[FDJ]Chapter 32: Reunion

As Rider and Caster withdrew one after another, the initial clash between the two Servants came to a temporary halt... that is if one could disregard the presence of Assassin, who had infiltrated the Huns camp at this moment.

Launching an attack during the daytime didn't quite align with this Assassin's taste, but he had to take the risk to carry out his Master's orders.

Suzuki Yuki remained in Attila's tent, swiftly relaying the information about Rider based on Saber's account, revealing Rider's true name.

Assassin took note of all this, including Suzuki's peculiar attire, which could be identified as a low-level Mystic Code.

Assassin entertained the idea of seizing both Masters by force, but he was also concerned about the strength of the Huns King, Attila. Based on his judgment, Attila was not an easily disposed target. Without an opportunity for the two to separate, Assassin didn't believe that launching a direct attack would yield favorable results.

Both the initiative and opportunity were in the hands of Assassin. The consecutive news of their victories brought joy to Suzuki and Attila, causing them to appear vulnerable.

Unaware of the imminent danger of a deadly dagger hanging over his head, Suzuki continued to recall information about the Servant who matched Caster's class based on Archer's account. He felt that he must have come across data on a Servant with similar attire before, but he couldn't recall it. Perhaps if he saw the Servant with his own eyes, he would recognize their true name.

Suddenly, Attila frowned and stood up from her throne. She turned to Suzuki and asked, "In a Holy Grail War, there are seven class Servants, right?"

"Yes. That's the usual case, though in certain circumstances, such as a Subspecies Holy Grail War, there may be fewer than seven. In extremely special cases, the Chaldea organization has records, but they are vague and irregular." Suzuki quickly responded to Attila's inquiry, his knowledge of the basic facts having been reviewed multiple times, now restored to reflex.

"Is it possible for there to be more than seven Servants?" Attila not only consulted Suzuki but also confirmed with Archer.

Suzuki realized that something was amiss and carefully recalled the records of the "larger-scale Holy Grail War" that he remembered. "Magus familiar with the Holy Grail system may illegally summon additional Servants... That's the only loophole our Chaldea organization has discovered. What could be happening?"

Inside the tent, apart from Attila and Suzuki, there remained a group of Attila's most trusted guards. They did not pay close attention to the conversation between the two, instead carrying out their guard duties like instruments. Attila lowered her head and gazed at Suzuki, who sat to the left of her throne. "Oh, is such a possibility still existent? Archer noticed a mounted Servant approaching and initially encountered that Servant during my army's attack on the city of Orleans. Archer is currently heading there to intercept."

"Impossible, right? An eighth Servant? Any distinguishing features?" Suzuki couldn't believe that in the 5th century, there was magus capable of deciphering the mysteries of the Holy Grail War and illegally summoning additional Servants. The research conducted by the Chaldea organization on this matter was still highly classified, and Suzuki didn't know if Chaldea's research had made any progress in that regard.

"No, strictly speaking, that Servant cannot be considered the eighth one." Attila had been watching Suzuki all along, and her meaning was already quite clear. "Your Servant was summoned yesterday, right? That's also the fundamental reason why I was curious about you and your Servant because I know that the Servant appearing in the city of Orleans was also a Saber-class."

Archer didn't intercept the mounted Servant who entered the forest right away, not because she disregarded Attila's orders, but because Lancer suddenly appeared, using a rare type of magic to interfere with her from a distance. Although it was only a few moves from Hun's level, it completely caused Archer to miss the interception timing, and as expected, the other side headed straight for injured Saber, Jeanne, from their side.

Archer didn't need to worry, as Jeanne, who had already healed her external wounds, was about to follow in the footsteps of Berserker and give chase. The sound of hoofbeats approached, causing her to grip the hilt of her sword vigilantly and look toward the approaching rider.

Faster than she had anticipated, the lone knight who had come rushing soon appeared within Jeanne's line of sight. She could confirm that it was a knight, wearing armor from the 15th century, similar in style to her armor.

The knight also noticed Jeanne and dismounted, proceeding on foot. Jeanne, for some reason, had yet to draw her sword, and she didn't have the intention to preemptively attack the intruder. Wearing armor from the 15th century and entering this battlefield could only prove that the opponent was also a Servant, an ally of Servants like Rider and Lancer from the direction of the Western Roman Allied Army. They were Jeanne's enemies.

"Who is he?" That was the only question in Jeanne's mind, and even the hand that loosely gripped the sword handle gradually relaxed. She had seen that armor before, and she had seen knights wearing armor, not in the past of 451 AD, but in the familiar year of 1429 when she first met the King of France.

Many noble knights were standing by the side of the King who had not yet formally ascended to the throne. They all commanded armies, and they were one of the "important reasons" why France did not surrender to England at that time. Jeanne explained the divine revelations and her thoughts, hoping to gain their trust. She convinced the future King, but she couldn't persuade those knights.

From the standpoint of the opposing side, Jeanne, a simple country girl, would not be believed. It was not just the lives of a few people at stake, but the future of a city with 30,000 inhabitants. Even the loss of Orleans would lead to the complete collapse of morale in France, which was already low.

The King designated a knight, undoubtedly one of the knights most loyal to the King and the commander that the King originally planned to entrust with the task of resolving the situation in Orleans.

"You are..."

Jeanne couldn't believe she would still meet him. Meeting La Hire had already made her feel lucky, but the "luck" that exceeded her limits now made her hesitate. Faced with the irrational La Hire, Jeanne didn't need to explain anything, but the knight approaching her at this moment was not an irrational person.

The dismounted knight walked towards Jeanne, who stood there bewildered, and he removed his helmet, revealing his face.

"Jeanne! Is it really you?!" The knight's steps became faster and faster, but he stopped when they were less than 10 meters apart. Both of them remembered each other's faces, but that didn't mean meeting each other would go exactly as they hoped. "You... Jeanne?"

The knight's expression became extremely stiff, like a flawless work of art that couldn't tolerate even a speck of dust. The saint he had longed for day and night had finally appeared again. He didn't care about the endless Anglo-French war, nor did he pay attention to the Holy Grail War. He rode alone to the forefront of the two armies' standoff just to see his saint again. It was supposed to be a perfect reunion.

"Yes," Jeanne understood why the other person was behaving strangely. Because they were familiar with each other, they could not overlook even the tiniest differences in each other's eyes. Perhaps it would be better for the other person to never see Jeanne who perished in the flames. It would be enough to remember herself charging with the flag when thinking of her former comrades. It would be enough.

There were many things she wanted to say and many questions she wanted to ask, but Jeanne couldn't speak. In the Holy Grail War, when two Servants from different factions meet, it is common sense for swords to be drawn. "Long time no see, Gilles de Rais, Marshal."

The knight heard Jeanne's voice, and his stiff expression softened. He was none other than Gilles de Rais, the hero of the Hundred Years' War in France, who lived in the same era as Jeanne and La Hire. He was the one who led the French army in the past. This time, due to his connection with Orleans, he coincidentally manifested without a Master, relying on the ley lines beneath Orleans to supply his magical energy. He didn't need a Master.

"I am indeed Gilles de Rais. This time, I am not a Marshal, but a Saber-class Servant who responded to the call of Orleans to come and aid the residents of the city. Jeanne, could it be that you are also a Saber-class Servant?"

Gilles de Rais noticed the sword that Jeanne wore, which was also the reason he felt something was out of place. The saint in his memory never used a sword. Chain hammers, long swords, axes... In any case, the weapons used by frontline soldiers were all categories that Jeanne excelled in. Even a regular flag in her hands could become a weapon to shatter the formation of the English army. But a sword was absolutely impossible. Gilles de Rais firmly believed in this. The saint Jeanne had no interest in using noble weapons on the battlefield.

"Yes. It's already incredible that we can reunite with each other from a distant thousand years ago. It doesn't surprise me that two Saber-class Servants can coexist."

"I am as well." Ever since Gilles de Rais noticed the sword at Jeanne's waist, he had been observing her. With his experience, he didn't need the sword to be unsheathed to recognize that Jeanne possessed a holy sword, the sword of an angel. "I remember before the coronation of King Charles, you interpreted many of my uncertainties and confusions for me, saying that I was very suitable to be a marshal. In return, I taught you how to dance, dine, and deal with insolent noblemen."

"... You taught me, I remember. The etiquette popular among the nobility."

Gilles de Rais forced a smile and responded to Jeanne's reply. "You didn't quite learn the first few things. You can't dance, and you often forget the order of dining. You only learned the last thing, how to duel. Only in this aspect are you far superior to me. Help me think, now what reason should I find to duel with you?"

"No reason is necessary."

"Is that so?" Gilles de Rais held the hilt of his sword, slowly drew it, and pointed the tip of the sword towards Jeanne. "Jeanne, have you never abandoned your faith in the Lord, even until death? Why? That person who never saved you, is he worth your sacrifice?"

"My sword is the answer. The one standing here is the servant of the Lord who found the holy sword within the flames. For the salvation of France, without regret or complaint." The drawn Saint Catherine's sword was sharper and more resilient than the weapon Gilles de Rais used, emitting a sacred aura just from the scabbard.

"So this is the sacred relic that remains after you have given everything? Jeanne, I'm sorry, but this time I must stand on the side of Orleans in the year 451 and launch an attack against the invading Hungarians."

"The people of France who reside in Orleans in this era, whom I do not protect." Jeanne was angered by Gilles de Rais' words. Regardless of who it was, she would not allow anyone to question her Lord, even if it was a former comrade to whom she once entrusted her life on the battlefield.

The blades clashed. The Servants in the Holy Grail War were destined to fight each other, without the need for any additional reasons. It was their fate.

[Thank you. I'm really happy to have met you.]

Perhaps both of them wanted to express their true feelings in that moment of reunion.

=====

Support Me at Patreon.com/AbsoluteCode