[FMMIKA] Chapter 265: Chaldea's Situation

At the same time, while the Anti-Chaldea trio had formulated their tactical plans, Ritsuka and her group were far from idle.

In a secret camp deep within the jungle, taking advantage of the cover of night, the guerrilla troops in the secret camp laughed and reveled in a joyous manner.

They made various raucous sounds, played drinking games, gambled, wrestled, got into brawls, threw darts or shot arrows, and indulged themselves in feasting and merrymaking, celebrating their victories in their unique way.

It was as if they were a group of demons engaged in a chaotic dance.

Amidst this devilish revelry, the most prominent figure, positioned right in the center, was the leader of the guerrilla group—the sole Master of Chaldea, the chaotic evil known as Gudako, whose true name was Fujimaru Ritsuka.

This red-haired young lady, clearly already drunk, resembled the most unrefined of bandits, mercenaries, or pirates. She held a bottle of liquor in one hand and a chicken leg in the other, staggering as she laughed heartily, appearing as though she was dancing a peculiar dance.

By her side, the members of the so-called guerrilla group, consisting of pirates, mercenaries, and bandits, gazed at their female leader with admiration in their eyes.

It was this woman who led a ragtag group consisting of Barbary pirates, Italian mercenaries, and French and Spanish bandits.

In a matter of a few months, they achieved a string of victories, launching countless attacks on trains, port warehouses, and even the French garrison. They acquired vast riches, weapons, and supplies.

The months spent following this woman were the most carefree and enjoyable they had experienced. Battles were won effortlessly, and the spoils were abundant.

The only downside was that they couldn't kill recklessly or engage in debauchery. They could only take money; they couldn't indulge in free pleasures.

It was somewhat frustrating.

However, considering the combination of wealth and the sharpness of her blade, they were willing to follow her, at least until they no longer received benefits.

"Senpai..."

At the same time, not far from the bonfire, a group of women with an appearance and demeanor that were completely out of place among these guerilla members looked at the intoxicated Ritsuka with a helpless expression.

Mash Kyrielight, also called 'Eggplant' by her Master, muttered with exasperation, "She's acting like a complete idiot again."

"Shouldn't we do something about Master's foolishness?" asked one of the women who, among a group of women with an already abnormal sense of style, stood out as particularly eccentric.

Despite the European-style appearance that everyone else maintained, this particular woman was dressed in a green kimono, resembling a princess or lady from feudal Japan. She exuded an old-fashioned aura with her beautiful long green hair, looking like a refined young lady. She held a folding fan, spoke softly, and even used the fan to cover her mouth when she talked.

A true 'Yamato Nadeshiko'.

In an era dominated by Japanese-style high school girls, the Yamato Nadeshiko had become extinct.

But here she was, an authentic Yamato Nadeshiko. What was thought to exist only in 2D anime was surprisingly present in the group of Chaldea.

"No big deal, I kinda like her puppy-like look."

The one responding to the words of the green-haired woman was a beautiful girl with a light, flowy idol outfit, and long pink hair. She seemed quite satisfied with the state of her Master.

"Hmph, only someone like you would appreciate the way our Master is now." The green-haired woman retorted.

Though she appeared like a Yamato Nadeshiko on the surface, she was unexpectedly strong-willed on the inside. After all, the real gentle Yamato Nadeshiko would never directly argue with someone.

"Do you have any problems with me?" The girl in the idol outfit replied, refusing to back down.

Their eyes locked, and their argument escalated, growing increasingly tense with each passing word. It eventually turned into a full-blown quarrel.

"Frilled lizard!"

"Japanese coral snake!"

"Mexican bearded lizard!"

"Pit viper!"

"Ugh!"

"Gnununu!"

They sounded just like little animals confronting an enemy.

The two women made discordant noises, and in the next moment, the girl in the idol outfit who wanted to continue the argument, had her mouth covered by the queen, Marie. The girl in the idol outfit could only emit muffled sounds.

This was a lesson learned after sacrificing many expendable cannon fodder—never let the girl in the idol outfit speak unless they were in battle against an enemy.

Interestingly, the girl in the idol outfit behaved quite obediently and honestly when faced with Marie. She was quickly appeased.

"A true lady shouldn't argue, Eli-chan."

Held by Marie, the girl in the idol outfit obediently nodded and showed an adoring expression, until the green-haired woman on the other side narrowed her eyes and revealed a smug smile.

"You despicable rascal!"

And so, the next round of kindergarten-level quarreling seemed to start again.

"Ahh, really..."

Watching this scene, Mash shook her head in resignation.

The green-haired woman who looked like a 'Yamato Nadeshiko' was Kiyohime. She was a famous yandere from Japanese history.

The pink-haired girl in the idol outfit was Elizabeth Bathory. She was a famous psycho from European history.

Both of them were Rogue Servants who had joined Chaldea recently.

Both of them were Dragon-kind and were females.

One could tell just by looking at the horns on their heads and the tails behind them.

But...

"Is this what they call 'birds of a feather flock together'?"

Mash couldn't help but recall what Artorius had told her back then when she was a naive little eggplant.

"When you see someone similar to yourself, you don't feel a sense of kinship. Instead, it can be rather irritating. This sort of thing happens quite often if you're a foolish idiot. But in most cases, you don't realize that you're an idiot.

It's only when you see someone who's quite like you that it's like looking in a mirror. you see your own clumsiness, innocence, immaturity, foolishness, and quirks reflected in them. So, you almost feel like smashing that mirror. That's why some people don't like it when they meet someone similar to themselves."

At first, Mash had been somewhat puzzled when she heard those words. But now, reflecting on the events happening in front of her, Artorius's words seemed to make perfect sense.

'They need a good lesson.' Looking at Elizabeth and Kiyohime, Mash couldn't help but think like that.

Mash, completely influenced by Artorius's teaching from the inside out, looked at them with a hint of resentment.

'Let them realize who is the boss until they cry and admit they were wrong. That's the way to go.'

Of course, Mash had no idea that Artorius was right here in this Singularity.

'A foolish queen with a mind full of cake, two eccentric dragon fools, and a senpai who acts like a complete fool... this group is hopeless.'

With this in mind, Mash couldn't help but turn her head to look at someone else, more precisely, a woman.

If this 'woman' were alright, she would have had the capacity and the qualifications to lead them forward as the moral support of Chaldea.

If that were the case, Mash's confidence would also be bolstered.

However...

"I can't believe I actually did something like this. Oh Lord, please give me guidance. What should I do?"

If anyone from the Palace of Versailles saw her right now, they would undoubtedly feel a strong sense of familiarity. It would be like seeing Jalter.

She sat there, hugging her knees, with the same bewildered expressions, equally withdrawn like how Jalter was before. One could almost say they were both Jeanne.

While the black one fell into introspection due to humanity's philosophical questions, the white one was pretty much the same.

Initially, Jeanne had no issues. She wasn't an artificial Jeanne like Jalter, who was created by a madman, but the genuine Jeanne d'Arc.

However, Artorius's arrival and everything he did to France had left her perplexed and filled with self-doubt.

It was all because the Dragon Emperor who pretended to be 'Charles VII' had done such an extraordinary job. The whole of France was revitalized, and it was on the verge of flourishing again.

As everyone knew, Jeanne had fought for her entire life, and she ultimately gave her life for France.

So, the current situation left her in a logical contradiction about her identity and mission.

As a Heroic Spirit, she had been summoned here to stop the fake 'Charles VII'.

If it were a villain like Jalter who aimed to destroy France, it would be simple. Jeanne could just go, self-destruct in a blaze of crimson, and join her so-called 'sister' in oblivion.

But the person she was supposed to stop now represented France—the ruler of France, leading it forward with remarkable progress.

This was a real dilemma.

Jeanne, who had learned all of this, was in a terrible state. She couldn't understand it, and she had become the kind of wreck she was now. She was almost useless in battle, only constantly begging for divine revelations from some pigeon, which kept cooing and left her feeling frustrated.

'Chaldea is hopeless indeed.'

Mash shook her head in frustration, confirming that Jeanne hadn't shown any signs of recovery. She realized that their future looked bleak.

At the same time, Fujimaru Ritsuka, who was dancing nearby and bursting into cheerful laughter without care and worry, made Mash even more exasperated.