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

Chapter 50: Letter Fragments

(from Lord Kirri, to Lady Serendipity)

Forgive me for addressing these letters to Tora; it's a necessary measure for now. I am reconfiguring my forces in the regions I govern to reduce the chances of revolt when the truth of our alliance is revealed. That will happen sooner than I like, as my erstwhile mistress, Queen Mada, is unfortunately aware of my transformations into Avenger. I can delay reporting to her, but true deception is impossible. When discovery comes it will come with an extremely swift response.

With that in mind, I think it would be useful if one of your Servants was stationed in my headquarters, as Tora informs me they maintain telepathic communication with you. However, while we are operating undercover, it would be best to send somebody equally adept in remaining discreet and blending in. I specifically request you not send the blue spearman to me again, as something about him makes my Avenger extremely aggressive.

I will continue sending resources to your fortress, as I believe protecting that portal is of paramount importance. While I am not privy to the plans of my superiors in the Sovereigns, I know that capturing and capping summoning portals is a crucial component. The mirrors that melded Saber with Tora and Avenger with myself are also related to whatever they scheme, and we are by no means the only ones selected to trial this new familiar system. Perhaps whoever you send to my HQ can also instruct me in how to permanently put down others like Tora and myself.

Unfortunately, even though you have swayed me to your view that there is another way, I will not be able to quickly unblock the portals in my regions. It is not a system meant to be easily reversed, but I have been looking into it for some time and I'm certain it can eventually be done, especially if we can capture certain resources Queen Mada has under her control.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

(from Serendipity to Kirri)

Tora is writing this for me, because while I have no trouble reading your fine script, my handwriting is not likewise readable for others. Thank you for your material support. Already the fortress is far more pleasant a habitation, and soon it will also be a far more secure one. I hope your lieutenants have fully recovered from their trials? I imagine their strength will be very helpful when it comes to dealing with any trouble from below.

As to your request for a Servant to be assigned to you, I am still determining what to do. The most obvious and best-suited of my Servants has displayed feelings similar to your Avenger's at the thought of being removed from his previous assignment. Given that Servants are generally dangerous and this one is particularly unpredictable, I have chosen not to send him to you unwilling. As a temporary solution, I'm sending you Merlin. He's hardly inconspicuous but as he is perfectly capable of remaining both invisible and intangible, I hope he will not cause you too much trouble. While he is also reluctant to exert himself, I trust him to represent my interests to you.

I am also sending two of my companions, Astolfo and Flat, on a flying tour of the local regions, explicitly to study the portals in your domain. If you recieve reports of a hippogriff with two riders spooking your troops, my apologies in advance. My options are limited.

Please tell me what you can about Queen Mada. My Servants, while sometimes particular about their duties, are eager to be of service. With time on their hands the younger ones turn to mischief while the older ones will fight even each other over irrelevant small stupid (honestly Lord Kirri, I don't understand what they're fighting over —Tora) meaningless things.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

(from Kirri to Serendipity)

Your associate Merlin has arrived, but he informs me he is under strict orders to only contact you telepathically in an emergency, so I shall continue sending you letters via my familiars for now. He seems to be a very playful personality but also a very acute judge of character. I find myself wishing he would spend more time in this silent and invisible state you mention.

Troop reconfiguration continues apace. I am organizing some combat exercises that will put soldiers in certain key locations to supplement Chalice's defenses. So far I have managed to keep quiet the ~addition~ of your fortress to my domain by convincing my less reliable subordinates that I wish to present it so as to add luster to Tora's conquest. (For some reason it is commonly believed that Tora is a personal favorite, and allowing this rumor has occasionally been convenient.)

The Witch Queen Mada is a woman feared even among those who technically outrank her, or so I understand. My perspective on her is somewhat biased, as I have served her since I was a very young man and she has had a strong influence in my life. I am one of the youngest of her protégés and my brethren, her Knights, represent a significant and imminent threat to our efforts. If my mistress acts as I anticipate, one or more of them will be dispatched to investigate my delay in reporting to her. While technically I can deceive them, it is more likely to be the the beginning of a new phase of operations, as generally speaking we do not get along...

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

(from Kirri to Serendipity)

It was quite novel to receive your latest message via Merlin, especially as he has been much quieter since delivering it.

I am expecting an investigative visit from several of Queen Mada's Knights soon. She seeks to understand my delay in reporting directly to her, which I have avoided due to my inability to deceive her. Depending on whether I have to kill them, our subterfuge may end the day of their arrival. I will communicate news via Merlin...

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

(from Kirri to Serendipity)

To supplement the news I sent via Merlin, I enclose the following maps of our current troop positions. Chalice and your fortress are well-protected from invading armies for now. Unfortunately my ability to stop single individuals, especially those as talented as Queen Mada's Knights, is limited. I have my lieutenants stationed at likely routes, and I have not given any sign that there is anything of interest in Chalice, which may help. I have allowed them to think that after capturing Chalice I decided to rebel purely out of a desire for power myself. I had to kill one of my brother Knights to support this deception, but I assure you, I never liked him much...

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

(From Tora to Kirri)

My lord, I write as myself today with a request. Can you ask Merlin if he can reach out to Lady Ren? We cannot locate her and our Archer suggested that Merlin may succeed where the rest of the Servants have failed. They are all quite certain she is alive, but more than that cannot be determined...

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

(From Kirri to Tora)

I conveyed your message to Merlin and judging from his reaction, I believe he was neither aware of Lady Ren's absence, nor able to contact her as he usually does. I hope he has returned to report to you, but I know too well how passions aroused can lead to ignoring standard operating procedures. In any case, he is no longer with me. Who is currently operating as Lady Ren's second in command? I wish to coordinate with them on the search for Lady Ren, as I have some concerns about Lady Mada's Knights. I very much fear one of them may be involved in her disappearance.

So far, Queen Mada has not mobilized troops to retake my territory, but I believe news of my betrayal is spreading among the upper ranks and they wait only to see how quickly she can bring her straying dog to heel. I am very much looking forward to surprising them...