[Thanks to Barghest's relentless efforts, you finally managed to acquire the blueprint for the Pal Sphere Assembly Line Factory.]
[Shortly after, Murian, Lord of Gloucester, received you all in audience.]
"What a surprising auction that was... I never imagined a lord would go so far as to wager her entire domain just to win a bid like this. I suppose I've underestimated you, Tristan. You've shown quite the determination."
"No, rather than the auction itself, what shocked me more was that you'd choose to join the Child of Prophecy's group. Since Queen Morgan's disappearance, even you have started placing bets on the future?"
Murian regarded Tristan with open curiosity.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm only with her because—"
Though Tristan intended to say he only agreed to accompany Artoria out of respect for Guinevere, a sudden flash of Barghest's gaze made him hesitate. He thought of the trouble Lancelot had brought since he joined, and the way everyone had treated him since...
"...No, it's not a wager. My mother will definitely return and reclaim Britain. But until then, I believe that working alongside Artoria might help make Britain a better place—so that when Mother comes back, she'll find a land worth returning to."
"...Huh?" Artoria stared at Barghest, stunned.
Then, realizing she had just been tacitly acknowledged by this thorn in her side, her gaze toward Barghest softened involuntarily.
"The hell's with that look, you dumb boar! Don't look at me like that, it's disgusting! I've got goosebumps all over now!"
Feeling Artoria's gaze, Barghest quickly turned away with a scowl.
"...You wanna fight?"
Artoria decided to shelve her moment of sentimentality for now.
"You two get along quite well." Even Murian, who was technically an outsider, couldn't help but comment—only to be met with a chorus of rebuttal:
"We do not!" x2
"Well, your group dynamics aren't my concern. Let's get to business." Tiring of the banter, Murian turned her gaze toward Guinevere.
At this point, it was clear even to her that while the team might be under the Child of Prophecy's name, the true pillar of the group was this attendant of hers.
"In any case, since Tristan made such a speech during the auction, I assume you're aware of the grudge between me and the Fang Clan—especially Woodworth."
"And since your relationship with Lancelot, Woodworth's ally, is already terrible, I suppose that opens the door for cooperation between us?"
"But before that, I'd like to know—what exactly can you offer?"
[After demonstrating a bit of your power, you entered negotiations with Murian regarding a potential alliance.]
[Murian agreed to Artoria's request to ring the bell and expressed willingness to provide limited financial support.]
"Well then, now that we're allies, mind telling me what this thing is actually good for? I managed to assemble a working model based on the blueprint, but I can't seem to get it running. Looks like something essential is missing?"
[Following your alliance, Murian asked about the value of the Pal Sphere Assembly Line Factory.]
"Of course, I wouldn't expect you to share that info for free. Clearly this device is worth a fortune. I'm willing to pay a fair price for it... say, how about I return the lordship title Barghest pawned to win the auction? I'll just take the 1.1 billion Morpounds instead."
"Oh? That generous?" Guinevere raised an eyebrow.
"Let's call it support for the Child of Prophecy. We're allies now, aren't we?"
Murian shrugged.
"Besides, being Lord of New Darlington is a hassle. Once I leave Gloucester, my fairy domain effects drop sharply. Managing it would be a pain. On the other hand, if I can get the use of this device in exchange, it's a win-win."
"...Fair enough," Guinevere nodded after a moment's thought. "Take me to see what you've made."
[Led by Murian, you were soon brought to see the prototype Pal Sphere Assembly Line Factory.]
Upon touching the machine, a system window appeared before Guinevere:
[Magical Equipment: Pal Sphere Assembly Line Factory]
[Rarity: ???]
[A mysterious construct from another world. Though it appears more like an alchemical workshop than a magical artifact, its origin lies in black tech. However, due to the necessary energy source not existing in this world, high-concentration mana crystals are used as a substitute, shifting its classification to that of a magical workshop.]
[Once operational, it can manufacture Pal Spheres. The current model can produce only four types: Normal, Super, Giant, and Extreme. Any creature caught inside a Pal Sphere will be subjected to mental suggestion and ideological reprogramming to obey the commands of its wielder—even orders to work until death will be followed without resistance.]
[—"There's no shortage of Pals on Palworld. If you won't work, there's always another Pal who will."]
[After a quick inspection, you soon identified why the factory wouldn't operate.]
"Do you know why it won't work?" Murian asked, frowning. "My instincts tell me it's powerful, but no matter how much mana I inject, nothing happens."
"..." Guinevere gave Murian a strange look, then explained after a pause:
"Your assembly line... isn't connected to a power source."
"Power source?" Murian echoed, confused.
"Most human-made machines require electricity. You didn't know that?" Guinevere was puzzled. "Isn't Gloucester lit up with electric lights? How do you not know what power means?"
"Oh, that's because most of that stuff was conjured by fairies using miracles," Artoria explained. "Fairy miracles are convenient like that. You don't need to understand how something works—just that it does. So they can create magic lights that keep glowing without electricity."
"But the more intricate something is, the less likely it is that fairies can replicate it."
"...I see," Guinevere nodded.
She then pointed at a component on the factory.
"In short, if you want to use this, just inject a current here. Then assign some good craftsmen to handle the manual parts of the line..."
[Under your guidance, it didn't take long for Murian to understand how to operate the factory and produce her first Pal Sphere.]
[Magical Tool: Pal Sphere]
[Rarity: ???]
[Throwing this sphere captures a Pal. However, as a mass-production model, it is only effective on low-level Pals.]
[Though no true 'Pals' exist in this world... who's to say fantasy species aren't a type of Pal too?]
[—"Catching humans with Pal Spheres is considered inhumane. Please refrain from doing so."]
"So, what's it do?" Murian asked eagerly, watching the blue Pal Sphere in Guinevere's hand.
"Well..." Guinevere smirked, raising the sphere and making a throwing gesture. He glanced at Murian.
But seeing the "Capture Rate: 0.00%" floating above her head, he immediately reconsidered.
"Ah, no good. There's no suitable target here," Guinevere said.
"Murian, can you bring over a weak fantasy creature?"
"? Sure."
Oblivious to Guinevere's earlier mischievous thought, Murian soon brought over a tame chimera.
Guinevere aimed the Pal Sphere at the chimera, but the display showed: "Capture Rate: 1.00%."
"No good... normal spheres have too low a capture rate."
Muttering to himself, Guinevere suddenly dashed forward and punched the chimera, leaving it near death.
The display changed to: "Capture Rate: 17.00%."
He then hurled the Pal Sphere at the creature.
To everyone's astonishment, the blue sphere split open upon contact, light enveloped the chimera, and drew it inside. The sphere re-sealed and hovered in midair, shaking gently.
A few seconds later, the sphere burst apart, and the half-dead chimera flopped back to the ground.
"..."
Staring at the glowing words [Capture Failed], Guinevere fell silent.
"Oh, I get it now," Artoria clapped her hands. "It can temporarily contain targets—like a way to forcibly bind enemies!"
"Eh?" Murian blinked. "That's what you spent all that money on?"
"...That was just a fluke. One more try."
Guinevere strode back to the factory, produced another Pal Sphere, and tried again.
Same result.
Again.
Again.
[Finally, on the fifth try—just as the chimera was on the verge of death—you successfully captured it.]
"Ohh!" Murian's eyes lit up. "So it really can fully contain a living creature. But isn't that also achievable with resizing magic?"
"No no," Guinevere shook his head with mock profundity. "Keep watching."
He summoned the chimera again.
"Chimera, give us a performance!"
But the chimera didn't respond. It wobbled and collapsed again, nearly dead.
"...Artoria, would you mind healing it?"
[After Artoria successfully healed the chimera, you gave it new orders.]
[Under your command, it performed tricks like ball juggling and jumping through fire hoops, demonstrating the Pal Sphere's true power.]
"Amazing!" Murian's eyes sparkled. "So you can directly control fantasy creatures caught in these spheres? Wouldn't this make building a fantasy creature army easy?"
"...Exactly."
Guinevere decided not to mention that the spheres could also capture humans—or fairies.
After all, Murian didn't have the system. She probably couldn't see that strange little disclaimer.
—Unbeknownst to Guinevere, behind him, both Artoria and Barghest had touched the Pal Sphere. Now, as they looked at his back, a dangerous light glimmered in their eyes.
Clearly, they were beginning to entertain a rather troubling thought.
[Shortly after, led by Murian, you arrived at the Bell Tower and rang the second Pilgrimage Bell.]
[The sound of the Bone Bell echoed across Britain, and all of Artoria's attributes received another boost.]
[Current Artoria Attributes:]
[Strength: A]
[Agility: B]
[Endurance: A]
[Mana: B]
[Luck: A]
[From the top of the Bell Tower—the highest point in Gloucester—you spotted something on the horizon.]
[You discovered the allied Fang Clan forces advancing from Salisbury and Oxford.]