"Wait a minute, you also traveled from the future, didn't you?" Lancelot asked, his eyes narrowing as he observed Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash.
Fujimaru nodded casually. "Yes, we did." But then, a sudden realization hit her. "Hold on, did you say 'also'? Does that mean there are others from the future here?"
Lancelot's expression remained guarded. "You haven't convinced me to share any information yet."
Mash pouted in frustration, crossing her arms. "Why are you being so difficult?"
Lancelot was taken aback by her reaction. She seemed oddly familiar, almost as if he was looking at someone he knew very well—Galahad, to be precise. He pushed the thought aside and turned his attention back to Fujimaru Ritsuka.
She quickly decided to change tactics. "Then, could you at least take us to see King Arthur? I'm sure he would understand once we explain everything."
"King Arthur?" Lancelot echoed, confusion etched on his face. "Who's that?"
Fujimaru and Mash exchanged bewildered glances. "King Arthur... the ruler of Camelot, right? Wait, where are we exactly?" she asked, a hint of panic creeping into her voice. "Is this France?"
Lancelot shook his head. "No, this is Scotland."
"Scotland?" Fujimaru repeated, trying to process the information. "Then, who's ruling Camelot?"
"It's governed by King Lott and Queen Morgan," Lancelot replied as if stating the obvious.
"And Altria?" Fujimaru pressed, desperate for some semblance of normality.
"She's the Chief Knight of the Knights of the Round Table," Lancelot answered nonchalantly.
Fujimaru and Mash were stunned. According to their knowledge, Altria was supposed to be the legendary King Arthur, the one who united England. But here, Morgan and Lott were the rulers of Camelot, and Altria was merely a knight?
"Wait," Fujimaru said, trying to wrap her head around this revelation. "So, Morgan and Lott defeated Vortigern, united England, and even conquered the Fairy Country? Altria didn't do any of that?"
Lancelot nodded. "Yes, that's right."
Fujimaru was at a loss for words. "This timeline is so... different," she muttered. "Morgan was supposed to be a villain, and Lott, an unknown. How did they become the rulers?"
Lancelot observed her curiously. "Why are you so surprised? You seem to know a lot about us, but not from this time. If you're from the future, you should have more answers than questions."
Fujimaru hesitated before asking, "If Morgan and Lott are so renowned, why aren't you with them? You came to England after hearing of King Uther's glory, didn't you? So why not now, when they're even more famous?"
Lancelot's face darkened. "There are... misunderstandings between us," he admitted, his voice laced with bitterness.
Before Fujimaru could respond, Lancelot changed the subject abruptly. "If you want to see Morgan, I can arrange for you to meet Galahad of the Knights of the Round Table. He can help you."
"Galahad?" Fujimaru glanced at Mash, who looked equally confused.
Lancelot observed the confusion on their faces and felt a pang of curiosity himself. Were they really from the future, or was this an elaborate ruse? He weighed his options carefully. Though their story seemed genuine, he couldn't ignore the possibility that they were trying to deceive him. However, if they did have answers about Galahad, it was worth the risk.
"Alright," Lancelot finally said. "I'll take you to Galahad. But first, what is your true purpose here?"
Fujimaru and Mash exchanged a look. Just as they were about to answer, a small holographic image appeared, startling Lancelot. A woman with a bust-length portrait smiled at them.
"Can you hear me, Fujimaru? There was a problem during the soul transfer, but I'm finally able to contact you!" she exclaimed.
Lancelot instinctively drew his sword. "What is this sorcery?" he demanded, his eyes locked on the floating image.
The woman chuckled. "Calm down, Sir Lancelot. My name is Da Vinci, and I'm speaking to you from outside this world. We really are from the future. And yes, our mission is to correct anomalies in different timelines."
Lancelot, still skeptical, lowered his sword slightly. "Anomalies? Such as?"
"For example," Da Vinci explained, "you becoming a king in this era."
Lancelot's eyes widened. "Are you saying this timeline isn't right?"
Da Vinci nodded. "Yes, and we need to fix it. But first, we need to find a place to perform a Heroic Spirit Summoning."
"A Heroic Spirit Summoning?" Lancelot was intrigued. The idea of meeting heroes from different times and places fascinated him. "Alright, let's find a suitable location. I want to see these heroes for myself."
Fujimaru and Mash nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Mr. Lancelot," Fujimaru said gratefully. "With your help, we might just be able to set things right."
As they set off to find a place for the summoning, Lancelot's mind raced. He wasn't sure what to believe, but he knew one thing for certain: these strangers held the key to many of his questions. And if working with them meant he could uncover the truth about Galahad, then it was worth the risk.
In Chaldea:
The communication line flickered as Da Vinci ended the call. She sighed, turning to the team behind her. "This singularity is more complex than we thought. We need to prepare for anything."
"Do you think Fujimaru and Mash can handle it?" asked one of the technicians.
Da Vinci nodded, though worry clouded her eyes. "They've faced worse, but we need to be ready to support them at a moment's notice. This timeline is more unstable than any we've encountered before."
She glanced back at the screen, where the image of Camelot's altered history glowed faintly. "We can't let this divergence continue unchecked. If Morgan and Lott's reign persists, the ripple effects on the future could be catastrophic."
With that, she turned to the command console, preparing for the next step in their plan. The fate of the timeline—and perhaps even more—hung in the balance.