Secret Joy of the Impaler

Hmm, so you made it this far, huh?

Carmilla went easy on you... Or perhaps not.

An appliqué of a praying man would decorate your master's clothes well.

Oh my. We actually ran into a serious warrior for once. Class-wise, he's the same as me, though.

Of course, no Berserker can rival me in elegance and breeding.

You make me laugh, man-eater. Your sin will scorch you from within.

Both you and I have trod a wicked path. Know that neither of us shall return to the light.

...That kind of ticked me off. You will pay dearly for that.

Of course. This is a banquet, a place for entertainment! And so

Even the jesters must give it their all.

As the ruler of a nation, I know the importance of festivals. Man needs circuses as well as bread.

Wow... He's so serious! He's the one person who doesn't get the mood for this event!

In a sense, he's a true Berserker... The only sane man in a world of the insane.

I find that a touch rude. I consider myself a gentleman with a sense of humor.

Mata Hari's dance was one of mirth. Carmilla's dance was one of suffering.

I would like to add a dance of my own, a dance of blood...

But I must beg your forgiveness. I'm afraid I'm much better at embroidery.

...Embroidery? Your hobby is embroidery?

Did you make that splendid regalia yourself?

Hahaha! How kind of you, milady. But no, this was the work of a special tailor.

I wanted to try my hand at it myself, but I had my position to think of.

Young girl, if you like, I shall give you a lesson later.

An applique of a praying man would decorate your master's clothes well.

Vlad!

But first, we must attend to the battle. I've been asked to "hype up this party," you see.

And the best way to liven up this banquet, I believe...is with your screams.

Let us begin with an appetizer. Eat, as your bones scream in pain!

Indeed, banquets are splendid. It was worth going along with that girl.

...So it's "that girl" after all?

Of course. Out of all Servants, there are few who could spread such sweet delusions without shame.

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Oh my... Master. Your passionate gaze... It's making me blush.

No, this isn't such a simple matter.

Even with the Grail's power, for a Servant to summon another Servant...

Be not afraid, foreign mage. We simply answered the summons ourselves.

What she found was only a tiny sliver of the Grail. It lacks the power to incinerate eras.

She probably found it by chance during your battles at Orleans.

It must be the blessing of God that it was entrusted to the most harmless Servant there.

...She doesn't seem harmless to me.

She has the mind of a child.

She's a very immature Servant who takes her childish thoughts and makes them real.

She acts neither for good nor evil, nor for dreams or greed. She simply seeks her own entertainment.

...But that's why it is fine. Her entertainment is a pure joy, unlike ours.

I know of it myself. Before I became the dragon who defended my nation, I, too, was once a father.

Now, it's time for me to fight for real.

My stakes have found their place in history. And now you shall feel their wrath!

...Hmmph. Enough, I suppose.

...He's barely scratched, isn't he?

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Of course. I'm the only one who's being serious here.

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Splendid, splendid. My work here is finished.

Now then... Keep playing along until the end.

She seemed so worried about whether or not you would come.

Oh dear. You're much nicer than you look. Sure you're not related?

...I'm simply taking pity on a comrade. It's harder than you think, always being called a vampire.

Whew, I'm so tired... And my throat is parched, too.

My husband, would you happen to have any cough drops?

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Thank you!

We're giving each other cough drops now... We're practically married!

I wouldn't say that. I'm the one who provided that cough drop.

I see... A pity.

Either way, so far we've dealt with Mata Hari, Carmilla, and Vlad III.

That's quite a few, but there might be more Servants who wish to join in on all the fuss...

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Hm?

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Same here...