[Azure Silver] The King's Choice
Sajou Aika and Altoris went out.
In the "room that cannot be entered," water mirrors inlaid with rings of ice crystals float in the air, their smooth surfaces reflecting every corner of the city.
Archer with black hair and dark eyes, Lancer who should be a Valkyrie, the radiant Rider, the teacher-like Caster, Berserker who gets along well with his Master, and Assassin who acts alone.
Morgan took in all the participants in the Holy Grail ritual, his gaze lingering briefly on a certain brown-skinned king. After observing the king's eye contact with the girl from the Linglong Pavilion for a while, he shifted his attention to the scene with Artorius and Sajō Aika.
As an island witch and a fairy from paradise, are Morgan's "magic" and Sajō Ayaka's "power" on par, or is one of them superior?
Even if one is connected to the source, even if one is omniscient and omnipotent, being human means being imprisoned by the mortal body.
Morgan quietly worked out the plan in his mind.
If Ayaka Sajou's hostility had not been directed at Morgan, perhaps the latter would have been willing to show a bit of goodwill based on their similarities.
But the possibility of that scenario ceased to exist when Aika Sajou developed feelings for Artorius and used love as fuel for her actions.
Frankly, the point is not about Aika Sajou's love for King Arthur, but about the atrocities she committed in the name of love.
If the girl's love interest had harbored a desire to "explore the mystery," the situation might have been different. However, when this love was combined with "King Arthur's wish," it became an arrow that tore the world apart.
The torrent that overturns history and alters time will come at the cost of all species that "live in the present."
Morgan had no interest in protecting the world, nor did he intend to become a savior.
However, when Artorius learns that his wish will be built upon countless bones and the despair of countless people living in the present, he will probably be in great pain.
—After all, he was a knight king of noble character.
Determined to become the doting older sister to her younger brother, Princess Morgan of Britain believes she must stop it all.
From Saber's perspective, the current battle situation is progressing incredibly smoothly.
Hiroki Sajo seemed to sense something, but was powerless to intervene. Perhaps that man didn't even know what he could do.
For Ayaka Sajou and Ayaka Sajou, is a man a suitable father?
The answer no longer seems to matter.
At least, that's the case for Ayaka Sajou.
Neither friendship nor family ties could touch Aika Sajou's heart, and the pitiful girl's shyness was enough to make people dizzy and lose their bearings.
Morgan snorted coldly.
If it weren't for her keen insight and accurate calculation of Aika Sajou's thoughts, Artorius would probably still think of Aika Sajou as a harmless girl.
People tend to trust information they actively gather, so it's impossible for Aika Sajou not to leave any trace of her true intentions.
The island witch has already sown the seeds, and King Arthur clearly understands that it's only a matter of time before the girl's abnormality manifests.
Although Altorlis's questioning that night was like a sharp blade piercing Morgan's heart, they did not subsequently erupt into a heated argument or mutual accusations. Instead, after a brief silence, Altorlis turned to the side and said:
"It's better to clear up the misunderstanding sooner rather than later than to suspect Master. I'll go ask Aika for her true thoughts now."
"Wait! Stop right there! You're not allowed to go!!"
Without thinking twice, Morgan instinctively reached out and grabbed Altoris's shoulder.
—If I were to put Artoria and Sajou Aika in a confrontation, wouldn't it be like I were complaining to Artoria? A princess of Britain cannot be portrayed as so childish! Absolutely not!!
However, how can strength C compete with strength A? :)
"Hiss—!"
"Sister Wang!?"
The Knight King's imposing figure remained completely still, and his steps were perfectly steady. The only setback was Morgan's fingertips, which were red from being rubbed raw by the armor, as well as her carefully maintained composure.
Is this a world where only I get hurt? QAQ!?
Jerking in pain as he rubbed his reddened fingers, Morgan ignored Altoris's surprised glance and spoke rapidly:
"In the eyes of the attackers, I am under control, so the level of surveillance will be greatly reduced, which gives me the opportunity to operate in the shadows. This situation is much better than me continuing to be a target, Artorius."
Altolis did not respond.
King Arthur's silence made Morgan look up in confusion. "Artorias?"
The golden-haired king's pale eyes were filled with turbulent emotions, a layer of gloom covering his handsome face, and an unresolved entanglement lingered between his brows and eyes.
Morgan couldn't resist reaching out and poking Altoris's furrowed brow, smoothing out the wrinkles that betrayed his frustration as the latter took a half-step back in surprise.
"What are you doing?"
Seeing Altolis's wide-eyed expression as he clutched his forehead, a faint smile curved his icy blue eyes, which seemed to hold the melting of snowflakes.
"--Hmm, it looks better this way."
Their conversation ended with King Arthur's muttered remark: "I am past the age of being treated like a child, my sister."
That concludes the recollection.
Morgan believes that she gets along very well with her brother, even better than she did with Artoria during their first interaction.
Why is that?
Is it because of the sense of security brought by chain summoning?
With this relationship, she and Artorius were indeed bound by fate. They could not only sense each other's presence, but also share the burdens of magic depletion, battle fatigue, and even the curses they suffered.
—The red dragon's heart was beating in its chest.
This feeling is very strange.
It was as if they had become one, sharing each other's breath and soul.
Morgan's joy did not last long.
Even though she started on easy mode, the level difficulty was still hellish.
Amidst the vibrant clusters of flowers, the silver-clad noblewoman spoke with a hint of reproach: "It's all Altoris's fault, after all."
-
The significance of Artoria's appearance in the world as a Saber lies in battling fellow participants in the Holy Grail War and Servants who have left their mark on history.
However, the lord Artorius served during the war, a petite, pure white maiden, could not bear to see him wounded.
Even though Ayaka Sajou understood that the risks involved in the battle were unavoidable, the girl's distressed expression seemed to reflect the pain of those wounds firsthand.
This made it impossible for Altoris to treat the girl either coldly or harshly.
Faced with this pure and unadulterated affection, Artorius felt a little conflicted, experiencing joy, appreciation, indebtedness, and gratitude.
No matter what, Ayaka Sajō is undoubtedly an excellent Master who takes meticulous care of her Servant's daily life and trusts him wholeheartedly.
but……
King Arthur still noticed.
Beneath the pure white flowers, something is lurking, waiting for its chance to strike.
An overly smooth-sailing battle is like the calm before a storm; a slight misstep can lead to complete destruction by the tempest.
But if he can't even trust his own Master, then who can he trust?
"If I win this bet, I want your trust."
Was this also part of her plan?
Altorlis couldn't help but think to himself.
Choosing to cooperate with Morgan's plan was the only solution when there were no other options.
According to Morgan, she created a doll to replace her when she was confined to a room.
Morgan himself, now free, stayed in the botanical garden.
Having finished tonight's battle, Artorius instinctively stepped into the glass greenhouse.
The cool moonlight pierced through the transparent sky, scattering a dazzling silver glow across the ground.
The beautiful figure standing in front of the flowerbed had long, silver hair cascading down her back like a cascading Milky Way, shimmering with a soft halo that adorned her black dress with blue patterns.
Her soft, fine hair, as if kissed by the moonlight, gently brushed against her cheeks as she raised her head, bathing her beautiful face in a shimmering white light. Beneath her long, fan-like silver eyelashes, her cold, icy blue eyes sparkled with a gentle light.
That was Morgan Le Fey.
A princess of Britain, a witch of the island, a woman burdened with infamy in the torrent of history.
She is also the half-sister of King Arthur—Artoria Pendragon.
For a moment, Artorius couldn't understand her words, let alone her inexplicably earnest attitude.
It's like trying to hold onto something tightly, but fearing it might slip away, so you hesitate anxiously back and forth.
She seemed like a naive and innocent young girl.
This was the first time Altoris had seen Morgan like this.
Furthermore, ever since he dreamt of a certain savior in the past, King Arthur couldn't help but be concerned about the figure left behind in that sea of fire.
—To know what she has been through and to hear her recount the prayer that she has held onto for over a thousand years.
In particular, when Morgan saw herself, her gentle smile immediately bloomed, like ripples spreading across a clear lake as fallen leaves in the forest touched the water.
It brushed past my heart silently, yet left behind a faint, lingering flutter.
It overlapped with the beautiful image of the Lake Nymph, the one who gave him the holy sword, from his memory.
Welcome back, Arthur.
Instantly, Artorius realized it.
So... that (Vivian) was her too.
"I'm back, Sister Wang."
Silver's heart pounded in his chest.
This feeling is very unfamiliar.
It was as if they had become one, sharing each other's breath and soul.
Altorlis approached Morgan.
This action had no particular purpose until the silver-haired, blue-eyed woman raised her arm towards him and used her slender, white fingertips to comb the hair on his forehead.
Then, that clear, melodious voice, like a pearl, spoke:
"Although you're not someone who enjoys fighting, the opportunity to battle heroes from different eras is truly rare. How does it feel? Did you fully experience the exhilaration of clashing with your opponents, or the thrill of encountering evenly matched warriors?"
"A tough opponent is a headache, but that's all; they are not invincible."
"Sounds very confident, doesn't it? Where has the Knight King's virtue of humility gone?"
"Confidence and arrogance are two different things; I am simply stating the facts."
"So, does that mean he truly lives up to his title of King Arthur, possessing such formidable martial arts skills that he doesn't take anyone seriously...?"
"Sister Wang, you flatter me."
As soon as she finished speaking, a woman's silvery laughter rang in her ears.
The moment he saw Morgan's beautiful smile for the first time, a warm, fragrant feeling spread through Artorius's chest.
Then, the British princess, with a smile as beautiful as a rosy flower, said to King Arthur, "I am very happy, Artorius."
Altoris tilted his head and smiled. "Obviously, but can I know why?"
"Because these casual banter and exchanges exist only between us."
As Morgan spoke, she put her hands behind her back, a strand of silky silver hair sliding from her delicate shoulders to her chest, her icy eyes, imbued with boundless tenderness, clearly reflecting Artorius's face.
He was the source of all her tenderness.
Suddenly, Artorius felt the burning heat rising to his cheek.
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