On the outskirts of Fuyuki City lay a dense forest. Although it was in a temperate zone, it remained bitterly cold all year round, unlike the world outside. The deeper one ventured, the colder it became. Perhaps explorers had tried to uncover the forest's secrets, but none had ever returned to tell the tale.
In winter, when the weather outside turned cold, an even thicker blanket of snow accumulated in the forest. Today, however, many footprints marked the snow.
"The Einzbern can alter an area's environment almost permanently. That's already a miracle in the world of magecraft." A voice drifted through the air.
"If we're talking about miracles, surely Chaldea is the real miracle," said a beautiful red-haired woman.
"They're different. Chaldea was built to preserve human history, but it wasn't the amount of materials used in its construction that allowed it to survive the disaster. Humanity's collective desire to live elevated Chaldea into a Noble Phantasm. Rather than a miracle, you could call it an act of God," the disembodied voice said wistfully.
"In your mythology, Noah's Ark was something like that too, wasn't it?" asked a man dressed in samurai attire.
"Of course not," the red-haired woman said. "Noah's Ark merely waited passively for this so-called God's forgiveness. But Chaldea-we're going to reclaim our own future."
"Fou, fou!" a cute little creature chimed in.
The disembodied voice sighed again. "As much as I hate to admit it, the Eastern World really is stronger than the Western World when it comes to facing an unknown future."
"Senpai, the Einzbern castle is somewhere in this forest, but how are we supposed to find them?" asked the woman holding a massive shield.
"For that, we'll have to rely on Mr. James." The red-haired woman smiled faintly and turned to the great