Murder Incident

The gentle morning light seeped through the wide French windows, casting its glow on the floor.

On the spacious bed, a golden-haired girl slowly opened her eyes, surveying the unfamiliar ceiling before her.

"Ugh... Where am I?"

Rubbing her forehead, the girl sat up, finding a luxurious velvet duvet and plush memory foam mattress on the broad bed to be clearly beyond her or any girl she knew's standards. Her body, accustomed to wooden beds, couldn't help but feel a twinge of longing, making her wish she could just lie back down again for a good sleep.

'No way! As a devoted follower, one must resist temptation!' Jeanne thought and shook her head frantically.

Slapping her face lightly, she regained her usual determination and clarity. At the same time, the events prior flooded into her mind like a tidal wave.

'It seemed like this is Rider's room...'

Jeanne glanced around, suddenly detecting an aura of the living from the wardrobe. Curiously, she swung her legs off the bed and approached the wardrobe.

*Creak—*

Pulling the wardrobe door open, she found a beautiful, gray-haired woman lying inside.

Jeanne's pupils suddenly contracted.

In her mind, the idea of 'Servants consuming people's hearts to replenish their magical energy' subconsciously emerged.

However, she quickly dismissed that thought.

Rider wasn't someone who would do such a thing, and the Yggdmillennia had more than enough means to replenish magical energy, so he had no reason to resort to such actions.

Calming her thoughts, Jeanne looked again at the seemingly sound-asleep woman before her. The clothes she wore were identical to those of other Yggdmillennia people, clearly part of the same uniform.

A pensive expression crossed Jeanne's face as she turned over the right hand of the sleeping woman, unsurprisingly finding three crimson command spells.

The truth was clear; this woman was indeed Rider's Master. Moreover, judging from her condition, she was clearly under his control.

Instinctively, the benevolent French saint extended her hand, intending to help the woman break free from the control.

However, her hand froze midway.

—From here on is an internal matter for our Black Faction. As a Ruler, you better remember your place.

The familiar words of Arkhan echoed in Jeanne's ears, and her expression instantly became extremely complex.

After a long silence, Jeanne sighed softly and continued to reach out to the gray-haired woman.

Jeanne lifted her from the wardrobe, placed her gently on the plush memory foam bed, and gently covered her with the duvet.

"Sorry, this isn't something I should be meddling in... I've done all I can." Jeanne apologized to the sleeping woman, her face full of regret.

With her hand, Jeanne made a cross gesture on her chest and then interlocked her fingers, placing them against her forehead.

"May the Lord bless you..."

*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*

While the devout saint was deep in prayer, there came a sudden knocking at the door.

Jeanne's heart leaped to her throat.

This was Rider's room, and if it were him, there was no need to knock. It likely meant that someone from the Yggdmillennia was outside! If they found out about the situation of his Master, it would be a disaster!

Jeanne hurriedly covered Celenike's head with the duvet and took a deep breath. Unfortunately, it barely calmed her heart. With no other choice, she approached the door and opened it with just a small crack.

To her surprise, it wasn't a member of Yggdmillennia standing outside, but a homunculus servant holding a tray filled with food.

"Your Excellency, Rider asked me to inform you that he has left the fortress for a task, and after finishing this meal, it's best for you to leave here quickly."

The emotionless homunculus conveyed Arkhan's message.

Jeanne sighed in relief and nodded.

"Alright, I understand."

She reached out to take the tray from the homunculus, but the homunculus didn't leave. Instead, staring at her with eyes so clear they seemed void of impurities.

"...Is there anything else?" Jeanne tilted her head, confused.

The homunculus hesitated visibly, coughed lightly, and then whispered.

"Will he be punished...?"

This unexpected question caught Jeanne off guard.

"By 'he', you mean...?" Jeanne asked hesitantly.

"The homunculus being contested by Archer and Caster."

Hearing that, Jeanne finally snapped back to attention. She carefully examined the homunculus's clear, emotionless eyes and noticed a hint of concern within.

'I see...' Jeanne sighed inwardly and smiled. "No, he just wants to survive. That's not a crime."

"Thank you."

The homunculus's expression relaxed slightly, gave a small bow to Jeanne, and then turned to leave.

Watching the homunculus go, Jeanne sighed softly and turned back into the room.

===

Sighisoara.

Soft, fluffy white clouds gently drifted in the sky as the warm sunlight bathed the medieval-style buildings, creating an atmosphere of leisure and comfort.

However, due to recent unexpected events, this tourist city renowned for its historic architecture was gradually slipping into an atmosphere of unease.

—Serial killer on the loose in Sighisoara, with the number of victims exceeding thirty.

Looking at the bold headline on the newspaper's front page, Arkhan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"It happened, just as I suspected."

"Thirty-plus consecutive murders, causing such a commotion... Is this Assassin really on our side?" Nidhogg stirred her coffee spoon gently, expressing her doubts.

Like him, she had inherited modern knowledge, so she was well aware of how severe this situation was.

"If it were Sagara Hyouma, the supposed original Master of Assassin, he wouldn't have pulled this off. But things have changed." Arkhan took a sip of his coffee, going over the events that led up to this incident.

Sagara Hyouma, a member of the Yggdmillennia, chose the ritual of human sacrifice to summon the most suitable Assassin, Jack the Ripper. However, among the sacrifices, a woman named Rikudou Reika, driven by a strong will to survive, unexpectedly formed a contract with Assassin and took control away from him.

However, Reika wasn't a mage and just an ordinary person, so she couldn't provide the magical energy Assassin needed. As a result, they resorted to replenishing it by extracting the hearts of mages through a series of murders.

This was the truth behind the ongoing spree of killings.

Although the Yggdmillennia didn't know the specifics, they sensed that Assassin might be out of control. To prevent Assassin from falling into the hands of the Red Faction, they decided to send someone to investigate.