“When I was a kid, I used to yearn for a world where no one would ever get hurt.”
“Huh, so you’re saying that now you’ve stopped dreaming of that world?”
“Yeah. Unfortunately, once you get too old, achieving that kind of dream becomes impossible.”
Saying this, Yuri’s father gave a bitter smile.
Yuri silently looked up at her father’s face.
“…Yeah. Then leave it to me.”
“Wha…?”
“Didn’t you hear me? I’ll do it. You’ve given up on it, haven’t you? But I’m still a kid, so isn’t it possible that I can still achieve it?”
For a moment, Yuri’s father stared at her in surprise.
“…Ah, thank you. Really.”
With those words, he quietly closed his eyes.
And the viewers watching this scene on TV unconsciously nodded their heads.
“So Yuri had such a heartbreaking past, huh.”
“Exactly. It all makes sense now why she kept insisting on saving everyone. It was because of this promise with her father.”
“Not quite. It’s not just the promise with her father. The real reason could be the trauma of surviving while everyone in the village died during a massive earthquake.”
In truth, the treatment of Yuri, the protagonist of “Fate’s Sky,” had been rather delicate.
Because Yuri wasn’t a regular participant in the Full Moon Ritual like other Mages; she was more like an ordinary person who got dragged into it by accident.
Moreover, even though she was technically a Mage, the only magic she could use was physical enhancement. And due to her temperament of trying not to kill others, she even caused viewers to feel exasperated.
In terms of combat, she wasn’t helpful at all and instead created nothing but nuisances.
This made her less of a protagonist and more like some useless thing.
No wonder the Mysterious Archer once told Yuri to “drown in your own dreams.”
Now, as “Fate’s Sky” episode 12 aired, public opinion began to shift significantly.
Because the fundamental reason behind why Yuri acted the way she did was finally explained, convincing the audience.
Most importantly, when a long-haired female assassin suddenly attacked Yuri and Sein, Yuri finally awakened.
“…Initiating replication.”
“What? Could that be… HER-”
Facing the woman attacking at speeds invisible to the eye, Yuri replicated the Holy Sword held by the girl and successfully repelled her.
Of course, this wasn’t exactly victory in battle but rather a temporary retreat by the assassin due to unforeseen circumstances.
Still, the fact remained that Yuri had momentarily displayed enough power to stand against a hero remembered in history.
“Phew, looks like Yuri is finally paying back the life Sein saved.”
“Nah, the guy still has a long way to go before acting like a proper human. But the way he protected his girl deserves some recognition.”
“Well, combat-wise, he might manage to pull off one person’s worth… but his mindset is still messed up. How can someone with such childish dreams about a world where no one gets hurt possibly win this ritual?”
“True, what Yuri talks about is nothing more than a shiny utopia. Without the corresponding ability, merely spouting justice won’t earn him any empathy from others.”
Yet, despite this, the audience continued to give Yuri less-than-favorable reviews.
Rather, they seemed to have developed more affection for the Mysterious Archer, who appeared cold and heartless but spoke proudly of his goals.
“In terms of style and guts, the Archer is definitely more likable than Yuri.”
“Exactly. If Yuri were half as cool as the Archer, things would’ve been much better… tch tch.”
“Well, fundamentally, they’re different people, so it’s inevitable that Yuri doesn’t resemble the Archer. Still, it’s disappointing.”
As debates between fans over Yuri and the Mysterious Archer heated up, the anime continued its progression.
“First, we should retreat temporarily. That woman might attack us again anytime…”
“No, Yuri. As much as it’s a good idea, we don’t have the luxury to act that way.”
“Huh?”
“I can sense it. That woman has been circling around us. If we show even the slightest gap for retreat, she’ll surely strike.”
Ultimately, Yuri and the girl decided to face the woman head-on.
“Hehe, how brave. Who would’ve thought you’d choose to fight me openly in such an open space?”
The long-haired woman sneered as she looked at Yuri and the girl.
“Your bravery is misplaced. A mere assassin like you challenging a knight in direct combat?”
“We’ll see who’s being reckless after all, won’t we?”
As she spoke, a massive magic circle formed in front of the woman.
Then…
“ROOOAAAARRR!”
“What?! A dragon?!”
Indeed.
The woman’s hidden ace turned out to be the ability to summon a dragon.
She wasn’t an assassin but rather a rider of dragons.
“Impossible! There are heroes who command dragons as familiars?”
“This… This ability might even surpass that of a Great Hero!”
Seeing the woman riding the dragon, the viewers were left stunned.
A dragon.
A mythical creature from the age of legends, representing the pinnacle of mystery.
Its power was incomparable to humans, standing at the peak of all living beings.
Mysteries crumble before greater mysteries.
Thus, a dragon at the apex of fantasy might as well be unbeatable.
“This… We’ve lost.”
“How can anyone defeat something like a dragon head-on?”
Just as the viewers shook their heads in despair…
…
Facing absolute peril, the girl seemed to make a decision, raising her sword high.
“Huh?”
“What is that?”
Starlight began gathering around her holy sword.
“…Let’s go.”
The sword, shining brighter than the stars in the night sky, transformed into a massive blade of light, enveloping everything in dazzling brilliance-
“…Caliban!”
Finally, it erased everything in the night sky, including the dragon, without a trace.
“…?”
“…?”
Witnessing this spectacle, the viewers were left with question marks floating above their heads.
Because it was simply unbelievable.
Caliban.
That sword was famous enough that anyone watching knew it as the legendary sword wielded by the Knight King.
“Um… So… Wasn’t that sword definitely called Caliban?”
“Yeah, I heard it clearly too.”
“And according to legend, only the Knight King could wield Caliban, right?”
“Right, that’s correct.”
“Isn’t there also the part in fairy tales where no one but the Knight King could swing Caliban?”
“But in the fairy tale, the Knight King was male, wasn’t he?”
“If I didn’t misread the fairy tale… then yes, right?”
“And didn’t the Knight King marry a woman in the fairy tale? There was even a subplot where one of his knights committed adultery with the queen.”
“So why does the Knight King appear as a woman in ‘Fate’s Sky’?”
“…Hmm. I don’t know either.”
“Ugh… What’s going on here? If we keep moving forward, I feel like we’ll develop some irreversible tastes…”
“Was the Knight King… not male? Was the content of the fairy tale wrong all along? Ugh… I don’t know what’s what anymore…”
In reality, the answer to their questions was very close.
But the residents of this primitive fantasy world, with their limited intelligence, couldn’t comprehend the advanced culture of the 21st century.
Anyway.
The concept of TS fiction, a product of advanced civilization, has now been successfully transmitted to the fantasy world.
