While both the Red and Black factions were focused on the battle between Ryou and Karna, Astolfo, the cross-dressing hero, was also eager to stir up some trouble.
Astolfo's Master, Celenike, was a sadistic pervert who constantly sought opportunities to bind Astolfo and perform various mana replenishments.
Under normal circumstances, Astolfo should have been straightened out by his Master or even turned into a masochist.
But who was Astolfo?
He was a natural-born cross-dresser, inherently bent, impossible to straighten out.
Faced with a voluptuous beauty in nothing but lingerie, Astolfo remained indifferent, yawning out of boredom.
After finally breaking free from the sadistic beauty's clutches, Astolfo hummed a tune while wandering the castle. Suddenly, his eyes lit up—before him lay a cute boy dressed only in boxer shorts.
This boy, with a naturally submissive face, was the protagonist of the original story, a Homunculus who had accidentally gained self-awareness and escaped from a cultivation tank.
Astolfo cheerfully ran over and poked him with a finger.
"If you don't wear clothes, you'll catch a cold~"
"Help me!"
The boy cried out in distress.
That fateful glance felt like a predestined encounter, a choice of destiny.
The boy's pitiful appearance, like a suffering lamb, struck Astolfo's heart like lightning.
Thus, Astolfo, one of Charlemagne's Twelve Paladins, made a decision that would affect his entire life.
"I've decided, I'll save you!"
He said, hoisting the boy up.
At that moment, Astolfo's intelligence suddenly kicked in. Instead of hiding the boy in his room, he took him to the only person who might help, in a completely unexpected place.
The owner of this room was Chiron.
As the mentor of many heroes in Greek mythology, Chiron's educational approach was opposite to Scathach's.
Scathach's teaching method was a brutal Spartan style, making disciples' bodies naturally remember various techniques.
Chiron's method, however, was very gentle. He not only taught his students various techniques but also patiently instructed them in the principles of being human, making him a model of an excellent teacher and friend.
Therefore, if there was anyone in the entire castle who would show kindness to a Homunculus boy, it would be Chiron, and perhaps his Master, Fiore, the kind-hearted girl in a wheelchair who didn't look like a typical magus.
Astolfo had chosen the right person this time. Not only did Chiron take them in, but he also used his medical skills to perform simple treatments on the Homunculus boy.
"So, what do you plan to do next, Rider?"
Chiron asked after the Homunculus boy fell asleep from exhaustion, turning to look at Astolfo.
"Um, well..."
Under Chiron's probing gaze, Astolfo's intelligence seemed to drop again, and he looked around guiltily.
Chiron sighed helplessly.
"You should know, Caster is looking for this child. If it's discovered that you secretly hid him, I don't need to tell you what will happen."
Thinking of the disgusting methods of that perverted old hag, Astolfo shivered like a cat.
"Absolutely not!"
Astolfo crossed his arms in front of his chest in a big X.
"Right, if we don't get caught, we can secretly send him out," Astolfo suddenly had a bold idea, pounding his fist into his palm.
"Are you serious? This could be considered an act of rebellion," Chiron's face grew serious, his eagle-like eyes staring straight into Astolfo's.
"I've already decided. This child asked me for help, and I promised to save him!"
Astolfo's eyes were resolute, shining with a light that moved those who saw it.
Seeing Astolfo's noble soul shine in a way unlike his usual comical self, Chiron, the mentor of countless great heroes, was deeply moved.
"Alright, since you've decided, let's at least wait until this child's injuries and strength are fully recovered. This place is relatively safe for now."
"Then I'll leave it to you, Chiron~"
...
Meanwhile, following Ryou's suggestion, he and Jeanne did not enter Trifas. Instead, they stayed twenty kilometers away in the outskirts.
This distance was carefully chosen. If the Black faction launched a full-scale attack, the two could easily escape, and if a battle broke out in Trifas, they could quickly intervene.
To expedite the healing of Ryou's burns, Jeanne was about to use her "Saint" skill to create a Holy Shroud, but Ryou stopped her immediately.
"The French Saint in my heart is always the figure waving the flag, leading the way..."
Hearing these words filled with admiration, Jeanne's gaze wavered slightly.
Eventually, she took Ryou's suggestion and used her "Saint" skill to enhance her "Charisma" ability, raising it from C-rank to B-rank.
This level was comparable to the King of Britain, who won twelve great battles and brought Britain to the peak of glory, even though she didn't understand the hearts of the people.
Only legendary monarchs who conquered vast territories, like the Emperor, could reach higher ranks.
All the effects of the Holy Shroud could be achieved through potions from the exchange system store.
One was something that could be bought with money, while the other was a highly challenging non-sellable item—there was no comparison.
Noticing Jeanne still worried about his burns, Ryou felt a secret joy and immediately exchanged for a healing potion from the system.
Pretending to take it from his pocket, he drank it.
In less than half an hour, Ryou's burns had mostly healed.
Only then did Jeanne relax.
Naive and kind Jeanne had no idea that this speed was due to him severely suppressing the effects.
With the "Giant-Goliath" Mystic Code and high-grade healing potion, he could fully recover within a minute.
At that moment, Jeanne suddenly stared blankly ahead. After a while, she snapped back to reality.
Ryou's eyes narrowed, recognizing this as the activation of her "Revelation" skill.
Sure enough, Jeanne, now clear-headed, said with confusion, "I saw the Black faction having internal conflicts. What's going on with this Holy Grail War!?"
Having seen the original anime, Ryou knew exactly what was happening.
He even suspected that the contents of these "Revelations" were intentionally shown to Jeanne by her master, the Counter Force.
The intention, of course, was to lure her to meet Sieg.
Ryou believed the true culprits were the two major Counter Force.
After all, Sieg would ultimately transform into the evil dragon Fafnir due to his transplanted heart, gather the blood of the evil dragon, and take the Holy Grail to Reverse Side of the World.
Obedient, righteous, and capable of transforming into an evil dragon to complete his mission, Sieg was the perfect agent for the Counter Force, especially for Gaia.
How could they let him go?
As for the innocent and kind Jeanne, she was naturally sold out by her boss, becoming a tool to execute a honey trap.
Ryou even suspected that Jeanne's seemingly irrational behavior towards Sieg was orchestrated by the Counter Force behind the scenes.
The grand scheme was set. Sieg becoming a guardian-like entity and heading to the Reverse Side of the World was a foregone conclusion.
Unless Ryou was powerful enough to defeat the two major Counter Force, trying to alter this predetermined outcome was like smashing eggs against rocks.
Ryou wasn't that foolish. He wasn't going to risk everything, failing to save Jeanne and getting himself killed in the process.
The grand scheme cannot be changed, but minor details can be altered.
Regarding the Great Holy Grail, if Amakusa's wish to "make all of humanity achieve soul materialization" were granted, the Counter Force would undoubtedly find a way to place the Great Holy Grail somewhere ordinary people couldn't reach. Whether that place is Reverse Side of the World, somewhere else, or even in another world, they wouldn't care.
Similarly, this rule applies to Sieg as well.
The Counter Force only needs a compliant, powerful enforcer; whether this enforcer can transform into a dragon, or their sexual orientation, is irrelevant.
This gave him some room to maneuver.
Thinking of this, Ryou couldn't help but glance at the heart in his storage space, radiating like the sun.
Escape was not an option; he had to face it actively!
Seeing Jeanne's confused expression, Ryou suggested, "Since you have doubts, why not go and confirm it yourself?"
"You're right. I'll head to the forest outside the Yggdmillennia castle tonight. But you..."
Jeanne hesitated, evidently reluctant to involve him.
"We're already friends or rather comrades, aren't we? So let's face it together. Besides, that place is too close to Yggdmillennia's base. If the Black faction's Servants attack you, having two people will be better for mutual support. After all, I'm the man who defeated the Son of the Sun God; I won't drag you down."
Ryou's logical and convincing words persuaded Jeanne.
She nodded without hesitation, "Then please lend me your strength."
"At your command, my Saintess!"
Ryou placed a hand on his chest and bowed.
But his address caused Jeanne's cheeks to flush.
The reason Jeanne agreed so readily to his suggestion was likely because there were too many anomalies in this Holy Grail War. Especially since the Red faction's attack had already confirmed much of what Ryou said. It was hard to say if the Black faction would also break the rules and attack her.
Having led the weak French troops to rout the English, Jeanne understood the importance of being proactive in this strange Holy Grail War.
However, it was still early before sunset.
So, Ryou once again demonstrated the great power of his Food Wars Cooking skills and fed Jeanne to her heart's content.
In a biological sense, not in a health education context, so don't get it wrong.
The two found a suitable camping spot in the mountains.
Ryou then hunted a wild boar in the forest, skinned it, and prepared to make a full wild boar feast.
"That's not necessary, no need to complicate things," Jeanne said hurriedly as she saw Ryou take out a large amount of seasoning.
"This is already a very simple meal. If we were in town, I would prepare a perfect French dinner for my beautiful Saintess."
As Ryou spoke, his hands moved swiftly, cutting the boar into various parts.
"Such a lavish meal for a country girl like me is too much..."
Ryou immediately extended a finger, pressing it gently against Jeanne's lips.
"For me, it's because it's you, Jeanne, that I'm willing to do this."
Feeling her cheeks heat up, Jeanne turned her head slightly, muttering, "Then I'll leave it to you..."
"No problem! I'll make you fall in love with my... cooking!"
Ryou deliberately paused at the most crucial part, sneaking a glance at Jeanne's expression.
As expected, her fair face turned even redder.
Satisfied, Ryou nodded and focused all his attention on preparing the meal.
First, he used pork bones and offal, combined with various wild mushrooms, to make a large pot of fragrant mountain delicacy soup.
Jeanne took just one sip and was immediately overwhelmed by the rich, wild flavors. She felt as if she had been thrown naked into the forest.
Perhaps because it was a wild boar, its tail and ears were tougher than those of a domestic pig, making them difficult to handle. However, with Ryou's superb skills, this was not an issue. Marinated in onion juice, the dish had both a softened texture and a unique flavor.
When Jeanne tasted these cold dishes, she felt as if a giant wild boar had wrapped its long tail around her, placed her on its back, and started running wildly.
The most tender part of the wild boar, about five to six pounds of marbled meat, was sliced thin and grilled on a stone slab, seasoned only with French "fleur de sel."
That familiar taste transported Jeanne back to her hometown, Domrémy in France, a serene and harmonious village.
Other parts of the boar were either marinated and grilled or pan-fried. Jeanne felt as if she were a child again, playing and running in the fields of her hometown.
Some ribs were grilled with a sweet sauce, European-style, while others were seasoned with spices, Turkish and Japanese-style.
Jeanne felt as though the boar had carried her on its back, her armor transformed into a Turkish dancer's outfit, traveling from France to Turkey, then along the Silk Road to the mysterious Eastern country.
Ryou prepared the pork belly with skin by making numerous evenly spaced holes with lightning speed before marinating. When grilled over fruitwood charcoal, this produced a crispy-skinned, fruitwood-grilled wild boar pork belly, blending Eastern and Western flavors.
Jeanne suddenly awoke from what had been a dream, where she lived a carefree and free life. Now, with her homeland invaded, she had to stand up, raise her holy banner, and drive out the invaders!
This wild boar feast made Jeanne feel as though she had swiftly lived through a long and rich life.
Initially, Jeanne maintained some modesty due to her shyness. But once Ryou paired the meal with a bottle of 1982 Lafite, Jeanne completely let go of her reserve. Under the influence of alcohol and the various flavors, she made numerous suggestive gasps and devoured most of the roasted meat like a whirlwind.
A 200-kilogram wild boar was mostly consumed by Jeanne.
For dessert, Ryou used various wild fruits to make several kinds of sweets.
Discovering Jeanne's hidden foodie nature, he "mercilessly" prepared three types of cakes in famous French styles.
There was the tart that highlighted the wild fruit's flavor, La tarte Tatin; the crispy mille-feuille; and the globally renowned macaron, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.
Jeanne enjoyed the meal to the point of making continuous suggestive sounds, experiencing "climaxes" repeatedly, with her long legs tightly clenched and her arms occasionally hugging herself, her face flushed, and her eyes unfocused.
In her mind, scenes of clothes exploding, floating naked, and changing outfits kept playing.
Ryou, who hadn't intended to use such a method to win over Jeanne, nearly achieved the feat of capturing Jeanne's "ahegao" expression just through his cooking.
By the end of the meal, Jeanne looked at Ryou with different eyes.
Having experienced so many "climaxes," Jeanne's eyes seemed to be dripping with affection as she stared at the last piece of cake in his hand.
"Do you want it?"
Jeanne nodded eagerly, like a little dog waiting to be fed.
Never having seen Jeanne like this, Ryou found it amusing yet couldn't help but think to himself that anyone with Saber's face likely inherited a kingly appetite to some extent.
However, Jeanne was not of the true lineage of the Saber's Face, and her little belly finally grew round and full.
Wait a minute...
Ryou suddenly realized something was off.
It seemed that Jeanne was not in a combat state, meaning that the body currently belonged to the girl named Laetitia.
So, Jeanne had completely enjoyed the various exquisite flavors of the feast, and as for eating so much that her belly was bulging and she possibly even got a bit chubby...
Who knew Jeanne could be like this!?
Ryou realized he might have learned too much and quickly stopped his wild thoughts.
Placing the cake in Jeanne's hand, Ryou leaned in and whispered in her ear, his voice as soft as a devil's whisper.
"If you want to taste such delicious food again... then make a contract with me and become mine..."
Jeanne, who had faced the might of the English army and the cruelty of the stake without a single frown, showed a rare look of hesitation and wavering.
Ryou smiled slightly and decided to quit while he was ahead.
"I'm just kidding. As long as you want, I'll make it for you," he said, patting Jeanne's head.
"Oh~ really, please don't joke like that!"
Jeanne's face immediately showed a look of annoyance.
"Sorry! Sorry!"
Ryou quickly apologized.
The atmosphere between the two seemed to return to normal.
However, Jeanne's heart was still unsettled because she knew, just now, she had felt a little flutter in her heart...
After the meal, Jeanne helped Ryou clean up the kitchen and dining utensils, then immediately began to pray and confess to her Lord.
Ryou, understanding the importance of not overdoing things, did not disturb her. Instead, he hid in a corner, took out the heart given to him by Karna, and started working on his tasks.
In this strange atmosphere, the two quietly welcomed the onset of night.
The moon was bright tonight, almost foretelling that a storm was about to come.
...
During the day, the Black Faction's Caster, Avicebron, finally discovered an anomaly in the workshop: a homunculus without self-awareness had escaped.
Avicebron claimed he did not need the Holy Grail; his wish was merely to complete his Noble Phantasm "Golem Keter Malkuth."
He wasn't lying, but he had hidden the true purpose behind completing his Noble Phantasm.
That purpose was to use the ultimate golem, modeled after "the original human (Adam)," to transform the entire world into a paradise.
One had to admit, this Holy Grail War was filled with oddballs, each one prioritizing saving the world, as if all humanity lived in misery and awaited their salvation.
But a golem is still a golem. To make it human-like, it lacked a crucial element: a human soul.
Therefore, to complete Avicebron's Noble Phantasm and truly evolve the golem into Adam, it was necessary to use a magus with magic circuits and a complete soul as the core within the golem.
Thus, the escaped homunculus caught Avicebron's great interest.
Having self-awareness meant the homunculus had developed a complete soul, even if it was as nascent as a newborn's. Such a newly born soul might be the most suitable.
This would bring his Noble Phantasm ever closer to becoming a true original human!
The homunculus had to be captured!
So the entire Castle of the Yggdmillennia was put on high alert to capture the runaway homunculus boy.
Yet the Yggdmillennia faction likely never imagined there was a traitor among them.
A certain cross-dressing man whose rationality had evaporated hid him and even recruited a centaur teacher as an accomplice.
So, no matter how much you guard against outside threats, it's hard to guard against a traitor within.
After searching for a whole day without any results, they had to temporarily call off the search as night fell.
At this moment, in Chiron's room:
"Let's escape now!"
Astolfo, with a cutesy expression, eagerly said to the homunculus boy, hands resting on the edge of the bed.
The boy looked conflicted, but Astolfo paid no mind and directly pulled him up from the bed, dragging him towards the door.
"Rider!"
Chiron suddenly called out.
"What is it, Chiron?"
Astolfo turned his head in confusion.
"No, it's nothing. Just be careful..."
"Got it!"
Astolfo nodded vigorously.
"See you later then!"
Astolfo waved at the door, making it seem like he was eloping with the boy, never to return.
Fortunately, Chiron's ancient Greek upbringing meant he wasn't bothered by the idea of male love; it was something he was accustomed to.
And so, Astolfo half-dragged, half-pulled the boy, running until they finally made it out of the castle gates.
PS: 1 Power Stone = 1 Push up