Robin Hood

Robin Hood was not one person.

That did not mean his race was divine or fae.

The important part was "one"—the quantity.

To fight the ruthless supporters of tyranny, to fight fully armed armies, the oppressed people who had lost all hope needed a guide.

They needed hope.

Humanity needed hope.

The rise of religion had first come from extreme poverty. When people felt that even their livelihoods were no longer guaranteed, they turned their eyes to the afterlife. Or rather, they had no choice but to turn to the afterlife, to draw from it the courage to keep living.

Likewise, if people who could no longer survive were to resist tyranny, they needed a spiritual leader.

As a spiritual leader, that person had to be outstanding, powerful, and capable of guiding them into battle at every moment.

Yet that had already exceeded the bounds of humanity.

In truth, more than heroes, the people needed gods.

The people needed heroes, but they did not care where those heroes came from. Ten years spent studying by lamplight? Rising at cockcrow to dance with shield and axe? It did not matter. As long as he was wise, strong, exceptional, merciful, and willing to lead them, that was enough.

Thus, some of the people with the strongest spirit of resistance and adventure took the lead in joining together. They clearly understood that while a pie might fall from the sky, a hero never would. Therefore, they decided to create one.

Everyone had different experiences and different strengths. Gather them all together and forge them into one person, and that person would be capable of anything.

At first, it had merely been hunters, craftsmen, and knights' attendants working together. Since they had to fight large numbers of well-equipped enemies, guerrilla warfare was the only viable tactic.

Several people gathered, erased their own existences, and swore beneath the sacred oak: from that moment on, they donned green cloaks and never showed their true faces. From that moment on, they became the mysterious hero Robin Hood.

Therefore, Robin Hood was not a hero, but the concept of a hero.

The elusive man in green—Robin Hood.

Naturally, wasn't that how it worked? As long as one wore a green cloak, anyone could be Robin Hood. That was the difference between a concept and a hero. Even if those people died, their successors could continue punishing evil for the people as Robin Hood so long as they donned green cloaks.

But take off the clothes, and they were ordinary people. They lived unremarkable lives, and even if their enemies possessed miraculous abilities, it would be difficult to track them down. For they had not disguised themselves as citizens—they had disguised themselves as heroes.

That way, they were bound to be elusive. The enemy might have had great numbers, but in order to maintain military supplies and provisions, the people would always outnumber the army.

Therefore, no matter when or where atrocities occurred, Robin Hood could learn of them swiftly.

Therefore, no matter when or where atrocities occurred, Robin Hood could swiftly rush to the scene and respond.

Therefore, whether it was annihilation battles, frontal engagements, shooting, traps, guerrilla tactics, defensive deployments, or even sabotaging logistics, Robin Hood excelled at all of them.

Naturally, wasn't that obvious? Robin Hood was not made up of just one person. A human life was limited, so each person could only choose the field they were best at and accumulate experience in it. When all those experienced people gathered together, they forged an invincible hero.

And this girl was one member of that collective known as Robin Hood.

She had originally been an ordinary village girl, but the increasingly harsh taxes and forced labor had driven her family into a dead end. Thus, she had no choice but to begin resisting.

As a woman, the help she could offer was quite limited.

But likewise... because she was a woman, she could do things the other Robin Hoods could not.

For example, since she had originally been a village girl, she could carry a vegetable basket and blend naturally into any market. Or she could ride in a carriage and enter the enemy's main camp with ease under the pretense of bringing supplies to the troops. Such goodwill from local residents was often taken as proof of submission. Even if the other side was wary, a few flattering words and a display of weakness would make those foolish guards believe her.

Of course, the enemy did have intelligent people, but an intelligent person would never be just a gate guard.

Or she could use her looks to easily approach nobles and officials, learn intelligence that many men could never obtain, and gain opportunities that many men could never have.

As Robin Hood's eyes and ears, this woman had devoted her entire life.

Later, as the battles grew harsher and the hero Robin Hood became more famous, his enemies came to hate him all the more. Through countless clashes, Robin Hood's companions who served as his bow gradually fell away. There were fewer and fewer members, and in order to preserve the name of the unerring marksman, the girl and the other

Robin Hoods worked hard to learn archery. Skilled archers were rare, so they could only make themselves skilled.

To summon them with an oak branch from Sherwood Forest naturally meant hoping to intervene in that unknown contract, to intervene in that oath. Accordingly, those who answered the summons would be every member of Robin Hood's group proficient in archery.

Naturally, that included this girl.

As for why it was her...

"Probably because, like my Master, I'm a newcomer. I haven't been Robin Hood for very long."

She ended her account with that somewhat self-mocking, indifferent remark. The girl in green clearly had no intention of concealing her displeasure.

With a mildly reproachful gaze, she lashed Tsukahara Meiji like a whip. It probably meant: I told them everything, just as you asked.

It was clear that she still regarded Carl as an enemy.

But after hearing her story, Tsukahara Meiji could understand her hostility.

For a spy, perhaps only someone who trusted no one but herself could be considered qualified.

Besides, he had heard that the beginning of Robin Hood's story was one of loyalty to the royal family, only to be betrayed by that same royal family and forced to rise up in resistance.

Although the royal family Robin Hood had served was England's, and the one who betrayed Robin Hood was England's Prince John... even historians might not dare claim they had sorted out such matters, let alone ordinary people.

So, she did not trust Carl. Or rather, she did not trust this idea of an alliance.

"So, you manifested as an Archer because of your skill with a bow?"

Da Vinci suddenly interjected.

There was no warning, no lead-in—just that lone sentence.

"Indeed."

Robin Hood readily admitted that much. It was obvious from her own parameters, and there was no use hiding it. If she had manifested because of a Noble Phantasm, then the C+-rank Noble Phantasm on her status panel would have been far too laughable.

Da Vinci gave another vague response, propped her chin on one hand, withdrew from the conversation, and let her mind continue wandering through its imaginings.

Afraid of disturbing the great genius, Tsukahara Meiji immediately asked another question, drawing Robin Hood's attention away from Da Vinci and back to himself.

"Um, Archer, uh... aren't you hot? The hood and all that..."

"No. Servants are not human. Our condition depends on the stability of our mana supply, not real-world physical conditions. If you wish to see my appearance, just say so, Master. We are both newcomers; there is no need to be so reserved."

Robin Hood saw through his thoughts in one sentence. Tsukahara Meiji could only force a smile, thinking to himself, Easy for you to say. You were summoned by such a useless Master that I feel like I've already let you down...

She removed the deep green hood. The brown hair that had previously been faintly visible finally revealed itself in full, cascading like a waterfall. It was the sort of silky smoothness usually added with special effects in television commercials for chocolate. Beneath that flowing, glossy hair was a face just as beautiful and refined.

Though she called herself a village girl, her smooth skin and delicate features suggested that she had come from a respectable background. This was not the refinement a girl who worked the fields year-round should possess.

Her lake-clear eyes held a foxlike wariness toward everyone, yet mixed within that suspicion was a gleam of confidence. Combined with her tightly pressed lips and slender oval face, she was a true beauty.

Tsukahara Meiji stared in a daze. He had never imagined that there could be such a beautiful girl in the world.

But thinking about it, she had claimed she could slip into the beds of high-ranking officials. If she were not breathtakingly beautiful, she could not have done that, could she?

"What is it, Master? Don't tell me you can't accept that Robin Hood is a woman? Or can't accept a woman like me?"

As Robin Hood spoke, she grasped the loose fabric at her collar with both hands, intending to pull the hood back on. The gesture left Tsukahara Meiji flustered. "N-No, I... I was just stunned! You're so beautiful! I've never seen anyone like you! I... Hey, Carl, say something too!"

"Indeed. Such beauty is rare."

Carl gave her fair approval as well. Robin Hood's brow furrowed slightly, and she sighed. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly stopped, her half-open mouth frozen in place.

It was not only her. Da Vinci, Carl, Tsukahara Meiji, and even the other Heroic Spirits and Masters all heard a clear voice in their ears.

It was the voice of the Holy Grail, the one that had previously filled them in on the basic knowledge. As the wall-mounted digital clock reached the hour, it emitted a faint but distinct click. The red digits on the screen swiftly changed from 00:59 to 01:00.

"The seventh Servant has manifested in the Rider class. I hereby formally declare that the Holy Grail War has begun."