Wales (II)

...Ahh. I can still hear the bell ringing.

Even though it's been half a day... Even though everyone smiled and praised me...

Whenever I close my eyes...I can feel that sound, like something grabbing my head from behind.

It feels like this ringing may never go away.

Another Britain, from a world called Proper Human History. Another version of me, though one entirely unlike me.

An imposing figure, neither mage nor faerie, but a child born to human and dragon.

Altria Pendragon.

The Ideal King who unified the lords of Britain, protected it from outside invaders...

...and built the towering white castle of Camelot.

She was loved and trusted by all...

...and she shone brighter and more righteous than anyone else.

With her twelve Knights of the Round Table, her many loyal cavalries, and her ■■■■■■■■■ in hand, she laid the foundation for countless futures.

...She was a truly great woman. I've never seen her like.

I don't want to see her. I don't want to be shown her. I can't handle it. I can't believe it. I can't accept it.

After all...

I'm the only one of my kind. I have nowhere to run. No one understands me. Romance is out of the question.

There's no reward. No finish line. No rest. I can't make so much as a single mistake.

Ahh... So many things I'll never have.

How cruel would I have to be for everyone to accept a king like me with a smile?

...Oh, it's morning. I guess we must have covered a lot of ground overnight...

I had the craziest dream. It must be because I rang one of the Bells of Pilgrimage.

...... ......Ahh.

...That life is no joke.

？！

We almost made it back to Londinium overnight! Good thing we didn't run into any trouble, huh!?

I see. So you used the cover of night to get to Norwich without drawing attention.

And for the return trip, we were lucky enough to get a horse-drawn carriage.

The queen might technically prohibit animals from being used for manual labor, but there's no real penalty for doing so.

Right now, only the clan heads have horse-drawn carriages, but who knows? Eventually, everyone might start using them. I guess this is how trends get started.

All that said, I wonder why the queen banned horse-drawn carriages in the first place. Does she just love horses?

That's part of it, but it's mostly another way to keep faeries in line. If horse-drawn carriages became commonplace, faerie horses would stop being born.

Faeries are both cruel and innocent, you know.

As soon as something like that becomes popular, we stop seeking out anything else.

I mean, it's been two-thousand and nineteen years since we started seriously copying human culture, right?

The fact that horses like Redra Bit and Percival's dear Kundry are still alive and well is proof of Morgan's consideration.

Ahh, now I see. So there's work involved in maintaining Mystics.

So Morgan is fine with imitating human society...

...but she won't allow any cultural imitations that would risk eliminating entire swathes of faerie ecology.

...Gotta say, that's pretty smart of her.

Guess she's more than just a cruel queen out to squeeze her citizens for everything they have.

...

... (Inadvertently locks eyes with Fujimaru)

Don't be ridiculous! Morgan's a horrible queen!

A single, tiny kindness does not make a good person. That's just what she wants you to think.

Oberon?

Great point. The queen doesn't actually care about the faeries' future at all.

Oberon...?

？！

Remember the faeries you all met in my domain, the Welsh woods?

It's the one place in Britain with autumn leaves. The faeries who fled there are all weak.

They all ran away to escape cruel mistreatment. They have nowhere else to go in the whole of Britain.

They were persecuted, ostracized, and accused of spreading poison just by existing.

You see, they all look like insects, so they lost their homes because of Morgan's hatred of bugs.

And their low intelligence and innocent nature forever prevented them from taking part in Faerie Britain's imitation of human society.

My woods are where faeries like that come together until they inevitably die.

...That's right. Under the queen's rule, Faerie Britain has no place for the weak.

She only cares about the land itself, not the faeries who live on it...

Yup. But just because Morgan thinks they're worthless doesn't mean they actually are.

That forest is home to those with nowhere else to go...

Those who have been forgotten and left to die having never known anything but ire and antipathy.

And it was into the heart of that forest that I was summoned.

Of course, Faerie Britain doesn't tolerate any interference from Proper Human History, so I was summoned in a very fragile state.

I could hardly move, so all I could do was lie there and sleep.

I think if I'd been the only one there, I would probably have just disappeared again.

I know I said I only had a cloak on me when I first came here, but that's actually not true.

I had nothing at all. I was a little cold, even.

But I wasn't at all scared or lonely.

They weren't able to touch me...

But they did make a perfect circle around me as they waited excitedly for me to wake up.

You know how just knowing someone is cheering for you can give you the strength to go on? There you go.

Their voices helped me secure my consciousness, and eventually, stabilize my Spirit Origin and wake up.

You could say one of the reasons I'm so...overly invested in Britain's welfare is their kindness.

Who says they're worthless or incapable of doing anything? They might be powerless, but they were the only ones who cared for me.

So of course I have to do everything I can to pay them back☆ That's why I care so much about taking Morgan down.

Really, I'm a lot like you, Fujimaru.

I might only be the king of the weak and powerless, but that doesn't mean I'm going to hold anything back.

Even if I'm never able to save even one faerie, I'm still going to do whatever I can to the best of my ability.

No? Hm, I guess I never did tell you, did I?

I was summoned to this land a few months before you and your team showed up.

It was right around the time Beryl first arrived here.

Proper Human History must have sensed his intervention didn't bode well.

？！

I have a message for you from Captain Calwas, sir.

The enemy has already made camp on the north side of Londinium, but you should have no trouble getting in from the south.

Understood. Thank you, soldier. Then we'll continue bringing the Child of Prophecy back to Londinium, just as we planned.

Tell Calwas to hold his ground for now. It's still too early for an all-out war between our forces.

Yes, sir!

？！

Well, just as we expected...the queen's army has begun to march on Londinium.

She's dispatched Woodwose and his army from up at Oxford.

That was quick. Can't usually mobilize a whole damn army at the drop of a hat.

It's been a day since Altria rang the bell. The queen must've really ridden 'em hard to get them moving so fast.

...Woodwose's army is made up entirely of Fang clan faeries.

They don't typically need weapons, or bother with them, so they can move quickly when they have to.

They're matchless on the battlefield, but they're not so great at occupying territory or laying siege.

So if that's who Morgan sent to Londinium, they shouldn't be much of a threat.

We should be able to wear them down by fortifying our defenses...

...and taking out Woodwose once he inevitably loses patience and takes the field himself.

...

Hm? What is it, Gareth?

O-oh, I'm sorry. It's just, you seemed so different just now...

Huh? D-did I?

I thought I was just being myself... Haha. Was I more confident or something?

As you should be. Remember, you've rung one of the Bells of Pilgrimage now.

Wherever you go, you're going to attract a lot of faeries who are fed up with the queen's regime.

So hold your head high! Besides, you really have gotten stronger, right?

Yep. In terms of magical energy, I'd say she's about equal to Morgan's little finger now.

I had no idea the Bells of Pilgrimage could do that.

No wonder the clan heads weren't so quick to give you permission.

And we still have five to go!

Wait, hang on. There's the Wind clan's in Salisbury, the Wing clan's in Gloucester, the Earth clan's in Norwich, and the Fang clan's in Oxford...

That's only four bells! What about the Mirror clan's and King Clan's?

Don't you worry about that. I'm still not sure about the Mirror clan's bell, but I do know about the other one.

The fifth bell is at the very edge of Britain, at the root of the World Tree's remnants.

It's in the ruins of Orkney, the now forbidden city at the Ends of the World that was destroyed long ago.

...

Okay, hold up. I know the bells are important, but right now, we need to focus on Londinium.

Woodwose's army is practically on your doorstep now, right, Percival? Are you sure it's safe for us to go back?

Yes. And I also think we should do just that.

Altria is right. The Fang clan is poorly suited to siege warfare.

If all we need to do is defend Londinium's walls, we can hold out for ten days even with the forces we have.

That should give us plenty of time to come up with a plan.

Woodwose's army is camped out on the plains about two kilometers north of Londinium...

They don't have the numbers to properly encircle us.

Woodwose's only hope for victory will be to break through our main gate and take over our city from the inside.

Which is why

？！

Right. The greatest advantage we have is our ability to retreat to a stronghold whenever we need to.

Even as we're headed back to Londinium...

I'm having the troops we sent out to help free Norwich split up into two squadrons and move out to Londinium's east and west sides.

Part of their job is to deter Woodwose from launching an all-out assault, since doing so would leave his forces vulnerable to an attack from behind...

But if those squadrons get the chance, they'll also attack Woodwose's isolated troops, thereby reducing their overall numbers.

We may not be able to beat them in a straight fight, but in a siege like this, we're pretty evenly matched.

So we'll just have to slowly tip the battle in our favor as it drags on.

Fortunately, we also have the Count in Norwich helping us now, so we should be good on supplies.

Okay, but while Londinium might not be completely encircled, it's still mostly surrounded, right?

Is there some secret entrance or underground path inside or something?

No... I'm afraid Londinium has nothing like that.

Or at least, if it does, we haven't been able to find it yet...

...Then, does that mean we're about to

That's right. We're going to look for a weak spot in Woodwose's line and charge right through!

This is great! It'll be the perfect opportunity to see what our new and improved Altria can do!

Ghh...! Dammit, it's no use! We can't stop them on our own!

It's not just Percival, either! All the human soldiers are moving weirdly fast!

Is the Child of Prophecy doing this!? It's just like what High Queen Morgan does!

We did it! We punched through their defenses! Everyone, make for Londinium!

We're out of here as soon as the east gate is open! I'll bring up the rear! Don't worry, nobody's getting past me!

Fujimaru, I want you to stay with the Child of Prophecy!

？！

That's what I like to hear! See you in Londinium!

It took a few small skirmishes to get here, but we made it back nearly unscathed.

I'd say we won the battle today. Great work, everyone.

That's an understatement! I took a look at the walls earlier, and it looks like they're embedded with Mystic Codes.

It reminded me of Mash's armor. Gosh, I love armor! It makes you look so...knightly!

Maybe I should get some for myself... Then again, maybe it's still too soon for me...

Besides, I don't even know where I'd go to get some, anyway...

？！

I gotta say, they still have the advantage of numbers. And the longer this battle drags on, the more likely they are to get reinforcements from Camelot.

We can't just lurk in our hidey-hole forever. We need to be lookin' for chances to take the fight to them.

That can wait until we have more soldiers of our own to work with. Like the ones the Count is sending along with the supplies.

By this time tomorrow, we should have a good number of rebels from Norwich here to help us.

That's when we'll strike at Woodwose's headquarters. We can settle this all at once, while our enemy's guard is down.

Yes, that's the idea. Which is all the more reason for us to rest and recuperate now.

Go ahead and turn in for the night if you like, everyone. Our soldiers will stand watch.

Say that again, Beryl Gut. I don't think I heard you right.

Did you really just forbid me from going into battle? You want me to refrain from attacking Londinium directly?

High Queen Morgan would never say anything like that! Don't you lie to me, you filthy human!

You think just because the high queen's taken a liking to you, you can dishonor me and my army!?

Whoa, whoa, easy there, Woodwose. I'm not so big on this plan either, okay?

If you ask me, this is a great opportunity to demolish that castle while we have all the rebels in one place.

I mean, this is obviously a terrible move, right? I can't blame you for having issues with it.

So how 'bout it, buddy? Why don't you tell me what you really think of the high queen?

I'd be more than happy to pass it along to her when I get back to Camelot.

Ooh, I think that's a great idea! I'd love to hear Mother's reaction to that!

Go on, furball, bark for us. If you've got something to say to Mother, let's hear it.

Hey, is it true Aurora played you like a fiddle in your own restaurant while shit was going down in Norwich?

No wonder Mother's so sick of you. Can't blame her for forbidding you to fight until you shape up.

You know, you're the only one who's ever made her cross like that. Who knows what you'll get up to without some oversight?

Don't you talk to me like that, you little

Lord Woodwose! You have every right to be upset, but please, try to control yourself!

(Huff... Huff... Huff... Huff...)

...I know. I'm well aware. I won't repeat Boggart's mistake.

...If that is the high queen's command, I am, of course, happy to comply.

The Fang clan have always been High Queen Morgan's loyal retainers. We're nothing like the Earth clan, always dancing to Spriggan's tune.

Very well then. If they want to hide in their castle, I can play along awhile.

I'm delighted that Her Majesty has entrusted me with eradicating both the Child of Prophecy and the Round Table Army.

Of course I have no objections.

But, that being said...

...should the Round Table Army attack us, all bets are off.

I trust you understand that if that happens, we will have to meet them in the field?

You bet, buddy! Believe me, that's what I'd prefer, too!

But I can't lend you Tristan, okay? She's my personal bodyguard.

If things start getting serious, I'll be counting on you guys to massacre the Round Table Army by yourselves.

But hey, you can pull that off, right? You might be getting old, but you're still the head of the Fang clan.

...

Don't be ridiculous. I don't even need to go after them myself. My elite soldiers will be more than enough.

Neither the Child of Prophecy nor the foreign mage pose any real threat.

The only problem is that cheeky brat Percival, who managed to put up a good fight against Lancelot...

Still, heh, this is a battle, not a duel. Even if he happened to be the last one standing, what good would it do him?

If we kill everyone else inside that castle, I'm sure he'll simply surrender.

Wow, that was just pathetic. When did Woodwose become such a wuss?

It's like he doesn't even want to fight himself.

Maybe that's why Mother forbade him from going into battle? 'Cause he would actually die if he did?

I'll say. That was ridiculous.

I haven't had the shakes that bad since Marisbury recruited me for Chaldea...

There's going soft in your old age, and then there's this. Come the hell on, Woodwose...

Hey, we did what Mother asked us to, right? Let's just get out of here.

I know! Why don't we stop by Gloucester!?

Gloucester's great! I bet it beats anything you had in your world, too!

We can go to the Count's restaurant together! And after that, we can try, uh... Oh, right! Robbing a bank!

Uh... Maybe some other time, when I've got nothing better to do.

What, so you're busy now? I'm not. I'm bored out of my skull.

Well... It's just that something's nagging at me about Morgan's orders.

"Do not let Woodwose fight," huh... You know, depending on how you look at it, that could mean the exact opposite.

Huh? Opposite how?

Hmm... Let's stick around for just a little longer, Lady Spinel.

If everything works out like I think it might, we should be in for a pretty spectacular show.

(Gasp!) Phew, that was exhausting!

Good thing we were able to drive off Woodwose's soldiers before they got in through the western gate!

I swear, the nerve of those Fang clan faeries! I can't believe they tried to pass themselves off as a food delivery!

And what's worse, the guards almost bought it!

？！

Still, I'm impressed you saw through them, Gareth. None of the other faeries guarding the ramparts were any wiser.

Ehehe, I guess it's because I've always had good hearing. I can just kind of tell where there's danger afoot.

Anyway, now that we've fended off this sneak attack, let's go back to the war room! The reinforcements from Norwich should be here by now!

What do you mean Norwich isn't sending any reinforcements!?

Are you telling me not a single soldier or blacksmith is willing to join the Round Table Army!?

A-at least right now, sir. The Count is doing his best to convince them...

The faeries in Norwich are grateful to the Child of Prophecy, but they say they just can't afford to get drawn into another battle right now...

...

...I see. So what they mean is...

...the people of Norwich only care about Norwich, and don't give a damn about what happens elsewhere.

Even though Altria, the Child of Prophecy, made the brave decision to save Britain, and rang a Bell of Pilgrimage...

...and even though she's already saved Norwich twice now...

...they still can't be bothered to fight the queen's army themselves.

I-it's not like that, sir. We're still willing to fight.

We just, well, don't see the point in fighting a battle we can't hope to win...

...

Yup, that tracks.

The whole thing about the Child of Prophecy drawing in faeries from around the world to her cause sounded nice, but it was a crock from the start.

We've gotta remember that these faeries have been living in fear of the queen for two thousand years. You can't get over something like that overnight.

And don't forget about the Tam Lin.

Gonna take a lot more than ringin' one bell to get all those faeries on our side.

I thought I'd laid the groundwork for these faeries to stand up to the queen's regime as long as they had an opportunity...

(Sigh) I guess rumors alone can only do so much.

I can't believe this. We worked so hard to save Norwich, but now that we're gone, it's like they forgot all about it...

？！

I understand. Of course the faeries of Norwich won't feel comfortable joining the Round Table Army without a clear assurance of our chances of victory.

Please, don't give it another thought.

Could you just give the Count a message for us?

Tell him that we'll do our best to figure something out on our own, and we'd appreciate any continued assistance he can provide with supplies.

Y-yes, of course! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way!

I'm surprised you're not disappointed, Altria. I figured this would hit you hardest.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm upset for sure. I've just always been quick to get over disappointment.

For the time being, let's just focus on what we can do now, like when Oberon ran around in just his cloak.

Uh, point of order? When I said I had nothing to my name, I was being metaphorical. I wasn't literally streaking around Britain.

Right. Maybe ringing the second bell will motivate the faeries to get off the sidelines.

？！

Excuse me, Sir Percival! Lord Oberon!

I have an urgent message from our allies in Gloucester!

It says, "The queen's army is advancing on the Welsh woods."

"Tam Lin Gawain is leading an order of knights who report directly to the queen."

"We can't stop them ourselves, and we can't be sure how long the Welsh woods will be safe."

"Please send aid ASAP!"

I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'm sure you can handle things here, Percival.

？！

...

...You're right. I might be able to get there in time on my own, but even if I did, there's nothing I can do.

Will you help me, Fujimaru? Altria?

I'm going to help the faeries of the Welsh woods however I can.

They have nothing to do with this. I should be the one to suffer the queen's wrath.

？！

Right. You're right. So much has happened that I forgot all about that.

Percival, would you ask the faerie horses to help us? I'm afraid Redra Bit alone won't be enough.

I can fly there myself, but we'll need four of them to pull the carriage at max speed for five passengers:

Fujimaru, Altria, Muramasa, Gareth, and Da Vinci.

I'll make the arrangements right away.

But it won't only be five passengers. Kundry and I are going, too.

So I've gotta stay behind, huh... Oh well, I get it. I'm not much of a flier.

And I know you need to keep the carriage as light as possible.

Don't worry! We'll be back in no time!

Just please be careful while we're away, Habbycat!

Right back at you. You're going up against a Tam Lin, right?

Faeries who've had their True Names changed are really tough. Do you have a plan for how to handle her?

Of course. In fact, I've been waiting for an opportunity like this.

I'm not going to let Gawain push us around any longer.

Now that's the Child of Prophecy talking. Okay, I just have one piece of advice.

Humiliate her. Find a way. Whatever it takes!

That'll give you a chance to uncover more about her Gift and name!

The whole Tam Lin thing is just a big act! If you can get them to disavow their knight selves, you can win!

Thanks for worrying, and for cheering us on, Habetrot! See you later!

There, I can see the Welsh woods now! Oh no... They're burning!

It's okay! I'm sure everyone found a good place to hide!

Let's split up! One team, take out the enemies! The other, put out the fire!

Altria! Da Vinci! Fujimaru! You come with me!

All right, we'll take the other side! Percival! Gareth! Let's go!

You heard the high queen's orders! Use fire! Burn these rotten, filthy woods to the ground!

Let this be a warning to the foul scoundrel calling himself the Faerie King!

？！

...Ah.

Ah... Ah...

There's the Faerie King! Capture him! We must bring him before Her Majesty!

...Hm? Is that the Child of Prophecy with him?

But...her magical energy wasn't anywhere near that vicious when I saw her in Camelo

Aaaaaaaaah! You... You!!!

Altria!? ...Right. This must be what happened in Tintagel!

Come on, Fujimaru! We need to go after Altria!

She's not herself right now! She'll die here if we don't do something!

？！

(Huff... Huff... Huff...!) Where are you going!? Don't you dare run from me!!!

You think you can just kill everyone here and leave!? Well, I won't let you! I swear it!

？！

Let go of me! They're going to get away! I have to make them pay for

...Ah.

...I'm sorry. I was so blinded by anger that I just...

？！

...Okay. Maybe there are some up in the trees, like there were befo

It's no use. You're half a day too late. We killed the last of them hours ago. All that's left is to burn the woods.

This is what came of your ringing that bell, Child of Prophecy.

Tam Lin Gawain...!

What are you even doing here, anyway? You're supposed to be fighting Woodwose now.

Did you leave Londinium undefended just to come here?

I can't understand it. Nothing you do makes sense.

The weak are meant to obey the strong. As long as they do that, they will one day get to enjoy the strong's remains.

If they cannot understand that, then the strong have no obligation to protect them.

Child of Prophecy. Foreign mage. If you are prepared, I am willing to accept your surrender.

My only mission today was to cleanse Wales. I don't have orders to eliminate you.

But, if you insist on fighting, I will burn you along with these woods.

？！

Don't worry! I have a perfect anti-Gawain countermeasure in mind! We can stop her from sucking up magical energy with a decoy!

That said, I only have three of them, so they won't last long! We'll need to hit her fast and hard, Fujimaru!

Hey, that was a good one! You're doing great, Altria!

？！

What, that? I just had a hunch the little lady there could use some help, and I couldn't stand back and do nothing!

Khh! You impudent little... Protecting the mage with your trinkets...!

Hmph! Did you think we were just going to roll over and let you walk all over us? Well think again, you...gluttonous pig!

PiYou dare mock me like that!?

You're damn right I do! You're a pathetic excuse for a Tam Lin! You don't care about protecting faeries at all!

You're just a mindless dog, following the queen's every order! You have no right to use the name of a Knight of the Round Table!

Sure, Sir Gawain could be overly serious, a bit of a teacher's pet, and sometimes he put a little too much trust in his king.

But he was never just an unthinking beast who blindly accepted whatever his king told him, like you!

For that matter, I know you're not really Gawain. Your True Name was written on Ector's receipt.

Now you listen to me, and you listen to me good!

Your True Name is Barghest! Barghest, the Black Dog Duchess, and devourer of thunderclouds!

Now forget about the queen's Gift and stop pretending to be a knight already!

Barghest! That's the name of a black dog fairy from English legend!

It's supposed to have a glowing horn and fiery eyes, and it's also said to be an omen of imminent disaster!

...That's right. That is apparently what I am in your Proper Human History.

Thank you for reminding me of that loathsome fact, girl. You've helped me cool my head.

But this changes nothing, you weaklings! Even with my True Name revealed, I remain unchanged!

I am a creature of the night. As far as I'm concerned...

...Sir Gawain's Morning Light and Numeral of the Saint, which take effect in daytime, have only ever held me back!

I may be a faerie-eating beast, and I may have lost my Gifted name, but I am still a knight!

My horn remains as devoted to the high queen as ever, and I shall prove that by ending your lives with it here and now!

Huh? Hang on. I thought uncovering Baggie's Gifted name was all we had to do to win.

So why's she even stronger now than she was before!?

Oh, NOW you're timid!? You just live your whole life flying by the seat of your pants, don't you!?

No, I can understand how Altria feels! I can't even measure Barghest's magical energy anymore!

I don't get it either! Revealing her True Name was supposed to remove the changes to her Spirit Origin and make her weaker.

But instead, it's almost as if she

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It doesn't matter. Retreat is not an option. We're going to defeat Barghest here and now.

We have to take down at least one of the Tam Lin, or we'll never stir the anti-Morgan faeries out there into action.

And besides...

...it may not have lasted long, but I'm still Faerie King Oberon, Lord of Wales!

So please, lend me your aid, Altria, Fujimaru!

Let's show this dog who trampled all over these woods exactly what weaklings like us can really do!

Burning down forests...slaughtering helpless faeries... Is this how your queen treats any who defy her!?

None of you have any right to call yourselves knights! Not ONE of you! Hraaah!

Wow, you just skewered two of them at once! Impressive!

Now I see why they say you've reached the limit of human ability!

That said, this isn't like you. What happened to your usual calm?

Aren't you supposed to be as big of heart as you are of body? To be both incomparably tough and consistently logical?

...You're right. I'm a commander. I need to be as calm and collected as I look.

Thank you for snapping me out of my rage, Muramasa.

I don't see any more of the queen's soldiers here.

Gareth and I should be able to handle the search for survivors, so why don't you go help Altria?

You've been worried about her all this time, right? It's written all over your face.

Is it?

Well, you know, she has a tendency to let her feelings get the best of her sometimes, right?

And while Fujimaru's got a good handle on his feelings now, he's still just a kid.

Someone's gotta make sure those two don't get into trouble. Might as well be an old man like me.

Come now, you don't look anything like an old man. Anyway, thank you for watching out for them.

S-sure thing. You can be pretty perceptive sometimes, huh?

There's no one here, Percival! No faeries from the forest, no soldiers of the queen's army. They're all gone!

So it would seem. Dammit... We were too late to stop them.

Come on. Let's head circle west toward where Altria's group was headed. Maybe we'll find some survivors along the way.

...I can't come this far without saving at least one person. I just can't.

Percival...Huh? Aah!

Look out! There's someone behind you!

Behind me...? Um, I don't see anyone. And I don't sense

There really was someone there!? How did you see them, Gareth!? That's amazing!

I-I didn't see them, exactly. I just saw that you would be in trouble...

No, wait! There! There's something unnatural over there! It's a mirror! They're hiding behind a mirror reflecting the surroundings!

Ah! They just ran off into those trees! They're trying to escape! Get 'em, Percival!

Leave it to me!

I can't believe you destroyed my mirror camouflage... In all my years as an assassin knight, I, Portune, have never made such a careless mistake.

But then, I've not worked in two hundred years. I didn't fail; I'm just a bit rusty.

Still, I cannot believe a faerie saw through my camouflage like that...

I had better kill you, girl. I can't have you getting so lucky twice.

Oh no, you don't! You coward! Help me out here, Gareth!

I need you to be my eyes! Tell me where he is!

Y-you got it! I'll do my very best!

What was I thinking!? The way things are going, my defeat is all but guaranteed!

Dammit, of all the luck! Why did I have to run into the one faerie in the world who can see me!?

He's getting away, Percival! But at least it looks like he can't turn invisible anymore!

He's a real pain, all right! We should take him out now, before

...

...I can't believe my eyes. What's a proud knight doing in a penal colony like this?

Aren't you supposed to be in Londinium right now?

No wonder Her Majesty doesn't see the Round Table Army as a threat. You just entirely lack the mindset necessary for victory.

You really are pathetically naive, Percival.

...You're...

Lancelot... The strongest Tam Lin in Britain...

There! How do you like that, huh!? It's been a long time coming!

Don't you talk down to me, weakling!

You would never have won without Oberon, Muramasa, and the foreign mageFujimaru's help!

I-I know, but still!

Barghest.

You might have one knee on the ground, but I can tell you still have strength to spare.

We could keep fighting if you like, but do you really want to continue until we're all dead, you included?

I've talked to you a few times now. Obviously, that doesn't give me a complete understanding of who you are...

...but I know you well enough now to know that you're willing to listen to anyone you see as strong, which is why I want to talk to you about something now.

...You're an awfully chatty Servant, aren't you? Very well. What do you have to say?

Chaldea does not consider Britain our enemy. We have no intention of attacking it.

Now that its Tree of Emptiness is gone, it's only a matter of time until it disappears anyway.

But until it does, we think that the faeries who call it home should decide what happens to it.

...Britain is going to disappear? Ridiculous.

You're making no sense at all.

The fact that you're aiding the Child of Prophecy alone makes you enemies of Faerie Britain.

You're already attacking Britain.

...You're wrong, Barghest.

We're helping the Child of Prophecy save Britain.

The real invader here is Morgan.

She and Beryl Gut have no intention of saving you, or any other faerie, just like she didn't bother to do anything to help Norwich.

Morgan isn't going to do anything to stop the Great Calamity, even if it means letting every single faerie in Britain die.

Know why? Because she means to use the Great Calamity to invade our world.

But you've already figured that out, haven't you?

No matter what reasons Morgan might have for doing this...

...the fact is, if she gets her way, countless faeries are going to suffer and die.

...You're right. I can't deny any of that.

？！

Don't mock me. Just because I accept what you're saying is true doesn't mean I've accepted you.

If you mistake me for a friend and get too close to me, I'll cut you down where you stand. Have you forgotten what I've done here?

？！

...

Now, I have a question for you.

You claim to be trying to save Britain, yes?

But Beryl told us you Chaldeans insist yours is the only way, and have destroyed many other worlds.

If that's true, then it must be why you came here in the first place.

You say you're not going to attack us because we're already doomed? That's not the same thing as saving us.

Let me now ask you this, Fujimaru. You may answer as well, wise and fair Servant.

The Child of Prophecy, I can understand...but why would outsiders like yourselves protect faeries like us?

You did so in Norwich, and you tried here today as well, even though you could have just let them die.

Well

？！

？！

？！

...

Easy there, GawaI mean, Barghest. It's obvious you don't really want to kill us anymore.

Why not call a truce with them? Hell, I'm still technically one of Chaldea's enemies myself.

If there's something you really want to do, letting yourself do it isn't such a bad ide

Ngh...! Ah, aaah!

Barghest!? Don't tell me she's turning into a mors?

No, wait, that's not it... What's going on!?

(Huff... Huff...) Name... My name...

Don't...call me...by...my naaame!

？！

？！

What the...!? Baggie, did you really just protect Fujimaru!?

What were you thinking!? Why would you try to help me!? Are you trying to get yourself killed!?

Uh... I mean...

You were aiming for me, weren't you, Portune!? What's the meaning of this!?

Don't you take that tone with me, Barghest. I'm the one who's angry here.

Not only did you dare to entertain these outsiders' ridiculous notions, you even defended the foreign mage.

This is treason. If you wish to prove your innocence and loyalty, now will be your only chance.

Kill that human.

Go on. It should be easy for you. All you have to do is hold him close and break his neck.

？！

...I...

I can't do that. Not after he tried to help me.

I see. Then the high queen's wrath will be swift and mighty, foolish black dog! Good luck falling asleep tonight!

Oh crap, he's getting away! Shouldn't you go after him, Barghest!?

Won't you be charged with treason if he makes it back to Camelot!?

...It's all right. I did what I thought was right. Nothing more.

Should the high queen choose to punish me for that, then I shall accept my fate as a knight.

...Traitors lending your aid to the Child of Prophecy, my mission to eradicate Oberon's home, the Autumn Woods, is complete.

I will probably be relieved of my position once I return to Camelot...

...but that is also proof that Tam Lin Gawain has been bested in battle.

Victory is yours, Round Table. I am sure the other faeries will be delighted by this news.

？！

...

Well, however things turned out, at least the forest is quiet now.

And the fact that we managed to beat one of the Tam Lin is no small achievement.

I'm glad at least one good thing came out of this.

Oberon...

I...think I'd like to be alone for a while. Would you mind heading back without me?

I need some time to say goodbye to everyone individually.

...Okay. We'll go on ahead and wait for you at the carriage.

...Come on, Fujimaru. Let's give him some space.

？！

Oh good! I'm glad you're all okay.

Huh? Where's Oberon? I don't see him anywhere...

He's going to be a little late, so we're going to spend the night here while we wait for him.

What about Percival and Gareth?

We're right here. We've been resting up while we waited for you.

We looked everywhere, but I'm afraid there were no survivors... I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Still, you should have seen Percival out there! He chased off Lancelot!

Lancelot!? That bitch was here, too!?

Dammit, now I wish I'd stayed with Percival...

I need to pay her back for tossing me into the pit before I leave this Lostbelt.

So there were two Tam Lin here then? And you actually chased Lancelot away!?

...No, I didn't. Gareth is giving me too much credit. The truth is, she basically let us go...

As soon as she'd confirmed that the fire had been put out, she flew off towards Camelot.

I'm a human. There's nothing I could have done to strike a dragon faerie like her from the sky.

I know what you mean. We've seen Lancelot's incredible mobility for ourselves.

She's just as fast and agile in flight as the records I've seen of Enkidu from Babylonia.

I'm sure. She's the most beautiful faerie in all of Faerie Britain, after all.

That said, even she could only move so fast in the forest, what with all the trees getting in her way.

That's the only reason I was able to hold out against her as long as I did.

Still, it's impressive you managed to fend her off. Even a certain Alter Ego I know was helpless against her.

Do you have any other combat data about her we could use? We basically know nothing about her right now.

Did anything stand out to you while you fought? Did she say anything about this atrocity?

Well, actually

No. Nothing noteworthy. I'm afraid all I could do against her was defend.

Right, Gareth?

...Yeah, I guess so. But it was still an amazing battle.

On a different note...I'm a little worried about Oberon. I'm sure he'll get over the shock in time...

But burying that many bodies would have to wear on anyone. Maybe I oughta go back and help him...

Huh? Why would he bury them?

What do you mean, why would he bury them? What, do you only cremate bodies here?

Either way, we can't just leave the bodies there to rot. We've gotta make a grave, then

Uh... You really don't know, Muramasa? I guess you don't either then, Fujimaru?

...Oh! Now I get it! That makes a lot of things add up!

I thought it was strange when their Spirit Origins didn't fall apart after they died!

？！

That's right. I don't know how it is with faeries in your world...

But here in Britain, when we die, we just stay how we are. We don't decompose, we don't rot... We change form, and then stay there forever.

Human bodies rot, so we do cremate those, but faerie bodies are just abandoned to the earth.

Look, over there. See all those fallen trees? Those are faeries who reached the end of their lives.

All of Britain is composed of faerie corpses.

Hmph. I can't believe a proud knight like myself has to flee. This has been one surprise after another.

The Child of Prophecy and foreign mage were supposed to stay back in Londinium.

Lancelot didn't obey her orders. Gawain only burned the forest.

No, she's just Barghest the black dog now. I have to report her betrayal to Her Majesty.

Under the circumstances, she will understand why I had no choice but to retreat.

...But the biggest problem is that girl who saw through my camouflage...

I should have made her tell me how she did it, but that damn Percival got in my way...

Well, no matter. At least I know where to find her. As soon as I've reported back to Her Majesty, I'll go to Londinium and

What the...?

Huh!? What is this? What's going on? My legs... They're...being eaten away!?

You... You! I know you! I recognize that horrible cursed scent!

I smelled it during the war against the mors!

No... This can't be. You're supposed to be dead... The high queen... I have to tell the high queen...

...o...ge...