"I never imagined something like this could happen…" Fiore let out a heavy sigh, her voice echoing through the chamber.
Her words carried the weight of everything they had lost.
The Greater Grail—the key to the entire war—had been stolen by the Red Faction.
Darnic, the man who had guided Yggdmilenia for decades, was dead.
Vlad III, the trump card of the Black Faction and their most imposing Servant aside from Arthur, had also fallen.
The losses were so vast that the very air felt heavier, harder to breathe. And yet, there remained a faint spark of victory: the floating fortress had been destroyed. Without that stronghold, the Red Faction had lost one of its greatest assets. That opening could be the chance they needed to reorganize and draw up new plans.
---
Elsewhere in the hall, however, the solemn silence was shattered.
There, Roche's cries rang out, deafening and raw, reverberating against the walls and testing even the most patient ears.
"Let me go! This is impossible! You're lying!!
The professor would never betray me!!"
His eyes brimmed with tears, his voice cracking under disbelief. He thrashed violently, trying to break free from the firm grips of the two homunculi restraining him. The floor was marked by his boots scraping uselessly as he was dragged back.
Ever since he had heard of Avicebron's betrayal, Roche had refused to accept it. To him, the professor was a figure of trust, someone who would never abandon him. The idea that Avicebron had defected to the Red Faction was simply absurd.
But Fiore did not share such naivety.
She knew the bitter truth: Avicebron had never cared for Roche as a person. He had only ever seen him as a disposable pawn to achieve his final objective.
The moment the information reached her, Fiore hadn't hesitated. She gave the direct order for the homunculi to restrain him. Thankfully, a few of them had survived inside the fortress—otherwise, Roche might have escaped. And with the control he had inherited over the golems Avicebron had created, such a scenario would have spelled immediate disaster.
To avoid further risks, Fiore had brought Caules and Frankenstein with her. With the brute strength of the Servant and her brother's quick thinking, Roche had stood no chance of causing trouble.
And yet, his cries grew weaker, more pitiful.
"Professor… no… this can't be true…"
But no one in the chamber spared him even a glance.
Roche's sobs were a distant echo before something far greater: the loss of Darnic.
For the Black Faction, Vlad III's death was painful, but in the end, Vlad had been a Servant bound by contract. Darnic, however… Darnic was the foundation of Yggdmilenia, the strategist, the voice that had steered the family's course for generations. His absence left behind a void that could never be filled.
Every Master present was consumed by confusion.
Without Darnic, what should they do? Continue the fight? Or accept defeat and scatter like dust in the wind?
It was then that Arthur broke the silence, his voice firm and commanding:
"As I recall, Yggdmilenia's true goal was to oppose the Mage's Association, was it not?"
His words fell like thunder.
At once, the Masters present flinched. Yes, it was true: the very reason for this war had always been that. And yet, without Darnic, that ideal seemed so fragile, so far away.
Arthur let his gaze sweep across the chamber before continuing:
"From what I can see, none of you wish to pursue that goal any longer. In fact, now is the perfect moment for something else: a chance to improve relations with the Association."
A murmur rippled through the group, but Fiore caught the hidden meaning between his words. Her eyes locked onto Arthur.
"King… you're planning to take advantage of the fact that the Master of all the Red Faction's Servants is Shirou Amakusa Tokisada, aren't you?"
Arthur nodded with a faint smile.
"Exactly. The Masters the Association sent to the Red Faction are no longer free. Amakusa has taken control of them. He's using every one of the Red Faction's Servants as pawns to achieve his wish."
Arthur's eyes narrowed, his tone hardening:
"Simply put, he is manipulating the Association itself."
"And his wish isn't something small. It's something that will affect all of humanity."
Fiore's breath caught.
"Then… if the Association learns the truth, it will have no choice. It will be forced to move against Shirou Amakusa. And in that case… they'll need us."
"Exactly," Arthur confirmed.
Fiore wanted to press further—there was something unsaid in his words—but as she opened her mouth, Chiron stopped her with a subtle gesture. The look Arthur gave him afterward made her understand: there were secrets that should not be spoken there.
---
The meeting continued in Fiore's private chamber.
All the remaining Servants of the Black Faction were gathered there, alongside Jeanne, Fiore, and Caules. The air was tense, but tinged with expectation.
Fiore spoke first:
"King, based on what you said earlier… you already have a plan to deal with the Red Faction, don't you?"
Arthur smiled faintly.
"Yes. I already have something in mind."
His gaze flicked briefly to Mordred, who was munching on cookies without a care, scattering crumbs all over the floor.
"What?" she asked, cheeks puffed, noticing he was watching her.
"Nothing important," Arthur replied, amused.
Eager, Fiore pressed on:
"Is your plan viable?"
Arthur let out a quiet chuckle.
"My dear Fiore, you shouldn't doubt me. Of course it's viable."
The puzzled look Mordred gave him almost made him laugh again, but Arthur quickly resumed a serious tone:
"I'll keep it simple. The plan is as follows…"
As he laid out each detail, Arthur subtly employed his Noble Phantasm, Sha Naqba Imuru, to peer into possible futures. This was not merely strategy—it was also a way to ensure that his plan would not only be effective, but also provide him the greatest measure of… amusement.
---
Once Arthur finished, Chiron stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"I see… so you'll face Karna, while I go against Achilles, and Jeanne will have to confront Shirou Amakusa directly."
He raised his gaze toward Arthur.
"But… what about Atalanta and Semiramis? Astolfo and Frankenstein wouldn't stand a chance against them."
Arthur folded his arms, nodding.
"You're right. Even together, they wouldn't be able to win."
"Hey!!" Astolfo protested, puffing up his cheeks.
"Grrr…" Frankenstein growled, clearly displeased.
One was indignant, the other embarrassed.
Arthur, however, only smirked.
"It seems you've forgotten something…"
He lifted a hand and pointed toward Mordred, still chewing happily.
"We have with us an incredibly powerful Saber. With Astolfo and Frankenstein supporting her, even Semiramis won't be able to stand her ground."
Mordred pumped her fist proudly.
"That's right! With me here, nobody can—"
But her triumphant declaration ended in disaster as she choked mid-sentence.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!"
Arthur, laughing, patted her back until she could breathe again.
The heroic aura she had tried to exude vanished instantly, replaced by sheer embarrassment.
The once heavy atmosphere lightened, laughter spreading warmly across the room.
"STOP LAUGHING, YOU BASTARDS!!" Mordred roared.
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."