Same as last week. 300.
-
Thinking through what little I remembered of the last night after Mahoraga struck me, I was easily able to put together that Bazett had broken into someone's home in the dead of night. I doubted I wouldn't have done the same, given the situation.
My body ached terribly, and even the slightest flex of my arm proved to be a chore but I forced myself to my feet anyway. I considered using Round Deer's healing to fix myself up as I pushed open the wooden door but decided to hold off for a moment.
There was no knowing if the effects of Gilgamesh's noble phantasms was still lingering. And, the pain was... grounding, in a sense. It made me remember what I'd done and what I'd lost with every step I took.
My struggle down the stairs was a pitiful one, and I almost tumbled over several times. I found the homeowners lying unconscious under the stairway. A middle-aged couple. Their wrinkles and greying hair gave away their ages, and the gentle rise and fall of their chests made me breathe out a sigh of relief.
They were unharmed.
Well, not like Bazett would ever harm innocent people.
I found Cu Chulainn in the living room, sitting at the dining table with his feet kicked up and his hands behind his head. Gae Bolg rested against the table, the same as its wielder. He opened only one eye to acknowledge my presence.
"Ya got balls, lad." He grinned and snickered, "Two hours, while injured. Well, she's hot so it's not like I blame you."
I drew the curtains and pushed the windows open to let in some fresh air.
"Creep."
The Irish hero shook, "It's not my damn fault yer so loud! I couldn't avoid listening in even if I wanted to!"
...
The scent of wet earth drifted in from the yard, and grey rain clouds made the sky look moodier than it usually was. Perhaps because of the time, I only spotted one or two people out and about, save for some student running down the sidewalk like he had a rabid dog at his heel.
I found myself hoping for some good rain.
Inhaling deeply, I turned to Cu with a smirk tugging at my lips, "Doesn't that mean you didn't not want to listen in the first place?"
"Don't twist my words-"
"Cuck."
His face twitched uncontrollably as he made to rise. The wooden chair he'd been leaning back on was certainly not made to handle someone his size. The hind legs gave in and snapped. Instead of rising, Cu fell flat on his back.
"I'll stab you."
"I'd want to stab me too if I gave myself the corner chair."
"What does that even mean-... You bastard."
I chuckled, wandering into the kitchenette. Cu quieted down, and I was able to find some cereal I'd never seen before in one of the cupboards. There were several cartons of milk in the fridge.
"Oh, orange juice too."
Personally, I never saw the appeal over a good old cup of coffee. I wondered if they had any lying around...
In the end, I plopped down in front of Cu at least half an hour later, with a proper mug of freshly made coffee, toast and fried eggs. Enough for three, of course. I looked up to find Cu staring, brows furrowed.
"You know, lad, ignoring it ain't gonna make the feeling any better."
"Aren't you supposed to be dumb warrior type?"
"I may be," He hung his head, "But I lived a whole life of this. Ignoring it is a disservice to your mentor. Bottling it is a disservice to yourself."
I took a gulp of my coffee, and glanced at the world outside, "Should I just clam up and wallow in misery? Cry? Blame the world, maybe?"
Instead of answering, Cu merely followed my gaze, letting silence reign for a good moment.
Then,
"Do you know how the man named Li Shuwen died? The man who taught you?"
My mentor had told me of his passing. Our time together was short, certainly, but without his guidance in that time, I would surely be a most miserable person, even worse than I'd been till now.
"He took poison knowingly, because he regretted that he was a monster who'd only killed people all his life." I closed my eyes, "Maybe I shouldn't feel bad for someone like that... but he was there for me. He believed in me."
Shuwen took me under his wing. He protected me. He assured me. He corrected my mistakes. He told me when I was wrong. He taught me how to be a better person.
I did not care for what the world believed him to be.
"He told me," Cu held my gaze. "He'd be happy to protect you with his damn life. That it was a better end than someone like him deserved."
I had... never seen that side of my mentor.
He always seemed so confident when teaching me.
... I would have liked to.
Gilgamesh took that away.
"You wanna kill the King of Heroes, don't ya?" Cu laughed aloud, "That's a stupid idea. Eh, who am I to say? I've done more questionable stuff."
I quietly took a bite of my toast. "I'm not throwing his sacrifice away... or being miserable all the time. No, I'm going to be what Shuwen wanted me to be."
But, if one day the opportunity arose, I would have my pound of flesh.
That much, I promised myself and him.
-
Usually, even the way Bazett ate was usually pretty professional. There was none of that right now. Her pale cheeks were tinted by a warm red, and she kept sneaking airy glances at me like a bashful high school girl. When she noticed Cu grinning beside us, she quickly cleared her throat.
"W-We still need a way to deal with the King of Heroes." She said, gulping down her coffee.
It was cute how she defaulted to business mode when flustered.
I sighed, "Yep."
I knew that the Gilgamesh we were facing was far weaker than he was as a servant, with limited access to the strongest weapons in his arsenal, but he was still the King of Heroes, and I wasn't so sure that even Mahoraga would be capable of defeating him, at least not outright.
The realisation was a seriously absurd one.
He did not possess the physical prowess of a proper servant, nor the mana, but he was still a massive pain in the behind. The biggest issue was that, he still had access to his strongest weapon. Victory hinged on winning before he decided to use 'that'.
Maybe...
I rubbed my chin, "Rin's servant. Archer should be able to keep up with the Gate of Babylon."
His noble phantasm, if fully realised and powered, was easily capable of keeping up with the weakened Gilgamesh.
Bazett hummed, "He will target Rin."
"What if he doesn't get the chance?"
The adorable Enforcer remained quiet, considering my words.
"And Cu hurt him too."
"'Course I did." Cu shrugged his shoulders, "Idiot was just flinging stuff at me."
Honestly, I hadn't expected that kind of performance from him, but that knowledge was somewhat reassuring.
I closed my eyes, steepling my fingers, "And, if we add Saber to the mix... then,"
Three servants, then any of the Ten Shadows if need be, on top.
"Enji..." I looked up at Bazett. There was clear worry in her gaze, "You don't have to risk yourself anymore."
Right, I was out of the running with my servant gone.
I shook my head, "And what? Should I leave my adorable lady to fend for herself?"
"A-Adorable-... Wha?"
Cu feigned a barf.
Bazett gave him a hard look, then nodded to herself. She stood up and walked out to the corridor. Moments later, she returned with that sleek briefcase she carried around everywhere. I mean, I always suspected there was something like a mystic code inside.
"This is Fragarach."
Bazett Fraga McRemitz.
The connection was easy to make.
"The weapon of the Sun God Lugh, the Absolute One, given by Manan Mac Lir, God of the Sea and the Otherworld." She said seriously, baring her family's most well-guarded secret with the tiniest of smiles tugging at her soft lips. A show of her trust. "Fragarach was entrusted to my ancestors by the God Lugh, the same as your Ten Shadows."
The divine armament that made her lineage God Holders like mine.
"If we can get Gilgamesh to use his strongest weapon, then Fragarach will end him."
Cu raised a hand, "I can vouch for that."
I raised a questioning brow.
"That's my old man's."
What the what now?
"The Sun God Lugh is Cu Chulainn's father." Bazett explained.
On top of that, we still had one more card to play.
That was, the Saber-class servant yet to be summoned.
I could feel the hand rolling around in my shadows even now.
-
Hope u enjoyed.
You can find 7 chonky chaps ahead at patre0n.com/Bleap
I've never asked before, and I am ashamed, but I'm a couple bucks short on an AC so I'd appreciate it if anyone could help out. Only if it's not too much tho, I won't die without it.