Things don't happen without a reason; their appearance must have their own respective justifications.
The series of decisions Ian made were no different.
Time returned to the moment of sunrise, after the first kiss with the Black Jeanne.
The Dragon Witch's proactiveness wasn't limited to just the exchange of magical energy.
She was just as engrossed in physical contact that was as direct as this.
If she hadn't felt short of breath, she probably wouldn't have ended such a passionate kiss.
"Hah—" The Black Jeanne exhaled a breath of hot air, her red face filled with the word "joy."
"Hey!" She wiped her mouth, then asked loudly.
"So that's what you call kissing, right?!"
"...You actually know about such things?" Ian asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"What do you mean, 'I actually know about such things'?!" The Dragon Witch felt somewhat dissatisfied with Ian's surprise.
"Can't I have seen others do it and then learned about it?" she retorted, her golden eyes narrowing slightly.
That did make sense.
After all, kissing was indeed easier to come across than something like magical energy replenishment.
"Alright, my bad," Ian said, not intending to argue with the Black Jeanne any further about this.
After all, cleanly admitting some unimportant mistakes wasn't anything fatal.
However—
The Black Jeanne had more than just that to say.
She hooked her arms around Ian's neck, a hint of affection appearing in her eyes.
"By the way——"
"What's marriage?" she asked, her golden eyes looking at him with curiosity.
"Hmm?" Suddenly asked such a question, Ian was a little puzzled.
"Why the sudden question?" he asked, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Don't answer a question with a question," the Black Jeanne commanded rather domineeringly.
"Answer my question first, anything else... can wait!" she insisted, her golden eyes looking at him intently.
"..." Ian felt like this scene was a bit familiar.
That's right.
Jeanne had also asked him a similar question.
However—
The answer from back then probably couldn't be directly applied to the Black Jeanne before him.
After all, although the two looked almost exactly alike, their thinking and behavioral patterns were completely different.
After thinking for a moment, the man gave his answer to the question.
"If you really want to know——"
"Then I think... marriage should refer to a relationship that's one step further," Ian explained, choosing his words carefully.
"A step further relationship?" The Black Jeanne frowned slightly, looking like she didn't quite understand what Ian meant.
"Yeah," the man nodded.
"Because feeling that the current relationship isn't enough to connect with each other... so there's a need to understand the other person on a deeper level," Ian elaborated.
"That's probably what marriage is."
"I see..." After hearing the man's words, the Black Jeanne suddenly understood.
But her questions didn't seem to end there.
Soon, the Dragon Witch asked again.
"Then——"
"If we compare it to the relationship between a Master and Servant, which one would be considered a further step?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
"...It should still be marriage, right?" Ian replied.
"After all, the relationship between a Master and Servant still has some contractual nature, while marriage is more about personal will," Ian explained.
"Compared to that, the latter is naturally more pure, right?" he concluded, his gaze unwavering.
Hearing these words, the Black Jeanne's eyes glowed slightly.
She looked like a child who had just been promised a toy.
"Then what preparations are needed for marriage? Is it very complicated?" she asked, her golden eyes wide with anticipation.
"..." Slightly recalling the secret wedding presided over by Charles VII, Ian, who was moved by the memory, quickly shook his head.
"No," Ian replied softly.
"It doesn't require much complicated preparation."
"A venue and a witness are enough," Ian explained.
"The truly important thing... is the heart that wants to be with the other person," he added, his gaze gentle.
As soon as the words fell, Ian suddenly realized something.
The Black Jeanne wouldn't have brought up such a topic for no reason.
When she said this, it meant that she already had this kind of thought in her heart.
This conjecture quickly became reality.
The Black Jeanne looked at Ian, her eyes filled with an extremely excited emotion that came after "understanding" everything.
"I've decided," she declared, her golden eyes sparkling.
"Since it's a relationship that's one step further——"
"Then you should marry me!" she announced, her voice filled with determination.
Just like before, the Dragon Witch didn't intend to give her "Servant" any chance to refuse.
Before Ian could even express any opinion on this, a hot and overwhelmingly passionate kiss cut off any words from appearing.
The Black Jeanne set the marriage contract between the two in a semi-forced manner—even though she didn't actually understand its true meaning.
But that didn't matter.
As long as it could bring the two of them closer, it was enough for her.
And this scene happened to become the scene of brother-snatching in the Saint Maiden's eyes.
But in a sense, there was indeed no problem with such an understanding.
But things had only just begun here.
Honestly, Ian had completely not expected Jeanne to appear outside the city of Jura at this time.
But the moment he saw her, the man was still deeply moved.
Because he had confirmed one thing.
This Singularity, confirmed by Chaldea, was proof that Jeanne had successfully survived François' rampage.
She, at this moment, was the result of all his previous efforts, an existence like a "miracle."
"That's great..." Ian couldn't help but feel this way.
However—
The Black Jeanne didn't think so.
Having just confirmed Carmilla's death, Jeanne's appearance undoubtedly ignited all the anger in her heart.
The Dragon Witch showed her killing intent at the first moment—it was a determination to put the other party to death.
In the process of fighting against that little loli, this killing intent further intensified into an extremely terrifying magical energy suppression.
So much so that before the other party could even fight back, she was directly pierced through the body by the Black Jeanne's Dragon Witch Banner and died on the spot.
But—
Ian didn't feel much about this.
If he had to say something, it would only be gratitude.
After all, he hadn't really interacted with the little loli protecting Jeanne, so he naturally couldn't feel too much.
And compared to her passing, the man cared more about Jeanne's safety.
After all, the Dragon Witch in this state obviously wouldn't easily forgive her for daring to come before her.
Did he... have to intervene?
Fortunately, Ian wasn't the only one worried about Jeanne's safety.
Mashu's appearance resolved the crisis at this moment.
The man was very fortunate—after all, this meant that Jeanne had met the people from Chaldea and had gained their trust.
But the Dragon Witch's subsequent attack made the little bit of relief that had just arisen in the man's heart burn to ashes.
He saw her wave her Dragon Witch Banner again and again, spewing out bursts of flames.
Ian suddenly realized something.
Since the Black Jeanne could carry the Holy Grail with her in a special form——
That meant she could obtain a sufficient supply of magical energy from it at all times.
This was also why that little loli had no power to fight back in front of the Dragon Witch—because she was fighting a witch who had the benefit of the Holy Grail!
This was an incredibly powerful combat power boost.
It meant that it was almost impossible for anyone to defeat the Black Jeanne.
Unless—
The attack itself came from the shadows!
The man's premonitions always came true in strange places.
"Radiant and Brilliant King Sword (Clarent)!" As the familiar voice rang out, a lightning-like beam of light shot from afar at an unimaginable speed.
Ian knew that was his daughter Mordred releasing her Noble Phantasm.
He also knew that this beam of light would definitely cause serious damage or even kill the Black Jeanne in one blow if it hit.
After all, the Dragon Witch at this moment had used all her energy on offense.
However—
He absolutely couldn't let such a thing happen.
There might be reasons for this based on personal feelings.
But more so, it was another problem he had just realized.
The Black Jeanne at this moment wasn't a simple Servant or Master, but an existence carrying the "Holy Grail."
If the Radiant and Brilliant King Sword (Clarent) hit her, it would indeed cause serious damage.
But at the same time, the Holy Grail would likely suffer the same level of damage.
No one knew what kind of consequences such a thing would cause—after all, the complete Holy Grail had been retrieved in Singularity F.
Ian understood that he absolutely couldn't take such a risk.
After all, if the actions at this moment led to the failure to repair the Singularity during the Hundred Years' War between England and France, then all previous efforts would have been in vain.
After weighing the pros and cons.
The man decided to take action.
The ability of "Memory Projection" was activated in an instant, and a jet-black sword blade appeared in his hand.
It was the Sword of Promised Victory (Excalibur Morgan), made from the memories obtained from the battle with Artoria in Singularity F.
It should have been a very poor imitation.
But at this moment, Ian could feel some kind of magical energy flowing within him that could support its extraordinary performance.
"Sword of Promised Victory (Excalibur Morgan)!" Following the call to protect humanity, the jet-black beam of light surged towards the lightning emitted by Mordred, causing a violent collision.
And then—
It was his hope placed on Jeanne.
How much could she... understand?
"Hey!" The Black Jeanne's shout pulled Ian back from his memories.
"What's wrong?" The man, coming back to his senses, looked at the girl lying in his arms and asked.
"You're still asking me what's wrong?" The Black Jeanne looked up, glaring at Ian who was holding her.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you what's wrong?!" she demanded, her golden eyes narrowed in annoyance.
"I called you so many times just now, but you didn't react at all, like you were dead."
"Were you thinking about something strange again?" she asked suspiciously.
"...No," Ian replied softly, shaking his head.
"Really?" The Black Jeanne looked at him with doubt.
"Really," Ian confirmed, his gaze unwavering.
Hearing the man's answer, the Black Jeanne pouted but didn't pursue the matter further.
"By the way——"
"I have another question to ask you," she said, her golden eyes looking at him curiously.
"What question?" Ian asked gently.
"It's about if we really get married," the Black Jeanne said, taking Ian's hand. Her tone became a bit gentler.
"Shouldn't my way of addressing you change too?" she asked, her golden eyes looking at him expectantly.
"...I guess?" Ian replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"Then——" The Black Jeanne looked up, continuing with an unquestionable tone.
"I'll call you darling from now on!" she declared, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"Huh?" Ian was taken aback by her sudden declaration.
"It's decided, no objections allowed!" she insisted, her golden eyes looking at him firmly.
"..." At the same time, outside the city of Jura.
Completely different from the loving scene of a girlfriend acting spoiled on the back of the evil dragon, the atmosphere here was as silent as death.
Although they had successfully rescued all the innocent civilians inside the city of Jura from the great fire unleashed by the evil dragons.
Everyone except Jeanne clearly realized one thing at this moment.
That was that Ian had really run off with the Dragon Witch.
"How could this be..." Mordred couldn't believe such a thing at all.
She absolutely couldn't accept that the person her mother and foster mother called a "hero" would betray them publicly like this.
This wasn't something he would do.
"Why would Senpai..." Recalling the scene just now, Mashu was completely distraught.
She still remembered what Ian had said when he left earlier—"I'll definitely come back after figuring out what's going on."
But when they met again, he had completely stood on the opposite side of everyone.
What... exactly happened in between?
Fujimaru Ritsuka was even more so.
Her mind was filled with the promise Ian had made with her and others in front of everyone when they set off from Chaldea.
"Together, we will take back the future that humanity should have."
But now—
How could he have betrayed them and become a subordinate of that female demon?
Could it be...
That all those words filled with a sense of justice before were actually just an act?
Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't dare to continue thinking.
Completely different from the others, Jeanne, who understood Ian's intentions because of their sibling bond, was in a different state at this moment.
She realized that this was perhaps just a repetition of the past.
Her brother was doing something for her that couldn't be announced for the time being.
This was definitely not a betrayal, but an unspeakable difficulty.
Then—
She had to believe him.
Believe that he hadn't betrayed them to become a subordinate of that Dragon Witch, but had other intentions.
Believe that his last words weren't a huge trap.
Jeanne thought so, and then made an unprecedented resolution.
However—
How could she summon more "Servants" to Orleans as he had instructed?
She had absolutely no experience in this area.
The Saint Maiden took a deep breath, clasped her hands together, and began to pray.
"Lord... although I understand that my hopes are insignificant to you."
"But I still hope that you can give me guidance and lead me onto the right path."
"Even if... it's just one word."
Jeanne prayed again and again.
She was so devout and focused that she didn't even notice her body was faintly glowing.
Time passed, and sunset arrived.
After praying for an entire day, Jeanne suddenly heard the voice in her dream again.
It was an extremely simple sentence.
"Everyone has their own special skill."
"The way for you to be saved lies within it."