The Worst Master-Servant Compatibility

Abner was not happy.

Anyone in the same situation as Abner wouldn't be happy either.

A chilling blade pressed against Abner's Adam's apple, and he could clearly feel the killing intent and coldness transmitted through his skin. The young Family Head couldn't help but shiver.

He didn't even dare to swallow, as if the slightest movement of his Adam's apple would cause the chilling blade to slice open his throat.

If it were just a threat, that would be one thing.

Participating in the Holy Grail War was inherently dangerous. Ambushes and being ambushed were commonplace. As a Master heading into battle, Abner had long been mentally prepared.

However, Abner was still very upset.

The reason, naturally, was the Servant he had summoned.

He was strong.

As a Servant who answered the summon in the Lancer class, he possessed strength that lived up to the reputation of the Three Knights.

However...

The person holding a short sword to him now was the very Servant he had summoned.

Being ambushed by his own ally! Could there be anything more frustrating than this?

The reason for this had to be explained from a slightly earlier point.

Abner's choice of Servant was a bit peculiar.

With the power of the Winifred family, he could have obtained a more excellent Catalyst.

However, he didn't blindly pursue power—that was the approach of a child.

The stronger the weapon, the greater the demands it placed on the user.

In Abner's understanding, there were plenty of excellent Servants. The most typical example would be the great Greek hero Heracles, who was quite the perfect Servant.

But if he had truly summoned a great hero close to a god, Abner would likely have been overwhelmed just supplying him with mana, putting him at a disadvantage in magical combat between Masters.

In this regard, he was very similar to Lord El-Melloi II, a participant in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Not only the Servant's combat prowess but also the Master's own attainments would greatly influence the direction of the Holy Grail War.

The Catalyst Abner used was a stone tablet.

Its sharp edges had long been weathered, and the inscriptions were blurry. However, according to oral accounts, it should have been inscribed with: "Stranger, if you reach Sparta, tell its citizens that we lie here, obedient to their laws."

This was the commemorative inscription from the historical event known as the Battle of Thermopylae.

"This is not me boasting, but in terms of magical aptitude, I should be among the best in this Holy Grail War. Therefore, rather than a spear-wielding Servant for offense, I need a shield-wielding Servant to protect me. While the Servants battle, my basic strategy is to scout and defeat the opposing Master in magical combat."

This was Abner's response to Tohsaka Rin.

Having become the Family Head at such a young age, Abner's voice carried the pride common to magi, along with rational analysis. Looking at his overflowing confidence, even Tohsaka Rin, who had witnessed two Holy Grail Wars, had to acknowledge his presence.

For this purpose, he had prepared a valiant warrior who held his ground at Thermopylae against overwhelming odds.

With this inscription and the magical crest passed down in the Winifred family, Abner was very confident that he would summon one of the finest guardians, the great hero of Thermopylae, Leonidas. The great hero who, commanding three hundred Spartan warriors and nearly ten thousand miscellaneous troops, had stubbornly blocked the advance of the Persian army of two hundred fifty thousand elite soldiers.

His own magical cultivation, combined with Leonidas's formidable frontal combat power and that valiant round shield, would allow Abner to freely choose how to confront his enemies.

If everything was staked on the Servant, it would be too risky. A likely scenario was that the enemy would tie up his Servant and then launch a surprise assassination against him. As a learned gentleman, Abner was well aware of the folly of the Maginot Line during World War II.

Everything was like this; the stronger something was, the weaker it also became. No matter how powerful a Servant was, if they were lured away by the enemy, they would be meaningless. In such a case, it would be better to forgo a powerful Servant and instead seek close complementarity between the Master and the Servant. This was the so-called "broadening the attack surface." To fight a Servant battle, Lancer would not lose. To fight a magical battle, Abner would definitely win. He could freely choose how to deal with his enemies, with comprehensive pre-battle preparation.

But...

Where exactly did things go wrong?

Abner couldn't help but think: being pointed at by his own Servant with a sword, perhaps no participant in the history of the Holy Grail War has been as unlucky as I am.

Even in a crisis, he hadn't lost his sense of humor, which at least indicated that Abner hadn't completely given up hope. After all, Lancer Leonidas hadn't made a move yet, which meant there was still room for communication.

How fortunate. If it had been Berserker Leonidas, perhaps one participant would have been eliminated by now.

"Are you... a magus?"

A deep, masculine voice asked.

This heavy voice perfectly suited the image of a Servant: robust muscles like Greek sculptures, skin as firm as steel, beneath which pulsed a wild, boiling blood akin to lava. His body was clad in golden armor, his sturdy muscles appearing to strain against the armor as if to burst it. A crimson cape, a golden round shield, a spear, a short sword, and eyes as predatory as a tiger or leopard.

Without a doubt, the man standing before him, over two meters tall, was the one responsible for military affairs among the two kings of Sparta in legend. (Note: Sparta had a dual kingship system, with one king responsible for military affairs and the other for civil affairs.)

"That way of greeting is quite unexpected. Is this the Spartan way of etiquette?"

Abner asked, attempting humor, while displaying as innocent a smile as possible on his face.

Leonidas sneered dismissively. Even in his contemptuous expression, the towering man, like a sculpture, exuded the ruggedness and pressure befitting a warrior. His voice, like a bronze bell, let out a hearty and disdainful cold laugh:

"No, this is not the Spartan way of etiquette."

"Then..."

"Sparta has no etiquette for slave owners."

Leonidas's rough voice sternly interrupted Abner, and the subtle hostility in his words sent a jolt through Abner's heart.

After Servants are summoned to this era by the Holy Grail, they must acquire basic information. Therefore, Leonidas should also be well aware of matters related to the Holy Grail War.

It was precisely because of this that the Servant Leonidas was so enraged.

A thought flashed through Abner's mind like lightning…

A premonition, like an electric current, spread down his spine into the fibers of every muscle, finally turning all his flesh and blood into charred charcoal. After this burning transformation, only the poison of regret remained…

Servants, though called "Servants," the original meaning of the word was "attendant," or even "slave"…

"Listen well, Magus. I—Leonidas—despise three things in my life: First, betrayal."

Leonidas's massive body leaned towards Abner. The closer they got, the higher Abner had to tilt his chin to meet his Servant's gaze.

When he reached Abner, Abner had to crane his neck to see his eyes, which seemed to be burning.

"If you dare to betray me… no matter where you are, my spear will pierce you. I can tell you from my life's experience: it won't feel good."

"I understand."

Abner nodded with a wry smile. Perhaps it was due to his cooperation, but Leonidas sheathed his blade, letting his sword-wielding right hand hang by his side.

During the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas was betrayed when someone led the Persian army around the pass, attacking from both sides, which led to their defeat. Leonidas's words were easy to understand and forgive, and besides, Abner had no intention of betraying Lancer, so he wouldn't violate this taboo.

Perhaps seeing Abner's cooperation, Leonidas's tone softened along with his blade, and he reined in his hostility.

"Second, the occult. I hate all those who pretend to be gods or ghosts. Including you, Magus."

The proud Spartan's voice was filled with hatred for magecraft, and it wasn't just the disdain of a warrior for magic.

Yes, it was hatred.

And it was a bone-deep hatred. It was as if Leonidas himself had been severely betrayed by the occult, which led to his hostile attitude towards all things mystical. Such immense hatred could only stem from Leonidas having suffered the most severe betrayal by the occult.

"I apologize."

"No need to apologize, Magus. Third…"

Leonidas finally put away his short sword, sheathing it back into the belt at his waist. He grabbed Abner's shirt collar with his free right hand, lifting Abner entirely with immense force.

Spartans revered martial strength; they looked down upon the pedantic ways of the Athenians. Within the Spartan city-state, "Athenian" was synonymous with "eloquent homosexual."

Yet, even so, the self-proclaimed noble Spartan warriors were willing to form an allied army with the Athenians they despised to fight Persia. Why?

Because, above ideology and national differences, there was something more sacred.

That was…

"Third, Spartans are free men in life, and free men in death. You will never 'enslave' me, the leader of free men—Magus."

Abner's appearance was clearly reflected in the eyes of the tiger-like Spartan.

In that thunderous voice, the core was only two words.

Freedom.

It was these seemingly insignificant two words that made this hero fight to the death at the Battle of Thermopylae.

For freedom, to avoid becoming slaves to Persia, this man gambled his life, even if he couldn't lead the entire army, he would do so with only three hundred personal guards.

During the battle, Xerxes repeatedly offered terms of surrender, stating that if the Spartans surrendered and pledged allegiance, he would allow Leonidas to rule all of Greece.

Even so, this proud warrior still chose to face the mountain-like sea of soldiers and raise his shield.

A warrior fighting for freedom would never abandon his freedom.

Naturally, Leonidas would never acknowledge the "master" and "servant" as a "lord-vassal relationship."

Of course, Abner knew Spartan history and was aware of the "Helots," the "property of Spartans," but now was clearly not the time to discuss that.

The Servant Leonidas and Abner… no, his compatibility with any Master was the worst.

"I understand. Then… please allow me to say something."

"Hmm."

Leonidas was somewhat reasonable, letting out a sound of understanding from his nostrils, and carefully placed Abner back on the ground.

"My name is Abner, Abner-Fergus-Winifred. Please guide me, Lancer, my partner."