Chapter 49: Preparing to Attack
"EHHHH?!"
Elizabeth, who had been calm just moments ago, suddenly turned bright red.
"W-w-w-what… what are you even saying to someone you just met?!"
"E-e-e-exactly, Senpai!!!"
Mash also seemed affected, turning to look at Ethan with a completely shocked expression, as if her mental state had completely collapsed.
On the livestream, the comment section immediately exploded.
[Yo yo yo, isn't this the dragon girl from CCC? Why is she so weak now?]
[YAKAMASHI! Saying something like that to a girl you just met, the host is total trash!]
[You already have Mashu-chan, and you're looking for someone new?! Trash!]
[Trash? Nuh-uh! That's called Rizz!]
[Oh? Didn't expect the host to have a severe case of social skills.]
[Three seconds in and he's already talking like that? Kinda has the badass CEO vibe, doesn't it?]
[Badass CEO: Woman, you have successfully caught my attention!!]
[Host, can your show even pass censorship like this?]
[Mash: In the end, I still trusted the wrong person.]
[Please stay calm, if this continues, the show won't even be able to go on.]
Everyone was flooding the chat, but the general consensus was condemning Ethan.
Glancing at the chat, Ethan was a little confused. What exactly had he said wrong?
But he didn't think too much about it and took another step closer to the red-faced dragon girl.
"Ehm... You suddenly saying something like that… I don't really know how to react… But looking at you, you do kinda meet my standards… Wait, what am I even saying…"
Elizabeth avoided looking directly at Ethan, trying to gather her words.
"I think… we should take things step by step… Maybe starting as friends first… Oh, I know! You can be my manager!"
As if grabbing onto a lifeline, Elizabeth crossed her arms and said with a flushed face.
"Umu, starting as a manager works too. That way, we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other."
…Huh?
What the hell was she talking about?
Ethan glanced back at the chat and thought for a moment.
It seemed like he had used the wrong wording.
"Ahem, what I meant was, I need your information. After all, you want to take down the Dragon Witch too, right? That means we share the same goal."
Ethan clarified.
"…Oh, thank goodness, so that's what you meant."
Mash, standing behind him, let out a sigh of relief, her face visibly relaxing.
"——————?!"
Elizabeth, on the other hand, seemed completely frozen in place.
"…I-I was totally going to say that too… Ha… ahahaha…"
Even though she was laughing, Elizabeth's expression looked like she was on the verge of tears.
...
[You are truly an inspiration to us all!!!]
[I take back what I said earlier, the host is actually our comrade!]
[Jeezz, what a letdown, I was just about to ship Mashu-chan a kitchen knife.]
[Good thing the host backed out in time, or else the battlefield might've turned into a Harem War.]
[Host, are you one of those dense Japanese protagonists?]
[Heh, France falling because of a Harem War? Omoishiroi.]
[British aristocrats sip tea in anticipation.]
...
"Why are you even here?"
Ethan asked in confusion. After all, seeing a dragon girl wandering alone here was quite strange.
"Oh right! Hurry and save her!!!"
Elizabeth suddenly remembered something and immediately pleaded with Ethan.
"If we're too late, we might not make it in time!"
"Wait, can you explain more clearly?"
Even though Elizabeth seemed extremely anxious, they still had no concrete information.
"She saved me from prison, but then got attacked by a stalker. In the end, I was the only one who managed to escape! I have to go back and save her!"
Elizabeth sank into painful memories.
"Who is she?"
"She said her name is Kiyohime. Please, come with me to save her!"
"Kiyohime?!"
As expected, the slav--- I mean, Servants summoned by Alaya had all been targeted by Jeanne Alter. Perhaps even Saint Georgios, who had yet to appear, had also met with misfortune.
"Don't worry."
Ethan immediately reassured her.
"We were planning to look for them anyway, and we just so happen to need a guide. If you can, lead the way."
…
"This is the place!!!"
With Elizabeth leading them, it didn't take long before the group saw a massive fortress looming in the distance.
The fortress stood in the middle of an open plain, surrounded by a moat that wasn't shallow in the slightest.
The sky was filled with patrolling wyverns, and even Ethan—an ordinary human—could sense the immense magical energy fluctuations emanating from the front.
"Oh! Since we've already found their headquarters, let's just charge in!!!"
Mordred enthusiastically hefted Clarent onto her shoulder, as her armor slowly materialized around her.
"Hold on!"
Johanna stopped Mordred, then looked down at the ground beneath her feet and struck it hard with her silver staff.
Immediately, a silver magic circle lit up on the ground.
Johanna furrowed her brows and then spoke to Ethan:
"It seems this place has been set up as an enemy territory magic field, constantly drawing mana from the ley lines. Among the enemy's ranks, there's a Servant skilled in Territory Creation, at a level not inferior to mine."
The "kind and benevolent" face of a certain bug-eyed Caster flashed through Ethan's mind.
That's right. If we're talking about Caster aptitude, that tentacle simp might only be average, but with the support of the Holy Grail, the territory magic he sets up is probably just as terrifying as the legends say.
"If we fight within the enemy's territory, we'll not only have to deal with all kinds of familiars but will also struggle to replenish our mana. If possible, we should fight outside."
Emiya Kiritsugu also gave his assessment.
"Or, I could sneak in first to scout. Ideally, I'd eliminate whoever set up this territory before you all launch an attack."
"No."
Ethan immediately rejected Kiritsugu's proposal.
"The enemy still has the Holy Grail in their possession, and this method likely won't work either."
That was Gilles de Rais. The area around him was undoubtedly crawling with all sorts of familiars.
If Kiritsugu infiltrated his domain alone, not only would it be difficult to eliminate the target, but even escaping would be incredibly challenging.
Seeing his plan decisively shot down, Kiritsugu quickly suggested another approach.
"Then how about forcing them out?"
"…What do you mean?"
"If we use a Noble Phantasm with overwhelming firepower to attack the fortress from the outside, there's no way they'll just sit there and take it. They'll be forced to come out and fight. At that moment, we split into two groups: one engages the enemy outside, while the other infiltrates to rescue the hostage and seize the Holy Grail."
Kiritsugu's plan was sound, and it was far more feasible than having him infiltrate alone.
However, the Noble Phantasm used couldn't just have immense firepower—it also had to be capable of attacking from outside the enemy's domain.
Which meant…
After hearing Kiritsugu's proposal, everyone's gazes simultaneously turned to Mordred, who had been pondering how best to charge in.
"Huh? Why are you all looking at me like that?"