"Celenike! Celenike isn't here!"
Gordes' exclamation was like a boulder crashing into a calm lake, shattering the tranquility.
"Rider's Master came with you?" Artoria quickly asked.
"Yes, because Celenike insisted on seeing Rider, she tagged along. Nobody wanted to stop that lunatic," Gordes explained. "She stayed with us initially, but when the fog rolled in, she got separated from us."
Even Jeanne sensed the gravity of the situation and pressed further. "Did you try to search for her?"
"That woman was already insane," Gordes replied without hesitation. "Especially after we entered this town—she kept mumbling 'Rider' and 'Astolfo.' Honestly, I lost count of how many times I thought about just leaving her behind. She's a useless fool who couldn't even control her own Servant. When she wandered off on her own, I was relieved."
Gordes' utter lack of concern or compassion for his so-called "teammate" made Jeanne and Fiore frown deeply.
They understood Gordes' actions weren't malicious in the context of the Holy Grail War. Arguably, it was the most pragmatic choice. Still, it was difficult to stomach.
On the other hand, Kairi Shishigou didn't bat an eye. In the world of mages, if you didn't want to be abandoned, the best strategy was to preemptively abandon others. Such practices were commonplace.
The sense of unease in Artoria's heart only grew stronger.
"Do you have any way to locate Rider's Master immediately?" Artoria asked with urgency. "The faster, the better. If Celenike is out there alone without her Servant, and Jack the Ripper appears…"
Sometimes, it feels as though the things you fear most are the ones that happen.
"Urgh!"
A muffled sound came from the person Siegfried was carrying under his arm.
Because Gordes hadn't ordered otherwise, Siegfried had been dutifully holding Astolfo in place, keeping his mouth covered.
But now, after staying quiet for so long, Astolfo's body suddenly trembled. His presence weakened rapidly, and tiny motes of light began drifting off his form.
These were the signs of a Servant disappearing.
When a Servant vanishes, it's either due to severe injury and the destruction of their Spirit Core or the complete depletion of magical energy.
"Could it be… Rider's Master is…"
"Saber! Put Rider down!"
At the command, Siegfried gently placed Astolfo on the ground.
Astolfo was clearly drained and injured, but not to the point of fading away.
The only plausible explanation was that Celenike, who had been supplying him with mana, was dead.
"Well… looks like this is it for me," Astolfo muttered weakly, a stark contrast to his usual cheerful demeanor.
"Astolfo, I still have questions for you."
Artoria knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder so their eyes were level.
The motes of light floating from Astolfo's body grew denser, his form turning increasingly transparent.
"How did you manage to escape Black Faction's surveillance with this homunculus? Or… did you notice anything unusual during your escape?"
"Escape?" Astolfo tilted his head slightly, his voice casual despite his condition. "I just carried him on my back and ran step by step until we were out. That's all."
His straightforward answer left Gordes and Fiore utterly stunned.
"Wait! You simply ran out?" Fiore couldn't suppress her disbelief. "Rider, didn't you use some sort of Noble Phantasm to evade detection or teleport away?"
"Why would I have a weird Noble Phantasm like that?" Astolfo replied with an odd expression, as if the question itself was bizarre.
As his form flickered, Astolfo turned his gaze toward the unconscious Sieg.
"Ah, what a shame… My journey ends here. Feels like I didn't accomplish anything I wanted to do. If only I were as smart as you, Ruler, I might have been able to save more people…"
"No, Rider, just stay as you are," Artoria interjected, to everyone's surprise.
"If I were in your place, I'd likely weigh the value of lives and sacrifice the few to save the many. If there were too many people like me, I can't imagine how cruel this world would become. That's why I hope there will be more people like you—those who help the helpless without hesitation, without regard for sides or worth. It may seem foolish, but it's not without merit."
"Huh? You really think so?"
Astolfo blinked in surprise before breaking into a smile.
"Being acknowledged by the King of Knights herself… If Roland were here, I'd totally brag about this to him, hehe!"
"Then, I'll take my leave now, Ruler. If we ever meet again, I'll treat you to some crepes!"
With a wave, Astolfo bid Artoria farewell.
Before everyone's eyes, Astolfo vanished, dissolving into countless glimmering lights that scattered into the night.
Rider Astolfo had exited the stage.
Now that I think about it, both the Black Faction and Red Faction lost their Riders first.
As Artoria watched the last of the lights fade, she turned to Fiore and Chiron.
"Ruler, have you figured something out?"
Black Faction had assumed that Astolfo had used some unknown Noble Phantasm to escape their surveillance while carrying the homunculus.
After all, while Astolfo was undoubtedly the weakest of Charlemagne's Twelve Paladins, his many adventures had earned him a collection of strange yet powerful artifacts. These treasures, which became his Noble Phantasms, seemed like a plausible explanation for his escape.
But now, it appeared that wasn't the case.
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T/N: NOOOO ASTOLFOOOO