Even without S.H.I.E.L.D.'s cutting-edge equipment and personnel, Chaldea had Saiki Kusuo—a psychic whose abilities rendered conventional intelligence gathering almost obsolete.
Because of this, Shen He wasn't worried about locating Captain America. With S.H.I.E.L.D. already narrowing down the search area, it was only a matter of time before Saiki's clairvoyance pinpointed the exact location.
"Estimated time to arrival: three hours."
Shen He adjusted the autopilot settings before stepping out of the cockpit.
With Lelouch and Saiki temporarily back in their respective worlds, the luxury jet was now occupied by three beautiful girls of varying temperaments—an atmosphere that made the flight feel even more extravagant.
---
Joan of Arc, Praying at 30,000 Feet
Shen He made his way to the private lounge, opening a chilled bottle of fine wine from the plane's cabinet. As he poured himself a drink, his gaze fell on Joan of Arc—her hands crossed over her chest in deep prayer.
"Joan, are you… praying?" he asked, intrigued.
The saintly blonde nodded slightly, her blue eyes carrying a faint trace of unease.
"Yes. I am praying for a safe journey." Her fingers tightened slightly. "Even though I was granted some knowledge of modern technology when I was summoned… this is still unbelievable. How can a massive iron construct fly in the sky?"
Shen He blinked, then chuckled.
"…I almost forgot."
He suddenly remembered: Joan was afraid of flying.
Setting down the wine bottle, he walked over, bringing along a few crystal glasses before taking a seat beside her.
"I should apologize for making you embark on such a long journey without giving you proper time to adjust. Since we have time, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
Joan's expression softened. "Of course, Master."
She, too, was eager to understand the man who had summoned her.
---
Heroic Spirit vs. Possession
Shen He leaned forward slightly, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
"You were summoned as a Heroic Spirit, correct? Not through possession?"
If this Joan of Arc followed the pattern of certain Fate iterations, she would be possessing a modern girl, like the French teenager Leticia.
However, Joan shook her head.
"I was fully summoned as a Heroic Spirit. Possession only occurs when the summoning process fails or is altered by outside forces."
Shen He exhaled, a little disappointed.
That means no adorable modern Joan habits—no random food cravings, no struggling with high school math, and no amusing human quirks.
Of course, there were benefits to this version of Joan. A true Heroic Spirit meant she retained all of her combat abilities, making her far more powerful in battle.
"So… what about your Noble Phantasms?" Shen He pressed further.
The two-rituals from his previous summon had been heroicized as well, but she had no Noble Phantasm.
Joan nodded thoughtfully before answering, "I have two Noble Phantasms."
Luminosité Eternelle – A defensive ability that grants divine protection to her allies.
La Pucelle – A powerful sacrificial attack that burns enemies with holy flames but results in my complete destruction within a day.
Shen He's eyes lit up.
That means she has both "My Lord is Here" from the games and "Saint of the Holy Sword" from the novels.
He made a mental note: prioritize her training. While Heroic Spirits were costly to maintain, Chaldea's increasing resources should make leveling her up possible.
---
A Saint, A Warrior, and a Picture Book
As Shen He was processing this information, a quiet figure approached.
It was Violet Evergarden, holding a small storybook in her hands.
She gazed up at him with gentle but expectant eyes.
Though Violet had learned to speak more fluently, she still preferred to communicate through simple gestures.
Shen He immediately understood.
"Alright," he said with a chuckle. "Since we have time, I'll teach you some more words."
He lifted Violet onto his lap, flipping open the illustrated book.
Because of his Chinese heritage, he had first taught Violet Chinese characters, followed by English. The books he used were Chinese folktales, filled with stories of loyalty, honor, and destiny.
From her seat, Joan observed quietly.
At first, she only listened, but as the lesson continued, her eyes drifted toward the book, and her body unconsciously leaned closer.
Shen He noticed immediately.
"Joan?" He turned his head slightly, catching her just as she was about to press against him.
The saint's face instantly flushed.
"A-Ah…! I-I… I apologize, Master!" Joan hastily retreated back to her seat.
Shen He raised an eyebrow.
"…Joan, do you want to learn Chinese too?"
A long pause.
Then, in a small voice, Joan whispered, "…Illiteracy is unacceptable."
Violet blinked before quietly sliding half of the picture book toward Joan. Then, she patted her palm on the page.
"One. Together."
Joan hesitated. "Really? I… I wouldn't want to be a bother…"
But she looked at Shen He expectantly.
"Teaching two people is no different than teaching one," Shen He said with a small smile.
The initial thrill of summoning Joan had faded, replaced by a gradual bond of trust and familiarity.
There was still so much to learn about one another.
But for now…
This was enough.
---
Arrival in the Arctic
Tony Stark's luxury private jet wasn't just for show. Thanks to his modifications, it was capable of stable supersonic flight.
In just four to five hours, they crossed half the planet, arriving at the Arctic Ice Sheet.
As Shen He stepped onto the frozen ground, the icy wind bit into his skin. Temperatures here were lethal to normal humans, but none of them were normal.
Even Violet merely switched to a winter outfit, unfazed by the elements.
Saiki's telepathic message reached them:
> "The location should be somewhere in this area, but you're out of luck. The weather is unstable."
Shen He sighed, glancing at the raging blizzard outside the plane.
"This storm is going to be a problem."
He turned to the two-rituals.
"Shi, stay and guard the plane."
The swordswoman nodded, unfazed. "Understood."
Shen He, Violet, and Joan gathered their gear, stepping into the blizzard.
As the plane's doors closed, the two-rituals sat down, alone with her thoughts.
---
An Unexpected Visitor
Time passed in silence.
The two-rituals tilted her head, sipping from a bottle of water, unsure how to pass the time.
Then.
BAM.
A sudden impact rocked the plane.
Her eyes snapped open.
Something—or someone—had struck the exterior.
She grabbed her katana, eyeing the communication device on the table.
She hesitated… then simply tucked it into her pocket and strode to the hatch.
The door slid open, the storm howling outside.
Then she saw it.
A fiery red silhouette leaped onto the plane—massive, muscular… with piercing eyes.
A colossal hound, wreathed in flames.
A monster.
And it was staring straight at her.