With a good start, the atmosphere of their conversation became much more relaxed and amicable.
"Assassin, did you come specifically to find me?"
"Yes, I came here just for you—ah, if we run into anyone else, please say we met by chance, as I acted on my own."
Jeanne's posture was very proper, while Shinji seemed quite casual. Although Jeanne wasn't accustomed to his overly familiar demeanor, she didn't find it off-putting.
"Why did you come to find me?"
"First, I wanted to see what kind of person the Ruler is, and if we could get along, that would be even better."
Shinji wasn't lying; this was indeed his goal. However, his idea of "what kind of person" differed from Jeanne's. Jeanne thought he meant her personality and conduct, but Shinji was purely there to see her face, to see how much Jeanne resembled Artoria, and to confirm if Ruler was indeed Jeanne d'Arc. Most importantly, he wanted to see the legendary "Jeanne's impressive figure" with his own eyes.
The result was quite satisfying for him—indeed, she was both graceful and charming, with a delightful appearance. Combined with her height of only 159 cm, her youthful face and well-endowed figure greatly satisfied Shinji's curiosity as an otaku.
Yes, curiosity. If you think otherwise, go reflect on it yourself.
Building a good relationship was also necessary. Jeanne held an irreplaceable role in this Holy Grail War. Making a good impression now would facilitate future actions.
Despite Shinji's goodwill, Jeanne did not reciprocate.
"To be cautious, let me clarify: I will not favor either the Black or Red factions in this Holy Grail War."
Despite her cold words, Shinji continued to smile:
"If you were the type to show favoritism, I doubt the Holy Grail would have chosen you as the arbitrator. As for me, though I am merely a humble Assassin, I have my pride—my Shishou taught me to earn my victory through my efforts."
"With such determination, why did you come to find me? Isn't it pointless?"
Shinji shook his head at Jeanne: "No, you're wrong; it's not pointless. Only one group can obtain the Holy Grail, which means this war will be brutal and intense. Apart from my Master, I can't trust anyone else with my back. If the Master and Servant don't get along, it's like fighting alone."
"But you're different. As the arbitrator, you're neutral. At least, I don't have to worry about you stabbing me in the back or confidentiality issues. Avoiding or being wary of you because of your role or class privilege would be foolish."
Hearing this, Jeanne understood: "You see me as a moving sanctuary?"
In European wars, armies wouldn't attack churches, and people would seek refuge in them.
"If you want to see it that way, it's fine, though I prefer terms like haven or safety zone."
Shinji's perspective intrigued Jeanne. After carefully considering her duties, she nodded: "I admit your view has some merit, but I must remind you, being near me doesn't mean absolute safety. If an enemy Servant follows the Holy Grail War rules and fights you, I won't interfere."
Shinji chuckled, not surprised by Jeanne's reminder: "The safety zone or haven I mentioned is more about the spiritual sense, a place to chat freely and casually. As for you not interfering in battles, that's only natural. No, it's exactly what I want. You won't interfere with those trying to kill me, and I suppose you won't interfere if I ambush enemies around you, right?"
Jeanne's expression changed slightly. She hadn't expected the Black Assassin to turn her words against her, revealing his premeditated plan. However, considering how she had led the French army to defeat the English repeatedly, she could understand Shinji's strategy of using blind spots to ambush enemies, though it left her somewhat dissatisfied.
"That is your freedom. As long as you don't break the rules, I won't interfere."
"Oh dear, oh dear, don't be so cold. It's such a pity to keep such a beautiful face so stern all the time. I know my actions have made you uncomfortable, but they also benefit you."
"What kind of benefit?"
"Don't think I'm trying to sow discord when I say this. The Black faction's attitude towards you is to win you over if they can, and if they can't, they won't do anything to you. But the Red faction is different. From the start, they see you as a nuisance and want to get rid of you."
"How is that possible?" Jeanne couldn't understand. She hadn't met any of the Red faction's Masters or Servants yet, so how could they harbor such hostility towards her, and why would they make such an unwise move?
Not to mention that Ruler is a judge, not a combatant. The mere privileges of the Ruler class give them an overwhelming advantage over ordinary Servants. Their powerful perception abilities prevent ambushes, and their class skill, Divine Judgment, which grants them twenty-eight Command Spells bestowed by the Holy Grail, imposes immense pressure on everyone.
Yes, like a Master, the Ruler also possesses Command Spells and has the authority to issue mandatory orders to Servants. Unlike a Master's Command Spells, the Ruler's have certain limitations. The twenty-eight Command Spells are divided into fourteen pairs, corresponding to the fourteen participating Servants, with each Servant allocated two Command Spells. The fourteen pairs of Command Spells are not interchangeable. This means Jeanne can only issue two commands to any single Servant, unlike a Master who can use their Command Spells at will on their contracted Servant.
This restriction prevents the judge's authority from being too overwhelming. Imagine if the Ruler's twenty-eight Command Spells had no restrictions—who could resist the Ruler's will? Turning one or several Servants into their puppets wouldn't be impossible. Limiting it to two commands allows Masters to counteract with their Command Spells.
Although limited to two commands, which isn't enough to control life and death, it is enough to create a gap in battle, allowing the Ruler to kill or escape. Even if an enemy Master is determined to kill the Ruler and uses their Command Spells to counteract, it means that the Master loses two precious Command Spells, which is disadvantageous in future battles.
Initiating an attack on the Ruler is not a rational choice, either emotionally or logically.
Seeing Jeanne's disbelief, Shinji didn't explain further, simply saying, "Whether it's true or not, you'll know if you wait. Facts speak louder than words. If the Red faction doesn't come, you can consider my information wrong, my words nonsense, and my intentions malicious. But if what I said turns out to be true, then my actions are protecting you."
Jeanne's expression returned to calmness. "I have enough ability to protect myself."
As a judge, Jeanne was also a summoned Heroic Spirit, and among Heroic Spirits, she was quite powerful. She had enough confidence in herself.
"Then let's consider this an opportunity for me to meet the heroes of the Red faction. Let this battle be the opening act of the Holy Grail War!"
Mordred bullying homunculi and golems was at most a prelude; the battle between Servants is the main event of the Holy Grail War!