To be honest, Souya had prepared himself before starting the simulation to encounter various things that clearly didn't fit the historical background of the simulation, including but not limited to high technology, unspeakable entities, and even things like flesh-and-blood ascension.
After all, the Type-Moon universe is such a miraculous world where the original history has long been altered beyond recognition.
But if you said that in such a medieval setting—a place that revered chivalry and where people still fought primal battles with iron weapons—seeing something that was obviously powered armor or a mecha warrior wouldn't make you feel a sense of absurdity and a strong urge to complain, that would be impossible.
This was exactly how Souya felt right now.
Looking at the opponent's burly physique and the orange-red energy circuits flowing across the black mechanical shell, Souya truly doubted whether even his full-powered strike using 'Intercepting the Flow' could break through their defense.
Chat, I've really run into a cheater this time. It's unplayable... (crying)
"Who are you, and what do you want?"
Sensing the powerful aura of the Age of Gods emanating from the other party, Souya had a faint guess in his heart, but he suppressed the urge to run away and spoke with his guard up.
Don't get it wrong. Souya wasn't the kind of hot-blooded protagonist who would disregard his life for fame. If he could run, he absolutely wouldn't look back.
The only reason he wasn't running now was because the cave entrance was blocked by the opponent's massive, nearly three-meter-tall frame.
Besides, trying to outrun a Gundam with his legs and that little mare?
You must be joking.
Unable to run, Souya could only brace himself and face it.
But the opponent didn't seem to harbor any malice toward Souya. They simply stood there and said with a firm tone:
"Don't worry. Since you are of the same kind as me, I definitely won't hurt you."
"Then what is your purpose for following me?"
Although somewhat surprised that this person had no intention of attacking, Souya still didn't lower his spear, continuing to stare warily at the mecha freak.
"My purpose?"
Hearing this question, the opponent seemed to freeze for a moment. Then, under Souya's bewildered gaze, they placed their right index finger on their chin and looked up at the sky in a thoughtful pose.
What is going on?
Why is a guy wearing a Gundam doing a cute, innocent pose like an anime girl deep in thought?!
No matter how you look at it, this is way too incongruous!
Souya felt a profound inability to articulate his complaints.
But the opponent didn't notice his look. After pondering for a while, the muffled electronic voice carried a hint of tentativeness.
"I want to travel with you. Do you think that's okay?"
?
Souya was truly dumbfounded this time. What did this guy just say? Travel with him?
Bro, do you really think I, Lamorak, am an idiot? With an aura of the Age of Gods even thicker than mine, do you really think I don't know who you are?
Pretending to be innocent to deceive a junior like me, do you really think I'm that easy to fool?!
Thinking of this, Souya stopped playing dumb and said coldly:
"Hey, since you've dressed up like this to see me, don't treat me like a child you can easily deceive."
"I'll be blunt, Vortigern. Although I was chosen by the Age of Gods just like you all, I am absolutely not of your kind, nor will I ever be."
"If you're here to seek revenge because I killed so many of your subordinates, then make your move. Even if I, Lamorak, must die, I will die in battle! I will absolutely not cower and submit like a coward!"
With that, Souya assumed a look of facing death with equanimity, pointing his spear forward at the so-called 'Vortigern'.
"Eh? Eh? Eh?!"
The Gundam was completely bewildered by Souya's barrage of words. Only upon seeing Souya point his spear at them did they realize he had mistaken their identity.
They hurriedly waved their hands to explain.
"No, no! I'm not Vortigern! I'm Britomart! Fairy Knight Britomart!"
"What? You aren't Vortigern?"
Souya was stunned upon hearing this, but immediately frowned and denied it.
"How could you not be Vortigern? The aura of the Age of Gods on you is so thick. In all of Britain, probably only Vortigern, who was chosen by the Age of Gods, possesses such an aura."
"And, Fairy Knight?"
Souya's expression turned somewhat peculiar.
Isn't that a concept from the future British Lostbelt?
How could Fairy Knights exist in Pan-Human History? Even if there were fairies who wanted to become knights, how could they appear in Britain now, when the passage to the Inner Sea of the Planet is closed?
Could it be that the place I've come to isn't Britain, but the British Lostbelt from long ago?
Meanwhile, seeing that Souya completely disbelieved their words, the Gundam calling itself 'Fairy Knight Britomart' instantly grew anxious.
The gaze hidden beneath the Gundam helmet also became hesitant and erratic.
After a moment's thought, they finally made up their mind and said to Souya:
"Since you and I are both Fairy Knights, there's no harm in showing you my true face. Once you see what I really look like, you'll definitely believe what I said."
"Hmm?"
Before the bewildered Souya could react, he saw the Gundam before him begin to vibrate.
Immediately after, the orange-red energy circuits upon it began to flash rapidly.
Then, under Souya's shocked gaze, the black Gundam erupted with a burst of white mist, and the armor pieces from various parts began to detach and dissipate.
In less than a minute, the originally tall and mighty black Gundam vanished without a trace. In its place stood a beautiful silver-haired girl wearing a white-and-gold dress, possessing a proud figure and revealing a large expanse of cleavage.
Holy crap, the Gundam turned into a beautiful girl!
The girl had indigo eyes similar to Souya's, bright eyes and white teeth. Her long hair was tied into two buns with ponytails, and on the sides of her head were a pair of elf ears with pointed tips.
At this moment, the fairy girl named Britomart was looking at Souya somewhat shyly, her small hands nervously gripping the hem of her dress, her large eyes full of anticipation.
"See? I didn't lie to you, did I? I really am a Fairy Knight!"
Feeling the aura emanating from her, which was extremely similar to his own, and seeing the cute ears that symbolized her fairy identity...
Souya finally understood that the girl hadn't lied to him; she truly was a fairy.
But questions followed immediately.
Didn't they say the Inner Sea of the Planet was closed? Where did this Britomart pop out from, calling herself a Fairy Knight?
And the name Britomart... sounds a bit familiar?
Have I seen her somewhere before?
Sensing Britomart's gaze becoming increasingly anxious and uneasy, Souya finally snapped back from the questions in his mind.
Looking at the harmless appearance of the girl before him, and feeling no malicious intent, he thought for a moment, then lowered his weapon and motioned for her to sit by the fire.
In Britomart's eyes, this gesture meant Souya had accepted her.
Thus, she revealed a happy expression and sat down beside Souya.
"So, your name is Britomart, right?"
Souya tossed a few pieces of wood into the fire, making it burn brighter.
As the warmth slowly entered his body, driving away the fatigue and dampness from traveling in the forest these past few days, Souya couldn't help but feel a slight sense of relief.
"Yes! Britomart! I am Britomart the Second, who inherited the name of my mother, Britomart the First, and is determined to learn from her and become a qualified Fairy Knight!"
Hearing Souya initiate the question about her name, Britomart was very happy, chattering away like a little sparrow.
"And what about you, my companion? What is your name?"
Britomart looked at Souya beside her, her eyes bright and full of curiosity.
"Ah, my name is Lamorak. I'm a wandering knight."
Souya scratched his head. He was actually quite bad at dealing with enthusiastic and cute girls like Britomart.
Souya felt he was better suited to interacting with rational older sister types like Morgan.
Though to be fair, despite her girlish temperament, Britomart's figure was surprisingly good, far surpassing that of an average mature woman.
"Alright! I look forward to working with you, my companion Lamorak!"
Clearly, this fairy girl had taken Souya's previous words as him agreeing to her request.
Seeing her so happy, Souya felt too embarrassed to burst her bubble and say he still needed to consider her request.
After all, no matter how pretty or harmless Britomart seemed, she was still an outsider he had just met.
Souya wasn't the type to trust someone so easily.
But more than that, what he cared about most right now was how Britomart came to Britain.
After a moment's thought, Souya felt a direct approach was far better than beating around the bush. So, he asked Britomart:
"Britomart, how did you come to Britain? Have you always lived here, or did you come from somewhere else?"
Hearing Souya's words, Britomart froze for a moment. Her beautiful large eyes blinked, and her expression was puzzled.
"From the Fairy Kingdom, of course. Aren't you, Lamorak?"
The Fairy Kingdom? Ah, that should be the Inner Sea of the Planet.
Souya knew it was the Reverse Side of the World, and the location corresponding to Britain in the Inner Sea of the Planet was likely what Britomart called the Fairy Kingdom.
After some thought, Souya shook his head, denying Britomart's assumption.
"I'm not from the Fairy Kingdom. In fact, since my birth until now, I have never been to the Fairy Kingdom."
Saying this, Souya smiled somewhat sheepishly at Britomart.
"I might not be a so-called Fairy Knight like you. After all, I haven't received any certification from your Fairy Kingdom, and currently, I'm not a pure fairy. Human blood flows within me."
"That's okay."
Upon hearing Souya's words, not only did Britomart not show surprise, but she also answered with a smile.
"My mother said that as long as you harbor the spirit of chivalry and dream of becoming a knight, any fairy can be a Fairy Knight."
"As for human bloodline, you really don't need to worry about it, because I'm also half-human and half-fairy."
"Ah."
Hearing Britomart's words, Souya was momentarily stunned.
So the criteria for a Fairy Knight in Pan-Human History is this lax?
No matter how you look at it, they lack the imposing presence of Fairy Knight Tristan, Gawain, and Lancelot...
And aren't fairies supposed to look down on humans?
Even though this is Pan-Human History, it is fundamentally the prototype for the Lostbelt. Wouldn't Britomart, with half human blood, really not be bullied in the Fairy Kingdom?
Hmm...
Looking at the innocent girl giggling foolishly while holding the roasted fish Souya had handed her, Souya dismissed the doubts in his mind.
A girl this sweet and naive couldn't have been the product of bullying.
Then does this mean that if possible, I could bring the newborn Camelot and Morgan along to take refuge in the Reverse Side of the World?
One must know that both Morgan and the Kingdom of Camelot had currently deviated from the trajectory of history, becoming a new branch on the Tree of Fate.
Souya knew the Type-Moon universe had two major Counter Forces: 'Alaya', representing primates, and 'Gaia', representing the nature of the Earth.
He didn't know if his actions—akin to tampering with destiny, or even madly dancing upon and provoking fate—would attract the attention of 'Alaya'.
If the Counter Force intervened and 'accidentally' annihilated Camelot during the struggle between the White Dragon and the Red Dragon, what would he do?
What would Morgan, who sacrificed everything for this, do?
As for whether Souya's act of bringing Camelot to sink into the Inner Sea of the Planet would generate a Lostbelt or Singularity...
That would not be the problem of Souya Kotomine of the Holy Church, but a matter for Gudao and Mash of the world-saving organization, Chaldea.
Thus, Souya presented this question to Britomart.
"Britomart, do you know how you came from the Fairy Kingdom to Britain?"
"Ah?"
Hearing this, the white-haired elf girl eating roasted fish was clearly taken aback. She then looked at Souya with embarrassment.
"Why are you asking that... it's a bit embarrassing."
?
A giant question mark popped up in Souya's head.
What the hell are you blushing for?
"Well, since we're already partners, we should be honest with each other."
As if making up her mind, Britomart slightly leaned her head toward Souya and whispered in his ear.
Souya felt a warm breath tickling his ear, while the faint, refreshing scent of the fairy girl lingered at the tip of his nose.
In such an ambiguous posture, Britomart softly said to Souya:
"Actually, I sneaked out with my mother's treasure."
Souya: ?
So you're just an underage runaway girl?
And you have the nerve to call yourself a Fairy Knight in front of others?
Souya found it hard to suppress his rising urge to complain.
But in the end, he held back and asked, "Then how did you get here? Did you use the usual passage?"
"No. The old path was sealed. This time, I followed a white-haired incubus out."
The only thing Britomart found hard to talk about was the fact that while she outwardly pursued her ideals, she was actually running away from home. She wasn't embarrassed about anything else.
She quickly explained the situation to Souya.
After hearing the story, Souya felt a toothache coming on.
After all that, it turns out it was all Merlin's fault.
In short, the evil Magus of Flowers drank too much and messed things up. He went back to Avalon to fetch something while drunk, and because of the alcohol, he forgot to close the passage after getting his item.
This led to the secretly running-away Britomart discovering the passage before its energy dissipated, using it to reach the present world of Britain.
Thus, Souya realized his plan to take Morgan and Camelot to Avalon was ruined.
But soon, Souya realized another problem. The way he looked at Britomart instantly became peculiar.
Girl, when you ran away from home, did you ever consider if you could go back?
"What's wrong, Lamorak? You look a bit strange. Are you feeling unwell?"
Britomart, holding the roasted fish in one hand, looked worriedly at the strangely behaving Souya.
As she spoke, she extended her other clean, small hand to touch Souya's forehead.
The girl's icy yet soft, jade-like hand stunned Souya for a moment, and he hurriedly changed the subject.
"It's nothing, nothing. By the way, Britomart, what was that black mecha you had earlier? Why did it have such a dense aura of the Age of Gods?"
No matter what, Britomart was in a good mood right now. There was no need for him to speak up and make her anxious.
It was better to wait and see if there was a chance to help her solve this problem later.
"Oh, that."
Hearing Souya ask about the black Gundam, Britomart's expression instantly became somewhat smug, unable to hide the pride on her small face.
"That is one of my mother's strongest treasures! It's called the 'Queen's Fortress: Wave Armor Shell'."
"It was originally the renowned armor worn by Angela, the Anglo-Saxon Queen who fought against the previous King of Britain, Uther Pendragon. Later, because my mother became good friends with King Uther and provided him with much help, he gifted this armor to her."
Saying this, Britomart somewhat proudly extended her hand toward Souya. A black mecha gauntlet instantly appeared on her hand, the energy circuits engraved upon it emitting a faint glow.
"You see, this armor can be worn like this too. And it's said its defensive power can rival that of a human fortress."
Souya was left dumbfounded by Britomart's words.
Did I hear that right?
This Gundam-like thing is the armor of the Anglo-Saxon Queen who fought Uther in his youth?
So what you call knightly combat in Age of Gods Britain is basically hacking at each other in mechas?!
Looking at the black mecha gauntlet full of sci-fi aesthetics, Souya's eyes were brimming with the urge to complain.
At this rate, I won't be surprised at all if I see knights wielding lightsabers in Vortigern's faction in the future.
What kind of medieval Britain is this, with a completely messed-up tech tree?!
"Oh, right, Lamorak!"
At this moment, Britomart, who had just been endlessly talking about her mother's story, suddenly changed her tone. With a hint of embarrassment and pleading, she said to Souya.
Simultaneously, the System's voice rang in Souya's mind.
[Host, I found the mythological record of Britomart!]
But at this moment, Souya didn't hear what the System was saying at all.
His mind was completely filled with the softness of his hand, which Britomart had grabbed and placed upon the pride of her chest, as well as her shy and expectant words.
"Lamorak, can you help me replenish my mana?"