Dating Caster

As Medea's voice faded, a flash of golden light erupted, and a handsome man carrying twin spears appeared in the duo's line of sight.

It was none other than Lancer, who had fought in the warehouse district earlier!

"Oh? To think you could recognize me. It seems you were the rats that scurried away from the battlefield earlier."

Having been identified, Lancer raised his handsome eyebrows and spoke.

"Lancer, why are you still wasting time with idle chatter? I still need to settle the score regarding that business with Saber! Hurry up and cut off Caster's head!"

A sharp reprimand rang out from behind Lancer, sounding as if he were scolding a house dog, showing no regard for Lancer's dignity.

"As you command, my Master."

Yet, Lancer seemed accustomed to Lemon Head's scolding, answering in a respectful tone.

"Heh--"

Watching the Lancer camp across from her show such disregard for her presence, Medea sneered, "To think you couldn't even finish off a half-crippled Saber. It seems Lancer wasn't taking the duel seriously."

"Shut your mouth, Witch! Do not attempt to sow discord between me and my Master!"

Lancer, whose expression had remained indifferent, changed drastically upon hearing Medea's sarcasm, shouting in anger.

It seems there's a story there--

However, Medea had no spare time to pour drinks for Lancer.

"There are two taboos in my life," Medea said, parting her thin lips, her clear voice carrying to everyone's ears.

"The first is men with handsome faces--"

Medea's purple robes began to flutter without a breeze.

"The second is anyone who calls me a [Witch]--"

The mana saturated in the atmosphere turned into a thick fog, shrouding Caster's body.

"For someone who has violated both of my taboos, I shall certainly bestow the corresponding punishment."

Magic circles--

Magic circles radiating terrifying mana appeared in layers behind Medea.

Chapter 22. The General and the Reversal

"For someone who has violated both of my taboos, I shall certainly bestow the corresponding punishment."

As Medea's voice fell, her body began to float into mid-air, and the magic circles behind her expanded instantly. Dozens of magic circles, large and small, obscured most of Lancer's vision.

Feeling the mana leaking from the magic circles, even Lancer had to prepare himself for a serious fight.

Whoosh--

Magic bullets flew from the sky, charging fiercely toward Lancer, intent on piercing his body.

Although the speed of the magic bullets was extremely fast, they were not enough to trouble Lancer, whose Agility stat was A+. He dodged the attacks nimbly, but the power of the magic bullets that struck the ground far exceeded Lancer's expectations!

The ground hit by the magic bullets had been scorched into crimson, charred earth.

With magic of this power, even with his B-rank Magic Resistance, it wouldn't be pleasant to take a hit head-on. Lancer's expression turned solemn. While looking up at Caster in the sky, he tightened his grip on his twin spears.

"Caster, I admit I underestimated you."

"Is that so? I, however, think even less of you, Lancer. I thought you might have some value, so I tested you a little, but the result is too disappointing." Medea did not show weakness, retorting with sarcasm.

"My, how harsh. If there is a next time, I will perform better." Lancer teased, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth—the excited smile of a warrior encountering a battle.

"--How could there be? Foolish people do not get a next time. Please just disappear here, Lancer!"

Medea wasn't buying it. In her eyes, no man with a handsome face was any good, and not a single word they said could be trusted!

What's more, this man had damaged the toy she had just taken a liking to!

Absolutely unforgivable!

"Tch--"

For the first time, Lancer felt the unreasonableness of women, but to avoid being hit by the incoming magic bullets, he began to move at high speed, preparing to break out of Medea's line of sight.

"Hmph, do you think you can escape!"

After a cold snort, the staff given to her by the goddess Hecate in Medea's hand began to glow.

Immediately after--

Medea's attacks were like an endless rainstorm.

The magic bullets pouring down—how was this any different from a carpet bombing?

Just like that, continuously, like rain, she unleashed magic that contained the power of a sure-kill with every strike.

This grand scene left Lancer's Master speechless.

As a magus, he could naturally understand how exaggerated this kind of [Magic] was.

This already belonged to the category of [High-Thaumaturgy].

To activate such magic, one must have simple magic circles and a Ten-Count, which is a magical incantation containing more than ten words.

It is precisely because grand sorcery possesses such formidable power that it requires time to chant.

For such sorcery, even a mature magus would need a full minute.

Even a magus utilizing high-speed incantations would require about thirty seconds.

Yet, that was all in an instant.

There was no need for chanting at all, just a flick of her staff, and to use it with such continuity—Lemon Head could no longer imagine anyone capable of comparing to her—!

Not even he, who had been hailed as a "genius" since birth, could do it.

Lancer had no time to concern himself with his Master's self-pitying thoughts at the moment; his A+ Agility allowed him to navigate this carpet-bombing of sorcery with some difficulty, but without appearing disheveled.

"Caster, your magical energy seems to be failing you!"

While dodging the sorcery, Lancer, who was constantly searching for a path to victory, keenly noticed that the speed at which Medea was casting her spells had slowed slightly.

"..."

Medea pressed her lips together and ignored Lancer, but the speed of her spellcasting continued to gradually decline.

"Caster, you wouldn't be thinking of running away, would you?"

Lancer's meaningful words caused Medea's heart to sink.

She had been found out—

Even though she had little magical energy left, she had been wasting it on this carpet-bombing; Medea had her own ideas.

Medea had originally intended to use the bombardment to force Lancer back and drive him into the distance. She would then use spatial displacement magic to take Kong away from the battlefield.

She had not expected this intention to be seen through by Lancer.

"Heh—"

Since she had been exposed, there was no need to continue. Medea stopped her movements and cast a sidelong glance at Kong on the ground.

Medea's small movements naturally could not escape Lancer's notice. Taking advantage of the moment she ceased her sorcery, he pointed his spear at her and said with a gallant air:

"As a knight, I would naturally never take advantage of someone in a vulnerable position. Please rest assured, my lady."

However, the loyal knight did not know the calculations currently running through Medea's mind.

In Medea's heart, Kong was a strategic resource. Although his memories could play a significant role in seizing victory in the Holy Grail War, he was not indispensable to Medea herself.

As long as he did not fall into the hands of other Masters—

A flash of murderous intent crossed Medea's eyes.

But then again, this choice was only to be made as a last resort; judging by the current situation, things had not yet deteriorated to that extent.

In that case, Medea only needed to find an opportunity now...

"Lancer, what are you doing? Why don't you just finish off Caster's Master?"

A voice suddenly came from behind, sternly questioning Lancer. Aside from the two on the battlefield, the only one left who could make a sound was Lancer's Master!

Lancer's expression stiffened, and he immediately responded to the voice with a serious tone.

"My Master, I, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, swear upon my honor that I will present Caster's head to you, but please allow me to settle this battle with dignity!"

"I'm starting to think Caster was right before. When you faced Saber, did you really give it your all?"

"My Master!" Hearing his own Master question him, Lancer's face changed drastically. He was just about to explain when he heard his Master interrupt him in an incomparably cold tone:

"Enough—

Do not make me use a second Command Spell."

Setting aside the state of Lancer's partnership for a moment.

Lancer's Master had used sorcery to conceal his position when issuing the command to Lancer. But how could such a minor spell interfere with Medea?

Taking advantage of the moment Lancer was defending himself, Medea quickly deployed a detection spell—

"Found you!"

Medea's eyes lit up, and the magic circle behind her, which she had not yet retracted, began to operate once more.

"Caster! What are you doing?!!"

The moment he discovered Medea's small movement, Lancer charged toward her with his spear in hand.

"Don't act rashly, Lancer~"

Medea's voice rang out at the exact moment Lancer took his first step.

"Otherwise, I cannot guarantee the. safe. ty. of your Master, oh~"

"..."

Lancer looked up at the magic circle hovering in mid-air, which was leaking terrifying magical energy. At this moment, the direction the magic circle was facing had shifted by ninety degrees, which meant...

His Master's position had been locked onto by Caster!

"No one can escape unscathed while under my lock-on, you know~ Of course, you are welcome to try~ But it's hard to say whether someone else might swoop in to pick up the pieces after you run away~"

Medea's voice rang out at the perfect moment, though her tone was much more relaxed than before.

Because it was already

checkmate--

"..."

Medea's taunt received no response; the Lancer master, who had been noisy just a moment ago, had now fallen into an eerie silence.

"Caster, how could you commit such an unjust act!"

Lancer forcibly suppressed his anger to question Medea.

"Since I am called a Witch, wouldn't it be a disservice to that title if I didn't do things a witch is supposed to do?"

Hearing Lancer's question, Medea curled her lip in disdain.

"I will kill you!"

Lancer gritted his teeth.

"Then you can try and see~ let's see if your spear is faster or if my magic blasts hit you first!"

"Tch!"

Lancer helplessly lowered his spear. Thinking back to the casting speed of Caster that could only be described as [instant], the loyal knight dared not gamble, nor would he. All that remained in his heart was infinite regret for having placed his lord in such a dangerous position.

"Heh--hahahahaha!"

At this moment, a frantic, mad laughter suddenly echoed from the depths of the dense forest; it was Lancer's master!

That truly ill-timed laughter blew away the tense atmosphere that had filled the air.

It made Medea wonder if that person's brain had broken, and even Lancer looked back with concern:

"My lord?"

"It is nothing! Lancer!"