[F/Z] The Principles of the World
Suppressing her hesitation for the moment, Artoria asked in return, "What do you mean?"
As someone who was treated like a monster, Morgan could understand Artoria's caution and probing.
She agrees that one should be wary of sudden acts of kindness, especially given her memory of Morgan le Fay doing many, many bad things, and the list of victims who suffered as a result is too long to count (Morgan: Learning to Be Strong.JPG).
Therefore, Morgan responded frankly to Artoria's probing, saying directly, "I want to work with you."
"Being summoned as a Servant already destined us to be enemies." The blond, green-eyed king remained unconvinced. "Moreover, you seem to have never responded to your Master's call before, unless you can explain this reservation."
Their Masters are collaborators in the same faction, so their interactions shouldn't be so stiff. But perhaps it's Morgan le Fay's long history of misconduct that makes it difficult for Artoria, the biggest victim, to trust him. Even with Irisviel's assurances, King Arthur doesn't relax his guard in the slightest.
Sensing the chilling fighting spirit in his stepsister's eyes, Morgan felt a sudden unease, but forced himself to remain calm and said, "I never said I needed the Holy Grail. Our desires don't conflict. What I need is you, Artoria."
To show his sincerity, Morgan raised his hand to Artoria, extending his flawless, fair palm in front of her.
"Only someone who's out of their mind would accept a witch's invitation."
In reality, Artoria did not completely deny the possibility of cooperation. However, the person in front of her was different from the witch she remembered. So she took the opportunity to disrupt the other party's rhythm and force her to reveal her true intentions.
Morgan, however, was completely unaware of this. In her mind, which was far more naive than that of the British witch, she felt deeply frustrated and regretful that her negotiations with Artoria had fallen apart.
-- Incorrect.
-- That shouldn't be the case.
In Morgan's imagination, his conversation with Artoria would be more harmonious, and they would reach a consensus in a relaxed atmosphere, taking the first step towards a positive interaction.
Instead of just standing there, staring blankly at Artoria's wary gaze.
The shimmering reflections on the water blurred the laughter and chatter of the surrounding tourists. The only clear feature was the azure light cascading into the hall. However, even without the interference of the intermingling figures, and despite Einzbern's technological prowess, Irisviel was unable to discern any clues about the sisters' conversation.
Considering the complicated pasts of the two Servants, Irisviel thoughtfully left space for conversation. What the noble lady, hidden in the crowd, did not see was that a shimmering white tear suddenly slid down Morgan's beautiful face, reflected in Artoria's emerald eyes.
--……QAQ
"...!?!?!"
The island witch's beauty needs no further explanation. When her eyes, as clear as autumn water, become misty and a tear silently rolls down her slightly reddened cheek, even the hardest-hearted man cannot help but feel pity for her.
Artoria had to admit that she was the one whose rhythm had been disrupted. "You..."
Morgan, already upset, became even more dejected because of her outburst, and squeezed out a pitiful sentence: "It's nothing, I'm just sad because I was assumed to be the bad guy. Are King Arthurs from different worlds the same in their attitudes towards their sisters?"
King Arthur tried to respond without changing his expression, and finally stiffly took out a handkerchief and handed it to the other party. Fortunately, the latter seemed not to notice the former's discomfort, and instead readily accepted the clean white soft handkerchief and patted the corner of his eye.
"Thank you, Ah...Saber."
Artoria cleared her throat. "Morgan, what exactly happened?" She wasn't unaware of Morgan's change in address, but the sudden turn of events made her reconsider her previous thoughts. She tried to show some goodwill in exchange for information. "What do you mean by 'King Arthur from a different world'?"
"Another possibility, a parallel world, a singularity or a Lostbelt, simply put, is the same individual that is similar but different, but my situation is a bit more special. Anyway, this is the first time I've spoken to you."
After saying this, Morgan, feeling even more aggrieved, clenched the handkerchief in her hand and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes again.
Artoria was still processing those words, going from bewilderment to shock, and then from shock to delight.
Although Artoria has not yet grasped the profound truths of the world, this not only reasonably explains why Morgan in front of her did not show hatred or obsession with her, but also proves the feasibility of "another destiny". For Artoria, whose wish is to hold a royal selection again, this is undoubtedly an exciting clue!
After realizing that this Morgan was not the same Morgan as the other Morgan, Artoria pondered for a moment. Considering that the aquarium was not the best place to discuss the matter, she replied, "I will consider your proposal."
-
This memorable first meeting came to an end as Artoria and Irisviel continued their mission.
After all, Kiritsugu Emiya's strategy was based on the pairing of Saber and Irisviel, with Caster remaining an observer as a prerequisite.
Even if it's not impossible to adjust actions based on unforeseen circumstances, it would almost completely disrupt the rhythm. With Morgan indicating that he wouldn't interfere much, forcibly changing the plan would only waste unnecessary effort.
On the other hand, although Morgan had not attended the previous strategic meeting, she was no challenged at all to project the scene onto the water to achieve simultaneous participation. Therefore, she understood her companions' schedule and used the same method to observe (monitor) their every move afterward.
As Artoria and Lancer clashed in the dockside cargo area, Morgan keenly sensed the growing presence around them and frowned when a dark figure attacked Artoria.
Seemingly sensing Morgan's emotional fluctuation, Irisviel asked through the contract link: "Can Caster discern Berserker's identity?"
"To describe the depth of that connection... just looking at it made my eyes hurt like they were being microwaved on high."
"Huh? A microwave oven? It heats on high... so is it a kind of ignition device?"
"...Alice, I've discovered you're actually a genius. I should learn a lot from you."
"Huh? Th-thank you for the compliment, but in what way? I think you, as a Caster, are far more capable than me."
"No, you possess a talent that I greatly admire."
—Envious...?
Servant... no, does Morgan also have feelings of "envy"?
Irisviel, who was originally born as an artificial human and was later taught "love" by her husband, paused in thought and keenly noticed Morgan's unusual behavior.
Just as Morgan hesitated about whether to use magic to heal Artoria's left arm wound, the Servant who revealed his true name in the water mirror came to his rescue. The chariot wrapped in lightning knocked the berserker far away, but even so, no one present was able to catch a glimpse of the Servant's true face before the black mist dissipated.
"Wait a minute! That's too cunning!!" Morgan's mind instantly conjured the thought of cursing the other person to death. He clenched his fists and complained viciously, "Using this method to gain favor is cheating, isn't it!?"
The transference of hatred caused Morgan to angrily cut off the magic. She no longer paid attention to the conversation at the cargo dock, after all, Morgan had no interest in anyone other than Artoria.
Just as Irisviel and Saber were about to return to their base after receiving instructions from Kiritsugu Emiya, Artoria, who had only managed to avoid pulling off the car door handle thanks to her riding skills, suddenly became serious and grabbed the steering wheel.
A strange figure standing in the middle of the road blocked their way.
Artoria's solemn tone served as a warning, and the gaze cast by the bulging eyes on that ferocious face sent chills down one's spine.
"Irisviel, get out of the carriage and don't leave my side. This aura is undoubtedly that of a Servant."
"The eighth master-servant group...?" Irisviel stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
The two slowly disembarked from the car, their backs to the only light source, the headlights. They used the intense light to scrutinize the faces of the Servants before them, with Irisviel in particular becoming extremely vigilant and instinctively calling out to her Servant.
Morgan simply replied, "That kind of trash is no match for Artoria."
Although there are many behind-the-scenes maneuvers, the general principle of the Holy Grail War is a ritual in which Servants and Masters of the seven classes work together to compete for the spoils of war.
Now, Saber (Artoria), Lancer (the dual-wielding gunner with a bewitching black mole), Archer (the golden king), Rider (Iskandar), Assassin (the black figure secretly observing), Caster (Morgan), and Berserker (the unknown servant shrouded in black mist) have all appeared. However, the being before us is undoubtedly also a servant.
Before Artoria and Irisviel could speak, the man of unknown origin spoke first:
"I have come to greet you, Holy Virgin."
The unfamiliar servant's elegant squatting posture was so perfect that there was no room for error.
After a brief silence, Irisviel, maintaining a vigilant stance and watching the enemy, asked Artoria beside her, "Is it someone we know?"
"I have no recollection of it."
Irisviel didn't think the stranger was talking to her, but the only other woman present—Artoria—also denied it.
Stimulated by Artoria's answer, the unfamiliar Servant became agitated and uttered many incomprehensible statements, even revealing his true name—Gilde Rae.
When Gilles then uttered the famous name "Joan of Arc," his identity was narrowed down to a more easily identifiable category.
The fact that the other party insisted on viewing Artoria as having the same mental state as Jeanne d'Arc inevitably brought to mind the incomprehensible berserker, and the conversation naturally ended unhappily.
Finally, in the seemingly unnoticed branches of the forest, the assassin's figure was captured by the observer on the other side of the water mirror.
At the same time, the mirror, inlaid with a ring of iridescent crystals, reflected the scene thousands of miles away. Unlike the cold and clear water mirror, the scene in the mirror was filled with thick black smoke after a sudden burst of fire. The straight building collapsed with a tremor and was then completely devoured by the wildly dancing flames.
Morgan indifferently looked away as he gazed at the terrified faces amidst the billowing smoke and dust that mingled with a blood-red glow.
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