71 Towards the Battle!.

"Did everyone calm down?" Ritsuka was sitting on a chair in the table where Leo and her met in the morning before she asked the group in front of her.

"Hm? What do you mean Ritsuka-chan, everyone was just having fun" Merlin in his male form was drinking tea normally, if you ignore the burns and bite marks on his clothes.

"No" Leo said as he sent death stares to Merlin in front of him.

"Fou!" Fou was next to Leo as they were forming the Anti-Merlin alignment.

"Hmmm!!" The new servant, which was summoned and played tag with the trio, was staring at Leo with dissatisfaction because he ignored her the whole time.

"..." Staring at Leo that was glaring at Merlin, Nero, the Fifth Emperor of Rome, wasn't happy at all.

She didn't know what was so interesting about following a man/woman with the ability to make flowers everywhere he/she goes. Although she admits that his/her ability to run is top-tier and almost forming a Noble Phantasm on its own.

"*Sigh*" Ritsuka sighed as she felt that the break she took isn't enough to deal with these things.

After the chaos started the whole mansion turned into a battlefield as Leo and Fou were rushing after Merlin to kick him out of his female form.

Merlin showed them what called an expert in escaping after he dodged most of the attacks and made illusions that even fooled Leo's Clairvoyance and Fou's Primate Murder senses.

To be able to do this, Merlin is really a terrifying man/woman, but in the end, his mana supplies are limited, even with Avalon support, as he falls into the hands of the two beasts.

Nero, who was running after Leo, was trying to introduce herself a couple of times to her new Master, but each time an explosion happened or Merlin found a way to escape.

However, something went out of the plan as the team refreshed their knowledge about how shameless Merlin can get.

(Flashback)

He/she transformed into his female form before he/she said with a blush while " Not too suddenly, I'm a pure maiden, you know? But if you really want, then…" She had her hand on her mouth and looked at Leo with the side of her eyes as she was very shy.

Before she finished those words, Leo and Fou retreated more than 50 meters to avoid the mental pollution.

Nero was still ignored as she wanted to attack Merlin in front of her before Merlin dropped something big.

"This isn't only about this Holy Grail War, but this goes as far as the past one too" Merlin said as Leo stopped because this is big information.

The last one was the Fourth Holy Grail War that's Fate/Zero. Leo can believe that Merlin was stalking his King during his Holy Grail War, but he was still suspicious. But it was better than looking from the scratch.

In the end, after agreeing that he'll keep his male form and stop giving them a mental pollution, Merlin joined the team and was proud to be a survivor of two beasts attacks at the same time.

(Flash Back End)

"*Sigh*" Ritsuka sighed again as she remembered how Chaldea was with Romani and Da Vinci, they were the ones who took care of troubles.

Clenching her fist, Ritsuka looked at this lost cause group before she swore that she'll make this work.

Leo was thinking if this was a mistake to believe this guy before he heard a sound from his side "Hmmm~~!!"

Ignoring the sound, Leo was still thinking if he should just kill Merlin at least one time, he won't die anyway before the sound increased " HMMM~~~!!!"

"Hm?" Leo looked at Nero as her eyes flashed and said " Rejoice, my new Master, I'm s-"

However, Leo tilted his head before he said " Who are you?"

*SMACK!*

Nero hit the table as she stood up from her chair and took a few deep breaths to calm herself a little.

Merlin was whistling and Ritsuka saw another possible chaos about to happen.

"I see, I see, maybe I wasn't clear in my introduction or 'maybe' you didn't listen, but this emperor is generous and she won't mind her new Praetor" Nero focused on the maybe word before she looked at Leo as her eyebrow was twitching.

Leo took another cup of coffee before Nero raised her sword and said " I'm Red Saber, Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, respond to your call!!"

"You sure know how to choose, Praetor" Nero said with a proud smile before she saw the reaction of everyone.

Leo was drinking his coffee casually as it seems the only thing that'll make him forget Merlin's mental pollution, Merlin was trying the sweets before he had a small fight with Fou, and Ritsuka was thinking about her plan.

"I really thought you'd only say Red Saber" Leo said as he looked at Nero which prevented the emperor's rage for now.

"Indeed" Merlin said as his face was getting some light attacks from Fou.

"Umu! As I thought! My Praetor knows me very well, this makes me very happy! But!!" Nero put her sword away as roses were flying around before she said " I won't allow you to ignore me!!"

"... No promises" Leo said as he took bigger sips from his coffee. He felt that coffee is the only thing that's keeping his sanity now… If he had one.

"Emmm~~~" Nero squinted her eyes at Leo before she said " We need to work on a lot of things, I see. But there's nothing this genius can't do!!"

{It seems this Nero isn't from Fate/Extra and it seems that the contract with me awakened something that shouldn't exist now… This is troublesome} Leo kept drinking coffee from his infinite coffee cup before Nero sat down again.

"Do you two know each other?" Ritsuka couldn't help, but ask this question while Merlin was ready for the show.

"No" Leo said at the same time when Nero said "Of course, I know my Praetor!!"

"As one of the people who are using my powers. Holding a part of my crown doesn't make you an acquaintance of mine" Leo put the cup of coffee before he said " Especially those seven crowns, they'll only bring pain. I can't imagine a human holding them, much less using them"

"You should stop throwing those ten crowns everywhere, your Majesty" Merlin said before a red spear passed next to his face, which made him sweat a little.

"His…. Majesty?!" Ritsuka felt the world was ending as this Caster also became a king.

"Don't underestimate this emperor! I'm a genius after all, however!!" Nero did another one of her dramatic pauses before she said " It'll only bring pain, you say!?"

"Then what the Praetor says about himself, who holds the true ten crowns?!" Nero stood up from her chair as she leaned and looked at Leo in the eyes.

"Don't count me with the others, this 'Crown' is my thing" Leo took another sip from his coffee before Nero said " But that doesn't spare you from its burden, right?"

"....." Leo stared at Nero with blank eyes as she did the same and didn't back down.

"Merlin, what are the ten crowns? Is Caster a king? and is that the real Nero? The emperor of Rome?!" Ritsuka whispered to Merlin that was watching the show.

"Yes, that's the real Nero. His Majesty is a king, but not at the same time, as for the ten crowns…" Merlin answered a little before he took a short pause like he was thinking about the answer.

"Let's say it's something that represents all that ugly about humanity… A very heavy 'Crown', I must say" Merlin said as he looked at Leo and remembered the talk in Avalon before he thought {This will be interesting}

"Do what you want then" Leo stared at Nero's clear green eyes for a while before leaned his back on the chair.

"Umu! Without a doubt, I'll do what I want!! But… Honestly, I'm glad… I'm really glad to have these seven crowns" Nero didn't back away as she got closer to Leo and said " Without them, I'll never know… How gentle and beautiful my Praetor is"

"Hah?" Leo almost spit out his coffee while looking at Nero's smile.

Feeling the information in her head after she concluded the contract with Leo, Nero smiled very sweetly " So beautiful, yet very gentle, so gentle even if you're wearing that 'crown'..."

"Even if the ugliness of this history puts a shade of darkness on you, but your beauty can't be hidden from my eyes" Nero got closer as everyone felt something was wrong.

Merlin was whistling and Ritsuka's face became red as she was looking at this scene in front of her.

Leo touched his face as he felt the effect of his darkness power that hid his appearance was still working.

However, at that moment, an earthquake hit the place as Leo and Merlin's expressions became serious.

"Interrupting my full of emotions and admiration speech for my Praetor… Unforgivable" Nero said as she sat down in her chair with an annoyed expression on her face.

"Yeah, sure. But I prefer handsome or cool…" Leo stood up from his chair before he said with a weird expression " Beautiful? What the hell? And what with the gentle part?"

"Rejected!! Praetor can only be described as beautiful!! And you can't hide your gentleness from me!!" Nero was stubborn before she crossed her arms and said " I see, I see, my praetor wants to keep his beauty and gentleness only for me, I'm very happy, but I need to show the world how great is my Praetor!!"

Leo was looking at Nero as he felt that summoning servants was a mistake and his headache increased.

Merlin didn't care as he stood up from his chair and tapped the ground with his staff while thinking {If she knew that he's hiding his appearance what would happen?}

He knew that Nero was only speaking from a spiritual way as Leo was beautiful in his core, but if she saw his full appearance… He can't imagine what'd happen.

However, Merlin stopped thinking about that when he saw the red spear nailed on the wall.

"Hey, Merlin, as the king chosen by God, doesn't he know that his entrance like this can cause trouble?" Leo said as he looked at the light ring in the sky moving slightly.

"He sure does know, but in this state… He'll only act in the most rational way possible" Merlin said as he covered the mansion in illusions, but he felt this is useless against the one they're facing.

"Don't waste it, his Revelation is enough to know most of what he needs, even without Clairvoyance" Leo said as a green glow appeared from his necklace and covered the mansion.

"What happened? Did something change about the war?" Ritsuka said as she recovered from Nero's actions.

"Yeah, a very troublesome guy was summoned" Merlin had a helpless smile on his face while glancing slightly at Ritsuka.

"A very annoying guy and he'll probably aim at me" Leo also took a glance at Ritsuka before he looked at the sky.

"The king chosen by God? Umu, it's very troublesome if it was him" Nero nodded while Ritsuka was more confused.

"The Grand Caster, Solomon, has been summoned to this world, Ritsuka-chan" Merlin said as Ritsuka widened her eyes before she said" Wasn't there only one Caster class available?!"

"Don't count him in the class system" Merlin pointed at Leo before he said to Ritsuka " So what do you suggest?"

"Me?!" Ritsuka pointed at herself and said "But…"

"No, buts! You're the one who's aiming for the Holy Grail and you have everything to take the lead" Leo turned around and looked at Ritsuka before he said " Where did all that determination that you had? Or do you want to give up now?"

"....." Ritsuka clenched her fist at these words as she took a deep breath. She knows that he was right, all these three servants don't have a reason to help her in her selfish desire, except protecting her life.

{Hmm… Does my Praetor believe in this woman?} Nero observed Ritsuka as she felt that she could be beautiful, but there was a cloud of despair on her head all the time.

{Think, Ritsuka, think… The enemy is the Grand Caster, Solomon, what the best move for now…} Ritsuka raised her head to see everyone looking at her even Fou before she took a deep breath and said " We'll go now…"

"Before they come for us, and before they know anything, we'll go to them" Ritsuka said with a serious face as Leo grinned and Merlin sighed.

"Very well, I like your way of thinking!" Leo said with high spirits as he fully agreed with this kind of plan.

"Jeez, I feel now that you'll summon him even without the world's help" Merlin felt this will be very troublesome.

"Hoh?! I admit your bravery! And the bold plan filled with excitement is very fantastic" Nero said as she grabbed her sword and walked next to Leo, who still felt this is very strange.

"Fou~" Fou jumped on Ritsuka's shoulder as he was cheering her up.

"Then, let's go!" Ritsuka chose not to stop and took the lead as she earned another grin from Leo and a sigh from Merlin.

"Less than a day and you already corrupted her?!" Merlin snapped at Leo that was feeling slightly proud of this situation.

"Hahaha! It wasn't my fault, but I'm happy to take the blame for it" Leo grinned as he didn't care while Nero took a note of something before nodding.

"So… Do you plan to tell her?" Merlin suddenly stopped as he asked Leo with a slightly serious face, even more than when they felt Solomon's presence.

"I personally don't, you can if you want, but I prefer if you don't..." Leo looked at Ritsuka in the distance before he said " She won't hold it if she know who we're fighting"

"Let's go, I hope we meet Goldy in the way" Leo said before he walked away and Nero followed him.

"... This is already very troublesome" Merlin looked at Leo leaving and Nero following him before he followed them.

The two Casters with Clairvoyance didn't tell Ritsuka about the enemy because this will destroy her. After all, the enemy was once a person she knew by the name of... Romani Archaman.

Meanwhile, in a hidden magi workshop around Fuyuki's riverside park. A summoning ritual was successful as a man was looking at his servant.

Marisbury Animusphere, who is a Lord of the Clock Tower and Head of the Celestial Body Department, has obtained one of the strongest relics and summoned the highest rank of servants at this moment.

A man wearing a strange outfit with a white and red color was standing there, looking at the sky. His hair was white and long in the shape of a braid, this is the Grand Caster, Solomon.

However, in those lifeless eyes, a ray of light flashed before he raised his hand and said " Is this… The consequences of my actions?"

Looking at the sky, Solomon saw the light ring and knew what it meant, but the worst part… It was under his own control.