Chapter 392 (Patreon)

“You have very pretty hair, you should let it out more often.” I eyed Raikou as she was brushing Jeanne’s hair.

It may have been odd without the context to go along with it. Currently, Jeanne was dressed as a peasant girl, looking a far cry from her Servant self, and presumedly, how she looked during the campaign. If people assumed that this ‘Dragon Witch’ was Jeanne, then it’s not a hard conclusion to make that they look similar or something else. Therefore, making Jeanne look different is the most obvious course of action.

How many French woman have long blonde hair? They probably haven’t seen either of them up close enough to point out any differences.

“Do you really think so?” Jeanne asked, smiling brightly.

“Mmm, you need to take better care of it though.”

“Ah….this era isn’t very good for that sort of thing.” Jeanne said softly. “It’s weird that I know about this stuff even though this was my home.”

“I can relate.” Raikou homed, continuing to brush her hair. “The modern era that Master and I live has many accommodations that even the Great Families and Shogunate couldn’t even dream about. The hair products I use are so wonderful, and they smell nice.”

“Is that what I was smelling? What is it?”

“Lavender with a mix of other things.” Raikou replied.

“It is nice, I like it very much.” Jeanne continued to be care free as they casually chatted.

It was pleasant. I very much liked seeing Jeanne like this rather than the mess she was while talking to her mom. They had a much needed talk, and there were many tears on both ends, but they both looked exceptionally better once everything was settled.

She barely let Jeanne go off again, only the promise that I would bring her back before everything…ends. And I was going to keep that promise.

“Wilhelm….” I heard Jeanne speak up.

“Yes?” I turned my head around towards Raikou and Jeanne.

“Not that I’m uncomfortable….but why are we riding a cart when we can run many times faster?”

I adjusted the reins of the horse that was pulling the wagon we were riding. “I wanted to make it obvious and give whoever this ‘Dragon Witch’ is the chance to either ambush us or prepare for our arrival in Lyon.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better just to rush to Orleans and confront this Dragon Witch?” Jeanne asked.

“Usually, that would be my first choice. However….” I thought back to the demon. “I think it’s better to play it safe for the moment and investigate a little. If we’re going to be attacked, frankly, I would rather we confront the Dragon Witch outside of the supposed Stronghold she created.”

Even the weakest Servant can potentially be dangerous, even to me. Granted, I was fairly confident against nearly any Servant we would run across, but again, I wanted to be cautious. The experience that Shakespeare gave me during the Grail War drove that point in.

I could have ended him with a flick of my wrist at nearly any moment, yet he managed to get me in such a vulnerable position. Add in the fact that Jeanne is certain that this Dragon Witch possess a Holy Grail, yeah…caution is perhaps the best course of action.

That, and I was hoping to hear news about Chaldea….

“Speaking of, now that you have your Ruler abilities back, can you sense the location of Servants?”

“Vaguely.” Jeanne frowned. “They are much too far away to pinpoint.”

“I am impressed that you are able to sense Servants when they are potentially tens of miles away. The city of Orleans is more than a day rides to the west….” Raikou praised.

“I can sense several Servants at Orleans, or rather in that direction and I’m just assuming.” Jeanne responded, clarifying her words better. “The exact number is hard to estimate, due to the distance. Atleast Five I want to say. There are a few scatter Servants in the west that are constantly on the move, but they seem to be avoiding Orleans, I believe. And south, the direction we’re heading to Lyon, I can sense….One…? No, it feels like a handful more. Four, maybe Five Servants as well.”

“Interesting.” I said simply.

“Master.” Raikou spoke up this time. “If she can sense the location of Servants, would we not know if they were going to ambush or attack openly? I feel your plan is flawed. Unless you believe them able to hide from Jeanne’s perception.”

“It’s a possibility to consider. This Dragon Witch presumedly cannibalized part of a Ruler’s Saint Graph, I honestly have no idea what they’re capable of. What if there’s a link that she’s able to manipulate from her head that gives a false positive? You never know.” I shrugged. “But I’m not being intentionally lazy. Once we get to Lyon, I don’t plan on being idle. We will –“

“Several more Servant Signatures just popped up.” Jeanne’s head jerked to the side.

“More?” I raised an eyebrow. “This is starting to get out of hand.”

I was waiting for a sky attack or a Servant Ambush to ascertain the Dragon Witchs abilities because if she has access to Ruler’s powers that would be….difficult. I don’t know if she would be able to affect Raikou with her Command Seals.

I wanted to nip that kind of possibility in the bud.

Honestly, there are way too many factors to consider, and I was just taking a shot in the dark here. My only thought was that it was best to let her make the first move.

But honestly, if she just keeps summoning Servants, we may just have to throw caution to the wind and make a dash towards her presumed location.

I definitely don’t want to fight against an Army of Servants.

“I do not believe they are with the Dragon Witch.” Jeanne’s gaze fixed towards the distance. “I felt it South West, far enough away from any other Servants that it seemed like they just….appeared.”

That was when I also felt a strong link that was rather weak only until a moment ago. “Ah, it looks like they’ve finally arrive.”

I could feel my Familiar miles away now instead of worlds away.

We would meet again soon.

@***@

“This is terrible.” Jeanne covered her mouth as we looked at the ruins around us. The city of Lyon was burnt to a crisp.

I couldn’t see a single building that wasn’t half destroyed or falling apart amongst ashes and dust. And this was just the outer perimeter. There was still soke wafting into the wind further head.

“Master.” Raikou spoke up, clutching her sword.

“I know, I felt it as soon as we entered the city.” It was a familiar feeling, once I hadn’t felt in quite a while.

[Hoooh?] It sounded like Ddraig just opened his eyes as something caught his attention. [I feel something familiar, but I can’t quite place it.]

“There is a Servant ahead.” Jeanne summoned forth her Servant attire and jumped from the wagon.

Raikou and I both disembarked. I quickly unlatched the horse and gave it a soft slap on the rear. It didn’t take much for the animal to turn tail and bolt in the opposite direction. Its instincts were definitely acting up.

“More than one.” Jeanne whispered again.

“I see, so this is why she was acting more erratic all of the sudden.” A woman casually walked out from the shadows of the burnt building. She had long purple hair, and wore a white dress with red trimmings and honestly, it was rather revealing. The most eye catching thing about her was the massive cross staff she held over her shoulder.

The Holy Feeling she gave off was unmistakable, but that wasn’t what caught my attention.

My Dragon Bits were reacting.

A Dragon Slayer.

[Ha, that’s why I felt nostalgic! It’s that turtle! The stupid turtle that couldn’t fly!] Ddriag let out a laugh.

And that was all the hint I needed.

“Saint Martha.” I spoke.

Her steps paused and she looked at me, blinking. “I don’t know how you guessed that, but you are correct.”

“Be careful, her Saint Graph is all messed up. I can barely see her stats and her Class is reading as Berserker-Rider.” Jeanne stated.

The named Saint Martha tilted her head, looking at Jeanne. “She was right to be wary of you. I thought her mad ramblings nonsense, and it foolish to send me here on a whim, but she was correct.”

“A Saint siding with this Dragon Witch?” Raikou stepped forward. “You are too lucid to be consumed by Madness. Are you unable to control your actions?”

She let out a small sigh. “I’m compelled to follow her orders, the leash I wear is pulling at me as we speak. Either defeat me and prove you can fight the Dragon Witch. If you can’t overcome me, then you have no hope to face her and the monster she commands.”

“That sounds ominous.” I replied. “But I have a question if you don’t mind.”

“What I can answer is limited – “

“Why are you wearing that?”

“….pardon?”

“Was it common to show off your assets in that era? Was it….Jesus’s tastes?” If so, I have a newfound respect for the Son of God. The cut on her dress was so high that I can see her legs in their entirety and her chest looked like it was going to pop out if she moved too suddenly.

Honestly, it seems like a valid question.

Considering what some of the Church claims as ‘uniform’s well, I wouldn’t be surprised.

“….”

“Will….” Jeanne groaned.

“I had this strange desire to beat you up even before you spoke, but it seems that feeling intensified.” Her expression didn’t change but for some reason, I felt like she was going to make due on that threat.

“You would target a Master?” I reeled back in faux horror. “I thought you were supposed to be a Saint?”

“It’s okay, I’ll make sure you live.” She raised her dainty little fist up.

“I’m actually very fragile.”

“It’s okay, the Lord will have mercy.” She sounded rather warm and reassuring, oddly enough. “….probably.”

“That doesn’t sound convincing.”

“The Lord works in mysterious ways.” She said, still rather expressionlessly, however, she swung her staff and the building she was nearby collapsed from the force of it.

“Jeanne, I choose you.” I pushed her forward.

“It doesn’t matter who fights me.” Saint Martha relaxed. “Together or one by one, if you can’t even beat me, it doesn’t matter in the end. The – “

A loud roar resounded and buildings began collapsing as something clearly barreled through them, making its way towards us.

“Another Servant.” Jeanne whispered.

“So he’s here as well.” Saint Martha didn’t elaborate on who he was. “The Dragon Witch summoned him in a frenzy most recently and he is even more uncontrollable than the others she twisted.”

It came flying out of the third story of a building, crashing onto the ground with a hint of concern. Covered in an inky malevolent aura, wrapped up in the armor of a knight.

I recognized him.

And I felt anger swelling up.

“Well, I was going to poke you some more to see what else I could get out of you, but I changed my mind.” I stared at the new Servant who appeared.

“W-what?” Jeanne blurted out. “How can a Servant be a Berserker-Berserker!?”

“I’ll crack him open and find out.” I summoned forth Mirage into my hand. “Raikou, handle the lewd Saintess. Jeanne, you pick up any other Servant that comes by. I think there’s an Assassin lurking nearby.” I vaguely sensed something lurking in the shadows, but I wasn’t entirely sure.

“As you command, Master.” Raikou answered immediately.

“But what about – “

I ignored any protest and moved with a burst of Shunpo, grabbing the head of the Berserk Knight that felt more like a rabid animal, and I threw him through several dilapidated buildings.

The Knight threw off the rubble I had buried him under and merely roared in defiance, not hesitating at all as it grabbed two piece of wood and red vein-like patterns crawled up them.

He leapt up, swinging those pieces of wood down upon me and I raised my sword up to block. My sword should have sliced through those burnt pieces of rubble without any meaningful resistance, yet, they were contending with my weapon in durability.

“Strength far beyond what should be normal.” I noted, moving with another burst of Shunpo to avoid his wide arcing swings. He followed up, combining the almost comically large swings due to the nature of the ‘weapons’ he wielded into his movements to the point where they were sweeping at spots he predicted I would appear.

There was skill hidden under that madness.

But I already knew that.

Again, I met those pieces of wood with Mirage, attempting to cut through them, but failed to do so once again. “Not merely enhanced, but turned into Noble Phantasms.” I whispered.

The Knight roared again, stomping on the ground, send out a shock wave and threw one of the wood pieces. I brought up mirage to deflect it, and to my surprise, it crumbled and shattered upon my blade. I was genuinely taken back for a moment, that he slipped through my perception and grabbed the remaining piece of wood and swung it with both hands.

“Bakudō #9, Seki.” I cast, and the Piece of Wood turned Noble Phantasm collided with the repulsive force, sending the rubble flying form the knight’s hands, and once it got far enough it shattered from the ensuing force.

The Mad Knight barely reacted, instead he slammed his fist into the ground, cratering the surrounding area for dozens of meters.

He then swung that same fist at me, presumedly, his Gauntlet turned into a Noble Phantasm, and his strength enhanced to an absurd degree for a servant.

I held my hand up, and caught it.

I felt the force flow through my body, but I grit my teeth and bared with it, my Aura flaring to match the intensity. The shockwave sent anything in the surroundings that remained scattering to the four winds.

“Is that all you have, Lancelot Du Lac!?” I let out a roar, shifting my grip to grab his Gauntlet. For the first time, his movements stumbled. As if something sparked in acknowledgement behind that mist of madness that consumed him. Regardless, I grabbed him and threw him in into the wall of this small cavern he had created from his rampage.

The Knight climbed back to its feet and roared again, but it felt different, like it was more targeted than just a roar of madness.

His body lanked and he looked ready to go another round but I found myself annoyed.

I searched through my Ring and found a Sword of good quality and tossed it onto the ground infront of him.

“As much as you are undeserving of the title, I will not allow one of Artoria’s Knight’s to meet their end empty handed.”

The Mad Knight slowly knelt down and picked up the blade, the corrupted veins soaked into the weapon.

And now, I’m going to feel a lot less guilty about beating the ever-loving crap out of you.

@***@

Chapter is slightly on the shorter end, compared to the previous handful of chapters. Finally got all my furniture into my new apartment, but I am sorely exhausted and only working on like 5 hours of sleep and my brain is fried to do any more. Still got to deep clean the only apartment tomorrow before handing over the keys.

Now, why is Wilhelm pissed at Lancelot? Well, it’s mostly on Artoria’s behalf as someone he loves dearly. Lancelot is one of the key reasons why Artoria suffered and Camelot fell. He couldn’t keep it in his pants and slept with Artoria’s wife.