A certain day in February, 1999.
Reiroukan Manor, Tokyo.
In the cold air of the early morning, Lancer accurately grasps the location of his Master.
Right in the center of the terribly wide courtyard.
There was a woman, feeding the hunting dogs that had been remade into a demon hound type-thing. That’s it. That is the man’s master.
A gorgeous woman.
A woman who had mastered many magecraft at a young age.
A ruler who truly should be called a prodigy.
In truth, he didn’t mind if they regarded her as the true
“queen” of this Far Eastern capital called Tokyo. Since the elderly in charge of national politics asked for this woman’s mood on a daily basis, one could say that she is the one who governs the Far East itself.
Contrary to her youthful body that made her seem like a teenage girl her age, the aura that covered her and the presence that was even conveyed by her downcast eyes was truly that of a ruler.
He knew such a woman.
She existed a bit before the man’s
lifetime. A genuine queen who viewed the trends of the world with those slender arms as her belongings and was so impertinent that he even called her an Amazon. Rulers who don’t pay attention to those who claim to be king. He knows――――that on the contrary, it was such women who were greatly involved in the turbulent lives of men. Yes, it was one such woman who gave the man his final moment.
Lancer: （So this chick is my fate, huh?）
The man quietly thinks.
While recalling the philosophy book he got in one of the main residence’s studies yesterday to kill time with.
He stares at his Master.
The black-haired woman. Misaya Reiroukan. She was giving the guts, the raw meat that was prepared as food for the demon hounds, while keeping a tight hold on it without changing her expression once. Is it because of the individual qualities that made him feel weird, a type of sexual allure and bewitching at the same time?
Or, is it because of the strange situation they found themselves in?
Sitting on a step some distance away from his Master, the man ignites the cigarette he holds in his mouth. It’s not so bad for a present-day luxury item. Especially this cigarette which he can enjoy whenever he likes.
He puffs out some tobacco smoke――――
As he turns his gaze to the courtyard fountain, he reflects a little.
The Holy Grail War has already begun.
Seven days had already passed since the seven Masters who aim for the Holy Grail, the omnipotent wish granting device had gathered.
The man had already crossed swords with three of the Heroic Spirits under the command of Misaya as Lancer, the fourth ranked Servant, but there has been no particular movement since then.
He had no orders.
At present, Misaya wasn’t trying to set up an attack against the other Masters.
Which is exactly why, the man had the time to release his spirit form and read a book in the study. She still told him to stay by her Master’s side, but he is free to walk around the estate for example. Well. Other than her bedroom. He said that he would never enter her bedroom without permission.
Lancer: (……. What’re you planning, my Master?)
He had no complaints.
But there was some distrust.
The man stares at Misaya while daringly including
it into his gaze as an emotion.
And then――――
Straightaway, there was a reaction.
As expected of the Queen of the Far East. Did she detect and show even the slightest emotion?
Misaya: “Are you dissatisfied with my plan?”
Misaya said.
With a calm voice that had a sexual allure that is inappropriate for her age.
Misaya: “You wonder why I forbid you from using your original weapon in battle. You feel that I refuse to lift the seal over your Noble Phantasm because I fear your betrayal.”
Lancer: “Ah?”
He reacts to her abrupt words.
They were misleading words for the man.
Dissatisfaction and distrust. The man thinks
‘Ahh, she fired back,’ because there is no way this woman was unaware of the difference. Daring words for a daring gaze?
Lancer: “Nah, that’s not it. Although it is kind of tough without
Gáe Bolg, well, I can battle without it.”
He shrugs his shoulders and continues.
Lancer: “You’re right as a Master. I have no complaints about waiting till the rest of the participants show up. But――――”
His words are a little evasive.
He immediately heard about Misaya’s
circumstances after he materialised.
Her time limit.
Unlike the other Masters, the woman called Misaya Reiroukan has no time left. A deadly curse that can only be lifted by obtaining the Holy Grail. No matter how overflowing with wisdom she is, she cannot fight elegantly as if to show off.
Worst-case scenario, he will need to partner with Sancraid and brawl voraciously.
Thus, the man of the lance says.
“But.”
Misaya: “Enough.”
Misaya smiles――――
Misaya: “My life and my beliefs are two separate things. Weighing pros and cons disgusts me.”
At least as long as they can afford to.
With that said, the mistress deliberately turns towards him.
The crimson guts held in his Master’s white fingertips was moving and although the demon hound beside her was sending her a hungry-looking glare, she ignores it. The man takes Misaya’s gaze head on and drops his shoulders with a
“Good grief.”
Lancer: (I’m dealin’ with another strong-willed woman again.)
However. It is not so bad.
It will end with a reasonable win without one dilemma.
Besides, this woman. Her face resembled hers in some respects. It may be more like that in terms of the nature of her beauty, but this troublesome temper of hers is still reminiscent Scáthach
[1] to the man.
Highly proud and doesn’t serve anyone.
A born ruler.
Brimming with wisdom, he understood better than anyone that she was different from ordinary people.
Just like seeing into oneself, he can see through the character and temperament of others――――
Misaya: “Did you know that heroes who are summoned as Servants have something in common?”
Misaya suddenly said.
Stopping to focus on the memories of his past, the man listens again.
Lancer: “Yeah? What’s that?”
Misaya: “Although it is not true for every Servant. It seems that those who are destined to reach an untimely end during their lifetime will answer the Grail’s call.”
Chuckling, the mistress amusingly lifts her mouth.
That is unmistakably her exerting his rage as a superhuman, while they are people who have built a name for themselves as a hero in their lifetime, it can ultimately be read as if she is mocking the Heroic Spirits who are bound by their human deeds. In fact, that’s probably it.
Lord help me.
Exhaling, the man replies.
Lancer: “So, all of them have regrets? That’s so messed up. Unfortunately, what you’ve said has nothing to do with me.”
Misaya: “It would seem so. However, I love those disgraced Servants who place their wishes upon the Grail. You don’t really suit my tastes.”
Lancer: “Then you should’ve picked more carefully before you chose me.”
If she wanted a resentful slave, then there were plenty of others she could choose from.
As he kept it up, he stood up from the step while shrugging his shoulders. This is the end of his foolish conversation with his mistress. Currently she said his only job was to be a guard dog, so at best, he will continue to be vigilant so that any intruder can be killed on the spot.
And then――――
In that moment when he stood up and began to turn into his spirit form.
Misaya: “As for me, I wanted a hero who was killed by a woman.”
Her echoing voice mutters.
They were supposed to be words imposed on him, but……
At the same time. The man senses that the words were directed towards Misaya Reiroukan herself.
This is her real intention.
Yes, the man―――― Lancer concludes.
They were just an excuse to judge herself. Her voice. Her words. The emotions included in them certainly existed. Although still young in her late teens, this woman who sits in the Far East as its ruler and shines her talents at the end of her studies and training as a magus, clearly held some strong feelings
towards the Servant.
Not for the spearman personally.
Towards heroes.
Towards Heroic Spirits.
Towards Servants.
Perhaps she was showing it unconsciously, but the colour of these emotions are yes――――
Lancer: (Revenge. Or is it retribution?)
The man thinks of the profile of the one woman who was in his past, whom he even sometimes called a
“goddess.”
That’s right. This gorgeous girl whose mindset is similar to Scáthach who ruled the “Land of Shadows,” is not Scáthach in terms of facial expressions and gestures, but is very similar to
that in any event. To that person, Medb, the queen of Connacht who was even called the goddess who ruled over royal authority, evil and madness.
To that woman who trampled over the earth with a seething desire for revenge and killed him, Cú Chulainn.
It was the first time he was convinced of it.
As the man felt Scáthach inside of her rather than in her looks.
However. In this moment.
Lancer Cú Chulainn undoubtedly overlapped Medb’s profile with Misaya Reiroukan.
The bewitchingness of the girl’s flowing eyelashes which were aimed at him who was speechlessly gazing at her were truly.
Lips that slowly open.
The tip of her tongue that spins sounds, voices and words.
Is truly――――
Misaya: “Because, then he’d know just how scary women are, right?”
Her whispering voice.
Along with her bewitching smile.
Is charming, cold, quiet and yet somehow cheerful.
It truly resembles Queen Medb. Like Medb and Scáthach, huh?
Lancer: (……...This gal sure is)
This time it was the man’s turn to expose his unconscious mind.
From the bottom of his heart, the man drops his shoulders with a
‘lord help me.’
Lancer: “You’re quite the woman.”
From the bottom of his heart, he praised her like this.
It’s not a huge lie.
Misaya: “That’s quite the sarcasm.”
Lancer: “Nope, I ain’t kidding. I pledge on this lance of mine that you are quite the woman. But, y’know. One piece of advice, you’re young, but if you keep acting like that, you’re not gonna make even one friend――――”
Misaya: “Fine by me, I don’t care.”
Lancer: “Hah?”
Misaya: “It’s fine. Don’t you know?”
He didn’t know.
The mistress replied back to the man who spoke honestly with her.
Quietly.
Coldly.
And, with unwavering determination and
realization.
Misaya: “――――I don’t need friends.”
(Part 2 “Best Friend” – End)
[1] Scáthach: His former teacher
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by PhoenixRising
