Chapter 17: Desire(1)

- What do you mean?

- I mean, the more people they've driven to despair in their lifetime, the more their characteristics will be lowered... I think you know how much Vlad's parameters have been lowered, which is not surprising, given his history.

Ciel's words got everyone thinking. His noble phantasm is very strong... who knows how much the parameters of a servant would be lowered if his heroic spirit brought a lot of bitterness to the people when he was alive.

- So you can defeat Achilles. By lowering his powers, you'll have a good chance of killing him, - Darnic concluded.

- I can lower his powers... but I can't promise that I can lower them as much as I did Vlad's.

- In that case, I guess we'll just have to assume you're making an alliance with us.

Said Fiore, puffing out the air from her tense conversation with the Avenger. She glanced at the helmsman to continue their conversation without the intensity...

- ...I didn't think I said I agreed. - at Ciel's unexpected words, everyone turned their attention back to him," You see, I'm not going to use this phantasm at your request.

- Why not?

- My phantasm... is not just a world of despair. It is the embodiment of our hatred for you-my hatred. And I'm not going to use it for you.

Ciel's gaze was fixed on the head of the clan, eyes filled with hatred staring directly into Fiore's pupils. It was a look that would have burned through anything that got in his way... But she didn't even flinch, just smiled back at him.

- Of course, you can not use it... - said Fiore slowly, - but then, you must also understand, without our help you also can not defeat, Amakusa Shiroг. So, we can't do without each other's help... And so, let's make mutual concessions?

Fiore's answer really surprised Chiron. He knew that she could be a good leader. But, he could not have imagined that it would happen at such a rapid pace. She didn't look like the girl who desperately wanted to heal her legs and finally stand up without the help of her mechanical crutches. But, the leader who would lead others forward.

Ciel stared at her for about a minute. There was a look of disgust and hatred, but also wonder. It was as if he were not looking at her, but was immersed in himself.

- Ha-ha! - Ciel burst out laughing, his eyes coming back to normal. With, loud laughter, he covered his face with his hand, - Okay, I agree, oh Mighty Head of Clan Yggdmillennia.

Laughing out loud, he bowed dramatically to her, and sat back in his seat.

The rest of the negotiations were quiet. As it was, everyone was calm, and agreed to be united. After talking about the plan, they came to the conclusion that minor details needed to be worked out. And when everyone had given their consent to the alliance, the negotiations were over.

All the servants and masters slowly left... Which Ciel was, when he was already leaving, he was stopped by Chiron. And walked up to him and said:

- Thank you.

There was a grateful smile on his face.

- You're welcome. As your master said, "We can't do without helping each other."

- Of course...

After a brief exchange of words, Ciel left the castle. Chiron, on the other hand, stood looking out into the corridor from which he could no longer be seen. It was as if he were in his own thoughts. Until a homunculus pulled him out of there.

- Is something wrong, Chiron?

- ...No, there's nothing wrong, - he went on in his head, - He's just a very interesting man.

- And what is he interesting about? - Astolfo joined in the conversation, - To me, he's just an ordinary brute.

Crossing his arms, Astolfo spoke with a bit of childlike indignation.

- Do you still resent him for shutting you up?

- No, I'm not offended, not one bit!

- What do I think, are you offended?

Suddenly the white-haired girl came out of nowhere and said. From, surprise a little frightened the rider.

- Why, are you still here? - said Chiron, a little surprised, - I thought you were going with Avenger.

- No, - Jack shook his head sweetly, - he said he wanted to be alone for a while.

***

The young man walked through a field that had no grass on it. The whole place was like a barren wasteland... Dried blood on the stones, bones, and corpses... that hadn't been cleaned up yet. They were eaten by the crows that had flown in at the smell of the fallen. It was a disgusting picture, showing the brutality of war.

Even so, the young man walked on and on, as if he did not notice it all. His eyes showed no emotion, as if the whole picture was nothing to him. He was used to these landscapes, they were his homes... and finally he stopped.

He stood on the edge of the crater that had formed when the red berserker exploded. Ciel was just looking down at the crater, as if trying to see something there... no, it wasn't like he was looking at a place of destruction... it was like he was looking deep inside himself...

An ironic smirk appeared on his face, apparently finding something very similar to himself in this crater:

- Funny...

Was the only thing he said. It made him laugh, everything he saw amused him... He sat down on a rock, next to it. And closing his eyes, he purred to himself, a melody. A melody that sounded very much like a lullaby...

- A very soothing, soothing melody.

The voice was soft and pleasing to the ear. Ciel opened his eyes just slightly to make sure it was her. In front of him he saw, a young girl. Blond hair, clear amethyst eyes, and her aura that said she was a saint.

- May I sit next to you?

She politely asked the guy who looked up at her. He nodded his assent. Jeanne sat down next to him, but kept a distance between them, as the owner of her body could not communicate with people of the opposite sex.

- Are you all right?

- Yes, as you can see I like it here.

Jeanne was a little embarrassed by his words. So she decided to look around and she could not understand if he was joking with her or not...

Ciel, noticing her embarrassment, only smiled more. But he decided not to keep long pauses between them.

- Why did you come?

There was no animosity or hatred in Ciel's question. Which she wasn't used to, since, when talking, he was always trying to draw out information, or intimidate his opponent. But instead of all that, his voice was soft...

- Y-you looked a little sad... Y-Yes, so I followed you. - A little embarrassed by her reason answered Jeanne.

- Ha ha, what an interesting reason.

Avenger's laughter made Jeanne blush a little, and she pouted sweetly, turning her cheeks away from him.

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry... - said Ciel, poking her cheeks.

Ruler was very surprised by Avenger's actions. After all, he was always cold, and didn't want to show his, emotions.

- ...You really have changed a little...

Ciel just looked at her, his smile becoming a little sad again:

- ...I don't like showing my emotions to people.

- Why not, you have a beautiful smile.

- For me, showing emotion is a weakness. - As if remembering something, he continued, - ...in this, war, it's a little hard for me to contain my anger and hatred... it's probably because I was drafted in the Avenger class...

The look he first came in front of her in, that strong man, unafraid to come together in battle against all the servants of the black faction. Who had easily made a deal with them, and killed the strongest servant of the Yggdmillian clan... Now he looked like an ordinary young man...

Jeanne, for the first time saw that he was not only a man who had become a heroic spirit, but a hero who had not lost his humanity. Her face lit up with a beautiful smile that would have made any man grip his heart.

Ciel stared at her as if bewitched... Her beauty... her purity, made one want to follow her... to fall in love with her irrevocably.