The three present fell into complete silence.
Jeanne's expression grew increasingly stiff, a vague and indescribable irritation surging through her body.
So irritated that she felt an overwhelming urge to start a fight.
Clearly, this boy had nothing to do with her—he was only brought up by Artoria to provoke her.
So why did it come to this?
Jeanne couldn't understand. Her pupils dilated, confusion and anger mingling.
At that moment—
It was as if she heard a revelation whispered from the void, urging her to stop the boy.
Could this be… a divine message from the Lord?
Jeanne suspected she might be hallucinating.
She had long been abandoned by God—how could she receive His revelation?
But it didn't matter.
She was now the Dark Saint. She could do whatever she wanted!
Sanjiro, on the other hand, felt even more helpless.
So, what the hell was he supposed to do, stuck in the middle like this?
Could it be that Artoria was deliberately setting him up like Gilgamesh?
If she really had proof, then this was obviously meant to infuriate Jeanne on purpose.
Who knew what the Dark Saint would do when provoked?
Sanjiro put on an exaggerated look of terror, his body trembling as he reached out to grab someone's hand.
Inside, he was crying. This is the end! I'm done for!
Their hands touched.
But then—
With a dumbfounded look, he realized he had grabbed the wrong hand.
It was the hand of the Emperor of France!
What the hell?
Seriously? You want to start something too?
Artoria stared at her coldly. "What's the meaning of this?"
"A normal boy can't bear your knightly coronation ritual, not even as a trainee. You'll kill him," Jeanne quickly came up with an excuse.
She was just extremely annoyed!
Simply looking at him made her irritated!
And combined with the divine whisper she had heard, she didn't hesitate to disrupt the squire ceremony.
"A Dark Saint… being so kind?" Artoria responded coldly.
Earlier, when the little girl Kirina accidentally took off her hat, Artoria noticed it was actually Hades' Cap of Invisibility—a divine artifact from Gilgamesh's treasury, the Gate of Babylon.
Even among that legendary hoard, this treasure ranked among the top—second only to his Sword of Rupture and her own Holy Sword.
A divine artifact of that level—even the King of Heroes wouldn't give it away casually.
And then Merlin used the source of Avalon to recharge the barrier, which showed signs on Kirina.
That meant this little girl had a connection to "Nameless."
Artoria casually looked into her background and saw that she was cared for by an ordinary high schooler—this very boy.
A boy with no magic circuits, no magic power at all.
Even she couldn't see anything special about him.
But if he was raising Kirina, then he couldn't possibly be ordinary.
She also remembered Gilgamesh acting strangely when talking to him.
Adding everything up, Artoria became sure of one thing: this boy wasn't Nameless—but he was definitely connected to him!
There was even a possibility—
That he was a vessel created by the King of Heroes to protect a dear friend.
That bastard even wanted to steal Nameless from her!
But Artoria didn't plan to expose him.
That clueless village girl hadn't noticed a thing—why should she help the enemy?
"Forget it, then," Artoria said as she sheathed her sword and turned to leave.
Her cloak billowed behind her—every move clean and decisive.
"…Did I get played again?" Jeanne frowned slightly.
Her departure was so abrupt—it felt like she had fallen into a trap that had been laid out in advance.
Damn you, Artoria. One day, I'll make you pay back everything—plus interest!
Hmph, your Britain's already Brexited, don't ever think of coming back!
Just then, a weak voice spoke up beside her. "Umm… can you let go now?"
The boy looked terrified, as if he were about to curl up into a ball.
"Don't tell anyone," Jeanne said with a kind smile, gently patting his head again.
The kind of smile that made you feel like she might tear your skull open if you disobeyed.
"I get it! I get it!" Sanjiro stood up straighter than he had in any military training.
Then—
As he watched the two Heroic Spirits walk away, he finally let out a breath of relief.
"At this rate, I'm going to have a heart attack before I turn twenty! I just wanted to be a normal high school student!"
Sanjiro cried silently in his heart.
Why is everyone always out to get me?!
Fine. He couldn't keep being passive—it was time to fight back.
Did they really think he defended humanity and walked through history with just his mouth?
After countless battles with Heroic Spirits, gods, and the evils of humanity—he had long since become strong.
So, Merlin, you damn bastard—where the hell are you hiding?
If he didn't take care of this nightmare-inducing schemer, his cover would be completely blown, and endless trouble would come knocking.
His peaceful, retired life as a Master would collapse.
With his current strength, soloing a Grand-class candidate was a dream.
So… it's time to call for backup.
That night, while out for a walk, Sanjiro happened to run into an old acquaintance. Under a streetlamp stood a golden, radiant figure, smiling down at him.
"No need to look up. I'm currently invisible. No one but you can see me," Gilgamesh explained.
Besides Hades' Cap, he had plenty of other concealment Noble Phantasms—he could hide perfectly.
As Fuyuki's warm-hearted foreigner,Gilgamesh, he was just showing concern for a boy out walking late at night.
Perfectly reasonable!
After all, he was a kind foreigner doing his part to keep Fuyuki safe!
"Well then, ahem, come inside," Sanjiro said aloud, as if to himself.
Then he turned and walked back to the hotel.
The school had arranged the room—it was part of his student representative perks.
"I'm staying alone, and the room's pretty big. Come hang out if you want, rest wherever you like."
Sanjiro said it casually.
In the whole world, he had to hide everything from everyone—except for this bastard best friend. With him, he could finally speak his mind.
Once Alaya released that secret video of Gil, the guy would definitely look out for him more.
But for now, he still didn't care enough.
"Tsk, my dear friend… how haven't you been hacked to pieces by those two yet?" Gilgamesh sighed.
He came to watch a good show, but there was no drama at all.
What a pity.
He shouldn't have given that hat to Kirina!
"Tch, you were hoping I'd die, huh?"
Sanjiro really wanted to pour his heart out again.
But with his power drop, he didn't have the guts anymore.
So he got to the point. "Gilgamesh, since we're best friends… how can I get your help dealing with Merlin?"
Gilgamesh held up one finger.
"Ten… million?" Sanjiro guessed.
"No, no. One hundred million!" Gilgamesh beamed, not even trying to hide his eagerness to extort him.
"Wha—?! Are you flinging gold bricks, or is Merlin made of gold?!" Sanjiro stared at him wide-eyed.
One hundred million?! Does money mean nothing to this guy?
Damn, what a filthy rich ancient tycoon!
"Look at you—who else is going to help you? You think this is expensive? I think it's cheap!" Gilgamesh scoffed.
"That flower magus is a Grand-class candidate. You think he's just some pig waiting to be caught?"
Even if he didn't want to admit it—
That guy was, after all, in the same tier as Gilgamesh himself.
To make a move against an existence of this level—offering a mere one hundred million yen would be considered an insult by most.
"…Fine, can you really catch him?"
Sanjiro gritted his teeth and decided to agree.
When you have lice, one more doesn't make you itch; when you're already deep in debt, what's another bill?
He already owed 110 million—there was no way to pay it back anyway.
So what's another hundred million?
"Are you going to accept my help or not?"
Gilgamesh looked at him coldly.
"Ahem, I was just asking if you could really catch him. If you can, of course I'm willing to pay."
Sanjiro cleared his throat.
Asking him to deal with a Grand Caster candidate really was… forcing a man to do the impossible.
Still, he was broke and desperate.
Raising a troublemaker since youth and constantly fretting over daily expenses, he had naturally become frugal and calculating.
"Well? Do you want this king's assistance or not?"
Gilgamesh snorted, making a gesture as if he was about to leave.
"Of course I do!"
Sanjiro quickly reached out to stop him.
If Gilgamesh walked away, there was no way he could find that bastard on his own.
He rubbed his hands nervously. "Uh, about that... can I get one bottle of the girl-overdose potion?"
"Oh? If you want to drink it yourself, I'll give it to you for free."
Gilgamesh looked at him with a half-smile.
"Screw off! It's for Merlin!"
Sanjiro rolled his eyes.
This guy is the kind of so-called 'dorm brother' who would hand over his transformed sister to let you have fun first?
Once this job is done, I need to stay far away from him!
"Only ten million. What a deal."
Gilgamesh retrieved a potion from the Gate of Babylon.
He gave a friendly reminder, "You now owe me 220 million. If you don't pay up, I'll send the footage I recorded earlier to those women."
"…You golden bastard!"
Sanjiro was completely speechless.
Always claiming to be a dear friend, but in truth, everything was just a business transaction.
…
Meanwhile—
In Academy City, Merlin wore a perplexed expression. "So… where the hell is that guy, Nameless?"
He had meticulously planned a grand show, yet couldn't find his main actor anywhere.
If the star fled at the last minute, the whole performance would fall apart.
He could travel through people's dreams at will—anywhere, anytime.
And yet…
He'd scoured all of Fuyuki City, but still couldn't locate even a trace of Nameless.
Earlier, the boy who met with Artoria did raise a hint of suspicion…
But just a hint. He wasn't the real Nameless.
Someone as arrogant and powerful as Nameless—how could he possibly let himself be manipulated without resistance?
"Hmm? A summons from the King of Heroes?"
Merlin suddenly sensed a faint fluctuation.
Last time they met, Gilgamesh hadn't yet seen the Unlimited Blade Works footage and nearly went berserk on him.
Thankfully, after watching it, Gilgamesh had agreed to help deal with Nameless—just as Merlin had hoped.
Now that Nameless still hadn't shown up… things were getting awkward.
Best to go check things out first.
Merlin quickly made up his mind.
Buzz~
The flower magus traveled through dreams.
With a blooming trail of endless flowers, he arrived at the destination.
In the distance, a golden, radiant figure stood atop a streetlight, dazzling and attention-grabbing.
Yet countless pedestrians passed below without looking up even once.
Thanks to his world-class illusion mastery, Merlin instantly saw through it: a cloaking Noble Phantasm.
Clearly, the great King of Heroes didn't want to be noticed.
Feigning confusion, Merlin asked, "King of Heroes, why have you summoned me?"
"This king has found Nameless."
Gilgamesh looked down at him and stated it as if it were nothing.
"As expected of the King of Heroes—achieving what I couldn't, with such ease!"
Merlin praised without hesitation.
Too powerful.
Even Nameless, who walked through human history and battled countless terrifying beings, couldn't evade him.
No wonder they both vied for the Grand Caster position.
Merlin smiled ever more brightly.
A grand show needs its leading man—without him, the act won't work.
If you want to leave the stage, fine—I'll drag you back myself and make you perform whether you like it or not!
Ah, Nameless… I love that look you get when you want to beat me up but can't touch me!
Holding back his laughter, he asked, "So, where is Nameless?"
"Right behind you."
Gilgamesh replied with a smile.
"…Behind me???"
Merlin immediately sensed danger. As he turned, he saw a familiar figure.
A red cloak fluttered in the wind, and under the streetlight, snowy white hair shone.
It was none other than—Nameless!
Merlin finally processed what was happening. He stared blankly at Nameless, then at Gilgamesh.
"Gilgamesh—you set me up!!!"
Yes. It was clearly a trap.
The King of Heroes didn't seem to care at all about being humiliated by Nameless in Unlimited Blade Works, and was even helping him now.
But why?
He was publicly executed! His darkest moment broadcast to the world! And yet he still helped Nameless?
Damn it!
At this moment, Merlin felt like he was the actor being manipulated on stage.
Everything had been perfectly orchestrated, yet at the final moment, everything fell apart.
The "ally" he called in—Gilgamesh—turned out to be Nameless's inside man!
Complete reversal!
While Merlin braced himself, Sanjiro stepped forward.
"Merlin, seems like you've been trying to mess with me a lot lately, huh?"
"Ahem, I'm just a pure and innocent flower magus. I have no idea what you mean."
Merlin played dumb without hesitation.
He knew Nameless well—the man had traveled all of human history, growing so powerful that no one could truly gauge his strength.
It was very likely he had taken that final step—becoming———
"Heh, a nightmare trying to act innocent?"
Sanjiro scoffed.
Trying to feign ignorance now? No way I'm letting you off that easy.
He spent a hundred million to get the King of Heroes to find Merlin and sealed off the surrounding space to stop him from escaping.
Not even God can save you this time!
Sanjiro pulled out the potion he'd bought for ten million and grinned. "Merlin—it's medicine time."
Back in the twilight of the Age of Gods, in ancient Britain—
He, Artoria, and Merlin had traveled together across Britain and parts of Europe.
Through their journey, they helped the young and naive Artoria grow rapidly.
But every time Artoria tried to stand up for justice, Merlin would escalate things into a chaotic mess.
And it was always Sanjiro left cleaning it up.
That damn Nightmare was just a pure-blooded drama-loving freak.
If it weren't for Artoria stopping him—and Merlin being slippery as hell—he would've been cut down long ago.
During their travels, that bastard even flirted with married women.
Especially lonely noble ladies locked away in their chambers—he never missed a chance. A true scumbag nightmare.
Now, Sanjiro was going to confiscate his Gil and make this infamous flirter get flirted with.
What you love… is your destiny.
This time—
Sanjiro was going to turn this scummy bastard into Merry, and force him to serve that shut-in doctor he despised with strawberry cake!
Just imagining it made Sanjiro tremble with joy!
Doctor… in that final battle back then, I made a promise. Now it's time to make good on it!
"Damn it, Nameless! Were you sent here by Romani as backup?!"
Merlin glared at him with gritted teeth.
A candidate for Grand Caster—who could've advanced by suicide—was now being forced by Nameless…
To become her.
Nightmares… apparently don't have a fixed gender.
But he was half-Nightmare, half-human, and naturally possessed the concept of gender like a human—otherwise, he wouldn't be casually flirting with girls.
Could it be… this guy was persuaded by that reclusive otaku doctor whom he couldn't see through?
Trying to turn him into the real Magical Merry?
"What do you think?"
Sanjiro stepped toward the other man.
In an instant, his entire presence transformed into a drawn sword, exuding a sharpness capable of shredding everything apart.
Behind him surged a hellish sea of corpses and blood, vividly displaying the countless battles he had endured.
Under such terrifying pressure, Merlin actually found himself trembling.
Yes, he was trembling!
The famed flower magus was unable to withstand that overwhelming aura.
Those abyss-like eyes, filled with a slashing intent that could tear all apart, made it hard to even meet his gaze.
Just how many battles has this guy been through?
Merlin stared blankly at him.
This fighting spirit was so powerful that it exceeded anything he could comprehend.
Even gods likely weren't regarded with any respect by him.
Strangely enough—
With such an overbearing and domineering style, why hadn't this guy actually struck?
Merlin suddenly felt puzzled.
In the past, whenever Nameless encountered enemies or crises, he would strike without hesitation, regardless of who the opponent was.
But now—
Though he was radiating with terrifying might, he only used his heroic presence to pressure Merlin, not showing the slightest intent to attack!
Merlin even smiled:
"Nameless, why don't you attack me already?"
"Heh, do you really think I couldn't destroy you?"
Sanjiro felt a bit helpless inside.
As expected, he couldn't hide anything from this bastard.
Once he retrieved the power he'd sealed in that brat, it would surely alert Artoria, Jeanne, and the other Heroic Spirits—completely exposing him.
But with the power currently remaining in his body, he couldn't possibly defeat Merlin.
After all, the man before him was a Grand Caster candidate—among the most powerful magi in the world.
But it was fine.
Right now, it was two against one!
Buzz~
Golden portals began to manifest behind him.
From each swirling vortex emerged a powerful Noble Phantasm.
It was none other than the Gate of Babylon he had borrowed from the King of Heroes!
As long as the King of Heroes allowed him in, naturally he could use it at will.
But rather than being pressured, Merlin grew even more relaxed:
"Heh… Nameless, so you're just a paper tiger now?" (which means something that seems threatening but is actually weak or ineffective)
He didn't know what kind of disaster the other man had been through, but it was clear—his strength was now at rock bottom.
So weak he had to rely on the Gate of Babylon?
He posed no real threat at all.
All he had to do was guard against the King of Heroes interfering.
Standing atop a streetlamp, Gilgamesh burst into laughter,
"Hahaha! Nameless, you really are falling behind!"
Despite asking him for help, the man still wanted to act proud and fight on his own.
But it was clear—some unknown, terrifying war had left him utterly broken.
His Spirit Origin was shattered, his strength not even a tenth of what it once was. There was no way he could beat Merlin.
"Laugh your damn head off!"
Sanjiro glared at him.
This guy just loved watching him make a fool of himself. As expected of his dear friend!
Gilgamesh laughed even more gleefully, unfolding his own Gate of Babylon behind him.
Countless golden ripples painted the space in dazzling light.
Fortunately, he had already pulled the surrounding area into a subspace—otherwise, the violent magical surges would have alerted the other Heroic Spirits long ago.
"Nameless, you've fallen. You're trying to rely on the King of Heroes just to beat me?"
Merlin's tone suddenly turned mocking as he sneered,
"Don't push me too far. If I really burned my source, you wouldn't be able to hold me back!"
"You think I'll just take your taunts lying down?"
Sanjiro coldly stared at him.
This guy had deliberately lured Jeanne, Mordred, and the others to Fuyuki City, trying to make him the clown in some staged performance, a puppet for others' amusement.
There was no way he'd let him off easy.
Merlin looked at the two of them and suddenly proposed:
"Alright then, how about we make a bet?"
"Oh? What kind of bet?"
Gilgamesh looked at him with interest.
"Simple. From now on, I won't use any Noble Phantasms—only illusions. If Nameless can defeat me like that, I'll let him make me drink the Spring of Drowned Girl without a word of complaint!"
Merlin laid out the wager.
Using Clairvoyance to observe Nameless from afar, he had seen clearly that his power was at an all-time low.
No—
It wasn't just weak. His body was a barely patched-together wreck!
He shouldn't even be alive!
The fact that he was standing here at all was a miracle. With that state, how could he possibly defeat him?
"Haha! My dearest friend, he thinks you're too weak! Can you really take that?"
Gilgamesh couldn't hold back his laughter.
The mighty Nameless—so strong he once walked through human history—was now being mocked with a challenge where the opponent bound themselves on purpose.
It was just too funny!
"…"
Sanjiro was a little speechless.
He, who once defeated gods and fought against All the Evils of Humanity—when had he ever suffered this kind of humiliation?
Just as he was about to respond with "a 2-on-1 counts as a duel too," he suddenly felt his phone vibrating in his pocket.
Oh wow—Alaya actually ignored the subspace isolation and forcefully updated a video?
He glanced at the title and suddenly smiled,
"Of course I can accept. But before that, how about we all watch a video together?"
Alaya's exposure video—meant to awaken the existence he had lost.
Which meant that with every new video, he would recover a portion of his power.
And this new video was titled—
[A Vow Beneath the Snow]
===========
Its Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Oath/Vow Under Snow the original title for those that don't know.
Just changed it to Vow Beneath the Snow cuz I like the way I call it.
And wtf is the deal with those crazy ass facial expression of someone called Lloyd? It always pop up in my feed on Facebook—heck even in my racism app.
I dunno if the manhwa is just hyped to the extreme saying its peak comedy or its just the face he make that people love?
Maybe its a sign to read it?
Whatevs, imma check it out once I'm done with the reinforced wooden stick.