Chapter 25: The Empress and the plan
The group returned home after the battle with Avicebron, dragging their feet like survivors of war—which, to be fair, they were.
Sieg and Astolfo didn't even bang like usual.
They stumbled into their room, collapsed onto the bed, and were out cold in seconds.
Only Muramasa looked normal, sipping tea in the dark like this was just another Tuesday.
Of course.
But Riya?
Riya didn't even make it to his bed before sleep claimed him.
He opened his eyes in his mindscape—but it was different this time.
He stood in an opulent royal throne room, the air thick with exotic perfume and decadence.
And on the throne, draped in a gown as black as midnight and eyes sharper than any dagger, sat Semiramis.
The Witch of Babylon.
The Poison Empress.
The most dangerously beautiful woman Riya had ever laid eyes on.
She studied him with open amusement, legs crossed, a playful smirk on her lips.
"My, my… you're quite bold to stare so openly," she purred.
Riya blinked. "Wha…?" he stammered, too mesmerized to form a real sentence.
"I am Semiramis, Queen of Assyria. Ruler of poisons. Architect of palaces."
"I have been a little curious about you, boy~"
Her tone oozed seduction, but her gaze was sharp—assessing him like a rare wine or a pet.
"I've seen your battles. Your tenacity. Your potential."
She rose from the throne and began walking toward him, each step echoing with regal confidence.
"I have no interest in sharing myself with just anyone,"
she said, voice low, sultry. "But perhaps... if you prove yourself, you may earn the favor of this Empress."
Riya's heart thudded. This woman was on another level.
She leaned in, Her huge cleavage pressed against his chest while her breath brushing his ear.
"Kill someone for me."
"…What?"
"Amakusa Shirou Tokisada,"
She whispered. "You call him Shirou. A holy man in name, a tyrant in spirit. I knew him once—perhaps in another world—but not here. Here, he is your enemy. My enemy."
She caressed his cheek gently and then licked it.
After that she planted a kiss just on the spot she licked.
"Kill him… brutally. And maybe, next time I'll let you have your way with this Empress."
And just like that she vanished—leaving behind only the intoxicating scent of poison and roses.
Riya jolted awake, face burning red.
He hadn't blushed like this since...Jack pounced on him.
Still… Semiramis's words echoed in his mind.
Kill Shirou.
No—Amakusa Shirou Tokisada.
That white-haired, fake-smiling, soft-spoken weirdo.
Suddenly, the idea didn't seem so hard to stomach.
The morning sun hadn't even fully risen when Riya walked into the living room, where the group had gathered in silence.
They looked up, expecting maybe a breakfast plan or a day of rest.
Instead, Riya spoke firmly:
"We attack the Red Faction. Today."
Stunned silence.
"what?!" Astolfo blurted.
But Riya didn't flinch. "It's 4 vs 3. We're stronger than ever. If we wait, Shirou might pull another stunt—or worse, speed up the Grail's activation. We have two days and seventeen hours before the Greater Grail opens."
Sieg looked uncertain. "But we're exhausted.
What if—?"
"What if we're too late?" Riya cut in. "We already know where they are—the old Black Faction base. Let's end this now, before they gain another advantage."
The room was quiet.
Riya sounded like he'd popped five energy drinks and maybe a mystery pill—but hey, the plan was solid, so no one said a word.
Then Muramasa stood, adjusting his blade.
"I'll take Achilles. We've got unfinished business."
Sieg also stood. "I call Karna. I don't know why but the idea of me against karna just seems right to me."
Astolfo cracked his knuckles. "Then I'll back you up!"
"And I'll distract Tezcatlipoca With everything I've got. Once you're free, we all regroup and take down that Grand Servant together." Riya said.
He looked at each of them in the eye.
"Then we finish this. We kill Shirou. Save humanity. And throw the biggest damn party the Grail War's ever seen."
And probably the only one.
The group grinned—tired, bruised, battered... but ready.
The endgame had begun.