In a moment of folly, I picked a fight with the old man.
Forgive me! Please, forgive me!
The Saint
"What is this place? An abandoned shack?"
Gilgamesh surveyed the scene, his voice dripping with disdain. They had followed the soldiers to a fortress—or what was left of it. The structure was a ruin, ravaged as if clawed, scorched, or gnawed by some monstrous force. The sheer devastation left their souls speechless.
"Could it be?" Gilgamesh mused. "A reenactment of that shabby barn three little pigs built to fend off a wolf?"
"It's a fortress, I think," Romani's voice crackled. "The outer walls are somewhat intact, but the inside's a mess."
"It's not just wounded soldiers," Olga Marie added. "Rikka, those soldiers you followed—they're back, right?"
"No mistake," Rikka said. "I'll talk to them."
"Remember," Gilgamesh said, "it's bonjour. Bonjour."
Rikka nodded, repeating the French greeting as she approached a soldier.
"…You're not enemies?" the soldier asked warily.
"No," Rikka replied. "Please, tell us—what happened here?"
The soldier's voice trembled. "…It came back."
"Came back?" Rikka pressed.
"Yeah. The Saint, Jeanne d'Arc—she's returned."
"As the Dragon Witch—bound to a demon!"
"What!?"
"…A country girl, making a pact with a demon?" Gilgamesh muttered.
"Is that true!?"
The voice of Chaldea's Jeanne d'Arc rang out, shocked but unsurprised.
As Mash and the Master practiced against attacking skeletons, Gilgamesh leaned against the motorcycle, reviewing Jeanne's profile.
"Here's my Material, King of Heroes," Jeanne's voice said.
"Hm," Gilgamesh acknowledged.
Jeanne d'Arc. A simple country girl who, through her devout soul, heard the voice of God. Bearing a flag, she rose as a savior to liberate Orléans, becoming the world-renowned Saint of the Flag. Through her fearless valor and divine revelations, she achieved the miracle of freeing Orléans in just one year.
Yet—her dignity was stripped away. Captured by the enemy, she faced every form of degradation.
Betrayed by allies who begrudged the ransom.
"I never heard God's voice," they demanded, subjecting her to every blasphemy and violation to force a confession.
Her spirit was broken.
Her body was defiled.
In the end, she was denied even a return to the earth. Burned at the stake—her dignity unrestored for 400 years.
"…You, a Ruler?" Gilgamesh said, his voice heavy with disbelief. "How?"
The words slipped out, raw and unfiltered. How could such an unrewarded life exist? Betrayed by those she protected, sold to her enemies, burned in anguish—any normal person would curse the world, seething with hatred and vengeance.
"Nay," he continued, "how did you even become a Heroic Spirit? With such treatment, a vengeful spirit—or at best, an Avenger—would be fitting for a country girl like you."
"An Avenger?" Jeanne asked, puzzled. "Why?"
She tilted her head. "Avengers are defined by hatred. I don't hate anyone."
"…Is that true?"
"Yes!"
Could they be the same—human? Was she human? To endure such horrors and harbor no resentment…
Gilgamesh folded the Material, masking a shiver. "Sturdy, aren't you? I'll give you candy later."
"Thank you!"
"…Then who's this country girl claiming to be a revived witch?" he asked. "A fake, deceiving the people?"
"I don't know!"
"Use your head a little…"
Jeanne's cheerfulness seemed to echo the Master's influence. Gilgamesh sighed as Mash and the Master returned from their skirmish.
"We're back!" Rikka called.
"Hm, you're back," Gilgamesh said. "How was it? Getting the hang of things?"
"Yes," Mash replied. "The shield, the flat of the blade… I think I'm starting to understand."
"Using the flat of the blade on skeletons feels weird, though," Rikka added. "What were you talking about?"
"Just small talk, Master," Jeanne said.
"Huh…"
The soldiers, still dazed, muttered, "You guys are something else…"
Gilgamesh smirked. "What, you lot struggled against foes two girls handled with ease?"
Something felt off. Could skeletons or beasts cause such catastrophic destruction?
"No, we can handle those," a soldier said. "There's something worse out there."
"Worse?" Rikka asked.
A deafening roar answered from the sky.
GYAAAAAHHH!
The air trembled, thick with killing intent.
"There it is!" a soldier shouted. "That's the dragon tearing France apart!"
"A dragon!?" Romani exclaimed.
"Romani, pull up the footage!" Olga Marie ordered. "That's… a wyvern!?"
"Dragon spawn, eh?" Gilgamesh said. "Adequate for scouts."
Wyverns. Not as formidable as dragons, but their tough bodies, fangs, and claws were too much for ordinary soldiers.
"Mash! Gil! Battle stations!" the Master called.
"Good call!" Olga Marie said. "Undeniably hostile enemies—things that shouldn't exist in 1431 France!"
"Understood, Master!" Mash said. "King of Heroes, ready?"
"This won't even count as a fight," Gilgamesh replied.
With a flick of his finger—
BOOM!
A treasure shot forth at supersonic speed, shattering a wyvern's skull.
"Disturbing Mash and the Master's rest, you wretched lizard?"
He wanted to give them a break after their return.
We need to get used to combat too.
He gestured for the two to step back.
"Gil…" the Master murmured.
"Rest for now," Gilgamesh said. "I'll clear the way."
"Wyverns incoming!" Romani reported. "Fifteen of them!"
"Leave the tracking to Romani," Gilgamesh said, facing the horde. "Time for a warm-up. Channel a little mana—minimal effort."
Against dragons, the treasures used on Sabers would suffice.
To maximize the precision of the Gate of Babylon, he'd snipe them.
First, three.
"Here."
He moved three fingers, confirming trajectories before firing.
The wyverns didn't have time to dodge. Direct hits sent them crashing, lifeless.
Next, six.
With a tilt of his jaw, he launched tracking treasures.
Wings pierced, skulls crushed, bellies torn—the wyverns plummeted.
"That anti-air is insane!" Romani shouted. "They're dropping like dragonflies!"
"Boring," Gilgamesh said. "Not even worth playing with. Wait—I've an idea."
He swiftly dispatched four more, leaving one alive.
"GYAAAAHHH!"
The wyvern, desperate, charged straight at him.
"Danger!" Rikka yelled.
"I'll cover—" Mash began.
"No need," Gilgamesh said.
Its fangs and claws never touched him. At the last second, he skewered the wyvern through, pinning it inches from his face.
"A brainless lizard," he said. "I thought to give it a grand exit, but—"
Blood sprayed, the wyvern slumped.
"—it's just a beast. A fodder foe for battle."
That was too close, the Master thought. Testing close-range defense was bold, but terrifying. Trust in Gilgamesh was absolute, but fear was fear.
"Combat over!" Romani cheered. "Nice work, King of Heroes!"
"Naturally," Gilgamesh said, turning to a soldier. "Hey."
"Y-Yes!?"
"I kept it mostly intact," Gilgamesh said. "Got field rations?"
"…You mean cook it?"
"Roast it. It'll last a while. Eat up, regain your strength."
"S-Seriously!?"
"I don't repeat myself," Gilgamesh said.
"Gil…!" the Master gasped.
"Talk about generous!" Romani said.
Gilgamesh smirked. They attacked us—let their bodies pay the price.
At least it'll feed the wounded…
"Take care, travelers!" the soldiers called, waving as the group left the fortress.
"They thanked us a ton, Mash," Rikka said.
"To think you'd even give them medicine…" Mash said. "Your wealth truly knows no bounds."
"Elixirs, right?" Romani asked. "Pretty pricey—sure about this?"
"No matter," Gilgamesh said. "They'd just rot until the endgame. A bit of vitality, and they might hold their own."
"Fou, fou," (Last Elixir, huh…)
"Rest's over," Gilgamesh said. "Mount the iron steed. We're finding a base."
"Woo! Touring time!" Rikka cheered.
"We're close to pinpointing a leyline," Olga Marie said. "Keep the area secure until then."
"Let's become the wind," Gilgamesh declared.
As the group prepared to move—
"Wait!"
Someone blocked their path.
"…What!?" Rikka gasped.
"No way…!" Mash whispered.
"Strayed from Chaldea?" Gilgamesh said.
Standing before them was…
"Please, I need your help!"
The Saint of the Flag—Jeanne d'Arc herself.
With godly aim, there's no need for a barrage.
The Gate of Babylon—violence that strikes vital points with precision.
Jeanne: "Stay positive! Embrace the spirit of gratitude! Now, everyone, let's praise God and the devs!"
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