"What's going on?"
Muramasa covered his face, his expression unreadable.
Just monts ago they had been saying it was impossible to ring the bell, and now suddenly the situation had reversed. Did it have to slap them in the face so abruptly?
"I can't understand it at all either."
Da Vinci-chan was also stunned.
Were the common sense rules of the Fairy Kingdom always this abnormal?
Fairies turning into soil and wood after death was one thing, but could they actually beco bells too?
"What, don't tell you thought the Pilgrimage Bells were indestructible?"
Habbycat placed her hands on her hips, thoroughly amused.
"During the great calamities of the past, the Pilgrimage Bells have been destroyed many tis. It's just that new ones would always be born again before long."
"There's such a thing?"
Everyone looked over with bewildered expressions, sweating profusely.
They had genuinely believed the Pilgrimage Bells were unbreakable, considering they were treasures that had existed for thousands of years. They thought they must be special, never expecting the Pilgrimage Bells were actually passed down through generations. This was truly unexpected.
"Why does this change occur?"
"Who knows?"
Habbycat shrugged, unconcerned.
"But according to C's investigations, whenever a Pilgrimage Bell is destroyed, it would be replaced by a new one ford from the later deceased clan leaders."
"And the process of ringing the bell signifies that the clan has acknowledged their sins and repented for them."
"The so-called pilgrimage is about making the six great clans repent for their sins, with the bell tolls serving as the symbol of that repentance. This is the main duty of the Child of Prophecy, or rather, the Fairy of Paradise."
There was no particular logic behind it.
Or rather, no one currently understood the reasoning behind it.
"Hey."
At that mont, Mab appeared beside the group.
"According to the terms I agreed upon with Oberon, all the prisoners from the Fang Clan are to be handed over to . You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"
"Oberon, you actually agreed to sothing like this without consulting us?"
Da Vinci-chan imdiately looked with a headache at the unreliable man who called himself the Fairy King.
"Ah well, the Fang Clan mbers are all stubborn traditionalists anyway. They could never beco our allies. Handing them over to Mab doesn't really cause us any losses!"
Oberon scratched his head, looking sowhat embarrassed but speaking more seriously.
"If I hadn't said that, Mab would never have allied with us. You all understand that, right?"
That was indeed true.
If not for Mab's assistance, they would likely still be locked in fierce battle with Woodwose.
With Souji not taking action, they would have had to sacrifice at least several people to possibly wear Woodwose down, and that was only if Woodwose didn't flee.
As for Souji... well, perhaps because her position opposed her brother's, she basically adhered to the principle of "not acting unless necessary."
So far, the only two tis she had taken action were when Gudako and Artoria were in danger.
They couldn't just throw those two into the battlefield to force Souji to act, could they?
That would be far too chaotic evil!
"Have you finished thinking it over?"
A cold glint had already appeared in Mab's eyes.
"Is there any need to hesitate about such matters? Let make this clear—if you refuse, don't bla for turning against you on the spot!"
"I understand. Since we agreed in advance, there's no other choice."
After weighing the pros and cons, Da Vinci-chan reluctantly agreed, though with so resignation.
She stood firmly on the side of Pan-Human History. While concerned about the prisoners' rights, to prevent Murian from opposing them, she had no choice but to hand Fang over to her.
In a gesture of humanitarian spirit, they observed a mont of silence for them first.
"Let them handle the prisoner matter."
Mura suggested to Artoria.
"Regardless, Artoria, your priority is to ring the bell!"
Artoria had no objections.
If Gudako and Mash were here, they might have wanted to say sothing, but she held no goodwill toward Fang.
Artoria approached the Pilgrim Bell that Woodwose had beco and completed the bell-ringing process using a special incantation.
The fifth bell was successfully rung in Oxford.
"Finished?"
As soon as the ritual ended, Artoria grew stronger once more.
At that mont, Okita Souji appeared beside her like a ghost.
"Wah!"
Artoria was startled, and when she regained her composure, she looked at Souji with a resentful expression.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing much. I just wanted to ask if you're done ringing the bell."
"Done!"
"Good."
Satisfied, Souji nodded.
Then she stepped forward and hoisted the bell that Woodwose had transford into, carrying it like a giant horn.
"In that case, I'll take this bell. You have no objections, right?"
"Uh... no objections."
Artoria broke out in a cold sweat.
Who would dare object?
She certainly didn't!
The more she witnessed the power of Woodwose, the Queen, and others, the more she was awed by this person's unfathomable strength!
Souji lifted the bell.
And vanished in the blink of an eye.
Watching her retreating figure, an absurd suspicion suddenly arose in Artoria's mind.
"No, no, there's no way that's possible!"
But imdiately after, she shook her head vigorously, dismissing the unreliable thought.
"That leaves only the Mirror Clan's bell—"
Wait.
According to Oberon, the Mirror Clan's bell couldn't be found at all?
Could it have been destroyed along with their city in the massacre six years ago?
If so, as Habetrot said, the current Mirror Clan leader would bear the responsibility and, upon death, beco the Pilgrim Bell of the Mirror Clan!
The Mirror Clan leader was Ainsel, who left behind the prophecy and was said to be the princess of the Mirror Clan. She also died six years ago.
But.
Fairies are reborn through cycles!
"Hurry back to Norwich!"
Artoria's expression suddenly changed drastically.
She quickly found Gudako and the others, urging everyone to return to Norwich.
"What's wrong, Artoria? Why the rush?"
"Gareth is in danger!"
...
Norwich.
Since Spriggan was driven out, the city had fallen under the control of both Bogart and the rebel army. The eastern side, including the Vault City, was governed by Bogart, while the western side was controlled by the rebels.
Earl's Manor.
This place now served as the rebel army's stronghold. The Round Table Army and ordinary citizens who had relocated from Londinium had long been settled, living blissful lives in the earl's mansion where they no longer needed to worry about food, clothing, or shelter.
Though the fairies held reservations about the rebel army, they cared little about who ruled them as long as their own interests remained untouched.
Thus, despite its diverse population, Norwich beca the most peaceful city in Britain at this stage.
Salisbury, once regarded as the most tranquil place, had recently begun mobilizing forces for unknown reasons. The Wind Clan leader, breaking from their usual calm deanor, appeared to be planning significant moves.
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