While Guinevere and her group were in a life-or-death struggle at the Orkney checkpoint, things were equally busy on the other side with Knocknaree and Bagst.
[Drawing upon your past experience in simulations where you personally developed fully automatic magic-powered firearms, you quickly recreated the Auto-Type Magical Phantom Rifle – "Will Type I" – and immediately began mass production.]
[All the factories in Edinburgh began operating at full capacity, soon churning out large quantities of "Will Type I" rifles.]
[You swiftly equipped your elite troops with these weapons and began preparing for further expansion.]
[Before mobilizing the army, you first extended an olive branch to Murien of Gloucester, declaring your inevitable enmity with Woodworth. You soon succeeded in persuading Murien to defect and join the alliance under your leadership.]
[After some deliberation, you chose Aurora of Salisbury as your first target.]
"As everyone knows, Aurora's an idiot. And not just any idiot—a drama-loving, pain-in-the-ass kind of idiot," Knocknaree raised a finger and said.
"She disgusted me so many times when I played the simulations before. Getting rid of her early will save us the headache of her stirring up trouble later. Besides, I heard it was her who hired someone to wipe out the Clan of the Mirror before. That woman is a menace to the world. The sooner we kill her, the better—out of sight, out of mind."
"But wouldn't it be too soon to act against her now?" Bagst didn't immediately agree, instead thinking aloud:
"No matter what, Aurora still has a very favorable public image among the fairyfolk. If we strike now, it could damage your reputation and popularity. A bad reputation among the fairies would cause significant resistance to your expansion."
"My suggestion is to wait until your momentum is undeniable—at least until more than half of Britain is under your control. Better yet, wait until your coronation."
"Really? But in the simulation where Guinevere first became King of Britain, Aurora tried to poison her. If Guinevere hadn't been alert, that bitch would've killed her with poisoned wine."
"…Damn it, seriously?" Bagst's expression darkened. She clenched her jaw and said coldly:
"If that's true, then you're right—we should kill her as soon as possible. I support your plan. …Wait, why are you looking at me like that?"
"…Hah, I knew it," Knocknaree circled Bagst, giving her a mischievous look. "Nothing happened between you and Guinevere back then, sure, but the reason you went to him in the middle of the night for a heart-to-heart… you had ulterior motives, didn't you? You like him too, right? Trying to win him over?"
"..."
Bagst was silent for a few seconds before sighing, "You're not wrong… but not entirely right. If you ask whether I harbor feelings for Guinevere—yes, I do. But I don't want to possess him or be in a relationship with him. So no, I'm not trying to pursue him."
"Huh? Why not?" Knocknaree was confused. "If you like him, just go for it. Why torment yourself by holding it in—oh… it's because of that, isn't it? I get it now."
Remembering certain rumors she'd heard about Bagst, Knocknaree suddenly understood.
"I thought those were just gossip… but they're true, aren't they?"
"Yes, just as you've guessed," Bagst nodded lightly. "I… am a beast who can't even distinguish between love and lust. Someone like me isn't worthy of love—nor of being loved. Just being Guinevere's knight, watching over him from afar, is enough for me. I ask for nothing more."
"…You really are complicated."
Knocknaree sighed, but recalling Bagst's past, she chose not to press further.
Maybe, for Bagst, things were fine as they were.
"Still, I think it's premature to go after Aurora now," Bagst resumed after thinking for a moment. "The distance between Edinburgh and Salisbury isn't short. If we move against her, she might flee to Oxford and seek refuge with Woodworth. Taking her down then would be far more troublesome."
"Isn't that a good thing though?" Knocknaree smirked slyly. "Are you sure Aurora joining Woodworth wouldn't be more of a liability than an asset for him? Another knife at his back?"
"…Ah, I see," Bagst understood. "You're right. In that case, let's do it."
[After discussing with Bagst, you launched an assault on Salisbury, personally leading the troops with her. You passed through Gloucester and attacked directly.]
[As you predicted, upon hearing of your army's arrival, Aurora fled to Oxford seeking Woodworth's aid. You easily crushed her remaining followers and took control of Salisbury.]
[Out of respect for fellow clan leaders, Woodworth accepted Aurora's asylum and denounced your aggression, and condemned Bagst for betraying the Queen and siding with rebels.]
[Soon after, Woodworth declared war and personally led a large contingent of the Fang Clan to confront you in Salisbury.]
[But Woodworth gravely underestimated your army's strength. When your troops began firing the "Will Type I" rifles, his soldiers fell like wheat before a scythe.]
"What… what the hell is that?!"
Seeing his forces decimated before they even reached the enemy lines, Woodworth was stunned.
He'd heard rumors of strange weapons among the Northern forces… but this? A super-fast, long-range iron-shooting weapon… and every soldier had one?
Even he could feel sharp pain when hit. For his less capable Fang warriors, it was carnage.
Though tempted to charge in himself and break their formation, he noticed the fairy knight Gawain leading the enemy. After some thought, he backed down.
Against Gawain, even he couldn't ensure a quick win. If he got pinned down while his men were mowed down around him… he might not make it out alive.
"Retreat! Everyone, fall back!"
He shouted with all his might, then quickly regrouped and fled the battlefield.
Meanwhile, seeing the enemy in retreat, Bagst ordered a pursuit—firing from afar while chasing them down.
After wiping out another 30% of Woodworth's forces, Bagst stopped. She didn't want to push him into a corner and force a last stand.
[In the battle between Woodworth's and Knocknaree's forces, the new weapon "Will Type I" was deployed for the first time. Woodworth's army collapsed immediately, losing 80% without inflicting a single casualty on the enemy. The result shocked all of Britain.]
"So Woodworth lost… No, of course he did. After all, those weapons were born from the blueprints left behind by Yu—Guinevere. It's only natural they'd be that powerful."
In a Norwich tavern, Melusine muttered to herself as she overheard the news.
But lately, every bit of intel she gathered was about the Northern fairies and the Fang Clan clashing. And that was frustrating.
She didn't care about Salisbury's fate—what she wanted was news of Guinevere. But ever since Gawain was rescued from Glasgow, the entire group had vanished without a trace.
At that moment, a drunken conversation from another table caught her attention:
"Hey, did you hear? Gawain the Big Eater has a new boyfriend!"
"Huh? Gawain again? Who's the poor bastard this time? Guy's gotta be suicidal. Doesn't he know what happened to Gawain's past lovers?"
"Not sure if he knows, but the guy's apparently pretty ballsy… I heard he's the strongest human in Britain. Beat Percival in a duel in Londinium—by half a move! His name's something like… Guine-something?"
"For real?"
"Totally! Straight from the Edinburgh government! My buddy works there—saw Gawain sneak into the guy's room at night. The noises didn't stop till morning."
"Damn… Gawain really drained the poor guy, huh?"
"No kidding. Not sure if it was in the metaphorical sense though."
Crack.
The glass in Melusine's hand shattered.
But the drunken talk didn't stop.
"Oh, you guys are behind. That's been debunked! The Guine guy and Gawain aren't dating—official statement from Edinburgh."
"What? The government stepped in over this?"
"You don't get it. I've got the real scoop. Gawain did stay over at Guine's that night, sure—but she wasn't the only one there. The Child of Prophecy, the Northern Queen, Tristan—they all joined in."
"Wait, what?!"
"Absolutely! And you don't even know the half of it. That Guine guy? Total man-whore. The Child of Prophecy's personal entertainment. Just a plaything for their group…"
BAM!
A small wooden table exploded under Melusine's palm. The entire tavern fell silent as everyone stared at the hooded figure.
Ignoring their stares, Melusine walked up to the loud table and asked coldly:
"Is what you just said… true?"
"Who the hell are y—wait, is that… Lancelot?!"
When she removed her hood, the drunks froze. The insults died in their throats.
"Answer me," she said icily. "Is that rumor true?"
"Well, of course, ma'am! My brother's actually in the Child of Prophecy's party! Saw it all firstha—"
BANG.
His face slammed into the table.
"Utter nonsense," Melusine growled. "I've fought them many times. Since when did they have a dirt-born fairy among them?"
"W-We were just joking around! If you're so concerned, why not ask Gawain yourself in Salisbury?" another drunk stammered.
"We're just drunk fools chatting—we don't know anything!"
"…You have a point."
She nodded slightly, and for a moment, they thought they were safe.
But her tone turned icy again.
"But for you jesters to insult my beloved behind his back… that deserves punishment."
THUD THUD THUD.
Each of their heads was slammed into a table.
And then, Melusine stormed out.
Long after she was gone, a voice under the table whimpered:
"…Told you that Guine guy was a hooker."
"Lancelot got so mad 'cause she wants to buy some of that Guine meat too—but the Prophecy crew won't share."