Chapter 62: Dragon Witch
Eikou had a very simple thought.
If he couldn't persuade her with words, then just deal with her directly — that would work for sure!
But the problem was — the opponent was the ferocious Dragon Witch, while he himself was just a human without a Noble Phantasm. No matter how you looked at it, he was at a disadvantage. There was only one option: ambush.
But she was thinking exactly the same thing.
In fact, the moment he picked up the bar of soap, she had already grabbed a washbasin with even greater destructive power.
No matter how you looked at it, he was at the losing end.
But Black Jeanne didn't know that he didn't have a Noble Phantasm, so for now she didn't dare make a reckless move.
"We agreed on a truce, and the very next second you try a sneak attack — you're really shameless!"
"Right back at you!"
Both of them stood frozen on the spot, gripping their 'weapons' and facing off, neither daring to strike first.
"I'll say this upfront — although I'm a gentleman who's always gentle and tolerant toward women, if you really want to challenge me, then I'll become a true warrior for gender equality — in other words, even if you're a woman, I'll punching your face!"
"Calling yourself a gentleman while trying to ambush a woman? You're just plain scum."
"Giving it your all even when facing a woman — That's the true gender equality that Kazuma-sensei and Touma-sensei taught me!!!"
Black Jeanne suddenly became a little serious. She hadn't expected this guy to spout such shameless words without even blushing, and what the hell are they, Kazuma and Touma?!
A bastard like this definitely has more dirty tricks up his sleeve — he doesn't look easy to handle at all.
Moreover, she was still wrapped in a towel, making movement very inconvenient, and at any moment she risked an embarrassing wardrobe slip.
On the other side, Eikou was also weighing the pros and cons of this confrontation.
If he stubbornly clashed head-on with a Servant possessing a Noble Phantasm, he would definitely die a miserable death.
"How about…"
Eikou spoke slowly:
"Let's have a real truce."
"Idiot, is this truce real this time?" Jeanne Alter asked suspiciously.
"Umu, this time it's a real truce, no one attacks anyone anymore."
Eikou nodded seriously:
"I'll count down three-two-one, and then we'll both put our weapons down, abandon this ugly battle, and calmly sit down to talk like civilized people, okay? Please."
"Mm… fine…"
Jeanne Alter agreed to that suggestion.
"Three… two…"
"One!"
"Die!" x2
The moment they hit one, neither of them dropped their weapons — instead, they lunged at each other and grabbed each other's throats.
"I knew it, you bastard, you had no good intentions!" Jeanne Alter said.
"You clearly showed the intent to attack first, I only countered!"
Eikou threw the bar of soap in his hand, but it didn't hit Jeanne Alter — instead, it smacked into the big door at the entrance area.
Thud!
A loud sound instantly rang out.
"..."
Both of them looked at each other, not knowing what to do next.
From inside the hot spring room, White Jeanne's voice sounded immediately.
"Huh? Is someone in the changing room?"
The instant the changing room door began to open, Eikou made a split-second decision — he immediately grabbed Black Jeanne's wrist and pulled her with him into a locker.
White Jeanne looked around left and right, only seeing an empty changing room, nothing unusual.
"Did I… imagine that?"
Meanwhile, the two hiding inside the locker were carefully peeking out through the gap.
"You could've just hidden yourself, why drag me in here too?" Black Jeanne whispered.
"Instinctive reaction when in danger…"
"You trained that instinct in the haunted house, didn't you?"
"Why does everyone know about the haunted house thing," Eikou muttered in confusion, "Anyway, in this situation, if someone sees you it'll be hard to explain. How would you explain why you came so late, and why you're holding Lancelot's armor in your arms?"
"I'll figure out something somehow…"
Of course, another reason Eikou had pulled Black Jeanne into the locker was to keep her from running off to blab.
However, Eikou quickly realized this was not such a great idea.
Until now, his mind had been entirely focused on "how to deal with Jeanne Alter", and he had completely failed to notice that she was only wrapped in a towel. That thin layer of cloth clung to her body like a model's seductive silhouette, hanging loosely at the chest — and underneath it, she was likely wearing absolutely nothing. Her maiden's skin glowed with a warm pink hue, indescribably enticing.
It was nearly impossible for Eikou not to notice the soft, elastic, and fiery sensation when her full curves pressed against him.
Long slender legs, alluring curves, smooth skin like frosted porcelain, and those golden eyes shimmering with shy defiance…
He had almost forgotten just how dangerously attractive the girl named Jeanne d'Arc Alter truly was.
The changing room next to the hot spring was already warm, but inside the locker, it was even more stifling, making Eikou feel as if her body heat had risen sharply.
Black Jeanne's face suddenly flushed crimson, and in a hushed tone, she said to him:
"Hey… there's something hard pressing against my lower stomach!"
Eikou immediately turned his head away, even her breath felt strangely sweet now.
"That's the MP3 player in my pocket."
"What era are you living in, still using an MP3? That's so outdated, probably like your brain — patched together from rusty old parts, huh?"
"When you get caught by a teacher playing on your phone under the desk, then you'll understand the true value of the strategy called 'sacrificing the rook to save the king.'"
When White Jeanne finally confirmed no one was outside and left, the two of them hurriedly slipped out of the locker.
"..."
Both of them blushed, silently glaring at each other, breathing slightly heavier than before.
"Anyway…"
Eikou averted his gaze, doing his best not to look at the girl in front of him still wrapped in that towel.
"You go get dressed first, I'll wait outside. Then we'll talk properly — this time, for real, no fighting."
"You're the only one doing these shameless things!"
Black Jeanne snapped back.
But she still agreed to that arrangement.
...
Three minutes later.
Eikou was sitting on a bench in the main hall of Enma-tei.
After a while, the sound of high heels stomping firmly against the floor echoed clearly.
Black Jeanne had arrived — deliberately stamping her steps hard.
"..."
She was no longer wearing the heavy, menacing armor of Lancelot, but instead her usual attire. Over it was a cloak, while beneath it her tall, sensuous figure was clad in tight black clothing that boldly displayed her long, perfectly-shaped pale legs. Knee-high black boots completed the look, making her appear every inch a rebellious, defiant girl.
There was no denying it — this look suited her far better than that Lancelot armor ever did.
Her snowy white hair flowed down freely, and her face was shadowed with gloom and silence.
"So, what do you want to talk about?"
"Where are you holding Lancelot?" Eikou asked.
"I don't know," Black Jeanne glared, "and even if I did, there's no way I'd tell you, got it?"