"...Ha. Hahahahahaha. So this is where you were. You accursed knight who dared make sport of me. And besides... there is even another me. Truly... what a delightful arrangement for murder."
At Jeanne d'Arc Alter's smile—beautiful, yet steeped in killing intent—I let out a dry laugh and answered her.
"...I did not expect we would meet again in a place such as this."
"Eh? Elius, do you know her?"
Seeing the manner in which Jeanne d'Arc Alter and I spoke, as though we were already acquainted, Ritsuka asked the question. I gave her a small nod.
"If one insists on calling it acquaintance, then yes. Though all that truly passed between us was a battle before I met my Master. If I must define it..."
One who sought to burn, and one who sought not to be burned.
At my words, Jeanne d'Arc Alter gave a contemptuous snort, as though it were only natural.
"Ha! Naturally. This time, I shall burn you without fail. I even took your advice to heart and brought Fafnir with me."
KRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
The instant her words ended, the evil dragon Fafnir loosed a thunderous roar. With it came a monstrous wave of prana, rolling outward like a storm tide.
Feeling that pressure across my entire body, my expression hardened.
Good heavens. This was bad.
"...I had not thought you such a diligent student."
"Hmph. Is that not obvious? Unlike that fool over there who cannot even write her own name, I can at least read."
"I-I can write my own name well enough!"
Jeanne, who had been listening to our exchange, flushed red and cried out at the sudden blow.
Jeanne d'Arc Alter, however, merely frowned as though the noise itself offended her.
"Silence. Foolish me."
"Whom are you calling foolish?!"
"You, of course. Foolish 'me.' You who gave your body for France and saved it, only to be cast aside in wretched ruin like a worn rag!"
As though unable to master her own fury, Jeanne d'Arc Alter raked a hand through her hair and spoke through clenched emotion.
"...Hah. Enough. A lofty holy maiden who pretended not to see hatred or joy alike, and never grew in any human fashion whatsoever, could never understand. I never expected you to."
[No, but she is a Servant. 'Human growth' is a strange way to put it, is it not? If anything, should it not be something like a rise in spiritual rank as a Heroic Spirit...?]
Romani's needless objection drifted from the communicator. It was too faint to reach the dragon's head.
Yet to a Servant's ears, it seemed to carry perfectly well. Jeanne d'Arc Alter turned a murderous gaze toward us and spoke.
"...There is an irritating fly buzzing about. If it grows too loud, I may kill it."
[Eh?! What is this?! The console is on fire! Did that Servant just cast a curse on us across time and space with nothing but a glare?!]
[W-water! No, wait, bring the extinguisher!]
"Ahem. In any case, this time I have brought some friends."
"...Ha. You look like a poor student, yet you were an excellent one after all. To think you kept even that in mind."
"...Be quiet."
At my words, Jeanne d'Arc Alter flushed and ground her teeth. Then she addressed the Servants standing behind her.
"[Berserker Saber], [Berserker Lancer], [Berserker Assassin]. You were growing weary of cutting down mere rabble, were you not? Rejoice."
"[Berserker Saber] and I shall kill that knight. [Berserker Lancer] and [Berserker Assassin], you will kill that sanctimonious saint and the girl with the shield."
"They are strong. Lancer and Assassin especially. Among the Servants I summoned, you two are particularly starved for blood, so go and glut yourselves to your hearts' content."
"Good. Then I shall claim the blood."
"That will not do, O King. I desire that woman's blood and flesh... and her entrails as well."
"Greedy, are you? Then what of the soul? Which of us shall take the soul?"
"A soul profits me nothing. Do you think beauty such as mine can be maintained on honor and pride alone?"
"Very well. Then I shall take the soul! What a curious arrangement."
With those words, every Servant save [Berserker Rider] leapt down from Fafnir's head.
As they landed upon the earth, Jeanne, Mash, and I tightened our stances in wary silence.
[Berserker Assassin] rushed Jeanne. [Berserker Lancer] charged Mash. And at me came Jeanne d'Arc Alter together with [Berserker Saber].
The first to strike was [Berserker Saber]. He came at me with a dazzling sword dance meant to scatter the eye.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Though his style seemed given over to flourish, every thrust and cut sought only mortal points—the throat, the heart, the vital places. I raised my blade and turned them aside.
At the same time, I studied the sword in his hand. It was a slender blade of fine make, surely a famous weapon.
Yet the Mystery I felt from it was not especially great. If the Noble Phantasms the King of Heroes had shown me, those of rank A and above, were the sea, then this was but a lake.
Thus I thrust my arm into the path of the blade as it shot toward my throat—
Clang!
"Useless."
"What—?!"
Just as I had thought, his sword was a low-ranked Noble Phantasm. Keen though the stroke was, it could not bite through my black scales. It struck [Armor of Vortigern] and was rendered meaningless.
Seeing the shock on his face when his attack failed, I stepped in against him instead.
He read my intent and sprang backward to evade—
Slash!
"Kh—!"
But he had been too close. [Berserker Saber] could not avoid taking a long, if shallow, wound across the chest.
Once I saw him retreat, I twisted my head aside to avoid the shaft of a spear flying in to smash my skull.
I slipped the thrust aimed at my neck by the breadth of a hair, then looked at the witch clicking her tongue and spoke.
"Oi. Is it not a little unfair that I alone must fight two against one?"
"...Hmph. Are you a fool? There is no such thing as unfair in battle!"
Clang!
"You madwoman!"
I hastily blocked with my sword a kick that came hurtling toward a most precious part of my person.
She dared aim there? A chill ran all the way to the crown of my head. Seeing Jeanne d'Arc Alter click her tongue in disappointment, I shouted in outrage.
"Where do you think you are aiming, you... you holy lunatic!"
Clang! Kagang!
"Who are you calling a holy lunatic?!"
"Whom are you calling a holy lunatic?!"
Hm?
I had certainly spoken to the witch before me, yet two voices answered.
I caught the descending banner on my sword and turned toward the other voice. There I saw Jeanne glaring at me even while crossing arms with [Berserker Assassin].
Ha. Hahaha. My apologies.
With an awkward smile toward her, I turned back to Jeanne d'Arc Alter. She clicked her tongue as [Berserker Saber] approached her side.
Smack!
Jeanne d'Arc Alter struck [Berserker Saber] across the face, snapping his head to the side, then looked upon him with open contempt.
"...Tch. Not only did you fail to wound him, you were wounded yourself. I consumed precious resources to summon you, and yet you are useless."
"..."
"The same goes for [Berserker Lancer] and [Berserker Assassin]. Even with the Grail's support, you still cannot dispose of two women?"
At that, I glanced toward Jeanne and Mash. Fortunately, though both showed signs of strain, neither seemed truly injured.
That Jeanne d'Arc, the famed holy maiden, could manage as much was no surprise. But for Mash, who still lacked experience, to do the same meant—
"...And from the look of it, you have all been holding back. That was my mistake. You are cruel creatures, but your games go too far."
So that was it. They had been conserving their strength. At Jeanne d'Arc Alter's words, [Berserker Lancer] opened his mouth.
"...No, Master. It is not that—"
"Silence, Vlad III. I did not speak to hear excuses."
"Your self-indulgence ends here. If you continue to act as you please, I shall erase you along with the rest."
With that, Jeanne d'Arc Alter turned back toward the dragon behind her—Fafnir. The other Servants also began to withdraw toward the beast. For a moment, I could only stare in disbelief before asking,
"...Are you running away?"
"Ha? Running? I? ...Hah, hahahahaha!"
At my words, Jeanne d'Arc Alter pressed one hand to her brow and laughed. Then she curled one corner of her mouth in scorn.
"As if I would. Do you truly think that I, who have surrendered myself to vengeance, would simply leave behind the man who dared make sport of me? Fafnir—"
KRRRRRRRRR!
Flap. Flap.
Calling the dragon's name, Jeanne d'Arc Alter mounted its head. In answer to her summons, the dragon rose into the air and opened its jaws. At that same instant, my [Instinct] skill was set ablaze.
That was exceedingly dangerous.
The warning of intuition rang through my mind like a bell of doom. Feeling it, I shouted to Mash and Jeanne.
"Jeanne! Prepare your defensive Noble Phantasm!"
"Yes, Elius!"
"I shall assist as well!"
At my cry, Mash and Jeanne made ready to invoke their Noble Phantasms. At the same time, Romani's voice rang from the communicator.
[Miss Fujimaru! An enormous magical energy reaction has been detected there! At this level, it is a fortress-class Noble Phantasm... no, several times greater than that!]
"...Damn it. So it is that after all!"
"Hahahahaha! So you noticed. But you are too late. Go on, then—try and stop Fafnir's breath. Or are you hoping for salvation?"
Alas for her, salvation had already sold out.
At those words, the prana gathering within Fafnir's jaws began to take visible form. Seeing it, Jeanne and Mash released their Noble Phantasms.
"O my banner... protect my brethren! [Luminosité Eternelle]!!"
"Deploying Noble Phantasm! Pseudo-Noble Phantasm, provisional deployment—[Lord Chaldeas]!"
Light poured forth from banner and shield alike, spreading into a defensive barrier that wrapped itself about us.
And in that same instant, Fafnir's breath was unleashed from its maw.
-----------------------------
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.