Kingdom of France, Orleans.
Despite Alaric hurrying back as fast as he could, by the time he returned to the city with the two monster lolis, night had fallen.
"Hm? She's not in the castle?"
"Where did she go?"
Unable to find Jeanne Alter, Alaric sensed her location.
She was, surprisingly, at the pasture where they'd eaten barbecue before.
"Has she come around? Is she out to clear her mind?"
"But it's so late... why hasn't she come back?"
With a mix of curiosity and concern, Alaric set down Kiyohime and Elizabeth, spread his wings, and flew toward the suburban pasture.
...
At the pasture.
The sky was completely dark.
It was a moonless night, the world shrouded in an eerie blackness.
The cows... clever creatures... had long since gone to sleep, indifferent to the chaos of the outside world.
Jeanne Alter lay on the same haystack as before, facing the sky, staring expressionlessly at the pitch-black void.
And at the faint dragon shadow flickering within it.
"You're back at a time like this for what?"
She suddenly spoke.
Gone was her earlier rage; now, Jeanne Alter resembled an emotionless machine... she couldn't even muster "hatred" Anymore.
"You must've known, right?"
"Of course, you're her summon... how could you not know?"
It was obvious with a moment's thought.
The white dragon and that Saber manifested together... how could he not know who was under that armor? How could he not know Saber had been swapped out in secret?
But now, dwelling on it seemed pointless.
"I don't blame you. She's your real friend, after all."
"You can go do whatever you want now."
"I'm fine... "
Looking at the white dragon landing beside her, seemingly trying to comfort her, Jeanne Alter's tone remained cold, devoid of any emotion.
... But was that really the case?
"Roar?"
Alaric turned, glancing at the sleeping herd of cows, then extended a claw, pointing at the flagpole Jeanne Alter had tossed onto the grass.
"Want to eat barbecue."
Though he didn't speak, his intent was unmistakable.
Jeanne Alter burst into exasperated laughter.
"Really... you!"
"Eat, eat, eat... is that all you ever think about?!"
...
Jeanne Alter grumbled discontentedly.
But she still rose from the haystack, returning to the ground.
Perhaps this was the allure of "being needed."
Alaric knew that what Jeanne Alter needed now wasn't "pity"... she'd never care for anyone's pity.
What she truly craved was to be "needed" by someone.
... Because right now, with nothing to do, she desperately needed something to fill the void in her empty heart.
And Alaric's request perfectly matched her subconscious desire.
"Eat, eat, eat... eat yourself to death!"
Jeanne Alter cursed as she gathered firewood and dry grass.
Moments later, a roaring bonfire dispelled the darkness and cold, illuminating her pale face.
Alaric noticed her eyes were red and swollen, her face streaked with water... no, with wide trails of tears.
"What are you staring at?"
"Go slaughter a cow already!"
Realizing her disheveled state had been noticed, Jeanne Alter shouted, then, while Alaric turned away, hurriedly wiped her face with her hands... forgetting she'd been tending the fire, smearing ash and grass across her once-pretty face.
...
Alaric swiftly killed a cow, effortlessly tearing off several strips of meat with his sharp claws.
Jeanne Alter, as before, skewered the meat on her flagpole and carefully roasted it over the fire.
... But her mood could never return to what it once was.
Jeanne Alter was silent, and Alaric didn't speak. The only sounds were the crackling of the flames and the sizzling of the roasting meat.
She soon finished cooking a strip of beef.
"Here, eat."
She removed the cooked meat from the flagpole, tossed it into Alaric's mouth, and skewered another piece, placing it back by the fire.
... Simple actions.
"But why?"
Watching the white dragon devour the meat, Jeanne Alter couldn't understand why her heart felt like crying.
An abrupt, uncontrollable urge.
Her body began to tremble.
"No, don't look!"
She gritted her teeth, struggling to suppress her sobs, forcing out choked words.
But as tears fell in streams, dripping onto the grass, she realized... she was already crying her eyes out.
...
Jeanne Alter tossed aside the flagpole.
Realizing she'd lost her composure, she abandoned her last shred of pride and wailed loudly.
"You all lied to me!"
"You, them... you all deceived me!"
She was heartbroken, wounded by those shameful betrayals.
But at this moment, the betrayals weren't the only reason for her tears.
"You scared me to death, you know!"
"I thought you'd never come back!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have driven you away... "
"I was wrong, so wrong, I shouldn't have pushed you away!"
Jeanne Alter clung to Alaric's head, pressing her dirt-smeared face against his cheek.
She kept crying, her tears scalding.
Yet her expression gradually shifted from sorrow to joy, from despair to hope.
"Don't leave me, okay?"
She reached out, stroking the white dragon, her hoarse sobs carrying a cautious hope.
"I'll make you barbecue every day... just don't leave me, okay?!"
"You're all I have now... "
"If I lose you too, I'll truly have nothing left!"
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