Chapter 27

"I sense the servant's signal ahead," Dr. Roman said, his voice echoing with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. Each word carried expectation, revealing the discovery of a faint servant signal that was manifesting a little further ahead.

Jeanne, with an anxious expression, couldn't contain the urgency pulsing within her. She knew there was no time to waste. Her heart longed to find that servant, knowing that while she and her companions were searching for him, Rémy would be bravely fighting amidst the danger. She was determined to help him in the best way possible, staying by his side and facing any obstacles that arose in their path.

Jeanne's words echoed with fervor, reaffirming her determination. "Then let's go. We can't waste any time. They must be fighting him right now." Her voice was filled with resolve, like a burning flame inside her, fueled by the desire to reunite with Rémy as soon as possible.

Mash, sensing the restlessness and evident concern in Jeanne's eyes, felt a duty to comfort her and share her confidence. "You're right! We will succeed, Jeanne. I believe they're alright," Mash affirmed with conviction. She knew her words might or might not calm the agitation dominating Jeanne, but she intended to offer a glimmer of hope in the darkness of the unknown.

Jeanne smiled in gratitude, feeling thankful for Mash's encouraging words. She knew she shouldn't let worry completely consume her, but gratitude filled her heart. "I know we shouldn't worry. Still, thank you, Mash," Jeanne replied, her words expressing a mix of gratitude and determination within her. While gratitude shone in her eyes, her spirit remained unyielding, fueled by an unbreakable determination to complete the mission as quickly as possible and reunite with Rémy.

Behind them, Berserk Saber, who had been observing silently, paused for a brief moment, immersed in deep thoughts. The pensive expression adorning her grumpy face quickly transformed into fierce determination. With swift movements, she drew her sword from its sheath, emanating an aura of ferocity, and directed her gaze towards the backs of Jeanne and Siegfried, who were mounted on Jeanne.

"Mash!" Fujimaru, turning around, witnessed Berserk Saber's furious charge towards them. Desperately, he shouted to Mash, whose response was instant, positioning her shield in front of Fujimaru, interposing herself between him and the imminent attack. "What's happening?" Jeanne was confused by Fujimaru's desperate cry. She sensed an urgency, but was surprised to see Mash skillfully blocking Berserk Saber's sword strikes.

"Why are you doing this? We're on the same side!" Fujimaru asked, bewildered. Incomprehension dominated his thoughts as he tried to make sense of Berserk Saber's sudden attack. Was this some kind of test she was subjecting them to?

"We were on the same side, but not anymore," Berserk Saber whispered in response, her words hanging in the air, needing no further explanation. With relentless determination, she unleashed a sequence of attacks with her sword, ruthlessly charging, but Mash, with unparalleled skill, defended herself masterfully, blocking each of Berserk Saber's merciless strikes.

"What? What are you saying?!" Jeanne shouted in despair, her voice filled with disbelief and anguish. The words echoed through the surroundings, conveying the intensity of her emotions. She refused to accept such an idea, not even allowing it to form in her mind. A whirlwind of thoughts invaded her being as she fervently wished that servant was merely following his own will, not believing that Jeanne had betrayed her purpose. After all, she had witnessed the goodness in the other version of the servant and deeply believed in his nobility.

An oppressive silence enveloped Berserk Saber. Her icy and relentless gaze fixed on Jeanne, who remained silent, unable to find suitable words to express her stance. The weight of the moment was overwhelming, and she felt a desperate urgency within her. Her sole objective was to annihilate those servants and their master, then hunt down Maria and put an end to this unbearable situation.

Jeanne, in a gesture of care and respect, turned to Sir Siegfried, whose body was in her arms. With slow and delicate movements, she gently placed him on the ground, as if he were a fragile treasure. A mix of sadness and urgency filled her heart, a melancholy intertwined with the need to act. In her mind, she apologized to him, asking him to wait a little longer, promising to take him for healing as soon as she defeated the servant before her.

Mash pushed Berserk Saber back with all the strength of her shield, struggling to resist the assault. Berserk Saber had to agilely and skillfully dodge Jeanne's attack, which came swiftly like an arrow. With furrowed brows, Jeanne wielded her banner, but Berserk Saber managed to evade it at the last moment, narrowly escaping.

Jeanne, with a serious expression, turned to Mash and said determinedly, "Mash, can you hold her off? I'm going to use something special."

"Alright. Leave it to me," Mash responded confidently. Though she had no knowledge of Jeanne's plan, she placed complete trust in her ally, regardless of what she was plotting.

Berserk Saber realized that Jeanne was unsheathing her sword from her waist, though she couldn't recall having seen it before. In a nearly imperceptible lapse of time, Jeanne drew the blade. Fujimaru, attentive to the battle between Mash and Berserk Saber, also noticed Jeanne's action and became intrigued by her intentions.

With the sword raised to the level of her face, Jeanne wore a serious expression, as if immersed in prayer. She firmly held the sword's hilt, both hands dedicated to the task. Her golden hair gently danced in the light breeze, giving her a sublime aura. Fujimaru, entranced, contemplated her mesmerizing beauty.

Then, with resolute eyes and a steely determination shining within them, Jeanne locked eyes with Berserk Saber, who had just evaded Mash's strike, and uttered her words: "Mash, after this, take Sir Siegfried to the other saint. He will succeed without my help. If I were at full strength, I could heal him on my own. Unfortunately, I am not, but I will end this quickly. Do me a favor, Mash."

Mash, taken aback, realized that Jeanne was about to divest herself of something, but the reason eluded her. Unable to contain her curiosity, she hesitantly asked, "Jeanne, do your words sound like a farewell?"

Jeanne, however, avoided directly answering Mash's question. With conviction and a hint of nostalgia, she spoke, "Tell Rémy that the time we spent together, however brief, was wonderful. I longed to have more time by his side. And to the other version of myself, regardless of her actions, convey my forgiveness to her." Jeanne took a deep breath, as if retrieving distant memories, before fervently proclaiming, "La Pucelle!"

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