Chapter 25: Holy Sword Part 5

Beta read by Shigiya and Paragon of Awesomeness

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-Kuoh shore-

"Hn!" 

It was a strange sensation, to say the least, something Xenovia had only felt previously through the horrid beatings administered to her by a certain nun who served the Church — also as her sole teacher… and motherly figure.

Though this was far colder and… instant, to the point she failed to even gasp what even hit them in the first place. Whether it was a sword, spear, arrow, or even a punch — it failed to register before the next thing she became aware of was the disgusting taste of the sand and the pain that came with it. 

She had been an Exorcist known to be above her peers when it came to the sword. Having trained for countless hours under the guidance of Mother Griselda, the person who was basically her mother figure, having raised Xenovia since she was barely a child. The nun had always done her utmost to thoroughly impart everything it took to ensure Xenovia would become a competent exorcist throughout the years. 

The blood, sweat, and tears she invested during her childhood led her to finally be amongst the few chosen to wield the Excalibur swords, along with another, even greater blade that surprised even mother Griselda. She could not stop herself from feeling immensely proud of all this, and the gratitude she felt towards Mother Griselda and the Lord could not be understated for always pushing her to work so hard.

That gratitude extended to Irina as well, the girl having basically grown up alongside her, and was right by her side even when the training had seemed unbearable. She was one of the few people Xenovia held in high regard and as an equal. 

This was one of the many reasons why she held such confidence when setting foot upon the land known as the rising sun. Undeterred and unafraid of the challenges they would face in this mission, whether it be Fallen Angels, Devils, or any supernatural entity that dared to cross their path — all of them would eventually fall to her once her holy blade tasted their vile, heretic flesh. With the grace of God and His guidance lighting up her path, both she and Irina — despite being confronted with the realization that this was a suicide mission beforehand in the eyes of many — she held full confidence that, some way or somehow, they would succeed in the end. Such was the will of God. 

Yet…

Despite that certainty that fueled them…

Despite having been gifted some of the finest holy swords the Church had to offer to ensure they would accomplish their mission…

Despite having confronted the younger siblings of the Satans themselves head-on without any fear nor backing away once…

Despite all of those clear signs of their inevitable triumph…

"Ugh!" 

…At this very moment, every single fiber of her body refused to obey her will to stand tall and fight. Trying to get up bore little to no results and only made the darkness at the corner of her eyes grow closer ever so slightly with each passing second and vision becoming blurred.

"Don't push yourself. Got to hand it to you that you managed to last for so long. But either way, you shouldn't be going around Kuoh and your oh so holy swords around like some kind of lunatic, it could end bringing attention that you might not be able to deal with.."

This heathen… no, this devil in human skin, who had the audacity to taint their Lord's greatest weapon, had the gall to speak to her with such a tone, as if he knew any better. Even as the sand clung to her skin and left a bitter, nasty taste in her mouth, she refused to simply lay down to this… this…

"I'm still standing! Stay back, Xenovia, I won't be defeated so easily—huh!?" A voice sounded from in front of her, the twin-tailed brunette still having some life left in her words, was able to go on the offensive. Holding onto Excalibur Mimic, which took the form of a katana swinging straight downward for Archer's head, the latter not even turning his head around but simply blurred for a brief moment before her eyes, moving faster than anything Griselda  had shown in the past. 

Sparks of fiery light accompanied by the sound of the wind howling, followed by a rapid series of screeches until all she heard the following second was a loud thud right next to her, coupled with a painful grunt, air getting audibly pushed out of the young girl's lungs.

Again, too fast for her eyes to even keep up. A ridiculous notion given even the Knight behind him wasn't nearly as fast!

What the hell was he!?

"You certainly are fast and nimble by a fair margin than your hot headed partner here. Your techniques are more refined, and the lightweight of the blade definitely helps with being agile on the battlefield, which is quite an important lesson your friend over there, unfortunately, had to learn the hard way."

Being complimented by the enemy… what a complete insult!

This bastard continued to speak so casually this entire time, his tone in her ears sounding both arrogant and full of himself, not showing even a hint of fear as he faced one of the greatest weapons made by the Chur—?!

"Regardless of my initial less-than-favorable impressions, it is an interesting sword, I must say." Her breath came to a halt, feeling the weight in her disappear, using every scrap of strength left in her body to look up and watch with pure disbelief at Excalibur Destruction slowly turning into motes of light. Meanwhile, the very same weapon was now held by this white-haired anomaly casually, without even suffering from any burns or rejection from the holy power.

'He can touch it?'

This became the sole thought flying through her mind, having previously had this Archer pushed back against her blade. An impressive feat in itself, but that did little to stir Xenovia's heart than the scene before her eyes. 

"Y-You're a natural-born holy sword user? And you work for the Devils!?" Even Irina couldn't believe her eyes, equally as baffled. 

"Natural-born? Well, I do have an affinity for blades in general, if you will." He answered casually, having heard of some of the requirements for people in this world to use holy weapons like the Excaliburs to name a few. Where the swords had the ability to reject a wielder if deemed 'unfit'. He doubted the reason he could use them had anything to do with him being a natural-born, and it just being both his origin, element, and reality marble playing a major role. "Going back to your weapon. I wouldn't call it a good sword by any sense of the word, but it definitely isn't a bad weapon either. Any kind of sword, under the right hand, can be just as dangerous. This, coupled with the ability to destroy anything it comes in contact with, certainly puts it up there."

"G-Give it back…"

"Though it is clear to me you still have a long way to go," he dropped the blade, the steel sinking further into the ground until half of it was buried, with his hand resting on its pomme before it broke down right before their eyes into particles of light. "You still aren't completely used to this weapon, to begin with from what I noticed. Or perhaps it's your anger that blinded you from the fact that you were holding a fake one this entire time."

No, she did not understand. In fact, in no way did this blade remotely feel like a fake replica. After he had managed to disarm her with pure surprise, Xenovia remembered instantly picking up the sword that was closest to her, thinking it was the original one. But even calling it 'fake' did not feel right, as it held the same feeling she had developed within her palms, but it also had every single imperfection, the same power, and the same warmth. 

The woman struggled to imagine this being nothing but a replica.

"Shut up, you speaking nothing but nonsense!" 

Regardless of what happened, she couldn't disappoint her mother. So, despite the extreme waves of pain coursing through her body, the phantom feeling of having her stomach struck by a single knee still persisting, and the dizziness from a couple of head strikes, she managed to slowly get up from her knees onto her feet. Though they continued to wobble, she refused to fall down again, defiantly looking back at the tall figure of Archer who stood before her. 

"You certainly are very stubborn, more so than I imagined. You and a certain someone I know from the past would have gotten along quite nicely, more or less," he said calmly, not showing any signs of trying to knock her back down and simply letting her come closer. Yuuto in the background watched the scene with bated breath, getting antsy at the approaching exorcist. Despite her state, he couldn't help but still use his Sacred Gear and bring out a weapon within his grasp, only to be stopped in his tracks by Archer, who raised his hands to halt him.

"But still… I don't know if I can call you brave or stupid. You've seen the outcome of what happens when you fight an entity like me. And if a Cadre's is anything even remotely close to what I suspect it is, then this mission of yours is bound to fail spectacularly."

Her answer came in the form of a weak and trembling punch that softly landed on his stomach. Despite not even wearing his armor and was still in his everyday clothes, he barely felt anything from her touch.

"In your mind, you're probably thinking this to be a noble mission where your sacrifice will bring about something meaningful for your faith, yet you couldn't be more wrong. I doubt the Church will care, and Kokabiel will not suffer any consequences beyond what he's currently dealing with."

He was met with another punch from the blue-haired girl, this one even weaker than the last, as it merely made contact with his stomach without any sort of driving force behind it and stayed there for a couple of seconds, almost using him as support to stay standing. Irina looked at the scene with complicated emotions, equally unable to move, her Excalibur having been thrown away far enough by Archer for her to be defenseless.

"Shut up! You will not deceive me, you devil."

"If it helps give you peace of mind, I am not a devil and used to be  a human a long time ago, just like you and that friend of yours. And even if I were a devil, then wouldn't I have died a long time ago, since I'm still wearing this holy shroud?"

She didn't have much to say about that. Having suspicions that he must have stolen such a relic or gotten it from someone else, she left unsaid, but it still wouldn't have made sense for him to wear something with such strong holy energy.

"We are not your enemies. If that were the case, you would have been dead long before. And as you may have guessed, these are not Excaliburs." With a snap of his fingers, pulling both of the girls' attention to their surroundings, they all gazed as every single blade that was jutting out from the ground disappeared right before their eyes into particles of light.

A scene that was equally beautiful with the setting sun in the background, yet nauseatingly horrifying to those who saw these very weapons as the main tools wielded by the Church against the devils. For these same weapons to be freely created on a whim by someone associated with the sister of Lucifer was nothing less than horrifying.

"Another Blade Blacksmith…"

Irina whispered, the face of a certain blonde woman they once called friend and comrade  flashing before her mind before she shook her head. It was impossible; she knew that person was still alive and not dead. Yet, it still did not explain this type of ability, as it was inherited by the blonde-haired boy before them and not this strange guy.

"I will not fail my mission," Xenovia continued, her knees wobbling further, her vision starting to blur. The intense battle, coupled with the lack of energy from not having eaten anything, made it hard for her to stay standing for long. The humiliation and crushing defeat played a large role in her mind, pushing back against her will to continue, with a large wave of frustration coursing through her heart. Her hands hesitated, moving as if she was trying to summon the will to bring out another blade, a sign which Archerdid not miss.

"You can continue to stay stubborn and stick to your suicidal mission, but do not expect Rias and Sona to just emerge out of nowhere and clean up the mess you'll create by giving your enemies what they really desire. Honestly, I can't see how you don't see yourselves as traitors if you carry out your orders; for in the end, you are doing nothing but helping the fallen angels by delivering the swords you carry right into their hands."

Her teeth audibly gritted against each other, every single one of his words hit Xenovia like a nail to a coffen. In her mind, this person was far more detestable than even the devils at this point.

"Perhaps I was looking at this the wrong way this entire time. The Church is not seeking to bring back their stolen artifacts and take down the fallen angels who 'stole' three of them. No, all of this is nothing but an elaborate scheme of both of your factions working in cahoots together, hoping to exterminate the Devils. How far you all have fallen."

That was the last straw, with a primal fury coursing through her veins, Xenovia charges towards him with reckless abandon. Her hands coil back like venomous serpents, ready to strike and leave their mark. But as she lunges, fueled by vengeance, he effortlessly dodges her attack, leaving her to crash down onto the unforgiving ground. The sting of sand in her eyes only adds to her frustration and determination to make this man pay for his transgressions.

"Damn it," she dreaded the kind of face Griselda would make if she saw her in her current situation — the look of disappointment being one of the major factors that haunted her mind.

"Xenovia, maybe we should…" Even though Irina hadn't finished her sentence, the blue-haired girl knew full well what she was trying to imply.

"Just who are you?" she hotly demanded.

"All you need to know is that I am a loyal Servant of my Master." The clearing fell quiet, and it was clear that the stubborn woman had finally given in to her exhaustion. Her partner also seemed to have reached her limit, sighing before lying on their back and gazing up at the sky, showing no interest in continuing this argument any further.

"I will let you rest. Once you two are recovered, perhaps we can see about having a more in-depth discussion without you trying to lop my head off."

With that said, he turned his back on the duo and walked away, with Yuuto in tow who did not add anything to their prior conversation.

"This is a surprise. I was expecting you to be angry with me," Archer noted, a question which the Knight answered with a disgruntled scoff. 

"Why bother helping those fools? If they're dumb enough to fall into Kokabiel's trap, that's on them. It's a waste of our time trying to save them from their own stupidity. Total waste of time, if you ask me." 

"I have to agree with you, to a certain extent." 

Archer's response was not something the blonde-haired boy thought he'd hear, he looked back at the Servant, hoping the latter would explain himself. 

"Letting them be killed while we all just stood on the sidelines would have brought us more trouble than it was worth. It is preferable not to risk a war getting started for such a silly reason. We are not doing this for them, but just to avoid conflicts between the factions."

"..." 

As they walked away to a more secluded area under the shade, Yuuto stopped in his tracks, looking backat the fallen duo and having a moment of hesitation. "There is nothing stopping them from betraying us if things don't go as planned." 

"Do you fear we won't be able to handle it?" 

"I fear that the others will get hurt because of it." 

"That won't happen," the Servant assured him, making the boy wonder where he got so much confidence. Only to remember how easily they were beaten and the ineffectiveness of holy weapons against Archer, who could even use the blades against them. "It will be even more dangerous for them to betray us than facing a rogue Cadre. You forget that I am not the only Servant here, both Rider and I can break their toys before they even have time to point them at us. So don't misunderstand my intentions, I don't trust them enough to let them keep moving without supervision."

"..."

It was honestly bone-chilling to come to the realization that Archer was not kidding nor exaggerating, Yuuto even argued the man was understating it. Sword Birth proved it could break one of those replica holy blades, but only after expending a dozen of them to even create a crack. 

Something he never managed to replicate against the married blades Archer loved to use, no matter how of his creations Yuuto swung against them. The very same weapons he saw Rider destroy with just a kick with little effort.

No wonder Archer was so adamant back then that only he could face her, and that they were nothing more than a liability. 

"You Heroic Spirits become more monstrous the more I think about it." 

His comment was met with a slight chuckle, "You only realize that now? I thought I made it quite clear in the past."

He nodded, unsure why this realization never come to him before. Or maybe it did, the ten-day hellish training wasn't for nothing, along with how easily Riser was defeated. But during those moments, other than awe, he was mainly just glad that Archer was with them. But now that Rider had come into the picture, it became far more evident that no amount of awe or even envy could blanket the sheer amount of fear at the idea of facing a Servant if they were on the opposite side. And with five others out there, Yuuto doubted they'd have any chance of even touching them before being killed.

"But sh we leave them like that? It seems a bit dangerous."

Archer went still, turning around to see two girls face-planted against the sand and barely able to move, their eyes closed with steady, shallow breathing. Clothes in complete tatters showing a lot of skin despite him having made the effort to not cut them… It didn't paint a beautiful picture if some bystanders were to stumble upon them. 

"Right, perhaps leaving them here with a wandering rogue Fallen Angel isn't exactly a good idea. I'm surprised you're the one who brought it up."

"I'm just following your advice. After this is over, then I will have no obligation to care for them." 

"Maybe just splash some water on their faces, they should be able to walk under their own strength at least." 

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As it turned out, they couldn't.

"How far I have fallen, to be aided by the enemy… the Lord must be thoroughly disappointed in us." 

Walking through the streets of Kuoh, Archer resisted the urge to sigh, with the woman within his grasp complaining for the nth time. Having recovered enough energy to start to walk and even talk, though he had to carry the swords instead. "You have nothing better to say?"

"Preparing myself to face the consequences of my heresy by being helped by you is all I can and should do." 

He didn't say anything in return, deciding it was best to let the girl sort out her thoughts on her own. 'The "dilemma" of either staying true to one's orders only to end up dead and failing the mission, or compromising to form an alliance with one's traditional enemies so you can complete the mission and go home alive... Well, it wouldn't be a tough choice for most, but I suppose it certainly can be for a devout person having to contemplate playing nice with those whom they view as embodying sin.'

They weren't inherently evil individuals. Unlike Yuuto's revenge and the Devil's biased beliefs, he was truly neutral with his opinions when it came to these exorcists and all involved parties. Though Xenovia in particular didn't give him the best first impression with her threatening Asia right after telling the girl to kill herself. Though he would admit to himself that it wasn't anything he himself hadn't done in the past — but that was under vastly different circumstances, and something he reserved for only one person.

The fact that this suicide mission of theirs would likely turn into a major inconvenience to the Devils who oversaw Kuoh was a much more relevant factor. It wouldn't be that difficult for certain figures in the Church to blame Rias and Sona for their failed mission. Two exorcists wielding Excalibur swords getting killed and robbed of their holy weapon within the territory of the Satans' sisters just raised so many red flags that even a blind man would see it. 

"Hm?"

His senses spiked for a brief moment, passing by a small bookstore with very few people around, the store clerk seen within dozing off slowly. 

"Keep walking," he said, ordering the young knight, handing over the barely conscious Xenovia to Yuuto, the latter showing a face of distaste at first, awkwardly trying to hold both girls. 

"Is something wrong, Archer?"

"Nothing really, I just have a small errand to run for Master and figured now would be a good time to do it. Just make sure you bring them to the spare bedroom in the old school building and inform Rias of their presence." 

A bit confused about the sudden change in the white-haired man's demeanor, he decided not to dwell on the matter much and continue to do as he was told. He also wanted to return to his own house and rest; so much had happened today, and he just wanted to get some sleep. Despite having the physique of a devil, he felt exhausted both mentally and physically.

"Alright, see you tomorrow."

Looking at his departing back briefly, Archer stayed in his spot for a few more minutes until the boy was completely gone from his sight and disappeared into the crowd of pedestrians. Turning on his heel, Archer headed straight for the store where the bell chimed as he opened the door. The clerk was already in a deep slumber, unable to notice his arrival. 

Ignoring him, the Servant made his way towards the back — throwing some curious glances at some of the displayed works, noting the names of a few historical figures that existed in this world as well as his — continuing his path until he reached the back where a small reading room presented itself with simple seats and a small table. 

Casually sitting in the middle was a tall, pale man whose black hair streamed down his back and blended perfectly with the black suit. One hand reading peacefully with a blank look on his face, even going so far as to give Archer a small greeting nod the moment he noticed his arrival. 

To many, the man stood out, his sharp eyes and pointed ears making him look less human overall. 

"War is more than a true chameleon that slightly adapts its characteristics to the given case. As a total phenomenon, its dominant tendencies always make war a remarkable trinity — composed of primordial violence, hatred, and enmity... of the play of chance and probability... and of its element of subordination, as an instrument of policy, which makes it subject to reason alone." The man calmly read one of the passages from the book, doing so loudly without being interrupted. "A realm of uncertainty; three-quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of greater or lesser uncertainty." 

He flipped through a few pages, taking a few seconds until he found another passage. Though this one he didn't read it, speaking his mind with a chuckle.

"For there to be a war recognized by all sides, there needs to be a mutual push and pull reaction. If only one side acts with the other doing something else completely, then it is seen as odd and no longer a war. A dance between the involved parties if you will, one where differing ideals are used as the main driving force. Yet even a war-loving species like these humans fail to truly grasp the core concept, something so simple yet far-fetched for beings like them — despite them falling prey to it for every aspect of their lives." 

"I hardly took you for a philosopher," Archer spoke, staying in his spot without moving an inch. 

The man scoffed, "Humph, such a role is better suited with the likes of Michael. Azazel can't be bothered to even go near such a thing." With a flick of his finger, the pages started to burn until the entire work turned into ashes. "Tell me, what do you think constitutes a true war at its core? One of the elements these creatures refuse to acknowledge despite it being so deeply ingrained within them."

"I think it is quite rude to spy on people, and something I wouldn't have expected from the Fallen Star of God," he didn't even bother to answer his question. His voice carried a clear sign of weariness and suspicion, not even looking backward as a certain man approached him and stood right beside the Heroic Spirit.

The bell rang, and a few people walked inside just like him, ignoring the sleeping clerk before taking a seat at the back. Their eyes lingered on the two men for a brief moment, especially the one with the pointed ears, before ignoring them.

"It's enjoyment, the thrill of battle, the lust for blood, the desire to destroy your enemies, and the need for power. The most primal driving force that is rarely mentioned, a sentiment buried so deeply that they forgot — the same can be said for our side of the world."

Archer noticed how the other guests didn't seem to even hear their conversation, noting the presence of either some kind of bounded field or spell cast upon their little corner. 

"I'm not a fan of war, nor am I curious to learn any deeply buried understanding."

Kokabiel shook his head, disappointed by the answer given. "How boring, I hoped you'd be at least a little different. I am also honestly surprised at how sharp your senses are, Servant. I'm quite confident in my abilities that not even a powerful devil like Sirzechs would notice me without actually trying. Bravo, you surprised me!."

'From what I can see, he appears to be alone. There are no other Fallen Angels in sight and there doesn't seem to be any kind of protective barrier around him. Did he really reveal himself to me without having a backup plan? There must be something I'm not understanding here.' 

"You know, you are queit the conundrum," Kokabiel said, looking at the passing humans with a hint of disdain on his face. "I have been watching you for a while, you know. The concept of a human hero being summoned from another world certainly raised many questions that are still unanswered. A genuine Heroic Spirit who has fought valiantly alongside humanity and made such incredible feats that their name has been etched into the pages of history. To see such a respected being reduced to being just a servant for a spoiled Devil's child must be degrading and humiliating, don't you think?"

"Where are the Excaliburs you stole?" 

Once again, rather than answering Kokabiel's question, he instead countered with a question of his own. Though getting the information about the fact that not only did Kokabiel know about the existence of heroic spirits from another world, but also how familiar he sounded with the subject raised many alarm bells in his mind. This made him wonder what else this Fallen knew, but regardless, he was a dangerous entity.

'He didn't try to take the Excaliburs before unless he sent someone after Yuuto… not good, he's just trying to waste my time.' With that in mind, his priorities changed slightly, no longer was he interested in prolonging the conversation. He would gather information another time. As Archer summons Kanshou, bystanders gasp at the sight. It becomes clear that he has a specific intention in mind.

A crooked smirk formed upon the Cadre's face, showing little fear at the hostility presented before him. "Why the rush? Sooner or later those weapons will find their way within my grasp. You should join me rather than stay with Devils who treat you, a valiant hero, as nothing more than a slave with a title. As hard as Sirzechs' sister may try to delay that inevitable outcome, we shall prevail whether I die today or not— Hurrgh!?"

His phrase was cut short, as the black flash of a blurring blade filled his vision in a fraction of a second, the Noble Phantasm embedding itself into his chest. The blade easily dug through his flesh with little to no resistance, pinning him to his seat as narrowed gray eyes stared deeply into widened crimson irises. 

"Then die today." 

"..."

Yet despite the mortal injury, Kokabiel looked down at the blade with clear, calm interest. Archer was silent as a hand reached up to grasp his weapon's handle before he yanked it out himself and stepped back. He then watched as the figure of Kokabiel began turning darker and darker, losing its shine and splendor once befitting the image of the Fallen Star of God. 

Then it began to crumble until all that remained was a lump of clay.

"Dammit!"

Realizing he'd been talking to a decoy, the Servant of the bow rushed over to where Yuuto and the exorcists were supposed to be.

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"Interesting… it held up better than I imagined."

A feminine figure stepped out of the shadows, staring at what remained of the Kokabiel decoy, then shifting her gaze to where the one called Archer had last been before running off she began to speak to seemingly thin air. Examining the clay for a few seconds before losing interest.

"I told you this was going to be a waste of time, your approach was flawed from the beginning. You should have let me handle all this." A rich, soothing voice sounded from her, though clearly toned with frustration. Walking past the unconscious humans in the shop, a wave of delicate hands formed multiple magic circles above her head, lasting for a second before they disappeared. 

The woman then directed her gaze outside the shop, with unsuspecting humans continuing to pass by. "What about the two fragments, should I retrieve them? …Very well." 

And just like that, she disappeared, leaving no trace of her presence behind.

…

"You're fine." Standing in front of a convenience store, Archer uttered those words with a weird look on his face watching Yuuto walk out with a bag of groceries — having long since dropped off the two exorcists. The blonde Knight was surprised by his reappearance and tilted his head slightly.

"Well of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Were you followed?" 

Once again, the Knight grew more confused and just shook his head. "I don't think so, I made sure to stay vigilant and observe my surroundings the entire time. I even made sure to get to my destination as fast as possible through a different route than usual just in case, and teleported away." He said, breaking off a piece of his bought sandwich and throwing it at a nearby group of white birds who ignored it — much to his dismay. "Wait, were you attacked by another rogue exorcist!?"

"No." 

"Oh."

"I just encountered Kokabiel in a nearby bookstore. Well, a clay decoy at least, as I found out when I stabbed it. I believe it's better we discuss this more in detail with Rias, so let's make haste."

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"YOU WERE APPROACHED BY WHO!?" 

Who would have guessed, in the end, he got the reaction expected from his Master. The redhead was now pale white as soon as he informed her of having met Kokabiel in the bookstore. 

"You do not need to be so afraid, Master. As you can see, I am well and without injury. If I was in any danger I would have let you know instantly. It's clear that he simply wished to gauge my character, and I made it clear where my loyalties lie."

Unfortunately, his words did little to calm the redhead girl. The latter rushed to his side and did the same routine she had done when he fought Grayfia and Rider. Checking every inch of his body as if he were some kind of fragile jade egg, "Did he curse you? Are you feeling anything? I swear if he tried to harm my precious Servant I will have him suffer greatly before killing him!" 

A rather extreme reaction to Archer's mind, but he had grown to learn about his Master's personality and how protective she could be of everyone in her peerage, and that included him. Even though he had shown her that a Servant was far more durable than even a Rook.

"One, If you went after Kokabiel, you would die. And two, like I told you, he didn't attack me after meeting me and was more interested in recruiting me and getting me on his side rather than anything else." A deadly silence filled the room, the sudden change in the atmosphere making him feel that he should have worded it differently and approached the matter in a more subtle way. 

"I'm going to kill him." Rather than screaming like a banshee, she hissed quietly, her voice carrying a great amount of killing intent and rage at what he just said. "I'm going to burn him alive, Cadre or not. He will regret ever coming to Kuoh when I get my hands on him. 

Feeling a bit amused at her raging emotions, he shook his head before pushing the topic further so as to not get distracted. "Again, you would die if you fought him right now. We spoke a bit, but it was just us trying to ask the other questions without answering any ourselves. Not enough for me to gather anything useful about where he is hiding or what he plans to do with the holy swords though I have a plausible idea for that, I did find out a rather worrying matter that I would like for us to focus on more than anything else."

Seeing the man speak to her with such a serious tone managed to calm Rias down, clearing her throat and hesitatingly went back to her seat instead of staying beside him, which she clearly wanted to do. "What matters?" 

"Well, first of all, His forces were apparently spying on us for quite a while. Enough to have gathered more information and details on me than I would have expected, though I'm certain that my identity is still safe. Second of all — and this is mostly related to the first point again — the familiarity he had with the subject of Heroic Spirits was far too much for it to be just from having spied on us… worryingly so. "

Though he didn't directly say it, Rias immediately felt a chill crawl up her spine, the memories of what happened recently with Sona resurfacing and causing the young girl to clench her fists. "Another one?"

Unfortunately, as much as she hoped that he would deny her suggestion, Archer instead closed his eyes and hummed in acknowledgment. "Hard to say, I did not feel nor did I encounter a Servant when talking to him. And there is a chance that the information he gathered came from us instead."

"But you just told me that he was far too familiar for it to have been just from spying on us?"

"I'm not talking about spying, Master." He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall and continuing to brainstorm any possible answer. "Rather I suspect that everything you have sent to your brother and the Satans might not be as confidential or as guarded as they would like us to think."

The girl's hand struck the table harshly. 

"My brother would never do something like this!" For the first time, Rias genuinely spoke back to Archer with some anger in her tone due to what he said, "I can say the same for Ajuka, both of them are the closest allies you could find who staked their lives for one another on plenty of occasions during the Civil War. The last thing they would do is to betray their one side for any reason!" 

"I'm not specifically accusing those two of deliberately leaking out information. There is a possibility that they were not as vigilant in keeping your findings secure as they could have been. It's entirely feasible that a third party may have accessed it without their knowledge."

That possibility struck her core, a dangerous thought that created far more trouble than she would have liked to think about. "A traitor within my brother's group? That's… that's…"

"Not impossible." Archer interrupted Rias calmly and decisively. "Sometimes those who end up hurting you the most, whether in everyday life or during a war, are the ones closest to you. I doubt even your brother blindly trusts all of his entourage or even his childhood friends. With the right deal or arrangement, many people are willing to backstab their own family without a second thought if it benefits them more in the short term than staying loyal."

Rias looked at Archer, her expression a mix of frustration and contemplation. His words carried a weight of experience and a harsh reality she was reluctant to acknowledge. The dimly lit room seemed to grow quieter, the distant echoes of the school's life outside their conversation fading into the background.

Archer continued, his voice steady and devoid of emotion. "Trust is a fragile thing, Master. It's not about being cynical; it's about being realistic. In times of conflict, allegiances shift, and even those you hold dear can become adversaries if the stakes are high enough."

Rias clenched her fists, "Do you really believe that?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with a vulnerability she rarely displayed. "Do you truly think anyone can betray their own family so easily?"

Archer sighed, "I've seen it happen more times than I care to remember. Power, wealth, survival, or believing that your doing the right thing — these can drive people to do unimaginable things. It's not about doubting everyone around you, but rather being prepared for the possibility. Protecting yourself and those you care about means being aware of the potential for betrayal."

The more Rias kept hearing him, the more frightening she started to feel, it was easy to deal with elements like the Fallen Angels and the Church who were clear enemies of their faction since the beginning, but when it came to a possible traitor of conflict within their own circle then that become became far more tricky and dangerous. The Civil War is a good example of how much damage such a thing could cause in the long run. She wanted to deny his words, come up with another possible answer but her mind kept going blank. 

"I do not wish to bad mouth Sona in any way as she is obviously not your enemy. But this same individual went behind our back to summon a Servant due to simple envy that overwrote her logical side. What is stopping others who have a lesser degree of relationship and feelings towards the Devils or your brother's group? Again, I am not saying that this is for certain but there is no other explanation given the timing and past incidents being taken into account. "

"Then why even bother to steal the Excalibur swords? You said it yourself, your own weapons are more than capable of destroying them… and you even mention that most Heroic Spirits would have an easy time destroying them."

He shrugged, "Who said that he was planning on using them as an ultimate weapon? It is very likely that this is not his trump card but merely a catalyst to cause strife between the three factions. Those weapons, though they might not be the strongest, hold significant importance with the church and even to you Devils, whether they be good or bad. He is merely using them as a tool to get the results he wants, not caring whether he gets their hands on them or not given he didn't even bother attacking the two exorcists if he was spying on us this entire time. "

Her head felt light, the amount of stress she suddenly felt exceeding how she felt the day before the rating game by a large margin. "Then what should we do?" Feeling lost, all she could do was ask her servant for guidance"

"There are still many unknowns, perhaps I could have stayed there and spoken to Kokabiel for a while longer to extract more information, but that meant putting Yuuto at risk of a possible attack." 

At worst, though he did not say it, Archer could have just accepted his proposal and changed Masters. But that was the last case scenario he wished to confront, given for now there was still no concrete evidence that a third Servant was present and it could have just been Kokabiel trying to deceive him with words and the information you could have only gotten from acquiring the same documents Rias gave to her brother. He rather not take such an action, but preferably keep it as a plausible option at the back of his mind.

"I'd advise you to contact your brother and question him about this possibility. Check whether or not someone from his entourage leaked those documents and hopefully track this person down before it's too late. Make sure these two exorcists stay under constant watch, we can't rule out the possibility that he's genuinely trying to acquire these weapons for a reason. Hold a meeting with Sona and discuss our next move, as soon as possible if you don't mind—hm?"

Their conversation was interrupted by the presence of a red teleportation circle forming at the center of the room, from the ground emerged a familiar face of a certain silver-haired maid. Her arrival caught Rias by surprise while Archer on the other hand wondered if it was related to what they were discussing prior. 

"Good evening, Archer-sama, Rias-sama, I have some important matters to bring forth. Lord Lucifer and Lord Beelzebub are hoping to converse with you." 

…Perhaps it was related after all.

{Break}

-Kuoh Academy-

(Akeno pov)

It was a strange sight, the slight humming coupled with the visible smile upon the bespectacled girl's face. An expression that had been present for the past hour, one that looked so very out of place given this person rarely behaved as such that it made her curious.

"You've been acting different lately, Tsubaki-san," 

Akeno remarked, stretching her arms with a satisfied pop and a sigh. The raven-haired Queen found herself surrounded by towers of books and papers in the library, holding back a groan at the thought of going through all of them in one go. Her attention now goes back to the person sitting across from her. This person was another Queen, though part of Sona's peerage.

"What do you mean?" Tsubaki asked, clearly confused by the tone of her voice as she remained half-immersed in her assignment. 

"It's hard to explain, but in the few times we've hung out, you barely smiled or reacted to anything — I don't even think I've seen you laugh in the past. You only seemed to get flustered or embarrassed whenever Yuuto was around… did you two kiss?" Her tone turned slightly teasing, prompting a blush from the spectacled girl who gave her a cute little glare.

"Himejima-san! There's no need to bring that up. And no, we did not k-k-kiss… we only spoke to one another for a bit. Also, I do smile sometimes. I'm just enjoying finally getting done with my paperwork. Also, I have to finish this as soon as possible so that I may continue my training with Tojou-sensei."

"Of course… Em—... Tojou-sensei…," Akeno said with a squint stare. She didn't press the matter further but had her suspicions. After all, she had noticed how often this girl was with a certain Heroic Spirit. Doing so multiple times a week that she even saw him spending less time with her on hobbies they shared. Always had some kind of duty or task he had to take care of first before leaving her alone in the kitchen, barely having tasted what she made for him. 

'He should be spending more time with us rather than with Sona's group. They have Rider, why do they still need him!?' It was frustrating at times, almost annoyingly so. So to distract herself from these thoughts, she looked around.

"Is it just me, or have there been more students attending the library?" Akeno commented, noticing the once-empty space now filled with nearly a hundred students, all quietly studying. It was a sight she had never seen before in the usually empty library.

Unsure whether to feel delighted that they were taking their studies seriously or worried that most of the students were actually boys, she pondered the change.

"Don't be surprised. They come here every day to read up on history and improve their general knowledge. Some even spend their lunchtime studying here. You can probably figure out why," Tsubaki said, waving at some of the passing students who greeted them.

She pondered those words. There were no upcoming festivals or special events that would require such dedication to studies. "Don't tell me Tojou-sensei threatened them into paying more attention to their studies? I can imagine Sona being overjoyed by the sudden change before she realized that they are under duress."

Tsubaki shrugged. "He's teaching English, not history. I doubt he'd put in that much effort unless the students showed an equal amount of interest. He's the kind of guy who won't try hard to teach someone who isn't putting in the effort, I can tell from personal experience."

Akeno's eyes twitched.

That made sense. 

She also knew from experience that despite Archer's calm and sometimes uncaring demeanor, he was willing to help anyone who was determined enough. If she hadn't insisted on being around him in the kitchen, he would have never taught her anything. 

"Let me think... since they're all reading history, English, and science books here when they barely cared about this place then that means..." Her eyes widened as an idea struck her, and a grin spread across her face. "Don't tell me they suddenly became this motivated just to impress Rider."

Rather than denying it, Tsubaki nodded. "You have no idea how insanely popular she is with both male and female students. They're just as infatuated with her as with the Two Great Onee-samas. You've noticed it lately, right?"

She had indeed noticed. 

Ever since Rider arrived and took the role of the history teacher, things felt vastly different for the raven-haired Queen. Prior to this turn of events, she and Rias were constantly gazed at by hundreds of students with pure admiration. These same bodies of students would visit their classroom just to catch a glimpse or admire them from afar. Though the instances of students fainting with joy were rare, they still happened. But lately, the fawning had lessened, and for the first time, Akeno and her King felt like regular students. 

Strangely enough, it was relaxing, no longer being the center of attention. 

"I can see why they're behaving like that. Rider is a beautiful woman, and if I were a boy, I'd try my best to impress her too," Akeno admitted. Tsubaki agreed, and they both returned to their tasks, the minutes ticking by as the number of students in the library remained steady.

It wasn't until a group of girls entered the library that Akeno's focus was broken by a phrase that instantly caught her attention.

"Did you see how those two look perfect together?" The group of girls spoke to one another in hush whispers, close enough that both Akeno and Tsubaki were able to eavesdrop on them without even trying. "I should have taken a picture, they looked so cute together!"

Akeno's interest was piqued. Was it another case of student gossip? She usually didn't care for such things.

"It's not illegal for two staff members to be in a relationship," one of the girls said.

Eh? So it was between teachers? That was unusual but not unheard of. Though public displays of affection were discouraged, relationships between colleagues weren't illegal. Despite this, Akeno couldn't recall any such relationships at Kuoh Academy. A strange feeling of suspicion and wariness bloomed within her heart, compelling her to stop whatever she was doing and focus entirely on the conversation happening around her.

"I don't think so, even if it is, who cares! I just saw them talking to one another a few minutes ago, you should have seen the way she stands next to him so closely, it almost looks like she's going to kiss his neck!"

"That's nothing! I've even seen them speak to one another in the evening. They just can't stay apart from one another. The perfect couple!"

"Well, it makes sense. With how good-looking he is, it's obvious why she chose him. There aren't many other candidates among the other old geezers, and let's not even talk about the boys in our class. Though Kiba-kun is obviously more interested in girls our age, so we're safe."

Akeno's hand clenched around her pen. The more she listened, the more obvious it became whom they were talking about. Standing so close to him that she was almost kissing him? Spending all evening together? 

All of this sounded nonsensical!

"I just saw her on the second floor. Tojou-sensei even invited her to lunch together!"

"Kya! Does that mean he's reciprocating her feelings?"

"That's totally the case!"

"Why are you girls so happy? If they get together, I have no chance left to date him!" one of the girls lamented, visibly downcast. Her friends laughed awkwardly, patting her back. 

"Don't be an idiot. You're too young for him, and let's not start on who wins in the looks department, it's already painfully obvious who would win."

"Hey!"

Akeno listened carefully, without batting an eye. Tsubaki, sitting across from her, had also long since stopped pretending to work and was listening intently. "I believe I am done for the day. I'll be reporting back to Rias, so we can end it here," Akeno said abruptly, not giving Tsubaki any opportunity to respond before she hurried out of the library.

.

.

.

"Good morning, Himejima-san!" 

Even though she got less attention than she used to in the past, Akeno still managed to attract the attention of a few students within the hallway whenever she passed by. In return came up greeting them with her usual smile and a slight nod of the head before haisley walking past them towards a certain someone's classroom. She did not know why she was walking so quickly, feeling a strange sense of worry and suspicion as she drew as she drew closer to the classroom. 

'He told me clearly that he is cautious of that woman… I personally never seen them talk to one another more than necessary… those girls just like to spread random gossip for no reason.' Whether it was out of curiosity or something else, she couldn't tell. Just wanted to see for herself whether or not these girls were speaking the truth and wondering just how these two interacted with one another given the day nearly they were at each other's throat not that long ago. 

"Here." Soon, she ended up reaching the classroom on the third floor. The Raven-haired Fallen Angel hybrid took a second to look around and smiled realizing there was no one around. "It has been a while since we had a conversation between us, this is as good an opportunity as any…" 

Going for the door's handle, she ended up stopping at the very last second when her ears heard two people speaking to one another from within. 

"... preciate your help with… oo much trouble for you." Archer's muffled voice came through the door, audible enough for her to understand part of it. "Going t… ell Sona?"

Without even realizing it, she pressed her ear closer to the door, trying to make out more of the conversation.

"If you want it to be kept a secret, then I'll trust your judgment. I can help you take care of this issue if it's too much for you." 

Secret? The more she listened, the harder her heart pounded in her chest. What was this conversation in the first place, and why did he sound so relieved!?

"It's not much of a secret, given we had a visitor this morning, so the others will know of it soon enough. I wanted to let you know in case you sensed something odd which I may have missed.."

"Does your Master know, Tojou-sensei?" 

"She does. And you do realize you can just call me Archer rather than that name when we are alone, it's nothing you need to keep up in private as it serves no other purpose outside of our 'jobs'." He said with an exasperated tone, sounding so casual around the person, who again, nearly killed him not that long ago in Akeno's eyes. 

Emiya was far too forgiving in her opinion. 

"I don't mind calling you Shirou. For some reason, it suits you even if it's a fake name given to you by your Master. I can stop if you're willing to share what you've been hiding from me." 

"..."

For some reason, Archer turned silent for a couple of seconds. Akeno started to feel jittery, almost restraining herself from barging inside. 

"On a different note, have you heard about the rumors going around the school lately?" Rider asked, to which Emiya audibly hummed with clear disinterest. 

"There are plenty of rumors going around this place that I don't bother to keep track of. It serves no purpose, so I ignore them." 

"The student population thinks we are in a relationship, more specifically that we have been dating one another for a while." 

"Is that so," rather than deny or even grow frustrated at what she said, a reaction Akeno expected to hear from the other party, instead he was calm. "That was bound to happen with how they operate. It's how things start around here, and will no doubt keep them busy for a while. Let me guess, the first rumors had to do with when I helped you sort some of the books on your first day here?" 

The way he acted so nonchalantly veered completely out of her experience with this man, almost as if he didn't even mind this kind of rumor spreading around in the first place! When did these two get close enough to speak so casually like this? 

"Maybe you should come by once more, I do appreciate you helping me with helping me keep all of those books in good order. It's the only time I see you act so at ease like you are in your element." 

"You won't get any useful information about my past like that."

"No matter, I have other ways. Though this place isn't ideal for me to try them out. Unless you are willing of course, I'm sure our Master's wouldn't mind if we went to find ourselves some privacy where no one will see or hear us." 

"—!" Unable to hold herself back anymore, Akeno grabbed the door handle and swung it open with enough force to nearly break it off its frame. A strained smile and slightly haggard breath froze upon seeing both Archer and Rider sitting at a table with two cups of tea between them, one that the latter was taking a sip off with a pleasant expression. The aroma made it clear that it had been brewed by the Servant of the bow and shared with her. 

"Akeno?" 

She was brought back to her senses as her name was called, "I-It's Rias… she called for e-everyone to gather in the c-clubroom." Her stutters only made it worse, though thankfully it got overlooked by Emiya who didn't even doubt her lie for a second. 

"Hmm, I'd have thought she'd contact me through our connection… But she can be old-fashioned about some things, and if you're already acting as a messenger for the others then I suppose adding one more to the list isn't bad. Very well, I was asking myself when she was going to make a move." With that said, he got up from his chair, grabbing the files and his computer before walking out of the classroom. 

"Thank you for the tea, Shirou-sensei," Rider said, making Akeno's eyes twitch once more at how Emiya showed a weird expression on his face briefly at being called that. 

"Don't mention it, though now that I think about it, perhaps being called Tojou-sensei isn't bad after all," was all he said before leaving the area. Akeno was now awkwardly standing in the room with Rider grabbing her items and heading towards the door herself.

The second Servant briefly stopped next to the young girl, her mouth nearing the latter's ears as she whispered, "It's not good to eavesdrop on people's private conversations, little girl." 

"—!?" 

Her heart skipped a beat. She wanted to shock Rider for calling her a 'little girl' but right now, she was trying her best to maintain a sense of peace despite having been found out. The Servant's gaze added an invisible pressure that she hadn't felt before. Like something was coiling around her neck.

"I… I just happened to be passing by." 

"I see." Rather than continue walking and leaving the room though, Rider looked at Akeno for a while longer. "Tell me, do you mind answering a few questions I have about Archer?" 

-----------

The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.