The information acquired paints an interesting hodgepodge of a map, d'Eon notes in their quarters.What they learn has only made Ritsuka even more of an enigma than he already is. Archer seems to recognise his charisma as an inborn characteristic, but it is something he himself is largely ignorant of despite having acted to counter it in his own sister.
Taken in a vacuum, it more closely resembles a bunch of idiots drifting from event to event. But there has to be more to it. This quality cannot be incidental. Pure chance cannot have produced the ideal Masters for Chaldea. Is it related to how they refer to the King of Knights as 'auntie'? Have they grown up around legendary figures all their lives?
d'Eon has learned nothing. The mystery only deepens. Closer observation is necessary. First-hand observation.
There is a knock on the door. d'Eon opens it, and finds Mashu Kyrielight, Demi-Servant Shielder, standing there with a frown in her eyes. "Uhm... Saber d'Eon, can we talk?"
d'Eon nods and stands aside. "Of course," they say, and gesture for Mashu to step in. The purple-haired girl walks in as the door shuts behind her, and she sits after d'Eon gestures for her to do so. The silence is slightly awkward and offputting. Someone will have to break the ice. d'Eon watches on calmly, wondering if she has the will to make her own decision.
"Le Chevalier d'Eon," Mashu says, her voice clear and firm, "I would ask that you
not ask Ritsuka-senpai out."
It is
that matter after all. What else could it possibly be? "Why would I?" The former spymaster asks. "Ritsuka Tohsaka is currently single. Anyone could ask, and it wouldn't even be wrong. What matters is his decision, isn't it?"
Mashu is defiant. "It is an open secret that we like each other, so I would
greatly appreciate if you would acknowledge our feelings, and not intervene." She looks down, looking sad, but Shielder hardens her heart. "I l-like Ritsuka-senpai, a-and he's mine. H-He should be mine!
M-M-My..." She swallows. "...B-Boyfriend."
"Is it?" d'Eon asks. They step closer to Mashu, looming over her. "As I understand, you rejected him when he tried confessing to you."
Her face flushes red, and Mashu dares not make eye contact. "Ye-Yes, but I was... I was flustered! I didn't expect it to happen so suddenly! A-And it doesn't change my feelings
or his feelings!"
"Ah," d'Eon sighs, "But by rejecting him... didn't you forfeit your chance?"
"T-That's...!"
She falls on the bed, flat on her back. d'Eon follows her, holding themselves over Mashu with her hands on the bed. Mashu looks up at d'Eon's face so close to hers, her face red, her breath quick.
"That's fine," d'Eon purrs. "I don't mind sharing."
"W-Wuh?" Mashu babbles. Her coherence has taken leave, only raw, confused emotion remains. "H-Huh?!!"
"You
also interest me, Mashu Kyrielight," d'Eon says to her, smiling. "And, as I understand it, neither of you know what love is like. I do. And I am willing to teach."
"T-That's, I-I-I MEAN--"
d'Eon chuckles, low and lusty. They lean in close, and whisper in her ear. "Would you like to know why no one loves like the French?"
"---!!!"
It is too much for her. Mashu goes limp, her eyes rolled up into her skull, her body twitching uncontrollably, a streak of red dripping from her nose. d'Eon smirks as they extricate themselves and leave the room. It seems that she is still too innocent for their Master. But that isn't bad, either. It is an appealing look, one d'Eon has used before – and if it is genuine, all the better.
d'Eon chuckles as they close the door behind them. Time to hunt.
--
"So, uh."
Getting cornered by an androgynous french spy in the hallway right outside your room is a very good way to practice your mental acuity, Ritsuka realises. It has to be the only reason why a bunch of information is suddenly highly relevant. Like why Archer told him about french girls. Or Reinforcement. Or why d'Eon was there at the cafeteria when he was talking to Kana. Now it all makes sense.
In the end, this is the future he has to face. No way to go but forward.
"...Can I help you?" Ritsuka asks.
"You are an interesting person, Master," Le Chevalier d'Eon says outright, their voice a low, sultry purr. "I wish to get to know you more...
intimately."
Right. This bullshit. If only he
did get hit on in high school, it might have prepared him for this. Still, Archer might be wrong. Ritsuka takes a deep breath. "Listen, d'Eon... I appreciate the thought, but I'm busy as heck right now. As it turns out, saving the world is a full time committment, and I don't think I have the energy left to devote myself to a special pers—
woah!"
He stumbles back, his heart in his throat, as the wall behind him caves in, and Ritsuka finds himself on the ground, with the french Saber practically straddling him. He feels their breath on his cheek, and decides that things have gotten extremely awkward.
Wait that's right
Le Chevalier d'Eon has Strength A.
When the fuck did that happen.
"You're stalling, Ritsuka Tohsaka," d'Eon says, somewhere between anger and acceptance. "Get. To. The. Point."
"I-I-I'm saying I'm b-busy saving the world, m-managing Servants, d-d-dealing with my sister,
f-fighting, an-and everything else!" He says quickly, practically blabbering. "I-I mean sure, awesome! Y-You're nice! You are v-very pretty! A-And French! A-And I appreciate that you've c-come to support us to s-save humanity! An-And--"
"But," d'Eon breathes. "You're not ready."
And just like that, the spy is off him. Ritsuka scrambles to an upright position as d'Eon stands up and faces away.
"You're not ready for a relationship," They say again. d'Eon pauses, finding the words. "Yet. And that's okay. I can wait."
They look over their shoulder at Ritsuka, hands clasped behind their back. "I look forward to the day we rendezvous, Master. And don't worry about Shielder; she seems enthusiastic about our
Ménage à trois."
They head off before Ritsuka can say anything else, leaving him alone in the silence again. He thinks he saw the ghost of a smile, or the slightest flush on their cheeks, maybe even a skip in d'Eon's step as they left. It makes no sense to him. It must have been his eyes tricking him.
This happens distressingly often with him. He stands up, leaning against an upright section of his room's wall, trying to get a grip on himself.
"...Wait, d'Eon said threesome in french," he mutters, eyes widening slowly in realisation and shock. He looks up at the ceiling and frowns. "Huh..."
He sits there, not even caring that there is a giant hole in his wall at this hour of the day.
"...Dad, it's me. An androgynous french spy with the power to change their gender on demand has offered to partake in a threeway with me and my crush. Are you proud of me?"
There is no answer. Of course there wouldn't be, his father is dead with the incineration of humanity, and will be until he saves the timeline. But somehow, Ritsuka can feel his father's resigned, supportive nod.
- End Chapter Eight -
Late at night, in the kitchen, Arturia Pendragon sits at the counter eating a parfait, surrounded by a pile of dessert cups. Archer stands beside her, cleaning a plate to radiant perfection with a dishrag.
"...Archer, I get the feeling you gave Ritsuka the
talk." The King of Knights looks over at him, an alternate version of the man she loves. "Tell me, did you know Ritsuka has never received the confessions of another girl?"
She sticks her leg out, just in time to catch the plate
just right to keep it from shattering. You know, because Archer drops it.
"...Excuse me?" He asks, an eyebrow raised. "From what Kana tells me, he was the Tohsaka of his generation, a beloved and respected honor student with many admirers. How did he of all people never receive a love confession?"
"Kana," Arturia replies simply, and all becomes clear. She takes another bite of parfait and delights in the almonds mingling in the ice cream. "Incidentally, Kana is much the same. Ritsuka fought off all of her admirers."
"...I told him about Reinforcement with the assumption that he was ready for it," Archer says with growing horror. "I have failed on every level."
"Ritsuka already knows about Reinforcement," Arturia says casually. Archer ignores her; best she not know, even if she knows exactly the kind of 'Reinforcement' he means.
"...In retrospect, I should have just told him to look out for Le Chevalier d'Eon," EMIYA sighs.
"Mm. Probably." Arturia plants her spoon into the cup with a clatter and pushes it towards the Red Man. "Another, please."