Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

Ritsuka's expression darkened upon hearing this: 'Even Grandpa finds it difficult...?'

"Don't be discouraged." Qianzicun gently patted her shoulder. "Next time that madwoman comes, I'll definitely find a way to deal with her." He looked towards the brightening sky, his gaze sharp as a knife. "As long as you're safe, what harm is there in this old body fighting another three hundred rounds?"

Side Quest: Ascending the Throne - Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

Fairy Calendar Year 2000 - The Day of Calamity

Forgive me—

Please forgive our sins—

Wailing and prayers mingled in the darkness. When divine punishment descended, all of Britain was plunged into eternal night. No amount of magical brilliance could penetrate this sinful darkness; thunderstorms rolled through the clouds, as if the gods were issuing their final judgment upon the land.

Liliana awoke with a start from her dilapidated bed, discovering a strange change in the world outside. A sense of foreboding washed over her like ice water. She grabbed the Holy Lance leaning against the wall and rushed out of the crumbling wooden hut—

The sight before her was suffocating.

In the giant crater at the center of the island, a colossal creature with antlers is emerging from the earth. Its purplish-black body writhes like rotting entrails, causing everything in its path to wither. Grass and trees turn to ash the moment they touch the black mud, and the cries of animals are swallowed by the viscous darkness. When the monster stands fully upright, its sky-covering arms slowly unfold, and a pair of scarlet eyes shine beneath its antlers.

'Cornunos...' Liliana murmured.

The disc on the antlers began to spin, and a torrent of black rain poured down. Raindrops fell on the fleeing fairies, instantly corroding their flesh and leaving only bones; those that missed their mark twisted and deformed, transforming into countless howling Morse. The once-in-a-millennium cleansing began in its most brutal form.

"Liliana! Hide!" Monica came running from afar, her wings trembling violently in the gale.

Danger! Liliana's pupils contracted as the Holy Lance was already in hand. A golden streak of light pierced the darkness, purifying the black rain that was hurtling towards Monica.

'This is…' Liliana gazed at the holy lance radiating a warm glow, 'The seal has been broken?'

A dazzling golden light illuminated her resolute face. She leaped into the air, her holy spear pointed at the raging god of calamity.

Even if the entire fairy kingdom considers me their enemy—" the cloth billowed in the wind, revealing a golden gun barrel engraved with cuneiform script, "I will never allow you to destroy this world!"

Tower of the End, reveal yourself! Anchor of the storm connecting heaven and earth—Rhongomyniad!

The Holy Lance unleashed a beam of light that pierced the heavens and earth. Along the way, Mos evaporated and dissipated in the divine radiance, and the fleeing fairies all turned their gazes toward that golden figure.

'She's a fairy from Paradise...'

'She is fighting against calamity!'

Before the eyes of all, the spear of light tore through the darkness, piercing through the torso of Kornunos. The god let out a deafening wail as his twisted body was swallowed by a golden vortex and finally vanished into the depths of the giant pit.

Silence descended.

Then came a deafening cheer. Liliana landed lightly, and Monica excitedly embraced her: 'You did it! The thousand-year pilgrimage wasn't in vain!'

However, victory brought more than just glory. The clan chiefs' attitudes changed drastically, with lavish gifts and obsequious promises following in quick succession. Liliana remained clear-headed: 'The eradication of the calamity is only the beginning; true redemption takes time.'

For the next two thousand years, she and her followers traveled far and wide, clearing away the remaining fragments of the calamity. The voices of resistance gradually subsided, and when she discovered the towering tree on the Edinburgh Icefield, a new plan quietly took shape.

'The Imaginary Tree…' Liliana stroked the tree trunk, which emitted a blue glow. 'This abundant magic might become a force to protect the Fairy Kingdom.'

Unbeknownst to her, fine magical dust had already clung to her clothes, like seeds planted by fate.

As the last dissenting voice fell silent, Liliana ascended the throne amidst a throng of admirers. The Fairy Calendar came to an end, and a new era was marked with a new title—the Eternal Calendar. And ruling this era was none other than the former wanderer, now the Eternal Queen: Liliana.

The golden holy lance stood beside the throne, witnessing the beginning of a legend and foreshadowing the prelude to another story. In a corner unnoticed by anyone, magical dust clinging to the hem of the queen's robes shimmered with an eerie glow.

Autumn Forest Apocalypse - Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

Outside the Autumn Forest, the three-hour trek had not left a shadow on anyone's faces. Amidst laughter and cheerful conversation, the fear brought by Diana's earlier attack seemed to have been washed away by the forest breeze. Even Senji Muramasa's occasional slight frown as he pressed his stomach was quickly masked by Oberon's witty banter.

Deep in the forest, the stench of blood mingled with the fresh scent of vegetation. Diana slumped against an ancient tree, dark red blood seeping from between her fingers. She had disarmed herself, her leather coat stiffened with blood, and every breath carried the smell of rust.

'It looks awful.'

A robe embroidered with dragons brushed against fallen leaves, and Sekel Mephistopheles emerged from the distorted light. He looked down at the disheveled assassin, his eyes behind his glasses narrowing into slits: 'I put you on surveillance, and you staged this farcical solo mission. Diana, with your impulsive behavior, when will you ever finish our research?'

Diana made a hoarse sound, trying to refute but only able to exhale bloody breaths. In her fading consciousness, an orange magic circle bloomed with warm light on her neck, and the deep, bone-revealing wound healed at a visible speed.

'Cough...cough cough!' She greedily inhaled the fresh air, her anger reigniting in her eyes, 'That Japanese bastard...I will definitely...'

"Still trying to cause trouble?" Sekel placed one hand on her shoulder, the pressure gentle yet unyielding. With his other hand, he pulled two purple capsules from his robes; the magic flowing across their surfaces caused the surrounding air to tremble. "Remember, our goal is far more important than personal grudges. The girl with the flower crown is about to begin her pilgrimage; your recklessness will ruin everything."

'This is...?' Diana stared at the fairy knight emblem engraved on the capsule. 'Mordred and Lancelot? But their spirit origin fluctuations...'

'What you carry with you is nothing but a poor imitation.' Sekel twirled his fingertips, an ominous purple light emanating from the capsule's surface. 'The true masterpiece is here. The research into stealing the power of the Fantasy Species has reached a crucial stage, now...'

He suddenly fell silent, listening intently to the rustling of the leaves. In the distance, the clear, melodious singing of a pilgrimage procession could be faintly heard.

"It's time to go back." Silver dust drifted from Seckel's sleeve. "As for your performance today, that lord must have a lot to say."

As the light of the teleportation spell rose, he suddenly chuckled, his words like venomous snakes slithering into Diana's ears:

Everyone lives in a prison of self-consciousness, calling ambiguous perceptions reality. But if even this reality is an illusion... don't you find that interesting?

The last words dissipated in the wind, leaving only two purple capsules burning in Diana's palms, like two throbbing hearts.

As dawn broke, the sky turned from gray to pink, finally draped in a brilliant gold. When the sun was fully up, the dreamlike scenery of the Fairy Kingdom once again unfolded before them. Having deviated from their planned route, they followed a winding path into an unfamiliar forest. Unlike the fiery red maple forest they had encountered earlier, the lush greenery here was somewhat unsettling. More notably, the signs of monster activity in this forest were noticeably more concentrated.

Ritsuka suddenly stopped and looked at Oberon with concern: 'Mr. Muramasa said there were remnants of Morse in the forest, could it be...?'

"Don't worry, Ritsuka." Oberon waved his hand lightly, "My people can handle a Moss of this caliber. Don't let their small size fool you; they're quite reliable in combat."

'I see... I was overthinking it.'

"It's alright, Ritsuka, feel free to ask me anything you don't understand!" Oberon puffed out his chest smugly. "I am the all-knowing Fairy King!"

Artoria Caster immediately cast a wary glance at her: 'I hope you don't instill any strange knowledge that could corrupt Ritsuka's pure mind.'

'How could that be! I genuinely wanted to help!'

Senji Muramasa shook his head helplessly: 'This childishness will never change... Hmm?' He suddenly sharpened his expression, 'There's a magical reaction ahead.'

Pushing aside the dense bushes, a tall knight appeared before them. He wore pure white heavy armor, held an exquisitely decorated lance in his right hand, and the sword at his waist exuded an aura of authority. Beneath his short, silver-white hair was a handsome face, and several recently hunted demonic boars lay dead at his feet. Sensing the movement, he turned alertly, but relaxed upon discovering they were ordinary travelers.

"My apologies, the recent monster outbreak has made me a bit overly cautious," he apologized gently. "Are you all residents of this area?"

'Percival?' Gareth blurted out, sensing the familiar aura of a Knight of the Round Table emanating from this stranger. 'What are you doing here? Could it be...?'

The man frowned, puzzled. 'I am indeed Percival. Excuse my intrusion, have we met before?'

'What? You've been out of contact since you left the Round Table, and His Majesty has been very worried about you. Don't you remember anything?'

Leonardo da Vinci intervened promptly: 'Gareth, he is indeed Percival, but I'm afraid he's not the one you know. Judging from his reaction, he's likely the same being from a different timeline.'

After the introductions, Percival learned about everyone's background. However, when his gaze fell on the fairy knight Gareth, his eyes suddenly sharpened. And after hearing his self-introduction, the fairy knight Gareth's attitude also changed abruptly.

"So you're the leader of the rebels who defied His Majesty!" The fairy knight Gareth's eyes flashed with an icy blue demonic light, and the surrounding temperature plummeted. "Now that I've encountered you, you won't leave alive!"

Percival immediately pointed his gun at them: 'You're the Queen's maid? Has the capital begun to turn against the common people?'

"Wait!" Ritsuka hurriedly tried to dissuade her, "What exactly is going on?"

"I'm sorry, Ritsuka, but I absolutely cannot tolerate traitors who tarnish Her Majesty's reputation!" The fairy knight Gareth's voice was icy. "Her Majesty has devoted herself to the Fairy Kingdom, and you ungrateful wretch only cause her trouble!"

"Don't listen to her nonsense!" Percival retorted sharply. "That queen has been trampling on the dignity of the fairies, and this maid is nothing more than a spy sent to monitor you!"

Just as the ice spikes and spears were about to clash, Senji Muramasa drew his twin swords, precisely blocking both of their weapons.

"Stop it, all of you!" the old swordsman glared angrily. "You're not three-year-olds, turning on each other with weapons at the drop of a hat! How are we supposed to judge with each side sticking to their own version of events? Explain yourselves clearly!"

Under the intimidation of Senji Muramasa, the two reluctantly put away their weapons. Considering the monsters roaming the forest, the group decided to accompany Percival. At the edge of the forest, a circular stone fortress stood. This building, which had clearly once been a clan fortress, was now abandoned, its stone walls covered with vines and overgrown with weeds from its cracks. However, the rebels did not care about the rudimentary conditions and used it as a temporary stronghold.

Fully armed human soldiers could be seen everywhere in the fortress, their eyes filled with a mixture of wariness and curiosity as they scrutinized the group of strangers—especially the elf knight from Camelot.

The soldiers' whispers echoed through the stone corridor:

Why are there fairy knights? Are they here for peace talks?

What is Lord Percival thinking?

'Given his character, he would never stoop to the level of the Queen's lackeys; there must be some strategic consideration behind it...'

These comments pierced the heart of the fairy knight Gareth like needles, but she suppressed her anger and followed the group without looking away. Led by Percival, they arrived at a meticulously prepared meeting room. Unlike the dilapidated state of the rest of the fortress, the walls here were smooth, simple tapestries hung on the walls, and the tables and chairs, though simple, were arranged with utmost care.

Percival removed his armor, revealing well-defined muscles. At his signal, soldiers brought over several wooden chairs. Once everyone was seated, Senji Muramasa broke the silence first:

"Regarding the dispute just now, please both sides explain yourselves. Your Excellency Percival, you may begin by stating your reasons for rebelling against the Queen."

“Yes, sir.” Percival said solemnly, “Since the Queen ascended the throne, she has ruled the Fairy Kingdom with an autocratic style. The Wind Clan declared independence in the Queen's calendar year 1020 precisely because they could no longer tolerate her tyranny.” He clenched his fist, “Apart from the vested interests of Camelot, most of the people yearn to overthrow this tyrant. This is the just cause for our rebellion.”

Ritsuka and Leonardo da Vinci exchanged a puzzled look. The Morgan they remembered was vastly different from the image Percival described—how could the queen who generously helped them in times of calamity be a tyrant?

"Nonsense!" The fairy knight Gareth abruptly stood up. "If what you say is true, why does His Majesty protect his subjects? The Wind Clan's rebellion was a conspiracy orchestrated by Aurora! You rebels are just as shameless as she is!"

Seeing the atmosphere tense again, Ritsuka whispered to Leonardo da Vinci for help: 'What should we do now?'

Leonardo da Vinci adjusted his glasses: 'This Lostbelt operates on a system of feudal autocracy and feudalism. Excessive centralization of power leads to flawed decision-making, while decentralized power easily triggers separatism... It seems Percival's rebellion indeed has its social roots.'

"Enough!" the fairy knight Gareth suddenly turned around. "I don't want to hear any more of these excuses!"

"Wait!" Ritsuka called out hurriedly, but the fairy knight Gareth had already slammed the door and left.

Gareth sighed softly: 'She dedicated her life to the Queen, so it's understandable that she finds these accusations difficult to accept. If I were in her shoes, I probably would have done the same.'

Percival wore a complex expression, while Sei Shonagon softly added, "After all, we haven't known each other for very long. It's truly difficult for her to suddenly confront these cruel truths."

Senjimura turned his gaze to Ritsuka: 'Girl, do you still remember your mission in coming to this Lostbelt? It seems you've made your choice.'

Ritsuka clenched her fist, her eyes hardening: 'Although I feel I've wronged the Fairy Knight Gareth's kindness, for the future of humanity... I have no choice but to oppose the Queen.'

"Very good." Senji nods with satisfaction. "I was worried you'd be troubled by personal feelings, but it seems I was overthinking it."

Outside the window, the lone figure of the fairy knight Gareth was crossing the training ground, his silver armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Meanwhile, in a secluded corridor of the fortress, the fairy knight Gareth paced anxiously back and forth. The sound of her boots tapping on the stone echoed in the empty corridor until the communication crystal in her bosom suddenly lit up. Seeing Morgan's face appear in the crystal, she quickly straightened her appearance and responded respectfully:

"Your Majesty? What are your instructions?"

Morgan, reflected in the crystal, frowned slightly: 'You seem to be in a bad mood. Perhaps you've encountered the rebel leader Percival?'

"That's right..." the fairy knight Gareth's voice was filled with suppressed anger, "Those ungrateful bastards, I simply cannot tolerate their slander against His Majesty. But..."

Morgan gently removed her silver veil, revealing a refined yet weary face: 'Even in anger, conflict with them now is unwise. Apart from "her," our people truly find it difficult to coexist peacefully with the resistance.'

The fairy knight Gareth lowered his eyes, his long golden hair slipping down his shoulders. His usually resolute blue eyes were now filled with confusion and unease.

'Try to shift the focus.' Morgan's voice softened slightly. 'Now is not the time to start a conflict. The child must complete her mission, and you—remember the task I gave you?'