Crazy Britain:They’re All Raising Me

[After parting with Nocrnalay, you go to the quartermaster and, with Nocrnalay's authorization, obtain some necessary items and withdraw a batch of Pal Spheres containing monsters.]

[As you're leaving the city gates, you unexpectedly run into Oberon, who has been missing for quite some time.]

"Oberon? What are you doing here?"

Seeing that long-missed face, Guinevere was taken aback.

"I thought you'd never come back."

Ever since he arrived in Edinburgh with Artoria and the others, Oberon had mysteriously vanished. Guinevere hadn't seen him once since and assumed he was off stirring up trouble somewhere again.

"What kind of thing is that to say? Do I seem like that kind of person to you?"

Oberon rolled his eyes and said with annoyance:

"I'm one of the original members of the Child of Prophecy squad, remember? If Artoria is in trouble, how could I not come back?"

"You've been gone so long, who knows where you went?" Guinevere retorted.

Looking aggrieved, Oberon explained:

"I just figured staying around Nocrnalay was pointless. There was nothing for me to do—it was a complete waste of time. So I left and went to do what I could elsewhere in Britain."

"Oh?" Guinevere blinked, skeptical. "Like what?"

"Haven't you noticed? Even though the war's been going on for a while, the Round Table Army—supposedly part of the Woodworth Alliance—has done absolutely nothing. Even now that Woodworth has mobilized the Windfang, Earthclaw, and Sandhorn tribes, bringing everyone to attack Edinburgh, the Round Table Army has made no move to join in."

Oberon crossed his arms and continued with conviction:

"Think about it. The Round Table's leader, Percival, is the brother and disciple of the fairy Lancelot. Lancelot treats him like a son. So why hasn't he deployed his troops to put pressure on you?"

"I see," Guinevere said, suddenly understanding. "So you went to the Round Table Army."

That made sense. Though Percival was nominally the leader of the Round Table Army, it was Oberon who had originally commissioned him and funded the organization's creation. Calling Oberon the real mastermind behind the Round Table Army wouldn't be far off.

So when he realized that the organization he founded had been co-opted by Lancelot to move against Artoria, of course Oberon couldn't sit still.

"I've been in Londinion this whole time," Oberon nodded.

"Since I played such a big role in founding the Round Table Army, I still have some influence there... But don't expect too much from me. I've been away a lot. And until recently, I was stuck with you all grinding mobs in that godforsaken cave. I wasn't really involved in the army's growth. These days, the only universally acknowledged leader in Londinion is Percival."

He sighed.

"I only just found out when I returned—Percival's a total siscon! He said the reason he fights so hard is to support Lancelot. Now that he can fight on the same side as her, he's absolutely thrilled..."

"If Fairy Lancelot's actions could be written off as aiding the enemy, it'd be one thing. But she claims to be defending Britain. So imagine how hard it was for me to talk Percival into not attacking you guys. He even started doubting my motives, thinking I might have betrayed the Round Table Army!"

But Guinevere wasn't entirely convinced by Oberon's heartfelt speech.

Sure, Percival might be a siscon, but he was also incredibly principled. Unless Lancelot did something truly immoral, convincing him to turn on her would be impossible. However, persuading him to hold back his forces didn't seem that difficult either.

Knowing Oberon's penchant for scheming, Guinevere couldn't believe he spent all that time just to talk Percival into staying neutral.

"Well, I didn't only do that," Oberon said, noticing Guinevere's skeptical gaze and blinking mischievously.

"I couldn't convince Percival to join us, but I did get the First Knight under him to defect."

With that, Oberon stepped to the side and, as if showing off, swept his hands dramatically to reveal someone previously hidden behind his flamboyant wings.

"Ta-da!"

"Um... Mr. Oberon, isn't this a bit much? I still have a long way to go..."

"Oh? And this is...?"

Guinevere looked at the person Oberon presented with feigned surprise, though he felt rather calm inside.

Really now—wasn't this just little angel Gareth? In previous simulations, she'd almost always joined Artoria's side whenever possible. She was easy to recruit and only slightly stronger than the average fairy. Her strength was kind of... ambiguous... wait a second?

As he looked at the nervous girl, Guinevere blinked.

Something about her aura felt... different this time.

"So this young lady is willing to join us to help rescue Artoria?"

After receiving Gareth's affirmative reply—and seeing the system prompt [Gareth has joined your party]—Guinevere immediately opened the party menu and scrolled to her entry:

[Name: Gareth]

[Stats: Strength B, Endurance A, Agility A, Magic D, Luck D]

...Wait, what?

Seeing such abnormally high stats, Guinevere was stunned.

Was he seeing things? Could Gareth really reach those kinds of numbers?

But his confusion was soon dispelled.

Further down the screen, he found one of Gareth's skills:

[Skill: Azure Star That Lights the Way · A]

[This skill's name comes from a distant alternate dimension, referencing a powerful hunter who could defeat any beast or monster. The Azure Star represents hope for all.]

[The skill holder is immune to fall damage and gains Major Bonus: Anti-Dragon and Major Bonus: Anti-Beast. Additionally, after defeating a monster, the holder can harvest key materials from its body to forge equipment. When wearing that gear, the holder's stats are boosted and gains partial abilities from the slain monster.]

["May the Azure Star light your path"—from a certain newcomer trying to recruit labor.]

—Oh right, Guinevere had almost forgotten. Gareth was also a system holder, wasn't she?

Guinevere couldn't help but feel a pleasant surprise.

With her help, rescuing Artoria and Bawanxi would be much easier.

[After regrouping with Oberon and Gareth, and preparing to depart, you run into an unexpected fairy.]

"Why the shocked face? Is it really so strange for me to be here? Snort snort~"

Ridera snorted and looked at the stunned Guinevere and Oberon with a puzzled expression.

"But... weren't you back in Nocrnalay, living the good life with unlimited carrots?" Guinevere's eyes widened. "I didn't even call you this time... so why are you here?"

"That's exactly why I'm mad at you, Guinevere. Without me, how were you planning to reach Glasgow in three days?" Ridera slammed her large sword into the ground. "Why didn't you ask me?"

——

Guinevere hadn't intended to call Ridera. In fact, he had no plans to involve her. For transportation, he had planned to use one of the other quadruped monsters stored in his Pal Spheres.

After all... Ridera wasn't exactly strong. And this time, they were heading into real danger. Even Guinevere himself wasn't sure he'd survive—why drag her along to die too?

But then...

"Didn't we agree that I'd be your legs and witness your journey to the end?"

"...Yeah, I know." Guinevere nodded gently. "I wasn't leaving you behind. I just planned to come get you right before we left. Since you're here, let's go."

As he took a few steps forward, Oberon asked from behind:

"Wait, did she really say that before?"

"Of course not! I just made that line up now, snort snort~ Thought it sounded cool."

Hearing that, Guinevere, walking ahead, stumbled hard.

......................................

[With all preparations complete, you and Oberon set off together in a carriage pulled by Ridera.]

[Thanks to Ridera's incredible speed, you leave Edinburgh's territory within half a day and reach the northern lake district.]

[Due to the area's complex terrain, you slow down and continue cautiously toward Glasgow.]

Though Guinevere didn't know Glasgow's exact location, he remembered from the Holy Sword simulation that when they passed through the lake district en route to Paradise, they had sensed strangers surveilling them.

Back then, Guinevere didn't know who those people were. But now that he understood Glasgow's situation, he could guess: the ones watching from the shadows were likely the jailers of Glasgow.

[On your journey toward the Dragon Remains, your party is attacked repeatedly by monsters.]

[To save time, you try to outrun most of them. Those you can't shake, you counter with your strongest monsters summoned from your Pal Spheres, minimizing physical drain.]

[By evening of the first day, you successfully reach the vicinity of the Dragon Remains.]

[As you loiter near the remains, you soon feel the gazes of hidden observers on you.]

[However, just as you prepare to strike at the stalkers, Gareth recognizes who they are.]

"You..." Gareth's eyes turned red as she saw them. "So it was you—the ones who attacked the Mirror Clan back then!"