Chapter 912
"...?"
Shirou frowned, suddenly realizing that the conversation sounded somewhat familiar.
Just as he was thinking this, the skeletal ghost turned to face him and said...
"It's been a long time, Shirou."
"..."
Artoria and Habetrot looked at Shirou in confusion: You even know the Night Call?
Shirou stared at the skeletal ghost for a while, then his eyes widened.
Are you... Mira?
"Yes, it's amazing that you still remember me... I'm Mira, whom you and the Witch took care of in the past~"
The skeletal ghost said happily, "My tracking skills have improved compared to the past, haven't they?"
Whew, thanks to this transparent body~ Even Shirou- sama couldn't detect me this time~
No, actually, I noticed it.
Although he sensed it, Shirou's Instinct told him it was best not to engage with him easily.
"... What's wrong, Shirou- sama? Why do you look so sad?"
"No, it's so good to see you again, Mira."
"Hehe, me too. It's nice to meet you, Shirou- sama~"
"It's still the same as before, "Shirou thought sadly.
Mira the only cheerful and innocent fairy girl in the Mirror Clan, whose racial talent of foreseeing the future has made them lifeless.
Even after she died, she remained the same, just as lively as before.
After the Mirror Clan was destroyed, did she not disappear, but continue to exist as a bound spirit of this land...?
After that, Shirou, Artoria, Habetrot, and Mira, along with the demon, found a safe place to camp.
Shirou happens to have some questions he wants to ask Mira--
"Mmm~ Go ahead and ask, I'll tell you everything I know."
Shirou nodded and said, "Okay, Mira, I have a question for you..."
"Is your chieftain, Ainsel, really dead?"
Several days later.
Shirou and Artoria arrived at Orkney.
Orkney is Morgan's hometown, Shirou originally wanted to stay another day, but the sudden change in circumstances did not allow him to do so.
The reason was that Morgan sent troops to Lundinium.
The Fang Clan, led by Woodwose, launched an attack on the human rebels' stronghold.
As expected of Morgan... Shirou finally realized it.
Morgan did not surrender.
She wasn't acting recklessly; she was deliberately targeting herself.
Shirou had heard that the Wales Forest was a cradle of weak fairies, so he deliberately avoided it during his journey.
He avoided any contact with that place, lest he cause unnecessary trouble for the weak fairies.
But Morgan took the initiative to attack the forest, which had no strategic value whatsoever.
Although ostensibly it was to retaliate against Oberon for providing support to the Child of Prophecy, it was actually to restrain Shirou's actions.
This time is no different.
Ever since Shirou and his traveling Theater Company became famous in Britain, the Round Table Army has repeatedly sent representatives to contact them, hoping to join forces in their plan to overthrow the Queen.
Shirou ignored the handwritten letter from Percival, the leader of the Round Table Army.
He didn't want the Round Table Army to be targeted by Morgan at this point in time because of his involvement.
However, even this was seen through by Morgan.
She launched an unprecedented all-out attack on the Round Table Army.
The Britain War between Shirou and Morgan was essentially a cold war between husband and wife, forcing each other to compromise.
For Shirou, the Round Table Army... humanity's resistance force, is a necessary link in achieving his own goals.
If the Round Table Army is destroyed, Shirou will have no choice but to obediently return to Camelot and accept all of her conditions.
At this critical juncture, we absolutely cannot allow Lundinium to fall.
However, Shirou and Artoria had only just arrived in Orkney and couldn't possibly return to the south.
So while Shirou urged the Theater Company to set off for Lundinium, he also made another preparation—
The ruined capital, Lundinium.
Soldiers bustled about inside the stronghold.
Woodwose's Fae Kingdom army has already reached the city walls.
Although the soldiers were busy, their expressions were by no means tragic.
It was hard to say not long ago, but now Lundinium has gained new fighting power.
Those were the strangers and companions of the Child of Prophecy who had come from Norwich.
Although the Stranger and the Child of Prophecy himself were unable to arrive, the mere fact that the renowned Britain Theater Company came to their aid was already incredibly encouraging.
The soldiers understood this, so their morale was exceptionally high.
Moreover, besides the Fae Theater Company, another special figure also arrived in Lundinium as reinforcements—
"Concentrate the soldiers on the front line for now."
The enemy commander seems to completely underestimate us and intends to attack from the front.
Inside the Round Table Army's tent, a young girl clad in pure white armor stood before a table with a map spread out, pointing towards the main gate of Lundinium City.
This girl possessed stunning beauty that rivaled any fairy, with long, flowing golden hair braided into plaits that cascaded down her back.
Her noble features are said to be very similar to those of the Child of Prophecy, and she exudes a majestic aura reminiscent of the goddess of war in mythology.
Upon arriving in Lundinium, the young woman introduced herself by this name.
"My name is Jeanne d'Arc. Servant... Saber Jeanne d'Arc, here to support you all as Shirou's representative."
This was Shirou's backup plan.
He set up a summoning circle on the land of the Fae Kingdom, pulling the France Saintess down from the Heroic Spirit Throne to support Lundinium in his place.
Incidentally, although Shirou and Jeanne d'Arc formed a bond during a Parallel World's war in Romania, this time it wasn't a compatibility summoning.
In the ten years following the end of the Holy Grail War, Shirou, along with his two wives Rin Tohsaka and Luvia Zelitt, broke the Holy Grail's summoning ritual.
He can now freely choose any person he wants to summon, provided that the person accepts his summons.
After a brief moment of thought, Shirou chose Saint Jeanne d'Arc.
Jeanne d'Arc, who retained the memories of the Romania Holy Grail War and being possessed by Archangel Metatron, manifested as a Saber in the Fae Kingdom.
The reason for choosing the Saber class is that although Jeanne d'Arc's "Magic Resistance" level is lower in this form, she has higher combat performance and "Tactics" skills.
Not as a Christian Saintess, a young girl from Orléans, but as a heroine of the Hundred Years' War and commander of the France army—
"While it is commendable that the fighting force is not dispersed, considering the number of troops that can be deployed at one time, it is actually a phased deployment."
"If they skillfully employ tactics to launch wave attacks, that would be troublesome, but judging from the formation, there's absolutely no indication of that."
Unlike Jeanne d'Arc of the Ruler class, Saber-class Jeanne d'Arc exudes a cold and ruthless tone.
She stared intently at the map with her purple eyes, radiating a chilling aura of oppression.
"The enemy commander is not skilled in warfare."
Jeanne d'Arc smiled dismissively. It seemed the fairies of this world didn't understand what war was.
"I've already heard the details from Shirou."
She looked at the stunned soldiers around her and spoke with a serious expression.
"It seems that there have been some large-scale battles in the Fae Kingdom in the past, but large-scale wars between humans who are skilled in strategy are a thing of the past, and fairies are used to fighting by relying on their innate strength."
While leisurely enduring the oppressive feeling emanating from Jeanne d'Arc, Percival, the current de facto leader of the Round Table Army, who was discussing the current state of the Fae Kingdom.
Jeanne d'Arc nodded in agreement with his statement.
"Because the power of individuals is too great, the concepts of tactics and strategy are not yet mature."
Shirou has already explained to Jeanne d'Arc the origins of the fairy civilization in this world.
For example, when imitating human culture, they don't imitate technology, but rather use magic to directly output results.
The same applies to the cooking process when making food, and the construction process when building a building.
The only exception is probably the Earth Clan, who pay more attention to the process of creating items.
"It's truly pathetic. That's why the fairies of this country haven't made any progress."
Culture, civilization, and technology—these all have their core in the process of action.
However, it was precisely because of this that they were able to win easily this time.
Let me teach the fairies of this country what true war is.
As Jeanne d'Arc spoke, she ruthlessly overturned the chess pieces representing the enemy on the map.
Seeing that scene, the soldiers of the Round Table Army seemed to be hallucinating as if war angels had descended from the sky.
Jeanne d'Arc's cold voice carried an absolute air of arrogance.
To be honest, even Shirou himself was startled when he summoned her.
Jeanne d'Arc, who was gentle, resolute, and somewhat naive in some ways, seemed like a completely different person.
This is a change that cannot be explained simply by Saber's Spirit Origin.
It seems that Jeanne d'Arc's experience of having her body taken over by an archangel and being humiliated during the last Holy Grail War in Romania has helped her mature mentally.
Or perhaps, Metatron's Spirit Core is still influencing her to this day?
That archangel was like a persistent, malevolent spirit...
Although her real name is "Jeanne d'Arc," the girl's voice actually incorporates some elements of "Metatron."
"That being said, aren't our troops also complete novices when it comes to experience?"
Percival readily nodded in agreement with Jeanne d'Arc's assessment.
"Although the training was improved under Miss Jeanne d'Arc's guidance, and solid exercises were conducted before your arrival, it cannot be denied that it is indeed not very reliable in terms of practical combat experience."
Jeanne d'Arc pinched her delicate chin with her hand.
"Yes, our lack of practical experience is unavoidable."
So let's take advantage of the fact that they underestimate us and gain some experience.
Percival, you lead the vanguard.
Let the soldiers experience what real war is like.
In other words, Jeanne d'Arc herself did not intend to go to the front lines.
As an external force in the Pan-Human History, its significance changes if it were to appear arbitrarily.
Besides this, Jeanne d'Arc also wanted to ascertain the true strength of our side—especially their fighting spirit.
"It's nothing, the other side hasn't even shown their true abilities yet."