Chapter 1

Thought I'd release this before I released the Reading: Lost Hero of Chaldea story and the other stories. Hope you enjoy. Side note: A large storm knocked out the power, so sorry for not updating. I have some free time so hopefully, updates will be coming alot quicker.

"E...Even if I don't have a representative..." The blonde young lady's face bangs placed a shadow of her face.

"Angelica...you've resolved yourself, I hope?" The Prince stated, looking at her with narrowed eyes. "To fight us, that is." Angelica recoiled, before she clenched her fists tight.

"Imm participate as her representative."/ "I volunteer to be her second." Two voices called out, stunning everyone in the audience. Though, none were more surprised than the two who called out. Leon looked towards the location of the other voice, finding a young man with red hair and piercing blue eyes looking at him.

He was wounded fatally at this point. It was too late for him to try and find someone to help, not that he could right now anyways. There was only one thing left that he could do. He held out his hand, where a sword that was shining gold appeared. The fairy letters shined brightly despite the glow of the sword.

'I can't allow this thing to harm anymore innocents.' He thought to himself, the dead apostle ancestor being pinned to the ground by the multitude of weaker holy weapons inside of the reality marble. He would use the strongest holy sword to wipe it from the face of the earth. " O Lord, I entrust this body to you."

'This is it, Jeanne. I hope I get to see you again, wherever I'm going.' He raised the sword above his head with both hands, taking the stance of Excalibur's wielder to the best of his ability. It was an image he gained from Archer, but it was enough. He could feel his body destroying itself, being overwhelmed with the projection.

'Sorry, Ciel, it looks like you'll have to find someone else to make curry for you from now on.' He chuckled inwardly, trying to keep himself focused, as he could feel his mind and body beginning to fracture. 'Taiga, I know you won't understand, but I'm doing this to protect you and Fuyuki.'

"Ex..." He spoke the beginning, with the dead apostle seeing what he was trying to do and panicking. However, there was nothing it could do. This was his world, as such, he wouldn't move unless Shirou decided to let him. The swords wouldn't stop pinning him there. "...Calibur!"

He felt a surge of magical energy as he swung the blade, surprising him, however, he wasn't focused on that. No, he wasn't focusing on much of anything. Pain and darkness were what he was feeling and seeing. An already fatally wounded body projecting the Last Phantasm meant his death.

He heard a loud cry, before the world exploded in golden light. If Shirou was able to think normally, he would have noted that the image of Excalibur he used shouldn't have caused such an effect, but alas, he couldn't. He opened his eyes, looking up into the sky with what remained of himself.

The moon shined brightly amidst the clouds and snow fell softly onto the ground. It was a final image that would forever be ingrained in his mind, in this world and the next. Shirou slowly breathed out his last remaining breaths, with the final person he saw being a beautiful woman in a combat outfit with blue hair holding his head up.

'She's saying something.' The last vestiges of his mind thought. 'Why is she crying? I didn't want anyone to cry.' Despite his body being broken and his mind slowly withering, his arm managed to move on reflex, barely lifting up to wipe away the trail of tears on her face.

He awoke with a gasp and was breathing heavily. His body was covered in sweat and he had no clue as to how he was still alive. 'No, that's not right. More like, how did I remember all of that?' He thought to himself. His hands were shaking, but steeled himself.

'Where am I again?' He thought, knowing that he wasn't in Japan. 'I died, I know that for a fact. Reincarnation?' He thought with a wry smile. "Trace on." He said, instinctively trying to trace a knife to see his reflection, before remembering he wasn't in his body. However, to his surprise, his circuits activated and a dagger appeared.

'I still have magic circuits?' He thought to himself with some happiness. 'Not only that, but the quality seems to have improved.' He chuckled to himself a bit, before looking into the dagger. To his surprise, he saw that he still had his red hair, but had blue eyes.

If he was remembering correctly, he was the son of an Earl household, the Roseblades. Rather, he was the only son, Arthur Fou Roseblade. He had an older sister by the name of Deirdre, and one by the name Dorothea. Deirdre was two years older than him, while Dorothea was four years older.

It seemed he was close with them both, but they had certain characteristics that terrified him before his memories returned. Namely, they both had some dominatrix vibes that popped up from time to time. Shirou wouldn't lie, he was worried to be the subject of those vibes if he wasn't careful, considering how Caren was.

They were both blonde, with him being the only one inheriting red hair from his mother, which he was happy about. As he was sorting through his memories, he couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity to the world he was in. However, he brushed it off, deciding it was nothing.

'The Roseblades are a family known for their military and ships, so that explained why he was in decent shape. However, it was far from his previous body. 'Looks like I need to start training.' He thought, taking another look at himself. He sighed, before looking up into the blue sky.

'Ciel, Taiga, Rin, Sakura, Issei, Caren, everyone, I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm here, or how I got here, but I won't waste this second chance. Jeanne, I...' He closed his eyes for a moment, before he opened them again with determination.

'I'm currently in the Castle gardens. So, I just need to head to the training room where I can get started. I only have three years before I get sent to that school. Before then, I need to train and get stronger, while also fulfilling my duties. My family believes in Noblesse Oblige, so it shouldn't be too outlandish for me to help everyone.' He thought.

Shirou was still trying to process everything, but he didn't exactly have time. Sorting through memories was a major hassle, as he now had two sets. He was thankful that he still had his old memories, despite the state his mind was in at the end. Though, he did regret leaving his family and friends behind.

Seeing Ciel's face at the end caused him pain, knowing how much his death had hurt her. He didn't quite understand at the time, thinking his sacrifice wasn't worth her tears, as they had saved Fuyuki, but his new life brought him a renewed sense of clarity when it came to emotions.

Even his sister, Caren, he knew that she would just hide her sadness behind a facade. A part of him wished to see them again, but wished for them to continue living their lives, hopefully happily. He let out a heavy sigh as he entered his family's training room.

'I need to regain the strength of my past life. I can't remain passive in a world like this.' He thought, as the memories of his new life told him a bit about the rules of his new home. At the moment, he had no arranged partner, but that could always change.

Of course, the Roseblade family wouldn't choose just anyone for their only son, so he had time. His mother was a big supporter of finding love with whoever your partner was, so she likely wouldn't choose someone who he was incompatible with. From his memories, he knew he got along well with her.

Of course, considering his life so far had been as a person who was just a step above a slacker, he wasn't confident in who would be his chosen partner. He had talent thanks to his family, but his previous mindset had no desire to use that talent. Of course, Shirou was going to change that.

In his past life, he was an executor, a priest, and maybe even a failed saint. However, in this life, he was the son of an Earl household that descended from adventurers and noble knights. Which meant, he was going to live up to the expectations of his name.

He had to do it, for Saber, or rather, for Jeanne. If it wasn't for Jeanne, Shirou likely would have remained an empty shell, but she showed him a new path. He wouldn't have any regrets and he would save people just as she did. That was his promise.

Stepping into the training room, Shirou noticed that everything seemed pretty good. They had different kinds of workout areas geared for different things, even shooting guns. Of course, Shirou wasn't a big fan of guns himself. 'Though, if it was like Ciel's scripture, I might reconsider.' He thought with a small laugh.

'I could always create a reproduction similar to her scripture's gun form. I have the blueprints in my brain from when I traced it. It shouldn't be too difficult.' He thought, grabbing a practice sword from the wall. 'Hmm, I'll train hard for a month, then I'll go get some real experience in a dungeon. My body needs to be toughened up.'

It had been weeks, and Arthur was nowhere to be seen. Usually he could be found lazing around the castle, but no one had seen him. 'What could he be doing at this time of day?' Deirdre then heard sounds coming from the training room. 'Oh, what could that be?'

Opening the door to the training room, she saw something she never would have believed possible. Arthur was standing in the middle of the room with seven knights around him. Six of which were already on the ground. The seventh was the commander of their forces, yet, Arthur holding his ground quite well.

He then brought the sword up in a strange stance, before the commander launched forth with an attack. Deirdre was sure she saw Arthur mouth something, before he swung his sword. The commander dodged, Deirdre saw him dodge, but he was still hit with two more attacks. 'Three attacks in one breath? Since when could Art...?'

Commander James fell to a knee, before he let out a loud laugh. "Very good, Arthur. You've grown into a fine swordsman. I must admit, I'm impressed with your skills, considering you've never taken an interest in such things before." He said, with Arthur helping him to his feet.

"I appreciate the compliment, commander. I just figured it was time to live up to my family's legacy. Besides, a knight, or rather, a man should be able to protect those he loves and be able to stand on his own." He replied with a small smile. Deirdre was surprised to see her brother like this.

"Those are fine words to live by, as a man, at least. However, you must also find your reason for being a knight, for why you wield a sword in the first place. It isn't something decided on easily, so take your time and think about it." He said, patting him on the shoulder.

Arthur nodded resolutely. "Of course. I plan on going on a trip soon, to try and gain some real experience. I'll be sure to think about my beliefs during then." James nodded his head, before he noticed her.

"Good, now my men and I should be on our way. I wouldn't wish to keep you any longer." He said with a grin, before making his way out, his knights shambling behind him. Arthur let out a sigh, before finally noticing her near the doorway. He had a small smile on his face as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Hey, Deirdre, I didn't know you were returning home today." Deirdre wasn't gone that long, yet, her brother had changed so much. It had been, at most, a month since she had seen her brother. Yet, his body was already more muscular and fit. His short red hair had grown a bit, almost making him appear a bit more wild.

His gaze seemed more mature and sharp, with his blue eyes feeling like they were piercing into her soul. It actually caused her to shiver, before she got a hold of herself. She wasn't someone who was interested in her brother after all, though she did wish she could find someone that had the traits he had right now.

Though, that was because of her wish to dominate such a strong willed person. She had no desire to crush whatever newfound confidence her brother now had anyways, especially considering mother and father were attempting to find a partner for him. She guessed he'd have plenty of ladies lining up if he maintained his current image, though that was what she came here for.

"Ah, yes, I just returned from training. I'll be entering the Academy this coming year, so I need to be ready. I just thought I'd come and see how you were doing, and prepare you." She said, before placing a small smile on her face. Her brother raised a brow, before scratching his cheek.

"Uh, prepare me for what?" He asked, before running a hand through his hair. Deirdre hummed after he did so, 'Huh, he'd probably look pretty good with his hair back in a few years.' She raised a brow at the rosary around his neck, but decided to ignore it. She let out a sigh, before shooting him a regretful smile.

"Well, actually, mom and dad told me to come get you to talk about meeting with a potential marriage partner." She said with a sigh. She was expecting Arthur to react to it, but instead, he simply brought a hand up to his chin like he was thinking. "Um, she's not that bad, even though she's a little younger than me."

"I was wondering what mom was excited about a week ago. I'm guessing it had something to do with my training." He said with a small hum. "Well, if it goes well, I won't need to deal with multiple other girls trying to win me over, right?" He asked her.

She couldn't help but laugh. "I can't believe that's the first place your mind went to. It seems that even if you're trying harder physically, mentally you're still a bit dumb when it comes to romance." Arthur had a wry smile on his face at her words.

"Oh, if I'm not mistaken, weren't you in the same boat?" He asked, before smirking. "But, don't worry, I'm sure you'll find someone who loves you just the way you are." He said while nodding, causing Deirdre to narrow her eyes at him.

"I'll have you know that I have plenty of suitors who would happily marry me. I'm just choosy, the same as you." She said with a huff, though her brother simply chuckled at her words.

"Well, I can't argue with that, though, I know that you had a hand in choosing the candidate this time, didn't you?" He asked with a small smile, surprising her. 'How did he know?' He let out a sigh. "Sorry for worrying you all this time, Deidre. You and Dorothea both." He once again began to rub the back of his head.

"But don't worry, I'm sure I'll get along well with whoever it is you recommended. And after I talk to mom, I'll be sure to cook something delicious for you." Deirdre couldn't help but smile, even though she found it odd that he said he would cook something for her. 'Since when could he cook food?'

Shirou Hortensia, now Arthur Fou Roseblade, wasn't exactly thrilled about having to find a fiancee so young. He understood the reasoning, mages still practiced arranged marriages in his old world, so it wasn't like he was unfamiliar with it.

The thing was, Shirou wasn't all that well versed when it came to such things. From his memories, he had only ever loved three women, Caren, Ciel, and Jeanne. Each of whom he had went through many ordeals with, including the Holy Grail War. It wasn't easy for the current him to think about marriage.

His new self may not be as mentally and emotionally damaged as it had been, however, scars remained in his soul. He had once been empty, searching for something to fill that void. God was answer he came to, however, it was Caren who ultimately saved him and filled that void.

She said that someone empty like him didn't know love, so his answer was hollow like he was. At the age of 13, he was paired with his adoptive sister at the behest of his father. His father said he didn't wish for Shirou to end up like him, so he basically gave Caren to him, probably hoping his son could achieve what his father couldn't with Caren's mother.

Caren was the first woman he loved, though looking back, it was a twisted sort of love. Shirou wouldn't deny that. However, he felt that hole in his heart fill. Then there was Ciel, who he had met at the age of 16, a year before the Holy Grail War. The Church had sent him and Caren to assist her in hunting down a dead apostle named Roa.

Shirou didn't know how it happened, but one day, he found he felt for her like he did for Caren. Two traumatized and broken people finding comfort and peace with each other. After the three killed him, the Church made them a three man team specialized in killed Dead Apostles and Demons, though they were ordered to return home to oversee the Holy Grail War.

That was where Shirou summoned and met Saber, Jeanne D'Arc. Shirou revered saints since he was young, with Jeanne being the one he admired the most. He aspired to be like her after his father told him about her a year after the fire in Fuyuki. He wished to be a saint like her, to never abandon those crying out for help, to save others.

Needless to say, being able to summon her and fight alongside her was a dream come true. He hadn't meant to summon her, but when he was attacked inside the church alone, he had uttered a prayer before deciding to fight the servant with everything he had. When he did, she answered and, more than likely, saved his life.

How he fell in love with her was complicated, as he knew that, as a saint, she loved everyone equally. Somewhat like Caren, though, without the sadistic tendencies and sharp tongue. However, she had saved him countless times and was the final person who managed to fill the hollowness inside of him.

While he was different here, he was still Shirou and he couldn't forget the three who made him human. The fact he was wearing the shroud Jeanne gave him before she left was evidence of that fact. He let out a sigh. He missed them, though, he held out hope that he might see them again.

He shook his head, deciding not to get depressed again. He had already changed into some fresh clothes, deciding not to dress to formally for his meeting. Rather than a jacket, he wore a black button up sweater over his white collar shirt, along with Jeanne's purple shroud.

Considering his family's colors, he thought it was appropriate. He also didn't wear a sword, considering he didn't need one. If he needed to, he could project one, or just use his bajiquan.

After walking through the castle, he reached his destination. He took a deep breath, before walking into the room. When he did, his mother was waiting for him with a smile. She had long, braided red hair, stunning blue eyes, and perfect porcelain like skin.

Like his sisters, she enjoyed the colors of blue and purple, which she was wearing a purple dress with a blue shawl around her shoulders. Honestly, he didn't find it hard to imagine where his sisters got their looks from. She had a bright smile on her face, that only brightened more when she saw him enter the room.

"Arthur, you finally made it! Hurry, come take a seat, you're partner will be arriving soon." She said with excitement. Shirou could only offer up a wry smile as he made his way towards the couch she was sitting on.

"Right, wouldn't want to be late to my early engagement." He muttered, though his mother simply let out a small chuckle at his words.

"Oh, don't be like that dear. I know that you want to focus on your training and what not, but I think this girl will be perfect for you. Besides, if it goes well, then you'll be free to go on adventures without needing to return home for more of these. Who knows, maybe she'd be able to help you too." She happily said.

Shirou hummed. "Yeah, I suppose that's true. I'm just not sure if I'm ready for this." He said rubbing the back of his head. "Though, I'll give it a shot. I know my sisters worked hard to set this up. Could you tell me a bit about her before she gets here?" His mother had a large smile on her face after his words.

"Of course! She's a part of the Atlee household." She said proudly. Shirou raised a brow. 'The Atlee family? They're another Earl household, if I remember correctly. I don't know what they're famous for though.' Shirou hummed to himself. "Her name's Clarice, and she seems like a nice girl."

"I see. Well, if mother says so, then it must be true." He replied, just as a maid walked in.

"Lady Eileen, the guest has arrived, should I send her in?" Shirou couldn't help but be slightly nervous. Even with both memories, Shirou wasn't confident in being alone with a girl he just met. He was a priest in his last life, then he was an above average slacker in this one.

"Oh, no, I'll do that myself. I'll be right there to see her in." She replied, before gently squeezing Shirou's hand. "There's no need to be nervous, sweetie. Just be yourself and if it doesn't work out, then there's always next time. Finding someone who's suitable for you is most important, no matter what anyone else says."

She had loving motherly smile on her face, one that Shirou hadn't ever seen in his past life. He never got to meet the woman who would have been his mother. So, having one and seeing her like this warmed his heart. 'Do I really deserve all of this?' Rather than show his feelings, he simply smiled back at his mother.

However, he noticed her expression slightly shift for a moment. "Are you alright, dear? If this is too much, we could always do it another time." Shirou's eyes widened, before he quickly shook his head. 'Could she tell what I was thinking?'

"No, no, it's fine. An unpleasant thought just crossed my mind, there's no need to worry." Shirou replied while rubbing the back of his head with a weak chuckle. His mother looked at him suspiciously, before returning to her previous happy smile.

"If you say so. Now, she'll be here shortly, so be ready." She said, before finally making her way out of the room. Shirou couldn't help but let out a, exhausted sigh. 'Are all mother's that sharp?' He thought to himself. 'The only person who was able to notice that before was Caren.'

Shirou brought a hand up to the cross hanging around his neck. 'Lord, if my prayers still reach you, please bless Caren and Ciel with a happy life.' He finished his prayer before standing up and looking over all the things on the table in front of him. 'Hmm, these aren't bad. Next time, I'll just make the treats and tea myself. For now...'

"Trace on." His circuits activated and he proceeded in using reinforcement on the tea placed on the table. It wasn't anything to complicated, he had done it many times before when he was out on missions for the church. Though, he never used it on his own food out of principle.

He took a deep, calming breath, just as the door to the room opened up. Shirou was surprised when he saw the girl. She was a few years older than, at least two if he was guessing correctly from his sister's words. 'Though she said that this girl was slightly younger.'

She was beautiful, Shirou wouldn't deny that. Her body reminded him of Rin, in that she looked athletic, though Clarice was a lot more well endowed than his friend. 'I'd probably get a punch in the gut if Rin knew I thought that.' She was wearing a white dress and a green sweater, with black thigh high stockings and cross necklace that was similar to his.

A part of him was glad that she wasn't dressed up, otherwise he would have felt bad. She had medium length red hair, though, her's was more of a traditional redhead, being orange in color, while his and his mother's was red. She also had stunning green eyes that reminded him of emeralds.

When she saw him, she flashed him a sweet smile that caught him off guard. Though he partially blamed his new self for it, some redness appeared on his face. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Arthur Fou Roseblade." She said in an elegant voice with small curtsy. "My name's Clarice Fia Atlee."

Shirou couldn't help but have a small smile on his face as he bowed in response. 'What's the proper way to respond again?' "No, the pleasure is all mine. Would you like to have a seat? I trust you'll find everything to your liking." 'This is harder than I thought. Should I just ask her to speak normally?'

After the two had taken a seat, Shirou watched as Clarice's eyes widened when she tasted the tea. "Pretty good, huh." She slightly flinched, before nodding her head with slightly embarrassed smile.

"Oh, yes. I don't think I've tasted something like this before. Could I ask where you received it from?" She asked. Shirou was surprised, as his reinforcement didn't usually upgrade the taste that much. Shirou hummed, before deciding to answer.

"Well, to be completely honest, it's the usual high grade tea most of the nobles buy. Though, I did use a little trick to make it taste better. It should also be a little healthier than normal as well." He replied, surprising her a bit. "Just a trick I picked up this last month, since I've been training."

"I see. I admit, I'm quite surprised. Could I be honest with you?" She asked, looking slightly nervous. Though, Shirou couldn't help but be slightly relieved. Keeping up the noble facade wasn't something he wanted to do. They had only just started and he was already uncomfortable.

"Of course, feel free to say whatever's on your mind. Personally, I'm not a big fan of formal speech and things like that." He replied to her, with her letting out a small laugh.

"I see, then I'll just talk normally from now on." She said, before taking a deep breath. "I was honestly a bit hesitant when coming here. Though, my father wishes to officially accept it, your sisters and mother said that any decision was to come after I met you."

"Hmm, that does sound like them. My father might have been the same as yours, but he's obviously outnumbered." He said with a sigh. Clarice then took another sip of the tea.

"While I was hesitant, I decided to come anyways. I was concerned since the way your sisters described you was a lot different from your mother, plus a few other rumors floating around." Shirou nodded his head, since he knew what the rumors likely were. He admitted, as far as rumors went, his were very tame.

Normally, if a noble woman in this world heard the rumors of him being lazy and carefree, they'd likely jump at the opportunity. If he was like that, they'd have nothing to worry about in their own lives, basically running everything. So, he was actually glad that Clarice didn't think that way.

"However, you're a lot different from what I imagined you would be like that. Well, not that we've talked a whole lot, but just from our initial meeting. I can tell that you work hard from your hands, and your body. You also give off a calm and warm feeling, but your eyes are somewhat distant." She had a small smile on her face, before looking into her cup.

"I was initially going to come here and go through the motions, but..." Shirou raised a brow when she stopped. She sat her cup down, before looking at him with a serious expression. "now I'd like to get to know more about you. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that I'd regret it if I didn't."

Shirou was slightly surprised at her words. Just from what she said, he deduced that she was someone who was able to pick up on small details. She had been examining him since she entered the room, but she also seemed very decisive. She could have simply continued on, and simply returned to know more, but she was upfront and honest about it.

Shirou had a feeling that was what kind of person she was. Considering her bright smile and the small amount of information he received when he looked at her analyzed her necklace, which he was thankful that it was a cross since he could somehow trace those, she was a kind and honest girl. Honestly, he was interested in knowing more about her as well.

Shirou couldn't help but let out a small laugh, before smiled at her. "I was going to do the same thing as you, honestly." He said while rubbing the back of his nervously. Though, his words caused Clarice to chuckle a bit. "Well, how about we take a walk and we can talk about, since I'd like to know more about you as well."

She smiled and nodded, as Shirou stood from his chair and offered his hand to her. She gently took his hand, before Shirou had an idea. "You wouldn't happen to be hungry, would you?"

This story, along with two others, will be new stories that I wanted to try out. I won't be dropping the others, but I wanted to expand my storytelling a bit, to maybe get some more creative ideas and stuff. No one's done a cross with this story yet. The RWBY story was to give myself a bit more freedom to tell a more original story in the RWBY world, to try and flex my creative chops like I did with Lost Hero of Chaldea. The same goes for the Campione story, though that story was more because I wanted to give it a shot and write a new Campione cross that I think people will like. Depending on the popularity, I'll be updating them sooner than some of my less popular stories. Though, I will be updating them all, it just depends. Lost Hero of Chaldea is practically my main story at this point, as it's way more popular than I thought it would be. Also, I was super surprised to see people have s for this kind of stuff. Don't worry, I won't be doing any of that to you guys. This is something fun and I don't want to lock any new readers behind paywalls and stuff. Ultimately, I do this for my own enjoyment, as well as the enjoyment of all of you. The other two stories received some good reviews, so it'll probably the Campione cross, followed by the new RWBY cross. Anyways, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, feel free to ask questions, I usually answer them. Thanks for the support and reviews, I appreciate it, it definitely helps and some suggestions really help me out. Anyways, thanks once again and, as always, until next time.