Lancer recalled the wide smile he saw after he was summoned. It was innocent like a child finally met their idol, not fit for a woman in her twenties.

“Why should I believe you? Who even are you? My former master’s death, how do you know about it?”

Haruki handed the incomplete Gae Bolg to Medea and traced his finger on the elegant dagger. “I can’t disclose it unless you become my servant. I can’t take the risk of revealing my trump card to your master.”

“I’ll take Geis to never reveal this to my master.”

“Geis, heh. The spell can be overpowered through a Command Spell.”

Haruki naturally knew about the curse magecraft through the Almighty Key. The Geis spell placed a mystical restriction on the target. However, it could be easily shattered by the overwhelming magical energy of the Command Spell.

“Shit. Why do I have to do this for an unknown woman?” Lancer pulled at his hair in frustration. “Just answer one question, kid. Why do you want the grail?”

“Haruki-sama,” Medea corrected Lancer with an expressionless look. “My master’s name is Haruki. He seeks the Greater Grail to resurrect his mother, who was unjustly killed. Before you say our wish can’t be granted, we have our ways to accomplish this.”

“She said all I wanted.” Haruki shrugged. “Rest is up to you.”

Lancer nodded in approval. The spear in his hand vanished as he approached Haruki. “What do I have to do?”

Haruki gestured toward the dagger with his gaze. “Let me stab you with the Rule Breaker.”

Lancer’s eye twitched. The servant in blue attire disabled the runic protections of his armor, willing to take the blow like a man.

“Wait,” Archer interjected. “You’re confident to provide two servants at the same time?”

“Of course.”

The three servants didn’t put any burden on him. Though that might change once the war ends since Grail would no longer provide the servants any magical energy.

“I’m ready. Finish it before the priest calls.”

Haruki asked Arch to create a task.

Task #22: Fourth Servant Objective: Forming a contract with Cu Chulainn. Difficulty: B-Rank Rewards: 1 X Premium Gacha Coupon

Would you like to accept this Task?

‘B-Rank? Shouldn’t it decrease since the war is going to be easier?’

The contract carried more impact than he thought. It might lead to an ending he didn’t expect.

‘I’m forgetting something important.’

He rubbed the back of his neck. That something could lead to his potential loss despite having five servants on his side.

‘Is it Gilgamesh?’

He shook his head. Gilgamesh would perish before such force even if he brings out his greatest weapon—Enuma Elish. Gilgamesh couldn’t be the cause. Berserker couldn’t be the cause for the very same reason.

‘Is the Mage’s Association going to interfere if I get Lancer on my side?’

There were too many abnormalities for him to account for in Nasuverse.

“What got you so hesitant… Haruki?” Lancer asked.

“Haruki-sama?” Medea asked. “Do you have something on your mind?”

Haruki shook his head. “Nothing.”

He accepted the task under Medea’s worried gaze before he mercilessly plunged the dagger into Lancer’s chest. Violet-colored magical energy burst from Lancer’s chest, whirling around them. The spell constraining Cu Chulainn to Kirei Kotomine shattered, and a new Command Spell appeared on his right hand, right above Semiramis’ Command Spells.

‘Just one, huh. Kirei used two. Well, another one joined my side.’

Once he brings Medusa and Heracles to his side, he’d have all seven servants.

‘Will Gilgamesh’s soul be enough for the Grail to grant my wish?’

He wanted to keep his servants alive if possible. They’d be helpful against any future threats, especially the Magus Association.

Archer calmly watched as Lancer joined him as an ally. He never thought their training session would turn into a contract ceremony, and that Haruki would have so much knowledge of Lancer’s current and previous master.

“It was easy,” Lancer said, an unconcealed surprise in his voice. “You’re my master now. Is he also your servant?”

Lancer’s eyes held some hostility towards Archer, which he himself didn’t know the origin of. Archer had yet to say anything sarcastic about the entire situation, yet somehow Lancer felt pissed.

Haruki shook his head. “His master is a friend and an ally.”

“Oh. It’s all good then.” He glared at Archer before clicking his tongue. “I feel like punching someone in the face.”

“Bastard…” Archer’s brow twitched as he clenched his swords. “You want a fight, don’t you?”

Lancer pounded the ground with his spear, an intense scowl on his face. “Bring it on, white-haired old man.”

“Haruki-sama, will they be alright?” Medea was concerned whether these two will kill each other at some point. “Should I stop them?”

Haruki looked at the two butting heads with each other and sighed. “Leave them be. I want to see how the priest reacts to this situation.”

“I can assure you that he won’t be happy. Are our forces enough to fight Gilgamesh now?”

Cu Chulainn was another strong fighter whose agility was top-notch among other servants. With Artoria’s Excalibur and Avalon, no servant stood a chance against them.

“Definitely. Gilgamesh is at the bottom of my priority list. Let’s deal with Matous first.”

War had just started. He had plenty of time to deal with Gilgamesh.

***

Haruki returned home alone since the servants had assumed spiritual forms.

“Archer, go ahead. Let me talk with Lancer.”

Archer materialized. “Call me if the hound doesn’t obey you.” 

Lancer glared at Archer’s back and spat on the ground. “Pathetic excuse of an archer.”

Haruki simply chuckled as Lancer whined about Archer.

‘Nasu sure loves tsunderes.’

“About our contract,” Lancer said in a serious voice. “Answer me.”

“Your former master was named Bazett, the wielder of Fragarach.” Haruki pieced together everything he knew about Lancer’s previous master from his memories. “She could have flattened everyone with you if it was a normal war.”

“Normal you say, master,” Lancer asked. “The overseer is a fraudulent manipulator. It’s pretty abnormal from the start.”

“That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

Haruki told Lancer about Gilgamesh staying from the previous war as well as the Grail’s corruption.

“The Priest never let me see Gilgamesh once… It’s messed up. Well, I had no wish, to begin with,” Lancer admitted and looked at Haruki with a grin. “You still didn’t answer my initial question.”

“I can’t answer what I don’t know,” Haruki responded with a grin of his own. “Let’s say I saw everything in a dream.”

Lancer threw an incredulous glance at him. “Even toddlers can find better excuses.”

Medea tilted her head. “Was the dream perhaps your mother’s doing?”

Caught off guard by her innocent tone, Haruki shook his head. “She is but a mystery to me.”

“What about me?” Lancer pointed at himself. “What am I to do in the meantime?”

“Keep an eye out for other servants.”

“Alright.”

He contacted Semiramis and told her to wait for a few more minutes. He had to lead Cu Chulainn, otherwise, he’d have gone to meet them.

“My master is neglecting me… I wanna cry. Bad master.”

“...”

Sometimes he wondered if all the rulers of the past were nutjobs.