Chapter 308

On the outskirts of La Charité, Jeanne d'Arc, who had already met and spoken with Ritsuka, removed the hood that concealed her appearance.

Just now, Ritsuka and Mash, though greatly shocked by Novia's disappearance, began exploring the vicinity after contacting Chaldea, still holding the belief that 'the Consultant should be alright'.

The intelligence gathered revealed that Jeanne d'Arc had been resurrected and summoned dragons to attack various places, causing the England army to retreat. King Charles VII of France was killed, and the country's various mechanisms were paralyzed. Even if there were people who resisted, they were very insignificant. Therefore, there were also people who cursed and lamented Jeanne d'Arc.

The two then met Jeanne d'Arc of Arc, who had been summoned, at the site of the dragon attack, and went to the outskirts together to discuss the situation.

"Chaldea, you are children sent to reclaim the burned Future. My troubles are far too insignificant compared to you..."

"Is it because of that Dragon Witch Jeanne d'Arc?"

Jeanne d'Arc paused slightly upon hearing Ritsuka utter the name, then nodded.

"Ultimately, who exactly is the Dragon Witch? No, am I really Jeanne d'Arc, or is that the real Jeanne d'Arc? If I don't meet that other version of myself..."

Jeanne d'Arc closed her eyes with a touch of Sorrow, then quickly opened them again, her face regaining its resolve.

"But regardless of the circumstances, even without divine Revelation and without knowing what means to use, I, who have already joined forces with you, have decided to reclaim Orléans and remove the Dragon Witch as Obstruction."

Upon hearing this, Ritsuka flashed her usual brave smile, extending one hand towards Jeanne d'Arc, intending to shake Jeanne d'Arc hand.

Suddenly, Jeanne d'Arc, who had also reached out her hand, seemed to remember something, and the smile on her face turned into an expression that seemed somewhat conflicted to Ritsuka and the others.

"... Speaking of which, is the Novia you two mentioned really just a maintenance Consultant for Chaldea?"

The Saintess's tone carried an undisguised 'caution'.

"Don't worry, it's really just a coincidence that Consultant Novia has the same name."

Even now, Ritsuka, who has grown accustomed to the awe-inspiring power of the name Novia on these historical figures, still can't help but feel a strange sense of pride.

She confidently patted her chest and continued speaking to Jeanne d'Arc, whose face was filled with conflicted emotions:

"Novia 'Consultant daughter is my junior at school! We're quite close. It's impossible for the founder to still be alive and have children, right? It's just a coincidence, isn't it, Jeanne d'Arc?"

"That makes sense, but becoming Demi-Servant or something... does that seem a bit possible...?"

"That's certainly possible. After all, they have the exact same name, so maybe they'll be lucky enough to be summoned..."

Ritsuka nodded thoughtfully. "But I always felt that you seemed quite reserved around that Pope, Jeanne d'Arc? You two are from different eras, you shouldn't have met before, right? Don't worry, according to the records, Novia should be a kind Grandpa, at least to us."

"Haha, that's true, that's true..."

Jeanne d'Arc of Arc chuckled twice in agreement, then fell silent.

He couldn't very well tell these two that he had recently fought with Pope Novia in another world due to various misunderstandings...

Jeanne d'Arc's first reaction upon returning to her seat was to crouch down, clutching her head; she was completely numb.

Who knew that the Fifth Sun of the Americas would be the First Pope from thousands of years ago, who also served as the King of the Huns?! Could that legend be true? I must be so stupid that I didn't understand properly. The Pagan God refers to Tlaloc, right? Not Lord Novia...

It seems I was really foolish.

But will begging for forgiveness bring understanding? If it could, I'd do anything...

In short, I deeply regret my actions and cannot forgive myself for my mistakes.

The next instant, Jeanne d'Arc of Arc, who had been blaming herself, suddenly opened her eyes wide, looked at the sky already shrouded in Twilight, and shouted:

"We need to get out of here! A gigantic creature is heading our way!"

But by the time Jeanne d'Arc cried out, it was already too late.

From a vantage point overlooking the ground, people huddled in a corner. The Sun was about to set, and a colossal life form approached, its wings flapping and emitting a blue-white light, accompanied by a vast, ever-advancing Od.

Although Jeanne d'Arc cried out the moment she realized what was happening, the enormous life form was already in front of the three of them the instant she finished speaking.

"... dragon."

Jeanne d'Arc stared at Fafnir, whose size and magical Od were completely different from those of the Dragon Tooth Warrior, her face ashen. Even Ritsuka and Mash couldn't help but show panic on their faces, after all, Fafnir's arrival was too fast, far beyond their imagination.

However, in the next instant, Fafnir, who had been so fierce just moments before, stuck out her tongue, spun around, and lay on the ground, panting softly.

This stark contrast caused the expressions on the three people's faces to quickly turn to astonishment. They were completely baffled by this dragon, wondering why it was behaving like a little dog...

In fact, Fafnir was truly exhausted. To satisfy Novia, who was carrying Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily, it had used a speed it had never used before, which could be described as working beyond its limits.

But just as the three were still wondering what was going on, a voice came from the dragon's back—

"Hmph, you've made me like this because of your deception, Dragon Husband, you're absolutely awful! This will drastically lower people's opinion of you! Seriously! Seriously! I'm never talking to you again today!"

This somewhat delicate and coquettish voice was somewhat familiar to Jeanne d'Arc of Arc and the others.

Because it sounds exactly like Jeanne d'Arc's voice, except it carries an irrepressible childlike quality.

"That voice, Jeanne d'Arc— "

"No, no, no, I didn't say that!"

Jeanne d'Arc shook her head frantically, her face filled with panic. "I... I wouldn't say such a thing, it just happened to sound like my voice..."

"Ah, that's the ideal me! Isn't this the Perfection me even after growing up? So that's it, I finally understand why I'm so anxious after growing up. Dragon Husband, are you like this because of me? You're such a good old man! Dragon Husband, how about you take me to see the sea? Just the two of us! I've always wanted to go!"

Just as Jeanne d'Arc and Ritsuka were explaining, the voice came from Fafnir's back again. When she heard the words "Take me to see the sea," Jeanne d'Arc's expression changed, as if she remembered something. But she quickly came to her senses and, like Ritsuka and Mash, focused her gaze on the two people who were walking down from the dragon's back in the dim light.

Upon seeing the silver-haired youth, all three instinctively gasped in surprise.

"Novia, the Consultant!"

"Consultant!"

"No, Lord Novia..."

Then they saw a silver-haired Jeanne d'Arc, practically a miniature version of her, riding on Novia's neck, looking at them with a displeased expression.

"So, this child really is me when I was young?!"

After exchanging words with Novia, Jeanne d'Arc stared blankly at Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily, who was still riding on Novia's neck, speechless.

"Yes, Jeanne d'Arc, this is you as Lily, you are the Ruler, right? This child is also the Ruler, so the Answer is obvious."

Novia nodded firmly at the sight of the Saintess, who seemed a little slow to grasp the situation.

"I see."

Indeed, Jeanne d'Arc was completely flawless; she looked so much like her, and was also the Ruler. One could easily believe she was her sister, given her previous words of great respect and the 99% confirmation from Novia...

As for why Lily Form was summoned, it's probably due to the current instability in Human Order.

But why is she silver-haired? Shouldn't she be blonde? And she's going to see the sea with this person who seems 99% to be Pope Novia... Isn't this a bit too much...? Could it be because of this person that she changed from blonde to silver-haired?

The Saintess's smile remained as radiant as ever, though it twitched slightly.

Jeanne d'Arc was initially skeptical about whether the child was truly her past self, since even if they looked very similar, it was still possible that the child was a fake. However, when she heard the child say, "Take me to see the sea," she became certain that the child was indeed herself.

Seeing the sea was her longing, her wish, but it was just a small dream from her childhood, so small that she abandoned it in her homeland when she set off at the age of seventeen to save her country. That's why she felt a little dazed when she heard it again.

"I am extremely grateful for your efforts on behalf of this child, Lord Novia, the maintenance Consultant of Chaldea."

Although Jeanne had met Novia before in the Fa Holy Grail, Jeanne d'Arc still hoped Novia would forgive her for her rudeness, and Novia hadn't told her "I am Novia" yet. Therefore, even though Jeanne d'Arc felt there was a 99% chance it was Novia, she kept it to herself. After all, in her opinion, Novia must have her reasons for not revealing her real name, and it wouldn't be good if she revealed it carelessly and caused any accidents.

At the same time, she secretly cheered on Jeanne d'Arc Lily Arc, whom she had just met.

Come on, young me! Let the Holy One forgive me. After all, you are me too, so with your help, I'll be forgiven easily, right?

Therefore, in order to provide a good environment for the group, the Saintess volunteered to go to the side of a large tree to keep watch, but in reality, she was observing people's behavior.

However, Jeanne d'Arc Lily, standing to the side, suddenly felt a little annoyed by the look of longing, pity, and encouragement in Jeanne d'Arc's eyes. Still riding on Novia's shoulders, she leaned close to Novia's ear and whispered:

"Although I was the ideal, Perfection of myself, as I've grown up, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call me a fool."

If it were the adult version of Jeanne d'Arc Alter, she would have Thunderbolt and attacked Jeanne d'Arc the moment she saw her.

However, for the girl who has shrunk to a smaller size, who has not yet learned the truth, she only feels that Jeanne d'Arc Saintess the Dragon Witch Jeanne d'Arc are the branch paths she chose after growing up. Although she is indeed the Dragon Witch, she still feels that the Saintess is better.

But this was just a thought, because according to Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily's observation, the ideal and Perfection version of herself in front of her seemed to have subtle feelings for her own 'Dragon Husband', her heart was beating so fast that she could feel it, so the girl was very unhappy.

The old man Dragon Husband belongs to him; no one is allowed to take him away and ride him.

Why is it called that?

"Dragon Husband" is what I call myself now that I'm grown up, so I can't not call him that. But since he's mine now, he deserves a proper title. After much thought, I decided on "Old Man." The reason is actually quite simple: Alter Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily really wants to be Santa Claus, and Santa Claus needs Deer...

Although Novia, whom she was riding on, was already recognized as Deer, the name "Dragon Husband Deer" felt a bit strange. Should she call him "Reindeer Husband" or "Deer Husband"? Neither sounded very good. Therefore, after thinking for a long time, Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily finally split the title of "Santa Claus" in half and gave it to Novia.

"So, Consultant Novia, you got separated from us because you encountered little Jeanne d'Arc of Arc all alone...?"

As she spoke, Ritsuka subconsciously recalled that back at the Shrine, Novia had indeed appeared to her as a kind old man.

"Speaking of which, Consultant Novia is quite popular with children. Is it because her personality is like that of an old person?"

"I suppose it's my responsibility."

Ritsuka, unaware of what was going on, looked at the silver-haired youth in front of her with confusion.

"What's the meaning?"

"Because..."

Novia slightly raised her lips and said.

"Ritsuka, aren't you a child too?"

Upon hearing this, Ritsuka, wearing the Chaldea Combat Suit, felt a surge of heat rising from the depths of her body, almost instinctively. Fear and a tiny bit of secret joy welled up from the bottom of her heart.

Have I been discovered? That's right, isn't it? Absolutely right?

So what kind of reply is this...?

Ritsuka felt that Novia was being ambiguous, but also thought that she might be overthinking things. So after giving an awkward laugh, she said something perfunctory like, "It's getting late, I should rest," and ran back to her tent.

"... That Ritsuka seems to have a lot of feelings for you."

Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily leaned close to Novia's ear again and whispered.

For some reason, Novia acted as if she hadn't heard the girl's words, just as she hadn't given any response before speaking to Ritsuka.

"Hey, why aren't you saying anything? Say something..."

Novia still didn't answer, and continued to warm herself by the campfire as always.

This almost made Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily think that her old man, the Dragon Husband, had suddenly gone deaf or something was wrong. So the girl hurriedly touched Novia's face with both hands to see if there was a problem.

The result was naturally fruitless, and Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily was truly puzzled by this.

Novia waved her hand, using Od to display a few words in front of the campfire for Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily) to see.

"Didn't you say you were ignoring me today? I'm just keeping my promise."

"You, what kind of child are you...?"

Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily murmured in complete disbelief.

"It seems I need to strip you of your title of 'elder, 'Dragon Husband. A naive child like you can't shoulder this responsibility..."

Novia remained silent, showing no reaction whatsoever.

"If you don't talk to me, I'll tell the Crowd that I'm actually the Dragon Witch. Whatever your plans are, I'm going to ruin them... Aren't you going to talk to me at all?"

There was still no answer.

"If you keep being so cold to me, I'm going to get angry!"

Novia still didn't answer, which made Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily both angry and sad, and tears quickly welled up in her eyes.

"Talk to me! I was wrong, I won't do it again. Please don't ignore me, okay? You be Santa Claus, and I'll Deer, is that alright...?"

Novia felt that her teasing might have gone a bit too far, Jeanne d'Arc Alter Lily's tone and demeanor.

But just as he was about to speak—

"Looks like you're having a good time here."

A sound so calm it was almost terrifying echoed through the Forest at night. As Jeanne d'Arc rose to guard the source of the sound, she came into view of a simply dressed, calm, purple-haired woman with eyes devoid of any color.

"Good evening, everyone, what a lively evening!"

The purple-haired woman's words were so cold that it was easy for her to suddenly launch an attack at any moment, and her Servant aura was also incredibly strong, forcing Jeanne d'Arc to be cautious.

"You're... one of the Dragon Witch's allies?"

"Tell me, Jeanne d'Arc, how are you feeling right now? You've seen it all, haven't you? Even though you've fought so hard for this country, there are still people who see you as an enemy and hurl insults at you. So, do you want to die or do you want to kill someone?"

The purple-haired woman's question was like an invisible shackle, firmly binding Jeanne d'Arc of Arc.

"Under normal circumstances, I would definitely regret it deeply and be consumed by despair."