Chapter 314: The Three Trials of the Witch
The Witch of the Forest had lived for over 1,500 years—a span of time so vast that if compared to a modern human with an average lifespan of 70 years, she had witnessed nearly 20 cycles of reincarnation. Twenty chances at love, twenty times facing life and death, and twenty different lives.
A witch's lifespan can be exceptionally long, and she was considered ancient even among her kind. Yet, she had no way to die; she simply existed. Living a hidden, wretched life within the inner folds of the world, she felt that creatures already rejected by the world's evolution would be more beautiful if they simply vanished. For humans, an incredibly brief life passes in the blink of an eye, and all grudges and debts disappear with the death of one party. But for a witch, it is different; every resentment and worry persists for millennia.
Merlin had sat in his tower for nearly 1,500 years. He did not apologize, he did not beg for mercy, and he did not flee; he simply accepted it. Clearly, if he—the man at the pinnacle of magi—truly wished to, he could have broken such a curse given enough time.
Initially, she hadn't intended to trap him for an eternity. But because he never apologized, she could not forgive; and because he never fled, she could not pursue further condemnation. The Magus of Flowers sat alone atop the high tower, isolated from the world, seemingly forgetting time itself. Perhaps he would continue this way forever. To him, this wasn't atonement; he was merely "staying" there.
If that was the case, death would be preferable. But as a being whose life was tied to the forest, she could not truly die as long as trees remained. Even if she found a way to kill herself, she would merely ascend to the Throne of Heroes, never finding true peace.
Tired of existence, the witch cast a curse upon everything. Then, she discovered the "White God"—a deity possessing the power to create everything and, therefore, the power to destroy it all.
Thus, the Witch of the Forest began her layout. Those young girls brought over as "Masters" via Pseudo-Summoning were actually nothing more than necessary catalysts. In this special world created by the authority of the White God, they served as mediums to summon Heroic Spirits—much like Holy Relics. The one truly providing the massive mana required for Servants to battle someone of Artoria's caliber was the Mistress of the Forest herself.
The Witch had already dealt with Salome and expelled Merlin. Now, she had secured the mana of the "Mad Queen" Juana and Zhang Chunhua (wife of Sima Yi). Combined with the residual mana left after the spirits inhabiting Ako and Gasai Yuno were dissolved, she had enough to use the Holy Grail to activate a colossal ritual. The mana for the magic circle was complete.
Consequently, the girls were no longer needed. The witch cast them all out of this sub-world.
"Bastard! Witch of the Forest? Plenty of Brits called that Holy Maiden a witch too! How about I tie you to a cross and burn you!" Having lost the trail of the enemies she was chasing, Jeanne rushed back, shouting fiercely, "Anyway, release Shirou right now!"
Artoria sheathed her holy sword, staring coldly at the bizarre witch. She stepped forward and asked, "Though we are old acquaintances—and you even helped us when you were studying under Merlin—it seems by the look of things, you intend to be my enemy this time."
"How could I? I have no wish to be your enemy. After all, as the child of the Red Dragon, you are the King chosen by Britain. For beings like us who rely on ley lines to survive, a figure like you must be protected. The holy sword in your hand is the most powerful proof of that, something even that woman Morgan le Fay could not change."
"Then move!" Artoria looked past the witch toward Komachi and Mashiro, who were still unconscious on the ground, and walked straight toward them.
The Witch of the Forest lowered her head slightly and moved aside, letting Artoria pass. Then, she stared intently at the King's back and asked in a low voice:
"I simply feel I have lived a bit too long. Me, and Merlin too... You once pulled the sword from the stone, and your body remained frozen as a girl of fourteen or fifteen. Later, you held the scabbard of the holy sword, rendering you invincible and incapable of scarring. But I am curious: having spent your life in the body of a girl, never experiencing the growth or maturity of a woman... during those years of war, when you were slandered by enemies, misunderstood by your knights, and betrayed by your kin, did you ever feel a moment of loathing or despair toward such a self?"
Artoria picked up the two girls to carry them to safety, answering coldly, "At that time, my only goal was to be an ideal king. I had no time to consider such things."
"And now? Do you regret it?" the witch pressed.
Jeanne shouted irritably, "So annoying! If you have a problem with Merlin, go bother him!"
"No, as for Merlin, I have no intention of doing anything specific to him. Since he has confined his original body to the tower according to the rules, I will not place any new curses on him. Expelling his spiritual body from this world was simply because I found his unrepentant, fraudulent smiling face irritating," the witch explained calmly.
"Then what are you trying to do to Shirou? Release him immediately, or don't blame me for being ruthless!" Jeanne glared at the witch.
"Hehe, I'm afraid I can't do that." The witch smiled and activated a teleportation spell.
In the next instant, the spot where she had been standing was blasted by fire; Jeanne had unleashed her flames the moment she saw the witch smile. The witch reappeared in the void several meters away, dodging the attack perfectly.
"Indeed, I respect you, but I cannot agree to this. After all... what I just spoke of is already a matter of the past."
"Lancer! Stop them!" The witch raised a hand from beneath her cloak, revealing Command Spells, and ordered Honda Tadakatsu, who was still on the ground.
"Truly a legendary general of Japan; such impressive loyalty. Even with a Master she dislikes, she obeys orders one hundred percent. Is this the so-called Bushido of loyalty? It seems that even though my status as Master led to the summoning of troublesome women, I still drew a good card."
With her Noble Phantasm fully active—rendering her temporarily immune to all damage—the black-haired Honda Tadakatsu mounted her famous steed and charged Artoria and Jeanne like a hurricane, swinging her three-meter spear. For a time, the two could only exert all their strength to parry, leaving no opening to stop the witch.
The Witch of the Forest turned toward the boy, smiling eerily. "After all, you were the one I was looking for from the start, Emiya Shirou! The only weakness of the White God..."
Inside the water sphere, pure blue water rose, covering the boy from his legs to his chest, eventually submerging him completely. Then, the water overflowed, converging on the ground.
The weakened Shirou felt as if his entire body was being squeezed, as if he were being forced into clothes two sizes too small, his entire being compressing. The blue lake water formed a small pond within the dense forest, surrounded by greenery. Seven or eight hands reached out from the surface—just as the Lady of the Lake once reached out to catch Excalibur before vanishing beneath the waves.
This time, several pale hands reached out, grabbed the boy's feet and waist, and pulled him down into the depths.
"Shirou!" Artoria reached out to grab him, but it was too late.
"Don't worry, you will all enter the story soon enough." The witch smiled at the girls and snapped her fingers. "Scheherazade! Do it!"
Behind the witch appeared a curvaceous woman with dark-brown skin, dressed like a Persian dancer with a veil covering half her face and an ancient staff in her hand. She was the world's oldest "Storyteller," the narrator who lived in a state of constant peril.
"Yes, Master. As you wish," Scheherazade replied.
Runes poured from the woman's mouth, forming a strange circular magic array that enveloped the girls on the ground. A dazzling white light expanded, swallowing the entire forest world until only white remained...
"For my long-cherished wish, please stay within!" The Witch of the Forest spoke in a deep voice, activating an ancient and powerful magecraft. She then declared: "And... I hereby
bestow three trials upon Emiya Shirou, who is destined to break women's hearts! Until they are completed, he cannot leave!"
The Witch of the Forest specialized in this type of "Geis" or oath-based magecraft. Like the one trapping Merlin, while the conditions must be stated, once established, they are incredibly difficult to break. If the boy could not pass these three trials, he truly would have no way to return to his original world.
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At this moment, Shirou, who had sunk to the bottom of the lake, was half-conscious. He didn't feel water entering his mouth; he could breathe, though he felt a wet, thick sensation of liquid mana all around him. He felt himself sinking continually until, at the very bottom, he felt himself slip through once more. It felt as though heaven and earth had inverted, and he was pulled up to the surface.
The Lake Nymphs lifted Shirou and tossed him directly onto the shore. They then showed only their pale hands above the water, waving goodbye to him.
"Wait!" Shirou tried to call out. The seven or eight hands stopped waving, gave him a "thumbs up," and then submerged and vanished.
Shirou looked around the lake helplessly. "Where on earth is this?"
When he looked at his reflection in the water, he cried out in shock, "WHAT IS GOING ON?!"
His voice sounded significantly higher and sharper. The person reflected in the water was several years younger, looking like a "shota" version of himself just as he had entered middle school.
His connection to the White God had indeed been severed; he could no longer use the power of his Mystic Eyes. However, it seemed he could still use Pseudo-Summoning. Yet, even if he summoned Heroic Spirit EMIYA, his vision would at most be at the level of Clairvoyance (Hawkeye).
Just then, the sound of hoofbeats approached from behind.
"Hey! Shirou! So you were here! I finally found you! Honestly, why did you run off so far by yourself? It's dangerous for a boy like you to be out alone!"
Shirou turned back at the voice. It was a knight on horseback leading a carriage. Looking closely, it was his acquaintance, Astolfo.
Today, Astolfo was rarely dressed in a handsome, practical set of male leather armor. On his lower body, he wore actual trousers instead of a skirt with garters or a sailor uniform. His hair was neatly groomed without hair accessories, giving off the aura of a capable, dashing knight.
"Astolfo? You recognize me? And where is this?"
"Honestly! Shirou! How could I not recognize you? No time to explain, just get in the carriage!" Astolfo said crossly. He grabbed Shirou's hand and started pulling him toward the white carriage inlaid with gold.
The current Shota-Shirou, being shorter than Astolfo, had no strength to resist the knight's pull and was dragged along. He had to speak up to stop him. "Wait, Astolfo, there's no need for me to sit in such a luxurious carriage. I can just ride a horse."
Astolfo, dressed in his leather armor, shook his head repeatedly.
"Shirou, what nonsense are you talking? You are Prince Angelica Shirou, brought to Europe from the Eastern lands by Charlemagne the Great! As the world's number one prince, if you go out in the open, people will immediately come to snatch you away."
Shirou stared blankly. "Hah? Me? A prince? And 'world's number one'?"
"Yes! The world's number one most popular! Right now, the Arab Empire representing Islam, our Holy Roman Empire representing Christianity, and the barbarians of the Uyghurs, Danes, and Saxons—all these powers are frantically fighting to snatch you."
Astolfo smiled and warned, "So! Don't wander off again, or you'll really be captured by some barbarian who jumps out from nowhere!"
Shirou asked in surprise, "Wait? The Arab Empire and the Holy Roman Empire? Could it be the 8th Century AD? The era of Charlemagne?"
In the 8th Century, the Great Tang Empire ruled the East, spreading Han culture and developing the Silk Road in the Western Regions. Meanwhile, Central Asia, parts of Europe, and Africa were occupied by the rapidly rising Arab Empire, and the underdeveloped, feudal Christian regions of Europe faced the threat of invasion.
The Arab Empire—the "Dashi" mentioned in Silk Road history—had risen quickly after the fall of the Persian Empire. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, it was already a superpower trading and competing with the Tang. Together with the Tang, they defeated the powerful Turks and carved up vast territories.
For a time, the Arab Empire held the largest territory on Earth. Most of the land was barren desert or uninhabitable grassland—much like how Xinjiang is ten times the size of Guangdong but mostly empty. But it must be admitted that the Arab Empire's land area did exceed that of the Tang.
However, a truly capable major power never complains about having too much land; every inch must be contested. No one knows how many rare earths, minerals, or oil might be hidden underground. Once technology catches up, even wasteland can become a gold mine. Even if it's a desert with absolutely nothing, future generations can use it to test nuclear weapons.
Like the Imperial Examination system of the Sui and Tang, religious faith gave them a powerful sense of cohesion that could sustain a vast empire. In terms of cultural brilliance and freedom, they were far behind the Tang, but in terms of trade and military status, they were roughly equals.
Unexpectedly, during the Battle of Talas in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, the Tang were defeated by the Arab Empire and abandoned their westward expansion. While they kept their original territory, they lost the chance to spread their culture further. Because of the long-term chaos and instability in Central Asia following the fall of Persia, the people there were at their most receptive to foreign culture. Having missed out on Han culture, they turned to Islam, a faith that has continued to this day.
The appearance of Charlemagne in Western Europe was, in a sense, the unification of Germanic barbarian tribes to establish the Holy Roman Empire and preserve Christian culture. This ensured that modern Europeans and Americans remained Christians. Without him, the modern West—prone to its own vices—would likely be at least half-populated by teetotaling, non-smoking Muslims.
Though the land he ruled was merely the region of Western Europe—about 1.1 million square kilometers—it was because he led the Christian nations against foreign invasions that Roman Christian culture was preserved and not overturned by Islamic culture.
He is the King of Hearts in playing cards (the others being Alexander the Great for Clubs, Julius Caesar for Diamonds, and King David for Spades). One can see that in Europe, Charlemagne's status is exceptionally high. In the eyes of the French, he ranks as one of the greatest rulers alongside Napoleon.
Currently, Astolfo was under orders from Charlemagne to bring the Eastern Prince, Shirou, back to the Holy Roman Empire to seal an alliance through marriage.
"Speaking of which, Astolfo, you're actually wearing proper clothes. No cross-dressing today," Shirou said, looking at the cute boy with the braided hair.
"What are you saying, Shirou! I was a girl from the start! If you don't believe me, feel for yourself!" As she spoke, Astolfo grabbed Shirou's hand and pressed it to her chest.
Puni puni. Though they were small, they were definitely soft.
Shirou looked at the boy... no, the girl... as if he had seen a ghost!
Astolfo replied with a brilliant smile, "See! I'm a genuine 'warrior maiden.' Now you can relax! I will escort you to the capital of the Holy Roman Empire!"
"Come! You must be tired after running all this way, Shirou. Have some water."
"Mhm, thanks." Shirou felt truly tired and thirsty, so he took the waterskin.
"Don't mention it." Astolfo watched the boy gulp down the water, then smiled with relief. "I'm so glad I found you. If you went missing again, Roland would go crazy and start running around naked."
"Pffft!!!" Shirou's eyes widened in horror, and the water he had just sipped sprayed everywhere.
Astolfo was directly in front of him and took the full hit. Her face was covered in water, and her pink bangs were soaked and plastered to her forehead.
"Ah! Sorry! Astolfo!" Shirou said apologetically. He quickly fumbled through the pockets of his clothes and pulled out a handkerchief scented with balsam and lilies.
Why do I have such a fancy handkerchief? Shirou wondered briefly, but he focused on wiping the water from Astolfo's face.
"It's fine! It's fine!" Astolfo let Shirou wipe her face, showing a bright smile. She thumped her chest and, in turn, comforted Shirou considerately: "As an elegant lady, I must take care of a cute gentleman."
"Thank you." Shirou smiled and thanked the girl, then paused. "Wait? Does something feel slightly off here?"
"Well, I can understand you, Shirou." Astolfo crossed her arms, looking quite disappointed in her peer. "Roland really is disgraceful. No matter what, she's the strongest Paladin-ess of France; how can her heart be so fragile?"
"You're not serious, are you?" Shirou said in shock.
"I'm not lying to you, Shirou. The Twelve Paladin-esses of Charlemagne would never do something as classless as deceiving a cute gentleman!" Astolfo swore with wide eyes.
Shirou felt his eyelid twitching uncontrollably. This world seemed like it was going to be incredibly troublesome.
Announcement
Hello everyone!
As always Thank you for your support!
I'm happy to announce a new Fanfiction! There are already 40 chapters!
You can find it in my secondary account: VarieTL02
COTE: I've become a substitute
Mikage Touji transmigrated in the world of Classroom of the Elite with no explanation and entered the class 1-A, well at least he as a cool power even if a bit weak for now.
Until Ayanokouji Atsuomi asked him: "Is this you?" referring to a photo of Kyotaka.
"How could I possibly be that gloomy guy in there?!"
"Drop these useless excuses, Kiyotaka. Did you think that by changing your name and getting plastic surgery, you could escape my control?
Your enrollment materials are completely fabricated; not a single person can prove you ever existed. Furthermore, the timing of your appearance completely coincides with the time and place of Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's disappearance. And you're still saying you aren't Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?"
"Pfft..." It turns out that when people are truly speechless, they really do laugh.
"If you're looking to cause trouble, take a left out the door and find a police station. And another thing..." Mikage Toji helplessly spread his hands. "The one you are looking for is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. What does that have to do with me, Mikage Toji?"
[Harem - No Ayanokouji - Sakayanagi Arisu in class D.
I really recommend it even if it doesn't have Hikigaya XD it's very funny and the first girls are not the usual ones (Spoiler: Morishita Ai, Yamamura Miki and Shiraishi Asuka)
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting