KyokaSuigetsu
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Chapter 38: A Second Encounter
🕑 Added 2025-05-07 10:20:58 +0000 UTC"Laeticia appearing here is no coincidence. Most likely, she has been chosen as Jeanne d'Arc’s vessel to participate in this Holy Grail War. But… why is a Ruler showing up?" Takashi Kuroda pondered.
"First, let’s discard any FGO logic. For a Ruler to appear in a Holy Grail War, there are usually only two scenarios: First, the nature of this war is so irregular that the outcome is uncertain—meaning the Grail itself has determined the need for a Ruler. Second, the war’s consequences risk distorting the world itself."
"Given the current situation, is it because I summoned more Servants than usual, making this war irregular? Or is it because my very presence has made the war’s outcome a threat to the world’s stability?" Kuroda mused. Either way, this wasn’t good news for him. It meant the Counter Force had already taken notice.
Then again, in this day and age, it’d be weirder if a time-traveler wasn’t on the Counter Force’s radar. An existence completely unrecorded in the Root? The sheer unpredictability of that must have Gaia and Alaya shitting themselves.
"The only miscalculation was running into Jeanne and letting her see my face. That complicates things… Should I just force the issue and take her down now?" Kuroda’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Ah! I see the church!" Laeticia pointed toward Fuyuki’s chapel.
"Mm. Just head inside. There’s a very kind priest there," Kuroda said.
"Okay!" Laeticia took a few steps before pausing and turning back. "Aren’t you coming in too, sir?"
"No, I’m just here to meet a friend," Kuroda shook his head.
"I see… Well, thank you for guiding me!" With a smile, Laeticia waved goodbye and stepped inside.
"Hopefully, she’ll just remember me as some random passerby." Kuroda thought as he made his way toward Kirei Kotomine’s residence, slipping on his mask.
"So, this girl is special?" Kirei Kotomine observed Laeticia through the confessional’s hidden slit as she prayed devoutly.
"Indeed… There’s a scent of spiritual invocation around her. If I’m right, she’s being possessed by a Servant," Kuroda said slowly.
"Possession? Is she a Master in this war? A fusion of Master and Servant?" Kirei sounded surprised.
"No, she’s not a participant—otherwise, your father would’ve sensed it. The Servant within her doesn’t belong to any of the seven standard classes. If my guess is correct… she’s a Ruler."
"A Ruler? Then that means—"
"Exactly, Kirei. She’ll be taking your father’s place as the arbitrator of this war. Your teacher’s plans are about to hit a snag." A dangerous smirk played on Kuroda’s lips.
"How… delightful. " Kirei’s lips curled into a grin. The mere thought of his mentor losing his composure filled him with perverse joy.
"Should I have Hassan keep watch?" Kirei asked.
"No. Rulers can nullify Assassin’s Presence Concealment within a ten-kilometer radius. Using a Servant for surveillance is too risky. Better to use mundane means to track her residence."
"Understood." Kirei nodded.
"What about Tokiomi? Has he summoned his Servant yet?"
"My teacher will likely perform the summoning tonight."
"Guess I should stay away from streetlights from now on."
"?"
After parting ways with Kirei, Kuroda returned home to have Kariya Matou summon his original Berserker—Lancelot. While it was a shame that Madness Enhancement wasted Lancelot’s true potential, Berserker Lancelot was still a formidable asset, especially against a certain King of Heroes.
"A fragment of the Round Table… So that’s how he summoned Lancelot. This relic might still be useful—maybe I can summon other Knights of the Round with it later."
"Kariya, spend the next few days syncing with Lancelot. Stick to the plan, and you might just get to humble Tokiomi Tohsaka a bit."
"Thank you for this opportunity, Lord Kuroda. I won’t fail you." Kariya clenched his fist and knelt before him.
"Go." Once Kariya left, Kuroda stepped out of the Matou residence once more.
Evening had fallen, the sun nearly gone. Normally, Kuroda would’ve stayed indoors by now, but Semiramis had tasked him with selecting a suitable location in Fuyuki to set up a bounded field—somewhere she could secretly construct the Hanging Gardens. The ideal spot was undoubtedly Mount Enzou. His Ruin affinity was strongest there, meaning he could defend the Gardens if they were discovered prematurely.
"I’m getting hungry… Might as well grab ramen first." He headed toward his usual late-night haunt, a tonkotsu ramen stall. But as he approached, he heard a flustered voice.
"I-I’m so sorry! I really did leave my wallet in my room! I’m not trying to skip out on the bill! I can leave something valuable as collateral—I’ll come back with the money, I swear!"
The girl was desperately apologizing.
"Huh? Laeticia again? What are the odds?" Kuroda frowned. He considered turning away, but he was already too close—if he left abruptly, Jeanne might sense something off. With a sigh, he stepped forward.
"Owner, I’ll cover her bill. And I’ll take my usual—large tonkotsu ramen."
"Eh?! It’s you! What a coincidence! You’re… um…" Laeticia furrowed her brows, struggling to recall.
"Don’t bother. I never told you my name."
"Oh! Right, I forgot to introduce myself too!" She smiled sheepishly. "I’m Laeticia. It’s nice to meet you again, sir. And thank you for covering for me. May I ask your name?"
"I’m the fourth in my family, so people usually call me Shirou." Kuroda borrowed a certain false priest’s alias without hesitation. If he was already borrowing the man’s script, he might as well take the name too.
"Alright, Mr. Shirou! Please wait here for a bit—I’ll run back to my room and get the money to repay you!"
"No, don’t bother."
"But I can’t just let you pay for me!" She shook her head firmly.
"Who knows how long you’ll take? I don’t have time to wait around."
"Then… what should I do?" Laeticia looked conflicted. Her upbringing demanded she repay kindness.
"Tell me, do you believe in fate?"
"Fate?"
"We’ve met twice now, and both times, you needed my help. Maybe we’ll cross paths again. When that happens, you can repay me then."
"Hehe, that’s an interesting way to put it, Mr. Shirou. Alright, I understand!" She nodded, convinced.
The two chatted amiably, discussing their lives, cultural differences, and beliefs. Soon, Kuroda finished his ramen and prepared to leave for Mount Enzou—only to find Laeticia heading the same way.
"You’re going to Mount Enzou too?"
"Yes! I’m staying at Ryuudou Temple. I just arrived today and found a room there. The head monk was very kind—the rent’s cheap, and he even lets me pay daily!"
"A church-going girl staying at a Buddhist temple? That’s… weird, right?" Kuroda couldn’t help but comment.
