Typemoon: Starting Out as the Lion King's Personal Knight [399] (Patreon)

“The pod’s thawing was a success!”

Mash, herself a member of Team A, was naturally delighted at the news. She quickly added, “Da Vinci must have handled it personally, right?”

“Yes, Leonardo is truly exceptional.”

Kirei Kotomine nodded without denying it. “Faced with talent like that, I actually want to turn a blind eye to one or two things that should be kept under wraps—”

Before he could finish, a sharp gunshot rang out just outside the door.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!

“That was—a gunshot! Senpai!”

Mash’s expression changed as she shielded Ritsuka Fujimaru. “But why is there gunfire inside Chaldea?!”

Fujimaru, equally confused, immediately looked toward the man at the door—Father Kirei Kotomine.

“It’s begun. Well then, Ritsuka Fujimaru, though it pains me to part ways, this is goodbye.”

Kirei smiled. “Those hunters react to anything on the move. I suggest you stay put for now. Besides, you might find meeting the guests outside to be quite painful.

It’s for your mental health, really.”

With that, Kirei left the confinement room, locking the door behind him.

But this was not a sight Meunière was willing to accept. He shouted in protest, “Hey! Why did you lock the door?! Weren’t you supposed to let us go?

What’s going on out there? What were those gunshots?!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Frightening impacts struck the door nearby, making it bend alarmingly.

Not only that, Fujimaru sensed a shockingly high concentration of magical energy. Her face changed slightly. “This magical energy—”

“Is it a Servant, Senpai?”

Mash whispered, “If it’s a Servant, please allow me to arm myself! I’ll count on your support—if we use a Command Spell, I should be able to fight one more time!”

“No, I can’t let you do that.”

Fujimaru rejected Mash’s forced determination. Mash’s body was far too weak to handle that much power; she had only just regained her normal life, and couldn’t sacrifice it so easily.

“There’s no time!”

Mash, still staring at the door, said in a low voice, “I’ll be fine. I’ve been training all this time! Da Vinci said I could still fight, so please!”

“Mash, are you sure?”

Gritting her teeth, Fujimaru pressed her hand to the back of her hand. Since she had been dismissed as Master, her simple summoning spell no longer worked, but she still had her Command Seals.

“It’s exactly because I’ve only been a navigator until now, that I want to fight!”

Mash’s determination was unwavering. “If I don’t do this, everyone will be killed! Our Chaldea will be destroyed! I can’t stand that anymore. Please—Master!”

“I’m counting on you, Mash!”

No longer hesitating, Fujimaru activated the Command Spell. As its brilliance flashed, the girl before her transformed.

A girl willing to sacrifice herself for others, her heart untainted.

Innocent as a newborn child.

…

A little while earlier—

[Operation, successful, complete.

Pod thawing, complete.

Pod will open in 3 minutes.]

“Haha! Beautifully done, Da Vinci! I’m seeing you in a new light!”

Goredolf laughed heartily. “We spent three days and couldn’t fix it, and you get it done in one night! I’ll have to reconsider your compensation, you know? Losing such a talented technician would be a shame. Some reports say that Chaldea’s power generator is hard to operate. Honestly, I can’t make heads or tails of it.

If you’d be my secretary, that problem would be solved. What do you say? I’m very generous to obedient people.”

After witnessing Da Vinci’s skills, even Goredolf had to admit her genius.

He was eager to recruit her, since he truly couldn’t make sense of that generator.

If he could keep someone who could run Chaldea for a year, he’d surely manage the place better!

But reality is often cruel.

In the face of Goredolf’s offer, Da Vinci only smiled faintly. “Thank you for your kindness, but I must decline. I’m only interested in the old Chaldea. I have no attachment to or interest in Mr. Goredolf’s Chaldea.

Tonight, after dinner with everyone, I’ll quietly take my leave—”

Even as she said this, Da Vinci looked at Alaric standing not far away.

Alaric, who had disappeared half a year ago in the Deep Sea Paradise of 2030, had returned to Chaldea just a few minutes earlier.

And now—

Seeing Alaric’s casual stance with hands in his pockets, Da Vinci sensed something was different.

Alaric was surely aware of Chaldea’s personnel changes, so what was his purpose in returning at the end of this New Year?

Da Vinci had no time to ponder, as the sound of the pod opening reached her ears.

But when she looked at the pod, her expression changed.

The pod, which should have contained the sleeping Masters of Team A, was empty.

One, two, all seven Masters’ pods were the same!

“A box whose contents can’t be confirmed until it’s opened can be disguised in many ways based on the internal reaction.”

Da Vinci whispered to herself.

‘So, in these four days, someone opened the pods before me and disguised them?’

But for what purpose?

Who was it, and how did they get Wodime and the others—

Da Vinci’s thoughts were cut off as the next broadcast signaled the arrival of disaster.

**[Warning, warning;

Current observation, occurrence of ■■;

No precedent in past observation;

Cannot respond, forecast, or predict statistically;

No anomaly detected in readings;

Completely unable to detect electromagnetic waves;

Unable to detect cosmic rays directed at Earth;

Satellite influence, interrupted;

Lost contact with Observatory;

Now—no other celestial bodies can be observed from Earth.]**

The moment the bewildering broadcast ended, the pseudo-Earth environment model, Chaldeas, lost its radiance. Cracks began to spread across the sphere.

Seeing this shocking scene, Goredolf panicked and looked to Da Vinci. “What’s going on?! I didn’t do anything, did I?! Is Chaldeas really cracking?!”

[Pseudo Celestial Sphere ‘Chaldeas’ is under stress;

Shutting down, observation lens, Sheba;]

With Sheba’s lens shutting down, the blaring alarms heralded the arrival of intruders.

“Intruders!”

A Chaldea staff member said, “We’ve detected magical energy at the main gate, third gate, and sixth gate! And it’s still increasing!”

“Don’t just stand there! Even if Sheba is down, we still have regular cameras!”

Da Vinci left the pod and directed the staff to operate the equipment, quickly pulling up footage of the main entrance and Chaldea’s surroundings.

In the snowy landscape, countless soldiers in black clothing and bird-beaked masks had surrounded Chaldea and begun their invasion!

Not only that, but a white-haired girl was freezing the East Wing by force!

“They’ve already invaded the third gate!”

No longer watching the cameras, Da Vinci approached Alaric, looked into his pale golden dragon eyes, and asked, “Alaric, what do you intend to do?”

Compared to Ritsuka Fujimaru, Alaric was even more powerful—so much so that Da Vinci and Holmes had gone out of their way to erase his presence from the Human Order Incineration records.

For Goredolf, there was no information on Alaric in Chaldea’s database.

Regardless, Alaric’s power was unmatched in Chaldea.

This crisis was nothing to him.

Still, Da Vinci couldn’t place all her hopes on Alaric. She—

Could not guarantee Alaric’s intentions at this moment.

“No can do, Lady Da Vinci.”

Alaric smiled and declined Da Vinci’s request, glancing at the control room now flashing with red warnings. “Let’s hide for now. This place is about to become a battlefield—it’ll be dangerous.”

“What are you thinking?”

Da Vinci pursed her lips, not following his suggestion, but kept her gaze fixed on him. “Before you leave, you must tell me—what are you planning to do?”

“It’s a secret for now.”

Placing his hands on Da Vinci’s shoulders, Alaric ushered her out of the chaotic control room. “Don’t worry, Lady Da Vinci. Everything will be fine.”

“Fine, then.”

After half a year together, Da Vinci had come to trust Alaric and knew he wouldn’t lie.

At least—if Alaric was here, Ritsuka and Mash would be safe.

That was enough.

With Alaric and Da Vinci gone, only a panicked Goredolf and his security team remained.

“Where’s Koyanskaya? Where did Koyanskaya go?”

Faced with the invaders, the terrified Goredolf kept asking his guards about the missing Koyanskaya.

Perhaps at a time like this, only Koyanskaya could give him a sense of security.

Later, after Goerdolf’s security clashed with the invaders, Ritsuka Fujimaru, Mash, and others escaped the control room with Holmes’ help and went to Da Vinci’s secret workshop.

“You finally made it, Fujimaru!”

Seeing them, Da Vinci breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the two girls at the door with a smile. “I had a feeling you’d come, so I kept believing!”

Though Alaric was present, Da Vinci hadn’t gone out to search for Ritsuka and the others.

Not only was she worried about things in her workshop, but she also had confidence in Ritsuka and her friends.

“Da Vinci! You’re alright!”

Seeing Da Vinci safe and sound, Mash was overjoyed and noticed Alaric nearby—

“Eh, Sir Alaric?”

She called out his name instinctively, blinking as if she’d seen a hallucination.

Alaric had gone missing for half a year had now returned to Chaldea?

“Sir Alaric, you’re back.”

Ritsuka looked at Alaric sitting in the chair and smiled. “Where have you been this time?”

A reunion brought joy, and to Ritsuka, it felt like a friend returning from a trip.

“Hey, Miss Fujimaru, it’s been a while.”

Getting up, Alaric grinned. “It feels like it’s been six months, right?”

Mash, sensing something off, asked curiously, “Sir Alaric, what are you doing now?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Alaric put his hands on his hips as if it were natural. “I changed jobs! And this time I’m not an employee—I’m a partner in a startup!”

“Eh?”

Recently fired and now jobless, Ritsuka looked at Alaric in shock.

“Sorry to interrupt your reunion, but now’s not the time to chat.”

Da Vinci interjected with a smile, then said to Ritsuka, “You’ve met Holmes, right? So you know about the plan to escape to the hangar. I was going to join you there, but I left something behind.”

She lifted the suitcase she’d been holding all along.

It was the same object Ritsuka had seen a few days ago—she hadn’t understood what it was back then.

“This is the one thing that must not fall into their hands.”

Da Vinci explained, “This is the Spirit Origin data of the Heroic Spirits you’ve contracted with—a copy of your bonds, so to speak.

With this and Mash, we can summon Heroic Spirits again, provided there’s a leyline and enough power.

We can’t use it in Chaldea right now, but if we make it through, we’ll find a way.”

She paused and continued, “Those guys are probably after this Spirit Origin data. I originally moved it to the suitcase to keep it away from Goredolf. Lucky us.

Anyway, now that you’re here, Ritsuka and Mash, we can break through the control room. Let’s get moving.”

“Now—Sir Alaric, can’t you take them all out?”

Before leaving, Ritsuka looked at Alaric beside her. If it were him, he could resolve this crisis.

“I can help you reach the hangar, but I can’t resolve the issue myself.”

Alaric shrugged and smiled. “It’s a promise. Don’t ask about the details—let’s go.”

“……”

Ritsuka gazed at Alaric, pursed her lips, and said, “Alright, let’s go.”

“Sir Alaric—”

Mash, who had thought everything would be resolved with Alaric’s return, accepted the situation quickly.

If it was Alaric, there had to be a reason.

“Then we’ll count on your support—take out the black soldiers in the corridor and get to the hangar.”

Da Vinci, suitcase in hand, said, “We’ll have to pass through the control room, but avoid fighting there if possible—or finish it quickly.

You’ve seen it, right? Chaldeas has been attacked. Details are unclear, but its powerful barrier should have repelled any contact—yet it’s been sealed.

Now, Chaldeas could even be physically destroyed, or hit by a stray bullet.

I want to avoid that situation. If it’s destroyed, it can’t be repaired.”

“We’d better be careful, then.”

Alaric nodded. “I can’t afford to pay for it.”

This was the best chance, but he couldn’t act.

It was also the only chance; they had to head to a more distant future.

This time, it was simply for his own path—he needed—

To satisfy his own desire, and become human.

With Alaric leading, Ritsuka and the others reached the hangar without issue; the so-called black soldiers were beheaded with ease.

Reaching the hangar, Ritsuka was amazed at the gigantic container at its center. “Is this the hangar?”

“Yes, it’s also Chaldea’s equipment storage, used to scrap outdated gear—”

Mash, equally wide-eyed, stared at the several-meter-high container. “I’ve never seen such a huge container before! What is it—”

At the entrance, Meunière waved them over. “Ritsuka, Mash, and Ms. Da Vinci! Great, you made it! This way, the container is now a shelter!”

“Of course, Meunière. I’m glad you’re safe too!”

Da Vinci led Ritsuka to the container. “Let’s get inside, Ritsuka. This container is special—ordinary attacks can’t scratch it. If necessary, we can launch it down the tracks over there.

It’ll slide down the snowy slope, but at least we can escape to the foot of the mountain together.”

She pointed to the big door at the end, describing how the container could be launched.

Meunière nodded. “That’s right. Everyone’s inside already—you’re the last. Oh, Sir Alaric, you’re here too. Can’t fight anymore?

Then let’s hurry and escape before those guys get here!”

Noticing Alaric, Munir quickly rationalized. If Alaric wasn’t going to fight, maybe the enemy really was too strong—they’d better escape.

“Everyone—that means everyone’s safe!”

Mash was delighted. “Mr. Holmes is amazing!”

After rescuing Mash and others from the confinement room, Holmes continued to help and guide Chaldea’s staff so everyone could gather in the hangar.

“All the staff who fled to the West Wing made it, but the route to the East Wing is frozen.”

Meunière said with concern, “Everyone who ran to the East Wing is frozen.”

“Frozen?”

Ritsuka was shocked, unable to accept it.

“It’s true—I saw it in the control room.”

Da Vinci said, “A girl froze the East Wing. Hard to believe, but she’s a Servant—probably summoned by accident in Chaldea.

She froze the East Wing and went to the control room—by now it’s probably frozen too.”

“How is that possible? How could she do that?”

Mash, who knew the mechanics of Servant summoning, asked, “The doctor said, outside Chaldea—or rather, without this shield—it’s impossible to summon Heroic Spirits!”

Before the Round Table, every attempt at summoning had failed, as if the world didn’t allow it.

“Exactly, that’s why it’s so abnormal.”

Da Vinci nodded. “Summoning that should be impossible, this situation shouldn’t happen at all. We’ve been outmaneuvered—there’s too little info.

So for now, we should retreat, seek support from the Mage’s Association, and organize information—”

She glanced at the idle Alaric.

If anyone present understood what was happening—

It was surely Alaric, the one who had suddenly returned.

But Da Vinci knew she couldn’t get the answers she wanted from him.

[Ahh...help, anyone? Anyone will do, just help! Anyone at all, help!!]

A sudden broadcast brought someone’s desperate cries.

Ritsuka and Mash, about to enter the container, froze.

“That was—”

“Hey~ what are you dawdling for? Holmes is yelling at you to hurry up!”

Meunière poked his head out. “No time to waste, we need to escape! Sorry for that guy, but we can only leave him behind!”

“He’s right—Holmes’ advice is sound, and I agree.”

Da Vinci looked at the unmoving Ritsuka and Mash. “We don’t have time—let’s just pray whoever’s on the speaker survives on their own.

Or, do you want to stay here for the sake of a stranger?”

It was a tough choice—even Ritsuka couldn’t answer right away.

[Eeeek! They’re here! Ahhh! Is nobody coming? Why do I have to suffer like this?! Damn it, don’t you people know who I am?

I’m Goredolf Musik! The eldest son of the Musik family! The man who’s going to lead Chaldea to glory from now on!

Glory, that’s right, glory! That’s how it should be.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, ahhh! Why, why, why does everyone always betray me in the end?! Every time! No matter where I go, I’m always shunned, a failure, rejected.

I know I’m unlikable, but even knowing that, what can I do?!

I don’t know why people dislike me! I don’t know how to be liked!

I never expected to be first-rate, okay? Second-rate or third-rate would be fine! But in the end, I couldn’t even achieve that!

Ahh, it hurts, it hurts so much!

Stop, stop it!

Damn it, I’ve never had any luck, I thought, I thought I could finally succeed here!

Is my life a dead end wherever I go? Damn it, damn it—sob sob.

I don’t want to die, I still don’t! Because I’ve never—not even once—

Not even once been recognized by anyone!

I’ve never been loved by anyone at all…]

Goredolf’s cries echoed in the ears of Ritsuka and Mash, bringing back unforgettable memories.

Olga Marie, who had died two years ago, cried out the same way.

At that, Ritsuka made up her mind.

“Phew—Mash, we can’t betray those words again.”

With determination, Ritsuka turned to Alaric. “Can I count on you, Sir Alaric?”

“Want to come along?”

Alaric, not refusing, said, “I can manage this much.”

“Can’t stop you, guess I’ll have to come too.”

Da Vinci smiled wryly. “This time we have to make it. Am I right, Ritsuka?”

With that, Mash entrusted Fou to Meunière and joined Ritsuka and the others to rescue Goredolf Musik.

…

Backed into a corner, Goredolf panicked, his heart rate and blood pressure soaring—but compared to the terrifying soldiers before him, it was nothing.

“Is this the end? I’m out of magic spears…”

Trembling, Goredolf leaned against the wall so he wouldn’t collapse, but the fear in his heart wouldn’t subside.

“This is going to hurt, isn’t it… it’ll really hurt…”

He swallowed, staring at the approaching black soldier. “That scythe… it can probably kill me instantly, right?”

He’d seen it in old files—Tsar’s Killing Hunters, a unit formed to torment humanity, demons in human skin.

Just then, a bright sword flash cut through his vision. Crimson blood sprayed as the hunter was sliced in half.

Thud thud.

Four Killing Hunters were bisected in an instant!

“Can you still move?”

Releasing his sword, Alaric glanced at the trembling Goredolf.

Goredolf Musik—Alaric might not know him, but his father did: Goredes Musik Yggdmillennia, also a participant in the Holy Grail War.

“Wow, you’re really hard to kill. Didn’t expect you to be alive, Mr. Goredolf.”

Da Vinci, who had also arrived, couldn’t help teasing him.

“What are you talking about?! And you, Caster, and that demi-Servant girl!”

Now safe, Goredolf’s voice regained strength. “And—and you, insignificant Ritsuka—what are you all doing here?!”

“Saving you.”

Alaric laughed. “You want to die here with these soldiers?”

“Ugh, busybodies!”

Goredolf didn’t know who Alaric was—at first, he thought he was with Koyanskaya, but now he figured he was Chaldea staff.

Thinking this, Goredolf quickly said, “No, I’m the victim here! Chaldea should be shut down! The Servant summoning system is broken, Chaldeas was overloaded the moment I arrived! We’ve lost outside contact, Koyanskaya is missing, and then the Killing Hunters! What did you people do this time—trying to destroy the world again?!”

“Destroy—the world? That’s a huge misunderstanding.”

Mash patiently explained, “The Human Order Incineration wasn’t caused by us.”

“Hey, don’t talk back!”

Goredolf shouted, “You’d better fix things—ugh, just thinking about it makes me shiver! You must know something!”

“You’re just like your old man.”

Covering his ears, Alaric looked at Goredolf in disgust. “We have to run now. If you don’t, you’ll die.”

“Anyway, let’s get you to safety—everyone’s anxiously waiting.”

Da Vinci said, “Time to run!”

“Mash, can you still move? You’re in bad shape.”

Alaric glanced at Mash. “I’ll carry you.”

“—Thank you.”

Mash pursed her lips, knowing it wasn’t the time to hold everyone back, and didn’t refuse.

Alaric picked up Mash, and together with Ritsuka and the others, ran for the hangar.

But compared to Alaric, Goredolf was soon complaining again: “A marathon in the snow—really?! Can’t you show some sympathy for someone who’s been fighting alone?!”

“Want a snack?”

Alaric conjured a cake and offered it to Goredolf. “Snack or tea?”

“You—!”

Goredolf gulped but resolutely pushed Alaric’s hand away. “Is this the time for food?! If those Killing Hunters catch up—”

“Alright, this is as far as you go.”

A tall woman blocked their path, laughing. “Sorry, but you’re not crossing the finish line~”

“No way!”

Seeing Koyanskaya, Goredolf looked guilty. “Koyanskaya, you were captured by those people?!

So it’s because I escaped the control room first, leaving you behind, and now you must’ve suffered…”

“She’s the enemy boss.”

Alaric kindly reminded him, “See her aura? She’s commanding the Killing Hunters. The attack on Chaldea is her doing.”

“What? Was I tricked by that woman?”

Goredolf’s eyes widened. “She made me bid for Chaldea, worked so hard, but it was all for herself? Damn it, how dare you toy with my innocent heart, you vixen!”

Now seeing clearly, Goredolf glared at Koyanskaya.

“Oh my, what a misunderstanding, Lord Goredolf.”

Koyanskaya smiled. “We really did sell Chaldea to you, and its value is genuine. You acknowledged its worth and invested. We even eliminated your rivals so you’d own all of Chaldea.

It’s a win-win. How could you call me a vixen—”

She grinned. “Even someone as mild as me gets her fur standing on end—”

“Enough. Out of the way, Koyanskaya.”

Alaric interrupted. “Move aside. I won’t stop you after this, but let them go.”

“Heh, don’t get cocky, Mr. Alaric. You’re not invincible.”

Koyanskaya scoffed. “We have an invincible princess on our side!”

A white-haired girl in ornate dress appeared, holding a doll, surging magical energy marking her as no ordinary person.

“Grant death to those who defy the emperor’s glory.”

The one called Princess said softly, “Eradicate all traitors, stone, ice, steel, we shall crush all the good.”

Crack crack crack.

Frost spread visibly, encroaching on Alaric and the others.

“We need to run—she’s trouble.”

Not wanting to fight the princess, Alaric stomped hard.

A radiant wave swept out, engulfing the freezing air and turning the corridor into his domain.

[Imaginary Elementalization].

“What?!”

Koyanskaya’s expression shifted as she scanned the corridor.

The princess’ attacks were nullified; she tried pouring in more power to fight the domain.

Taking advantage of this, Alaric and the others reached the underground hangar.

“Whoa, so this is the hangar—it’s way bigger than in the files!”

Goredolf exclaimed as soon as they entered.

“You can admire it later—get in the container!”

Da Vinci shouted, “The cold is right behind us!”

Without Alaric’s domain, they couldn’t resist the princess—the freezing cold was about to engulf the hangar!

“The ice is coming!”

Meunière yelled at the container entrance, “It’s right behind you, hurry!”

“Enemy Servant is closing in—should we fight, Sir Alaric?!”

Mash, still in Alaric’s arms, asked loudly, “If we stop her here, the staff escaping in the container won’t be affected—”

“No need!”

Da Vinci replied, “If we keep this speed, they won’t catch up! We’re almost there! I’ll cover the rear—you just—”

A silent shadow crept up, unnoticed by most—an ambush, or perhaps a long-laid trap.

“Yes, just one more step—”

A voice rose, filled with delight for what was to come.

Only a step away—no one could dodge it.

At that moment, the priest formed his hand into a blade, aiming for the back of a Servant to shatter her core and end her life for good.

But before the blow landed—

A large hand intervened.

Kotomine Kirei looked aside, meeting the eyes of the one who stopped him.

Firmly holding that deadly hand, Alaric smiled and said, “You can’t do that, Father Kotomine.”