herself was present in the scene, along with [Lancer] as well as two other unknown variables that were also there. If Ratatoskr has collected those damn evidences then so does the DEM, which frustrates her even more.

There was so much to uncover and yet they don't know where to start.

Then Reine just repeated her suggestion. "Again, commander may I suggest that you need to rest for a moment? It is necessary that we must first pursue your health before the mission."

Kotori just sighed and Reine, her head analyst, was right. She just became a Spirit again and it endangers her life, Shidou as well as the others. It is still considered a mission because she has become a Spirit now after five years.

Fortunately, for all intents and purposes, Shidou made it out alive, although his chest bore a large scar where that mystical spear bored through his back. It scared Kotori a lot but thankfully, Shidou avoided death. Maybe it's a combination of both luck and as well as his reiryoko. Reine herself confirmed that he was lucky that the attack missed all of his vital organs and drastically recovered as well to the point Reine assured her there's nothing to worry about. Shidou was currently in the school as if nothing happened, Reine also recommended for him to rest for a while but Shidou respectfully insisted.

Kotori has already prepared Shidou for every life-and-death situation but it seemed the one that wasn't ready was her. Stupid Shidou! Throwing away his life for others. What an idiot!

…but Kotori couldn't blame him exactly, which frustrates herself even more.

Mana, who was found unconscious on the site, was brought into custody in care of Ratatoskr. Kotori wasn't exactly pleased with the DEM on how they exploited Mana's body with all they care, as long as it made them combat ready with the Spirit. She wanted for Mana to recover as well, but Reine admitted that she has a maximum of at least ten years to live. Not a good news for them. Damn DEM industries!

Kurumi, that worse Spirit that they have encountered, was also gone, not a shadow can be found of her. Cases related to her massacre were also drastically reduced. Kotori isn't confident that Kurumi is alive or dead, as Shidou himself was a proof.

Shidou took a shot at the raging spear, [Lancer] has initiated at Kurumi. Kotori assumed that Kurumi has hidden herself somewhere to recover but she can't exactly worry about it for now…

… The identity behind the spear-wielding Spirit codenamed [Lancer] was the one thing that made her worried at worse. If her ears were right, then the spear [Lancer] was holding is the infamous Gae bolg itself… or could be somehow based on it. Kotori didn't know it at first but when Reine recommend her to read the Celtic mythology, that's where she have questions.

Could it be they were facing a Spirit based on one of the famous spear-wielding legends in the mythology? Kotori thought that [Lancer] could be the gender bend Cu Chulainn, one of the famous figure until they realized they could be wrong.

The Spirit [Lancer] could be the legendary teacher Scathach herself, or someone who took some inspiration from her. She still have no idea whether Gae bolg was [Lancer]'s Angel or not, since she could replicate many of them at once.

Another thing was that the [Knight]. Her incantations prove that the Spirit [Knight] has some connections to the Arthurian mythology or at least, took inspiration from it. Kotori somehow dubbed her shield, which Kotori was sure was her [Knight]'s Angel itself, Camelot and that the projection on the school itself could be its true form.

The biggest revelation of all was that there is an unknown individual, could be a Spirit or could be not, that has the ability to control other said Spirit with some command. Kotori was really terrified of its control over [Lancer] with just a word. Kotori assumed that whoever it was, he or she could be doing some oddball behind Ratatoskr and the DEM.

Immediately Kotori just scratched her head immensely, due to the amount of stress she managed. All of it were just assumptions, hypothesis and guesses, really! But she couldn't help it.

Anyways, Reine was right, she needed some rest.

After all, Shidou will take her to a date tomorrow.

Mashu and Nightingale were now on the way to the monastery. Mashu was surprised that they were now off the road and now going somewhere among the trees. Nightingale really knew her way as Mashu couldn't help but follow her.

"Is this where one of Senpai's Servant was hiding, Ms. Nightingale?" Mashu asked her curiously. Nightingale glanced back at her.

"Prevalent. Master insisted that we need to separate in order to reduced the suspicion around us so Master have us separated… at least four us agreed."

"So Ereshkigal, Ishtar and the other two Servants, right?"

"Yes, Ereshkigal, Ishtar and the one who were about to meet is Kiara Sessyoin."

Mashu felt her heart missed a beat. "K-Kiara?" She was well aware of Kiara's reputation before she answered the call of her Master. Kiara was a former Beast… (or is she?) that Senpai and Melt managed to defeated. Answering her call was the least expected thing for Kiara to do. Until now, Mashu admitted that she was still wary of Kiara.

But, the Shielder still does not waver her faith onto her Master. If Senpai can trust Kiara, then Mashu has no choice but to trust her too.

"How about the last one?"

"The last one? Saber of course."

"Yes. Saber, what's her true name."

"Saber." Nightingale abruptly replied without any context.

"Ok." Mashu pretended to be obliged. She was really curious who is Saber but for some reason Nightingale wasn't even trying to say who Saber is.

She gave up trying to ask Berserker about Saber.

Eventually, they arrived upon a large monastery in the middle of the clearing. Approaching the large doors, it was immediately opened. Kira greeted them genuinely. She was dressed in a nun clothes too.

"Does my patient awake now."

"Of course, just this morning, Nightingale." Kiara's eyes seemed to be glowing. "I offered her some tea to relax." Kiara happily remarked.

"Where's the patient?" Nightingale said as Kiara fully opened the door with a creak. It was not fully dark but when the light illuminated the entire place, it revealed a lone table in front of an abandoned altar with two steel iron chairs. One of them is occupied.

It was Kurumi with heavily bandaged top that reached up to her neck underneath her loose, red T-shirt. She was seeping a tea and seemed to be satisfied based on how she sat comfortably. Although, Mashu could feel that she was discontent here inside the monastery all along. She could tell that Kurumi was a good actress. Being exposed to many kind of villains through out there adventure can make Mashu figured out what kind of villain is Kurumi is.

"Oh, new guests I bet…one is my nurse and the other… could it be the [Knight]?" Kurumi's clock and normal, red eyes were staring at Mashu and Nightingale in contempt and curiosity.