The first sound was an almost imperceptible crack, growing steadily louder. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention back to Morgan's ice coffin.
Cracks spread across the entire front surface before it suddenly burst apart. Shards of ice scattered outward, dissolving into frost the moment they touched the floor.
Morgan stepped out of the coffin, momentarily losing her balance. She almost fell—but two girls caught her arms.
"Mother!"
Sakura and Baobhan Sith spoke at the same time.
"Ah… right, this is how things were on this side…" Morgan blinked, then shook her head.
She steadied herself, reached out, and gently patted both girls' heads, her expression softening.
Twenty-three hours.
Chaldea had confirmed it: twenty-three hours had passed since Morgan was sealed in the ice coffin.
"It seems noisy outside," she said. "What's going on? Scáthach, Artoria—could you explain?"
Scáthach lowered her arms. "That tone… definitely you."
"The remaining fairy clans are attacking Camelot—which was taken by the Londinium army—under the banner of reclaiming it," Artoria reported calmly.
Hearing this, Morgan lightly pressed a hand to her forehead, recalling everything that had happened.
The twenty-three years she had lived through in the past were only twenty-three hours on this side.
"During the Londinium siege, aside from the Fang Clan's chief and a small number of soldiers, the defense was carried out entirely by Camelot's own army."
Morgan lowered her hand, turned, and brushed the frost from Shiomi's body.
It had taken a bit longer than she expected.
Or perhaps she herself had clung to those final moments with him, delaying their parting until the last possible moment, ending her role as a Servant and returning to this point in time.
Her next steps were clear.
She'd had twenty-three years to think about it over and over. In the end, the conclusion was the same.
"Who is currently commanding the city?"
Before beginning the ritual, Morgan sought a clearer grasp of the situation.
"It's the Black Knight, Ector. With Father unreachable, the Londinium army is effectively following his lead," Baobhan Sith explained.
"I see. Then there's nothing urgent to worry about." Morgan turned back. "I'll now use the magic stored within the throne to reproduce the Third Magic of Proper Human History. Scáthach, assist me."
"Back for barely a moment and already giving orders—typical." Scáthach teased, though she naturally moved forward and lifted Shiomi. "If you're planning to use the throne, he shouldn't be placed here, right?"
"Put him on the rear terrace," Morgan replied. "What my husband devoured and sealed were the remains of Cernunnos. Releasing the seal means those remains will reappear… This council chamber can't contain them."
Following Morgan's instructions, Scáthach carried Shiomi to the rear terrace and laid him flat on the ground.
Behind them, Morgan had already begun activating the throne's ritual mechanisms.
This time, the throne wasn't being used as a weapon designed to counter the Beast God's remains. Instead, she was drawing on its immense stores of magical energy.
Morgan herself didn't need to sit on it.
"Sakura, contact Chaldea now. Have Storm Border follow the southern coastline of Britannia, enter from the south, and reach the skies above Camelot."
Morgan gave her instructions calmly while continuing to prepare the ritual.
"Habetrot, go tell Ector that the moment Mana surges throughout the palace, he must immediately order the Londinium forces to split into three groups, break through, and retreat back to Londinium."
"Why?"
"A calamity is coming," Morgan said. "This one will be greater than the disaster that destroyed Britannia two thousand years ago… I fear this Britannia as well—"
"And us?" Habetrot asked.
"We'll be leaving on a journey…" Morgan replied with a strained smile. "Will you come with us, my friend?"
Understanding Morgan's plan, Habetrot nodded sharply. "I understand!"
She ran off to find Ector.
"What about us?" Artoria asked, looking around at the remaining people in the council chamber.
"This plan was made based on Grímr's suggestion, and we didn't even have time for a rehearsal." Morgan lowered her gaze slightly, quietly shaping the enormous Mana as she reconstructed the Third Magic she had deciphered. "In the worst case, when the seal breaks, we'll have to fight both the activated Beast God's remains and the Curse."
"So… a battle against a god?" Artoria asked as she raised her hand.
Ritsuka and Mash moved into position. Baobhan Sith pulled the spellbook from her waist and opened it, pages fluttering rapidly as she skimmed and marked the formulas suitable for immediate deployment.
"Don't worry. This time, the god we're facing is already dead," Morgan said in a gentle attempt to reassure them. "Focus on staying alive. Once Storm Border arrives, we retreat."
At that moment, she noticed Artoria Caster—the paradise fairy Shiomi had taken in seventeen years ago, the one meant to succeed her and inherit her role.
"Move back, Caster," Artoria instructed. "Tenkei never taught you how to fight."
"No. I do know a little Magecraft," Caster insisted. "Miss Baobhan Sith taught me! Please let me support your battle!"
"Eh?" Artoria was genuinely surprised.
Baobhan Sith quickly raised a finger, pleading with Artoria. "Please don't tell Father. I really couldn't stand her knowing zero Magecraft—not even enough for self-defense."
As the reconstruction of the Third Magic neared completion, Morgan couldn't help but smile slightly, murmuring:
"You've grown so much, Baobhan Sith."
Then she shut out her surroundings completely, entrusting her safety to these familiar, reliable companions.
Originally, the Einzbern family needed the body and Magic Circuits of the First Holy Maiden as the Greater Grail's core, then crafted Homunculi to serve as Lesser Grails, gathered the souls of the seven Servants through the Holy Grail War, and transformed those souls into magical energy—only then could the miracle of the Third Magic be attempted.
But Morgan needed none of that.
She had already gathered the equivalent magical output of seven Servants by imposing an existence tax upon the fairies.
She had no intention of attempting soul materialization or recreating that miracle. She wanted only to purify this one soul, stripping it free from the Curse seeping from the Beast God's remains.
"It's about time to wake up, my husband. I… and everyone… are waiting for you."
Her voice, soft and sorrowful, called gently to Shiomi.
...
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