Darnic lowered the document in his hands and looked towards Vlad III on his throne.
"According to our intelligence… the Red Faction's Saber is currently heading towards our Assassin's location."
"Oh? And how strong is this Red Saber?" Vlad III lightly tapped the armrest of his throne.
"While we were intercepting the Red Berserker, the Red Saber infiltrated Trifas. However, after destroying some of our defensive golems, they were taken away by a woman. We couldn't identify their Noble Phantasm," Darnic replied with a frown. The thought of an enemy Servant, especially a Saber, sneaking into Trifas while their focus was elsewhere made his skin crawl.
"A woman? Interesting," Vlad III nodded. "And has Assassin's Master made contact?"
"I've always said we shouldn't hire third-rate individuals," Gordes complained. "Now the situation they've caused is spiraling out of control." Caules blinked and then sighed.
Fiore handed Caules a newspaper. "Try keeping up with the news more often."
Caules, slightly embarrassed, took the newspaper and unfolded it, revealing a huge headline: "Jack the Ripper Returns."
"what the…," Caules murmured, his mouth agape.
"Our Assassin's summoned Servant is Jack the Ripper," Danik sighed. "He's gone completely rogue, killing all the mages in that city."
"If the commotion is this big, it will definitely attract the Rulers," Caules noted, closing the newspaper.
"They've already arrived, and with the Red Saber," Danik rubbed his temples. "The Ruler previously stated that as long as mysteries are not exposed, they wouldn't interfere. But Assassin's actions have crossed the line. The Ruler will intervene, and if there's a conflict, they might just take out Assassin. Even if they don't, the Red Saber won't miss this chance. This could be why the Ruler and Red Saber are working together."
"What do you think, Archer?" Vlad III turned to Chiron, who stood behind Fiore.
"He will likely defeat Assassin without hesitation," Chiron replied, scratching his face. "If we don't want to lose a Servant, we should move quickly to support Assassin."
"Very well, Archer, you will go," Vlad III decided. "The Master's fate is irrelevant. Just retrieve Assassin. If you encounter the Red Saber, defeat them if you can, but don't get drawn into a prolonged fight. Your primary goal is Assassin."
In Vlad III's view, Assassin's Master had lost their value, but losing a Servant over this trivial matter was unacceptable.
"Understood."
Fiore steeled herself, recalling that the Red Saber's Master was a seasoned necromancer. While she had the advantage in magical talent, her practical combat experience paled in comparison.
"Sister, let me go with you," Caules quickly volunteered.
"No, you stay here," Fiore shook her head.
"I'll protect her," Chiron assured Caules with a smile, pushing Fiore's wheelchair out of the chamber.
"Um..." Frankenstein tugged on Caules' sleeve, pouting. She was clearly displeased.
But Caules had no idea why she was upset.
"Caules," Vlad III called, tilting his head as he observed them. "You should go too."
"Really? I can go?" Caules' eyes widened in surprise.
"You and Berserker worked hard to prevent a clash between me and the Ruler," Vlad III acknowledged. "With me and Saber here, along with Caster's defenses, we'll be fine. If you want to go, then go."
"Thank you! I'll get ready immediately," Caules exclaimed, bowing to Vlad III before dashing out, dragging a still grumpy Frankenstein with him.
"Lord, I don't understand," Darnic frowned.
"It doesn't matter," Vlad III replied, dismissing Darnic's concern. "If he wants to go, let him go. Better to leave with his head held high than sneak off in secret."
"Yes, my Lord," Darnic sighed. He still didn't think highly of Caules.
Back in his room, Gordes locked the door and activated a soundproof barrier. He then scowled.
"Damn, I was hoping to get rid of a few more Servants."
"What's wrong?" The homunculus, dressed in a baggy shirt, cautiously poked their head out of the wardrobe.
"Nothing," Gordes replied, tossing a can of nutrient solution to the homunculus. "Just hang in there. We can't fully adjust your body until the Holy Grail War is over."
"Thank you," the homunculus said, struggling to open the can.
"Tch, you're useless," Gordes grumbled, bending down to help open it. "Saber, give them a name."
"Master, I'm not good at this," Siegfried said, looking pained.
"Sieg…?" the homunculus suggested hesitantly.
"That's too plain," Gordes sneered.
"I… I want to protect you after the Holy Grail War," the homunculus stammered but looked determined. "I may not be as strong as Saber…"
Gordes was taken aback.
"Well then… it's settled," Siegfried smiled, extending his hand to the homunculus.
"Yes, I'll stake my life on it," the homunculus replied, weak but resolute, as they shook Siegfried's hand.
"Hey! Who's protecting who here? Get your facts straight!"
"The Legendary Hunter"
Atalanta an abandoned princess and raised by a she-bear, then a hunter, had an experience that wasn't uncommon in Greece. Many children are left to die in the wild. She was just fortunate enough to be favored by Artemis and received an incredibly free life.
Leaping through the branches, she was both a fierce hunter and a graceful beast. Swearing eternal virginity to Artemis, she lived a life unlike any other Greek woman.
Or perhaps not. Even with her strength, she would have eventually become a hero, perhaps targeted and turned into a trophy by other heroes.
This might have been a subconscious thought, spurred by seeing the boastful heroes in the city. She despised these creatures, governed by their lower desires. Unlike beasts who mated out of necessity, men did it for sheer pleasure.
To Atalanta, men were repulsive creatures driven by unchecked lust. If she could, she would separate them from the human race entirely.
All men looked at women with greedy eyes, even at her young age. Their loyalty to their desires was laughable, especially when they retreated in the face of death.
But on one otherwise ordinary day, she encountered a unique boy.
He wasn't quite a man, he appeared delicate beside a beautiful horse. She hesitated to reveal herself, for her prey had been stolen. As a hunter, she needed to reclaim it, but this boy did nothing—only the horse moved… its foot.
If she had turned away that day, her life might have been different. But she met someone who didn't fit in with the rest of Greece. He feared her, not for her strength but for her appearance.
His clear, evasive eyes, pure like his color, screamed "Don't come near me."
Of course, she wouldn't change her view of men because one was slightly different. Trading with him was just for the gold, not for any other reason. Finding the best ropes and crossbows was merely because she scorned petty tricks.
Men should all die. Why can't women reproduce without men? Can't there be a river that grants children with a single sip?
Seeing him so close to her revered Artemis made her want to throw him over her shoulder and strangle him with a rope. But Artemis forbade it, claiming this white-haired boy was the Moon's child!? Being born with white hair wasn't unique. Besides, what would happen if the virgin goddess had a child? For Artemis's sake, it might be better to kill this white-haired fool!
She had no other thoughts!
In the end, she didn't kill him. Not out of mercy, but because Artemis forbade it.
The unique boy vanished without a trace. No hunter, no matter how skilled, could track a target without any clues. But she prepared, learning to take down anyone plotting against her. This earned her a reputation.
But this fame was like bait, attracting more heroes, and fueling their desires. Whenever she took down a hero, she thought of that pure boy. If he ever turned like these others, she wouldn't hesitate to kill him. For now, she just wanted to kill him for making her life so complicated.
For Artemis's reputation and her ambitions, she joined the Argo. Her luck was good—the pure white stood out. One goal accomplished; now she needed to question him, then maybe toss him into the sea.
But he had become a formidable figure, with a body that was both graceful and strong, unlike Heracles's. The boy had become a man, changed yet the same.
His eyes remained clear and elusive. Boarding the Argo was a great honor, yet he resisted, clinging to a rock like a piglet being dragged from its pen. In the end, he was carried off, rock and all.
This man named Cyd was indeed special. In a world where heroes were often no better than thieves, he truly fit the title of a hero.
Their quest for the Golden Fleece revealed much about the one Artemis favored.
He preferred helping fallen children over seeking glory. This was commendable.
Gentle, confident, humble, and easy-going—qualities rare among Greek heroes.
Of course, he was also annoying, like how fast he ran…
Heroes might not be special
. They were ordinary people with extraordinary power, some using it to satisfy hidden desires, others staying true to themselves and achieving what others couldn't.
If heroes were to be categorized, she saw three groups: Cyd, Heracles, and all other heroes. Heracles, cursed by Hera, stood in a category of his own.
Cyd was extraordinary, choosing rationality in a world driven by desire. Perhaps he was also following a desire, but it was too ordinary and small to notice.
But this wasn't a gentle world where one could lead an ordinary life.
So this white-haired boy was overly powerful, invulnerable with divine blessings, yet wanting a simple life. In a dangerous world, such strength was absurd.
The world isn't so cruel as to deny an ordinary life, but not so kind as to fulfill all desires. Moving towards one goal often means drifting away from another. So maybe stopping is the best choice.
She reached out to this special man for the first time, driven by strange emotions. But he dodged with a playful smile, sharing a secret in a joking tone.
Choosing an extraordinary life for a simple desire, he embarked on his journey. It was long and arduous. She wanted to follow, not for any special reason, just to see.
She heard poets singing of Cyd, the dragon-slaying warrior, the pure white hero.
Whenever her father praised Cyd's greatness, she grew impatient. She knew Cyd's heroic deeds were simply things he could do with ease.
People's expectations of him as a pure white hero were based on actions he never intended for glory. His actions qualified him as a pure white hero, but he wasn't the hero they worshipped.
Cyd remained the boy who crawled after her suplex, but no one cared about that. They turned his casual acts of kindness into a grand legend.
Cyd was a hero by their standards, but he never sought to be their hero.
As his fame grew, so did his divine blessings, pushing him further from his desired life.
At that time, her father pushed her to marry. she saw it as a ploy to use her as a lure for heroes.
But she didn't refuse, hoping he might come. Not a thought befitting a follower of Artemis, who had sworn an oath.
Yet she hoped…
Cyd appeared, for the third and final race. He promised not to make any more foolish demands. So, accepting this was not…
He fled… leaving behind the compliant princess, resuming his journey as if casually saving her and walking away.
But he didn't save a helpless princess. He saved a beast hiding its claws.
Cyd was the pure white hero, destined for a life of glory. But he was also just a person trying to live simply.
Cyd's actions were from his goodwill, not obligation. No one had the right to demand anything from him.
He didn't owe anyone.
People owed him!
He never asked for anything because he didn't need it. This wasn't his duty! He wasn't obliged to save everyone!
Don't forget...
Are you the pure white hero Cyd, or the boy seeking a simple life?
But the world needs a pure white hero more.
It's okay. There will always be someone who remembers the real Cyd. She would remind him not to stray from his true desires. But is there such a foolish person in this world?
Yes...
The hunter was saved by Cyd, who should have stopped but didn't.
She would keep hunting until his journey ended. Yes, when the pure white hero completed his legend and vanished from the world, the hunter Atalanta would no longer need to hunt. Two people, not heroes, fulfilling Cyd's wish.
If you remain the pure white hero until death, then the hunter Atalanta will keep hunting, even into the underworld.
If you remain a pure white hero even in the underworld, the hunter Atalanta will continue hunting, even in death, a never-ending hunt.
That is her love.
She believed death couldn't separate them, but he went deeper into the underworld, beyond her reach…
How sad. The pure white hero, seeking a simple life, ended up saving the world. He wasn't someone who would self-sacrifice. How tragic, he became the pure white hero.
No… it's her tragedy. She couldn't catch up to her prey (husband).
The hero didn't return…
She knew he wouldn't lose. Nothing could stop him from reaching his journey's end, not death, not the king of gods, not even the underworld.
Atalanta scoured the ground while she searched the sky. As long as there were stars, her hunt could continue. In moments like these, honesty seemed best. She wished to become a guiding star for the pure white hero, keeping him on his path. Watching from afar was also a form of hunting, wasn't it?
"You'll never escape my hunt," she thought with determination. "No matter where you go, I'll always catch up to you. This is my ultimate strategy."
She prayed to Artemis, wishing to become a constellation—a lioness who could not bear cubs with a lion. It was her choice, a symbol of her commitment. Though she couldn't have children with Cyd, she could at least pledge her purity to him.
Even if she couldn't leave behind a legacy, she would always love him. This was her vow, merging the oaths made to both Artemis and Cyd, the two she loved most.
Deep down, she knew. She wanted Cyd to break her vow, to shatter her resolve completely. But Cyd… he was just a gentle fool.