Summary:
With Marie's sacrifice the group has gained access to what they need to heal Siegfried, but that doesn't mean that all of their worries are gone. With the decisive battle only a couple of days away, doubts remain in several hearts.
'
Well, damn... At least it didn't take a year this time, but finishing this chapter still took far longer than it should have. I've been trying to get my groove back when it comes to writing efficiency, but so far it hasn't really worked out. I can only hope that I'll get better during the rest of the year.
.
.
Chapter 15: A Precious Moment of Calm
'
'
"...So, it's over?" Ritsuka confirmed, getting a stiff nod from Jeanne. She'd just finished explaining to their group what had happened in Mont-de-Marsan through the comm, and the news had been quite... morale draining to say the least. Learning that they'd last one of their comrades was bad enough, but the fact that it had been Marie was all the more saddening.
'
"Yes..." The Ruler herself looked rather depressed, and Ritsuka could well understand why. But despite that, there was more than forlorn on her face. Newfound will was shining in her eyes as she raised her head. "And yet, as miraculous as it seems, Marie was the only casualty through it all."
'
"The only...?" Ritsuka's words died out from sheer disbelief. The mood instantly shifted from despondent to awestruck as the Servants around her exchanged looks, as if to confirm they'd heard right. Even Fou stared at the Ruler on screen in shock.
'
Mash, who had thus far stood quietly behind her, rushed closer to the screen, her previously downcast gaze now focused intently on Jeanne, her eyes wide. "Is that true, Jeanne?"
'
"Yes. Not even a single person, whether it was us Servants or the citizens of Mont-de-Marsan, was so much as injured throughout all this."
'
Ritsuka genuinely felt her mouth fall agape, even going as far as pinching herself subtly to make sure that this was actually real. Mash turned to look at her, eyes round in wonder, the smallest hints of a smile on her lips. "Miraculous is right..." the redhead muttered, getting a nod from Jeanne.
'
"Indeed. A miracle Marie brought to us." Though her smile faded just a bit, the same will still burned in her eyes as she got a tad more serious. "We will finish escorting the evacuees to the principality of Béarn, and will then convene with you as soon as we can. Given your current position, it should take us two-to-three days."
'
Sooner than Ritsuka had expected, no doubt thanks to Georgios being a Rider. "That's great, but we still shouldn't get careless. Let's keep our regular check-ups going until we finally regroup."
'
"Of course," the Ruler nodded again. "I must be going now, so I will bid you goodbye until our next call."
'
"Be safe, Jeanne."
'
"You as well."
'
As the transmission cut off, the group was left in a mixed atmosphere. Obviously they were all still saddened by Marie's death, but after hearing what she had managed to pull off... Well, every one of them was at the very least impressed. Still, if there was a person among them with the most complicated feelings on the subject, it had to be the Caster.
'
"She really pulled off something incredible, huh...?" Amadeus muttered, his downcast eyes focused on some field flowers nearby. While he was smiling, it was clearly missing its usual energy. Without another word, he walked closer to the plants before taking a seat right by them. While it was usually hard to tell what he was thinking, it couldn't have been more obvious at the moment.
'
"Amadeus..." Mash was about to approach him, but Ritsuka gently grabbed her by the shoulder, shaking her head.
'
"Don't, Mash. Despite his overall personality, he was the closest to Marie out of any of us..." Even if Mash meant well, there was most likely nothing she could say to make him feel better. "We should give him some space. We're not in any immediate hurry, so we can stay here a while longer."
'
The Shielder looked somewhat hesitant, but Kiyohime and Siegfried nodding from the side seemed to be enough to dissuade her. "...Alright, if you say so, Senpai."
'
Giving the Caster some room, they moved their discussion a short distance away and started to report what had happened to everyone at Chaldea, the reactions there extremely similar. Though as they moved to the topic of gaining a new ally in the form of Georgios... "On that note, Ritsuka, have you considered who we should send over?" Roman asked. "While there isn't likely going to be any immediate attacks to your location, it's better to be safe than sorry."
'
"That's true," the Master agreed, preferring to not take any chances at this point. "And yes, I've actually decided on the two I want to call over. Let's rayshift Emiya and Medusa as soon as possible."
'
"Some variety for your fighting forces, huh? Nice choices." Approving her criteria, Da Vinci gave her a thumbs up. "We'll start the preparations right away."
'
"Thanks. Please do." Ritsuka had taken a considerable amount of time to go over the positives and negatives each of the Servants waiting in Chaldea could bring to their current team in the Singularity, until ultimately ending up on this pair. Emiya was the obvious choice between the two. Long range attacks were just an absurdly useful advantage in most situations, but the frankly stupid range of an Archer Class Servant took that to a whole new level. As far as she knew, he'd be the only Archer in the Singularity, granting them a massive advantage over the Dragon Witch's forces when it came to ranged combat. Not only could he snipe packs of wyverns over long distances, but if they played their cards right, it might even be possible for him to take out enemy Servants before they could get close enough to pose a threat. His importance couldn't be undermined. Medusa on the other hand, was less vital, but just as needed when it came to versatility. A large bulk of their current Servants consisted of sturdy front-lines, like Jeanne, Mash to a lesser extent, Georgios as far as Ritsuka understood his abilities, and Siegfried as soon as he'd recovered. The Rider would be someone quick who could move rapidly across the battlefield, helping where she was most needed, while her plethora of unique abilities just added to her versatility. Depending on her opponent, she might even be able to take down an enemy Servant with her mystic eyes alone. And of course, the fact that her Noble Phantasm was on the running for the most powerful one on their side shouldn't be overlooked. Turning to her most trusted Servant, Ritsuka made a quick request. "Mash, please get your shield in position."
'
Snapping out of deep thought, Mash quickly nodded. "Y-yes, Senpai." As the Shielder started setting up the magic circle, Ritsuka thought back to the call some time ago. Jeanne had really had the right attitude. While they could still mourn, they couldn't afford to waste this miraculous chance Marie had brought them just twirling their thumbs. They should prepare in every way they could. Now that the two saints needed were both alive and well, it was only a matter of time until they could all convene and rid Siegfried of his curses. Then, the counterattack could begin.
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
"Ah, Jeanne. You've returned." Those were the first words Jeanne heard as she marched into the throne room of her castle, the pleased greetings of her ever faithful Caster. Yet... "I've already begun treatment on Sanson. While he's in quite a terrible shape both physically and mentally, to the point where full recovery is impossible, he should still be of some use to us."
'
A growl escaped between the Ruler's lips as she grit her teeth. Usually hearing Gilles talk would put her in a good mood, but now... She was just far too livid for even his welcoming smile to help. "I'm way too pissed to think about that right now!" Plopping down onto her throne, she rubbed her forehead in an attempt to at least somewhat calm down. Being reminded of this latest screw up was the last thing she needed. At the very least she hadn't lost any of her stronger wyverns, since she'd decided to only ride on Fafnir, but the fact that she'd lost one of her Servants while the other side had recruited Georgios was just unbearable. Still, the flight back to Orleans had taken a while, so she'd at least had time to think about how to respond to all this. Letting out a deep sigh, Jeanne turned towards Gilles questioningly. "...About what you did to Archer, can you do it to other Servants?"
'
The Caster's smile widened. "Of course, Jeanne. What do you have in mind?"
'
"That country girl and her pack of mice are most likely going to attack us soon, so I'm summoning two more Servants." Jeanne really didn't want to think about this, but at this point she couldn't afford not to. Now that Georgios had joined them, they were probably able to rid Siegfried of his curses, which meant that the possibility of Fafnir being killed was actually real, no matter how slim. "They've had some frustrating luck lately, so I'm not going to take any chances."
'
Gilles nodded with an approving smile. "A wise decision indeed. So you wish for me to work my craft on those two?"
'
"Yes. I'm summoning two powerful Servants with close ties to this accursed country, and I don't want there to be any chance that they might hesitate in following my orders. I want them to be mindless murder machines, nothing more." As she gave her command, the Caster by her side practically beamed with pride.
'
"As you wish, Jeanne. I will make my preparations, so please inform me once you are ready to begin." With one last bow, Gilles headed for his workshop, leaving the Ruler alone in her throne room.
'
...It was quiet. Very quiet. So quiet that even the countless wyverns in her fortress were completely silent. And yet, despite that silence, a snarl escaped Jeanne's mouth as she heard a voice echo through her mind. 'Tell me, 'Dragon Witch'. Who are you exactly?' Her snarl erupting into a full-on roar, she slammed her fist down onto the throne's armrest, shattering it into pieces. "Damn it! Why am I even thinking about the nonsense she spouted!?" Why had that spoiled princess' last words stuck in her mind like this? They had just been a petty last attempt at messing with her, a desperate gamble that didn't pay off. ...Just like that smile she held onto until the very end.
'
Letting out a frustrated sigh while kicking the rubble she had created aside, Jeanne began walking towards her bedroom. She felt annoyed, but not in the same way she did whenever something went wrong. This feeling was born of... uncertainty. Confusion. She didn't understand what she was feeling and why. It didn't make any sense. She knew who she was and what she wanted. And yet...
'
...Why did she suddenly feel like she was missing something important?
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
"Alright, you should see them right about... now." Like he'd said, as soon as the last word exited Emiya's mouth, Mash did indeed manage to spot Jeanne and another Servant riding on the back of a white horse as they emerged from between the trees. Right behind them was Elizabeth, flying quite close to the ground as the Servant trio approached their location. Just as Jeanne had guessed, it had taken them roughly three days, but now their groups would finally be reunited. Estimating this, together with the time of the day, Mash's group had set up camp near a river and had prepared lunch for the reunion.
'
And as one might expect, the very first thing they heard was Elizabeth's greeting.
'
"Heeeyyy! It's been a while!" The dragon girl's booming voice echoed across the area, startling a flock of birds and some other smaller animals into escaping in the exact opposite direction from her.
'
"As loud as ever..." Amadeus grumbled, already massaging his ears after the very first sentence. His expression reminded her of the Doctor whenever she caught him slacking off.
'
"Tell me about it..." Kiyohime echoed, her expression also matching the Caster's. Mash was quite sure that this was the first time they had ever been so like minded about something.
'
With its supernatural speed the horse crossed the remaining distance between them quickly, and as soon as it came to a halt Jeanne hopped off of its back, greeting them with a bright smile. "Hello, everyone. It really is wonderful to see you all again."
'
"Likewise, Jeanne," Mash agreed as she and her Senpai approached.
'
"Yeah, while we weren't separated for that long and could talk to each other with the communicators, quite a lot ended up happening."
'
The Shielder nodded and motioned towards the center of their camp, where Emiya was busy cooking. "With two more Servants having joined us from Chaldea, I believe some proper introductions are in order."
'
"Yes, and I look forward to working with them." Jeanne looked over the camp with a bright smile before gesturing at the man behind her. "And of course, Elizabeth and I brought a new ally with us as well." On cue, the Rider who had politely waited for them to finish their greetings stepped forward. With just the first glance Mash could already tell he would be a reliable ally. He had a similar virtuous air to him as Jeanne, while also reminding the Shielder of knights she'd read about in stories. Even if she hadn't known his identity beforehand, she would have certainly guessed that he was a saint of some renown.
'
As soon as the Rider's horse dematerialized, Ritsuka approached him. "You must be Saint Georgios. It's an honor to meet you," she greeted him while offering her hand, which the knight shook with a chivalrous smile.
'
"Likewise. And you are the Master from the future."
'
"Yes. My name is Ritsuka Repo."
'
Finishing the quick introduction, Georgios turned to address the rest of the group. "I've already discussed matters with Jeanne, and understand our current situation. I will, of course, be joining forces with you so that we may free France from the Dragon Witch's terror."
'
Hearing the confirmation, Mash shared a comforted smile with her Senpai. "Thank you. You have no idea how relieving it is to have you join us."
'
"Hehee. Now that we're here, there's nothing for you to worry about," Elizabeth proclaimed, puffing out her chest...
'
An attitude that was immediately shot down by Kiyohime. "Why are you acting so proud? You are quite literally the least useful member of your group."
'
"Huh!?" The Lancer audibly gawked at the dry delivery, marching forward to close the distance between the two of them in an instant. "What did you just say!?"
'
Despite the threatening tone, the Berserker just giggled. "Oh? Have your deafening screams finally deteriorated your hearing to such an extent?"
'
While the two dragon girls started their first argument in a while, everyone around either stared in exasperation or chuckled in amusement. That is, until Jeanne approached Amadeus, her apologetic expression and words immediately changing the atmosphere. "Amadeus... About Marie..."
'
The area grew quiet. It was a topic that hadn't really been addressed since they got the news three days ago. No one had wished to talk about it, and Mash suspected that Amadeus felt that way more than any of them. Yet... "Oh well, it can't be helped," the Caster shrugged with a smile, much to the surprise of everyone present. "You don't have to feel bad. Even if we were there, she would've done the same thing. Maria is an eternal philanthropist. That's how she lives and dies." A statement none had an answer for. Mash herself felt that while his assessment was accurate, it still felt odd for him to say that.
'
Much the same, Jeanne stared at Amadeus silently for a moment, seeming hesitant to accept his answer. "But still..."
'
"But never mind that, why don't you two reverse Siegfried's curse?" the Caster noted with a smirk, getting Jeanne to audibly gasp as if she'd just remembered the Saber's condition.
'
"R-Right!"
'
"Indeed, that should be our highest priority," Georgios agreed, and Ritsuka was quick to motion them towards the tents.
'
"Siegfried is resting in the tent over there. Let me show you."
'
After the three of them had left, Mash gave the Caster a worried glance. There had been a noticeable change in his demeanor ever since he'd heard of Marie's fate. While he still smiled most of the time, it lacked his usual energy. "Amadeus..."
'
But before she could follow up, he shook his head, still smiling. "It's all right, I knew this was going to happen. Remember how Maria was talking about the piano?" Thinking back to their parting, Mash did indeed remember such a detail. At the time, she'd felt it was a promise of reunion, yet to him it was the exact opposite. As she nodded, he continued. "See, that was her way of saying goodbye. It never happened when we were alive. If she'd said to me 'Let me hear your piano,' I couldn't have refused her." The Shielder's eyes widened at the reveal. To think that Marie had meant something like that with her words. She wanted to say something, yet Amadeus' shifting expression left her unable to. He was still smiling, but it was an unbelievably sad one. "But, the second farewell hits hard. Worse than the first. All the more as we'll never meet again."
'
Hearing the last part, Mash could only stare at him in surprise. Given their current situation, wasn't such an assumption rather untimely? "Eh... Um, if you are Heroic Spirits, wouldn't there be a chance to see each other again? Like now, you may be called to the same battlefield..."
'
The Caster fell silent for a moment, seeming to be pondering her words, yet shook his head in the end. "Mm, that won't happen, I think? There are as many Heroic Spirits as the stars. How I came across her this time was already a miracle," he chuckled, yet suddenly stopped, glancing towards the tents as if he'd suddenly gotten an idea. "Though, I suppose a whimsical Master might change things a bit." Muttering those words, he seemed to be deep in thought for a second before shaking his head once more, the melancholy smile returning to his lips. "Anyway, I'm a bit tired. I'm going to excuse myself, so call for me if you need me for something or when the food's ready."
'
"Amadeus..." Mash muttered while watching him walk away. She wanted to say something in order to console him, but she truly had no idea what she even could say. All she could do was what her Senpai had said, and give him some space. Yet above all, Mash's true problem was that she didn't fully understand how Amadeus felt...
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
All in all, the entire process took considerably less time than Jeanne had expected. As soon as she and Georgios knelt by Siegfried's side and started removing the curses, there was a certain... harmony between them. She could feel the Rider's strong faith in the Lord resonating with her own. Her magical energy, fueled by her prayers, flowed through Siegfried's body before making contact with Georgios. But instead of stopping, it flowed back, accompanied by the knight's own prayer, and washed away a portion of the curses as it returned to Jeanne, allowing her to send it back again. This gentle back and forth, almost like taking turns pouring water to wash away dirt, lasted only a few minutes, but the effects were considerable. As Jeanne stood up and looked down at Siegfried, there were no signs of the dark corruption anywhere on his body, only clear skin and a glowing, blue sigil running along his chest. "Okay, you will be fine from now on. This would more than likely have been impossible by myself."
'
As the Saber started moving his body in amazement, Georgios stood as well, sharing a smile with her. "Agreed. I would not have been able to accomplish this on my own, either. It truly took us both to rid this mass of curses."
'
While she nodded, some melancholy made its way into the Ruler's voice. "...It's all thanks to Marie. We were able to survive because of her." But, while the previous feeling of loss was still present, it was now being overwhelmed by gratitude. This result had been brought to them by Marie's choice, so she could no longer regret that sacrifice. "What she risked her life protecting is something I want to protect too. This era, this world, this country. To do so, let's defeat the Dragon Witch and the Evil Dragon."
'
As Georgios shared a resolute nod with her, Siegfried stood up to his full height, stretching his arms and shoulders. "All right, I can move now. It's as if a massive, crushing weight has been lifted off of my body." A grateful smile growing on his lips, he gave the two of them a bow. "I apologize for all your efforts, saints, and you as well, Ritsuka." Though as his gaze moved onto the girl who had been waiting in the back, he shook his head, as if regretting what he'd just said. "No, Master... The more correct way to put it is, I appreciate all your efforts from the bottom of my heart. From now on, I shall entrust my sword to you, and this body will be my Master's sword and shield. My True Name is Siegfried. I have no other skill than slaying dragons, but I'd be honored to be put to use."
'
The redhead returned his words with a smile. "Oh, I intend to. After all, that is the one skill we now need more than anything else." Walking up to the tall man, she offered him her hand. "It's good to have you in fighting shape, Siegfried."
'
The Saber shook it without hesitation. "And it is good to be in shape."
'
Jeanne felt her smile widening. A scene like this was better than what she could have hoped for. "Ritsuka is right, Siegfried. You can more than repay us by assisting in defeating the Evil Dragon," she noted, Georgios agreeing by her side.
'
"I already gave you my word that I would assist you, and will continue to do so for as long as my body functions."
'
"And we appreciate you doing so," Ritsuka said before motioning towards the tent's exit. "But with that taken care of, I think it's about time we got a proper team meeting started. There's so much for us all to talk about."
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
Ritsuka had to admit that she hadn't expected the last few moments to go this smoothly. Not only had Siegfried been healed, but within a minute or so the Servants had all assembled around a large, projected map depicting Orleans and its surrounding areas. While they all either stood or sat by the projection, the screen showing Roman, Da Vinci and Dio popped up, meaning that they were ready to begin. "All right, now we're talking," the Spaniard grinned, motioning his hand across the area. "See, this right here. This is a team. A damn solid one."
'
Da Vinci nodded in agreement. "Yes, we've certainly assembled quite a fighting force. We've got both raw power and adaptability. I daresay that even if the Dragon Witch were to have another nasty surprise up her sleeve, this group could handle just about anything."
'
Roman chuckled awkwardly at the last part. "Well, that's not impossible, but let's just hope that she doesn't have anything more crazy tucked away."
'
Something Ritsuka definitely agreed with, yet decided to try and ignore as she cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "But, now that we're all together, we can finally start properly planning for the final battle." With a convenient pointer that Da Vinci had sent to her during a resupplying rayshift, she tapped at the large castle at the very center of the map. "The assault on Orleans."
'
"About time," Elizabeth smirked with an eager expression that screamed predatory as she turned towards the redhead. "I know that Carmilla is skulking over there as well, so you'd better give me the best possible shot at her, Deerlet."
'
Yet before Ritsuka could confirm, Kiyohime cut in. "My, my, Elisabeth, are you still sticking to that nickname? Calling Master Ritsuka a Deerlet of all things is quite disrespectful." A chastising comment that made the other dragon's face blank, as if she was trying to process it. "In the first place, do you truly consider yourself to be familiar enough with her to give her a nickname like that?"
'
After a moment of silence, the Lancer shared an awkward glance with Ritsuka, tapping her fingers together. "I mean, she didn't seem to mind it..." Truthfully she didn't. There were far worse nicknames she could've gotten stuck with. Though once again, before Ritsuka could get a word in, Elizabeth took on a determined, yet engrossed expression. "Well, I don't care. I'm not a cheap dragon. I will meet an extra-special Master someday!"
'
In response to the bizarre declaration, Kiyohime covered her mouth as she let out a giggle. "Oh, so the horns on your head aren't the only things twisted. Seeking an impossible dream... Is your head okay?"
'
"It's not an impossible dream! It's conviction! I'm convinced of it!" the Lancer argued, speaking with a shocking amount of confidence despite her juvenile words. "I'll someday meet a Master that is to my liking and will love me!"
'
"Yes, yes, in your head it's another cloudless day." The Master suppressed a giggle while the dragon girls continued their back and forth. She'd admittedly missed their childish arguments somewhat. Without either Lemminkäinen or Elizabeth around, there had been no one for Kiyohime to argue with for the last few days. Granted, during those days the Berserker had kept an extremely close eye on Emiya whenever he was cooking. Ritsuka wasn't sure if it was because she was trying to improve her own cooking, but she couldn't deny that a burning spark lit in Kiyohime's eyes whenever she observed him. She also couldn't deny that the Archer's cooking was just overall better between the two, not that she was rude enough to just say it out loud.
'
"...Our team sure is a lively one," Georgios muttered, shaking his head with an amused smile. He also brought Ritsuka back into the conversation by turning to address her. "Of course, I will be in your service. You are free to position me wherever you think I'll be of most use."
'
Following the declaration, Amadeus raised his hand casually, a faint smile on his lips. "Guess I'll tag along as well, so feel free to do the same for me. I've come this far, so might as well see this to the end."
'
An offer Ritsuka wasn't entirely expecting. In all honesty, she wouldn't have been surprised if the Caster had just wandered off before the battle, but she truly appreciated him staying. With that, she flashed them both a grateful smile. "Thank you both. Cooperation will be the key to our victory, given how many enemies we will have to face."
'
Emiya suddenly raised his hand. "About that. Do we have any estimations on the enemy's numbers?"
'
"Nothing concrete. Like most eyes, Sky Eye becomes less accurate with distance. Safe to say that at the very least you'll be up against around one hundred wyverns, four Servants, and big boy Fafnir," Dio verified. "But once you get closer to Orleans, we can use Sky Eye to ascertain the exact number and locations of enemies. We'll be sure to give you all frequent updates on that front."
'
Ritsuka nodded with a grateful smile. "Yeah, that should be a massive advantage to our side. We really can't thank you enough for it." To say that the device had been helpful throughout their journey was an understatement. It had made more than a few situations far more manageable and saved their hides several times by giving them a heads-up on the hostiles.
'
And judging by the expressions on the surrounding Servants, just about all of them agreed. Even Georgios, who was just getting to experience the Mystic Code for the first time. "Indeed. To have such an incredibly accurate map of the area is advantageous enough, but to have it constantly showing the exact locations of our foes is truly an invaluable edge in our favor."
'
"Still, our most troublesome foe is the one we don't need help locating," Emiya muttered. It didn't even need to be said who he was referring to, yet despite that, a model of the Evil Dragon materialized on the map all the same.
'
"Whether we slay Fafnir or not, the outcome of this war hinges on that question," Siegfried declared, straightening his back to make himself more visible as his tone grew severe. "I of course will be in charge of that, but I'd appreciate all the support I can get. Mainly, keeping any Servants and wyverns away from me while I focus on the task."
'
"Then that's what the rest of us will be focusing on," Jeanne replied, gaining agreeing nods from the others.
'
The Master had no disagreements with that, considering that she was going to suggest the same thing. "The enemy hardly fights like an organized army, so they will most likely be scattered around Orleans. With that and the fact that some of us have personal targets in mind, I propose that we form three teams. These teams should do their best to stick together and watch each others' backs. I don't want anyone just rushing off on their own."
'
While Ritsuka hadn't meant her specifically, most eyes in the area immediately focused on Elizabeth, much to the dragon girl's dismay. "Wh-what? I wasn't just going to fly straight at Carmilla all on my own..." she muttered, a faint blush rising to her cheeks as a small model of the Assassin appeared on the map.
'
Kiyohime huffed, shaking her head. "Sure you weren't."
'
"I believe that is sensible, yes," Georgios agreed while ignoring the two dragon girls. "Since there are nine of us Servants, is it safe to assume that we will be forming teams of three?"
'
"That's right. And to keep the teams as balanced as possible, I'd like to propose the following ones: Team 1 will consist of me, Mash, Medusa and Emiya. Team 2 will be Siegfried, Jeanne and Kiyohime. And Team 3 will be Georgios, Amadeus and Elizabeth." Upon her announcing the teams, small figures depicting them all appeared on the map a good distance away from the castle, all grouped up. The redhead had to marvel at just how efficient this map was.
'
Meanwhile, the Caster practically fell over upon hearing her suggestion, staring at the ground while hunched over. "Of all the Servants..." he muttered, rubbing his temples.
'
"Sounds reasonable to me," Jeanne nodded firmly. "I, without a doubt, will be facing the Dragon Witch in battle." As the words exited her mouth, a tiny model of the dark duplicate appeared on the map, sparking some unease.
'
"Can you defeat her?" Siegfried asked before the Master could. There was no doubt that the other Jeanne was powerful, despite the fact that they had never seen her personally fight. According to the Saber, the short exchange he'd had with her resulted in his loss and being burdened with the curses that had crippled him until now. She would definitely be a fearsome enemy.
'
The Ruler fell silent for a second, clearly contemplating her answer before giving him a resolute nod. "...Yes, I shall be victorious."
'
Ritsuka didn't exactly like the pause, but she wasn't going to question Jeanne when she looked so determined. She'd just have to trust her, like she'd done up to this point. "Alright. Aside from Fafnir and the Dragon Witch, that black knight is our biggest concern." Once more, an accurate, yet this time hazy model materialized. "Given how strong he is and how little we know of him, it's best to be cautious. Any group should avoid fighting him on their own. The safest method would be us just overwhelming him in a quick battle with numbers via our strongest Servants." She absolutely hated how that was the best strategy she could come up with, but none of the Servants raised any complaints, likely because they didn't have anything better to offer. Emiya even seemed to approve of it.
'
"Simple, but I agree. Since he's so powerful and gathering information on him is difficult, we should dispose of him quickly before he can unleash any potential trump cards."
'
"Of course, there are the wyverns as well. This will likely be the most we've ever seen in a single battle," Jeanne noted, and a practical swarm of the beasts appeared above Orleans.
'
Ritsuka clicked her tongue, her mood souring. "Yeah. If nothing else, they'll at least be a massive drain on our collective magical energy..." she muttered, looking over the projected battlefield. While she had no doubt that they could kill all the wyverns, the time and energy needed to accomplish it was the issue. "And since they can fly, we can't really draw them into disadvantageous terrain to negate their numbers advantage either." That was the most frustrating part. Sure, they could take cover in forests to restrict the wyverns' movement, but the beasts would most likely just set the trees on fire. Fighting them head on was effectively the only solution.
'
Or so she had thought, until Emiya offered an alternative. "Yet if we do draw flocks of them together, it is possible to exterminate them in great numbers with Anti-Army Noble Phantasms." An offer that got the redhead to look at him in surprise. The Archer smiled proudly, as if he'd been expecting this chance. "I have quite a few suitable ones for such a task. With a good shot, I could take down several dozen wyverns at once." A suggestion that really got the Master thinking. What Emiya was saying was definitely true. He'd shown her more than a few weapons with that much power during their training sessions. She'd wanted to avoid such a plan in order to save magical energy, but if he got a good shot in, firing off a Noble Phantasm might actually be more cost effective than killing the wyverns few at a time. This was a realistic strategy she should seriously consider.
'
Siegfried raised his hand next, likely not wanting to be outdone in his field of specialty. "I can do that as well. If I spend the next few days gathering magical energy, I should be able to fire off Balmung at least three times. Possibly more, depending on how the overall battle will unfold."
'
"That's reassuring," Jeanne smiled. "No wyvern will be able to survive a hit from that Holy Sword of yours, no matter how many of them group together."
'
Ritsuka definitely couldn't disagree with that. Even when weakened Balmung had managed to knock Fafnir on its ass, so wyverns stood absolutely no chance against it. It'd be like flies getting blasted with a flamethrower. But it wasn't the sword's power that she was worried about. "True, but please avoid using it unless a really fantastic opportunity presents itself. We need to make every shot with Balmung counts," she said, getting an understanding nod from the Saber. It was really helpful that his personality was so different from Lemminkäinen. After all, if something happened to Siegfried before he could finish off Fafnir, the entire plan would go to hell. "But with that, we've gone over the basics, so I think we should start on some more concrete planning, starting with everyone's positions." The Master was truly glad that they weren't under any strict timetable, because this was more than likely going to take a while.
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
"Huh!? What did you just say!?" Elizabeth screamed, her voice shaking the night air.
'
"I said that your so-called cooking is a crime against humanity," Kiyohime replied flatly while glaring at the... thing on a plate the Lancer was holding. "I figured any food you prepared would be horrible, but this goes far beyond anything I had imagined. Are you actually trying to poison us to hamper our fighting abilities?"
'
Jeanne shook her head with a small, amused smile as the two continued their bickering. After a few days of travel their group had finally reached a distance from Orleans that would only take an hour or two to close, meaning that the final battle awaited them tomorrow morning. While tensions were understandably high, these types of moments of levity did wonders to her nerves.
'
"Hello, is this seat taken?" A sudden question came from her side, and Jeanne hardly had trouble guessing who it was even without turning. She just patted the log she was sitting on.
'
"Oh, no. Be my guest."
'
Amadeus was quick to take up her offer, rubbing his ears while sitting down. "I'm sorry to be a bother while you're relaxing, but those dragons over there are too noisy." The two of them spent the next few seconds in silence, she watching the dragon duo while he continued his ear massage, until the Caster turned to her expectantly. "So did you have something you wanted to say to me?"
'
The Ruler admittedly felt a bit awkward that he was the one who asked the question, considering that she had spent the last few days eyeing him to have a conversation, yet had been unable to properly approach. Mostly thanks to the subject she had in mind. But, now that he had just straight up asked her, Jeanne took a deep breath before starting. "...Amadeus. Marie was very kind to me."
'
The man chuckled in response. "But of course. She was kind to everyone, but her affection for you was unique."
'
"Why do you suppose that was? Because I'm a fellow Frenchwoman?" Given how Marie had spoken before she departed, she had some idea, but she wouldn't mind shedding some extra light on the matter.
'
Yet Amadeus shook his head upon hearing the question. "No, I don't think it had anything to do with you being French. Whether one is from England, Spain, or the Far East, that is of no importance to Maria." Indeed, that was very much like Marie. "The reason she was fond of you, that she held you in high esteem, was because you were a young woman who took a stand all on her own."
'
Jeanne nodded, thinking back on their last conversation. "Yes, she did mention something to that extent."
'
"In a sense, Maria is the same. She became a queen at 14 and was forced into battle all alone in Versailles." As Amadeus spoke, the Ruler looked at him in surprise. She hadn't heard Marie's life had been like that. "...Of course, I'm sure that her battles paled in comparison to yours. Battlefields with cannonballs and conspiracies are in truth, fundamentally different. Nevertheless, it was indeed a life or death struggle for her. That is why she empathized with you."
'
Jeanne couldn't exactly disagree, but given that it had been a battle of conspiracy, not cannonballs, that ended her own life, it did little to diminish her impression. "Because she was living through a lonely battle of her own?" she asked and Amadeus nodded. In truth, Jeanne had never felt that the battles she'd fought during her life were lonely. She'd had plenty of trusted allies and friends by her side, including her older brothers. Still, looking back on it, she hadn't had someone like Marie, Ritsuka or Mash, women close to her own age supporting her. There was a peculiar comfort in that, as she'd come to realize through this journey.
'
"And one other reason," Amadeus continued, bringing her focus back to him. "This is the important one. For Maria, standing up for a loved one is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Be it family, another person, a Servant... or even the nation itself." A reveal that was rather enlightening, even if the Caster chuckled softly afterwards. "Although, she was a sheltered girl who knew no hardship, so her way of standing up for someone was rather off-key."
'
Thinking back on what Marie had said and done, Jeanne felt pieces fitting into place in her mind. It truly was a simple motivation, yet that just made it all the more heartwarming, causing a smile to spread on her face. "...Oh, is that so? In that case, I wanted to stand up for her as a friend." The smile not leaving her lips, she focused her gaze at the night sky. "Given the situation, nothing could've been done, but I wish... I could've been by her side."
'
"A friend, eh? Yes, you thinking of her that way would be the ultimate reward for her," Amadeus nodded with an approving smile. "Maria and I have one thing in common. We were not blessed with friends. But, her wish was fulfilled in this second life. I get the feeling she was able to move on with a light heart."
'
The Ruler genuinely felt better upon hearing his thoughts on Marie's passing, like she'd received proper closure. Yet, a part of his explanation did somewhat bother her. "Um... Actually, I think of you as a comrade. And I'm sure that Ritsuka as well as most others in our group feel the same too," she corrected him. While yes, he had some... unfortunate sides to his personality, Amadeus had stuck with their group through their battles, helping them in his own ways, even though he could have just abandoned them and left. She was genuinely grateful to him for all his efforts.
'
Yet despite her reassurance, he shook his head. "No, no, that won't do. After all, I don't think that of you." A brutally honest reply that Jeanne should have expected, yet still felt somewhat like a slap to her face. "Maria said it, remember? I'm fundamentally trash. I only love music. That is how I lived my life, and I am proud of that fact," he declared without a hint of shame. "That is why I cannot make friends. Instead, I left behind many pieces of music. If I had any desire for human happiness, I would vanish in a cloud of self-hatred." As Amadeus kept talking, the Ruler could find no hints of deception from his being. He genuinely meant every last bit of his self deprecating explanation. He certainly was an... interesting person. And despite all that, he still flashed her a grateful smile. "Still, thank you Jeanne d'Arc. I'm sure that Maria had no regrets."
'
"I can only hope so. I shall avenge her," Jeanne declared, only to end up shaking her head almost immediately after the words left her mouth. "...No, vengeance isn't important, is it? I will make her wish come true. I will save this France." In all honesty, even after losing Marie in such a way, she still couldn't bring herself to feel any drive for vengeance towards the ones responsible. All she could feel was the determination to make things right. Maybe there was something wrong with her, something missing that prevented her from feeling such things, but at this point she no longer minded. She would finish this battle, simply because it was right.
'
Amadeus smiled at her again, once more giving an approving nod. "All right, I think I'll take this chance to make my escape before those two get any louder." With surprising agility the Caster snuck away, leaving Jeanne sitting by her lonesome to watch the rest of their group.
'
She thought about everything Amadeus had told her. Mostly about Marie's own battles, and the Ruler couldn't help but to think about those conditions. 14... That was even younger than she had been when she'd joined the battle to protect France. And all alone... She genuinely didn't know that's what Marie's life had been like. Her cheerful personality never gave the impression of her having gone through such struggles. "...In the end, she was even more dazzling than I realized," she muttered to herself.
'
Though now that she moved her attention back to the group at the camp, Jeanne couldn't help but to notice that neither Ritsuka or Mash were anywhere in sight either.
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
Away from the lively conversations of the camp, Mash sat alone on the grass, admiring the starry sky. Even though she had spent several nights in the singularity at this point, just the opportunity to do so still felt like a dream to her. And since this was most likely their last night in France, she decided to take the time to enjoy it one last time. Yet as she was lost in the moment, she suddenly heard an unexpected voice. "Oh, sorry if I interrupted you. I was hoping to escape a pair of banshees, so I tried choosing the quietest spot around."
'
Turning around in surprise, Mash was met by Amadeus standing rather close behind her. In truth, she hadn't even noticed him before he was right behind her. "No, no. I was just watching the sky," she explained, shaking her head. Though just as he was about to turn to leave, she called out hastily. "...Um. It seems a bit awkward to ask questions at a time like this, but do you mind?"
'
The Caster looked at her with surprise, but shrugged happily. "Of course not. Be it important or trivial, ask away," he nodded, taking a seat next to her. Though as he did, the Shielder remained silent, still not entirely sure how to present the question. She didn't want to offend him after all. Likely noticing her lingering uncertainty, Amadeus spurred her on with a smile. "The final battle will be tomorrow, you know. You should wrap up any unfinished business."
'
Mash nodded, agreeing with his logic. Not asking now would likely leave her pondering this question in the future, so it was better to get it off her mind than risk it distracting her later. "...Right. I hate to bring this back up... But it's about when we heard that Marie had died. Your feelings... I just don't fully understand them..."
'
Amadeus cocked a brow as her voice trailed off. At first it had seemed like he'd just chosen to listen to her on a whim, but now he seemed genuinely intrigued by her words. "Go on."
'
"You did... love Marie, right?" she asked carefully.
'
"I did," he nodded nonchalantly. "I no longer have my passion for her, but it was an important fork in my life."
'
An answer that only further confused Mash. "So... what changed?"
'
"I lived as one of the greatest composers of my time. Music is beautiful, which is why I chose to love music and nothing but music. And thus I've dedicated my life to music, ultimately becoming putrid garbage with all human virtue removed," Amadeus chuckled. It was... bizarre to see someone say something like that so happily. "In the end, the work I left behind was loved by many. But my own life was hardly worth examining in the least, to the point where people even said: 'that man is like a demon' of me." Despite the depressing turn, the Caster's mood didn't sour in the least. "But that is the fate I chose, chose, for myself at a certain crossroads in my life. Just as she chose her love."
'
The last part served only to raise more questions in Mash's mind, yet she pushed forward, determined to at least properly understand her initial one. "So you loved music because it was beautiful, and abandoned your humanity because it wasn't?"
'
Amadeus nodded with a grin. "Hahaha! Well, I told you before, didn't I? 'Human beings create filth just by living.' That's what I said." A strange saying, but she did indeed recall him saying that before they parted with Jeanne's group. "No matter how beautiful a melody is, at its core it's ultimately just a collection of simple sounds. Maybe it's just the clinking of a fork and knife, the tapping of fingers against wood," he noted while simultaneously tapping on a branch he had picked up, creating a surprisingly catchy tone before starting to softly stomp his foot against the ground. "Or something as trivial as a person walking, or a blast of wind accidentally released from someone's rear end. No matter what type of sound it is, music can turn it into something beautiful! Life is filth, and music cleanses it!" The Caster laughed vigorously while making his outrageous claim, spreading his arms wide. "And that's why I love music and enjoy dirty things so very much."
'
Mash stared at the man dumbfounded for the next few seconds, trying to put together everything he'd just said in a comprehensible manner. After a while, she gave him a slow nod. "I... see. I suppose there is some logic to that." While it was still a confusing worldview, she felt that she at least understood it on a basic level. Yet, that wasn't all that was in her mind at the moment. "But there is something about what you said that I didn't understand."
'
Amadeus just continued smiling. "Which part? Go ahead and ask."
'
"About how you chose to love," she answered frankly. It genuinely confused her. "Rather, I understand the meaning of the words, it's the 'chose' part that I don't understand. I mean, things we should view favorably are morally just, and things we should reject are socially bad. That's what I was taught, and I feel deep down that it's right."
'
The Caster fell silent, tapping his chin in contemplation. "Hmm... What do you consider right then?"
'
A question that Mash took a few seconds to consider. "Well... Something that saves many lives, and sees value in many lives, I suppose." It was the best, most clear answer she could provide at the moment's notice, though it only caused him to cock a brow.
'
"That's rather ill-defined. Let's assume for a moment that Ritsuka were not such a person. What then?"
'
Her eyes widened in surprise, mind drawing blank. "But that's..." She honestly wasn't sure how to consider that possibility. After all, if her Senpai wasn't like that... then she likely wouldn't have been her Senpai in the first place. It was confusing to even think about.
'
Though before her contemplation could go any further, Amadeus shook his head. "Forgive me, that was a mean assumption. However, keep that hesitation and discomfort in mind." With that recommendation, he grew slightly more serious. "Mash, we've only known each other for a short time, but I've sort of come to understand you. I suspect that you are a person who has only recently gained her freedom. As such, you freeze in the face of hard choices and have doubts about the person you are becoming."
'
Mash nodded, agreeing with the assessment. "...Yes, I think you might be right. I, uh... didn't know much about the outside world." Though after the words left her mouth, a more forlorn conclusion entered her mind, causing her gaze to fall to the ground. "...No. Maybe I never had the right to care for anything in the first place. I mean, I-"
'
Her sentence was interrupted as Amadeus let out an amused chuckle, shaking his head. "Oh, dear. You truly are pure, aren't you? You're like a blank slate, a music sheet without a single note on it." She couldn't really disagree, even as she stared at him in confusion. But then, the Caster's smile lost some of its merriment, his expression growing more serious once more. "But heed my words, Mash. Even if you are a doll created for the sole purpose of fighting... You have the obligation to care for something. You may not have freedom, but you have obligations."
'
Mash blinked in surprise, having not expected the word he used. "Obligations? Not rights or privileges?"
'
Amadeus shook his head again. "No, obligations. Or duties, if you like. Humans have that responsibility, for they possess the intelligence to think. What to care for, what to dislike, what is considered precious, what is considered evil. Those are the things you must choose for yourself. Not by the words of others, nor by conforming to your environment. Every human is unique. So too is each one's values. We learn and see as much as we can. By doing so, your life will be enriched." As he spoke, the Shielder could only listen in astonishment. She'd never heard anyone speak of life in such a way, that her own choices should determine all these things. The thought was honestly overwhelming. "Listen, the world is not what you make of it. You are what the world makes of you. Then when you have become you, become more than this world. You must leave proof that you existed, whatever it is." The Caster smiled proudly, yet there was a hint of sadness in it. "I have. All the music I left behind is proof. Even though... that itself is insignificant."
'
"...Huh?" The final words snapped Mash out of her astonished daze, and she stared at him in disbelief. Had Amadeus truly just called his music insignificant?
'
"After all, I am a man who couldn't even bear witness to the death of his one and only first love. My legacy may have been loved by many, but my actual life was nothing special." With a shake of his head, the hint of sadness left his expression. "Still, I am content with that. Human beings are filthy and unpleasant. My conclusion stands. There are sinners who shine brilliantly and saints that make one retch. So there is no need for you to fear your own future. You are created by the world, and you expand and improve the world. That is what 'being a human' is all about. Begin by absorbing all you can from the world and then return those favors to the world as you see fit later. Worrying over what results that will have is a matter for another day."
'
Mash was honestly unsure how to take the answer. That was what she should do? Just keep living her life until the answers come to her? It sounded both irresponsible and somewhat illogical, yet also somewhat calming, to the point where she felt the edges of her lips curl slightly upward. "Amadeus..."
'
"However, most things in this world have a fair value, and a result fit for such value. As was the case with my music and my life. As long as humans are human, evil will not prevail. After all, humanity will be unable to flourish otherwise. 'Evil' is whatever blocks life and its prosperity. The species cannot survive with it there. If humanity cannot purge itself of that 'evil', that is the day of humanity's extinction. It's that simple." The Shielder nodded with understanding. That was certainly a designation of evil that she could agree with. Amadeus smiled at her. "...I see that you are now breathing more calmly. Our little break is over Mash, so let's return to the others before they get worried."
'
The small smile on her lips grew. She did indeed feel better. Even if she still didn't fully understand everything she felt, time would help her to arrive at the proper answers. "Yes, let's."
'
"Most likely this is the last time we shall properly chat. For some reason, it turned into a bit of a lecture," he apologized, yet his smile didn't falter. "Still, I'm happy that we were alone for this final talk. From start to finish, you're a charming young lady. In this battle, I would have proposed to you had Maria not been there."
'
Mash did her absolute best to ignore that final part as she gave him a respectful bow. "...I see. Thank you, great composer Amadeus, I won't forget what you said."
'
Amadeus nodded. "Indeed. You pass, Mademoiselle." With those words he began to walk away, only to turn around after a few steps, flashing her the most genuine smile she had seen from the man. "I want you to remember one last thing. There's nothing more beautiful than a parting smile."
'
A gesture that, for reasons she couldn't explain, really resonated with the Shielder, and a grateful smile grew on her lips. "Yes. I'll keep that in mind." With that, Amadeus continued walking, leaving her by herself as she stood up to stretch her limbs. They really had talked quite a bit, and she struggled to fully understand it all. But perhaps that was fine. Like the Caster had said, time would reveal the answers to those questions. Besides, she should probably take his advice and head back to camp as well before it got too late... Yet just as she was about to do so, she noticed Fou pattering in a different direction. "Ah, Fou. Please don't wander off this late," she called out only for the critter to keep going without even turning his head. Perhaps he hadn't heard her? Deciding that it was better to not leave him alone at this hour, Mash scurried after Fou as he disappeared into the bushes.
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
Ritsuka let out a deep sigh as she watched the stars in her lonesome. While the hustle and bustle of the camp had its undeniable charm, the last few days had made something painfully clear. Even after Jeanne's group had rejoined them, it really wasn't the same without Marie. It was strange to think that knowing someone for just a few days could have such an impact, yet the young queen had managed just that. Some people just had charisma like that. Increasing the feeling even further was the fact that the Master had never actually seen Marie completely on her own. She'd always been with someone, whether it was for a serious or frivolous conversation didn't matter. She enjoyed time spent with others, like the most natural extrovert in the world. And with that, her lively voice could be heard around the camp basically all the time, even if it was faint enough that the words couldn't be made out, marking her presence. Yet now, all it marked was her absence... Like with most times when her thoughts ended up on Marie, Ritsuka's mind wandered on her final moments. She could only wonder if she could've made the same choice. Granted, even if she could have, it's not like she had the ability to actually slow the enemies down in any meaningful way, but it still made her wonder. How brave would a person need to be to willingly walk into their certain death all alone, all to make sure that their friends would survive? It was simultaneously just so sad and beautiful. She'd obviously seen similar cases in different stories, like books and movies, but to have it actually happen to someone she knew was... difficult to process to say the least. And to make the matter worse, the reason she had been forced to make that choice was because-
'
Ritsuka's thoughts came to a halt as the approaching sound of footsteps reached her ears, clearly audible in the quiet night air. But while she turned towards the source, it wasn't to see who it was, given that the contract between them made Jeanne's presence fairly distinct. "I hope I'm not interrupting," the Ruler greeted her with a smile, yet had a knowing look in her eyes that she hadn't expected.
'
"Jeanne..." The redhead stared at her in surprise before shaking her head. "No, I'm just brooding a bit, so there's nothing to interrupt."
'
Jeanne nodded, as if having expected the answer, and her smile narrowed the slightest bit. "...It's about Marie, right?"
'
Ritsuka blinked in slight surprise, but nodded as well, not even trying to deny the correct guess. "...Yeah, it's pretty obvious given everything that's happened." As Jeanne took a seat beside her on the grass, she raised her legs and hugged them, frustration starting to build up again. "A week really isn't enough time to properly mourn..." she muttered, receiving an agreeing sigh.
'
"I miss her dearly as well. If there's something about her that you wish to talk about, I don't mind listening."
'
The redhead's eyes widened at the offer, scanning Jeanne questioningly, she only found a genuine, gracious smile. Not that she should have expected anything else, given that this was Jeanne of all people making the offer. There was absolutely no chance of it being anything less than a legitimate offer to help her. The Master fell silent in contemplation. In truth, she had planned to just cope with the situation on her own, not wanting to inconvenience anyone with her feelings, yet now that she had received this offer... She glanced carefully at Jeanne, who just smiled at her encouragingly. Seeing her like this, illuminated by the faint light of the stars and the moon, she had absolutely no questions as to why the people of France had seen her as a saint. And so, after a moment of silence, she started speaking quietly. "I'm just... So frustrated. I know that there was nothing we could've done to save Marie, I know that, but I still can't stop thinking about the alternatives." Yes. That was the root of these feelings. The fact that the reason Marie had been forced to make that choice was because Ritsuka had been the one to split the groups. "What if I'd sent Siegfried with your group, and then you and Georgios could've removed his curses, thus letting you drive off Fafnir? What if I'd asked the others at Chaldea to hold off the upgrade so that we'd have another Servant here? Like, if it was Medusa powered by a Command Spell, she might've actually made it to you in time to help. What if... I'd just been more effective?"
'
As Ritsuka hugged her legs to her chest even tighter, she felt Jeanne's hand pressing gently against her back. "...You sound like you already know that those what-ifs only make sense in hindsight." The redhead bit her lip. Yes, she knew, but that didn't stop all the possibilities running through her mind. "You made the most sensible decisions during each of those choices, so you can't blame yourself for them, Ritsuka. No amount of planning will let people truly see the future." The way she worded that... It sounded like she had been going through the same thoughts herself, which didn't exactly surprise the redhead. In truth, Jeanne had far more of a right to feel frustrated, given that she had been with Marie when it all happened.
'
"I know..." Ritsuka muttered quietly, her self-applied charm being the only thing keeping her from outright crying. "...I just wish that she wasn't gone."
'
"Yes. My own feelings on the matter are very much like yours." Moving her hand from her back to her shoulder, Jeanne pulled the redhead closer and let her rest her head on her shoulder. A small act that nonetheless managed to make Ritsuka feel more at ease. "You really cared about Marie. I'm sure she would be happy to hear that," she noted with a smile.
'
"Of course I did. And I'm sure that everyone feels the same. We only knew each other for a few days, but she was our friend. She was just so kind, and pretty, and cheerful... She brightened up any place just by being there." Indeed, without Marie the camp simply wasn't as flowing with energy, even after Jeanne's group had rejoined theirs. The redhead was sure that everyone had noticed the difference. It quite literally wasn't the same without her. "And in the end, she made the choice that would save France, even if it meant her death, because she believed in us. Believed that we could stop the Dragon Witch and save this country along with its people..."
'
Jeanne nodded, her expression growing more resolved. "Yes. That was Marie's wish. And I intend to see it fulfilled."
'
"Me too..." Ritsuka muttered, her brows knitting together in frustration. She'd heard that the Dragon Witch had been the one to kill Marie, and frankly, it pissed her off. The way she killed and destroyed with that wicked sneer on her face, mocking everything with her loud cackling. No doubt she'd done the same with Marie. The thought made her so angry that a part of wished that she could personally punch the Dragon Witch, even if the result wouldn't amount to much.
'
But then, the Ruler continued, her resolved smile not wavering in the slightest. "To do that, we need to stop the Dragon Witch and her allies tomorrow. It will be difficult, but I have faith that we will pull through." The redhead blinked in surprise at Jeanne's words, her anger being washed away by the new emotion. Her resolute figure was just impossibly striking in the dim light of the moon. But what really caught her attention was the fact that there was absolutely no animosity in her words, just pure resolve. Ritsuka's eyes widened at the realization. She wasn't driven by getting revenge for Marie or anyone else, but to stop the Dragon Witch simply because it was the right thing to do. She had been like this too when the soldiers had cursed her, even while she was saving them. Thinking about it, the redhead was quite sure that she'd never seen Jeanne genuinely angry. Upset, sure, but never with actual hatred or rage, no matter how awful someone seemed. Had she just heard about it without meeting the person, Ritsuka might've thought that Jeanne was just a naive fool, but now, with everything they had experienced, it just further proved to her how amazing she was. A genuine saint straight out of a legend... It was so dazzling that she couldn't stop an admiring smile from spreading on her lips, one that earned her a confused look from Jeanne. "Huh? What is it, Ritsuka? Did I say something odd?"
'
She shook her head. "No. You're just so amazing."
'
A comment that seemed to catch the Ruler off guard, a faint blush growing on her cheeks. "A-amazing? How so?"
'
"How you just don't hate," she replied, with Jeanne's expression becoming even more surprised. "I believe in things like second chances, but I still obviously hold a grudge if someone wrongs me or someone I care about dearly. With that in mind, I doubt I could ever truly forgive someone like Lev Lainur after what he did." Frankly, just thinking about the man dressed in all green, sneering while committing atrocities just like the Dragon Witch, made Ritsuka absurdly mad. Yet she put that anger aside for now as she smiled at Jeanne. "But you're different, Jeanne. Even against the people who felt nothing but contempt for you, you didn't hold the slightest grudge. And how even when seeing someone do something horrible, you don't hate them for it or try to get revenge for those that they've killed. You just try to stop them because it's the right thing to do." The redhead felt her smile widen as the Ruler kept staring at her, wide-eyed. It was honestly kind of funny. In comparison to the Dragon Witch and her raving, Jeanne was like a shining beacon of virtue. They were like the polar opposites of each other. "It's so amazing that I literally couldn't even imagine the Dragon Witch actually existing if I hadn't seen her with my own eyes."
'
As soon as those final words left Ritsuka's mouth, Jeanne's eyes widened to their absolute limit and her mouth fell wide open. It honestly would've been pretty funny if it weren't for their serious topic. The Ruler turned her face skyward, her previously shocked expression melting away as clarity took its place, a mutter escaping her lips: "...So that's what it was."
'
For the next few seconds the redhead could only stare at her unsurely, feeling rather lost. Did she receive a revelation of some sort? That type of thing did usually happen to saints. Though as the silence between them started stretching, she decided to carefully call out. "Jeanne?"
'
Jeanne blinked before quickly turning back towards her, as if suddenly remembering that they'd been talking until a few seconds ago. "I had a talk with Marie, much like this, some days ago. During it, I received a clue of sorts, and now I believe that I finally understand it all." Gratitude taking over her expression, she took Ritsuka's hand with a warm smile. "Thank you, Ritsuka. I now have my answer, and I won't hesitate any longer. I will confront the Dragon Witch and give her a piece of my mind, just like Marie wanted me to."
'
The redhead wasn't entirely sure what she was talking about, yet she put her curiosity aside for now. "Well, um, I'm just glad I could help," she nodded, deciding not to pry further. If Jeanne felt it was important, she would probably decide to share it, so there was no need to press her on the matter, even if she was a bit curious. Besides, Ritsuka still needed to offer some gratitude in return, which she did with a smile. "And thanks for the talk. You really did make me feel better." It wasn't exactly a long conversation, but hearing the Ruler's own feelings on the matter did help ease her regrets over Marie's end.
'
Jeanne matched her expression before standing up. "Then my coming here was worth it just for that. Are you coming back to the camp yet?"
'
Ritsuka shook her head. "Not yet. It's been a while since I've seen such a clear night sky and I don't know when the next opportunity to see one comes up, so I'm going to enjoy it for a bit."
'
The Ruler nodded with an understanding smile. "Just don't stay too long."
'
"I won't." The redhead only planned to stay for a few minutes more, so it shouldn't be an issue. Though after Jeanne had walked away, a distinct low sound caught her attention, prompting her to look curiously towards the source. She could've sworn she just heard the calling note of the Multi-Appliance, but why would someone be calling them at this hour? After putting some thought into it, Ritsuka decided to just go back to watching the stars. If the call came this late without the rest of them being called, it was probably just because someone at Chaldea got something they wanted to ask Jeanne personally, like asking for a more accurate version of a historical event or something like that. And in that case, it really wasn't any of her business.
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
"Evening, Jeanne d'Arc. This is our first time having a proper conversation between just the two of us, but is it safe to assume that you know who I am?"
'
As the man with the pitch-black hair asked his question, Jeanne was admittedly a bit surprised. She hadn't been sure what to expect when the communicator she received from the Chaldeans suddenly started beeping, but this most certainly wasn't it. Still, she was indeed aware of his identity. He was among the mages assisting Chaldea, as well as seemingly the creator of several tools that had helped them during their journey. "Your name is Dio Orlin Arista, correct?"
'
He nodded with a smile. "That it is. You won't mind if we just skip formalities and refer to each other on a first name basis?"
'
"No, in all honesty I prefer such a casual manner of speech," she confirmed. "But why have you called me at this hour?"
'
"Well, this downtime could very well be the last possible opportunity of speaking properly with you, since this battle will almost certainly end tomorrow, one way or another."
'
Jeanne fell silent in thought. She could see the logic in the request, and she couldn't find any dishonesty in the man either, so she decided to go along with it. "I suppose that's fair. Then, what did you want to talk about?"
'
"A few things. After spending the last couple of days going over everything we've learned about this Singularity and fitting the probabilities together, I'd like to make some confirmations." A rather ominous statement, which only got wilder with the following question. "First, did you hate your family?"
'
"Wha-!?" The Ruler could only stare at him in utter disbelief. The fact that he could ask such a thing with a completely neutral expression made it all the more ludicrous, bordering on insulting. "Don't be absurd! How could you possibly think that I hate my own family?"
'
Dio shrugged. "I don't. It was more of a routine question than anything. Just making sure," he noted casually, getting Jeanne to frown. She'd gotten so used to Ritsuka's politeness that she had begun to believe that the things she'd heard about mages lacking tact were exaggerated, but judging by this short conversation, she was the exception rather than the rule. "Guess that means that you didn't hate anyone else in Domrémy either."
'
Letting out a soft sigh, the Ruler did her best to calm herself. "Of course not. It was my home. No place in this world is filled with as many wonderful memories to me as Domrémy."
'
"Figured as much." Leaning forward from his sitting position, Dio flashed her an inquisitive smile. "Kinda weird that the Dragon Witch just mercilessly burned it to the ground like she did, isn't it?"
'
Jeanne blinked in surprise. "That is..." Her words trailed off as she began to think. She hadn't thought about it given all the destruction the Dragon Witch had sown thus far, but her utterly annihilating their hometown in such a manner was certainly odd. No one there had any type of political power, and they would've been utterly unable to help her after she had been imprisoned. It was just full of perfectly normal, ordinary people.
'
"Especially weird considering that your family still lived there," the man continued, his sharp, blue eyes piercing into her. "It's almost like she didn't care about them at all and just wanted to destroy it along with the rest of France just for the sake of it."
'
The Ruler found herself nodding. Yes, thinking about it, the Dragon Witch mercilessly destroying Domrémy should have been the first sign that something was wrong with her. Jeanne hadn't really thought about it due to everything else that she'd had on her mind thus far, but that act alone was suspicious enough. She locked eyes with the Spaniard, a knowing glint in them. So, he had arrived at the same conclusion as her... "Indeed. And it also confirms my own theory." Yes. With this, Jeanne was absolutely certain that her speculations were in reality facts. Both Marie and Ritsuka had given her pieces of this mystery, and now everything was finally starting to fit into place. She knew exactly what she was going to say to the Dragon Witch when they would meet.
'
And yet, despite Jeanne's growing assuredness, Dio's following words somehow managed to shock her even more than what he'd just said...
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
Ritsuka continued sitting in silence, gazing at the bright stars. While it was nighttime, the early summer air still held some warmth, making it pleasantly cool instead of chilly. Her talk with Jeanne had helped her clear her mind far more than the lone brooding, leading to her being able to enjoy the night sky more than she'd expected. Though just as she thought about returning to her tent, some bushes rustling close to her caught her attention, specifically from the direction of the camp. That made it unlikely for it to be just some wild animal, and she couldn't feel the presence of any of her Servants from it either, raising her curiosity and caution both. "Hello?" she called, body tensing slightly... until a pair of familiar, white ears popped out of the bush.
'
"Fou!" With his signature sound, Fou hopped fully out and pattered over to the redhead.
'
"Oh, hi there, Fou," she smiled as he took a seat on her lap, a decision she hardly minded and took as an opportunity to pet him. As she stroked his soft coat, the last of her earlier tension completely melted away. He was just such an incomparably pleasant creature to pet. "At this point I'm absolutely sure that you're a magical creature of some kind. Otherwise, there's no way your fur could be this soft and fluffy."
'
"Fou," the little critter barked, sounding extremely proud. As he should be, with such a majestic coat.
'
"Fou. Where did you run off to...?" came a call from the same bush, and soon enough Mash's face appeared, looking at them with surprise. "Oh, Senpai. So this is where he went."
'
Seeing Mash's head alone peeking out of the bush was so adorable that Ritsuka couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Hi, Mash. And yeah, he ran right to me." Though as the Shielder fully came out of the bush and walked over, she couldn't help but to notice that she was carrying something fairly large, yet indiscernible with one of her hands. "What do you have there?"
'
"Ah, this? I was just going through our supplies and came across it. I was wondering if we should send it back to Chaldea before the battle." As Mash held the object towards her, the shape and pale color led to her recognizing it immediately.
'
"The kantele Lemminkäinen made?" Thinking back, the Saber had packed it into one of their backpacks before he'd gotten sent back. After the fight with Vlad, she'd never really thought about the instrument he'd made and left behind, given how much she'd had on her mind, but seeing it now... "Could you give it to me for a sec?"
'
She'd asked mainly as a whim, yet the Shielder immediately handed it over with a smile. "Of course. Here you go."
'
"Thanks." As Ritsuka received the large instrument, Fou moved off of her lap and settled on Mash's, letting her rest it on her thighs as she took in every possible detail. After a while of observing, she could only mutter in awe. "...Wow, this really is nicely made. It's way finer than any kantele I've ever seen before, let alone played." In the modern day something like this would be the heirloom of a major family of mages, a trump card mystic code passed down through the generations. Sure, he had access to excellent materials, but she still couldn't believe that Lemminkäinen had made something like this in just a few days. Age of Gods mages were just ridiculous like that.
'
Though as a consequence of her muttering, Mash's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, can you play it, Senpai?" A question that immediately made Ritsuka regret that she'd let out that bit of information.
'
"...Well, a bit. It's been years since I've played one, though." A statement that was true, even if she said it to lower the obvious expectation on the Shielder's face. For a second, as it died down, the redhead thought that she might have succeeded, but she quickly reconsidered as Mash's gaze turned uncertain and moved to the ground, before returning to her awkwardly.
'
"Um... If you wouldn't mind... Could you play it for me? I would love to hear it."
'
In all honesty Ritsuka wanted to refuse, but the sheer force of Mash's puppy dog eyes made that choice impossible. This was an obstacle she simply lacked the strength to overcome. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she nodded. "I... Well, sure." The confirmation lit the Shielder's face up in a manner that rivaled the starry sky, causing her to quickly add: "But I'm warning you to not get your hopes up. I won't come anywhere near Amadeus or Lemminkäinen when it comes to playing instruments." While her statement did little to lower the expectation in her audience's eyes, Ritsuka moved the kantele to a better position and gave the strings a few experimental plucks and the beautiful sound they gave out convinced her. This really was a masterpiece. But even if she was playing a magnificent instrument, it did little to soothe the redhead's nerves. Really wanting to avoid messing up, she chose a simple song that at least sounded nice, which in this case was Vaka vanha Väinämöinen, and started playing. It was a short song, only about 30 seconds long, and by focusing completely on the task, she managed to play it without any errors. Letting out a relieved sigh as she played the last note, Ritsuka raised her gaze from the instrument... Only to be met by an absolutely starry eyed Mash looking at her mouth agape.
'
"...Oh, that was wonderful, Senpai," the Shielder muttered and started to clap quietly, much to the redhead's disbelief. Even Fou was doing his little awkward version of a clap, smacking his front legs together while seated on her lap. Unable to properly handle such a sincere applause, Ritsuka quickly shook a hand in front of her face as her embarrassment started building up.
'
"Come on, it wasn't that good. It sounded good because of this kantele Lemminkäinen made. It's way beyond any normal instrument."
'
Yet Mash just shook her head as she kept smiling. "Even so, an instrument can't play itself, and not everyone can play such a nice melody."
'
Unable to deny either of the claims, Ritsuka could only nod stiffly, a faint blush growing on her cheeks. She had lost this battle. "I mean, I guess that's true..."
'
Her smile not wavering in the slightest, the Shielder gave her a small bow. "Thank you for humoring my request, Senpai. This was a truly wonderful experience."
'
The redhead gave another stiff nod, not sure what to say in response to such an earnest and pure show of gratitude. It was a serious miracle that Mash was like this despite growing up in a magecraft institution. Such a personality might even cause her trouble in the future. Though as Ritsuka mulled over such thoughts, she became aware of the extending period of silence between them. "We... should probably head to bed right about now," she muttered awkwardly while standing up and brushing off her clothes. "We need to be well rested for tomorrow."
'
Still smiling as brightly as ever, Mash stood up as well. "Yes, you're absolutely right, Senpai." Without exchanging further words, the two headed for their tent, Fou following suit. And despite her mild embarrassment, Ritsuka couldn't help but to feel that this night had gone far better than she had imagined.
'
'
/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\/¤\
XlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlXlX
\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/\¤/
'
'
Sitting in her throne room in Orleans, Jeanne had hoped for some good news when Gilles had approached her, yet what she'd just heard made her sigh in frustration. "So, they're coming..."
'
The ever faithful man nodded apologetically. "Indeed, Jeanne. They have countermeasures in place, so I cannot observe them directly, but there can be no doubt that they are approaching Orleans. I suspect that they will attack tomorrow."
'
The Ruler clicked her tongue. "With at least eight Servants..." That part was the most frustrating to her. As far as she knew the enemy had only lost a single Servant, while she'd lost three, plus one had been reduced to a husk. She of course held an overwhelming advantage in terms of pure numbers, but when it came to Servants, she had fallen short. The situation was no longer at a point where she could take this threat lightly. Not after Georgios had joined her other self. With him around, it might have been genuinely possible for them to rid Siegfried of his curses. "Prepare for the final battle. Gilles, summon them all, not just the Servants."
'
Hearing her order, Gilles bowed with a slight smile. "As you command. By dawn, every single wyvern and misbegotten monstrosity we have created in France will have gathered around Orleans."
'
Jeanne nodded, pleased with the statement a tad. At the very least the wyverns could move around quickly thanks to their wings. "Good. Now, what about Sanson?"
'
The smile on the man's lips faltered. "I have finished treating him, however, his mind perished with the young queen. All we can do is to keep his Spiritron Shell intact, and use him as a foot soldier."
'
Yet another frustrated sigh escaped from her mouth. "What a pain. Well, at least we can still get some use out of him. As long as he can run towards the enemy and swing his sword, that'll be enough." If she sent him rushing at the enemy along with a pack of wyverns as cannon fodder, he might even be able to do some damage. "And Archer?"
'
Gilles' smile returned to its former glory. "All ready. I can unleash her at your command."
'
The confirmation got Jeanne to smile as well. "About time we actually get some use out of her. And the final two I summoned? Have you managed to rein them in yet?"
'
But that's where the good news ended as the Caster shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Their wills are rather strong, so it is proving quite difficult to force them to do your bidding. I will of course do my utmost to prepare them for the assault, but I sadly cannot guarantee anything."
'
"Figures..." she sighed once more, rubbing her temple. Given the identity of the Servants and the short timetable, she wasn't exactly surprised, but it still irritated her. "Just do as much as you can. If it comes down to it, I'll just force them to fight with Command Spells."
'
"As you wish. I will return to my work immediately." With one last bow, Gilles left the room, leaving Jeanne alone with her thoughts... Which she hated. Her thoughts would inevitably end up drifting to the nonsense that damned queen had spouted. So instead of just sitting on her throne, she decided to at least walk around in an effort to distract herself. That, together with focusing her thoughts on the coming battle, did manage to give her some peace of mind.
'
When she really thought about it, her chances at victory weren't anywhere near as bad as she'd feared. While it was true that she had lost several Servants, the ones remaining were all powerful. Well, maybe not Carmilla, but given her abilities it was definitely possible for her to kill some of the opposing Servants. And the other two more than made up for it. Berserker was the best of them, definitely capable of killing any of the opposing Servants in a duel, while Archer was now quite literally a beast with the skills of a master archer. Jeanne genuinely doubted that any of the opposing Servants could match her in a ranged battle. And if things started to look bad, she could still use her remaining Command Spells to force the newest Servants she'd summoned to fight. Even if it would only be for a short while, they should be able to match any of the strongest Servants on the opposing side. Besides, while most of the wyverns she had left were effectively cannon fodder, she still had the horde of Tempest Wyverns she had summoned just for this occasion. They would be unleashed for the first time tomorrow, and were easily the most powerful of all the wyverns she had summoned. Of course, they would still be unable to defeat Servants in a one-on-one fight, but with their numbers advantage, the opposition losing one or two Servants was hardly impossible. And of course, there was Fafnir. The only one that could possibly threaten it was that Dragon Slayer, so as long as she kept an eye out for him, nothing could stop the Evil Dragon.
'
A grin grew on the Ruler's lips as she walked to a balcony, taking in the cool night air. That's right. The chances of her victory were far more likely than those of defeat. Even if she was feeling off for some bizarre reason, it shouldn't matter.
'
Indeed, if even by some miracle she were to lose, it wouldn't matter. "...If we win, the world will be destroyed. Even if we lose, it will make no difference. The world is long gone. Even if they correct this place, an endless journey lies ahead," she muttered to herself while looking at the enormous ring floating in the heavens. The very symbol of Humanity's Incineration. Even if those fools from Chaldea managed to solve this Singularity, the remaining ones would certainly crush them. It was just about the most hellish journey imaginable. "And yet... And yet, they have faith in the world... Those people, and 'me'." Despite everything they were up against, they hadn't given up. Frankly, it pissed her the hell off. These delusional, self righteous fools were seriously trying to save the world, just like she had idiotically tried to save France in the past. A furious sneer forming on her face, she clenched her fists by her sides. She could feel her inner fires burning brightly, her growing rage feeding them. "In that case, I shall smite them. I won't let them reconnect this world. That is my wish, and Gilles' wish."
'
And yet, despite the declaration, Jeanne's sneer faltered just the tiniest bit. "...Yes, that should be my wish."
'
'
.
.
Notes:
In all honesty, I don't have too much to put here, since this was mostly a breather chapter with not too much going on, other than characters coming to terms with their feelings. Though to balance things out, the next chapter will involve a ton of fighting, so look forward to that.
But! There is one important scene that I really want to talk about, which takes place during section 11 of the Orleans game story, and the 7th section of my story: The conversation between Mash and Amadeus. In the game, Mash specifically says: "But it's about when we heard that Marie had died. This is what you said, Amadeus. 'Humans choose what they love.' I don't understand what that meant." But the issue here is that Amadeus never actually says "Humans choose what they love." at that point in the story. In fact, I couldn't find him saying it at any point of the story at all. That's also why the conversation has quite a few differences to the game version, since I had to write around it. I was super confused when I found out about it, so I checked the Japanese script, thinking it was a translation error, but no, it's the same thing. Mash just brings this whole thing up, despite the fact that Amadeus never said anything of the sort. It's just a straight-up writing error, and I'm surprised that I've never heard anyone bring it up before.
'
Anyways, that's all for now. I'll do my best to get the next Chapter out faster, so remember to check out my profile for updates from time to time.
'
Next time: [Grudge Matches in a Warzone]
