A/N: I'm currently writing a research paper beside this fic and my other ones. I apologize for the delay. But, here is a new chapter.

Reviews:

CalmingDownReading: Slight correction. He does not have the strength to be called that. I am not trying to mean here but… I don't like having Shirou being revered as such. This version doesn't even have noble phantasms seen in Archer's arsenal.

Guest: Her Backstory is VERY connected with one character (Not Shirou and Liz). I kinda admit that my approach may not work well with some people. But I cannot go back. I will fully commit with my plans.

Originaljuan92: Thanks for the review. I always remembered how she acted in the original and was like: "I could capitalize on this!"

Lugal Kug-ga: Do not worry, I already took account of the counterforce. The Book's fate would remain unknown until then.

Bucio: As always, thank you for the review. The book's Fate would remain unknown for now.

Guillermocejas767: Thank you, I had fun writing that.

With that out of the way, let's go!

Artoria

The weather was hot, bizarre considering that autumn is upon them. Artoria Pendragon stood in front of the palace gates. Beside her were other accepted applicants. There were no more than a hundred of them, as Liz have told her, more than half of the applicants were turned down.

Fortunately her application for knighthood had been approved. Even without the appropriate papers from the academy, her achievements from the Adventurer's Guild and status as an Unrecorded Swordmaster were enough to get her through. Not all knights-in-training could have the opportunity of squiredom under a Fully-fledged knight, as such, alternatives were made.

The days following their arrival to the capital had been unfruitful. Sarah, the shop owner, had been adamant that she does not know any useful information about the royal family. The underground were also of no use whatsoever, it seems that the royal family are adept in covering their tracks. Even the Information Guilds were either silent or downright ignorant.

And so, leaving empty-handed, they proceeded to agree with Artoria's more direct method than Liz's more scheming one.

Following that, Liz insisted for her to not wear an armor for this occasion. Her chest were already taped, she just needs to wear a tunic and pants and she could pass as a beautiful man. Her blonde hair, although staying long, was dyed brown in order to be less conspicuous. Liz could not find a way to unpretty their face, nor was she willing to.

"Does it normally take this long?" Liz remarked as they were now standing for more than an hour or so. Although the scheming type, Elizabeth is normally impatient with things she does not have interests in.

"Patience, Liz. One of the knights said that it could open any minute now." Artoria replied calmly. She knew her sister's tendencies, calming her down was her duty if she ever gets out of line. Artoria knew that she was a hypocrite for saying that, as Liz had to stop her from rushing into the palace as soon as they arrived.

Just as she said that, the gates opened and the applicants straightened themselves in order to appear gallant and disciplined, Artoria- Ector included.

Inside the gates, a knight on full armor could be seen issuing orders, before stepping out and speaking. "Alright, fall in line so each one of you could go to your designated examination areas. I will not hear any complaints, gossips, idle chatter, or any other unnecessary noise. Understood!?" This man reminded Artoria of Sir Gawain to some extent, just his face. His name is Harold, captain of the Kingsguard, the elites serving directly under the King.

"Sir, yes Sir!" All one hundred of them shouted in unison. One-by-one, each of them entered the line. Ector was fortunate to be at the middle, as lining up with a hundred people could be pain. The others at the back were… not so fortunate.

Moments later, they were ordered to walk inside the gates as the knights sorted them. Inside the gates, but outside the palace itself, was a desk. There is a person stationed there to ask questions in order to sort the applicants properly.

Each person, men or women, were sorted fairly to their designated exam areas. Left and right, they walked to the examiners assigned to them, there were four in total, divided by colors, green, yellow, blue, and black. They avoided using red in order not to confuse it with the Kingsguard.

It was now Ector's turn at the desk, the receptionist beckoned them to speak.

Artoria cleared her throat. "The name is Ector, Sir. A wandering swordsman from the village of Talien, west of Nightwillow's Territory."

The receptionist's eyes widened and looked at Ector suspiciously. "Pardon my… doubts, but I was told that Ector was a man. Could you explain your presence here… miss?"

While surprised at first, Artoria just sighed, she had expected this situation. And has already prepared an answer an hour prior. "Apologies for the confusion, Sir. But I am in fact a man, this unmasculine face is something I had to deal with since I was but a child."

After a minute of consideration. The receptionist just nodded. It was nonsensical for a woman to pretend to be a man when applying for knighthood. "I apologize for the mistake Ector of Talien. You may proceed to your examiner. Based on our criteria, your examiner should be…" The receptionist lifts up a clipboard. "…Sir Liam, signified by the color blue. Proceed to right." The receptionist stretch their hand as they beckoned Ector to proceed.

Ector nods. "My thanks." They walked to the right side of the desk, lining-up with their fellow trainees.

As the examinees started marching to their destination. Artoria could not help but admire the Royal Palace. Almost pure white walls, intricately designed glass windows depicting her favourite animal, the lion, and those marble pillars signifying the wealth of the kingdom.

She had seen her fair share of castles and palaces. But there was one thing she could say about Antaria's Royal Palace: It was marvelous.

But all of a sudden, her eyes caught a glimpse of a person observing from one of the balconies. "Is that?" Red eyes, white hair, a beautiful face like no other. But they emitted a presence akin that of a ghost. "Miss Irisvi-?" But before she could think even further, she heard a voice.

"You, where do you think you're looking at?" It was Liam, the knight was almost in front of her, glaring with an irritated expression. "Move fast, soldier, no dillydallying!" He spoke sternly.

"Apologies, Sir." Artoria responded, returning to her gallant posture.

Sir Liam nods. "Make sure it does not happen again. Am I understood?" He asked while walking along the marching examinees.

"Aye, Sir." The knight in disguise answered.

"Good." He spoke, walking away from the line to check on the other examiners. Making Artoria brath a sigh of relief.

"Artoria… you seem off. Is everything alright?" Elizabeth asked, concerned about her sister. When it comes to knightly things, Artoria rarely ever loses composure, or even get distracted. Which made this situation odd.

"Nothing to cause your worry, Liz." Artoria responded. But as she spoke mentally, she briefly looked back at the balcony where she saw the ghostly lady. 'There is not a single person there. Did I hallucinate that?' She asked herself.

Her eyes turned again the other examinees in front of her. She noticed that they were nearing a building. The same white wall but there seem to be no windows, only a massive open door. From what she glimpsed, the inside seems to be dome, with the floor of dirt being surrounded by seats.

'A tourney, perhaps?' She thought. It seems to be the only answer. If the examinees were to be tested with their might alone, then it would be enough. But this is just the first test, the second one comes after the ball.

As they entered the "arena". Each one of them were stopped and ordered to pick up a piece of wood from a jar. These small pieces seem to have numbers etched to them.

Slowly, the examinees were ordered to take a seat. They were organized in such a way so that half of the dome was filled-up.

Artoria observed her fellow applicants as they talked about the meaning of the numbers in pieces of wood that they were assigned to. Being reminded of hers, she looked at the piece that she was holding.

"Six. What does that mean?" Liz curiously asked.

"From what I could tell, it seems to decide who are to be our opponent during the test. But I could not be so sure." Artoria answered her sister. That was her biggest theory. She hoped she was right.

Isaiah, Meeting Room

Shirou and Illya sat in front of a long table. It was time for the monthly meeting at the King's faction. They were surrounded by nobles allied to the throne. Distinguished men and women from all over the kingdom, gathering as to plan their next moves to better the kingdom… or get the king's favour.

"My king. Are you sure that you're not going to observe the examinees? I seem to have heard that there are many promising candidates this time around." An older man in his forties said to the red-haired king. From his elaborately designed coat, it seems that he was a noble.

Illya, who was standing beside Shirou, spoke. "Baron Bran. The king has more pressing matters to attend to than some petty entertainment. As the ball is commencing tomorrow, His Majesty has decided to get work done as the preparations are being held." She spoke in a professional tone. Sometimes, her role as main advisor requires her to be a mouthpiece for Shirou.

Shriou, who was sitting, looked up at Illya, before nodding and looking back to the nobles who were looking at him, waiting for input. "Yes, the princess in correct. But worry not, I will be attending the second test to personally judge the remaining participants. It has been a long tradition for the Kingsguard to be chosen and be knighted personally. I shall pass my judgement when the numbers are properly culled."

"Onii-chan, I wanna gooo!" Illya whined mentally, opening her link with Shirou to complain. Contrary to what she just said, Illya really wants to see the upcoming knights. Things like these were not included in the game.

Shirou immediately responded. "You promised to stick with me this week." As punishment for her outburst a few days ago, he forbade Illya from going away from his side. The young woman thought that it was alright, as she likes to be in her brother's company.

Little did she know…

"But it's so boring here! I don't wanna spend the whole day talking to sweaty old people with massive inferiority complexes!" She complained further.

Shirou just sighed. "You say that every meeting. Please just bear with it for the time being." He knew very well how much Illya hates these kind of people. Their behavior, as he was told, reminds her too much of the Einzberns back home. Specifically her "Grandfather".

'Wasn't he like… a golem of something?' Shirou questioned himself. But nonetheless, golem or not, he did things that Illya absolutely did not like. Ironic, because she is technically a noble in her previous life, and she acted like it too. Even here, she just likes being childish to Shirou whenever possible.

"Ahem!" The one on the far right. A blonde old man wearing a red military coat. Based on his posture, he looked to be of military background. His name is Warren Haluoise Antares, the duke of the West. A distant cousin of the royal family, and Jackson Antares' father. "His Majesty is right, we have more pressing matters to discuss. The purpose of this meeting is to tie loose ends before the royal ball." The old duke turned his intense gaze to his king. "I for one, as the representative of the Antares Dukedom, am worried."

This made all of the nobles raise a brow. "Pray, tell. What is it that you are worried about Your Grace?" A haughty young voice came from the middle left of the table. A young man with orange hair and green eyes, wearing a green coat to signify his status.

Warren looked at the young man, before turning his gaze to the king. It is as if he was asking for permission. The king nods, along with his sister. "Viscount… very well." He cleared his throat before speaking. "Nightwillow, the duke of the north, has cut off all trade within his territory last week. It seems the whole dukedom has gone silent ever since the heiress' disappearance a few months prior. I am concerned of the implications of such silence."

"Total silence? Not even a letter?" One of the nobles, a woman in her thirties, spoke. She is Baroness Filianore. A noblewoman allied with the royal faction.

"Nay." Warren answered.

…

…

…

Dread settled in as soon as the answer was given. Not a single word was uttered as all of them were thinking of the same thing.

It has been known for a while now that the northern nobles were part of the noble faction. The faction created to oppose the royal family in order to promote the voices of those who were not directly allied with Meriallis. They were also responsible for keeping the royal family's power in check.

In other words: An anti-tyranny deterrent. Created after Isaiah the First was killed by his brother when he started to go haywire.

The silence was broken when the current king started speaking. "It is best that we do not go with our assumptions first. The previous rebellion was led by the Gremsville duchy, the leading power at the north at the time. But that family has fallen. Also, the previous king Ionius and I made sure that the rebel forces could… not rebuild that easily." He spoke that last words with hesitation, Shirou clenches his hand in a fist, hidden under the table. "As of checking, they are declared annihilated and inactive."

Shirou- no. Isaiah looked around room as the nobles were anticipating further remark. "Be as it may, I do not wish any of you to declare war with the noble faction. Needless bloodshed is something I aim to prevent at this time, at all cost. Winter is upon us, to go into war in these situation, however big our funds and armies may be, will only lead our soldiers to death."

With that, the nobles all nodded in agreement. When the kings says it like that, they have no way of opposing it.

"With all of this done, I declare this meeting… adjourned." Shirou spoke. "You are all dismissed." He concluded the meeting as the nobles were all bowing and standing up to go back to their respective homes.

A Few Minutes Later

When all of them were gone, a bounded field suddenly buzzed as the room was silenced from the inside.

Shirou's posture changed as he let himself breathe a sigh of exhaustion. The magus hunter massaged the bridge of his nose as he contemplated today's events. "Man that was tough."

Illya just giggled. "Nonetheless you did well." She leaned down and cast Shirou into an embrace from the back. Her left cheek was rubbing into his right cheek as a sign of endearment. "You worked hard, you're a good person. I of all people know that."

'Really. Am I?' He thought to himself.

Shirou looked at his hands, barely hearing what Illya said. It was guilt like no other.

Please have mercy!

His eyes were only focused to his palm while biting his lower lip. Those rebels, however he rationalizes it… were people who were just trying to defend themselves. But was on the other side when Duke Gremsville declared a coup. They were coerced, deceived… victims. They were culled years after the rebellion. By his own hands.

*Thump* His heart suddenly weighed less heavily.

"Huh?" Was his reaction.

Illyasviel, who was initially worried, was now confused. "What is it?" She asked.

Shirou shook his head while touching his chest, where his would be. "I dunno, I suddenly feel…weird." Could it be? "Trace- on!" With structural analysis, he scanned his body. To his surprise, something was really up. "Avalon? It's fully active. That's impossible."

Her eyes widening, the white-haired princess spoke. "What does that mean?"

Her brother just looked at her in the eye. "I have no idea."

Ector

Iron kissed as two knights in training locked blade with each other. The atmosphere was intense, the audience around them were silent, but their eyes were locked to the two combatants. The pretty boy Ector, and his current opponent named Jil, a fellow examinee.

'Fascinating, so that lad is Ector the Holy Blade. A title given to him by the locals of his countryside.' Sir Liam mentally remarked as he took notes about the fight. 'But his style seem…off.' His swordsmanship was perfect in all but one aspect. It was as if his body was not compatible with that style.

But back at the fight, it seems that the combatants were talking. Jil spoke to Ector with a condescending tone. "You fight as if I am taller than you. That is most stupid. Who taught you to fight like that? Such a disgrace." He swung his blade downwards, with Ector parrying it by the last second.

Ector followed it with an upward swing, slightly staggering her opponent. "Such as the words of the losing side. But you were right on one note. My teacher, a disgrace of a womanizer he may be, was still great teacher." She rebutted with disgust, not to her opponent, but to her teacher.

"Cocky bastard. Where's all that bravado coming from!" Jil responded with another swing. Ector dodged backwards to avoid the damage.

Gaining a slight momentum, Ector rushed to her opponent. "Bravado it is not! It is confidence in ones skill!" She took a swing. Jil parried it. But she made another, and another, and another. "I tire of this babble. Let us end this!"

"What the-?" Downward, upward, sideward. Each strike getting heavier and faster by the second. Jil was now having difficulty even holding his sword. "That!? In rapid succession!? What- are you!?" He stated, shocked by the sudden increase in power.

With a final swipe. Jil's sword was thrown away from outside the arena. Jil was now on the floor, a sword pointed to his throat. "Yield. Commendable your skill may be. Your sword is no longer in your hands. Surrender, or I shall see you lose consciousness myself."

Having now choice in the matter. Jil raised both of his tired hands. "I yield… Monster." With the title given to her. The fight ended.

Sir Liam calmed himself after the last display. Everything about the report was right, an unregistered Swordmaster, the first one in half a century. "A win for Ector." He stepped in the ring and declare Ector the winner. Which sparked conversation amongst the examinees sitting around the combatants.

"Did you see that? It was so fast." One remarked.

"Yeah, looked heavy too." His seatmate responded.

"How could we possibly win with a monster like that around?" Another remarked in fear.

"Tsk! He got lucky."

"Lucky? The hell are you saying, those moves looked authentic!" Another shouted, finally gaining the attention of Liam.

"Everyone, silence! You are not maids, you're knights! As such, It is not your job to gossip!" He berated the examinees. Silencing all of them. But, he himself thought.

This year's knights looked promising indeed.

A/N: I will upload kinda less until I finish writing my research. I have been selected as Research Leader and it is still a pain.

Anyway, something interesting. I had this PM last week, you know who you are. So, someone was complaining that I made Shirou a bit too weak. Asking why he fights less and such. I responded with that "he hasn't even fully grasped UBW yet." And they ranted about how it was absurd and that he should be as strong as Archer now. And we got into a powerscaling argument… All and all, a good time for me. Anyway, don't expect super OP Shirou that spams noble phantasms and has a harem. I don't like writing him like that.

Rant over, follow and favourite, review if you can, always looking forward to it. Bye.