"Ugh, utterly insufferable. Completely and utterly insufferable," the armored woman clicked her tongue in disgust. "Aside from my personal interest, I came here to deliver a message: 'I'm looking forward to your reasoning.' That's what my master said."
"Honestly, I'd heard that Iskandar once submitted to you. I expected some remarkable magus."
"No, he never submitted to me. Rather, I was his subject," El-Melloi II corrected softly.
"You? His subject?"
"That wound healed rather quickly, didn't it?" Aesc interjected, water mirrors unfolding around her as magical energy gathered.
"Ah, this?" The armored woman raised her right hand, clenching it firmly. "My master's magecraft is surprisingly competent."
"You know, this is our third meeting," she said, drawing a short sword and pointing its tip at Aesc. "Allow me to introduce myself—"
The sword aimed at Aesc suddenly swept upwards towards the sky—
And was abruptly interrupted.
"Witch Kick!"
Aesc, emerging from a water mirror, delivered a powerful kick that sent the armored woman flying.
"If you're going to introduce yourself, then do it properly. Why all the unnecessary movement?" As she spoke, Aesc hurled the accumulated magical energy from her staff towards the armored woman.
The moment the energy touched the train's roof, pink-and-blue magical light erupted in all directions.
"Ugh... such troublesome magecraft," the armored woman muttered, rolling to evade the attack, a grudging note of praise in her voice.
Just as Aesc prepared to summon her lance and press the assault—
BOOM—
A crimson bolt of lightning fell from the clouds, streaking directly towards Aesc.
A chariot pulled by two skeletal dragons emerged from the clouds, summoning lightning that blanketed the battlefield.
What?!
"Didn't see that coming, did you, Magus?" the armored woman laughed triumphantly. "I came prepared too."
Taking a step back, Aesc used her water mirrors to block the lightning, then raised her staff high as a sword array materialized around her.
Simultaneously, the armored woman flipped onto the chariot, seized the reins, and charged through the air.
"My name is Hephaestion!"
Hephaestion roared with valor.
"I am the foremost confidant of the greatest conqueror in history, Iskandar!"
El-Melloi II stood frozen. Though his eyes had widened the moment the chariot was summoned, his expression now was one of pure, unadulterated disbelief.
Why...? I never saw her in the Ionioi Hetairoi.
The chariot became wreathed in lightning.
It wasn't a Noble Phantasm release, just a simple, brutal charge. The thunderous aura of its advance was enough to turn night into day.
But the next moment, raindrops began to fall upon Hephaestion.
"Rain of Atonement!"
The ordinary-seeming raindrops were saturated with magical energy, falling upon the chariot like water dousing flames.
The lightning enveloping the chariot gradually dimmed, the rain slowly eroding the electrical storm around it.
Several beams of light shot forth from the sword array, piercing the skeletal dragons pulling the chariot and shattering one of their wings.
But Hephaestion, acting as if she felt nothing, continued driving the chariot straight towards Aesc and the others.
In the next instant, Aesc, along with El-Melloi II and Gray, had already teleported behind the charging chariot.
And then... they could only watch as Hephaestion flew off without a single backward glance.
Did she really just come for a look?
To get a glimpse of the 'King's Consort'?
Aesc tilted her head, watching the departing chariot.
The roof gradually returned to calm.
As they prepared to return inside the train, El-Melloi II suddenly spoke.
"Lady Aesc, regarding this Hephaestion... might I handle this?"
"Hmm?"
"Could you leave this matter entirely to me?"
A smile spread across El-Melloi II's face—a rare, predatory grin, like a hunter who had finally spotted his quarry.
"I wish to solve... this mystery myself."
It seemed a story not to be missed was about to unfold.
Seeing him like this, Aesc's lips curled into a smile as well.
"Very well."
"Ah, if I'm about to die, though, I'll trouble you to step in."
"Ehh~"
"Please don't make that 'what a bother' face. If it comes to that, you absolutely must intervene."
"Fiiine~"
--+--
"You... you said you wouldn't just leave me! Where did you all go?"
The moment Aesc and the others returned to their room, an teary-eyed Olga Marie rushed up to complain.
"Sorry, sorry," Aesc said, finding Olga Marie's display utterly adorable, and promptly pulled her into a hug.
"Wah! What are you doing?!" Olga Marie's face instantly flushed bright red, and she began pushing frantically against Aesc, trying to escape her embrace.
"Don't be so shy."
What strength did a mere girl have against a Servant?
This time, Aesc had truly succeeded.
"Let me go!"
In stark contrast to the playful girls, El-Melloi II on the other side was frowning, running his hand over a crystal ball.
"Teacher, is something wrong?" the ever-dutiful Gray asked, watching her master's furrowed brow.
If he kept frowning like that, she felt the wrinkles on his forehead would only deepen.
"I'm thinking... why have I never seen her in the Ionioi Hetairoi?" Unaware of his disciple's thoughts, El-Melloi II picked up the crystal ball. "My memory cannot be wrong."
"The Ionioi Hetairoi is... that king's other Noble Phantasm?"
"Yes, a Reality Marble that summons the subordinates from his lifetime. But this Hephaestion wasn't among them."
"Reality Marble?" Olga Marie, now settled (if somewhat trapped) in Aesc's embrace, voiced her question. "That Conqueror King was also a high-level magus?"
"No, that Reality Marble isn't deployed in the form of magecraft." El-Melloi II stroked the crystal ball, a slight smile touching his lips. "Rather than magecraft, it's more of an ability. A bond between the King and his followers."
"Oh..." Olga Marie nodded, not entirely understanding, then looked back at Aesc, who was holding her. "And just which magus are you?"
"Hmm?" Aesc tilted her head. "I'm a Saber."
"Impossible!"
Olga Marie looked at Aesc with deep suspicion.
But Aesc's expression, which radiated absolute certainty that she was indeed a Saber, made her waver slightly.
"R-really? You're truly a Saber?"
"Nope."
"You're teasing me again!"
"Hahaha." Aesc cheerfully pinched Olga Marie's cheeks. "Guess who I am, then."
"Hmm... That spatial magecraft of yours..."
Ah, guessing from that angle, it's highly unlikely she'd figure it out.
Unless you achieved quantum entanglement with your counterpart from another timeline, recognized it as somewhat similar to CHALDEAS's Spiritron Transfer, and also knew the plot of the Fairy Britain Lostbelt.
Only then could you possibly guess I'm Morgan.
Hmm...
"Not bad, that's a good angle," Aesc nodded, her conscience (mostly) intact.
"Of course! The magecraft you used is far too marvelous." Olga Marie proudly lifted her chin. "It'd be strange not to start from that point."
"Wow, impressive."
"Naturally."
Gray, who had been watching the entire exchange, leaned close to El-Melloi II's ear and whispered, "It feels like Miss Aesc is humoring a child."
"Lady Gray, it's best not to get involved over there."
Seemingly witnessing Olga Marie's pitiable fate, El-Melloi II cast a sympathetic glance towards the girl being so thoroughly 'handled'.
But... the angle, huh?
What has that Hephaestion shown?
Her... appearance...
Black hair.
Eyes of different colors, a gold and silver heterochromia.
Short in stature, for a man.
Aren't these... all the features spread to the general public as Iskandar's own appearance?
I see.
The answer surged into his mind. El-Melloi II understood everything.
A wave of pure, unadulterated joy flooded El-Melloi II's thoughts. He couldn't help but stand up.
It's been... so long since I've felt this happy just from finding an answer.
Seeing El-Melloi II suddenly rise, Aesc, still holding the pondering Olga Marie, asked, "Found your answer?"
"For the most part, yes."
"Then, go and do what you must." Aesc's lips curved into a confident smirk. "No difficulty will stand in your way. Act as you see fit."
"Because I'll be backing you up."
[Attention all passengers. The Rail Zeppelin has deviated from its designated course. Projections indicate we will crash into a Child of Einnashe in thirty minutes.]
The announcement echoed through the room.
[All passengers are requested to ensure their own safety.]
Aesc's confident smile instantly froze solid on her face.
…I completely forgot about this part!!!
--+--
T/N: You know, i feel like she's forgetting a lot of things, but I probably couldn't memorize the entire plot of an anime ive watched either.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.