To Become a King and a Magician 826-830

Title: Her Highness the Princess?!

The path from the beach to the church wasn’t far.

As Artoria had said, the island wasn’t large at all; it could indeed be fully explored in just a short time.

Along the way, just like in previous Singularities and Lostbelts, Ritsuka and Mash asked Artoria a few questions.

For example, about the situation in this Lostbelt, the state of the island, and so on.

Unfortunately, Artoria didn’t provide much information.

According to her, though she called herself a wandering Magus, she had only officially started wandering a few days ago. Before that, she had been confined somewhere by a bastard to study Magecraft and knew nothing about the outside world.

Still, Artoria did know about this island.

The island’s name was the Isle of the End, also called Orkney. It was the homeland of two saviors whose stories spread across all of Britain, and the place where both saviors would eventually return after saving Britain.

The Holy Sword Bearer Artoria mentioned earlier was actually one of those two saviors.

—When the British Isles face calamity, twin saviors will return from the Isle of the End, and then return to the Isle of the End once more.

This was a legend that had circulated in Britain for a very long time.

“Even so, the saviors haven’t appeared in a long while. The last recorded appearance was two thousand four hundred years ago.” Artoria said. “That was the final recorded emergence of the saviors. After that, both completely vanished. There are rumors that the saviors left this world, and others that they died… all sorts of legends.”

“Then… Miss Artoria came here to find the Holy Sword because of the legend?” Mash asked.

Artoria nodded: “I heard it from a blacksmith—he said that two thousand four hundred years ago, one of the two saviors ultimately relinquished the Holy Sword used to save the world, sealed it in Orkney, and then fell into eternal sleep.”

“So you came here.”

“Anyway, I have a strong reason to find that Holy Sword.”

(Only by finding the Holy Sword can I… can I finally not have to…)

Artoria lightly clenched both fists.

While the three were talking, the path stretching ahead also came to an end. The ruined church fully appeared before them.

Just as it looked from the beach, most of the church was destroyed, leaving only the right side. The left side, including the entrance, was completely gone, giving the impression of battlefield ruins.

Additionally, atop the small remaining section of the church, for some reason, there was a massive bell—looking as if it had fallen from a great height but hadn’t fully pierced the wall, only getting stuck halfway.

“This is the place.”

Artoria gazed at the ruined church before her, took a deep breath, then shouted loudly into the emptiness ahead: “Excuse me! Is the guardian of the Holy Sword here? I am Artoria Caster, come to seek and unseal the Holy Sword!”

“…”

No answer.

Amid the swirling snow, only Artoria’s voice and the howling wind echoed.

Pursing her lips, Artoria called again: “Excuse—”

“Nooooooise~~”

This time, there was a reply.

A somewhat lazy voice came from inside the church.

“It’s winter—let people sleep in peace… This rundown place already had nothing to begin with, and now you won’t even let me sleep soundly?”

The voice sounded like the grumbling of someone whose sleep was disturbed, full of morning grumpiness.

Hearing this voice, the faces of Artoria, Ritsuka, and Mash froze.

“This voice…”

“Big Brother?”

No mistake—though it felt slightly unfamiliar after not hearing it for so long, Ritsuka and Mash were certain this was Naoki’s voice.

However, unlike the two whose faces lit up with joy, when Artoria heard this voice—

“N-no way…”

She showed an expression of disbelief.

Then, under the gaze of all three, a figure emerged from behind the remaining church structure.

It was a man.

He had long, disheveled blond hair that looked uncombed and uncut for years, reaching down to his waist. He wore extremely old-looking clothes. Perhaps from constantly being in the snow, snow had piled up everywhere.

And the most important point was his appearance.

“Department Head?!”

Ritsuka exclaimed in delight.

No doubt—the man before her was their jerk Department Head who had been gone for over half a year, leaving behind a group of prospective wives!

Hearing Ritsuka call him, the man—Naoki—rubbed his sleepy eyes: “You… Oh, I remember, I remember. Fujimaru Ritsuka—this is Ritsuka, right? And this one’s Mash. It’s been over two thousand years—I almost forgot what you two looked like.”

“Eh?”

Naoki’s casual remark shocked Ritsuka and Mash. Even Roman and the others in Chaldea who heard it were stunned.

Over two thousand years?

Ritsuka opened her mouth: “Two… Department Head, you’ve been here… over two thousand years?”

“Yeah—By the way, since you’re here, that means you received the message I sent, right? I think it was around fifteen hundred… No, maybe eighteen hundred… Shh, it should’ve been earlier than that.”

As if his memory was jumbled, Naoki held his head, trying to recall something from an extremely long time ago: “Yeah, almost nineteen hundred years ago? You came because you received the communication I sent back then, right? You guys are really slow. When did Chaldea get so sluggish?”

“Well, even if you’re late, it’s good you came. This way, this place and that place can connect. All my effort sleeping here hasn’t been in vain… Ugh~~~~~Mmm!”

Stretching his body and limbs vigorously, Naoki looked at Artoria standing beside Ritsuka and Mash: “By the way, the one yelling earlier was this girl, right? You’re the one looking for the Holy Sword?”

“Ah… Yes, that’s right.”

Artoria shrank her neck slightly as she answered.

After staring at her for a while, Naoki said: “Well, giving it to you isn’t impossible—but first, deal with the problem you brought.”

“Problem?”

Ritsuka and Mash frowned.

Meanwhile, Artoria grew tense: “N-no way… I should’ve dropped him into the sea—”

*BANG!*

A loud crash from behind cut off Artoria’s muttering. Like a startled rabbit, Artoria trembled several times, then turned with Ritsuka and Mash to look toward the source of the sound.

There, a tall figure holding a flaming greatsword was slowly walking toward the three.

“Found you.”

Seeing Artoria standing not far away, the figure planted the massive sword beside him and slowly knelt before Artoria.

“Fairy Knight Gawain, reporting to Her Highness the Second Princess. By order of Her Majesty the Queen, I have come to bring you back to the King’s Castle. Please come with me, Lady Artoria.”

-

Title: Helpless Against

Her Highness the Second Princess?

Hearing the words of the tall woman calling herself Fairy Knight Gawain, Ritsuka and Mash simultaneously stared at Artoria in shock.

“Miss Artoria is…”

“Her Highness the Princess?”

“Ugh… Don’t look at me like that.” Artoria averted her gaze with slight embarrassment. “Her Highness the Princess or whatever—it’s just a title, it has no real substance…”

“Forget that! Why are you still chasing me, Gawain?! I used my full power to blast you into the sea!”

Artoria clearly remembered using a full-power magical shot to knock Gawain into the ocean to escape her pursuit. How was she here now?

Could she have swum from the sea?

Fairy Knight Gawain placed her hand respectfully on her chest: “Indeed, your attack did knock me into the sea, but all us Fairy Knights have received blessings and protection from Her Majesty the Queen. Simply drowning in the sea is not enough to make me give up pursuing you.”

(That bastard!)

Artoria’s heart sank halfway.

Fairy Knight Gawain continued: “Your Highness, it has been ten days since you left the King’s Castle. Her Majesty the Queen is deeply worried about you. Please do not be stubborn and return to the King’s Castle with me. Sir Tristan and I will plead for leniency on your behalf.”

“No way!”

Artoria shouted firmly: “I… don’t want to go back there! I finally escaped. If I go back… I’ll just be locked up again by that bastard! Caged like a canary!”

She couldn’t go back.

If she returned now, she would definitely—

*KLANG!*

The sound of a sword striking the ground interrupted Artoria’s thoughts. Fairy Knight Gawain, seemingly reluctant, sighed softly and raised the flaming greatsword in her hand: “I understand. Then, forgive my rudeness, Your Highness. Her Majesty the Queen gave orders beforehand—even if I must break your arms and legs, I am to bring you back.”

“That bastard really doesn’t treat me like a person!—Though I’m a fairy, not a human!”

Seeing Fairy Knight Gawain raise her sword and grow serious, Artoria’s face paled slightly. She knew full well the overwhelming power of this knight who towered over her in every way. Even if she gave her all, she had no chance of winning in a direct confrontation.

But even so… she didn’t want to be taken back so easily—back to the King’s Castle (her cage), which had taken her years to understand, and from which she had only just found a chance to escape days ago.

“Forgive me—Your Highness!”

With an angry shout, Fairy Knight Gawain charged at Artoria, swinging her sword. A powerful wave of heat instantly hit their faces, nearly making Artoria feel like she’d evaporate. The flaming greatsword in her view swung straight for her head!

Gawain wouldn’t kill her—Artoria was sure of that. After all, they weren’t truly enemies. Aside from official duties, their personal relationship was actually quite good. Her hostility now was just work. She was a knight utterly loyal to that bastard.

Perhaps the attack would switch to the sword’s hilt to knock her out at the last moment.

(That’s my chance! Though it’s annoying to use the Magecraft that bastard taught me to save myself—)

*KLANG!*

But just as Artoria prepared to escape Gawain’s grasp with Magecraft, a shield suddenly blocked in front of her, firmly stopping Gawain’s strike!

It was Mash.

“Eh?”

Artoria was slightly shocked: “Mash? You…”

“Though I don’t fully understand the situation yet, Miss Artoria, you need help right now, don’t you?” Ritsuka came to her side and smiled. “You don’t want to be taken by this Fairy Knight named Gawain—If so, Mash and I will help you.”

“H-help me? Why?”

“Why… no special reason. Someone’s in trouble and danger right in front of us—of course we want to help, right?”

(She’s not lying… Just for such a simple reason?)

Artoria could see Ritsuka’s inner thoughts. She was certain Ritsuka wasn’t underestimating her or hiding motives. She purely wanted to help.

Up front, Gawain, locked in a sword clash with Mash, blinked slightly after hearing Ritsuka’s words. Then, she suddenly exerted force, hurling Mash back!

(Such immense strength!)

After spinning in the air from shock and landing, Mash stood in front of Artoria and Ritsuka, shield raised: “The opponent’s strength… is overwhelming, Master.”

“Yes, after all, Gawain is the strongest in pure physical power among the three Fairy Knights. Facing her head-on gives no chance of winning.” Artoria explained. “Sorry, Mash. Can you buy a little time? I’ll use spatial transfer Magecraft.”

Spatial transfer Magecraft!?

“Miss Artoria, you can use magic that powerful?”

“Forced to learn it from that bastard, but it needs preparation time—about one minute… Though it’s infuriating, the Holy Sword matter will have to wait for another chance.”

Glancing at Naoki standing nearby as a silent observer, Artoria took a deep breath and planted her staff into the ground.

But—

*BOOM!*

Not far away, around Fairy Knight Gawain, a massive pillar of fire suddenly shot into the sky! A scene like a volcanic eruption, with lava spewing upward, instantly appeared before the three!

An incredibly strong Mana reaction immediately enveloped them—and even Chaldea, far away in Pan-Human History, detected this powerful Mana surge! The instruments that previously couldn’t observe anything were forcibly pushed to display certain fluctuating values!

“I am truly delighted, Your Highness.” Gawain, bathed in flames, said, “Since you were welcomed back to the King’s Castle as a princess by Her Majesty the Queen, you’ve had no friends at all. Now, on your first time out, you’ve made two people willing to help you. Both Her Majesty and Sir Tristan will be overjoyed to hear it.”

“But forgive me—I will still bring you back. This is Her Majesty the Queen’s order, and I was told to do so immediately. Thus, please excuse the slightly rough methods—After returning to the King’s Castle, I will apologize to you.”

【Fujimaru! Mash! Activate your Noble Phantasm!】

Roman’s voice suddenly rang in Ritsuka and Mash’s ears.

【Based on our observations, the Mana at your location is equivalent to Artoria’s Holy Sword activation!】

“!!”

An attack equivalent to Holy Sword activation!?

No time to think further—Ritsuka hurriedly pressed her hand on Mash’s shoulder. Mash shouted: “Noble Phantasm, activate—”

“No! It won’t make it in time!”

Amid Artoria’s panicked cry, even before Mash could fully activate her Noble Phantasm, Gawain swung her greatsword. The massive fire pillar shooting skyward instantly condensed into a single beam—and struck with devastating force alongside the sword’s slash!

The overflowing wave of flames poured out like a breached dam!

Ritsuka’s world instantly filled with endless fire! High heat, shockwaves, and explosive gusts accompanied the firestorm all at once!

*RUMBLE!*

A single fiery blast incinerated everything before it!

And when the flames filling their vision vanished, Ritsuka, Mash, and Artoria—who had been standing before Gawain—now all lay collapsed on the ground.

One attack. Total annihilation.

“Ugh…”

Artoria let out a pained groan.

Approaching and gently lifting her, Gawain sighed: “I am truly sorry, Your Highness—I hope I caused no issues for you, Guardian.”

The second half of the sentence was directed at Naoki, who had been silently watching.

Shrugging resignedly, Naoki said: “Wreaking havoc like this on my island, and you dare say that… Well, it’s just a rundown island I abandoned anyway, so even if I object, it’s pointless.”

“Thank you for your understanding. Then, we’ll take our leave.”

With that, Gawain carried Artoria in a princess hold and walked back down the path she came.

Looking at the scene before him—now resembling a volcanic zone created by Gawain’s serious attack—Naoki sighed slightly: “Seriously… they’ve all been powered up several levels beyond the originals. So it might take three or four people to handle one…”

“Whatever, that’s for later. First, let’s deal with these two idiots who got beaten without knowing anything.”

Naoki gazed at the unconscious Ritsuka and Mash with a hint of resignation.

-

Title: Natsukawa Naoki Who Is Not Natsukawa Naoki

*CRECK-CRECK!*

A sound like that reached her ears.

After a rather long sleep, Ritsuka slowly opened her eyes from confusion. A campfire burning in the middle of the night’s darkness immediately came into view.

Then, the pain from burns quickly spread from her entire body into her heart.

“Ugh!”

“Hm? Already awake?”

A voice came from the side.

Enduring the pain, Ritsuka turned toward the voice. There, Naoki sat watching her.

“Department Head? I…”

“Don’t try to get up yet. Lie down longer. Though I’ve treated you and Mash, your burns aren’t fully healed, so just stay lying down.”

Naoki said this.

Hearing him, Ritsuka unconsciously lay back and looked around. She saw Mash lying beside her, still unconscious. Besides that…

“Where’s Miss Artoria?”

“She was taken, of course. Did you forget what happened earlier?”

What happened earlier?

Ritsuka frowned, thinking. She remembered coming to this church with Mash and Artoria, meeting Naoki, then…

“Fairy Knight… Gawain…”

“Seems you remember.” Naoki pulled a branch from the air and tossed it into the campfire before him. “Honestly, you two were defeated in an instant—no strength left to resist. You were taken down in one attack by Gawain.”

Taken down in one attack.

Recalling the last scene she saw, Ritsuka involuntarily shivered.

“So, Miss Artoria was taken.”

“Yes, but don’t worry about her safety. Neither Gawain nor the one who ordered Gawain to take her would ever let her die. Directly speaking, Artoria is one of the three most important people in all of Britain right now.”

Hearing Naoki’s words, Ritsuka unconsciously calmed down. But once calm, several earlier things suddenly came back to mind. After hesitating a moment, Ritsuka couldn’t help asking: “Department Head, you… back then… why didn’t you—”

“Why didn’t I help save Artoria?”

“Yes.”

Though Ritsuka’s decision to help Artoria had been instinctive, it wasn’t unrelated to knowing Naoki was there. Even after over half a year apart, Ritsuka still deeply trusted her Department Head’s strength.

If Naoki helped, he could definitely protect Artoria.

But Naoki hadn’t acted.

“Hmm… About that, better wait for Mash to wake up. After all, to explain it, I have to start from what happened two thousand four hundred years ago.”

Two thousand four hundred years.

Hearing that unimaginable timespan again, Ritsuka fell silent for a moment: “Department Head, you… really stayed here that long? In Pan-Human History, only a little over half a year passed…”

“Different flow of time—normal occurrence. After all, this Lostbelt has been destroyed twice, so it’s not strange for there to be differences with Pan-Human History.” Naoki explained. “Oh, right—I should mention your communication device with Chaldea is broken.”

“Eh!?”

Ritsuka was shocked and immediately raised her hand to check. Just as Naoki said, the communicator on her wrist was now destroyed—likely shattered by Fairy Knight Gawain’s attack.

“W-what do we do? Can it be fixed?”

“After Mash wakes up, have her set up a transfer array using the Round Table and ask Chaldea to send a new one. This island itself is on a Leyline, so it should be fine.”

“Meaning for now we can’t contact Chaldea…”

Ritsuka sighed slightly.

“But meeting the Department Head is already the best outcome. Once we contact Chaldea, we can return—Department Head, everyone was extremely worried about you during the over-half-year you were gone, especially your prospective wives. When you return, you’re in for it.”

“Prospective wives…”

Naoki paused, then asked: “How… are they doing?”

“They all shouted they’d make you unable to get out of bed for a hundred days once you’re back, and also make you kneel on a washboard until they’re satisfied.”

“Haha… Really? Then it seems very dangerous for me to return… Well, basically, we can’t return anytime soon anyway.”

Can’t return?

Hearing Naoki say that, Ritsuka was surprised: “The Department Head doesn’t plan to return?”

“Yes, for now I don’t plan to. After all, there’s unfinished business here. I plan to stay until it’s done—Two thousand four hundred years ago, I sent that message to Chaldea asking you to bring everyone; it was actually for this unfinished business.”

“That business… specifically is—”

“Cough cough cough!”

Before Ritsuka finished, Mash lying beside her suddenly coughed hard several times and woke amid the coughing, slowly opening her eyes with a pale face.

“Mash? You’re awake?”

“Ugh… Senpai…”

Holding her head, Mash sat up from the ground: “We… Right! Miss Artoria, she ugh—”

Mid-sentence, burning pain from various parts of her body made Mash lie back down.

Seeing the same reaction as Ritsuka, Naoki sighed resignedly: “You two really have chemistry. Identical reactions… Well, calm down, Mash. Don’t panic. Though Artoria was taken, she’s in no danger at all. I can guarantee that.”

“Big Brother…”

Hearing Naoki say this, Mash’s tense expression eased slightly.

And then—

“Alright, since both Mash and Fujimaru are awake, it’s time I explain the current situation. Why I can’t leave this Lostbelt, why I wanted you to come here, and what I plan to do—I’ll tell you everything clearly.”

After saying that, Naoki paused, then continued—

“First, let’s start with me.”

“In truth, I am not the Natsukawa Naoki from Pan-Human History that you know. I am merely a part of the Pan-Human History Natsukawa Naoki—like waste expelled during purification.”

“Two thousand four hundred years ago, I was the unnecessary part separated, released, and discarded by the Pan-Human History Natsukawa Naoki from himself.”

“That is who I am.”

-

Title: The Truth of 2,400 Years

The divergence point of this Lostbelt from Pan-Human History occurred in the ultra-ancient period, around fourteen thousand years ago.

The Wandering Star of Predation, the arrival of the Giant God of Destruction, the laziness of the six primordial fairies, and the absence of the Holy Sword Bearer… Though for Naoki this was a story told many times, Ritsuka, Mash, and even Chaldea over there knew nothing about it.

Thus, right after asking Mash to prepare the contact formation with Chaldea, Naoki still gave a simple explanation of the long 11,600-year events in this Lostbelt, from 14,000 years ago to 2,400 years ago.

Including, but not limited to, the reason for the formation of this British Isles, Rayshift Morgan, the matter of Cernunnos, and the deeper affairs of the Naraku Worm.

After hearing Naoki’s story, Ritsuka, Mash, and Chaldea fell silent.

“This Lostbelt… its divergence happened so long ago.”

“Just like Olympus back then.”

The fifth Lostbelt Ritsuka and Mash visited—Olympus—also diverged when the Giant God of Destruction arrived. Because the Greek gods made different decisions from those in Pan-Human History, it diverged and eventually developed into a Lostbelt.

Unexpectedly, this British Lostbelt was the same.

【But developing like this is actually one possibility. After all, they’re fairies. Laziness isn’t something impossible for them.】

On the projection over the Round Table shield surface, Merry—who had deep ties to Britain—was temporarily replacing Commander Roman’s position, sitting there and communicating with this side.

【So, what happened after that? Naoki Number Two, you only told up to two thousand four hundred years ago. Something must have happened then that caused this Lostbelt to become what it is now, right?】

Naoki nodded: “I said it earlier—I’m the individual separated from my original self two thousand four hundred years ago. In fact, two thousand four hundred years ago was also when my original self arrived in this Lostbelt.”

Two thousand four hundred years ago, Naoki from Pan-Human History left Lostbelt Shimosa, came to Lostbelt Britain, and was soon found by Aesc, who had inherited everything from Morgan. He accepted her request, became her partner, and promised to save the British Isles—doomed to destruction since birth.

But at that time on the British Isles, humans and fairies were in civil war. So Aesc prepared to unify the entire Fairy Nation before saving Britain.

For that, Aesc and Naoki—disguised as Merlin—educated a human boy named Uther.

【Pffft!】

Hearing Naoki use Merlin’s identity to become the teacher of a boy named Uther, Merry burst out laughing uncontrollably. At the same time, in Avalon unknown to anyone, Merlin—who had been peeking at Chaldea—showed the same reaction.

Neither expected Naoki to do something so outrageous.

【Sorry, sorry—I couldn’t hold it, hehe. Please continue your explanation, Naoki Number Two.】

“It’s fine, I understand. It feels weird even when I recall it myself. And I did call myself that on purpose to get that reaction from you.” Naoki laughed. “Back to the main topic.”

Life as Merlin lasted about half a year. No major events occurred during that period—at most, improving the human food environment and living standards.

The main point was six months later.

“Six months later, Aesc and I went to northern Britain—that is, the south of the Boundary Isle where we are now. In the ruins of Dragon Albion, we found a living being born from its right claw, and then went to one of the six great clans, the King Clan, and obtained a promise from the clan head, Mab.”

The King Clan head, Mab, promised that after the human rebellion succeeded, she would politically marry her daughter to the human King to jointly rule the Fairy Nation afterward.

But right after obtaining the promise, on the way back to headquarters, Naoki and Aesc—who had completed all their goals—while exterminating Mors (fallen fairies), the event that turned this Fairy Nation into what it is now occurred.

The Naraku Worm sleeping deep beneath the British Isles—known in Pan-Human History as Vortigern—triggered the first super-disaster in history to destroy Britain.

“Twenty thousand murder weapons enough to annihilate all of Britain appeared out of nowhere, pushing humans and fairies to a dead end. And facing the end of the world, the dark sides of humans and fairies fully erupted. This must be very clear to Merry, right?”

【Yes—using others as shields to save themselves, pinning hopes on others while doing nothing themselves, and even blaming and insulting them if the result isn’t good despite doing nothing themselves—things like that, right?】

“Yes, and such things happened repeatedly across Britain at that time. Aesc witnessed these scenes of degeneration and truly lost all hope in fairies and humans. While I had already been disappointed in fairies from the start.”

“So, Britain was destroyed—not by those twenty thousand murder weapons, but by Natsukawa Naoki. He followed his inner thoughts—and Aesc’s—destroying all of Britain with Moon Fall.”

Naoki destroyed all of Britain.

Hearing this past from Naoki’s own mouth, Ritsuka and the others fell silent. They hadn’t experienced it, but it was hard to imagine how degenerate Britain had become to make the Department Head willing to destroy the entire island…

【But what about Britain now?】

Merry continued asking.

【You said Britain was destroyed two thousand four hundred years ago, but isn’t Britain now fine? Though we can’t observe anything here, from your story, the British Isles should still exist now, right? Humans and fairies should still be living on it, correct?】

“Because after that, Naoki and Aesc together revived the entire British Isles.”

“Both the dead humans and the dead fairies… The two of them, after destroying the entire British Isles, revived the entire British Isles.”

“I was also born at that time—as the price Naoki had to pay to revive the entire British Isles.”

-

Title: The Nation Ruled by the Fairy King

Two thousand four hundred years ago, after destroying all of Britain with Moon Fall, Naoki and Aesc went to the only place unaffected by it.

That is, this Boundary Isle of Orkney—Aesc’s homeland.

Aesc wanted to save the British Isles, and Naoki decided to help her. Thus, the two who had destroyed Britain decided to revive the entire British Isles, letting Britain’s history continue according to the situation they knew.

However, reviving the entire British Isles required an immense amount of Mana.

Originally, Aesc accomplished this feat by burning the Mana of the entire Fantasy Tree. But this Lostbelt had no Fantasy Tree.

So Naoki made the sacrifice.

He released his Holy Sword, abandoning his identity as the Bearer of the Star Holy Sword, offering the Star Holy Sword—which should not exist in this Britain—to the world, sealing it forever on the Boundary Isle, and releasing all his past memories.

To put it exaggeratedly—

“Naoki sacrificed everything—his less-than-forty years—for the sake of realizing Aesc’s dream, to repay Aesc’s 3,600-year wait.”

Sacrificing everything.

This was a far heavier topic—even heavier than the destruction of all Britain earlier.

“This… means the Department Head forgot all of us?”

“No, I think he still remembers us.” Naoki shook his head. “If we compare memories to a full bottle of water, what Naoki did was pour out all the water but keep the bottle.”

Naoki still remembered what he experienced in Pan-Human History, remembered the people he knew there, remembered everything he did in the past.

But only remembered.

He no longer had real feelings attached. At best, it was like a country bumpkin who had heard of Tokyo but never actually been there.

“For us and him, we have become familiar strangers to each other.”

“And after making such a massive sacrifice, the only reward he got was Mana.”

Just like what Gilgamesh did in the Seventh Singularity.

Gilgamesh obtained immense Mana by sealing EA and fully activating his Magus bloodline. Meanwhile, Naoki, by sacrificing everything, also gained immense Mana.

【How much exactly?】

“The maximum planetary Mana support originally only obtainable when facing a Beast-class threat—let’s call it Savior Mode. The power that let him hold back Goddess Tiamat and directly overpower Goetia—he can now maintain that state permanently.”

【You’re kidding.】

Naoki’s words left Merry and everyone shocked, stunned, and speechless with fear.

The power Naoki wielded when fighting Tiamat and Goetia was remembered by those present and some senior Chaldea staff. It was the ultimate power permitted only when saving the world.

Now he says he can use it freely at any time?!

“I wish I were joking, but that’s the truth.” Naoki said. “After obtaining that much Mana and being able to stay in what’s called Savior Mode permanently, Naoki and Aesc together revived all the fairies he had destroyed. All of Britain rose again.”

This should be the story of the Holy Sword Bearer Artoria mentioned as the savior of Britain two thousand four hundred years ago.

The true savior of the world was actually the destroyer of the world—Ritsuka and Mash couldn’t laugh at this plot twist.

“After that, the two went into hiding, letting fairies and humans destroy each other. Then, over two thousand years ago, the Great Calamity arrived. After disappearing for four hundred years, they reappeared before the nearly extinct fairies, annihilated the Great Calamity, and then suppressed all fairies, unifying all of Britain.”

This was the event 2,016 years ago.

After the Spring War between northern and southern fairies, the Summer War triggered by Queen Mab, the Autumn War between humans and fairies, and finally the Winter War initiated by Naoki and Aesc.

The long Fairy Age finally ended.

Naoki and Aesc, after suppressing and unifying all fairy clans, announced the establishment of a new Fairy Nation. They held a coronation ceremony in Londinium—the place of their destiny—and married as husband and wife under the titles Fairy King and Winter Queen.

【HAH——————?!】

Merry’s loud scream suddenly drew everyone’s attention.

【Husband and wife? Husband and wife! You’re saying those two became married?! They’ve been married for 2,016 years?! So many people in Pan-Human History are still unmarried and waiting for him, but he secretly married the slowest person in the Lostbelt?!】

“Merry-sensei…”

“Such an extreme reaction…”

Merry’s rare outburst shocked Ritsuka and Mash, but they understood. After all, as Merry said, Naoki had over a dozen prospective wives in Pan-Human History, and he had promised to return and marry them after finishing Lostbelt business.

But after being gone over half a year, not only did he not return—he had actually been in the Lostbelt for over 2,400 years and married someone here without anyone knowing, becoming husband and wife for over two thousand years.

No wonder Merry, prospective wife number one, wasn’t just angry—she was raging.

【No way—just wait there. I’m Rayshifting over right now. There’s still coating left. This time, I’m smashing Naoki’s head!】

“Calm down—you’ll get turned into noodles by him if you come alone.” Naoki hurriedly soothed. “If you want to come, come together. Facing me now, there’s no chance of winning without everyone—actually, even if everyone comes, the odds aren’t great.”

“Anyway, in the 2,016 years after ascending as Fairy King and establishing the Fairy Age, I did many earth-shaking things.”

2,016 years ago, after founding the new Fairy Nation with Aesc, Naoki imposed absolute tyranny over the fairies.

“First, the unavoidable was the surveillance Magecraft spread across the entire Fairy Nation. Frankly, it was establishing nodes throughout Britain and building a massive surveillance network, placing all of Britain except Orkney under his watch. Leaving absolutely no privacy for the fairies and fully controlling all Fairy Nation information.”

【No privacy at all. Didn’t anyone resist?】

“Fairies who resisted were executed on the spot. Imitating Vlad III’s Noble Phantasm, they were impaled repeatedly with manifested poles via Imaginary Manifestation until the resisting fairy could no longer produce offspring. Even so, the dead fairies would be revived the next time.”

【That’s too inhumane, isn’t it?】

Even Merry couldn’t help saying that. Continuously killing a fairy until they couldn’t produce offspring and truly died, only to revive them at death—this was making the fairy experience death multiple times in life. As an execution method, it was more than sufficient.

Even Vlad III himself would be impressed if he knew.

“Then there was the equally unreasonable Fairy Exploitation rule. I mentioned earlier—there’s Cernunnos poisoned by fairies in the great pit at Britain’s center, and the Naraku Worm suppressed by Cernunnos, right?”

“Naoki would gather a thousand fairies from across Britain each year, squeeze them to death repeatedly in various ways, and use the extracted Mana to activate the twelve Mystic Codes called Holy Lance Rhongomyniad installed at Camelot’s main gate—to bombard Cernunnos’s body. This reduced the curse accumulated over ten thousand years and simultaneously attacked the Naraku Worm.”

“Of course, the fairies squeezed to true death would be revived and reused for the next round.”

The excessively cruel actions coming from Naoki’s mouth made Ritsuka and Mash unable to suppress their fear.

“This… this is really something the Department Head would do?”

“What’s the point? Big Brother already has near-limitless Mana—why still squeeze fairies like this?”

Naoki shook his head: “No special meaning. Just to make fairies atone for their sins—and also his own punishment for the fairies. I said it from the start, right? Naoki never thought fairies were worth saving. He only used them.”

“How could this be…” Ritsuka’s eyes were full of disbelief. “Then… didn’t the fairies resist? Weren’t they dissatisfied with this kind of rule?”

“Didn’t I say earlier? Resisting fairies were immediately captured and executed… Well, but there was one large-scale resistance.”

It happened in Fairy Age year 800. Due to Naoki’s deliberate leniency, the fairies who could no longer endure launched a resistance war. But just as they finished assembling troops and prepared to march, Moon Fall struck from the sky, killing all fairies on the spot—followed by ten consecutive Moon Falls that annihilated them.

The result instantly crushed all fairies’ will to resist.

“—So after that, no fairy in this Fairy Nation wanted to oppose Naoki anymore.”

“This is the current state of this Fairy Nation—a nightmare nation for fairies, ruled and dominated by the Fairy King’s tyranny.”