Not long ago, in the real world.
In the southwestern part of England, amidst the ruins of an ancient European castle.
Among a crowd of hundreds of thousands of tourists, an elderly man, his face lined with age, smiled happily as he held the hand of his granddaughter.
"Shiro, do you know where this is?"
"… I don't know."
The young girl with golden hair tilted her head, responding to her grandfather with a look of confusion.
Though she was a world-renowned artist, Shiro had grown up in a studio, surrounded by paintings and brushes. Her life was entirely consumed by art, and she knew little about history.
The old man gently ruffled her hair and smiled fondly.
"This is the famous pilgrimage site from the novel Le Morte d'Arthur, Glastonbury."
"People often believe that this Glastonbury, located in the southwestern part of Greenland, is the prototype of the fabled Avalon—the legendary land of the fairies. Countless visitors come here every year to honor King Arthur."
"Even today, tourism thrives here, with many Anglo-Saxon devotees coming to pay homage to King Arthur."
*(TL/N - Anglo-Saxon, term used historically to describe any member of the Germanic peoples who, from the 5th century ce to the time of the Norman Conquest, inhabited and ruled territories that are today part of England and Wales.)
"King Arthur...?"
Shiro tried to recall, but soon gave up, still somewhat puzzled.
Was he really that famous?
Seeing this, the elderly man chuckled softly.
"It doesn't matter if you don't know. Just draw this scene. That's enough."
"Okay, I want to paint~."
The naturally air-headed girl nodded obediently, then set up her art supplies alongside her grandfather.
Shiro took a serious look at the ruined castle, preparing to capture the scene.
With her exceptional skill, Shiro could record anything—be it the spinning of a windmill, the shifting stars, or the warm breeze brushing against her face. Anything, whether tangible or intangible, could be immortalized through her art.
Then, with vivid precision, she brought these elements to life on the canvas.
This was why she was known as the "Girl who Fell from the Sky."
However, just as she was about to begin…
A sudden change occurred!
Boom...!!
The ancient castle, which had stood silently for centuries, suddenly vibrated with a low hum.
At the moment the sacred sword sheath appeared, a strange resonance filled the air, as if the very heavens and earth were responding!
It was as though a child, having awaited for countless years, was finally granted a peaceful sanctuary…
Finally reunited with it's mother!
The tremor quickly traveled through the ground and into the senses of the tourists, causing widespread panic.
"Bloody hell, is this an earthquake?!"
A young British man swore, feeling his bad luck manifest, and urged the people around him to flee further away from the castle.
"Shiro!"
The old man was also startled, quickly running to protect the blonde girl, shielding her with his body.
But in an instant, a faint, shimmering glow enveloped the castle above them.
The tourists froze in place.
No...
It wasn't just them. Everyone on Greenland Island, including the tens of thousands of visitors, stood stock-still in disbelief!
Above the castle, the beautiful, ethereal glow shifted and formed into what could only be described as a mirage—a powerful illusion that seemed to pull their memories back into the distant past, to the glorious beginning of Ancient Britain.
Within the blurry vision, a golden wheat field appeared.
In the middle of the field stood an ancient stone altar, where a sword,with its hilt inlaid with gold, was thrust into the ground.
The gentle breeze that passed over the scene radiated a majestic, royal aura.
It was as though an enchanting voice whispered to them.
"—Whoever pulls out this sword shall be crowned as the King of Britain!"
A shiver ran down the spines of the onlookers, but their eyes burned with desire as they gazed at the sword.
There was no mistaking it. This was the legendary scene where King Arthur drew the Sword in the Stone!
But confusion followed quickly.
Where was King Arthur?
Where was he?
Suddenly, a gentle yet magnetic voice resonated in the air.
"It's better to think carefully before taking up that sword."
The tourists gasped in surprise as their gaze shifted toward the source of the mysterious voice.
A man appeared before them, dressed in a white cloak, his silver hair flowing like a waterfall. His expression was warm, his smile charming. He exuded the same gentle aura as the breeze that swept across the fields, making people instinctively want to relax in his presence.
Yet there was an odd sense of responsibility and seriousness missing from him, which made him seem a bit suspicious—like a con artist.
Who is he?
What did he have to do with Great Britain?
Confusion filled the hearts of the onlookers.
Soon, following the mysterious man's counsel, the illusion began to shift.
In the ancient days, before the stone altar with the sword embedded in it, a golden-haired girl suddenly approached.
She sighed with relief, standing beside the silver-haired man, her gaze turning towards him.
"Merlin, I never expected to see you here… outside of the dreams."
It was him?!
The British tourists were stunned. As soon as they heard the name, everything clicked.
Merlin—the great sorcerer from the Legend of King Arthur, the guide of kings.
He was also the trusted advisor and companion to King Arthur.
—Merlin the Great Magician!
Wait... Does this mean that the girl with the blonde hair is the legendary King Arthur?
The crowd gawked, their jaws hanging in disbelief.
Though they had seen the "Arthur" from a parallel world in the PV of an observer network, where Arthur was depicted as a woman, the deeply ingrained knowledge from their childhood made it hard to accept…
Now, having experienced it firsthand, the sheer incredibility of the situation was even more apparent!
At this moment, the once steadfast belief of the onlookers began to waver.
In the illusion, the faint sound of Merlin's laughter echoed again.
["I'm only saying this for your own good. You'd better give up."]
The latter lips curled slightly, and his mischievous smile couldn't be hidden by the thick shadows.
Then, with an eerie tone, he began to speak in a manner that sounded like both a warning and advice.
["If you pull that sword out, you will no longer be human."]
["Not only that, if you take it, you will be despised by countless people and meet a tragic death…"]
As his voice faded…
The Great Magician Merlin lip's curled into a wicked grin. With a swift flick of his staff, using his profound magical abilities, he projected a vision of the "future" he had observed.
The vivid images surged into Artoria's mind, making her pupils dilate with shock.
Endless battles unfolded before her—grueling and fierce, as if there were no end in sight…
Raging fires consumed the once-glorious kingdom, signaling the fall of an era.
When the splendor faded, she would face the harshest betrayal. The loyal Knights of the Round Table would crumble, and countless brave soldiers would die in the wilderness, their bodies left to rot.
No one could fail to be terrified by such a future…
After pulling the sword from the stone, she would no longer be connected to the word "girl." The love, marriage, and happiness that people dream of would become like "poison," a vast, lonely grave filled with desolation.
But…
"Many people are smiling, and I believe that must be right."
Her voice rang out with strength, cutting through the illusion, as her pale hand gripped the hilt of the sword.
"Clang!"
With a clear, resounding sound, the sword was lifted high, its blade gleaming radiantly under the sunlight.
In the long nights of blood and iron, a girl stood as a torch, shining with her own will in this hopeless age.
...But who would understand that lofty vow?
Silence.
Utter silence.
Everyone was stunned into speechlessness, shaken to their core.
"Is that… King Arthur…?"
Shiina Mashiro breathed carefully, her gaze fixed on the noble scene. Her once vacant eyes now showed a hint of life, and her grip on the paintbrush tightened.
In the dazzling, radiant human light, even a lifeless soul like her's kindled a flame of longing.
As the illusion slowly faded, an epic, sweeping scene emerged, narrating the legendary life and monumental achievements of King Arthur!
The Knights of the Round Table gathered around the table in Camelot's "White City," discussing matters of the kingdom. There were scenes of King Arthur completing the Twelve Battles, the Holy Sword raised high as he repelled the Saxon invasion…
Without exception, the vision recorded King Arthur's remarkable feats!
Finally, the vision coalesced into a scene of the thirteen knights standing solemnly behind King Arthur.
It symbolized humility, honesty, compassion, bravery, justice, sacrifice, honor, and soul.
All the anxiety and unease deep in their hearts were tenderly wiped away by this light.
This light was the crystallization of the knights' ideals!
"Arthur!! Arthur!!"
Countless spirits, buried in the ancient land, cried out passionately in the void.
"Arthur!! Arthur!!"
Many British people shouted with intense emotion, a sense of pride welling up in their hearts, a sense of upliftment, and a deep connection to the Irish bloodline.
King Arthur was not called the Knight King because she was both a knight and a king. She was given the title because she was worthy of being followed and revered by all of Britain's knights!!
"Draw it… I must draw it…"
Shiina Mashiro's hand trembled as she gripped the paintbrush, her voice more determined than ever before.
Beside her, her grandfather looked on with satisfaction, proud of his granddaughter.
Mashiro…
She was finally about to take this crucial step.
Around them, countless excited tourists shouted, snapping photos with their cameras.
No one could have expected that a normal tourist trip would end up witnessing such a sublime miracle!
It was a fortune beyond belief!!
However, one tourist stared at the photo in his camera with confusion.
It was the exact moment Merlin's illusion dissipated. He had taken the shot at the very last second.
Was it his imagination, or did he feel that Merlin, in that final moment, wasn't looking at King Arthur? Instead, he wore a mischievous smile, gazing at the future, at the hundreds of thousands of tourists at Glastonbury.
The man felt a shiver run down his spine, but curiosity got the better of him. He decided to keep the photo and shared it on his Twitter account.
Later…
"Boom…!!"
The illusion vanished completely, and the pure white light above Glastonbury transformed into a towering beam that shot into the atmosphere, beyond the sky.
And so, Fate/staynight reached its pivotal moment!
The heavens shifted, seemingly more real and awe-inspiring than ever before.
[Under the moonlight, inside the Sougen Academy warehouse…]
[A purple-haired girl raised her delicate hand high, forcefully tossing the last chain.]
[—The sharp blade tip, glinting coldly, was as venomous as a cobra.]
[On the ground, Yukinoshita Yukino gritted her teeth helplessly.]
[It's over...]
[Medusa sighed in relief, but the moment she sensed the blinding divine light before her, her expression suddenly turned to one of shock. The ancient aura of divinity left no room for doubt—the sword's light, as wild and untamed as a river, was rushing toward her!]
["A 7th Servant?!" ]
[The piercing blade moved like lightning, tearing through the air, and the winds howled in response.]
[Caught off guard, Medusa instinctively raised her chain weapon to defend.]
["Clang!!"]
[With a crisp sound of friction, countless sparks erupted in an instant.]
[The Rider, after a muffled grunt, was sent flying across the battlefield.]
[At the center of the summoning circle.]
[A female knight appeared, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders.]
[Her features were delicate, skin fairer than snow, exuding an aura of elegance. A distinctive cowlick crowned her head. She wore armor that covered her blue dress, and under the moonlight, she resembled a beautiful Valkyrie.]
[Then, she turned, her emerald green eyes filled with righteousness, gazed at the girl with a stern expression. She asked, "I have answered the summon—are you my Master?"]
["Ah...?"]
[Yukinoshita Yukino blinked in confusion, her gaze full of clear, naïve bewilderment.]
The King of Britain from Celtic mythology had appeared!
Excitement—immense excitement!
Countless people across the world instinctively held their breath, afraid to disturb the most beautiful moment.
"She's absolutely breathtaking."
The young lady, Chitose Kirigaya, murmured softly.
Though she was also a noble-born, golden-haired lady, she couldn't compare to this figure.
"Yukinoshita Yukino... what an enviable girl."
The shut-in, Ruri Gogo, gazed with envy.
She couldn't help but raise her delicate wrist, her eyes tinged with a hint of regret.
If only a crimson command seal could appear there as well...
"This queen among knights has beauty that rivals our own," the great monster, Shōtōtōji, raised an eyebrow with a smile.
She appreciated powerful, elegant, and beautiful opponents—just like King Arthur.
...
Amidst the awe-struck gazes of countless onlookers, the scene, thrilling and inspiring, continued to unfold.
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