After arranging their schedules and fabrig a reason about travelling for novel ideas whenever anyone asked, Scarlet and Kyle arrive in a small town in Sd.

  “Now I uand why this pce has such mythology,” Kyle remarked, standing on the vast, rodscape. He gazed into the distance, where dense mist shrouded the horizon.

  Scarlet sulted her map again. It was a store-bought map of Sd, covered with numerous handwritten notes. “Remember to be respectful whe there. Though I’m not sure if we’ll see anything.”

  Kyle observed her from behind. He could see she was nervous, stantly ping the er of the map and biting her lips.

  He asked tentatively, “Well, Scarlet, if you don’t find anything there – if it turns out to be just an ordinary fortress ruin in a misty setting - what’s your pn for ?”

  Scarlet appeared thoughtful for a moment, then responded after a long silehat would mean two things. Ohere are no spirits in this world, and I’m just wasting my time for looking it. But I still perform some ts, which suggests there’s some magi the world that I’d o learn about through various artefacts and a studies. In that case, I’d o pursue further education in this field, aiming for a solid academic record and possibly some funding. Two, spirits do exist but aren’t here. They might be found more easily in Japan or other parts of Asia, given Japan’s reputation for its shrines and such. If that’s the case, I might o stay there for aended period...”

  “You’re really good at pnning things,” Kyle plimented. He wouldn’t have thought of such detailed steps himself.

  Scarlet smiled, “I pn to write a few more books for Akahime’s Diary series. You’ll see how I developed this habit.”

  “Sounds like a long story.”

  “Indeed.”

  They resumed their journey after the brief pause.

  Driving in rural Sd was no easy feat. With houses scattered far apart and few signposts, pinpointing one’s exact location at any given moment proved challenging. Finding someoo ask for dires wasn’t much easier. (Scarlet: Not to mention without Waze oogle Maps for satellite view). heless, the nature sery was stunning, with an indescribable, whimsical quality that even Scarlet who had seen many pces in her previous life, couldn’t help admire.

  Finally, they reached their location: the ruins of Dún Scáith arskavaig. The ruins were said to be the Castle of Shadows from long ago, and Scáthach, the legendary warrior woman and martial arts teacher, was reputed to train only those young warriors who were already skilled and brave enough to pee the many defences of her fortress and gain access. The most famous warrior she trained was Cú n, the legendary hero.

  However, these legends were unfamiliar to Kyle, who only knew about Thor from Ameri ics, and had vague uanding of Egypt from a Japanese shojo manga about a time-travelled girl who bee a Pharoh’s or something like that – hardly his usual reading material.

  To Kyle, it was simply a p a cliff he shore, with a scattering of rocks and grasses. The outline of the once legendary castle was so vague that, if Scarlet hadn’t poi out, he would have thought it was just an assortment of oddly shaped rocks.

  Scarlet hopped out of the car, and Kyle followed her to the spot.

  “What’s ?” Kyle asked, “Do you o perform some kind of dance or ritual?”

  “Huh?” Scarlet looked at him, puzzled.

  “Well, you mentioned a priestess, and the closest thing I reted it to is a shrine maiden in Japan, wearing a specifiiform and perform ceremonial dances,” Kyle expined, scratg his head.

  Scarlet shook her head, “No, I’ll just have to ask politely. However, I think I might o pass some tests.”

  Kyle looked bewildered. “Could you eborate?”

  “She’s the teacher of all legendary heroes iic legends. To win her favour, I think I o pass her test, much like how Cú n did,” Scarlet said softly. After a moment of ption, she added, “You just stay here and don’t do anything. Even if I disappear, just stay put and don’t panic, alright?”

  “Wait, what?” Before Kyle could say anything more, Scarlet trotted into the ruins, k down, and said in a calm voice:

  “O Great Scáthach, teacher of all heroes, Queen of Shadowy Land who drew the liween life ah, guardian of the gate to the other realm. Here I pray, for your kindness, for your favour, for yuidao tread upon this mortal nd on your behalf, to fulfil your will and achieve greatness, to embody the ce that pleases you...”

  Her voice gradually faded as she slowly disappeared into thin air, while dense mist began to gather around the ruins of the legendary castle. The sky seemed distant, shrouded in a greyish haze, and Kyle suddenly felt as if he had entered a different realm.

  Tension built, and nervousness grew, but Kyle, believing itle girl, clutched the jade pendant hanging against his chest tightly, waiting patiently for any oute; It was a two-piece jade pendant: oh an entment to protect him from danger, and the other bound to Scarlet’s vitality. If anythio happen to Scarlet, the smaller pendant would crack, and shatter if she was to cease.

  Kyle did not know how long he had been waiting there; he dared not look at his watch. After what felt like ages, the sky cleared, flan to bloom, and Scarlet appeared, stepping forward with fidence, dressed in a tight, fitted attire, and holding a delicate spear taller than him.

  She seemed tired, but pleased.

  Kyle rushed to her and hugged her tightly, “Thank goodness you’re alright!”

  “Thank Queen Scáthach,” Scarlet said with a smile, “I passed her test. She agreed to be my bond and lend me her power, I’m her priestess now!”

  “Great, but I’m more ed about you,” Kyle said, looked at her, “I mean...your hair?”

  “My hair?” Scarlet looked puzzled.

  Her hair, which had always been a long, brownish-bck, had now turned red, and her eyes had ged to a deep blue, remi of the o...She looked like a typical Celtic redhead.

  Scarlet blihen realised, “This must be the effect of power bestowed upo’s making me look more like a Celtic girl...Which makes sense, sidering the Queen was a Celtic legend and had red hair, though hers was a bit darker, while mine is more normal.”

  Kyle felt a twinge of jealousy toward the legendary dy he’d never meet, “Well, what is she like. I mean, is she kind? Gentle?”

  “She’s a kind but strict teacher...And I still have much to learn.” Scarlet pulled out a stoh runes carved into it. “This is my textbook, and I’ll o e back here year to take her test again.”

  “A rock?” Kyle looked sceptical.

  “Ented rock,” Scarlet expined, “There’s a hidden chamber i, as rge as a house, filled with tons of knowledge I o digest. Thousands of years ago, she would have kept me here to study until I passed her test to bee a hero, but times have ged. Her legend has faded, so she’s decided to go easy on me.”

  “Meaning?” Kyle asked.

  “It means I go home and study on my own, and I don’t have to leap like a salmon from the shore to get into the castle.” Scarlet held up her spear, looking a bit troubled. “I’ll need a martial art teacher – preferably someone who teach me how to leap high like a salmon.”

  Salmon? Kyle uzzled but didn’t press further. He carried Scarlet to the backseat of the car. Her spear and unusual attire gradually faded as she fell asleep.

  She was clearly exhausted. Kyle could see the dark circles under her eyes. With everythiled, he had a moment to examine his overly mature daughter. Her hands were covered in scratches and healing scars, blisters dotted her hands a, and her ski dry. Dust could be shaken out of hair...

  It was clear She had been through a battle, presumably the test given by the Queen. It likely took lohan he experienced; legends often say that time flows differently in different realms - a minute here could mean a hundred years there, or the other way around.

  Judging by her dition, he guessed she’d been away for no more than a week, probably just two to three days.

  She had admitted that she wasn’t skilled in bat, serving mostly in supp role in her previous life. But “not skilled in bat” didn’t mean she didn’t know how to fight. Given her cautious nature, she must have known she’d fag a battle iest.

  Yet she came, and willingly accepted the challenge, which showed her affe for the Queen’s legend. Among the many legends and folklore, he recalled seeing ones with more fantastical and magical traits, but she chose the Queen.

  “You really like her, don’t you?” Kyle murmured at the sleeping girl in the backseat, sighed, and began driving back to the homestay he had rented for the week.

  AnnouAgain, the idea/lore of Scáthach rgely based on Fate series's lore.

  She mostly served as a background, so this story won't be a crossover of Harry Potter Universe and Fate Universe.