Cyan Snake: In the introduction to the previous chapter, I put a quote from Paracelsus: "The dose makes the poison". This is called (in modern toxicology terminology) the dose–response relationship, or exposure-response relationship. The bodyguards were killed by a fairly large dose of poison administered directly into the bloodstream (via the dirks). On the other hand, Atrum Galliasta was attacked through a skill called "Dance of Silence". A hypnotizing dance that allows Serenity to poison her victim thanks to micro-droplets of poison in suspension in the air. Let's assume that the room measures 200 m², nothing exceptional for a large office with multiple workstations. You don't have to be very good at math or biochemistry to understand that a dose of poison delivered in this way is less lethal (because of dilution). In addition, airborne contamination with a toxic agent is less than the same dose of poison delivered directly to the bloodstream. In simpler and clearer terms, Serenity killed the guards instantly with a massive dose of poison directly injected into the bloodstream, while Galliasta breathed a dose of poison diluted in a large volume of air.
SAVIORofFRANCE: I've been told this before... Again... again... again and again. Some "Archer megafan" even called me a heretic. Until then I didn't know there was a religion dedicated to Archer...But if my contradictors spend as much time contradicting each other, they all have one thing in common: to be persuaded to hold the one and only truth. I'm just trying to write a good story, based on the character profiles. If you don't agree, go to Type-Moon Wiki and protest to have Archer's profile rewritten.
The different Guests will recognize each other
Guest1: Yes, Illya is the cutest... yeah she's not very sane, and not really a little girl... but she has seen to be an adorable cute thing... You know the saying: "You mustn't judge people by their appearance".
No, you don't understand. Galliasta uses its own Magecraft. It's not just Shirou or Rin that use Strengthening. This is a basic Magecraft and it's among the first learned by a Magus. Afterward, Magi are more or less gifted...
Yes, Sernity and Luvia are an impressive Servant-Master duo.
Guest2: Thank you very much.
Guest3: Ah, what happens to the Grail? Good question, but the answer is not for now. In the short term, we will have an "ordinary" Grail War (if such an event can ever be described as normal). It is only after the death of several Servants that the "new" Grail will begin to manifest... and no one will like this turn of events!
Guest 4 and 5: and the point is...?
Author's Note: Another morning in search of administrative documents. Another morning I could not write. I'm going to make Gilgamesh pay... Gilgamesh? You're wondering what the relationship is? Obviously, you haven't read Gilgamesh's epic. The legend lends to Gilgamesh the reconstruction of Uruk after the Flood. At that time, people were still living in very primitive society (around -2,700). People hunted, gathered, cultivated, made themselves what they needed, and exchanged what they did not create. There was no trade, no money, and no shops. But Gilgamesh organized his people. He said to the one "you will make bricks", to the other, "you will bake bricks" to the third, "you will hunt". This is how Gilgamesh created the trades. Then he asked the scribes to keep warehouses where those who made bricks could exchange them for food and other goods. The scribes kept lists... and this was the first administration. And as they were to reward each other justly, Gilgamesh created currency. (Incidentally, it is this legend which is at the origin of the Noble Phantasm "Gate of Babylon", creator of the first currency and having built warehouses to store all the goods produced in Uruk, Gilgamesh ended up embodying the very idea of "owning everything".)
Another note: the orthography in Arthur's memories is somewhat archaic ( "Tintagil" for "Tintagel", "known" for "knew") it's not a misspelling.
Third Day
After that I had accomplished and finished diverse histories, as well of contemplation as of other historical and worldly acts of great conquerors and princes, and also certain books of ensample and doctrine, many nobles and divers gentlemen of this realm of England come and demanded me many and oft time, wherefore that I have not do made and imprint the noble history of the Saint Greal, and of the most renowned Christian king, first and chief of the three best Christian and worthy, King Arthur, which ought most to be remembered among us Englishmen to-fore all other Christian kings...
William Caxton (preface of Thomas Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur)
Pyrrha Nikos watched the scene as a spectator. The events unfolded before her eyes without her being able to do anything.
It was night, but the darkness was held at a distance by the flame of hundreds of torches that were waved or thrown on buildings, setting them on fire for the simple pleasure of burning things.
An entire soldiery devoted to destroying, stealing, and looting was widespread in a large castle. The Invincible Girl turned to the white-capped silhouette that leaned on a large black staff:
"Where are we now?"
"It's Tintagil Castle, the Castle of Dumero duke of Cornwall... it's after his death at the siege of Castle Terrabil." Answered Merlin.
"When did this happen?"
"A few days before Arthur were born."
Two knights appeared, dragging a beautiful young woman in a white dress. Her long blond hair was divided into two braids. She had green eyes. Pyrrha especially noticed that she was nine months pregnant and that a little girl with the hair of a very pale blond, almost white, was crying following her mother.
Merlin will sigh:
"This is Igraine of Cornwall, Dumero's widow... and her daughter, Morgan... Morgan le Fay."
Without mercy, the two knights brought their captive to an ugly and tall man, wearing rich armor, a golden crown, and a red cape. Pyrrha recognized the sword on his belt, she had seen Arthur brandishing it in another dream. Merlin had called it "Caliburn" or "Clear Cut" (1). The king smiled, recognizing the knights and their captive:
"Brastias, Jordanus, ye shall reward you for better, by the faith of my body, this is truly a king's ransom".
The two knights bowed before their king, while the woman twisted herself in vain, seeking to escape the grasp of her captors. Her face tightened as she felt the first pains of childbirth:
"Thou will pay for what thou did. How many lords of the Isle of Britain will turn against thou when thou act spread in all castle. What lord of Britain shall yet pray to God to give thou life, Uther the ugly(2), when the news of my husband's murder shall be common knowledge?!"
Pyrrha turned to Merlin:
"Uther? Uther Pendragon? Arthur's father... How it's that possible?"
Her eyes turned to Igraine's bloated belly and Merlin nodded:
"Yes, Igraine is Arthur's mother. Uther had asked me to give him the appearance of Dumero so that he could join Igraine in the marital bed... And this is how Arthur was conceived."
Igraine continued to insult Uther, but the arrival of another character brought silence. All eyes had turned to Merlin. Not the half-succubus who followed Pyrrha in Arthur's past, but the magician living at that time: "Sir ye must purvey you for the nourishing of your child"
Uther turned to Merlin:
"As you wilt, be it."
"Well," said the magician, " I known a lord of yours in this land, that is a passing true man and faithful, and he shall nourishing of your child, and his name is Sir Ector, and he is a lord of fair lifehood in many parts of England and Wales; and this lord, Sir Ector, let him be sent for, for to come and speak with you, and desire him yourself, as he loveth you, that he will put his own child to nourishing to another woman, and that his wife nourish yours. And the child is born let it be delivered to me at yonder privy postern unchristened."
Hearing this, Igraine struggled even harder:
"May the rotten fruit of thou seed be plucked from my womb as soon as possible. And may his life be cursed for the evil you have done. May the descendants of my noble husband stand against thou spawn! And let all glory in the reign of the cursed son of a cursed father return to ashes."
Pyrrha opened her eyes and recognized the ceiling of her room.
The sun filtered between the curtains, cutting a golden line on the sliding panel leading to the next room. You could hear the birds in the garden and the deafening noise of the cars in the street.
The redhead teen rubbed her eyes with a languid hand and refrained from sighing.
She felt a bitter taste in her mouth... the fault to the dreams of this night... no, to memories of King Arthur's life.
She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.
Saber's memories were... painful, washed away by the regret and anger that the King of Britain felt toward himself.
We were a long way from Hollywood's movies. While Britain was invaded on all sides by the Irish, the Picts, and the Saxons, the lords of Britain were unable to unite. Camelot was a nest of intrigues. The dukes and kings of the small kingdoms quarreled over questions of precedence and etiquette. The knights of the Round Tables dreamed only of prowess, and tournaments to win to get the hand of beautiful heiress... and become lords in their turn. The knights were jealous and were always in competition, a script worthy of a TV-reality show spiked with flirts and rivalries.
Isolated within his own kingdom, Arthur Pendragon had seen his friends die, his allies betray and he ended up alone facing his responsibilities.
Because a king was always alone.
A faded image, an echo of the memories of Saber imposed itself on Pyrrha, straining her heart of sorrow. The large hall of Camelot Castle, illuminated by thousands of candles, a grand ball with noble ladies and beautiful lords dressed in silk, velvet, and fur. They danced and laughed among the servants who served the wine.
And on his throne, King Arthur was alone, no one approached within ten feet, no one spoke to him.
Pyrrha Nikos rose up, inflamed by sudden anger.
Her fingers tightened on the sheets...
She wanted to slap someone! But the Invincible Girl didn't really know if she wanted to hit the courting noblemen of the former kingdom of Britain... or their king.
Part of her was upset by Arthur's life of sacrifice. The young king had devoted himself entirely to protecting his country and even more the happiness of his subjects. He had asked for nothing in exchange... and had received nothing but gossip, conspiracy, betrayal, jealousy, and ingratitude.
But a small voice, the most realistic part of Pyrrha's mind, kept repeating to her: "Saber brought it to himself."
And it was true...
There was one point of the Arthurian legend that had not been embellished. Arthur was a Perfect King!
He was a noble, good, honest, just, patient, merciful, chivalrous, and peace-loving king!
But the world was imperfect, and the world always rejected people too good for this grim reality.
Arthur reigned over a kingdom of normal humans. There were cowards, traitors, jealous and covetous peoples. But because Saber was perfect... he forgave them. At the very least, he exiled them from Camelot.
And what do you think happened?
There is a sentence that says wisdom begins with the fear of the policeman. When people inept, disloyal, and only interested in money are not punished, they continue to widespread.
The petty nobles and the covetous courtesans thought Arthur was weak.
And because they didn't fear the King they conspired against him...
As Pyrrha get out of bed, Arthur asked if he could enter.
Once again, the teen girl sighed but agreed. The shoji slipped and the young blond man made his entrance. He was dressed in black pants and a red sweater that they had bought the day before together because Kiritsugu's clothes being too small for him.
"Did you sleep well?"
Pyrrha made an effort to repel the memories that had flowed through the spiritual bond that united them. She wanted to yell at him what she thought of the way he had lived... but what gave her the right to judge King Arthur? And then... If Arthur had been able to escape reality all his life, he would need more than the remark of a person he had known for two days to wake him up.
Aware that Saber was giving her a puzzled look because it took her a long time to answer, the Amazon Girl forced herself to smile:
"Yes, thank you. I slept well."
She decided to change the subject:
"I'm going to take a shower. You are not allowed in the bathroom while I'm in."
Arthur seemed offended:
"Pyrrha, believe me, the idea would not have crossed my mind."
On the one hand, it was reassuring... but for a reason hardly explainable, Arthur's immediate and complete denial annoyed the teen Redhead. After all, he had just said that he didn't even want to...
[Don't blame Arthur, he's always been dense. It's not that you're too young, defeminized, and completely devoid of charm... I mean, maybe not!]
Pyrrha trembled when she heard Merlin's mental voice. Furious, she replied to the magician's provocation:
[It is certain when you say it like that, I am so much reassured when it comes to my feminine charm!]
While Pyrrha was still fulminating, Arthur's mental voice intervenes:
[Merlin, you seem to forget that you are chatting with Pyrrha through the bond that unites me to her. I hear everything you say.]
For a person who was usually calm and polite, Pyrrha left the room with a bang. She had a sudden urge for a shower... Yes, the young redhead needed a cold shower... very cold... cold enough to extinguish the flames that devoured her cheeks.
An awkward silence reigned in the dining room.
Sitting on either side of the kotatsu, Pyrrha and Arthur remained silent. The Spartan Girl had convinced the knight not to prepare breakfast. For almost a year, the kitchen had become somewhat the exclusive territory of Sakura. She would probably take great pains to find a stranger there when she arrived.
To hide her embarrassment, Pyrrha turned on the television. The TV set on the local channel immediately began to broadcast the news...
The teen girl and the Knight of Sky Silver were stiffened by the first images. One of Shinto's tallest skyscrapers was ripped open. A large circular wound opened in its glass facade. Close-ups showed that a real tunnel had been dug in the building...
Master and Servant did not listen to the presenter speak of "accidental explosion in a laboratory".
Arthur intervened:
[A Servant used a weapon similar to my sword! ]
[Can Excalibur pierce a building?!] Pyrrha replied, stunned.
The response of her Servant was accompanied by a vaguely arrogant smile which was not usual in Saber:
[Oh yes... I would just have to dissipate "Barrier of the Wind King" to have enough power to do the same. You don't even have to raise a single Restraint of the Round Table. ]
Before Pyrrha gets another question, she hears the door ringing. The Bounded Field doesn't respond, which meant that a friendly person came to the door.
"It's Sakura... She keeps ringing even though she's the key. I keep saying she's here at home. But she is a very shy and well-mannered girl."
An instant later, light noises warned of the arrival of Pyrrha's best friend. Arthur turned to the corridor. He was intrigued. His Master usually mentioned people in a few precise words, never giving out useless information. But with the arrival of the girl, Pyrrha spoke to say nothing, to hide that she was tense. Obviously, she feared the judgment of her friend. This "Sakura" must have taken a special place in Pyrrha's life.
A pretty sixteen-year-old Japanese girl came in and froze in surprise.
She had purple hair falling on her right shoulder, but leaving the left ear uncovered. On this side, a red ribbon adorned a fringe.
Arthur felt a certain discomfort when trading gazes with Sakura... the purple eyes were empty, dull. If, as the poets said, "the eyes are the windows of the soul" then thick curtains veiled Sakura's soul.
Recovering from her surprise, the girl in school uniform bowed deeply:
"Ohayo-gozaimasu shitsurei-shimasu" (Good morning, sorry to disturb you).
Pyrrha began to speak, explaining that Arthur was a friend of Kiritsugu. However, as she called him "Saber", Sakura winced and her face darkened... it lasted only a brief moment. She replied with a few polite banalities, bowed again, and hurried away to the kitchen to "prepare breakfast". Arthur, however, was certain that she was trying to avoid him.
[Pyrrha, what else can you tell me about Sakura?!]
The Invincible Girl was no doubt surprised by the question, and even more, than her Servant spoke to her through their mental bond.
She began with a few generalities. Sakura belonged to the school's archery club. They had met last year when Pyrrha had injured her shoulder and Taiga had sent the girl to her for help. She lived in a big, rather sinister, house with her big brother and grandfather. The last survivors of the Matou family...
[Matou?]
[What surprises you, Saber?!]
[Merlin explained to you that the ritual of the Holy Grail War was created by three families of Magi: The Einzbern, the Tohsaka, and the Makiri, isn't it?]
[Yes.]
Although he pretended to be captivated by the news that television continued to broadcast, Arthur nodded briefly:
[The Makiri were so interested in the Grail of Fuyuki that they decided to leave Russia to settle in Japan. Where they changed their name...]
Pyrrha Nikos was far from stupid. Arthur could only explain all of this for one reason only:
[... to Matou? ]
Saber approved:
[Exactly, I doubt that the presence of Sakura here is a coincidence.]
[Sakura is my friend!]
[Did you notice her reaction when you called me "Saber"? Is there anything that makes you think she knows I am a Servant? ]
Pyrrha remained silent for a long time. She refused to believe that... but... her lips pinched:
[She was alarmed when the Command Marks appeared on my hand... but she thought I had hurt myself. ]
Merlin could talk to Pyrrha by connecting to the link between Saber and his Master. But, this time, she spoke in such a way that she was only heard by Arthur:
[Do not insist, my king, Pyrrha is very attached to Sakura. To warn her against her would only lead to a quarrel without profit. Also, she may not be the Matou Master. Pyrrha mentioned a big brother. It may be him. Nonetheless, remain cautious in the presence of Sakura, but not hostile.]
Arthur forced himself to relax. When he heard the name "Matou", the first thing he thought about was a terrible fight in a burning underground parking lot... and the horrible revelation when he broke Berserker's helmet. But Karya Matou was dead... He would not relive a second time the nightmare of fighting the caricature of his best friend.
He chose to follow Merlin's advice and not insist.
Pyrrha insisted on setting the table, while Sakura finished preparing breakfast for four people. As the shy teenager served the meal, the front door flew open and... the moment after Hurricane Taiga (Force 12) burst into the peaceful house.
Dressed in her usual green-strapped dress worn on a black-striped yellow sweatshirt, Taiga Fujimura materialized at the entrance to the Dining Room, waving her hand and a big smile on her face:
"Daijaku desu ka?" (How are you?)
Sakura and Pyrrha answered in chorus:
"Okaerinasai! (Welcome home!)"
Without looking to the right or left, the tiger of Fuyuki fell on the cushion left in the free place and inspected the breakfast prepared by Sakura: white rice, miso soup, salmon marinated in koji sauce, gome-ae green beans with sesame and soy sauce.
Grabbing the chopsticks, Taiga joined her hands to thank with a cheerful voice:
"As always, this looks very good, Sakura you are a great cook! Itadakimasu (Thank you for serving me this meal!)"
Sakura, Pyrrha, and Saber imitated Tiger:
"Itadakimasu!"
Wielding her chopsticks with vivacity, and as a professional vacuum cleaner, Taiga began to swallow everything in the bowls and plates in front of her. Sakura was filling her every time she cleaned a dish.
Meanwhile, Pyrrha introduced Saber. Until then, Taiga Fujimura had not paid attention to him and suddenly, she stopped the raised sticks. Her face was tensed in a weird expression...
"Saber will stay a few days... he's a friend of Kiritsugu from England... ah... ok... ok... it's unusual..."
She folded her forehead and you could practically hear the cogs of her brain trying to process the information.
10 seconds...
20 seconds...
30 seconds...
Suddenly, Taiga began blushing, blushing, and then turning purple as if she were choking...
The tiger of Fuyuki spat out all that she had in the mouth and leaped on her feet to point out Arthur with a tense finger before shouting loud enough for the walls to tremble:
"Who the hell are you?"
Arthur bowed gallantly, one hand over his heart:
"As Pyrrha said, my name is Saber, I am a work colleague of KIritsugu Emiya. I came back to Fuyuki to finish a job I had left unfinished. I discovered when I arrived that Kiritsugu had died."
Taiga crossed her hands in X in front of her:
"Out of the question. Never. Get out of here. Thank you. Never come back!"
Pyrrha stood up to reply:
"Taiga it's important to me too. Kiritsugu died leaving an important task unfinished. I inherited this job like I inherited this house."
"You are a minor! There's no way I'm leaving, I don't want a cheap seducer to settle down under the same roof as you and take advantage of a teenager girl."
Arthur straightened up:
"Madam, on my gentleman's honor, I assure you I am not a man to take advantage of a lady. On the contrary, the task I have left unfinished orders me to protect Pyrrha with all my strength."
Usually quiet and shy, Sakura looked at Taiga, Arthur, and Pyrrha. She raised her hands in a gesture of appeasement, before speaking with a tiny, timid voice:
"Fuji-nee, I believe Saber is telling the truth."
Taiga and Pyrrha turned on the young girl with purple hair, surprised by her intervention. She smiled blushing and lowered her eyes:
"That's what I feel."
Taiga had a long list of flaws. She was certainly not an easy person to live with because she was impulsive, whimsical, and thoughtless. However, there was one mistake that others always made and that she had never made... She did not underestimate Sakura. When the purple hair teen said something, Taiga would listen... and she would even change her mind.
The Tiger of Fuyuki turned to Arthur to look at him with distrust:
"Will you defend Pyrrha with your life?"
The king of Britain bowed with seriousness:
"I have but one word. And my duty as a gentleman requires me to protect a woman in danger."
A big smile appeared on Fujimura's face. Again, she pointed impolitely to Arthur:
"In that case, I challenge you to a duel! If you lose, you'll have to leave."
Behind her suddenly appeared a cartoon tiger on a background of rising and radiant sun, surrounded by Japanese ideograms meanings Fuyuki taïga (Fuyuki's tiger).
A large drop of sweat appeared on Arthur's temple. There were still things... completely grotesque... that could surprise the legendary King of Britain in spite of all his adventures. But he bowed once again, with his hand on his heart, the incarnation of the knight raising a challenge:
"Madam, a gentleman never refuses a duel. I am honored to fight against you."
The Kendo Room was a large bright and bright room with a waxed parquet floor. The walls were left bare, except in a niche where two banners rolled out sentences over a vase filled with sand where planted incense sticks were.
Taiga smiled widely, she held in her hand a shinai, a bamboo sword. Arthur stood in front of her. He also had a shinai.
"Well, this is the rule of this duel. Whoever loses his weapon or lies down the time that counts up to ten has lost."
Arthur replied with a simple nod of the head. He hefted the shinai to know its balance, its weight.
Taiga threw herself forward roaring like... a tiger. And for an ordinary human, she was fast and powerful.
The next thing you know...
Arthur stood at the starting point of Taiga with two Shinai. Sakura hiccupped of surprise and carried her hands to her lips not believing her owns eyes.
As for Taiga Fujimura, she was in a perfect end-of-attack position except... her hands were empty.
Taiga turned to Arthur and the Knight of Sky Silver greeted her with a nod of the head:
"You have lost, madam."
But Taiga had a Machiavellian smile, passing her hand behind her back, she took out Tora-Shinai, her personal bamboo sword. Well recognizable with the tiger strap under the guard.
"I didn't lose my weapon."
At that moment the "shinai" that Arthur had taken from Taiga turned into a bouquet of flowers by emitting a puff of smoke and a "bang" sound.
Throwing the decoy to the ground, Arthur faced Taiga who came back towards him... without having learned anything from the previous passage of arms, she rushed head down and shinai rose.
The second after that...
Arthur was holding two shinai again and Taiga... zero.
The King of the Knight bowed in a dignified manner:
"Unless you have a third shinai on you, you've lost, madam."
Taiga fell to her knees and began to cry like a fountain... literally, throwing two streams of tears at more than three feet. As Sakura rushed to comfort Fuji-nee, she sobbed:
"I lost... and Pyrrha grew up without me noticing... a man came to take her away... and I can't stop him."
Pyrrha and Arthur went together and decided by a common accord not to pay attention to Taiga's nonsense:
"Let's finish our meal, it'll be time for me to go to school."
"Yes, Pyrrha."
(1) Excalibur is "the new Caliburn".
(2) In Welsh, Uther's first name is "Uthyr" and the radical of this name is "Uthr" which means... ugly.