[Summoning Gate]
"Pass through, pass through, show your face, pass through, pass through, and be welcome!"
"Hah-ha! We'll reach it! A new heaven, overflowing with treasures!"
Slash!
"I can't wait! Right now, I—"
Slash!
"Those without a numbered ticket shall not reach this world."
Summoning: December Edition – The Heartburn Set
The King's battle continues.
"Spin it! (Spin mindlessly! Let's settle these debts of fate!)"
Even if this place is not a singularity.
"Summoning Circle, deploy! Please come, Saber, King of Knights!"
Chasing the ideal maiden he has set his heart upon.
—Good fortune, my King!
With an unyielding wish in his heart—!
"Summoning pattern: Caster!"
"What?!"
Light overflows, then gradually subsides.
"...Van Hohenheim Paracelsus. I have arrived."
What appeared was a beautiful Caster, eyes filled with sorrow.
He was a magus who wielded the five great elements and believed in good.
"It's Paracelsus! You came!"
Ritsuka jumps for joy.
"Yes. My conversations with you are etched in my memory as something invaluable. Please, allow this Paracelsus and I to—"
"Be friends! Right!"
"Yes. ...But please, be careful. No matter how many flowery words one uses, a magus is ultimately a rogue. When faced with results, they will cast aside everything. Goodness, bonds, even love. —Therefore, I will surely betray you—"
"It's okay."
Ritsuka readily affirmed the magus's nature.
"If you find something you can't give up, then choose that. Even if our paths diverge, I won't deny the choice you made. If it's a path my friend chose, I will accept it."
"––––––"
"So remember! If the path you choose is the wrong one—I'll stop you, even if it costs me my life! So—you can grasp whatever you desire!"
"––––––Ah, how... beautiful..."
"Hmph. (That one's depth of character is beyond question. Such trivial sentiments of yours will not sway him. Go forth and do good to your heart's content, and be judged in full.)"
"My friend, Ritsuka. What is that shining creature?"
"King of Heroes!"
"How...?"
"Next! (I have no need for a mere Caster! Do not cast your eyes upon anyone but Saber! As long as we do not stop, the path continues!)"
"Alright, alright, next up!"
The Summoning Circle spins, filled with light.
"And now? (Next, I would at least desire one of the Three Knight Classes. The Four Knight Classes tend to be eccentric and overpowering.)"
—Is it just my imagination, or are Berserkers the most unique?
Finally, the light subsides, and what appears is—
"—I am Nitocris, Pharaoh of the Heavens..."
Dark skin, ears held high.
A young girl, calling herself a Pharaoh, had manifested.
"Hm? (A new face. —A servant of the sun, perhaps?)"
—Pharaoh, meaning Egypt. I only have images like Cleopatra... Hmm? By what fate was she summoned?
"Ho. (—Ah, now that you mention it, there was indeed a god in the retinue of Egyptian deities who resembled the form I now behold.)"
—Eh?! There's such an adorable god?! Did Egyptian culture worship mascots as deities?!
"Cute! —Aha!"
Ritsuka prostrates herself, sliding across the floor.
"Oh, Pharaoh, how wondrous you are~"
"W-what?! Oh, it's quite alright! My Master, no, my ally, this is a wonderful response! Eh, you really revere me that much...?"
"Pharaoh~"
"...Um, well..."
"Pharaoh~"
"O-raise your head! It's fine! It's hard to speak! I forgive you! My ally!"
"Pharaoh?"
"My name is Nitocris, Pharaoh of Horus. Of course, I responded to your summons myself, but I also carry an important message. What I am about to utter are the divine words of a great Pharaoh. That hero, um, ei-yu—"
"HERO KING! (What is it? You carry divine words to deliver to this one, absolute King? Good, I like your boldness and audacity. In deference to your resolve, I shall lend you my ear.)"
"Heeh... Such majesty... A radiance truly comparable to the Sun King... V-very well! Listen closely!"
"She smells like a hard worker."
"We could become good friends."
"Then, I shall begin! —Ahem."
Her eyes narrow in a fierce glare.
"'The construction of Paradise, truly magnificent, Golden One! Its grandeur, formed from your radiance, has captured my interest!'"
—?!
Just hearing those words, I felt my soul tremble.
This overwhelming charisma, this majestic aura that struck directly at the soul—it was the same as the King I conversed with from within the vessel...!
"'But it is not enough, still not enough! Its brilliance is merely that of material wealth! To illuminate and bring light to the people, it is somewhat too violent and simplistic! What your proud Paradise lacks is—the Sun!'"
"Ho. (I see what he means. Truly an exaggerated way of speaking. That's why his lines get cut off midway.)"
"'Nothing is impossible for a Pharaoh on earth! All things in heaven and earth are within my grasp! Therefore, your Paradise will achieve true completion by welcoming me, the Sun itself! Thus! Rejoice!'"
She dramatically raises her hand.
"'I shall surely visit that Paradise! When you welcome infinite radiance, this true Pharaoh Ozymandias, the sun, then Golden Ancient King Number One and Number Two, as a unit of Golden Precure, shall achieve an unshakable form reaching the highest seat, whose name shall resound throughout all beings, in Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld! Await that time with delight! As preparation for my descent, I lend you Nitocris! She is a rare Pharaoh, attentive and considerate, despite being a Pharaoh, so use her well! Now then, await the day of my appearance, prostrating yourselves! I forgive you! Humanity's Last Master! You who possess the abyss of the underworld in your heart and the radiance of Horus! I look forward to the day I gaze into your eyes! Fuhah, fuhahahahahahahaha!!!'"
...As soon as she finished speaking, Nitocris collapses.
"Nitocris—?!"
"P-Pharaoh's words are... c-complete."
"Fuhahahahahahahahaha!! He droned on and on! It simply means he's desperate to set foot in my Paradise, does it not?! To send a mere Pharaoh with a message is indeed a grand gesture worthy of my equal! I have surely received your divine words, Sun King! I look forward to the day we shall meet and share a drink! Until then, you had best keep your seat illuminated! Fuhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
"Hang in there, Nitocris! Nitocris!"
"Just... one last thing... I forgot to say."
"What?!"
"'Wouldn't the name 'Waku Waku Sun Land' be good for your Paradise?' —Thud."
"NITOCRIS—!!!!"
A Servant who collapses immediately after summoning... because she was exposed to the sun's radiance for too long...
—A shiver runs down my spine.
Pharaoh Ozymandias. One who emphasizes the sun, acknowledged by the King. Overwhelming power conveyed through divine words.
It's like this just from words. If I met him face to face, would I be able to withstand it...?
"Do not fret."
—!
"You are a soul under my protection. No threat shall shake you. Do not be so agitated; compose yourself with dignity."
—Yes, King of Heroes!
"Hmph, it seems your meticulousness has rubbed off on me. I can't even rest peacefully. Well, so be it, in deference to you, the embodiment of my kingship, I shall let it pass."
Please rest well. Nothing must happen to your esteemed self.
"I know. —Indeed, I would rather not go to bed with my stomach and throat burning."
—?
"That is my own affair. Now, my battle continues!"
The Summoning Circle is spun, one after another.
"Who's next? It would be encouraging for us if it were a cute hero. But Magi☆Mari is number one! I won't concede that!"
"Speaking of the primordial—"
—?!
The moment the Summoning Circle is spun, the vessel begins to speak of the primordial.
"W-what's wrong?!"
"Elements mingle and solidify, giving birth to stars that weave all phenomena! —Answer my divine words!!"
The circle subsides.
And what appeared was—
"I'm finally here!! The scent of treasure I've finally caught after tracking down the contact network of members who communicated with that guy! My 6 billion faithful followers nationwide, I've kept you waiting! I am the Heavenly Empress—"
"Entry Denied: Change!"
"No way—!!? I finally made it here—!??"
The Spirit Origin is shattered into pieces by a sharp declaration before it can fully form.
"I have no recollection of sending you an invitation! You lewd harlot, may you be skewered in the Underworld!!!"
"You really, really haven't seen the last of me—!! I won't lend you Gugalanna if you ever need it—!!"
The weird one is blown away by forced expulsion.
"Hmph. What need would I have for a mere cow? It would likely be lost at the last minute, as most would predict. My provision of a giant god shows not a shred of expectation for you."
The vessel snorts.
"...Who was that?"
"You can actually refuse a summon? I didn't know that..."
"Tch, my spirits have been dampened by that false god. I shall summon three more and conclude the summoning ritual."
—Was that, perhaps...?
(That was a garbage bag dressed up on the outside. Air, not worth remembering.)
—I-Ishtar—
(Don't say another word!)
—O-okay. I'll try to forget it.
"That is good. —Hah, I shall sleep. I leave the rest to the mechanisms of the body."
—Good night, King of Heroes.
"Indeed. If there is another sign of a false god, wake me."
Slowly, the King's presence recedes.
"What are you doing? Spin the circle quickly."
"Y-yes, yes! Alright, spin—"
"Hold that summon! Just a moment, just a moooment!"
The Summoning Circle begins to spin rapidly.
"Another irregularity?!"
"A star-ship shimmering in human history, a Tamamo cruise gleaming with dashing souls! No matter where it is, the mark I've placed won't come off! Leaping over both beauty and storm, arriving is the devoted wife and wise mother!!"
The Summoning Circle shines in rainbow colors, radiating the brilliance of the sun.
"This voice is—!"
"Yes! Master Ritsuka! ♥ No, you are already the person of destiny I've found! With myriad feelings in my heart, allow me to address you thus!"
She appears with a grand flourish.
"Tracing fate, tracing, tracing, tracing to the Water Heaven's Sunlight! Let both calm and storm bear witness! This is the fox's wedding—!!"
The frilly devoted wife and wise mother, the Miko Fox manifested in London.
"The Caster who clings to her wild, dashing soul Master! Type-Moon's No.1 heroine, Tamamo-no-Mae!! Descends upon Heaven! Grandchild! Here! ZE!! ♥ My Master is mine, ZE!! ♥"
"...Lost her way, drawn by the Master's soul, that shame of Japanese mythology."
—It's noisy.
"Nfuuuun!! ♥♥ Hoo! Hoo!!! ♥♥"
—She's being threatened again... Fou, why can't you be friends with any beast other than yourself...?
(Because we don't need wild beasts even if there are animals. I wonder if I should make her pay for the responsibility of being trampled in the future.)
"Tamamo! You came! I'm so happy! Welcome!"
"Oh! ♥ My Master's passionate embrace! ♥ Tamamo's going to the sun, going to the sun! ♥ Kyaan! ♥ Mikoooon! ♥"
"Cat."
He snaps his fingers.
"Yeah."
"Take her away."
"The original's disgrace, I apologize for."
Cat roughly grabs Tamamo and pulls her away.
"You're Cat?! Oh no, I forgot, oh no—!! My crystallization of laziness and pastime was here—!!"
"I know a good pot and cooking utensils. The ingredient is you, original. Tonight, it's fox hot pot."
"The real deal! This is the real deal!? Kyaaa—!! I'm going to be eaten—!! Master!! Pure one! Please help me—!!!"
(Serves you right!)
"See you later~!"
"Evil perishes. It's trite, but true. I look forward to tonight's dinner. Next."
"Heroes are dangerous after all. They summon them so casually... It's scary..."
Romani mutters as he spins the circle.
"I wish for some healing..."
And what appeared was...
"Hi there~ ♥ For now, you can call me Caster of Midrash, okay?"
A Caster with dark skin and ears, radiating a mysterious aura, had manifested.
"Waaaaahhh! It's the Riddle Caster!!"
"Riddle Caster?"
"The eccentric who asked impossible questions to King Solomon! I heard he had a really hard time! He even answered her earnestly! Like, 'Wait, what do you mean?'!"
"Well, well, putting that aside... King of Heroes?"
"A mixed-blood, then. It seems she's caught the scent of commerce."
"Of course. As a merchant, there is no more wonderful place than this. I will belong to this Paradise, revel in its charms, and promote them to my heart's content. I'll earn a lot, won't I?"
"In deference to your aesthetic sense and greed, I forgive you. Very well. I am tolerant of commerce. Go forth and enliven the market, Queen."
—Mixed-blood, Queen. Who exactly is she...?
"Then, I look forward to working with you, Master? And Romani Archaman. Let's delve deep into riddles, shall we? One plus one equals~"
"Yeah! Nice to meet you, brown-skinned busty older sister!"
"Absolutely not! No amount of sweets would be enough—!!"
The older sister and Romani-san dash away.
"—Well, that will be a good lesson for one so devoted to idolatry. It would be good if that one could lose his virginity quickly."
—Though she played coy, the nobility and dignity she possessed were unmistakable.
...She seems to be more than meets the eye.
"Now, let us conclude."
He takes out a rainbow-colored ticket from a golden ripple.
"Here."
He slams it down. The circle spins, then subsides.
"I shall withdraw. I leave the rest to you."
"Eh? Aren't you going to watch?"
"—Because the answer is already clear."
—?
The vessel slowly withdraws.
"Saber! Mordred reporting! Yo! I came to play!"
"It's Mordred—!!! Welcome—!!"
"Ah, I knew it."
"...Even so, Gil wasn't too down, was he?"
"Perhaps it hit him harder than it seemed. He might be trying hard to hide it..."
"Hmm, well. Let's leave him be, shall we?"
"Eh! Father isn't here?!"
Leaving the Summoning Room, he returns to his own chamber.
"I'm back."
There,
"Oh!! That somber expression! It seems the King of Knights has shunned you again, Golden Boy!!"
Iskandar laughs heartily.
"Hmph, it seems removing my cloak at some point was my downfall."
"It's alright. As long as you live, there is hope!"
Arthur encourages him with pure sincerity.
"Indeed. It is beautiful precisely because it is out of reach. It is a phrase I often utter."
And then—
"See? You understand now that I am the best Artoria, don't you?"
Artoria crosses her arms and leans back haughtily.
"No?"
"You're not being honest!"
"Fool! What kind of King is honest?! A King is!"
"Greedy!"
"Embracing reason!"
"The No.1 Artoria!"
"And the absolute standard!! Fuhahahahahahahahaha! Now, bring the wine! Let us grandly celebrate my magnificent failure!"
—I see. The reason the King isn't as damaged as before is...
"Isn't it about time you stopped these futile summons and designated me as the No.1 Artoria?"
"To see you as a substitute for Saber, you fool. To say 'If that doesn't work, this will do' is a disqualification as a male. Are you telling me to become a thin-blooded scum, unworthy of a lion?"
"—"
"Do not ask such trivialities. Do not make me say it again, you are you."
"—Yes. Gil. That was a foolish question."
"If you understand, then that is good! Now, raise your cups! To celebrate my magnificent failure!!"
" " " "Cheers!!!!" " " "
—Later, I want to drink cocoa with Fou. I'll go ask him.
—With a smile.
The summoning drama, for now, drew to a close.
"—So, why am I called?"
"Would I not need a writer to compose my epic?"
Afterward, he secretly summons Andersen.
"Write to your heart's content, storyteller... Hm?"
Suddenly, he notices an incongruity.
"—Why has the ticket not disappeared?"
The 5-star guaranteed ticket still glows brightly.
And then,
"Ngh—"
What appeared was—
"—Belatedly, I have arrived at your voice, King of Heroes."
A knight on horseback, wearing a lion's mask, wielding the Spear of the End.
"You are—"
"I shall answer. I am a Lancer-class Servant. One who offers her strength to the magnificent you."
—The face revealed when the helmet is removed—
"—It seems I caused you trouble during the storm in London."
—It was Artoria's.
"—This is good. In my stead, she will surely assist him."
"—To dispatch the factor of a spear that did not reach godhood. How foolish."
"King of Heroes. Please, good fortune in battle. —Until you reach Camelot, I will prevent your interference with Chaldea!"
"—Soul, come to me—"
"Let's go! Goddess Rhongomyniad—!!!"
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you so much for your support!!