Campione 10

by War God of the Lance

  Consciously ignoring that restless unease, Godou directed himself to solve the pressing problem at hand.

  Part 4

  Alice's chosen destination of Somerset county was located in southwestern England.

  It was a well-known tourist destination for communing with nature. In other words, it was largely non-metropolitan and dominated by picturesque rural and agricultural scenery.

  "Come to think of it, isn't the county where Gascoigne established his faction's stronghold nearby?"

  "Yes. West of Somerset, a museum in a little town called St. Ives located in England's westernmost region of Cornwall. A town inhabited by many artists, with numerous art galleries and museums."

  Somerset was three hours away from London by car.

  Sitting in a car racing along the highway, Alice said:

  "Although it has nothing to do with this trip, why don't we go the extra mile and have a look? Even if we visit [Royal Arsenal] right away, it should be empty."

  "Empty?"

  "Yes. Alexandre would never give meaningless orders to his subordinates such as defending against or intercepting a Campione's attack. Instead he would most likely command them all to retreat swiftly."

  This car was a limousine provided by Alice.

  The driving was assigned to a professional driver while Godou and the rest sat in the back seats.

  There was a divider isolating the driver from the passenger area. Sitting in a row opposite Alice and Godou were Erica, Liliana and Yuri. However, there would still be plenty of room even if everyone were to stretch their legs straight.

  Within the spacious vehicle, Erica and Liliana were reading the information Alice had provided to them.

  "This is the report concerning [Heretic Arthur]..."

  "Did such a serious incident happen six years ago..."

  "During that particular incident, Guinevere-sama lost all the magical power stored in the Holy Grail. After that, we were able to seal Heretic Arthur away through Alexandre and my combined power. At the very least, one could conclude 'all's well that ends well.'"

  Alice sighed as she explained.

  "For that person to have returned, and caused the incident in Japan last week... Kusanagi-sama, through that incident, we of the Witenagemot have confirmed a certain principle."

  "Principle?"

  "Yes. That principle is this: when a [Heretic God] descends upon the human world, the body and mind take form based on 'myths.' In other words, when myths change, a god's nature will be altered accordingly."

  It seemed like Alice was about to start giving a lecture on Lancelot.

  Godou began to sit up straight to listen attentively as soon as he caught Alice's serious tone of voice.

  "For example, suppose there was a war god who was renowned as the 'greatest knight' in this world. However, a thousand years ago, that was not his true identity. So, what would happen if that deity were to descend tomorrow—"

  "Would he descend as 'the greatest knight'?"

  "That's right. Nevertheless, suppose he had descended as a [Heretic God] fifteen centuries ago... Even if the myths change, there will be no effect and he will continue to exist in the human world, maintaining the divinity he started with."

  "...So, you're talking about Lancelot after all?"

  "Yes. To understand Sir Lancelot, three obstacles need to be overcome. First of all, he was a god who manifested over a thousand years ago. Secondly, throughout these one thousand years and more, all the myths intimately linked to him have been lost, making investigations extremely difficult. Third and last of all, many people have 'created' new myths about him as the 'greatest knight' and spread them far and wide, further obscuring the truth."

  Godou recalled a name that Alice had mentioned at Greenwich.

  "Earlier you mentioned someone called Chret-something, right?"

  "Yes. Chrétien de Troyes. The twelfth-century troubadour who wrote the first stories where Lancelot appeared. He was most likely a mage descended from the lineages of the Knights Templar and is suspected of colluding with the Witch Queen of that time, the first Guinevere."

  "Eh!?"

  "He and his companions were the ones who added Guinevere-sama and Sir Lancelot as major characters in the new Arthurian legends. As a result, trying to discern Sir Lancelot's original divinity from the stories of the Knights of the Round Table becomes extremely difficult..."

  Investigating the details surrounding Lancelot turned out to be a much tougher mission than expected. Godou went "Hmm..." as he hugged his shoulders, deep in thought, then he looked at Yuri.

  "Yes. Consequently, this child's spirit vision becomes exceedingly important. Hohoho. So, we shall be relying on you, Yuri?"

  "Y-Yes! I fully pledge my humble efforts... But I cannot be certain if I may be of help..."

  "No problem. I can guarantee you that. Ah, but don't ask why. All I can say is, it's female intuition."

  The Princess smiled gently as Yuri cringed timidly. Her tone of voice was rather subtle, seemingly straddling the line between joking and being serious.

  After that, Alice did not discuss anything more about practical matters.

  Ending the explanations for Godou, the Princess began to chat cheerfully with Erica, Liliana and Yuri. Perhaps she was worried about the Hime-Miko's mental stress.

  The car made its way speedily without congestion, then exited the highway and entered local roads.

  Looking out the window, green pastures were everywhere. Gentle rolling hills traced curves over the land, creating undulating patterns.

  Amidst this farmland scenery, Godou noticed something suspicious.

  "What was that just now?"

  In the corner of an abandoned field they had just passed through, there was a massive stone structure.

  It was constructed out of three rectangular stones, in a manner like a house of cards — using two massive stones as pillars with one lying horizontally on top. Each stone must have weighed several tons.

  "Come to think of it, I've seen similar things in Sardinia."

  "That's right, Godou. Monoliths left behind by prehistoric European natives called dolmens. Many of them can be found on Sardinia as well as the mainland. Yes, there was also one near the place where we encountered the god Melqart."

  "...Ah yes, that one!"

  Prompted by Erica, Godou's memories were reawakened.

  "The various monoliths scattered across Britain are believed to have been constructed by indigenous peoples between the end of the Neolithic Age and the Bronze Age, even earlier than the arrival of the Celts. Similar types of monoliths can be found on the European continent — especially in the region of Brittany in France."

  Alice explained from beside Godou.

  "Crossing the sea from Cornwall reaches Brittany directly. Even for an island country isolated by the ocean, culture will be influenced by communication and trade with the mainlanders. This is proof of that."

  Just as the conversation reached this point, the car stopped in the wilderness.

  One of the passenger doors in the back opened, indicating the destination had been reached. First Erica then Liliana, followed by Godou and Yuri, with Alice last — everyone got off in turn.

  A survey of the surroundings found fields all around. Other than the new arrivals, not a single soul was in sight.

  Furthermore, the monolith standing upright in this scene—

  This one turned out to be round. Not like a sphere, but a massive circle roughly ten meters in diameter. A hole was drilled through its center with magnificent workmanship, making it look like a ring made of rock.

  This massive ring of stone stood upright in the middle of the wilderness.

  What a majestic and astonishing sight.

  "...White Goddess—? And the King of War...?"

  Suddenly, Yuri began to speak softly.

  With shaking footsteps, she walked towards the toroidal monolith.

  "Monolithic civilization is the heritage left behind by indigeno
us peoples. Hence, monoliths like this were preserved for future ages and inherited by later peoples who took over Britain."

  Watching Yuri who was walking towards the massive stone, Alice explained.

  "It was said that whether the Celts, the Romans or the Saxons, all of them firmly believed these monoliths to be sacred objects and sacred places, or even gods themselves, and thus they protected them."

  Finally, Yuri touched the toroidal monolith.

  The Hime-Miko's gentle and beautiful face showed a wise expression as she closed her eyes.

  "Six years ago, during the 'Heretic Arthur Incident,' Guinevere-sama and Sir Lancelot held a major ritual at this location for the sake of releasing the Holy Grail's magical power to the maximum. There should still be some remnants of their aura in this place. I was hoping 'if it's Yuri, will she be able to read something?' when I suggested coming here."

  As Godou listened carefully to Alice, Yuri opened her eyes once more.

  Then she collapsed, as if all strength had been stolen from her knees, making her unable to stand. It appeared that the oracle obtained through spirit vision was quite draining.

  "Mariya!" "Get a hold of yourself, Yuri!" "Did you see something!?"

  Godou frantically ran to her as Erica and Liliana also gathered around.

  Godou cradled the Hime-Miko's back with his arm, trying to support her. Liliana also extended a helping hand immediately. At this time, Yuri smiled weakly and said:

  "The White Goddess, as well as the opposing King of War. I then saw the name Sarmatae... Could that be the name of an ancient country?"

  "No. Sarmatae... Also known as Sarmatia, was not a country—"

  "The name of an ancient tribe. Yes, since Lancelot belongs to the most primitive of [Steel], of course that would be the place...!"

  Erica and Liliana replied excitedly to Yuri's whispers. It seemed like it was a name within the knights' expectations. Just as Godou felt thankful as he carried Yuri on his back to return to the car...

  VROOOOOOOOOOM!

  The loud and dynamic sound of vehicle exhaust could be heard.

  Following the direction of the noise, a large motorcycle could be seen approaching.

  It was a Harley-Davidson. The rider was wearing a black leather jacket and leather pants, along with shades. The helmet had no visor and looked like an iron hat. It was an appearance that adhered faithfully to the image of the stereotypical Harley rider.

  "What is that man doing here? He sure does not look like some new age hippy coming to a power spot to pray for luck..."

  "Could that be Esteemed Uncle!?"

  Just as Liliana muttered to herself in doubt, Erica exclaimed with surprise.

  The Harley stopped right before Godou's group as the black-clad rider took off his helmet and dismounted, walking into their midst.

  "As I thought... It's been a while, Esteemed Uncle Iceman."

  "You've grown to become even more beautiful, Erica. I didn't realize since we've only been talking on the phone lately. Even though it's been many years and I've got lots to talk with the niece of my enemy Paolo, let's leave it for another time. Today I came to deliver a message."

  The man took off his shades as he answered in a tone of voice carrying great meaning.

  The handsome and solemn face of a Caucasian in his mid-thirties was revealed.

  "A pleasure to meet you for the first time, Kusanagi Godou. I am the retainer of Alexandre Gascoigne, Iceman... Ah, and of course, it is my pleasure to meet you again, Princess."

  This man was Sir Iceman whom Erica had mentioned before.

  Why did he come here? As Godou wondered, the legendary knight handed him a letter.

  "Please accept this letter which our commander-in-chief Alec had sent to us by magic and ordered to be delivered to you."

  "He expressly sent this to me? What on earth is it?"

  Reading the letter, Godou was stunned.

  'This humble one recently decided to execute a little plan. With regard to this, I have repeatedly warned you, asking you to watch without interference. Reckless action is meaningless. I shall warn you once more, I hope you will stand back and watch things unfold. Whether curiosity, nosiness, heroism, human impulse, or thrill-seeking, all interference stemming from such emotions will not be welcomed.

  P.S. If it pleases you, how about a little vacation with your lovers at my hometown of Cornwall? It is only dutiful for me to order my subordinates to welcome your arrival. We have already confirmed arrangements, and hope you can enjoy our hospitality for a month or two.'

  It was a letter written using old fashioned Japanese.

  "Telling me to do nothing and just have fun in England? Give me a break!"

  Just as Godou scrunched the letter up into a ball, his cellphone began ringing in his pocket.

  However, things must be made clear to Iceman first. Let me ignore the phone for now.

  "Perhaps it might be related to Alec's intentions. Why not pick it up first?"

  Sir Iceman suggested cautiously.

  Intentions? Yet another dangerous word. Godou picked up the call.

  It was Amakasu Touma. It seemed to be an international long distance call from Japan.

  'What a disaster, Kusanagi-san. In the waters near Bousou with its unending succession of recent commotions, this time a castle of strange rock has been built!'

  "...Strange rock, what are you talking about?"

  'A castle of strange rock. In the very center of Tokyo Bay, it suddenly floated up like an island. An island covered with steep and treacherous rocks, and also surrounded by a rocky reef. It emanates an intense presence similar to an RPG boss' castle of the devil king. It gives off such a terrifying and foreboding impression.'

  A sudden inauspicious report.

  Sir Iceman proceeded to speak in a very honest voice:

  "Seems like Alexandre Gascoigne has put his plan into motion. Whether you wish to stand back and watch, or hurry back to Japan... It's up to you. Personally, for the sake of world peace, I recommend the former."

  So that castle of strange rock really was the Black Prince's doing!? Because he was left alone to roam free, others were suffering from it!

  Godou was completely stunned by the accuracy of his unease several hours ago.

  Chapter 3 - Two Kings, Encounter

  Part 1

  Reportedly, a particular hypothesis was proposed six years ago.

  The location of delivery was in France, at the little port town of Saint-Malo in the region of Brittany.

  A well-known vacation destination situated near the tidal island and monastic commune of Mont Saint-Michel.

  The speaker was occupying a terrace seating at a certain restaurant.

  Named Alexandre Gascoigne, indeed he was the famous Black Prince Alec.

  "What you proposed just now, could you reiterate that again, Alexandre?"

  "Don't make me repeat myself so many times. I believe the legend of King Arthur is a catalyst the medieval Witch Queen, the first Guinevere, spent painstaking eons to prepare. For the sake of accomplishing some sort of colossal magic. Or perhaps it could be described as a type of magic circle."

  Catalyst? The listener, Princess Alice, was intrigued.

  A particular substance used to ensure the success rate when performing specific magic -- this was called a catalyst.

  For example, black lotus and rose petals in powdered form are used as a catalyst to enhance [Sleep] magic.

  "...Using the King Arthur legend as a catalyst? In order to accomplish some kind of magic?"

  "King who manifests at the end of eras. It's definitely a spell for summoning the strongest [Steel]."

  Alec said as he sliced open his baked pigeon pie. No food was placed before Alice, for she was unable to ingest anything as a spirit body.

  "For the Divine Ancestors' ultimate purpose of bringing forth the 'King of the End' again, that is the pertinent spell. The ritual for summoning a [Heretic God] from the Domain of Immortality... You should alread
y know that."

  "Of course. Don't ask a stupid question of that sort."

  As a side note, this type of colossal magic was accomplished two years later by Marquis Voban.

  Using Wagner's Nibelungenlied as a catalyst, the heroic deity Siegfried was summoned. He ended up being slain by the sword of young Salvatore Doni.

  "There are apparently three [Keys] to the success of this secret art. Witches and miko with outstanding powers. A priest bearing fanatical will and desire for a god's descent. And finally, to provide the summoned god with a material body, myths... the stories widely circulated amongst peoples and countries in the world."

  Without myths, gods could not exist. Alice nodded as soon as she realized Alec's reasoning.

  "The first and second conditions can be easily prepared by the Witch Queen herself. But the last one, that of myths, is impossible to fulfill by one person's power alone. Which is why the previous Guinevere--"

  "Ah yes. That was why she devoted her efforts to expanding and promoting the Arthurian legends under her supervision."

  Alec poured wine into his glass then moistened his throat with it.

  "The twelfth century serves as a boundary to mark a significant change in the nature of King Arthur's legends. At that time, a local hero who only had a fanatical following in Britain was promoted in France, and from there to the rest of Europe. The troubadours received support from the Count of Anjou and the Duke of Aquitaine as well as various nobles with deep ties to the English royal family, and went to work writing stories in praise of King Arthur as if competing against one another."

  "As a result, King Arthur became one of Europe's most notable heroes. Anyway, Alexandre."

  Discovering what had caught Alec's attention, Alice spoke.

  "What you're saying is that the previous generation's Guinevere-sama had promulgated King Arthur's legend for the purpose of summoning the 'King of the End.' All those troubadours who sang praises to the Knights of the Round Table -- had received assistance from an organization that worked behind the scenes."

  There were many authors in Medieval Europe during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries who published stories about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Since many of them used pen names, their true identities and histories were mostly unknown. On the other hand, based on the content, it can be asserted that many authors were well-versed in the occult.