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(Fate) Chapter 242: Queen of the underworld!!!
🕑 Added 2024-12-29 16:17:32 +0000 UTC"Come forth, Underworld. Come forth, Doomsday!"
Noble Phantasm: Underworld – The Gates of Judgment
Promise held the ghostly lantern that emitted an eerie glow, walking down the path of no return leading to the underworld.
Yet, the end of the road was not the eternal darkness of the underworld, but an empty simulation of a town—a facsimile of Snowfield City, the site of an ongoing Holy Grail War.
This space was a Reality Marble, created by the Master who had summoned the Rider-class Servant, the Pale Rider, in this false Holy Grail War.
Within this Reality Marble, the Pale Rider wielded a power capable of easily bestowing death upon others.
The Pegasus spread its silver-white wings, standing vigilantly by Promise’s side, its gaze fixed on the murky gray sky above.
Promise, too, understood what it was.
The black fog enveloping the simulated city within this Reality Marble was none other than the Pale Rider’s true form.
In other words, the moment Promise entered this space, the Servant had already been aware of their presence!
However, it did not attack this intruder who had barged in rashly.
Perhaps it was due to the ghostly lantern in Promise’s hand, dispelling the death that sought to engulf him.
Or perhaps it faintly sensed something—the realization that Promise’s arrival was not for destruction.
There was a sense of destiny, and this destiny symbolized something beautiful.
Noticing the hostility Pegasus harbored toward the Pale Rider above, Promise glanced at the sky and gave a faint smile.
Then turned to the Pegasus, and said, "No need to worry, Brother Horse. Relax, nothing will happen. It won’t attack us."
Hearing his words, Pegasus looked at Promise with a hint of doubt.
After all, having accompanied Promise through countless places, faced numerous challenges, and encountered many gods and monsters, Pegasus had naturally gained considerable insight.
Thus, it could tell that the Pale Rider’s true form was the embodiment of calamity—an existence that should not dwell in this world, and should not even possess consciousness.
So, are you saying that such a being had consciousness and would not attack?
Though puzzled, Pegasus said nothing, retracting its wings and hostility toward the Pale Rider, obediently standing beside Promise.
Well, although it didn’t understand the situation, following the little master was enough.
This was the absolute trust Pegasus had accumulated toward Promise over a long time.
In this trust, even if Promise pointed to the immovable Styx and told Pegasus to jump in and die, Brother Horse would not hesitate for a moment, convinced in his heard that nothing bad would happen.
Promise must have his reasons!
Of course, this only applied during times when Promise wasn’t holding a grudge.
If Promise ever bore a grudge—say, over being mocked too much for his weakness or conflicts with goddesses—then during that period, Pegasus believed it would need to tread cautiously, even while walking.
Such was the "value" of the oldest vengeance bearer.
"Let’s go, Brother Pegasus,"
Promise spoke softly, carrying the ghostly lantern in his hand as he and Pegasus advanced forward, step by step disappearing into the fog of this Reality Marble.
Behind them, the Pale Rider, the very being symbolizing calamity and the bringer of death—transformed into black mist, and quietly followed them.
The dim light emitted by the Underworld Lamp dispels the death in this simulated creation of the [Underworld], and within the same light, the fluttering wings of a nether butterfly—a familiar of a certain goddess—shimmered faintly.
This little emissary, looking somewhat aggrieved, flapped its wings as it guided Promise forward.
They didn’t walk far before arriving at the center of this spectral town.
Here was the home of the Pale Rider’s Master—the little girl who had summoned it.
Her name was Kurouka Tsubaki, a girl who had only recently turned ten years old.
At her age, she was like most children, innocent and full of wonder.
But this adorable child, who should have been cherished by her parents, had instead endured inhuman suffering and the corruption of death.
Because Tsubaki Kurouka was born specifically for the Holy Grail War.
Her family, a lineage of magis, were a part of the group, who had stolen the actual machinery underlying the Fuyuki Holy Grail War system, and while there, also obtained partial knowledge on Zouken Matou's magecraft.
Seeking to adapt it to their own use, they eventually reached the idea of using magically-modified bacteria to better their host, and decided to use their first born daughter as the test subject.
Speaking words like “We will make you into an illustrious mage”, her parents' experiments caused her great pain.
They felt no love for her as a person, but only as a vessel to continue their family line.
It was precisely because of this stolen knowledge that this young girl was able to summon the Pale Rider, a Servant embodying plague, pestilence, and death.
Tsubaki’s wish, however, was heartbreakingly simple: to live a normal life, loved by her parents.
The Pale Rider’s existence was unwittingly shaped by Tsubaki’s subconscious magic, manifesting as a Servant through the Holy Grail War’s system.
However, even though the Rider could not comprehend human emotions, the knowledge it received from the Holy Grail instilled in it a deep desire to fulfill its Master’s wishes.
Tonight, the Rider ventured toward the battlefield where Gilgamesh and Enkidu clashed.
The true reason for this, however, was Tsubaki’s fear of thunder.
The aftershocks of their battle had reverberated even into this Netherworld-like Reality Marble, terrifying the little girl.
Thus, the Pale Rider had gone to “resolve the problem” for its Master.
It was this same protective instinct that led it to attack Tsubaki’s parents, thwarting their original plan to summon Qin Shi Huang as their Servant.
In the end, it altered their memories and fabricated this simulated world, granting Tsubaki the peaceful life she desired.
This, too, was why the Pale Rider did not take any action against attacking Promise.
Even though he had only accepted the knowledge granted by the Holy Grail, perhaps it was precisely because of this purity that allowed it to perceive something the moment Promise arrived.
It realized that this traveler, walking amidst the strands of fate, might be the one who could truly fulfill its Master’s deepest desires.
And so, at this moment,
Inside Kuruoka Tsubaki’s home
After Gilgamesh and Enkidu finished their battle, the "thunder" disappeared, and her mood finally calmed down
Tsubaki looked at the handsome young man gently knocking at her door and for a moment, she stood frozen, her wide eyes fixed on this visitor who seemed almost too otherworldly to be real.
Promise looked down at the young girl gazing up at him with a blank yet curious expression.
As a brief silence lingered, a thought crossed his mind,
"If Tohsaka ever learned about this, she’d surely lose her mind. She’d probably insist on taking her home right away... No doubt about it."
After all, the girl named Kuruoka Tsubaki bore an uncanny resemblance, at least in circumstance, to Matou Sakura from the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City.
And Sakura, of course, was Tohsaka Rin’s own younger sister.
"Hello, I’m Promise,"
Promise had such strange thoughts in his mind, but his face did not show the slightest abnormality. He lowered his head slightly, smiled gently and said to the girl.
"Don’t worry. I was invited here by your Servant, the Pale Rider.”
Of course, Promise conveniently omitted the part where “being invited” involved brute-forcing an ancient god’s power to open a door.
Not exactly the most polite arrival.
However, as soon as he spoke these words, the Pale Rider appeared in its misty black form, standing protectively beside Tsubaki.
Though it didn’t speak to confirm Promise’s claim, its quiet presence was proof enough that it had allowed him safe passage to this place.
Tsubaki glanced at the Rider, then back
at Promise, blinking softly.
For a girl who had endured immense suffering but was ultimately saved by the Pale Rider, it was her most trusted companion apart from her parents.
Thus, her initial wariness toward Promise began to fade rapidly.
As Tsubaki’s gaze shifted, she suddenly noticed the silver-white Pegasus standing by Promise’s side.
The magnificent creature radiated a sense of purity and wonder, its presence almost surreal against the bleakness of this Underworld-like Reality Marble.
Looking at tthe beautiful Pegasus, then back at the young man with emerald-green eyes, whose warm smile seemed to shine brighter than the stars.
For a long moment, Tsubaki simply stared, as if piecing together a thought before she finally asked hesitantly,
"Big brother... are you... an angel?”
After all, even in this simulated world—a realm of death, disease, and despair—he had arrived here accompanied by a creature of light and had dispelled the surrounding death, bringing an undeniable sense of warmth and hope.
Promise froze momentarily at her question but quickly recovered, his gaze softening as he looked at the girl whose bright eyes now sparkled.
When she was enduring that inhuman pain, perhaps what she longed for most was to see an "angel" who could relieve it all.
From this point of view, the pale knight, a symbol of disaster and death, had instead become this little girl's angel.
"I’m not an angel," Promise smiled gently, and spoke, "But... if you’d like, you can think of me as a magician who knows a little magic."
"A magician..."
Hearing this term, the stunned girl's clear eyes revealed obvious fear and dread.
Seeing this, the man, aware that he had awakened the painful memories in her mind, did not rush to explain, because actions speak louder than words.
Crouching down to meet her eye level, Promise’s voice softened even further. “May I ask, what’s your name, little one?”
Looking at the young man, who had squatted down in front of her, looking into his calm, reassuring green eyes, Tsubaki felt the fear in her heart ease a little.
"Kuruoka Tsubaki..." she whispered almost inaudibly, subconsciously telling her name.
“Tsubaki... what a beautiful name,” Promise said with a smile.
Then, under her surprised gaze, a vibrant flower appeared in his hand—a delicate narcissus, blooming radiantly despite the oppressive atmosphere of this world.
The narcissus, a flower of early spring, symbolized overcoming hardship and bringing joy.
“Do you like flowers?” Promise asked, holding the blossom out to her, who subconsciously took accepted the flower, cradling it carefully in her small hands.
"I love flowers!" She nodded and answered very excitedly,
"That’s wonderful,"
"Then, what do you think about making this world bloom with flowers?”
As Promise uttered those words, Tsubaki had not yet fully processed their meaning when she suddenly noticed something astonishing.
Beside Promise appeared the indistinct figure of a woman—a beautiful and ethereal presence whose elegance and aura were beyond words.
Though her features were obscured, her mere presence exuded a radiant and otherworldly charm.
Perhaps because they were in the "Underworld," her shadow appeared far more defined than it might have in the outside world.
This woman, the Queen of the Underworld, seemed overwhelmed with emotion as she appeared.
She moved as if she wanted to embrace Promise...no, she swiftly moved to embrace him.
Yet, as nothing more than a shadowy projection, she could not physically touch him, her arms passing through his form.
The inability to truly hold him left the woman visibly dejected.
But her sadness was short-lived, for the joy of merely seeing Promise—alive and well—brought an undeniable light to her expression.
That alone seemed enough to fill her with happiness.
Turning her gaze toward Tsubaki and the Pale Rider, the queen’s luminous eyes quickly pierced through to the essence of their existence.
A trace of sympathy flickered in her gaze as she looked upon Tsubaki, a girl whose life had been marred by such profound suffering.
Then, as if deciding on something, the Queen of the Underworld extended her power across the barren land of this "Underworld."
In an instant, her divine influence dispersed the death, pain, and despair that had plagued this place, replacing them with vibrant life, beauty, and joy.
This was the one and only Elysium, a paradise where flowers bloomed amidst the eternal shadows and sorrows of the Underworld.
The next moment, under Tsubaki’s astonished eyes, the oppressive darkness of the Underworld dissolved, giving way to a landscape bursting with countless vivid flowers.
The sweet fragrance of life and renewal filled the air, bathing the area in warmth and light.
The presence of life descended upon the once-desolate land.
