章 242: Scheherazade
Tamazuki tried not to show his expression through his facial expression, but he had a feeling that Caster or Scheherazade might realize his confusion.
"Um, Master?"
"It's okay. I am just surprised that you were the one that I summoned."
"Yes, me too. I also didn't expect to be summoned either."
Scheherazade was quiet, showing a docile appearance, but inwardly she sighed as she filed with helplessness.
Scheherazade.
This isn't the name of a famous female hero or male hero. Instead, it is the name of a narrator in the famous story known as "One Thousand and One Nights"—a collection of stories structured with embedded narratives, translated into Arabic around the 8th Century—and the legendary queen of Persia's Sasanian Empire.
Whether the "Scheherazade" that is here is a character from the stories or the actual person who served as the character's model—no one can be sure. There is no one other than herself who knows all the truths of "her own tale."
Yet, Tamazuki could say that Scheherazade was an unfortunate woman.
He wasn't sure what kind of courage she had when she faced the king who would kill every maiden that entered his room every night as she tried to survive every night, but he was sure that she would have trauma since she wasn't sure when she was going to be killed by the king's whim.
Even he felt weird that Scheherazade could be summoned since he didn't think that this Servant of his could fight.
Unlike a fighter, she was more like a courtesan whose job was to serve and bring happiness to those of the upper class.
Her appearance was slutty, yet, strangely enough, she seemed so pure.
Her skin was exotic, her appearance was beautiful, and her body was plump and lewd.
Moreover, she was a married woman.
She was a married woman!
He needed to repeat this since it was the most important point.
Still, he felt that King Shahryar was an unfortunate man since even his most loyal wife was going on to the other man.
Nevertheless, while he observed her, she also observed him.
Her mind was in a daze for a moment, and instantly, the moment she was summoned, she could tell that he was a King, or even... a God.
Yet, it was normal since many kings in history were linked to a deity.
Even the King of China was known as the Son of Heaven and the autocrat of all under Heaven.
In ancient Egypt, the king was also known as the pharaoh, the god of all of his subjects.
Yet, Tamazuki was different.
Scheherazade thought that she might need a real God.
Even though he might not be one, his existence might be close.
While she was curious, her survival was more important.
Her appearance in this Holy Grail War was nothing but a misfortune to her. She also didn't understand why she was even summoned, and the only one that she wished was that her Master wouldn't ask her to fight the other heroes since her status was rather... wait, strong?
She knew that she was weak, and her "Parameter" as a Servant was even more so, yet it was different now.
Parameter:
Strengths: C
Endurance: B
Agility: C
Mana: EX
Luck: EX
NP: EX
Luck and NP aside, she knew whether it was Strength, Endurance, or even Agility, her status should be at the lowest, yet they had raised by two ranks.
'Moreover, the Mana...'
She could feel that her Mana was so much, or even almost unlimited.
It was amazing that she was unable to say anything.
Yet, even if she was strong, she was still timid.
Her survival was above everything, so she used her limited time to observe him.
While she wasn't the name of his Master, she knew that he was special, but then she noticed him crossing his legs in an awkward way. She nodded and didn't say anything since she knew the best way to maintain her survival, but before that, she wanted to know what kind of person her king was and what he would do with her in this Holy Grail War.
"So, what is that wish of yours?" Tamazuki asked softly.
Every Servant was born with a Personal Skill.
Those skills were born from their legends, stories, and identities.
Scheherazade also had this Personal Skill, and even three of them.
Her first skill was Storyteller (Rank EX). It is a skill that displays one's amazing eloquence by verbally narrating tales and legends. It is completely different from the written craft of literature, and adapts to the mood and mental state of the listener by selecting the most appropriate way of reciting the story, a storytelling ability specialized in improvisation.
Frankly, while this skill was amazing, she didn't think that she could use it for fighting. Instead, it could only be used to serve her king.
Her second skill was Bedchamber of Survival (Rank A). It is a skill by combining "her own charm," "the charm of the place," and "the charm of her actions" in the most suitable way according to the situation presented, Scheherazade can form and make use of "an area where she has the lowest probability of death in the World."
Although it is a conceptual area, it is also another "sleeping quarter," a safety base that is just like her Workshop as well.
Frankly, it can't be used in battle, either.
Then her third skill, and last skill, was Counter Hero (Rank A). It is a skill that brings down the parameters of any hero on the occasion of dealing with them. In her case, it is being limited to "anti-king." For that reason, it acquires Rank A. It becomes something that especially demonstrates "the capability to survive against existences that have taken the title of King," grasping the king's mood, disposition, abilities, principles, state of health, etc., to make use of every art of coaxing she has so that by doing this, no matter how capricious a king can be, she can conduct herself in a way that will at least not get herself killed.
Yes, not to get herself killed.
Even if this skill couldn't help her in a fight, it could help her to stay alive.
Moreover, even if Tamazuki wasn't a King within the history or legend, she could tell from her instinct that he was a king.
"Can you promise me you won't take my life?"
While she asked this question timidly, he answered her question without hesitation.
"I promise you, or rather, I never expected you to fight in this Holy Grail War. I want you to be in charge of logistics and support and help me with the strategy to take down my opponents.
In this Holy Grail War, I will be the one who fights.
While you don't know me, and you might not believe me since we have just met, I promise you that as long as I am alive, I will keep you alive, so as long as you help me without betraying me, then I will promise you all of that."
"......"
Scheherazade blinked her eyes as she stared into his eyes.
One says that eyes are the window of the soul.
She could easily tell someone's emotion through their eyes, and she could tell that he didn't lie and he promised her to stay alive along with a logistic job without the need to fight or die as long as he stayed alive.
While she should have doubted whether he had the power to fight a Servant, she doesn't have that now and kneeled to show her submission to him.
"From this on, this Scheherazade will serve you with my everything, Master."
She knew that she might need to spend more time with him to know his character, but nevertheless, from their first meeting, she could tell that he was a good king that she could serve with her everything.
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