IBHJ 1189

"Aw, look at Krista being all tsundere again." The orange-haired girl laughed it off, then turned to Manaka with a friendly smile, holding out her hand. "I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka, leader of Chaldea Team A. Oh, and I'm also Beast VII."

It really was Beast VII! Manaka's pulse quickened. But could Beast VII really be this naive? Hadn't she sensed what Manaka was? And since when did the most evil of all Beasts work with three Grand Servants and the Greek Gods? The whole thing seemed impossible.

But who was she to question such an easy meal walking right up to her?

While the Grand Servants and Zeus were busy with Kirschtaria, Manaka used black mud to remake her severed hand and reached for the oblivious Ritsuka.

If I can just devour her—

"Oh, are you trying to shake hands?" Ritsuka grabbed Manaka's hand before she could finish the thought. "But I don't even know your name yet!"

What—!?

Manaka's heart stopped. The moment they touched, she realized something enormous. The true scale of this Beast VII... It was beyond anything she'd imagined!

At her peak, back at the South American connection point, she might have had a chance against Beast VII even if it would have been a desperate fight. But now...

A bead of sweat trickled down her face.

Was Ritsuka mocking her? There was no way she hadn't sensed what Manaka was. Any Beast could tell that Manaka was their natural enemy.

Yet here was Ritsuka, casually introducing herself and openly admitting she was Beast VII.

If that wasn't meant as a taunt, what was it?

But trapped here in her weakened state, surrounded by Beast VII, three Grand Servants, and a small army of Heroic Spirits, she had no choice but to play along.

"Yes... hello. My name is Manaka Sajyou," she managed, forcing her lips into a smile.

The shame burned through her like acid. She, who had always commanded fear from Beasts, now had to lower her head to Beast VII. The indignity of it made her want to scream.

"Manaka Sajyou... what a beautiful name," Ritsuka beamed at her.

But Manaka could only see contempt in that sunny smile, each friendly word dripping with mockery. ‘Damn you, Beast VII. Just how far are you going to drag me through the dirt?’

Yet for all her seething rage, there was nothing she could do. So she swallowed her pride and painted on her sweetest smile. "Your name is lovely too, Lady Ritsuka."

"Oh, please - all the formality is making me blush! Just call me Ritsuka," she said, her smile brightening. "Everyone does."

"In that case, Manaka is fine for me too," she replied, her practiced smile firmly in place.

But she could feel the weight of the Heroic Spirits' stares boring into her, especially Kirschtaria's piercing gaze. They saw right through her act, and they wanted her to know it.

"Manaka it is, then!" Ritsuka nodded, before her expression turned slightly more serious. "I hope you won't mind me asking, but... you're with the Council, aren't you?"

"The Council..." Manaka lowered her head, pretending to hesitate. "Yes, that's right. Are you having second thoughts about saving me now, Ritsuka?"

"No, no, nothing like that!" she waved her hands frantically. "It's just... my sister is also in the Council. I was hoping you might know where she is..."

"Ah, so that's why you helped me." Manaka smiled.

‘Your acting skills are as good as an actress, I'll give you that. But you can't fool me, I can smell Beast a mile away. Still...’ She sized up her situation. ‘Given the power gap between us, I might as well play along with your little game. For now.’

"So... who's your sister?" Manaka asked.

"Fujimaru Sakura."

Manaka sputtered. "K-Kama?"

Ritsuka's face lit up. "Yes! That's her! So you do know my sister!"

"Ah... yes. And our relationship..."

"You're close, aren't you?"

"...Right." Manaka's smile became even more stiff. 'Oh, we're close alright. Her mom Tiamat helped land me in this mess, and I just tried to kill her. Now here I am, chatting with her baby sister. Just my luck...'

Then something clicked.

Wait a minute. Fujimaru?

"Hey, Ritsuka..." Manaka paused, choosing her words carefully. "Since you asked me something... mind if I ask you something too? Do you... happen to have a brother named Shirou? Fujimaru Shirou?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"And you’re... his biological sister?"

"Mhm!"

‘Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Have I wandered into some kind of Fujimaru hive? First Sakura, now Ritsuka...’ Manaka felt her carefully crafted smile starting to crack at the corners.

"Everything okay, Manaka?" she tilted her head, looking concerned.

"Oh... it's nothing." Power dictates, power dictates, she chanted silently, desperately holding onto her slipping smile.

‘This Fujimaru family is completely insane! Shirou's got the Vortex, Sakura's Beast III, and now Ritsuka turns out to be Beast VII? What kind of family tree is this?’

And here she'd thought the Sajyou family had cornered the market on weird. Seems Shirou's family had them beat by a mile.

Manaka had to suppress another sigh. She really had stumbled right into the Fujimaru hornets' nest.

But then again...

‘This could work out perfectly. If I can just figure out how to devour Beast VII, all my problems will disappear. No more scrambling for survival, no more power games.’

‘I should thank her, really,’ Manaka thought, studying the orange-haired girl through narrowed eyes. Her malicious thoughts must have shown on her face, because she felt the watchers' gazes sharpen - especially that melancholic gentleman who seemed to see straight through her.

She knew who he was, of course. Sherlock Holmes, the detective famous for piercing through every deception.

‘Better play it safe for now.’ Manaka stifled another sigh. Taking action here would be suicide. She forced her darker impulses to retreat, tucking away her claws.

"Here, Manaka - have some!" Ritsuka held out a grilled fish, beaming.

That smile... Manaka knew it had to be Beast VII mocking her, and yet... something about it brought back memories of Ayaka, back when her sister had looked at her with such pure admiration.

‘No. It's just another taunt. Another way to humiliate me.’

But power was power, and so...

"Thank you," Manaka said sweetly, accepting the fish with a carefully crafted smile.

‘Just endure it,’ she told herself. ‘Swallow your pride until the mission is done.’

…

Shirou surveyed the Scottish mountainside. Just another nameless peak, but this was where Bedivere's map had led them.

He hadn't questioned Bedivere's intentions for bringing them here, but his resolve was clear, one suspicious move and he'd end the Apostle without hesitation.

Coming here himself was reckless, he admitted silently. If something happened to him, the Pan-Human History alliance would be thrown into chaos. Without a leader, the Empire would crush them in one strike.

But here he was anyway.

Maybe it was because the Empire's Bedivere had shown him kindness. Maybe it was because they desperately needed someone like Bedivere to stand against the Empire. Personal sentiment or strategic necessity - either way, Shirou wanted to give him a chance.

Though if Bedivere was too far gone... well, better to eliminate a future threat now.

Compassion and ruthlessness, existing side by side. A contradiction, perhaps. But then, that was also part of being a King.

At least he'd taken precautions, having Skadi and Merlin buff Scathach before they set out. The world outside might be treacherous, but with her at his side, he could find sanctuary in even the most dangerous places.

He watched as Bedivere approached two intertwined trees and unearthed an old storage box from between their roots.

"What's that?" he asked, frowning.

"I'm not sure myself," Bedivere said, brushing dirt from the weathered container. "But whatever's inside, my comrade from Hope, Sir Garand, thought it was worth dying for."

Shirou caught Scathach's eye, seeing his own confusion mirrored there.

Who was this Sir Garand? They'd always thought of the Empire as a continuation of the Eternal Kingdom, its Apostles were someone with faces they once knew. But this Garand... The name meant nothing to either of them.