At 10 AM, Young Miss Rin walked alone from the recently landed passenger plane at Misaki City Airport. She hadn't informed anyone of her return, so no one was there to greet her.
After meeting, there would immediately be another separation. It was better not to meet at all, especially when it was a separation of life and death.
As Rin walked past an unnoticed corner, Jeanne, dressed in a black women's tracksuit, emerged from concealment, dematerializing. She looked at Rin, somewhat displeased, and said, "Master, I clearly have self-regeneration abilities and won't consume your magical energy, so why do you still make me dematerialize?"
"If you follow me in a physical state, something terrifying will happen..." Rin said grimly, head bowed.
Seeing Rin so serious, even Jeanne was momentarily stunned. She couldn't understand what would happen if she got on the plane in a physical state. Would the plane crash?
"If you walk onto the plane in a physical state..." Rin was completely enveloped in a dark, gloomy aura, "...I'd have to buy two tickets..."
"Huh?"
"Then, because of the money wasted on meaningless tickets, we'd have to scrimp and save for the next few days! We'd only be able to eat bread, drink mineral water, and live in a cave every day! Why is a mere international flight ticket so expensive! My credit cards and bank cards are too high-level, and it will take three days to replace them once I'm back in Japan! Do you understand how terrifying the consequences of wasting that one ticket's money are!? Jeanne!"
"Yes, yes..."
Financial crisis! That's right, another financial crisis. Young Miss Rin, for the second time since leaving home, found herself in a money predicament. Because Altrouge had thrown Rin's previous trench coat into the forest, and her wallet was still in the trench coat, Rin lost all her cash, bank cards, and credit cards!
Perhaps the only thing to be grateful for was that Altrouge still remembered to pick up Rin's magical pouch and leave it for her, otherwise Rin would probably have hit a wall.
The living expenses for the three days in Rouen, plus the plane ticket money, were all earned by Rin venturing alone into the dark alleys of Rouen during the day, and standing on the street at night, waiting for opportunities. Although there were no actual losses, Rin felt that her integrity, which had always been full, was now almost gone... Damn it, the dark alleys of Misaki City are full of my own people, I can't even make any money. And I don't want Akiha and the others to know I'm back. Hmm...
Rin stood at the airport exit, lost in thought for a moment, then hailed a taxi and told the driver, "To North City Street."
Upon reaching their destination, Jeanne got out of the car with Rin and looked at the crowded large building. "Master, this should be the supermarket you mentioned, right?"
"Yes."
Then Rin led the way in, and Jeanne followed with a hint of curiosity... 30 minutes later... "Ma... Master, I can't see the way!"
"It's okay, just follow me with your spiritual perception."
Rin, carrying five or six full shopping bags in one hand, led Jeanne, who was carrying seventeen or eighteen bundled cardboard boxes behind her, out of the supermarket under the astonished gaze of passersby, heading towards the mountain forest outside the city in the northern district.
"Master, what did you buy?"
"Food. We need to live in a cave outside the city until the Holy Grail War begins, so we need to prepare a large amount of food at once to reduce unnecessary back-and-forth trips."
"Eh? Haven't you already saved my share of the ticket money?"
"Who do you think it's because of? You're a Servant who doesn't need to eat, yet you insist on eating so much in one meal!"
"Yes, it's almost three-quarters of what you eat in one meal, Master."
"...So, to avoid going hungry, we'll still live in the cave for now. Just get through these three days."
As she spoke, they quickly traveled at a speed that surpassed normal human perception, and soon arrived at the stone wall at the entrance of the misaki leyline. Rin reached out and unlocked the magical energy lock at the entrance, leading Jeanne into the leyline.
When they went deep down to the dragon source hall, even Jeanne, a Heroic Spirit, couldn't help but be shocked by the vast, ocean-like scene of the great source's vitality. Moreover, because the Third Magic's soul materialization was still supported by magical energy, Jeanne could also survive without pressure in an environment where the air was filled with the great source's vitality.
Rin placed the purchased food in a corner and set up a barrier to isolate it from the outside, preventing it from being decomposed by the great source's vitality. Then she walked to the dragon source orb, took out a culture bottle from her magical pouch, which contained the embryo of the perfect doll, a collaboration between Rin and Touko.
Jeanne frowned when she saw what was in Rin's hand. "Master, are you really a witch who uses human infants for magical experiments?"
Rin was stunned by Jeanne's words, turned to look at Jeanne, not understanding what was happening, then looked at what was in her hand again, and instantly understood.
Jeanne seemed like a vengeful witch seeking revenge on the world, but in essence, she was no different from the true Saint Joan of Arc. Perhaps her inverted faith had turned into hatred for God, but her human heart and kindness had not been lost. She had a peculiar personality that mocked justice and kindness, yet was hostile to evil and betrayal.
If she truly wanted to take revenge on all of humanity, the first thing she should have done upon her arrival was to burn Rouen, then burn all of France! And then... But she didn't. Rin had also asked her why she hadn't taken revenge on France as Gilles had wished.
"500 years have passed. Those who slandered and betrayed me have probably turned to dust. Even if I kill and destroy all of France, those people will not shed another tear. How could I be so foolish as to inflict the hatred of 500 years ago on the descendants of 500 years later? My target for revenge is only God now."
"No, Jeanne, this isn't a human infant, but the masterpiece of my friend and me, and the greatest blasphemy against God! You'll love it." Rin showed a wicked smile, "Don't you think it's the greatest irony to God for mortals to step into His domain?"
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