Almost without needing Morgan's reminder, everyone quickly formed up, just as they had when facing the assault squad of the Knights of the Round Table, readying themselves against the source of the sound.
"Mother, your Mana..." Sakura reached out her hand.
"It's nothing serious in the short term," Morgan replied, gently taking Sakura's hand. A soft look appeared in her eyes. "Make a temporary contract with me later and help support him."
"Yes, Mother." Through the touch, Sakura transferred her Mana to Morgan.
Soon, a massive four-legged figure emerged from behind the dunes.
An eagle-headed Sphinx—
A mythical creature from Egyptian legends.
Just one look at it was enough to feel a pressure that set it apart from any modern beast.
Olga Marie and Ritsuka were already preparing their Magecraft.
But Morgan extended a hand, signaling them to hold back.
The Sphinx merely appeared. It made no further move.
Then, a squad of ancient Egyptian guards, over a dozen in total and armed with long spears and large shields, stepped out in formation from both sides of the Sphinx.
Moments later, a black "mirror" opened directly in front of the Sphinx, and from it stepped out an Egyptian female Servant with long purple hair.
She had tanned skin, wore extremely revealing attire, and bore a staff and golden ornaments that signified her status.
"You were the ones who fought with the Knights of the Round Table just now, weren't you?" the woman asked, her tone lofty and commanding. "I am Nitocris, a Servant summoned here alongside the Sun King."
Nitocris—the Queen of Magecraft who briefly ruled during the Sixth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt.
Upon hearing her True Name, Morgan already knew who she was.
As for the Sun King Nitocris mentioned, he was most likely the final pharaoh in Egyptian history—Ozymandias, more commonly known as Ramesses II.
But more than her name, what Nitocris exposed was a deliberately forced sense of majesty.
"Oh? So you're an Egyptian Pharaoh," Scáthach stepped forward. "I'm Scáthach, queen of the Land of Shadows. Pleased to meet you."
"?!" Nitocris couldn't conceal her shock.
As a Pharaoh, she embodied divinity linked to both the sky and the underworld—a goddess of both realms.
She never expected to meet another ruler of the underworld from a different mythology in a place like this...
The sheer pressure of their exchange left her at a disadvantage, her own lack of confidence costing her the upper hand.
"I see." Nitocris regained her composure and smiled gracefully. "No wonder you were able to face the Knights of the Round Table and escape that light."
Morgan gave a small smile. "I wouldn't call it an escape. We lost a key captain because of it."
"Wait, is it really okay to say something that sounds like admitting defeat?" Ritsuka whispered.
"They brought an entire force but showed no hostility. That likely means this Servant and her side are enemies of the Knights of the Round Table," Olga Marie whispered back.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend—at least, that was worth testing.
"Pharaoh Nitocris, what brings you here with your divine beast and your army?" Morgan asked.
"The Sun King believes that since you are enemies of the Knights of the Round Table, you can be our friends," Nitocris replied. "So, by his command, I've come to invite you into the Sun King's temple—accessible only to those who solve the riddle of the Sphinx. It is also the most prosperous utopia in this desert: the 'Ramesseum Tentyris.'"
The sudden invitation caused a stir among Olga Marie and the others.
But with the situation in this Singularity still unclear, it made sense to first ally with those open to cooperation—it would certainly make exploring what came next easier.
"Then we'll respectfully accept the invitation," Morgan replied with a smile.
Nitocris frowned. "What a condescending attitude..."
"You're the one being condescending, Pharaoh Nitocris," Morgan said. "After all, you're the one standing on higher ground."
Pointed out so plainly, Nitocris's face flushed slightly. She quickly straightened her expression. "It seems I was being careless."
She descended the sand dune alone, stepping onto the narrow oasis and standing before Morgan.
Because she was slightly shorter, she had to look up at Morgan, making her seem even less imposing.
"You look just like the queen here, Scáthach. Are you a queen from somewhere too?" She glanced over the Chaldeans. "I haven't asked your names yet. Hurry up and report them."
"Morgan le Fay, Servant of Chaldea. Class: Berserker," Morgan introduced herself coolly.
"Morgan?!" Nitocris was visibly more surprised now.
After becoming a Servant, she had naturally gained knowledge she hadn't possessed in life—legends from faraway lands and eras that came after her time.
"No wonder you're enemies with the knights of the white city. That explains a lot." Nitocris scrutinized Morgan seriously. "The great witch of Britain, Morgan... and a Servant of Chaldea, no less."
"There's nothing so strange about it. This is a crisis of Human Order. As a Heroic Spirit engraved in human history, lending my strength is only natural." Morgan's tone remained flat.
Under normal circumstances, Shiomi would've jumped in to mock her for such hollow lines.
But now, with him gone, Morgan's little moment of showmanship went unnoticed. The lack of reaction made her feel a twinge of loneliness.
That man would always have something to say back, no matter what she said.
"You look a little lonely," Nitocris suddenly remarked.
Morgan blinked in surprise. "What?"
"It's the expression of someone who's missing someone dear," Nitocris continued. She was all too familiar with that look.
"It's nothing. As I mentioned earlier, the one captured by the Knights of the Round Table is my husband."
"I see..."
Nitocris, who understood all too well the grief of losing a husband, instantly grasped the emotion behind Morgan's expression—only to then completely lose her composure.
"Eh?! A Servant is actually married to a human?! That's way too improper!"
She was clearly shaken.
Olga Marie and Ritsuka nodded in sync. They'd had the exact same reaction when they found out.
Back then, Mash hadn't thought much of it—having identified Morgan as a Servant from the start, she simply assumed everyone else knew and didn't bother to say anything.
"And by the way, I'm the master of this witch's husband," Scáthach added, casually brushing aside her hair.
"Eh..."
Nitocris's brain short-circuited.
A human had taken a legendary witch Servant as a wife… and even apprenticed under a ruler of the underworld from another mythos?
"...Just who on earth is that captured guy supposed to be...?"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake