FATE/IRREGULAR SUMMONS

Chapter 16: Parents and Guardians

Connla's short legs carried her away from the Einzbern manor as fast as they could. Her heart threatened to explode from the stress, yet she ignored it and kept scurrying through the forest. She had a frantic expression like she was running for her life… and she most certainly was. She wanted to be absolutely sure that Gilgamesh would not find her and rain his wrath upon her the same way he did to Heracles. All the while, Illyasviel floated beside Connla inside a wind bubble, completely unconscious. The young Servant had no choice but to knock her out with a chop to the nape of her neck before taking her away from the mansion.

So many thoughts raced through Connla's mind that she couldn't put any words to them. In these panicking moments, nothing made sense to her. Heracles, who was supposed to be the strongest Servant with the greatest chance of winning the Holy Grail War, wound up being the first one to die. Medea was amassing her strength through cruel methods precisely to combat Heracles, yet he was no longer around to be a threat. In his place was an even more dangerous Servant who proudly called himself an irregular participant like Connla was. Even if Medea wound up fighting Gilgamesh, she would probably stand less of a chance at victory than if she challenged Heracles.

Furthermore, Gilgamesh was specifically trying to kill Illyasviel. What was he after? Did he want to demonstrate his superiority to inspire fear in the other contestants? Or was there something he needed from Illyasviel herself? Any other Servant would have been reckless to go after Heracles first, yet Gilgamesh destroyed him as if he was taking a walk in the park. It was only because of Connla's interference that he failed in murdering Illyasviel, and the young girl knew he would harbor a grudge against her for it. The idea of being such a powerful Heroic Spirit's next target outright frightened her.

Before Connla knew it, she had reached home territory. She recognized the tree formations, meaning they were nearing Edelfelt Manor. Soon, she emerged from the woods and approached the front entrance. Waiting for her were Caren, Shirou, Rin, Sakura and Medusa.

"Welcome back, Lancer," Caren murmured.

Connla looked at the others, and realized that they all appeared upset with her. Sure, they were relieved to see her alive, but their frustration over her taking off on her own outweighed that. However, Rin approached the unconscious white-haired girl and wondered, "Illyasviel? What is she doing here?"

"I, um…" Connla stammered. "I… managed to… rescue her…"

"Rescue her from what? Did Caster make her move?"

"Well, uh… I really don't know… but…"

"Lancer," Shirou furrowed his eyebrows. He could tell that the little girl was frightened out of her mind, and that it wasn't from the prospect of being harshly scolded. Whatever she had went through had to have been absolutely terrifying for her, so he eased his stony expression and kneeled before her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and only now did he realize how much she was trembling.

Medusa sighed and said, "I think we better let them rest for a while. We can save the hard questions for later."

"Yes, that would be best," Sakura agreed and helped Shirou bring Connla inside. Medusa carried Illyasviel piggyback style to a spare guest room and laid her down on the bed. Rin was hesitant about looking after Illyasviel, so Caren volunteered instead. In the lounge, Shirou and Sakura both sat beside Connla and spent some time consoling her.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Sakura asked.

"No… I'm fine…" Connla whimpered. "Ms. Einzbern should be okay too… but Berserker…"

"What happened to Berserker?"

"He's… he's… dead…"

"Eh?" Shirou blinked fervently. "Berserker's dead!?"

"Mm…"

"How did that happen!?"

"Senpai," Sakura shook her head. "Lancer needs to calm down first before she can answer our questions."

"Ah, right. Sorry. You can tell us when you're ready, okay?"

Connla nodded, but continued to just sit there and shake uncontrollably. Shirou couldn't bear to see her in such a state any longer, so he leaned in and wrapped his arms around her before whispering, "Listen to me."

"Uh?" she murmured, not expecting him to embrace her so warmly.

"I know you told me before that you're a Servant, and that you grew up in a different time where child soldiers were normal. Perhaps that's true, but you still need to take care of yourself. Going off on such dangerous missions by yourself may show that you're acting in our best interest, but it's not healthy for you to continue acting like this."

"But I'm-"

"Don't say it. Don't you dare give me any more excuses. There's only so much you can do before you wind up breaking from the stress. Believe me, I know exactly what that's like. I've gone to extreme lengths to help others, but Tohsaka told me that it's wrong to neglect myself. Seeing you risk your life to bring Illya here finally made me see how wrong my idea of a 'hero' was.

"Tell me, Lancer. Why do you think you have to go to similar lengths to help others? Did you go through something traumatic like I did? Are you being plagued with some kind of guilt, and you need to go through grave dangers in order to forgive yourself?"

"Well…" Connla moaned. "I wouldn't say that. It must be because I was taught to be useful to everyone."

"Useful?"

"I was told to spend every waking moment of my life serving others, whether it'd be as a warrior, a homemaker, a strategist, an academic, or whatnot. I have to continuously strive to improve, and that any moment I spend relaxing is a moment wasted. The only times I'm allowed to rest are when I'm sleeping, sick, or dead."

"Are you kidding!? Who taught you such an absurd thing!?" Shirou snapped.

"My mother."

Both he and Sakura widened their eyes in horror. They didn't want to imagine what Connla's life was like. In particular, Shirou recalled the brutal scars covering her body and was uncertain of how she got them. If her mother was this harsh with her training however, then he had a pretty good idea of where they came from. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and leaned in while whispering, "I think that's enough. You've done well."

"Um… Mr. Emiya…?" the little girl uttered.

"Call me Shirou."

"… Shirou…"

"I want you to listen to me. There's no need for you to risk yourself like that anymore. You're the one bringing us all together, so we should be working as a team. If there's something that one of us wants to do, then we help them out. That's the kind of charity you're trying to foster, isn't it? Then don't feel like you should exclude yourself just because of your mother's lessons. Servant or not, you're still human. You, me… Heck, no one should have to carry so much weight around by themselves."

"…"

"That's the kind of thing I wanted to say, Senpai," Sakura said as she put her hands together. "Lancer, you and Rider might be Servants with temporary contracts, but you both have made such a lasting impact in our lives. I'm sure you don't know, but your reckless behavior has really helped Senpai see himself in a new light. He promises that he'll take better care of himself, so you should do the same. Don't go trying to be a hero when it's impossible for you. Sit down with any of us and tell us what's on your mind, got it?"

"Um… okay…" Connla mumbled. "I'm sorry for making you worry…"

"All that matters is that you're alive. We're happy that you came back to us, so we won't get angry with your indiscretion anymore."

"Mm. My apologies, Ms. Matou."

"Just Sakura is fine. We should go on a first name basis from now on. Addressing us as Mr. or Ms. makes you seem distant from us."

"Really? I never thought of it that way."

"He he."

"Looks like you're calming down," Shirou said as he noticed the child Servant wasn't shaking anymore. "What do you want to do now? Would you like to tell us what happened while you were gone? Or do you want to take a break?"

"I would… like to rest a while…"

"Sure. Just confirm something for me first – is it true that Berserker is dead?"

"Yes. I saw it with my own eyes."

"All right. Tonight's when we make our move against Caster, so we should put that matter on hold."

Connla nodded, then got up and quietly headed upstairs. Shirou and Sakura couldn't help but notice the incredible fatigue weighing down the girl's eyes. All they could do was hope that she would be ready for the raid this evening.

On the second floor, Caren, Rin and Medusa left Illyasviel's room just as Connla began to head to Bazett's room. After a short pause, she mumbled, "Is Ms. Einzbern doing okay?"

"She will be fine," Caren said. "She keeps uttering Berserker's name in her sleep though, so we'll have to observe her so she doesn't do anything rash."

"Then I'll stay with her for a while. I want to sit down and recover as well."

"Very good. We'll leave Illya to you then."

"No running off again, you hear?" Rin chided, pointing her finger at Connla in a scolding manner.

"I understand. I'll be ready for our attack against Caster."

"Right…" the teenager muttered and looked away hesitantly. She still felt bad about slapping her earlier, although it didn't look like Connla was upset about it. Witnessing Berserker's death must have shook her up so much that such a petty thing meant nothing to her. Rin didn't like leaving things unresolved like this, but she knew the girl was too exhausted to deal with that right now.

Without a word, Rin walked away first, and Connla entered Illyasviel's room. Caren and Medusa returned downstairs, but Rin didn't follow them. She made it look like she had rounded the corner to go to her room, but she actually kept herself hidden and waited until she was alone. Once the coast was clear, she emerged from her spot and gently approached the closed door, then leaned her ear in near the small gap so she could hear what was going on.

"Berserker… Ber… serker… Don't… Don't leave me…"

Illyasviel moaned in her sleep as she experienced a nightmare where Heracles was gradually vanishing into the void. She sweated excessively, and her body temperature shot way up.

"I'm… all alone…"

Then something cool rubbed on her cheek and forehead, which caused her to wake up. She realized she was sweltering hot and crying in her sleep, so she looked up to see who was trying to help her relax.

"Are you okay, Ms. Einzbern?" Connla asked as she took the damp cloth away.

"You're that Servant…"

"Call me Lancer."

"Ah… Lancer. Is it true? Is Berserker really gone?"

The Servant's eyes were downcast as she murmured, "I'm afraid so."

Illyasviel's chest tightened up when she heard those harsh words. She choked up for a minute, but kept her composure and whimpered, "I see… Everyone I know is gone…"

"My apologies. I really, really wish there was more I could have done."

"No, it's not your fault. That Goldie bastard was too strong for you."

Outside, Rin thought, 'That Goldie bastard'? Who are they talking about?

"Even so, I'm a Servant. There must have been more I could have done to contribute to that fight," Connla murmured.

"Don't say that," Illyasviel implored and made her sit next to her on the bed. "You saved my life, just like Berserker did. I couldn't be more grateful if I tried."

"You mean you're not angry with me for being unable to help him out more?"

"No way! If I'm mad at anyone, it's Goldie! He's the one who did all of this! I'd do anything to wipe that stupid smirk off his stupid face!"

"If only…"

The former Master huffed in frustration, then said, "Well, it's all said and done. If Berserker wants me to live, then I'll do that. If any of you Servants wind up killing Goldie for me, then outlasting him will be my revenge. It's probably the only thing I can do."

"I agree," Connla nodded. "In the meantime, we'll all look after you. Normally you all would be opponents, but this Holy Grail War is not unfolding the way it should be. We've formed this alliance to combat the darkness that has corrupted the integrity of these wars."

"I'm not sure I understand."

Connla went over the basic outline of what she and Caren were trying to accomplish, Bazett's terrible injury and the loss of her Servant, and how the other Masters came to join them. Illyasviel took all of this in, then said, "Amazing… So that's why I couldn't find Shirou anywhere in town. He's been here all along."

"Were you looking for him?"

"Yeah. After Berserker and Saber fought, he just up and disappeared. There were so many things I wanted to ask him. Now that Shirou and I are no longer Masters, maybe this is my chance to talk with him."

"About what, exactly?"

"His adoptive father, Emiya Kiritsugu. He's actually my father, but he just abandoned me 10 years ago, right at the same time my mother died. I was all alone until I met Berserker."

"I see… You must have seen him as a sort of surrogate parent then," Connla said. "Now I can see how losing him has been such a shock to you."

"Maybe. I've always hated Kiritsugu for leaving me, but I don't think Berserker would want me to hold on to that kind of hate forever… That's why I want to talk with Shirou when I get the chance," Illyasviel closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. "I want to know if Kiritsugu loved Shirou the way he did for me when I was little, and that Kiritsugu didn't abandon him. If he did, then maybe… just maybe…"

The young Lancer didn't say anything. Noticing this hesitant pause, Illyasviel asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Not really. Seeing you talk about your father made me think about my own."

"Really? Did your father abandon you too?"

"Well, I can't say I understand what it's like to be abandoned by my father," Connla murmured, then wrapped her arms around her knees. "But I do know what it's like… to be killed by him."

"Eh?" Illyasviel became astonished and turned her widened eyes toward the little girl. "Y-Your father… killed you!?"

"Yes."

"Why? How could you do anything wrong when you're so young?"

"That's not it. It was over a misunderstanding that was orchestrated by my mother. I was raised to be a tool for her vengeance, and I wound up failing her."

"That can't be…" the stunned teenager moaned. "Don't you hate your mother and father for what they did to you?"

Connla's gaze shifted downward. "I don't know how I feel about my mother. I truly do love and respect her, but at the same time… I think she was scared of me."

"Scared of you?"

"Because my father is a great hero who defeated her in battle, she must have thought that I possessed the same power and feared I would do the same to her. She must have raised me the way she did not just to get back at my father, but also to save herself from me."

"No way. That's not how a mother is supposed to be. She should be kind and gentle, always there to support you."

"You must have had a wonderful mother then, Ms. Einzbern."

"Yes. I love her so, so much… and that's why I have trouble forgiving Kiritsugu for turning his back on us."

"I see," Connla replied dismally. "If that's how you feel, then there's nothing more I can say about that."

"What about you? You must despise your father for killing you. Your hate must be even greater than mine against Kiritsugu!" Illyasviel exclaimed.

The child Lancer shook her head. "I already told you – it was a misunderstanding. I invaded his country and refused to say who I was, so he had no choice but to fight me at full strength to protect his nation."

"You can't be serious! I don't get it! I don't get it at all! Why couldn't you tell him who you were!? If you did, none of this would have happened!"

"Mother put a geas on me that forbade me from speaking my name to anyone. It was part of her trap to get me to fight Father."

"Uh… Uhh…" Illyasviel was on the verge of sobbing.

"There's no need to be so upset," Connla assured with a soft voice. "I've forgiven Father for what he did. In fact, I'm proud that he stood for what he believed in. That's the kind of conviction that defines a real hero. I couldn't be happier to be the only 'son' of such a legendary man."

Despite the child's consoling words, Illyasviel still leaned in and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. She hiccupped and whined for a few minutes, then moaned, "It's not fair… It's just not fair. Here I was, hating Kiritsugu and wanting to inflict pain on Shirou just because I was abandoned. Meanwhile… you… you were… b-by your father…"

"Don't say that. Your pain and suffering are no greater or lesser than mine."

"Uuuh…! Aaahn!"

Just outside Illyasviel's room, Rin stood back up and edged away from the door as silently as possible before leaving. The conversation deeply disturbed her, especially since she knew what it was like to lose her father at a young age. However much Illyasviel irritated her, she couldn't deny that they shared such a connection. As far as Connla was concerned though, there were a lot of things that Rin contemplated on.

A child cursed with a geas, unable to say her name, goes to her father's homeland and winds up being murdered by him. That story sounds so familiar, but where did I read it before?

Then she stopped in mid-step. Thinking about what Archer told her earlier made her realize something.

Archer was certain that Lancer was Scathach's pupil. So if she isn't Cuchulainn, then she has to be…

Rin knew that Scathach and Cuchulainn were from the Ulster Cycle of Celtic mythology. If Second Lancer was as well, then it all started to make sense to her. With an icy glare in her cerulean eyes, she strode forth with purpose in her steps as she searched the mansion for Caren. She found her chatting with the others in the dining hall as they had a simple lunch of sandwiches and finger foods. Rin joined them at the table, but her firm gaze never wavered.

"Are Illya and Lancer doing okay?" Sakura asked her sister.

"I heard them commiserating for a bit, but they seem to be in better spirits now."

"That's good. I was afraid that Illya would shut herself out to all of us since we're supposed to be rivaling Masters, but she seems to be taking a shine to Lancer."

"Whatever happened, they had gone through it together," Shirou said. "They can confide with each other about it before telling us."

"Exactly."

Rin sighed, then turned her attention to Caren. She noticed her harsh gaze and muttered sourly, "What is it? If you have something to say, then say it already. Nothing irritates me more than unspoken suspicions."

"Caren," Rin said in a severe tone that surprised the others. "I need to have a word with you."

"About what?"

"I have an idea of who Second Lancer is. All I want is for you to confirm my suspicions."

The priestess faced the young Mage with a stony gaze, then wondered, "What good would knowing that do for you, Tohsaka Rin?"

"If she's who I think she is, then she has perhaps the strongest connection one could possibly have with the other Lancer."

"What do you mean, Rin?" Sakura asked. "You told us that the blue Lancer is Cuchulainn. How would Second Lancer be connected to him?"

"Archer mentioned that she fought remarkably similar to Cuchulainn, and assumed that she was a pupil of his mentor Scathach's. I was rather confused because there is no record of Scathach taking in a female student. Then I overheard the story Second Lancer recounted with Illyasviel, and that was when my deduction was cemented. Caren, I want you to verify for this for me."

Rin stared at the dull-eyed nun, then declared, "She is Cuchulainn's 'son', whom he had slain in a pointless battle. She possesses three geasa, one of which forbids her from saying her name, and upholding that vow was what drove the two of them to fight. Once Cuchulainn struck her down, that was when he realized that he had slain his own child."

"Wait a minute," Shirou gasped. He was well-versed in a variety of legends and folklore tales, including Cuchulainn's. The story Rin was telling matched a familiar, tragic vignette he had read when he was younger. "You're not saying…"

"I am. Second Lancer is the offspring born between Cuchulainn and the warrior woman Aife when he was training in the Land of Shadows. Her True Name is none other than the ill-fated Child of Cuchulainn; Connla. Am I wrong, Caren?"

The priestess paused for a long while. After contemplating her answer, she folded her arms and murmured, "No, you're not. Second Lancer is indeed Connla, a young hero who was defined not by her success, but by her failure and the heartbreak it caused her father."

"I see. No wonder I was stumped about her identity. She was recorded as Cuchulainn's son, but was actually born a girl. That sort of thing does happen here and there, since society has been dominated by men throughout the ages."

"You're kidding, right!?" Shirou exclaimed in worry. "Does the other Lancer know that his child has been summoned here!?"

"Not yet," Caren said grimly. "She's been taking every preventative measure to make sure they don't meet for as long as possible. I'm not sure how long that's going to last though. Both Lancers squared off against each other when Kirei confronted me. By some miracle, Connla managed to incapacitate Cuchulainn without giving away her identity, but she ultimately did not kill him. As a result, he will no doubt be focused on finding out who she is. The moment that happens, he will pursue her like a beast of prey, and that will put a serious crimp on our efforts."

"Then we'll just have to take Caster and her faction out so that Second Lancer can freely concentrate on fighting Lancer."

"Yes. It is but another reason we must move as soon as possible."

"Yeah… By the way, is it okay if we tell Second Lancer that we know her True Name?"

"I'm sure she won't mind. We were concerned about any potential Mages scrying the Masters' minds for hints about the Servants' identities, but I think we're late enough into the game not to worry about that anymore."

All this while, Medusa stood in the corner and listened to the conversation. Admittedly, she was surprised to hear about her fellow Servant's real identity, and thus became curious about what the original legend was about. Without a word, she left the dining hall and went to the lounge, then foraged through the bookshelf containing thick tomes and books of various legends. Caren had borrowed such literature from the Church's top-secret archives so that she could be brushed up on any Servants she wound up discovering. Medusa found the compilation of Ulster mythologies and sat down to parse through it for the next several hours.

Deep within the bowels of Fuyuki Church's basement, Artoria stood hunched over upon the altar. She was garbed in a lovely white dress, elbow-length gloves and thigh-length pantyhose, and had her hair done in a ponytail so that she resembled a porcelain doll. Her wrists were bound together with sinewy red wires made entirely of magic, and she was rapidly losing stamina from resisting their hold over her. Ever since her capture, Medea had kept her bound in this position and continuously pressured her to surrender, but Artoria would not give in.

Tonight was no different, as Medea materialized in a burst of purple butterflies and landed in front of her elegant captive. She stroked her fingers beneath Artoria's chin as she said, "Such courage. You may fight all you like, but your Servant body cannot resist me. As we speak, my Command Spells are eating away at you little by little. Just make it easier on yourself and submit to me already."

"Nngh… Gh…" Artoria wriggled her lower waist around in a futile attempt to wrench her wrists out of the magical red threads. Medea approached her with a smile on her face as she savored her victim's struggle. She was fond of collecting dolls as a hobby, so that was precisely why she had dressed Artoria up. In essence, the King of Knights had been reduced to a mere plaything for the Witch of Colchis.

Medea wanted to break Artoria's spirit further with some inexplicable torture, but then Kuzuki Soichirou's voice called out, "What are you doing, Caster?"

"M-Master Soichirou?" the sorceress wondered in a puzzled manner. "What are you doing here? I had specifically requested for you to remain at Ryuudou Temple."

"You are to answer my question first. What are you doing here? Where in the world is the overseer?"

"Yes. Yesterday, I seized the Saber-class Servant that belonged to Emiya Shirou. He escaped before I could eliminate him, but he is no longer a Master. As for the arbiter, I attacked this church in order to learn the location of the Lesser Grail. He wouldn't tell me, so I attempted to slay him. Lancer managed to help the priest escape however, so I was unable to slay him. I have been searching this place ever since."

"Is that so? I don't recall instructing you to do so."

"However, everything I do is for you, Master. My only goal is to help you achieve victory. I have no other reason than that."

"Despite acting upon your own authority, you have not located the Grail, you attacked the supposedly neutral arbiter, and we lost Ryuudou as our base."

"I sincerely apologize. I took every measure possible, but the opposition was far more tenacious than I anticipated. Not only that, but the Servant called Second Lancer has been disrupting the proceedings for her own purposes. Because of her, half of this War's Masters have joined hands, and they will no doubt come here to rescue Saber. That's why this place is not safe for you. You should return to Ryuudou as soon as possible."

"Perhaps," Soichirou muttered as he sat in one of the remaining pews. "But if I did, I would be unable to achieve my own objective."

"Master Soichirou, what are you…?"

"Search this place for the Grail, and be quick about it. If it is not here, then so be it. The methods are irrelevant, so long as results are produced."

As Medea listened to her Master's order, Artoria gasped for air as she thought about her former Master.

Shirou… Please… be safe…

At around six o'clock in the evening, Connla patrolled the halls to make sure that no enemies or familiars were around. This gave the others some time to rest up, then they would congregate in three hours' time and make their advance toward the church. Although still disturbed over what happened that morning, Connla kept her wits about her and concentrated on making sure everyone was safe.

She rounded the corner to investigate the western wing, and that was when Rin emerged from her room wearing her nightgown, and had a towel wrapped around her neck after she took a shower. After lunch was over, she spent the next few hours lying down. Shirou, Sakura and Illyasviel were likewise asleep, but Caren was busy taking care of Bazett. Medusa was downstairs engrossed in her reading.

"Ah, Lancer," Rin glanced at her.

"Good evening," the little girl said. "I see you had some trouble sleeping."

"Ugh… Is it that obvious?" the teenager rubbed her bleary eyes.

"I can't blame you. This battle is going to decide the ultimate course of the Holy Grail War. It must be difficult to get any sleep when we have such weight thrust on our shoulders."

"No, that's not it."

"Hm?" Connla tilted her head curiously.

Rin became pensive for a moment. "Say, Lancer… Do you know about Guardians?"

"Guardians? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the term."

"They are a particular type of Servant who act as safeguards. They are summoned into various ages in order to prevent the human world's destruction. Or rather," the young Mage murmured as she took out her ruby red pendant and stared at it wistfully, "they prevent the human race from destroying itself."

"…"

"I've been having dreams of an empty landscape filled with nothing but millions of weapons, all while a series of large gears turn endlessly in the sky. Do you have an inkling of what that could mean?"

"Well… In my limited opinion, that sounds like you're tapping into someone's mental landscape. It must be a representation of absolute hopelessness and futility."

"Exactly. That Servant is summoned to save everyone, but before he can, he has to clean up the messes that humans cause."

"I suppose," Connla closed her eyes. "Humans are prone to making mistakes. It sounds like Guardians exist to make sure those mistakes don't wind up causing humanity's self-destruction. But if a Servant is a Guardian because they want to save people, wouldn't that contradiction wind up destroying them from within? They have to kill people who would threaten humanity itself, after all. How many eras would a Guardian be summoned into to fulfill that mission over and over again?"

"I cannot even begin to imagine," Rin whispered as she tightly clasped her hand around the pendant.

"But what exactly would prompt you to think such things, Ms. Tohsaka? There's never been any mention of Guardians during this entire war thus far."

"You're wrong. While I was contracted with Archer, I kept having dreams of him being summoned repeatedly to assassinate large groups of people. Terrorists… Zealots… Political leaders… Cultists… If there was a group dedicated to causing civil unrest, Archer would have likely murdered them. It didn't make sense to me at first, but then I remembered something that my dad told me about Guardians. Once I recalled those lessons, that's when Archer's history finally made sense to me."

"You're suggesting that he's a Guardian then?"

"Yes. That must explain his extreme approach to handling the Grail War. For someone like him, it'd be easier to get rid of all the nuisances so that he can have an easier time eliminating threats to humanity like Caster."

"But he's on her side now. Do you really think this is part of some gambit of his? I certainly don't seem to think so."

"I don't know. I really don't know. That's why I've been trying to figure out who he is all this time."

Connla put her hands behind her back hesitantly. Then she looked up at Rin and asked, "Do you still want Rider and I to spare his life?"

"If at all possible. Only until I confirm something with him…"

"Confirm something?"

Rin faced the little girl, then kneeled in front of her and dangled the jeweled necklace before her. "Do you know what this is?"

"No."

"It's a one-of-a-kind, unique pendant that belongs to my family. There's only one like it in the entire world. You don't know this, but the other Lancer killed Shirou after that buffoon wound up witnessing the fight between him and Archer. I used up the pendant's energies to resurrect Shirou, and I dropped it next to him before leaving."

"So then it should be in Shirou's possession, right?"

"Well the thing is, Archer gave it to me and said he picked it up after Shirou had left. I didn't think much of it until I accidentally dropped it earlier today, and Shirou picked it up for me. He said to me, 'Here, you can have this back. I have another one like this at home. After Lancer nearly killed me at school, it was lying next to me. I picked it up, and I've had it ever since.'"

"Eh? But you just said there's only one of that pendant in the whole world…"

"Exactly. I want Archer to answer to me why he lied about picking up the pendant I left beside Shirou. If I hadn't known there were two of these, I would have never suspected that something was off about him. That's why I want to ask him some hard questions before I can draw any reasonable conclusions. So, Lancer… I understand that you're disappointed in how I treated Archer, and of his methodology, but… if at all possible…"

Connla nodded lightly. "I understand. I can't promise that Rider or I will go easy on him, but we'll definitely defeat him and force him to grovel before you so that he can answer your questions. I can't speak for myself, but if Rider is good at anything, it's torturing others into submission."

"Thanks. And Lancer… Or rather, Connla…"

The young Servant's eyes widened in surprise. She never anticipated that anyone other than Caren would utter her True Name like that. Rin rubbed her head and murmured, "I'm sorry for hitting you earlier."

"It's fine. I'm used to it."

"…"

"Is that all you wanted to ask me, Ms. Tohsaka? Then I suggest you be ready for nine. Ms. Hortensia said that we need all hands on deck for this mission, so she'll be accompanying us as well."

"Right. What about Illyasviel?"

"I asked her to look after Master for me. She's still in shock from losing Berserker, so she's in no condition to fight."

"Understandable. Don't worry about me. I couldn't be more prepared if I tried," Rin flashed a confident smile and clenched her fist in determination. Connla nodded, then departed to continue her patrol. About half an hour later, she returned to the eastern wing of Edelfelt Manor and began her search there, but she happened to encounter Medusa while she was taking a walk.

"No need to investigate," the blindfolded woman said plainly. "I've made sure that there are no intrusions."

"Really? I thought you were focused on your reading," Connla wondered.

"I was just brushing up on Cuchulainn's legend, and by extension, yours as well."

"Oh… So everyone knows who I am…"

"Yes. You don't need to be aversive about your past anymore."

"I see. I was hoping no one would find out so that I wouldn't be pitied. If I was, then I feared everyone would hinder my duties out of excess sympathy."

"Don't worry about that. We still acknowledge your talents as a Servant," Medusa assured. "More importantly, I overheard your conversation with Tohsaka regarding Archer. I didn't quite catch everything you two were discussing, but I heard her wishes to have his life spared. I must say, your assessment of me as someone who tortures others is quite brazen."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Connla cringed. "I didn't mean to be rude about it."

"That's fine. I know myself better than anyone, and that is the type of Servant I am. Besides, a mindset such as mine would be more suitable for beating Archer within an inch of his life, rather than your approach of smoothing things over with him through rational conversation."

"Are you saying you want to fight him?"

"Precisely. I am the stronger of us two, so I should be the one to reign that backstabber in. You should accompany the others inside the church to face Caster directly."

"Aren't you worried about me wasting my time talking with Caster?"

"Well, it can't be helped. You've been summoned to convince the other Servants of the foolishness of this Grail War. I'm not going to patronize you for doing what it is you're here to accomplish. Caster isn't as strong as Archer in combat though, so if words don't work on her, you should have an easier time facing her as your opponent."

"That makes sense, from a strategic perspective."

"Furthermore," Medusa folded her arms, "you will have Emiya, Tohsaka and Hortensia to assist you. That should relieve the burden on you, if only a little bit."

"What about Sakura? Will she be staying with you?"

"Yes. Having her by my side should greatly boost my abilities. Archer will have a much tougher time fighting me compared to when you and I faced each other."

Right, Connla realized. Rider was greatly constrained because she had a Master who couldn't supply her with the necessary mana. Now that she's back with Sakura, she should be able to unleash her true might.

With that in mind, she nodded and said, "Okay, let's go with that plan."