Volume 1: The Fourth Holy Grail War
Chapter 15: Beyond the Sanctuary
The morning mist lingered between the ancient trees.
Golden sunlight filtered through the branches, illuminating the quiet valley that had been Ren and Morgan’s home for nearly a decade.
Today…
They would leave it behind.
A pair of travel bags rested beside the cabin.
Their belongings were few.
Several sets of clothing.
Books copied during their years of study.
Simple provisions.
For Ren…
One additional item rested across his back.
Gungnir.
Wrapped in layers of plain white cloth, the divine spear appeared no different from an ordinary traveler’s weapon.
Its overwhelming Divine Authority had completely disappeared.
No golden lightning.
No divine pressure.
No miraculous radiance.
It had become completely dormant.
Morgan looked at it with curiosity.
“…Master sealed it?”
Ren nodded.
“He said divine weapons should never reveal themselves unless absolutely necessary.”
Morgan smiled.
“That sounds like him.”
The cabin door opened once more.
Odin stepped outside.
His expression remained as calm as ever.
“So.”
“You are leaving.”
Neither Ren nor Morgan spoke immediately.
For years…
This place had been their home.
It was difficult to imagine waking tomorrow without hearing Odin’s voice calling them to train before sunrise.
Morgan lowered her head.
“…Thank you.”
The words were simple.
But sincere.
Ren followed.
“…Everything I am today…”
“…began here.”
Odin merely nodded.
“There is no need for gratitude.”
“I taught.”
“You learned.”
“That is all.”
Despite those words…
A faint smile appeared beneath his beard.
The old god looked toward the distant mountains.
“Remember.”
“The world beyond this sanctuary is different.”
“Many will lie.”
“Many will fear.”
“Many will hate.”
“But…”
He looked back at his disciples.
“…never allow another’s darkness to extinguish your own light.”
Ren silently committed those words to memory.
Morgan suddenly stepped forward.
Without saying anything…
She embraced Odin.
The old god froze for only a brief moment before gently patting her head.
“…You’ve grown.”
Morgan smiled weakly.
“So have you.”
“…Liar.”
She laughed.
“I know.”
Ren scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“…I’m not really good at goodbyes.”
Odin raised an eyebrow.
“Then don’t say goodbye.”
“…?”
The old god looked toward the endless horizon.
“The roads of this world are long.”
“Who can say we will never meet again?”
Ren smiled.
“…You’re right.”
Instead of bowing…
He simply extended his right hand.
Odin looked at it for a second before shaking it firmly.
No words were needed.
Teacher and disciple understood one another.
As the siblings walked toward the edge of the sanctuary…
Ren suddenly stopped.
He turned around.
Odin was still standing before the cabin.
Watching.
Not as a god.
Nor as the Allfather.
But simply…
As an old teacher seeing his students leave home.
Ren bowed deeply.
Morgan did the same.
When they raised their heads again…
Odin was gone.
Only the quiet cabin remained.
Neither sibling spoke for several minutes.
The forest felt different now.
Larger.
Less familiar.
The invisible barrier surrounding Odin’s sanctuary faded behind them.
For the first time in years…
They truly stood within Fairy Britain.
The scenery changed dramatically.
The forest gradually gave way to endless rolling hills.
Ancient rivers shimmered beneath the morning sun.
Towering trees, far older than any found in Proper Human History, stretched toward the heavens.
Mana saturated everything.
Every flower glowed faintly.
Every breeze carried traces of Mystery.
Fairy Britain was breathtaking.
And dangerous.
“…Beautiful.”
Morgan quietly admired the landscape.
Ren nodded.
“It almost feels unreal.”
“It is.”
Morgan smiled.
“This entire era is.”
As they continued walking…
The peaceful atmosphere gradually changed.
The smell reached them first.
Smoke.
Then…
The faint sound of shouting.
Ren immediately stopped.
“…Do you hear that?”
Morgan closed her eyes.
Several seconds later…
She frowned.
“…Someone’s fighting.”
Without another word…
The two sprinted toward the source.
The closer they approached…
A small human settlement stood in flames.
Homes burned fiercely.
Men and women desperately tried to protect their children.
Several fairies floated above the village.
Their laughter echoed through the smoke.
To them…
It was nothing more than entertainment.
One fairy casually ignited another house.
Another transformed a frightened horse into crystal before shattering it with a clap of her hands.
The villagers screamed.
Ren’s expression froze.
His hands slowly clenched.
“…”
Morgan’s face darkened.
“I thought…”
“…things had improved.”
Ren quietly shook his head.
“No.”
“We simply lived far away from all of this.”
The sanctuary had hidden them from reality.
This…
Was Fairy Britain.
One elderly villager stumbled before a fairy.
The fairy smiled sweetly.
Then raised her hand.
A massive spear of ice formed above her head.
“…Please…”
The old man trembled.
The fairy giggled.
“Beg louder.”
The spear descended.
BOOM!
The ground exploded.
The fairy blinked.
The ice spear had shattered before reaching its target.
A crimson spear now stood embedded in the earth between them.
The cloth wrapped around it slowly drifted away.
Golden runes faintly shimmered beneath polished white wood.
The air itself became heavy.
Not because Gungnir had released its Divine Authority…
But because it no longer concealed its existence.
The fairy instinctively stepped backward.
“…What…?”
Ren slowly walked forward.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
He reached out.
Gungnir flew back into his hand.
Morgan quietly took her place beside him.
The frightened villagers stared in disbelief.
Two children…
Had stepped between them and death.
Ren raised Gungnir.
Its golden runes glowed softly.
No divine lightning appeared.
No overwhelming power erupted.
He had no intention of awakening its true authority.
This battle…
Required only the strength he had earned.
Nothing more.
He looked toward the fairies.
His voice was calm.
Yet every word carried absolute conviction.
“You’ve had your fun.”
“Now…”
“It’s over.”
The laughing fairies slowly stopped smiling.
For reasons none of them could explain…
The two children standing before them felt far more terrifying than any monster they had ever encountered.
End of Chapter 15