The automatons and homunculi that came out of the fog were usually easy to deal with. Didn't make them any less dangerous, but still easy to deal with. In layman's terms, they'd be as dangerous as a wild dog to the average person.
With Fu Hua around, they were downgraded to absolute jokes. When Holmes mentioned she could take care of herself, he was not kidding. Ritsuka knew she could fight— she was a soldier after all —but he did not expect her to literally throw hands with them. Most barely got close to them before she either sent them flying down the street or straight up punched through their bodies.
Once all of them were defeated, Dr Roman reacted as one would expect after seeing such a display of strength. "ARE YOU REALLY HUMAN?!"
"Dr Roman, please remain professional," an amused Da Vinci quickly replaced him. "Though I do have the same question. Please understand I mean no offence when I say you're inhuman, Mrs. Fu Hua."
"No offence taken, and please, just call me Fu Hua too," she replied with a small chuckle.
"Well, Fu Hua. What are you then?" Mordred interrogated with her eyes narrowed. It was clear she was itching to whip out Clarent again in case Fu Hua answered wrongly.
"A soldier, that's all I'm willing to say," she answered which while naturally ticking Mordred off more, Ritsuka stepped in to keep things civil.
"Let's not linger around here further. The quicker we finish Holmes's request, the better," he told her and the others before turning to Fu Hua. "If you could, please lead the way again."
"Just stick close to me," the self-proclaimed soldier nodded before directing them to resume following her.
"Fu Hua… If I may ask, you're not a Servant, right?" Mash soon asked as they made their way through the foggy street.
"No, I'm not, Kyrielight" Fu Hua politely answered.
"But you know what they are?" Dr Roman then asked as he flickered into existence. "Oh, I almost forgot. I am Doctor Romani Archaman, Acting Director of Chaldea. It's a pleasure to meet you, Fu Hua."
"Likewise, I've heard much— Er… I've heard tales of Chaldea's exploits before. That's how I know what Servants are." Ritsuka had the sneaking suspicion she meant to say something else. Just a guess.
"And I'm the resident genius, Leonardo Da Vinci! Summoned and contracted to assist Chaldea in their mission." The Caster quickly interjected before Dr Roman took back control.
"Ahem, that makes things easier if maybe a little too convenient." The suspicion in his voice didn't go over any of their heads. "But now that we've been formally introduced… Do you happen to know an Arthur Conan Doyle?"
"I do. Why are you… oh, I see now." Fu Hua's face lit up in understanding. "You believed me to be a man named Watson, didn't you?"
"I mean he did get the part about Holmes and Baker Street right."
"Hmm… I suppose I can't blame you for believing that," Fu Hua conceded after a moment of thought. "However, you should know that Doyle's work was underplaying what actually happened. He left out the more… fantastical details of my and Holmes's cases."
"As well as obfuscating a few important facts," Mash added. While they were used to famous male figures actually being women at this point, Fu Hua was a bit unique. The change in gender was usually the only big change— everything else tended to be the same or similar enough. Why and how the great author changed Fu Hua into a British gentleman perplexed them to no end.
"And what do you mean by fantastical exactly?" Da Vinci reappeared, her curiosity dripping in her voice.
"Mainly criminals who were way in over their heads and trying to exploit technology they didn't understand," Fu Hua sighed in exasperation as she recalled her previous cases. "And of course, everything to do with Moriarty."
"As in James Moriarty? The famed criminal mastermind who faced off against Holmes and led the detective to… wait a second," Mash realized something off. It should be a few more years before Holmes and Moriarty would clash, culminating in their "final" confrontation at Reichenbach Falls.
"Is there a problem?" Fu Hua asked in confusion.
"Er… Nothing."
"Oh, I think I get it!" Dr Roman exclaimed. "He's who you and Holmes are chasing after, isn't he!? And Doyle kept him out of his novels so far to not alert him!"
His excited conclusion drew a smile from Fu Hua. "Quite the deduction skills you have, Doctor. You would be right, we are looking for Moriarty."
"I knew it!"
"...how dangerous is he?" Ritsuka finally spoke up, worry and concern in his eyes.
"I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle. We just need to actually find him," she reassured him with a smile, returning his gaze.
A few seconds passed before— "Ur… sorry to interrupt your moment again, but are we still heading the right way?" Dr Roman asked, snapping both of them from their thoughts.
"Oh, yes. It should be only a couple streets over now," Fu Hua replied with a red tint in her cheeks.
"Also, really Fujimaru?" The teasing tone in the doctor's voice made Ritsuka's face flush deeper. "I was not expecting this sort of behaviour from you at all."
"I— I don't know what you're talking about!" Ritsuka sputtered out much to Romani's amusement. Mash and Mordred, on the other hand, only gave him exasperated looks.
"Here it is…" Fu Hua whispered as they snuck around the warehouse. "First, we have to confirm they're inside. Only then can we go in and put a stop to them.."
"Finally, about time for some action." Mordred sounded like she hadn't gotten in a fight in ages.
"I'll survey the perimeter first; wait here till I return." With that promise, Fu Hua left them by themselves.
The second she turned the corner and disappeared— "You know this has been a real-eye opener for me, Fujimaru."
"What's that supposed to mean, Doctor?!" He cried in protest.
"Don't act so innocent, Ritsuka. Here I thought you were completely chaste," Romani faked a sigh. "Turns out you just have very specific tastes."
"You and me both. Turns out the great Master of Chaldea has the same interests as Sir Lancelot." The disappointment in Mordred's voice was unmatched.
"I am not interested in Hua cause she's married!"
"Oh, already dropping formalities, Fujimaru?" Da Vinci took her turn in teasing him. "Although I do feel bad for her husband. She seems just as interested in you as you are in her."
Ritsuka's mind blanked at that; she was technically feeling bad for him. "I don't think she's the type for that sort of thing," Ritsuka defended Fu Hua's character. "She's just… friendly with me."
"Master, I don't think simply being friends is her intentions…" Mash shared her thoughts in a small voice.
"And it doesn't seem it's Ritsuka's either."
"Hey!" The worst part is that is technically the case for her. Ritsuka believed he was still in the grey area on whether he was romantically interested in her or not. "Look, I'm sure she's loyal to her husband. I probably just remind her of him."
"Uh huh. Whatever you say, Master," Mordred rolled her eyes. "Just don't get too attached to her. I still say we can't trust her yet."
"Then I'll be sure to earn it however I can." Fu Hua suddenly cut into their conversation. "And yes, Ritsuka just reminds me of my husband."
"That was fast. I take it our perps are inside?" Da Vinci asked to which Fu Hua nodded.
"Prepare yourselves. This would not be an easy fight," she warned. "If we're right, the remaining lieutenant should be in possession of one of the lost Keys of Domination."
"A what now?"
"...It's a long story."
A/N: And that's all for this chapter~ Just more teasing and RitsuHua unintentionally misleading people to the wrong but still technically right conclusion. Anyway, see you all next time!