Chapter 58: Taunt

Beta read by Shigiya and Fluffy Slayer

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-Feoh-

Whether it be the swiftness of speed, the rejuvenating touch of healing or the pure essence of  mana — Claudia never experienced either of those. Celestine's blessings held the ability to transform them from ordinary humans into beings approaching godhood,  as proclaimed by the Church. The bestowed power theoretically surpassed the achievements of any accomplished  mage, even after decades of diligent research and unparalleled personal growth. 

Viewed from an external perspective, they were the perfect weapons of war, designed for the sole purpose of countering the might of any adversary armed with centuries of  arcane dark magic prowess. She still remembered the day of the blessing ceremony… an experiment, or more accurately, an endeavor that neither her younger self nor the Goddess Reborn foresaw any certainty of success. 

But with Olga's forces closing in from all sides and their ranks depleted,  only Celestine alone held the power to confront the  horde of monsters at their doorsteps— alas they had no choice. She couldn't be in multiple places at once and came up with this solution after years worth of research. It was not perfect by any means, lacking prior testing and posing a significant risk not only to Claudia but also to her old friend as well. 

Nevertheless, they forged ahead, unwavering in her duty to put her life on the line if it meant saving Eostia and her family. As she stood in the heart of an empty room with her friend focusing intently, Claudia vividly recalled the moment she felt Celestine's warmth coursing through her body… Claudia shuddered at the sheer amount of mana permeating her skin, expanding and tempering every aspect of her body. It was an indescribable and unparalleled experience, one that defied articulation and proved impossible to replicate. It took days for her to regain her senses, having been in a state of limbo between pleasure and pain that continued to send shivers down her spine. 

Thankfully, the process was refined and improved, sparing the other Princess Knights from experiencing a similar ordeal. It became more akin to a permanent enhancement spell casted by a skilled mage, with each member receiving a unique aspect, ranging from augmented mobility to accelerated recovery and so on. 

Many believed that she had gained increased strength, an assumption she neither bothered to deny nor correct. Surprisingly, even Celestine fell prey to that misconception, despite once being the sole possessor of this power in the past. Or perhaps, Claudi mused… it was due to her own failure to reach her true potential. The woman was not a fighter by any means, so Celestine's confusion was understandable. 

Enhanced defenses, tougher bones, structure and tendons. Her skin became so resilient that cutting through it demanded a strength beyond the capability of crude weapons wielded by weak monsters, often failing unless accompanied by tremendous effort. Durable to the point where her treasured armor became almost redundant, serving more as a distraction to monsters as initially intended. 

But it didn't take her long to unearth the downside of her blessing. An aspect that became painfully apparent during her training — her strength was severely inhibited from growth. She could lift the same weight twice as many times, yet increasing the load beyond her pre-ceremony limit proved elusive. Her muscles exhibited increased endurance before succumbing to exhaustion. The effort it now required to build them up became a nightmarish ordeal, where the slightest progress necessitated going the extra mile, forcing her to relentlessly push her body to its limits day and night.

Undeterred, she seized the opportunity to venture to the front lines and fortify her position to the max. While many aspects of Celestine's blessings remained a mystery for both of them, from time to time she found opportunities to make them work out in her favor, which in turn created the illusion of a super strength blessing. Claudia found that the hard-earned fragments of strength and power she accumulated persisted, defying decay even during months of recovery from a severe wound. Though modest in scale, Claudia was ecstatic at this revelation and dedicated most of her time to the battlefield or the training grounds, where she not only honed her skills but also imparted her knowledge to other knights, steadily strengthening herself each passing day. 

This led her to speculate that Celestine must have bestowed upon her an additional, perhaps secondary blessing. But the Goddess Reborn neither refuted nor affirmed this notion, emphasizing the random nature of each bestowed blessing. Not that it mattered, Claudia found solace in the fact that what she initially believed to have been a handicap was in fact a blessing in disguise.

However, her blessing had its constraints. There was only so much she could withstand before succumbing to the overwhelming force. As the flames engulfed her body, scorching her skin while shielding the young child from the attack, Claudia felt the mind-numbing pain of the soaring heat. She clenched her teeth, suppressing the urge to scream and further terrify the child. Though her body reddened under the intense assault, it endured as she expected — yet that didn't make it any less painful. "Hurgh!" 

A groan escaped her lips as shards of metal and glass attempted to pierce her skin. The thunderous roar of the explosion drowned her senses, leaving a persistent ring in her mind. The scorching heat slowly started to overcome her blessing, yet the brunette gritted her teeth and held her ground. Her hands protectively wrapped around the frightened girl, and not for a moment did the thought of jumping away cross her mind. 

She couldn't let her get hurt, her entire being refused to let any harm befall upon this girl.  

"Hah… Hah… Hah…"

As the heat began to subside, the Princess Knight nearly collapsed to her knees. Having borne the full brunt of the explosion with little protection, she cursed herself for not having brought some of Kaguya's healing talismans.  Radomira, the Tiefling, observed the woman's heavy panting and anxiously studied her pained expression with a worrying gaze. Recognizing the concern in the girl's eyes, the Princess Knight managed a shaky reassuring smile.

"It's… it's fine, I-I'm alright. Tis but a small burn. N-Nothing to worry about." 

Claudia spoke in a gentle voice, her hand slowly caressing Radomira's head. Despite her forced smile, meant to reassure, it only deepened the worry etched on the Tiefling's face as she observed steam rising from the burns that marked her savior's back. 

"You're hurt!" She exclaimed, feeling her heartbeat quicken with hints of panic creeping up her mind. With no potion to aid Claudia nor any knowledge of healing magic, Radomira felt helpless. But as she was about to succumb to her negative thoughts, the face of a certain white-haired man flashed before her mind. "Arch-P-Papa can help you!" 

She never saw him using such magic, but the young girl trusted his capabilities to the fullest. Disillusioned by the notion that he was an all encompassing paragon, not even Olga nor Celestine crossed her mind as she searched for a means to help Claudia. 

"Huh, Arch who?" The Princess Knight repeated his name with confusion, the beginning of the name sounding suspiciously familiar. A throbbing headache and an ear-piercing ring muddled her mind, making it difficult to think properly. Yet, before she could recall the source of this familiarity — her instincts flared up. 

"—!"

"Wah!" 

Grabbing onto Radomira tightly, Claudia swiftly leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding a spear thrust. Glaring back at the men responsible for releasing the bomb within the establishment, she noted their clothes were slightly roughed up, but that there were no visible signs of injuries. Their unhinged, crazed  eyes glared back with a ferocity that sent a shiver down her spine. The woman wondered about the whereabouts of her knights  and what had happened to them. The attack must have drawn their attention and she distinctly remembered entering the building accompanied by an entire group.

'There is no way my subordinates would not have dealt with these people by now. Given their continued absence, it would be reasonable to conclude that I have been betrayed and this was a planned assassination. Or, these people somehow managed to take them out silently.' Both options sounded convoluted and extreme in their own rights, yet she had nothing else to go on. She thus decided to ponder the details later on and prioritize not only her safety but that of the girl next to her as well. 

She heard one of the men shout, "Both the bitch and that twerk survived the explosion!"

"Wait, she's injured! We might have a chance not only to get the kid but the Princess Knight as well!" From the doorway, more men showed up, wearing mercenary apparel and each having a shit-eating grin under their faces. All held different kinds of drawn weapons, from blades, shields, spears, and daggers.  

'Six of them… this shouldn't be a problem.' Claudia closely examined her surroundings, the mostly charred building was reduced to rubbles and the streets were abandoned. Not a single one of her Knights was anywhere in sight, a realization that angered Claudia as her initial assumption started to seem more plausible. Then the sight of several bodies of innocent people caught her eye, those unlucky enough to be caught in the explosion. Some had their throats cut, having died at the hands of these people.

"Bastards!" Gritting her teeth and pushing Radomira behind her, she unsheathed her blade and assumed a defensive position. Her eyes tracked each one of these men, analyzing their breath, gaze, footing, center of gravity, and grip, hoping to recognize the style they used. "Who are you and what do you want with this child?" 

She restrained herself from rushing into battle, resisting the pull of anger and focusing instead on buying time for reinforcements to apprehend and extract any useful information out of these people. Her mind remained paranoid over the recent tragedy that befell Klaus, already considering whether these two events were linked. 

"Tch, she talks too much. Let's get her, boss! With her injuries, there is no way she can fight back. Hell, we can even have some fun with her once we disarm her, not like anyone will hear her moans." A lascivious smirk appeared on the face of the one who initially threw the bomb, eyeing the voluptuous body of the Princess Knight as he spoke to his associates.

It was a sight that disgusted and enraged her.

"Wait," their leader surprisingly stepped forward, a tall man with a burly physique. Not that it made any difference, she is confident in her skills to take them all down in the end. 

"..."

"Did you know that what you so willingly protected with your own life is a vile creature of darkness?" His words made Radomira freeze up, tensing up as she tried to make herself less visible by hiding behind Claudia. The latter, on the other hand, just frowned at the man's words, a change in expression that the man noticed and smirked. "Exactly, that disgusting creature is a succubus!"

He screamed at the top of his lungs, pointing his finger at Radomira. 

"Though she has taken the form of an innocent child, the truth cannot be hidden as her rotten form has manifested in the shape of those horns and tail!" 

Radomira flinched, meekly putting her hands over her head to hide them while her tail coiled around her waist. 

"Those are the signs of evil and it is our job as followers of Celestine-sama's teachings to eradicate any and all creatures linked to demons and dark magic. If she is allowed to live, then tragedy will strike our kind yet again — you as a Princess Knight should know better than anyone as Celestine's personal guard!" As his tone grew louder, Claudia's grip upon her blade grew stronger as she heard the silent whimpers behind her. "So follow your duties as a Princess Knight and let us deliver this evil to her executioner… Or perhaps you would save us the trouble and cut off her head yourself?" 

"Hey boss, we were tasked to bring—kurgh!" A chop to the throat shut his subordinates up easily.

"Where. Are. My. Knights." She asked one of the questions that has been bugging Claudia for a while. Enough time passed for them –for anyone – to have noticed! Yet none arrived and she couldn't afford to leave Radomira defenseless in case they all came at her at once. 

"Oh, they will not be coming here any time soon, that I can assure you." The man sighed, "Why must you be so stubborn? I thought the Princess Knights worked for the Church and the Goddess Reborn to eliminate all evil? Yet you are here protecting that evil spawn. Have you betrayed Eosti—"

"—ENOUGH!" 

Having had enough of this person, her shout reverberated, drowning out his feeble words. Veins popped out on her forehead as she disdainfully aimed her sword at the foul man. "A mere street mercenary like yourself lacks the standing to question my morals. Don't you dare doubt my loyalty to my kingdom and my goddess! Not only have you stained your hands with the blood of innocents for mere coins, but you've also invoked Celestine's name to justify your heinous deeds. It is evident you serve another, tell me their names and I shall ensure you receive a fair trial, rather than killing you right here like the  wretched vermin you are. I pledge this as a Princess Knight." 

"Pft!" Instantly, they all began to laugh, dismissing her words as a colossal  joke. A peculiar glint flickered in the leader's eyes. "Princess Knight? Trial? How utterly blind you are. You people don't have the slightest idea who is truly in charge here. Nevertheless, it seems you will not budge from your decision. Both you and that fake goddess have been nothing but a nuisance so far, it's high time you retire  and let a real one take her place." 

With that said, he rushed forward with a single step and closed the distance between him and Claudia. His actions filled with killing intent aimed straight at her and Radomira. 

"The audacity of your curses!" 

With a final yell, Claudia leaped forward to meet the approaching leader head-on. Their blades clashed in a resounding collision, and the sparks that erupted from the impact illuminated the suffocating scene. The air crackled with the anticipation of an impending and fierce battle.

As the two engaged in a heated sword fight, Claudia's training and enhanced abilities came into play. Her movements were a dance of precision and calculation, effortlessly deflecting the leader's strikes as if he was a debutant at the academy. Unfortunately, this lasted for only a fleeting moment as the force behind her opponent's attacks began to rival her own, catching her off guard. 

"—!?" Her shock was palpable enough that the leader couldn't help but chuckle.

"That's quite the nice face you have there. Are you so surprised that someone other than your precious little Knights is capable of matching your strength? Do you find it so shocking that mere mercenaries could stand toe-to-toe with your vaunted strength? Well, sorry to burst your bubble. This, my dear, is what a true blessing from a real goddess looks like. One that anyone can receive  without fail, unlike the imitation bestowed upon you by that charlatan you call a goddess!" 

The pressure intensified as the rest of the mercs joined the fray. With nothing but her blade in hand, Claudia started to get overwhelmed as she was pushed further back. Blocking a slash from her right, she then relied on her gauntlet to deflect another aimed at her neck. 

"C-Claudia!" Radomira's urgent cry drew the Princess Knight's attention to the rear, where a glint of light caught her eye for a split second. Instincts took over as she twisted her body around just in time to dodge a spear thrust. However, the blade came dangerously close, inflicting a nasty wound on her waist. "Gah!"

Immediately following the attack, one of the mercenaries delivered a vicious kick to her injured waist, sending her body hurtling toward the still-burning ruins of the tavern. 

"Hahahaha! You see? This is real power! Your pathetic little knock-offs can't even hold a candle to the real deal. For years we've been led astray by the deceptive ploys of Celestine Lacrosse. A false goddess such as her is unworthy of the throne. It's time that a true Goddess takes her place," he spoke with a fanatical fervor, and eyes burning with intensity. "The Goddess of Sodom has promised to restore the freedoms that you've stripped away! And in turn, the blessings that you were so proud of will only be a memory of the past."

Despite struggling to catch her breath and recover from the previous attack, Claudia couldn't shake the unsettling thoughts stirred by the man's words.

'What is this person even spouting about? I have heard plenty of times about people from neighboring lands or those from afar regions labeling Celestine as nothing but a fake, while stating their own gods are the true ones. But this was the first time I ever heard of this one being mentioned…' 

Contrary to the devout within the Church and even among the ranks of the Princess Knights such as Alicia, Claudia did not see the other existing deities as enemies or allies that needed to be subjugated under Celestine's dominion. And to be frank, her friend never hinted to such ambitions in the past, prioritizing instead on the welfare of the populace and keeping Olga at bay.

Meanwhile, the other mercenaries closed in, surrounding Claudia. "Quickly, get out of here and fly to the main palace! Celestine will help you!" She implored Radomira. However the tiefling girl was frozen in fear, scanning her surroundings in a frenzied panic and hesitated to leave.

"Go!" 

 Though with a shout from Claudia, she closed her eyes and attempted to run away.

The leader, noticing her intentions, grinned maliciously.

"—!?" Claudia's face turned crimson with fury as one of the men grabbed onto Radomira's wings and pulled her back down before she could escape. The painful screech made her blood boil, turning her vision crimson. "You fiends! Let the girl go right now!" 

Fueled by determination and anger, Claudia countered with a swift and powerful strike, targeting the leader's exposed side. However, her movements were sluggish from the exhaustion that had taken a toll on her body, and the blow was easily dodged. "Gah!" 

Rather than merely repelling her, her opponents grabbed onto her arms with extreme force. Wrenching her weapon away and forcibly pinning her to the ground. Despite her valiant efforts, it made no difference against the collective force of her empowered enemies.. 

Consumed by bitter anger and desolation, Claudia could only watch in silent anguish as her captors mocked her powerless state. 

"W-What are you doing!?" Alarms rang within her mind as she felt their hands probing her body, wrenching pieces of her armor off with cruel determination. "Release me, you bastards! Do you have any idea who I am!? I'll unleash the full might of the Seven Kingdoms' upon your heads!" 

From her boots to her pauldrons, chills crept up her spine as she felt their calloused hands rub and grope them without reservation. "Hehehe, for a Princess Knight known for her strength and conviction, you sure are quite soft. Even the blast barely did any damage to your skin from the looks of it, and it's already healing. Guess you won't be affected if we are extra rough with you!"

"No… you can't do this! Let me go right now!" She screamed, her voice breaking down as she started to panic. 

"Humph, needing five of us just to keep you pinned. I guess you do deserve the title of the strongest Princess Knight." 

"Hey, what about the kid?" One of them asked, eyeing the quivering little tiefling.

"Let her watch. Her kind tends to enjoy such activities and we were told to just bring her back alive, they did not mention anything about harming her or not. So as long as she has no permanent damage, the boss won't mind playing with her." 

These vile mercenaries… no, these filthy beasts! First, her husband had fallen prey while she was away, abducted and tortured for days. Then when she finally found him, he was a shattered husk of the man she adored. Incapable of coherent speech or independent movement, all owing to her incompetence. She berated herself for not acting swiftly enough in those moments past. Perhaps she was lenient and had overlooked signs of looming peril amidst the distractions that consumed her attention. 

Yet now… now she has no excuse. Even armed with a blade in hand, she was bested by people ensnared by some dark magic. Defeated in a manner that tarnished her esteemed title of Princess Knight and not to mention  her body was now being groped by their filthy hands. Despair settled in as the stark truth dawned: no reinforcements were forthcoming, even within the kingdom of Feoh\. Worst of all, the inability to protect this child felt no different from a knife being plunged deep into her heart. 

Her widened eyes watched as they started to grab onto Radomira's clothes as well. Lust and amusement on their faces. A faint film of purple smoke started to seep from Radomira's body as memories of the past started to return. 

With a single pull, they teare—

Schlink!

The chuckles ceased, and to Claudia's senses, the stench of burnt wood and dust instantly became replaced with iron and ash. 

A shadow loomed over the mercenary subordinate, eclipsing even their own leader in stature, cloaked in crimson. Drops of blood dripped from a white sword, followed by a spray of crimson that painted the scene in a macabre hue. Silence reigned, devoid of whimper or protest, replaced only by expressions of disbelief and bewilderment in the mercenary's eyes as his reality began to warp. His gaze descended to the soles of his boots, a numbness spreading from his neck downwards, as darkness quickly took him.

Gentle hands tenderly cradled  Radomira's head, as a soft cloth wiped away some of the bloodstains marring her visage. With each stroke, the purple mist began to slowly disperse,  the sense of peril lifting from her being. 

"I specifically told you to stay inside my chambers or with Maia and Brynn instead of wandering around, kid. You almost lost control of your powers, and I would rather not clean up another one of your messes.." He said with a sigh, sounding annoyed and tired, but not unkind. "Hmm? Is it just me or have you grown taller?"

She gazed up at him with teary yellow eyes, meeting his steel-gray gaze as she struggled to muster a smile. "I-I was looking for you… papa… I got bored… and…" 

That response made him sigh once again.

"Hey brat, stop calling me that, I'm not in the mood for your little teases. Just call me Archer, okay?" Despite his reprimand, she gave him no reply, simply nestling her head against his stomach,  seeking solace in his familiar scent amidst the acrid stench of blood and burning wood. His presence provided a comforting anchor, despite the threat of the remaining mercenaries looming over Claudia. 

"Next time you're bored, just talk with Luu-Luu. I know that pipsqueak has something for you to do or teach you — just don't bother her when she's working in the forge. Or better yet, play with Brynn, I'm pretty sure I left her in charge of you." 

"It's not the same without you… and I was hungry." 

"You could have asked Brynn to whip something up for you or fetch a snack from the kitchen." 

The girl pouted, shaking her head stubbornly. "They all taste bland and boring." 

"...don't you start acting spoiled because I won't be making you food every time you're hungry. I'm not your personal chef." 

"Hehehe, I know, but you'll always make me some food if I ask." 

They conversed with remarkable calmness, the earlier tension dissolving in the ease of their conversation, unperturbed by the grisly headless corpse right beneath their feet with a growing pool of blood. A sight was strange enough that it rendered both the other men and Claudia speechless.

"Shit, I thought the area was clear!" One of the men roared, grabbing his weapon and charging towards the intruder. "You'll pay for killing Jan, you bastard!" 

Despite being caught off guard by his ambush, they still had the upper hand thanks to their divine blessing. And while he lacked the bearings of a Knight nor the visage of a mage, he was confident in his ability to end this in a single strike.

Clang! 

"What!?" Despite his enhanced strength, the mercenary found himself facing an immovable wall as Archer brandished Bakuya. A network of tiny cracks spread across the surface of the iron blade, while not a single scratch marred the flawless Noble Phantasm. Archer raised an eyebrow, his suspicion mounting at the unexpected display of strength. 

"For a second, I thought that I had overlooked a couple of you Kuroinu dogs who've nowcame to get revenge. But, apparently, that doesn't seem to be the case." Even as the mercenary tried to apply more strength, Archer remained rooted in his spot with ease, his expression betraying no hint of strain as he scrutinized the mercenary with narrowed eyes, studying every detail intently. 

'Hm, barely thrice as strong as an average human. Taking into account his already burly physique, I'd say a two-time modifier would account for his current strength level. His speed remains unremarkable, not to mention his ordinary iron steel weaponry and pricey combat gear, which should amount to a few hundred silver coins if I remember correctly. Proficient blade handling,  and stable combat stance. A trained mercenary and one that has traces of Magical Energy. But they don't have Magic Circuits, so it can't be regular Reinforcement… has it awakened already? Unlikely, or else the Kingdom would have been long gone . Is it weak right now and hiding somewhere around here?' 

With a clearer understanding of the situation, Archer knew he couldn't let these people escape until he has extracted every bit of info he could from them "From what I understand, Celestine can't grant blessings to men. I'm intrigued to know who granted you this 'gift' and where I can locate them. Tell me where they are and I'll let you go." 

Despite his words, Archer harbored no intention of releasing them even if they had revealed everything. Especially not after what happened and the possibility that they would return for revenge. It was merely a facade to coerce them into divulging vital details k without having to resort to extreme measures. 

"You fucking bastard!" The man roared with frustration,launching a flurry of sword strikes from every conceivable angle to cleave through his enemy — yet, each of his strikes was easily parried or blocked. Archer, maintaining his grip on Bakuya with the same impassive expression, stood his ground without yielding an inch. He gazed down upon his opponent, who grew increasingly flustered in the face of his unyielding presence.

The enhancement they received paled in comparison to the potency of his Reinforcement. Not that he needed to use it in the first place after their initial clash, relying instead on his skills to easily break down each attack. Radomira by his side marveled at the fireworks of sparks igniting with each clash, unable to hide the large grin on her face as the display unfolded. 

Claudia on the other hand, was taken aback. As a swordswoman herself, she was in awe at the level of mastery he held. With barely a tilt of  his head to evade a thrust from the opponent's blade, he showcased a level of skill surpassing anything she had witnessed before, even surpassing her father-in-law or the renowned Vault. 'I can only imagine Alicia capable of such feats if she used her speed properly. But even then, that girl has yet to fully master her own blessing.' 

Crack!

And just like that, the blade within his opponent's grasp broke into shards, rendered powerless against the might of a Noble Phantasm. The sight left the men further gripped by dread at the prowess of the red-clad man before them.

"If you won't tell me then I see no reason to spare your lives. Just tell me who gave you these powers and where they are." He stated bluntly, his patience wearing thin. "Furthermore, I think it would be in your best interest to get off that woman. I'm honestly getting sick and tired of these kinds of scenes." 

Ever since he came to this world, Archer couldn't help but notice the disturbing fixation on rape for some reason. While such cases weren't unfamiliar to him in his own world, here they seemed alarmingly pervasive. It is just far too common here that he started to understand why a Beast got interested. 

"Who the hell are you!?" The leader shouted, having gotten up with his spear close by. "Did Celestine send reinforcements?" 

Emiya shrugged, "Perhaps I wasn't clear with my intentions." With a mental command, a handful of blades appeared behind the men and pierced their shadows — rendering them completely immobile as Archer casually walked past the second one who had his weapon shattered. 

"I'll ask you one final time, who gave you these powers and where are they?" With Bakuya pressing against his throat, the leader struggled to break free while still resisting to give Archer an answer. 

"Ah," Radomira gasped as she recalled something these people mentioned before. "H-He was talking about how Miss Celestine is a fake Goddess and then said something about another one who granted them this blessing. It was… um… Sa-Satom? Sodun… So…"

"Sodom…," Archer corrected her, to which she nodded enthusiastically. However she was puzzled by the dread in his tone, mistaking it for something else. It was hard to deny the dark look in his eyes. He looked visibly distressed even — an expression she had never seen on her protector. "Are you sure it was Sodom?" 

"Yes! Even Claudia heard it!" 

This was the last piece of knowledge that snapped the small thread of patience within Archer's mind as he seized the leader by his throat and pinned him against a charred wooden pillar. A pained hiss escaped the man's lips as the burnt wood dug into his flesh. "Where is this Beast hiding? Where did you meet it!?" 

Beasts in general were a horrible ordeal to face, as all embodied a level of peril that defied measurement. Each Beast epitomized a distinct aspect, with some being more… amenable to resolution through dialogue, or just harboring a lower risk of danger than others. Initially, his speculations revolved around two other Beasts, but the emergence of Sodom's Beast was among the most dreaded

'Sodom's Beast… I barely know anything about its capabilities. Even throughout my tenure  as a Counter Guardian, I've never had to confront such an entity; tasks like these were customarily entrusted to Grand Servants.' He tried to scour his memories for any information that would help him. 'Had I

 encountered this entity in one of my previous iterations?' He couldn't recall, forcing himself to rummage through an uncountable amount of centuries worth of memories and ending up with nothing but traces of an image belonging to the King of Knights. 

Why did she have to pop up right now? That woman held no connection with that creature! Damn it, in the end, he couldn't rely on memories alone. 

"Argh…kah!" The leader struggled to break his hold, "L-Like I'd t-tell a heretic like you!" Just before Archer could say anything further, the man's features started to turn pale, sunken, and devoid of life. 

"Trace, on!" 

From his hand a twisted dagger manifested in the blink of an eye. A Noble Phantasm which he swiftly plunged within the man's flesh without a moment's hesitation. Yet, he grew frustrated as he was too late. The effect of whatever spell that had possessed the mercenary had already drained the last vestiges of the man's life force. 

"Damn it!" He cursed, anger showing on his face as he flung the lifeless corpse aside with little regard. Strengthening his legs with Reinforcement, he leaped atop  the tallest structure nearby to survey the surrounding terrain. His keen eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any hint of supernatural disturbance amidst the subtle shifts in the air. "Nothing… it's being careful." 

Taking it as a promising indication that his adversary deemed him worthy of caution, he found a glimmer of hope amidst the frustration. "No matter where you are hiding, I'll hunt you down sooner or later, coward." He whispered, to which the ever so light sound of someone scoffing reached his ears. 

Taking a deep breath, he calmed his nerves. "I have to hurry." He murmured, feeling the pressure upon his shoulders increasing exponentially, as he questioned Alaya's judgment in selecting him for this task. The least she could have done is deploy more Heroic Spirits to aid him, or better yet, a Grand Servant to take his place. 

"Papa!" Jumping back to the ground, Radomira tackled him with a hug. Looking no different from a Koala as she moved her body onto his back and held onto him firmly with even her little tail trying to wrap around his waist. "I was so scared! Those bad people came out of nowhere and blew up the tavern when I was eating with Mama! If she wasn't there, then I… I would've…" 

"Hah, calm down. I'm here to protect you. Also, we'll talk about this habit of yours to call me papa after I finish some business. And what's with this calling someone Mama? Don't start calling random people that you just met, it'll make them uncomfortable." 

"Really? She really was enjoying it when I called her that… Ah, we need to help her!" 

He turned to where the Princess Knight was, the latter resting against a pile of rubble — still recovering but with barely any clothes left on her. "This is becoming far too common for my liking."  he remarked, conjuring a blanket and draping it gently over Claudia to afford her some modesty.. Her eyes snapped open as she stared back at Archer. 

In contrast to many of the Princess Knights, she didn't react violently or unleash a torrent of unfounded accusations. Instead, she just gave him an analytical stare. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he decided to break the silence between them. "I believe this is the second time we have met. Our last encounter didn't give me any opportunity to have a conversation with you." 

Claudia's gaze shifted between him and the joyful Radomira on his back, her expression betraying hints of drowsiness as the girl gradually drifted into sleep, her tiny form still clinging onto the red clad man with a determined grip. A small trace of envy emerged, brief though it was, this little Tiefling came the closest to giving her the feeling of what it meant to be a mother. A long-standing dream of hers, yet she should have known how foolish it was on her part to try and keep that small bubble from bursting. 

"So she is your daughter, after all. I never imagined a Tiefling to be born from the union between a human and demon." She commented, to which Archer quickly responded in a dry tone. 

"She's not my daughter. This girl just likes to mess with people. I rescued her from a slave ring in a town on the outskirts of the kingdom. Ever since then, this little troublemaker has been glued to me non stop. That is until I can find her a safe home."

"Home?" Hope flashed before the Princess Knight's eyes. Certainly, Ansur boasted all the necessities one would ever require to live a safe life, unlike Feoh and even Ken which had plenty of mercenaries and people with less than savory intentions. Her kingdom mostly housed retired Knights, regular civilians, and soldiers. She and Klaus already built a beautiful garden safe for children to run around, an army of servants ready to fulfill any requests, and much more. Unfortunately, her optimism wavered in the wake of the recent ordeal involving Klaus. As she was no longer certain how safe her own kingdom was anymore if someone like her husband could be so easily kidnapped from their own home. 

"Besides that, I'm surprised you managed to survive those goons, let alone shield Radomira while fending them off. I'm honestly impressed, even your injuries aren't as bad as I thought they'd be." Archer commented, picking up some of the discarded pieces of armor and passing them onto Claudia. "Maia was right about you." 

"You… you're the one who killed Vault." She said calmly, putting on her gear with some difficulty. 

"I am," he answered without hesitation, not an ounce of emotion in his response, just a fact. It threw Claudia back a bit, not really expecting him to answer so honestly. "Are you going to come at me with a blade and lock me in a dungeon?" 

Claudia hesitated before shaking her head. "I wish I could, it's my duty after all. But if Celestine has allowed you to roam freely, then she must have her reasons." She tried to get up, wincing as some of her wounds were still healing. Archer offered his hands, a gesture she didn't refute, and took it. He easily, but gently lifted her up, making sure to not aggravate her wounds. "And I'm not in the best conditions to forcefully apprehend you anyway." 

"That's a rather surprising amount of trust you have in Celestine. Can you walk?" He asked, she tried to do so but staggered slightly, her adrenaline wearing off. 

'Hardly, it's taking all my energy just to stand, but I can't let him know that.' She could feel her body beginning to falter, her knees threatening to buckle under the strain.The effort of holding back those assailants had exacted a greater toll than she had anticipated.

But as she braced herself for the inevitable fall, she  found herself lifted off the ground by a pair of arms, one securing her legs and the other supporting her back. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around the nearest object for support, which happened to be Archer's neck. Clinging on to the man, while pressing the uncovered front part of her body against his.

"W-w-what are you doing!? This is not a proper way to treat a knight!" Claudia's voice carried a growl of protest, though she fought to maintain its steadiness, not wanting to wake the sleeping Tiefling. Her words were tinged with a hint of rage at being handled by this man she had only recently met, while her cheeks flushed red from embarrassment at her own vulnerability. Furthermore, she fretted  over potential misunderstandings that could arise from anyone seeing them like this.

Her heart just wouldn't stop palpitating.

"Hm, it would be more efficient for both of us if I carried you to the castle and got you to a healer as soon as possible. Just bear with it for now. The sooner we address this, the sooner we can resolve the situation at hand." 

His words didn't help much to shake off the red flush staining her face. The intimacy of  being carried by another man, particularly one who wasn't her husband, left her feeling flustered and uncertain. Granted, her husband had once tried to pick her up, but he had nearly pulled out his back, while looking more red than a tomato from the exertion of trying to lift her. At the time, she found it cute and was a bit worried about her weight due to her muscles, but now that she got to experience it, she felt… odd to say the least, unsure of how to navigate this newfound sensation.

Archer continued to carry her, despite her quiet protests and attempt to squirm free  from his hold. He remained resolute, stride steady as he carried her towards the castle, oblivious to her discomfort and seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He honestly found the situation to be quite funny, seeing the stalwart women behaving this way.  But after a few more futile struggles, she eventually grew tired and resigned herself to the situation. At this point, she just wants to leave this place, so the young child won't have to see the destruction and dead bodies anymore.

Once again,  it did not escape his mind that the person he carried could be considered practically naked with only a few strategic pieces of metal guarding her most intimate regions.

'These people get embarrassed over getting carried around rather than their own choice of apparel… this is beyond absurd and just purely idiotic.' 

While still being held in his arms and little Radomira still clinging onto his back like a human backpack, the trio slowly left the area. Walking past the aftermath of the explosion where Claudia saw more corpses of people on the streets near the tavern. She gritted her teeth at the sight, once again seeing no signs of her Knights. Unaware of her own actions, she inadvertently tightened her grip around Archer's neck , causing him mild discomfort. "Did you see any Knights on your way here?" 

"Mostly guards, as for Knights I've seen a couple making their way here but I don't believe they were with you." Oddly, he was expecting a more hostile exchange from Claudia compared to his previous encounters with Alicia, who treated him with distrust and hostility. Yet, her wariness was evident, even as she took the moment to gently rub Radomira's cheeks, who remained peacefully asleep. "Don't tell me you got betrayed as soon as you came to Feoh?"

"...I don't know." Doubts surfaced within her mind. "My Knights are loyal, I find it hard to believe they would betray me in the first place. Something must have happened to them." 

"Perhaps, you can find that out after we get you healed up." 

"What are you doing in Feoh? Did you come here to kill us off as well?" 

Archer rolled his eyes at those questions. "If that were my goal then I would have done it a long time ago. I came here to fulfill a deal I made and to seek help from your Goddess Reborn."

Archer's mention of a deal with Celestine piqued Claudia's curiosity. The revelation that someone who had allegedly slain their greatest ally had struck a bargain with the Goddess Reborn, and for Celestine to willingly aid him despite the fact… just how much had she missed during her absence? For days, the situation with Klaus' health had consumed her thoughts, and she had neglected to  keep herself up to date on the recent developments in Feoh.

"I see. I… I didn't have the opportunity to say this before, but thank you for saving Prim." Archer's steps faltered momentarily as Claudia's unexpected gratitude washed over him, stirring a mixture of surprise and humility within him. "I don't know about the details, but Prim vouched for you back then. I see her and Alicia as more than just my students, so I'm eternally grateful that she managed to survive." 

"Thanking the man that killed off the leader of the Kuroinu? Never thought I'd hear this from a Princess Knight, especially from a person like you." 

Claudia scoffed.

"Don't misunderstand my words, I am grateful to you for saving Prim but I also hold you accountable for the deaths of our allies. Until I get the full story from Celestine, I'll withhold my judgment. So rest assured, I won't have the kingdom's Knights chase you around." And she didn't want to admit it, but becoming his enemy meant pointing her blade at Radomira as well. Claudia just couldn't see herself capable of such an act, yet her duties as a Princess Knight, as well as the Dawn Templar Captain, urged her to follow through. A myriad of emotions fighting for dominance, forcing herself at a loss on which path to choose. 

"Heh, that's the nicest threat I got from a Princess Knight so far. But since we are on that note, I'll also thank you for keeping this brat safe. Not many people would risk their lives for a stranger, especially for a Tiefling." 

"Because they are blind fools," she answered with a stern voice, finding the idea of leaving a child, no matter the race, on their own to be repulsive. "And she is but a child, not a monster." 

Honestly, his impression of this woman kept getting better by the second. Unlike Alicia or Maia, she wasn't brash nor quick to jump to conclusions. Her ability to refrain from making rash decisions and her lack of being ensnared by pride were admirable qualities. She didn't evoke the unsettling sensation he felt around  Kaguya and displayed a level of maturity that surpassed even someone like Prim. The fact that she shielded Radomira helped with his impression on her, he hoped she wouldn't become a nuisance in the future and in fact, be a valuable ally. 

"Claudia!"

"Claudia-sama!" 

From a distance, both turned their attention to find Celestine and a couple of Knights rushing towards them. Horror etched their faces as they took in Claudia's disheveled state and the blazing building looming in the background. The blonde elf's eyes twitched as she found her friend being held in such an intimate manner by the white-haired man, enough that it stirred her heart with an unpleasant feeling. 

But she pushed those emotions to the side and went over to help her out. 

"Claudia, oh dear, what has befallen you?" 

Archer gently laid the woman on a nearby stone bench as Celestine channeled her powers to heal all of her injuries. Claudia smiled, letting the familiar warmth spread all over her body. 

"You look far better than before, Celestine." She couldn't help but remark on Celestine's improved appearance, noting the healthy glow that now adorned the Goddess's face, a far cry from her former self. "I really did miss a lot these last couple of days. I hope you can fill me in on what has been happening since I was gone." 

"Of course, but you need to re—"

"I'm fine," the brunette insisted, pointing at Archer who remained quiet the entire time, who had finally set her down, but still remained nearby to offer support. "I also want to know what this man is doing here and your reason for helping him." 

"... I know this may be hard to believe, but trust me when I say that he is not our enemy. I know you and Alicia won't believe me due to what happened to the Kuroinu, but please… Please trust me." 

"I have a better proposition," Archer began, his voice steady as he got everyone's attention. "I believe it's time for me to discuss the reason for my presence here and why I require your help. I'll answer any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them. You can brief Claudia on everything that has happened as well and I'll contribute to the discussion accordingly."

He looked at Claudia. 

"My reasons are intricately tied to those who orchestrated the attack on you. The faster we get done with this, the sooner we can be sure such people no longer pose a threat to anyone again. And since all of the Princess Knights are gathered in one spot, it's better for you all to hear this to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings" 

"Shirou…"

.

.

.

(An hour later)

-Feoh Castle Throne Room-

Within the throne room, a heavy atmosphere filled the air as Archer found himself in a similar situation as before when he first arrived. This time, however,  all the Princess Knights were present, along with Olga and Chloe standing beside her. Initially, Claudia gasped in shock at seeing the Dark Queen and reached for her sword as soon as she saw the woman, and the latter, sensing the tension, even went as far as taunting her out of spite to escalate the chaos. 

It took the combined efforts of Maia and Luu-Luu to calm her down. 

"Sex Empire? Treason? And he truly was the boy from the poster, I wasn't wrong with my assumption!" 

As of right now, Celestine gave Claudia a shortened version of the events that have transpired so far. From his unexpected arrival and the controversial decision to bring Olga and Chloe as 'prisoners of war' at the Dark Queen's request, to the reason he gave for killing Vault, and finally her vision. 

Claudia wasn't the only one who was shocked by this revelation. 

"The hell, this is actually you!?" Maia had a similar reaction, holding a wanted poster with the image of a young Emiya Shirou while looking back and forth between him and the young man on the poster. "YOU HAD RED HAIR AND DIDN'T BOTHER TELLING ME!? What else are you hiding from me!? Oh wait… now that I think about it, you really did look rather similar with your hair down when sleeping."

Perhaps she was focusing on others, less important matters. He should have expected as such from her. 

Luu-Luu was laughing her cute little butt off for some reason, nearly toppling from her chair in her mirth. Prim, on the other hand, wore a solemn expression, gazing at him and the poster. Alicia remained silent the entire time, not seeming to be affected by the revelation or anything for that matter and Kaguya appeared perplexed more than anything else, if the confused look in her eyes was any indication. 

"It's not unusual for people to look different as they grow old, but this is rather a drastic change. Even the eye color is vastly different." 

Emiya shrugged again, "We can chalk everything up to stress and other minor factors. And no, Maia, I'm not going to dye my hair or change my hairstyle." 

"Ah," the redhead froze as she was about to suggest exactly that before pouting. "Killjoy."

"Are you sure your hair wasn't red from soaking in the blood of your enemies?" Olga noted, having shown little change in her reaction as she sat adjacent to Celestine. Her legs crossed while lazily gazing at the picture with one hand supporting her chin. "Here I was questioning whether you had some connections with the Dark Elves — Yet you still have the gall to make a fool out of me till the end." 

"Do you just see me as a bloodthirsty monster bathing in a pool of blood?" He asked with an annoyed tone, staring at the far too relaxed dark queen. 

"Most definitely," she said with a light smirk, relishing the annoyed glare that her protector was giving her. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with the red-haired Princess Knight. You would look better with your original appearance, a simple potion or two should be enough to revert such changes — you wouldn't look as intimidating. Though it'd be unfortunate to not have others mistake you for a Dark Elf, it would raise our reputation." Chloe had a thoughtful look at her queen's words, before showing a mocking smirk and looking down at him as if she won something. 

"He was very cute indeed!" Celestine nodded with a proud look on her face. "I can show you other pictures I've drawn of him at a younger age!" 

"I-I think Archer looks better now…" Prim said with quiet shyness, and again, Alicia didn't react to that comment. 

"Can we stop talking about my appearance!" Finally having enough, Archer boomed loudly with a vein throbbing on his forehead. These women were too much at times. He came here to discuss serious issues and they got distracted by his younger self's face of all things! And it just pissed him off!

Claudia coughed, feeling the others were getting off track as well. "Yes, returning to the main issue. I have heard the story but I still don't see why you are protecting him, Celestine. Vault has never shown any signs of treason and this whole sex empire story sounds completely absurd. It's hard to trust a stranger in our lands and much less the Dark Queen herself, while giving us such ridiculous proof." 

"It's because I haven't mentioned the entire story as well," Archer answered. "Since you've seen with your own eyes what happened today, my following words will hold more credibility. I initially didn't bring it up as I preferred that only Celestine be the one to hear it, but the situation has changed and I don't want you guys to get in my way  — so I decided that it would be better if I tell you all about my real mission."

Instantly, he got all of their attention. Maia and Celestine nervously looked at him while Claudia crossed her arms before nodding for him to continue. He wasn't certain of the window of time when the Beast first arrived in Eostia or if it was the one who influenced Vault for this sex empire idea, but to make it less hard for him… he decided to take it into account as well.

"Vault's betrayal, his ability to control monsters, and how easily Kin broke through Olga's castle defenses. The one who controlled the mercenaries today and granted them power similar to yours, all of this relates to a single entity that I have unfortunately been tasked to hunt down — a Beast." 

{Break}

-Pantielle Manor-

"For-Forgive me oh great goddess! I failed to foresee the interference from Celestine's allies! It won't happen again! I promise!" 

Within the main hall of 'his' manor, Joshua Pantielle dropped to his knees with his forehead pressing against the ground and begging forgiveness. His clothes were soaked with sweat from the amount of fear that was overwhelming him. The previous dark room was now coated in gold and red-themed drapes and curtains, the ground covered in velvet carpet made of soft fur from rare monsters, and a large table filled with various delicacies on golden platters. 

To the side, his son hobbling on three limbs, sanity no longer present within those eyes as he squealed like a pig every so often, having been completely shattered by his new master. A chain around his neck tied to a pillar, nothing more than a pet. Eating rotten food from the floor or whatever leftovers she threw out of boredom. A sight that made him want to cry in fear and grief but he wouldn't dare to do so before this… this horrible being. 

Adorned in a red satin dress made from the finest material in the Kingdom, holding onto a golden goblet of wine as she feasted upon the food. Consuming far more than someone her size could. 

Why did his son have to pick her?

Why did he have to bring this monster back to their home? 

Whywhywhywhywhy—

"Umu, of course, you've failed," she spoke, sending a chill down his spine as he heard the disappointed tone. "Then again, they encountered the Guardian, I would have been more surprised if they had indeed succeeded somehow. He found me quicker than anticipated, making it all the more fun." 

She grabbed onto a vial, one that he remembered giving to Beardsley after having discovered it in the black market. A product formerly sold by the Pig brothers, before they ran out. A mere concentration of high grade aphrodisiac, potent enough that it gave off a pleasant scent that she never experienced before. Having taken a liking to it, she wanted more.

"This King recalls having explicitly ordered you to find the original owner of this power and bring her to me yourself. Or at the very least, have that Princess Knight your worthless seed keeps blabbering about so often to visit. Yet, you acted slothful and foolish, taking my blessings for granted, wasting them away on a useless battle that incurred a loss. Even if it had succeeded, both would have died by thy foolish actions." Her sharp eyes focused upon him as he felt a mountain-like pressure pressing upon his body, nearly crushing him to the ground. 

"I-I-It wasn't my fault, th-those imbeciles detonated the bomb in that building despite what I told them! They acted rashly and I couldn't have known that!" 

"Silence!" Blood leaked out of his nose from a wave of pressure. "Excuses, excuses. Such is the best defense you have when you fail to accomplish such a simple task. I have kept my promise to you to let your son live despite his unforgivable transgression against me, in exchange for a competent follower. Yet not only have you failed to live up to my expectations but also had the Guardian believe that I am purposefully hiding from him like a cowardly rat!" 

The girl hopped off her chair, having her tail push against the floor before slowly walking towards him. 

"I am benevolent but even that has a limit. I am merciful but not naive, even to those who plan to backstab me in the near future." Joshua froze, eyes widening as he watched her in disbelief. "Oh, did you think I wouldn't notice the small army of these paladins and mercenaries that you along with that Bishop have been gathering under my nose? And notwithstanding the multiple doses of aphrodisiac and poison that were present in my meals. Though it at least gave some taste to the bland food." 

The man hastily shook his head. "N-N-No, it wasn't me! I would never—" he couldn't finish his words before his head got crushed by her tail. Skull fragments and brain matter spilling over the floor.

Draco huffed, snapping her fingers as multiple maids came by her side and started to remove any stains on her tail and clean it diligently. Once they had finished, the blonde walked towards the door, "I'll show that Guardian… like I'd be scared to face him even in my current state. Let's see his face tonight when I grace him with my magnificent presence. Calling me a coward, did he think I wouldn't recognize such an insulting taunt? I'll bite him to death!" 

She muttered to herself with a sneer, more annoyed about the Counter Guardian's comment than whatever plans Joshua had in the first place. 

"Don't bother cleaning that up, let the worthless pig do it himself. Or just do whatever you please to them, take this as a small reward for telling me about the poison and drugs in my food." She ordered the maids who were trying to move the body away, a rather twisted smile on their faces as they looked at both the father and son duo.

-----------------------

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 1 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.