Shirou's Grand Heroic Saga Chapter 24

"Why is it so hot?" Lancer took a sip and stuck out his tongue like a puppy.

"If it wasn't hot, why would you drink soup? Didn't you see the character for 'fire' under the character for 'hot'?" Shirou laughed with delight. "This is a delicious meal I prepared especially for you."

"A meal that warms the heart on this winter night! Will you eat it or not?"

Lancer looked at Shirou, who was almost turning black, and swallowed. What else could he say? Of course, he chose to eat the Mapo Tofu!

Lancer, whose lips were swollen to the size of sausages, said tremblingly, "Judging by this, I don't think we can go hunt Berserker tonight."

"Didn't you say we should hunt Berserker? Changing your mind halfway is not the way of a knight," Shirou taunted Lancer, but his words struck Lancer's weakness.

"Alright, I understand." Leaning on his spear, Lancer shakily took a piece of paper.

"Sign it."

"Okay."

"…?" Lancer looked at the Magecraft Contract with his name boldly written on it, and his whole face contorted. "What the heck is this? You tricked me! I really misjudged you! How could you be so despicable and dirty!"

"It's just a Magecraft Contract, something to ensure you follow our joint operation agreement. After all, I can't be at ease with you being a Puppet. Only after signing the contract are we true allies. It's merely a joint operation agreement; don't worry, it will automatically dissolve after we defeat Berserker."

To give a simple example of a Magecraft Contract, it's like the one Kiritsugu gave to Kensei in the Fourth Holy Grail War that appeared in a parallel world. Kiritsugu couldn't kill Kensei, but Kensei had to order Lancer to commit suicide and withdraw from the Holy Grail War.

Although that treaty wasn't truly honored, Kiritsugu indeed didn't lay a hand on him.

All Shirou wanted was to ensure Lancer wouldn't attack him or Sakura.

"What a petty person," Lancer spread his hands and shook his head helplessly. "So calculating. Did you start plotting against me when you were making Mapo Tofu? Or even earlier?"

"From the very beginning, when 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 even catch up. So, now that the meal is eaten and the contract is signed, do you know where Berserker is?"

Lancer turned and rested his spear on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I don't know, but..."

He walked straight out of the Emiya Residence and into the outside. He smiled slightly. As long as he was here, the holder of the Berserker Card, you, would come out, right?

"Wryyyyyy..."

"My friend..."

Lancer said softly, a hint of bitterness in his mouth. He had participated in the previous Holy Grail War. After that war, Fuyuki had exploded, and he should have died in that battle.

But the Einzberns desecrated the dead, extracting his soul and the soul of the Berserker cardholder to create Puppets. If he hadn't fortunately obtained Cú Chulainn's Card, and if Cú Chulainn hadn't kindly helped him with Rune Magic, he would have become a manipulated, insane Puppet by now.

"Let me help you! Spear of the Distant Land (Gaebolg)!"

The true name of the card Lancer held was Cú Chulainn, and his Noble Phantasm was—Gaebolg, a powerful weapon that pierces the heart of the target and reverses causality.

But the true way to use this weapon wasn't to pierce with it personally, but to throw it!

Berserker, who appeared for the first time, had his heart pierced by the red spear once again, meeting his death yet again.

Although Lancer's Noble Phantasm was only this spear, it unleashed two different attacks, so Berserker couldn't be immune, but... he could recover!

His body turned red again, and the red spear was repelled. Berserker roared and swung his axe-sword at Lancer.

The red spear instantly returned to Lancer's hand. He parried briefly and took a dull blow.