Fate/Apocrypha

Chapter 1.5

Caules left the chamber, looking exhausted.

"Now, Rider, let me show you around the castle. You can't wait to have a look around, can you?"

The bashful Rider scratched at his head.

"You can tell, huh? So, well, I would prefer not having to go into spirit form..."

"...All right. I will prepare a room for you, then."

"Really?! Heh, I'm so lucky to have such an understanding Master!"

Rider danced in a circle, cheering and throwing his hands up in joyous celebration that his wish had been granted.

He had probably been concerned about the liability of the prana needed to maintain a physical form continuously. The Masters may have the backing of the Holy Grail, but continually materializing a mystery is still a fair burden.

In fact, when it comes down to it, there is nothing wrong with keeping a Servant in spirit form except for battle. But that is purely from the perspective of the Master. Among the Servants, there are also those who are more concerned with the joys of a second life, and prefer to stay in physical form while turning a blind eye to the Master's troubles.

The Servant Rider, Astolfo is like curiosity in human form. If his Master Selenik allowed him - and even if she didn't - he would fly out of the castle this very instant and indulge himself in the pleasures of the streets below.

Among the Twelve Peers of Charlemagne, Astolfo is said to be the most handsome, eternally optimistic, and completely lacking in sense. To say that the form he came in was unexpected would be a great understatement, but it is only natural for legends to become distorted; his endearing appearance was well within the tastes of his Master, Selenik.

"The ritual's over, sir. Let's go back to to workshop."

"...Yes, let us."

Roche and Caster also left the chamber.

Having seen off the Masters, Darnic dismissed the homunculi as well. Once they were alone, he turned to Lancer sitting on the throne.

"That makes six. And Assassin should be arriving soon."

Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, Caster, Assassin - in previous Holy Grail Wars, it had been a matter of course for each of these seven Servants would formulate their own strategies and fight with their own tactics.

However, the situation has greatly changed in this war - for he wields not one Servant, but seven.

Everything is dependant on the class of one's Servant. Now, even classes which would have had immense difficulty lasting through the entire conflict in Fuyuki - classes such as Berserker, Caster and Assassin - would be able to exercise their true potential.

For instance, the Caster which Roche summoned is already in the process of manufacturing over a thousand golems. Divided into three groups by size, they eagerly await the moment of battle.

While they will never be a match for a Servant, they are valuable enough as stumbling blocks - and against Servants unsuited to close-range combat like Caster or Assassin, they might even get their own chance at bringing down a giant.

"...Do you know how I feel right now, Darnic?"

It was in fact plain as day, given the faintly pleasant smile on his face, but Darnic posed the question all the same.

"Lord, for a lowly magus such as myself, no amount of deliberation would allow me to concieve the same thoughts as the great Dracula."

When he said this, the seemingly irritated Lancer shot him a glance.