"W-what is this?!"
The sudden Duel challenge made Luviagelita immediately suspect she had fallen prey to Jiang You's Illusion Magic. She attempted to counter it, only to discover she was unaffected. This realization sent a chilling wave through her—either this wasn't Illusion Magic at all, or the opponent's magic far surpassed her own.
Seeing her opponent's confident and fearless demeanor, Luviagelita knew there had to be a trap. She had also learned about duels, and it was clear this was their specialty—something she needed to avoid at all costs.
Unlike most Heroic Spirits, Luviagelita had no one she needed to meet through a duel, so she resolutely refused. Fighting within her opponent's Noble Phantasm would be a disastrous choice.
"I refuse!"
Luviagelita glanced at Sapphire again. "Sapphire! This concerns the honor of the Edelfelt family. Please help me one last time!"
"Fine... This is the last time..."
Sapphire glanced at her sister Ruby, confirming that Ruby was siding with the young man named Jiang You, though she likely wouldn't intervene. Despite Luviagelita's many flaws, they had cooperated for a considerable time and even recovered Lancer's Class Card. It seemed right to lend a hand one last time.
"Alright, let's go!"
Luviagelita then proceeded to transform right in front of Jiang You, using magical power to weave a Magical Girl uniform over her, replacing her frilly dress. Watching this spectacle, Jiang You suddenly felt an urge to kick her. This wasn't some anime where transformations came with time-stop effects; no enemy would patiently watch her transform, right? Was this bizarre pre-transformation ritual really necessary? There wasn't even an audience!
"How foolish! You completely misunderstand the gap between us. Did you think rejecting me would give you an advantage? Let me tell you—you have no choice! Seize her!"
Without hesitation, Jiang You summoned Hundred Faces and Cursed Arm. Tiamat would have been the optimal choice, but for an opponent of Luviagelita's caliber, a mere probe didn't warrant disturbing her. Moreover, the Hassan were remarkably obedient; they never questioned Jiang You's orders. As for why Serenity wasn't summoned, Jiang You hadn't yet decided to eliminate Luviagelita outright.
Dozens of shadows erupted from behind Jiang You, their razor-sharp blades reflecting cold glints from the overhead chandelier.
"Th-this isn't right!"
After Illya was knocked down, Ruby temporarily took over the role of the straight man.
"Attacking during transformation is totally cheating! That's completely against the rules!"
Unfortunately, even with such an unsportsmanlike interruption, the Magical Girl's transformation still completed successfully. Nearly all the Hassans were blasted away by the surge of magical power. Hundred Faces' combat abilities were truly underwhelming; it seemed best not to assign her to battle duties in the future.
"Is that all you've got?"
Luviagelita had successfully completed her transformation, even striking a pose. The combination of her adult physique and the Magical Girl outfit gave off a rather jarring "trying too hard to look young" vibe.
"Lord Jiang You, I've made contact with her. The Noble Phantasm is ready to activate at any moment. Shall I eliminate her?"
Cursed Arm stood beside Jiang You, his demonic arm fully unleashed. At Jiang You's command, he could crush Luviagelita's heart instantly.
"No need. We're not here to kill anyone."
Jiang You had already realized that the Magical Girl's transformation wasn't truly invincible. Kaleidoscope had merely used magical power from a Parallel World to construct a temporary shield, akin to a high-powered Mana Burst. Summoning a powerful servant could still interrupt the process.
"You can withdraw for now. I'll summon an ally who can truly make her submit."
To ensure Luviagelita wouldn't object, Jiang You decided to summon his strongest combatant—excluding Tiamat and Eresh.
"Melusine, she's all yours!"
The Fairy Knight's power was undeniable. Her strength was a tier above the original Knights of the Round Table, capable of ending a battle against an opponent like Luviagelita in an instant.
"Just capture her alive. Don't kill her."
The petite knight didn't ask any questions. She immediately charged in the direction Jiang You had indicated.
"Luviagelita! Get out of the way! This magical power signature—it's Albion! This child... she's connected to Albion! But how is that possible?!"
The Clock Tower was built atop Albion's remains, making Sapphire intimately familiar with this magical power. Yet sensing it emanating from a young girl was utterly absurd. Could she possibly be Albion?
"Albion? The dragon that failed to return to the Inner Sea of Stars?"
Luviagelita was well-versed in the history of magecraft, and Sapphire's meticulous nature left no room for jest. Cold sweat instantly drenched her back. She had initially dismissed Jiang You as a Summoning-type Servant who summoned Assassin, only capable of conjuring third-rate lackeys. To her shock, a heavyweight Servant had suddenly appeared. She hastily erected a magical power shield and prepared Magic Bullets to intercept Melusine, but it was far too late. In the blink of an eye, Melusine's face was practically pressed against hers.
Two fists, no larger than Rin Tohsaka's breasts, hurtled toward Luviagelita. With no time to cast a spell, she could only parry with the Sapphire magic wand. The force of the blow bent the wand itself, sending Luviagelita flying like a cannonball.
In that split second, Luviagelita devised a countermeasure. The name "Melusine" yielded little information, but her attire suggested she was a Knight, likely excelling in close combat. Seizing this opportunity, she resolved to create distance—the room's cramped space severely restricted her flight capabilities.
Luviagelita's plan was sound in theory, but reality proved vastly different. Just as she was about to shatter the window and fly out, Melusine had already flashed behind her. Another punch slammed into Luviagelita's spine, this time with restrained force, aimed only to incapacitate her.
Too late...
The entire sequence unfolded in less than half a second. Luviagelita strained every fiber of her being just to keep up with the reaction time. Against such overwhelming power, she couldn't even turn around properly, taking the full force of Melusine's blow. The overwhelming strike instantly shattered her Magical Girl state, sending the Sapphire staff clattering to the side.
"We settled this the Magus way. You should admit defeat now, right?"
Jiang You picked up the Sapphire magic wand, feigning scrutiny. Apart from its exquisite craftsmanship, it seemed no different from a toy—a Spell novice like him couldn't discern anything special about it.
"Even if Kaleidoscope questions you, you can tell him you were simply outmatched. If he presses further, send him to me."
As a player himself, Jiang You had no need to worry about Kaleidoscope uncovering anything suspicious. And even if he did? He'd just beat him up!