Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice

Mordred had still not returned by noon, and Sisigou grew somewhat worried. Shirou, however, was calm.

Mordred was no ordinary girl. She had her own way of thinking, and her worldview was already fully formed.

It's easy for children with immature perspectives to be misled, thus requiring more parental discipline. But Mordred was mature beyond her years, and other than voicing worries for her safety, there was little he could say to change her mind.

His feelings towards her were complicated for some reasons.

At that moment, the same group of religious followers he had previously chased off returned, greater in number, flooding towards them like a tide.

"There! Over there!" 

"Yes! That's her!" 

"Our lady savior is right there!"

The religious followers surrounded Kiara in imposing manner, their eyes filled with fanaticism and greed.

Accustomed to this, Kiara calmly asked, "May I ask what business you have with me?"

"Praise this beautiful world! Great lady savior!" they cried fanatically, singing her praises.

With a bothered look, she said, "You have likely mistaken me for someone else. I am not your lady."

"But you are!" they insisted stubbornly, refusing to accept her explanations.

This troubled Kiara somewhat. Though used to such aggressive admiration, she disliked being mistaken for someone else.

Noticing her discomfort, Mash turned to Shirou and said, "Senpai, Miss Kiara looks very troubled."

"Because no one likes being mistaken for someone else, right?" he smiled and asked rhetorically.

Mash nodded hesitantly before asking, "Then Mr. Fujimaru, is it true what you said about Miss Kiara being the Master of the Red Caster?"

"It's just highly likely." he smiled without telling her about his previous speculations and guesses.

Hearing this, Mash smiled and nodded. "I'll go help Miss Kiara clear up this misunderstanding."

She approached the followers, attempting to reason with them and explain the situation to resolve their confusion.

Unfortunately, explaining things to frenzied zealots was as useless as talking to a brick wall.

Shaking his head, Shirou stepped forward. Those followers he had previously driven off shuddered subconsciously at his approach, retreating several paces. Only the newly arrived devotees continued their feverish chatter, faces filled with fanaticism.

Shirou smiled as he approached.

In a flash, he punched a frenzied follower in the gut. The man staggered back, the pain clearing his crazed fervor. "What are you doing?" he cried.

Shirou pointed at Kiara with a gentle smile. "She is not your leader."

"But she is!" insisted the man.

He punched him again. Seeing their companion attacked, the newly arrived devotees rushed Shirou, only to be swiftly beaten down one after another, wailing ceaselessly.

The previously driven off followers shrank away, not daring to approach or speak after their experience with his fists.

Shirou clapped his hands together.

Hesitantly, Mash asked, "Mr. Fujimaru, isn't this improper? They're ordinary people, not Heroic Spirits."

"Then what do you think should be done?" he asked with interest.

Seriously, she said, "Of course explain things to them! There must be a way to get through!"

He laughed, patting her shoulder.

"W-What is it?" she stammered.

"When dealing with people, method is key. The right approach works wonders, but it could also be useless as well. Explaining things to frenzied followers is like playing music for cows." With a smile, he added, "You still have much to learn, Master."

Stunned silent for a moment, she lowered her head. "I'm sorry...I'm just an immature Master."

"Don't fall into self-deprecation so quickly. I don't dislike your innocence."

At this time, a follower raised his head and stared at Kiara fanatically. With a grieved look, he said: "Lady savior! If you continue to sit by and do nothing, our religion will be finished! Our world will regress back into darkness!"

Kiara still had a bothered look and said: "Like I've said, I'm not your leader. Stop mistaking me for someone else."

Unfortunately, these followers completely ignored her words.

They were certain Kiara was their leader. They cried in anguish: "Lady savior! If you don't make a move, our religion will be destroyed!"

Another follower cried: "There is a damned demon trying to destroy our sacred religion! Please you must take action!"

Kiara was very troubled, but Shirou frowned.

Demon?

He was rather sensitive about matters concerning Kiara - not for her sake, but because of Beast III's deeds. He took this matter seriously, following Kiara and the devotees to get to the bottom of it.

He had wondered who this so-called "damned demon" was. But upon reaching a village bordering Trifas with the followers, seeing the familiar figure preaching fervently, he couldn't help but shake his head.

It turned out to be Jeanne.

Jeanne, who was trying hard to steer the followers back onto the right path, turned in surprise at seeing him. "Oh? Assassin, whatever are you doing here?"

"I should ask you that. Didn't you say you'd remain in Valcea? How did you end up in Trifas?"

Bewildered, she responded, "I thought we were still in Valcea."

As it turned out, after leaving Shirou and the others, Jeanne had continued preaching to stray heretics along the path, trying to free them from the ideological shackles of their false doctrines and return them to the Lord's grace.

And in doing so, she had wandered here.

He truly knew not what expression to make of this.

Just then, a follower pointed at Jeanne, crying, "Don't be complacent, vile demon who would undo our Heaven! Our lady savior has arrived! Your day of reckoning is nigh!"

"Lady savior?" repeated Jeanne, her gentle eyes instantly narrowing to a piercing coldness. Her entire body emitted a terrifying aura.

In a harsh tone she asked, "Who is it?"

The follower turned and pointed directly at Kiara Sessyoin.

Kiara was completely confused. Then Jeanne glared at her coldly, "Are you the magus behind this heretical religion?"

"I'm not!" Kiara hurriedly shook her head, frightened by her hostility.

"Lady savior!" a follower cried in anguish. "How can you deny us? This religion that you painstakingly built up bit by bit! Regardless of storm or rain, you always led us in praising the beautiful world. Ah... the beautiful world!"

Jeanne continued staring daggers at the shrinking Kiara.

Nearly in tears, she pleaded, "You have really mistaken me for someone else. I'm not her, and I have never created any religion. This is my first time going out. Previously, my father had always kept me at home. I have truly never created any religion before."

"Impossible!" objected a follower. "You are undeniably our exalted leader - I would never mistake you!"

Jeanne scrutinized Kiara closely once more as she fidgeted in distress, anxious and unsure how to prove her innocence.

At this time, a follower who had his mind washed clean by Jeanne said, "Looking closely...she doesn't seem to be the lady savior."

Another follower snapped in response, "What nonsense! Have demons tainted your eyes? Can you no longer recognize our lady savior?"

That person sighed and said: "I have regained my mind, so I remember clearly. Although this woman looks exactly the same as the leader, don't forget, on top of the leader's head, there was a pair of large decorative bull horns!"

Hearing this, Shirou's eyes shrunk violently. He whipped his head around to look at this person and asked: "Say that again!"