Having witnessed Jeanne Alter's overwhelming power, Georg, Jeanne, and Siegfried surrendered without resistance.
Run? They'd love to—but where could they possibly escape to? Even Pluto, who fled to Hades' Underworld, had been mercilessly struck down.
"You had one more comrade, didn't you? Where is the wielder of the [Longinus: Annihilation Maker]?" Jeanne Alter asked curiously. After obtaining the strongest [Longinus: True Longinus], she felt tempted to collect the others—particularly those without their own consciousness. She wasn't particularly interested in types like the [Boosted Gear] or [Divine Dividing].
Georg's [Dimension Lost] and the [Annihilation Maker] both qualified as potential collectibles.
"…It doesn't matter. There's no harm in telling you," Georg sighed quietly. Now a prisoner, he had little left to hide. "Leonardo was taken by Hades as payment for lending us Samael. Hades promised that once Ophis was slain, he'd give Leonardo half the 'Infinite' power we acquired."
He sighed again. Ever since losing Cao Cao and the [True Longinus], the Hero Faction's status within Khaos Brigade had plummeted. Holding Leonardo hostage and demanding half the Infinite's power—this wasn't negotiation, it was outright bullying. Georg didn't even have the right to refuse, which was why he'd described himself as merely someone else's blade.
On the surface, Georg appeared to lead the attack with Pluto assisting and guarding him. In reality, Pluto was supervising, ready to execute Georg at the first sign of hesitation or failure.
They had dug their own graves, after all—that's how Jeanne Alter saw it.
Upon hearing a familiar name, Jeanne Alter raised an eyebrow slightly. "Leonardo?"
"Yes, Leonardo da Vinci—the descendant of that genius artist. He's our youngest member."
At this revelation, Jeanne Alter couldn't help but ask, almost instinctively:
"This Leonardo…male or female?"
"Male… Why?"
"No reason."
Another familiar face, huh? Jeanne Alter silently mused, mildly amused.
Jeanne, meanwhile, regarded Jeanne Alter with complicated eyes. She had initially assumed the woman was just another imposter, perhaps an admirer of the saint. She hadn't expected such a deep connection.
A vengeful spirit born from Saint Jeanne's memories and the rage of her closest friend…
Betrayed, therefore angry, therefore hateful.
But neither these memories nor the hatred truly belonged to Jeanne Alter herself. They were imposed upon her—false and illusory.
Jeanne herself was not the original Saint Jeanne d'Arc, merely her reincarnation, the inheritor of her soul. Yet precisely because of this, she empathized slightly.
As Jeanne d'Arc's reincarnation, Jeanne had been burdened with expectations since birth. Everyone assumed she'd inherited a divine purpose. She herself had believed she'd inevitably follow the saint's path—listening to God's voice, becoming a hero.
But she could never hear God's voice because God was already dead.
She had once been confused, once angry, yet she eventually found herself. Even if she couldn't be Saint Jeanne, she could be herself. Simply "Jeanne," a hero no less worthy than her predecessor.
But what about this witch before her? Could she find herself without becoming "Saint Jeanne d'Arc"?
Born from Saint Jeanne's memories and Gilles de Rais's rage, created solely from twisted expectations forced upon her, a vengeful phantom driven by hatred—but even this hatred was false, imposed by someone else.
"What's with that look?" Jeanne Alter noticed Jeanne's complicated expression, instinctively disliking it.
Jeanne smiled softly, hiding the shine in her eyes behind her lowered lashes. "Well, Big Sister might not measure up to that saint, but I'm still her successor. After hearing such a story, isn't it natural I'd feel conflicted?"
"I don't care what's natural for you. That look annoys me. If I see it again, I'll gouge your eyes out."
Jeanne Alter scowled irritably. What was with all these Jeannes acting like big sisters?
She had already sheathed the [Sword of Salvation]. When wielding it, she radiated a platinum divine aura that was unbearably heavy for devils like Rias to approach—far more threatening than even the holy radiance of [True Longinus].
Now, after putting the sword away, Jeanne Alter suppressed her presence, appearing harmless—at first glance, merely a normal girl.
Yet, everyone vividly remembered the divine might she'd displayed moments earlier. No matter how well she hid it, they could never treat her as ordinary again.
Approaching footsteps caught Jeanne Alter's attention. Turning, she saw Rias and Asia leading the group toward her. They stared silently at her, a strange, meaningful atmosphere lingering.
Jeanne Alter's face remained serene, as calm as a windless summer lake—no coldness or hostility, just gentle tranquility.
"Are you doing this on purpose? You all know I'm not particularly patient."
Breaking the silence herself, Jeanne Alter spoke casually, as if discussing trivial matters unrelated to herself.
"I explained so much just now. Any thoughts?"
Expressionless, Rias walked forward slowly until she stood directly before Jeanne Alter.
"Yes, plenty…" Rias lightly punched Jeanne Alter's shoulder, cheeks puffing out childishly. "You hid this from us for so long!"
Rias's adorable pout would have stolen any boy's heart, though Jeanne Alter only returned a gentle smile.
"Are you mad?"
"Shouldn't I be?" Rias grumbled, venting frustration. "We're friends, aren't we? We trusted you completely, yet you used a fake identity all along. Did you ever really consider us friends? I don't care whether you're 'Saint Jeanne' or not—we never knew her. We only knew you."
Jeanne Alter's identity change itself didn't bother Rias. It was the long deception that upset her.
A small hand suddenly grasped Jeanne Alter's fingers.
"Jeanne Alter…senpai."
Koneko stood by her side, clearly struggling with the new address after growing used to calling her "Jeanne-senpai."
Without thinking, Jeanne Alter blurted, "Just call me what you're most comfortable with." Immediately she added defensively, "I just don't like sudden changes. It's not for your sake, okay?"
Koneko blinked her golden eyes, nodding vigorously.
"Mm!" she smiled faintly. "Jeanne-senpai is important to me… Not because of who you were before. Just being Jeanne-senpai is enough. No matter your past, I'll always like you…like you a lot… If I hadn't met Jeanne-senpai, I wouldn't even be myself."
Ophis quietly stepped forward next, silently holding Jeanne Alter's other hand—her simple gesture conveyed everything clearly.
Almost everyone else accepted Jeanne Alter's identity change with ease. They didn't care about Saint Jeanne; their loyalty had always belonged to the person before them, based purely on her own actions.
Only Asia and Xenovia, originally from the Church, might have had complicated feelings.
But Asia stepped forward, smiling gently.
"I've always believed meeting Jeanne-san was a blessing from God, and even now, I still do." Her eyes shone sincerely. "Since meeting you, each day has been happier than the last. Sometimes I doubt I deserve such happiness, yet I'm always thankful that we met. In my heart, you've always been a 'Saint,' Jeanne-san—and I believe God sees you the same way. Because you're so kind."
Asia understood clearly. It wasn't "Saint Jeanne" who saved her from darkness—it was Jeanne Alter herself. To Asia, Jeanne Alter was already a saint; her exact identity meant nothing.
Xenovia scratched her head thoughtfully.
"Thinking about it carefully, there's really nothing to worry about…" she admitted sheepishly. "We've spent so much time together—I know who you really are. You're our comrade, you've helped us countless times, and you were created by Marshal Gilles based on the real Saint Jeanne's memories anyway. In my heart, you're already closer to the real Saint Jeanne than anyone else."
Inadvertently, Xenovia insulted Jeanne of the Hero Faction again, though unintentionally—her thoughts were straightforward, lacking subtlety.
"Besides, our Lord gave you those holy artifacts, didn't he? Isn't that proof you have His favor?" Xenovia's eyes gleamed brighter. "That [Sword of Salvation]—doesn't it mean God entrusted you personally with salvation itself? Doesn't that imply He trusts you even more than Michael-sama or past saints?! As expected of Jeanne-sama!"
She seemed to misunderstand something entirely…but Jeanne Alter saw no reason to correct her. Let them misunderstand. It's not like the Biblical God could rise from the grave to refute it.
Suddenly, Jeanne Alter's vision darkened—a sweet scent enveloped her.
"Oh, Jeanne-san!" Akeno embraced her tightly, smothering her in blissful softness. "I never imagined you'd have such a past! If you ever need comfort, my arms are always open. Let me soothe your pain, and share your burdens"
Inevitably, Koneko and Asia protested furiously, launching into a jealous battle for Jeanne Alter's attention, while Ophis watched helplessly from the side.
Observing this, Jeanne of the Hero Faction laughed quietly to herself, realizing she'd worried unnecessarily.
This witch may have begun as a hollow fantasy, born from falsehood and illusion—but now, unquestionably, she was real.
Having experienced things unknown, she'd found herself, solidifying her existence rather than shattering like an illusion.
From an empty fantasy, she'd become truly human.
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T/N: guys... i caught up to the raws... (lmao dw we at like chapter 800 on patreon)