Looking Forward to Another World

By the time they left the cathedral, it was already around noon.

If they had been in the human world, this would’ve been lunchtime.

However, since fairies didn’t need to eat, and neither Aurora nor Oberon gave the idea of eating a second thought, after their conversation ended, Aurora didn’t keep Riezel and the others any longer, and Oberon immediately suggested they get moving, wasting no time.

But this made Artoria, who knew Riezel’s true identity, glance at him with concern and even quietly ask if he wanted to take the chance to grab a meal.

Riezel, however, didn’t accept the suggestion, mainly because he could use magic to maintain his condition, so eating or not really didn’t matter to him.

Back in Camelot, Riezel had already been using magic to go without food, which was why the fairies in the royal palace hadn’t suspected he was human.

Morgan, on the other hand, would send meals to him every now and then, saying it was just to let him try something different, but Riezel always felt that the witch had figured out he was human and sent the food because of that.

In other words, Morgan definitely knew Riezel wasn’t the Child of Prophecy, and that he wasn’t a fairy from the beginning.

Other than Artoria and Morgan, the only other one who probably figured out Riezel’s identity right away was that freak Beryl, who then went and told Tristan about it.

Even though Oberon was a Servant from Proper Human History, he didn’t seem to have seen through Riezel’s identity or realized he was human.

Since that was the case, Riezel didn’t mind hiding it a little longer, continuing to use magic to keep himself going.

And so, Riezel, Artoria, and Oberon left the Cathedral of the Ash Tree together, left Salisbury entirely, and headed out onto the grassland beyond.

”Summon Monster 2nd.”

As Riezel chanted summoning magic, a magic circle appeared on the grassland, and a white, eight-legged horse known as Sleipnir leapt out from it, landing in front of them.

”Create Greater Item.”

Riezel then cast a creation magic, conjuring a carriage and attaching it to the Sleipnir.

A luxurious carriage came into being, leaving Oberon clicking his tongue in amazement.

”Is this your magecraft? Looks pretty damn impressive! As expected of a magus!”

Saying this, Oberon had already shrunk his body down to a tiny form and hopped onto Blanca.

”I’m a magus too, you know...” Artoria mumbled off to the side.

When they left the cathedral, Aurora had offered to arrange some mounts for them if they didn’t have their own transportation, but Riezel had turned that offer down.

However, since he could make his own carriage with magic, he didn’t need anyone else to prepare a ride, so the three of them simply left Salisbury and made their way into the southern plains.

It was Oberon’s first time seeing Riezel use magic, so naturally, he was a bit curious.

As for Artoria, who had already seen Riezel’s magic a few times, she mumbled for a bit before turning to Oberon.

”By the way, where exactly are we headed next?”

Since Oberon was the one who suggested they move quickly, neither Riezel nor Artoria had asked what his actual plan was yet.

”We’re going to find our allies.” Oberon answered cheerfully.

”Allies?” Artoria blinked, then quickly caught on. ”You mean those forces opposing the Queen that Aurora mentioned?”

Aurora had said that the King Clan in the north, the rebels in Sheffield, and the Round Table Army in Londinium were forces opposing Morgan, which could definitely be counted as their allies.

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Given that Artoria had already accepted help from Aurora and Oberon, she had no problem welcoming more.

However, Oberon shook his head.

”No, not them. Even though they’re definitely the kind of people we should try to bring to our side, the ones I’m talking about are way more special.”

”Special... allies?” Artoria tilted her head. ”Who are they...?”

Before Oberon could answer, Riezel suddenly spoke.

”Chaldea, right?”

As soon as Riezel said this, both Artoria and Oberon froze.

”Chaldea?”

A question mark might as well have floated above Artoria’s tilted head.

”You know about Chaldea?” Oberon asked, looking at Riezel in surprise.

”Something like that.” Riezel nodded calmly. ”They’re the organization from Proper Human History that protects human order—I’ve heard plenty about them.”

In Proper Human History, there existed a special organization untouched by the interference of any nation.

It had been established to ensure the long-lasting and resilient continuation of human history. For that, experts from every field, regardless of whether they specialized in magecraft or science, had been gathered together, forming a collective dedicated to the protection of human history.

It was a research institute.

It was also an observatory, an astronomical facility.

Its mission had been to observe this world—a world that could not be fully comprehended by magecraft alone, nor entirely measured through science. When changes arose that threatened the extinction of humanity, the organization would intervene and act to protect human history.

It was known as the organization for the preservation of human order—Chaldea.

As a transmigrator, Riezel had certainly heard of it for a long time.

It was only natural.

It was, after all, the organization the original protagonist belonged to, and it had repeatedly served as the main stage where many of this world’s major events took place.

More importantly, the original protagonist was a Master of Chaldea.

A Master referred to a magus who had formed a contract with a Servant and could command that Servant. Chaldea’s method of intervening in human history and safeguarding humanity’s foundation had primarily relied on these Masters and their Servants.

”When a threat that endangers Proper Human History shows up, Chaldea’s Master will appear with the Servant they summoned. They’ll investigate and survey the location where the danger appeared, interfere with it, and if necessary, even resort to extreme measures—like directly eliminating a Lostbelt and restoring a Singularity in human history.”

Riezel explained to Artoria.

”They’re Chaldea, and the foreign traveler mentioned in the Mirror Clan’s prophecy is also one of them.”

Hearing this, Artoria’s eyes widened slightly.

”So... the foreign traveler they spoke of is someone sent by Chaldea?”

Artoria had finally figured out who the foreign traveler in the prophecy—the one meant to aid her—really was.

”Yeah...”

Riezel nodded and replied with certainty.

”They’ve already cleared multiple Singularities, restored humanity again and again, even saved it outright. They’ve conquered five Lostbelts too.”

”Now, Proper Human History is about to collapse because of this anomalous world called Faerie Britain. With things being like this, Chaldea must’ve already noticed that something’s wrong.”

”For that reason, the Master from Chaldea has probably already sneaked into Britain and entered this Lostbelt.”

At last, Riezel revealed something of great importance to Artoria.

In the original work, it had been with Chaldea’s help that Artoria had embarked on her pilgrimage, taken the path of the savior, and ultimately fulfilled her mission—bringing salvation to Faerie Britain.

Strictly speaking, they were her destined companions—people she could absolutely trust.

As a side note, the faction Beryl belonged to had essentially been an enemy of Chaldea, so the two stood on opposing sides.

Yes, Beryl also came from Proper Human History, but he had been an antagonist in every sense, standing against Chaldea.

”You sure know a lot...”

Standing nearby, Oberon gave Riezel a look filled with subtle meaning as he said this.

”Not really...” Riezel replied calmly, his expression remaining unchanged. ”Don’t you know quite a bit yourself?”

”I don’t know as much as you.” Oberon spoke with a hint of implication. ”At first, I thought you were the same as Chaldea—just another helper from Proper Human History. I even thought you might be part of Chaldea yourself, but now it seems like your origins go even deeper than I imagined, Riezel.”

Upon hearing this, Riezel turned his gaze toward Oberon and simply smiled.

”Shouldn’t I be the one saying that?” Riezel replied as calmly as before. ”Your background is probably deeper than anyone could ever guess, isn’t it?”

Oberon fell silent.

Riezel also stopped speaking.

All of a sudden, the two of them sank into silence, causing a strange atmosphere to spread between them.

Just then, Artoria finally spoke up.

”...And here I thought my background was already mysterious and complicated enough. Turns out I’m actually the simplest one here?”

While speaking, her expression was one of indescribable helplessness, which made both Riezel and Oberon blink, then smile.

”No way, no way. We’re nothing compared to you, Lady Savior of the future.” Oberon said with a grin. ”Come on, cheer up. We’re all counting on you.”

Artoria let out a soft snort and turned her head away, looking like she didn’t feel like talking anymore.

Riezel glanced at Artoria, then turned back to Oberon and spoke up.

”Since you said you wanted to find Chaldea, does that mean Chaldea has already come to this Lostbelt?”

Oberon naturally gave an affirmative answer to this question.

”You know, that’s information I worked hard to gather...” Oberon sighed helplessly. ”Well, if nothing unexpected happened, Chaldea should have arrived by now.”

Riezel nodded without surprise, since this timing matched exactly what he had predicted back when he was still in the royal palace.

Shortly after his wedding to Morgan, Chaldea did indeed arrive in Faerie Britain. According to the original work, the place where Chaldea landed after arriving in Faerie Britain should have been the previously mentioned Nameless Forest.

”Let’s go. I’ll take you there.”

Saying this, Oberon, mounting Blanca, flew ahead.

Riezel and Artoria got into the carriage one after the other and, pulled by the white Sleipnir, followed Oberon.

Soon, the rolling wheels echoed along the road outside Salisbury, kicking up clouds of dust behind the carriage.

’Foreign traveler, huh...?’

Artoria, sitting inside the carriage, looked out the window and recalled the Mirror Clan’s prophecy.

It was said that the Child of Prophecy would embark on a pilgrimage with the help of a foreign traveler and ultimately become Britain’s savior, overthrowing the false king and being crowned the true king.

Artoria had once hoped and imagined what kind of foreign traveler would assist her.

She had no friends, or rather, no true friends—only fairy childhood companions from the village of Tintagel who pretended to be her friends but never really cared about her.

Because of that, knowing she would one day have like-minded companions, she naturally imagined what kind of person they would be.

If it had been her old self, at the moment she set out to find the foreign traveler, she probably would have been nervous and uneasy, but now...

’I already have like-minded companions...’

Artoria thought to herself while looking at Riezel, who was sitting beside her.

”Hm? What’s up?”

Riezel noticed her gaze and asked with some confusion.

”Mm~mm, nothing.”

Artoria shook her head and smiled gently.

Despite her words, a clear look of affection appeared in Artoria’s eyes that had never been there before.

She wouldn’t tell Riezel that last night, when she dreamed of the Proper Human History version of herself, she also dreamed of him—dreamed of him becoming a sun again, lighting the path beneath her feet and protecting her journey.

Thanks to that, she managed to watch the life of the other version of herself. Otherwise, she would have long since been crushed under the heavy pressure it brought.

===

As Riezel’s group set off, several figures appeared on the coast of a forest at the distant border.

They seemed to have crossed over from the other side of the sea, but as soon as they landed, they were immediately engulfed in a thick fog.

”...Is this Britain Lostbelt?”

Someone among them spoke.

”I can’t see anything... this fog is so thick...”

Another voice followed.

”Wait up, let me scout the surroundings first.”

A youthful voice came, accompanied by the soft beeping sounds of equipment being operated.

”Hmm, the temperature is moderate, humidity is normal, but judging by these numbers, this fog isn’t ordinary water vapor. Also, the magical energy concentration in the air is unusually high. If it’s this dense, many ancient Mysteries might still linger on this land, so everyone, be careful. Don’t let your guard down.”

Warning the others, the youthful voice was filled with surprising wisdom, giving off a sense of early maturity.

”Understood.”

”Got it.”

Acknowledging in unison, the other two clearly showed respect for the youthful voice’s advice, even seeming to fully trust the assessment and caution.

However, just as the three were about to move, a fourth voice suddenly appeared.

”...I’m saddened. I’m right here beside you all, yet none of you has noticed my presence?”

Hearing this, the three were startled.

”...Eh?”

”Y-You’re?!”

”Tristan!”

At the trio’s exclamations, the master of the fourth voice chuckled.

”Yes, Knight Tristan, answering the call.”

A beautiful melody from a harp soon played, echoing through the thick fog.

As the knight who called himself Tristan strummed his harp, it brought joy to the three.

However, they didn’t notice the fog thickening around them, and silently, some dark shadows approached, slowly moving toward where they were standing.

===

Nameless Forest.

It was located in the southwest of Faerie Britain, at the far corner of the island, near the coast.

Of course, it wasn’t called Nameless Forest because it had no name.

”Is it really a forest that makes people completely forget everything about themselves, even their names, and never return?”

Artoria muttered to herself in the carriage, repeating the introduction Oberon had given.

”Yup.”

Oberon nodded in acknowledgment.

At this moment, he was still mounting Blanca but had already entered the carriage and was standing before Riezel and Artoria.

”Whether fairy or human, anyone who enters that forest will gradually get lost in the thick fog and forget everything along the way, until they can’t even remember their own name. That’s why it’s called the Nameless Forest—a place you enter and never return from, a forest where you lose your name.”

It was the worst fairy territory in Britain.

It was the most feared, the least welcomed dead zone for fairies.

At least, for fairies, it was no different from a death trap.

Why?

Simple.

”When a fairy loses their name, they lose the meaning of their existence and even the concept of their existence. In the end, they either wither completely or turn into cursed Moss—wandering the land of Britain until they’re destroyed to find redemption.”

Oberon continued explaining casually.

”And that’s the terrifying place we’re heading to. How do you feel?”

Honestly, there was no need to say.

Artoria now gripped the Staff of Selection tightly, looking reluctant.

Since the Nameless Forest was a huge deterrent to fairies, the fear it caused was clearly far stronger than that felt by humans.

At least humans wouldn’t turn into Moss or cursed creatures just because they lost their memory or their name, but fairies were different.

Unless they wanted to die, they would never dare approach the Nameless Forest.

”Did Chaldea... really land in a place like that?” Artoria showed a troubled expression.

”I wish I could say no, but unfortunately, that’s the truth.” Oberon shrugged. ”From what I know, recently, the only place with unidentified drifting objects washing ashore was the coast near the Nameless Forest—that’s probably Chaldea’s ship.”

In other words, unless they gave up looking for Chaldea, they had no choice but to go to the Nameless Forest.

”Are you both okay with that?” Oberon asked with a serious expression. ”I have ways to avoid being affected by the Nameless Forest, but how about you two?”

At this question, Artoria hesitated because she wasn’t sure if she would be affected by the Nameless Forest.

Riezel, on the other hand, was confident it wouldn’t affect his memory.

However, just as he was about to speak, a strange noise suddenly appeared, catching his attention.