Hearing the current state of the Fairy Nation (Faerieland) described by Naoki Number Two before them, Ritsuka, Mash, and Chaldea fell silent.
Fairy King, Natsukawa Naoki.
During the two thousand four hundred years they knew nothing about, the Naoki they knew had spent a long time here, making decisions and sacrifices they were unaware of, becoming the Lostbelt King dominating this Lostbelt, and ruling this Britain with his tyranny.
"Why?"
After a long silence, Ritsuka asked this question.
"Why… did the Department Head do all this? There must be a reason, right? A reason that forced the Department Head to do it."
"If I had to say, it was for Morgan."
Naoki Number Two said this.
"Morgan is a fairy from the Inner Sea of the Stars; she was destined to atone for the fairies' sins and forge a new Holy Sword. But in her childhood, due to treatment from the fairies, she chose the path of saving the fairies and saving Britain."
"When she was young, having received everything from Morgan in Pan-Human History, she knew Britain's future and end from then on."
"It was a deeply hopeless future, and Morgan wanted to change it. So she kept striving—for over six thousand years—and waited for Natsukawa Naoki for three thousand six hundred years… I think that's the main reason he became like this now—for Morgan."
"He sacrificed all of you in his past for the sake of one person's wish."
[Bastard.]
Merry gave an unforgiving judgment.
[After he returns, I'll make him kneel on a washboard for months.]
"Talk about that after you defeat him."
[Defeat… By the way, why did you send that communication to Chaldea two thousand four hundred years ago? You had just been born then, right?]
"Well… the reason's simple—I just didn't want him to remain a slave." Naoki Number Two said with a bitter smile. "Though it sounds strange, I think because his desire to fulfill Morgan's wish was too strong—and also his own inner thoughts—he made himself a slave bound by Morgan's wish and his own mind."
"He released his free self, released the thought of returning to Pan-Human History, choosing to stay in this Lostbelt forever—At that time, I thought it was really bad. After all, so many people in Pan-Human History were waiting to marry him. How could he stay here forever?"
"Basically, because of that somewhat impulsive thought, I wanted to send the communication to you in Chaldea."
[Originally… So now your mind has changed?]
"I don't know." Naoki Number Two shook his head. "I don't even know my own thoughts now. I'll just follow this path to the end. After all, you keep going to different Lostbelts to bring him back, right? The goal is the same."
"Merry, how much longer until everyone gathers?"
[At latest a week—But honestly, even if we gather everyone, we might not defeat Naoki, right?]
Naoki in Savior Mode, in terms of pure power, was at Beast level. That point alone was despairing. And according to Naoki Number Two, over these two thousand four hundred years, Naoki had also made indescribable progress in Magecraft.
Grand Magecraft covering all of Britain, Noble Phantasms usable in Mana form… Plus the deadliest Imaginary Manifestation.
How to fight that?
"There's still a chance."
Naoki Number Two snapped his fingers. In the circular clearing in the middle of the church near the three, ripples suddenly appeared, and a large ice block slowly emerged from empty space.
The Holy Sword with dim light was frozen inside.
"That's the Department Head's Holy Sword?"
"Yes—The reason Natsukawa Naoki can maintain Savior Mode power is because he traded it with the sacrifice of everything. Simply put, it's a Contract. So, as long as the contract is broken, he can't use Savior Mode power."
Breaking the contract.
Merry thought for a moment.
[The contract's terms are… 'permanently release the Holy Sword' and 'release his self in Pan-Human History', right?]
Naoki Number Two nodded: "Exactly. So, as long as he can hold the Holy Sword again, and I can merge back with him, he'll exit Savior Mode and return to his most normal self—Though that still has Divine Spirit-level power, it's far weaker than Savior Mode."
[Hm, theoretically possible. But the enemies aren't just Naoki alone, right? The Fairy Knights you mentioned who serve Naoki, and Morgan who's now Naoki's wife—I doubt they'll just watch Naoki get beaten.]
Merry was right.
The enemies weren't just the Fairy King. To bring Naoki back and turn the Fairy King into the Natsukawa Naoki they knew, the Fairy Knights and Morgan were also opponents to face.
[In terms of combat power, how strong are the Fairy Knights and Morgan?]
"Among the Fairy Knights, only Fairy Knight Lancelot and Fairy Knight Gawain are worth fighting. One is the incarnation of Dragon Albion—the strongest comprehensive fairy, the mightiest being in this Britain besides the Fairy King. The other is a black dog fairy that can devour Mana."
"And beyond their fairy essence, they wear Shells called Fairy Knights made by Naoki and Morgan based on the Knights of the Round Table, adding more power points. Plus, both have real-time protection from the Fairy King. Whatever special abilities they gain in battle."
"Best to consider both as strong individuals who can fight several Demon God Pillars alone."
"As for Morgan… normal-state Naoki."
Naoki Number Two's words silenced everyone again.
Two Fairy Knights who could fight several Demon God Pillars, plus Morgan equal to non-Savior Mode Naoki. To bring Naoki back to Pan-Human History, these four enemies had to be defeated and overcome.
Ritsuka and Mash's faces looked grim.
Seeing their expressions, Naoki Number Two comforted them.
"Well, don't make faces like that, Ritsuka, Mash."
"It's not time to start fighting yet. Until everyone from Chaldea gathers, you two stay on this island and rest well. Unlike the British Isles, this is the only island not under the Fairy King's surveillance and completely undisturbed."
"After everyone gathers, we'll properly discuss what to do next."