Seven・P

 

The Teras under Echidna’s command, now assaulting Realm, came in unfathomable numbers.

「So many of them… it’s overwhelming.」

An awe-inspiring sight. The Teras that had attacked human settlements days prior were nothing compared to this.

「Probably because the human migration to Realm hasn’t progressed far. Now it’s easier to attack without restraint.」

Libya analyzed their movements calmly.

「Indeed, Libya-sama. We were once comrades, fighting against the Stones together… but now, as enemies, they are formidable.」

Aural offered a respectful affirmation of her assessment.

「The ones under Hermes really are merciless.」

Even Asia found herself shaken by the depth of their hostility.

「Damn it! We’re completely powerless…」

The Kashas, keeping watch, were crestfallen.

「What’s wrong, Kasha?!」

Kinukawa asked with concern in his voice. The Kashas’ unusual gloom was concerning.

「We’re helpless against airborne enemies… and long-range attackers too.」

The Kashas’ bitter frustration left everyone aboard the ship silent.

「Well, that’s…」

「It’s just a matter of our roles and specialties. Leave the skies to us.」

The pilot of a Type-0 spoke with calm assurance. Since both Gogyou Heavy Industries and Misumaru Heavy Industries pilots used Japanese, coordination with the Kashas was unusually smooth.

「I’ll leave the sky to you…! At the very least, we’ve got to protect the ground!」

「The Green Knight will help too. Kashas, don’t overextend.」

Morgan interjected, issuing directives.

「We’ll throw ourselves at the enemy, fully aware of our own powerlessness!」

Rallying themselves, the Kashas began to roll out to fulfill their duties.

「We have many newly developed artificial Kryptos on our side. This is also the headquarters of BAS Avalon branch.」

「More Kryptos originated from British myths… so it’s another fairy, isn’t it? If the Green Knight is here, does that mean the Knights of the Round Table are absent?」

「We have Arthur, Eri.」

「I-I haven’t forgotten him!」

The disparity in numbers was offset by the Tankettes and biplane-type Agathodaimons, but the firepower gap was still stark.

There were few Kryptos like Aural capable of frontline combat. Without the Eidolons lending aid, the invasion might already have succeeded.

「We’ll track the airborne enemies.」

The spider-type Kryptos, Anansi, appeared.

「Morgan made others like me. Now we’ve got more thread-users.」

「What?! More thread-users?!」

「Flack even taught us the finishing move of the great thread-user from Earth—Fuyuki. It’s wild stuff.」

Anansi ensnared the upper-class Telkhines unit, Alastor, in a net of steel wires and detonated it—an explosive takedown via detonation code.

「But the Chimeras—!」

「New allies will deal with the Chimeras.」

Anansi calmed the panicking Aural.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

「Seven here.」

「Aye. Looks like it’s finally our turn.」

「Indeed. We, the Seven Units. Let us protect the people as in the legends of old.」

From the secret tunnel connecting to Morgan’s Realm, seven silhouettes burst forth. They scattered immediately, each moving to engage a separate foe.

「Deploying wire traps. Drop the airborne Chimeras to the ground.」

「Roger that!」

The seven fired missiles from the ground. These detonated mid-air, unraveling into nets that ensnared the flying Chimeras and slammed them down.

The Chimeras retaliated with laser cannon fire, but the Seven dodged effortlessly in tight slalom maneuvers.

「Are those new Kryptos…? Captain Eri, what should we do…?」

「It’s better if we don’t say anything.」

Eri and Aimer could only gape at the spectacle.

「A Silhouette riding a Panjandrum has finally appeared…」

Nyanta watched with a look of resignation.

Ordinarily, Panjandrums were about three meters in diameter, but each of these Mythology Weapons carried wildly different sizes.

「Nee-san, Merlin, the unit Marujin made is there as well.」

「Merlin was supposed to double as a shield, right? Why is that thing equipped with seven Panjandrums!?」

The machine had a bizarre form. Its head was that of a Silhouette, but it now featured a warped, beak-like adornment. Its heels were equipped with wheels that were clearly small Panjandrums. Both arms and shoulders also housed similar spinning wheel weapons. On its back, the machine carried an especially massive Panjandrum.

It was equipped with seven Panjandrums in total, each spooling out wire.

Its close-range weapon was a distaff rod wound with cable, functioning as a drill.

The new Kryptos used wires to swing the Panjandrums like flails against the Teras, then pierced them with the drill.

「Unbelievable…」

Even Aural was stunned. This was clearly a Kryptos, crafted with newly developed technology.

「A Mythology Weapon equipped with seven Panjandrums… I can’t even imagine what kind of legend this one’s based on. Astraea, please explain.」

Eri, ever astounded by her allies, could already guess the British origin of this one.

「It was suggested by Marujin, so I imagine it’s based on a fairy related to spinning wheels. Morgan should know more.」

Astraea passed the baton.

「Her name is Habetrot. A crooked-mouthed old woman, an English fairy who spends all day weaving with her distaff and spinning wheel.」

「So it really is another British spinning wheel fairy!!」

「She’s a guardian of maidens, ensuring good marriages and easing the burden of post-wedding labor.」

「That’s such a lovely tradition! Tell us more!」

Eri and the other women of marriage age onboard watched Habetrot with sparkling, hopeful eyes.

「Do you want to hear the tale she is based on? The tale is related to how spinning wheels symbolized domestic labor for women in past times. Long ago, there was a girl who shirked her spinning duties, preferring to play. Her mother, worried that her daughter wouldn’t be able to find a man who would marry her, scolded her relentlessly. One day, the girl met an old woman—Habetrot—who agreed to spin seven beautiful skeins of thread for her, on the condition that her involvement remained a secret. The astonished mother couldn’t stop shouting ‘Seven! Seven!’. In the end, word reached a local lord and he arranged to marry the girl, impressed by her ‘talent’.」

「Wait a minute… the girl didn’t do any of the spinning herself, right? That’s marriage under false pretenses!」

「Indeed. After the wedding, Habetrot visited the lord and warned him to ensure the bride didn’t end up with a crooked mouth like hers from excessive spinning. The lord, understanding, exempted the girl from spinning duties. The local flax harvest was henceforth gifted to Habetrot and her six sisters, who gained steady work.」

「So Habetrot just played matchmaker to get a job… That’s more ‘meddling old crone’ than ‘fairy’.」

「Be that as it may, such well-meaning intermediaries have always existed. That’s how such legends come to be.」

「Since ancient times, spinning wheels and distaffs have been symbols of fate-weaving goddesses. Norse and Greek mythology both feature similar figures. But a guardian of brides is certainly a more intimate kind of legend.」

「Well, it is the land of fairies.」

Astraea refrained from saying aloud how naturally suited Mythology Weapons were to British folklore.

「It’s also said that land where unbaptized children were buried carried curses, and that only cloth woven by Habetrot could lift them. A healer of curses, then. Even from a British perspective, she’s a fairy of goodwill.」

「But, uh, she’s using Panjandrums as weapons and riding them like skateboards into combat…?」

「The base Silhouette is a Caledonia Crow. The twisted mouth is modeled after a bent beak. Still, it’s a Kryptos with a protector’s heart. Her will to safeguard people is exceptionally strong. She doesn’t feature in many curse-related tales.」

「So that explains the combination of Panjandrums and distaffs turned into drills.」

「Habetrot’s spinning and thread legend pairs surprisingly well with the Caledonia Crow’s detonation code and combat engineer loadout.」

The Habetrot units slalomed to evade incoming enemy bombs, riding their Panjandrums.

Their combat morale was clearly high. By using thread-based targeting, their strikes were precise and minimized friendly fire.

「There are still more British Mythology Weapons passed down from Marujin. Rest assured.」

「What part of that statement should make me feel assured!?」

「A powerful quadruped tank derived from a mythical beast. Its name is Wild Haggis. A creature with asymmetrical legs, said to be the origin of Scotland’s national dish—」

「I’ve eaten it. It’s awful!!」

Kinukawa, pale and horrified, shouted in despair.

 

 

AN:

This chapter features the British fairy Habetrot, a rare benevolent spirit who doesn’t play pranks or curse people. She even shows up as an NPC in a certain game!

While it didn’t make the main text, the girl in the tale traded seven stolen smoked fish for the thread, which is why the mother yelled “Seven! Seven!” and why the number seven is important. The idea of “Seven Ps” is a nod to a famous robot anime’s Seven’s Sword. The silhouette-type Kryptos here is armed with seven Panjandrums.

As for the punchline… well, what better than British cuisine?

More British Mythology Weapons exist but may not all appear due to space. Wild Haggis hasn’t debuted yet, but it’s a grotesque-looking tripod beast—technically a mammal? A holy creature only visible under a full moon to the pure of heart.

The UK is rich in fairy lore, especially Scotland and Northern Ireland. Ireland has its own mythology too: the Ulster Cycle and the Fianna warriors. Wales brings giants, dragons, and sorcerers like those in The Mabinogion. You may recognize Arianrhod from Welsh mythology—popular in certain RPGs!