Chapter 315: The World War Begins
The rhythmic sound of hoofbeats echoed as a white horse pulled a carriage of matching white, adorned with intricate gold patterns. On either side, silver-armored soldiers holding long spears provided escort. The carriage slowly wound its way out of the lakeside path, crossed the wilderness, and returned to the dirt highway of the official road, cleared of long grass.
They were heading toward Aachen, the capital of Charlemagne's empire, located on the western border of what would later be Germany, near Belgium and the Netherlands. The silhouette of the city was already visible in the distance.
Astolfo, who was leading the team on horseback, had hopped into the carriage to chat with Shirou, fearing he might be bored.
"Here, Shirou, these are wild strawberries picked this morning. They're very fresh."
"Are you thirsty? Want a sip of water? This is clear spring water from the mountains; it's very sweet."
"This rose suits you perfectly."
Inside the carriage, Shirou was being cared for with meticulous attention. Astolfo's doting behavior was enough to give him goosebumps; he was so embarrassed he felt utterly restless.
Through his conversation with Astolfo along the way, Shirou gained a basic understanding of this world. Aside from the fact that many people's genders were flipped, the social concepts of men and women were also inverted. Noblewomen served as knights and fought on the battlefield, while men stayed home to raise children and manage household affairs.
Aside from that, the world was very similar to the history of the 8th and 9th centuries Shirou knew—until the roar of a wyvern flying overhead shattered his assumptions.
This was the world of the Charlemagne legends: a legendary world filled with magical beasts, Phantasmal Species, and holy swords.
While Charlemagne wasn't the 200-year-old king from the later romances—who was mythologized as Roland's uncle yet outlived him by decades—he was a robust middle-aged man in his forties. However, his strength was on a completely different level than historical accounts. He represented the Christian nations of the entire world.
Historically, the territory Charlemagne commanded never reached half the size of the Western Roman Empire; lands like Britain and Southern Italy never fell under his rule. Though he once invaded Spain, it ended with him merely gaining a small vassal state on the border.
However, he did have newly pioneered territories; for instance, Germany had never been ruled by Rome.
Although Astolfo was a prince of a British kingdom, he was merely a knight who had come to serve the Frankish King out of admiration. Technically, his father the King was not under Charlemagne's direct jurisdiction. However, in this world, all of Britain had become a vassal state under Charlemagne's control of the Christian world.
Meanwhile, the second dynasty of the Arab Empire (the Abbasids) had just triumphed in the Battle of Talas against the Great Tang Empire—an empire that had been expanding its borders relentlessly since its founding. With no powerful competitors left in Central Asia, the Abbasids were at their peak. From their capital in Baghdad, Iraq, their main army had even campaigned as far as the Byzantine Empire, forcing the Eastern Romans to pay tribute.
In history, Spain was supposed to be the territory of the fallen first dynasty (the Umayyads), but here it was part of a unified Arab alliance, a superpower spanning Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Currently, the two sides were locked in a chaotic war. Charlemagne hoped to conquer Spain and convert it to Christianity, while the Arab Empire could not abandon its drive for territorial expansion. Thus, conflicts were constant.
The scale was so exaggerated it could almost be called a World War.
In this setting, Shirou was a high-born prince from an Eastern nation. He had come here to find the strongest warrior to marry. Because he possessed a charm akin to Helen of Troy—the beauty who sparked the war between Greece and Troy—multiple factions were fighting to claim him.
Astolfo's mission was to bring him back to the Charlemagne Empire for a political marriage. Like the Princess Angelica of legend, Shirou possessed a charm dozens of times more powerful than Diarmuid's "Love Spot" curse. Hardly anyone could look upon him without becoming infatuated.
Consequently, having traveled all the way from the East, he now had countless suitors. Among the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne, aside from Ruggero of Africa, the only ones who didn't love him were the women.
This is terrifying... Shirou thought with a sigh.
"Are you getting used to it now, Shirou?" Astolfo leaned in close, looking into his face with a smile.
"No, it's not a matter of getting 'used to it' or not," Shirou replied with a wry smile.
Only after losing something do you realize how important it was. His connection to the White God was severed, he couldn't use the Mystic Eyes of creation, the Holy Grail had been removed, and his body had shrunk.
Though some residual mana remained in his body, it was completely insufficient in a world where the battlefields were filled with heroes of Heroic Spirit caliber.
He was uncomfortable with almost everything. Furthermore, with the genders and social norms flipped, Astolfo was now a girl. If the players of the FGO mobile game saw this, who knows how many would lament and wail in grief.
The only consolation Shirou found was that there was at least one benefit here: on the battlefields where the Twelve Paladins, Islamic heroes, and barbarians clashed, he could witness all sorts of incredible Noble Phantasms.
The Charlemagne Empire of Europe possessed the three most famous holy swords, all of which had a reputation on par with King Arthur's Excalibur. They were truly worth looking forward to.
The first was the Durandal, the Peerless Sword of the Paladin Roland. It was a blade that could not be destroyed by any means; legend says when Roland tried to break it against a rock to prevent its capture, it sliced the boulder in half instead.
The second was Curtana, the Sword of Mercy. It was a blunted blade; legend says an angel descended specifically to break off the tip of the edge. This "Sword that Never Opens" was forged from the same steel as Roland's Durandal. It possessed immense power but, due to its blunt edge, could not kill anyone. In later ages, it was passed to Britain and became an essential symbol of sovereignty for the British coronation ceremony.
The last was Joyeuse, the Sword of Jubilation held by the founder of the Holy Roman Empire, Charlemagne. Legends varied; some said its hilt was made of gold and forged from the tip of the Spear of Longinus. Others claimed it was actually the "Sword of Mars" once held by Attila the Hun, the Scourge of God.
The Scourge of God had used this sword to destroy Rome centuries ago. After Charlemagne obtained it, he led the Germanic armies to conquer almost all of Western Europe. A hundred years later, Otto I claimed to inherit Charlemagne's throne and established the Holy Roman Empire.
Charlemagne was indeed remarkable, praised in history as the "Father of Europe." He provided a link for future Europeans, promoting the formation of the European Union by tightly binding Germany, France, and Italy together—for better or worse.
.
.
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After some time, they arrived at a castle.
"Come on, come on, this way!" After stepping off the carriage, Astolfo laughed and grabbed Shirou's hand, skipping toward the interior.
Inside the castle were well-equipped, heavily guarded female sentries. Astolfo waved to them with a giggle, but Shirou felt the guards' gazes locked onto him with a burning intensity.
Eventually, they came before a massive golden door.
Pushing it open, they saw Charlemagne sitting high upon a golden throne. He was a tall, imposing middle-aged man with a full beard, wearing a magnificent robe embroidered with cross patterns.
"King! I've brought the Prince back!" Astolfo shouted, raising a hand in a playful horizontal V-sign.
Charlemagne, seated above, spoke: "I see. You are dismissed."
"Yes, yes~! See you later, Shirou!" Astolfo replied.
"Wait, Astolfo? What exactly is going on with you bringing me here?" Shirou asked.
"Shirou, I'm going to the kitchen to see if there's anything good to eat, then I'll bring some back for you," Astolfo said as she ran out.
The Emperor of the Empire, wearing a circular crown adorned with a cross, looked Shirou over and said, "I didn't expect even Astolfo to fall for you. You are indeed a prince of unique charm; no wonder kings would give up their own cities just to trade for you. You're just a bit young."
"As a prince from an Eastern nation, the Empire will respect your choices. However, you must go on blind dates with the women of my Empire. I will gather all the outstanding talents for you; you only need to pick the one you're interested in."
Charlemagne continued, "If you feel unprepared right now, I can give you more time. But first, you must enter the Church. I will take you as my godson."
"Eh?" Shirou cried out in surprise. From his expression, Charlemagne was being perfectly serious.
In Western religious concepts, the bond between a godfather and a godson is very strong. For example, in Harry Potter, after his parents died, the only relative he truly recognized wasn't his aunt or uncle, but Sirius Black—his godfather. The term implies a father recognized by God, and he legally possessed the right to support Harry.
This wasn't a casual verbal agreement like calling someone a "brother" or "cousin." It was a formal ritual. If Shirou agreed, Charlemagne would certainly hold a grand ceremony to announce to the enemy forces that Shirou's Eastern nation had allied with him. This would boost morale and strike a blow to his rivals.
From a political standpoint, whether Shirou was his foster son or married to an Imperial woman made no difference. As long as Shirou was in his camp, the prestige and morale gain would be the same.
With that thought, Charlemagne's gaze toward Shirou became even more appreciative.
"Mhm, indeed a beautiful and clever child. Perhaps taking you as an adopted son and having you stay in this palace forever is an option as well. Maybe we can do that after we've purged all
our enemies." Charlemagne looked Shirou up and down, his expression turning into a look one might give a prized plaything.
"Um..." Shirou looked at the Emperor who was giving off a chilling aura. He wanted to ask a question, but the other man gave him a cold look, clearly not intending to listen.
"Roland and the others will return soon. Until then, rest well in this room and think it over." Charlemagne cut him off with an tone that brooked no refusal. "Guards, escort the Prince to the guest room to rest."
"Yes!" the entering guards replied.
The guards escorted the silent Shirou to a guest room.
The moment the door closed, Shirou felt a shiver run down his spine. The eye contact with Charlemagne earlier made him feel that he wasn't being treated as a person at all, but rather as an object.
Now, he only wanted to escape. If he waited for the knights to return, he really wouldn't be able to get away. By then, he'd either be taken as a godson by the ominous Emperor or forced into a terrifying blind-date hell.
"But how am I supposed to get out?" Shirou scanned the room. Aside from the door, which was strictly guarded, the windows were sealed shut. It was essentially a locked room.
Just as he was at his wits' end, a voice appeared.
"Shirou... Shirou..."
"Who is it?" Shirou looked around in surprise.
"Hey... Shirou, look up. I'm up here..." A square wooden board in the ceiling was pushed aside, revealing the head of a red-haired girl.
"You are...?" Shirou asked in confusion.
"I'm here to help you escape. Hurry, climb up." The girl said, tossing down a rope.
"I'm coming!" Shirou felt the girl looked familiar, but there was no time to think. He grabbed the rope. The girl above was very strong, easily pulling his shrunken body upward.
"Thanks! Um..." After some effort, Shirou successfully climbed into the ceiling. The space was less than half a meter high; he had to crawl flat like the girl. He looked at her and whispered his thanks.
"Don't mention it. I'm Sita! Anyway, let's get out of here first," the red-haired girl said.
"Okay, thank you, Sita!" Shirou followed her as they crawled outward.
They had to crawl dozens of meters. Reaching the edge and finding a way out took nearly an hour. Finally, they successfully bypassed the patrolling guards and escaped. They opened a
hatch in a secluded corner of the roof, slid down to the ground on a rope, and crawled out through a tunnel that had been dug out.
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