Against Fate

My name is Silva Branwen, a foreign entity from another universe trying to get back home. Currently, I have just finished up setting up a residence in the Japanese city of Fuyuki which was not hard with my skillset after visiting a few Yakuza to get some cash and identity papers. Making an early connection with the Fujimura Group will help my stay in this world since I am going to be stuck here for the long haul. After purifying the Holy Grail of All The World's Evils, it will likely hibernate, whether for the standard 60 years or a much shorter 10 years; I don't know.

I am not taking the risk of All The World's Evils following me back to my home on Remnant. I shudder at the thought of All The World's Evils getting in touch with the Pools of Destruction left behind by the God of Darkness. After summoning Caster, I spent my time gathering information to get an idea of when all the servants were going to be here for the war. Considering Rin Tohsaka is still going to school from her home at the Tohsaka mansion means I still have a while yet before things get started.

I was tempted to meet and tease the little tsundere but decided to save it for another time if I could. For now, my first priority is to get the Magecraft knowledge of the Tohsaka, Matou, and Einzbern families if I want to purify the Holy Grail. I want to tackle the Einzbern family first because, despite it making me feel like a scumbag, capturing Illyasviel von Einzbern is a major bargaining chip to have. While her father, Kiritsugu Emiya, could kill his emotions to achieve his goal, her mother, Irisviel, is another matter.

As much as I would love to fight Artoria Pendragon, or any of the other Servants for that matter, I need to get back to Remnant no matter what. The System User could still be alive even with Lucifer, Lilith, and Electra, my AIs aiming to end his existence after my disappearance or presumed death. As I considered my options, I heard a voice in my head that I had gotten familiar with during my stay in Fuyuki.

"I desire ice cream. It is such a terribly delicious thing. Ah, don't you have something you should be doing? How long are you just going to stand around?"

I sigh, hearing her, Caster, my Servant, the Divine Spirit Scáthach-Skadi or, as I refer to her, Skadi. I didn't play FGO as Gacha is a temptation I avoided like the plague because I knew I would spend as much as a hundred dollars to get the latest and most desirable Waifu. Still, I did keep up with the story with walkthroughs as I liked Fate-verse in my previous life. To summon a Lostbelt Servant and a Divine Spirit at that was a surprise since I used myself as the medium for the summoning ritual. Caster continued her demand.

" Silva, I said I desire ice cream."

" Nice to know, Skadi."

I played dumb with her as she was at a loss on how to treat me. On the one hand, I am a budding Divine Spirit, and on the other hand, I am still a mortal. She may be a queen, but I am her Master and a foreign entity from another universe, so it complicates things for her in terms of hierarchy. Caster tries not to order me around and makes roundabout requests in which I play dumb to mess with her. I might be playing with fire, but her frustrated and pouting face is far too cute for me to pass up.

I'll take her to an ice cream parlor later, but right now, planning for the war and running tests on my abilities come first, as I need to make sure everything is working as it should. Thankfully, my Aura and Semblances are giving me zero issues, but my concern is my Magic and Divinity. My Magic is similar to my Aura as it derives from my soul, which makes me fundamentally different from Magecraft, and I now have a new worry. Alaya and Gaia, the Wills of Humanity and the World, respectively.

Being a foreign entity in this universe aside, the two higher entities at least have reasons to keep an eye on me. Dealing with the Counter Force would honestly be a nuisance. Well, Alaya is easier to deal with since I knew how to wake up some Beasts and even Type enemies, which would serve as a deterrent as they can end Humanity. For now, I will try to avoid earning their ire if I can help it. For now, I better treat my cute little goddess to some ice cream before she gets too upset.

***

She was the queen of a lonely world after the twilight of the gods and overlooked the eternity of ice and snow. To be summoned for a Holy Grail, surprised by she took it in strides with dignity and moderation fitting for one of her statures. She is the Great Scáthach, Scáthach-Skadi! Ordinarily, she should be commanding the one who summoned her, but her summoned was a young, budding Divine Spirit in the Age of Man that was still mortal and a Foreigner on top of that.

Etiquette demanded respect in the established hierarchy, but fitting the Foreign Divine Spirit was complicated. To be able to ascend to godhood on their own ability spoke volumes that deserved respect and honor. If he resided in her court, she would've assigned him appropriate duties and provided him with materials to guide him to find where his Authority resided, seeing how his Divine Core had yet to develop his Authority. However, this Silva Branwen existed outside of all Pantheons of Gaia, so she had no right to command him despite being a visitor from another realm.

To further complicate matters were the dreams she saw of her summoner's past that allowed her to see his desperation and worry for his home. His feats made him more and more worthy of praise. He rose beyond his lowly station as a bandit, saving his world from one that would have doomed it to annihilation not through the strength of his martial and magical ability but through his wisdom, a rare feat indeed. Also, facing down a foreigner that only cared about their lust in his world, all on his own, to protect his family and loved ones.

Currently, her summoner is leading her to an ice cream parlor; what a delightful shop to exist and one she definitely wanted within her own kingdom.