Jeanne's brows twitched slightly, clearly dissatisfied with Daniel's blunt remark.
"I will not 'blow the whistle' for anyone," she said with restrained irritation. "As a Ruler, I exist to maintain fairness."
"Right," Daniel replied flatly, not even sitting up. "Just make sure your version of fairness doesn't accidentally favor whichever side tugs at your sympathy harder."
Jeanne opened her mouth as if to argue, but ultimately said nothing. She simply turned her head away with a faint huff, folding her arms as she sat back down.
The atmosphere inside the camper van grew a little awkward.
Fortunately, that tension didn't last long.
A sudden tremor shook the ground beneath them.
Boom.
Even through the reinforced structure of the RV, the vibration was unmistakable.
"Ah… it's started," Daniel murmured, glancing toward the floor as if he could see through it.
Outside, the clash between the Black and Red Factions had escalated.
The Berserker of the Red Faction had arrived.
"master, the magical energy fluctuations have intensified," Shalltear reported calmly, though there was a faint excitement in her crimson eyes. "Multiple Servants are now fully engaged."
"Good," Daniel said. "The more chaotic it gets, the better it is for us."
Aura leaned toward the window, though there was nothing visible from their position.
"So we're really just… waiting?" she asked.
"For now," Daniel replied. "Everyone else is fighting over center stage. We take the prize when the actors are too busy bleeding to notice the stage itself disappearing."
"That sounds… very villainous," Jeanne muttered.
Daniel smirked slightly. "Efficient."
Meanwhile, beneath the castle…
Shalltear's familiars moved like shadows through the underground passages, slipping past magical defenses and patrolling constructs with eerie precision.
Their shared vision flowed back into her mind.
Corridors.
Barriers.
And finally—
"Ara…" Shalltear's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Found it."
Deep beneath the castle, hidden within layers of ritualistic protection, the Greater Grail quietly pulsed with an ominous light.
Even in its dormant state, its presence distorted the surrounding magical flow.
"master," Shalltear said softly, "the target is confirmed. No significant guards remain nearby. It seems all forces have indeed been deployed to the surface."
Daniel slowly sat up this time.
"Perfect timing."
Above ground, the battle raged on.
Inside the castle, defenses were at their weakest.
And beneath it…
The true prize lay completely exposed.
"Then we move to phase two," Daniel said.
Aura immediately straightened.
Shalltear's eyes gleamed.
Even Kriemhild, who had been silent for a while, lifted her head slightly, her expression no longer tearful but cold and resolute.
"What about me?" Jeanne asked, narrowing her eyes.
Daniel glanced at her.
"You stay."
"…You're serious?"
"Yes," he replied without hesitation. "Guard the RV. If anything unexpected happens, you're the only one here who can stabilize the situation instantly."
Jeanne frowned, clearly unhappy, but she didn't argue this time.
Because she understood.
This wasn't about trust.
It was about roles.
"…Fine," she said quietly. "But if something goes wrong—"
"It won't," Daniel interrupted.
There was no arrogance in his tone.
Only certainty.
Outside, another explosion echoed through the night.
Inside, Daniel stepped toward the door.
"Aura, Shalltear, with me," he said.
"And Kriemhild…" He paused briefly, glancing at her. "Your chance is coming soon. Don't waste it."
Kriemhild clenched her fists.
"…I won't."
The door opened.
Cold night air rushed in.
And as the battlefield above descended deeper into chaos—
A small group quietly began their descent into the darkness below.
The real battle…
Had yet to begin.
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