"Why is it so hot?" Lancer took a sip and stuck out his tongue like a puppy.
"What's the point of soup if it isn't hot? Didn't you see? There's a fire under the character for 'hot.'" Shirou smiled pleasantly. "I made this delicious food especially for you."
"Food that warms the heart on a winter night! So, are you eating it or not?"
Lancer looked at Shirou, who was practically about to go dark, and swallowed. What else could he say? Of course he chose to eat the Mapo Tofu!
With lips swollen nearly as large as sausages, Lancer said shakily, "At this rate, I don't think we can go subjugate Berserker tonight."
"Wasn't subjugating Berserker your idea? Changing course halfway isn't the conduct of a knight." Shirou needled Lancer, but his words happened to strike right at Lancer's weak spot.
"Fine, I understand." Supporting himself with his spear, Lancer tremblingly accepted a sheet of paper.
"Sign it."
"Okay."
"...?" Lancer looked at the Magecraft Contract already bearing his signature, and his entire expression twisted. "What the hell is this? You tricked me! I really misjudged you! You're so despicable and filthy!"
"It's just a Magecraft Contract, something that makes you abide by our joint combat agreement. After all, I still can't trust you when you're a doll. Only after signing the contract can we be considered true allies. It's merely a joint combat agreement, so don't worry. It'll automatically be lifted once Berserker is defeated."
To give a simple example, a Magecraft Contract was like the thing Kiritsugu gave Kayneth during the Fourth Holy Grail War in a parallel world. Kiritsugu could not kill Kayneth, but Kayneth had to order Lancer to commit suicide and withdraw from the Holy Grail War.
Though that treaty had not truly been honored, Kiritsugu had indeed not personally made a move.
All Shirou wanted was to prevent Lancer from attacking him and Sakura.
"What a small-minded man." Lancer spread his hands and shook his head helplessly. "You're quite the schemer. Have you been plotting against me since you started making Mapo Tofu? Or even earlier?"
"From the moment you said you wanted to form an alliance with me. Signing a contract would definitely be more secure, but you ran so fast I couldn't catch you. So, now that you've eaten and signed the contract, do you know where Berserker is?"
Lancer turned around and rested his spear on his shoulder. "Sorry, I don't. But..."
He walked straight out of the Emiya Residence and into the open, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. As long as he was here, the holder of the Berserker card—you—would come out, wouldn't you?
"Wryyyyyy..."
"My friend..."
Lancer spoke softly, bitterness lingering in his mouth. He had taken part in the previous Holy Grail War. After that war, Fuyuki had exploded, and he should have died in that battle as well.
But Einzbern had defiled the dead, extracting his soul and the soul of Berserker's card holder to create dolls. Had he not luckily obtained Cú Chulainn's card, and had Cú Chulainn not kindly used Rune Magic to lend him a hand, he too would now be a mad doll under someone else's control, wouldn't he?
"Let me help you! Spear of the Distant Land—Gaebolg!"
The true name of Lancer's card was Cú Chulainn, and his Noble Phantasm was—Gaebolg, a powerful weapon that pierced the target's heart by reversing causality.
But the weapon's true use was not to stab someone in person, but to be thrown!
Berserker, who had just appeared, was once again pierced through the heart by the Red Spear and met death once more.
Though Lancer's Noble Phantasm was only this single spear, it unleashed two different attacks. Thus, Berserker could not become immune to it—but he could recover!
His body turned red once more, and the Red Spear was forced out. Berserker roared, raised his Axe Sword, and cleaved it at Lancer.
The Red Spear instantly returned to Lancer's hand. He barely managed to parry, but still suffered a muffled loss.
Before you continue