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[h3]District V[/h3]
[@SSW] [@Yukitamas] [@Yankee]
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In all honesty, she does not want to let them withdraw; not merely out of the desire to finish crushing them underfoot, and settle the matter here and there, before he is allowed to gather his strength, but also to question him more thoroughly. His answers are, to her, somewhat incoherent; that is to say, she's quite sure that he has no idea what he's on about, that he likely knows that, and is trying to hold onto whatever pride he can muster after being soundly defeated. She wouldn't assume that, even for him, the pain of something like a broken hand would set him into nonsensical babbling; if only because she couldn't bear to think so little of another. It is certainly possible, but he doesn't look quite that pathetic, so she dismisses it as readily as it comes. No, no. This is a rote misunderstanding, amplified by either a desire to save face - which she can understand, but not respect - or some desire to mislead her, which she can respect, but not understand. In the first place, if your intent was to confuse your opponent, the best time to start is before they best you in combat, not after, and you'd do well to have better lies prepared. It's all just... well, it sounds like random guesses, without any real education to guide them. It sounds like what you'd get from asking the most deplorable student to explain a reasonably complicated algebra expression. Thus, she rotely dismisses it, shaking her head.

Honestly, she's disappointed twice, now. First, she's disappointed that he was such a pushover in the fight, such that he had to use that much, and still fell easily, and twice, that he does not even seem to possess wisdom to offset that weakness. If he had simply said, 'I don't know, why are you asking me?' instead of running his mouth at her, with that condescending tone, she could respect him. If he had more reasonable answers, she could respect him. If he weren't so pitiable, she could respect him. But, it is what it is. Not everyone is going to be impressive, she realizes.

... In all honesty, she doesn't want to let him go. Not merely out of desire to try to help him understand the situation he's in, and how dangerous this gap is, and how little he seems to grasp about this war, to try to talk him out of killing himself at her, but also to - maybe - offer him the help of mending his hand. ... That's unwise, but it's her instinct regardless. It's only natural, right? If a 'hero' sees someone hurting, the only right decision is to reach out with both hands, even as they recoil. But she can't.

That monster there will kill her.

Even as powerful as she is, she cannot stand abreast with that thing. She knows that without a thought, merely instinctively. Well, she wasn't able to follow the fight behind her, but she felt it regardless. She knows immediately that this man is capable of cutting her down without a thought, and to dedicate herself in battle would be a relatively rapid way of killing herself. By means of his own protection, he cuts himself from help. She shakes her head again, and puts her hand up. They will not pursue.

[color=bc8dbf]"Don't seek me out."[/color]

That's all she'll say to him. If he fights her again, if she has his personality right at all, he'll end up dead. Maybe if he were more wise, he would manage to survive it - but he has shown her nothing of wisdom. So... So, if they fight again, she simply won't have a choice. And while it's what she likes as her nature, she can't save people who willing kill themselves on her fists. That's just rational. At the end of the day, she isn't some hero who can save everyone; she isn't any kind of hero at all. Regardless, with their withdrawal, the sharpness in her stance subtly leaves, and expression returns to her face, and she exhales lightly, before beaming up at her Servant. She's glad to see her unharmed - it would've bothered her if her Servant had been hurt while she was goofing off with that enemy. That is, if she was hurt because she didn't methodically and practically execute that man, she'd feel bad about it.

What's the real face of this woman? Is it the face she puts on when beating a man into shame, or is it this one, calmly smiling like nothing in the world is on her mind? She doesn't know, and she doesn't ask.

[color=bc8dbf]"I'm glad things went well for you, Caster. Thank you for holding that man off for a bit - if he had come too soon, I wouldn't have been able to win. You enjoyed yourself, I hope?"[/color] She isn't sure if she believes that, actually - if she hopes she enjoyed herself. Battle is meant to be a dedicated, harsh thing, but... well, people like speeding down backstreets, and that's pretty dangerous too, so she doesn't really think too hard about it, either. She's unwounded and not tired, so she'll continue what was, prior, a simple walk down the side of the Danube, at least for now.