The next morning, I walked through the school gates, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle on my shoulders. Despite getting some rest, the events of the previous night still lingered in my mind—my ruined home, the battle against an Assassin-class Servant, and, of course, Jeanne.
Speaking of Jeanne, she was still with me. Not physically, at least not visibly. She remained in her Astral Form, following me through the halls. Even though she wasn't seen, I could still hear her voice through our mental connection.
Jeanne: This place is strange... A battlefield where no one fights.
Ren: It's a school. People fight here, just not in the way you're thinking.
Jeanne: Hmph. The battles of words and pride, then. Still foolish.
I sighed and made my way to my classroom, greeting Issei on the way in. The school day itself was nothing special—just the usual lessons, passing conversations, and the occasional glance out the window. But my mind was elsewhere. I needed to figure out what to do next, especially with my home in ruins.
The school day had been uneventful. Despite everything that had happened the night before—the summoning, the battle, and the utter destruction of my house—I somehow managed to sit through classes like any normal student.
Jeanne, of course, wasn't making things easier.
"You're really just going to sit there and pretend like nothing happened the previous night?" her voice rang in my head.
Telepathy. Convenient, but also incredibly annoying.
"What else am I supposed to do?" I responded internally, resting my chin on my hand as I lazily watched the teacher write on the board.
"I don't understand you. If something angers you, fight. If something excites you, fight. Why do you sit here instead?"
"Because I don't want to die?"
She huffed in irritation but went silent after that. At the very least, she was keeping to her Astral form, avoiding unnecessary attention. If she had decided to materialize and stand over my desk, I doubt I'd have gotten through the day without collapsing from stress.
By the time the final bell rang, I was more than ready to leave. The instant the teacher dismissed us, I grabbed my bag and headed out. Jeanne followed silently, her presence lingering in the back of my mind.
I was about halfway to the school gate when I heard footsteps catching up behind me.
"Oi, Ren!"
I turned to see Shirou jogging toward me. He slowed to a walk as he reached my side.
"You heading home?" he asked.
I hesitated for a split second. Home? My house was barely standing after last night's fight. I had managed to sleep there, but calling it 'home' at this point felt like a joke.
"Not exactly. My place is... uh, not in great shape right now," I admitted.
Shirou frowned. "What happened?"
"Got caught up in something," I replied vaguely. "Let's just say it needs a lot of repairs."
Shirou gave me a look but didn't press further. "Then why not stay at my place for the night?"
I blinked. "...Huh?"
"My house has plenty of space. If your place is in bad condition, it'd be better to stay somewhere safe."
I was about to refuse when Jeanne's voice rang in my head.
"Accept."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like the idea of you sleeping in ruins. And because I want to see what kind of person this friend of yours is."
I sighed. "Alright. Thanks, Shirou. I appreciate it."
He nodded, satisfied. As we reached the school gate, a familiar figure was standing there, waiting.
Sakura Tohsaka.
She noticed us immediately, offering a small smile. "Shirou, Ren. You're leaving together?"
Shirou nodded. "Yeah. Ren's staying at my place tonight since his house is in bad condition."
Sakura turned to me, concern flashing in her eyes. "Are you okay?"
I rubbed the back of my head. "Yeah. Just some, uh, property damage. Nothing serious."
She didn't seem entirely convinced, but she didn't push it. "If you need help, just let us know. Nee-san and I can probably do something."
I resisted the urge to wince at the mention of her. Rin Tohsaka. If anyone was bound to find out about my situation, it would be her.
"I'll keep that in mind," I said instead.
"Be careful on your way home," she added before heading in the opposite direction.
Shirou and I resumed walking. But the moment we turned the corner, Jeanne's voice chimed in again.
"That girl is strange."
"Sakura? Why?"
"Her presence reminds me of something... someone... I can't quite place it. Just be careful."
Great. As if my life wasn't complicated enough.
The walk to Shirou's house was mostly quiet, filled only with casual conversation about school and Fujimura-sensei's usual antics. The sky had darkened considerably, and streetlights flickered on as they made their way through Miyama.
By the time we reached Shirou's house, I found myself briefly admiring the traditional Japanese architecture. It had a quiet, old-fashioned charm, vastly different from the state of my own ruined home.
Shirou slid the wooden door open. "Come in," he said, stepping aside.
As Shirou led me further inside, he casually added, "By the way, someone else is staying here too. A friend of Kiritsugu's. Her name's Saber."
My steps faltered for just a second.
"Saber?"
Before I could process the name fully, Jeanne's voice rang out in my head, her tone sharp and alert.
"Master, be careful. That 'Saber' he mentioned—she's a Servant. I recognize her presence."
I barely stopped myself from reacting outwardly.
The moment I stepped into the living room, Saber's head snapped toward me. Her blue-green eyes narrowed as if she had caught the scent of something dangerous. Then, in a flash of golden light, her casual clothing vanished, replaced by shining silver armor. Her invisible blade materialized in her grip, humming with barely contained power.
The second I saw that golden light wash over Saber, instinct took over. My hand shot to my belt, pulling my pistol free in one swift motion.
By the time her armor fully materialized, I had already leveled the gun at her. My finger hovered just outside the trigger guard—ready, but not reckless.
Saber's reaction was immediate. She stepped in front of Shirou, her unseen blade materializing in her grip. Though I couldn't see it, I could feel the pressure radiating from it, like standing too close to a live wire.
"Shirou, stay back," she commanded, her voice as sharp as steel.
"Whoa, hold on!" I took a step back, gun still raised. "What the hell is this?!"
Saber's piercing gaze locked onto me. "There is a Servant here. I can sense it."
Damn it. Of course, she'd notice Jeanne.
"Master," Jeanne's voice rang in my head, dry and unimpressed. "And here I thought you didn't like pointing weapons at women."
"Not the time, Jeanne."
Meanwhile, Shirou was looking between us, baffled. "Saber, what are you—?"
Saber didn't let him finish. "He is hiding something." Her eyes narrowed. "Or someone."
I didn't flinch. "That's a bold accusation."
"You deny it?" she challenged.
I hesitated for half a second. That was all the confirmation she needed.
Saber took a step forward, shifting into a stance I recognized all too well—one meant for overwhelming speed.
My grip on the pistol tightened. If she charges, I won't have time to dodge.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't get cut in half," Jeanne muttered in my mind. "Just say the word."
"Not yet."
"Saber, stop!" Shirou stepped forward, holding out a hand. "Ren's my friend!"
She didn't lower her blade. "Then he should prove he is not my enemy."
Tension hung heavy in the air. The only sound was the faint hum of power radiating from her unseen sword.
Then Shirou let out a sigh. "Look, why don't we all sit down first? Ren, you take sugar in your tea?"
Saber didn't move. I didn't lower my gun.
"...Yeah," I muttered, still keeping my eyes locked on hers.
Jeanne snorted in my head. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
The tension still hadn't fully faded by the time we finished drinking our tea. Saber, ever vigilant, remained near Shirou, her invisible blade never too far from readiness. Even though we weren't pointing weapons at each other anymore, I could tell she still didn't trust me. Not entirely.
Which, honestly, was fair.
I set my cup down with a quiet clink and exhaled. "Alright, let's just cut to the chase." I looked Shirou dead in the eye. "An alliance."
Shirou blinked. "Huh?"
"We're both Masters. We both know this war's dangerous, and honestly, I'd rather not be watching my back every second for a knife—or worse, another damn Assassin." I crossed my arms. "You're my friend, and I don't want to fight you. So, let's work together."
Shirou frowned, mulling it over. "I mean, I don't want to fight you either, but…" He glanced at Saber. "An alliance?"
Saber's expression darkened slightly. "Master, are you certain? Trusting another Master so easily could prove disastrous."
I met Saber's gaze, and after a moment, I sighed. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that."
Then, I stood up and rolled my shoulders. "Alright, since we're doing this, I might as well come clean."
With a pulse of mana, I let Jeanne fully manifest.
A golden glow filled the room as Jeanne d'Arc Alter stepped into existence beside me, her black armor gleaming under the kitchen light, her presence as imposing as ever. Her piercing yellow eyes swept across Saber and Shirou before she scoffed.
"So," she said, arms crossed. "This is what you were dealing with?"
Saber stiffened instantly, her fingers twitching toward her sword. Her stance shifted, readying for a fight. "This presence…" Her eyes narrowed at Jeanne. "You… You are no ordinary Servant."
Jeanne smirked. "Oh? You noticed?"
Saber's grip tightened, her instincts screaming at her. "You are not the true Jeanne d'Arc."
"Nope," Jeanne said with a mocking lilt. "Not even close."
Shirou, for his part, looked more than a little alarmed. "Ren… what the hell is your Servant?"
I scratched my cheek. "Yeah, about that… My Servant is Jeanne d'Arc Alter."
Shirou tilted his head confused. "Alter…?"
"Yes," Saber interrupted, her voice harsh. "She is a corrupted existence. She is Jeanne d'Arc's dark counterpart—twisted by hatred, fueled by vengeance."
Jeanne's smirk widened. "Flattering, really."
Saber, however, did not seem amused. She took a step forward, her golden armor gleaming as she tightened her stance. "And you expect me to trust her?"
Jeanne chuckled. "Oh, please, I don't care if you trust me or not. The only one I listen to is my Master."
I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Okay, okay, enough of that. Look, Saber, I get it—you don't trust her. But let's be real here. If we're going to survive this war, we need allies."
Shirou still looked hesitant, but I pressed on. "Neither of us wants to kill each other. We have a common enemy: the other Masters, If we work together, we stand a better chance."
Saber remained silent for a moment, her blue eyes scrutinizing me, then Jeanne.
Finally, she exhaled sharply. "...Master, if you choose to trust him, I will follow your decision. However—" She shot Jeanne a cold look. "—I will not turn my back on an enemy."
Jeanne rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever makes you sleep at night."
Shirou hesitated, then looked at me. "You're sure about this?"
"As sure as I can be," I said. "If we're going to win, we need to be smart about it. I don't want to fight you, and I don't think you want to fight me."
A long silence stretched between us.
Then, finally, Shirou sighed and extended his hand. "Alright. An alliance, then."
I took his hand and shook it.
"Good," I muttered. "At least that's one less person trying to kill me."
Jeanne smirked. "Well, this was fun. Are we done?"
Saber huffed, but said nothing.
Shirou gave me a tired look. "Yeah, yeah. You can sleep in the guest room. Just… try not to wreck anything, alright?"
I chuckled. "No promises."
After sealing our alliance, I followed Shirou down the hallway, entering the guest room he had offered. The Emiya household, with its modest furnishings, stood in stark contrast to the wreckage of my own place. Two days had passed since Jeanne's summoning, since I'd fought Assassin, and since my house had been destroyed. Yet the weight of the damage hadn't fully settled in.
I stepped into the guest room, glancing around at the simple space: a small desk against the wall, a modest closet, and a single bed. It wasn't much, but at least it was functional. It was hard not to compare it to what I'd lost, but I shoved that thought away.
Shirou paused at the door and turned to me, giving me a small, reassuring smile. "This should work for now. You can crash here tonight."
I looked at the bed again, noting that there was only one. It wasn't a huge issue, but I had to voice the observation. "Uh, there's only one?"
Shirou seemed a bit taken aback. "Well, yeah, it's a guest room."
I blinked, realizing how ridiculous my question sounded. "Right, of course. Thanks."
He nodded and gave me a wave. "I'll get some dinner started. You should rest. You've had a tough few days."
I nodded, still processing everything that had happened since I summoned Jeanne. "I'll try."
As soon as Shirou left and closed the door behind him, the weight of everything crashed back into my thoughts. I let out a heavy breath and turned toward the bed. Just the sight of it made me want to collapse. I needed sleep, but first...
Fwsh!
The air shifted as Jeanne's form materialized before me.
"Really?" I muttered, half-amused, half-frustrated.
Jeanne, as usual, completely ignored my exasperation. Her sharp eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail, before she gave a small huff. "It's small," she commented, arms crossed.
I couldn't help but feel a little defensive. "It's a guest room. What did you expect?"
Her gaze shifted to the bed, her eyes lingering on the single mattress. She didn't even try to hide her displeasure. "There's only one."
I raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah? And?"
She gave me a sidelong glance. "You expect me to sleep on the floor?"
I sighed, rubbing my temples in frustration. "Jeanne, you're a Servant. You don't even need sleep."
She smirked, unbothered. "Doesn't mean I don't want to."
I groaned inwardly, throwing my hands up in the air. "Of course you do. Just... just make yourself comfortable."
Without waiting for my response, Jeanne strolled over to the bed, making herself entirely at home. The moment she sat, her black armor shimmered and melted away into the simple black dress she had chosen to wear. She stretched out, practically taking over the entire bed like she was the one who lived here.
I stood there, hands on my hips, trying to figure out how I'd ended up in this situation. "You're way too comfortable with this."
She leaned back against the pillows with a playful smile, clearly enjoying the moment. "You're the one who summoned me, Master. You should be honored."
I rolled my eyes and moved to sit at the edge of the bed, as far from her as possible. "Sure, honored."
Jeanne looked over at me, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Aren't you going to lie down?"
I could already feel the exhaustion starting to creep in. I let out a long sigh, running a hand through my hair as I reluctantly lay down on the bed next to her. The cool sheets felt surprisingly nice against my skin. Even with Jeanne there, I couldn't deny that my body was screaming for rest.
She shifted, making herself more comfortable next to me, but not too close. Still, I could feel her presence at the edge of the bed. I let out another quiet sigh, feeling her gaze on me.
"You know," she started, her voice quieter now, "I've fought many wars, but... this is different. The way you fight, the way you've handled everything so far..."
I turned my head to look at her. "What do you mean?"
Jeanne hesitated, her expression unreadable for a moment. "You're more than just a 'Master,' Ren. You've shown... resilience. It's a quality I admire."
My heart skipped a beat at her words. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to feel grateful, uncomfortable, or something else entirely. "I'm just trying to get through this, Jeanne. I'm not sure I'm handling it well."
She gave me a small smile. "You're doing better than you think."
I closed my eyes, my mind still racing with everything that had happened since the moment I summoned her. The battle with Assassin. The ruined house. The weight of my goal. My parents.
I gripped the blanket a little tighter, trying to push the thoughts away. "I don't even know what I'm doing anymore."
Jeanne's tone softened. "You're doing the right thing. You're fighting for something important."
Her words were a comfort, but also a reminder of the responsibility I had taken on. As much as I wanted to rest, I knew sleep wouldn't come easy tonight. Too much was on my mind.
"I hope so," I whispered before I finally let myself drift off to sleep.