Book 2: Chapter 23: Gilles Is a Jeanne-d’Arc-Con
Chen Heng’s side had the authentic Jeanne d’Arc.
Jeanne d’Arc used a honeypot trap and a verbal exchange to restrain Gilles de Rais, distracting him from thinking of taking back the Holy Grail. The others did their best to attack and defeat him before he could take back the Holy Grail.
“Gilles, you created the Dragon Witch with the Holy Grail, right? I have already spoken to the other Jeanne d’Arc. She clearly doesn’t have any memories of her family.” It started! It started! Jeanne d’Arc had started her verbal assault.
“Your instincts are as sharp as ever. Precisely so. The Dragon Witch is my long-cherished wish—my Holy Grail.” Gilles de Rais did not lie, straightforwardly telling the truth. Perhaps he did not want to lie to the saint he idolized.
“I wished for you to revive. That was the wish deep within my heart. That is normal, right? Except…the Holy Grail rejected me. It should be an all-powerful wishing device, but it said it could not fulfill this wish. However, all I want is you. Since that is the case, I’ll just create a new…saint that I firmly believe in, the ideal you! Let me be the one to create you! I used the Holy Grail to create Jeanne d’Arc, the Dragon Witch!”
Gilles de Rais’s expression slowly turned ferocious. He wanted to revive Jeanne d’Arc, but the Holy Grail did not permit that, despite it being the all-powerful Holy Grail. Since that was the case, he just created his own Jeanne d’Arc.
“…So, that’s the case. You did not tell her about this, right? Gilles, if you successfully revived me, I would not become the Dragon Witch. Indeed, I got betrayed and mocked. However, I do not hate my country. I cannot possibly hate it, as you all are still in this nation!” Jeanne d’Arc’s verbal assault dealt a fatal blow to Gilles de Rais.
Heaven rewarded the faithful. Gilles de Rais’s defense wavered under Jeanne d’Arc’s honeypot trap and verbal assault. Hiding using his Illusion Arts, Merlin caught an opportunity and stabbed his sword into Gilles de Rais’s Spiritual Core.
That was right. The trash Merlin. This fellow finally became useful.
How to put it? Although Merlin was a Grand Caster candidate, he was a subpar Magus. He could even bite his tongue while chanting an incantation.
However, this did not stop Merlin from being a skilled swordsman.
It was not too difficult for Merlin to stab Gilles de Rais when Gilles de Rais carelessly turned away from him, especially with his A-ranked Illusion Arts.
This was the culprit behind the 1st Singularity, the true wielder of the Holy Grail. Gilles de Rais died to Jeanne d’Arc’s honeypot trap and Merlin’s backstab.
“This is impossible! I absolutely cannot accept such an unreasonable result! I…haven’t…!” Gilles de Rais was unresigned at getting stabbed by Merlin and having his Spiritual Core broken. He had not used his Holy Grail yet. He even wanted to summon the Holy Grail back and put up a last struggle. However…
“Gilles, that’s enough. It is already alright. Go and rest. You have already done your best. You were willing to trust an inexperienced young girl like me and helped me liberate this city…. No matter what you become, I will also trust in the you from back then. It does not matter. I will never regret it. Alright. Go back. Go back to where you came from [Throne of Heroes].” Jeanne d’Arc’s words again achieved miraculous effects.
It had to be said Gilles de Rais was a Jeanne-d’Arc-con through and through. To think Jeanne d’Arc convinced him in the end.
“…” Ultimately, Gilles de Rais did not recall the Holy Grail.
“If anyone has to go to hell, I alone am enough. If possible, can you let the other Jeanne d’Arc off? When I summoned her, I gave her Mad Enhancement.” This was mentioned when the 1st Singularity started. Jeanne d’Arc Alter and Fafnir were summoned as Berserkers. Furthermore, she was a Berserker that had Mad Enhancement applied to her—a doubled berserk.
“I have a companion who said he could bring her to Chaldea. However, I do not know the details. The success rate is questionable, and it depends on the Dragon Witch’s decision.”
Perhaps because Gilles de Rais made Jeanne d’Arc Alter with the Holy Grail or perhaps for some other reason, Jeanne d’Arc Alter sensed Gilles de Rais’s Spiritual Core shatter.
When Jeanne d’Arc Alter sensed Gilles de Rais’s death, she decisively stopped pursuing Chen Heng.
“Gilles…even you failed? Are you going to leave me too? That’s right. The Holy Grail can save you!” Jeanne d’Arc Alter rushed to Gilles de Rais; no one stopped her. She felt strangely upset as she looked at Gilles de Rais, who had his Spiritual Core shattered.
Jeanne d’Arc Alter suddenly thought of something and took out the Holy Grail from her body, wanting to hand it to Gilles de Rais.
“It’s useless. Give up. My Spiritual Core has shattered. Even the Holy Grail cannot save me.” Gilles de Rais handed the Holy Grail back to Jeanne d’Arc Alter, pushing it back into her body.
Gilles de Rais was not merely injured. His Spiritual Core, the foundation of a Servant, had shattered; this was not something that a Holy Grail could solve.
As long as the Spiritual Core did not shatter, a Servant could recover from any injury using mana, no matter how severe. However, a Holy Grail had no way of mending a shattered Spiritual Core. At best, it would only delay things for a while. This was how important a Spiritual Core was to a Servant.
“Listen, Jeanne d’Arc, you probably have already guessed something from your conversation with the other Jeanne d’Arc.” Perhaps this was a final kindness before death, or Gilles de Rais truly loved Jeanne d’Arc deeply, or a final warning for his “daughter.”
“That means…” Although Jeanne d’Arc Alter had already guessed, she still found it somewhat unacceptable when Gilles de Rais told her the truth.
Her life was fake, her rage also was fake. In that case, some Dragon Witch she turned out to be.
“Don’t be disappointed. All your memories are fake, but you can create memories that truly belong to you. I created you with a Holy Grail, so the Throne of Heroes has no records of you. Hence, I hope you will leave this world with Chaldea’s people. If you die, you will truly die. After I die, the Mad Enhancement effect that the Holy Grail placed on you will disappear. Make your choice with your own judgment.”
Perhaps with death approaching, Gilles de Rais’s rationality recovered, struggling free from Mad Enhancement’s influence. He said many things he would not have previously said to Jeanne d’Arc Alter.
When Jeanne d’Arc Alter was about to answer, Gilles de Rais’s figure vanished slowly as he returned to the Throne of Heroes.
While Gilles de Rais and Jeanne d’Arc Alter spoke, the others did not remain idle. Instead, they rushed about to help their allies who had not defeated their opponents yet.
Everyone left aside from Jeanne d’Arc and Merlin.
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