Date A Live: Faerie Knight Lancelot

"Grandma, is there anything else you need me to help with?"

Melusine's voice was soft, yet carried a warmth that seemed to light up the dim street. Her long silver hair cascaded like an aurora under the night sky, catching the faint glow of the streetlights. She wore a stunning blue-and-white dress, its intricate design making her look like she'd stepped out of a grand performance. A small cloak rested on her left shoulder, adorned with delicate white flowers that swayed gently in the breeze. Her legs, wrapped in patterned white stockings, revealed a sliver of smooth, luminous skin between the hem of her short skirt and the top of her stockings..

The old lady she was helping smiled warmly, waving her off. "No need, little girl. You've already done so much for me. Let me handle the rest."

Melusine shook her head, her expression calm but resolute. "It's okay, Grandma. This little favor is nothing to me. After all, I am the strongest."

Her tone was matter-of-fact, as if stating an undeniable truth. The old lady chuckled, deciding not to argue further, and simply watched as Melusine effortlessly carried her belongings.

As Melusine turned to leave, she noticed someone staring at her. Her golden eyes flicked toward the source, landing on a teenage boy who quickly averted his gaze. He rubbed the back of his head nervously, then bowed slightly, as if apologizing for his unintentional rudeness.

There was something oddly familiar about him, but Melusine couldn't quite place where she might have seen him before. Before she could dwell on it, a soft voice called out to the boy.

"Oh! Found you!"

The voice belonged to a petite girl with aqua-blue hair, walking toward the boy with a shy smile.

 A rabbit puppet adorned her left hand, its mouth moving as it spoke in a playful, teasing tone.

"Shido... Yoshino called you so many times just now, and you didn't respond," the puppet said, its voice lively and exaggerated. "Could it be that Shido's fallen for that girl over there? Shido, Shido, are you trying to add another person to your harem?"

"N-no! That's not it!" Shido stammered, his face turning bright red. His flustered reaction only made the accusation seem more convincing.

Melusine watched the exchange for a moment, her gaze lingering on the aqua blue haired girl. There was something... familiar about her presence, something that tugged at the edges of Melusine's memory. But before she could figure it out, the old lady called out to her, pulling her attention away.

With one last glance at the group, Melusine turned and followed the old lady.

---------------------

It had been half a month since Melusine arrived in this world. At first, she'd been disoriented, but as she explored, she began to notice something strange—this world felt familiar, as if she'd seen it before. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall where or when.

Over time, she pieced together a few clues. This world, she realized, was from something called an anime. At first, the term meant nothing to her. But as she wandered the streets, helping the occasional elderly person or lost child, she began to understand. Anime, she learned, referred to those colorful, moving drawings she'd seen on posters and screens.

Melusine didn't get the appeal. Why would anyone spend hours staring at moving drawings when they could be outside, experiencing the world firsthand? To her, it seemed like a waste of time.

She also discovered the existence of an organization called AST—the Anti-Spirit Team. Their sole purpose was to hunt down Spirits like her. Melusine wasn't particularly concerned about them; they posed no real threat to her. But she didn't want to deal with the constant interruptions every time she walk outside. That's why she chose to conceal her presence, avoiding unnecessary confrontations.

After all, while she could eliminate them all—she was, without a doubt, the strongest—it seemed like too much trouble. Becoming humanity's number one enemy just because she decided to wipe out a few pesky humans? That wasn't worth the hassle.

There was something else, though—something that bothered her more than the AST or the concept of anime.

Every time she looked down, she felt like something was missing. A limb, perhaps? But that didn't make sense. She had two legs, just like any human. So why did it feel like there should be more?

"Did I have three legs before?" she muttered to herself, frowning. "No, that's ridiculous. Humans have two legs, and I look exactly like a human. So why does it feel like I'm missing something?"

The thought lingered, unsettling her. Maybe her past self had been different—an alien, perhaps? But even that didn't quite fit.

Melusine shaking her head. "This is too confusing. Maybe I'm overthinking it."

Still, the feeling persisted, a nagging sensation that something about her wasn't quite right.

As a Spirit—or, more accurately, a being who transcended the needs of ordinary life forms—Melusine didn't require food or water to survive. Her dragon heart produced an endless supply of mana, sustaining her effortlessly. She could eat if she wanted to, but she found it unnecessary. After all, why bother with something so trivial when her existence was maintained by pure magical energy?

---

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a blood-red glow over the horizon. Melusine's shadow stretched long across the ground as she walked into a small shop, carrying a large case of beer with ease.

"Uncle Kobayashi, I've put the beer here," she said, arranging the bottles neatly on the counter. Despite the physical effort, her breathing remained steady, as if she'd done nothing more strenuous than take a leisurely stroll.

The man she called "Uncle Kobayashi" smiled warmly. "That's the last of it. Thank you, Lancelot."

Melusine tilted her head, her silver hair catching the light. "Is there anything else I can help with?"

Uncle Kobayashi shook his head, chuckling. "No, no, you've done more than enough. This is my wife's and my shop, after all. If I let you do all the work, I'd just be standing around uselessly."

Melusine frowned slightly, considering his words. "That's true. I can't always be here to help. If I make you dependent on me, it would be my fault."

Just then, a cheerful voice interrupted their conversation.

"Lancey~!"

Before Melusine could react, she was swept off her feet and pulled into a tight embrace. The back of her head rested against something incredibly soft.

"...Aunt Kobayashi," Melusine said, her voice calm but slightly exasperated. "I've told you before. My name is Lancelot, not Lancy."

"What's the difference?" Aunt Kobayashi replied, her tone playful. "Don't you think Lancy is much cuter than Lancelot?"

She hugged Melusine even tighter, her enthusiasm undiminished. "And didn't I tell you? Don't call me 'Aunt.' You're so adorable, Lancy-chan. You should call me 'sister' instead!"

Trapped in Aunt Kobayashi's arms like a doll, Melusine turned her head slightly to glance at Uncle Kobayashi behind the counter. He simply shrugged, a helpless smile on his face, as if to say, Don't look at me. I can't do anything about her.

"...Do you need something, Aunt Kobayashi?" Melusine asked, still refusing to adopt the title of "sister."

Aunt Kobayashi pouted, finally setting Melusine down. "You're so cute, Lancy-chan, but your reactions are so boring!"

She reached out and pinched Melusine's cheeks, her eyes lighting up with delight. "I have to say, though, the feel is top-notch!"

"Lancey, do you want to eat something?"

Just as Melusine was about to leave, Aunt Kobayashi tried to stop her with the offer.

"I have no need to eat," Melusine replied, her tone more mechanical than calm. "Ordinary food provides almost no energy for me and cannot sustain my behavior patterns. Besides, there may be someone waiting for my help right now."

Uncle Kobayashi, leaning on the counter, chuckled softly. "Lancelot really loves to help others, doesn't she? These days, I've been hearing all sorts of stories about you. Granny Terai, who sells flowers across the street, can't stop talking about you. Even my regular customers mention you. And Grandpa Akai—you know, the one who always looks like he's just come back from a battlefield? Even he doesn't sound so fierce when he talks about you anymore."

Melusine tilted her head slightly. "Actually, Grandpa Akai is a very nice person. You'd understand if you spent more time with him."

Aunt Kobayashi raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "That Grandpa Akai? I can't imagine it, not even a little..."

She poked Melusine's soft cheek playfully, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Why do you like helping others so much, Lancey? Can you tell your 'sister'? Is it because you want to be a hero of justice or something?"

Melusine fell silent for a moment, her golden eyes lowering as she considered the question. "...It's not something that grand," she said finally. "I just feel like I should do it. I don't know the exact reason..."

The truth was, Melusine didn't fully understand why she felt compelled to help these humans. Deep down, there was a faint, almost subconscious desire—a hope that person would praise her for her deeds. But who was that person?

The word Master flickered in her mind, vague and elusive. She didn't know who this "Master" was or why the thought of their approval mattered so much. It was like a shadow in her memory, just out of reach.

The sunset had long faded, giving way to the slow ascent of a silver moon.

As the moonlight bathed the streets, the wind carried a growing chill.

"It took quite a while..."

Leaning against the wall, Melusine walked forward, passing under one streetlamp after another. Her shadow stretched and shrank with each step, shifting in shape as if it had a life of its own.

She often declared, "I am the strongest," but deep down, she knew the truth—she was deeply insecure.

The Faerie Knight Lancelot, or Melusine of the Faerie Kingdom, was not born like the others. She was the discarded left hand of the Albion Dragon—a piece of flesh that had fallen from the great dragon's body when it perished in the Sea of Nothingness, never having the chance to return to the Inner Sea of the Star.

That wretched piece of flesh, tainted and unclean as mud, should have dissolved into oblivion. Yet, against all odds, it gained form, will, and a soul after witnessing the radiance of the Aurora.

But no matter how much she shaped herself, Melusine could never escape the truth—her existence was an abomination, her means of survival perilous.

She knew that Aurora's love for her was a lie. And yet, she clung to it, as if grasping a fragile thread hanging over the abyss of hell.

A body doomed to collapse, tainted by impurity.

A love surging within her dragon heart, yet utterly false.

A dreamlike Aurora, so beautiful—yet nothing more than an illusion.

In the end, she betrayed the trust of Queen Morgan. When Aurora commanded her to slaughter the Mirror Clan, she obeyed without hesitation.

And yet, it was Queen Morgan who had gifted her the spiritual base of Lancelot, stabilizing her unstable existence. As long as that foundation remained, Melusine would not deteriorate, would not crumble into nothingness.

Morgan had accepted her as a Faerie Knight. She had entrusted her with a purpose, a place where she could belong.

And still... Melusine threw it all away.....

(A/n:Whoever goes through Monday sincerely, then the next day will be Tuesday)

Anyway, if anyone here recognizes which fic was used as a reference to write this one, I will give away this FGO JP account. 1 week time limit— the first person who correctly guesses by describing the first plot of that fic will get the account. QWQ