"We meet again, Saint of France."
In the Illya residence, the voice of [Illya] echoed in the ears of Jeanne, who had been brought back by Illya. She was a little surprised.
"You are... the voice from the Revelation?!"
"I told you, I'm also a Master in the Holy Grail War."
"I see..."
"Gurgle~"
The sudden sound made the scene a little awkward. Meeting the gazes of Miss Illya and [Illya], Miss Golden Jeanne's cheeks turned red. The latter didn't find it strange, but looked at Irisviel:
"Mom, could I trouble you to prepare some food for this Miss Ruler?"
"Eh? Mm-hmm, of course, no problem!"
Irisviel was stunned for a moment, but then immediately filled with motivation.
"Mom is surprisingly motivated."
"After all, this is a rare opportunity to showcase my wifely skills."
"...I suddenly realized I'm hungry too..." Illya touched her stomach.
"After all, your condition is somewhat similar to Jeanne's. You are both tangible Servants. Although you won't die from physiological functions, hunger is still unavoidable." A moment later, Irisviel served a table full of dishes that were overflowing with wifely power.
Wearing an apron, she looked proud:
"Hmph hmph, although I've never left the Castle of Snow, I learned a thing or two about Far Eastern cuisine from Kiritsugu."
"Actually, even if you hadn't learned, a homunculus could learn it through magical infusion, right?" [Illya] said carelessly.
"That's not wrong... but if I did that, there would be no sense of accomplishment, would there?"
"Speaking of which, does the me from Illya's world know how to cook?"
"...Mom seems to have never cooked. It's mostly my brother who does it..."
"Aside from her final choice, the Irisviel from that world is no different from Mom. It's easy to learn if you want to."
"...I feel a strange sense of defeat."
"Don't compete with yourself."
"I still want to compare performance a little... As a homunculus, it's quite a dilemma. Miss Jeanne, why aren't you eating?"
"...Can I eat?"
"Of course, it was prepared for you."
"Thank you!" Jeanne said, muttering something.
"What is she doing?"
"A Christian prayer before a meal... Probably thanking that pigeon for providing food or something."
"Time to eat!"
The next moment, Jeanne's unrestrained, jaw-dropping way of eating made Illya's eyes widen.
...This big sister... is she the legendary bottomless pit?!
"Oh my... although not as much of an eater as Saber, she certainly has quite an appetite... Speaking of which, you and she look a bit alike. If you stood together, people might think you're sisters."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, that's right. You can meet someday. Saber is my husband's Servant."
Listening to Jeanne and Irisviel's chat, [Illya] curled his lips—a characteristic derivative character of a Takeuchi-face.
"Mom and Sister Jeanne seem to be getting along quite well."
"Isn't she like that with most girls?"
"I guess so."
"Is there any movement outside?"
"No."
"After all, so much has happened tonight, and the sky is about to brighten. No one would continue to cause trouble at this time."
"Why are you suddenly concerned about information?"
"Uh... I'm a Servant. Is there anything wrong with understanding the situation?"
"From Illya's perspective, something's not right."
"...So mean!"
"If you're bored..." [Illya] casually flipped his hand, and a stack of discs appeared in his palm. From the side, one could see rows of titles like Magical Girl Site, Magical Girl Raising Project, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, Yuki Yuna is a Hero, and Gushing over Magical Girls.
"I have a lot more magical girl works here. If you're interested, you can take them to pass the time."
"If your hands are itching and you just want to try fighting other Servants again... hmm, I don't recommend doing that. Not to mention the time doesn't allow for it, if you overdo it, you could easily become a public enemy."
"Just like that Mr. Pharaoh. I'm afraid most of the Master-Servant pairs are now thinking about how to team up and kick him out first... Of course, that includes you~"
"Eh? Me too?"
"Of course. After all, you were in the limelight last night. A Noble Phantasm of that level, it's impossible for people not to pay attention. Not to mention, at the Banquet of Kings, those kings were very interested in taking you down. Plus, Berserker's Master, you're even more conspicuous than that Mr. Sausage right now."
"How about it, aren't you happy, the feeling of being the center of attention."
"Not at all!" Even with a trump card like the 'Firefly Card,' Miss Illya was still wary and afraid of fighting those monsters, let alone being ganged up on.
[Illya] curled his lips:
"In the end, it's completely contrary to the strategy I originally thought of... I was planning to hide in the dark and then sneak attack, but... that person really stirred up quite a bit of trouble."
Although it was nothing to Mr. Jiang Qiao, Prelati's level of disruption did surprise him a little.
She actually summoned a super-spec Outer God's partial organ projection directly through the Prelati's Spellbook, nearly turning the whole of Fuyuki upside down.
Should he say, as expected of that good-for-nothing incubus's disciple? She was truly outstanding in the aspect of causing trouble.
"Are you talking about François?"
"Well, I guess so."
"...Then I must join in."
"If you are going to eliminate him, I am willing to offer some help."
"?"
"Aren't you a fair Ruler?" Miss Illya looked at Jeanne with a puzzled expression, seeming to want to say something but holding back.
She still remembered when she spoke to her, trying to bring her back, Jeanne had righteously stated that as a fair Ruler, to avoid affecting the progress of the Holy Grail War, she would not stand by any particular team unless necessary. It was only under [Illya]'s guidance and after much persuasion, ensuring that it would not affect her fairness, that she managed to bring this big sister back.
And now...
You're taking the initiative to strike?
"...Ahem, although she is also a Master in this Holy Grail War, I cannot approve."
"François's appearance will only bring disaster to everything. I am absolutely certain of this, and therefore I am sure that the reason I appeared as a Ruler in this Holy Grail War is to stop that person's evil deeds."
Miss Golden Jeanne looked solemn.
"I see."
Miss Illya nodded as if she understood, but [Illya] found this a bit subtle.
"You've probably misunderstood something."
"Although that person will indeed cause trouble, in the end, the reason you appeared in this Holy Grail War is much simpler."
"Because in the last Holy Grail War, the Einzbern family summoned an Avenger-class Servant in violation of the rules, which led to the pollution of the Holy Grail. Your true mission should be to preside over this Holy Grail War, ensure its smooth completion, and then purify the Holy Grail, eliminating the Evil of This World that has taken root within it," he explained succinctly.
To be honest, according to the Ruler's mission, this thing should have appeared in both the fourth and fifth wars to be responsible for clearing the Holy Grail's black mud. But probably because the hole was polluted, the Ruler couldn't come out.
But the other set of Servants that Mr. Jiang Qiao stacked helped her out of her predicament, and thus, Jeanne appeared as a Ruler.
Hearing the reason, Jeanne was a bit stunned.
So I really wasn't brought out to take down François?
This... then I can't justifiably crusade against that person!
Miss Golden Jeanne was a bit conflicted, but the next moment, she instantly calmed down.
"I see. But I still believe it is necessary to crusade against François. After all, her actions have already disrupted the war, and with the Holy Grail in her hands, it will become a disaster for the world."
You're going to blatantly blow a black whistle and use your public office for a private grudge, aren't you!
Miss Illya also had a puzzled look... this big sister Ruler, she seems like a suspicious referee...
Noticing the suspicious gazes, Jeanne was a little embarrassed, then sighed:
"...Ahem... you've probably misunderstood."
"Actually, I don't have much personal dislike for that person."
Although François was the main culprit behind her being burned at the stake, just like the reason why Dark Jeanne should never have been born—Jeanne had no anger or hatred for being wrongly accused, betrayed, and dying in the flames.
Therefore, even if the other person killed her, she would not hate them for it.
The real reason Jeanne and François were irreconcilable was their identities and stances.
François's true form was the demon lord of hell, 'Lord of the Flies,' Beelzebub.
That was an existence absolutely hostile to the Lord, a sworn enemy of Christianity, an irreconcilable foe.
Although the culprit behind François's creation was also Christianity... to be precise, it should be a branch of Christianity—the Judaism believed in by the Jews. But in the end, Christianity could only acknowledge this fact.
The Lord's enemy was her enemy. Although she did not see herself as a saint, as a believer in the Lord, Jeanne could not tolerate François.
Not to mention letting the Holy Grail fall into that person's hands.
Let's not even talk about how that person would never use the Holy Grail for anything proper. Just the fact that the prototype of the Holy Grail was a vessel used to hold the pigeon's blood, even if the Fuyuki Holy Grail was actually a replica of a magical product, it was impossible to let such a thing fall into the hands of the hostile force, Beelzebub.
"It won't be easy to deal with that person."
[Illya] was not surprised by Jeanne's reasons, but said this.
Just like Prelati's reliance when facing Morgan, her true form was the main god in ancient Canaanite mythology, Baal, also known as Ba'al, one of the supreme four pillars among Solomon's seventy-two demon god pillars.
The original Baal was the sun god, the god of thunder and rain, the god of harvest, and the lord of heaven in Canaanite mythology. He was a god who loved humanity dearly.
After the Jews came to dominate the Canaanite region, with the rise of Judaism, they belittled Baal's followers as dirty, promiscuous, and unclean beings. Even Baal himself tasted Christianity's specialty—belittlement and stigmatization.
Just as Saint George could turn a target into a dragon through his Noble Phantasm, Christianity, in the process of its expansion, would elevate Jesus's status by constantly belittling the gods of other mythologies, reducing them to spirits or even demons.
This ancient identity gave Prelati an immortality that could reach that of Tiamat.
At the same time, Christianity's act of belittling Baal into the King of Hell, Beelzebub, also added another buff to her.
Beelzebub was the Lord's nemesis, and therefore, the only one who could truly destroy him was the Lord, that is, the pigeon of Christianity.
But embarrassingly, normally the pigeon could not appear, so Prelati was almost without scruples when the pigeon couldn't enter the world.
Jeanne also knew that it was impossible to completely destroy Prelati, so what she had to do was simpler than that.
"We just need to expel her from this Holy Grail War."
"I hope to seek your help. If you are willing to help me, I can give you the two Command Spells belonging to this child," she looked at [Illya] quite seriously, requesting solemnly.
"Unfortunately, I refuse."
"Eh?"
"Command Spells are meaningless to me, at best a small toy."
"And dealing with that person—the debt incurred by that pigeon, others have no obligation to wipe God's ass for him."
"..."
"I understand."
"I haven't finished."
"?"
"I won't help you, but that doesn't mean I will let that twisted, humble god do whatever she wants."
"Whether from the perspective of this Holy Grail War, or from my personal perspective."
The silver-haired girl held her hot tea and spoke lightly.
"I will end her karma here, with this Holy Grail War as her final destination."
"You don't need to ponder the meaning of my words. This is more for a certain someone who is peeping."
Jeanne didn't quite understand, but she nodded anyway and then left.
Illya, who remained, sidled up to [Illya].
"...You seemed so cool and imposing just now!" Miss Illya's eyes were sparkling. "But why didn't you want her two Command Spells?"
"While it's true that there's no reason not to take something for free... this specifically relates to my own principles. Don't worry about it. As I said, Command Spells aren't that important to us. They're just a... hmm, a 'flavoring' for the game process~"
"That person named François..."
"I have my own arrangements for that fallen god. There will be a suitable person to deal with her problems—no one is more suitable to face François than her."
"Hmm... I feel a strange sense of reassurance."
"By the way... these discs, they're not the same kind of thing as that *Puella Magi Madoka Magica* from before, are they?"
"You guess~"