C495

She wasn't Artie.

He muttered quietly to himself and went back to his book, seemingly disinterested in the woman.

But she continued to watch him, visibly taken aback. Slowly, her violet eyes morphed into a deep sky blue, and her lively demeanor transformed to one of solemnity and grace, resembling a devoted saint.

He didn't look up but spoke calmly, continuing to read, "Keep to yourself, Ruler."

The girl responded evenly, "Don't worry. I'm here as a neutral mediator. I won't do anything unnecessary, Assassin,"

No, it wasn't appropriate to refer to her as just a girl anymore; she was Ruler Jeanne d'Arc, the Maid of Orleans, who had once played a pivotal role in saving France during the Hundred Years' War with England.

Yet, in Shirou's world... she was the tragic figure who met her end in front of his statue.

However, considering that there were countless parallel worlds, this version of her couldn't possibly be the same Jeanne who met such a fate in his world, could she?

In this world, Jeanne d'Arc had been summoned under the unique Ruler class, a rare incident, likely attributed to the peculiar nature of this Holy Grail War.

The unconventional battle between 14 Servants likely made even the Holy Grail itself question the sanity of the situation. Perhaps this was why it felt the need to summon a Ruler to oversee and ensure the smooth progression of the Holy Grail War.

Yet, Jeanne d'Arc's entrance into this war was anything but normal.

Instead of the traditional manifestation of a Servant, she had taken over the body of a girl named Laeticia. A girl whose wavelength, eerily mirrored her own. Through this act of possession, Jeanne d'Arc was able to participate in the Holy Grail War.

"So, why did you choose to manifest by taking over this girl's body?" He asked, his eyes never leaving his book.

"I must apologize, Assassin. You're... an Alter Servant, aren't you? To put it plainly… you're… the bad guy?" Jeanne voiced with hesitation.

She could feel the sinister aura emanating from his reversed form.

No, even without her acute sense for detecting curses and evil, almost any Heroic Spirit could probably sense the ominous aura emanating from this Assassin.

Given his use of 'All the World's Evil' to reverse his Saint Graph, this reaction was somewhat expected.

"More or less. But rest assured, the Holy Grail War hasn't started yet, so I won't harm anyone."

He saw no reason to elaborate further. It was unnecessary.

"I hope you're right," she said softly.

Despite her words, Jeanne didn't relinquish her possession and remained vigilant, watching him closely.

She had to be on her guard; the sinister aura of "All the World's Evil" was not something to be taken lightly—it warranted utmost caution.

Especially for someone like Jeanne, a Heroic Spirit who bore the esteemed title of a saint.

Yet, he seemed unfazed, calmly leafing through his copy of 'The Legends of King Arthur.' He was engrossed in a story that was both familiar and unfamiliar, paying no heed to Jeanne's vigilance.

But what he was unaware of was the silent conversation taking place between Jeanne and the true owner of the body she possessed, Laeticia.

With a mix of anxiety and curiosity, Laeticia whispered, "Miss Jeanne... Is this gentleman really a big villain?"

"It's hard to say for sure, but the curse and the sinister aura around him are overwhelming. It's like standing before the incarnation of evil," Jeanne replied with a sigh. "An Alter of his caliber manifesting in this Holy Grail War is alarming. Alters typically harbor destructive and cursed intentions towards humanity, capable of causing immense destruction."

Laeticia pondered Jeanne's words before asking, "What class does he belong to?"

Even as the topic of the 'Holy Grail War' was broached, she remained calm. When Jeanne had initially approached her about possession, she'd been honest, sharing every detail about the war. And even with that knowledge, Laeticia had willingly allowed Jeanne to use her body in this conflict. So, she wasn't surprised at all by the mentions of the Holy Grail War.

"Assassin," Jeanne stated. After a brief pause, she elaborated, "He's from the Black Faction."

Laeticia had no reason to question her.

Being a Ruler-class Heroic Spirit, Jeanne enjoyed all the privileges that came with her class. Not only could she accurately identify classes, but she also possessed 'True Name Discernment,' a class skill of Ruler where status information, such as one's identity, Skills, and Parameters, are automatically revealed to the owner of this Skill. Additionally, she held the unique 'God's Resolution' skill, allowing her to use Command Spells against Servants and granted two Command Spells for each Servant that participates in the Holy Grail War.

"So, what is this gentleman's True Name?"

"Let me see..."

Jeanne communicated with Laeticia inside her body, all the while keeping an eye on the man who was engrossed in reading a book.

She activated her 'True Name Discernment.'

But then...

She was stunned into silence.

"What's wrong, Miss Jeanne?"

"I... I can't..."

Jeanne was at a loss for words.

For some reason, her [True Name Discernment] didn't work!

Instead of the expected true name, all she could see was nothing but a baffling string of '?????'

Everything was just a bunch of question marks. Even the skills and Noble Phantasms were question marks!

She couldn't see anything!

While she was trying to wrap her head around it, he just kept on reading. Without even looking up, he casually said, "Hey Ruler, quit snooping."

He was well aware she was attempting to use her Ruler skill on him. Continuing in the same even tone, he added, "Remember, referees shouldn't interfere in the game. If you start making unjust calls, don't be surprised if the players turn on you."

"I understand. My job is to be a referee, but seeing the True Names of other Servants is a perk that comes with the role, so don't label me as unjust."

After a brief pause, she added with conviction, "I'm a Ruler, and I stand by my rules!"

He didn't reply and just went back to his book.

Laeticia then asked, "Miss Jeanne, you can't figure out this gentleman's True Name?"

"There must be a Noble Phantasm at play, blocking my True Name Discernment." Jeanne speculated in response.

She was spot on with her guess. What was obstructing her skill was indeed [Evil Flower of Freedom]. It wasn't just any Noble Phantasm. This Noble Phantasm was designed to ward off mental intrusions, nullify Command Spells, and even had the power to protect its wielder from [Clairvoyance EX]. Naturally, it could also block her ability to discern True Names.

It was an exceptionally balanced Noble Phantasm, excelling in both attack and defense. So repelling Command Spells and obstructing True Name probes was a matter of course.

Inside the minibus, the atmosphere returned to normal.

Shirou was deep into his book, while Jeanne was busy chatting with Laeticia and throwing occasional side-eyes at him.

The driver, looking a bit weirded out, just focused on driving. He'd picked up a couple of oddballs, not exactly what he had in mind.

After a moment, they continued their journey.

Jeanne eased up a bit, noticing that he wasn't making any sudden moves. She shifted her gaze to the driver, asking, "Sir, how much longer until we get to Trifas?"

"Roughly six more hours," the driver answered, glancing her way. "Trifas is northeast of Bucharest. Some spots don't have highways, so it's a bit of a trek."

"Understood," Jeanne responded with a nod.

Eager to get there, she decided to distract herself. Mimicking Shirou, she pulled out a book from her backpack - a math textbook, filled with calculus problems.

Laeticia was still in school, and she'd taken off to Romania for the Holy Grail War during a school break. But breaks didn't mean a break from homework.

With Shirou close by, she didn't want to risk letting Laeticia out; therefore, she offered to do the homework.

A good way to kill time, she'd thought.

But...

Gazing at the thick maze of formulas and complex patterns in the math book, Jeanne was at a loss for words.

Back in her day, she was a noble's daughter from Domrémy, overseeing around 50 acres, and she had received a basic education. When she became a Ruler, the Holy Grail gave her some knowledge of the modern world.

Yet, it seemed even with that, her old-school learning and the Grail's quick download had their limits.

She stared blankly. This was still way over her head!