Jeanne d'Arc couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed.
Not so much that she was rendered speechless, but enough that the image in front of her seemed unreal, like it came out of those fairy tail books her mother used to read her to bed, all despite the scene playing out in real time from her eyes.
Maybe overwhelmed wasn't the right word, then. It was more like…
"We're sorry…"
"Good, reflect on yourselves."
…Amazed.
Yes, she supposed she was amazed with King, one of her temporary masters.
Beyond just being a skilled commander, a scholar, and a well of charisma, the scarred man always seemed to prefer the path of least bloodshed, even against resistance.
Would it be simpler to simply subdue Siegfried using all their forces? Maybe. Would it be easier to simply attack Queen Marie's escorts in Marseille? Perhaps. Would taming these two girls be more straightforward by force? Likely.
Yet King chose to do otherwise, every single time. For the sake of Lyon's citizens, Marseille's misguided, and the two girls' well beings.
It made her think back to the war, her war, with the English. Those who died by her side and against her. She never once took pleasure when her enemies' blood would spray onto her armor, and she would pray for them when she would wash the grime of her attire then. Neither did she feel sorrow when her own men and the people she swore to protect casted disapproval on her, a woman fighting a man's war.
But she never regretted, her life, her youth, her battles, her death, all of it was to answer The Lord's laments.
Yet the appearance of her 'other' had raised doubts, doubts that she never felt before. Did she truly have lingering regrets? Of the comrades she left? Her family? Maybe even… herself?
Try as she might, she couldn't feel those regrets, but maybe she didn't need to.
Maybe… her lingering regrets did exist, and her 'other' was their existence as a servant.
Seeing how her new master conducted himself made her almost wonder of the possibilities, of ending the war without bloodshed, of gaining the people's wholehearted support, of convincing the church to spare her. Was it all possible had he been there?
Again, it was not because she regretted all that happened to her that her mind wandered to those thoughts. But if she truly did have lingering regrets, and that her 'other' was their manifestation, she couldn't help but feel responsible, for her contempt, her sadness, her fury.
If that truly was the truth, then she would take that responsibility, and bring her 'other' to justice.
Jeanne's gaze turned to King once more. '...Without violence.' She decided.
"Well done, Mister King." Mash said, walking into the view of the group as Ritsuka and the other servants followed her.
"Hm? …Yeah, I guess." The man in question replied, taking him out of the scolding he had been giving for almost five minutes now.
The two girls, pink and green haired, looked up meekly from their kneeling positions to the newcomers, then shifted towards Jeanne, Achilles, and Murasaki. It seemed like they weren't even aware that there was anyone else other than King.
Jeanne cleared her throat. "I believe there is no need for further hostility, so perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I am Jeanne d'Arc, ruler."
"Elizabeth Bathory, lancer."
"Kiyohime, berserker."
The rest of the Chaldeans then introduced themselves, with Mash explaining the general situation with Romani and Olga.
"...and that's why we need your help." Mash said, looking at the lancer and berserker expectantly.
The two girls, now up on their feet, exchanged glances, first at the masters, then at each other. In particular, Kiyohime's gaze seemed to linger on Ritsuka, in a way that Jeanne found hard to describe.
"...Okay, I guess I can help out a little to, um, make up for what I've done?" Elizabeth said, an unsure tone along her words.
"Oh, yes! Of course I'll help An- I mean, master with his problems!" Kiyohime said, her eyes directed solely to Ritsuka, who smiled awkwardly.
Jeanne smiled, It looked that King made the right decision, after all.
"Dragons! Headed your way!" Romani suddenly shouted.
…And it would seem that his actions were about to pay off.
"Girls." Jeanne called out the two, their heads turning to her in response.
"Now is your chance. Take up your weapons and protect Thiers and its people! Repel the dragons that have come to destroy it, if you truly want to help."
"Wh-wha?! Oh, alright, I guess I'll fight some stupid dragons." The lancer grumbled, begrudgingly picking her spear back up.
"Ah, these overgrown lizards? Sure, they won't lay a hand on my lover if I have any say in it." Kiyohime said, her eyes staring directly at Ritsuka, leaving no room for doubt as to whom she meant.
'L-lover?' Jeanne thought, surprised. Her eyes darted between Kiyohime and Ritsuka, the latter pointing at himself in confusion. She never had the time to dabble in romance, but to think that one could fall in love so easily… How terrifying.
"...Wow."
"Eh, what is it, Miss Murasaki?"
"No, it's just that, you really are a military commander, aren't you, Miss Jeanne? I've read some of your exploits in Chaldea's books, but it never truly sunk in until I saw you rouse those two." Murasaki said, her brush moving across a scroll she had made.
"O-oh, you're making me blush, Miss Murasaki… What are you writing, if I may know?"
"Oh, this? Well, master King instructed me to write what Lord Bune did during our meeting, and I suppose I'm continuing that journal as a diary. And well, I was writing your gallant deed just now."
Jeanne could feel some heat rising up her cheeks. Well, she was blushing now.
"The wyverns are closing in! Prepare yourselves!" Olga yelled over the comms, and true to her words, several flying creatures could be seen looming over the horizon.
Jeanne gripped her flagpole tightly, the golden emblem reflecting sunlight. She then wrapped the flag with a swift motion, a spear now in her left hand, and drew her sword with the other.
Then, The Maiden of Orleans charged.
Ritsuka glanced over his shoulder.
'...She's still looking at me.'
Even in the battle a few minutes after, the young boy could still feel the strangely chilling gaze of Kiyohime, even as she roasted the wyverns alive, fanning the flames with her weapon.
He felt that it was rude to even feel it, but to be honest, it unnerved him.
"Cu Chulainn! There's one above you!"
The lancer acknowledged the warning with a grunt, and promptly thrusted his spear to the skies, where it met and skewered a dragon in the middle of a divebomb.
"Nice work, master." Cu Chulainn said, landing on his feet beside his master.
"Thanks, it's not over yet, though." Ritsuka replied, wiping a furtive sweat under his lips.
"Hold on, master." The lancer said suddenly, prompting Ritsuka to turn and look at him.
"A word of advice. Stay away from crazy bitches."
…
"Seriously, I'm speaking from experience here."
"Oh, uh, are you talking about Queen Medb?"
"You know the story? I guess that Japanese dragon girl ain't as bad as her, though."
"Really?"
"Yeah, she's a little worse I think. Well, I'm sure you'll be fine. Stay safe, master."
Ritsuka certainly did not feel he would be fine.
Suddenly the chill became even colder as the battle went on, Ritsuka's orders occasionally taking a shiver.
In the midst of battle, his eyes kept darting to his side, catching the other master in his peripherals. There, it was business as usual, King giving his orders as succinct and short as can be, leaving the more subtle implicit subtexts of his words for his servants to crack, a testament to the faith he had in his servants, and vice versa.
By his estimate, King had cleared more than three quarters of the wyverns by the time it was over, while Ritsuka's group took care of the leftovers.
Even two days ago, this would be a frustrating sight for Ritsuka, but now? He felt rather… resigned.
That was what he was telling himself at least. Was it to soften the blow when he talks with King? Probably.
But it made him feel better.
"That's the last of em." Achilles said, marking the end of the wyvern invasion.
"...Right, good work, everyone." Ritsuka said, shaking off his musings while simultaneously trying to ignore the yellow eyes that followed him still.
"Confirming… No casualties on the citizens' side!" Mash said, relieved.
"This is our chance! Have Jeanne convince the people that she's the true saintess!"
"Not so fast, Romani. It's too risky, in fact I'd say it's entirely possible, even likely, that our impostor would simply send a full army of wyverns to any city that believes in 'our' Jeanne d'Arc." Olga said, interjecting from the other comms device.
"Caster, I'll need you to cast another disguise on Jeanne. I believe it's best that we hide the fact that 'The Witch' is even with us. That being said, it would be a good time to try and gain the citizens' favor. We simply have to do it without a saintess." Olga finished.
Murasaki walked along the streets of Thiers, wobbly.
It wasn't because of the prior battle she had with the wyverns, no, that went smoothly courtesy of her scarred master. So smoothly in fact, that the city didn't even see further damage other than Elizabeth and Kiyome's 'petty scuffle' and resumed its day as if nothing happened.
Rather, it was because of the stacks of paper she held on her arms, causing her to wobble around from the weight imbalance, coupled with the fact that the bottom half of her vision was obstructed by the height of said stack.
But she persevered regardless.
She still couldn't quite read the text on those flyers, but every person that she gave the paper to lit up in joy once they read its contents.
And that is enough to reason to keep doing it.
"Need some help, my lady?"
"O-oh no. I wouldn't want to trouble you… Lord Bune?!"
The sudden appearance of the very creator of those papers nearly led to its collapse, only prevented by his own help.
"Oh, careful now. Why didn't you ask for help from some of your companions? Surely it would be easier to divide this stack among your numbers." Bune said, helping Murasaki stabilize the giant stack, before taking half for himself.
"Ah, well, they have their own ways to try and convince the people. I… simply chose to try and help with your work, Lord Bune." Murasaki said.
"Haha, is that so? You have my utmost thanks, Lady Murasaki."
Murasaki blushed slightly at the praise. "I-It's nothing, Lord Bune. I believe it's a cause worth pursuing, so I did. Speaking of which, what brought you here, Lord Bune?"
"Just business, as well as more opportunities to spread these pamphlets. Though, I didn't quite expect for there to be two servants fighting here, and more dragons, no less!" Bune said. "Thank goodness you and your friends were here."
"It's only natural for us to protect the people here." Murasaki said.
"So you say, but even now bandits are still prowling the roads between cities. Your goals are noble, and your actions even moreso." Bune retorted.
"If you think so, Lord Bune."
"I know so, Lady Murasaki."
The two laughed as they walked together around Thiers, once again spreading the good word to those who can so they in turn may play their part to those who can't.
In a rather pleasant surprise, Lord Bune and I crossed paths again. He said that he simply happened to have business in Thiers when both Elizabeth and Kiyohime fought, it's fortunate that we were here, lest something happened to him.
Either way, it would seem that my endeavor won't be as arduous as I thought it would be, with another pair of hands to help.
"Lady Murasaki?"
"Y-Yes?" Murasaki responded, clasping her journal shut with her hand.
"Ah, your journal again, I see."
"Well, yes, I think a fortunate encounter such as this deserves an entry." Murasaki said, having put her book and brush away.
"Haha, you exaggerate, my lady."
Suddenly, there was a stop. Then, a chill on the novelist's back.
"L-Lord Bune?" Murasaki said, looking towards the man who wore a wary expression.
"...It's not safe here." Bune said.
She could tell. It was a familiar feeling, one she associated with the envy of women who passed her by at the halls of the palace.
That same feeling when vision turned to daggers aimed at you.
Without a word, Bune slowly walked to the center of the market, a slight gesture beckoning Murasaki to follow, which she did.
The pair weaved through the labyrinth built by the swarming crowd, its walls moving as a mother went to search for another ingredient and a man stopped to read the latest news.
The cathartic nature of their path was such that by the time they emerged, that feeling had already disappeared, the warm sun returning on Murasaki's skin."
"...I think we're no longer being tailed." Bune said.
"Yes, I believe so, Lord Bune."
"Phew! We sure gave them a hard time, didn't we?" Bune said, his sudden jovial tone killing the tension.
"L-Lord Bune! We must stay vigilant! They might still be lurking!" Murasaki whispered, slightly panicked.
"Haha!, Worry not, Lady Murasaki. I don't believe I'm that important to their schemes." Bune said.
"I-I hope you're right."
"But I suppose you have a point. You are one of their major targets, yes? It'd be foolish of me to have their attention again." Bune said.
"...I suppose we have to part ways then." Murasaki said, the few layers of pamphlet hanging loosely from her hand.
"Yes, it's unfortunate that our meeting was cut so short. But worry not, my lady. For if fate can let our paths cross, then it shall happen again."
Murasaki giggled at the bold declaration.
"I hope so as well. Farewell, Lord Bune."
"Likewise, Lady Murasaki."
Our meeting was cut short due to the interference of the impostor's forces, but I believe we spread our word enough in Thiers nevertheless. While I never quite saw our watcher, the feeling they gave made me certain that they were a servant.
Could it be one of the paladins? Did the other Jeanne d'Arc summon more servants? Time will tell. For now, I relish in my small victory with Lord Bune, and think ahead about how I will report this to my masters.
Murasaki's journal shut with the clamping of her hand as she set out back to the team's designated rendezvous area.
Atop the roofs, two figures in cloaks watched the novelist again, before disappearing.
"How did it go on your side, Senpai?"
"Better than how it usually does, at least."
Ritsuka sighed. At the director's behest, they avoided mentioning how the other Jeanne d'Arc is fake or evil or anything of the sort. A new strategy she said, to avoid further alienation from the citizens. Instead, they opted to build up a reputation as a band of mercenaries of sorts,
It's a flimsy plan, Ritsuka knew that, Mash knew that, The Servants knew that, King knew that, and he's pretty sure the director knew that too.
Not that he thought the director was slacking, hell, to come up with any plan at all with their resources was already impressive in his eyes.
The justification did little to soothe his frustrations.
How many of the people they talked to in Thiers today will remember their name? and how many of those will spread the word? and how many of those would actually believe in them over 'Jeanne d'Arc'?
If only King was the one to lead their image rehabilitation… But then, it would be up to Ritsuka to gather rogue servants, and he couldn't do what King just did with those two.
Speaking of… "Well, master, I'll be in your care~"
Now that they're past the mayhem of battle, Ritsuka took a good look at his new servant. The Japanese dragon girl dressed in a green kimono, Kiyohime.
He was familiar with her name, and unfortunately, her story. Part of him was excited, a proper legend from his own country in the flesh. At the same time, said familiarity with the girl in front of him gave him dread that dwarfed that excitement.
"Nice to meet you, my Anchin~. I am Kiyohime." Kiyohime said, voice far too sultry for Ritsuka's liking.
'Anchin? Isn't that–'
"Um, Miss Kiyohime, right? Sorry to spring a question on you so soon after we meet, but have you seen any other servants on your way here? One that isn't affiliated with 'The Saintess'?" Mash asked.
"I saw some soldiers being led around by a white haired guy with a weird looking sword, but other than that, no I haven't. Other than that pink lizard, anyway."
"A white haired man wielding a strange sword… I believe that matches the description of one of the 'paladins'." Kojiro said.
"Well, if nothing else, at least we got two new allies, right?" Romani said, his attempt at finding a silver lining met with Mash's disapproving stare.
"Hey! Are you all done?" Achilles asked from a distance, coming into Ritsuka's view along with the other half of the group.
"Yes, how did it go for you, Mister Achilles?" Mash said.
"It was alright, I think master did most of the heavy lifting, even if he didn't say anything." The Greek hero said, shaking his foot, as if impatient. He was probably itching for something more, uh, involved, Ritsuka thought.
"Yes, he simply stood there and, well, people listened!" Jeanne added.
"Yeah, I guess it went pretty well." Elizabeth said, before walking past Ritsuka while whistling a tune, not a good one, he noted.
"Is that so? Well, I met Lord Bune again and something… happened. I-I'll elaborate later/" Murasaki said.
"...Alright, let's go somewhere more vacant and gather all the information we have." Olga relayed from the Command Room.
With that, the group began to head to said 'more vacant' area, but Ritsuka couldn't help but notice that something was missing.
"...Wait, where's King?"
"Fou!"
"W-whoa! Calm down Mister Fou!"
The white beast promptly ignored the plea as he mercilessly plunged his fangs into the young girl's bosoms, eliciting a shriek from the young maiden.
"A-alright, Mister Fou, I understand. The heat must be too much for you, huh?"
Until eventually, the girl submitted to him, letting his head take residence on her chest.
This wasn't all bad, 'Fou' thought.
Sure, it didn't match the comfort of the grasses in paradise, but few did anyway. For now, these mounds should serve as his cushion well enough.
Not to downplay the service the boy this girl called her senior provided, however. The sleeve on that uniform of his was cool enough for the breeze to ruffle his fur without sacrificing warmth at night.
Overall, 'Fou' was content with the status quo.
The ghosts were a colorful bunch, but he didn't quite care to break them down individually.
The boy was naive, and his competency was only good enough to save his own life by the skin of his own teeth. Maybe he should take that red archer's advice. But who would be his personal walking sleeping bag then?
The girl was… unique, 'Fou' thought. She was curious, upbeat, helpful, all despite her… circumstances. 'Fou' found it hard to believe, but a part of him was mystified by it. Why? He couldn't help but wonder. He would never thank that white haired devil, much less admit that he had a point, but if there was any reason of his own to continue on this 'Grand Order', he knew that it would be this girl.
Not to mention, she had a nice bod, too.
Beats being around that shitty, annoying, fucking wretch of a mage, anyway.
That being said, there was still one piece of the puzzle 'Fou' could not solve, a missing stroke to the mural that was his current understanding of 'humanity. One that, coincidentally, was also missing in a literal sense.
Which is why 'Fou' descended from his comfy pillows, and headed back to Thiers.
"A-Ah! Where are you going, Mister Fou?"
"Relax, he probably just needs to take a piss or something."
The remark the blue lancer made would've offended 'Fou' had it not been for more urgent matters that he needed to attend to.
"Fou!"
"Hm?"
'Fou' found him.
And he had found 'Fou' too.
The scarred man stared back at him, his eyes as level as how they always were, in battle, in the dead of night, in the calm of the day, they were always the same.
Those piercing blue eyes.
On the surface, nothing about him was too out of ordinary for 'Fou'. A powerful man that could make those in front of him bow, they were as common as grass was in that paradise.
But 'Fou' couldn't help but feel that there was 'something' about him, 'something' worth his curiosity.
Was it his motivation behind ending every confrontation he could without lifting even a single finger that interested 'Fou'? or the inexplicable desire he had to uplift those around him, even when they couldn't see it?
'Fou' felt that it was both, yet neither at the same time. Whatever it was, 'Fou' wanted, and needed, to know.
It was not until 'Fou' stopped ruminating that he noticed something was off.
The scarred man stared at him.
No, into him.
Had he… figured his identity too?
Time went still, and the city around them turned to nothing. Here, it was just them, man and man-killer.
They both stood still, even the sound of the wind became null to their ears, waiting for the other to make the first move.
Alas, the man with the scars was the first to move.
The white critter reacted not with hostility, but with caution, sprinkled with a bit of curiosity.
But then the man did something the furry beast could have never expected.
He picked him up.
"Fou?"
The confusion in 'Fou's' voice was genuine as their faces inched closer than ever. That missing puzzle piece was right in front of 'Fou', yet the distance revealed more questions than answers. Was he sizing him up?
The movement of the man's lips changed his question, what was he going to say?
"...Come with me for a sec."
"...Fou?"
What.
Before 'Fou' could truly discern the request, he found himself in the man's grips as he walked away.
"Fou?!"
Achilles yawned. He was bored.
Who could blame him? All these 'paladins' but all they've been doing is walking from city to city and killing the occasional dragons! Where's the combat? the adventure? the heroics? The meeting they had before splitting up barely changed their objectives!
He supposed that what they were doing does help save the word, but it didn't make it any less boring!
His mind wandered to Atalanta, when he fought her back at La Charite. It was a miracle that they even met again, and he knew that she shouldn't be so greedy, but he resented the fact that they had to fight on opposite sides, especially against a brainwashed Atalanta.
Achilles sighed. 'Well, no use crying over spilt wine.' If he's lucky, he might be able to at least talk with her later. For now, everyone, including those two new girls, took respite before the team split in half again.
"Achilles."
"Oh? What's up, master?"
The corners of Achilles' mouth turned upwards. If his master called him out personally, it's likely that he was going to get a mission. Now, what was it? Did the people at Chaldea detect an enemy? Was it Atalanta? or maybe a really strong servant?
"You should reconsider the offer back then."
The smile dropped from Achilles' face instantly, he sighed.
"That? Seriously, master?" Achilles said.
"Yes, you know what I'm talking about, right?"
Achilles sighed again. Yes, yes he did, and the notion was as ridiculous now as it was then.
"Yeah, I do, but come on! We're in the middle of a war, outnumbered by human soldiers who we can't hurt, and she wants me to do that?! I don't even know how!" Achilles protested.
King reacted with momentary silence, their eyes briefly meeting.
"...Hm, I see. So even a legendary hero can still have holes."
…Did he just hear that right?
"Well, I suppose not even the most decorated of heroes are perfect."
He definitely did.
"Hold on, master, mind explaining?" Achilles said. He wasn't going to attack his master, but that didn't mean he didn't take any offense either.
King shook his head. "I just thought that you would know better, turning down such an opportunity for heroics like that."
"Heroics? That?" Achilles asked, bewildered.
"Don't you see? Taking the offer would spread joy to France, have you on a pedestal, and in turn, help us with our mission. How is that not heroic?"
"Well, alright, but–"
"Besides, you haven't had much to do, right?"
Achilles' eyebrow twitched. He didn't like that he was starting to agree.
"I get it, I get it! But that is too unreasonable, I'm not even good at it! The most I did was with my soldiers after a battle, and only a little bit!" Achilles protested. Seriously, it's just too annoying for him to go along with!
"So, your heroics only go so far as convenience?"
Whatever retort the Greek Hero could've come up with stopped below his throat, an open mouth without sound.
"Achilles, one day, when you set out on your journey, there may be a time where you learn things I can not teach now."
"What are you talking about, teach? If you know something, just spill it now!"
"Aha, but that's the thing, Achilles. When you learn it, who teaches it to you, how it happens, none of them will be in our control."
"...Whatever, I don't get it. Let's go for a foot race!"
"Again? You already beat me, though."
"Yeah, but I wanna do it again!"
"Haha, sure, sure."
Achilles' mouth morphed into a smile, then full blown laughter.
"Hahaha! How right you were, teach!" Achilles said suddenly, to which his master didn't visibly react.
"Alright, I'm in. So where do I start?"
"...Marie? Don't you think it's time for us to report to Lady Jeanne?"
The young future Queen of France answered by continuing to hum down the streets of Marseille.
Amadeus sighed. "I know that it has only been a day, but are you really expecting anything out of his 'promise'?" He said, to which she pouted.
Amadeus always was a pessimist creep, but couldn't he at least let them relax for a bit?
"Don't be such a cynic, Amadeus! Maybe he's assembling it as we speak! Don't you think so, d'Eon?"
The blonde knight nodded. "Yes, your highness, we should at least consider the option." d'Eon said. Ah, how fortunate to have another acquaintance here, even if it was only because it was an order they had been given to by The Saintess. 'If only Sanson was here, too.'
"If you insist, Marie."
Out of the corner of his eye, Amadeus noticed something, someone. "Marie–!"
"Oh, Monsieur King! You're back!"
The scarred man said nothing and simply stared at them. Marie's eyes darted towards his sides, the roofs, the alleyways, only to find that he was, in fact, alone.
"...Is there anything we can help you with?" Marie asked, hiding any anxiety she might feel behind her mask of a royal smile. Amadeus had his hand on his hips, ready for battle, as did d'Eon.
"Queen Marie."
"...Yes?"
"Is your noble phantasm a castle, perchance?"
Marie's heart skipped a beat.
"...So? Am I right?"
The queen's foot took one step behind her, she only noticed after the fact.
Marie supposed she did give her true name to one of his servants, but to think that he so correctly guessed her noble phantasm… Just who is he? Some sort of time traveler?
"...Yes, it is." Marie decided to answer truthfully.
At this point, she could not think that the man's purpose could not be anything else but battle, why else would he bring up her noble phantasm? The sentiment was shared by her two companions, with d'Eon in particular seeming eager. Though that does bring the question, why was he alone? Was he so confident in his own abilities? Jeanne did say that he should not be underestimated.
"Then I suppose it's settled." King said.
Marie closed her eyes in preparation. She regretted that the 'Jeanne' the man traveled was not the real Jeanne. She really did want to be wrong, to have Jeanne be free of malice just as how she imagined her every time she would read her story. Everyone held malice, she should know better, she knew better, she just wished she didn't.
Now, Amadeus' baton was in his hand and d'Eon's saber was in theirs. For Marie, an outline of a horse began to take shape, liquid crystal falling to the ground below.
The street was as crowded as ever, and it didn't seem like the citizens had any idea of the battle about to begin just in front of them. If so, she had to finish this as quickly as possible to limit casualties, none if possible. And if the scarred man already knew of her noble phantasm, then…
"Vive La France! Crystal-"
"You should come join me."
Marie's noble phantasm stopped materializing, just as the words fell dead at the tip of her tongue.
"I-I'm sorry?" Marie said. She didn't know if that was an apology or a request for clarification.
"Apologies, maybe I should be more clear. Instead of simply watching my promised 'miracle', how would you feel about taking part in it, instead?"
"...I'm sorry?" It was the latter, she realized.
"A queen's castle, don't you think that is the perfect sight for the common people to look up to?" King asked, the rhetoric implied.
But to her, it was not such a simple rhetoric. "...I don't know, would it?" Marie asked sincerely.
"Marie, the people of France loved you, as you did them." Amadeus said.
"The composer is right, your highness. Love takes form in ways as pure as it is twisted. Even the fact that the people wanted your head may be love as well." d'Eon added.
"...Yes, thank you, you're both right. …But, I'm not queen now, am I?" Marie asked, expecting no answer.
"Does it matter?"
But one came.
"If Queen Marie could be loved by France, then why couldn't Marie Antoinnette, the woman?"
All three of them turned their heads at the statement, but none was more captivated than Marie herself.
The man stayed silent, as if that single sentence conveyed everything he wanted to say and she needed to hear.
And maybe it was.
King cleared his throat. "Anyway, do you want to? I think, no, I know you can help France, Marie Antoinette."
Help France not as a queen, but just a normal woman, huh?
Well, she was never one to shy away from new experiences.
Marie smiled. "Very well, Monsieur King, I accept." The queen extended her hand, to which the scarred man shook, signifying their agreement, and the truth she had chosen to believe in.
"Um…"
"Ah, d'Eon, right. You see the truth is…" Marie explained to the knight of how they first met 'Jeanne', then who she thought to be a fake, to meeting King, his promise, and finally, her decision.
"...and so, I've decided to align ourselves with the second Jeanne that we met!" Marie declared.
"Really, Marie? Are you sure we're not just being tricked here?" Amadeus asked, slightly bemused at how things progressed so quickly.
"Of course! Besides, I've always wondered how it would feel to be a spy!" Marie thought of reporting back and forth between the fake Jeanne and the real Jeanne, hiding her true intentions, spilling the gossip to her, how fun!
"...If you're certain, your highness, then I will follow." d'Eon said.
"Thank you so much! And Sorry for making you betray your master like this." Marie said sheepishly.
"...No, it is fine. Although I suppose I should watch my movements more carefully now."
"Alright then, I guess I'm outnumbered." Amadeus relented, halfheartedly throwing his hands up.
Marie turned her attention
Being loved, but not as a queen. She had thought of it in her life, often even, and when the blade was above her neck, constantly. She never once imagined the chance would actually ever come, even if she… didn't quite know how that would be achieved.
"So, what do I have to do?"
"...Actually, one more thing before that, are any of your companions proficient in music?"
Amadeus looked offended, to say the least.
"At the expense of his quality as a human being, but yes." Marie supplied while gesturing to Amadeus, not giving the composer a chance to defend himself.
"I see…" King said, rubbing his chin while shifting his gaze over to the androgynous knight on Marie's left.
d'Eon tensed up, something Marie could understand. She too was intimidated when she first met the master.
"All three of you should come actually."
"A-alright?" Marie said, slightly confused, and realized that she had yet to ask one crucial thing.
Just what was his plan?
"E-eh?! Y-you want me to write something that important?"
"Yes."
"B-b-but I've never written something of that kind, even as a passing hobby!"
Murasaki was confused, stumped even.
Night had fallen and they had set up their camps once again when her master asked to talk with her in private, and without warning, issued a sudden and unusual request.
"But you're the best writer I know, Miss Murasaki."
She felt elated at her master's praise. Not the best writer available, but the best he knew. Even so, it wasn't enough to convince her.
"I-I'm flattered, but something like that is too… different." Murasaki said, avoiding outright rejecting the proposal.
"I can imagine. I suppose it's very far removed from your time."
Murasaki breathed a sigh of relief, though a tinge of regret from her own implicit rejection remained.
"But I know you can do it, still."
And just like that, her anxiety returned with a vengeance.
"I-I-I-I don't think I can, master!" Murasaki stammered, covering her face with her hands, ashamed at her own incompetence.
"Why not?" Her master asked, his tone as sincere as she had ever heard him say.
"It's just… too different from the novels I write." Murasaki said, reiterating her first argument.
"The words you write, they are meant to be read. To those who cannot see, it has to be read to them. In that sense, how is this any different?"
He was right, Murasaki knew that. It wasn;t because she thought that it was an improper use of her writing skills, or a waste of her time. It's just…
"I-I don't think I can write it well enough!" Murasaki answered, as truthfully as possible, this time.
Her master simply looked at her, in response.
"I-I'm so sorry, master! I know I'm the only one in our ranks that became a servant through their writing… but I don't think I can do what you need me to. I-I'm too scared…." Murasaki said nervously, her head bowed low at her master.
It's too strange to her, too unfamiliar, she felt like a bird trying to go through the uncharted depths of the sea. Though the domain may fall under the same banner, the difference was enough for it to be alien to her.
"...That's nonsense."
"H-huh?" Murasaki said, peeking her head up from her bowed position.
"You know, when I think of the most important servant I have summoned thus far, it couldn't be anyone but you." King said, his voice lacing any hint of flattery, just honesty.
"I wouldn't hesitate to say that your library was the most important place I've stepped foot since our operation started."
"Master…"
"So, please, Miss Murasaki, write it for me. I know you can."
Murasaki stayed silent for a while, before suddenly, a table materialized in front of her. On it, everything she needed to fulfill her master's request were laid, a scroll, a brush, a bottle of ink, her glasses, and beyond that table, herself.
If her master believed that she could write what he needed, then she would, it was as simple as that.
"I, Murasaki Shikibu, no, Fujiwara-no-Kaoruko shall write you a most fitting script, master!"
King smiled and nodded. "I look forward to it."
As her master left her to her own devices, Murasaki wasted no time to put ink to paper. Line after line written in Japanese, every word etched with thought and purpose behind them, their rhyme, their implicit meanings, their flow–
She would perfect them all before sunrise.
'Jeanne d'Arc' was dazed. An almost fatal mistake had happened today.
It wasn't supposed to go like that, those two dragon girls were supposed to fight her enemies! Then, Sanson was supposed to go and 'save' them and kill those decoy dragons she sent. Finally, they were supposed to have two more servants on their side, depriving that man from gathering more allies.
Supposed.
'Jeanne' barely restrained herself from grabbing her own hair and ripping them out of their follicles. The only thing helping her was the presence of the soldiers around her, who still scooted away after seeing the expression that she couldn't contain.
"It seemed that we made a… miscalculation, my lady." Gilles said, slowing the stride of his horse to match hers.
'Jeanne' could only respond by biting her lip in anger, but could you blame her? How was she supposed to know that those two would go down just by words?!
"You're a good person, huh?"
"Then why do you insist that Jeanne is 'wrong' about how she feels?"
"You should come to your own conclusion in the end."
'Jeanne' massaged her own forehead. Alright, maybe she should have expected that.
"...Gilles?"
"Yes, my lady?"
"Do you… remember our battles?" 'Jeanne' asked, hoping to steer the conversation away to something else.
"...All I remember was how you would stare off into the distance after our battles, my lady."
'Jeanne' snickered under her breath. Seriously? That was the best he could recall? Wasn't he supposed to be her closest aide? Then again, it might be her own fault with the modifications they did on all of her servants, including him.
Not like she was one to talk. "Me neither. I suppose that means they don't matter anymore."
"You're right, my lady. All that matters now is our own goals, and France's fate." Gilles said. The true meaning of his words didn't go over 'Jeanne's' head. The people she killed, saved, they no longer matter, she didn't even bother to remember them. Even if they begged at her feet, France would burn regardless.
A ringing noise interrupted 'Jeanne's' train of thought, and she gulped down a horrible feeling.
"...I understand. I'll leave it to you, my lady."
She really wished he didn't.
'Jeanne' let out a small sigh and pulled the disc out. At this point, she had come to expect her nights to be cursed with his presence.
Which is why when the text read "Sorry, but we can't meet tonight, I have something to do." 'Jeanne' had to stop her horse and blink twice.
'...What?'
Why all of a sudden? Why now after last night's grandiose speech? What did he need to–
…No, nevermind.
It's time for her to simply lay back and count her blessings.
She wasn't going to look at the mouth of this gift horse.
"You want to go to Paris tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"...Paris?" Olga asked again, unsure if the days she spent only two hours sleeping had finally taken its toll on her ears or if King, the most reliable man in this whole operation, really did just abruptly ask for permission to go to Paris tomorrow.
"Is it too much to ask?"
"...No, you can go." Olga said slowly.
Did he somehow detect a servant there? It wouldn't be too far-fetched considering everything else he had done, even if it raises the question of why he didn't just do that for every other servant before.
Whatever his reason is, she had already decided to put her entire trust in him, even if the request was a bit… odd.
Olga cleared her throat. "Alright, I give you my formal permission to head to Paris tomorrow. Good luck."
King simply nodded in response, before his face disappeared from the hologram.
"...Um, director? Do you have any idea what King's planning?" Romani asked, with even James offering a rare questioning glance to Olga.
Chaldea's director stayed quiet, but she knew one thing to be certain.
Something was brewing.
King was all smiles.
How could he not be?
This is the apex of his years-long endeavor.
A culmination of a core part of his being.
Something that he would remember as long as he lived.
"Are you all ready?" King asked. All around him were nods, thumbs ups, a chorus of agreements.
King's smile grew even wider, more than he thought possible.
One last time, he peeked towards his destination.
The lights were bright, and it would grow even brighter as the night went on.
But that was not his place.
Words were no longer needed, he walked past the numerous figures running past him, and sat down on a chair, where two remained to accompany him.
As the last figure dashed forwards, he couldn't help but feel fulfilled, as if he had reached the top of the mountain as a mere snail.
A true sense of accomplishment.
This was it.
"It's showtime."
Hey
was down for a while, so this chapter had been AO3 for like 2 days or something.
Coming up with this chapter took a bit, but I settled on the concept of "King does things but I never write his POV". Hope it's not too jarring. You could probably piece what he's trying to do here, but if you can't, then you just have to wait, idk, 3 weeks at least? If things are too confusing, well I meant it to be that way.
Also getting inspiration is harder right now. I'm out of town and the only times I can write is break time at work or on my temporary room that has no table. Both of these makes it rather hard for me to actually think of stuff.
We're close to the endgame now, I'd say. Probably 2-3 chapters before the final battle of this arc begins.
P.S. I don't value my phone data too much. Never took pics, didn't have any super important documents that isn't stored elsewhere, point is, that FGO data was the most important thing I needed to save.
Also, my luck was insane this week. Summer Arturia in 23, Summer Kiara in 3, and Arcueid in 20. And I still have 500 SQ for Summer Ibuki.
Another side note, I finally benched 100 Kg this week! Felt great, took me a month to get past the 95 Kg plateau.
Later.