Aurora

Good morning, everyone! My gosh, that bed was just sooo comfortable!

Glad to hear it! That makes all the trouble I went through to get the mattress just right worth it.

Faerie beds are just imitations of real beds, so the mattresses might as well have been boulders before I adjusted them.

I'm here as well. If you like, I'd be happy to play a song to help you all wake up.

Whoa there. I'm glad you're so fired up, but let's just take it easy, okay?

Yes, none of the high queen's soldiers are here in Salisbury, but she definitely has sympathizers here.

So we just need to play it cool and casual, okay?

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You're going out, Duhbinchi!? So you're not going to wait tables with your beautiful roller-skating today!?

Sorry, I'm off to do some sightseeing! But don't worry, I'll help out in the afternoon!

O-oh, right... That was our deal, wasn't it?

Hey, you there! I don't know which clan you're from, but you'd better not tire Duhbinchi out, you hear!?

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Hm? What's up, Fujimaru? Something on your mind?

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Oh, that? Yeah, I was surprised by that at first, too.

The weather here never changes. It's got one sky pattern for day, and another for night, and that's it.

It does supposedly rain here sometimes, but apparently it's just always cloudy here. No blue skies.

Huh? Blue skies? Your Britain's skies turn blue sometimes!?

Oh yes. When there are no clouds in the sky, it becomes a beautiful shade of blue as far as the eye can see. Though that's not to say these skies aren't beautiful in their own right.

So, the same color as bluebells then? That's what your skies look like? Wow...

Then your world must be very bright and beautiful.

The kind of place where everyone always smiles and helps one another, no matter how hard life gets.

Anyway, shall we start gathering information then?

Oh, and I need to pretend to be Fujimaru's owner, right?

Oooh, then maybe I'll try acting like a big shot and going to one of those restaurants I've heard so much about!

Did you know they won't even let you into a Woodwose's without an attendant!?

Hey, as long as there are a lot of faeries there, I'm good with wherever.

Okay, so let's scope the place out while we pretend to just be taking a walk.

We'll also want to keep our ears peeled for any juicy rumors and talk to people ourselves at times.

Have I heard anything about a faerie in iron armor? What, you guys interested in joining the high queen's army?

Don't bother. Nothing good will come from joining them now!

This is the year Ainsel prophesized about, remember? The Child of Prophecy will appear this year, and bring salvation to all!

Who knows? Maybe the high queen'll finally cut us a break on our taxes if she actually takes a few licks for once!

Huh? You're not looking to join? You're looking for a lost companion? Hmm, 'fraid we can't help you then.

Iron armor? You won't find anything like that here. You'll have to go to Norwich for iron.

They ought to still be making those silly weapons up there, at least if Spriggan hasn't shut down the mine.

What kind of weapons, you say? What else? Swords, spears, bows, axes. You know, the usual.

I swear, I never thought I'd see the day faeries would use iron weapons, of all things.

What could the high queen be thinking...?

Still, at least the Child of Prophecy should do something about all of that. We just gotta be patient a little longer.

Hey, have you guys heard the latest about the calamity pool in Norwich?

They say Norwich's sky is pitch black now, even during daytime.

There's no way they're going to last much longer there. Not with such calamity present.

I mean, between all the iron, soot, noise, and humans there, they have no one to blame but themselves...

But even so, I just can't help but worry.

I mean, what are we going to do if Norwich refugees decide to come here to Salisbury?

We have so much history here, and we've got too many Earth clan faeries as it is...

But Lady Aurora's so kind, I can't imagine her turning them away.

You're looking for something? Are you searching just in Salisbury, or all of Britain?

Hahaha, if it's all of Britain, these faeries here aren't gonna be much help.

It's so nice here in Salisbury that nobody ever wants to leave.

If you want to know what's going on in other cities, you'll just have to visit them yourself.

Oh, but you don't have wings, do you? Well that rules that out, then. If the mors get you, it's all over!

Anyway, I wonder what tonight's festival's gonna be about! I hope it's another play about the Child of Prophecy and the Evil Witch!

I love the part where the high queen and her dog knight finally get what's coming to them!

...(Worn out)

...(Fed up)

...(Dejected)

？！

I mean, I wasn't really expecting to find a solid lead in just one day...

But all anyone wanted to talk about was the Child of Prophecy. They barely even listened to what we had to say.

Indeed. That last faerie even tried to get us to buy some questionable Child of Prophecy merchandise...

I haven't seen a whole city so feverishly excited about something other than Christmas.

A Child of Prophecy craze, hmm. Sounds like there's a lot of money to be made there...

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...Um...

Yeah. The only other thing these faeries wanted to talk about besides the Child of Prophecy were the rumors going around about Norwich, the eastern port town.

I gotta say, it's made me really curious about this Child of Prophecy, too. I wonder what kind of faerie they are.

If they really are planning to fight Morgan like the prophecy says, maybe we could even convince them to help us.

What do you think? Should we try looking for this Child of Prophecy as well as Mash?

Any faerie who can get the other faeries so excited must be incredibly strong and brave!

...

Good day, everyone! I'm back once again! ...Oh. Not as many customers today, I see.

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Hey there! Having a little lunch after your morning walk around the city, huh?

Anyway, it looks like you're all having fun. Hope you don't mind if I join you.

I'm a passable fighter at best, but I'm a master of killing with compliments. Much more peaceful that way.

Here, I'll show you. Before long, I'll be heaping so much praise on Altria she'll be begging me for mercy.

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Huh. You mean you haven't told them yet, Altria?

The Child of Prophecy everyone's on about? That's her.

I just assumed you knew, since she's got King Arthur's name and all.

I mean, yeah, the thought did cross my mind once I heard you were named Altria...

But still, you, Altria? Really!?

I mean, let's be real: You have less magical energy than most faeries, right!?

You might have better magical circuits than a humanwell, since you're a faerie, I guess they'd be Age of Gods patterns? Anyway, they're still below average for a faerie.

Hell, even Mike there must be stronger than you! So how can you be the Child of Prophecy meant to defeat the high queen!?

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I-I-I know, you're right. It doesn't make sense, does it!?

I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I know it's not right that someone like me is carrying around the Staff of Selection!

S-s-still, it's not like we know for certain that I'm the Child of Prophecy. There's a chance I might not be...

Besides, I don't really have the guts to fight the high queen...or the drive...or the determination...

I don't belong to any of the clans, either... And I have so little magical energy that I have to fudge it with magecraft...

I can't even get close to the bells I'm supposed to ring...

I mean, I do plan to do the best I can in spite of all that...

But, let's just say it's a very uphill battle... Haha. Honestly, I still don't know why I was chosen.

...

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...I don't know.

All I can say is that, if I really am the Child of Prophecy, then there must be some way for me to fight.

It's why I was born, and how I was raised.

...Oh, who am I kidding! I'm completely hopeless!

The last time I came to Salisbury was to meet with the head of the Wind clan...

But I ended up deciding to try Manchester next because nobody here would even give me the time of day!

I see... So that's why you didn't say anything sooner.

Faeries can sense how much magical energy you've got at a glance, so I'm sure they only laughed when you told them you were the Child of Prophecy...

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...They did. So I thought I'd start by convincing the head of the clan who I was...

But they just turned me away at the gate...

Hmm. The head of the Wind clan, huh? That'd be Aurora.

Personally, I think you're pretty great as you are now, but I can see why you'd feel a need to boost your prestige.

Well, if that's the only problem, I can take care of it right now.

Hm? What do you mean by that, Oberon?

I mean I can get you a meeting with Aurora, if you want.

There, see how easily we got in? Take a look. This is the heart of Salisbury, the home of its great bell:

Aesc Cathedral, the oldest and largest building in all of Faerie Britain!

Now then, Aurora's room is on the top floor, so what say we start heading up?

I've already sent word of our arrival, so we shouldn't have any trouble with the guarWhup, hang on.

Good day, king of the Autumn Woods. Your visit is sudden and unexpected, but we welcome you here all the same.

However, it seems I must remind you that this cathedral is the holy ground where kings and queens are made...

...the esteemed site of High Queen Morgan's coronation two thousand years ago.

As such, regardless of how much affection Lady Aurora may have for you...

...I cannot allow such lowly creatures as humans to enter, attendants or not.

Guards, to me. Capture these unidentified faeries and that disgusting human.

If the human submits, very well. However, should he attempt to resist or flee, dispose of him.

That goes for Oberon too, of course. You needn't show him any leniency.

We've received complaints about him from pubs across the city demanding that he pay his tabs.

My, my. This isn't how I expected things to go.

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...If those are your orders, Lady Coral, then we'll gladly comply, but...are you sure about this?

Lady Aurora told us to let him through right away. She seemed thrilled about his visit...

Don't you talk back to me. You may have been chosen to be guards, but you're still mere humans. Know your place.

Unless, of course, you'd rather I turned you into rabbits so you don't have to be human anymore?

...No, my lady. I'm very sorry about this, Lord Oberon.

It really is nothing personal. We're just doing our jobs.

...It seems we have no choice but to do battle, even though their hearts clearly aren't in it.

Come, Fujimaru. Let's show them how strong we truly are.

You see that, Coral!? You see what Fujimaru and I are capable of!?

This is what happens when you look down on people for being human or having no money!

(Probably not a good time to point out that Oberon was just standing behind them, cheering...)

...

Very well. It would seem that human is indeed not your typical expendable worker.

And Lady Aurora does love rare and unusual things. It's part of what makes her so strong.

...All right. Just this once, I'll grant you an audience with her. But don't let this go to your head.

Rare and unusual things are only interesting the first time you see them. Once the novelty wears off, they become worthless.

If I were you, I would try to make the most of this good fortune, as you won't have many other such chances in the future.

Hello, Oberon. What delightful story do you have for me today?

You know so very many things, so I'm sure it must be something special.

Whatever it is, I can't wait to hear it. I could use some cheer after all the unfortunate news recently.

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Why yes, I have two things for you today. One is something you absolutely must know. The other is a request for a small favor.

But don't worry, I won't take up much of your time at all. That said, could I first make a somewhat selfish request?

You see, I'd like to keep what I'm about to tell you just between us. You don't mind keeping secrets, right?

Oh my, you are a naughty one, aren't you? I don't usually care for scary stories...

But, teehee, a little thrill does sound like fun. Would you give us some privacy, Coral?

Lady Aurora!

It's all right. I know we can trust them, so it's only right I answer in kind.

...As you wish. But please don't hesitate to call for me if you should change your mind.

You'll have to forgive Coral. She's a very proud girl, and she can be...quite inflexible.

She probably gave you a very harsh welcome again, didn't she? I'm just glad to see you're not hurt.

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, friends of Oberon.

I am Aurora, head of the Wind clan and lord of Salisbury. Now, what did you come to tell me today?

(Whoa... I guess it's no surprise that the whole mood just changed in here. Figures she didn't become head of the clan through her beauty alone.)

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...Oh my. Oh my, oh my, oh my!

How many years has it been since a human spoke so frankly to me? Ooh, how delightfully different!

Tell me, what's your name? Are you a free citizen? What kind of pedigree do youAh.

I'm so sorry. You already serve this fine young faerie, don't you? Oh goodness, how rude of me.

Really, Aurora, you must do something about your tendency to take in every stray human you find.

Otherwise, you'll eventually have every human in Britain living in Salisbury.

And I'm sure you don't need any more resistance from your fellow clan members, seeing how you're the only one who favors coexistence.

Yes, I know. You're right, of course...

But when I saw those big puppy eyes of his begging me for help, well...I just couldn't resist.

Good grief. Well, this is exactly why I brought him to see you to begin with.

Remember what I told you before about Chaldea, and the other world called Proper Human History?

Well, this boy here is the Master of Chaldea. And the two people behind him are Servants, not faeries.

Oberon?

Don't worry. It's okay. Aurora here may be from Faerie Britain, but she thinks a lot like the faeries of Proper Human History.

And while she'd never come out and say it, she's not happy with the state of things in Britain either. Right?

It's been two thousand years now since Britain fell into Morgan's hands...

...and you've been here, watching it unfold every step of the way.

You think it's time for Morgan's reign to end, regardless of what form that end takes.

I remember how your eyes sparkled with hope when I told you about the outside world.

Fujimaru here has come to Britain solely to defeat Morgan. He's not even thinking about what happens afterwards.

Suffice to say, he also has no intention of ruling in Morgan's place once she's gone.

Once the Chaldeans leave, whether Britain lives or dies will be for you and your fellow faeries to decide.

Chaldea's definitely not going to care if you try to save what's left of it. They'll gladly stay out of your way.

Morgan is their only concern. Nothing more.

...So it would seem.

While that girl in the back doesn't seem very happy that you're telling me this, this boy here isn't denying anything you say.

So, you're travelers from another world... A Britain that went down the right path...

...It's still hard to believe, but...maybe this, too, is Ainsel's guidance at work.

Either way, one thing is clear. Since we both have our own troubles, it's only right that we help one another.

Fujimaru, was it?

You have my permission to act in Salisbury however you see fit. Even if your actions should be in opposition to the land of the fae.

If you're looking for a lost companion, then I'll lend you the eyes of my fellow Wind faeries in the other cities.

I can't contact my compatriots in Norwich at the moment...

But I will have my Wind faeries in Oxford, Gloucester, New Darlington, and Camelot help you in your search.

You need only tell Coral what your companion looks like. I just hope my clan can be of assistance.

You mean, for me to help Chaldea?

Teehee. I see you're both a kind and honest boy, Fujimaru.

True, as a citizen of Faerie Britain, perhaps it is wrong of me to help you.

But I'm more concerned with us fae folk's way of life than I am with retaining this land itself.

The high queen is a great woman, certainly...

But the path we are on now will not lead us anywhere good...

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All that said, I'd still like to keep this relationship of ours on the down-low for the time being.

After all, you are the head of a clan. If Morgan finds out you've sided with Chaldea and Proper Human History, she may have all the Wind clan faeries killed.

So this collaboration should be kept quiet, so we can deny knowing anything about each other in case things come to that.

All the Wind clan faeries, dead... So, not even you could defeat High Queen Morgan if you faced her directly?

No, I couldn't. She could wipe us all out with one flick of her finger.

I-I see... Gosh, she's really something, isn't she...?

Oh yes. She's a very special faerie.

The only one who could hope to defeat her is the Child of Prophecy from Ainsel's last prediction.

It's too bad this child has yet to reveal themself. I can only hope they come save us as soon as possible...

(Devious smile)

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How right you are, Aurora! I may very well be about to make your day! There's someone I'd like you to meet.

H-huh!? Wh-what are you doing, Oberon? Please, stop! Sto

That's right! Altria here is none other than the star of hope who hails from Tintagel!

Born alongside the Staff of Selection that will bring Morgan to justice, she's the one, the only, Child of Prophecy!

Go on now! Don't be shy!

Ooobeeerooon!!!

You do have some delightful friends, Oberon. I'd love to be tackled to the ground like that myself sometime.

Why thank you. I can't say I expected such a...direct method of silencing me, either.

Still, Altria would never say anything if I hadn't put her on the spot like that.

She's kind of a late bloomer, you see, and she's still not confident about being the Child of Prophecy.

So we were hoping you might be able to offer her your seal of approval. Say, for example

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!?!?!?

Wow. Even I wouldn't have come up with that. Impressive.

No. That, I'm afraid I can't allow.

While there is indeed a bell said to be the voice of the Wind clan right above this room...

I can only let her ring it once she has proven herself to me.

Words alone will not suffice. She will need to demonstrate her abilities so there can be no question.

You said your name was, Altria, yes? And it seems you do indeed have the Staff of Selection.

I still don't understand what the Staff of Selection truly signifies.

The only one who does is Ainsel, the head of the Mirror clan, and no one has seen any member of the Mirror clan for years.

All I can do is see for myself whether you have the makings of a king.

...And how exactly do you propose to do that?

Oh my, what a lovely voice. And here I thought you may be mute.

Very well then, out of respect for those dulcet tones, I'll tell you my conditions.

Altria, Fujimaru. I would like you two to show me that there is still hope for our world.

So here is my test to see if Britain can still be changed. As you know, we faeries are plagued by a dark fate.

Every hundred years, a calamity befalls usa curse that not even Morgan herself has been able to dispel.

For the last few months, there has been a powerful mors current winding its way through Norwicha calamity pool.

If you two can rid Norwich of this calamity, then I will gladly give you access to Salisbury's bell.

So she wants us to get rid of the calamity in Norwich, huh... I didn't think she'd be the one to bring it up.

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I don't know much about these calamities either, since I've never seen one for myself, but I have heard plenty of stories.

Apparently, they're a kind of natural disaster that befalls Faerie Britain every hundred years.

I've heard about these calamities too, and I've also already told Fujimaru about them.

Norwich is a port town in eastern Britain, and apparently, it's been showing signs that it'll be the home of the next calamity for a few months now.

They say there's a ton of black soot rising into the air that's gathered above it like rain clouds.

Aurora said she'd permit us to ring the bell as long as we can resolve this calamity, right?

So we need to disperse these clouds of soot, huh... Unfortunately, I never learned any magecraft that could do that.

Well, that's okay. Norwich is a tall enough order that I think we can forget about it for the time being.

Right now, our top priority is finding Mash.

And now that Aurora is helping us do that, we should receive some word of her whereabouts in a few days.

So all you guys need to do is wait at the inn until then.

Then again, doing nothing might not be the best use of our time, hm?

Okay, I'll send you a list of things you can do to earn money and gather information later then.

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Well, you know, I thought about what Coral said, and I probably should see about paying my tabs before I start racking up more.

Okay, that's all for now! I'll see you all again in three days!

...There. That should get them to rest up in Salisbury at least a little more.

Meanwhile, I've got my work cut out for me. First, I'll need to go find out what's going on in Norwich.

Oh, welcome back, Blanca. How's the situation up north?

How far have Cnoc na Riabh's forces advanced?

Huh? Another Child of Prophecy has shown up there!?

I definitely wasn't expecting that. Ainsel didn't say anything about there being two of them in her prophecy.

This puts Altria in an even more precarious position. I thought I'd have more time...

Hm? Yes, of course Altria is the real Child of Prophecy. That much was never in doubt.

But it won't matter who the real one is. What matters will be who the faeries BELIEVE is the real one.

Still, it's not all bad. Let's focus on the silver lining here.

A false Child of Prophecy in the north is bound to draw Morgan's attention...

...which means Altria and Fujimaru should be safe for now.

That'll give me time to ensure they grow stronger. They're not ready for Norwich.

They need to experience Britain for themselves, and to gain the power to adapt to and conquer its challenges.

Do we really have time for that, you say? Haha, you're a tough crowd, aren't you, Blanca?

But you have to take your time with the opening act. That's how it was for us at first too, remember?

...

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Oh, no, I'm fine. I was just nervous, since I'm not used to speaking with the head of an entire clan... Hahaha...

...Sorry. I've got a lot on my mind. I think I'm just going to turn in for the night.

Let's meet up here again tomorrow morning, okay? Bye for now!

Hmm. Looks like we'll have to readjust our perceptions of her, too.

Come on, Fujimaru, Tristan. Let's head back to our room.

We should talk about our next moves while it's still safe to do so.

...Okay, that's everything that's happened so far in a nice, tidy report.

It's all yours now, Tiphone! Take it away, my little familiar!

There, that takes care of our report to the Storm Border. We should hear back from them in about two days.

Now, let's go over everything we've learned so far. That said, our main topic isn't Morgan, but

...The Child of Prophecy who's supposedly going to defeat her, right?

Yup. The truth is, we've been dropping our guard around her a little too much.

At first, we thought it was just a coincidence that she shared a name with King Arthur and didn't think about it any further, but we can now say for certain that she IS this Lostbelt's King Arthur.

I'm sure I don't need to remind you two that Chaldea already confronted the legends about King Arthur in the Sixth Singularity...

But I still think it's worth our time to quickly refresh our memories of those legends, just so we're all on the same page.

The legend of King Arthur takes place in the fifth century, a time when Britain was in great turmoil.

It began with the collapse of the continental empire. With the empire no longer keeping Britain safe...

...it came under frequent attack by the Saxons, a foreign enemy who crossed the sea to attack British shores.

At the time, Britain was an island nation ruled by many different clans and those clans' kings.

While there were always constant squabbles between the clans...

...there was also a war with the Picts up in the north, where the clans' kings agreed to work together.

But one king created an irreparable rift in this alliance.

He used the other clans for his own ends, with the goal of ultimately uniting all of Britain.

His name was Vortigern.

He was said to be the avatar of a white dragon born from Britain itself...

...made to bring it to ruin.

Vortigern invited the Saxons to the isle, throwing it into chaos.

Londinium, the fortress city that served as the heart of Britain during the empire's reign, was destroyed.

Vortigern then defeated and killed Uther Pendragon, the greatest king in all of Britain.

And so, Britain entered a dark agea time where none on the island could escape its imminent destruction.

However, hope still remained.

King Uther's most trusted aide, Merlin, the great mage who had long kept Britain safe...

...told people that this, too, was all part of the prophecy.

"King Uther has already chosen his successor. They shall be the next king."

"Whoever draws the Sword of Selection from this stone shall be Britain's king."

Many knights tried their hand at drawing the sword, but none of them succeeded.

It was only once the knights had all left, convinced that the Sword of Selection was no more than a delusion...

...that a young squire of fifteena boy who had been raised without ever knowing he was King Uther's son...

...came and drew the sword from the stone with no one there to bear witness.

That sword was Caliburn.

And that boy did indeed go on to become the king of Britain...

Arthur Pendragon, the knight among knights.

Or as we know her, Altria Pendragon.

After announcing himself as King Uther's successor, King Arthur assembled the lords of Britain...

...and lead them to twelve magnificent victories against the Saxons.

In doing so, he proved himself an invincible king, the undefeated King of Knights.

But, unbeknownst to him, the Saxons weren't his only enemy. The greatest threat the King of Knights faced came from within his own family.

Vortigern, the avatar of the white dragon who defeated King Arthur's father, Uther, and brought Britain to its knees.

Morgan, the faerie queen who declared it was Britain's very will that she become its ruler.

Morgan's machinations succeeded in robbing the King of Knights of Caliburn, but the faeries gave him an even greater sword.

That sword was Excalibur, a sacred sword forged within the planet's inner sea.

In the world of magecraft, it's considered a Divine Construct, an ultimate weapon meant to destroy that which threatens the very planet.

In laying claim to this sacred sword, King Arthur became Britain's savior in both name and deed.

After a climactic battle with Vortigern in the ruins of Londinium...

...King Arthur, with help from the faeries, built the towering white castle of Camelot.

Lords from all across the isle came to Camelot to serve the King of Knights. They became the Knights of the Round Table, where all were treated as equals.

It's a bit odd telling this story with Tristan here, but this is how the Knights of the Round Table were formed.

Lancelot, the knight from France blessed by the Lady of the Lake.

Gawain, the heir of Orkney blessed by the sun.

Tristan, nephew to the Duke of Cornwall, and the prince of tragedy. Hewell, youare also said to be the symbol of the Romantic period.

...That's right. Those are the proud Knights of the Round Table, my cherished friends who filled its thirteen seats.

Sturdy Percival. Clever Kay. Loyal Bedivere. Earnest Gaheris.

Kindhearted Gareth. Agravain the Enforcer. Palamedes the Duelist. Taciturn Mordred.

And the greatest knight of all, chosen by the Holy Grail: Galahad the Revelation.

In addition to King Arthur, the first seat...

You could also count King Pellinore, King Arthur's trusted advisor, and Bors, the future eleventh seat, for fifteen in total.

At any rate, those are the Knights of the Round Table I knew when they were at their peak.

Yeah. The Knights of the Round Table's peak is also the happiest time in the legend of King Arthur.

While other problems would present themselves in the quest for the Holy Grail, and in the decisive battles against the Picts and the Saxons...

...it was the affair between Lancelot and Guinevere, King Arthur's queen, that changed things forever.

Once their affair came to light, the Knights of the Round Table became shadows of their former selves.

During an expedition to the Roman Empire, Mordred took advantage of King Arthur's absence and staged a rebellion.

That was the beginning of what would later be known as King Arthur's final battle...the Battle of Camlann.

It was in this battle that King Arthur drew his final breath...

Bedivere personally returned the sacred sword to the faeries...

And the final chapter of ancient Britain's history was concluded.

After that, King Arthur's body was brought to Avalon, the paradise at the World's End, by the faeries of the lake...

...as the future king who would one day return to life.

And that's the quick and dirty version of the legend of King Arthur. Thanks for listening☆

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So, with all that in mind, let's get back to the British Lostbelt.

In Proper Human History, King Arthur drew the Sword of Selection while he was still an unknown boy...

...and amidst the hope, envy, admiration, and prejudice of the other knights, ascended to the throne as king.

Meanwhile, here in Faerie Britain, Altria may still be unknown and unrecognized...

But even so, she wields the Staff of Selection, and she was traveling across Britain on her own as the Child of Prophecy.

So she's got the same name, the same face, and the same destiny. No way all that can be coincidence.

Which means Altria Caster is this world's King Arthur.

She's destined to be Britain's savior.

...Britain's savior, huh. But, why now?

King Arthur saved Britain in the fifth century, but this is 2019.

If she really is Britain's savior, shouldn't she have shown up in the distant past?

That's the question, isn't it? I'm not sure why her story's taking place now, either.

But, I did overhear one interesting thing from some local faeries.

Apparently, the Child of Prophecy is the reincarnation of Aesc the Savior, and was sent here to save Britain once again.

？！

Yup. Or at least, it's the same name.

See, once Morgan began ruling Britain, she officially named this period of time the Era of the High Queen...

...and the timing lines up exactly with when Proper Human History changed to A.D.

But while Proper Human History stopped in the year A.D. 2019, in this world, the year 2019 of the Era of the High Queen is still unfolding.

And the previous eraaka B.C. in Proper Human History terms...

...is called the Fae Era.

Furthermore, during the Fae Era, there was apparently a faerie who saved Britain from the calamities countless times:

Aesc the Savior.

Apparently, there are only a few faeries left who still remember her: Ector the Immortal, Grand Duke "Waste Heat" Wryneck, Grímr the Sage, and Totorot, the First Knight...

...but they still speak of her legend in hushed tones.

So if a savior showed up in this world before, that may mean Faerie Britain has a system for such things...

Something akin to the Counter Force that the isle itself uses to fight back when Britain is in danger.

And if that's true, it would explain why Altria was only born now, in this time.

Plus, we're going up against High Queen freaking Morgan here. Who else BUT King Arthur would fight her?

？！

Anyway, that took longer than I expected, but now that we've gone over everything, I'm gonna make two suggestions.

First, I think we should continue working with Altria Caster.

While we don't necessarily have to destroy this Lostbelt, it does seem pretty clear that we'll need to face High Queen Morgan at some point.

And when we do, having the Child of Prophecy on our side can only work to our advantage.

And second, I think we should keep our goal, including Chaldea's whole deal, to ourselves.

It's fine to tell her about Proper Human History. Hell, it'd be impossible to communicate if we didn't.

But we shouldn't reveal that we've eliminated five other Lostbelts to date.

...I know it's not the most honest move, but sometimes, not laying all your cards on the table is the way to go.

Like I said before, there's something strange about this world, even for a Lostbelt, and there's still way too much we don't know.

So until we have a much better understanding of what's going on here, I want to keep our goal at stopping Britain from disappearing.

...Even if we eventually end up having to fight it after saving it.

？！

That's right. I'm sorry, Fujimaru. I know that won't be easy for you.

But for what it's worth, my intuition is telling me things aren't going to come to that.

I have a feeling we're going to save Britain, stop this collapse from destroying our world...

...and go our separate ways with a smile, without ever having to do battle with Britain.

Morning, everyone! Hope you don't mind that I had breakfast before you!

You've got to try this bread! It's so soft and yummy! Apparently, they make it from, um... Oh, right! Wheat!

Cheering myself up when I'm feeling down is my specialty!

Seems that way.

Too bad, since they have some of the highest quality wheat I've ever seen, even compared to Proper Human History.

？！

That's right! Duhbinchi taught me how to make it!

I had no idea you could use flour like that! All this time, I've practically been sitting on a gold mine!

So, this faerie lives in this grand building, but he is ignorant of the true value of flour...

It seems there are significant knowledge gaps between individual faeries.

Or rather

Yup. There are basically two types of faeries:

Those who only superficially copy human civilization, and those who are interested in its inner workings.

Most faeries are copiers who're satisfied just playing pretend.

The thing about faeries is, they can do anything without human technology, so they don't have to know how it works.

You know how when cars get more reliable, there's less need for drivers to repair them...

...and so, over time, there are fewer drivers who know how their cars work? It's a lot like that.

Whenever faeries feel like bread, they can just create some from their own magical energy. Easy-peasy.

But the bread they create that way is just an imitation of bread they've had before, like it was 3D printed.

Basically, faeries can't experience culture without some kind of originating data to work from.

Even Mike here used to be a typical copier.

It was only when I started working here that he began caring about the details.

I-it's true.

I was a real dull faerie until I met Duhbinchi.

But now, every day is more fun than the last! I love being alive!

I used to think preserving humans was a waste of time, but not anymore.

Lady Aurora was right. We need humans if we're going to enjoy our lives.

If there's one thing humans are good at, it's making technology. They come up with all sorts of fascinating things you just don't see in nature.

...Sure, some of those things aren't fun or tasty, like iron, and gunpowder...

But I've come to think of humans as our equals now. Heck, I'd even say I respect them!

When the last owner left this pub to me, I thought it was going to be nothing but a pain in the neck, but now, I know better.

We need something to live for. Something we want to do for our own sakes, not just to fulfill our purpose.

There's no way I'm ever going back to just plain old living again!

...

Well, there you have it. In general, faeries are really pure of heart. Or, to put it another way, easily influenced.

That's not true, Duhbinchi! It's all because of you! Not even Lady Aurora ever got me to change my mind like this!

Okay, Mike. In that case, maybe you could learn how to say my name properly already?

What do you mean? I AM saying it properly.

Oh, right. I've also got a message for you guys from Oberon.

He said to tell you to come to Salisbury's fields for an important learning experience!

Huh? A learning experience?

？！

So THAT'S how you're supposed to get rid of those pesky birds. I had no idea.

I kept just asking them nicely if they would leave, but they wouldn't listen!

Fields are delicate things. At times, they require bolder tactics.

But I also understand and respect your kind inclination to not hurt the birds if you don't have to...

So I suggest leaving a straw likeness of yourself in your field. It will help to deter such behavior.

This way, the birds will mistake that likeness for you, and start by attacking that...

...which should buy you enough time to do...well, something.

Oh my! Really!?

I never would have thought of that! Are you some kind of genius?

Heh. Well, I wouldn't disagree with that...

？！

Um... Was Tristan always like that?

Pretty much. He might seem like he's got his head on straight, but most of the time, it's actually up in the clouds.

Still, he CAN be the perfect knight, at least as long as he has someone to keep him on track...

Anyway, the caveat that they're also faerie-made imitations of human society aside, what did you think of Salisbury's fields?

？！

True. Regardless of how they got there, the fields themselves are the genuine article.

Apparently, agriculture has been a big deal up in north Britain for a long time now, but it was never too popular in the south.

It wasn't until Aurora stepped in that Salisbury finally got serious about it.

I've seen small fields back in my village, but I've never seen any so...big and open before!

I wonder why they weren't more popular up till now?

Well, we always had to abandon them whenever the mors showed up.

There aren't many mors in the north, so there was nothing stopping them from making fields up there...

But here in the south, we see mors all the time, so the only ones who could venture outside the city are really strong faeries.

The Fang clan can apparently hold out for a little while by telling themselves that death and war are intertwined...

But for weaker faeries like me without any astralitygeneral knowledge of other worldswe can't even touch the mors without putting ourselves at risk.

And even if the mors weren't a problem, we'd still have to remake the fields every hundred years anyway.

...You're talking about the calamities, aren't you? Are you scared of them, too? Even though you all live forever?

Of course we are! The only faeries who can survive a calamity are the ones allowed to live in Camelot.

All the rest of us can do is suffer and disappear. There's not a faerie in all of Britain who doesn't fear the calamities!

I'm not even sure how much longer Lady Aurora can hold on to her glow. Not after what happened in Norwich...

Make no mistake. Now that a calamity has come for Norwich, Salisbury has to be next.

And when it does...not even Lady Aurora will survive.

She could...but none of the other faeries who live in Salisbury would be allowed to join her there.

So she said that if her citizens couldn't come to Camelot with her, then she wouldn't be going, either.

Of course, the high queen didn't like that...

...so now, Lady Aurora is also banned from Camelot.

...I'm not sure. The calamities have always been undefined.

It's said they take a different form every time they appear.

Let's see... I think the last one was the calamity of resurrection, which erased all of Darlington.

I don't even want to think about what kind of terrifying calamity we'll see next...

Ahh, why did I have to be born now? Why couldn't my predecessor have held out for just ten more years?

No, never mind that. Why won't the high queen open up Camelot to all of us?

If she would just let us weather the calamities for a year in Camelot, we'd never have to worry...

？！

...I see. So you also have grievances with the high queen.

You know, there have been anti-queen movements popping up around the country. If you want to protest her decisions, maybe you could join one of those?

Huh?

...N-no, I'm not THAT upset about it. Besides, I can't even imagine defying her...

I might be afraid of the calamities, but I'm even more afraid of the queen's army.

There's more to the queen's power than just having enough magical energy to cover all of Britain, after all.

She also has a troop of highly trained faerie soldiers, as well as knights under her protection who command them:

Tristan of the Bewitched Bow, Gawain of the Sun, and Lancelot, the Light of the Lake.

As long as those three Tam Lin are around, nobody can hope to defy the queen.

...Huh?

...Huh?

？！

Hm? (I wonder why they're all so shocked.)

Emergency meeting! Now!

We need to talk about the three Tam Lin that have apparently been serving High Queen Morgan this whole time!

Also, you already knew about them, Altria!?

Well, sure. Everyone in Faerie Britain does. Why? Are they a problem?

Oh yes. This is as shocking as Sir Bedivere when he first wakes up...

Altria, can you please tell us everything you know about them?

Um... Okay. I guess I can cover the basics easily enough. It's stuff every faerie in Britain knows.

The three Tam Lin are faeries High Queen Morgan has bestowed with names from otherworldly knights.

They're the most powerful beings in Faerie Britain, exceeded in magical energy only by the queen herself.

They're also impervious to mors corruption, so they're the ones who handle them whenever a group of mors shows up.

Huh, come to think of it, they're known as the guardians of Britain, sworn to the service of the high queen:

The Knights of the Round Table.

Hey, no fair! I wanted to say that first!

...No, I suspect it's little more than a sly dig. Morgan always had a gift for those.

Of course, that assumes the Morgan from this Lostbelt has the same personality as the one I know.

？！

Why? Do you all have some sort of attachment to the phrase "Round Table" or something? We ARE just talking about a circular table, right?

...Welp, I don't see any way around it. We're just gonna have to tell her about what happened in Proper Human History.

Altria, our world also has a version of Morgan.

Though in our case, it was during the fifth century, about sixteen hundred years ago.

There was also a certain king who defeated her, thereby uniting Britain and ushering in an age of peace.

That king was known as Arthur. But her true name was Altria Pendragon.

Hey, that's my name! Quite a coincidence!

It's not just a coincidence. You two are most likely the same person.

What I'm about to say may shock you, but try not to freak out.

In our world, you were Britain's great unifier, a king loved and respected by countless knights across the land.

...

That's right. You were the ideal kingchosen by the Sword of Selection, and trained by Merlin himself.

You did pretend to be a man during your reign, but aside from that, you were the picture of integrity.

As King Arthur, you commanded many lords from all across Britain. Think of them as the equivalent of Faerie Britain's six clans.

And from those lords, you chose the finest knights to be your Knights of the Round Tablea group of warriors with no equal.

In fact, full disclosure: Sir Tristan there is one of them.

So, from our perspective, knowing that the Knights of the Round Table serve Morgan here...

...is like learning that a group of heroes you always looked up to are now working for the baddest of bad guys.

Can you blame us for being surprised?

...? Are you listening to me, Altria?

...

？！

Wow... Ahaha...

I guess I really am the Child of Prophecy then.

Part of me always thought that maybe this was all just a big misunderstanding...

But now, I'm a little more willing to believe it!

I mean, Grandfather always said I was born at the same time as the Staff of Selection!

Maybe I really can do this after all!

In fact, maybe I'll take a page from this, um, Pendragon person's example, and save all of Britain, too!

Plus, we even have a Knight of the Round Table here!

You know, when I first heard you shared a name with THAT Tristan, I thought you must be a pretty bloodthirsty guy...

But now I know you were actually a Knight of the Round Table yourself! That's so cool!

While I'm certainly glad to hear you speak so highly of me...

What do you mean, bloodthirsty? Don't tell me the Tristan here is

She's said to be the cruelest, most short-tempered, and wantonly violent of all the Faerie Knights of the Round Table.

Her nicknames are "the Faerie Killer" and "Tristan of the Bloody Heel."

They say she's killed almost four hundred thousand faeries in the hundred years since she was appointed a Tam Lin.

But you're nothing like her, Tristan.

Seeing you fight beside Fujimaru is kind of like, well, watching a flower dancing in a storm.

You always maintain your composure and strive to be gallant and do your best, no matter what the circumstances.

There aren't many people like that in Faerie Britain.

So the fact that you're putting your trust in me, even though we're from different worlds, is really encouraging.

That's...

...Yes.

Indeed, that is how I try to conduct myself.

That said... I guess there really is more to being a Tam Lin than just the title, huh.

...Hm? Hang on. You said that in your world...

(Tam Lin Tristan was appointed one hundred years ago, long after Tristan from Proper Human History...)

(So if this Tristan is the original, that would make the Tam Lin an imitation...)

(But that would mean... Has Morgan known about Proper Human History for more than a hundred years?)

Well, I wasn't planning to tell Altria about King Arthur like this...

But I think we should still be fine. Plus, we got to find out about the Tam Lin.

Really, if we'd run into one of them without any foreknowledge, I think I might've actually died from shock!

Anyway, while this Lostbelt's Tristan and Gawain may not look like the ones we know...

The fact that they share a name must mean they have many of the same traits as well.

So we can expect this Sir Tristan to use Failnaught, and Sir Lancelot to wield Arondight.

？！

He's in Altria's room. Said he had something he wanted to talk to her about.

The white dragon who tried to destroy Britain back when it was still known as the isle of ancient sacraments...

Vortigern, the cowardly king.

The fury of Britain, and the personification of its desire to reject the Age of Humanity.

And then, there was the avatar of the red dragon, born and raised in stark contrast to Vortigern...

Altria Pendragon.

The king who protected the people of Britain, preserved its kingdom, and established the human world.

While faeries and sacrament may have faded away from Britain as a result...

...her efforts did succeed at preserving British culture, and passing it on to later generations.

Strength isn't what made Altria king.

She became king because she fought for Britain's future.

That's also why her knights agreed to set aside their differences and join her at the Round Table.

That's right. We all saw hope in our king.

She was always coolheaded in battle, fair and impartial in politics...

And above all, she truly loved all of Britain.

Even with her small stature, she would face down enemies many times her size and strength without fear of injury.

She, uh... She sounds like a really amazing king.

...Indeed, she was.

I have never known anyone braver, or more disciplined...or more proud.

That said, even she didn't start out as a perfect king.

After she drew the Sword of Selection, she trained with Merlin and Sir Kay day and night for years on end.

And that is why you needn't try to rush things now, Altria.

It's not a matter of you sharing a name with King Arthur. It is a matter of you sharing her vision.

So please, have confidence in yourself. I know you can do this.

King Arthur... A truly accomplished version of me from another world...

Man, that's amazing. She must have worked so hard.

I'm back! You should have seen me out there, Mike!

I somehow managed to complete three tough Oberon quests all in a row!

O-oh, wow. Sounds like you're getting kind of desperate. Why don't you have an apple water? On the house.

Mmm, thanks, Mike! That's so considerate of you☆ You're really getting the hang of this pub owner thing!

Aww, cut it out, Duhbinchi. It's all thanks to you, my perfect angel.

First we arbitrated a dispute between a Wind faerie and an Earth faerie over who had the right of sunlight on a main road...

Then we had to run a safety check on all the mysterious items (which turned out to be a bunch of bouquets) that had been sent to the head of the Wind clan...

And finally, we had to subdue an out-of-control Wind faerie who had been unlucky in love for the past thirty years and wanted to have a romance with a human...

Surprisingly, none of this was at all easy, but that does make completing them all the more satisfying.

？！

Oh, right, I almost forgot. You there, the human. Fujimaru, was it?

You've got a guest up in your room, and trust me, she's not the kind of faerie you want to keep waiting.

A guest? To see Fujimaru?

So, this is a human bedroom, hm? It's not so different from ours.

...No, that's not right. We wouldn't even have rooms like these if not for humans. Really, we're the ones who should be thanking them...

？！

...So, you're back, human.

You did well with the farm incident yesterday. As a Wind faerie myself, you have my thanks.

... ...

？！

...We may have received word of your missing companion.

Every human captured in south Britain is taken to a ranch out west, and a new human was brought there three days ago.

It may be the one you've been searching for.

If you wish to go rescue it, I'll arrange for a guide to show you the way.

Tonight, I'll have a few soldiers stationed outside Salisbury.

You are to rendezvous with them and finish your rescue before the night is over.

I also have a message for you from Lady Aurora. She said, "I hope you find your friend there."

？！

Don't thank me. Thank Lady Aurora. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to my post.

...I don't know what it is that brought you here, and I know I'm in no position to offer advice...

But you should know that the ranch belongs to the high queen, and that it's very well-guarded.

？！

Wow. When they said it'd take two to three days, I didn't expect them to actually come through that fast. Impressive.

So this human was brought in three days ago, huh. Then we don't have a moment to waste.

I don't know what kind of facility this "ranch" is, but now is not the time for cowardice.

I agree. Oberon might not be back yet, but seeing as we have a guide I'm sure he'd be fine with it.

So what are you gonna do, Altria?

This matter really only concerns us, so we'd understand if you'd rather stay behind.

I'd be glad to help.

Plus, I'm dying to find out what the real Mash is like since I inadvertently used her name for a while.

And besides, I'm feeling a lot more confident after these last few days!

Be it infiltration, lockpicking, or brewing sleep potions, I'm sure I can handle it just fine now with my Merlin magecraft!

？！

It would seem those soldiers there are our guides...

This is quite a surprise. I thought these soldiers would be faeries, not humans.

Oh yeah, most of Salisbury's soldiers are actually human.

They may not hold a candle to faeries when it comes to sheer combat ability, but they have no problem with using weapons, and above all, the mors don't pose any immediate threat to them.

So yeah, human soldiers are basically the faeries' mors countermeasure.

Most of the clans treat them as disposable tools, but Aurora sees the value in human soldiers, even appointing the more talented ones to serve as her personal guards.

Remember the ones we saw protecting the great cathedral?

The fact that they were so strong is proof that Aurora's given those humans various rights.

？！

Oh, uh... I'm just a little nervous. I've never been around so many humans before...

Ahaha, it doesn't make sense, does it? I mean, I'm obviously fine with you!

...Quiet. They've noticed us, too.

Hey, you there! The suspicious looking ones! You the outsiders Coral told us about?

I can't believe you actually showed up. Ugh, why now, of all times? This is exactly the sort of pain in the ass I don't need...

Oh well, if this is what Lady Aurora wants, then fine. Follow us. We'll show you the way to the ranch.

Be warned, it's a two hour walk, so you'd better have everything ready before we get going. Do you?

？！

Man, you guys are dressed in the weirdest clothes I've ever seen. Lady Aurora sure does love her novelties, doesn't she?

Hmm. Not very happy to see us, are they?

They probably think of us as a bunch of annoying pests moving in on their beloved Lady Aurora.

Even so, that doesn't change the fact that they're helping us. We should be grateful to them for that.

Come on, Fujimaru. I'm afraid we won't be able to talk for a while, but at least that should help us make good time.

We're here. This is the west human ranch.

？！

That's right. We used to live here, too.

We were assigned to a horrid faerie who robbed us of everything we had, down to our dignity, before throwing us away like so much trash.

Us stray humans had nowhere to go until Lady Aurora took us in.

We became soldiers so that we could win the freedom Lady Aurora showed us was possible.

We support overthrowing the queen, too.

But we're nothing like the trendy rebel army who's counting on the so-called Child of Prophecy to bail them out.

Rebel army... I've heard them mentioned before. Does that mean there's an anti-queen movement outside Salisbury, too?

Yup. The rebel army's situated in the old castle ruins out east.

They claim to want to free all of Britain, and they even have the gall to call themselves the Round Table.

Still, they're definitely a force to be reckoned with. They're led by a human who actually survived against Lancelot in a joust in Camelot.

Morgan herself offered him a reward, saying that he'd proved himself equal to a Tam Lin.

Let's see... I think his name was Percival. Percival of the White Light, the man who reached the limits of human ability.

...!

Morgan was so impressed with him that she commanded him to join her forces in Camelot even though he's human...

...but instead he refused her command and formed the rebel army.

Hey, that's enough. It's too dangerous to stay here any longer.

If anyone sees us here, Lady Aurora's the one who'll pay the price.

Let's just ditch these backwater faeries and head back to Salisbury already.

...I take it that means you guys were only here to show us the way?

And that sneaking into the ranch and looking for our companion is entirely our job?

You're damn right it is. Hell, you should be thanking us just for taking you this far.

The Wind clan might be good at everything, but they don't have the right temperament for combat.

If Morgan ever thinks they're rebelling against her, Lady Aurora's as good as dead, along with all of Salisbury.

Even knowing all that, Lady Aurora still asked us to help you.

So you listen to me. Whatever you do, don't you dare mention Salisbury if you get caught.

Got that? You'd better not bite the hand that fed you. Not if you lot have any pride at all in being human.

Okay, let's discuss our next move. I just finished analyzing the ranch's interior structure.

From what I can tell, there are six big factories in the middle of the complex, and about thirty smaller ones.

I didn't sense any heat sources in the big factories, so those are probably shut down now.

But the small factories have lots of heat signals. There seems to be about sixty humans inside.

What do you think, Fujimaru?

If we scale the castle walls, we could probably sneak inside without the guards spotting us.

E-efficient? Me? Oh, no, I'm really not.

This is just a little spell that lets you see inside a building by hitting the walls with a magical energy wave and seeing how things inside react to it.

It's the most basic thievery spell Merlin taught me! He said I would definitely need it at some point, and it looks like he was right!

...Hehe, that does take me back. It seems Merlin never changes, no matter what world he's in...

Oh, no, not at all. I was just concentrating on seeing what things are like inside.

Now let's forget about those whiners who ran off on us and focus on finding Mash!

？！

Hmm. You still have your connection to Mash through your contract, Fujimaru. Can you sense anything?

If you can, that'd be the fastest and easiest way to find her.

？！

Then there are probably too many crossed lines to say for sure. Honestly, I'm feeling the same thing.

There are just way too many contracts going around Faerie Britain.

Maybe whenever a faerie takes possession of a human, they form a bond that's similar to a Servant contract.

If I'm right about that, the only way we'll know whether Mash is here is if we see for ourselves.

Tristan, do you think you can carry Fujimaru and Altria up the castle wall?

Oh, don't worry about me. I'll get up there with my roller skates.

Of course. It will be the quietest and most graceful wire workI mean, lyre work you'll ever see.

Both of you, over here, please.

Then I'll lead the way. The western wall is the most lightly guarded right now, so let's go in from there!

？！

Altria, I assume those large factories you spoke of earlier are those complexes, and the small ones are those homes?

That's right. Humans kept at ranches like these are shipped out with their creativity intact...

So they should be confined in houses rather than pens.

Just ignore the large factories. We won't find Mash there.

It's not birthing season yet, so there shouldn't be anything inside them.

...

?

？！

A surveillance familiar! It must have been disguised as a street lamp!

I can't believe I messed up again... I'm sorry, everyone, but we need to take it out now, before it calls in reinforcements!

!!!

Dammit, they just keep coming! There must be a faerie close by, making more of them or something!

Can you find them, Fujimaru!? I'd do it myself, but I've got my hands full with these familiars!

？！

？！

...You're correct. There's no sound at all coming from there. I suppose they think they've hidden themselves perfectly...

But nothing can stand between my symphony and my enemy. How do you like your midsection cut into quarters?

You... What are you people? Whatever you just did was neither human nor faerie.

You're obviously not mors, and you're not with the Round Table Army... Are you the Child of Prophecy then?

Ha. Hahahaha! This is great! Things are finally going my way!

I am Knight Grant! No mere Child of Prophecy's magecraft can ever hope to match our high queen!

High Queen Morgan herself bestowed this armor upon me! It will take more than a few swings of a sword to shatter it!

Huh!? Who is that in there? Whoever they are, they're no ordinary faerie!

Please be careful, everyone! I'm guessing this is one of the Tam Lin we heard about!

Guh...

I can't believe it... A knight of Camelot, falling to such insignificant whelps...

？！

...

I did it! I really won! That Tam Lin was super-duper strong, but I still managed to beat him!

And I couldn't have done it without all of you!

I'm afraid that was almost certainly just an ordinary knight.

For one thing, there was no Grant among the Knights of the Round Table. And for another, look over there.

Oh crap! Three more knights, each with the same incredible magical energy as the last one!

And we were just barely a match for him alone! There's no way we could take on three!

Come on, Fujimaru, let's get out of here for now!

？！

There, we're through the gates! Squads one and three, we'll take out Morgan's soldiers at the front!

Squad two, take control of the factories! Get our comrades out before they're disposed of!

Reinforcements from the castle gates!? Dammit, so the Child of Prophecy was just a decoy!

First, we need to take back the gates! And be careful! These soldiers are from the Londinium rebel army!

Don't underestimate them! Some of them are armed with iron weapons laced with mors poison!

Well now... I wasn't expecting reinforcements. That must be the rebel army we learned about earlier.

Individually, they may not be as strong as faeries, but quantity is a quality all its own.

At this point, it's only a matter of time until they defeat those three faerie knights.

So it would seem. Man, that was too close for comfort...

Still, once the rebels are done with the faeries, we can't be sure they won't turn their swords on us.

Come on, Fujimaru. Let's look for Mash while everyone's occupied.

We should save making contact with the rebel army for after that. Can you show us where to go, Altria?

R-right, of course! Don't worry! I'm a great lockpicker!

And besides, Da Vinci is right. We can't be sure the rebel army will see us as allies.

So let's find Mash and get out of here before anyone else sees us!

...Well, damn.

I should've figured the locks on the queen's own facilities would be really tough nuts to crack.

True, the Round Table Army did manage to open the other twenty-nine houses in the time it took us to open one.

I can't even claim credit for this one, since the Round Table Army ended up opening it, too. Hahaha...

Now, now, cheer up, Altria. I mean, as a tech genius myself, I definitely get how you feel...

But the important thing is that all the humans being kept in these houses were freed.

It's too bad we didn't find Mash...but that doesn't mean this was all a waste.

At least now, we know she wasn't captured. And really, isn't that way better?

？！

Okay, everyone, this way, please. Don't worry, we have plenty of food and jackets to go around.

We'll be on our way as soon as we've gotten everyone's names and checked you all for injuries.

Also, if anyone knows about any other humans being kept here, please let us know.

I can't believe it... It's an army of humans. An army of humans defeated the queen's soldiers!

Then, the rumors of the Round Table Army were true! We don't have to do what they say anymore!

We can go outside now? Really?

But, the knights said the outside was so dangerous that humans would die instantly, and that we should stay here and study until we grow up...

Two years... Two years since I last got to go outside... I have to hurry back to Gloucester...

I got separated from someone there. Someone I care about deeply.

That poor child... I only hope she was able to get by without me.

...

I must say, I'm very impressed by this Round Table Army's leadership.

They even took the knights they defeated into custody, sparing their lives instead of killing them.

They are a properly disciplined army, not a lawless mob of killers.

So, it was Percival, the strongest of all human knights, who formed the Round Table Army...

...How this gladdens me.

While I'm sure he isn't the same Sir Percival I knew, this other one is certainly doing his namesake proud.

Oh, it's you guys. Thanks for your assistance earlier. It was a big help.

We've been investigating this ranch closely for the past few months, so we knew its security would be lightest today, but we definitely didn't know we wouldn't be the only ones making a move.

I was especially surprised to see just the four of you managed to take out one of Morgan's knights.

We were prepared to lose up to twenty percent of our soldiers, but thanks to you guys, we got off with no more than a handful of casualties.

So which city's rebel army are you from? I don't think I've seen you around the south before... Are you from the north then?

I'd heard there was some trouble up in Sheffield. Maybe that's where you're from?

...

？！

...Um, I'm sorry. Are you people really...?

Hm? Oh, I see.

I forget that we're still the only ones who don't distinguish between faeries and humans in our head counts.

Sorry if I offended you when I counted all four of you the same.

O-oh, no, that's quite all right...

...Um, is everyone in the Round Table Army like you?

Hahaha, I don't know about that. We all have our own goals, and our own ways of thinking.

But one thing we all have in common is our faith in our commander. We all agree that Percival's ideals are worth fighting for.

He's always talking about how the Child of Prophecy will appear one day, and how he wants to assemble as many like-minded allies as he can in the meantime.

He says that way, when the Child of Prophecy finally does appear, there'll be a firm anti-queen foundation in place to help take some of the heavy burden off their shoulders.

But enough yammering from me.

It looks like they're done with roll call, so we're going to start escorting these people to Londinium.

Want to come with us? We're always looking for more strong warriors like yourselves.

I... Um...

？！

That's right. We really appreciate the invitation, but we're actually trying to find a missing person right now.

Gotcha. Well, that's too bad, but I understand.

You all take care then. Hope you're able to find this missing person of yours soon.

I guess that's that then. But you made the right call, Fujimaru. Honestly, I'm impressed you were able to turn him down.

？！

While I would like to learn more about this Round Table Army, finding Mash absolutely comes first.

It's just not the right time to join forces with them yet.

Exactly! I knew one of the original Knights of the Round Table would understand! You're a real gentleman's gentleman!

Heh... Well, I am Tristan, Child of Sadness, not a knight who lives and dies on chivalry alone.

That said, if Sir Bedivere were here too, I may have been forced to make a difficult deci

...! Fujimaru, get back!

So, you attacked when security was at its lightest, huh? Devious of you, I'll give you that.

But it won't win you the day. That's exactly the pathetic sort of conviction I expect from humans.

If you thieves are going to scuttle around in the shadows, you can't complain if you end up crushed under someone's boot.

What's going on with this magical energy signal!? I can't even get a reading on it!

？！

Squad two! Squad three! Are you all right!? Dammit, how many soldiers did we just lose!?

Are we the only ones who survived!? That wall of flame... It can't be...

Hmph. So, a few yet live. That flame would have consumed you all if we had been in an open field...

But this ranch belongs to High Queen Morgan herself. I can't raze it to the ground.

So I'll crush the rest of you with my own horns. Go on, humans. Try to fight back.

Show me you're truly brave, and I'll be merciful. Show me you are cowards, and you'll have nothing from me.

This can't be happening... What is she doing here?

That greatsword wreathed in black flame... Silver-white armor... Faerie-eating black dogs...

It's Tam Lin Gawain! Why's the queen's right-hand woman here!?

...You.

If you refuse to take up your swords, then you aren't worthy to cross horns with me.

We've captured all the escaped humans, Lady Gawain.

We'll soon have the rest of these thieves captured as well. It'll be easy. We have three faeries for every human.

No need for that. They're my quarry. I'll handle this myself.

...You too, huh? I thought you'd be different from the other humans, but it seems I was wrong.

You're just like any other livestock in Faerie Britain. Gristly meat like yours won't even make a decent snack.

...So, you do have some backbone. Good. You're actually making me work up an appetite.

？！

Don't bother telling me who you are. I couldn't care less.

The high queen's told me all about you, boy. You must be the Master from Proper Human History.

!

Oh, spare me the surprise. The high queen has told the Tam Lin about the outside world you call Proper Human History.

She also commanded us to capture you alive, if the opportunity presented itself.

...Hmph. Capture you, huh. How unlike her.

Listen well, you shameless intruders.

You uppity primates have a lot of nerve barging into Faerie Britain like you own it.

Tell me: In your world, it's considered courteous to welcome visitors from afar, right?

Very well then! Take up your swords, and I'll give you all the welcome you want!

I am Gawain! Knight of the Faerie Round Table sworn to protect Britain!

Now, with this name bestowed upon me by the high queen, I shall destroy you without mercy!

Stay with me, Fujimaru! Oh no. He's seriously drained!

I don't know how she's doing it, but that Tam Lin is somehow eating his Command Spells!

Hmm. I've never felt feedback quite like this before.

It's still completely pathetic, but there's something more to it... Hm?

You there. That look... It's not fear or despair. Is that...hatred?

...Good. You figured out that much, at least.

It's been a while, hasn't it? I could have gone my entire life without seeing you again and been happy. Oh, well.

？！

...

...I don't know you.

I don't remember ever seeing a pip-squeak like you before. Are you some weed I stepped on or something?

Either way, don't talk to me again until you've grown more. It's a literal pain in the neck, looking down to talk to you. Not that a runt like you's likely to do much growing.

Why you...!

But enough talk. You intruders will get no mercy from me.

I have no more time to waste on you. Die now, humans and Servants alike.

Hm? ...A bowstring?

Indeed.

A bewitched, unbreakable bowstring I can wield however I wish, to be more specific.

You'll never be able to get past it, no matter how strong you are.

...So it would seem. Is this one of the Wing clan's threads? I'm surprised there were still any left.

But so what? You don't actually think you can defeat me with this, do you?

...Defeat you? No. Detain you? Yes.

Da Vinci, Altria. Take Fujimaru and get him out of this town.

I'll hold Gawain here and ensure she doesn't come after you.

...You got it. Honestly, it's not gonna be easy, but I'll make sure he makes it out of here, no matter what.

Come on, Fujimaru. I'll carry you in my mechanical arms.

Stand up, Altria. I'd carry you too if I could, but I'm afraid I just can't.

Huh? But...what about you, Tristan?

Don't worry about me. It would seem this is where I die.

...

Huh? You're... You're not serious, right?

You can't just throw your life away like that! Besides, you're too injured to

It's all right. Besides, this isn't the first time I've faced down Sir Gawain like this.

Besides, I've already thought of a trump card I can use against her. If it all works out, I should be able to catch up to you soon enough.

That said, I'm afraid I can't use it with all of you here.

Go, my king. Please, hurry. You are still at the beginning of your journey.

...

Okay, I'm ready! Come on, follow me!

If you can't keep up, I'm going to leave you behind! You get that, right!?

Let me guess, you've decided to sacrifice yourself to let your companions escape.

Oh, come now. That should have gone without saying.

You really are Sir Gawain. Your body is strong and hard as a rock. But then, so is your head.

...Tell me something. Are all Servants like you?

Pawns who are willing to throw their lives away for their Master because they neither fear death, nor know what it is to truly live?

I don't know that I'd put it that way. Even Servants hope to avoid death.

In fact, I'd say we fear death even more than we did when we were alive.

For we Heroic Spirits know all too well how miraculous it is to be summoned.

We know that this opportunity will never come again. We know how rare it is to be granted dreams even after death.

Most of all, we know what dying feels like. We know how painful, how bitter...how sad it can be.

You may think that we can bear it because we've experienced it before, but you would be wrong.

Death is something living things can only bear once.

To suffer the pain of my own death over and over, or to make others grieve my passing several times, is simply more than I can take.

If I may confide, I'm hoping you'll let me escape with my life.

Whether you live or die here is entirely up to you. The only one I mean to kill is your Master.

If you're willing to stand down, I'm willing to let you go. It would be a shame to waste this impressive technique of yours.

Even if your Master were dead, you could still live a good life here in Faerie Britain.

(Sigh) No, Tam Lin Gawain, I could not. That is why I am going to stop you.

It is the least I can do to repay the debt I owe to the one who trusted in my knighthood, even when I was fighting against him in a moment of weakness.

I know nothing of your life or circumstances, and I confess I don't care a whit about your idea of justice.

My only interest is in using this life of mine for the one I love. No matter what it takes.

You tied my whole body up with string!? When did you do that!?

But so what? If you think a mere human can hold me down, you're

Ghh... Hnghh! What is this? How is this even possible!?

How did you put these strings all over town without any magical energy!? I never even saw you move your hands!

Indeed. These restraints rely on weight, not strength.

The mass of this very townthis culmination of human technologyis what holds you in place.

Thanks to our earlier battle, I know very well how strong you are, and I know you cannot break these restraints with brute force alone.

I may no longer have the fingers on my right hand, but I still have my mouth.

Now, otherworldly knight, prepare to face the full force of my air strike!

What!? You say it's lowly human technology that holds me in place!?

That does it. You deserve to die a miserable death after all, Servant!

I'm going to dash any hopes you had of this pathetic trick working!

A-are you hurt, Lady Gawain!? And, what are we going to do about the ranch!?

Don't worry about it. I'll take full responsibility when reporting to Her Majesty.

Now, gather all our fastest runners and go after that human and Servants who managed to escape.

You should be able to catch up to them much quicker than me right now. I'll join afterward. Don't worry, I'm not just saying it, like that idiot knight did a moment ago.

Once you catch up, surround and restrain them, but don't kill them until I get there.

Yes, Lady Gawain! Consider it done!

...That hurt more than I expected. My whole body is still a little numb.

I should have asked the man's name. He deserved that much before I killed him.

...Hold on. What was that whinny?

？！

Sorry, I'll explain later! Right now, we need to get away from the faeries chasing us!

Can you stand? Can you run? Okay, I'm gonna put you down then. Now, run for it!

Ghh, how can Earth clan faeries be so fast!? They're almost on us, Da Vinci!

Dammit! And after Tristan managed to buy us some time...!

But what can we do? There's nowhere to hide out

Huh? What's that sound?

Oh good, I made it! I heard you guys were in trouble, so I figured, hey, Faerie King Oberon to the rescue!

You guys know what carriages are, right? Great! Then get in! I'll catch you all up later!

Huh? A carriage? As in, a CARRIAGE carriage!? The kind only clan heads are allowed to use!?

That's right. Tools that exploit animals are prohibited by British law.

But, there are some faeries out there who voluntarily provide such labor themselves.

My name's Redra Bit, the fae horse. I'm a Fang clan faerie who's always been fascinated with carriage culture.

I usually serve Lady Aurora, but just this once, I agreed to serve Lord Oberon as well, snort.

Something tells me this is fate at work, so why not sit back and see how great a carriage ride can be, snort!

？！

There's a whole lot I'd like to comment on here, but for now, I'll just say "Great timing, Oberon!"

Come on guys, get on! Those soldiers'll never catch us now!

...Clever of them. Do you know who that carriage belongs to?

No, my lady. One of our soldiers used to build carriages, but he said he didn't recognize the design.

He thinks one of the clans must have made it without the high queen's permission.

I'm so sorry we couldn't be of more help...

No matter. Call the soldiers back. We're returning to Camelot.

Are you sure, my lady?

I don't have time to go around chasing after rats. No, scratch that. They're not even rats.

Britain is the high queen's garden, and no garden is entirely free of pests.

I just let my temper get the better of me this time. Next time we meet, I'll grind them beneath my boot.

Assuming I ever do meet them again, of course.

We have someone much better at squashing bugs in any case.

Oh, you mean fair Lancelot! The strongest Tam Lin in all of Britain!

She'll crush those bugs in no time, no matter where they try to hide!

...

(Why are you talking about Lady Lancelot in front of Lady Gawain, you idiot!? Have you got a death wish!?)

F-forgive me, Lady Gawain!!! I meant no disrespect! You are, of course, the strongest of the Tam L

It's all right. You're correct. She IS the strongest. But watch your tongue next time.

She's not the strongest of the Tam Lin. She's the strongest creature in all of Faerie Britain.

She isn't even in the same category as us. Do remember that.

Y-yes, my lady! I'll never forget it again!

Good. Now, bring the captured humans here so I can deal with them before we leave.

E-eek! Please, wait! You've got it all wrong! This wasn't our fault!

Those soldiers opened our doors without asking! I told them we didn't want to go!

Please, don't kill me! I'll never hope for freedom again!

I still have ten years left! Doesn't that make me a valuable slave!?

Please, just spare myAaah!

Know your place, dog.

Any human who so much as thinks about running away is worthless, even as a slave. This new form suits you much better.

By the time I'm done breaking you in, maybe you'll be ready to rejoin your fellow human slaves.