Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

The casual question sent shivers down Bedivere's spine. She forced a smile and replied, "Your Majesty... I was merely cleaning for you..."

Before she could finish speaking, three enormous magic spikes crashed down around her, the closest coming within millimeters of her nose. All the soldiers, servants, and the other five fairy knights in the hall gasped in shock, while she herself froze on the spot.

'Spare me, Your Majesty! Please forgive me!'

'Don't be too presumptuous.' Morgan tapped the armrest of the throne with his fingertips. 'Remember who is in charge here. I did foresee the arrival of the foreign magician, but the decision is not yours. Today you should reflect on your actions—and of course, my punishment will not be lenient.'

The spikes surrounding Bedivere instantly transformed into a cubic cage, and before she could utter another word, the cage walls were stained a deep, inky black from the inside out. With a snap of Morgan's fingers, the cage, along with the knight within, vanished completely from the hall.

'His Majesty……'

"You may all step aside," the Queen waved her hand lazily. "Hopefully she'll learn her lesson this time—she's such a troublesome child."

Like a Dream - Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

Consciousness slowly returned like a gentle stream. The pain in her body was no longer sharp, but a dull, throbbing ache. The nauseating stench of blood had long since dissipated, replaced by the refreshing fragrance of flowers and herbs.

'Where...am I?'

She didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but now she lay on the soft bed, surrounded by a tranquil fragrance. Ritsuka struggled to sit up, and a gentle, familiar voice softly spoke:

"Oh dear, are you awake? Please don't move around too much. You're under the curse of the Fairy Knight Bedivere's Blood Blade, and it hasn't been completely removed yet. Will you behave and listen to me?"

That voice was so familiar, like that of a young girl just beginning her journey into adulthood, still somewhat naive. Though immature, it possessed a clear, spring-like tone and an innocent naiveté—this was clearly…

'Lily...are you Lily?'

"Huh? Is Lily calling me? I'm sorry, I'm not the Lily you know. Your injuries are still quite serious, please don't move around..."

Impossible, absolutely impossible. In Ritsuka's mind, only the young knight who had just drawn the Sword of the Chosen King—Artoria Pendragon—possessed such a pure and flawless voice. Even if she searched the entire Throne of Heroes, she couldn't find another being so unique. In her anxiety, Ritsuka forced herself to get up, but a burning pain shot through her abdomen, making her feel suffocated.

"Honestly, I told you not to move. It's a miracle you survived the Fairy Knight Bedivere's attack. Now listen to me, okay?"

Seeing Ritsuka's pained expression, the blonde, blue-eyed girl quickly and gently helped her lie down. That unadorned yet exquisitely beautiful face, that familiar ahoge (cowlick)... Ritsuka was certain this was Artoria. But the girl before her was different from the one she remembered: she wore a greyish-white uniform, her long blonde hair styled in long twin ponytails, and her usual armor was nowhere to be seen. Could this be—

'Artoria...why...you...'

"Huh? How do you know my name?"

Artoria's eyes widened in surprise at being addressed by her first name by a complete stranger. Ritsuka, realizing her slip of the tongue, quickly explained:

I'm sorry I confused you. Actually... it's hard for me to explain either.

Although she wanted to frankly admit to encountering many Artorias throughout pan-human history, in this Lostbelt, such experiences would only be considered fantastical. The understanding girl noticed her dilemma:

"It's alright, don't force yourself if you can't explain it now. Um... could you tell me your name? You don't seem to be a fairy or an ordinary human."

"I am Fujimaru Ritsuka, from another world you don't know. By the way, Artoria, where are Mash and Da Vinci? They should be alright, right?"

Mentioning her companions, Ritsuka's mind flashed back to the image of them lying in pools of blood. Since Artoria saved her, she must have saved them too. However, confusion appeared on the girl's face:

'Mash? Da Vinci? Strange, we didn't find anyone else. Six days ago, I sensed the fairy knight's magical energy fluctuations on the beach, but when I arrived, I only found you lying in a pool of blood, barely alive.'

'Impossible... This is impossible... Mashu... Da Vinci... It's all my fault...'

A wave of helplessness washed over her. The humiliation of being coerced, the despair of witnessing her comrades' deaths—all transformed into piercing self-reproach. Why was she always so weak? Why did she always need others to protect her? How could she, in such a wretched state, fulfill the promise she made on Olympus? How could she defeat Beryl, the one who killed her captain? Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face, soaking the gauze covering her face.

"Don't do this, Ritsuka! Your body is still very weak; you can't exhaust yourself like this. How about we go find those two friends you mentioned once you've recovered? Rest now—it's alright, it's alright—"

Artoria gently embraced the stranger, as if comforting a frightened child. She softly wiped away Ritsuka's tears, her fingers tracing the dull orange hair. This innocent girl was unaware of the dark past the traveler in her arms had endured. In the gentle caress, Ritsuka finally drifted off to sleep.

'So we've finally met...? The foreign magician the teacher spoke of... But what am I going to do now...? I just escaped the chaos of Gloucester, and of all times, I've met her in a place like this...'

As dusk silently painted the sky of the Fairy Kingdom, the rosy clouds gradually faded into a greyish hue amidst the twinkling stars and moon, and all things sank into darkness. Artoria, exhausted, lay down on the table beside Ritsuka's bed and fell into a deep sleep. All was quiet except for the rustling wind outside the window and the distant tides, weaving a natural lullaby.

Suddenly, a faint blue-black light swept across the corner of the room. When the light faded, the queen, wearing a black crown, stood silently before Ritsuko's bed. She lifted her veil slightly and gazed at the still-healing foreign girl.

'O stranger, whose fate is fraught with hardship… I foresaw your arrival, yet I never imagined you would be harmed by my child. This time—let's make an exception.'

Morgan gently placed her hand on Ritsuka's chest. A deep blue magic circle suddenly unfolded, its flowing, ethereal light unlike the sharpness of offensive magic, gently caressing the girl's wounds. The wound beneath the blood-stained gauze gradually healed, and as the last wisp of blue light disappeared into the Queen's palm, she was about to leave when she met Artoria's horrified gaze.

'Your Majesty Morgan...why are you here...'

Artoria had already awoke with a start when the blue light appeared. Morgan touched her lips with her fingertip, gesturing for her not to disturb the sleeping crowd. She walked up to the young lady and whispered:

'I will no longer pursue the matter of your escape from Gloucester. However, I should thank you for saving this foreign magician.'

'You mean...'

'Since she was injured because of my child, I should compensate her. Don't forget, you are now out of my protection. If other clans find out your identity as the son of [■■]... you should understand the consequences.'

'But Your Majesty… do you still wish for me to [do something] with this foreign magician? But can this truly [achieve something]?'

'It's alright. After all—I am the [■■■■■·■■■]. Follow your will.'

As the blue light dissipated, the Queen's figure vanished silently. Artoria let out a long sigh of relief; despite the peaceful conversation, the invisible pressure still made her heart tremble. Gazing at Ritsuka sleeping peacefully on the bed, she forced a smile:

'Ah...you'll probably never know...such an unexpected turn of events today...sweet dreams, Ritsuka—'

Meanwhile, Morgan had returned to the capital. Beside the throne, a knight in strikingly different attire had appeared; his silver armor and azure cloak shimmered in the moonlight, and his brilliant blond hair was particularly eye-catching.

'I told you not to stay in the capital. ■■, what happened?'

'Where else can I go? Your Majesty, though I know I have a mission... I simply cannot face... Now everyone is rejecting me...'

'If only I could control these foolish clans…■■, leave quickly before my daughters realize it.'

'Even you want to drive me to that desolate land?'

'No... I just...'

The knight did not respond. He slowly rose and left the symbolic seat beside the throne. Morgan silently watched the figure disappear into the depths of the palace gates.

As the first rays of dawn pierced the eternally dark starry sky of the Fairy Kingdom, a dreamlike pink canopy once again enveloped the British Isles. Sunlight streamed in through the window of the treehouse, gently bathing Fujimaru Ritsuka. Sensing the call of the light, she slowly opened her eyes.

Only then did she truly see her surroundings—she was in a fairytale treehouse. The walls were woven from lush green branches and leaves, fluorescent vines hung from the ceiling, and even the floor beneath her feet exuded the fresh scent of grass. The bed beneath her, though simply made of branches and fallen leaves, was surprisingly soft and comfortable, in no way inferior to modern high-end bedding. Artoria was still fast asleep by the table, the morning light casting a halo around her golden hair.

'Strange...the wound doesn't hurt at all?'

Ritsuka tentatively sat up, surprised to find that her injuries, which had been excruciatingly painful yesterday, had completely healed. She carefully removed the gauze from her abdomen, revealing that the once gruesome wound had vanished without a trace, her skin smooth and flawless, as if yesterday's brutal battle had been nothing but a nightmare. Had Artoria stayed up all night treating her? Just as she was pondering this, the blonde girl was also awakened by her movement.

'Ritsuka? You're awake?'

'Miss Artoria! Did you heal my wounds? Thank you so much!'

"Ah... this..." Artoria remembered the Queen's instructions from last night and swallowed back the explanation that was about to come out. "I'm glad you're alright... I was worried that the healing magic wasn't effective enough."

Seeing Ritsuka's gratitude, Artoria decided to keep the secret for the time being. She lightly changed the subject: "Now that you're fully recovered, would you like to tour the village?"

'good!'

Pushing open the treehouse door, the breathtaking scene that unfolds before your eyes takes your breath away. Towering ancient trees embrace the village like guardian spirits, vines weaving shimmering, colorful covered bridges between the branches. Out-of-season flowers bloom in every corner, filling the air with a honey-like fragrance. Creatures with elf ears flit among the shadows of the trees, while dwarves carry tools along paths lined with bluebells. In the distance, a blue-haired fairy gently flutters her wings, her glassy eyes shimmering with iridescent light in the morning glow.

'How beautiful...' Ritsuka couldn't help but exclaim.

"Good morning, Artoria." The butterfly fairy landed lightly before them. "This stranger has recovered remarkably quickly."

Good morning, Amy. This is Fujimaru Ritsuka; she comes from a very faraway place.

"Hello, I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka!" Ritsuka greeted him instinctively with her usual courtesy.

The butterfly fairy chuckled, covering her mouth: "Welcome to our village. I heard you were also a victim of that cruel knight?"

"...It's a long story." Ritsuka lowered her eyes, her fingertips unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes.

Artoria intervened at the opportune moment: 'Ritsuka has gone through a lot of pain; it's best not to bring up some memories.'

Nodding in understanding, Amy spread her wings and flew forward: 'Let me show you this shelter.'

Wandering through the village, Ritsuka discovers a diverse array of inhabitants—winged people with broken wings, beastmen bearing the marks of shackles, and humans with timid eyes. They are all exiles who have fled the oppression of the six great clans. Whenever the royal city and the Knights of the Round Table are mentioned, fear spreads like a plague across their faces.

From these fragmented narratives, Ritsuka gradually pieced together the truth of this Lostbelt:

Unlike any other Lostbelt, this place is home to six major fairy clans. The Wind Clan consists entirely of butterfly-winged fairies, skilled in wind manipulation, and reign supreme with their eternal beauty; the Earth Clan is a race of dwarves, small in stature but controlling the economic lifeline; the Winged Clan encompasses all winged beings, possessing profound magical skills yet holding a lowly status; the Fang Clan is mostly composed of werewolves and leopard spirits, naturally warlike and flamboyant; the King Clan is essentially impoverished humans, capable only of the most basic farming; and the most mysterious clan, the Mirror Clan, is said to be known only to the Queen.

Each clan chief was responsible for governing their own clan and also had to be loyal to the Queen. Ritsuka silently memorized this information—

Ritsuka: 'It seems things are far more complicated than I thought... Mashu... Da Vinci... Where are you?'

Profound, dark, and empty—the fairy knight Bedivere is imprisoned in this space where nothing exists except herself. This is a cage Morgan designed specifically for fairy knights who have erred; this emptiness, stripping away all senses, is enough to crush anyone's spirit. With no one to talk to, unable to perceive the outside world, this living death is something those who have experienced it never want to taste again.

But Bedwell was different. This wasn't the first time she'd been confined. While others crumbled in fear, she reveled in the void, merging it with her twisted beliefs.

'Damn foreign magicians…' she whispered in the darkness, 'I know you're still alive. Heh heh heh… Don't be hasty, this time I failed, next time I'll make you suffer before you die.'

The fairy knights guarding the cage shook their heads and sighed upon hearing these outrageous words: 'Only a psychopath like her would enjoy solitary confinement.'

Bedivere's actions were nothing new to most. A seemingly exemplary knight, she was in reality a ruthless killer. Her frequent presence in solitary confinement stemmed from her incorrigible behavior. Queen Morgan, out of maternal affection, consistently used solitary confinement in hopes of her repentance, but to little avail. It seemed the entire Lostbelt couldn't find a way to truly cure her madness.

Not far away, Beryl Gat leaned lazily against a stone pillar, listening to the knights' conversation with a wicked grin.

'Why treat her like this?' he murmured to himself, 'Such a beautiful manner, so intoxicating. The moment blood splattered, the expression of despair—just imagining it excites me.'

In this man's eyes, the brutal Bedivere was like an idol. As the most perverse and inhuman of the former Chaldea Hidden Ones, he naturally shared the same wickedness as this fairy knight.

'Beryl Gat! Who allowed you to set foot in my palace?'

Morgan's icy voice rang out abruptly. Beryl turned and saw a Morgan he had never seen before: elegant golden twin ponytails cascading down her back, a deep blue dress outlining her dignified figure, and deep blue eyes as clear as ice. At the center of the black bow at her chest, a ruby ​​gleamed with a dangerous light.

"Hey, is this some kind of role-playing game?" Beryl tried to remain calm. "This kind of joke isn't funny, Your Majesty—"

Before he could finish speaking, Morgan's black staff was already pressed against his forehead. The sharp tip of the staff exuded an aura of death, and Beryl instantly suffocated.

"Get out of the palace before I lose my temper." Morgan's voice was as sharp as a blade. "If you weren't my daughter's Master, I would have eliminated you long ago, you scum. Do you think you can compare to that person, Beryl?"

'Okay...okay...I'll go right away...please calm down...'

Fear finally overwhelmed his arrogance, and Beryl fled Camelot in a panic, like a dog with its tail between its legs. After he disappeared, a fairy knight with flowing red hair and wearing a dress walked gracefully out of the guardhouse.

"Mother, you're still the same as ever." She sighed softly. "That guy is still my Master, is it really appropriate to send him away like this? And why have you turned into this form again?"

"It's alright, my dear daughter." Morgan sheathed her staff. "To maintain the necessary magic, I must remain in this posture for now. After all, this year is the time for 'that' to descend, and this time it must be eradicated completely."

Are you sure you want to rely on that useless knight?

"You don't need to worry about these things; I have my own arrangements."

Bubbles - Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

On the vast plains of the southern Fairy Kingdom, a wagon laden with goods sped by. This main road connecting the various city-states retained its pristine appearance; apart from scattered cart tracks and hoofprints, the ground was covered with lush vegetation. As an extension of the European plains, the terrain here was flat, with dense forests only dotting the north and west sides; the rest was filled with low shrubs and colorful wildflowers. Traveling on such terrain, there was almost no fear of getting lost.