Is there anything more interesting than fooling others?

"So, just as a point of view, could it be that chivalry is wrong?"

To speak of chivalry being wrong in front of two stubborn individuals who regard classical knightly spirit as their creed is akin to discussing academia with ancient Chinese scholars and suddenly interjecting, "Are there any issues with the Analects?" Such a deeply subversive statement might cause the hot-tempered and fierce to lash out, and even the well-mannered would inevitably harbor some resentment.

However, at this moment, the two individuals Jizi faced, who could be called paragons of knighthood, showed no displeasure. Instead, they wore expressions of deep thought.

An almost unbelievable event had truly occurred, and this outcome was the result of a confluence of many factors.

Firstly, when these Servants were summoned to the present world, they were already imbued with knowledge of modern times by the Holy Grail. And over the many days that the Holy Grail War had progressed, while it couldn't be said that all of them were as interested in this era as the King of Heroes or the King of Conquerors and actively sought to understand it, they had, more or less, been exposed to much of it. Therefore, their conduct was not overly classical or rigid.

Of course, the above was not enough to shake their beliefs. The truly decisive factor was what had happened to them in these past days:

Not being trusted or understood by their Masters—this was a predicament shared by both knights. Saber was in a slightly better situation, with Irisviel acting as a buffer between her and Kiritsugu. As for Lancer—ha, Miss Sola-Ui's actions were like pouring oil on the fire.

Everything going wrong—being at a disadvantage in disputes over the path of kings with other kings, the immense turmoil within after witnessing the King's Army; their Master being gravely injured and having internal strife with Sola, their Command Spells being stolen with little hope of their return, and the Holy Grail War being all but certainly lost.

Under these various blows, it was natural for them to experience great doubt—doubt about the situation, doubt about why things were this way, doubt about themselves.

But no matter how much doubt arose, they would not question the most steadfast belief in their hearts—unless...

Unless another person, armed with sufficient evidence, who understood them deeply, knew how to use rhetoric to achieve a persuasive effect, appeared at the most opportune moment, and at the same time, had not left any bad impression...

For example, Jizi, a transmigrator.

"I'm not here to argue or pick a fight. I just want to offer my perspective from an observer's standpoint."

Giving the two knights, who wore thoughtful expressions, a moment to digest her viewpoint, and also to confirm the effect of her words—Jizi was now like a small horse crossing a river, testing the waters step by step. She didn't know which statement might hit a nerve with the two stubborn minds, so she had already laid out a retreat for herself.

The results seemed quite good, so Jizi spoke again, "You two must have also witnessed the difference between this era and the one we lived in. Although it lacks a bit of romanticism, it's clear that the lives of common people are much better than in our time."

Unsure of the meaning behind Jizi's sudden shift in topic, Saber and Lancer remained silent, continuing to listen.

Jizi, however, seemed to have fully immersed herself in her role-playing persona. Her words carried the air of a witch struggling to survive under the oppression of the medieval church.

"With a simple twist, you can get clean water. Even without money, you can enjoy the social welfare system—at least you can eat. Plagues that once made people turn pale with fear are now largely treatable. Of course, there are still many shortcomings, but human civilization has still developed to a considerable extent, hasn't it?"

Pausing slightly, Jizi continued, "And with the development of civilization, some viewpoints must also undergo some changes, mustn't they?"

"Are you saying that knights are already obsolete?"

After taking several detours, Lancer and Saber finally understood Jizi's meaning and asked indignantly.

"Please don't be so sensitive, let me finish." She had stepped on a mine, but it was alright; she could just take another detour. "I once studied some ancient Chinese classics. There was a wise man who said: In the age of high antiquity, the people were few and the beasts were many, and the people could not overcome the beasts and serpents. When a sage arose, he constructed nests of wood to avoid the common dangers, and the people rejoiced, making him king of the world, and he was called Youchao. The people ate fruits and shellfish, their raw and foul-smelling food causing harm to their stomachs and intestines, leading to many illnesses. When a sage arose, he drilled for fire to cook the raw and foul-smelling food, and the people were pleased, making him king of the world, and he was called Suiren. In the middle antiquity, the world was flooded, and Gun and Yu managed the waterways. In the near antiquity, Jie and Zhou were tyrannical, and Tang and Wu waged war. If someone in the Xia Dynasty era were to construct nests of wood and drill for fire, they would surely be laughed at by Gun and Yu; if someone in the Yin and Zhou eras were to manage the waterways, they would surely be laughed at by Tang and Wu. Therefore, if someone in the present era were to practice the ways of Yao, Shun, Tang, Wu, and Yu, they would surely be laughed at by a new sage. Thus, sages do not seek to emulate the ancients, nor do they follow constant rules. They examine the affairs of the world and make preparations accordingly. (①)"

Thanks to the linguistic talent bestowed by the Servants, although Jizi spoke this passage in classical Chinese, the other two understood its meaning with little effort. Saber, having once been a ruler, commented with deep emotion, "Those are truly wise words."

"Chivalry is not wrong. I believe that humility, courtesy, strict self-discipline, and the pursuit of noble values are truths that can withstand the test of time," Jizi pressed on. "But even if striving upwards is right, are there not small problems in its concrete implementation that are bound to be exposed as time goes by?"

"..." ×2

"Take loyalty, for example," Jizi said, looking at Lancer. "In the past, transportation was underdeveloped, and information was difficult to disseminate. There were few means to quickly and directly understand a person, and conclusions could only be drawn from long-term daily interaction. And chivalry emphasizes exclusivity, so knights had very few choices when it came to loyalty to their lord."

"Caster, you—"

"Listen to me!" Jizi, having gained the momentum, gave Lancer no opportunity to retort. At such a crucial point in a verbal sparring match, continuous onslaughts were needed to break through the opponent's defense.

"But it's different now, isn't it? With telephones and the internet, there are many ways for us to get all sorts of information. As the saying goes, a good bird chooses a tree to perch on. Regarding a knight's loyalty, can't we also have a new perspective?"

"The summoning by the Holy Grail was not our choice, Caster."

"Ah, hearing you say that, I know you're not without your own thoughts. Diarmuid Ulaid, the greatest warrior of the Knights of Fianna—whether it's Fionn or Kayneth, do they truly deserve to be your masters?"

"..."

"Don't say again that you have no control over who summons you—this GEIS that binds you now is not in Kayneth's hands. (②)"

The witch's whisper tempts one to fall—even if you know this, you cannot escape the net woven by her words. At this moment, Lancer and Saber truly understood why this seemingly unreliable individual could appear as Caster.

"By the way, what do you think, Lord Artoria?"

Lancer's expression at this moment was enough to elicit screams from countless fangirls—that melancholic aura radiating from his pain and inner conflict completely outshone all the Korean oppas—but Jizi, who was a novice in the realm of maidens, had no interest. Leaving Lancer to his internal struggle, she turned the barrel of her verbal artillery towards Miss Artoria.

"Ah, you're asking me? ...This..."

Saber, unprepared, was naturally caught off guard. However, that last sentence was merely a warm-up; the real main firepower was yet to come.

"Speaking purely and objectively, do you think Lancer considered his best option when choosing who to serve?"

"As the King of Knights, what are your thoughts on Fionn? Is his character sufficient to warrant his position as the leader of the Knights of Fianna?"

"Fionn's final actions were not only a betrayal of chivalry but also a complete disregard for basic human morality. So why did Diarmuid die tragically while he received Ailbe and Grainne? (③)"

"Those who abide by chivalry meet bad ends, while those who violate it thrive. Does this not prove that chivalry is flawed in some aspects and requires improvement?"

"If anyone is suitable to comment on or improve it, it would be you, the King of Knights, wouldn't it?"

Questions were fired continuously, leaving Saber no time to reply or consider—or rather, the reply itself was not important. Jizi had already achieved the effect she desired by posing these questions.

"This... um..."

"Don't worry about me, Saber. Speak your mind freely—or rather, I implore you to give me your opinion."

--- Behind the Scenes ---

Jizi: Faith shaken, must seek affirmation from others—Lancer, I have seen your end! (Glasses flash—don't ask me where the glasses came from)

Jizi (realizing after a while): Wait a minute, I'm not trying to romance someone with E-rank luck, why am I using a quote from God?

Author: Heh heh.

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① This is an excerpt from "Han Feizi - The Five Vermin." I originally didn't intend to copy so much, but if I only selected parts, the meaning wouldn't be clearly conveyed. Feel free to skip it if you find it disruptive to your reading.

② GEIS, the singular form of GEASS, is a concept found in Celtic mythology and many other heroic myths. It is translated as a strange taboo, a prohibition, or an oath. Whether voluntarily sworn or imposed by magic or another's oath, it is essentially impossible to break. It is the hidden taboo or fatal weakness of mythological heroes. The higher the status of the person who imposes the prohibition, the stronger its binding power and the higher its priority.

Diarmuid's prohibitions include:

He will be killed by a cursed demonic boar, but the boar that kills him will not live longer than he does (a prohibition imposed by Angus's steward, Lock, who is the indirect party).

He is forbidden from hunting wild boars (contrary to the previous point, it is said that his adoptive father Angus placed this upon him to protect him from harm).

Wherever he is, if a woman is present, he will never eat or drink before her (no specific source, this should be a self-imposed rule of etiquette).

He cannot refuse the requests of women in distress (like the previous point, this is a self-defined rule of etiquette 2. At the same time, Princess Grainne used this to forcefully demand Diarmuid elope with her).

He will not enter or exit the king's residence through the side gate (self-defined rule of etiquette 3).

Upon hearing the baying of hounds, he must participate in the hunt / he must not stop running until he catches up to the hounds (source unknown, he himself seemingly doesn't know, but Fionn does).

When watching a competition, he must aid the losing side.

He cannot refuse a request from a companion (Fionn used this to kill him).

When his fellow warriors call out the battle horn, he must respond.

③ Ailbe refers to "Ailbe with freckles on her cheeks," the sister of Princess Grainne. After the series of events where Grainne eloped with Diarmuid and Fionn pretended to reconcile with Diarmuid, King Conmac, to prevent future disputes between the two heroic figures, married his other daughter to Fionn. Although not explicitly named, legends all believe it was Princess Ailbe.

There are many versions regarding Grainne's fate after Diarmuid's death, such as dying with him or entering a nunnery. My favorite version is where Grainne left with her and Diarmuid's children (four sons and one daughter). She then trained these children into peerless warriors, who later defeated Fionn's army. After avenging their father, these children eventually joined the Knights of Fianna.

However, to increase Saber's resentment, I have chosen what I believe to be the most depressing and tragic version – Grainne was ultimately deceived by Fionn's honeyed words and taken by him. This scoundrel is almost the same age as Diarmuid and yet he's preying on sisters! And princess sisters at that!

Furthermore, Fionn is not as despicable as Jizi portrays him. Jizi deliberately slandered this figure, who could also be called a hero, to stir the emotions of Saber and Lancer.