"They built such a huge city here???" Habetrot rode her spinning wheel, flying through the sky, exclaiming at the Circular Great Hollow city of Camelot, "Do they live in there?"
"Yes," Aoko was a little surprised too—not at the city itself, but at its scale. "Now we should call her Queen Morgan le Fay."
"Miss Aoko, this Camelot… why is it so different from what I remember…?" Mash felt her mind in a fog. She truly hadn't recognized Camelot at first, since it differed so much from the city she'd seen before.
"Hmm, maybe it's because she has more helpers now…" Aoko thought for a moment. "But there's no need to guess, we'll understand everything once we meet her."
The group found a city gate to Camelot. The defenses here were extremely tight: every gate was guarded by a large number of Queen's Knights in horse-head helmets, and by human Knights armed with iron weapons.
Aoko naturally wasn't about to waste time arguing with small fry, so she used a little trick and led her team through the checkpoint with ease.
The group strolled through the streets of Camelot, observing the city. They were sure that a large number of humans must have helped build it, judging from the diverse original styles and the many human residents.
This made Camelot very different from other cities. The ring-shaped city surrounding the Great Hollow was huge, but the population hadn't quite kept up with its size.
From Aoko's observations, this was likely because twelve strangely shaped towers ringed the city. Rather than residences, these towers seemed more like inward-facing battle facilities; Aoko could sense vast magical energy flowing within each.
It seemed that, although she had promised to return and help with the Horned God's problem, Morgan had built twelve Holy Lance launchers just in case…
Mash and Habetrot curiously checked out food vendors on the street. They seemed to use some kind of magic crystal currency for trade, which even the fairies used—completely different from outside Camelot.
"Looks like she's done a good job," Aoko remarked with interest. "Magic currency is a pretty smart choice in a way."
"Yes! This currency can even be used among magi!" Mash said earnestly. "Looks like… the Morgan of this worldline is managing Camelot more seriously than the Morgan from the original one!"
After about an hour of wandering, two horse-headed Queen's Knights approached and politely invited them to the palace.
"Her Majesty Morgan requests your presence," said one knight. "Please, come with us."
Aoko was surprised since she was still cloaked in a spell that concealed her presence. "How did you notice us?"
"It was Fairy Knight Arthur," one knight whispered. "She said she has a contract with one of you, so when you got close, she sensed it."
"I see," Aoko nodded. "So Artoria is in Camelot now. Please, lead the way."
Morgan's palace was much like in the original timeline: a blue-black style, with walkways draped in semi-transparent black veils, giving visitors a mysterious sense of pressure, as if the corridors had no end.
After a long corridor, they arrived at Queen Morgan's throne room. The room was as Aoko remembered, but much larger. Behind the throne—shaped like a giant clam shell—was a massive open balcony facing the Great Hollow where Cernunnos dwelled, likely to keep watch on the Horned God.
Morgan wore an elaborate blue-black gown, exposing just enough skin to match her cool, alluring dignity. On her head was a black spiked crown with a circle of sapphire gems, and a half-transparent black veil that left her face half-hidden.
Beside her stood several Fairy Knights: the familiar Artoria and Wryneck, and a tall, muscular female knight Aoko hadn't seen before—this must be Fairy Knight Gawain, i.e., Barghest.
"You may leave," Morgan said coldly to the Queen's Guards. "Guard the throne hall. No one enters without my permission."
Hearing Morgan's command, the Queen's Guards and some fairy officials quickly and orderly exited.
From Aoko's view, these fairies working in Morgan's palace must all be quite loyal, since Morgan—who had rung the Pilgrimage Bell—had not been abandoned by the Star's Inner Sea and retained her Fairy Eyes, able to see through almost any lie.
"Ah, you finally came back…" As the last outsider left, Morgan slumped, exhausted, on her throne, tossing her crown and veil aside, revealing a face almost identical to Artoria's beside her, save for the hair color. "Two thousand four hundred years… do you know how we survived these two thousand four hundred years?"
"Of course, I don't," Aoko grinned. "But now's the perfect time for you to tell me all about it."
Artoria, looking much more relaxed, waved her hand, and a round table rose from the floor in front of Morgan's throne, surrounded by ornate high-backed chairs.
"I missed you so much!" Habetrot jumped off her spinning wheel and leaped into Morgan's arms, nuzzling her face. "It's only been a couple of weeks for me, but I still miss you!"
Morgan smiled, ruffled Habetrot's hair, and set her in a seat, looking like a different person now that the guards were gone.
Barghest, sitting stiffly, seemed like she wanted to complain about the lack of decorum, but seeing Morgan so close with her friends, she felt a twinge of envy.
In the end, Barghest sat down properly, saying nothing.
"You're looking well, Artoria," Aoko said, sizing up the king who'd survived the ages. "Looks like as long as you don't use the Holy Lance for too long, you're fine."
"I don't know how to explain it…" Artoria sighed. "But ruling over Fairy Britain, I can't help but wonder: if I'd never been born, would my sister, the island's ruler, have been a better sovereign than me?"
"Even the Morgan of Proper Human History admitted deep down you were the best choice," Aoko gently comforted. "She loved you, Artoria—I can promise you that."
Aoko glanced back and forth between the two, sensing that these sisters had long since crossed a certain line over the years. What's with this feeling? If she brings her back, will little Gray end up with a fairy mom too?