Beta read by Shigiya, Paragon of Awesomeness and Gamercrusher55
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-Bran Castle, Romania-
The ball went on as planned, with surprisingly no major issues, continuing on until sunrise. Though there were a few minor scuffles with several individuals getting a bit too drunk for their own good and unable to maintain control over themselves.
Those troublemakers, fortunately enough, were immediately taken care of by Lancer, who just threw them out of the castle itself before going back, tending to the guests. For some, the event proved to be an enjoyable moment where they got to meet and familiarize themselves with other people. But for a certain few, this became no different from torture and sucked out every bit of their social batteries to the point that not even a good night's sleep could help them to fully recover.
"You don't seem to have a fever. Can devils even get a fever? Doesn't matter. Perhaps it would be best for me to cook you something light and nutritious. Soup would be a good option compared to what was given at breakfast." Archer said, pressing the back of his hand on his Master's forehead, the latter fully engulfed in blankets like a burrito, stuck in bed ever since she came back.
"If I ever have to speak to another vampire again, I really might end up blasting them away! The people here are insufferable, even worse than the devils in the Underworld!" she complained. A sentiment he found out last night to be shared by not just her, but also every other member of her peerage and even Sona's.
"Vampires are known for their arrogance, and I doubt such people will change drastically in a matter of days just because they are under new leadership."
She groaned in agreement. "Do you know how tone deaf or arrogant one must be to so blatantly insult devils and call some parts of our culture barbaric — to the literal sister of the current Lucifer's face, no less? Several times, I genuinely believed that I was dealing with a vampire version of Riser Phenex, someone who was just saying those things to get a reaction out of me. But no, they were just genuinely trying to have what apparently passes as their idea of a conversation! I still can't decide who has their head shoved the furthest up their own ass!"
"It must have been hard for you."
"Forget about me, imagine how much of a headache this must be for Valerie and Lancer, who have to deal with both sides on a daily basis."
That certainly was something to think about. Though he doubted many would have the courage to talk in such a way in front of Lancer, given how much they clearly feared him. From what he remembered, most of the vampires were just busy licking his boots and showering him with empty words of praise. Even for Archer, such behaviors got tiresome very quickly to watch.
'They are more annoying than Gilgamesh and that dog combined… Which is saying something,' he thought to himself, further impressed at how Assassin could so seamlessly handle such people. But then again, she used to be a queen and most likely had gotten used to it. The same could not be said for Rider, the latter having disappeared from the party with her Master and several other guests halfway through the night, retreating back to their rooms well before the party came to a close.
"So, what's our plan for today?" Rias asked with a groggy voice.
"I don't need to tell you that the actual summit is today, so you have to attend and speak to several people once again. Good news, though, they won't be the same kind of people you were dealing with yesterday. And we still have several hours left; it only starts at dusk."
"Mmm, that means I can still sleep for a bit more. Please wake me up an hour before I have to leave."
She really was exhausted; he could not even fault her for that. With another comforting pat on the head, Archer then left the room for several minutes before coming back with a small bowl of soup he ordered. As much as he wanted to make it himself, this was not his house, and they were guests here. But it did not matter much; the cooks here were still exceptional, and there was nothing to complain about the dishes they made.
"I'll be checking on everyone else. Rest for now, Rias."
She mumbled something under her breath. "Take care, Archer… don't get in trouble."
"Me? Getting into trouble? I'm disappointed you have so little faith. I've made sure to always maintain the image of an upright and disciplined Servant who would never cause any trouble to my dear Master," he said jokingly, though she had already fallen asleep. With nothing more to add, the Servant disappeared from the room, leaving the redhead to continue her rest while he returned to the mostly empty living room. "Oh?"
Surprisingly, not everyone ended up being bedridden for the day after all. Both Gasper and Yuuto were present, each one talking rather animatedly to one another, showing no signs of mental exhaustion, and were even visibly preparing to head out somewhere. "Planning on going out to the nearby village?" he asked, materializing as Gasper was startled by his sudden appearance.
"Gasper mentioned there being an open area for us to use as we please. I planned to head out there and polish up my moves a bit, and asked Gasper if he was willing to join me."
"You're actually considering it?" Archer said, surprised that the young dhampir was actually willing to do such a thing, given his aversion to the outside world.
"I just thought that it would be nice to see what other things have changed around here. I never really got to explore much of the place before. Both Valerie and I used to be confined to a specific space." The more the little Bishop revealed of his past life in this castle, the more Archer started to question how any trace of love or longing could be left for any of the people of this faction. Gasper did not show any particular love for his blood family, but he also showed no hate either. The same could be said for Valerie; any other individual in their place could have easily gone down a path of vengeance.
"Alright, I'll join you too. Rias is sleeping, so are Koneko and Akeno. Issei left with Kiyome to visit Sona's group, and I don't have much to do myself, for the moment." He could not exactly just start cleaning the entire place, nor was it his place to do so. The kitchen was off limits to guests, and he did not have any papers to grade. All in all, Archer found himself with a rare moment where he genuinely had nothing else to do.
"Alright then, I look forward to your help, Archer."
"The same cannot be said for Gasper; look how much he is shaking."
Yuuto chuckled. "Many of us are still traumatized by your training sessions. He must have had bad memories from that time. Is that right, Gasper?"
"I-I don't want to be a pincushion!"
Well, that was as good an answer as any.
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Swish!
As one would expect from the vampires, every part of Bran Castle held an ancient feeling to it. Its rooms, hallways, and gardens emanated a rich history that had remained intact despite the passage of time. Every detail remained well-maintained and perfect for its intended use — just like the training courtyard reserved for those who wanted to polish their swordsmanship.
Filled with several kinds of dummies, made from a combination of straw, wood, leather, stone, and metal. They filled the area with Yuuto at the center of it all, taking a wide stance with his sword held high before bringing the weapon down and, in a swift motion, reappearing on the other side of the training dummy. For several seconds, no change could be spotted on the stand until a thin line formed from the head to its base. Then the dummy fell apart, having been cleaved in two.
"Hah!"
The Knight did not stop there, calling forth more weapons into his grip. He sliced through several more dummies, each time with a different sword. With each new blade, his style changed, not hesitating to use their elemental prowess to either burn, freeze, electrify, or disintegrate his targets with pure demonic energy. On the other side, Archer was comfortably sitting on a post, watching his movements and periodically glancing at a stopwatch he had in hand.
"Hn—ah!"
"Oh?"
With all but one of the dummies destroyed, Archer had figured Yuuto would rush towards it using his speed as a Knight. But instead, he adjusted his grip on his weapon and then swung it in a wide arc, sending the weapon flying across the air until it struck its target right in the chest.
'A bit unnecessary, but that was a nice shot. Especially since I've never seen him do that before.'
Aside from just observing and keeping watch on the boy, he also had the role of watching for any potential points that could be improved or any flaws in his form.
'There are no faults in his stance, and his base form does not need any adjustments. Creating a new style upon changing his weapon is probably a bit excessive, but he is managing to use them as intended without slowing down. The cuts themselves are near perfect, straight without faltering. He kept the edge of his blade perfectly aligned, too.'
The more he analyzed, the more it became obvious that there was little to improve anymore. Unlike his past self before the Rating Game with Riser, Yuuto had improved leagues above anyone else in the group skill-wise. Clearly, he was still visibly unsatisfied with his progress, given the lack of any pride on his face for his performance. Instead, disappointment could be seen lingering on his expression.
"What is my time?"
"Eleven seconds on the dot," he answered calmly, noticing the disappointment growing after hearing those results. "Not that I don't find your dedication admirable and a good mindset to have, but clearly something else is occupying your mind."
Yuuto said nothing, keeping his silence for a while, contemplating until he eventually relented. "It feels like I'm still stuck in the same spot I've been since the beginning."
"That is objectively false," Archer said. "You have improved your fighting skills beyond anyone in this group. If the version of you before I was summoned were to fight your current self, I doubt that the former would have been capable of even cutting you, even if you had to fight ten of them." He was not exaggerating; he meant what he said in full. The only way for Yuuto to improve was through standard experience that could only be attained through battle.
"I appreciate the kind words, Archer. But in the end, have I only grown this powerful to just be strong enough to fight other devils?" the Knight said with a tired smile. "Before you say something, I know we had this conversation before about how I shouldn't compare myself to Servants. But by your own words, Servants aren't invincible, and there are entities in our world who can take you on in a battle, too, right?"
"Of course there are. We would be a pretty frightening existence if nothing could kill us aside from another Servant. As long as you possess the ability to control magical energy or any sort of other mystical power, then you theoretically have the ability to harm a Servant if you can land a hit. But that does not mean you should try to do so. Forcing yourself to fight such entities is a high risk, high return. You can get stronger or destroy yourself."
"I can't continue just being the way I am now. I know it's a far stretch, but eventually, I will need to obtain a level of power capable of at least allowing me to fight back against one. Even if only for a short moment. And I can only see one way to obtain that power in such a short amount of time."
Yuuto's face clenched, taking a deep breath as he stared at the sword he held in his hand.
"I need to achieve my very own Balance Breaker."
Balance Breaker — something he heard mentioned from the mouth of the Governor General himself, and through his own research of this world's supernatural as well. It was seen as a forbidden move from all three factions, where one's Sacred Gear's full potential is unleashed.
Whether it was something akin to a Broken Phantasm or some sort of limitation present in all Sacred Gears being removed, he was not sure. Having never seen one himself, Archer could not give much insight into this matter.
"I can feel it, you know," Yuuto continued. "I know that I should be at a point where something happens. That Sword Birth could take another step forward, but for some reason, I am unable to achieve that. It's somewhere in there, but how can I get to it… I can't seem to figure that out."
"Have you tried talking to someone? I heard one of your teachers before I arrived was none other than Okita Soji. Perhaps he could give you some information that I can't, given that he should be more familiar with this matter than most people around you."
To that, Yuuto sighed once again. "I did. But the only answer I got was how everyone's Sacred Gear differed greatly from all others, and that the requirements of achieving one's Balance Breaker cannot be applied to everyone in the same way. He talked to me about Issei, or rather, past users of the Boosted Gear, mentioning how, as long as one possessed enough passion, enough anger, and a strong enough body, most of its wielders reached that limit through their own means."
That… actually made sense. The very nature of Issei's Sacred Gear gave him the impression of being a weapon that worked in tandem with strong emotions and a powerful body. The brown-haired boy already had one thing covered, though his physical body still needed more training to reach its full potential.
"So that means, maybe if I push him close to death enough, he will achieve a Balance Breaker?"
Yuuto chuckled again. "In theory, yes. But unfortunately, I haven't found any records of previous Sword Birth users going to that level, or what the requirement could even be. Since Sacred Gears adapt to the will of their own user, the method to unlock it is unique to each person, and sometimes even the Balance Breaker itself can differ."
A true conundrum, but one they wouldn't be able to figure out at the time. So the Heroic Spirit shrugged. "There is always a way. Great power cannot be attained so easily; as long as you don't get discouraged and keep working to improve yourself, you will get rewarded, eventually."
"I hope so too…"
"I'm back!" As their conversation reached an end, a high-pitched voice came from the other side of the field. They turned to see Gasper running towards them, holding a bag filled with some soda cans and light snacks. "Sorry it took so long. They don't have any vending machines here, so I had to sneak into the kitchen to get some of these."
Both looked at the younger boy with confusion.
"Couldn't you have just asked one of the maids or butlers to fetch you some?" Archer asked, only to get an embarrassed look from Gasper, who avoided his gaze, fidgeting and squirming like a blushing maiden.
"I-I was too scared to talk to them. But it's alright! I left a note saying what I took so that no one thinks they were stolen."
What an odd fellow this one was…
In any case, Archer accepted the drinks from Gasper, while the Bishop glanced curiously between the two of them. "So, how did it go?"
"Quite well. It's just that Yuuto here is aiming to achieve a Balance Breaker. So we are trying to figure out what's stopping him from achieving that, since he is already pushing the limits of his Sacred Gear." As he said that, an idea popped into his mind. Looking down at the boy, he couldn't help but ask. "Technically, at one point, we will also need to figure out your own Balance Breaker."
"N-Noooo!" Instantly, a loud screech came from the boy, who immediately sought refuge behind a large pillar away from them. Gasper hesitantly peeked his head out from the side to look at Archer with pure terror in his eyes. "I don't want to have my bones broken again! I barely survived the last time, it huuuuurts!"
With such a loud voice, half, if not the entirety, of the Bran Castle's residents most likely had been jolted awake from that.
"It's supposed to hurt. You're never going to get any stronger without paying a price. Besides, you have seen the fruits of your own efforts so far and how effective it was in the end." Archer said, getting the boy to hesitate and be unable to deny his words so easily. "You wanted to get better in order to protect your King. Now that you are reunited with Valerie, I'd say you now have even more reason to get stronger to protect those dear to you."
"But she already has Lancer. What good will I even be if I try to help her?"
"None." Out of the blue, a stern voice answered the question, the familiarity of the tone making Gasper flinch in place. The group watched as a tall man approached the field, wearing a different but equally regal set of clothing than what he had worn yesterday.
It was none other than Gasper's father, Lord Vladi, who continued on where he left off. "As the head of our faction and leader of both House Carmilla and House Tepes alongside all those sworn to them, she does not require the aid of a weakling boy who cannot even muster up the courage to face other people for a mere conversation."
His tone came out much harsher than expected, with Archer raising an eyebrow at how the father was addressing his son. Speaking to him so harshly as if he were not even his own blood.
"I have heard the prior conversation concerning your training. To show such fear when presented by a gift many would kill to have, to be trained by a Heroic Spirit of legend in order to reach your full potential, and balk at the offer because of mere discomfort… You disappoint me."
"…"
"For your own sake and that of others forced to put up with you, I will advise you to cease any notion of wanting to protect Queen Valerie or to be by her side. She is no longer the same person you once knew during your childhood; her status has risen beyond your comprehension, and she is on a different level in terms of power and responsibility. You will only sully her name by being near our queen and becoming a liability to her safety."
Gasper had nothing to say except looking downwards in shame, his shoulder sagging ever so slightly as if a giant pressure descended upon him. Unable to flee or even hide, he could do nothing but endure his father's verbal onslaught.
Of course, there was no reason for Archer to let this continue on, and thus, he appeared in between them, blocking the man's view of his son while Yuuto rested a hand on Gasper's shoulder.
"What brings you here, Lord Vladi?" Archer asked coolly, his expression deliberately neutral despite the tension crackling between them. The vampire lord met his gaze with equally calculated indifference, neither man willing to acknowledge the hostility hanging in the air.
"I have brought you a message to share with your Master, Servant Archer. The summit shall commence in the east wing of Bran Castle. The area has been sealed off from the outside world with several layers of security added. Queen Valerie has also extended an offer for any group who is less than certain about our preparations to examine the safety measures themselves, or even post their own security if they should feel it is required."
Archer shook his head. "While I am sure she would appreciate the offer. We are more than content and are willing to trust your faction when it comes to security. My Master and her peerage will be present during the summit and thus will not be sending anyone to join security. Of course, Lord Lucifer and the other Satans may have their own feelings on the matter, but that is for them to decide."
"I shall relay your words to Queen Valerie and Lord Dracula."
Vampires certainly made no effort to hide their true feelings, even when it came to Lancer. Archer almost found it funny how the vampires continued to call him that name behind his back. Treating it as a title and a revered name despite knowing full well that to him, it was nothing less than an insult upon his legacy. An amusing yet ironic situation.
He was not sure if he should pity Lancer for the kind of luck he had to be summoned into a world where his descendants were actual vampires.
Seeing the old vampire walk away, Yuuto came to his side with a frown on his face. "He sure is a pleasant guy, isn't he?"
"Compared to how volatile and arrogant some of the vampires who spoke with Rias were at the party yesterday, I would actually say that he is more tame in comparison… and far more blunt," he noted, looking back at Gasper, who just continued to hide behind the pillar with his face more downcast than ever before. "Don't let his words get to you. They will only hold meaning if you let them. I am here to make sure that does not happen."
Gasper shook his head.
"He isn't trying to insult me… that's just how he has always been."
"I suppose not everyone has the luxury of having supportive parents. And even those who do, it's really a coin toss if they are genuinely able to express that in a way that's conducive to the child's growth."
"Not every orphan has dead parents," Yuuto added, turning around and walking towards the young boy and giving him a pat on the back for reassurance. "At the very least, we will always be with you as your true family."
"…I know."
After that, both Yuuto and Archer headed back towards the field, but Gasper remained behind, staring at his father's retreating figure in the distance. Complex thoughts crossed his mind, none of which he could voice. Shaking his head, he took a deep breath and clenched his hands before turning on his heels and running to join the other two.
"W-Wait for me! I want to train too!"
{Break}
(Evening)
Just like that, time passed in what felt like an instant, and before the three knew it, the sun had begun to set and the time for the summit was drawing close. Going back to their accommodations, the trio found that Rias, Akeno, and Koneko were already prepared and enjoying some tea and snacks. The redhead and her Queen were in the middle of playing a game of chess. Issei was half-listening to Kiyome, with the latter holding a book themed around familiars and talking about them with visible excitement, which he obviously did not share, yet he could think of no way to excuse himself without appearing rude.
But he still tried his best to pay attention, if only because Kiyome clearly cared about the subject a great deal.
"Ah, you're back." Upon seeing Archer, Akeno got up from the table and went towards him. "I was looking forward to showing you that recipe I promised you."
"I was a bit occupied helping out Yuuto and Gasper with their training."
She pouted. "Mouh, You didn't even come to check up on me to see if I was alright. Last night was pretty taxing on my body, you know? You really ought to show more consideration; I thought we were closer than that."
"…"
"The least you can do is come and keep me company. I promise I won't bite~! …Again~"
"Ahem!" Clearly displeased by what was going on in front of her, Rias cleared her throat to get their attention. "What's going on here with you two being so chummy out of the blue? Archer is here as my precious Servant. We don't want people to get the wrong impression now, don't we?"
"Ara ara~ Is someone jealous that Archer and I are getting along so well?"
"No, I am just trying to maintain our image here." Rias retorted, though her words were not that convincing, unfortunately. "You've gotten very comfortable around him lately. Is there something I should know?"
"Oh? And what do you think that is, Buchou?" There was a sly lilt to her voice, a deliberate challenge. "Archer and I have always been like this. Close. I feel like he knows every inch of me, inside and out and over the past months, he's planted the seeds of our friendship so deep, it's taken root." She smiled, a slow, knowing curve of her lips. "I do the same for him, of course. Just as intimately."
She was not being subtle with her words at all.
"Maybe I need to remind you who is the King here, Akeno," Rias mentioned with crimson energy covering her hand.
"Oh my, playing the King card? How desperate you must be to keep him for yourself." Akeno was challenged by lightning coating her.
He had to put an end to this.
"We can have this conversation later, both of you. Right now, there are more important matters to focus on. We should be getting ready to join the summit; the others will be waiting for us."
"…"
With everyone gathered they left, each girl walking closely beside Archer, and after a bit of a trek through the castle's long halls and stairs they soon reached the spot where the summit was going to take place.
"They really are taking this matter seriously," Rias muttered as they passed another row of vampires in full armor. Each one of them looked like they were readying themselves for war.
It did not end there; amongst the guards were a mix of devils, fallen angels, and regular angels, too. Despite the presence of lingering tension between each faction, they managed to maintain a professional face without betraying any emotions. All of them were taking their duties seriously without getting in each other's way, and so long as no one acted rashly, it would remain that way.
"Makes sense. This summit will be the deciding factor for what's to come in the following years. Their future, along with every other member of the three factions, will be decided by the outcome of this meeting. It could either end with a whole new bloody war that could end with at least one side going extinct, or long-lasting peace where they can finally rest." Archer did not mince his words about the outcome, something he knew his Master and everyone involved were equally aware of.
"By the way, what happened with Gasper? He's been particularly quiet since you three came back."
"We had a brief encounter with Lord Vladi."
"Oh."
That was all she needed to hear to figure out what must have happened. A trace of anger flashed across her eyes as she let out an audible huff. "If he has something to say about my adorable Bishop, then he better do so to my face. I will not allow anyone to insult him or demean him in any way, whether they are blood-related or not."
"It did not go that far, thankfully enough. And it did, ironically, serve to give him the motivation he lacked recently to continue practicing. That and wanting to be worthy of standing by Valerie's side."
Rias nodded, their steps slowing down as the group soon reached a large set of doors leading to a highly guarded room. Just from standing there, one could sense the plethora of defensive and privacy spells, making it impossible to even sense how many people were inside, let alone hear whatever conversation was being had inside.
"Let's hope this turns out well, then," Rias said, looking behind and getting approval from her group, who gave her a nod. "Listen, this will be stressful, I know. But we are not the main group that will be expected to do much talking. Our goal is just to answer any sort of questions as briefly and as honestly as possible. If you don't know what to say, then just signal me, and I'll take it from there. Got it?"
"Yes, Buchou!"
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The doors slowly opened, revealing a dark but well illuminated interior, where the peerage walked into to find a giant round table in the middle occupied by the leaders of all three biblical factions and the vampire faction. Accompanying them were those who could be considered as their right-hand individuals — or, in Sirzechs' case, his fellow Satans and his wife.
Azazel brought along both Vali, Assassin, and Kalawarna.
As for Michael, he sat alone, though not really, since two nuns accompanied him. Xenovia and Irina were standing nervously behind him, for some reason refusing to take a seat.
Finally, on the vampires' side, Valerie sat equally as nervous as the two nuns, with Lancer proudly standing behind her to her right.
"Finally, everyone is here! We can get this meeting started." Azazel exclaimed, scratching his ears with an annoyed look on his face. "Let's get this over and done with so that I can find the idiot who stole the latest additions to my wine collection."
"…"
Of course, everyone ignored him, and Rias naturally went to join her brother, noticing that Sona was already present and waiting for them. Both heiresses greeted one another quietly, a quiet message being exchanged through their eyes, and waiting for one of the others to start speaking.
Valerie opened her mouth. "Before we start, I would like to thank every faction leader present for yesterday's pleasant evening. The ball went amazingly, and we got to meet and understand each side more than we could ever imagine before such an important summit."
"Oh, don't mention it, Your Majesty. I am willing to revert to how I used to be before I fell for an entire year just to get a taste of your amazing wine collection, hahahaha! Speaking of wine, in case I don't find the thief, can you sell me a few dozen more? I swear I'll make it worth it!" The governor general exclaimed with a hearty laugh. Assassin next to him remained quiet, though one could not miss the sight of her eyes twitching with irritation.
"Be silent and stop making a fool of yourself, Azazel."
"Tch, spoilsport."
Afterwards, everyone expressed a few words on how well the party went and also thanked Lancer and Queen Valerie for hosting the event. Even Serafall spoke with courtesy, showing no signs of her usual hyperenergetic self. Something that Archer could see weirded out her younger sister and even Rider to some degree.
Lanceer spoke next. "Now, onto official matters. The vampire faction, formed with the union of the Tepes and Carmilla clans under Queen Valerie, will be acting as the moderators of today's discussion. Our goal is not to place ourselves as another major power seeking validation, but rather to make sure this summit concludes in a manner that allows the human and supernatural worlds alike to experience a period of peace where all four of our factions — and possibly others if they are willing to join us — can prosper in unison." Lancer's voice echoed across the room and caught everyone's attention.
Archer found it difficult to imagine that a Servant of such oratory skill did not possess any variant of the Charisma skill. But perhaps that was an unfortunate reflection of his lack of worthwhile allies in life.
"From our brief discussion yesterday, I believe the Fallen Angels have something to bring forth."
"Right, I won't beat around the bush and will address the elephant in the room. Namely, the recent conflicts that took place in Kuoh involving both Raynare and the more eventful one with Kokabiel. I'm not going to pretend that rogue elements of my faction have done a lot to stoke the tensions of late, so I will address them right now myself. As you can see, Raynare and her group are of no threat to anyone whatsoever any longer. Two of them are dead as a result of their actions, the survivors have been stripped of any influence and power they had within our faction, and are now tasked with repaying the devils by working for them as school staff."
Yes, Kalawarna had been hired as the school's secretary… though he was pretty sure Raynare did not even have a job. Was she part of the staff this entire time, or would something come up shortly after this summit? Best to find out soon. All that said, he did not have much of an opinion on them anymore, having dealt with their group already. Kawalarna now being Assassin's Master was a separate matter in his mind, and one that also meant the priest who'd been responsible for Yuuto's suffering in the past would never be able to cause such a horrific scene as the Holy Sword project again.
"As for my brother. Hah… What a mess he created," sighed Azazel. "For his actions, I would have locked him up in Cocytus for seven centuries, but he is no longer amongst us thanks to the Servant Saber." Those words were not uttered with any form of gratitude within them, nothing but sarcasm and even some slight resentment. Not that Archer could not understand. After all, they were still brothers, and he could tell that Azazel did not want to lose another one of his family members. "All in all, our side has lost the most, and we would also be benefiting the most from this peace agreement."
"I wouldn't say you were the only one who lost a lot during these past few conflicts," Michael spoke out. "I also mourn our lost brother, and I must remind you that our precious holy weapons have been destroyed as well? They are not something that can be recreated anymore."
"Oh, don't even try to bring that up. Those two girls behind you were sent to Kuoh on their own with the sole objective of retrieving the weapons that had been stolen by a Cadre. And I remember hearing that they also were tasked to destroy them if they couldn't get them back. Doesn't sound like they were weapons you were all that worried about keeping around." Azazel retorted, not taking a word from Michael's mouth too seriously.
Then, Sirzechs raised his voice after staying silent for a while. "In this particular case, we can't even blame each other for how things turned out. In the end, the swords were destroyed by a completely different party unassociated with any of us."
"Speaking of which, didn't that Saber also cause you some trouble? I understand she killed off dozens of your scouts in the Underworld."
"I won't even ask how you came to know such information, Azazel. But yes, we have lost many in the past few days at the hands of that Servant. As for the specific reason why they did so, your guess is as good as mine." So he said, though it would be a lie for him to not have suspicions.
Azazel then looked past the Satans. "Don't suppose you have anything to say about her, Archer? You've confronted this Servant twice now, right? How likely is it that she'll get in our way once more?"
Suddenly, he had the gazes of several people on him, all curious about Saber. His knowledge about that particular woman did not go beyond the basic information any Master could read of her parameters.
…At least, that's what he would have said were it not for that helmet of hers.
"Very likely. She gives me the impression of being someone who does not like to follow the rules and can rebel at any moment. She is driven by her emotions and desire for a worthy challenge, so if someone or something taunts her, then her following reaction would be to match that energy. As a sign of good faith I will reveal Saber's identity." He gave a brief description of Saber general abilities as well as her character, and he privately enjoyed seeing the flashes of surprise on their faces upon learning the Knight of Treachery was a woman.
"That said, as long as what you are doing does not involve holy swords or anything specifically linked to King Arthur, such as Excalibur or Caliburn, then Mordred shouldn't be an issue, so long as you don't deliberately provoke her. She must have been in the underworld last time due to orders from her Master."
Azazel rubbed his chin. "That little lady is Mordred, huh? Damn. It fits her legend, but I truly did not expect her to react that strongly to King Arthur's swords."
Sirzechs shook his head. "Well, as long as she is not after our throats, I'm happy to let her keep her distance."
Everyone agreed with that sentiment. From there, much of the conversation consisted of back and forth involving minor material and subjects, and the summit lasted for another ten minutes before silence came back once more.
"Before we change the topic. I have one last thing that needs to be asked." Michael mentioned and then proceeded to turn his attention towards the red-headed devil. "What's going on with Diodora? The heir of the Astaroth clan went behind your back, and after somehow managing to steal such precious information about summoning a Servant he then proceeded to lose control of his Servant… You're losing your touch, Sirzechs. Should we be worried that there will be more cases like this arising in the future? Especially since Archer insinuated there being more classes of Servants that have yet to appear."
The Servant of the Bow hummed in agreement, yet spoke up to give his two cents. "While there are other classes, it all depends on the system put in place. There are specific requirements for each of them, and some can't even be summoned at all under normal means. Since we have not seen their appearance so far, it's best to hope that it stays that way… Some of them can be far more troublesome to deal with than a simple Berserker."
The last thing he wanted to deal with was another case of an Avenger Servant tainting the Servant system itself in some way to cause a cascading amount of trouble.
Or worse, a Beast manifesting.
"Now that Archer has confirmed the dangers in such attempts, what do you say, Sirzechs? It wouldn't be wise if you started playing around with such dangerous beings."
Though the words themselves seemed quite confrontational, Michael's tone made it sound like anything but. Still it did not stop others in the room from growing more tense, especially his Master, who he could feel started to become more and more nervous as time went on.
"I will admit, what happened with Diodora was a mistake on my part. I should have kept that information in a more secure place."
"I should be the one saying that, Sirzechs." Ajuka intervened, sounding solemn unlike his peers. "At the end of the day, any information involving the summoning ritual was entrusted to me by every party. My oversight on the matter cannot be dismissed, and I am willing to take all the blame."
To that, Azazel scoffed. "What's even the point of saying that? The information is already out there, and it's too late to change it. Unless that brain of yours can somehow manage to create a time machine to go back and change things. But given how things turned out with Assassin here… I am not angry. But just like you said, you made a mistake, and what better way to seek forgiveness than offering compensation?"
Ajuka's eyes remained calm, almost as if he predicted Azazel to say that. "You sure are quite greedy, asking that after having gotten a Servant of your own."
The governor general just waved his hand. "That was more because of luck than an opportunity, much less anything that had to do with your mistake. Assassin here approached me of her own volition, so technically I wouldn't really count that as me being greedy. Come on now, do I need to spell out what I'm seeking?"
The Satan nodded.
"The Evil Pieces."
"Yup," said the man with a snap of his fingers. "My rule as the governor general is not to just have an advantage over you all by having a Servant on my side. Sure, they are powerful entities, but when has that been an issue? Unlike you devils, our major concern is the continuation of our race, which is treading the line of being endangered even outside of wars. Don't you agree with me, brother?"
"…"
Michael's silence served as an answer in itself.
"What's the point of being able to summon one Servant or ten of them if soon there won't be any more fallen angels to make contracts with them in the first place? Sure, we can have children with other races, but eventually full-blooded fallen angels will diminish in number until, before we know it, less than a handful will remain, and it's not as if there are that many pure angels around to fall in the first place. I don't even want to imagine the stress you must be going through, Michael."
"Angels can experience love; we are merely forbidden from lust."
"Tomayto tomahto, same thing."
They truly looked like siblings lightly arguing with one another. But something did not feel right about what Azazel mentioned. Insinuating that angels were in an ever bigger danger of going extinct than their fallen brethren? Wouldn't this world's God be able to create more of them at any time? Really, something did not add up here. And he was not the only one who noticed this discrepancy; Sona raised her hand to get everyone's attention.
"I'm sorry to ask such an obvious question, but wouldn't your Father be able to create more angels whenever they were needed, Lord Michael?" she asked with a confused face, one shared amongst every member of her peerage and Rias' group. But Archer noticed that the Satans and even Azazel showed no changes on their faces, or even a hint of curiosity.
They knew.
"Hah… besides that last part, I will agree that we are in a difficult spot. I believe I should be bringing this point up since it is not something that can be kept hidden forever, and the people around this table are entitled to know such an important fact." Michael said while rubbing his forehead, then looking at the two nuns behind him, along with Asia, he confessed the greatest and most terrible secret of his people.
"During the Great War, many people perished on all sides. I've lost countless brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, it did not just end at that. During the final phase of the war, right as we started to see that light at the end of the tunnel, did the unthinkable happen — Father Himself perished before the war reached its conclusion."
The room became silent, his words taking a few seconds to register in everyone's mind until they finally reacted simultaneously.
"What!?"
"E-Excuse me?"
"Lord Michael! That can't be…"
As one would expect, the ones with the biggest reaction were none other than the nuns and a former nun. Their faces were all filled with immediate disbelief, wanting to reject what their minds instinctively processed as heresy. But given that this piece of information came from none other than Michael himself, calling him a liar would be ridiculous.
Archer himself was quite taken aback by this information. Though unlike the others, he was quick to accept it after remembering one important detail.
'The gods in this world are different from the ones in mine. They are not at the same kind of conceptual existence where calling them living beings is not fully accurate. They have flesh and blood here, capable of going around and living as humans if they wanted to.'
Gods. Angels. Demons. Devils. Dragons.
All of them differed greatly from their world's counterparts.
'Then again, even my word has a similar great war between gods and an alien, resulting in the former nearly going extinct. So it's not that shocking.'
He looked at his fellow Heroic Spirits to see their reaction. Rider did not seem to care whatsoever, and Assassin looked intrigued but not saddened or shocked. But Lancer…
"God… is dead?" He repeated those words, momentarily forgetting the existence of the devil in the room, who experienced a minor headache when hearing that name. Even if he had mentioned to realise the difference between this world and theirs, Archer figured that even that sort of mindset wouldn't be enough to fully take in such shocking news and accept it so easily. "How can that be possible?"
Azazel spoke after, this time with a more serious tone. "I am still surprised by this little piece of information, given my familiarity with the Dracula of my world. But I understand that you are a man of the Lord; a true Christian whose faith never wavered, right?"
"…"
"I know it is a hard pill to swallow. He was my Father too. The day I heard of this news, I rejected it like many others. But the signs of His passing were clear to anyone who was familiar enough with how the system works. The existence of Balance Breakers, the angels closing their doors to the outside world and staying silent for so many centuries, the decline in faith, and the corruption seen throughout the church… Had Father been alive, He would have never allowed a tragedy like the Holy Sword project to even see the light of day."
Too many, it was like pieces of a puzzle snapping into place, with them also realising the truth of the matter and unable to believe how they even missed such an important detail themselves.
"Gra— L-Lancer…" Visibly worried, Valerie turned to her servant and held his hand, more concerned about him than the news she just heard. "Are you okay?"
The man did not answer immediately, instead closing his eyes and clearly trying to maintain his composure. Though everyone did not miss the sight of his hands clenching tightly, Xenovia, Irina, and Asia were going through a similar crisis of faith, but their reactions were much more visible. They glanced around towards others, hoping to hear at least one trying to deny those words and say it was not the truth.
"No… no, this cannot be. How can the Lord be dead? M-My prayers, everything you have done…"
"Before His death, Father put in place a complex system that would take on His role and continue to listen to prayers and keep Heaven stable," Michael added, but then looked down with a disappointed expression on his face. "Unfortunately, it is by no means perfect and needs someone to supervise the entire process. I have been taking that role for the last few centuries. I am not my Father, and I have let many errors slip through despite my best."
"Don't be like that. The fact that you even managed to keep that entire thing running all by yourself speaks volumes. I doubt even I could have done half of what you have, brother." In a rare moment, Azazel comforted Michael. Yet his words did not seem to have any effect on the Seraph, who just shook his head.
"That doesn't change the moments where others suffered because of this. Asia, the reason you were excommunicated is that your actions have healed a devil, when it should have been impossible. We could not allow people to start suspecting, which is why you were immediately excommunicated. If word of that incident got out, if people so much as started to suspect Father's absence, then the outcome would be catastrophic for the faith. We had to make a choice, and you were the one who had to suffer through this."
"…"
The young girl did not know what to say, her shoulders shaking as she tried her best to hold back her tears. Issei patted her back, even though he did not know what to say to calm her down.
Finally, Lancer broke his silence with surprising words. "Yes… Your Father may well be dead. And I am willing to accept that truth."
"Eh?"
He continued with a firm stance and a powerful tone. "But this does not mean the Lord that I have followed for years is dead!" His voice echoed throughout the room, jolting Xenovia, Irina, and Asia from their despairing state. "The Lord that I follow, His blessing still remains active to this day. Our prayers are always listened to by Him, and He has aided those who worked for the church whenever they required His strength to combat the forces of evil! Were he truly dead, the prayers and chants used in combat and weapons blessed by Holy Power by the church would have gone dull and inert."
Archer nodded. Having at one point even worked alongside church executors, he had seen the kind of techniques, chance, and weapons they had used. As far as he was aware, there was no system in place that could play the role of God in place of the Almighty Himself. This was just another example out of thousands he had to show how different this world was from the one his fellow Servants came from.
"That is… One way to look at things," Michael said with a smile.
"Even if the God of this world is dead, so what? He has imparted His teachings. We have known our duty and our responsibility without Him needing to remind us. Even if I were someone in this world, my faith would not waver. I would continue to spread His message across the world and continue to do my best with His name upon my lips and in my heart. I did not need a living God to know right from wrong, and even though I have never met Him, I am certain that one of this world also had a similar goal, for He would not have created the system otherwise. Because He placed His trust in us."
Definitely someone who had a way with words. With only a handful of sentences, the atmosphere had flipped in its entirety. A look of contemplation was prevalent on the faces of the girl who only moments ago had been distraught by the news.
'Even I feel invigorated by what he has said, despite being a devil,' Rias mentioned through their connection, something that very nearly made him chuckle.
'That's a true monarch for you. He led his nation to victory against two warring kingdoms while being sandwiched between them. Practically landlocked and doomed for failure and ruin in the eyes of many. Yet he managed to achieve the impossible, kept his land safe, and even terrified away any and all invaders through his cruel methods and inspired the following generation to do the same. One simply cannot achieve such an outcome just by being powerful in combat; they need to have a strong tactical mind and the ability to reach people's hearts through their words as well.'
Lancer continued to speak. "That is why I am a firm believer that such a burden should not just be carried by Lord Michael. Our Father's teachings have always emphasised the importance of helping one's neighbour. Only by aiding with his care can we keep the peace going and protect our people. This is not their burden, but ours. And it is our solemn duty to look after them just as the Lord would have wished of us."
"Share the burden?" Michael looked intrigued at that proposition, knowing that there was more to it, and waited for Lancer to continue.
"As you may know, Romania is a very religious country. What better way to tackle this issue than by reinforcing the faith of those who already believe in the Lord? Rather than continue to stay silent and let those corrupt fools at the Vatican do as they please, we continue to honour his wishes and continue our duties as they were centuries ago?"
"Hahahaha!" Azazel burst out in laughter, one that sounded more amused than anything else, rather than being rude. "The vampires seeking an alliance with the angels! Truly, even after living for so long, I still end up seeing things beyond my imagination! This is absolute gold!"
Lancer smiled. "The world has already noticed the suspicious absence of angels descending upon this world. It is no different than a ticking bomb, for eventually, someone will blow the whistle, and chaos will follow. So why not instead continue with traditions established here in Romania? To have people witness miracles and reignite their belief once more. All of this will be supervised by Queen Valerie, of course, but we can begin working closely with both the angels and the Vatican if they are willing to cooperate."
"A-Ah… y-yes! What Lancer said…" The poor girl jumped from her seat upon having everyone's eyes fall upon her, shaking with a momentary lapse in composure, but quickly managed to recover. Serafall, who had kept her silence, also decided to speak out.
"I don't think that's necessarily a bad idea. Not to mention, for this peace treaty to work, we need to be able to tolerate each other's existence way more than we are doing now. In fact, isn't Kuoh doing the same thing that Lancer is offering? A church built right not too far from where the heiresses live and where an angel descended? Pretty sure that served to showcase how our side has a more friendly disposition to outsiders." She then turned her attention towards the two nuns. "That is, if you two are willing to continue staying there."
"We will," Xenovia answered, along with Irina, who nodded. "Just like what Lancer mentioned. Our faith in the Lord is not so fickle that it will be broken by such a revelation. We devoted our lives not just to Him but also His teachings, and He will continue to live on in our hearts as long as we continue to practise them and spread His teachings to the lost lambs who find their way to our doorstep instead of forcing it."
"Great! I'll make sure to finalise your papers to join our students tomorrow!"
"E-Eh?" Stunned by Serafall's words, both were confused about what she was talking about now.
"What? Even if you two are allowed to continue working as nuns at the church, in order for this peace treaty to work. That does not mean we're allowed to ignore the rules and laws, so you're being enrolled into Kuoh Academy. Also, the school could serve as a place for all three or four factions to congregate, having it be a symbol for the outside world."
"Great minds think alike," Azazel commented before slapping his hand on the table. "So, what are we waiting for!? We all want peace, that's clear, so let's just get this done with and sign the papers already! I'm still not giving up on finding that wine thief and possibly buying a few more bottles if someone were to accept my humble request. Queen Valerie?"
"Uhmm, y-you can ask Lancer…"
"My Master has a generous heart and will gladly accept the request of an ally," the Heroic Spirit answered. "In fact, the greater the ally, the better the quality of wine she is willing to give. Especially amongst her most prized collection dating back millennia ago, one conserved through magic and made by using grapes that no longer exist."
"Y-Yes, I would! Wait, I don't have a colle—"
"Amazing! I knew you were more than just a beautiful girl, also quite wise! I have some unused land to sell you if you're willing to check it out, and a few of my associates have been interested in opening their own business in Romania. It's a shame that the vampire leaders from before were so stingy and arrogant that they ignored our past requests. I even offered to let them share in the profits. Oh, I promise you it's not brothels or anything that you may not like."
"Queen Valerie sees no issues with this," Lancer answered with a proud look on his face.
The conversation became more jovial with each group reaching a consensus, with binding contracts being brought up to the table, right as they were about to sign it — Rider stepped ahead with one word that made everyone, especially Lancer, freeze up on the spot.
"Blood."
"—!"
She whispered the word quietly, but her voice reached everyone's ears, who all looked up at her and then around themselves. Archer himself was already standing beside Rias, prepared to bring out his swords at any moment.
"I smell blood."
Before anyone could even say something, Archer was already on the move to kick the door open. He trusted her, and if someone were to detect the presence of spilt blood immediately, it would be her even before any vampire.
Bang!
The doors burst open, breaking off their hinges and flying down the hall, in which Archer now stood in the middle of, with Kanshou already in hand. And just like that, a horrifying sight greeted their eyes.
"What!?" Rias and Sona exclaimed out loud, stupefied by the gory scene right at the entrance. All of those angels, devils, fallen angels, and even a handful of vampires who'd been standing guard — now all of them lay upon a stone floor slick with their own blood. They'd all been killed in silence, with some having their throats ripped apart and others with bloody holes in the middle of their chests.
'Looks like they were ripped apart by someone biting off a chunk. Other holes are large enough to pass a hand through. All of this must have occurred at the same time without anyone even knowing that they were in danger.' Given that there were no vampires earlier than angels, devils, and fallen angels compared to the handful of ones here that had been killed, it did not take a genius to figure out what was going on.
"I'm sorry to say this, Lancer, but it looks like not everyone is so keen on this peace agreement like you were," Azazel mentioned, while getting up from his seat and approaching the door with his hands in his pockets. He looked visibly displeased when looking at the face of his fallen brethren. "And so we march ever so closer to extinction."
"So those cowards have finally decided to bare their fangs," Lancer said, staring at the sky where several hundred magic circles started to surround the castle's towers, covering the very sky with a red tint. A great many figures appeared on floating platforms with a pungent stench of blood permeating the very air.
Amongst them, most were vampires, but there were a number of human mages among their ranks.
"Are the houses of Carmilla and Tepes rebelling against Queen Valerie? Perhaps her treacherous half-brother Marius is also amongst you all, hiding like a rat," he asked calmly, specifically looking at the individual standing at the forefront. "Is this truly the outcome you are seeking, Lord Vladi?"
Behind Lancer, Gasper stood there in complete shock, watching as the person who flew above was none other than his own father. And he was surrounded by several other vampire nobles who had been present at the ballroom last night, all of them now looking down on Lancer and the other leaders with a hostile gaze.
"You should have known that this outcome was inevitable, Lancer." Lord Vladi answered. "We vampires were perfectly fine without needing to lower ourselves by consorting with lesser beings who are already destined to disappear in a matter of time. You have undermined everything we have created these past centuries, and tarnished our image to the world by being mere boot-lickers to them. We vampires are beyond them, and we shall not allow ourselves to be reduced to becoming servants to our inferiors!"
With the wave of his hand, more portals opened with hundreds of mages floating out atop magic circles, all of them already in the midst of preparing a spell that quickly enveloped the entirety of Bran Castle.
"Looks like another party decided to meddle in our affairs alongside these rebel vampires."
Assassin nodded, glancing at Archer. "Careful, there is something odd about that bounded field they set up. And I refuse to believe they would be so foolish as to attack this summit without taking the presence of us Servants into account, even if some of our identities and Noble Phantasms are a mystery to them."
"It certainly wouldn't be wise to ignore a wise and deadly queen such as yourself," Archer replied, taking in everything in front of him. "This spell is using the blood of those they killed as a component, from the looks of it, along with their own abilities. Can't be sure of what it is by just looking, but it does remind me of something."
He looked at Rider, who was also observing the bounded field. "It's unlikely to hold the same ability, but if it's anything remotely similar to your Blood Fort… then destroying it should be our priority."
He did not feel his life force being sucked out, and there were no giant eyes hanging in the air. Still, he had a bad feeling about it, and ignoring that sensation was not a good idea.
Right as he was about to dismiss his sword and Trace his bow. Lancer raised his hand, stopping all three Servants from acting along with the gathered faction leaders.
"I am terribly ashamed of what has happened to you and those who have fallen. This summit was supposed to be a safe haven in which to discuss the terms of peace; yet here we are, drawn into a new conflict. Such an insult on my Master's name shall not be permitted to stand. And so, I ask that my fellow Heroic Spirits stand back and protect the summit while allowing me to be the one to confront these barbarians."
With a swing of his arm, a beautiful black and silver spear with golden accents appeared in his hand. Swirling the weapon around, the King of Wallachia walked ahead, stepping across the puddles of blood formed by the fallen guards.
"Let these traitors and brigands who would dare to intrude upon Queen Valerie's domain and spill blood at a peace summit be made to understand why I am called the Impaler, and know their own folly."
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.