Chapitre 23: Vol 2. Chapter 1. Nice Night For A Walk…
Tapping on my chunky IBM ThinkPad 350's keyboard, I glanced at the sudden email pop-up on my taskbar.
Raising a brow, I opened my email application, showing a mail from the administration at the Fuyuki Airport.
My lips curled imperceptibly, before I clicked onto the email.
There was no message, but there were eleven attachments, labeled passport, confirmation image and vehicle images.
Clicking on one of the confirmation images, I was greeted by a white haired, red eyed woman, dawned in some sort of maid outfit.
Smiling, I clicked through two more images of similar looking women, until I was met with a homunculus that looked similar but alive for a change.
"Morgan," I said aloud, and within a second, I felt her soft body press up against my side.
"Yes?" She hummed, causing me to give a slight cough.
Clicking onto the remaining confirmation images, we were met with the sight of a girl with blonde hair in a low ponytail, green eyes, stern expression and in a black bodyguard suit.
"It would seem your sister has decided to show up," I said with amusement.
I felt Morgan's grip on me tighten momentarily, before she let out a sigh, while relaxing her grip.
"It would seem my time wasn't wasted by hypnotizing the airport staff," she huffed with slight annoyance, but I believe it was more directed towards Artoria, rather than the task I had her do.
"Indeed, and with that, I believe that's the sign for the two of us to set up shop in the harbor. After all, it's best to set the tone for the war as early as possible," I suggested, earning a slight caress from Morgan, who gave a hum.
"Right, 'Medea' needs to set the tone, and you need to meet my baby sister," she said the last part with barely unconcealed snark.
Subtly glancing at Morgan, I decided to click away from the confirmation images, and have a peek at their passports.
Clicking on the first one, I was met with a passport with Irisviel's picture, but under a different name. One Maria Thompson from the United States of America… they couldn't even be fucked to get a german passport…
Wait a minute…
Clicking on the next image, I saw another homunculus with an American passport, and the next one had another American passport.
No… don't tell me…
Upon my next click, I was confronted by a cruel truth.
Artoria had an American passport… she should have an English passport, damn those german bastards! Or was it Kiritsugu's doing? I'm unsure… either way, fuck them.
And her fake identity… Elise Watoson… What kind of shit name is Watoson? It sounds like the botched writing of Watson.
And she's 15… which is kind of fair, seeing as she is stuck looking like one.
At the sight of the passport, Morgan let out a soft chuckle.
"Oh this is amusing," she commented with humor.
Frowning, I crossed out the pictures, before opening the ones on their vehicle.
The car looked like a black Datsun 510, with heavily tinted windows.
Noting down the car's number plate on a slip of paper, I closed the laptop and gave a slight yawn.
"Ready to go?" I probed, causing Morgan to separate herself from my side, while gliding a hand downy back.
"I'll need to 'boot-up', as you'd say, Medea, so give me a few minutes," she said, before sinking into her own shadow.
Glancing down at the floor, I gave a slight shrug.
Pushing myself off the chair, I gave a light stretch, before smiling.
It was about time I met my other ancestor, so best to make myself look as presentable as possible, and to look as British as possible… Perhaps a tea-set would sell the image...
Meh, why not?
~~Fate/False Order~~
Saber and Irisviel quickly captured the attention of everyone in the bustling business district.
The young woman exuded an air of dignity, her silver hair gleaming under the light, and her cashmere coat impeccably tailored.
Beside her, a handsome young man with a radiant expression held her arm. It was a sight usually reserved for red-carpet events or glamorous gatherings, not the streets of an ordinary city.
Like characters stepped straight out of a silver screen romance, they leisurely strolled through the streets of a Japanese provincial city. Passersby couldn't help but pause, momentarily forgetting their own steps as they watched the pair.
Yet, there was no sign of a couple enjoying a date or tourists admiring the sights.
They walked without a clear destination, sometimes stopping to gaze at the sunset reflecting off the glass windows and storefronts, but never entering a shop or sitting at a café.
They moved like distant observers, slipping through the bustling city, content to watch life from afar without fully engaging.
Without realizing it, the winter sun had disappeared behind the mountains, and the city was now bathed in the glow of evening lights. Irisviel sighed, entranced by the colorful illuminations of the twinkling cityscape.
There were certainly cities with more breathtaking night views than Fuyuki, but to Irisviel, this scene felt like she was beholding a treasure for the first time.
"It's truly beautiful... The lives of people alone make the night dazzling," she murmured in a tone filled with emotion.
Saber nodded silently beside her.
Though her past life in the political world seemed like a distant memory, there was a stillness in her heart.
Outwardly calm, her nerves were taut, like a bow ready to be released at a moment's notice.
She knew this was enemy territory—there was an ever-present threat present as long as they stayed here.
Saber, not particularly skilled in detecting enemies, was aware that an enemy servant could find her first if she wandered aimlessly. A surprise attack in a crowded area might seem unlikely, but she chose to remain vigilant in spite of that.
Even so, she didn't scold Irisviel for wanting to enjoy this brief moment of freedom. As she had unwavering confidence in her blade.
Summoned as the strongest class in the Holy Grail War, Saber knew no servant could surpass her in close combat.
She was certain she could carve an escape route from any battlefield, no matter the odds.
In truth, she welcomed the idea of a surprise attack—she would meet it head-on and turn the tables.
If anyone dared to challenge her, they would soon learn that the Saber class was not known for gallantry alone.
"... Hey, Saber, shall we visit the beach next?" Irisviel asked, her excitement barely contained.
Saber, disguised as a young man, smiled and nodded. Her senses had not picked up on any opponents, so she felt relatively safe.
She had vowed to protect Irisviel, and she would do so to the very end, allowing her to enjoy herself fully. Such was her pride as a knight.
They soon reached a vast seaside park across a large bridge spanning the Mion River.
Soon the final rays of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon, covering the city in darkness as they strolled along a deserted walkway.
The wind from the sea blew softly, lifting Irisviel's long silver hair like a comet's tail. In this place, couples usually avoided the winter chill, preferring summer visits.
But Irisviel, seeing the sea for the first time, didn't mind the cold, being used to it from her homeland.
"We should have come when it wasn't dark," Saber remarked apologetically, her gaze on the dark waters.
Irisviel, however, was captivated by the night sea, her focus on the distant, shadowy horizon.
"It's fine. The sea at night is beautiful too. It mirrors the night sky."
Irisviel's smile widened as she listened to the endless roar of the waves.
Her cheeks, flushed with excitement from the day's walk, which made her look more like a young maiden than a married woman with a child.
"I never imagined that walking through an unfamiliar town with a gentleman could be so delightful," she mused.
"Did I play the gentleman well enough?" Saber asked, her tone teasing—unusual for the steadfast Heroic Spirit.
"Perfectly. You were an excellent knight today, Saber."
"You honor me, princess," Saber replied, bowing slightly. Irisviel blushed and turned her gaze back to the sea.
"Saber, do you like the sea?" she asked.
"In my time, in my country... the sea always led to enemies. It wasn't something we found pleasant."
"I see..." Irisviel's expression clouded slightly.
"It must have been hard," she said softly. "You are a woman like me. But you, who had to live as King Arthur, wouldn't get the opportunity to experience things most women would."
"True," Saber said, shrugging.
She had no regrets about setting aside her womanhood. Instead, she felt pride in leading on the battlefield.
"But wouldn't you rather walk through the city with Kiritsugu instead of me?" Saber asked.
Irisviel's face softened into a smile. "He... couldn't do that. It would hurt him."
Confused, Saber tilted her head. "He wouldn't enjoy his time with you?"
"No, he would enjoy it just as much as I do... That's precisely why he can't. For him, happiness is a burden."
Saber pondered Irisviel's words, trying to understand the contradiction of Emiya Kiritsugu.
"Is it because he cannot value his happiness? Is that his weakness?" Saber asked.
"Perhaps. Deep down, he is always punishing himself. To pursue his dream, he must remain coldhearted."
Irisviel gazed out at the sea, thinking of her husband somewhere in the city, preparing for the same battle.
Saber reflected on those words. Their conversation had taken an unexpected turn.
Saber gently grabbed Irisviel's upper arm, drawing her attention. They exchanged a glance.
"An enemy Servant?" Irisviel asked.
"Yes," Saber confirmed.
Her senses had picked up a presence a hundred meters away, which flared as if it was a provocation.
The enemy was clearly aware of Saber, yet he kept his distance, slowly moving away.
"It seems they're inviting us," Irisviel observed calmly.
"Indeed, perhaps to choose the battlefield," Saber replied in a cool tone.
"It seems the opponent has the same intentions as us—a fair, direct fight. They are likely a Lancer or Rider class, a straightforward adversary," Saber said.
Irisviel smiled fearlessly. "Shall we accept the invitation?"
"I wish to," Saber agreed.
While it was risky to follow the enemy into unfamiliar terrain, Saber was not one to fear such challenges, and her mistress did not doubt her capability.
The enemy's presence grew more distant, and Saber advanced with quiet confidence.
Irisviel followed, activating a small device in her pocket—a tracking mechanism given to her by Kiritsugu to monitor their position.
Irisviel trusted in Saber's strength. She was confident that any lesser enemy would be swiftly defeated with a single strike.
She hoped, as much as possible, that Saber would end the fight before Kiritsugu entered the fray.
The west side of the seaside park stretched out into a line of dull, nondescript warehouses.
This block, filled with harbor facilities, also served as a barrier, separating the eastern industrial zone from the district of Shinto.
At night, foot traffic ceased entirely, and the streetlights cast their glow over the empty asphalt, making the scene feel even more desolate.
Unmanned derrick cranes loomed over the dark sea like a flock of eerie, fossilized giants.
Indeed, this was the perfect place for Servants to face off, hidden from the public eye.
Saber and Irisviel approached with a sense of grandeur, like duelists arriving at a prearranged battleground.
They strode along the four-lane road intended for large vehicles.
The enemy was already visible, not bothering to hide or flee.
A tall figure stood in the middle of the deserted street, radiating an immense amount of mana that made it clear that he was far more than a mere human.
The two Servants stopped, facing each other about ten meters apart.
They had finally encountered their first opponent. Saber carefully studied the enemy she was about to fight to the death.
He was a striking man with long, unruly hair swept back. At first glance, he possessed a certain charm.
His primary weapon was a cloth covered pole, over two meters tall, which was clearly a spear, and from his stance, it was undoubtedly that he was Lancer.
However, what stood out was that he did not have just one spear.
In addition to the long spear resting casually on his right shoulder, Lancer held a shorter spear in his left hand, about a third the length of the other.
Ordinarily, a spear is wielded with both hands for optimal control. While dual-wielding swords is imaginable, handling two spears was far from common.
Both spears were tightly wrapped from hilt to tip in a cloth resembling an amulet, likely to conceal their true nature and prevent revealing the Noble Phantasm's identity.
"How kind of you to come," the man—Lancer—called out cheerfully.
"I have spent the whole day searching the city. Everyone simply slipped away, hiding in their little holes... You alone have accepted my offer..."
His voice was warm and unguarded, as if he wasn't about to engage in a deadly fight.
Lifting his head slightly, he looked directly at Saber.
"That pure energy surrounding you... You must be Saber, I presume?" he asked.
"Indeed. And you are Lancer?" Saber replied.
"Being unable to honorably name myself to my opponents in combat troubles me. I dislike these rules," he said before shaking his head ruffly.
Raising his arms, Lacer gave his spears a twirl.
Frowning, the air surrounding Saber started to shimmer, before a sudden gust of wind surrounded her.
As it disappeared, Saber stood there dawned in a battle dress covered in plates of armor, while her hands grasped onto thin air.
Irisviel crossed her arms in front of her chest, before taking a few steps back. "Saber, be careful," she muttered while worriedly looking at the blonde servant.
"I can use healing magecraft to act as support for you... but more than that..." Irisviel's words trailed off, as Saber spoke up.
"Leave Lancer to me," she said with confidence, before raising her sword into position.
"But it troubles me that the other Master has not shown themself, perhaps they are plotting something," she explained with a frown.
"Watch yourself, and watch my back," she said sternly, causing the homunculus to give a nervous nod.
"Very well, Saber. Grant me victory!" Irisviel cheared, causing Saber to flash a small competitive smile.
"I will," she said while slightly adjusting her stance, and glaring holes into Lancer. "And will do so without fail!"
~~Fate/False Order~~
{I'm fairly sure the corpse would call her statement as 'cap', if I'm not mistaken.} Morgan said with amusement, though our mental link.
Her comment made me give a small snort.
Altrouge would definitely say such a thing.
Morgan was currently watching this scene through my eyes, as I was perched atop one of the many metal containers, while covered by a shit ton of invisibility and energy suppression bounded fields, allowing me front row seats to the show below.
The feeling of looking at Artoria was odd, as I could feel some sort of connection between the two of us.
I wasn't sure what it was, but I'm just going to write it off as our family connection, or some such drivel.
Gantly, I poured myself another cup of Pu'er tea, a bit sweet for my tastes, but seeing as it sounded Asian enough, I thought it would be fitting for me to drink here.
Placing the teapot on the makeshift table, transfigured through alchemy from the container below, I picked up the cup, and took a sip while listening to the two warriors wax poetically about chivalry, or some such nonsense...
Woah…That sounded way too jaded… perhaps talking to Morgan and Altrouge hasn't been the best thing for my morals… or anything else if I'm being honest.
"— let us begin," I heard Lancer declare, causing me to fix my gaze at the two.
Both adjusted their stance, Lancer shifted into a reactionary position, indicating that he was handing the opening move to Saber.
Probably something like, 'ladies first', or something equally pedantic.
Seeing that her opponent wasn't going to be making a move, Artoria shifted her posture, before running at Lancer.
As she got in close, Lancer raised his spear in front of him, pointing straight at Saber.
As she got into reach, Saber parried the spear to the side, with a wide swing, allowing her to get in close.
Reciting swiftly, Lancer hopped backwards with ease, creating distance between the two again.
Seeing this, Saber continued lunging forwards to break through Lancer's guard.
This continued for a few moments, before Lancer suddenly blocked Sabers overhead strike by crossing his spears, halting the invisible blade in its tracks.
Gritting her teeth, Artoria's body emitted a shit ton of mana suddenly, causing the ground under Lancer to crack thanks to the heightened pressure.
The sudden pressure only made Lancer give a smile, as he swiftly raised a leg, and kicked at Sabers legs.
Seeing this, Artoria took a step back, and swung her sword at the overextended limb.
Before the invisible blade could make contact, Lancer's smaller spear intercepted the sword with an audible clang.
And in a smooth motion, Lancer jabbed forwards with his other spear, causing Artoria to jump backwards, granting Lancer the distance he desired.
Raising her sword back into a guard position, Saber started to give a proper frown.
{This is embarrassing.} Morgan's voice came through our mental link, causing me to smile.
{Feeling bad for your little sister?} I teased, earning a snort from Morgan's side.
{Oh please, I'm merely feeling second hand embarrassment, as this is just an awful display on Artoria's side.} She said with derision.
{They are equal in physical strength, and Lancer has a slight edge with his agility, but Artoria has Mana Burst, so why isn't she using it to turn him into meat paste when their weapons collide?} She spat her point out with annoyance.
…Morgan kinda had a point… why the fuck isn't she just turning him into meat paste?
{Chivalry perhaps?} I responded in a tone that didn't even convince me.
I was only given a snort in return. {Arrogance, pure and simple arrogance.} Morgan bit back.
Now, I'm no genius, but I don't think it's arrogance she's showing… but I can diffidently see that this is a sore topic, so I'll just do the smart thing, and not step on that landmine…
Lancer seemd to smile, before lunging towards Saber with a lunge with his red spear, causing her to deflect it to the side.
Predicting this, Lancer swung the short spear overhead like a shortsword, causing her to deflect it.
Raising the longer spear up, Lancer took a large swing at Saber, causing her to barely have time to block it.
As she blocked it, he swung at her legs in a similar arc, with his golden spear.
Saber lunged backwards, just in time, as the spear caused a large gash in the concrete floor.
"What's wrong Saber? You're on the defensive!" Lancer taunted in an amused tone.
Sabers reaction was instant, as she straightened herself up, and she adjusted the grip around her invisible blade.
Seeing this, Lancer moved into a similar stance as he had in the beginning, awaiting for her attack.
Artoria proceeded to lunge forwards, and was met with the same block as the first time she had done this maneuver, at the beginning of the battle.
As their weapons were interlocked, Saber barely tilted her sword to the side, causing the spear to slide along the spears shaft.
Lancer's eyes momentarily widened, and he started to move backwards.
Not giving him the chance, she took another step into his guard and unlocked her blade from the spear, and slashed at Lancer's face as he jumped out of distance.
As he skidded away, Lancer gave a slight frown, before raising a thumb to his cheek.
A small line of blood had appeared on his face.
{And first blood goes to the King of Knights!} I said with mock excitement to Morgan, who didn't even bother to respond.
{Spoilsport.} I huffed after a moment of silence.
The two stared at one another for a few moments, before Lancer spoke. "There is no honor in a battle fought without an exchange of names. But allow me to offer my regards," he said in a casual tone.
"It is quite impressive for a woman to fight so hard without even breaking a sweat," he complimented smoothly.
Saber seemed to loosen her guard, as she gave a small smile. "You needn't be so humble, Lancer," she complimented back with ease.
"Even without my knowing your name, those words from such a master of the spear, do me honor," she said with a hint of respect in her tone.
"That's enough fun for now, Lancer," came the booming voice of Keyneth, that sounded like it came from everywhere.
"Do not allow this battle to go on. That Saber is a formidable opponent. Eliminate her at once, you may use your Noble Phantasm,"
Lancer's face gained a small smile.
"Yes, my master," he said, before dropping the golden spear, and getting into a stance with his long red spear.
The cloth covering the spear seemed to disintegrate away, revealing a completely red spear, which now gave off an uneasy feeling.
"You heard him. I'll go for the kill now," he said, before adjusting his stance, into something more suited for attacking.
"Saber, are you using focused wind mana, to keep your blade concealed?" He said as if he had just discovered something important.
And the slight twitch for Saber seemed to tell Lancer all he needed to know.
"I see… You have a reason to conceal your sword… My guess is that the sword reveals your true name," he said confidently.
Saber only gripped her blade harder, as she frowned. "You will never know the name of my blade," she bit back.
Readjusting her posture, she raised her blade in a position of attack.
"I'll finish this before you get the chance," she said confidently.
Smiling, Lancer gave an imperceptible shake of his head. "I will discover what you hide, Saber!" He said, just before lunging at her.
Swiftly, her blade intercepted the spear.
But as they made contact, the wind around her invisible blade started to dissipate, revealing the sword's guard.
A small gasp escaped her mouth, before she battered his spear aside, causing her sword to regain its invisibility.
Smirking, Lancer pointed his spear at Saber. "You've exposed your sword, Saber."
Frowning, she lunged backwards as Lancer went for another attack.
As she tried to avoid him, she was met with his relentless onslaught, causing him to land strike after strike on her blade, causing the invisible air to dissipate momentarily on the parts he had struck.
As this continued on, Lancer suddenly stopped, and gave a taunting smile.
"I have the length of your blade now. So I needn't worry about being struck!" He said triumphantly, before returning to attacking Saber.
As the two clashed, it became more and more clear that Lancer was adjusting to her fighting style with surprising speed, equaling the playing field between the two.
In a split second, Saber had created a large amount of distance between the two.
Seeing this, Lancer slowly moved towards her, while dragging the tip of his spear over the asphalt, generating small sparks as he moved.
Suddenly, she raised her sword over her head, like one of those kendo stances, and rushed at Lancer.
Lancer ran at her, with his spear pointed at her midsection.
As they met in the middle, Saber tilted to the side, before suddenly lunging backwards, not completing her attack.
Blood spattered from her midsection, where the spear had somehow pierced her armor.
As she moved away, she moved an arm away from her sword, and clutched at her side.
Lancer straightened up, and tapped the but of his spear to the ground, and sent Saber a cocky smile.
"Saber?" Her 'master' shouted aloud in mild panic.
Suddenly, a blue glow came from her cut, and Saber removed her hand from the cut.
"My thanks, Irisviel," Saber said, without looking away from Lancer.
Saber seemed to stare at Lancer for a few moments, before her frown softened.
"So that's it. I can see the secret of your spear, Lancer," she said confidently.
Lancer tilted his head while raising a brow. "Oh?" He said with amusement.
"That red spear negates magic!" Saber exclaimed, causing the Lancer to give an impressed nod.
{Such bullshit, like how the hell does someone make such a thing?} I complained to Morgan, who gave a hum of agreement though the link.
{As much as I agree with your opinion on how absurd such a thing is, I must ask you to be quiet, as I'd like to see my sister fall flat on her face.} Morgan said with a hint of excitement, causing me to refocus on the two combatants.
Fixing my gaze on the two, I saw as Artoia abandoned her armor, and got into a stance.
Fixing my gaze on her, I saw the exact moment the air around her blade turned into a gust of wind, propelling her forwards, and revealing her sword's golden glow.
As she entered into Lancer's personal space, I watched her gaze flicker into panic, as Lancer kicked up the earlier discarded spear, and grabbed it in his free hand.
Just like the last spear, the cloth around it disappeared, causing it to give an eerie feeling.
And to make things worse for Saber, the spear was pointed perfectly to impale her head.
I watched as she swung her blade, and used its momentum to tilt her body to the side, allowing the spear to miss her head by a wide margin.
Just as that happened, Lancers spear grazed the inside of her forearm, and Saber returned the favor on his arm holding the golden spear.
As the two completed their attack, the both retreated a few steps, and Saber had their invisible air surround her sword once more.
"You aren't going to make things easy, are you?" Lancer grumbled, before smiling.
"Still, I really do like your indomitable spirit!" He exclaimed.
Saber met his words with an impassive stare.
"Get back to work, you fool! You haven't finished her!" Keynith's voice reverberated through the surroundings.
A bright flash of green surrounded his wound, before it vanished.
Slowly, Lancer clenched his fist, to see how it felt.
"I apologize, my master," he said while getting into position.
{The buffoon is coming.} Morgan's voice caused me to look away from the fight.
Frowning, I took another sip from my drink.
{I see… How are your preparations?} I probed, earning a snort in return.
{Oh please, with the amount of time we've had to prepare, anything less than 'perfect' would be a black mark on my record.} She explained with amusement.
Smiling, I glanced at the two heroes, who were now chatting about their identities, or something similar.
{Good.} I said in a pleased tone, before momentarily grimacing.
{Please don't rough me up too badly… I'd rather not look like a fool in front of the others.} I pleaded, only to receive melodic laughter in return.
{That is up to you, Alistiar, that is all up to you…}
—
153 Hours, 56 Minutes And 12 Seconds Until Zero
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A/N
Welcome back, my reader Overlords, please add this to your library and give me some comments, stones and Reviews, as it would be much appreciated.
Sorry for posting so late! Just noticed that it hadn't been posted! Oopsie!
Please don't lynch me!
Any thoughts, or ideas on what happen next?
Anything you'd like to see? If so, ping me a comment, or ask me on my discord server!
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Now I'm tired, so have a nice day, and send me some stones or some shit, I need motivation, or some shit like that.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone