A Not So Evil God In Fate/Grand Order

"So, what exactly happened?" The two men and two women were walking in a particular direction. As there was nothing to do, Seth decided to ask form more details on the events that occurred while he wasn't here.

"When we were trying to get those idiots back, the enemy soldiers managed to separate them, so we had to separate ourselves, too. Martha and I went for Lu Bu while Mash, Fujimaru, Boudica, and Kiyohime went for Spartacus." Caster explained how the whole ordeal began before continuing.

"Martha had to summon Tarasque, but we were able to calm down Lu Bu. However, when we returned to the place we initially separated, we found Master and the two little girls together with Spartacus, but Boudica was absent." He summarized as much as he could but still kept the essential details.

"Tch. Berserkers are a pain in the a.s.s." Jalter clicked her tongue in annoyance. They did something right, and there they go those mindless idiots to ruin everything.

"Didn't you command Servants with Madness Enhancement?" Jeanne asked with a little perplexion. She found this contradictory behavior odd, to be honest.

"And look where that got me? If I had more capable Servants, you all would have died long ago." It's not like she was not happy with the outcome, quite the contrary, but she felt like she didn't get to show what she was truly capable of, much to her disappointment.

"Isn't it a great thing that they didn't? You wouldn't have friends that way, little lass!" To cope with the situation, Cu Chulainn decided to make use of his inner jokester.

"Who needs friends?! I don't need such useless things!" It seemed to work, as it riled up Jalter instantly.

"Haha! Don't be like that! Look at us; we are the best of buddies right here!" Caster, without shame, put his arm around Seth's shoulder.

'Why do you include me in your stupidity?' The Egyptian God thought while casting a sideways glance at Cu Chulainn.

"Now that I think about it, you have known Master for a relatively long time, haven't you, Caster?" Seeing how close they were, Jeanne decided to ask Cu Chulainn something that has been on her mind for quite a while.

"Long time? Nah, probably around one month, maybe a bit more. Although I already know some dark secrets about him, haha!" The Sage of the Forst continued to take this in a light-hearted way.

'The fact that you were the first proper person I spoke in thousand of years won't save your a.s.s if you say something unnecessary.' He may not have spoken, but the look in his eyes conveyed everything.

At the mention of 'dark secrets,' Avenger's interest was piqued. "What kind of secrets?" It would be a lie to say Ruler wasn't interested too.

"Yeah! Like when was the last time he had—Geh." He couldn't finish as he was elbowed on his ribs by Seth, fainting soon afterward.

Catching him before he fell, he turned to the two girls. "Stop prying in others' matters. Everything has a time. Now, let's go and reunite with the others."

Both girls felt kind of sad they couldn't get anything out of this but decided not to press the matter any further. Jeanne even offered a quick prayer for Caster, who was on dreamland right now.

...

After walking for around two hours in their original direction, they arrived at a newly made camp. It was in the outskirts of a fort, possibly where they kept Boudica captive.

They didn't even say hello when Nero came running at them. "Good to see you four here, I believe the robbed man informed you about the situation. We need to save Boudica at all costs!"

'Oi, oi, seriously? I have a name, you know? We have battle together all this time, and you still don't know it?' What's with this scenario? It also didn't help the light but easily discernible smug look he was getting from Seth.

"It seems he wants a match between Servants. I only detect three Servants in that fort. One of them is Boudica; they probably sent their soldiers away to fight with yours so you couldn't get interrupted." The black-haired man informed the little Emperor.

"Hmph. Those two are underestimating us too much! Let's go quickly and rescue Boudica from their evil claws!" Nero was ready to go. She just needed the support from the Servants so she could fight them.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but is everyone else ready? if not, then you need to calm down." He was the one who offered to wait for Seth to finish whatever he went to do with the other two and then bring him back, so he didn't know how the others were.

"Mash and Ritsuka are ready to go! Uncle Vlad and that black-armored man are with the army. Martha and that other girl with strange clothes are keeping watch on Lu Bu and Spartacus!" Nero informed dutifully to him like she was doing some kind of report.

"So that leaves the two kids and us to fight, huh? Should be easy." Even if the Holy Grail was empowering the enemy Servants, their group had the number advantage.

"Call them here, then. We will part immediately. Also, give me your sword again. I will make you a bit useful." Seth said, much to Nero's discontent.

"What do you mean 'make me useful'?! I will have you know that I saved your comrades while we were on that island!" Nero protested, and rightfully so, considering she incapacitated the Chimera.

"She is right, Master. If it weren't for her, we would have taken more time to beat that monster." Jeanne backed up the Emperor's words without shame for their weakness.

"Why are you telling me this as if I cared? Anyway, give me your weapon." Even though he made a request, Seth didn't wait and snatched Nero's weapon with swiftness.

With no suspense, he injected his Magical Energy on the sword like the previous times. What was different, however, was that it didn't get enveloped in black flames, it just stayed the same as before.

Returning the sword to Nero, who looked at it confused, he spoke. "Done. Now, go and get them. We don't have all day." Nero, still not understanding what changed, went to do as Seth told her.

In a few minutes, the Emperor came happily skipping with Mash and Fujimaru in tow. The two youngsters weren't in a good mood. It was understandable since they felt responsible for what happened.

"I'm sorry..." The first thing Fujimaru did when meeting up with them was apologize, and Mash followed suit.

"She is not dead. You don't have to apologize." Seth shook his head, telling him not to mind it. He wouldn't blame him even if Boudica were dead, either, considering his birthplace.

"Right..." Changing his mind with just a few words was going to be challenging, but that was okay for now.

With nothing more to say, they marched at the fort to rescue Boudica.

―――――――――――――――――――

"So, he has fallen, huh?" Rider said with a sigh.

"I still find it incredible that he would get summoned as a chain reaction due to you being here." Zhuge Liang commented while smoking his cigarette.

"The world works in mysterious ways. You should be more aware of it than I do." The red-haired boy said with an amusing laugh at the end.

"You don't need to tell me. Setting that aside, the Emperor will come soon. Are you prepared?" He asked the little boy beside him.

"Yep, I need to hear her answer, after all." He said while playing with his short sword.

"You get fixated on the weirdest of things sometimes. Still, as I said before, I will make sure your wish comes true." Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he threw it on the ground before stepping on it.

"They have come, right?" Noticing the action of his teacher, Rider knew it was time.

"Indeed, what we do will depend on their actions." He told his 'student' before looking forward. There, seven silhouettes were making their way to them, becoming more discernible with time.

When the figures got close enough, one of them, obviously Nero, began to shout. "Boudica! Boudica, where are you?!"

"Calm yourself; she is safe inside this fortress right now. I hadn't nor have plans to harm her, but I needed to do this so I could speak with you." Rider wryly smiled, seeing the antics of the girl in front of him.

"Bold of you to show your faces in front of me after what you did! Very well, I will allow you to tell me your names!" Nero seemed kind of over the edge. It was like this situation agitated her more than one might expect.

"Allow us?" The boy made a surprised face before merely smiling. "Hm...I have multiple names to choose from, but I guess Alexander will do. Alexander III to be more precise."

"Lord El-Melloi II. Currently working as his strategist." Zhuge Liang briefly introduced himself with the name people used to call him in his 'previous' life.

'So he is the one who made that strategy? Not bad at all.' Seth put himself in full scouting mode as he observed the black-haired man, who was equally inspecting him.

"Now that introductions are over, I would like to talk with you." Alexander's words surprised Nero.

"What? You are not going to fight?" She asked with disbelief amidst her anger.

"That's right. I don't get very well with my Master, so I acted of my own free will so I could speak with you." Rider unhesitantly answered her question.

It seemed as their chat would have to wait for a while. From the group's rear, soldiers from the United Empire were approaching in the thousands.

"Sorry about that, we are one thing, but the soldiers are other—" Before Alexander could finish, Seth stomped his feet on the ground. The earth started to tremble, multiple cracks extended from his direction to the soldiers' in less than five seconds.

The cracks soon expanded. In a mere instant, the earth swallowed every single soldier there was.

"That was certainly flashy, but thank you nonetheless." It was not like he enjoyed the loss of those soldiers' lives. But he had other priorities, and they weren't his, to begin with, so he decided not to think much about it.

"Now then, I wanted to ask you, Fifth Emperor of Rome, Nero Claudius. Why is it that you fight? It's not like you don't know if you swore allegiance to the United Empire, your soldiers wouldn't have to lose their lives meaninglessly. You could even become one of their Emperors. So, Why do all these unnecessary things?" Alexander asked in one fell swoop everything he wanted to ask.

"Unnecessary? Are you telling me my fights are unnecessary? That my soldiers' lives are unnecessary? That their sacrifice is unnecessary? That what they sacrificed is unnecessary?" Nero fired multiple questions in succession, her tone becoming harsher with each one.

"Indeed. What are you going to do about it?" Gone was the happy-looking little boy. Now, seriousness was all that remained.

"I will make you eat your words. No matter who you are, my resurrected kin, a wise Ruler or a brave General, or even a legendary King yourself. I won't allow anyone to tell me all my soldiers did for me was unnecessary. I'm the only one suitable to be the Emperor!" Came Nero's swift answer

"Is that so?" Rider asked again.

"That is so! I'm loved by the people as much as I love them! I'm a shining star! Arrogant enough to carry the burden they have! No matter who may come and tell me to surrender, I will never do so! Such is my philosophy. Such is my way of life! If I have to perish defending what I believe, then so be it! You will never hear the words 'I surrender' from my mouth!" With a passion like never before, Nero answered for the last time the question of the red-haired boy.

A faint smile made its way to Alexander's face. "That was magnificent. It was what I wanted to hear. You've passed my test; you can go now and be the Emperor you deserve to be. A rose that brings glory and prosperity." At that moment, his face morphed to a serious one. "But a rose that can bring disaster, nonetheless. A flower of sin, one that can also become a Tyrant!"

Rider's last words made Nero tremble, from anger or fright, only she knew. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Help me take these two men down, you guys!"

"Nero..." Mash felt sad for her. She didn't dare to imagine how the Emperor might be feeling right now.

'As I thought. You are aware...' Seth shook his head after a sigh and started walking forward. Zhuge Liang prepared to use his Noble Phantasm but was stopped by Alexander, who motioned with his head not to do so.

The Chaldeans were confused by his actions but decided to prepare for combat just in case.

When Seth was near them, he whispered to the two Servants' ears. "Push them to their utmost limits. That is my only condition for you not to suffer Darius' fate." And with that, he walked past them.

"Can I also ask you something?" Seth stopped for a moment, signaling him to speak.

"I wanted to ask you two things. The first is, did Darius offer a good fight? The second is, what type of King are you?" Alexander didn't turn back to ask. He kept looking at the group some dozen meters ahead of him.

"Yes, he did. He even mentioned your name at the end. As his rival, you must not fall short and give it your all. To answer your second question, the worst type." Saying no more, he disappeared as he was never there.

"Worst type, huh?" Alexander gave a light laugh. "I wonder about that."

"Doing the same thing again." Caster rolled his eyes. That guy never helped when it was needed. Still, now it was not the time to think about the not so distant past. The fight was about to begin, after all.