Chapter 109: The Day the Gods Fall!
[You carry an application form and step into the student council office, ready to join the council.]
[Before your eyes is the student council president — the Queen of France, Marie.]
[...The memories of the past surface clearly; nothing more needs to be said.]
Reflected in Eikou's eyes was a beautiful, angelic girl with white hair.
A sweet, pure, and innocent face that still exuded the refined grace of a princess, with sapphire-blue eyes that held not a trace of impurity.
That was the young Queen of France — and the student council president of Chaldea — Marie Antoinette.
"Ara, isn't this Eikou?"
Seeing that the one who entered was him, Marie looked a bit surprised and lightly raised her elegant brows.
But very soon, she showed a charmingly adorable smile dazzling enough to take one's breath away, and said: "Welcome, welcome~ Eikou, is there something you needed?"
"Ehm..."
Just thinking about the dating show during the previous racing event made Eikou feel a little embarrassed.
But since the other party didn't seem to care about it at all, he didn't need to hold back either, and pulled out the student council application form he'd been hiding behind his back.
"——I've come to join the student council."
He said directly.
"Oh~?"
Marie's sapphire eyes widened slightly, and then she smiled radiantly and warmly:
"So that's how it is~ We were just talking about who would be the representative for the Britain class, and of course, it's you. Hehe, that's wonderful."
The young Queen of France gave him a graceful, coquettish glance, her demeanor both elegant and alluring:
"I'm truly happy to see you~"
"Thank you." Eikou nodded somewhat nervously. "I… hope I'm not disturbing anyone?"
"Not at all, not at all. We just finished our meeting, and everyone was about to head out for lunch..."
Marie spoke in a gentle tone, then turned to the members in the room with a dazzlingly radiant smile:
"Thank you all for your hard work today, that'll be all for now, let's wrap up. Now then, Eikou, hand me your form — I'll personally welcome you myself~"
— What's that supposed to mean, she wants to welcome me personally?!
Oh, great, talk about bad luck — not only at the worst possible time, but also with the most dangerous person!
"President Marie,"
Before leaving, Saint Martha couldn't help asking:
"And your lunch, would you like me to bring you a portion?"
Marie simply smiled softly: "No need, I already know what I want to eat for lunch, so you don't have to come back~"
"Eh, what are you planning to eat then?"
"Fufufu~ I won't tell you this time..."
Marie shyly intertwined her fingers, smiling sweetly yet with subtle implication:
"Even I, sometimes, get a little greedy and indulgent… occasionally, I just want to have a meal all to myself. Sorry, Martha."
"Ah, I see… alright then."
Martha didn't quite understand what she meant, so she simply nodded obediently and turned to leave the student council office.
"..."
Eikou beside her swallowed dryly.
Don't scare me… Marie, just what exactly are you planning to eat?!
"That's just great… didn't run into Minamoto no Raikou, but ended up meeting another heavy-class opponent instead..."
Eikou muttered softly.
The Queen of France — Marie Antoinette.
Everything about her embodied the archetypes that could make any man fall head over heels: voluptuous curves, a maternal aura, the elegance of a wife, and… what terrified him most — the type of woman who takes the initiative.
She had once been highly praised by Finn as "a conceptual Goddess from France," because she embodied every ounce of romance a man could ever dream of.
Whether it was the motherly archetype of the Oedipus complex, the forbidden wife ideal idolized by Lancelot, the pure noble princess bathed in moonlight, or the childhood friend type with a touch of little evil, she could freely shift between all those Spirit Origin forms.
She was the woman of Tristan's dreams — and the nightmare nemesis of Eikou.
At this moment, there were only two people here — a man and a woman — alone together.
No drunken Jeanne to interrupt.
All unfavorable conditions… had reached their limit.
His instincts screamed — Run!
"Umm..."
But Eikou thought, if he ran away now, he'd definitely lose his chance to join the student council.
"..."
Could this perhaps be the trial he needed to pass in order to enter the student council?
A grand test of fate arranged by the heavens — if he wanted power and a position in the council, he had to overcome this gatekeeper first?
"Yeah, that makes sense..."
After all, she was the president; sooner or later, they would have to meet often.
If he couldn't even handle being called to meet her alone, he'd have no right to set foot in the student council at all.
Indeed… he had no choice but to fight with everything he had...
Suddenly, a grand and tragic myth flashed through his mind.
Long ago, in Greek mythology, Heracles had used his indomitable will to complete twelve labors, slaying the Nemean Lion and the nine-headed Hydra, ultimately obtaining the Noble Phantasm "Nine Lives" and achieving immortality — becoming one of the gods upon Olympus.
Then he, too, would have to overcome this "Trial of Twelve Wives" — to face this conceptual goddess who embodied mother, wife, and maiden of France — and prove himself worthy to stand among the elite members of the student council!
If he could remain pure while being alone with this "conceptual goddess," what fear would he ever have of someone like Scathach?
Today, he would see himself as the great hero Heracles — dealing with the goddesses of France would be nothing!
And today would be — the day he would defeat a god!
He, was none other than the invincible Eikoucles!
No matter what moves she used, it didn't matter — he just had to firmly reject her.
'As long as I grit my teeth and endure, decisively refusing the other party, not compromising or accepting any ambiguous relationship, then even this conceptual goddess who blends mother–wife–maiden could do nothing to me!'
Eikoucles spoke to himself with confidence.
His gaze suddenly turned solemn and heroic, as a fierce flame of determination burned within his chest.
I will burn my dread!
He carefully observed his surroundings, earnestly assessing the state of the Queen of France.
"Hm..."
Currently, Marie was using her Rider-class maiden Spirit Origin, and even though only the two of them were here, she didn't seem to have any intention of switching to another form.
Could it be… that she planned to begin the Twelve Labors in this maiden form?
"Hmm..."
Eikoucles gave a faint, knowing smile.
Then you really are too naive, Queen of France.
Even though this pure, moonlight-like girlfriend vibe of yours can make my heart tremble a little, it's still not enough to shake my will.
'Without a doubt, in her maiden form, Marie ranks among the top, but I've already experienced the supreme level of the "girlfriend feeling" — the peak that humanity cannot surpass — that of those like Tohsaka Rin at the summit, Ereshkigal, Ishtar, and of course, Jeanne Alter!'
Eikou's personal "resistance threshold" to girlfriend-type Servants had long been refined to the extreme by those classic tsundere archetypes. The effect of Marie's maiden form could only be described as minimal — completely insufficient to sway his heart.
To willingly abandon her greatest weapon — that forbidden maternal charm rivaling Minamoto no Raikou — only to chase after the already oversaturated "girlfriend aesthetic" on the market… that was her biggest mistake.
Now then, let's see what else you can throw at me, Your Highness the Queen of France!
Eikoucles thought to himself.