Miracle Summoner

"————"

It was unclear how much time had passed, but eventually, everything calmed down.

The battlefield had turned into a scene of desolation, resembling a ruin. The air was thick with a smoky heat, signaling the intensity of the battle that had just occurred.

"Clang…"

Amid the sound of metal striking, Artoria [Alter] finally lowered her holy sword, causing the magical storm that had surged around her to subside.

The onlookers could not see Artoria [Alter]'s expression, as she was facing away from everyone present.

However, even so, they could sense from her silhouette a certain loneliness, a feeling of a fading hero.

Looking at this figure of Artoria [Alter], for some reason, everyone felt a tinge of sorrow.

Especially Lancelot, who had been watching from the sidelines. Seeing his two companions leave, he closed his eyes.

His face was full of weight.

An aura of grief emanated from him.

It was clear that the first knight of the Round Table, Lancelot, was deeply affected by the departure of Mordred and Tristan.

However, despite this, Lancelot had never intervened in Artoria [Alter]'s judgement, instead, he had merely watched everything unfold.

This drew everyone's attention to him, the only survivor.

"What's wrong? Do you feel pain?" Jeanne [Alter] was the first to break the silence, speaking with a sarcastic tone, "If that's the case, then why didn't you step in to help them earlier?"

Although Lancelot had been struck at his core, it was clear that his core had only been shaken and wasn't shattered. Otherwise, Lancelot would have shown signs of damage by now.

Since Lancelot could still stand and mourn his companions, it meant he wasn't completely exhausted and could still act if he wanted to.

But Lancelot had never intervened.

The reason was simple.

"This is their way of being loyal. I have no right to interfere."

Lancelot said in a low voice.

"Loyal?"

The quiet one seemed somewhat stunned.

"..."

Mash lowered her gaze, seemingly understanding, as they were both knights of the Round Table.

Rozen also remained silent, staring intently.

Only Jeanne [Alter] furrowed her brow.

"Is that really loyalty?" Jeanne [Alter] spoke in a tone that was neither affirming nor denying. "Is the way your Round Table knights show loyalty simply by sacrificing themselves for the Lion King?"

Clearly, Jeanne [Alter] was referring to the fact that Mordred and Tristan had sacrificed their lives to carry out the Lion King's orders.

But this triggered an unexpectedly fierce reaction from Lancelot.

"We, the knights of the Round Table, serve King Arthur! Not some Lion King!"

Lancelot suddenly raised his head and shouted loudly.

"...!"

Everyone was immediately taken aback by Lancelot's shout.

"..."

Only Artoria [Alter] remained facing away from everyone, seemingly unaware of Lancelot's words, still unmoving.

But this didn't stop Lancelot from venting his feelings.

"Do you all think we knights of the Round Table serve the Lion King for any other reason?" Lancelot shouted desperately. "It's not because of her ideology; it's because she is our King!"

"Tristan did so because he regretted leaving the Round Table in his past life, leaving behind words that were like a curse. That's why he swore to complete the loyalty he didn't fulfill in life, and fight for his King!"

"Mordred, though a rebellious knight, harbored more intense feelings for our King than anyone. For her King, there were only two paths: to be loyal or to rebel. After witnessing the Lion King's ascension to divinity, she chose loyalty, willingly becoming the Lion King's hunting dog, even if it meant losing her right as a resident of the Holy City!"

"As for me, and the rest of the Round Table, we've always been loyal to King Arthur, not some self-proclaimed Lion King!"

"We are all trying to fulfill the regrets we had in life, that's why...!"

Lancelot spoke up to this point, then, with immense pain, lowered his head.

Seeing this, everyone fell into silence.

"I see now..."

"So that's why the Round Table chose to serve the Lion King..."

"Now I understand..."

Roman, Da Vinci, and Olga Marie sighed deeply in Chaldea.

Until now, everyone had been puzzled as to why the noble and upright knights of the Round Table had chosen to serve the Lion King and commit such heinous deeds.

Now they understood, the knights had not lost their conscience, nor had they fallen. Instead, they had been imprisoned by the regrets of their past lives.

As Rozen had said before, the knights were human too, with their own thoughts and ideas.

Lancelot had just explained to everyone that the reason the knights of the Round Table served the Lion King was not for any other reason, but to fulfill their unresolved desires from life.

Even Lancelot, who had done the same.

In life, Lancelot had an affair with the Queen, broke ties with King Arthur, and killed his companions, leading to the breaking of the Round Table and the end of King Arthur's reign. He later tried to save King Arthur but was blocked by Gawain, who hated him. He ended up battling him until sunset.

By the time he killed Gawain, who had lost the sun's protection, and rushed to aid King Arthur, it was too late to save him.

He had failed to fulfill his duty as a knight and had not protected his King until the very end. He lived in regret throughout his life, unable to find peace.

In such a situation, Artoria appeared, self-proclaimed as the Lion King, summoning the knights of the Round Table. Of course, Lancelot and the other knights, still carrying the regret of their past lives, made up their minds to follow the Lion King forever.

For this reason, Tristan gave up his personal desires and was blessed with the "Reversal." Mordred sacrificed her soul to gain strength and was blessed with "Berserk," and even Lancelot swore to look at the bigger picture and not be blinded by righteousness, receiving the "Tragic Resolve" blessing.

All of this was for King Arthur, to be loyal.

Perhaps even Gawain had the same feelings?

Because he was blinded by hatred and blocked Lancelot from rescuing King Arthur, Gawain must have regretted his actions deeply before he died.

This time, Gawain was willing to go to any lengths to protect the Lion King, becoming the guardian of the Holy City's gates, praying that the sun would never set and that he would never be defeated. Anyone who wanted to meet King Arthur would have to go through his consent.

"Among the Round Table, apart from Agravain, who had personal motives and was plotting something, everyone else followed the Lion King out of loyalty!"

Lancelot painfully spoke.

"But the Lion King is no longer King Arthur. For some reason, she has become a heartless and cruel ruler."

This issue had evidently become a deep wound in Lancelot's heart, and only now could he no longer hold it in.

It seemed that the knights of the Round Table, too, did not know why their former King Arthur had transformed into the current Lion King.

Thus...

"I think the reason King Arthur ascended to divinity was because of the Holy Lance."

Rozen suddenly spoke these words.

And this left everyone present stunned.