Ici il y a des dragons

Chapter 8

The Knight of White Lilies

Click

Mashu smiled as she looked at the picture she took of the French family that took everyone in the previous day. Claude, Fayette and their children turned towards Mashu with curious expressions. The Shielder gasped, having realized she was caught. The family, however, didn't act like anything strange happened. Instead, they simply smiled and waved at Mashu.

Mashu smiled, and waved back. Once they were out of view, she took a look at the picture, and giggled. The lilac haired girl was then brought out of her trance as she felt a finger tap her shoulder. She turned around and saw Artoria looking at her with a neutral expression before raising an eyebrow at the camera.

"What are you doing with that?" Artoria asked curiously.

"I was taking a few pictures." Mashu said calmly. "I want to preserve these as memories so I can look back at them fondly."

Artoria smiled at the answer. "Can I see what you have so far?"

Mashu nodded and showed her the picture. The photo consisted of Claude, Fayette and their children, smiling at the town. It was a simple picture, but the quality made Artoria smile even brighter.

"I must say you have a talent for this." Artoria said. "Have you considered becoming a photographer?"

Mashu blushed and shook her head. "I-I-I never thought of something like that before."

Artoria chuckled at Mashu's reaction, causing the Shielder to blush more. "Maybe you could try and protect those memories with your shield like you protect Ritsuka and Tatsuko."

Mashu flinched at the comment. "Protect those memories like I do Senpai and Tatsuko…."

Artoria stared at the Shielder with concern. "Is something wrong?"

Mashu exhaled sharply. "I feel that I am not really good enough to be their Demi-Servant."

Artoria raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

Mashu stared at Artoria reluctantly. The Saber smiled gently at the Shielder in order to reassure her. "Don't worry, if it's too personal, I'll keep it a secret."

Mashu continued to stare reluctantly at Artoria, but nodded in the end. "I'm not really that special. Compared to Heroic Spirits, I'm just….lacking in strength. So I don't think I'm worthy of my Demi-Servant powers, nor am I worthy of protecting Senpai and Tatsuko."

"Ah, so that's what is troubling you."

Mashu nodded. The lilac haired girl looked up in surprise as she felt Artoria put a hand on her shoulder, continuing to smile gently at her.

"I disagree, Mashu. I think you're more than worthy."

Mashu stared at her in confusion. "I don't understand. I haven't done anything….."

Artoria shook her head. "You're wrong. Back when we fought against Dark Jeanne for the first time, the majority of us did our jobs in fighting the enemy Servants. And you did YOUR job of defending Ritsuka and Tatsuko. You are one of our trump cards because of this."

Mashu tilted her head. "I am?"

Artoria nodded. "Your defensive capabilities are some of the best among us. With you protecting our Masters, the rest of us can focus on defeating the enemy, and win the battle."

"I see….."

"Have some more confidence Mashu." Artoria said gently. "You're much stronger than you think you are."

Mashu stared at the Saber in surprise. She couldn't help but mull over everything that Artoria just said. Maybe Artoria was right, maybe she is stronger than she thinks. But the real question was how strong.

"Hey guys, you have to see this!"

Artoria and Mashu turned around and saw Tatsuko and Mata Hari pointing behind them with wide grins and loud giggles. The Saber and Shielder tried to look at what the female Master and black haired Assassin were giggling about, only to giggle at the sight before them.

The two children of Claude and Fayette stood by Heracles, who wore a circlet of flowers upon his brow, with a gentle smile on his face. Mashu slowly raised her arms up, and aimed the camera at the lumbering Berserker.

Click.

As that was happening, Ritsuka spoke to Roman about their plan of action for the day.

"So you guys plan to leave Thiers at some point today?" Roman asked.

Ritsuka nodded. "Yeah, the sooner we can join up with Jeanne, the better."

"Good idea, just keep in mind that the town could be a good home base of operations."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Ritsuka said. "I don't want to put innocent civilians at risk if a fight breaks out."

"I see." Roman bridged his hands together and stared at Ritsuka with a gentle gaze. "You make a good point, but I still suggest that you take my advice about using Thiers as a base in mind. However, the decision is ultimately up to you."

Ritsuka nodded and was about to speak, when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. The male Master turned around and saw Claude staring back at him with a neutral expression. The one legged man spoke to Ritsuka with a curious tone.

"He's asking if it's okay if he could speak with you." Roman said.

"Sure thing, but I still don't know French." Ritsuka said. "Do you think Davinci could alter our mystic codes so Tatsuko and I can understand what everyone is saying?"

"~That'll be the first thing I'll do when you guys get back~!" Davinci said a few feet away from Roman.

"Oh wait!" Roman said. "I just realized that your communicators have a translation setting. Just press the green button on the left side, and you'll be good to go."

Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "How come you didn't mention this before?"

"Well for starters, we didn't want people of this era to freak out over a device they never saw before." Roman answered. "And secondly, it's been a crazy time over there and in here, so it sort of slipped our minds."

Ritsuka sighed, and turned on the green button. He looked at Claude, and smiled at the one legged man. "Sorry for the wait, I would be more than happy to talk."

Claude stared at Ritsuka in shock. "By the Lord, I can understand you!"

"And I can finally understand you." Ritsuka said. "Now, do you want me to come over to you?"

Claude stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I think it'll do me better to come to you. I need to get used to this crutch after all."

Ritsuka nodded as Claude slowly moved towards the male Master. The moment Claude was done, the two of them stared at each other silently for a few moments. Claude smiled, and extended a hand out towards the male Master. Ritsuka didn't waste a second, and shook Claude's hand.

"I know Faye already thanked you for what you did for me, but I never did."

"You don't need to thank me." Ritsuka said. "I just couldn't let people die while under my care, besides, Kojiro is the one who did it, so you should probably be thanking him."

"I already did." Claude answered. "And because of that, my children think that you, me and that Kojiro fellow are heroes."

Ritsuka flinched at the comment. Claude looked at the male Master with curiosity. "Is something wrong?"

Ritsuka nodded. "I wouldn't say wrong, but…"

"Yes?"

Ritsuka exhaled sharply.

"I never had a hero growing up. Nor do I want to be one."

Claude nodded in understanding. "I see, and why do you think that?"

"I grew up in a dangerous part of town." Ritsuka answered. "Back then, heroes were just people told to me in stories. And that was it. No one would come to my rescue, and I had no one to look up to."

"I see." Claude muttered. "I don't really get it myself, but it sounds like you had it rough as a child."

Ritsuka nodded. "You could say that."

"But let me ask you this." Claude said. "Why is it that you don't want to become a hero?"

Ritsuka stared at Claude for a moment, before putting a finger to his chin in deep thought. The male Master then widened his eyes in realization. He had no answer. He then looked at Claude with a curious gaze.

"Let me ask you this: Do you want to be a hero?"

Claude nodded. "Of course I do."

"Why?"

Claude laughed. Ritsuka raised an eyebrow, causing Claude to raise a hand apologetically.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but think how silly your question was." The one legged soldier said.

"Silly?"

Claude nodded. "Yes, because the answer is obvious."

"I don't understand." Ritsuka said. "Why do you want to be a hero?"

Claude looked to his children, now playing with Tatsuko and Mata Hari, and smiled.

"When you have children of your own, you'll understand."

Ritsuka opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of footsteps cut him off. The male Master and Claude turned to see Louis running towards them. The soldier stopped to catch his breath before looking at them again.

"There's a large group of people at the city gates." Louis said.

"Shouldn't you be getting the mayor?" Claude said.

"Someone else is taking care of that." Louis answered. "I had to find you guys first."

"Why?" Ritsuka asked.

Louis stared at the male Master in shock. "Why can I-"

"Long story Louis." Claude replied. "Now please, why did you want to find us first?"

Louis nodded slowly. "Jeanne's with them, and she's brought another man with her decked in armor."

Ritsuka's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

Louis nodded. "They're outside the gates waiting for us to let them in."

"Won't the mayor try to stop her from coming in?" Ritsuka asked. "People are scared of the Dragon Witch after all."

"No, he'll let her in." Claude answered. "Not one person in this town believed that Jeanne was the Dragon Witch for even a second."

"Claude's right." Louis said. "All that's left is for the mayor to come out and welcome the others."

"Okay, I'll tell the rest of my group that-"

"Already done." Louis said. "You two were the last ones I needed to find."

Ritsuka nodded and turned to Claude. The male Master and Louis helped the one legged man as they made their way to the gates. Upon arriving, Ritsuka found the other Chaldeans and their allies staring at the entrance as the gates opened up. Refugees slowly trickled in the town, their relief that their ordeal was over was written all over their faces. The moment the last refugee was inside Thiers was when the Chaldeans and their allies saw Jeanne and Saint George walk into the town. Mozart walked up to Jeanne with a curious gaze as he noted something missing?

"Where's Mary?" He asked.

Jeanne couldn't help but look away as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

After all the civilians and refugees left the gates, and into their homes and temporary lodgings, Jeanne explained everything that happened when they met Saint George, and how Mary sacrificed her life. After her explanation was done, Mozart decided to walk away for a bit, wanting to be alone with his thoughts.

"I know you all might not want to hear this, coming from someone who never met her." Mata Hari said. "But I think she was very brave, facing down the Dragon Witch to buy everyone time, and knowing that she wasn't going to survive. That takes a lot of courage, strength and willpower, and I think the best way to honor her is to make sure Siegfried is healed."

"Then we should begin posthaste!" Saint George said. "The sooner we proceed, the sooner we can fight the Dragon Witch."

"Unfortunately for you, none of you will make it that far."

Everyone turned to see Chevalier d'Eon outside the city gates, walking towards them with a calm expression. They all stared at the Saber in shock as they drew their rapier, and pointed it at them. "And now, I shall do what my allies failed to do, and kill you all."

"Were you following us the entire time?!" Jeanne asked.

d'Eon shook their head. "The Dragon Witch ordered me to track you after the Queen killed Sanson. However, I didn't find you until now."

"Queen? Wait…..did you just say that Marie killed Sanson?" Tatsuko asked.

d'Eon nodded. The group stared at the Saber for a few moments, before Ritsuka took a step forward and stared at d'Eon with a curious expression.

"You have a connection to Marie, don't you?" He asked.

"I fail to see how that is relevant." d'Eon stated.

"But you called her "the Queen"." Ritsuka countered. "That sounds relevant to me."

d'Eon sighed in resignation. "You're correct. I do have a connection to her, in a way."

"Then who are you?" Jeanne asked.

"I am Chevalier d'Eon." The Saber answered.

"d'Eon…..wait, I know who that is!" Mashu said.

"Care to fill us in?" Ritsuka asked.

Mashu nodded. "Chevalier d'Eon was a spy, author and a captain to the dragoons, and a knight in service to the French royal family during the French Revolution."

"So that's how you knew Marie…" Jeanne muttered. "You were a knight in her and the king's service!"

d'Eon nodded.

"For a knight that's supposed to be loyal to the royal family, you don't seem to be broken up about her death." Emiya said.

"Of course not. I was summoned by the Dragon Witch, and Queen Marie allied herself against my Master." d'Eon replied. "If I had to face her, I would have to cut her down without mercy, as my Master ordered."

Artoria glared at the Saber, and walked slowly towards them, having brought Excalibur to her side.

"You have quite some nerve." Artoria said venomously. "Not only did you have the gall to say that you'd cut down your Queen without hesitation, but you did so in front of her friends."

"What are you getting at?" d'Eon asked.

"DO YOU HAVE NO SHAME?!"

Everyone stared at Artoria in shock. The Chaldean Saber planted Excalibur into the ground with extreme force. Everyone who witnessed it stared in shock as the ground beneath the blade cracked open. Artoria continued to glare at d'Eon with intense fury.

"You have brought shame to knights everywhere." Artoria said. "And I intend to remove your stain upon it."

"And who are you to judge me?!" d'Eon asked.

The air around Artoria grew heavier and heavier. It was almost suffocating for everyone as Artoria's glare pierced into d'Eon's very soul. The Berserk Saber shifted under the pressure, intimidated by the Chaldean Saber's mere presence.

"I am Artoria Pendragon. King of the Britons. And King of Knights."

d'Eon's eyes widened in shock. "Oh….."

Jeanne walked up alongside Artoria, and planted her flag into the ground. There was no anger shown upon her face, but d'Eon could see the resolve in her. The Ruler was going to fight her alongside Artoria, just like before. The Berserk Saber regained their composure, if they wanted to win, they had to keep a calm head.

The Chaldean Saber looked back to Ritsuka, and her face softened. "I'm sorry for what I'm about to do…."

Ritsuka exhaled sharply. "I understand….."

Artoria nodded, and turned her gaze to the other Servants. "Jeanne and I have unfinished business with this one. So please, let us handle this."

The other Servants nodded. Artoria returned her gaze back to d'Eon, and her glare returned.

"Chevalier d'Eon, if you believe in God, don't even bother praying. He won't save you now."

d'Eon had no time to react. Artoria was gone in a flash, and appeared suddenly before them. The Chaldean Saber swung her blade at them, forcing d'Eon to block. Unfortunately for the Berserk Saber, it wasn't enough, and they were blown away by the strike, flying through, and destroying part of the gate's walls, and crashed outside the city.

Artoria and Jeanne dashed out of the city, and lunged at d'Eon. The Berserk Saber had enough time in order to make a counter, deflecting a swing from Artoria, and dodging a strike from Jeanne. The two Servants tried again, only for d'Eon to sidestep out of the way, smack them with their rapier, and cut into both of them. The two Servants hissed in pain for a moment, before they had to dodge an attack from d'Eon. The Berserk Saber kept up the pressure, attacking both Servants at the same time with incredible precision and speed. Artoria and Jeanne, for all their strength, could not find an opening in the Berserk Saber's form.

"You would be wise to surrender, there's no way for you to win this fight." d'Eon said while blocking a strike from Artoria.

"We've already killed some of your allies, I wouldn't get cocky if I were you." Artoria answered while kicking d'Eon in the chest and trying to slash them from above while Jeanne tried to do a sneak attack. Berserk Saber saw this coming however, and was able to dodge the hit.

"Fleur de Lis!"

A giant lily bloomed d'Eon. The two Servants knelt on the ground as they felt their vitality, and their strength waning. d'Eon emerged from the lily, and walked towards them. The Berserk Saber turned to Jeanne, and pointed their rapier at her throat. The Chaldeans could only watch in horror as d'Eon raised their blade to strike, causing Ritsuka and Tatsuko to make an attempt to use a Command Spell each to save them. But they would be too late, and they knew it.

That was, until they all heard the melody of the piano.

Everyone turned to see where it was coming from, only to see Mozart a few feet away from the three combatants.

"As long as I am here, Marie's death won't be in vain." He said, the tune of the piano growing softer, then resumed his intense flurry.

"YOU!" d'Eon shouted.

"Yes, me." Mozart said calmly. "It really saddens me to see how far you have fallen d'Eon. So it's only fair that I pick up the pieces that Marie left behind, and aid these fine women in defeating you here and now!"

d'Eon made a mad dash to attack Mozart, who then returned to furiously playing the piano, dexterously hitting the keys like a master.

"Requiem for Death!"

Pure white familiars appeared behind Mozart, as if on a podium. The Caster continued to play the piano with as much focus, passion, and precision as before. Ritsuka raised an eyebrow as he continued to listen to the melody, only to gasp.

"I know that song!" He said.

"You do?" Mashu asked.

Ritsuka nodded. "Yeah, it's an incredibly famous piece."

"Well, what's it called?" Tatsuko asked.

"Dies Irae! Dies Irae!"

d'Eon stopped in their tracks, and attempted to cover their ears in order to block out the music. But it was to no avail, for Mozart's Noble Phantasm took root. The Berserk Saber glared at Mozart with intense fury. "Do you really think that you can avenge the Queen you loved so dearly by playing that instrument?!"

Mozart smirked. "What makes you think I'm doing this because I loved Marie?"

d'Eon's eyes widened as the chorus grew louder and louder. "What?"

"It is true that I loved Marie." Mozart continued. "But I have since moved on from her long ago. My passion is for music, nothing more. But that doesn't mean that I won't fight for what she believed in."

"Well it's too bad for you then." d'Eon said as they continued to cover their ears. "Your music won't be helping anyone."

"Oh, but it already has." Mozart said. "You see, music fills the soul and, under the right circumstances, reignites their spirits."

"What are you even talking about?"

Mozart's smirk grew wider. "Look behind you, and see for yourself."

d'Eon's eyes widened as they turned around, and saw Artoria and Jeanne off their knees, and readied their weapons. The two Servants lunged at d'Eon with all their might. The Berserk Saber raised their blade to defend against the Chaldean Saber and Ruler, but it was pointless. Artoria and Jeanne swung their weapons down upon d'Eon, ending the battle in one decisive blow.

Mozart stopped playing the piano and walked towards Artoria and Jeanne, who watched as d'Eon gasped for air. Artoria pointed Excalibur at d'Eon with a cold glare.

"Hold there." Mozart said. "I'll do it."

Artoria looked at the defeated Saber, then to the Caster and nodded. The Chaldean Saber and Jeanne made way for Mozart to reach d'Eon, who stared at Mozart with a horrified look of realization.

"What…what have I done?" d'Eon asked.

"You betrayed the oaths you made as a knight." Artoria answered.

d'Eon breathed heavily as they remembered everything they said, and everything they did under the Madness Enhancement. "I….I have indeed shamed the very title…"

"You can still make things right." Jeanne said. Artoria nodded in agreement.

"I see…so there is a chance to regain my honor…." d'Eon coughed up ferociously. "Please, listen well. The main base of the Dragon Witch is in the largest castle in Orleans."

"How many enemies are left?" Mozart asked.

"Four Servants, wyverns, and Fafnir." d'Eon answered. "Now please Mozart, finish me. I need…..to atone for everything I have done."

Mozart nodded, and summoned his wand. d'Eon smiled as they closed their eyes.

"I'm so sorry, my queen. Please forgive my mistake."

Mozart waved his wand, and let out a sweet, peaceful melody, allowing the Berserk Saber to pass in peace as they turned into golden dust.

After d'Eon's passing, Jeanne and Saint George immediately went to work on ridding Siegfried of the curses placed on his body. Unfortunately, the process would take hours, meaning that they would have to put their plans to attack the Dragon Witch on hold for a bit, and remain in Thiers another day. Louis decided to leave Thiers in order to return to the French Army, and inform General Gilles everything that happened, and to give the Chaldean's a possible ally in the army.

As it became nighttime, Artoria stared at the full moon with a conflicted expression. The Saber then turned around to see Mozart walking up to her. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Artoria nodded in approval and watched as Mozart walked up to her. The Caster noticed the Saber's conflicted expression, and raised an eyebrow.

"What's troubling you?" Mozart asked.

"When d'Eon said those things about Marie…..I couldn't help but feel angry at d'Eon. They said they'd kill her without a moment's hesitation."

"It's natural for Servants to do so, is it not?" Mozart asked.

Artoria nodded. "And yet, they were a knight in her service….I just….."

"Does it have to do with the loyalty of your knights?" Mozart asked.

Artoria chuckled. "No, not at all. Well…..maybe for one."

"You mean Mordred?"

Artoria nodded. "Yes."

"So what d'Eon said made you think of Mordred's betrayal, and the hatred you feel for your son?"

"You're half right." Artoria said. "While Mordred's betrayal did hurt me personally, I do not blame him. It was more or less my fault."

"I see." Mozart looked at the moon for a moment, and smiled. "Well, in any case, d'Eon was under the effects of Madness enhancement. So that would have influenced their thoughts."

Artoria nodded. "That is true. I should have taken that into consideration."

The Saber raised an eyebrow as she remembered something. "Speaking of d'Eon, I was wondering about something."

"Yes?" Mozart asked.

"How did you manage to sneak up on all three of us without us noticing?"

Mozart chuckled. "It's quite simple. You see, I-"

"Guys, Siegfried is cured!"

The two Servants looked at Jeanne as she walked up to them with a bright smile. "Come quick!"

The two Servants followed Jeanne as she led them towards the room holding Siegfried. The Saber was moving much more dexterous than before, causing everyone to smile at the victory.

"Thank you for your help." Siegfried said. He then turned to the two Masters and smiled. "If it is okay with you both, I would like to make a contract."

Ritsuka and Tatsuko nodded and held out their hands. Their Command Seals glowed as Siegfried knelt down. A few moments later, the contract was complete, and Siegfried rose.

"Awesome!" Tatsuko exclaimed. "Now we have two dragon slayers!"

"Indeed." Saint George replied. The Rider turned to Mashu with a curious glint in his eyes. "I heard from one of the Servants earlier that you are quite the photographer."

Mashu blushed and nodded. "I just like taking pictures and preserving nice memories."

Saint George smiled. "Well, it just so happens that I have a fascination for photography as well."

"Really?" Mashu asked.

Saint George nodded as he brought out his camera. "If you and the two Masters could stand still for a moment, I'd like to take a picture of you three."

The Chaldean Trio gulped and tried to protest, only for their bodies to remain locked in place. They couldn't move, even when they wanted to. Medea couldn't help but chuckle mischievously as she wagged her finger.

"I'll keep them in place while you take the picture."

The Chaldean Trio's faces showed their incredible discomfort at the situation as Saint George readied his camera.

Click!

CV: Well, wasn't that a pretty interesting chapter?

OC: Yeah….you could say that… (Trying not to snooze)

CV: You ok buddy? Is packing getting to you?

OC: I'm fine, just very…..very..VERY exhausted. For our readers, I need to give a little context. For the past two days, I was in the process of moving out of my old apartment, and into a new house. Two days of packing, and unpacking, then as we are writing this author's notes, I had to go to work for almost eight hours. So yeah, this was a pretty chaotic few days for us trying to get this chapter ready for you all.

CV: I get that. I've moved 2 times in the last 3 years and both times have been exhausting, particularly because we had to travel really long distances between both houses in the middle of summer. I swear I was burning alive inside the fucking car back then

OC: Yikes. But I'd say these past few days of chaos will have been worth it because of a very special occasion. Say Vlad…how many viewers are we up to?

CV: I'm glad you asked Owen. We're pleased to admit that Chaldean Chronicles has officially hit 10 000 viewers!

OC: Hell Yeah! This makes all the exhaustion, late night sessions the past couple of days and just downright craziness worth it. When Vlad told me earlier this week about this milestone, we both knew we had to make the announcement. I knew how chaotic this week would be for me, and yet I decided to buckle up and write this chapter with him anyway instead of leaving it for next week. It just wouldn't seem right to leave it for another week, and not show how much we appreciate our readers. So to all our readers out there: Thank you for your continued support.

CV: Like my friend said, we can't thank you all enough for this. Thanks for taking the time every week to read this small story we're writing together, it truly means the world to us.

OC: And to make good on our promise last week, we have a very special guest joining us. And honestly, the timing of our milestone, and this guest appearance is almost comical on how it aligned perfectly. As for who, you might ask? You all know him, you all love him, everyone, please welcome….RITSUKA FUJIMARU!

Ritsuka: Ummmm….Where am I?

CV: Oh right, we never told him… Anyways, welcome Ritsuka, we're glad to have you here.

Ritsuka: Thanks…..I think.

OC: Don't worry, we just want to talk. Think of it like a…TV interview.

Ritsuka: Well, I never saw those, so I don't really know what to say.

OC: Don't worry about it, just relax, and just think of the best answer you can come up with.

Ritsuka: Okay, I'll give it a shot.

CV: There are many things that we would like to know, but I'll start with something simple: How do you feel being one of the only 2 Masters of Chaldea left?

Ritsuka: A little intimidating. But I have Tatsuko to help out whenever I feel overwhelmed.

OC: It's good to have someone you can rely on. And speaking of Chaldea, how did you find out about it?

Ritsuka: That's complicated. You see, I was having blood drawn for some donation, when the person who drew my blood got on the phone in the back of their bus. I couldn't help but overhear their conversation, and I heard them talking about Magecraft and Master Candidates. When they came back, I came clean about my eavesdropping, and told them the truth that I was a mage…..albeit a very subpar one.

CV: I'd say you're better than 90% of existing mages on the count of actually being a good person instead of an insufferable asshole.

OC: Yeah, besides, just because you're terrible in magecraft doesn't mean you can't excel in other areas in life.

Ritsuka: I know, Doc told me that once.

OC: Oh? And what else did she tell you?

Ritsuka: Magecraft can't solve everything.

CV: Actually true, and mages could learn a thing or two about that one. Sadly they're as stubborn as a mule.

OC: Reminds me of a lot of regular muggles I know…wait I'm one of them!

CV: Not me, I can do magic, watch! *Pretends his thumb disappears*

Ritsuka: Ummmmm, is he normally like this?

OC: No, that's usually me.

CV: Sorry, I just drank a lot of clown juice today. Also, Ritsuka, I want to know something, do you feel something for any of the girls at Chaldea? With how many beauties there are, I wouldn't blame you.

Ritsuka (Blushes heavily): I-I-I-I well, I never really gave it any thought…

CV: Oh come on, don't be shy mate. Tell us, is it Artoria the one that has your heart? Or is it maybe Marie? Or perhaps you might have it for Mashu instead?

Ritsuka: I-I-I-I-I-I…I really don't want to answer that…..

OC: You don't have to if you don't want to. Though I must say, I'm a little jealous that you get to journey with so many beautiful girls, both in body AND soul (Barring a certain yandere bitch). I can only imagine them all wanting to vy for your heart and attention. Oh, maybe you could date them all?

Ritsuka:...I'm sorry, but that's not something I could bring myself to do.

OC: Pardon?

Ritsuka: I don't want a harem. Don't get me wrong, the girls that I met in Chaldea are nice so far, and I wish them all the happiness in the world, but if I ever get into a relationship with a girl, I'd rather it be monogamous. Just me and her, whoever that might be.

CV: Huh, never expected that answer if I'm being entirely honest, but I think that's a rather respectable wish. Living a simple life with the girl of your dreams, don't you think Owen?

OC: Oh definitely. That is perhaps one of the best ways to live. And honestly, I think it says more about your character that you'd accept the fact that many girls might like you, but you'd politely explain you don't see them in that way.

Ritsuka: Thanks. It's just that I always knew in my heart that I only wanted ONE girl to spend the rest of my life with. Though I sometimes wish I knew who that person was, or at the very least, know what it was like to fall in love before.

OC: Wait…..are you saying you never experienced that before?

Ritsuka: No, I haven't. I know what it's SUPPOSED to feel like from what I read and heard, so I know what it probably will feel like, but I never really fell in love with anyone before.

OC: Interesting….Vlad does this sound….familiar?

CV: Indeed it does, and to be honest I feel a bit bad for you Ritsuka.

Ritsuka: I…thanks, I think….?

CV: Um… Did I sound condescending there Owen?

OC: I'm not really good at gauging that, but I can understand if he did feel that it was. But in any case, we have run out of time. Thank you for joining us today Ritsuka, I hope we get to talk sometime soon.

Ritsuka: Yeah, you know what? I am too for some reason. Thank you for having me.

(Ritsuka walks away)

OC: Well that was fun.

CV: I feel bad for telling him I felt bad for him.

OC: Oh he'll probably get over it. Just like how Mozart said he got over Marie.

CV: Hope so, I don't want to get on his bad side.

OC: Yeah, it's usually people like him you don't want to piss off.

CV: True. But anyways, leaving that aside, this is the chapter we're Siegfried finally gets rid of his curse, which means that we're ever so close to the final fight of Orleans.

OC: Yup. And speaking of this chapter, this one is interesting for all sorts of reasons. We delve more into Mashu's opinion on herself, and we also learn she does photography as a hobby. This idea was something I kinda came up with WAY before Chronicles even had a title, and it was because I thought that for someone like Mashu, who loves experiencing the outside world, taking pictures of that as a way to remember her adventures, was a perfect fit. AND it would be something that she and Saint George can bond over, and have her increase her friend circle.

CV: Photography is one of the hobbies you could easily see Mash have in canon, and exploring it here sounds like a cool idea. Well, of course it would be, Owen came up with it after all.

OC: Aww thanks bud. Oh and speaking of cool ideas, for those who played through the Russian Lostbelt, you all know that Dies Irae was one of the BEST parts of that chapter. So, I was thinking to myself at work earlier today, and it was on how to give Mozart his moment to shine in Orleans, instead of just being there for exposition. Well, we were already planning on him saving Jeanne and Artoria at the last second from d'Eon, but I couldn't find anything that was satisfactory in my opinion, until a little song buried deep in my mind wormed its way into my thoughts while I was at work. The moment I thought of it, I was like "We HAVE to do it!" So when we resumed our writing session, I asked Vlad if Mozart should…..play an instrument when he saves the day. And the moment I wrote the part of Mozart playing the piano, he must have IMMEDIATELY known what I was planning at that exact moment. Wouldn't you agree buddy?

CV: Oh absolutely. It was the perfect way to finish off that fight.

OC: You want to know something even more hilarious and awesome? I was actually listening to the FGO version of Dies Irae while we were writing Mozart saving the day, and throughout his talk with d'Eon, and when Artoria and Jeanne defeated d'Eon for good.

CV: Talk about good music for writing a scene. I could never do it tho, the instant I put music to write I just start to dance alone like a mofo.

OC: Hey, sometimes you just have to get up and dance to get inspiration.

CV: Actually true.

OC: Well in anycase, thank you all for reading this chapter of Chaldean Chronicles. And once again, thank you all for your support for this series, it really does mean alot to us that you love it so much. Though I will say this, while the chapter itself is a standard length, this chapter actually took us the longest to finish due to crazy circumstances. It is literally 1:00 in the morning where I'm at.,...and I'm still raring to go lol. So please tune in next week for the next chapter.

CV: CosmicVlad and Owenchaser signing off, have a good night everyone.