The Masters and Servants of the Red Faction had already mobilized, and the Black Faction was similarly adjusting their operations based on the intelligence and battle results brought back by Chiron.
Although their priorities and focuses differed, both sides were undoubtedly making active preparations for the impending grand battle that would unfold tonight.
While both factions were busy analyzing the previous night's encounters, Jeanne, acting as the referee, only managed to rush back to Sighisoara long after daybreak.
Watching government workers busily repairing the plaza that had been devastated by the night's battles, Jeanne sighed.
This was frustrating. Not only was she too late to prevent a battle that shouldn't have occurred in a civilian town, but her intention to piece together the events from the battle scars was also ruined.
Not being able to dematerialize is truly too inconvenient...
Thinking of this, Jeanne felt a bit aggrieved. Heaven knew how much effort she had spent finding a ride from Sighisoara to Trifas. Now, having rushed all the way back because of this battle, she had gained absolutely nothing. If she wanted to return to Trifas, she would have to travel back on foot again.
"Sigh."
Recalling the arduous trek through the forest, and realizing she'd have to do it again, Jeanne let out a heavy sigh.
Life is hard. Jeanne sighs.
Right at that moment, Jeanne jolted. She instinctively looked toward the outskirts of Sighisoara.
A familiar yet strange sensation tugged at her mind, urging her to go there.
"Is this... Revelation?"
Sensing that this manifestation of Revelation was entirely different from previous times, Jeanne frowned.
What is going on? Shouldn't Revelation be accompanied by the Lord's words guiding me?
Why is it manifesting as a series of images this time?
Thinking this, Jeanne instinctively circulated her magical energy to check if she had been subjected to some inexplicable influence.
To her surprise, the feedback confirmed that Laetitia's physical body, her own consciousness, and her Spirit Origin were all perfectly normal.
"What is happening?"
Jeanne felt inexplicably anxious. She wondered if her recent actions had displeased the Lord, causing Him to withhold His words during the Revelation.
Recalling Souya's warnings, Jeanne quickly clasped her hands, brought them to her forehead, and prayed earnestly.
After hesitating for a moment, the Saintess ultimately followed the guidance of this somewhat bizarre Revelation, heading toward the outskirts of Sighisoara.
Before long, after traversing a small path, a church appeared before her.
Despite her confusion, Jeanne pushed open the gates and walked in.
She acutely noticed traces that the place had been tended to recently. But when she tried calling out to the clergy, she was surprised to find no response.
It was as if the master of this place had anticipated her arrival and left in advance.
After circling the garden fruitlessly, Jeanne focused her attention on the main church building.
Carefully pushing the church doors open, she stepped inside.
Looking at the interior, which was identical to a standard church in both decoration and structure, her confusion deepened.
Why did that Revelation guide me here?
The moment Jeanne took a step forward to investigate more closely...
As if triggering a mechanism, magical light flared. Several chains brimming with magical energy shot up from a magic circle on the floor, binding the off-guard Jeanne tightly.
"Not good, it's poisoned!"
Feeling a chilling sensation spreading from the chains through her skin and into her body, Jeanne reacted immediately.
In a flash of golden light, the battle armor of the Saintess materialized on her body. With a surge of strength, the chains snapped and shattered. Simultaneously, golden magical energy erupted from within her, neutralizing the toxins into gas and expelling them from her body.
"What is the meaning of this? Why would someone deliberately set a trap to ambush me here?!"
Gazing at the chains dissolving into magical energy in the air, Jeanne's beautiful brows furrowed deeply.
She reached out and touched the lingering magical energy, which clearly possessed highly toxic attributes. The moment she made contact, her Ruler privileges revealed the identity of the trap's creator.
"Assassin of Red? Why?"
Suddenly, Jeanne remembered the night she first met Souya. He had told her that his attack was merely orders from his superior.
So, the Assassin of Red, or her Master, is the one who truly wants to deal with me?
Jeanne's confusion and bewilderment deepened. She couldn't understand why the enemy would ignore the Black Faction and target her first. Was she truly that annoying as a referee?
Right at that moment, Jeanne froze again. The previous Revelation reappeared. It still felt bizarre, and the Lord's voice remained absent. The only difference was that the image now depicted a dark-skinned, white-haired man wearing a cassock identical to Souya's.
Seeing him, Jeanne was momentarily stunned, followed by a wave of massive shock.
"This is... the third Saint?!"
***
"Well, little priest, Caster. Standing before my magnificent and solemn Noble Phantasm, the 'Hanging Gardens of Babylon,' are you thoroughly amazed?!"
Sitting high upon her throne, Semiramis rested her head on her hand, looking down at Souya and Morgan entering the grand hall, a smug smile on her face.
Especially upon seeing Morgan's figure, that smugness and pride practically overflowed.
"Hmph. Mediocre. Compared to my royal capital, Camelot, it is merely a decoration." Morgan sneered, crossing her arms.
As an aloof, prideful Queen-type woman similar to Semiramis, their relationship had been hostile from the moment they met. Seeing the other party dare to provoke her from a superior position, Morgan would not tolerate it.
"What did you say?!"
Hearing Morgan dismiss her palace and claim it was inferior to her royal capital, Semiramis was instantly enraged. She then noticed that Morgan wasn't wearing her previous elegant dress, but rather a somewhat strange modern outfit. She seized the opportunity to mock her.
"Heh, whatever. For a woman wearing such bizarre, outlandish clothes, it is only natural you cannot comprehend the magnificence of my gardens."
"Hehe."
Morgan fired back without hesitation, using the exact same sneer and tone.
"Is that so? You should know my husband specifically bought these clothes for me. It is a manifestation of his love. Unlike you. Has your beloved ever shown such gestures toward you?"
"Tch! You bitch!"
Semiramis was furious, but upon reflecting, Amakusa truly had never shown the same level of affection as Souya. Just recently, when she kindly offered him a lap pillow, instead of being grateful when he woke up, he interrogated her endlessly.
Feeling she was losing the argument, Semiramis glared fiercely at Amakusa Shirou, who was standing nearby sweating profusely, pretending he hadn't heard anything.
"You dense block of wood!!!"
Seeing Amakusa's reaction, Semiramis grew even angrier.