The mist that was Vlad began to slam Arcueid around the room with total impunity. Against the walls, the floor, the ceiling. Because the mist was formless, there was no recoil or impact for Vlad; the damage was Arcueid's alone. The room began to crumble under the repeated impacts.
"Ouch! Ow-ow-ow! You can do that too? You're pretty versatile—and strong!"
"Arc-姉!"
Seeing Rikka's worried face, Arcueid managed a wink.
"Don't make such a worried sound. Trust your Big Sis—trust your Servant!"
"Hoh..."
"Bluffing is all well and good," Gilgamesh interjected, "but your words lack conviction while you are being handled so unsightly. Show us your mettle, True Ancestor."
"Of course!" Arcueid grunted, twisting her body with a sinewy strength that made her claws glow brighter.
"Mmm... ARCUEID TYPHOON!!"
She spun her body—once, twice, a dozen times—transforming into a crimson tornado that blew back Vlad's mist. The sheer wind pressure and destructive power of the red gale began to shave away the very walls of the room.
"Senpai! Stay behind me! Though I don't think you have to worry about being blown away!"
"Thanks for the guard, Mash! Wait, are you implying I'm heavy?!"
(Fou, stay close to me!)
(Like I'd leave even if you asked!)
Gilgamesh held out his right hand, standing firm as a bulwark. Behind him, Ea hugged Fou tightly to keep the mascot from being swept away.
"Good. As a circus act, it is top-tier. Entertain us more!"
The Hero King laughed, unmoving, watching the battle. Though his attitude was casual, anyone with eyes could see he had braced himself seriously to protect those behind him.
"Ngh—!"
His mist blown away, Vlad coalesced back into solid form. Arcueid was on him instantly.
"And... BOOM!"
She seized his head and slammed it into the floor with all her might. The shockwave shattered the foundation of the room.
"Ngh...!!"
Stakes erupted instantly from the floor, skewering Arcueid. Dozens of wooden points pierced her, staining her white coat crimson.
"Mgh...!"
She contorted her body mid-air to ensure the stakes missed her vitals. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have bothered to dodge, but...
"'Instant Recovery'! Hang in there, Arc-姉!"
Knowing there was a human worried for her safety, she realized she shouldn't rely on reckless tactics. She had to care for her own well-being.
...Arcueid found this exchange incredibly fresh. Pleasant, even.
In the heat of battle, she realized something: a Master and Servant relationship shouldn't just be one person feeling good.
She wielded her power in the Master's stead, and the Master fretted over her, trying to ensure she wasn't hurt or defeated.
It was something that couldn't exist without mutual feeling. It was a noble relationship that a mere rampaging monster or brute could never replicate.
Growing stronger, growing weaker; gaining an advantage through compatibility or struggling against it; caring for one another. This 'communication' through combat... that was what it meant to be Master and Servant. The Princess of the True Ancestors felt this realization bloom within her as she traded blows with Vlad.
(I see, I see...! What is this? This is fun!)
It was nice to be cared for, and it was exciting to meet a Master's expectations. Struggling was interesting, and succeeding was, of course, exhilarating.
So this is how they saved the world, Arcueid thought with a child-like innocence. By repeating these exchanges, one battle at a time.
"Haha! Ahahaha! I've been missing out! If it was going to be this much fun, I should have tried fighting like a Servant a long time ago!"
Basking in the joy of fighting with Rikka's trust at her back, Arcueid became as absorbed in the duel as a child at play, her claws clashing against Vlad's spear.
"First the ticklish feeling of being worried about, and now the thrill of fighting together! This is amazing, I could get addicted! It's different from just standing side-by-side... it makes my heart throb! So this is a Master and Servant battle!"
In her rising excitement, Arcueid accidentally misjudged her strength. A heavy swing of her claws missed the dodging Vlad and instead carved a massive, deep set of gouges into the throne room itself.
"Drunk on pleasure, are we, Avatar of the Stars? Though how one changes under a Master's trust depends entirely on the individual..."
"You're right, this is bad! It feels so good, so fun... I'm getting a little too excited! I'm curious to see where I'd end up if I kept going, but..."
Arcueid lowered her claws and relaxed her stance.
"'Let's leave it at this.' No matter how much fun I'm having, I shouldn't indulge in selfish pleasure. The Master is the one who decides when to flip the switch on the slaughter or the feast. Isn't that right, Uncle?"
She looked around. Thanks to the aftereffects of their duel, the luxury of the throne room was gone. The furniture was skewered beyond recognition, and the walls were covered in Arcueid's claw marks. In several places, the walls had been punched through entirely, making the room very 'well-ventilated.'
"Indeed. To go further would be to stray beyond the bounds of a game. And that young girl would likely not wish for it."
Vlad sheathed his spear and gestured toward the next level.
"My decree was to 'liven things up.' Looking at this wreckage, I am satisfied. —Follow this path to the end. Follow both the mastermind... and your Master."
"I'll do that, you handsome gentleman. And don't be so hard on yourself, okay? It's natural to deny the rumors, but don't let them eat your heart away. Your greatness isn't something that can be overturned by gossip. After all, you're a hero."
"—I shall take your advice and your praise to heart. Act as you wish, until the very end."
Arcueid gave him a wink and walked back to Rikka.
"Thanks for the cheers and the healing! I got a bit carried away—how did I look?"
"Arc-姉, you were incredible! I'm gonna use that as a reference! You were so cool!"
"R-really? Hehe! So I was cool, huh?! Well, of course I was! I am cool! Yes, yes!"
Arcueid beamed at Rikka's praise. Then, she murmured to herself, unheard by the others.
"...I'm glad I worked hard. This is nice. If just 'playing' Servant is this much fun, then a real contract would be..."
She almost regretted her decision to let this end as a 'one-night dream.' This time was simply too—
"? Arcueid-san? Is something wrong?"
At Mash's voice, she brushed away her inner conflict and flashed a bright smile.
"Nope, nothing! Come on, everyone! Let's go to the next floor!"
She scooped the two of them up and ran toward the stairs.
(At the very least, right now is amazing!)
With that single thought, Arcueid let a satisfied smile grace her lips.
"Arcueid-san..."
«Hmph. To think that even one who has reached the ultimate truth would tremble before a mere fraction of a True Ancestor's power. A proper reaction. That shivering form, frightened by mere child's play, is truly—»
"She was beautiful... Tracing a crimson arc with her body, dancing through the air as she fought... and yet, she was always thinking of her Master! As expected of the True Ancestor... even with her power diminished, she is so strong, so rational, and so beautiful...!"
«...—So, you harbor such sentiments, do you?»
"I don't know how much longer we can be together, but I have to make sure I never forget this time! There's nothing wrong with keeping a one-night dream in your heart! Right, Fou?!"
(Yeah. I'm constantly surprised that you can find beauty in a 'bug' like that!)
«...To think I would agree with the Beast of the Planet. —This has become frustratingly entertaining. If you harbor such feelings for a personality birthed from a mere anomaly... I look forward to seeing how you will lose your composure when you face the true 'Me'—my original self...»
"...? Well then, let's get to cleaning!"
«Indeed. We shall finish this quickly.»
"Hoh... you intend to lend a hand with the cleaning?"
"The 'Me' of this occasion is a special 'Me,' after all—"
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