Chapter 960: The Savior's End
In this Fairy Kingdom of Britain.
The Fairy Calendar represents Before Christ.
The Queen's Calendar represents Anno Domini.
The two are divided by the same year as the boundary.
For example, the current year is Queen's Calendar 2018, while the Autumn War between the human Uther and the fairies occurred in Fairy Calendar 400.
"Peace seemed to be just within reach—"
"Did peace finally come after that?"
As Grimm continued his explanation, Mash couldn't help but ask with hopeful anticipation.
Having the power of the Round Table Knight Galahad within her, she held special feelings toward the Knights of the Round Table. After learning about King Uther and the Knights of the Round Table's deeds, she naturally hoped they could bring true peace to this world.
"Indeed, it would be unreasonable if peace didn't come..."
Eiji also spoke up.
But unlike Mash's reasons, his concern lay with the savior figure known as 'Cnoc na Riabh'.
According to the timeline, in order to stop the constant infighting among the fairies and bring true peace to this Britain, Cnoc na Riabh had worked tirelessly for over three thousand years!
If someone who had worked this hard still couldn't succeed, it would simply be heaven turning a blind eye!
"It failed."
But Grimm's words mercilessly shattered Mash's hopes and Eiji's wishful thinking.
"During King Uther's coronation ceremony, a fairy offered poisoned wine. King Uther was poisoned on the spot, and the Knights of the Round Table were all killed by the clan leaders of that time. The Round Table's stronghold, Londinium—the most prosperous city of the Fairy Calendar—was burned to the ground during that internal conflict!"
For a moment, both Eiji and Mash found themselves breathless.
A sense of sorrow and powerlessness washed over them like a tide. After working for over three thousand years, with peace seemingly within reach, it was all destroyed by just one cup of poisoned wine!
No one could understand how desperate Cnoc na Riabh must have felt at that time.
At the same time, they simply couldn't comprehend it no matter what.
"Why offer poisoned wine? Why does the Fairy Kingdom reject peace so strongly? Why have the fairies been engaged in internal conflict for over five thousand years?"
Eiji couldn't make sense of it no matter how hard he thought.
Even in Pan-Human History, wars between cities, nations, and races have almost never ceased, but every war eventually ended in peace, bringing at least several decades of tranquility!
But what about this Fairy Kingdom?
The wars between the great clans and major cities have continued for over five thousand years without any sign of stopping. Whenever peace is about to arrive, the fairies abruptly cast it aside, almost as if celebrating the arrival of war with song and dance!
Are they all sick?
Or is it that since fairies don't have to worry about lifespan, they just wage wars for entertainment?
"Well, you'd probably have to ask the fairy who offered the poisoned wine that question yourself."
Grimm shrugged.
"But that fairy was killed at the time. If you want an answer, you'd have to go back twenty-four hundred years and ask her in person."
He spoke as if merely recounting records, explaining the history of the Fairy Kingdom without any emotional fluctuation.
Or perhaps he had once felt indignation about it too, but that emotion had long been worn away by time.
Come to think of it, Grim and Totrot must have lived through that era. They were witnesses of that time—it's impossible they didn't feel heartbroken for Cen.
"Let me continue. During that conflict, Cen was labeled as the chief culprit. The fairies believed she should bear responsibility for the incident and executed her."
The suffocating feeling was so intense that Eiji almost forgot how to breathe.
A savior who strived for peace was executed as the instigator of war?
What kind of bullshit logic is that?
"That's just the official story."
At this point, Habertrot finally interjected. Her eyes were downcast, her expression hollow as she gritted her teeth.
"In reality, Cen forced the woman who exposed her to take the fall and died in her place—she faked her own death to escape. She abandoned her ideals, believing that Britain had no need for peace, and vanished from the world's sight."
After 3,600 years of effort, Cen, having hit a solid wall, finally learned to give up.
"After faking her death, she parted ways with us and went alone to the northern reaches—the ruins of the Rain Clan, the fallen kingdom of Orkney. That was when the Fantasy Tree withered."
Grim continued, "She was a genius in magecraft. Even if you search through all of Pan-Human History or scour every myth, it's hard to find a talent comparable to hers. She discovered the secret of the Fantasy Tree early on—she knew our world was just a Lostbelt, destined to be pruned sooner or later."
After losing all hope, did she seek out the Fantasy Tree and drain its mana, causing it to wither?
"Wait, what about the Winter War?"
Mash suddenly realized something and began counting repeatedly.
6000 BC: The first war between the northern and southern fairies, known as the Spring War.
2000 BC: The northern Queen Mab returned to power, known as the Summer War.
400 BC: King Uther's war to conquer the various fairy clans, known as the Autumn War.
Why is there no Winter War?
Didn't the prophecy speak of four wars—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—along with the Abyssal Worm?
"I don't know about that."
Grim shrugged helplessly, looking utterly clueless.
"After witnessing the destruction of the Fairy Kingdom, my summoning ended. I never found out what the so-called 'Winter War' was."
"The destruction of the Fairy Kingdom?"
Eiji furrowed his brow.
"Yes, in AD 1, the Great Calamity erupted. Without Cen's help, nearly all the fairies perished, and the Fairy Kingdom was destroyed at that time!"
Grim nodded emphatically. "After witnessing the Great Calamity obliterate Britain, my previous summoning ended. I don't know what happened after that."
"Though I don't know how the current Fairy Kingdom managed to survive, Britain was indeed destroyed back then... Speaking of which, Totrot, you were still around then, right? What happened after that?"
Grim looked inquisitively at Habertrot.
Both of them were Cen's companions. Although the party disbanded after Cen lost all hope in the fairies, judging by her current state, she must have survived the Great Calamity of AD 1 and experienced the disaster firsthand.
"At that time... I fell into a deep slumber and have no idea what happened."
Habetrot froze for a moment, her gaze flickering away briefly before she shook her head.
Eiji, keenly noticing her evasive eyes, knew she was lying.
She probably knew about the events back then, but she didn't want to talk about it.
"Anyway, you'll find out the truth sooner or later. Just wait until then!"
Habetrot bared her teeth, stood up as if impatient, and glanced at Mash and Eiji.
There seemed to be something special in that look, but no one understood it.
"In short, this is the prophecy of the shrine maiden and the story of the savior 'Ash'!"
Grimm also glanced at Habetrot and sighed wistfully as he moved on from the topic.
"The reason people today have such faith in the prophecies of Einsel is because there was a precedent before. Among the fairies now, there's even a rumor going around that 'the prophesied child who will defeat the queen might be the reincarnation of the savior Ash.' In reality, they don't even know whether Ash is dead or not!"