Kapitel 79: Chapter 5
Good morning, master! The sun has already risen, illuminating the forest where we find ourselves," Fujimaru said as the first rays of sunlight shone on his face. Mash approached and gently shook Fujimaru, who had just woken up.
"Good morning, Mash," he replied, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sun shining directly on him.
Jeanne, upon realizing that Fujimaru had awakened, also greeted him. "Good morning, Fujimaru. A new day begins. We had to stop due to your human condition, after all, you need proper rest," she explained. They had stopped to allow Fujimaru to regain his energy.
"Let's move on. We are approaching the city, and we won't be long before we get there," Jeanne said, getting up from where she was sitting and patting the dust off her clothes.
"Yes," Fujimaru agreed, standing up from where he had slept.
They proceeded towards the city, walking instead of running, as they were getting closer. As they approached, a sound caught their attention.
"Do you hear that? It sounds like something burning!" Jeanne exclaimed, concerned. That sound could mean something trivial or people suffering from burns, something she wanted to avoid at all costs. From her own experience, Jeanne knew all too well what that sound was like.
"I can't hear anything. Maybe I need to clean my ears?" Dr. Roman questioned, unsure, as he couldn't perceive the mentioned sound.
"I hear it too. It seems to be coming from the direction of the city," Mash commented, seemingly unconcerned. However, her eyes widened shortly after.
"We must go now!" Fujimaru exclaimed urgently. Mash reacted quickly and put him on her back, while Jeanne, realizing the seriousness of the situation, started to run.
They ran with all their might, getting closer and closer to the city.
"We arrived... too late. There don't seem to be any survivors. The city is completely devastated," Jeanne lamented, sadness visible on her face. Upon entering the city, she came across charred bodies scattered on the ground, houses in ruins, and debris everywhere.
"Perhaps there are still people alive. We shouldn't give up just because we didn't find anyone immediately. We have to keep hope," Fujimaru affirmed, although he felt nauseous looking at the dead and burned bodies. His stomach growled, indicating that it wasn't in its best state.
"Yes, Saint Jeanne, we need to believe. We can't let ourselves be discouraged. We will find someone alive," Mash said, smiling at Jeanne in an attempt to comfort her. Jeanne returned the smile gratefully.
"I wish I could hear your voice, my lord," Jeanne murmured, frustrated that she couldn't hear the divine voice since they arrived in that place.
Suddenly, something moved under the debris. "There's someone alive!" Fujimaru exclaimed excitedly. Mash rushed to the spot and removed the rubble covering the person.
"Kyaa!" Mash let out a surprised scream as the woman emerged from the debris and pounced on her. However, before the woman could bite and harm Mash, Jeanne intervened, running towards her and delivering a precise kick to the woman's face, sending her flying and landing a few meters away.
"This woman doesn't seem human, she's undead! Be cautious, as it seems she's not alone!" Dr. Roman warned, realizing the true nature of that woman. He felt a greater concentration of magical energy in the area, indicating the presence of more undead or something similar.
"Mash, are you alright? Did you get injured?" Fujimaru asked, concerned, examining Mash's body for any wounds.
"Are you okay? If you're hurt, I can help you," Jeanne inquired, worried, fearing that Mash might be injured.
"Thank you, Master. I'm not hurt. It's admirable to see how much you care for someone you barely know," Mash replied, feeling warmed by Fujimaru's attention and care. She also admired Jeanne's concern for someone who was still a stranger.
"I wish the other Jeanne had the same consideration, that she didn't choose destruction," Jeanne lamented sadly. It seemed that the other Jeanne cared about nothing but causing destruction.
"I can't understand how she can kill like that without feeling anything, without caring about children, women, the elderly, or men. It's a hatred that I can't comprehend," Jeanne reflected, perplexed. She herself did not feel hatred for those who had led her to death. Although she had regrets, it didn't mean she hated them or the people who condemned her.
"Hatred can arise for trivial reasons or as revenge. There are various motivations, but they all lead to the same place: destruction, both for the person feeling it and for others. It seems that's what drives Jeanne Alter. She's seeking revenge on everything," Dr. Roman explained after a moment of reflection. Silence hung among them, each immersed in their thoughts. A thought passed through everyone's mind: even if she is another Jeanne, she is still Jeanne. Did that mean Jeanne could harbor hatred for people? Could she also desire revenge?
"We must rid ourselves of these walking abominations," Fujimaru proclaimed, casting a piercing gaze in the direction of the approaching undead, emitting a putrid smell and an evil aura.
"Yes, Master, I'm ready to face them!" Mash replied with determination, raising her imposing shield like an unyielding wall. Her warrior spirit was ablaze, ready for the imminent battle.
Suddenly, Jeanne burst into motion, impetuously advancing towards the undead, catching both Mash and Fujimaru by surprise. They exchanged perplexed looks, taken aback by Jeanne's sudden action. "There's something strange happening with her," Mash suspected, her eyes fixed on Jeanne as she defeated the enemies with exceptional skill.
Intrigued, Fujimaru couldn't help but ask, "Mash, could you explain what you find so peculiar about Jeanne? I'm curious to understand your perception." Dr. Roman, situated in Chaldea, also wondered what Mash found strange about Jeanne. To him, she seemed perfectly normal, although he had never had the opportunity to personally interact with her. Based on historical accounts, Jeanne was known to be selfless and kind, always putting others before herself. She felt deep sorrow with every loss of her soldiers. Additionally, she was a skilled strategist...
"I finally understand what puzzles you, Mash!" exclaimed Dr. Roman, his face illuminated by the revelation.
"It seems I'm the only one who didn't realize it before," admitted Fujimaru, still struggling to grasp Mash's pointed peculiarity.
Mash continued, explaining in detail, "Jeanne was an exceptional military leader, capable of commanding soldiers and other people, as in the case of Rémy. However, until now, she has been acting alone, without seeking our help or giving commands. This contrasts with her usual nature and is quite unsettling."
"It could be that she doesn't want to directly involve us in the fight," Fujimaru pondered, still finding it difficult to reconcile the idea of such an atypical Jeanne.
"It's a possibility, Fujimaru. But personally, I believe more in Mash's observations. It seems to me that Jeanne is afraid, something mentioned in some historical records. She fears losing the people under her command, and every death that occurs while she is in command torments her with guilt. I suspect she avoids asking for help or giving commands to avoid feeling that sensation again," Dr. Roman explained, offering his perspective. However, only Jeanne could confirm or refute these assumptions.
Before they could delve deeper into the discussion, an urgent voice interrupted their dialogue. "Mash, get out of there! We need to flee! Five Servants loaded with magical energy are approaching at high speed. Are they all Riders? They are moving incredibly fast!" Dr. Roman shouted, his face betraying growing anxiety. Although he was calm before, the approaching magical energies made him restless. With such magical power and the number of Servants involved, their chances seemed slim.
"Jeanne! Five Servants are coming! We need to leave immediately!" Fujimaru exclaimed to Jeanne, who had already annihilated the undead. His eyes were fixed on Jeanne's imposing figure, hoping she would react promptly to the situation.
"However, she's not moving," Mash observed, concerned, while seeking guidance. In Jeanne's eyes, she could perceive unwavering determination, devoid of any intention to leave her post. It seemed Jeanne was determined to confront the approaching Servants.
"Get out immediately, we can't do anything here! We have to abandon the Singularity!" Dr. Roman ordered, although his heart tightened with bitterness at having to utter such words. However, he didn't want Fujimaru and Mash to meet a tragic fate there.
"I will find out why you're acting like this. If your motivation is merely revenge, I will seek that revenge myself!" Jeanne whispered, with a firm gaze toward the magical energies. She didn't show concern for the safety of Mash and Fujimaru. Fujimaru's intense shout indicated that both were ready to flee. "You don't need to put yourself in danger. It's up to me to end this carnage," Jeanne thought, determined not to involve anyone else in this battle, even though Mash and Fujimaru were there seeking the Holy Grail. They would have to fight those who possessed it, but Jeanne didn't want to drag them into this confrontation.
"Ah? This can only be a joke. Hahahaha! Are you alright? You seem about to faint at any moment. Do you need help?" a sarcastic voice jeered, coming from a figure mounted on a wyvern. Her disdainful eyes stared at Jeanne as if she were an insignificant insect.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Jeanne shouted, her voice echoing in the air as she confronted the woman majestically mounted on the imposing wyvern.
"What an innocent question. I am you. Or am I you? I am Jeanne d'Arc, and I am here to free myself from the sinners, for I feel that God has forsaken France. So, what is the purpose of your existence, after all?" Jeanne Alter spoke, a cold smile playing on her lips as her eyes shimmered with sadistic pleasure at observing Jeanne.
"This is absurd! You're taking lives just because you believe God is absent? Who said He isn't present? He is everywhere! Your justification is a baseless lie. You're indiscriminately reaping everything in your path just because you believe God has abandoned us?" Jeanne exploded in anger, unable to contain her impulse after hearing such words.
"It's curious that you question that. After all, you are me, and you should know better than anyone. It's funny how you label our struggle for peace as foolishness when, in fact, we are the fools. Why do we fight to stop the war? Just for a voice that didn't come to our aid while we burned in flames? Because of the people who didn't care or offer help when you needed it the most, when you were consumed by the tormenting flames! They always criticize and get angry for not doing anything. But what does 'not doing anything' mean? Or maybe they simply don't want to do it?" Jeanne Alter grew enraged, venting her bitter reflections as she slapped the wyvern's head.
"All I did was because I wanted to help people! I never expected anything in return! I acted out of love, not obligation," Jeanne yelled at Jeanne Alter, whose fury only seemed to increase.
"You're a fool! You sacrificed yourself in vain! This nation is lost, and the proof of that is the absence of God's voice in my ears. And I ask you: can you still hear Him?" Jeanne Alter questioned, leaving Jeanne saddened as she realized she could no longer hear the divine voice.
"But..."
"No 'buts'! This is proof that this land must be consumed by destruction. I will bring salvation as the new and reborn Jeanne d'Arc, not as a mere specter cast into oblivion. You're just a ghost trying to rewrite history!" Jeanne Alter mercilessly proclaimed, completely disregarding Jeanne's perspective, which left her in shock.
"Berserk Lancer, Berserk Assassin. Finish off this countryside girl. You're already bored with insignificant prey, aren't you? Rejoice, for they will be a worthy challenge," Jeanne Alter declared, realizing that the conversation with Jeanne was futile since she would never agree with her ideas.
"Among all the Servants I summoned, your bloodlust is the strongest. You exist to annihilate the fearless. Delight yourselves, devour them to your heart's content," Jeanne continued, addressing a man with long, blond hair hanging down to his neck, wielding a lance.
"Very well. It's time to taste your blood," Berserk Lancer proclaimed, his bloodthirsty eyes fixed on Jeanne, eager to revel in the shedding of her life.
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Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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