Eriri: "Holy shit, that pervert isn't dead?"
Conan: "How is that possible? Did Elysia miss?"
Kalpas: "Impossible. Elysia doesn't make that kind of amateur mistake."
King of Heroes: "Was he saved by someone else because his spiritual core's signature hadn't completely vanished? What a tenacious mongrel."
L: "Is it the woman next to him? Could she be another Servant? Or perhaps a magus?"
The fact that the fake Caster, Gilles de Rais, who should have long exited the stage, was not dead came as a great shock to the viewers. Everyone had witnessed the nuclear-level power of Elysia's arrow with their own eyes.
The colossal explosion had leveled a small mountain peak. For Gilles de Rais to have survived even that, it was clear just how absurd his luck was in this Holy Grail War.
However, beyond their shock at Gilles de Rais's survival, the crowd was more curious about the mysterious woman lurking in the shadows. Judging by her tone and Gilles de Rais's attitude towards her, she was certainly no ordinary person.
And then there was the most baffling point of all: What kind of fit was Gilles de Rais throwing after seeing King Arthur?
The tears, the emotionally charged words... honestly, if one ignored his face, it was actually quite touching. It was like a man who had traveled across mountains and rivers, enduring countless hardships, finally meeting his beloved. With a few tweaks, it could have been a classic romance drama.
However...
The man's features were far too peculiar, and he was a degenerate pervert. No normal person's values could accept someone like him.
With that face and that aura, seeing him in real life would be terrifying. So, when someone with his appearance said those words, it only made him seem like the pervert of all perverts.
Most importantly, he called King Arthur a "Saint"—
It was no secret that Bluebeard's identity was the former Marshal of France, Gilles de Rais. Coupled with the fame of his contemporary, Saint Joan of Arc, who was practically a household name, he, as her comrade-in-arms, naturally benefited from her renown.
It was common knowledge that Marshal Gilles de Rais was a loyal follower, even a fanatic, of Saint Joan of Arc. The "Saint" he spoke of could only be Joan.
Moreover, hundreds of years separated the eras of King Arthur and Saint Joan of Arc. Unless King Arthur had lived long enough to see the Hundred Years' War between Britain and France, it would have been impossible for Gilles de Rais to ever meet her.
So, the question was, how did this frog-eyed Bluebeard mistake Saber for Saint Joan of Arc?
Did the two of them look that similar?
Or was this Bluebeard blind, just like the people of ancient Britain?
If Saber truly resembled Joan, could there be some relationship between them?
Countless questions swirled in the minds of the audience, but one thing was certain: King Arthur was the most bewildered person of all.
At that moment, in the Einzbern estate, the Knight King Artoria was utterly dumbfounded. Caster's large eyes were clearly just for show. What connection could she, a Briton, possibly have with France's Joan of Arc?
Combined with Bluebeard's fanatical obsession, the situation was terrifying, especially since she was the target. Artoria instantly felt a wave of profound discomfort.
As King Arthur, it was normal to be liked and revered; the Knights of the Round Table held her in the highest esteem, and she was used to it. But when the admirer was a psychopathic murderer, it was a pure horror movie scenario. In any case, she was feeling extremely uneasy right now.
Before King Arthur could even react, the Knights of the Round Table had already gone wild.
Lancelot: "Despicable! Why must I appear in the Berserker class? Otherwise, I would surely let this man taste the steel of my sword."
Gawain: "Sir Lancelot, it is not just you. My Galatine is also growing restless."
Tristan: "Ah, to face the King with such an irreverent posture... How sorrowful. So sorrowful that I wish to enter that world and grind him to dust."
Mordred: "Oi— What do you mean comparing Father to that country girl? What gives a lucky peasant girl from the sticks the right to be compared to my Father?"
A series of familiar names appeared in the comments. The full turnout of the Knights of the Round Table was astonishing. It was particularly incredible to see even Mordred, that paragon of filial piety, speak up in defense of King Arthur.
But the video feed paid them no mind. The story continued—
---o---
["Huh? Jeanne— Gilles, I mean... uh, is it possible, just saying, that you've got the wrong person?"
When the word "Saint" came out of Gilles de Rais's mouth, the woman hidden in the shadows jumped in surprise. For a moment, she thought the Joan she had been longing for had finally appeared.
She never expected to see that Saber, King Arthur. Alright, she admitted that King Arthur's face did indeed resemble Joan's, but she still wanted to gouge out her friend's eyes and make him take a good, hard look. How could you possibly mistake the King of Britain for Joan of Arc?
But the crazed Gilles de Rais showed no hint of doubt. Had any ordinary person questioned his Joan like this, he would have flown into a rage long ago. Even Ryuunosuke would have likely earned a sharp scolding.
But the one by his side now was Gilles de Rais's renowned friend—Francesca. Or rather... François. He was one of the few friends Gilles de Rais had after his fall from grace. The Prelati's Spellbook in Gilles's hands had been given to him by François.
Unfortunately, what Gilles didn't know was that François was the mastermind who had guided him toward his depravity, and one of the participants who sent the Saint to the stake.
At this moment, the camera of the video feed moved to the face of this 'young loli girl'.
Though her morals were in tatters, the 'girl's' appearance was indeed stunning to all. White hair and purple eyes, less than 1.6 meters tall, she looked to be only fifteen. She wore a black and white gothic-style dress and carried a floral parasol.
Ignoring the words she spoke, she might have been the dream girl for many. However, given her relationship with a degenerate murderer like Gilles de Rais and her twisted personality, it was unlikely many would consider her their ideal type.
"No— I could never be mistaken! My Saint!! My Jeanne!! How could I possibly be mistaken— This divine figure is proof of the Saint's power!!!"
Although he didn't understand why Francesca could forget what Joan looked like, Gilles de Rais simply assumed it was because François hadn't seen Joan in a very long time. After all, several centuries had passed since Joan's era; it was normal for his friend's memory to have faded.
Several centuries. In other words, Francesca, this loli girl who looked no older than fifteen, had already existed for hundreds of years—]