A/N; HALLOOO! Thank you for reading this fic. I'm really happy that you all liked it.
Now, to answer a few questions:
Guest: I'm sorry for that, the website set all words to bold for some reason.
Shen1412- The world is my own.
mikewales456- a loyal reviewer, I see. So this is an original world, created by yours truly.
Now that everything is out of the way. Let us continue!
9:00 AM, Antaria royal castle, Meeting room.
"Your Majesty, this concerns the kingdom's safety!" Sir Harold, the captain of the royal knights, slammed his fist into the meeting table. "Why on the Gods' name did you not report it immediately!?"
"Calm down, Sir Harold. His Majesty probably has some explanation about this matter, isn't that right?" A nobleman said, his name is Gregory Dalsson, ranked marquis in the kingdom's peerage system. He wears a red waistcoat with a brooch on his neck. A stereotypical baroque nobleman. He is the current representative of the capital's noblemen.
"No, Marquis Dalsson. It is of my own blunder that I did not report this incident immediately after the attack." Artorius shook his head. He looked at Sir Harold and asked: "So how is the investigation going Sir Harold?"
The knight captain looked dejected but complied nonetheless. He gazed through a paper containing the reports. "According to this, the golems that was sent were extremely sophisticated ones. Packing so much skill and dexterity never seen before as golems were known for brute strength and clumsiness. Her Highness Elise concluded that they were made by a skilled mage considering the sheer finesse that it would take for such golems to be mobile." He flipped a page. "Additionally, they were also not made to last long, they were given an approximate time limit until the mana inside them run out. The Princess herself came on the field to track down the mana residues that the golems left behind. But unfortunately the mana completely dissipated along with the golem's form. That is all for now." Harold concluded.
"Tsk." Gregory scoffed. "As if someone would trust a juvenile woman in doing this kind of work." He said and looked at the king, expecting him to agree.
"I beg your pardon, Dalsson? Lady Elise is a skilled and experienced mage with a combat background. She is at the same level as the archmage in his youth, maybe even stronger!" Harold said in an angry tone.
"As if that brat-!" he was cut off by the king.
"Cease this impertinence, Marquis! You would not disrespect my sister like that!" Artorius yelled. He touched his temple in exhaustion. "Just… You're dismissed."
"B-but!" He tried to object.
"Dismissed. Now." The king said in a frigid tone.
"Y-yes, Your Majesty." He picked up his belongings as he scurried out of the room.
As soon as he gets out the two sighed in relief. They really didn't know why he was chosen as the representative. His weird hate for the princess really perplexed them for a long time, if not for Illya's consideration, they would have replaced him already.
Harold looked at his king once more. He scanned the files again, his eyes widened we he saw something interesting. "Elizabeth Nightwillow, also known as Lizbeth by the locals, you issued an investigation for her right?" He told his king.
"Yeah? Any new findings." Artorius asked.
"No, none so far. There is this wandering knight who took on the search contract thought." He flipped a page. "Apparently his name is Ector, really made a name for himself in a short timeframe." He whistled while praising said knight.
Shirou looked down in disappointment. First a missing important character, now the first assassination attempt in fifteen years. They must be connected, somehow. 'I need Illya here.' He calls one of maids.
"Could you please call Elise here?" The maid bowed, opening the door to call the princess.
Artorius then looked at Harold. They needed to be alone. "You are also dismissed." He spoke with a calm voice.
Sir Harold nodded. "Then I would excuse myself, Your Majesty." He walked to the door, but before touching the knob he turned his head to the king. "My ki- No, Artorius. Please, you and the princess are… my mentor and father-figure's only children, so take care of yourself. I do not know what I would do If I lose my only remaining family." He said with a solemn smile.
"Yes, I will. Thank you for your concern." The king smiled back in assurance.
(Minutes later)
The door opens as Elise enters the room. "Good day, Big Brother." She greeted in a curtsy.
"Good day to you too, now sit down. Did you get what I asked for?" Artorius asked.
"Mhm, yes." She nodded enthusiastically. 'Onii-chan, before I show you. Please, dismiss the staff first.' She opens their mental link.
Shirou, now in his Artorius persona stood and waved his hand. "Guards and Maids, you are ordered to rest for awhile, that includes all the staff in the vicinity…" He spoke with authority.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" They bowed, the soldiers saluted. Each one of them getting out of the room.
'Activate the bounded field.' Shirou told his sister.
Illya activates a silencing field. Making sure that no one would hear anything outside of the room. She relaxes her shoulders, she pulls a thin piece of paper from her skirt. "Here, this is a three-page summary of Isaiah's route in Royal Road as far as I can remember. I also put some basic information in their about the game. But, let me warn you: with so many changes to the story, these texts would barely mean anything."
Shirou takes the paper and skims over it. "Uhuh…" He says in intrigue.
"Published by Taipu-Muun in 2003… Day 1, Ballroom… Elise' bullying." He skims at page 2. "Isiah's obsession? What in the world?" Shirou spoke in confusion. He was now reading now reading intently when his sight were suddenly blocked by a white figure, it was Illya's head.
"Onii-chan~" Illya whined, the sheer elegance of a princess disappearing. "You said that you would let me sit on your lap if I do what you asked for. Did you happen to forget?" She asked in an innocent tone laced with annoyance.
Shirou's eyes widened, now that he thought about it, he really did say that. "I'm so sorry, I was so busy." He rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward smile. He really had a lot on his mind. Besides, he stopped letting Illya sit in his lap when she was twelve.
"It's alright, just let me sit here for awhile. It's quite comfy." She swayed her body in excitement. "Soo… was Dalsson here?" Illya asked.
"Yes." Shirou said in an irritated tone.
"Does he still hate me?"
Shirou nods. "Good. He's fun to annoy." Shirou gave his sister a 'really?' look. She really needs to tone down her habit of riling up people.
"Fufufufu~" She laughed cutely. "I'm joking… or am I?" She takes the file from Shirou's hand. "So, Lizbeth is still missing…"
She reads the report. The princess' expression changes suddenly "Shirou, you need to be careful about the heroine." The air froze around them, an unknown tension started to fill the room.
"What?" Shirou was stunned by the sudden change of mood.
"I don't know why but I get a bad feeling about her… Just like how I felt when I was taken by Kotomine, but more benign." She spoke in a sour tone.
Shirou's face soured. "What are you implying?"
"She- has that air around her. I didn't sense it at first when she spilled my drink, but it when she looked at you… I felt some sort of magical energy coming from her, it was not dangerous, but it felt repulsive. It felt like I was with that damned priest again." She said in disgust. How horrible was it that his sister had to compare it to the black grail? Shirou asked himself.
"Just… I don't want you to take action on her, we don't know much yet. All my information about her came from my experience playing as her. Just be careful around her, alert me if she speaks to you."
Shirou looked down. Let someone that dangerous roams around his kingdom? He could not stomach it, but Illya was right, they don't know much about her. Heading into a battlefield blind is the same as suicide. Maybe he could-
"If you're thinking of sending soldiers to investigate on her, then no. if she's somehow connected to the attack then she could be a skilled mage and the soldiers wouldn't survive. She would approach you again sooner or later, then we could interrogate her." She cuts off his brother's line of thinking. "You would be the bait so relax and wait for her to appear, alright?" Illya said softly, she smiles as the pressure around them began to disappear.
"Pfft!" Shirou snorts, trying not to laugh.
"What's so funny!?" An angry vein pops in Illya's head.
"It's just that… I just realized that you're all grown-up now. I would have never imagined you talking like this to me in Fuyuki." The former freelancer spoke, a fond smile in his face. He stroked the princess' hair.
Illya's pouts. "Mou! So you're saying that I was not mature enough before!?"
Shirou chuckles. What a troublesome sister he has. "N-no, not really. Far from it-Ow!"
"Sh-Shirou! You idiot!" Her face reddens in embarrassment as she pinches both of Shirou's cheeks. "You and that perfectly shaped face of yours!"
"Phffft… hahahahahaha!" The both laugh at the situation they were in.
7:00 PM, Rubelton territory, Warehouse.
Ector was in a room with a lot of enemies, they were in all sides, surrounding him with no escape in sight. He draws his sword and took a swing of the first enemy, the attack got through and successfully plunged the blade into the attacker's stomach. A second and third one engaged at him at full force, one was killed in a single swing while the other deflected his attack. He eyeballed the insignia in one of them.
'Nightwillow Mercenaries! They're dangerous!' He evaded another attack from the fourth enemy. 'I'm cornered, I might have to use that. But this body can't handle that much power yet!' His eyes darted to the other five going for him. He kills two but five- no! TEN more arrived.
It seemed that it was hopeless, his strength might be able to handle them one by one, but sooner their numbers would overwhelm him eventually. But, there is one solution left, it would strain his body too much but there is no other choice. He closes his eyes and grits his teeth. 'I'm sorry Elizabeth…'
Fwish!*
His body glowed golden as his bones and flesh were filled with energy. The glow reaches his opponents, blinding them temporarily. Unfathomable iridescence covered the whole room, the mercenaries were left stunned by the spectacle- those who were not blinded that is…
When the glow settled down, it revealed a woman in blue battle-dress holding an invisible sword. She looked each and everyone in the eye, analysing all of them. She settled for the ones on the right, she dashes to them like a bullet. They even failed to recognize her face due to her speed.
"Wha-!? Ector is a wom-!" his body dropped dead, even before finishing his sentence. The invisible sword was swung with utter grace as it killed four more opponents. She turned and saw twenty or more opponents blocking her path to the exit.
She inhales. "Strike-" She points her sword. "-Air!"
A strong gust of air hit them all at ones. The mercenaries were thrown off the wall each one of them breaking a bone or two.
Seizing the opportunity, the maiden propelled herself to the exit, passing through multiple blinded troops. She sees a door leading to the outside world. The door exploded in a gale of fury, its chunks being flung outside of the naked eye.
She sees a forest and proceeded to dash into it as fast as possible. 'That's not where the informant were. Dammit! We've been led to a trap.' She dismisses her dress and wore her usual armor.
'Soon my body would cease to move. I need to find a safe place to rest in.' in her limited line of sight, she saw a small cave entrance. 'It looks like no one's here.' She enters the cave, touching its cold stone walls just to make herself stand a little bit longer. She lays on a patch of vegetation. 'This is not as warm as a haybale, but it will do for now…' Her eyes slowly closes as she drifts to sleep. 'I need to get ready for Elizabeth's scolding…
10:00 PM, Nightwillow Estate, 15 years ago.
Inside a dark room, a little girl barely the age of nine entered. She has blond hair, a thin body wearing a black dress, and empty purple eyes. She slowly walks into a giant mirror in her room. "Artoria? You there?" The talks to the mirror.
Her refection appeared inside of it, people would probably think that she was crazy. Her reflection changed, the black dress became white and its purple eyes became emerald green that's full of life, getting softer contrasting the other's sharp ones. "Elizabeth? Yes, I am here, what do you need?" The reflection spoke.
"Father told me something… He said that I am destined for the crown, that I will become queen one day. It is my destiny, he said." She spoke in an empty voice.
Artoria's face clearly soured up. "Don't listen to him, he's an evil bastard with no soul." Artoria spoke with fury, her squeezing her fist.
"B-but, He is still our fathe-!" Lizbeth's voice was cut off.
"Remember what he did to our mother Liz! He strangled her, threw her dead body to the floor without an ounce of guilt!" Artoria yelled in rage, it was bizarre to say the least. She is normally the calm one.
"Yes, I remember! But, do we have a choice!? He is our father and we cannot escape him!" Lizbeth rebutted, wearing the same expression as her.
"Just… Do not listen to him, okay? You are not destined for anything, you will chose your own path. Queenship? That is not your ambition, that is HIS ambition being engraved to you…To rise to the high society… that's that bloody glutton's dream" Artoria spoke as she calms down.
Lizbeth beamed in appreciation. "That is sound advice Artoria, but what do we now? I can't jus-"
Her stomach suddenly growled. Artoria's expression visibly dimmed. "It's past nine… did the servants not feed you again?"
Lizbeth nodded, it seemed that this was a frequent occurrence. "Y-yes."
Artoria sighed. "Fine, here. Touch the mirror, I will share magical energy to you."
"Uhuh." Liz touches the mirror, her body feels rejuvenated. "There, that should keep you full for a day or two." Artora said.
"Thank you Artoria, you're always saving me…" The purple-eyed child thanked.
"Don't worry about it, we're one life right? Just two diffirent souls." Artoria smiled.
"I'll repay you one day, I promise it!" She said to her reflection.
"I'm looking forward to it." Said reflection replied.
???, ???, Back to the present.
"That was reckless Artoria!" Lizbeth scolded. They were in a black void with only a lamp to lighten the place, it was their shared mindscape. "What if you collapsed in the middle of the fight!?" She said, fuming in anger.
Artoria responded with stoic face. "Liz, they gave me no choice. I had to use my abilities as a heroic spirit to escape…"
"B-but still… Don't worry me like that! I was awake the whole fight, you could have asked me for strategy!" Lizbeth said, pouting.
"Forgive me. I was so used to be the one being called on that I forgot how to call you." Artoria spoke in shame.
"It's alright, but ask my permission next time, okay?" Lizbeth said in a caring tone. "Now… you're the one using our body. You can choose a mindscape for a change!" Lizbeth said excitedly. "What do you want it to look like? Your throne room? A war camp? Somewhere in that Fuyuki place?"
Artoria touched her chin. "Hmmm… This would do." She snapped her fingers as light engulfed the whole place.
Lizbeth opened her eyes. What she saw mesmerized her, the moon was shining brightly as the stars twinkle. They were sitting on a porch. "This is…"
"Shirou's porch." Artoria spoke.
Lizbeth grinned. "You mean… That boy you fell inlove with?" She asks.
"Yes, the very same." She smiles back.
A/N: Well, did you like what I did? I made Lizbeth a Pseudo/Demi-servant abomination, housing female King Arthur's soul since childhood. With Artoria being the main consciousness.
Please tell me! Follow and Review, I really appreciate it! Flames would be ignored as usual.
