Elsewhere… As the illusions faded, Jeanne, still glowing with golden light, let out a faint sigh of relief. She withdrew her magic, her gaze falling upon Trifas restored to its original state.
It seemed Assassin's barrier had been broken—someone had acted before her.
"Saber, perhaps…"
It could only be her. To resist mental assaults under such a barrier and dismantle it so swiftly… none but Saber could manage that.
Still—why would an Assassin wield such a powerful illusionary Noble Phantasm? It was hard to believe.
"What happened?! Where are the children?!"
But Atalanta, now brainwashed, had lost all reason. To her, everything she had seen was reality. With her heart consumed by the desire to save the children, the dissolution of the barrier sent her spiraling into instability.
Looking closely, Jeanne could see her right hand partly engulfed by a dark corruption—Assassin's lingering taint from when the phantom children had touched her. It clouded both body and mind.
"Where are the children?!"
Atalanta's anguished shout rang out. Then, turning to Jeanne, her twisted face brimmed with hate.
"Ruler… you killed them!!"
Where had that conclusion come from?! Jeanne almost wanted to retort, but held her tongue. Clearly, Atalanta's mind had already been broken…
"You didn't see it? It was only a barrier… Your mind was swayed by her illusion."
Jeanne tried to reason with her.
"Silence!!"
Crack…
Atalanta roared, pulling back her bow and aiming an arrow directly at Jeanne's forehead.
"…Haa."
Jeanne sighed faintly.
"No matter what I say, you won't believe me, will you?"
She understood. Whatever drove this woman's obsession with children, it had twisted her utterly.
"Those children can be saved!"
Atalanta's voice cracked, nearly weeping as she screamed.
"They cannot. No matter what… They were only vengeful spirits, false, unreal, things that should never have existed. Assassin merely used them as a weapon. What you feel now is the consequence of letting them take root in your heart."
Jeanne spoke calmly. Her resistance to curses and enchantments was strong—this much was nothing new. But her opponent had not been so fortunate.
In such cases… Saber's decisive methods were best.
"Shut up…"
"That's why, no matter how they beg you for warmth, for love, for salvation—you must not answer. Because they will only defile your heart—"
"SHUT UP!!!!"
[Archer, withdraw at once.]
"But!!"
[I understand your feelings. But the time has not yet come. And right now you are at a disadvantage. Black's Archer already has you in his sights, and Saber is on her way. If you want to be surrounded and killed, stay. Otherwise, retreat.]
Amakusa Shirou's voice rang in her mind. If she disobeyed, he would likely use a Command Spell. For Atalanta, the thought was unbearable—but for the sake of their cause, she had no choice but to obey.
"Tch… You'll pay for this!!"
Clicking her tongue, she leapt to a nearby rooftop.
"False Saint! I will never forgive you!!"
Whoosh!!
From a distant tower, Chiron loosed an arrow.
"!"
Atalanta instantly turned, loosing one of her own.
BOOM!!
The clash erupted in a fiery explosion midair.
"Running away, Archer?"
Chiron's mocking voice carried across the distance.
"Tch! If you want the Grail, come and take it! I, Atalanta, will shoot you all down without mercy!!"
Bang!
With another leap, Atalanta vanished into the distance of Trifas. Her words were venomous, but her retreat was nothing short of desperate.
"…Haa."
Jeanne exhaled deeply, finally relaxing as her foe fled.
Crackle!
The next instant, a burst of lightning flared in the middle of the street. Electro particles swirled together, forming the figure of the Shogun. She appeared puzzled, noting the battle scars scattered all across the road.
"Saber… Are you unharmed?"
Jeanne asked with concern as she approached.
"No harm."
The Shogun answered curtly.
"Has Assassin been eliminated?"
Seeing the Shogun nod, Jeanne let out a breath of relief. She raised a signal toward Chiron, then turned as if to leave Trifas together with the Shogun.
"Did the Red Faction appear just now?"
She asked.
"Mm… The Red Archer. She and I were both caught in Assassin's Noble Phantasm by chance. It seems even her Master was dealt with by her."
Jeanne nodded, explaining calmly.
"…And where is she now?"
The Shogun glanced around. No trace of her aura remained. Had she fled?
"Amakusa ordered her to withdraw. Otherwise, she would have been surrounded by us. A pity."
Jeanne sighed lightly.
"Did I come too late?"
The Shogun paused, a flicker of self-doubt crossing her face.
"No… Saber, you've already achieved much for the Black Faction. There is no need to reproach yourself. If anything, summoning you was our greatest fortune."
Jeanne placed a hand on her shoulder to reassure her.
"…I hope so."
The Shogun glanced once at the hand resting on her shoulder, but made no comment, turning to head back the way they came.
"About the Red Archer…"
"What of her?"
The Shogun looked at the blonde girl beside her, puzzled.
"She was corrupted by Assassin's barrier… Her mind was disturbed. It may not recover quickly. Quite troublesome."
Jeanne muttered with faint frustration.
"…An unstable element, then?"
"Mm. When the final battle comes, it's almost certain she will come for me."
Almost certain? Jeanne knew in her heart—it was inevitable.
...
The next day, at five in the evening—
Inside the Fortress of Millennia, everyone gathered once again in the same chamber. Fiore, as always, presided from the seat of the family head. By now, after several times, she had grown somewhat accustomed. Surveying those before her, she paused briefly, then spoke:
"Once preparations are complete, tomorrow we will launch an air strike against the Aerial Garden of Vanity."
"You've settled it with them?"
Gordes asked.
"Yes. Funding is secured, and the timing should work out as well."
"I can fly it! Let me fly the plane!"
Astolfo leapt from his seat, hand raised like an eager schoolchild, shouting loudly.
"Haa… The planes will be piloted by golems."
These were not Caster's dolls, but the Black Faction's own original technology—an emergency measure given their shortage of personnel.
"Eh~? Tch—"
Astolfo slumped back into his chair, pouting against the table.
"But planes will make easy targets, won't they? Lady Fiore, do you have countermeasures prepared?"
Jeanne interjected, turning to her. As the one orchestrating this plan, Fiore must surely have accounted for that possibility. Otherwise, the effort would be wasted.
At her words, all eyes turned toward the girl in the wheelchair at the center. Under so many gazes, Fiore felt awkward—especially sensing the Shogun's eyes upon her, which left her oddly flustered.
"…There are some options."
She exhaled softly, answering. Of course she had thought this through.
"But… we still lack a trump card."
In terms of combat, their trump card was undoubtedly the Shogun. But the card she meant was something else—something to counter Red's airborne fortress, a powerful mount capable of breaking through the enemy's encirclement. That decisive key.
"Wait! Did you just say 'trump card'?"
Gordes was startled—could there be something that would truly surprise him?
"Mm… but I haven't decided yet. Forgive me."
"Oh… I see."
So it wasn't some clever strategy after all. Gordes slumped back into his seat, disheartened.
"Even planes aren't enough?"
Caules asked Fiore.
"Yes… Leaving aside Assassin's 'Aerial Garden of Vanity,' both Archer and Rider possess excellent aerial combat ability. And our planes aren't military craft… they're just ordinary private planes."
If they had fighter jets, it would be different. But there were none to borrow—and after this war, who knew how many would even survive? Compensation might be demanded. The thought made Fiore sigh faintly.
"I see… Then our survival rate would still be very low?"
Sieg's tone betrayed his worry. This operation sounded no different from a suicidal beach landing. A faint fear stirred in him.
"…" ×N
Silence settled over the group. Their morale sagged.
The Shogun leaned against the window, eyes closed, saying nothing as she listened. She waited. If no solution came even at the final moment, she would step forward. The 'key' that could decide the battle—she held it. But she did not seek to boast or flaunt it. If someone else proposed a way first, she would remain silent.
"…If only I could remember the true name of my Noble Phantasm…"
Just then, breaking the heavy quiet, Astolfo muttered something utterly baffling.
"…Eh?!" ×N
The room froze. Then, as though snapping back to themselves, everyone turned to him in shock and disbelief, their eyes saying clearly: You can't be serious.
Astolfo blinked at their stares, looking genuinely confused.
"Mm? What is it?"
…
Even the Shogun, still with eyes closed, sighed inwardly. Truly, the Black Faction was cursed to summon this one.
"P-please wait a moment! What did you just say?!"
Even Jeanne stumbled over her words, voice tinged with panic.
"Eh? I said I have a Noble Phantasm… but I forgot its true name. Such a headache~"
"Ah?!" ×N
He said it so carelessly, reclining back with hands behind his head, grinning in that infuriating way. In everyone's mind, only one word echoed: Show-off! This might be the most unreliable Servant in history.
Fiore could only think bitterly—why had the Black Faction summoned someone like him? If only all their Servants were as dependable as the Shogun… No, the Shogun alone was enough!
"Is there something strange about that?"
"No… It's just, for a Servant to forget the true name of their own Noble Phantasm is a bit…"
Fiore's upbringing stopped her from voicing harsher words, so she phrased it delicately.
"Utterly foolish."
The Shogun, however, had no such reservations. Her cold voice cut him down directly.
"Ha?! What's with you? Do you have to diss me every single day?!"
Astolfo jumped up, pointing at her with outrage.
"This vessel does not pick fights…"
She replied calmly.
"Then what is that supposed to be?!"
"…Only the truth."
"You—! Oi! Do you enjoy bullying me this much?! So what if I forgot the name? It happens all the time, right?!"
Did it? No—this was absolutely unheard of!
The others groaned inwardly.
Next moment, Astolfo slapped a massive tome onto the table with a loud thud, showing it off for all to see.
"See? As long as I hold this, it's fine."
He plopped back into his seat.
"Rider… that looks like… a grimoire that nullifies all magecraft?"
Chiron's sharp eyes identified it instantly.
"With that, wouldn't it be possible to withstand the magical attacks of the Aerial Garden?"
Caules' voice carried a note of hope.
"Well, yes… but—"
"And yet you forgot its true name! Haa…"
Gordes collapsed onto the table again, deflated.
"That's not my fault—"
"It IS your fault!!" ×N
"Ugh… Sieg, they're bullying me!"
Astolfo clung to his Master, whining pitifully.
Fiore sighed softly.
"In that case… let's discard this method."
Something so unstable could only cause problems later. Better to abandon it early.
Afterward, the group still failed to devise any reliable strategy. With time pressing, they dispersed for the night. Fiore returned to her room accompanied by the Shogun, while the others did the same.
By around nine that evening—
The sky outside was pitch black, moonlight spilling across the Shogun's violet kimono as she stood at the window, casting a silver sheen across the fabric.
Only a small bedside lamp lit the room—far from enough.
"Haa…"
Fiore sighed for what must have been the tenth time. It seemed tonight she would not sleep.
The Shogun lifted her gaze toward her, then spoke:
"I have a method."
"Eh? Shogun?"
Fiore blinked, surprised. She looked at the woman who had walked to her bedside and now sat at the edge of the bed, gazing at her. From such close distance, the Shogun's natural fragrance drifted to her senses, making her cheeks warm with embarrassment.
The Shogun, already accustomed to the atmosphere of this room, allowed herself slightly freer movements. Sitting on the bed's edge, she even crossed her shapely legs lightly—far more approachable than at their first meeting.
Fiore, still clothed, hugged her limp legs as she leaned against the bedframe, watching her. The awkwardness between them had long since faded.
"Shogun, are you saying…"
"Earlier you spoke of a key needed to break through that fortress in the sky, did you not?"
The Shogun asked calmly.
"Yes… that's right."
"This vessel can attempt it."
She turned her head, her voice clear as she addressed the girl on the bed.
"Truly? But it's dangerous… Shogun, you're not forcing yourself, are you?"
Fiore's face showed deep worry. She knew the Shogun was strong, but against such a foe? Could even she manage alone?
"No matter. Besides… when did I ever say I would act alone?"
The Shogun shook her head lightly.
"Eh? What… do you mean?"
Fiore's confused voice came out small, almost cute.
Seeing her puzzled, the Shogun rose from the bed and stepped to the window, gazing out at the darkening sky where thunder now rumbled faintly.
Fiore carefully pulled herself onto her wheelchair, then wheeled to the Shogun's side. Together, they looked out at the weather.
Above, thick storm clouds loomed, flashes of dim light flickering with the low growl of thunder.
"This weather is perfect to summon her…"
The Shogun said in a low voice.
"Her?"
Fiore tilted her head, confused.
"A thunderbird, whose wings sweep storms across the world."
Her violet eyes gleamed faintly with lightning.
"She is your Noble Phantasm? A familiar? Like the serpent before?"
Fiore asked.
"Not exactly… She was once a powerful foe, long ago subdued by me. The Great Thunderbird. Just like that serpent… so is she."
"Great… Thunderbird?"
Fiore echoed in wonder.
"Indeed. But now… she is furious. Controlling her will be troublesome."