II.
Back in her hotel room, Louise was suddenly crushed all once by the vice that was the myriad stresses swirling around her. The adrenaline wearing off allowed her body to realize how exhausted it was from expending so much mana performing the summoning, projecting her barrier, and healing Rider. As she collapsed onto the bed Louise became fully aware of how close she had come to dying. The exhilaration of just barely blocking Archer's attack in the moment was great, but at what cost would that thrill come in the future? She now had her first enemy that was fully aware of her presence other than Camille and-
Camille. Louise had been trying to avoid thinking about her sister up until this point. But with everything else seeming to crash down on her at once, her sister became just one more problem that she was not sure how to solve.
"These are lovely apartments, master." Rider spoke to Louise as he materialized in the room, becoming visible from his spirit form. Though servants were unable to fight or interact with the world while in spirit form, it had the benefits of allowing faster travel, invisibility, and being far more mana efficient. "I must say accommodations have come a long way since my time. I lived in a space just over half this size. Yet here you are simply using it for just a few nights. Fantastic."
"Glad you're so delighted." Louise barely managed to groan the words out as she attempted to lift herself up off the bed. "I don't know how long this will serve as our base of operations. We may have to move around to avoid being found by our opponents."
"Not a problem. I am no Caster and so I have no need of setting up a particular base of operations for long periods to bring victory. A true cavalier, especially a Rider, has no problem fighting on the move. Speaking of bringing victory, may I ask what my master's plan to accomplish such a thing may entail?"
Louise was knocked back onto the bed by the weight of Rider's question. What was her strategy? She had been so caught up in all the events leading up to this point, and so invested in just the simple act of summoning her servant that she had given little thought to the proceedings of the war itself. She turned her head to face Rider, half of it smothered in the bedding. "The optimal thing to do would be to gather intel on our opponent's before engaging with the intent of defeating them. A blind fight is an easy way to lose."
"A basic concept, and almost obvious in its simplicity. Surely you have more thoughts than this in regards to the deadly struggle we are now engaged in." Rider had a flat and serious tone to his voice. There was no amusement or the playful inquiring aspect his words usually held. Louise saw him slowly twirling his mustache, and occasionally biting at it anxiously. "When you said you were from an illustrious mage family you gave me the impression you were a deliberate magus who was stringently trained for the life-or-death competition you are now a part of, not some spoiled aristocrat playing at that which she is ill-prepared for. Because I assure you," Rider narrowed his eyes at Louise as he strongly emphasized his words, "I spent too much of my original life in service to spoiled authority with no sense of priorities to have to do the same here."
"I did not come to here to play at anything!" Louise was up off the bed now. Enraged at Rider's insinuation that she was nothing more than a overindulged brat who was in over her head.
"Then why are you here?!" Rider slammed his foot down for emphasis. He was now twisting his mustache wildly with agitation.
"I'm-," Louise opened her mouth to speak but only silence came out. Why was she here? For what did she have to fight? What was worth risking her life for? The family crest? Louise had only come to Paris in the first place because father had ordered her and Camille to do it. The reality that she had no wish of her own for the grail, and no actual personal investment in the war was the heaviest blow so far, and it took everything she had to not let that weight collapse her into the bed once more. "I... I am here as a proud mage, proving my knowledge and strength in the mystic arts. I am here to uphold the honor of the Saint-Hermine name. Any reason I have for being here for myself comes after those responsibilities."
"Fine words." Rider released his abused mustache from his grasp. "Even if they are not your own. Get some rest, Master. There is much to do tomorrow."
"That's all you have to say after that interrogation?" Louise was actually more upset he had not questioned her further.
"I am hardly satisfied, but badgering you further in your exhausted state will accomplish nothing. Make no mistake, this is far from over. I have much to ponder, though it pales in comparison to the thought I suggest you give to yourself." Rider punctuated this statement by disappearing into his spirit form, his disappearance serving to prevent Louise from trying to pursue the topic further.
Louise was finally overcome both emotionally and physically and collapsed for the last time onto her bed, and fell asleep instantly.