The three didn't dwell on it long. The dragon girl's name, as in the original timeline, was Melusine.
She liked the name very much, and, being a quick learner, soon picked up the fairy language and could communicate—somewhat awkwardly—with the three.
Incidentally, Artoria was using a magic item Aoko made—one that constantly cast Tongues—so she could communicate freely with these fairies. In this Lostbelt, even the humans spoke the fairies' tongue.
At first, Melusine was confused about being rescued by three people, but she quickly adapted. After all, they treated her very well—she'd never tasted such delicious food in her four billion years.
"Slow down, you're starving!" Aoko smiled, handing Melusine a fragrant apple pie. As a dragon fairy, Melusine didn't need to eat to maintain herself, but having inherited some human traits, she'd feel hungry if she didn't eat for a while. "I've got plenty more food. If it's not enough, we can always get more from the Ark."
As Melusine absorbed more knowledge, she started to imitate the trio's behavior. Even her dragon features gradually shrank, until only traces of tiny scales remained on her skin.
Toneriko mothered Melusine, brushing her hair and tidying her clothes, though the dragon girl was reluctant to let go of her food, so some crumbs inevitably ended up on her dress.
"Don't eat while changing clothes," Artoria scolded, taking the leftover pie from Melusine's hands, making her chirp like a little animal. "Be good!"
…No wonder she'd been Mordred's parent. Seeing Artoria's way with children left Aoko feeling she couldn't hope to match her.
They dressed Melusine up in a complete Western outfit, then admired her new look from head to toe—satisfied, like a doll collector dressing up her favorite doll.
Seeing Melusine's pitiful look, Artoria returned the remaining half of the pie and patted her head, which, as expected, felt like the finest silk.
The four were now on a northern shore of the lake. A bit further north lay Toneriko's old home, the former capital of the Rain Clan—Orkney.
As they drew closer, Toneriko's mood grew heavier, so much so that even Melusine sensed her low spirits and fidgeted anxiously nearby.
"I'm fine, Melusine, don't worry," Toneriko smiled, squeezing Melusine's hand. "It's just… it's been many years since I came back here. I feel a bit emotional."
"Don't worry," Aoko comforted, "I'm sure even your foster parents wouldn't want you to be sad just because you came home."
"I know," Toneriko sighed, pausing before continuing. "But… if I ring the Pilgrimage Bell, the mission of Paradise will come for me…"
"Oh, that's nothing to worry about," Aoko said, waving her hand. "As a Magician, separating mission from power is well within my capabilities."
Walking through the ruins of Orkney, Aoko could imagine, from the remains of its beautiful buildings, what a lovely city this must have been.
Unlike Salisbury or Oxford, which the fairies built by imitating humanity, Orkney's architecture was, in a sense, original.
This was because, from the beginning, the Rain Clan had treated the Lostbelt's humans very well. The humans living here were happy to build for the fairies who protected them. This was one of the reasons—though not the main one—why other clans secretly envied and hated the Rain Clan.
Orkney's Pilgrimage Bell was made from the body of the clan's founding fairy. All such bells were made this way.
Inside the bell was the power of a founding Mother among the Six Great Fairies, and the mission inherited from the Star's Inner Sea.
Normally, if a Paradise fairy rang any Pilgrimage Bell, she would inherit all the power within—and the mission from the Star's Inner Sea.
In other words, if Toneriko rang the first bell, she'd be unable to resist the bell's command, compelled to seek the second and third bells, until the pilgrimage was complete and the holy sword was forged.
Since Aoko decided to take Toneriko out of this lostbelt, she certainly wouldn't let her sacrifice herself for the sword.
The four arrived at the tallest ruin in Orkney, the bell tower housing the Pilgrimage Bell. Though called a tower, it looked more like a castle or temple.
As they neared the bell, Toneriko's heart beat ever faster. Having given up her mission before, her Pilgrimage Staff had become a life-consuming spear, but she knew if she rang the bell today, the spear would likely revert to its original form.
They climbed to the bell tower's top. The northern wind howled. Though none of them would fall ill from this cold, the chill still made Toneriko shiver.
Melusine watched anxiously as Toneriko stared at the bell she was fated to ring, lost in thought.
"All right," Aoko said, stepping past the group to the bell, running her hand over it, and speaking lightly, "Don't worry about the Paradise mission. I'll show you why Magicians are called the enemies of the world!"
Artoria had witnessed Aoko's Fifth Magic before, but she was still unnerved. For Toneriko and Melusine, it would be their first time.
"Aoko…?" Toneriko began worriedly.
"Grab my sheath," Artoria interrupted, cutting straight to the point. Melusine instantly placed her hand on Artoria's scabbard, as did Toneriko, after a moment's hesitation.
As Artoria flooded Avalon with mana, the sheath glowed gold. Bathed in this light, Melusine and Toneriko were shocked—it felt like they'd returned to the Star's Inner Sea.
"From the bottom of the beginning to the end of the present, from outer to inner, from one to zero, all is set right!"
Even under Avalon's protection, Toneriko's hair stood on end. Aoko standing by the bell now felt utterly alien—a true harbinger of extinction.
As Aoko's chant ended, the world shrank and spun around her: seasons flashed by, leaves and buds became indistinguishable, and the ruined Orkney turned into endless fields and forests.
In a daze, Toneriko seemed to glimpse Orkney before its destruction, her foster parents alive, and herself a carefree girl playing under their care.