Arthur returned directly to Tokiomi's residence. Standing before him were Lancelot, Bedivere, Gaheris—who had just gathered the team—and Gawain, who had recently returned. (The Marshal was now incapacitated, so there was no need to protect him for the time being.)
Looking at the four of them, Arthur asked with visible confusion, "How could the four of you let Gilles escape? He's just a Caster. How could he possibly slip past you?"
Lancelot sighed and responded with a heavy heart. "He was still clever. For the sake of the children he captured, our formation was disrupted. If we pursued him recklessly, the children would've died instantly. So… we had no choice but to let him go."
Gaheris didn't show much expression. Her mission was to rescue the children, and Arthur couldn't really fault her for that.
As for Bedivere, she had simply been having fun. None of it really concerned her too deeply.
Gawain, however, was the most frustrated. She had been on the verge of taking down Gilles when suddenly—a woman appeared. A woman who somehow managed to rescue him. Gawain couldn't even describe the bitterness she felt.
Seeing Gawain's aggrieved look, Bedivere chuckled and said, "Relax, Your Majesty. It's not Gawain's fault. Gilles de Rais can't stir up too much trouble on his own. The bigger issue here is—who was the Jeanne that saved him?"
Arthur frowned. With Jeanne d'Arc's temperament, she would never help someone like Gilles—not after knowing what he's done. Frankly, it would've been more expected for her to execute him on the spot.
"Could it be…?" Arthur considered a possibility.
Bang bang bang.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
Odd. Who would be visiting at this hour?
Bedivere moved to open it—and the moment she did, a woman collapsed at the doorway. Bedivere caught her just in time.
Gawain saw the woman's face and instinctively drew her sword.
"Stay alert!"
Her blade shot toward the woman without hesitation.
Clang!
Arthur quickly intercepted Gawain's attack and stepped forward. He knelt beside the unconscious woman and examined her closely.
"Your Majesty?" Gawain questioned.
"This isn't the Jeanne you just saw." Arthur said gravely, sensing the frailty of her spirit. He immediately began channeling magic into her to stabilize her fading existence.
"It seems... the Black Jeanne has truly manifested."
Arthur's expression turned serious. He knew that Jeanne d'Arc Alter—the corrupted version of Jeanne—was supposed to be born from Gilles' wish upon the Holy Grail. But then… why had she appeared here?
As Arthur pondered, Jeanne stirred and slowly opened her eyes.
"You're awake."
Her blurred vision focused on a warm and familiar voice. Golden light shimmered around the man who spoke to her.
"Jeanne, come on, don't sleep. Stay with me."
"Arthur... is that really you?" she murmured.
When Jeanne recognized the figure in front of her—her one and only King—she sighed in relief and nearly drifted back into unconsciousness.
"Stay with me. Don't fall asleep!"
"But… why do I see… myself?"
Her weak voice trembled with emotion. Clearly, this detail was of great importance to her.
Arthur didn't have an answer. But knowing that Shirou Emiya had come from the future, encountering overlapping timelines didn't surprise him much anymore.
Still… how had Jeanne fallen to her corrupted self? She was a formidable Heroic Spirit. To be defeated like this—there were too many questions.
---
Elsewhere, on an abandoned bridge...
"Jeanne, you actually came to save me!" Gilles cried out in rapture. "I knew you wouldn't forget me!"
"Oh, Marshal, of course I haven't forgotten you," Jeanne Alter said with a wicked smile. "But I'm here on a mission. Will you help me?"
"Help you?" Gilles instantly turned serious. "Jeanne, I would give my life for you!"
"Thank you, Marshal."
"This is my duty."
"Then we need to plan our strategy."
"Of course. My Master is someone whose personality matches mine perfectly. Let's find him first."
"Very well."
With that, Jeanne Alter and Gilles vanished into the night sky. But could the two of them alone take on the heroes that now stood in their way? That remained to be seen.
However, the true terror… wasn't Jeanne Alter.
---
In a realm of total darkness, a terrifying presence stirred.
Jeanne… or rather, the corrupted Jeanne. I wonder if I can use her to break free of this Holy Grail…
"If I can reach her…"
The shadow disappeared, vanishing in an instant as the overwhelming darkness within it receded.
Who was this figure? Even Arthur couldn't have predicted that such a dangerous unknown lurked just beyond reach.
Jeanne Alter—whose power remained unmeasured.
The mysterious shadow—whose intent was even more dangerous.
And countless powerful heroes standing in opposition… Arthur's path forward was far from hopeful.
---
Peace returned, momentarily. Arthur's Power of Faith was slowly fading. One by one, the Knights of the Round Table shimmered like stardust and faded into the night.
"Your Majesty, we take our leave."
"Remind Mordred not to forget my orders."
"Of course," Gawain replied. Then she too vanished into radiant motes of light.
Bedivere bowed briefly to Arthur. After receiving his nod, she also vanished.
Only Jeanne remained, asleep at Arthur's side.
Well… and Gilgamesh, who had quietly left unnoticed.
That day had been a whirlwind: Director Kirei was crippled, Jeanne lay critically injured, and Arthur had secured Avalon from Irisviel. There was triumph, but also great loss.
And yet, one man found himself utterly lost—Kirei Kotomine.
He stood silently, staring at the vibrant night market, unmoved by the beauty around him.
"Do I have a dream? What is my purpose?" he murmured.
Sadly, there was no one to answer him.
The golden king who might've saved him had other matters to attend to.
So… who could awaken him from his daze?
Just then—a dark figure approached, unseen and silent…
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