A/N: Fast update because I'm travelling to visit my relatives for the day of the dead. Which means I can't write… because my computer is in the house. So- Here it is! A proper chapter that actually moves plot!
Review time:
Ordono: Hmmm… I'll think about it.
Arturia LeFay: Ohhkay, Thank you for the response. I will think about it.
yann0406: yep.
RoGoBro: No, Lmao. That's a funny a coincidence. You'll who they are… later.
Kurogami Mikoto: Thank you for the feedback, I decided to prioritize THIS more than anything because that's where the og fell off.
Bucio: Okay! Guess who's back! So, Lana: She's not really THAT important to the plot. But to Taiga she is, you're correct about her being her Shirou replacement. Also she's not a reincarnation, it kinda defeats her purpose if she is. And about the book: I might write a Chaldea omake about that : Not Zelretch fortunately (She). But, She is related to Isaiah in a way.
GrandSaberEMIYA: Thank you, I just did.
Quathis: Lmao.
Kiyoponical: :D
Illyasviel
The room was dark, the atmosphere was dreary, like death itself was waiting at every corner. There were cauldrons, vials, pouches, and jars of esoteric and occult ingredients placed neatly to its shelves. It was like a lair of a typical evil witch that could be seen in any piece of fairytale.
And at the end of the room, a single light could be seen illuminating a single table. A white-haired ghost was dancing around the room, seemingly mumbling to itself. Its high-pitched voice permeating its walls.
"Some salt in there… No no. That's not right. I think I need higher quality ones." It spoke, pouring one tablespoon of salt in a vial.
The ghost bolted to the direction of one of the shelves, it took one of its jars. "Well, diamond dust seems to be overkill, how about chalk?" They proceeded to draw a circle with said material. Then, the vial suddenly exploded in a cloud of smoke, the white figure recoiled in response.
The lights on the ceiling suddenly turned on, the room became brighter and well lit. The ghost's face became clearer and clearer, her round red eyes staring at the mess at her table. She took out a notepad and started writing in it. "The ambient mana circulation is extremely skewed, thus making formalcraft a little bit more difficult, bizarre since my od reacts fine…oh well, that's more to add to my research paper."
Her name is Elise Meriallis, also known as Illyasviel von Einzbern… and she just completed another experiment. The princess sighed in exasperation. "I need to clean this mess, Shirou might come in and berate me again."
Illyasviel, for the love of anything that is sensible, please clean your workshop!
"Heh…" She chuckledat the recollection. Alchemy was ingrained from her blood and soul since her birth, despite being a demi-homunculus, she still has most of the Einzbern's secrets, with her being a child of a Justeaze Model and all.
So, it became her second farvourite thing to do, the first being "hanging out with Shirou" and third is tormenting Jackson. So what if she's messy!? So what if she likes things being at arm's reach!?
"It's not like I could trust the maids to help me, they're 60% less efficient than Einzbern homunculi anyway. Jackson's an absolute moron. And Shirou's busy with… Basically everything." She grimaced, not having assistants slows down her work significantly, it's not like she could take an apprentice. She stood up and pick up the broom sitting at the corner while repairing the broken vial.
Moments later, the princess wipes the dust off her dress after she finished cleaning. 'Can't stand cleaning, and never will…' She mused.
"Now-" She placed her hands to her hips. "To the door!" She proceeds to approach and open the door to the hallway, locking it with three layers of bounded fields. One that shocks you, the second one shuts down your brain functions, and the last one that liquefies your internal organs, fun stuff.
"I'll have to hurry to the throne room, I'm probably too early but better be safe than sorry." She hurries to the direction of the throne room, where all the noble representatives are, discussing issues with her brother.
A few minutes later, she arrived at the throne room, there: she could see noblemen and women lining up, each relaying their issues to her brother. Before she makes her presence clear, she decided to listen in.
One nobleman spoke, it was a young one. "But- Your Majesty! You can't be doing this! The peasants, all they do is whine all da-"!" He was cut off.
"-Milling, harvesting, planting, building your roads, the merchants you buy your goods from. Most of them are done by the common men." Isaiah spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. "Instead, let me ask you this: Do you know how crops are grown?"
The nobleman went silent, but proceeded to answer. "But knowing that is the secreta-!"
"Answer, now!"
The nobleman trembled in fear. "N-no, I do not know such thing Your Majesty."
"Then you do not have the right to whine about their unfound inability to do hard work." He signs a document. "Regardless of your opinions, I will proceed with the previous decision. Baron Aintsley, reduce the taxes of your citizens by 20%, and I will raise your noblesse taxes by 5%, based upon your annual income report. Dismissed, send your father my regards."
The nobleman bowed, albeit reluctantly. "Y-Your generosity is remarkable, Your Majesty." He proceeds to walk away in haste.
"Next."
'Doing well, Shirou?' Illya asks using their mental link.
Shirou looked around the room, he saw Illya peeking at the door. 'Well… not so much. Speaking like this still makes me feel really stiff, I don't understand, I dealt with similar but worse people at the Clocktower.' He answered.
Illya sighs. 'Probably because you don't like being harsh to people unless in direct combat.' She shrugs. 'That fight with Berserker doesn't count because that's less about you not being harsh and more about you still trying to figure things out like a confused potato in the middle of a cornfield.' The princess deadpans.
'That's a weird analogy.' Shirou cringes. 'Please don't remind me of that.' Why can't Illya just be sweet all the time? He still has feelings you know… barely. 'Speaking of reminders, you coming in?' He asks.
'Yep, just one sec.' The door at Shirou's right slowly opens, revealing a dignified Princess Elise. The knights announce her arrival while nobles bow down in unison.
"Princess Elise Meriallis, direct advisor to the crown. Greetings Your Royal Majesty." The princess curtsies with elegance.
"You may rise." The king in front of her said.
The princess rises and proceeds to stand beside the throne, where she always stood when in session. "Who is next? You are permitted to step forward." The princess announces.
One of the nobles stepped forward as ordered. "My name Felix Quincy, representative of the Greystone Barony. I would like to submit a petition for a brand new water irrigation as we are expanding our farms."
Illya nods. "Okay, let us start."
(4 Hours Later)
A few hours later, the session were done for the morning. Most visitors' ails were answered, and the session will continue later in the afternoon. As they were preparing to wrap things up, a knock was heard from the giant doors of the throne room, then it was followed by a voice.
"Please! Let me in! This is important!" A panicked voice spoke.
"Please Sir, you should comeback at afternoon, the session is on break." Presumably, one of the guards spoke.
"But- this is important!"
"Sir, we are not allowe-!"
"Let him in." Shirou's voice was heard across the throne room.
"Yes, Your Majesty." One of the guards opened the door. There, a man wearing tore down common clothes could be seen panting.
"Thank you! Oh, thank you- Your Majesty, Your Highness Elise. I need your help!" The man thanked while panting.
Shirou and Illya nod at each other, deciding on what to do. "Now, let us calm down and discuss this at my office." Shirou offered.
"That would best, My King." Illya chimed in.
A few minutes later, inside the office was the unnamed man, Illya, and Shirou, since Bartholomew and Lars are on lunch break. While Shirou insisted to brew tea for the three of them, the maids objected and did it instead. After calming down the man, they started asking questions.
"Uh... M-my name is Rupert, Your Majesty." The man said, trembling.
"Uhuh…" The king nods. "Then, why are you here, Rupert?"
The man trembles, as if in a perpetual state of fear. Shirou knew this expression. 'Fresh from the battlefield.' He thought.
"Please, whatever I say, just believe me! I-I know I am not going mad, far from it! Please listen!" Rupert panics.
Shirou tries to calm down the man. "Alright, we'll listen, tell us what the problem is."
"Sire… I-I, my family- dead consumed by mud! My village burned down! Nothing remained, except me! I escaped! But no one would believe me! They told everyone I was a madman! Everyone in Shelston, even the count!" He trembles more.
Mud? Well that sounds familiar, the princess thought. But the people that Rupert were talking about. "Who's they?" Illya asks.
"The hooded men… they arrived at my village about a year ago they… were thought to be good people- Augh!" The man vomits a black substance, it burned the carpet before Illya suppressed it. Rupert was passed out on the floor.
"This is-!" Shirou spoke, taken aback.
"-The grail's mud!" Illya interrupted. "B-but how!?" It was virtually impossible, she doesn't remember any of this. A village burning down, an all-consuming mud. None of it existed in the game.
"Illya, does this…?" The king asked, turning his head to his sister.
Illya shook her head. "No, none of this happened. Not in any routes and expansions." She answered, frozen in place.
Shirou pursed his lips while digesting the answer. His gaze turned to the man on the floor. "Call the doctors and bring him to the servant's quarters, there should be enough room. Get him treated." He spoke in a serious tone. "We'll talk about this later."
Illya nodded in response. She made her way out the room to call the doctors.
It has been a few minutes since Rupert has passed out, the man was still asleep, but thankfully stable. The royal pair was facing eachother at Shirou's office, the carpet was replaced immediately upon notice.
"No! You are not going to Shelston without me!" Illya slammed her hands at the table.
"Illyasviel- no, Elise. You have responsibilities as princess regent. I can handle this, I am bringing my knights for this endeavor." Shirou rebutted.
"If it is what I think it is, then I am essential for this mission. The Einzberns provided the grail for the war, and I was a vessel of one, hell I MYSELF was exposed to the mud when that damned priest took me!" The princess spoke in sheer frustration. Truly, his stubbornness knows no limits.
Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose, he doesn't want Illya for this. The more he thought of the possibilities, the more worried he is. As long as he is alive- no! Even if he is dead, he would not let any harm come to his sister. He has failed once, he would NOT fail again. "No! I order you, as your king to back off and attend to your duties as princess regent of The Kingdom of Antaria!" He tried to dissuade the princess.
Illya's fists clenched, her magic circuits starts to glow in anger. Heat and was emanating from her body as if readying to fire a spell. And then suddenly:
"Smack!"
It was a slap from his sister. "You died! At the age of twenty-nine, you died! You didn't even do anything wrong! And you have the gall to push me away so you could sacrifice yourself again!?" Her high-pitched voice echoed throughout the room. "You died because you were alone, Shirou. And I am not the helpless, eternally little child that needed to be protected anymore! I have the means to protect myself, if I was strong before, then I- am stronger now! Please! If you really love me that much, then let me protect you for once!"
"I am trying not to lose you a second time, Illya!" Shirou yelled.
"If you die then you are losing me a second time!" Illya rebutted.
Shirou was taken aback by this. Dying was not a problem for him, but when he was told that-
"Sakura-chan cried for weeks when she found out."
Doubts arise from his being. If his death affects the people around him, then what's the point? He was so sure at that time, but when Taiga talked about the events after his death…
The king sighs in exhaustion. "Fine, but stick to me all the time. Hide with knights if possible. And DO NOT engage with the enemy if not told to." He surrendered.
"Yes! Thank you Onii-chan! You understand! Finally!" Illya hugged him tightly, her former cheery self coming back.
The sudden mood change stunned the king. He touches the back of his neck and just submits to the hug, what could he do? Illya won again.
(A Day Later)
Preparations were done, they decided to immediately stomp the problem as soon as possible. Schedule was tight, as the selection exam would come in days' time, and the King's birthday after, which the princess insisted on celebrating.
They gave themselves three days to solve the problem. The sooner the lesser the casualties are, and the count's response to Rupert's cry for help was suspicious. Maybe they could find out about that too. 'To come directly to the crown, how bad was it?' Shirou thought.
Illya filled the carriage with adventuring essentials, as they were coming as a caravan. It was provided by Taiga of course.
"You gotta be kidding me." Shirou said after seeing the sheer quantity.
"Hey, don't blame me. Taiga insisted on it, besides this barely made a dent from the kingdom's coffers." Illya shrugged.
"But- this could've been used for-"
Illya covered her ears while entering the carriage. "LALALA~ Not listening~"
Shirou followed afterwards, sitting in front of her.
"Shirou let me be real with you for a second." Illya cleared her throat. "The only reason why your personal budget is bigger than mine is that you barely buy anything for yourself." She spoke in a deadpan tone.
"But I don't need to." Shirou insisted.
"Oh, cut the crap. You do NEED to, you need to keep an image." Illya deflected.
"Alright, I'll redecorate my room when we get back."
…
"Promise?"
"Promise."
The carriage started rolling its wheels as the horses started pulling. Their knights following behind them.
Artoria=Elizabeth
The roads of the Shelston County is considered one of the most dangerous roads for travelers. This is due the abundance of ruffians that roam the countryside… sadly, it is also one of the fastest trade routes to the capital, saving almost a day of travel. The former King Helmsly tried to eradicate the problem but found himself unsuccessful, the attack on the capital fifteen years ago left the whole kingdom on a pinch.
With the improvements that the new King Isaiah III made in his first month of wearing the crown, the citizens hoped to sign a petition for the extermination of the whole bandit operation in this specific road. But for now, the Adventurers were tasked to either hunt down or apprehend any bandits they see.
That brings us to the middle of the road. A cart could be seen being pulled by two horses, said horses stopping because of the piles of bandit corpses that litter the road. Beside it were two people, an old man wearing a common outfit and an armored knight.
"Oh thank you, Sir Knight! I cannot hope to repay you in any way possible." The old man said as with utter elation, his hands shaking the arms of the person in armor in front of him. His life was just saved from bandits, his cart becoming a target because of the large quantity of supplies in said cart.
"There is no need, good sir. I am merely doing what I must." The knight responded a smile in their face, their helmet covering said expression. "…Though, if I may ask? Where are you bringing these supplies?" The knight asked.
The old man's eyes widened, as if expecting something else. "Ah, a simple question, Sir Knight! I was hired to deliver these to the capital, a shop owner I know ordered these ones." He points at the large crates of potions and miscellaneous items in the cart. "Apparently, she serves under the king directly, lucky gal that was." He spoke and smiled at the knight.
The knight nodded in the answer, seemingly processing the information. "The king, you say. She sounds like a fine fellow." They cupped their chin in contemplation. "Tell me… Do you happen to know her name? Or the shop that she owns for that matter."
The old man quirked a brow. "Hm? Oh, it'd Sarah! That is her name, she runs a "General Goods" shop for adventurers." He eyed the knight intensely. "But why?"
"I…" The knight pauses. "… Needed someone to supply me with goods when I go to the capital…Yes that's it. I am short on money right now, I was hoping to get a discount…" They touched the back of their neck in awkward admission.
"Pfft!" The old man snorted.
"Eh?"
"Pff-wahahahaha!" A bellowing laugh came out of the old man's mouth, his lungs seemingly deflating in laughter. He looked like he just heard the funniest joke in his whole life. "Oh- Forgive my rudeness… haah… I-I just did not expect a dignified knight admitting something that seems like below them…" He shakes his head after calming down. "Yes, yes. You can. I'll call in some favors from her, gods knows how much that lass owes me."
"Thank you, my good man. I appreciate the generosity." The knight bowed.
"Oh, I should be the one thanking you lad. So what's your name?" The old man asked.
"Ector."
"Alright, Sir Ector! Hop on in, you can hitch a ride."
"Oh you do not need to! I have a ho-!" Ector turned back and saw the corpse of their trusted steed lying on the ground. Ector sighed. "It served me well, let me give it a proper burial first." They said to the old man.
The latter nodded, he knew how knights were attached to their horse.
A few minutes later, the horse was lifted from the middle of the road, easily so thanks to mana burst. The knight hopped in the cart as there was a space left. The old man signaled his horses to go and the cart started moving.
'That acting was crap, Artoria.'
'Shut up.'
Meriel
The maid was clutching their face while sitting at the bed. She was mumbling to herself.
"Nuisance… gone."
"Take… what is mine."
She vomited a black substance afterwards.
A/N: It is moving, the plot is moving! Finally! So, what did you think the argument between Illya and Shirou? I wanted to show her more mature side more, because the fandom SEEM to forget that she is an adult. And about Arty, reunion? Nahhh, can't be that easy. And Meriel did a thing ig.
Follow and Favourite, because the stats are down and I don't have any other way to know if anyone is reading. Also review! Pretty please.
P.S: I started crossposting Peace at Last on wattpad, idk if it's a good idea. Ciao!
