Fate: How About a New Savior?

Back when they were investigating the underground tomb in Gray's hometown of Blackmore, Lord El-Melloi II once described the concept of the Underworld from a Magus's perspective.

The Underworld is the realm of the dead—a domain adjacent to the world of the living.

Different cultures and mythologies have different names for it: the Underworld, the Netherworld, the Land of Shadows, Yomi-no-Hirasaka... and others.

But there was one thing Lord El-Melloi II didn't know, and couldn't have said—

"The Underworld, huh... I can't speak for other places, but in the Land of Shadows, all Heroic Spirits and divine beings are rendered powerless. In fact, after the end of the Age of Gods, even ordinary humans can't survive there for more than five seconds."

At the four-person meeting in the sleeping chamber, upon hearing the new mission, Scáthach looked noticeably helpless.

"Then... does that mean I can't go with my Master?" Artoria sounded tense—perhaps even a bit anxious.

As a Divine Spirit-class Servant, her power was already diminished from summoning herself into this world. Entering the Underworld, under its governing laws, would weaken her even further.

"Not necessarily. Since going into the Underworld is just a side objective, as long as we avoid combat and quickly confirm the condition of Enkidu's remains, we should be fine."

As the queen of the Land of Shadows, Scáthach had some confidence in her understanding of such realms.

But she wasn't a true goddess of the Underworld, and her dominion over the Land of Shadows was maintained entirely by her own power.

When it came to the Mesopotamian Underworld, even she wasn't sure how much influence she could exert.

"Even so..." Shiomi hesitated. "Since the Underworld weakens both Heroic Spirits and divinity, maybe... we should take Sakura or Gray instead?"

Those two had the strongest combat capabilities. They would be ideal for this kind of mission.

Mash was another candidate.

But that child was already nearing her limit. Shiomi hoped Mash could take it easy during this "journey"—so she wasn't an option.

Morgan gently pinched Shiomi's cheek, almost playfully.

"Gray's not the best choice. Did you forget? That child is terrified of ghosts and monsters."

"Right..." Shiomi sighed and rubbed his forehead.

Even though she was a gravekeeper, Gray was still a human created to reflect the incomplete King Arthur. Her resonance with spirits was far too strong.

If the Land of Shadows had ghosts and monsters, the Underworld here would be no exception.

"Then it'll have to be Sakura," Scáthach said, looking genuinely disappointed. "I was hoping to travel alone with my beloved disciple."

"Isn't Master being a bit too carefree? What if that impostor—or something worse—attacks us?" Shiomi said, uneasy. "But if we divert too much strength to the field team, we'll weaken the defenses at the northern wall... It's a tough choice."

"It's only a trip of a day or two. It won't be a problem," Morgan said. "Thanks to my enhancements, the northern wall is now fortified with new defenses strong enough to withstand attacks from Demon Pillars and magical beasts. Even a monkey could manage the situation—let alone Artoria."

Her words made Artoria visibly uneasy. She did her best to maintain composure.

"So... I'm staying behind this time? But we haven't drawn lots yet..."

"As both a Servant and a Divine Spirit, entering the Underworld would be like stepping into enemy territory. Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Morgan, for once, spoke without mockery, her tone unusually stern. "My husband gave you the last Summoning slot in this Singularity. That's not something we can afford to lose."

"...Forgive me. I lost my composure." Artoria was taken aback at how rattled she'd become over something so small.

But... maybe it was understandable.

The fusion of her body and soul with her Master had brought her into a state she'd never experienced before—one that was subtly affecting her every thought and action.

"After all, you've never had a man before, have you? And those Knights of the Round Table under your command—they've only ever seen you as a 'king,' something beyond gender," Morgan suddenly shifted the topic, teasing Artoria with a smirk. "Seems my husband trained you well. Just one night, and you're already hooked."

"Th-That's absolutely not…" Artoria instinctively tried to refute, but her voice faltered.

Because to completely deny it—to claim her experience on that night on the plains had been awful—would not only be a blatant lie, but a cruel rejection of the tenderness and passion Shiomi had shown her.

At that moment, Shiomi buried his face in the table. As expected, Morgan noticed everything before he could say a word.

"The King of Knights is still carrying your scent, and it's pretty strong," Scáthach said, shrugging, showing zero intention of covering for either of them.

Truthfully, most people wouldn't have picked up on it, but Morgan could tell at a glance. During their stay in Uruk, Artoria had been following Shiomi around quite a bit, taking part in nearly all his assignments.

Excessive loyalty for a Servant—but perfectly natural for a woman.

"You're not mad?" Shiomi asked cautiously.

"Oh, I am. But there's not much I can do about it," Morgan sighed, her tone layered with meaning. "She's your pure-white knight, after all. From beginning to end, she never once turned her blade against you… It's only fair she gets something in return."

"Huh?" Shiomi found that phrasing a little strange.

But after a moment's thought, it seemed to make sense. All he could do was bury his face against Morgan's lap as she sat at the table.

"Now then, back to the main topic. You mentioned going to the Underworld—but where exactly is it?" Morgan asked calmly as she gently ran her fingers through Shiomi's hair, like one would caress a cherished treasure.

"Since the Moon King mentioned stopping by Kutha, that must be where this era's border with the Underworld lies," Scáthach said naturally. "Besides, the Mesopotamian goddess of the Underworld—Ereshkigal—is the guardian deity of Kutha."

That meant the path to the Underworld had to lie within that city.

And as for how to find the entrance—Scáthach would have no trouble with that.

"The Underworld, huh… I'd bet not even a single flower could grow in a place like that," Morgan quipped, poking fun at Scáthach.

"No. My castle in the Land of Shadows has already become a realm that rivals Camelot," Scáthach replied coolly. "Ever since my beloved disciple left, the forest has steadily grown. Someday, the Land of Shadows may even rival Avalon."

Artoria's eyes lit up with interest. "In that case, I'd love to visit your castle one day."

"When you do, make sure you bring my beloved disciple with you."

Scáthach looked at Shiomi, who was still lazily resting in Morgan's lap, and her voice softened.