On the endless, long road, a wolf-like creature made of gray shadows was running rapidly under the cover of night.
Behind it, a huge camper van followed closely.
The role of the gray shadow wolf was already minimal.
After all, there was only this one straight road nearby, with no forks, so even if Aura in the driver's seat drove with her eyes closed, she wouldn't deviate from the path.
But the gray shadow wolf still ran at full speed without complaint.
After all, serving its master, the master's colleagues, and the master's master was its honor.
Even if it were instantly burned to nothing by a fireball falling from the sky the next moment.
The camper van braked sharply once again.
Shalltear, who had originally been leisurely drinking black tea and conversing with Kriemhild inside the camper van, also instantly turned pale.
She was so shocked and angry that she stood up abruptly from the sofa, turned around, and knelt on one knee before Daniel.
"master! Those Servants outside are truly bullying us too much! I request permission to engage in battle!"
"I deny your request, Shalltear," Daniel replied with an unchanging expression.
"Why?" Shalltear asked, looking at Daniel with some confusion.
"Because I don't want to lose you, Shalltear," Daniel explained. "If the opponent were someone whose strength was not far from yours, I could allow you to go out and handle them, but this enemy is not one of them."
"Among us, only the King has the ability to reliably defeat him; the defeat of anyone else depends only on the moment the opponent decides to get serious."
"The Lancer of the Red Faction, son of the Sun God Surya, Servant Karna." Jeanne d'Arc looked out from the camper van window, quickly discovered the opponent standing on the road sign, and used her True Name Discernment privilege to see through the opponent's true identity.
"Undoubtedly, if we had not appeared, and if the King did not exist, his strength would unquestionably be the strongest in this Holy Grail War," Daniel added, then turned his head to look at Artoria. "So, King, could I trouble you to take action?"
"Is it alright to expose my existence?" Artoria asked, looking back at Daniel.
"Of course it's alright," Daniel replied, giving a thumbs up. "As long as that guy Amakusa still wants to realize his wish, he will definitely try every possible way to obtain the greater grail, and as long as we guard the greater grail, we don't need to worry about him not coming to find us."
"By the way, King, in order to paralyze the opponent, please proactively expose his true name after you go out, and identify yourself as a Servant of the Ruler class," Daniel added. "Let's hide Jeanne d'Arc's presence for now."
After all, this girl's personality is too direct; it's easy for that old schemer Amakusa to take advantage of her.
Furthermore, we can test whether Karna can see through the lies of the gods.
Jeanne d'Arc did want to stand up and object, but under Artoria's gaze, her legs, which hadn't yet fully stood up, sat back down.
Revelation had issued a warning to her.
Artoria pushed open the camper van door and walked out leisurely.
Since the opponent was using a spear, she would give him the courtesy of using a sword.
As light particles gathered in her hands, by the time Artoria's feet touched the ground, she was already in the posture of wearing heavy armor and holding the holy sword.
"Lancer of the Red Faction, son of the Sun God Surya, Servant Karna, although I do not understand the purpose of you issuing an attack warning to me as a Ruler, even if we are to fight, do not choose this place. I do not wish to involve the people who kindly gave me a ride." Artoria sternly reprimanded the Servant who was slowly descending from the road sign.
"Very well." Karna's face was cold, and his tone was not particularly friendly, but what he said was very fair. "I also do not wish to involve ordinary people who have nothing to do with the Holy Grail War... although these ordinary people do not seem very ordinary."
This is... he didn't see through my lie?
Artoria remained expressionless, but internally, she had a question mark.
Inside the camper van, Kriemhild, who had originally been leaning against the window watching the show, suddenly shivered, as if she had sensed something, and turned her head to look in the direction behind Karna.
A beam of light was rapidly rushing toward this side.
"Go! Saber!" Accompanied by the fall of an unfriendly voice, the figure that Kriemhild dreamed of and missed appeared.
In just a short moment, Siegfried launched an attack on Karna from behind, and then, after being blocked by the opponent who turned around, he leaped behind him and launched a second attack.
But both attacks were futile.
Through this momentary exchange, Siegfried realized that the opponent's skill was definitely not inferior to his own.
He was a strong enemy.
But he was completely unaware of the eyes in the huge camper van that were almost glowing red.
"Sieg—Siegfried—" Kriemhild stared at that figure, gnashing her teeth.
If it weren't for Shalltear and Sanzang holding her back tightly, she would have probably kicked open the camper van door and slashed over there with her sword by now.
Well, that's what Shalltear and Sanzang thought.
But Daniel felt that if no one were holding her, Kriemhild would probably obediently huddle in a corner of the camper van and continue to observe secretly.
It was only because someone was holding her that she put on a show of wanting to rush out.
She had just been summoned, and she probably hadn't prepared herself mentally to meet Siegfried face-to-face.
After all, no matter what, that person was the one she 'resented' after death, and the one she loved most during her life.
The fire of revenge that she had endured for over twenty years, only to find when it burned out that her twenty years of revenge were meaningless, because the target she ultimately wanted to take revenge on should have been the source of her desire for revenge, her late husband who had already died over twenty years ago.
"Saber of the Black Faction, the Dragon-Slaying Hero Siegfried, what is the meaning of you jumping out to interrupt the battle between me and the Lancer of the Red Faction that had not yet begun?" Artoria asked, looking at Siegfried's back.
Siegfried was just silent and did not speak.
Well, his master requested it.
"Please do not misunderstand! Ruler!" A middle-aged man wearing luxurious clothing with a bloated figure ran over, panting, to Artoria's side to explain. "My name is Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia, and I was originally here representing the Yggdmillennia Clan to welcome you, Ruler, for supervision, but I just happened to see this scene."
"Lancer of the Red Faction! We have clearly seen your attempt to kill the Ruler!" Gordes pointed his finger at Karna with an extremely arrogant air and reprimanded him. "Attempting to kill the Heroic Spirit in charge of the Holy Grail War is an extreme violation of the rules!"
"I do not deny it." Karna glanced at Gordes and then cast his gaze toward Siegfried. "Of course, since the Black Faction has appeared, then we must start with you."
"Wait a moment!" Artoria interrupted Karna's statement, anger appearing on her face. "Karna, your statement just now, could it be that you consider me as nothing? After declaring a challenge to me, you go on to fight others on your own accord. You, could it be that you are insulting me!"
-------------------------------
Hope you enjoy this fanfiction if you do and would like to read the next 50 chapters in advance, pls do check out my Patreon:
patreon.com/MariaLight
Also don't forget to give me a Power Stone if you do like this fiction. Your support really motivates me to continue doing my best in translating, Thanks!!