[Altair Miller]
Jeanne d'Arc… a simple peasant girl who became a saint, canonized by the Catholic Church.
And now, that very same saint was standing before me, smiling gently, her expression serene.
Strangely, I didn't doubt her identity. However, based on what the soldiers said, Jeanne d'Arc was being blamed as the cause of this entire disaster.
That led me to a logical conclusion — there must be two Jeanne d'Arcs in this Singularity.
With that in mind, I sketched a faint smile and opened my mouth, saying: "It's a pleasure, Jeanne d'Arc, the Maiden of Orléans, one of the patron saints of France."
Hearing me mention her status, she scratched her cheek, blushing in embarrassment.
"Wait… the same Jeanne d'Arc who was supposed to have died just a few days ago…" Ritsuka began to say, but I cut her off with a light flick to her forehead.
"You really need to learn some tact, little redhead."
Ritsuka rubbed the spot where I flicked her and lowered her head, her cheeks flushing deeply. "Little redhead…" she muttered.
"I doubt the soldiers will give us a warm welcome," Artoria said, raising her Excalibur and pointing toward the soldiers, who were now aiming their bows at us.
Their eyes — or rather, their glares — were filled with fear, rage, and clear hostility… directed specifically at Jeanne d'Arc.
Jeanne glanced briefly at the soldiers pointing their weapons at her and sighed softly, her breath escaping her rosy lips.
"I know a place where we can talk. Please, follow me."
•••
We followed Jeanne d'Arc for a while until we reached the edge of a forest.
She stopped and turned toward us. "I think we can settle here. Please, could you tell me your names?"
Mash was the first to respond. "My name is Mash Kyrielight." She then pointed toward Fujimaru. "And this is my Master, Fujimaru Ritsuka."
"Hello!" Ritsuka greeted, smiling warmly at the golden-haired saint.
Mash nodded and gestured toward Artoria. "And this is—"
"Saber!" Artoria interrupted, avoiding revealing her true name. Understandable — she probably wasn't convinced Jeanne could be trusted, although I didn't sense any malice coming from her.
With introductions mostly done, I stepped forward.
"My name is Altair Miller. These two behind me are my Servants." I gestured behind, where Nobunaga stood with her arms crossed, while Okita, although clearly alert, didn't seem particularly interested in the conversation. "Pardon the question, but… you're a Servant too, right?"
"Yes, as I've said, I am Jeanne d'Arc, summoned as a Ruler-class Servant." She placed a hand over her chest as she introduced herself again.
"Ruler?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion. Could this be a new class?
Hearing my confusion, Mash turned to me. "Altair-senpai, Ruler is a non-standard Servant class, created specifically to oversee Holy Grail Wars."
"Oh! Sounds like a pretty important role."
"It is, but…" Jeanne's gaze fell on the Command Seals on my hand and on Ritsuka's. "Although you are Masters… this isn't a typical Holy Grail War, is it?"
Mash shook her head. "No, it has nothing to do with the Grail War. Things are… a lot more complicated."
"I see..." Jeanne raised her hand to her temple. "The information I should have isn't here. My abilities are diminished. I can't use my Command Spells, and I can't identify other Servants anymore."
The frustration in her voice was palpable, weighing heavily on her words. Not only was she hated by her own people, but now she'd lost several of the advantages her class typically provided.
"Tough situation, huh?"
"A little," she admitted, scratching her cheek awkwardly.
"At least you're in your homeland."
"Yes." Her sad smile faltered briefly, revealing the deep love she held for France.
"But… why were the soldiers calling you a witch? What did they mean by that?" Ritsuka asked hesitantly.
Jeanne's smile disappeared at once, replaced by a serious, somewhat sorrowful expression.
"I truly don't know. I only materialized a few hours ago, so I'm not sure what's happening. But… it seems there's another me who is trying to destroy France." Her voice dropped to a whisper.
Exactly what I had suspected.
It was strange — the idea of two Jeannes existing in the same Singularity — but considering there were two Artorias, it wasn't entirely absurd for one of the Jeannes to be an evil counterpart.
"So… does that mean two identical Servants were summoned in the same era?"
The moment Ritsuka asked, Dr. Romani's voice echoed through the communicator in Mash's hand.
"I haven't found anything in the records about that. However, we don't have access to most of the Holy Grail War archives. That means there could be examples of simultaneous summonings. On a different note, now we know the core problem of this era. With Charles VII dead and Orléans occupied, it symbolizes the collapse of France. In a few centuries, France would become the first nation to declare liberty — an act that inspired the entire world. If this timeline is delayed by even a hundred years… civilization could stagnate, leaving the world trapped in the Middle Ages!"
Jeanne jumped back in surprise. "I just heard a voice!" she exclaimed, her amethyst eyes wide. "Is this some kind of sorcery? What in heaven's name…"
Before she could continue, Olga Marie's voice echoed from the communicator.
"Calm yourself, Saint. That voice belongs to the doctor and support staff of our organization. I am Olga Marie Animusphere, director of Chaldea. A pleasure to meet you, Saint Jeanne d'Arc."
"The pleasure is mine… but... what exactly is Chaldea?" Jeanne asked, utterly confused.
I felt a little sorry for her — getting bombarded with so much information at once. Clearly, she was struggling to keep up.
"Excuse me, Mademoiselle Jeanne," Mash intervened, stepping forward. I had to hold back a grin as I watched her try to pronounce French — it only made her look even cuter.
"We are not from this era, but from what you would consider the future. We are time travelers, tasked with correcting anomalies in history like this one. We belong to an organization called Chaldea..."
Mash continued explaining everything, taking her time so Jeanne could understand. Meanwhile, the sun began to set, and a crescent moon slowly rose in the sky. Jeanne's confusion gradually faded as the explanation unfolded.
"I see," Jeanne nodded. "To think… the entire world was incinerated… My own problems feel so trivial in comparison." Her gaze fell to her feet. "I'm an incomplete Servant... and now I can't even trust 'myself.' The Jeanne d'Arc occupying Orléans... and those flying dragons..."
"You mean the Wyverns? Yeah, they definitely don't belong here," I commented, crossing my arms. "That said, I don't think it's fair to blame you for your other self's actions — the so-called 'Dragon Witch.' It might not mean much, but… I trust you. You don't feel like a threat."
Hearing my words, Jeanne's eyes widened. Her lips curved into a soft, grateful smile as she lifted her gaze to meet mine.
"Thank you," she murmured, her cheeks tinting pink. "But… about the dragons… they're surely under the control of my 'other self.' It's strange, though... I never had any connection to dragons in life."
At that moment, Dr. Romani's voice echoed once more.
"If there's anything that could summon an army of dragons like this…" he began before Ritsuka cut him off. "...it's the Holy Grail."
Romani agreed. "A lot of things still don't add up, but at least we have some answers now. Mademoiselle Jeanne, what do you plan to do from here?"
"I will head to Orléans and reclaim the city. To do that, I must defeat the other Jeanne d'Arc," she said, her voice filled with unwavering determination. "Even if the Lord has yet to show me the path, I cannot turn my back."
She didn't hesitate to face a road full of enemies alone. Mash and Ritsuka both stared at the saint with admiration.
"I see," I nodded. "So in other words, we have to cross a territory crawling with skeletons and Wyverns, defeat the evil saint, and retrieve the Grail. Sounds like a solid plan to me." I grinned, causing Jeanne's golden eyes to widen. "What? Did you think no one would come with you? It'd be my pleasure to fight alongside you — if, of course, you'll accept our help."
"Hehehe, Altair-kun is right! Naturally, we'll help someone in need," Ritsuka added, clasping her hands behind her back.
Jeanne blinked, stunned. "I… I can't thank you enough. Truly. I thought I'd be facing this battle alone." Her relieved smile shone brightly, her eyes sparkling.
Interrupting the moment, Dr. Romani's voice echoed again. "Saint Jeanne, how are your magical energy reserves?"
She raised a finger to her lips, thinking for a moment. "I'd say they'd last around three days… assuming I don't fight."
"Got it. Then why not form a temporary contract?" Romani suggested.
"That would be helpful, but… with which Master should I form it?" Jeanne asked, tilting her head — but her eyes were already drifting toward me.
Mash was the one to answer. "Senpai already has a contract with Saber and me. It wouldn't be good for her health to take on another. That leaves… Altair-senpai."
"I don't mind. It's entirely up to her," I replied, shrugging. Supporting three Servants wouldn't be a problem for me.
"Very well. I have no objections. I'll be in your care," Jeanne agreed with a gentle smile.
Seeing her accept, I extended my right hand toward her. "Ruler, do you accept me as your Master? If so, this contract shall be established." As I spoke, my Command Seals began to glow.
"I, Ruler Jeanne d'Arc, accept this contract. From this moment on, I shall be the sword that paves the way to your victory." With that, I felt the link between Master and Servant take hold.
Though it was a temporary contract... I had gained yet another Servant.
I couldn't help but smile at the thought.
••• ••• •••
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