In his room, Gordes sat opposite Saber Alter while a Homunculus maid poured each of them a cup of black tea.
Saber Alter's powerful, imposing figure left Gordes staring in fascination. Although he was almost completely certain of the answer, he asked anyway, just to be safe:
"Saber, your true name is Siegfried, correct?"
"Yes, Master."
Receiving both Siegfried's verbal confirmation and a nod, Gordes was overjoyed.
But worry followed close on the heels of his joy.
Siegfried's weakness was almost as famous as his heroic deeds. With the power of his legend reinforcing it, the vulnerable spot on his back had all but become a genuine curse.
It was not just his otherwise invulnerable skin that had a weak point on his back. Even armor formed from magic power, or a shield offering protection from every direction, would be forced to leave an opening there.
Gordes was agonizing over this.
Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to the black-and-gold cloak Siegfried wore. Inspiration struck, and he immediately asked:
"Saber, is that cloak you're wearing that Noble Phantasm?"
Siegfried nodded in confirmation.
According to legend, Siegfried had seized a powerful treasure from the Dwarf king. Wearing it granted him the strength of twelve grown men, as well as the ability to conceal himself.
That treasure was the cloak of invisibility, Tarnkappe. But...
"Saber, you're wearing the cloak right now, so why aren't you invisible?"
Gordes looked at the black-and-gold cloak draped over Siegfried in puzzlement.
"Well, the cloak's invisibility only activates when I put on its hood. Like this, Master."
As he spoke, Siegfried lifted the hood from the back of his cloak and pulled it over his head. In the next instant, he vanished from his chair.
There was not even the slightest fluctuation of magic power when he turned