Manchester

Percivaaal! We're back!

Hello, everyone. I'm glad to see you're all safe and sound.

Congratulations on another job well done, Altria, Fujimaru.

I think everyone in Britain must have heard that Bell of Pilgrimage ring.

As your exclusive knight rider, I, too, couldn't be happier about this latest success.

On a different subject, did you happen to pick me up a souvenir? I don't know if you remember this...

...but it was no easy feat for us faerie horses to transport you all from Londinium to Gloucester in only half a day.

Of course we remember. Here you go: two-in-one hair restorer and suntan oil. I found it at a shady-looking hole-in-the-wall.

It's just one of many different magecraft trinkets being sold there now thanks to Altria's previous escapade.

Hair restorer? For a horse?

There's no need to hide it. I already know you're a fashionable faerie who cares a great deal about his appearance.

Be honest. Aren't you itching to change your look now that Altria's done the same?

You're a great faerie, Oberon. A shady-looking hole-in-the-wall, you say? Sounds like the perfect place to me.

All right, now that Redra's spirits have been lifted, what say we head back to Londinium?

Next on our list is Oxford's bell. Once we ring that, this war will really kick into high gear...

Actually, there's something else we should take care of first.

Would you mind if we changed venues so we could discuss our future plans a little more privately?

Oh? That, huh? Okay then, why don't we try going into those woods over there, away from the highway?

!

Damn, sorry about that! I had no idea this forest was actually a mors nest!

Please stand back, faeries! The Round Table Army will handle this!

No need to worry about us! Those mors won't be able to so much as touch me!

I am Redra Bit, the faerie steed of flame! See for yourselves how my body burns!

Come, Sir Percival! Come, Lady Gareth! Let us demonstrate what the Knights of the Round Table truly aspire to!

So, as I was saying, I was actually thinking of ringing a different Bell of Pilgrimage next.

We know exactly where Oxford's bell is, and now that Woodwose is gone, we can ring it anytime.

So I propose that we head to Orkney next.

Morgan is bound to be watching Oxford right now, which should mean Orkney is ripe for the picking.

I see... That's a good point. We will have to make our way to Orkney eventually, after all.

And since none of the queen's troops have been deployed there, now would seem to be our best chance.

Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple.

The queen will send her army after us the moment we head to Orkney, to say nothing of Cnoc na Riabh's army in the north.

So I think it would be safer to advance the Round Table Army up near Camelot, then have some troops protect us on the way to Orkney.

No, if we go there as an army, Cnoc na Riabh will mobilize her army in response.

She's already gone on the record saying she sees the Child of Prophecy as an obstacle, and Altria as a rival.

So if Altria makes any overt moves, she'll have no choice but to get in our way by virtue of her position as queen.

But we really don't want to fight the northern faeries unless we absolutely have to. We need them on our side fighting Morgan instead.

Right, Percival? Altria?

Right. We would like nothing more than to form an alliance with the northern faeries.

Not as allies in the fight against the queen, but as fellow citizens of Britain.

We've tried sending messengers to Cnoc na Riabh several times, but unfortunately, she won't even give us the time of day.

I mean, Cnoc na Riabh does hate humans. Actually, I don't know if I'd say "hate" so much as...

Well, never mind. That doesn't matter now.

Anyway, I agree with Da Vinci. I think the fourth bell I ring should be Orkney's.

Once I do that, we can stop by Cnoc na Riabh's camp on the way home. She should be willing to negotiate with us now.

Yeah! You're the Child of Prophecy in both name and deed now! The Chocolate Queen can't afford to ignore you anymore!

Okay, then the question is: How do we get to Orkney without anyone finding out?

...What if we went through the Lake District?

It's a marshland in northwestern Britain, and constantly mired in fog. The terrain is much too treacherous for an army to cross, and it's full of mors, too.

Both Cnoc na Riabh's army and the royal army always keep their distance.

It would be a much more dangerous route than taking the highway, but

Sounds like a good idea to me. Let's do it.

We only got but so many people with us. We'd be better off dodging mors than an army.

...I guess that's true. What do you think, Fujimaru?

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I see. Then I guess that's that.

Personally, I don't think splitting off from our army is a good idea, but I guess you guys are used to moving about as a small, elite unit.

For a team with your skills, the Lake District shouldn't be much of a problem. Good luck. I'll be rooting for you.

Huh? You're not coming with us, Oberon?

Of course not. The Round Table Army is in the middle of a rapid growth period. Someone has to stay and keep an eye on them.

Powering-up the Child of Prophecy with the Bells of Pilgrimage is important, of course, but so is improving our army.

Percival, I'd like you to come along and command the Round Table Army too, so we can secure Oxford's bell.

It'll leave Londinium a little thinly guarded, but if we can occupy Oxford, we arguably won't need it anymore.

And once that happens, the queen's army won't have any more reason to attack there.

...Then it's settled.

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

...will set out for Orkney's bell by way of the Lake District.

Redra Bit, would you be willing to help them?

I can certainly take them as far as the edge of the Lake District, but I won't be able to bring the wagon in there.

So once I've seen all of you off...

...I'll lay low in Edinburgh and pretend to be a wandering knight.

You'll all be stopping by Edinburgh on your way back from Orkney, right? So I'll rendezvous with you there.

That sounds perfect. Where have you been hiding all these smarts?

For that matter, why were you toiling away as Aurora's secret wagon horse all this time?

You could have had a much more prestigious career under Woodwose.

Hahaha. As you can see, I've always had an affinity for the wind, so the Wind clan city feels like home to me.

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All right then, Oberon and I will head back to Londinium.

Wait. I'm going with you, too.

...I'm sorry, Altria.

I know this is selfish of me, especially after I declared myself the Child of Prophecy's number one knight...

I know my going back to Londinium probably won't make that much difference...

...but I can still help there, and I just can't leave its people to fend for themselves.

Of course, Gareth. You have nothing to apologize for. I think it's great that you found somewhere you belong.

Don't worry about me! With Fujimaru, Da Vinci, and Muramasa, I'll be just fine!

Sure, I'll miss having you around, but it won't be long before we'll get to see each other again in Londinium! So let's make sure we've both gotten stronger by then!

You got it! In the meantime, I'll be keeping my ears peeled for the ring of the next bell!

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Right. Take care out there.

Be warned, there's a ton of ash over on that far shore, and it also gets freezing cold out there.

And since neither Blanca nor I can cross the ocean, we have no idea what may be going on inside Orkney.

Still, whatever you find there, I'm sure it won't be as bad as what you had to overcome in the Russian Lostbelt.

Oh, and keep an eye on Altria. The more nonchalant she acts, the more she's tearing up inside.

Yes. She's been through a lot, you know. I doubt there's a soul in Britain better at putting on a brave face.

Don't always take what she says at face value. Make sure you give her the support she really needs.

Haha, guess I needn't have bothered warning you, huh? I'm glad she's in good hands.

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...Once we've rung the Orkney and Oxford bells, we'll have to move faster than ever.

So in the meantime, I'll do whatever is necessary to find out where the sixth bell is located.

After that, it'll finally be time to face Morgan, regardless of how the odds are stacked against us.

What's more, something tells me that even defeating her won't be enough to solve all our problems.

...There's something else in Britain. Something cursing every living creature here.

Unfortunately, we haven't the least idea what it could be.

Remember this, Fujimaru: we still know almost nothing about Britain's history.

If we're lucky, maybe you'll find a clue as to how this world came to be the way it is in Orkney.

And if we're really lucky, that clue may just give us the edge we need to defeat Morgan.

But this is everything we can do for her right now. We think it'll be at least some use.

So please make sure she gets it, okay?

...

Okay, I will. I think the Child of Prophecy will be thrilled to receive this.

Yeah? ...Yeah, we think so too! You guys make sure you keep her safe, okay!?

Britain's destruction is all but certain now. Anyone who would claim its throne is destined to be a sacrificial lamb.

If you become its king, the people will place all their hopes on your shoulders, asking you to make everything right.

If you fail, they'll be just as quick to curse you, blaming you for everything going wrong.

You will gain nothing from this. Truthfully, you'll only be making life harder for yourself.

You should think long and hard before you make your choice.

Once you draw that sword, you'll never be able to go back to an ordinary human life.

...I saw a great many people smiling.

I don't think that was a mistake.

Why did it have to be you? Couldn't you have just let someone else do it?

Perhaps. I do think there may have been someone else suitable for this role.

Then why? Why in the world did you do this?

Why?

I think you know the answer better than anyone.

We've been heading north on the highway all night, and it's almost noon now.

At this pace, we should arrive at the entrance to the Lake District by nightfall.

Just please remember that we'll be parting ways temporarily once we get there.

Oh, right, about that. I was actually hoping we could tweak our plans a little, and you could head west from here.

That's the way to Manchester, right? I want to stop by there before the Lake District.

Manchester? As in Barghest's domain!? Are you sure about this!? Fujimaru!?

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Gaah! You're a dog person, too!? Wh-what about you, Muramasa!?

What? Is it really that surprising?

I just assumed you'd worked that out when Da Vinci said she wanted to go to Orkney.

Well I didn't, okay!? What about you, Habetrot!? Did you know!?

Me? Da Vinci talked to me about it before we got on the wagon.

She wanted to know if I'd mind stopping there before Orkney.

So even you already knew about this, Habbycat...? But, I'm supposed to be the leader...

I'm sorry, Altria. But even if you were on board with this plan, I didn't think you'd be able to keep it to yourself.

Barghest is still technically one of the queen's Tam Lin, so I didn't want Percival or Oberon to know about this.

...G-good point. Percival would certainly worry if he knew we were stopping by an enemy's territory...

And I doubt Oberon would've been happy about it either, since she burned down his forest...

Manchester's a nice place. It's very unlike Oxford, which has been getting more modernized with its restaurants.

It's still an idyllic faerie town, like you'd see in a story.

Fighting may be against the rules in Gloucester, but Manchester doesn't need to ban fighting. The whole town despises it, you see.

Really? Even though survival of the fittest is the law of the land there?

Hahaha. Don't worry. Barghest's take on survival of the fittest isn't quite what you're thinking.

You'll see when we get there. All right then, Manchester it is!

Trust me, it's a lovely place full of peaceful wildlife.

There won't be any fighting there whatsoever! I give you the Redra Bit guarantee!

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Wooo! You tourists look really strong! This is awesome! Get 'em!!!

Ghh... Ghhh... Aaaaaah!

Having another good cry, ■■■■■■■■? Why don't you come over here?

You don't have to stop crying. Just tell me what happened today.

Did something painful happen? Something sad?

Did it happen to you while you smiled? Did it happen to someone else while you got upset?

Whatever it was, please, tell me. I want to know how you feel.

It's okay. I promise I'll never stop liking you, no matter how embarrassing it may have been.

You know, there's nothing like a fun story to cheer you up in hard times. Why don't I tell you another tale of your favorite Knights of the Round Table?

I'll tell you a story of flotsam that drifted here as a changeling. A florid, proud, and slightly somber story.

A story of the brave knights you've always looked up to.

There, look out at the garden. Those flowers you planted have grown in beautifully.

And I see you planted another one for me today, so that I could enjoy them even though I can't walk.

Thank you. That's so kind of you.

I only hope that one day, you'll be free of the pain you carry in your heart...

You're the only faerie possessed of true nobility. It would be a tragic loss for you to take your own life.

So let's make a deal, Barghest. It's still a little too soon for you to take on the curse, after all.

Sorry! So sorry!

I really am sorry about that, everyone. I hope you can forgive them.

I promise I'll give these idiots a stern talking-to later, so this sort of thing doesn't happen again.

They're very...susceptible to trends, you see, and, well...

You know how they're talking about Camelot preparing for war these days, right? That made them want to have a pretend war of their own.

They were satisfied with board games up until you walked in, but

Well, come on! Those faeries and the human just looked so strong! I knew it'd be a blast to fight them!

Don't be daft. Have you forgotten that Lady Barghest is back right now?

If you louts ever get someone killed, and she finds out about it, she'll have your heads AND mine!

You ought to be thanking your lucky stars that these people are so strong and understanding. Also, no more alcohol for you until I say so.

Aww, come on! Don't be like that! I can't go back to NOT drinking human alcohol now that I know how good it is!

Well, Redra Bit, care to revisit your "Redra Bit guarantee"?

That's strange...

I distinctly remember Manchester as a town bursting with smiles, kindness, and violence...

Don't be silly! There's no violence here! The rule of Manchester is survival of the fittest!

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I'm Jenny! I was just born near here recently!

Ah, I see. That explains it.

So you must not know much about Manchester yet.

Do you happen to know where the lord's house is, Jenny?

You mean Lady Barghest? Sure! It's over that way, at the end of the big road!

Oh, yeah, I see it now. Looks like it's a big mansion with a beautiful garden.

Anyway, I thought Manchester was a Fang clan town, but I guess it has faeries like you, too.

Are there Earth clan faeries here as well?

Hmm, I'm not sure. I haven't seen many Earth faeries. There's lots of humans here, though. It's about half faeries, half humans.

Really? So far, I've only seen faeries walking around. Are there really that many humans here, too?

Of course! It's survival of the fittest here, so the strong have to protect the weak!

I know, 'cause I'm one of the ones being protected! Lady Barghest might be strict, but she's also really kind and really funny!

So that's how she defines "survival of the fittest," huh... Now I get it.

I had my suspicions given what we've seen of her...

...but it does look like, to Barghest, "survival of the fittest" ain't about the strong preying on the weak.

That's right. She's been like this for as long as I can remember.

"The strong should only eat the strong. The weak aren't worth eating, so they must be protected."

She'd say that aaall the time.

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O-of course not. Don't be silly. I mean, you saw how Barghest didn't even recognize me, right?

Nope, certainly haven't known her a long while. No, sir!

In fact, I don't know a single thing about her! Nothing!

Huh? I know about Lady Barghest. She's back at her mansion right now.

Everyone in town keeps "congratulating" her over coming back to visit her new lover all the time.

Are you kidding me!? All her talk about being a proud and noble Tam Lin, and she still has the time to keep lovers!?

Barghest's lover... Snort. I don't even want to think about it.

You can't take what rumors say too seriously. It's not like she ever confirmed any of them herself.

And even if what they say is true, that's between her and her lovers, right? If they're all okay with it, who're we to judge?

Well, true love or not, crimes are crimes... But this is also the land of the fae, and we know different areas have their own, very different rules.

Still, now that we've come this far, we can't leave without seeing her.

If you're scared, Redra Bit, it's okay; you can wait here. Besides, we're the ones who wanted to talk to her.

...No, that's okay. I've come this far with you, and I'm not about to part ways now.

Besides, I can't help it if she sets her sights on me as her next dish. That's just the burden someone as popular with all ages as me has to bear.

So if things should take a turn for the worst, I can at least be baitI mean, a meat shield for the rest of you while you make your escape.

Now, come! Let us be off to the demon's lair! I'm certainly not afraid of any horrific faerie-eating black dog!

Welcome to Manchester, everyone.

What a wonderful surprise to see you take me up on my request less than a day after I made it.

...Gorgeous...

Who in the world would call such a beautiful lady "horrific"? I see now that you are nothing less than a true nobleneigh, a true champion...

Personally, I, Redra Bit, feel as though I've just been hung out to dry in the final corner.

Th-thank you for your kind words. ...Um, may I ask who this Fang clan faerie is?

Don't worry about him. He's just another hapless horse.

Habbycat, would you mind taking Redra outside for a bit?

Sure thing. Come on, Redra Bit, let's go out to the yard. I noticed there was a fun-looking plaza out there.

Hehe... It's called a paddock, Habetrot.

Ahh, there really is nothing like a clan mansion. They always have so many luxuries, even when the owner has no particular plans to use them...

Of course. It is incumbent upon every good lord to show their guests proper hospitality.

All the more so when it was I who invited you to begin with. If anything, I should be thanking you.

I... I just got here myself not too long ago, so I haven't had time to change yet. That's all.

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Anyway, I'm glad you let us in here without even patting us down.

Now that we know for sure you don't mean to fight us, we can relax and get down toUm, Barghest?

I'm afraid you are mistaken in that. While I certainly bear you no ill will, as you can see, I do have every intention of fighting you.

Huh!? What's the meaning of this, Barghest!?

Would you kindly stay out of this? My business is with you?

Fujimaru, Master of Chaldea and Leonardo da Vinci, his faithful Servant.

I know this is unbecoming but, I would like to ask you, with all respect, for a duel.

Would you be so kind as to show me your strength once again?

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Now I see. You want to find out if Chaldea can walk the walk before we talk the talk, huh.

I gather you won't trust us unless we can prove we're able to beat you without the Child of Prophecy's help?

That is true, yes. But more than that, I am interested in you, Fujimaru.

I want to see just how far a mere human can go against us faeries. No...

I am going to see for myself whether your victories so far have been more than a fluke!

Whoa, these gnocchi are so good! I love how versatile potatoes are, no matter what world they come from!

These oysters are amazing, too!

I was a little shocked when they came out on that huge plate piled up to the ceiling, but damn if I couldn't eat these things forever!

Don't let the fancy presentation fool you. It's not nearly as impressive as it looks.

Just look at all those meat pies dominating the table. There must be enough here to cover Gareth's entire shield. That makes pretty clear how vain Baggie is.

She's obviously trying to break our concentration by overwhelming us with quantity and flourishes. Won't work on me though.

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Oh man. This IS really good...

There. I changed back to my usual armor now that I'm done with both fighting and cooking.

I do hope you like the food. I apologize that I couldn't make anything more than these simple dishes.

Normally I would have had my chefs do the cooking, but I had to give them a leave of absence as part of my house arrest.

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That's right. But it's nothing too impressive.

I merely imitated flour-based human culinary techniques and drilled them into me.

It's a far cry from the gourmet cuisine they serve in Camelot.

H-huh, is that so? I didn't think you Tam Lin were so...domestic.

It must be hard being the lord of a hick town like this if you have to do your own cooking.

Hm? I don't understand. Shouldn't everyone who plans to get married someday be able to do all manner of housework?

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Indeed. Now that we've come this far, I will be completely frank with you.

I want to keep the residents of Britain safe. That is why I pledged my horn to Her Majesty.

But...Her Majesty does not share that goal. In fact, she is actively working to worsen the Great Calamity.

She cares only for Faerie Britain itself, not the fae who inhabit it.

So, here is my proposal to you, Child of Prophecy.

If you mean to ring the Bells of Pilgrimage so that you may truly save Britain, I am willing to fight for your cause.

If need be, I will even rise up against the queen herself during the battle of Camelot that is now sure to come.

...You're serious about this, aren't you?

I don't mind having you on board, but what about your pride as a knight?

You really want to join our side, even after you destroyed the human ranch and burned down the Welsh forest at the queen's command?

That's right. Even if it is too little, too late, I still wish to join you.

As to my crimes, you are welcome to convene a court martial after the battle of Camelot.

Rest assured that I will expect no mercy. I will accept whatever punishment fits my crimes.

...

But first, I want you to promise me one thing.

Fujimaru, Da Vinci, you have both said it is possible for Faerie Britain's residents to immigrate to Proper Human History.

If that is true, and you two are willing to tolerate faeries living among you...

...then I would ask that you please give the matter some thought.

Her Majesty has already told me that our Britain is what is known as a Lostbelt

A world that was meant to disappear to make way for Proper Human History.

...I believe it. I have no doubt that this Britain should never have come to exist.

...What makes you say that, Barghest?

You want to protect Britain, right? So why do you think it should never have existed? Aren't those two ideas mutually exclusive?

...Because we fear this land. Every one of us.

I suspect you could ask any faerie in the land, and they would give the same answer.

At any rate, under Queen Morgan's reign, every faerie will perish by the end of the year.

I naturally have no notion of what our lives would be like under the Child of Prophecy's reign.

But if there should be faeries who, under her reign, wish to move outside the world, I hope you would take them in.

...If worse comes to worst, and this Britain really does disappear...

I could ask for nothing more than to have the faeries born here live on in your world.

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I think it's a great idea. In fact, I can't come up with a single reason to refuse.

The Storm Border is big enough to hold up to five hundred refugees.

They would have to live there until we resolve the Bleached Earth Phenomenon, of course...

But as long as they're okay with that, they should be able to get by in the Border just fine.

Besides, this is exactly what the Storm Border was designed for. It's a modern-day Noah's ark.

While there aren't very many of them, there have been a few vessels like that in Proper Human History. They served as literal lifeboats to preserve the future of the species they carried.

Five hundred ain't a whole lot compared to the faerie population at large, though. You gonna be okay with that, Barghest?

...Yes. Saving even a small number is far better than failing to save anyone.

As long as you remember this promiseno, my wish...then I will gladly become a filthy turncoat for your cause.

...Of course, I am sure Sir Gawain would think poorly of me for this.

However briefly I used his name, I admit the very idea of betraying one's lord must be unthinkable to him.

I-I see. So he really would scold me...

But I have to ask: Are you sure about this, Barghest? Never mind the politics. Are you sure you can trust us, your enemies?

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I'm sure. You said something like this before yourself, Fujimaru.

Even if the world is about to disappear, you didn't want to let what might come tomorrow ruin today.

...And you were exactly right. Instead of worrying what might happen tomorrow, I should focus on what I can do today.

(Sigh) All right. I can't possibly turn you down at this point.

Forgetting for a moment how in the world I'm going to explain this to Oberon...

Tam Lin Barghest, if you really want to help the Child of Prophecy, you can do so in Camelot.

Once the fighting there begins, you're to refrain from attacking the Round Table Army. That part is absolutely nonnegotiable.

Aside from that... Well, if you feel like neutralizing some of the queen's army for us, I'm not going to stop you.

Anyway, those are my only instructions. Any thoughts, Barghest?

...I'm surprised you didn't ask me to open the castle's gates from the inside for you. Did I not say you need not hold back on my behalf?

I know, but I just don't trust you enough to rely on you for something so crucial.

All you have to do is fight within your means. We can break down the gates ourselves.

...Good point. If I were lying, you would certainly be in dire straits if you trusted me to open the gates for you.

You've made the right choice... But I must admit, I didn't expect you to be so severe.

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Yes? I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

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Yeah, I'd love to meet them, too! We heard all about it in town.

They say you come back to Manchester all the time just so you can spend time with your new squeeze!

...It's not "all the time." I just come here as often as I can.

Besides, he's not my significant other at all. He's just a human boy I take care of.

I only love the strong.

I would never even dream of taking a lover as weak, incapable, and devoid of a future as him.

You sure about that? They say love is blind for a reason. You could just as well end up falling in love with the last person you'd suspect.

I-I could? ...I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Proper Human History's culture is so...advanced...

But, um, I digress.

Adonis is very weak. He's been sickly all his life. He's currently recuperating here in my mansion.

While he was very excited to meet you when I told him about you, Fujimaru...I'm afraid he's been struggling with an unrelenting coughing fit recently.

And I haven't been able to get him the medicine he needs thanks to the imminent Great Calamity.

So I want to at least let him get all the rest he needs.

That said...I would be very grateful if you could come here to meet him after the battle at Camelot.

I may not be able to come back myself, but I know you would all get along very well.

...

Gotcha. Sorry for the uncouth request.

I guess faeries aren't the only people you want to keep safe.

Of course not. I may not hesitate to discipline uneducated humans, but even that is no more than the basic training humans need to survive in this world.

Faeries and humans are two halves of one whole. You cannot treat them separately. Protecting faeries means doing the same for humans.

Well, this has been a really productive talk. I'm glad we stopped by Manchester.

I think this has been a good respite for you too, Altria. You must've enjoyed getting to talk with an old faerie friend of yours, right?

Sure, you might've been acting huffy, but you clearly also enjoyed the meat pies, seeing how you ate so many.

A respite!? Hardly! This wore me out even more than acting the part of the Child of Prophecy around the Round Table Army!

Now, if we're done here, let's get going already! We still have to make it to the Lake District by nightfall!

The Lake District? ...I see. So you're going to Orkney.

There may not be very many mors up north, but each individual mors there is stronger than what you are accustomed to.

And those in the Lake District are especially strong at that. Be careful out there.

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...

What is it, Barghest? Still got something on your mind?

...Yes. I was just thinking about the relationship between Master and Servant you told me about during our meal.

Her Majesty has told me about Servants as well.

Servants are spirit beings that are retrieved from the chronicle of human history... A place beyond time known as the Throne of Heroes.

They come into being when their Master summons them for a particular purpose.

These Servants then stay by their Master's side, and should their Master die, they vanish.

...Do I have that all correct?

Pretty much, yep. Why?

...Then it doesn't make sense.

What? That a Servant'd obey a Master when the Master's weaker?

I've wondered about that too, but no, that isn't what I'm talking about now.

...I'm talking about Beryl Gut.

He claims that Queen Morgan is a Servant he summoned himself...

But Queen Morgan has never called Beryl Gut her Master.

And above all, he only came to Faerie Britain a few months ago, while Morgan has been queen for over two thousand years.

That's what doesn't make sense. Her Majesty was alive and well long before this man came along.

Unless... Is it possible to summon a Servant version of a currently living person?

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I can think of one possibility.

There have been a few cases where the future forms of Heroic Spirits with exceptionally complex histories have been summoned in the present day while their original selves were still alive.

And since in Proper Human History, Morgan was known to have three separate personalities, it could be that one of them was summoned here.

But of course, if that were the case, it would also mean there are two Morgans here in Faerie Britain.

I don't suppose you've seen any signs of a second Morgan, or even heard rumors to that effect?

No, I haven't. There is only one Queen Morgan, and she is not a Servant.

I have served Her Majesty for two hundred years. I am absolutely certain she is a faerie.

That's why I wished to ask you about this.

Is this Beryl Gut truly Morgan's Master?

...Circumstantial change confirmed. The price has now been paid.

I have a proposal for you chosen ones. An offer for those of you who were cast aside.

If you desire acclamation, then choose rebirth. If you desire indolence, then choose eternal sleep.

It makes no difference to a god.

Okay, Mr. Foreign God. I hear you. But before I give you my answer, can you tell me one thing first?

Hey, Kirschtaria! So you made it back to life too, huh!?

Well hey, that's awesome! I thought I'd be the first one out, but I guess I was dead wrong!

I mean, we're talking about a Foreign God here, right? One who says he's gonna refute all of human history?

I figured the only ones who'd jump on a sweet offer like that'd be me, Peperoncino, or Daybit.

Not at all. I have as much desire as the next person.

What could be more enticing than the prospect of creating a new human history? You'd have to be mad to refuse.

Well damn, I stand corrected! So you've finally shown your true colors, huh, Wodime!?

I mean, there's been times before when I couldn't believe the stuff that came outta your mouth, but still.

Anyway, you've got a real nice smile now. I like it. It's a big relief.

That smile says, "I'm gonna abandon all of humanity to their deaths so I can be the king of the goddamn world."

If you were all broken up about this while pretending to be one of the good guys, then I'd have had some serious reservations about sticking with you.

Hm? Do I really seem that different now than I did before?

Nope, you don't! That's why I'm so happy about this! You've actually been off your rocker this whole time!

...Oh well. At least I already knew on some level that the members of Team A misunderstood me in many ways...

Huh? Hey, don't get all gloomy on me. I like this "new" you.

So, what do you want me to do, Wodime? You're the team leader, yeah?

And hey, now I finally get what the whole Crypter thing was all about.

That's right. You were brought into the Singularity repair missions for emergency contingencies, weren't you?

You know about our secret Sirius Lights and how to use them.

You also know how they're designed to...deliver the decisive blow to ensure the preservation of humanity...

...when the foreseen Singularities appear in the seven points in human history we expect them to.

...Huh. I thought only me and Marisbury knew about the Sirius Lights. Guess you did too, huh?

Or maybe the Foreign God told you? Either way, you sure cut my work out for me.

Well, you guessed it, I'm the cleanup guy. It's my job to...dispose of anyone thinking about deserting their post.

So, what're you gonna do with me now? Gonna kill me here while we're all alone so as not to wreck team morale?

No. I think your ruthlessness could be useful. I want to use it.

Eventually, everyone from Team A will be resurrected and assigned a Lostbelt.

From there, the Foreign God will give us each a ticket to potentially become the king of the world in exchange for growing our Lostbelt's Tree of Emptiness...

And I would like you to tear your ticket up. You don't mind, right? It's not as though that ticket will actually be good for anything.

However, you can't be reckless about it. You'll need to do it in secret, while making it seem as though you're still giving it an honest try.

Huh? Hang on. You're telling me to betray the Foreign God, too?

And what was that about tearing up my chance to become the king of the world? Are you shitting me with

You'll be assigned the Isle of Britain. I took the liberty of choosing it for you. I assume you don't mind, it being your homeland.

And if I do? Not even Marisbury was THIS unilateral about his decision-making, you know.

I see... Unfortunately, now that I've already brought this up, I can't pretend it never happened.

If you refuse, I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to kill you.

What, seriously? So I got no choice in this?

Thank you, Beryl. I'm glad we understand one another. You're the only one I can ask to do this.

I don't know what that Lostbelt is like, but I do know Britain is crucial to the magecraft world.

There's no telling what could happen if the Foreign God were to inhabit something which came from there.

It's the one Lostbelt that must be cut down before it can grow to maturity. How you choose to go about it is your business, but

Basically, you just want me to slack off like I've always done, right? Okay, pal, you got it.

'Sides, I never had much interest in competing to be king of the world, anyway. This gig's way more up my alley!

That said, Wodime, this is still a deal we're making, so I expect you to keep up your end of it, too.

Once you become the king of the world, you'd better make damn sure I live it up in the lap of luxury, all right?

Shit, there really isn't a goddamn thing here, is there!?

Well, apart from all the Phantasmals and faeries and assorted nasty beasties running around.

How's a place like this gonna be any threat to the new human history? I guess even Wodime gets it wrong every now and

...No, wait. I remember that look on his face. Whatever's here, he was positive it was gonna be a problem.

Maybe he knew about something funky going down in London the rest of us didn't.

Ah well, no sweat off my back! That just makes my job even easier!

Now I can take care of the Tree of Emptiness without anyone getting in my way.

Speaking of which, I should probably go about summoning my Servant.

Thanks for making sure each Crypter could summon at least one Servant, Marisbury.

I mean, it was the least you could do after inscribing us with something as dangerous as the Sirius Lights, but still.

'Course, I still don't know exactly what kind of Servant I'm gonna get...

But, I think I can make a pretty good guess.

Whoever I summon, my only condition's that they're capable of destroying the world.

I am Morgan the Fairy Queen, a Ruler. I have come in response to your summons.

You there, descendant of witches, are you my Master?

(Yaaawn) Ahh, that was a good nap! I knew I made the right choice stopping here before heading home to Darlington!

...

Whoops, sorry, Queenie. Didn't realize you were still hard at work on the throne all by your lonesome.

Still, don't you think it's time you chilled out just a bit, Morgan?

The Tree of Emptiness is dead. Kirschtaria was our biggest enemy, and we defeated him, too.

The Foreign God never got a hold of the Spirit Origin she wanted, and she never will now.

There's nothing for us to be afraid of. We've practically already won.

So why not just relax? It's not like Chaldea or the Child of Prophecy are any threat to you, right?

Of course not. I have never considered either of them to be my enemy.

My only enemies are the humans who once rejected me, and the Isle of Britain that would reject the Faerie Britain I've created.

Proper Human History itself is my enemy, and so I will not relinquish my throne until it has been truly, utterly destroyed.

Know this, Beryl Gut. The fault for Baobhan Sith's failure in Gloucester lies in part with you.

If you are so inept as to be unable to babysit a child, I will be forced to reconsider your position as both my husband and Master.

Tell Baobhan Sith she has had her final chance.

I have clearly been too soft on her. It is time she learned to carry herself in a manner befitting my heir.

Whatever you say, Morgan. She'd be a lot happier to hear that from you, but I guess that's too much to ask.

You don't really love anyone, so there's no chance you'd allow an heir to take over for you.

Man, I almost feel sorry for Baobhan Sith, being adopted by a woman as coldhearted as you.