At this crucial moment, Rémy sustained a serious gaze, scrutinizing Mash and the other servants with profound intensity. His face remained undisturbed, revealing no tangible emotion, as he took a moment to formulate an appropriate response.
His eyes scanned the battlefield, carefully examining each figure present. However, with regret, he noticed the absence of Jeanne and Siegfried. This realization clearly indicated that they were preparing to attack from another flank. "Good. I don't wish to confront you," Rémy thought, feeling a momentary relief. After all, fighting against his beloved was something he fervently tried to avoid.
However, a sharp cry of fury erupted in the air, causing Rémy and Vlad III to agilely leap to dodge Kiyohime's attack. The furious servant, wielding her fan, unleashed a torrent of flames exactly where the two had taken shelter.
"Look what you provoked in the young miss. She's furious," Vlad III remarked to Rémy, both still recovering from the daring dodge. Vlad III, demonstrating impressive dexterity, managed to defend against a spear attack aimed at him.
"Don't forget, peasant, that I'm fighting too. If you neglect that, you'll suffer the consequences," Elizabeth retorted, visibly irritated, fiercely locking eyes with Vlad III and delivering a kick that he promptly blocked.
"I apologize for the misunderstanding, miss, but I never once neglected your presence," replied Vlad III, engaged in a dance of spear strikes with Elizabeth. Sensing the need to stay clear to avoid hindering the fight, Rémy stepped back slightly.
Kiyohime lunged towards Vlad III with determination, but Rémy didn't remain idle, aware that Jeanne Alter would likely provide him with enough mana to act. Summoning his loyal steed, he swiftly rode towards Kiyohime, charging with his spear. Sensing the imminent threat, Kiyohime was forced to defend herself, evading the precise strike of the lance.
Rémy was firmly convinced that the attack would injure Kiyohime, but Mash courageously intervened, throwing herself forward. Determined to protect Kiyohime and preserve her performance in battle, she couldn't allow her to be harmed. Rémy simply uttered one word in a calm tone: "Mash." Without hesitation, he kicked from atop his horse, launching Mash backward along with Kiyohime.
"Let's fight together. The master doesn't want to see you hurt," Mash said to Kiyohime. Unbeknownst to her, her words triggered a flood of emotions in Kiyohime.
"My master (fiancé) is concerned about me... Don't worry, my master. I won't get hurt. I won't allow any unsightly marks on our wedding day," Kiyohime declared, looking at Fujimaru with eyes filled with love, leaving him confused. As he approached Mash, he didn't grasp the meaning behind Kiyohime's gaze but responded with a smile.
"He smiled? Then he agrees," Kiyohime thought, breaking into a radiant smile. Mash found Kiyohime's behavior strange but decided to set it aside when Rémy attacked her.
"Why are you fighting against us? Aren't we on the same side?" Mash questioned, evading and counter-attacking with her shield. However, Rémy was agile enough to escape without worrying about being struck by Mash's shield. He was quick, preparing to defend himself, but Rémy surprised her by attacking her with the lance on his right arm, executing something unexpected.
With his left arm, Rémy leveraged the horse's mobility to swiftly grab Mash's leg. Realizing that Kiyohime was approaching to attack him, Rémy pulled forcefully, lifting Mash off the ground.
"Ah!"
Mash was thrown onto Kiyohime, distancing both of them from Rémy. "Master!" Mash grew concerned, realizing that Rémy was getting closer to Fujimaru, and she ran desperately to try to save him. Kiyohime didn't lag behind, activating her Noble Phantasm and transforming into a giant serpent-dragon.
"You won't harm my master!" With her mouth wide open, Kiyohime lunged at Rémy, attempting to devour him in one fell swoop. Rémy urged his horse to run, but he found a foothold on Kiyohime's body, taking advantage of her massive form to walk upon her.
Mounted on his imposing horse, Rémy galloped over Kiyohime's gleaming scales, cautious to avoid any missteps. With his spear, he grazed the shining rings on the serpent's body as it writhed desperately in an attempt to destabilize him.
"You!" Kiyohime roared furiously, feeling the sharp pain course through her gigantic body, the mark left by Rémy's lance growing deeper with each audacious pass. Writhing violently, she tried in vain to dislodge the intruder riding on her back.
"Elizabeth! Go help Kiyohime, I'll take care of Vlad!" Mash shouted, hurrying to protect Fujimaru, while Vlad III, surprised, wondered if she had the capacity to face him and protect her ally simultaneously.
"Don't give me orders!" Elizabeth repelled Vlad III with a flick of her tail, extending her majestic wings before taking flight towards Rémy, who relentlessly continued to slash Kiyohime's body, inflicting a painful wound upon her extensive and sinuous form.
"You're amazing, my friend. Goodbye for now." Rémy affectionately stroked his horse, which disappeared, the task of advancing through the incessantly moving serpent's body becoming arduous for the brave animal. And so, Rémy rushed forward, using his spear to sever Kiyohime's body.
"Ouch, that hurts! Get out of my body, stop hurting it!" Kiyohime angrily shouted, worried that her master wouldn't appreciate the state of her body when they finally set off on their honeymoon. Determined to bring Rémy down, she began to thrash about, slamming her immense body against the ground in a desperate attempt to dislodge him.
"She won't succeed with that method. Truly, a mindless flying serpent," Elizabeth remarked, flapping her dragon wings towards Rémy, who drove his lance into Kiyohime's body to avoid being thrown off. Too late to realize Elizabeth's approach, he was brutally struck, hurled from the serpent's body.
"Are you helping him, by any chance? He hurt my body again because of you!" Kiyohime shouted furiously and resentfully at Elizabeth.
"Are you picking a fight with me? Seriously? I shouldn't have come to your aid. This is what I get for trying to help a mindless flying serpent!" Elizabeth lamented, wishing she had fought Vlad III instead, had she known she would be treated this way.
Rémy dragged his feet on the ground and suddenly stopped. His eyes fixated on the colossal dragon before him, as well as the young dragon-girl floating in the air. The lance in his hand vanished as he prepared to evoke his other powerful Noble Phantasm, the same one he had used in his battle against Rémy Alter.
--------------
38 advanced chapters on my Patreon: patreon.com/Louisdg