Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

"If there is one person in this world who can change my fate, I think it is only her."

Zhuo could feel this innocence and emotion; his clenched fists were almost bleeding, and his teeth were clenched tightly. He kept questioning his own heart.

"Damn it... You already knew the ending! Then change it! You have that power! If you can't even change this..."

"...If even the promise cannot be kept, if even their wishes after death cannot be fulfilled."

"...Then what kind of king am I?"

He suddenly released his grip and stood still.

“…I don’t understand. Didn’t Mr. Amadeus say before that humans are filthy?” Mashu shook her head, unable to comprehend this sorrow.

"According to you, Miss Mary should also be... very dirty."

“Huh? I like dirty things, huh?” Amadeus suddenly said. “Music is a beautiful thing, and humans are dirty things. Don’t you even know that difference? It’s just a matter of classification.”

"Huh...huh? But don't humans only like beautiful things?"

"It's not that we only love beautiful things, but that humans also love beautiful things."

“Um… I don’t really understand the difference between the two…” Mash couldn’t understand.

“Hmm… this problem is probably hard to explain with words alone.” Amadeus also looked troubled, but then smiled again.

“However, you will understand someday. You will continue to travel with Ritsuka and Nencho, right? Then you will definitely understand. After all, this is about humans. Isn’t he someone you secretly like?” Amadeus smiled as he quietly pointed to the silent Nencho.

“Hmm…yes, you’re right. Mr. Amadeus.” Mash lowered her head, her eyes darting around.

"Hmph~ Trust is such a heavy burden~" Ritsuka chimed in at this moment, her lively side ponytail swaying constantly.

"...I'm sorry, I understand you're discussing a very interesting topic...although I understand..." Siegfried pointed his sword at the monster that had appeared not far away, his face showing apology, "but I'm very sorry...the enemy has arrived...I'm sorry I'm a man who doesn't know how to read people..."

"Whoosh—" Nen Zhuo moved, passed through Siegfried, patted Mash's head, and then patted Ritsuka's shoulder.

"I'll leave Mashu in your care for now." "Huh?" Ritsuka looked puzzled, clearly unable to understand what Nencho was doing.

“Eh… Mr. Nianzhuo…” Mashu also looked at Nianzhuo in surprise as he walked in the direction Jeanne and Marie had left.

Only Amadeus let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

He waved behind him and walked in the direction they had left.

"If I can't even protect her life now, what kind of man am I?"

"If I can't even keep a small promise now, what kind of knight am I?"

"So, I stake my life and my dignity, Marie Antoinette!" Zhuo's pace quickened, and he began to run.

"Your life! I'll save it!"

If this book becomes a hit, the author will be wearing both white and black stockings (I'm furious).

"Hmph~ I never thought our Chaldea job would be stolen by Siegfried..." Director Mary hadn't quite recovered from the story just now. "But I hope you can understand my surprised expression, okay?"

"Think about it, I originally thought he was a useless guy like Dr. Romani, but I never expected him to be such a great man with such a profound philosophy of life. How can that not be surprising?"

“Hmm…this is troublesome, but Mary…madam, I also feel a connection to that Dr. Romani from your words, so you don’t need to worry.” Waving his cane, Amadeus regained his playful smile. “Perhaps…basically, as humans. Or more precisely, as adults, you and I might both be utterly useless bums~”

—In the midst of their conversation, those demonic creatures had already reached out—

"Anyway, there's no time to talk now, Director! I'm leaving the battle monitoring to you." Wielding her shield, Mash charged straight ahead.

Even if we split into two groups, the three Servants on this side are more than capable of dealing with these monsters.

Before the monsters could react, they were either smashed into the ground by Mashu's shield, their bodies shattered by flying musical notes, or their heads were chopped off by a greatsword.

"Phew, that's a wrap." Removing the shield from the last monster's body, Mashu breathed a sigh of relief, announcing the end of this uneventful conflict. "Is Mr. Siegfried alright?"

"I can walk normally again now. Unless it's a high-intensity combat conflict, I should be fine." Siegfried, his face slightly flushed, turned his face to the side. "...It seems I'll have to trouble everyone for a while longer. I'm sorry."

"Alright~ Although Nian Zhuo is not here now, this is a good opportunity for our Chaldea organization to show our skills. Let's all cheer up and move forward!" Director Mary reviewed the reports that were being sent over one after another in the control room. "We will also work hard to find Servants."

On the other side—the French women's team (followed by a turbid bird).

"..." Joan of Arc walked silently, her expression making Marie beside her tremble.

“Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc. Your expression is so scary…” Mary approached her with concern, looking into Joan of Arc’s eyes as if trying to see through her thoughts.

"Uh...is it...is it scary?" However, Joan of Arc was unaware of this. She touched her cheek as she came to her senses and did not feel anything unusual.

"Hehe~ Rather than being scary, it's more like... being conflicted?" After carefully observing Joan of Arc's expression, Mary smiled again.

"Ha...yes, right...I'm thinking about some things." Marie's gaze made Joan blush slightly, and she couldn't help but turn her head away.

"Is it related to the 'Dragon Witch'?" Marie's expression turned unhappy as she pointed out what Jeanne was thinking.

“…Yes, you’re right.” Joan of Arc nodded, acknowledging, “Since birth, I have been following God’s revelation, running east and west. I have never looked back on the path I have been on. After death, I became a Heroic Spirit, and then I was summoned as a Judge. …I have accepted these things as a matter of course.”

Then a look of confusion appeared on her face. "But I really... have no clue about what the 'Dragon Witch' said."

"Who exactly is that 'me'...?"

However, Joan of Arc forgot that she had a queen by her side who was constantly in a sweet and wonderful dream.

"—Yes, Joan of Arc was indeed very beautiful. Very, very, very beautiful." Mary nodded affirmatively.

"Hehe, that's right, how could my wife not be beautiful?" (From Nian Zhuo, who was squatting in the grass eating a peach.)

"Stop, stop teasing me!" Joan of Arc's face flushed even more, completely helpless against this Mademoiselle of France who was always lost in the sweet dream of love.

“No, because if I were to stand in Joan of Arc’s shoes—” Mary closed her eyes and tapped her cheek in distress.

"I'll probably accept what the 'Dragon Witch' says."

"...Mary?" Joan of Arc looked at her friend with a puzzled expression.

“I don’t hate the French people who executed me. I’m 90 percent confident I can say that.” Marie frowned slightly. “But the remaining 10 percent… perhaps even less than 10 percent… but it’s a real feeling. I do hate, to some extent, those who killed my children.”

Yes, humans have seven emotions and six desires; no one can escape these things. No matter how small their proportion, they are real.

They feel angry at those who bully them, disappointed by what they cannot have, and resentful of those who give them hope but ultimately lose more than they gain.

It is precisely the existence of such malice that makes our virtues shine even brighter.

“…!” Joan of Arc chose to listen instead of interrupting. She needed someone to help her understand the meaning of the “Dragon Witch’s” words.

“My child, Charlie, was brutally murdered in revenge against me… I truly grieve for him.” A sorrowful expression appeared on the face of this nobleman who was always smiling. “So, if a ‘Dragon Witch’ were to appear, corresponding to me, I think I would understand. I would think, ‘Ah, this is another version of me.’”

Mary turned around and looked at Joan of Arc, who was puzzled.

“But Joan of Arc, you wouldn’t do that, would you? It’s remarkable and extremely beautiful. It’s not because you’re afraid of falling into depravity, not because you don’t want to think that way, and not because you’re afraid of losing anything.”

"Joan of Arc—you really like humans, don't you?" Marie Antoinette asked this seemingly absurd question, noticing Joan's bewildered expression. "You like those humans who yearn for progress. You like those ridiculous individuals who, even crawling on the ground, refuse to give up their persistent efforts to impeach you, don't you?"

The answer is correct. This saint had no hatred for humanity. Rather, she understood what hatred was but never possessed it. When faced with impeachment, she did not question the judge, but relied on divine revelation to argue her case. In the end, she willingly accepted her death.

From beginning to end, she never hated a single person.

“Hmm… I like them very much.” Joan of Arc smiled as if she understood. “Ah, I see. It is because I like them that I cannot hate them.”

“Yes, that’s why you were able to save France.” The French Women’s Club reached a consensus again. “It’s okay. After you see the ‘Dragon Witch’ again, you can tell her everything.”

"Tell her everything? What should I say...?" Sure enough, this Spartan-minded village girl didn't grasp the real meaning at all.

"Tell her clearly what you really want to say. For example, tell her that she is not you at all. Or tell her that nobody cares who she is."

“Mary…yes, that’s right, you’re right.” Encouraged and guided by Mary, Joan of Arc finally made up her mind, her steps becoming lighter. “I really…wait, who…would care?”

“Your expression is conflicted again…I’m sorry, was it because I couldn’t help?” Mary took Joan’s hand again with concern.

"How...how could that be...You've been a great help to me." Joan of Arc's expression returned to calm as she smiled and grasped Mary's hand in return.

"Next time I run into her, I might be able to clearly tell her how I feel."

“Yes! You can definitely do it.” Mary looked up at the sky and suggested, “Ah, it’s about time we contacted them.”

“Yes…then—” Jeanne took out the communication device that Mash had given her. She pressed the button a moment before…

She suddenly understood... the meaning of "only a ghost would care".

A strange but possible guess came to her mind.

"Beep beep—" The communication device beeped.

The title of the previous chapter was a joke, please don't take it seriously (I'm out of my mind).

Mashu put down the communication device in her hand, and her expression finally softened.

"Miss Joan of Arc and the others should be arriving soon. Let's hurry! We'll be at Thiers soon..."

“Thière…” Amadeus thought for a moment, “I remember that place was famous for its swords, and judging from the appearance of the streets, it shouldn’t have been destroyed yet.” Gazing at the castle that still stood in the distance, the expressions of the group softened somewhat.

"Director, have you detected any Servant reactions?" Mash looked at the communication device in her hand, still unable to perceive such a large area using her own senses.

"Ahem... No rush, let me check." Then the director's tone suddenly changed, "...Hmm??? Thiel has two Servants. Make contact with them as soon as possible—"

Suddenly, flames and thick smoke erupted from the town in front of them—

"...There was a fire in the town just now!" Mashu's expression turned serious, and she quickly increased her pace.

However, Amadeus frowned in annoyance. "This noise...it's really annoying. Utterly annoying...an unprecedented ominous sound foreshadows an unprecedented demon!"

Covering his ears in an even more exaggerated manner, Mr. Amadeus looked as if he had suffered a great psychological trauma, his face contorted in pain. "Ah... extend your helping hand to us, goddesses (Muses), this terrible premonition makes me tremble...!"

(At this time, the nine members of the Muse were in their summer training camp...)

"Ah... Anyway, there's no time to worry about that! Let's go!" Ritsuka waved her hand and called to everyone as they ran into the smoke-filled city.

"I...I understand! Everyone, please follow me!" Holding her shield, Mash ran into the billowing smoke-filled city.

Inside the city—the sounds of metal clashing and flames burning echoed continuously.

The two Servants are facing off.

"You bastard! Damn it, damn it, damn it! You arrogant, conceited, Eastern, country bumpkin squirrel!" The speaker had long, rose-red hair, which started from a pair of dragon horn-like ornaments on his head (actually not ornaments) and split into many braids under a purple ribbon. He had long fingernails and was holding a microphone-shaped spear.

—This is our favorite, Elizabeth Longming.

"Oh ho ho ho ho -- who is more arrogant and conceited? How could a mere half-baked player possibly win --" Another person had long light green hair, with white hair ornaments shaped like horns on their head, and wore a white kimono with gold trim interspersed with emerald green. The fan in their hand was constantly waving, creating scorching flames.

-- This is the favorite of all of our Anchin-sama, Kiyohime Flamethrower.

"As a true dragon, aren't I, Miss Elizabeth?" With a smile, Miss Kiyohime uttered some truly frightening words, her fan unleashing even more intense flames.