Fate: How About a New Savior?

"Haah!"

The invisible sword came down hard, cleaving the monster before her clean in two. With that, the battle was over.

Artoria gave the blade a light flick, shaking off the purple blood that clung to it.

"Well done. That should be the last one," Shiomi called as he jumped down from the cliff behind her.

"It was nothing. Just a standard skirmish. Think of it as a warm-up," Artoria replied.

"I really am sorry. You just finished dealing with the Seventh Singularity, and now we've had to ask you to leave Avalon again and come to Chaldea to help with the final issue." Shiomi walked up to her.

There was still some time left before the path to the Final Singularity opened.

After securing the Holy Grail from the Seventh Singularity, Romani had been leading the staff of Chaldea in analyzing it day and night.

It was a dangerous undertaking.

Once they used that Grail to locate the King of Magecraft, he would simultaneously become aware of Chaldea's position. The base, which had been spared from the Incineration of Humanity thanks to a special magnetic field, would be dragged once again into the burning Quantum Time-Lock, consumed as fuel.

It would be the true Final Battle.

"That's why I said there was no need for farewells," Artoria said, placing her empty hand against her chest. "You've already given me more than enough answers. The least I can do is repay that."

"But now I've got you helping me investigate and clean up these minor Singularities," Shiomi said with a shake of his head. "It feels like overkill."

"It can't be helped. Right now, you're the only one who can move quickly and get things done." Artoria gave him a gentle, understanding smile.

Morgan and Scáthach were both busy making all kinds of preparations for the final battle. As top-tier Magus, they were responsible for critical tasks—including how to safely extract Chaldea from the Temple of the King of Magecraft after victory.

"You've got a point." Shiomi lowered his gaze and nodded.

"And..." Artoria's eyes fell.

"What is it?" Shiomi stopped, just as he was about to contact Chaldea to begin preparations for their return.

"...I'm a little tired. Could you treat me like you did back in the Seventh Singularity?" she said, lowering her head. Her eyes were hidden beneath her bangs, but a soft blush colored her cheeks.

"Artoria..." Shiomi gently took her arm and pulled her into an embrace. She had already removed her armor and cloak.

In terms of Mana expenditure alone, this Micro Singularity was nothing compared to any of the battles they'd fought during the Seventh.

But this wasn't about Mana.

"Mm..."

Artoria pressed against his chest and stretched out her arms, wrapping them tightly around him.

Her sigh felt like it seeped through her whole body, softly echoing by his ear.

"Are you thinking about your past life?"

"I fought twelve great battles. I won them all in the end, but... sometimes there was this feeling I couldn't quite name. And then, when you said, 'You've worked hard,' Tenkei, I finally understood. That feeling was... exhaustion," Artoria murmured.

"Didn't your knights ever offer words of comfort?" Shiomi asked, surprised.

"To the people of Britain, the king had to be perfect. And I had to uphold that ideal. Even if the Knights of the Round Table said something like that after a battle, it was purely ceremonial. It was more about celebrating their ever-victorious king and projecting their hopes onto me."

It wasn't that the Round Table Knights were intentionally cold or indifferent.

But their king had maintained such a flawless façade for so long that even her closest retainers had unconsciously forgotten she was human.

Even if she was born through the design of the former king and Merlin—

Even if Artoria Pendragon had cast aside her humanity the moment she drew the Sword in the Stone and chose to become king—

That didn't mean she could simply become a ruling mechanism that felt no fatigue, no pain, and governed forever without rest.

What's more... it had always been a reign doomed from the beginning.

Even knowing how it would end, Artoria still set out on her path, holding tightly to her ideals.

"Then rest well, Artoria," Shiomi said gently, pulling her into a firm embrace.

He lowered his gaze to take her in.

Fair skin, delicate shoulders, and a figure full of grace.

She didn't look like the King of Knights who once strode the battlefield. Right now, she looked more like a fragile girl who, once fallen, couldn't bring herself to rise again.

Whether it was the Holy Sword or the Holy Lance, whether she had grown or not, she had always fought to the very end with this same slender frame.

"I'm sorry. I thought something that might be disrespectful to you," Shiomi murmured. "I don't want to diminish your life as a king, but I can't ignore how beautiful and captivating you are as a woman."

"Now that you mention it, I've become a little more conscious of that," Artoria replied. "After all, I've already fulfilled my duty as king. Now, I live for what I believe is right."

"Yeah... you're still alive," Shiomi whispered, hugging her even tighter.

After reclaiming the Holy Sword and the hearts of her people, the Lion King hadn't died—she had simply gone to Avalon.

"Tenkei... saying this might make you think less of me..."

Her voice became nearly inaudible, and Shiomi had to focus to catch her words—and everything left unsaid between them.

"You don't have to say anything. I already know," he cut in softly.

No more words were needed. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her lips.

He didn't savor the softness, nor did he press hard.

He simply let his feelings reach her, quietly and clearly.

"...Maybe this is the better path... Even if I lose to you and let you take me to the end..." she whispered after their lips parted, gazing into his eyes.

"I'll probably still stay by your side and find another way to win back hearts. And when that happens, I might be overwhelmed by the pain of having made you give something up... by the guilt..."

"That's enough. You don't need to carry the burden of something that's already been decided," Shiomi said, cupping her flushed cheeks in his hands. "You're Artoria. That's all that matters."

He placed his palm gently against the skin of her back.

"Let's stay here just a little longer. After that, we'll contact Chaldea and head back."

"Mm..."

Her voice, tinged with uncertainty, embarrassment, and quiet anticipation, answered him.

In this trivial little Singularity, the two of them had shared a dream—one both long and fleeting.

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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