"Who's there?"
Saber's voice was cold and sharp as she raised her invisible sword, eyes locked on the direction of the sound.
"Just as I thought—Saber."
A voice answered, and a tall, well-built man appeared out of thin air.
He was strikingly handsome—sharp features, broad shoulders, and a sculpted body that showed even under his clothes. But the most distinctive thing was the small black mole just beneath his right eye.
"A Servant," Saber confirmed immediately.
"Already? That was fast." Irisviel moved closer to Shichen, gripping his arm and hiding behind him. He'd told her before—if another Servant shows up, she was to stay behind him. She remembered it clearly.
"Is that one of the other Servants?" Frieren noticed the commotion and walked over, curiously observing the man.
"Huh? Frieren, get over here," Shichen frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"You don't feel anything off about him?" he asked, watching her closely.
"Something off? Like what?" she tilted her head, confused.
"Like… any weird vibes from him?"
"Nope. Nothing."
"Really? You're sure?"
Shichen was still uneasy. That mole under the man's eye wasn't just for show—it carried a charm effect that made women subconsciously attracted to him.
"Not at all. If anything, I kinda feel grateful," Frieren said casually.
"Grateful?"
"Well, now that there's an enemy, doesn't that mean I can go back?" she grinned proudly.
…Okay, maybe he was overthinking. Frieren was a pure-blooded mage—charm magic wasn't going to work on her.
"So, can I go now?" she asked sweetly.
"Yeah, go ahead. Take Illya and Sakura with you."
"Okay~!"
She practically skipped away to the girls, humming as she went.
The man didn't move, but when he saw Frieren and the kids suddenly vanish, his expression shifted to surprise.
"Oh?"
"Alright, let's hear it. What's your reason for showing up?" Shichen asked as he led Irisviel to stand next to Saber, still holding her hand.
Irisviel wasn't affected by the charm either—her magical resistance was more than enough—but she didn't even seem to care about the enemy. She was just quietly staring at her and Shichen's clasped hands.
"Shichen, back off. This guy's dangerous," Saber warned, sword still raised.
"Relax. He's not going to get past me."
That made Saber turn and give him a tired look. She really didn't know how to deal with her overconfident Master sometimes.
"Haha, this Master's got guts," the man laughed.
"Well, you're just a Lancer. If you were a Saber, maybe I'd be more worried," Shichen said with a smirk.
"Lancer, huh?" Saber narrowed her eyes at the man.
"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow. "You recognize me?"
Shichen didn't say anything—he just tapped the spot under his own right eye.
"Heh. Sharp guy," Lancer sighed.
"Shichen, who is he?" Saber asked.
"He's—"
"Ah-ah, can't let you say that~"
Lancer suddenly summoned a long spear wrapped in bandages and launched himself forward with incredible speed.
"Shichen, watch out—"
"I got it."
He calmly raised his hand, and a transparent barrier shimmered into existence in front of him.
"That won't help you!"
Lancer grinned as his spear pierced the shield. The moment it touched, the barrier shattered like glass.
"Haaah!" Saber rushed forward, meeting the attack with her invisible blade.
A loud clash rang out, sparks flying. Saber didn't even flinch.
Lancer staggered backward, surprised by her sheer strength.
Sliding several meters before stopping, he stared at Saber's weapon with a serious expression.
"A sword, huh?"
"Shichen, get back," Saber said, ready to retaliate.
"Ugh, right. Almost forgot about that cursed spear…" Shichen muttered, putting a hand on Saber's shoulder. "Don't be hasty. I still haven't told you who he is. How are you supposed to fight him if you don't even know his identity?"
"He doesn't know who I am either," Saber said confidently. "And that won't stop me."
"Just be careful, alright?"
"Come on, have some faith in me."
"Fine, fine." Shichen backed off with Irisviel.
Whether Saber was trying to prove herself or just fired up for battle, Shichen figured she'd only learn if she hit a wall.
"So, Saber… you really want to fight me head-on?" Lancer asked.
"I do."
"A brave one, huh? That sword of yours should tell me who you are. Let's see what legend you're hiding."
And with that, he disappeared in a blur and clashed again with Saber.
The sound of steel rang through the air as they fought—Saber's blade vs. Lancer's spear. Their movements were so fast, they were barely visible, just sparks flying and metal crashing again and again.
"Whoa… they're amazing," Irisviel whispered in awe, eyes wide.
"Don't tell me you still think Saber's just a cute girl?" Shichen chuckled.
"W-Well… I forgot she's actually a king," she admitted.
"She's crazy strong. And since I'm her Master, her stats are maxed out. Unless her opponent's some kind of freak, she's basically unstoppable."
Shichen watched Saber from a distance, his eyes glowing with admiration and pride.
In that moment, Saber was absolutely dazzling. That confident, graceful posture and calm expression made her even more beautiful.
Irisviel noticed the look in his eyes. "Wait… do you like Saber?"
"You caught me," Shichen smiled.
"Well, I mean, she is adorable—and a famous king too."
"That's not why I like her. And honestly, you're not bad either."
"Huh?" Irisviel blinked, stunned.
"You really didn't know?"
"I-I'm just an artificial lifeform…" she muttered, looking down.
"So what? You've got a heart, a soul. That's what matters. Don't sell yourself short," Shichen said gently.
"You really mean that?"
"We've known each other for how long now? Don't you know me by now?"
"Then… why haven't you ever made a move on me?" she asked softly, lips pouting a bit.
"Oh? So you wanted me to?" he teased.
"N-No! I mean—" her face turned beet red.
"You don't even realize how charming you are. Honestly, if Illya and Sakura weren't always around, I'd have made a move long ago," he said honestly.
"Y-You serious?" Her voice trembled with excitement.
She'd thought all this time that Shichen just didn't feel that way about her. After all, they'd lived together for a year—sleeping in the same bed, bathing together, raising kids. She accepted him completely. But he'd never done anything, and she assumed it was because of her artificial nature.
"Why would I lie?" Shichen took her hand, looking into her ruby-red eyes.
"I…"
CLANG!
The clash of weapons interrupted her. Both looked toward the battlefield.
Saber and Lancer had just separated again, both still composed.
"You're really something, Saber. At this rate, I'll lose eventually," Lancer admitted with a wry smile.
"Lancer—"
"Lancer! Stop wasting time! I give you permission to unleash your full power—use your Noble Phantasm and finish Saber!"
A male voice rang out from somewhere unseen.
"That's his Master?" Saber scanned the area, trying to locate the voice.
"Shichen, who was that?" Irisviel asked, tense.
"Probably Lancer's Master," Shichen replied calmly.
"Sorry, Saber. I really enjoyed this fight. But an order's an order," Lancer said.
The bandages unraveled from his spear, revealing a blood-red weapon glowing with power.
"He's activating his Noble Phantasm," Saber muttered, frowning.
"Will Saber be okay?" Irisviel asked nervously.
"She doesn't know who Lancer really is… she might be at a disadvantage."
"Then who is Lancer?"
"Didn't you see the mole under his eye? Doesn't it remind you of someone?" Shichen asked.
"The mole… ohh, I get it now."
Irisviel nodded in realization. "So that's who he is."
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 220+ Chapters Ahead of Others!