Type-Moon: Root Seiko

Joan of Arc couldn't argue with this man, and instead felt defeated by the sense of security that welled up inside her.

Normally, Mingming relies on the power of enlightenment to forcefully persuade those around him to believe in him.

But now, the longer Joan of Arc spends with Rozen, the more she finds herself becoming obedient to him... and genuinely so, believing that everything he says and does is absolutely right.

Karen's influence on her mental state was truly profound, Joan of Arc muttered to herself.

Now it was time to sleep, and Joan of Arc was the first to go to bed.

She sat on the edge of the bed, lifted her two healthy and full legs, and took off her stockings.

Describing something as having "skin as smooth as ice and jade" is a bit of an exaggeration. "A peeled egg," on the other hand, is quite apt; it looks very appetizing.

The flesh-colored skin, freed from the white stockings, perfectly showcased the youthful and vibrant charm of the girl. One could even say it exuded a sense of life, moving even Luo Zhen to tears.

He continued admiring Joan of Arc's socks until she had taken them off, before finally offering a suggestion: "You can sleep in the next room, it's empty anyway."

"But I can't become a spirit. If something really happens, it's definitely safer to be closer, right?"

Jeanne d'Arc, unusually, countered: "The Berserkers possess 'Presence Concealment,' an assassin-adapted skill, and that Lancer is an exceptionally powerful Servant. While I don't intend to lose to them, one can never have too much safety preparation. Therefore, we should spend the night in the same room. Does Master have any objections to this?"

"I have no objections. But I do feel that you have a talent for eloquence, as expected of the Holy Maiden."

Hmph~(#€€ω€€#)

Jeanne d'Arc felt content just from receiving such a compliment, and a soft smile spread across her lips.

Then she took off her JK uniform-style cardigan and began to unbutton the shirt underneath.

After unbuttoning two buttons, she remembered: "Master, could you please turn around?"

"Then change into your pajamas before you come in."

Despite his complaints, Luo Zhen still gentlemanly turned his back to him.

But in this shared room setting, listening to the rustling of fabric so close behind,

With Luo Zhen's senses, he can completely model the product in his mind and appreciate it from all angles without any blind spots. This actually gives him more room for imagination.

Luo Zhen was also pondering whether this saintess was self-aware or not.

"Okay, please turn around."

The saintess neatly folded her beautiful clothes and placed them on the chair beside the bed. She had already changed into her pajamas and took the initiative to sleep on the inside of the bed.

She seemed to have never considered the option of "one of the two of you can sleep on the floor" from the beginning, and simply did it as a matter of course.

Luo Zhen had a premonition that if he made a comment about this matter...

Then this saintess, who is like a wild boar like the berserker, would probably feel ashamed and do something extreme.

Although this is quite interesting, Luo Zhen wants to rest now, so he'll save his energy for later.

Luo Zhen had already changed into his pajamas, so he didn't have to go through the awkwardness of taking off his pants under the watchful eyes of the Holy Maiden. He naturally went to sleep next to her.

His room has a double bed.

Girls like Orange, Yuzu, Rin Tohsaka, and Sakura Tohsaka often sleep next to me, so I don't feel uncomfortable.

"...I'm sorry, Luo Zhen."

Before Luo Zhen said goodnight, Joan of Arc took a few light breaths and spoke first.

She unusually didn't call him Master, but instead directly addressed him by his name, proving that the topic was quite different.

As Luo Zhen turned to her, Joan of Arc's fine eyelashes trembled slightly and drooped:

“It’s been a month. I’ve been in this world for so long, according to the information from previous Holy Grail Wars, the ritual should have ended long ago. But I’m still here, and Kallen still hasn’t woken up.”

“I can’t wake her. I can feel her soul and consciousness inside me, and she’s sleeping soundly right now… but the fusion with the heroic spirit is entirely under my control. If this continues, it’s hard to guarantee that it won’t interfere with her personality… plus she’s so young, I…”

"I know you want to end the Holy Grail War as soon as possible. But don't let this distract you; it's not your fault."

Luo Zhen rested his head on one hand, looking at the saintess who was so close to him.

He could see the guilt and unease in Joan's eyes, which were growing stronger every day, as she feared that he might cause Karen to suffer some irreversible problems, or even make her disappear.

After all, Captain Tessa had said that once milk and black tea are mixed together, they can never be completely separated. That's what she was afraid of.

But Luo Zhen had already thought about this: "You've been in the flesh for so long, you must have seen all of Karen's memories, and you must have deeply experienced her subjective feelings and thoughts. Then you must know about Karen's abnormality. She's not much better than that girl named Canaan."

“Yes, I know.” Joan of Arc nodded, her voice heavy. “That’s why I want to protect her even more. Karen needs healing, both physically and mentally, and I want to do everything I can to give her a happy and fulfilling life.”

Chapter 55 Alice's Night Talk

"Then perhaps your spirit origin is healing her, which is why she slept a little longer."

Luo Zhen was inexplicably convincing, and shifted to a more comfortable position to prop his face up:

"Karen has severe genetic albinism and sensory impairment, which modern medicine cannot cure. Although Orange could simply give her a completely new body without hindering her growth, Karen's mental state is unique, and I don't want her to lose her self-awareness as a human being."

"So I originally planned to wait for her to grow up slowly, and then subtly use magic to heal her and improve her health. But now, with your blessing, Saintess, when she wakes up, she might become as healthy as you."

"...I really hope that's the case. But isn't that just wishful thinking?"

Joan of Arc remained uneasy.

This saintess has a habitual tendency to take on more responsibility, which is quite in line with her personality.

Narojin smiled knowingly: "Then make a wish."

"Once we obtain the Holy Grail, we will wish for Karen to become healthy again."

"Although this would mean betraying Tokiomi Tohsaka, to be honest, I didn't really intend to keep my promise and give him the Holy Grail. After all, that would require ordering you to commit suicide and leave the stage. If you're unhappy about that, you can say so and call me a despicable person who breaks his promise."

"……Won't."

Joan of Arc kept all her sighs, the relief of having half of her guilt shared, and the even greater guilt that arose from it, hidden deep in her heart.

She smiled gratefully: "I will make a wish too. Not as a passage to the Root, but simply as a little wish-granting machine."

"I wish that you, Luo Zhen, and all those you love, will have a happy and fulfilling life from now on. Even after I return to my seat, I will continue to make wishes."

Why did I feel choked up for no reason when I said those words?

Why do I feel an urge to say those words and to deny this future?

...Joan of Arc didn't want to think about it.

It must all be because of Karen's spirit influencing me, and that's enough.

Luo Zhen neither accepted nor rejected the offer; he simply looked calmly at the 19-year-old girl before him.

He reached out and ruffled the girl's hair, feeling the warm golden hair caressing his fingers:

"Alright, go to sleep. See you tomorrow, Jeanne."

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Luo Zhen."

-----------------

Silent all night.

Hugging such a big and warm Joan of Arc pillow, one should be able to sleep comfortably until dawn, without leaving any fatigue for the next day.

But Luo Zhen still woke up in the middle of the night.

He noticed the commotion inside the house; his guest had also gotten up.

Joan of Arc opened her eyes at almost the same time, her azure eyes very clear.

But Luo Zhen gently shook his head, indicating that she didn't need to get up.

Luo Zhen got up, put on his coat, and walked out of the bedroom.

The sliding door leading from the living room to the veranda was opened, and from Luo Zhen's angle, he could just see her long, silvery hair fluttering gently in the night breeze.

Luo Zhen deliberately made footsteps, causing Irisviel to turn around:

"Oh dear, did I wake you up? I'm so sorry, I'm a guest in someone else's house, but I wandered around like this."

"It's alright, I just woke up too."

Luo Zhen smiled at the android princess, his gaze also drifting to her invisible protector beside her:

"I'll make some black tea. Lancer, would you like a cup too?"

Alice: "Hmm~ She said it's okay, let's have a good chat."

Irisviel answered on behalf of her servant, and it seems that King Arthur has no intention of materializing.

That's fine, so Luo Zhen took two cups.

Following the strict procedures required by Youzhu, Luo Zhen smoothly brewed the black tea, warmed the cups, and brought them to the veranda.

Luo Zhen placed the tray between the two of them, at just the right distance, which suited their current relationship.

Irisviel thanked her softly, her every move still radiating a gentle warmth.

For a moment, the two (along with King Arthur, who was not physically present due to the atmosphere) silently sipped their tea and gazed at the clear, bright moon.

While it's not quite to the point of wishing for darkness to fall, the current atmosphere is indeed quite nice and comfortable.

In the end, it was Irisviel who spoke first.