Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

"Recently, the number of Morse within the Fairy Kingdom has increased exponentially. Ice crystals condense at the fingertips of Fairy Knights, and the number of giant individuals has surged twentyfold. It seems... the fourth 'Great Calamity' prophesied by the Queen is about to descend."

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, she turned to Ritsuka and explained, 'O foreign magician, please allow me to explain—'

Camelot, the Fairy Kingdom

The capital was shrouded in an unusual silence. The usual hustle and bustle of carriages and people had vanished, with only the soft rustling of banners in the breeze echoing through the streets. Residents were obeying the order to stay indoors, maintaining absolute silence for the annual grand event—the British Clan Conference.

Inside the council chamber, Queen Morgan sat regally at the head of the obsidian round table, her gaze cool and aloof beneath a black veil. Even as the conference room door was flung open, the rhythm of her fingertips tapping the table remained perfectly steady.

"The meeting is about to begin." She looked at the two panting knights. "What's the rush?"

The fairy knight Mordred knelt on one knee and reported: 'A large-scale swarm of Morse has appeared on the western plains, and its number... far exceeds expectations.'

Morgan abruptly rose, her veil fluttering slightly: 'So much earlier than the last calamity?' Her fingers unconsciously tightened within her sleeve. 'Is there any other information?'

Mordred glanced at his companion beside him. Bedivere hurriedly covered the wounds on his face: 'Your Majesty, this is...'

"Enough." Morgan raised a hand to stop him, his figure instantly appearing before Bedivere. "Have you tasted enough the bitter fruit of disobeying orders?" His icy breath brushed against Bedivere's bloodied cheek. "If you act rashly again, it won't just be a disfigurement."

Bedivere stood frozen, watching the hem of her black robe flutter as the Queen turned: 'Now, get out.'

As the conference room doors closed behind him, Bedivere slid slowly to the floor, leaning against the wall. His fingernails dug deep into the stone, beads of blood seeping from his knuckles. [It's all that foreign magician's fault! I was eliminating a threat for His Majesty... Why? Why is he doing this to me!] A frenzied killing intent surged in his eyes. [Kill her... I must kill her no matter what...]

Mordred leaned against a pillar and sighed softly: 'As expected... you'll never learn to reflect.'

Inside the council chamber of Camelot, as the fairy knight Bedivere departed, Morgan slowly calmed his turbulent emotions. As the clock struck the appointed hour, the magic projectors surrounding the round table lit up with flowing light.

The first to materialize was Aurora, the chieftain of the Wind Clan, her rainbow-like wings still shimmering in the projection; next appeared was Lipkaner, the chieftain of the Earth Clan, a short male elf with disproportionately long, pointed ears; the third to materialize was Woodworth, the chieftain of the Fang Clan, his muscular werewolf body encased in a well-tailored suit, exuding a peculiar gentlemanly air; then appeared was Morian, the chieftain of the Wing Clan, her petite figure, barely discernible in the projection, radiating an aura of mystery; finally, Nocnarria, the chieftain of the King Clan, appeared, the shimmering ornaments surrounding her still dancing in the projection.

“Very well.” Morgan’s gaze swept across the room. “Since you have all arrived on time, I will speak frankly—the peace of Britain is about to end, and the once-in-a-millennium ‘Great Calamity’ is approaching.”

This word sent a jolt through all the clan leaders in the projections. They knew all too well what it meant: with calamity approaching, the survival of their clans hung in the balance.

"This is both a calamity and a rebirth for Britain in its thousand-year cycle," Morgan continued. "We survived the first two calamities, but this time..."

"Huh?" Aurora suddenly interrupted, "Does Your Majesty intend to sacrifice your people again to quell the calamity? Or does Your Majesty plan to wipe out a certain clan completely?" Her laughter carried a chilling undertone.

Morgan's cold gaze shifted to the Wind Clan Chief: 'If we're talking about uselessness, aren't the acts of secretly persecuting [names omitted] even worse? Do I need to publicly read aloud those warehouses full of incriminating evidence?'

Aurora fell silent, and the other patriarchs, except for Woodworth, all looked bewildered. After regaining control of the room, Morgan steered the conversation back on track.

(The great calamity Morgan spoke of was actually a mass extinction similar to those seen throughout human history. When the calamity struck, all life on the British Isles would perish under the curse, with only a very few surviving. This millennial catastrophe marked the complete cleansing of the world—when the calamity came, the entire island would be engulfed in flames, and the cursed sludge from the giant crater beneath the earth would melt all life. And the source of all this was none other than the white antlered giant, Kornunus, who slept in the crater.)

(In ancient legends, Cornunos was the earth god who created Britain and the fairies. He bestowed life upon all things and painted the world with color. However, the pampered fairies gradually took his gifts for granted, and when the god gave them a mission, they saw it as a constraint. Doubt and resentment grew in their hearts, and in the end, the ungrateful fairies killed the god and built their own civilization on his corpse.)

(However, how could the gods easily forgive such treacherous fairies? Even though their physical bodies perished, their will continued to watch over these 'pure and kind' creations in secret. A thousand years after the gods' fall, Britain began to be struck by devastating calamities every thousand years, which is the 'Great Calamity' that people now fear.)

(Long before Queen Morgan's reign, this land had already endured countless cycles of genocide. These calamities were all "gifts" from Cornunus to the "good" fairies. But how could the wrath of the gods be easily quelled?)

Of course not. After several great calamities, Britain welcomed a savior—the being who helped all beings through a thousand years of suffering. Before Morgan's accession, a savior did indeed descend upon Britain—)

(But almost no one knows anything about the savior now. She is like a distant legend; no portrait or detailed record can be found within the Fairy Kingdom. The only one who knows the truth about the first savior is Queen Morgan. It is rumored that the queen not only knows everything about the savior, but also served as the son of a certain person under her command. Even her closest daughter knows nothing about the details of this past.)

'Next, we should discuss how to jointly deal with the great calamity. This time…'

"What else can we do?" Lipkaner interrupted gruffly, "Why not suppress the calamity alone, like last time? Why drag us into it?"

Woodworth slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "Lipcan, what are you saying? Shouldn't we all face this great calamity together?"

Nocnarria lightly waved her feather fan: 'Lipkanel is right. After exploiting our royal clan for so many years, now they remember us? Useless princess!'

Morrigan covered her mouth and chuckled: "Oh dear, I wonder who was demoted by His Majesty twenty years ago for corruption? Some people are still slandering His Majesty now; have they forgotten their lesson?"

Morgan walked slowly to Nocnarria's projection, leaned down, and whispered, "Well said, Nocnarria. You and Aurora are both utter scum." Her voice suddenly turned cold, "Corruption, persecution of my people, coveting the throne... How about we make a bet? Let a scum like you rule the fairy kingdom and see how long that country lasts?"

Morrigan immediately retorted, "Your Majesty is overthinking it. If this scoundrel were to govern, our Winged Clan would rise up immediately. What can a parasite bring to a nation?"

The projections of Aurora and Nocnarria flickered violently before finally dissipating amidst the static.

'Hmph, deserter.' Morgan turned away, flicking his sleeve. 'Good riddance. Let's continue our discussion. I will protect the Fairy Kingdom and all of you through this great calamity—'

Oxford Reunion - Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

With Gareth from Pan-Human History and Sei Shonagon joining the party, Ritsuka felt a long-lost sense of security. Even more surprisingly, Gareth, the fairy knight who should have been an enemy, temporarily became an ally at Morgan's command—this would both protect the party from Bedivere's harassment and accelerate the search for Mash and Da Vinci, a win-win situation.

Although clearing out Morse and the unexpected encounter had taken up a considerable amount of time, according to the information provided by Aurora, Leonardo da Vinci should be somewhere in Oxford. However, lacking concrete clues, the group wandered the streets like headless flies. But the tedious search became more lively with the addition of new companions.

"You are the first master of the Muramasa school?" Sei Shonagon's eyes lit up. "I never imagined I'd see your true face after becoming a Heroic Spirit!"

Senji Muramasa chuckled: 'After so many dynasties, my name still lives on?'

"It's more than just a legend!" Sei Shonagon exclaimed excitedly, unfolding her cypress fan. "In my Heian period, the swords you forged were prized possessions coveted by the nobles of the capital!"

Along the way, the two newly joined Servants quickly became acquainted with the group. For Sei Shonagon, being able to see the legendary swordsmith in person was a great honor—in the Heian period, any household possessing a Muramasa sword was a source of pride in the capital. Although historical records exist, no portrait of this master swordsman has ever been passed down. The handsome young man standing before her now must surely be Muramasa at the height of his power during some period of his life.

'But Lord Muramasa looks exceptionally young...'

"This body is the result of possessing someone in this world," the old man explained with a smile. "If the original body were to descend, you would all see an old man leaning on a cane. This experience of reverting to childhood is quite interesting."

The fairy knight Gareth chuckled upon hearing this: 'A youthful appearance coupled with a world-weary air—what a peculiar combination.'

'To be evaluated in this way by a former enemy is something I find truly difficult to accept.'

'You'll get used to it~' The blond knight winked playfully.

Oberon, fanning himself with a folding fan he'd produced from who-knows-where, chimed in, "One can sense the air of an elder from his manner of speaking."

'That's precisely Mr. Muramasa's charm.' Ritsuka smiled as she watched the lively scene.

When Sei Shonagon asked Ritsuka how she knew her nickname, the orange-haired girl cleverly replied with a reference to *The Pillow Book*. This response delighted the poet: 'Is Ritsuka-san also one of my readers? I never imagined that my collection of essays would reach your time!'

'Of course (it's more than just a classic; it's already a world-famous work).' Ritsuka silently added in her heart, watching the jubilant Sei Shonagon, and quietly tucked those timeless connections into her heart.

Before they knew it, the group had been wandering through the vast city of Oxford for three hours. Lacking concrete clues and with so many shops in the city, it was impossible to know how long it would take to find them if they went from shop to shop asking.

"I'm exhausted..." Ritsuka complained, rubbing her aching calves. "This isn't a sustainable search."

Artoria leaned wearily against the wall: 'The information Miss Aurora provided was far too vague...'

"Why don't we rest for a while?" the fairy knight Gareth pointed to the street corner. "I know the owner of that tavern, and it's quiet there."

"Anything's fine..." Ritsuka waved her hand weakly, "Let's find a place to sit down first."

The tavern was nestled in a quiet alley off Targle Avenue, separated from the hustle and bustle of the main street by two residential buildings. As the group pushed open the oak door, the dwarf owner, wearing an apron, immediately came to greet them.

'Lord Gareth! Did you bring a friend today?'

"I've told you so many times, just call me by my name in private." The fairy knight shook his head helplessly. "I'm afraid I'll have to bother you tonight. Are there any rooms available?"

Shop owner Mike sized up the group, about to nod in agreement, when he suddenly called out towards the stairs, "Da Vinci! Come and greet the customers!"

'Here I am!'

Ritsuka froze on the spot. Leonardo da Vinci? There are many people in the world with the same name, but it couldn't possibly be just a coincidence that someone was here at this moment. She blinked hard, wondering if her exhaustion over the past few days was causing her to hallucinate.

However, the figure running down the stairs was clearly the companion she had been searching for. The moment their eyes met, time seemed to freeze. After twenty seconds of silence, Ritsuka finally spoke, her voice trembling:

'Da Vinci...is that really you?'

"Ritsuka!" Da Vinci's tray clattered to the ground. "I've finally found you!" She rushed over and hugged the orange-haired girl tightly, tears soaking the girl's shoulder.

Artoria covered her mouth in surprise: 'Could this be...?'

"It's the genius inventor from Chaldea." Senji Muramasa stroked his beard with satisfaction. "Looks like that girl finally got what she wanted."

Once the two had calmed down a bit, the group sat in a circle in the tavern's main hall. Ritsuka eagerly asked about their experiences after they parted: "After we were attacked by Bedivere that day, how did you...?"

Leonardo da Vinci took a deep breath, his eyes becoming profound: 'The day we landed in Britain, we were ambushed by the goblin knight Bedivere, who was lying in ambush in the sea—'

Let's rewind to that fatal moment when Ritsuka and the others first landed in Britain—

The sharp, blood-red blade tore through flesh without resistance, and waves of pain, fear, and despair washed over him. Da Vinci's neck was gripped tightly, and his limbs went numb with excruciating agony. Not far away, Ritsuka and Mashu, also pierced by the blood-red blade, lay convulsing in pools of blood like broken reeds. Watching his companions gradually lose their lives, Da Vinci's heart sank into an abyss.

'Ritsuka... Mashu...'

'Oh? You can still talk after being hit by the Blood Blade?' The fairy knight Bedivere tilted his head, examining the situation. 'Looks like I should just pierce your heart.'

'You...' Da Vinci coughed up bloody foam.

"Why should a dying man speak?" Bedivere laughed contemptuously. "But those two girls still have a breath left; let them watch you perish as fish food!"

With a dizzying spin, Da Vinci was tossed into the surging waves. The moment his body sank into the icy water, his consciousness began to blur. Blood seeping from his wounds traced a winding red ribbon in the water, and the biting cold gradually swallowed his senses. (So cold...so sleepy...is this how it ends? Ritsuka and Mashu's fate is unknown, they've lost contact with the Nautilus, is this the end of our efforts to restore humanity?)

When consciousness returned, Leonardo da Vinci found herself washed ashore on an unfamiliar beach. There was no pink miasma of the foggy sea, no gloomy sky, only a clear blue sky and a gentle sea breeze. The warm sunlight awakened her remaining senses.

'Still alive...' She struggled to sit up, gasping for breath as the sharp pain in her abdomen made her gasp.

The scarlet blood-stained blade was still embedded in her abdomen, tiny white worms swarming around the congealed dark red blood, wriggling in the whitish, soaked wound. She tore off a piece of her skirt, bit down on the fabric, and gripped the hilt of the blood-stained blade with trembling hands.

"Ugh—!" With the sticky sound of a sharp weapon tearing through flesh, Da Vinci nearly fainted. As the blood-stained blade clattered to the ground, blood gushed out like a fountain, scattering the disgusting parasites across the sand. She quickly wrapped the wound tightly with strips of cloth, but the seeping blood soon stained the makeshift bandage.

Only then did she notice that her forehead, arms, and legs were covered with scratches from the rocks. Perhaps the intense abdominal pain was so overwhelming that she temporarily ignored the pain from the other wounds.

'We must... get off the beach...' She staggered forward, 'Ritsuka... you must be safe...'

The rustling footsteps sounded particularly heavy on the empty shore. What should have been a short distance of a few dozen meters now seemed endless. Each step felt like the last ounce of her life force being exhausted, blood dripping continuously from the edges of her bandages, leaving intermittent crimson trails behind her. When her fingertips finally touched the bark of a tree on the shore, her last strength was also depleted, and she collapsed unconscious in the shade of the tree.

Let's return to the tavern at this moment. Da Vinci's narration silenced everyone present; no one could believe that she had survived such a severe injury.

'Bedwell actually resorted to such a cruel act…' the fairy knight Gareth stroked his breastplate. 'How did Miss Da Vinci escape afterward?'

"I happened to be passing by the southern beach that day," Mike said, wiping his glass. "At first glance, I thought she was dead, but after finding a faint pulse, I immediately carried her to a magician I knew to treat her."

Artoria's expression suddenly hardened: 'Wait, Bedivere's Blood Blade should be coated with potent poison. Did that magician provide an antidote?'

Ritsuka's heart tightened upon hearing this, recalling that Artoria had indeed mentioned this matter when she was recuperating in the village.

'Strangely, no toxin was detected in Leonardo da Vinci's body.' The fairy knight Gareth frowned in confusion. 'Perhaps it was neutralized by that magician?'

'There are indeed no signs of poisoning...' Leonardo da Vinci confirmed.

Artoria fell into deep thought. In the Fairy Kingdom, only Queen Morgan could cure this deadly poison. (Could Her Majesty have foreseen all of this?) The Queen's words from that night echoed in her ears: 'I am merely repaying a debt I owe this child, no matter who is by her side...'

'Miss Artoria?' Sei Shonagon called out with concern.

"It's nothing." She shook her head gently.

During the introductions, Leonardo da Vinci gradually pieced together Ritsuka's subsequent experiences: being rescued by Artoria, meeting Senji Muramasa in Salisbury, rescuing Sei Shonagon and Gareth outside Oxford, and even forming an alliance with the fairy knight Gareth, who should have been their enemy.

After dinner, Da Vinci, under a pretext, pulled Ritsuka into the empty kitchen. 'Is it really a good idea to let an enemy knight join the party? Could this be Morgan's scheme?'

Ritsuka understood her concerns: 'But we had no other choice. On the way here, I was attacked by Bedivere, and if it weren't for Mr. Muramasa...'

'Senji Muramasa, as an apostle of an alien god, will ultimately...'