stonecrandall Page 101
Page 101
"Who?" Mei, I'm not here. Lin, are you here?
"Melyuzina."
"...I see. So that's why Meliuchina asked about my recent mental state and questioned whether I had changed?"
Europa II had no doubt about Shiro Emiya's answer.
Looking at the emperor talking to himself, clearly having lost his rational judgment, Shiro felt a pang of heartache. She had no doubt that if it were not her standing there, but one of the Tohsaka sisters, or someone else in the Europa Mansion, they might say something they shouldn't have because of Europa II's current state.
The reason is simple: Europa II was a good man.
She possesses an irresistible ideal and enough personal charm to captivate strangers. The people in the Europa Mansion are mostly kind-hearted and would not deliberately lead a good person to a dead end. They would be soft-hearted and abandon their teacher's plan because of Europa II's honesty, thus causing all of the teacher's preparations to go to waste.
However, there was one exception in that mansion.
Yes, it was only her.
Only Shiro Emiya could weave such words without restraint, unaffected by any goodwill, to mislead Europa II's judgment, causing her mental state to deteriorate further amidst constant doubt, and ultimately leading her to lose the rationality to clearly assess the situation.
Because Shiro Emiya's beliefs and resolve are firm enough, no matter how good Europa II is to her, she will not forget the fact that a beast is parasitizing his body, nor will she forget her original purpose—to assist her teacher in carrying out the plan, to deal with the sixth beast that threatens the world, and to save Europa II—because of the goodwill conveyed by Europa II.
Only she, only Shiro Emiya, could endure the inner torment and do these things against her conscience in order to achieve a happy ending.
Because these are the prices that must be paid on the path to becoming a partner of justice, and she was already aware of this.
"Yes, because betrayal is Lancelot's fate."
Chapter 236 Going to Find Guinevere
Lancelot's betrayal of his lord, whether genuine or not, is an undeniable reality, even in this world. (The remaining text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the preceding sentence.)
As a Knight of the Round Table, Lancelot did not betray Quinn during Quinn's lifetime, seemingly transcending fate. However, this was not actually the case. He still betrayed his lord, the Emperor of Britannia, only this time, the one he betrayed was Europa II.
Even if Lancelot could use the fact that he was loyal to Quinn Europa rather than Mordred Europa to exonerate himself, from a legal perspective, as a high-ranking nobleman of Britannia, he had a legal obligation and responsibility to defend the authority of the Britannian emperor.
However, he joined Quinn's camp, abandoning Britannia for Northern Europe. This act was essentially a betrayal, an act of treason.
As Shiro Emiya recounted everything, he also spoke of Lancelot's affair with Guinevere in the history of humankind, betraying King Arthur. These words might not have shaken Europa II before, but now, a look of doubt flickered in Europa II's eyes. She remained silent, her gaze no longer fixed on Shiro Emiya, and sat back on her throne, looking utterly dejected.
Seeing that Europa II was not in a good mood, Shiro Emiya immediately seized the opportunity to take his leave and leave the quiet audience hall.
Emiya Shiro breathed a slight sigh of relief after successfully leaving the London palace and not seeing anyone coming to find her, but she was not at ease. Instead, she began searching for Meryuchina's whereabouts.
Since she was determined to sow discord between the fairy knights and the emperor, her top priority was to lure Meryuchina up the mountain. Shiro Emiya had completely abandoned any lingering goodwill she felt towards Europa II and had thoroughly convinced herself. But before she could take any action, the voice of her servant rang in her ears.
"Meliuchina is on London Bridge."
"archer?"
Shiro Emiya was somewhat taken aback by the Red Archer's sudden outburst. She had spent a long time with this hero who refused to reveal his real name, and although their relationship was fairly good, they were always just nodding acquaintances. Unless there were special orders or requests, Shiro Emiya would not usually take the initiative to contact him, and the Red Archer would not take the initiative to talk to her either. This was the first time the other party had taken the initiative to tell her information.
"What's wrong? Weren't you looking for Melyuchina?"
"I'm just a little surprised. Why are you suddenly being so cooperative? Before, you were only proactive when the teacher called on you, weren't you?"
“...Because you weren’t ready back then.” The red archer looked at Shiro Emiya uncomfortably. “I cooperated with your teacher because we shared the same goal and understood each other. But most importantly, he was ready to take on everything to save his daughter. Now, you have a similar awareness, so I naturally don’t mind serving you sincerely. After all, you are my Master, not him.”
I have a feeling you also have the potential to be a double agent.
Hearing the Red Archer's words, Shiro Emiya inwardly grumbled, but she was actually quite pleased. For a great hero who had become a Heroic Spirit to acknowledge her was undoubtedly an affirmation of her resolve.
Now, she has no psychological burden and can bring Meiliuqina up the mountain with a clear conscience.
However, when she arrived at London Bridge, seeing Melyuchina standing on the bridge railing, pointing a gun with her finger and constantly shooting at the fish in the Thames with magic, looking very unhappy, she hesitated a bit. The reason was simple: Melyuchina seemed extremely angry. But when she mustered up the courage to go up and talk to her, Melyuchina seemed to see a good friend and took the initiative to cling to Shiro Emiya.
“You’re right, Europa II has changed.”
As soon as Meiliuqina opened her mouth, Shiro Emiya couldn't hold back anymore.
Girl, weren't you calling him "Your Majesty" just a couple of days ago? How come you're calling him "Europa II" now?
“I need your help. I can’t stand by and watch her continue like this. It is a knight’s virtue to stop my lord from falling into depravity. That’s what she taught me.” Before Shiro Emiya could speak, Melyuchina began to speak at length.
"What did you talk about?" Shiro Emiya couldn't help but be curious.
“I asked her what she planned to do if we won the war, drove the invaders out of the world, and expelled Quinn from Britain. I thought it would all end there, but she said she would invade Pan-Human History, destroy Chaldea, capture Quinn, and completely eliminate all threats. This is not something a former emperor would say... She has been infected by the beast.”
Meliuchina gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with frustration and anger. "I have to act immediately. I need to find Bawanshi and explain everything to her..."
"But she won't believe you."
“Yes, she won’t…” Melyuchina deflated like a punctured balloon, venting her anger on the fish in the river in despair. “Bavanshi will tell Europa II everything about me. She’s never been a fairy who can understand things. No, there’s no one left in all of Britain who can understand all this. Those who know this secret, who realize the Emperor has changed, have all been driven out of the Empire by me. But I… don’t want to betray her, don’t want to join those Vikings…”
"Actually, not everyone is unaware of this."
Seeing the change in Meiliu Qina's attitude, Shiro knew it was time for him to make his move, so he uttered a name.
Guinevere.
When the name of the Queen of Ireland reached Melyuchina's ears, the petite dragon girl's heart suddenly trembled. She stared at Shiro Emiya in disbelief.
"Guinevere...she knows all of this?"
"Yes, she also knows about the beast, but unlike others, she loves the emperor just like you. She believes that even if the emperor changes and needs to be rescued, it shouldn't be through betrayal. She is still trying to change His Majesty the Emperor through gentler means. I think you should talk to her."
As Shiro Emiya spoke, a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips. "Moreover, as far as I know, Queen Guinevere was someone who personally watched the Emperor grow up. Compared to that queen, His Majesty the Emperor is undoubtedly like his own daughter. Melyuchina, I think you can trust a 'mother's' love."
It was because of that smile that Mei Liuqina was in a daze.
Looking at Shiro Emiya's smile, she felt that this somewhat unfamiliar magician girl bore a striking resemblance to someone she recognized very well. Europa II had once smiled like that, and not long ago, Quinn had also smiled in the same way. This strong sense of familiarity made her nod slightly.
At this moment, the scheme called destiny completely entangled Meliuchina, clamoring that she would pay the price for inheriting the name 'Lancelot'.
Chapter 237 Three Nodes, Three Blessings
A rumor spread from Britain that the fairy knight Melyuchina had lost the trust of Emperor Europa II due to her defeat in battle. The British emperor stripped the fairy of her court position and military power, replacing her with Bavanshi. This decree saddened Melyuchina, who angrily left London and went to the court of the Queen of Ireland.
Meanwhile, a secret letter from Ireland arrives, confirming the veracity of the rumor.
When the simulator's pop-up message and Guinevere's letter appeared before Quinn's eyes, Quinn raised his eyebrows in surprise, and a pleased smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.
Since releasing Melyuchina and obtaining the Avalon sword sheath, he hasn't made any major moves in Northern Europe. After all, he has gained enough advantage; all he needs to do is wait. (The last two lines appear to be random characters and are not translated.)
Once the Vikings have recovered, and once Morgan has thoroughly studied the runes and developed a secret method to separate Europa II's pure soul from his body, they can launch their final operation to completely end the empire's long and unchanging rule. As for Melyuchina's rebellion, Quinn had secretly plotted this scheme, but he hadn't expected it to progress so quickly. Originally, he anticipated that Melyuchina and Europa II would have to work harder after their falling out, but now it seems…
My top student's growth rate far exceeded my expectations.
Quinn himself hadn't even considered linking Melyuchina, the 'second generation of Lancelot,' to Guinevere. His original plan was to win Melyuchina's favor, but now, even if Melyuchina had no intention of rebelling, Europa II would still consider her a traitor.
After all, when the words 'Lancelot' and 'Guinevere' become intertwined, the hand of fate will surely intervene.
Especially in the Type-Moon universe, the so-called 'fate' is not some vague concept; it is indeed consciously driven by the Counter Force. When Quinn opened the letter sent by Guinevere, he became even more certain that the powerful hand of the Counter Force had begun to deeply influence the interior of this independent world.
[Through Guinevere's letter, you learned about Meluccina's recent situation.]
[This dragon girl has learned part of your plans through Shiro Emiya's various hints and confrontations, and understands the cancer within Europa II. Even if she doesn't admit it, she has already joined the traitor's camp, believing that everything she has done is for Europa II's safety. She has informed Guinevere of the current military deployment plan for the entire island of Britain, which has also indirectly reached you. But most importantly, she has revealed the secrets about ley lines and blessings.]
The ley line blessings flowing through the fairy knights are planned according to the regions of the British Isles.
In Europa II's original plan, there were supposed to be three fairies who would become fairy knights. Besides Bavanshi and Melyuchina, the black dog Basgrote was also one of them. The three fairies would each receive the ley line power correction of the British Isles. However, since Basgrote had already gone to Pan-Human History with Gawain, Europa II had to divide these ley line blessings among two fairies.
[What Melyuchina herself received was the ley line of the island of Ireland, which faces Scotland and England across the sea. Due to Ireland's independence and its mobility as the center of the empire's maritime trade, Melyuchina's blessing is a blessing symbolizing 'cycle'. This is the most suitable blessing for her and can bring out the full potential of her power. Thanks to this strong affinity, she became the strongest knight under the emperor's command.]
The ley line power that Bavanshi obtained originated from Scotland and England. Although he received the spiritual vein bonuses from both regions, the corrections from these ley lines were far less powerful than those from Melyuchina. This was partly because Bavanshi's own spiritual foundation was not comparable to Melyuchina's, and partly because of the responsibilities that Scotland and England bore in the division of the empire.
England, as the capital of the Britannian Empire, derives the blessing of 'stability,' while Scotland, as an important natural resource center of the empire, generates 'production.'
[Production, cycle, stability... Once you understand the symbolic meaning of the blessings bestowed by the three ley lines, you will understand everything. You will know why Europa II preferred to dismiss Melyuchina rather than punish her. This is because these three ley line blessings are the core of the three magical nodes that maintain the existence of this independent world. As long as these three nodes exist, this independent history of the Britannian Empire, which has been cut out, will continue to circulate like a magical barrier.]
However, you don't yet know what power these two blessings will bring to Bawanshi. After all, you are not an all-around magician. You have your own specialties. In terms of doll making and alchemical creation, few in the magician's field can rival you. But in this kind of knowledge involving spiritual beings, you are not yet a master.
But within your team, there's a casual magician who's clearly quite skilled at it.
So, you chose to call for off-field support.
“Oh, my esteemed Emperor, you have finally remembered that I, Meryl, am not just a bard.”
The Nightmare summoned before Quinn was all smiles, but when faced with Quinn's deadpan expression, she quickly suppressed her tendency to mock people and began to read Guinevere's letter. After a while, Meryl's playful expression gradually turned serious, and cold sweat began to pour from the Nightmare's forehead as she became serious.
"...This information is fake, isn't it?"
After a long pause, Mary swallowed hard, looked up at Quinn, and her voice trembled slightly.
"how?"
"Why does Bawanshi have two blessings?" For the first time, this nightmare, which seemed to have everything under control, became flustered. "I have been observing Bawanshi for a long time. That fairy should only have one blessing. If she has two blessings, there is no reason why she has not revealed them for so long."
"What is the blessing that Bawanshi received related to?" Quinn couldn't help but frown as he looked at the chaotic nightmare.
"It's the soldiers' enhancement. Bavanshi was able to obtain the command of the Righteous Knights not because she was particularly good at commanding troops, but because the blessing she possessed could enhance the morale and physical fitness of her soldiers. I originally thought that she could become the commander of the Righteous Knights because the Righteous Knights were the most elite troops, and could receive the greatest boost from this blessing, but now it seems..."
Mary took a deep breath to make her voice sound calmer.
"I'm afraid that Bavanshi's two blessings are specifically designed to target the Purifiers, and judging from the ley line symbol, some of her other blessings may be able to generate Purifiers. If that's the case, we'll be facing an undead army."
Chapter 238 Blocking the Bridge
The phrase "an immortal legion," which would terrify any other army commander, did not move Quinn.
The reason is simple. Back then, the army he led during the simulation was also a kind of undead army. After all, they were Martian soldiers that could be mass-produced as long as gold coins were invested. Therefore, Quinn knew very well that it was impossible to defeat such an army head-on, especially since the army under his command was not Martian soldiers. However, he had a solution in mind.
[Bridge blockade]
Having mastered Bavanshi's unique blessing and obtained military intelligence about the British Isles through Melyuchina, this phrase flashed through your mind. It was a unique term from a game you played before your transmigration. The so-called "bridge blocking" was a tactic of blocking the enemy's key route to their core objective, intercepting their attempts to retreat... to the target area.
[As long as the Knights of the Righteousness under Bavanshi's command cannot enter London and reach the London court, even if she has an immortal army, she cannot stop you from carrying out your plan to behead Europa II.]
So you gathered the others and began to devise a plan to lure and intercept Bavanshi based on the military intelligence provided by Melyuchina.
With the advice of the Knights of the Round Table, this "bridge-blocking" plan was quickly devised. According to the plan, the Knights of the Round Table, led by Lancelot, would lead the Vikings to land on the British Isles from Scotland, creating the illusion that Scotland had been occupied as a base. At the same time, Guinevere on the island of Ireland would also launch a rebellion. Under this double attack, Bavanshi had no choice but to attack one side first to quell the attack from the other side. Otherwise, if the two sides joined forces, England would become an isolated island without any support.
[Once Bavanshi leaves London, you can infiltrate the London court with Morgan, Artoria, and Mordred, destroy the Dragonbone Throne, destroy Europa II's source of power, and finally destroy his body, which is possessed by the Sixth Beast. Then, you can take his soul from his body and place it in a spirit core that is compatible with Europa II.]
Yes, during the Vikings' period of rest and recuperation, Morgan, with the help of the Valkyries, had already developed a preliminary plan to deal with your daughter's soul. She learned how to take the souls of the dying, just like the Valkyries. Similarly, based on the existence of Heroic Spirits, she also researched a method to create blank Spirit Origins. In her conception, as long as Europa II's soul was injected into a blank Spirit Origin, a device similar to a temporary soul storage mechanism could be created.
As for how to create a suitable physical body for Europa II, that's not even within her consideration; that's something you'll have to worry about.
Now, everything you've been waiting for is ready.
The final war has begun.
This time, you did not issue any declaration of war warning. You deliberately concealed your troop movements. Under the illusion of the half-nightmare, Meryl, wave after wave of Viking dragon ships, capable of hiding themselves at sea, set sail one after another, fully loaded with Viking warriors, from the North Sea all the way north to the northern coast of Scotland.