Richard, on the other hand, looked at John, impressed.
“I’m surprised—you noticed in an instant. Either way, I don’t think you’d be so cowardly as to attack Ayaka from behind . . . but I see you’d make a good knight as well as a good official.”
“?”
Ayaka did not understand what he was talking about, while the police officers turned their attention to their surroundings. Like John, caution and surprise were causing cold sweat to form on their faces.
“. . .”
Only Vera remained cool. She shifted her attention to the pistol holstered at her hip and asked:
“Two . . . No, three. Can I consider that to be your forces?”
“Huh? What?”
Ayaka looked around again . . . and finally noticed.
A heavily bandaged man she had seen the other day was standing on top of a building . . . and a lance-wielding man on horseback was peering at them out of an alleyway.
“That’s . . .!”
“Yes, I introduced the archer to you once before, Ayaka. I’m impressed, Vera. I didn’t expect you to sense Lock—Assassin while he’s hidden.”
“I couldn’t sense him. But I judged that you would need one more to cover all your blind spots and protect Ayaka Sajou.”
“That’s even more impressive. I see. The people around you must shine brighter in battle with you leading them,” Richard casually remarked. As he did so, the archer and the others vanished like a mist lifting.
“What’s going on?” John asked, still tense. “What are they?”
“My comrades. When I’m certain that you won’t target Ayaka, I’ll introduce them to you along with my True Name.”
“Comrades . . . Did you summon them from outside this ward?”
Richard answered Vera’s doubt with a shake of his head.
“They’re half fused with my Spirit Origin. They just came with me automatically.”

Fate/Strange Fake: Volume 6, Chapter 17 ("Breaking Dawn & Wakeless Dreams II")