Turas Realta, located in Romania.
Yggdmillennia. Yggdmillennia, an alliance of various mage families, declared war on the Clock Tower.
Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, who stole the Greater Grail, moved to activate the Grail, but an emergency system prepared by the three founding families—in case all factions or Servants united on the same side, which would invalidate the ritual of a Holy Grail War—was triggered, and the Holy Grail War evolved into a Great Holy Grail War of 7 vs. 7.
In the end, to subjugate Yggdmillennia, which declared independence from the Clock Tower with the Greater Grail on its back, the Clock Tower participated in the Great Holy Grail War, bringing along the freelance mages known as the best and mages affiliated with the Clock Tower.
And with the Church's intervention, a priest was sent as both the Master of the enemy faction (the Clock Tower) and an overseer.
On top of that, the 15th Servant and arbiter of the Great War, a Ruler.
The massive war known as the Great Holy Grail War breaks out.
Right. That Ruler is me.
For some reason, summoned in a possession-style manner, I manifested by borrowing the body of Laeticia, a fellow Frenchwoman whose wavelength matched well and who was a devout believer.
On the way to Turas Realta for the Great Holy Grail War. I had a dream.
A dream of the time I was burned at the stake in the past. But... many things were very different.
A memory of burning while uttering curses that I never would have.
I never had such a memory. I never did that, and I never would have.
Why did I have such a dream? Is it because I'm nervous? Why did I have such a dream?
I never even thought about such curses. Though it's just a dream, it was an unsettling one.
"No buses run from here on. Should I hitchhike..."
The road to Turas Realta. Passing through the countryside where no buses run, I have to hitchhike with passing cars to get to Turas Realta. Although I'm a Servant, it's still the living body of Laeticia, so I must manage her condition and stamina. If I had manifested as my Servant self, I would have just run...
I also need to find out why this method of manifestation happened. Did something happen to the Grail? Should I go to Yggdmillennia and check the Grail first...
I walk the night road lost in thought. A rural path with nothing. Walking down the dim road, someone was standing in front of me.
It was too dark to see well, but using my power as a Servant, I strain my eyes to look ahead.
And there was...
"Wh.... What? Wh, why...?"
"Don't be so flustered, why don't we talk? Saint."
That's... me?
Impossible. It can't be... But, the True Name confirmed through True Name Discernment is...
Jeanne d'Arc Alter.
My, reversed self...? How is that possible? It can't be... No, more than that... this is an attack.
I immediately materialize as a Servant and take up my flag. Black? Or red? I don't know which faction... Or, does this mean two of me were summoned? That would also explain the lack of magical energy. But, why...? I've heard that in the 3rd Holy Grail War, two Sabers appeared from different aspects, but...
Why me, a Ruler?
"Pointing your weapon right away instead of talking? Well, well, it's hard to tell which one is the Saint now? Then again, would a thick-headed violent Saint know about manners?"
"Wh, what did you say!? Even for me, that's too harsh!"
"Shut up! Do you know how much I had to study because you couldn't write!? You can only write your name, right? I can currently write in a full 5 languages! Languages are auto-translated, but I can *write*, I'm saying!"
"What..."
Th, that's amazing...?
"French, English, German, Japanese, and even Korean! I'm on a different level than you~ I'm different from the stupid Saint~"
"Grr... Get to the point! You are clearly me. But, what on earth is this?"
"... What did I do?"
Well, you didn't *do* anything, but... to anyone looking, you were threatening, so I responded. Did I do something wrong...?
"Forget it, there's no way to reason with a stupid Saint through conversation anyway."
Alter draws her sword while spinning her flag with her other hand. So fighting is the right answer after all. Will I be okay? The opponent is clearly me. Her parameters are above mine...
Can I win? This body is Laeticia's body. If the goal is to kill me, Laeticia is also in danger. What should I do...
"Don't rush ahead on your own! I said don't start yet!"
"Ahh~ How bothersome. Can't we just finish this quickly?"
"......... Huh?"
"That's the problem! My grown-up future self!"
Wh, what, my childhood self...?
The True Name is, Jeanne d'Arc Alter Santa Lily...?
So, my reversed self's childhood? Santa...? Wh, what is this? It's too complicated, my head hurts... No, more importantly, why Santa?
So the number of enemies has increased. 2 against 1. And even my younger self has decent parameters. Agility is high at A... With this, my chances of winning...
Why did this happen in the first place? Why, why have I multiplied...?
"May I ask one thing...?"
"What is it? My properly grown-up self?"
"... Why are you Santa? No, more importantly, why is your chest open...?"
"Ah... That's fashion, and as for being Santa, I'm the 2nd generation! I inherited it from the 1st generation Alter-senpai! Although I have a junior now too!"
"....."
Was being Santa a... profession?
No, more importantly, a succession system? Not me, but my childhood self is Santa!? Wh, what's going on...?
"That's enough. She looks quite confused, doesn't she?"
"....... Huh?"
"Big sis~ You're here!"
"Really, don't be late, big sis."
Wh... Big sis? B, but that's...
"Sorry I'm late~ my little sisters."
Me...
Perfectly me. Not Alter, not Santa, not Lily, purely Jeanne d'Arc.
"Wh, why are you calling me big sis... You're all me!"
"? Because you're the big sis, and we're the little sisters, of course?"
"That's right. You are the big sis."
"Yes~ I am the big sis!"
"......"
What is this... Was I originally that kind of person? Somehow, she feels full of madness. On the contrary, she seems to be purely filled with madness, her eyes sparkling brightly. They're clear eyes, yet tinged with madness...
"Just looking at the level of magical energy, I'm stronger than you, aren't I?"
"... That's right. So, the point is...?"
"Since I'm stronger, I get to be the big sis!"
"No, why are you so fixated on being the big sis..."
"Wouldn't you understand if you were me?"
"..."
No, I understood a little. What on earth happened to me to become so corrupted? After all, did I not have the qualifications to be a Saint? Oh God, please forgive my corrupted self...
First of all, it's clear these are not Servants of the Great Holy Grail War. Two Rulers? Impossible! The Avenger class was strange from the start. I must stake my life and stop them here...
"Deadline Punch!"
Wham!
"Guh!"
To be defeated by such a strange technique... How humiliating....
Thud...!
Ugh, my body won't move... But I'm faintly conscious. As long as I'm not killed, I can wait for an opportunity... I'm sorry Laeticia, I will definitely save you at least.
"What was that, my grown-up self."
"The power of my right hand, tempered by drawing and submitting manuscripts until the deadline. Kukuku, you should be grateful I didn't even bring out my Black Flame Dragon?"
"Ah, yes."
"Now now~ Both of you stop, and let's take this me over here. I hope little brother-kun will accept me as a little sister~"
"Then I've finally escaped being the youngest!"
"You'll still be under me though~"
"Th, that's!"
What is with these people... Are they really me? They're clearly me, but something's off...
"Carry me, my grown-up self! This is the price for abandoning me~!"
"Ugh! Don't suddenly cling to me!"
"Fufu, you get along so well~"
... They really do look like they get along. It feels like, my brother Jacques and me. They seem like real sisters... My other self carries me piggyback as we move.
Are we going to their base? Since I'm the Ruler of the Great Holy Grail War, they won't kill me for now. There must be a Master. If I go along like this and launch a surprise attack on the Master, I have a chance. As the adjudicator of the Great Holy Grail War, I will definitely correct this rule violation!
"You're here? Faster than I thought?"
And, waiting at a place that looks like the base is a man. Somehow, he feels more like a layabout than a Master... Is this person the Master of my other selves?
"Master, get this one off me, please..."
"No way~"
"Alter, he's our older brother, you know?"
"Right, Master older brother. Get her off me, please."
"Guh...! Has she become a demon... This is bad for my heart..."
... What is this place. These people, what on earth did they come here to do?
For now, I need to buy a little more time, pretend to be unconscious, and observe the situation.