The Thirsty Girl's Guide To Summoning (Fate/Isekai)

Chapter 22

Ren stared up at the wolf and rider, bubbles of story fizzing in her mind. One popped and her brow furrowed as she recognized the Servant that fit the description.

Well, mostly.

"Why does he have a head?" she asked under her breath.

"Because, as with Artoria, that's a fusion between a local summoner and a Servant. We really must learn how they're hacking our Grail," said Merlin. He raised his staff high and called, "And why are you here, Avenger?"

The wolf Ren had identified as Lobo snarled like thunder, and a voice once again pounded in her head.

Where is Lady Tora?

"Oh, she's safe," said Merlin, with unexpected cheerfulness. "Healing. She quite enjoyed her dinner. Who's asking?"

The wolf tossed his head, his ears flat, clearly holding back from jumping out of the sky to savage Merlin then and there. Ren understood the feeling.

She belongs to my Master, the Sovereign Lord Kirri Zamaran. You will surrender her at once.

Merlin glanced at Ren, who shrugged and called, "No, we won't." Then she tensed to dodge back inside if this provoked an immediate attack.

The tall, still figure on Lobo's back instead leaned forward to look down at them. Then you will face the consequences. But first, show her to me.

Ren caught Merlin's slight headshake. She said slowly, "No, we won't do that either. But if you can control yourself for a moment, I'll prove to you she's alive and well."

Without waiting for an answer, she ran back into the keep, down the stairs and to Tora's chamber. Because while she was prepared for a fight, if there was any chance of not—at least until she had some Command Seals back—she was going to take it.

"—learning the most amazing—" Ritsu stopped mid-sentence, startled, as Ren threw open the door. Tora had been listening to her with a sad expression.

"Don't mind me, I just need one of these, I'll be back soon." She caught one of the dozing night lizards, Tora's minor familiars, on the armor pile and then grabbed the breastplate as well, and hooked the door closed behind her as she left again.

Then she ran up the stairs and burst out into the courtyard. The wolf and his rider had descended a meter or so, but otherwise nothing at all had changed. Triumphant, Ren held up the armor piece with the night lizard on it. "She's here, healthy and our prisoner."

Lobo snarled like thunder once again, but the rider leaned forward to inspect Ren's proof. Then the voice said, My Master grants you time in which to surrender the woman and yourselves. If at dawn three days hence we must take her, we will then slay everybody in the castle. And if she dies, we will leave this Region a lifeless wasteland.

Without waiting for a response, the wolf sprang higher into the sky and then vanished.

Cú promptly materialized beside Ren, grinning, or at least baring his teeth. "I have to wait three days to fight an Avenger? Too bad. I may die of boredom beforehand. Maybe we can hunt him down first?"

Merlin, too, looked delighted. Ren understood Cú's joy but she frowned at Merlin as Jekyll joined them. She tucked the armor plate under her arm, vaguely wondering where the night lizard had skittered off to. "What are you so happy about?"

With a chuckle, the magus said, "He didn't say a word about a mirror, only Tora, Tora, Tora. He actually bonded with the Avenger driven by the loss of his mate. Yet she genuinely believes she's worthless to him." He laughed again. "I just love a good romance, don't you?"