98 The Master of Transformation: Yan Qing
In a corner of the dance floor, a silver-haired girl in a purple dress and a beautiful young man with orange-red hair? Holding hands, they awkwardly tried to imitate ballroom dancing.
The two were like clumsy ducklings just learning to walk, watching others' movements while moving their feet. Unfortunately, when they tried to copy the hand movements, they would forget their footwork.
But Jeanne patiently observed and learned seriously.
Since going through those experiences, she became aware of her shortcomings and has been constantly improving herself.
When the first Alter version of Christmas Artoria told her that she needed to sign a contract to accept the summon, Jeanne couldn't read many characters.
So she secretly practiced writing for months until the day of summoning, proudly handing over the contract.
Also, on Valentine's Day, wanting to express her feelings to someone she liked, she quietly practiced making chocolates.
Following Shakespeare's advice, she impulsively drew her own face on the chocolate. Embarrassed to death, she still mustered the courage to give it away.
"If you don't eat 'me,' I'll glare at you forever. If you do, the witch will curse you for life."
At this moment, she was seriously learning to dance, though her clumsy steps were really amusing.
However, because of her outstanding looks, even if she hid in the corner, she still attracted a lot of attention. The noble ladies nearby looked at the two with amusement, but after being glare at fiercely by Jeanne, they turned and walked away.
Suddenly, the area around the silver-haired girl became empty and she stood out even more.
Luckily, at the center of the dance floor, an even more eye-catching pair attracted most of the attention.
At the center of the dance floor, the silver-white-haired young man and the blonde, blue-eyed girl, a perfectly matched pair like a golden boy and jade girl, became the focal point as soon as they entered.
The blonde girl glanced quietly toward Jeanne's side and said softly, "See, she's just a silly girl. Why not just learn on the spot? Honestly, I never danced before either when I was alive. In times like this, it's better to just rely on intuition."
"Haha, Artoria, as always, so confident," Shirou smiled lightly.
"No, I just hate losing. So I give my all no matter what I do.
As a king leading knights into battle, I must always stand at the forefront," said the blonde girl.
"Indeed, worthy of a king," Shirou complimented.
The two danced closely while whispering to each other.
"I actually have many questions for you—why you appear in my dreams, why Avalon exists inside you, and so on. I want you to answer all of them," Artoria said.
"If you want to know, I'll tell you everything.
But because many complicated things happened, I don't even fully understand what's going on myself.
Being able to meet you like this feels like a dream," Shirou said with a wry smile.
"I see… We can talk about these later. Though I initially wanted to ask everything right away, after fighting alongside you, I realized those things aren't the most important," Artoria said.
"Is that so?" Shirou looked puzzled but genuinely enjoyed fighting alongside Saber again after so long.
"You should know the story of King Arthur sending knights to seek the Holy Grail, right?" Artoria continued.
"Yeah, three found it—the most worldly Bors, the pure Percival, and the most innocent Galahad. In the end, Galahad obtained the Grail, right?" Shirou answered.
"Exactly. The Holy Grail is something I want to obtain too.
And now that you have fused with the Grail, it means... I'm not letting you go! Shirou, you're my captive now!" Artoria declared possessively while staring down the boy.
"The Grail, huh... It feels strange to be equated with that thing," the boy said awkwardly, laughing.
"And there are more important things to do right now, so... Shirou, lead me in this dance properly," the blonde girl said with a light laugh.
"Yes, my queen," Shirou smiled lightly, nodded, took her slender hand, and led her in a graceful dance.
At the center of the dance floor, the boy and girl stepped in sync. Under the boy's guidance, the girl learned quickly and soon danced elegantly.
Every movement was pleasing to the eye. Even those chatting nearby stopped to admire this rare shining moment.
The girl moved as gracefully as a butterfly, pivoting on her right foot with the boy's lead, spinning 360 degrees, her skirt fluttering like a circle in the wind.
The boy lifted their joined right hands, letting the girl spin with the wind, then leaned back, his hand resting firmly on her waist, catching her steadily. The girl leaned backward, their eyes met, and the tender expression seemed as if it could melt the whole world.
"Target spotted!" Holmes' voice sounded in the earpiece.
A moment later, the disguised Shinjuku Assassin, accompanied by his minions the hornets, entered the venue.
"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules. Thank you for your continued cooperation. Life is short and fleeting, so tonight, let us indulge in glory and joy," Assassin raised his glass and loudly proclaimed to the crowd.
The noble guests raised their glasses in response, smiling and enjoying the evening's feast.
Shinjuku was a place twisted beyond salvation, and the summoned heroic spirits there were equally twisted.
Even a chivalrous figure was no exception. By nature, he liked socializing and thus took charge of courting the local residents. Whether by holding banquets or parties, he invited the wealthy and powerful, offering military protection in exchange for their offerings.
The man warmly entertained his guests—his patrons. What he stole from them wasn't money or assets but their pride, love, and courage. He tested if they would grovel, kneel, and pledge loyalty to survive. They would betray family for profit—parents betraying children, children betraying parents. No one could trust kin or comrades anymore, no bonds of family or loyalty, and yet, everyone could live happily ever after.
They could indulge in wealth and luxury, living a life of intoxication and oblivion, numbing their souls with food and drink, proving with gold and jewels that they weren't empty, forgetting all justice and fairness in the world.
As for the true form of Shinjuku Assassin, it was obvious why...
At this moment, the blonde girl glared furiously at Assassin and coldly said, "Hey... That face looks so familiar I want to kill him!"
Indeed, Shinjuku Assassin had transformed to look exactly like the previous Artoria—wearing a black trench coat and shorts with a low ponytail, indistinguishable.
"Steady! Boy, calm this lady down quickly," Moriarty ordered.
"Steady?" Shirou took off his earpiece, muttering, "I might be even angrier than her right now!"
He then walked briskly toward Shinjuku Assassin together with the frowning girl.
"Ah? Hmm?" The Shinjuku Assassin transformed as Artoria was momentarily stunned upon seeing the blonde girl in the black dress approaching.
At the same time, the boy projected a black sword from his hand, and together with the blonde girl wielding a black sword, they swung their weapons toward Shinjuku Assassin's face.