Naked Truth and Blatant Lies

[Nina Lüceanu]

And once more, Nina stared at the circle engraved into the floor with blank amazement. Certainly, this was one of the more complex examples of a magic array she's seen, not to mention that it was drawn with precious metals, but that was not what had surprised the girl. She could probably device something of this level herself, though she'd need quite some time to pull it off as flawlessly, and her grandpa... well, he is beside the point.

"*sigh* I can't even tell if he's really that arrogant or simply retarded anymore. But he's managed to live to this age while being a complete bastard; ...I guess he's not that retarded. Shouldn't be. A case of old age stagnation, maybe?"

The circle was just left there. Great going, old man. How long has it been since he had constructed this? He hadn't left Raven Mist's place for a bit over a month now so it was at least that much. The house had only the simplest bounded field surrounding it, and it wouldn't be hard for an experienced magus to erase all traces of infiltration with this kind of protection...

"No, he might actually be... that arrogant..."

Frankly, Nina was somewhat lost as to what to do. On one hand, this was the best location for the ritual she could hope to find. Not only was it well-prepared but also the house itself was in a rather advantageous position. Nicolay said something about the land around town being... "unavailable" and grumbled over being only able to secure a second-rate place. That talk was giving Nina quite a headache right now. While she knew Lucca was supposed to be a powerful land this was still something beyond her expectations. If she were to create a workshop here... even with this body, creation of a Shadow Mist wouldn't be impossible. That was certainly an alluring possibility.

Yet there was another side of the coin. What was an advantageous position to her as a magus, the strategist side of Nina's could not see as anything other than a death trap.

"It's way too obvious. Way too much. Guess that means... What does it mean? ...seems I have no choice but to make the summons here."

The local magi, at least, should know full well of this location. Even just being here now was risky. Oh well, if they were monitoring the vicinity she's already given herself away two days ago, when she first came to town. If they already know about her... there was no point in postponing the ritual, or taking it to another place. Here, she could draw the strongest card available to her. Here and now should be the time the War started for her...

Nina looked over the document in her hands once more.

"Certainly... authentic, it seems."

What she was holding was apparently the original copy of one of the Anabasis books, written by Xenophon's hand. How and where it was preserved to this day remained a mystery to Nina, as well as the reason it came into Nicolay's possession. Still, this was a start, and a fairly good one. That Nicolay trusted her with this item probably meant he had a few others stashed away. She didn't really care about the old man's schemes, though.

...

Standing in the middle of the elaborate circle, Nina held the Anabasis in one hand and one of her throwing knives in the other. She wasn't holding the knife properly, letting its blade press against her thumb. Tightening her grip, she started chanting the aria. Nina wasn't really familiar with the school of magecraft this ritual followed and thus had to rely on Nicolay's instructions; she wasn't sure the summoning would work properly. Still, that hesitation was dispelled instantly with the first drop of blood landing onto the edge of the circles. The very first lines of the aria raised an almost literal storm in the premises, a storm of ether. It seems that the marks on her body, the symbol of the contract, the "Command Seals", which appeared this morning, strongly enhanced the ritual's effectiveness... no, probably they were what made such a summoning possible in the first place.

"...Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words,"

Nina felt increasingly uncomfortable. As if her strength was being slowly leeched away. The amount of ether concentrated in the room was unprecedented. The swirling energies seemed to sip the heat out of her body and the surroundings. She felt chilly.

'I hope the guy is hot. In the end, the warmth has to go somewhere...'

"Come past thy restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance."

With the tenth drop of blood and the final line of the chant, the ether in the surroundings seemingly froze for a moment before taking shape...

[Xenophon]

Xenophon waited patiently in the space that was simultaneously blindingly white and crushingly black. His own personal purgatory. He had felt the first tug of magic on his "body" when the spell had begun; the soft pull could be nothing other than a summoning. For the first time in longer than he could remember, Xenophon was excited. This would be his first summoning, and his first chance to achieve the Holy Grail. Such a prize was worth any hardship.

The voice was the first of the things from the real world to reach his perceptions. A soft, feminine voice. Xenophon's mouth twisted in a puzzled frown. A woman? He had expected anyone bloodthirsty enough to willingly enter a war between magi to be a man, grown and arrogant. Still, a woman could have those traits just as easily as a man. Xenophon had to remind himself that he was also far from humble.

As the chant reached its fever pitch, the white and black area began to flesh itself into colors and hues, textures and shapes. Directly in front of him, a small silhouette was visible, but only just. The walls were easiest to distinguish, though his rapidly adjusting sight cast it with an awkwardly dark hue. They were bare and stone, undecorated. This place appeared to be a basement or some other dark, cold room.

Xenophon felt exhilarated as his feet touched the cold stone floor. The creation of his body had followed his mental image of himself and made him tall and muscular, wearing his gleaming armor and clutching his spear. He had all of the power he had in life, and more. He twisted his grasp on the shaft as the grail quickly filled him in on the details, simultaneously eying the small, dark haired woman. She was no more than a girl. But girl or no, she was his master. Everything Xenophon knew required obedience to betters. As his summoner, she was due that and more.

Xenophon inclined his torso toward her and pressed his right fist to his heart.

"I am the Servant Lancer. Are you my master?"

Xenophon took an opportunity to gauge her as he spoke, carefully keeping his gaze low. She was bleeding from her hand; the blood still dripped toward the used summoning circle. That could be remedied quickly. What she held in her other hand was far more surprising. The Anabasis. His work. She had truly intended not only to summon a lancer, but to summon Xenophon of the Ten Thousand? It was flattering, but Xenophon felt that something was out of place. He was no great hero or powerful warrior. Surely she could have chosen a more powerful hero, like Herakles?

[Nina Lüceanu]

That was almost enough to freak Nina out. Materialization of ether into a full-fledged body, that's what she was witnessing now. Not only that, the amount of mana involved... it far exceeded anything she could hope to muster even with her original body. Ether seemed to be dancing in the air around her, slowly filling the shape that was forming a few steps away.

"...Beautiful...", Nina muttered in admiration. Of course, her voice came out as deadpan as ever, as if she was mocking the beauty of the moment.

The gale finally started dying down, along with the cloud of dust it raised. ... 'When was the last time someone dusted this place?' "*cough*... Never, *cough* probably." Nina had only cleaned the area around the circle in order to minimize the risk of... stuff blowing up, among other things; now she thought it would have been prudent to pay more attention to the rest of the room as well. Even if she didn't expect a storm like this, the Servant was a guest... in a sense, and now her welcome would seem rude. Though visibility still remained almost nil she could still feel it, the summoning was successful. Her navel suddenly became hot. A slightly alien sensation filled her lower body.

'...That's interesting. Well, they had appeared right over my womb. Is that why? I wonder. Well, as they say, no pain, no gain. I'll just have to endure, I guess.'

Nina judged the figure of the hero that had materialized in front of her. His face was quite ordinary and would probably seem plain in a crowd of Greeks. Here in Italy, though, his looks were just as foreign as her own... not too much. His body, on the other hand, was quite Not the "out-of-a-fairytale knightly" type but more of a Man. He was like a wild stallion... 'No, maybe a carnivorous stallion...?', she chuckled a bit. Just like a beast of pray, relaxed, completely natural, yet ready to act at the slightest call. 'Those hands look quite... skillful.'

Now let's get this straight and out of the way. In all the 22 years of her life Nina had only known three men: two old geezers and one masochistic vampire who is useless unless he is on the receiving end. She rarely conversed with any other males, especially after that certain incident which caused Raven Mist to be seen as a bastard pedophile who was in a relationship with his 12-year old apprentice. In other words, yes, she was a virgin, and yes, she found the warrior very attractive.

"I am the Servant Lancer. Are you my master?"

...On the other hand, she might have been a bit mistaken. Both his tone and his gestures were overly formal. Something had to be done about that. Still, they felt completely natural when coming from him. If he was so used to such mannerisms... "This may take some time...", muttered Nina before answering.

"Yes, I, Nina Lüceanu, am the one who summoned you, Lancer. I..."

...She intended to continue but the moment the contract was concluded, the burning sensation returned, several times stronger this time around. It was so sudden that Nina's legs gave out. She gasped and fell to her knees, withstanding the urge to let out a moan...

[Xenophon]

The girl had a habit of muttering to herself under her breath. Still inclined and looking her over, Xenophon wondered what she was speaking about. Was he speaking incorrectly? The Grail had given him a full knowledge of Italian, but his thoughts were still in Greek. Was it possible that he had mistakenly used an incorrect word?

"Yes, I, Nina Lüceanu, am the one who summoned you, Lancer. I..."

Before she had begun to fall, Xenophon could feel her weakness through the link between them. He could sense the failing in her body and knew what was happening. Still, the connection was odd. Hazy, almost indistinct, as if he were seeing what she felt through a clouded glass. Even as all of these thoughts processed, Xenophon pushed himself forward and scooped Nina up as her knees touched the cold stone and lifted her small body easily.

"Master, you must rest. The summoning must have been difficult. Direct me to a safe place, please."

Xenophon's face was impassive as he held her gently in one hand and strapped his spear to his back. He would not leave it behind unless her life were in danger; without it, both of their lives were. As soon as he was satisfied with the knot, he lifted Nina and adjusted his grip to hold her shoulders and her knees while keeping her close to his chest. He hoped that she would not take offense to being carried like a child.

Xenophon's mind was still working rapidly as he scanned the dusty area. The summoning circle was clean, though Xenophon was unsure if that was due to the summoning or Nina's ministrations. Either way, the rest of the room was thick with dust and almost invisible behind the cloud. To the right, down a narrow corridor, was a staircase. That would almost certainly be the way out. Without another word, Xenophon began to walk to it.

Moving slowly to avoid disturbing his Master, Xenophon dropped a hand to the sword at his belt and began to climb the stairs.

[Nina Lüceanu]

After taking a few deep breaths, Nina finally managed to speak.

"That was... intense. ...Amusing. I wonder what would happen if I were to use a Command Seal... I'd probably pass out for real. Wonder, why this happened? A side-effect? ...If sex can be a means to channel prana, would the other way around work? No, no, no, that doesn't make much sense... Well, this whole thing, including me summoning a Heroic Spirit makes little sense to begin with... But spells that allow to share sensations are not unknown... The Command Seals allow for telepathic communication... according to Nicolay... and grandpa's research... they also allow one to know where their Servant is... to feel them. Could they be influencing my sense of touch... Or is it this body, I wonder? Anyway, this is rather bad..."

Her face was flushed, her breathing ragged, her head was spinning, and she felt a sensation of flight. Then, all had gone white...

...Or no. They just entered the brightly lit room on the first floor of the house. Why was she being carried somewhere? She lifted her head, shielding her eyes from the light a bit with the Raven Wings, only to see the worried face of her Servant above...

'A... dependable guy? A bit panicky, maybe, or just overprotective, but loyal... and gentle, despite the initial impression. Wait... Did he think I would faint during a summoning? Even in this body, I am experienced enough to do better than that...'

Nina sighed, took another deep breath, then raised her body and coiled her hands around Lancer's neck. Bringing her face up as close to his as was possible while retaining the ability to speak, she whispered (in monotone), "It's alright, Xenophon." She then switched to telepathy, 'You can put me down.'

As she reached down to the floor, the wings fluttered a bit, as if expressing both joy and slight annoyance, but her face remained as neutral as ever. She took a few steps away from the Servant; her legs were still a bit weak but not enough to hinder her in any way. Retaining her slightly bored expression Nina examined him from head to toe. The warrior's body was seemingly pulsing with unnatural strength, both physical and magical. He was clearly a being that far surpassed human limits.
...Looking closely, his armor was now a bit dusty in places.

"I apologize... for the dusty welcome. That storm was... was... "

Nina pulled out her dictionary and looked up the word without a slightest hint of haste.

"Unexpected. ...What was I saying? ...Oh, yes, the amount of ether far exceeded my... what I anticipated. ...No, actually, that is a lie. I couldn't make any assumptions... this school is completely foreign to me... so I just went ahead with the summoning, by the textbook, as per Nicolay's instructions... That was not it... Umm... "

During this whole time Nina's eyes were jumping all around the place but now her gaze was fixated on Lancer only. Italian... Italian was so bothersome. As he is a Servant he should understand her if she switches to her native Romanian... at least, she hoped so. Serious words required a serious tone, and how would she achieve that while looking into the dictionary after finishing every other sentence.

"Once again, welcome, Xenophon of the Ten Thousand. I am your Master, Nina Lüceanu. I'm glad to see that my summons was answered. Now that you you have a physical body again would you like something to eat? Or a drink, maybe? Or would you rather jump directly to business and talk about our tactics and strategy in this War? But before any of that, I wish to pose a single question."

Nina made a brief pause to accentuate the importance of the issue.

"Do you see me as a weak woman who needs to be protected? Or as a partner and comrade in battle?"

[Xenophon]

Xenophon lightly lowered Nina to the ground at her command, wordlessly. Arguing with her would be no use. She seemed to be fine, as she stood on her own without any issues, but the lack of a distinct connection to her still worried Xenophon. It was almost as if his bond to her as a Servant was reaching through her body and going... somewhere else. Mentally, Xenophon shrugged. For all he knew, that was normal.

Nina had been speaking quietly in her emotionless voice while Xenophon thought. He listened to her words, but felt no need to response. Honestly, it was silly that she would apologize to him. She was his Master. Anything she deemed suitable for him would be so. He did absently brush some dust off of his thick armor, but only because she had mentioned it.

"But before any of that, I wish to pose a single question."

Xenophon paused, giving his full attention to his master. He had been scanning the room for possible security flaws, wondering about the defensibility of such a place, but if he was expected to respond to a question, he knew better than to be distracted.

"Do you see me as a weak woman who needs to be protected? Or as a partner and comrade in battle?"

Xenophon paused. As a man, he would rather not answer the question. But he was not a man. He was a Servant and this woman was his Master. His honor demanded that he answer fully and truthfully. Bowing his head and pressing his right hand again to his heart, he began to speak slowly.

"That you are a woman has no meaning to me. I was surprised to see that a woman would willingly join this war, but I cannot question your motives as I am also here. But neither are you my comrade. You are my Master. It is my duty and my honor to defend you with my life. I will not allow you to be put in harm's way if I can stop it."

Xenophon remained in his subservient pose, waiting for his Master's response. She had chosen him as her Servant; surely she had expected this from him? Xenophon had left no one behind when he had ten thousand soldiers to care for deep in enemy territory: how could he allow her to come to harm when he only had one charge and was undoubtedly in an area where she had power?

[Nina Lüceanu]

"That you are a woman has no meaning to me. I was surprised to see that a woman would willingly join this war..."

"...Willing, huh? Not really the case but that can wait." Nina muttered this under her breath. She didn't want to change the topic so the information about her body would have to wait.

"...But neither are you my comrade. You are my Master. It is my duty and my honor to defend you with my life. I will not allow you to be put in harm's way if I can stop it."


Nina tilted her head a bit while listening to Lancer's reply. She expected as much because of his earlier behavior but Xenophon was turning out to be more boring than she anticipated. After all, Nina wanted to have some fun, too, and having Lancer interfere in her duels would be a serious hindrance to that... hmm... it could become a serious hindrence to his own fights as well. This upset Nina quite a bit; angered her, even. She needed at least some leeway for herself, some compromise.

"This is not exactly the answer I wanted to hear but whatever, I'll accept it. However... Prioritize my safety all you want but don't you dare lose."

This wasn't said in the same monotone as everything up to now. No, her voice remained as expressionless as ever but Nina used her empathic connection with Lancer to convey the necessary tone. She specifically switched to telepathy mid-reply to accentuate her discontent. It was up to him to decide whether to take her words seriously or discard them. Yet she could not help but be worried about that attitude of his.

"The enemies will be much stronger than those you've faced in life. You won't have the leeway to worry about me all the time."

With those words she went to the kitchen. She needed to vent her frustration. Not to mention, the summoning has taken quite a toll on her, even if she didn't want to admit it. Having a light midnight snack didn't seem like a bad idea... hmm... there was also that wine the old geezer left behind. However bad his eye for art was, at least his taste buds hadn't deteriorated with age.

"For now, familiarize yourself with this age. The Akashic Records should be sufficient but there is also a library on second floor if you're interested. It seems that old geezer actually lived here for a while. I suppose you will need some associative reference to extract additional knowledge so feel free to use that... It's mostly myths and legends, though, with some historical texts mixed in. He was probably getting ready for this war, or maybe it was just a hobby of his. It's hard to imagine the guy having hobbies, though. He never seemed to understand what the word "fun" means... no, he had probably never noticed that such a word and such a concept exist in this world, that's how I'd describe him..."

[Xenophon]

Xenophon made no comment. He was a Servant. In life, he had served whoever would lead. In this War, he would serve as he had all his life. Whatever this girl wanted, Xenophon had no intention of changing who he was.

"Don't you dare lose."[/i] She thought the words directly to him, with all the force of her anger behind them. She fully expected him to focus entirely on the war and leave her to her own devices. That was... irritating. A Servant could not participate in the war without a Master, and a Master could not win the grail without a Servant. They had to work together if they hoped to win.

"The enemies will be much stronger than those you've faced in life. You won't have the leeway to worry about me all the time."

Xenophon raised an eyebrow before lowering it again. Of course the enemies would be more difficult; only the greatest of heroes were even allowed to participate in the Holy Grail War. But he was also far stronger than he had been in life. The magic of the grail had seen to that. "Master. Do not think that I think you weak. We must work together if we have any hope of winning the Holy Grail. But you must remember that while enemy masters cannot hope to fight me, they will certainly target you. You are an easier target."

But Nina was walking away. Dismissing him. She thought him antiquated, old fashioned to the point of being useless. He could feel her anger through their link. Xenophon bowed his head to her back, unwilling to allow her mood to affect him. He was a Servant and he would act as such.

As Nina's thoughts rambled along and she turned her back to him, Xenophon quietly returned himself to spirit form and drifted up the stairs she had indicated. As a scholar, he was interested in reading the histories. He wanted to know what had happened to his beloved Greece after his death, but the myths and legends were also important. Myths were always based in fact. Having even a basic knowledge of myths that had evolved after his death could allow him to identify enemies.

Inside the small, cozy library, Xenophon pulled a book from the wall and began to skim through it. His could look through the Akashic Record at his leisure, but he would only have access to these books while he and his master stayed in this house. If they were forced to desert it, the knowledge contained within the pages of these books would be lost to him.

[Nina Lüceanu]

While eating, Nina contemplated about things. If the issue of Xenophon's protectionism remains unresolved... they will likely lose to the very first enemy they face. That would be bad. She still hasn't found out the recipe of ice-cream... no, that is beside the point. She still hasn't uncovered the workings behind this miracle... Yes, that's better... though ice-cream remains important... Certainly, the sundae she was now finishing has marginally improved Nina's mood.

Now, Xenophon changing his mind was an unlikely scenario. No, rather, due to her own inexperience in interpersonal communication she had little chances to persuade him. Thus, there was no choice but to rethink and review her own attitude.

"He's been fighting all his life. And even beyond that... He probably knows what he's doing... On the other hand... I want to have fun, too. *sigh* Tch. No other way, I guess. I'll leave the fighting to him."

"However, I don't intend to give up my fun, either."

"Oi, the one upstairs. I'd like to fix a little misunderstanding from earlier. I cannot fight enemy Servants, that's your job. But the Masters are a different story and I would certainly target them. However... after thinking things over, I'm fine with letting you do the fighting while I watch from the sidelines. I believe you have enough experience to judge the situation correctly.

Also, I overlooked the fact that protecting me is within your own interests. Sorry for that. While I won't die if this container is destroyed I will likely lose the connection with you, thus voiding out contract. If it comes to that, I won't be able to return 'til I finish business with the bastard who is 'safekeeping' my body. And, well, the journey from Romania to Italy takes some time so if I happen to die you are free to search for another Master.

I came here only to study the Grail and the mechanisms that make this miracle a possibility; I don't have a desire that needs the assistance of the Holy Vessel to fulfil, only time is necessary. But you, the ghost of the past who answered my summons... This War... Why have you entered this ritual? What is it that you seek? What is your wish?"

[Xenophon]

Xenophon had read through three books by the time Nina called for him. The speed at which he could process information astounded him, as well as his new found ability to understand multiple languages. To say that the library was diverse would be an understatement; while the majority were in Italian or... Romanian, there were dozens of different languages filling the shelves. With help from the Grail, Xenophon planned to read all of them.

Xenophon sensed Nina searching for him a few moments before her voice echoed up the stairway. He had enough time to set down his book before hearing her voice and returning to spirit form to drift down the stairs to her. There was no urgency in her voice, but he was not one to keep his master waiting.

He bowed slightly as she spoke to him, mentally filing away several terms to ask of her. It was certain that an interesting Master had chosen him for her Servant. A Master who did not wish the Grail... such a thing was almost too absurd to be true. And she... wanted to know why he fought for the Grail. What did such knowledge aid their chances? Mentally shrugging, Xenophon decided that he had no reason to hide his motivations.

"I wish to know, Master. You have read my works. They are my legacy in a way that deeds of war can never compare to. I wish to receive more knowledge from the Grail, that my books may be finished wholly and completely. It is my desire to attain the knowledge of all humanity and share it with any who seek it.

"As for your part in our battles, if you believe you can fight other masters, I will not attempt to prevent you. It is, as you say, my duty only to fight other Servants. Just remember that while your desire to study the Grail rests on my ability to defeat the other Servants, my desire to attain the Grail relies on your ability to stay alive. Do not risk yourself unnecessarily on a whim.

"And I do have a question, if you would allow it. What do you mean, someone safekeeping your body? I admit that the connection I feel to you seems strange, but if your body is not here, how was a contract made?"

[Nina Lüceanu]

"I wish to know, Master. You have read my works. They are my legacy in a way that deeds of war can never compare to. I wish to receive more knowledge from the Grail, that my books may be finished wholly and completely. It is my desire to attain the knowledge of all humanity and share it with any who seek it.
As for your part in our battles, if you believe you can fight other masters, I will not attempt to prevent you. It is, as you say, my duty only to fight other Servants. Just remember that while your desire to study the Grail rests on my ability to defeat the other Servants, my desire to attain the Grail relies on your ability to stay alive. Do not risk yourself unnecessarily on a whim."

"..."

Nina stared at Xenophon. She then let out a short creepy laugh, devoid of emotion, before cutting it off and clacking her tongue in dissatisfaction. She would like to laugh heartily but this body's deficiency made that an impossibility.

"I might've been able to summon you even without a catalyst. A desire for knowledge... I approve of that goal. I even feel slightly more motivated now. About fighting, I am confident in my skills. Unless the enemy is one of the Lords, or a Noble Color with a unique brand of magecraft, I should have good chances in a straigh up duel. Don't worry, I know when to retreat, and I won't be careless."

"And I do have a question, if you would allow it. What do you mean, someone safekeeping your body? I admit that the connection I feel to you seems strange, but if your body is not here, how was a contract made?"

"..."

The silence went on for a few long moments. Nina clacked her tongue a few times before proceeding. She shouldn't have said that. It was bothersome to explain...

"I am actually Raven Mist. I was old. Too old to fight. Hmm... And I didn't want to simply die, either... So I needed a younger body. A stronger body... Like that of my granddaughter. She lacks my affinity, though. It is problematic... I cannot use Shadow Mist like this~. A friend of mine is looking after my real body; it's in Romania."

Nina paused at this point to gauge her Servant's reaction. In a few moments she got bored, though. Xenophon's reactions were not all that interesting, if honest...

"Well... putting the jokes aside, it's bothersome to go into detail so I will just provide a brief explanation. My real body is in Romania. My late grandfather's acquaintance had made this doll based off the original and I thought it was a good chance to run an experiment with body switching. My soul is still tied to its original body so if the doll is destroyed I will wake up in Romania. Conversely, if the original body is killed I will die too, along with it. I want to bypass that issue but for that I would need to create a perfect copy of myself. One neither superior nor inferior... Yet I do not have that much ability in doll-making... My forte is the soul, not the body...

Hmm... I got side-tracked. That might be the cause of the strangeness you feel... though it's not that different than a normal master-familiar connection to me... just more taxing. Feel free to ask away if you're interested, though I cannot guarantee that I will give an honest answer."

[Xenophon]

Xenophon listened quietly through Nina's explanation, nodding along with her words. Of course he felt surprise when she told him that she was not actually a she, but instead an old man, but something seemed wrong about that. He had been certain that when she demanded to know if he thought less of her for being a woman, it was real indignation. Not the fabrication of someone only pretending to be female.

After a few uncomfortable moments behind his mask of complete calm, Nina decided to reveal that it was a joke. While her humor did not bother Xenophon, he did not find it altogether humorous. He uttered a small chuckle for her benefit, but did not feel the need to do more. He listened intently to her description of the process, but did not use her invitation to ask more questions. He was no Caster. He hardly understood what she was saying now, even without having to wonder if she was lying to him.

"I am a Servant. I am content with the answer you have given me. If you believe that there is anything else I need to know, I will trust you to tell it to me."

Xenophon returned to his spirit form for Nina's ease, trying not to draw prana from her too quickly. It was imperative that they were both at their peaks until they had gauged enemy strengths and could develop plans to defeat them. Xenophon did not believe that he would be an extraordinary Servant, able to defeat others on skill alone. Almost certainly, if he wished to win the Grail, he would need to rely on his mind, just as he had done in life.

"Is this to be our home for this War, master? If so, I would like your leave to explore it. An area is only defensible if the defenders know it better than the attackers.

"Additionally, I would like to know if you are able to go scouting now. Preferably a distance away from this place, so as not to reveal it as our base of operations. I am not a great warrior of legend, like Hercules or Perseus. I cannot hope to win on skill alone. But despite that, I do not wish to lose. With your leave, I will gather every advantage available to us."

[Nina Lüceanu]

Nina didn't mean her lie to be a joke. She wanted to gauge her Servant's morality, get to know what he would do if his summoner turned out to be the kind of human who doesn't mind hijacking their relatives' bodies for themselves... But it seems that he saw through that lie of hers. Was it because of their link? Or had she slipped somewhere? Well, that did not matter. He was a typical soldier; a model soldier, even. And soldiers don't question their orders. That was good enough for her, though she would indeed prefer a more concrete answer. Well, there will be another time.

"Is this to be our home for this War, master? If so, I would like your leave to explore it. An area is only defensible if the defenders know it better than the attackers.

"Additionally, I would like to know if you are able to go scouting now. Preferably a distance away from this place, so as not to reveal it as our base of operations. I am not a great warrior of legend, like Hercules or Perseus. I cannot hope to win on skill alone. But despite that, I do not wish to lose. With your leave, I will gather every advantage available to us."

Closing her eyes, Nina briefly checked over Lancer's status.

"You are being rather modest, Xenophon. The way you are now you will be able to endure even blows from Heracles. I don't doubt your ability. Neither should you. I would like to talk more about your strenghts, and weaknesses, and preferred strategy... though I can tell those to a degree already from what I have read on you... and from the Master's clairvoyance, as well as your Noble Phantasm and its cost. But that can be left for later. About this house..."

Nina pondered for a bit, clacking her tongue every now and then.

'Hmm... Using this place as a base is too risky. The land of Lucca is indeed powerful. Such a powerful land attracts much attention. The current owners of this land have been in control of it for centuries. They surely know of all the advantageous locations. Likely, they own all such locations. That Nicolay managed to acquire a house in such a good place on such a short notice is a wonder in itself.'

"...Miracles don't happen. They probably already know of me. They had most likely planned to give away this location from the start. Hmm... I probably did well by not appearing here before now... I rented an appartment in town... that was a new experience so it was rather hard to do... I thought of using it as a secondary base in case this location was compromised... Yet if it already had been, from the start..."

The girl's face was as lively as ever - completely expressionless. She kept playing with the spoon in her hands the whole time, however, and that partially gave away her anxiety. Finally, he put it down and turned to face Lancer... Lancer's ghost...

"No, Xenophon. I do not permit you to leave. I am quite exhausted by the summoning and I will need you to remain alert while I rest. You may continue reading if you wish so... Since I had turned on the lights earlier it won't make a difference. It might actually decrease the possibility of an attack. In the morning, we will leave this place and patrol the immediate surroundings during the day."

'From there we will move to the shopping district. It becomes rather empty at night and is one of the more likely places to encounter an enemy. The apartment... hmm... I will have to get a map. Xeno should be able to read Italian.'

"Xenophon, have you been provided sufficient knowledge about the place and age you've been summoned in? ...Will you be able to read a map of the town?"

[Xenophon]

Xenophon nodded silently to her praise. He still believed himself to be only a man, but he was not as modest as she believed. He could feel the power his new body contained. It had to be the same power that the demigods felt. Maybe she was right. Maybe with this body, he could battle Hercules.

"...Miracles don't happen. They probably already know of me. They had most likely planned to give away this location from the start. Hmm... I probably did well by not appearing here before now... I rented an appartment in town... that was a new experience so it was rather hard to do... I thought of using it as a secondary base in case this location was compromised... Yet if it already had been, from the start..."

That was worrying, but not fatal. Xenophon was used to fighting from inside enemy lines, after all. But he would have preferred for his master to have an area already defended by her magic. Precautions could make the difference between defending their home and losing their lives. Xenophon would much rather be on the defensive in this war, but only if they had an area that was defensible. Attempting to make such an area after the war had begun would be suicide.

Through the link, Xenophon could feel something of his Master's uneasiness. She was also uncomfortable being somewhere their enemies could find them. Luckily, she had spoken of a secondary location. Xenophon nodded happily to that, glad to see that his Master had a good grasp of tactics. That would make their later battles much easier.

"No, Xenophon. I do not permit you to leave. I am quite exhausted by the summoning and I will need you to remain alert while I rest. You may continue reading if you wish so... Since I had turned on the lights earlier it won't make a difference. It might actually decrease the possibility of an attack. In the morning, we will leave this place and patrol the immediate surroundings during the day."

Xenophon nodded to that. The library already had revealed dozens of wonderful secrets to him. He would enjoy discovering more while he had the chance. Absently, he wondered if Nina would allow him to carry some of the books to her apartment.

"Of course, Master. Your safety is always priority. Please rest as much as you need. I will be happy to stand watch. If you will allow it, I will simply carry a book to where you are sleeping."

Xenophon nodded to himself, hoping she would see the sense in that. Even if he was only a few rooms away, a Servant could potentially kill her before Xenophon could reach her. It was simply a better idea to let him stay near enough to defend her from anything that might arise.

"Xenophon, have you been provided sufficient knowledge about the place and age you've been summoned in? ...Will you be able to read a map of the town?"

Xenophon paused to think for a second. He had been reading books in Italian, but mostly he was still thinking in Greek. Still, with the help of the Akashic Record, reading a map would prove to be no trouble. Xenophon nodded to Nina, letting a small smile show. "Yes, Master. I will be able to read a map, if my services are required."

[Nina Lüceanu]

Nina could sense the Servant's excitement over their link. Their desire for knowledge was indeed much alike. 'There was a couch in the library, right? I guess that settles the question of where I'm sleeping.'

Seeing Xenophon smile made Nina want to smile back at him. Frankly, she wanted to clap her hands joyfully and put a broad smile on her face... she hated Nicolay's lack of competence at times like these. "I am glad to know that, Xenophon." Her voice, as monotone as ever, didn't relay any degree of satisfaction. Clacking her tongue, Nina switched to telepathy.

'I will be grateful if you do that for me tomorrow. That way, we should be able to get to our appartment without taking detours. I am not familiar with the part of town we will be visiting.'

Nina pondered a bit about talking strategy over with Xenophon since the sooner she gets a detailed picture of his abilities the better for the both of them... Still, she was feeling the fatigue taking its toll on her. It would not be a problem for the girl to push herself a bit but that would not be prudent. Besides, walking around during the night in her current state, risking to be attacked not only by the owner of this land (Nina was sure he or she was one of the Masters) but by a random party as well, would likely be suicidal. The best course of action right now would be to rest.

'Xenophon, I will be sleeping in the library. That way it will be easier for you to protect me if such need arises.'

[Xenophon]

'Xenophon, I will be sleeping in the library. That way it will be easier for you to protect me if such need arises.'

"As you wish, Master. If I may escort you?"

It was a silly, irrelevant action. He was sure that they were safe in this place, at least for the moment. She would have sensed other magi and he could have felt other Servants. No, they were alone. Or alone as they could be this near to a city. Still, Xenophon took Nina's arm gently and walked up the stairs beside her.

There was indeed a couch in the library; Xenophon insisted on pulling it away from the window to ensure that Nina would not be subjected to a draft or a sudden assault. After fetching her a blanket, he allowed his instincts to relax. Slightly.

Xenophon propped himself in a corner behind the door so that he could see the window, the door, and Nina's sleeping form. In a few minutes, he created a stack of books as high as the chair itself to keep himself occupied. It might last an hour or two.

Quietly, more to himself than to her, Xenophon murmured, "Sleep well, Master."

[Nina Lüceanu]

The first thing Nina noticed after opening her eyes was that the room remained intact. That was a good sign. No one had attacked and no one got hurt. And she's still in Italy. The thought of having to kill one of her mentors, even if he was a spineless coward and a scumbag, was repulsive to the young girl; thus, she would want to at least postpone that for as long as she figured possible. A few moments later, the fact that Xenophon was in spirit form dawned on her. '...Did he get bored with reading? Unlikely. So he's probably read everything here already.'

"Now I wish to be a Servant as well... The need to sleep is boring... Good morning, Xenophon. Can I ask, what is your reading comprehension?"

Throwing that off-hand comment into the air, Nina got out of the bed... or couch, whatever... and changed into her usual outfit. The laced black undergarments she had bought yesterday were a nice match for her just as frilly clothes, even though nobody would probably see them. Still, the world is filled with possibilities so one will never know what awaits them by evening, and what bed they will fall into at that time. Having fastened her belt, the girl turned her gaze towards Xenophon the spirit, only to notice that he was not in the room anymore. Where did he venture off to? Bathroom break? He's a Servant, though.'

"Xenophon, I am heading downstairs, meet me in the kitchen if you would, please." The thoughts transmitted were of a joyous tone, if a bit upbeat for someone who would be soon heading to the frontlines of a magus war.

Nina hopped down the stairs and into the kitchen. Today was the day the War begins for her. Better to start it off on a good note, and since training in magecraft or mock duels were out of the question nicely making a nice meal was the way to go. Something light would do best in the morning. Besides, there wasn't much time for cooking, seeing as the place wasn't exactly safe, if secured.

"Hmm... What to do, what to do..."

Salad would be the obvious choice. A Greek salad, of course. Thinking about the glorious meal Nina puffed out her chest in pride... which looked more than just a bit weird in combination with her deadpan expression. She knew the recipe well, and she had also prepared it a few times before. So she was confident in her abilities.

"...Like hell would I find feta cheese in the neighbourhood. I will just make do with what I have here."

A green salad. Usually, Nina wouldn't have restrained herself to that. Once the gir starts cooking she makes a full course feast... good thing there were enough mouths to feed back home these last few years. But on the other hand, usually she had never had to prepare food in a warzone. Not only that but she was preparing for an ancient Greek soldier. What does Xenophon eat? What did he usually eat in life? How did he usually eat? Most importantly, does he eat meat? Most likely he does, but that was actually beside the point, despite being designated important. There was no meat in this house without a fridge. And thus, Nina has been staring at the lettuce for a few minutes now, a knife in her hand, still undecided as to how much of the stuff she would actually need. Finally, she decided to ask the meaningful question before proceeding,

"Xenophon, do you eat? Can you eat? Will you share this breakfast with me?"

[Xenophon]

It was only an hour or so before dawn and Xenophon had exhausted his stack of books again. He weighed the dangers of getting up to gather another stack, but decided not to. His duty was not to read everything the young lady provided. That was enjoyable, but ultimately futile. Only the books of legends would prove to be any help in the actual war. No, his duty was to protect the lady- his master- against all foes.

She slept oddly. Even Xenophon, a man who rarely had slept deeply for fear of not hearing his attackers, could see it. Her chest moved as she breathed, but it was almost a second too slow. Her eyes fluttered as her body faked REM sleep, but it was a short pattern, not truly random. She was exceptional even in a body such as this. Xenophon wanted to meet the true Nina, that was impossible. For Nina to awaken in her true body, this body would have to die. If this body died, Xenophon would disappear.

She woke slowly, her body stretching out its fake muscles. He had long since allowed himself to fade into spirit form to reduce the strain on her, so nothing was disturbed when he jumped at her sudden motions. He shook his head at his own nerves. There was a thin line between prepared an paranoid. A good soldier walked that line as close as he could; a little variation into either side could be a death sentence.

Xenophon answered Nina's good morning with one of his own, his Italian nearly perfect. He had studied while she slept and believed that soon he would be able to speak it easily. Languages were easy. It was people that were harder to understand. Like how his master had just begun undressing in front of him.

As a Greek, that didn't bother him. The Akashic record informed him that his people were generally much less modest than these modern humans, but he still didn't find it strange. As a Servant, it mattered even less. His Master's gender was as insignificant as her race, or her religion. All that mattered was that they win. But still, he felt that Nina would prefer if he left the room, even if she didn't say it. He saw no reason to stay, so he calmly drifted out without a word. He wondered if he imagined the sense of relief she felt at realizing he had left.

He could still feel her, of course. He was growing used to his master's particular oddities, even if most were unintentional. Even when he could feel her soft happiness through the link, her body language was totally unchanged. She showed no anger or boredom, either. Xenophon was sure he would find it incredibly unsettling if he couldn't feel the intent of her words through their link.

Nina didn't notice Xenophon as he rested near the bottom of the stairs, but he didn't alert her to his presence either. There was no need. He only needed to watch her and he could do that while she carried out her usual activities. He could tell that she was happy inside he kitchen, even without the link.

He watched her from just outside the kitchen, one part protector and one part curious. She moved, slightly awkwardly but with an innate grace as she gathered her ingredients, talking to herself in her peculiar way the whole time. The words hardly mattered to Xenophon. He cataloged a few of the stranger things Nina said to ask about later, but most he could understand or simply ignore.

At the moment, he was wondering just what she needed feta cheese for. From what he knew, it was something of an acquired taste. Had she known someone who liked it, or simply learned to like it for the sake of her Servant? If it was the latter, Xenophon would be flattered, if the action was ultimately unnecessary.

"Xenophon, do you eat? Can you eat? Will you share this breakfast with me?"

Xenophon inclined his head slightly. He didn't know if she had consciously realized that he was standing only a few feet away, but he also didn't think his sudden appearance would scare her. Besides, he was thinking. Hm.

"I suppose that yes, I can eat. I do not know if it will help restore my prana, but there is no harm in trying. I would be honored to share your meal with you, Master."

Xenophon stepped inside of the room, letting himself take form. "Do you need any help, Master?"

[Nina Lüceanu]

"I suppose that yes, I can eat. I do not know if it will help restore my prana, but there is no harm in trying. I would be honored to share your meal with you, Master."

Nina let out an emotionless laugh and brought the knife down, starting to quickly chop the lettuce leaves.

"Do you need any help, Master?"

"...Not really. I enjoy doing this. But as we have little time, could you please slice that cucumber and then that onion?" she said, passing him one of her knives. It was not a kitchen knife by any approximation but it was suitable for slicing vegetables. "Thank you. After you finish, just sit back and wait a bit. This will be done in 10 minutes."

Finishing with the lettuce, Nina went on to chop some tomatoes and then parsley. She started humming a folk song she had learned from Petre in some point, though her monotonous voice could not quite capture the melody. Fortunately, there was enough sour cream left over from yesterday's dinner; that shortened the process marginally. Salt and olive oil weren't a problem, either. She stopped humming All that was left was lemon juice. It seems buying that lemon yesterday was the right choice, though using it like this was kind of a waste. Oh well, there was no time for proper preparations. She simply proceeded to squeeze juice out of the lemon until she judged the amount to be sufficient with a satisfactory nod. The humming then resumed as she proceeded to mix the ingredients.

Tossing vegetables, seasoning them with salt, adding olive oil and lemon juice, tossing them some more, adding the sour cream, and stirring everything together... in just a bit over 10 minutes, the salad was served to the table as promised.

"Here you go, ...Lancer... I hope you don't mind me calling you that in public. Please enjoy."

Nina sat by his side and indulged in the refreshing sour flavor of the so called Russian garden salad. Why did people even name it that? She was fairly sure the recipe didn't originate in Russia. Well, that wasn't important. What mattered was its rich flavor and... Xenophon's reaction. Curious, Nina could not help but shoot a short glance in his direction.

[Xenophon]

Xenophon took the knife lightly, moving to Nina's side and immediately beginning to do as he'd been asked. Chopping vegetables was simple; his slices were far from perfect, but he moved quickly. Perfection was difficult and ultimately unworthy. After all, he was planning to eat the slices whether they were evenly cut or not.

He felt slightly out of place next to his Master. Nina worked with a sort of grace, even in her strange body, that he couldn't match. His movements had purpose, but none of the innate beauty that they could have had. But Xenophon had never been extraordinary. None of his actions had been important enough to write of; even the Anabapis had been more about his men than himself.

As he stepped away to allow Nina to work, Xenophon began to think of himself. Why had he been chosen to live on as a heroic spirit? He was a common soldier, a common man. His life had only been about surviving. He hadn't completed insane challenges like Heracles, nor had he slain titans like Perseus. But something about him had drawn the Grail. It had brought Nina to choose him. Losing had never been an option for a Greek. Xenophon didn't intend to start losing now.

As Nina finished making their breakfast, he could feel her satisfaction through their link. "Here you go, ...Lancer... I hope you don't mind me calling you that in public. Please enjoy."\

Xenophon gratefully accepted a portion of the salad, calmly taking a small bite. "That is for the best, Master. I will try my best to call you Nina, so that we will attract less suspicion." He looked down, returning to his meal. Why was she trying so hard to make her Servant comfortable? Shouldn't he have been the one doing this work?

"... Thank you for the meal, Master. Nina."

[Nina Lüceanu]

Nina was slightly perplexed. She had made meals for other people before... Petre had no need for normal food nor had he ever shown any willingness to join them at the table; Maria had always helped her in the kitchen and looked so pitiful when Nina tried doing something by herself that Nina could do nothing but allow her to help. But she had made meals for Nicolay from time to time. Yet she had never felt anything while serving food for the old bastard, nor during the meal itself. Right now, though, as she was watching Xenophon eat her food, a strange tingle filled her chest... or was it all only in her mind? She felt... satisfaction? No, rather than that, it was closer to the sensation she had when he was carrying her from the basement. A sense of peace, so to say. Though back then the feeling was polluted by other lingering sensations. Like the feeling of those warm, strong arms gently embracing her... umm... carrying her.

"..."

It took Nina a few moments to notice that she was staring at those arms. She hurriedly returned to her food before it got cold... Wait, it's a salad! The only thing left for the girl was to thank Nicolay's incompetence for making this body unable to blush. She clicked her tongue once and concentrated on finishing the meal instead of getting distracted by stray emotions.

"... Thank you for the meal, Master. Nina."

"Not at all, Lancer. It was my pleasure."

...Okay, this was much simpler. A straightforward and honest sense of accomplishment, not unlike that when she realized her summoning was successful... Shoving those thoughts aside, Nina removed the just washed tableware to where it belonged. She then directed her thoughts to Xenophon while proceeding to the exit.

"I'd prefer that you hide from enemy eyes. If a Servant is surveying from afar they won't notice you in spirit form unless they comes close, right?"

She paused and turned her gaze towards her Servant. Seemingly relaxed yet undoubtedly prepared to act at any moment; a true warrior, indeed. His muscles were also a sight to behold, and even his armor couldn't be described without using the word "manly" at least a few times... Indeed, she could not possibly doubt his readiness to do battle when he stood before her in his complete battle gown...

After a brief moment of thought, she said, "Besides, I suspect that your armor might make us stand out in a crowd."

Leaving the house, she closed the door for what she hoped would be the last time. (It was such a bothersome routine... She had never needed to use a key before coming to Lucca; and thinking that she had to do this every time when she left her apartment... well, it didn't leave her in despair but it did irritate her a bit.) Hopefully, she wouldn't need to return here anymore. At least, she had no plans to do so unless the apartment in town got compromised. "...or destroyed. I shouldn't just discard that scenario. With these superhumans running around, it's not only possible but likely, too."

[Xenophon]

Xenophon kept his puzzlement from his face, or at least he hoped he did. He'd never claimed to understand women, but the link between himself and his master should have cleared up some of his confusion. Instead, the wash of emotions Nina felt only made it harder for him to understand her. After a few seconds, all he could get from her was a clear picture of the salad they were eating.

He stood to the side as Nina cleaned the dishes and put them away, making sure that the apartment looked immaculate before they left. Finally, when everything was perfect, Xenophon returned himself to spirit form and drifted behind his master even before she had asked. Her comment about his armor made him smirk.

"My apologies, master. I thought protection to be more important than my looks. Attracting attention is the least of our worries in this War, is it not?" Xenophon hoped she would understand his dry sense of humor. He wasn't sure that humor had aged well in the centuries since his death.

Without another thought, Xenophon followed after his Master- Nina. He had no idea where they were going, but she had asked him to read a map. Surely they would not have much trouble finding their new home in this city... Lucca. Italy was not that far from Greece. How different could it be?