[FGO] Dream
Adhering to the self-discipline of not wasting the bright morning and concerned about the current situation, Morgan broke free from Altoris's embrace, calmed his wildly beating heartbeat, and hid in the dressing room behind the decorative tapestry.
Morgan, dressed in formal attire, waited until the heat on her cheeks subsided before returning to her bedroom and donning a black veil.
By then, the Storm King was also fully dressed. Looking at Artorius's composed demeanor, Morgan couldn't help but feel a subtle competitive urge. She slowly approached the blond king, stood on tiptoe under his questioning gaze, and planted a kiss on his cheek.
A hint of surprise flashed across Altolis's wide golden eyes!
The British princess, who had set the fire on the street, was about to flee when she was suddenly pulled into the arms of a quick-thinking man. "Let go of me—uh!"
The unfinished words eventually turned into a soft, tender moan.
A moment later, the rustling of the fabric subsided.
After a long silence, a deep male voice rang out: "Did I force you? I'm sorry, your awkward response pleased me greatly, and I couldn't help but want more."
The Storm King tucked Morgan's disheveled hair behind her ear, then gently stroked her back to smooth out the wrinkles in her dress. "I love you, Morgan."
Is the feeling of happiness—a feeling that fills your chest, as illusory as bubbles, making you uneasy—that's what happiness is all about?
Panting, Morgan had no answer. She was held in Altoris's arms and all she had left was the strength to glare, but in his eyes it was nothing more than a charming coquettishness. So, unsurprisingly, they lingered for a while longer.
—As it turns out, the King of Storms is not to be trifled with at all :)
Before Morgan could feel uneasy about the change in their relationship, she was overwhelmed by Altorlis's intense love, especially since she couldn't resist his eyes that constantly expressed his affection.
It felt as if my heart had transformed into a bird, flapping its wings across my chest, its falling feathers tickling my heart and sending shivers of tingling pleasure through my toes.
But you can't.
She absolutely cannot become a woman who lives for love.
If one blindly pursues a dreamlike passion, that fervent emotion will only gradually become distorted and eventually unrecognizable.
—Just like that Root Princess.
She must regain her senses, for the sake of that land;
She had to become ruthless for the sake of that country.
Concealing her budding romantic feelings beneath a veil of reserve, she transforms back into the resolute queen seated on her throne, allowing the radiance of "hope" to once again shine upon the magnificent fairy kingdom.
Although Morgan still needs some time to adjust, Altoris will do everything he can to help.
After all, "reunion" was a scene he had longed for, a miracle that finally came true after crossing numerous world lines.
Even if everyone points fingers at him, what can they do to him? The moment he chose to accept the curse of the Holy Grail, he decided to take full responsibility.
...even if it was resentment from Morgan.
Fortunately, his gentle and lovable sister Wang shared the same affection for him and was willing to accept everything about him, whether it was heavy or selfish.
Artorius will stop at nothing to protect the one he loves.
Even if it means incurring deeper sins, I would not hesitate.
Because he was no longer the noble and awe-inspiring knight king, no longer bound by so-called "justice," but a storm that shattered everything.
Morgan seems unaware of this, but Artoria will conceal this side of herself, revealing only the cold cruelty manifested by the curse and divine corruption, and using the princess's guilt to keep her by her side.
—A king is not someone who is simply innocent.
-
When Tristan arrived at the meeting room as summoned, the British royals, impeccably dressed, stood facing each other, their gaze shifting from the bright windows to the newcomer.
The British princess's blue eyes fell on the red-haired knight. As she raised her beautiful eyebrows, her shimmering icy blue irises were filled with colorful fragments of light. "Tristan, it feels like a distant dream since we last spoke."
"It's been so long, my dearest friend."
That word "best friend" made Tristan feel as if his internal organs were tightly squeezed together.
"Your Highness Morgan, I am filled with trepidation. I have committed too many mistakes in my ignorance and cowardice..." Memories of his time with the British princess flooded Tristan's mind, finally settling on the night of their parting, "I am not even worthy to face you again..."
This is a repentance delayed for a thousand years.
This was also the curse that was placed on Tristan in his last moments before his death.
This stems from his inaction when those he should have protected stood by while they wept, his offensive words when he failed to fully understand his lord, and his abrupt departure from his beautiful and sorrowful friend.
They promised to love someone deeply together, but when that person was in deep pain, they stood aside and even betrayed their sworn lord.
Tristan, a knight of the Round Table, felt guilty not only about his partner but also about the friend who had always offered him his true heart.
Morgan walked toward the red-haired knight who had unknowingly knelt down. The hem of her blue and black silk dress stopped in front of the knight, and the silhouette of the slender woman against the light partially enveloped her.
"Even though you have been given a 'reversal' nature, your actions still adhere to the loyalty and righteousness you showed in life, for which I am extremely grateful and proud of this sincerity."
When she arrived at this singularity, she was puzzled by Tristan's words and actions several times. His aloof demeanor revealed a contradictory tact, leaving Morgan unable to grasp his stance.
Furthermore, Morgan had inexplicably trusted the other party, which he initially believed to be a bond from the future.
But it turns out that Tristan had always been on her side from beginning to end.
"My knight, my friend, my companion, would you still be willing to serve me?"
Upon hearing this, Tristan lowered his serene expression, letting the stray strands of bright red hair fall across his cheeks to conceal his tense demeanor, and squeezed out a hoarse voice from deep within his throat:
"Your knight, Tristan, is at your service, Your Highness Morgan, both noble and kind."
—The debts that could not be expressed a thousand years ago are now being forgiven and made up for.
The warmth that filled Tristan's chest almost brought him to tears, and he vowed in his heart to uphold his loyalty.
Gazing at her precious friend whom she had reunited with across time and space, Morgan was no less moved than Tristan, who had lowered his head and hidden his expression. So she bent down and placed her soft hand on the knight's shoulder.
"Please stand up, Tristan."
Her soft red and silver hair intertwined, and the British princess's gentle whisper echoed in Tristan's ear: "What should fill our hearts is not blame or sadness, but the joy and relief of our reunion."
This is Tristan, who can recognize Morgan's personality and stay by her side every time she wakes up; Tristan, who lets Morgan run wild or wander around when she throws a tantrum and goes on a private visit; and Tristan, who understands Morgan's sadness and shows the same sorrow when Morgan is overwhelmed by the darkness.
So, how could Morgan not feel overjoyed and grateful for this encounter?
So much so that other mistakes and shortcomings no longer matter.
Tristan, in particular, has done everything he could to make amends.
From their first encounter, the red-haired knight's silence was to identify "Morgan." After bringing her back to the Holy City, he worked tirelessly to help her make arrangements in various places, and even took the initiative to create opportunities for mother and son to interact, unlike his choices in life.
Therefore, Morgan could no longer blame Tristan.
Upon thinking of this, Morgan, filled with emotion, wanted to cup Tristan's face and examine it closely.
However, before Morgan's delicate hand could touch Tristan's face, it was pulled away by a large, thick hand that reached out from the side.
With a natural gesture, he lifted Morgan's soft hand, and the owner of that hand—the Storm King who had been silent for a long time—slowly spoke: "It's time to re-examine the current situation."
Before being led to the council chamber by Altoris, Morgan and Tristan exchanged a glance, then ignored the latter's unusually wide and shocked golden eyes, and followed in the footsteps of the blond king.
Tristan, who was standing still, couldn't help but rub his forehead.
As the second person who was very close to Princess Morgan and often by her side, he could not possibly have been unaware of the gaze cast by the blond king.
It wasn't suspicion or wariness, but rather an unethical and strongly implied warning.
Although Tristan had also harbored rebellious thoughts about the relationship between the two royals, it was truly beyond his capabilities to probe his lord's or Morgan's feelings for him.
On the other hand, Tristan secretly hoped that it was just his imagination.
Now that he has actually witnessed the situation, only Tristan himself knows the shock he felt.
—Ah...it's so sad.
Tristan had endured too much; if he could, he wouldn't want to know anything about royal romances!
After repeatedly recalling his friendship with the British princess and his unwavering loyalty to his lord, Tristan composed himself and followed closely behind the royals.
"In order to incinerate humanity, the Magic King sent the Holy Grail to this era, thus distorting the heroic epic that should have ended."
"Even though the hero who turned into a demon has been defeated, the singularity has been formed, and the rest of the world except for this place has been burned to ashes. Now, the only remaining humans are those protected by the Mountain People, the Sun King, and the Holy City."
Standing before a long table displaying a terrain map, Storm King Artoria explained, sunlight streaming in from the window illuminating his golden eyes beneath his platinum bangs, adding to his solemn and awe-inspiring presence as he sat atop the clouds.
Tristan then added that the Holy Grail was in the hands of the Sun King, and said, "Although he was once a valiant warrior, the Sun King is currently taking a conservative approach and does not intend to declare war. It is speculated that he also does not have the means to deal with the Magic King."
Artorius tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his slightly lowered golden eyelashes partially obscuring the expression in his eyes. "The greatest crisis facing humanity in this era is the burning of human reason. The 'product' of the moment the burning of human reason is activated is the target of the Magic King. Leaving aside the Mountain People, even the Sun King has accepted the end of destruction. Only I have decided to fight to the death against them."
The red-haired knight shifted his gaze to the beautiful figure beside his lord and asked, "Whether the Magic King can be defeated—could His Highness Morgan offer his insights on this question?"
Morgan, the person being questioned, felt as if what he was seeing was a dream.
Attended by the composed and relaxed Knights of the Round Table, the Arthurian dynasty, bathed in bright light, cast her gaze upon them.
It was the scene she longed for day and night, the scene she had been desperately pursuing.
—It's like crossing countless world lines and finally arriving at the end.
If her diligent journeys to different worlds in search of the red dragon of Britain (King Arthur) were solely for the purpose of saving Britain from the engulfing in flames, then this moment would surely be the instant she finds the answer.
"...As 'Morgan' of Pan-Human History, after being summoned by myself in the Lostbelt, I embarked on a long journey to ensure the continuation of Britain, where fairies have lived for thousands of years."
"Britain, where the fairies live?" the red-haired knight asked in confusion.
Morgan smiled wryly and said with a sigh, "If we start explaining from there, the story will become very long. But if we treat that fairy kingdom as a singularity, then we need to have the fairies acknowledge and repent for their sins, and remove the curse of 'Britain's destruction.' Regarding the last point, let me explain it in a concept you can understand, namely 'Vortigern.'"
Having caught the key name from Morgan, the Red Dragon of Britain—Artorius—immediately raised a terrifying thorn in his eye: "No matter how many times Vortigern comes back, I will defeat him."
Seeing this, Morgan quickly grasped Altoris's hand to comfort him, and said, "The Fairy Kingdom has been isolated by 'me,' it is a world truly outside my domain, like throwing an entire ecosystem out of the galaxy."
Sensing Morgan's attempt to divert attention, Tristan readily agreed, "Even from a Lostbelt, Your Highness must have a reason for mentioning the Fairy Kingdom. May I ask what the connection is between the Fairy Kingdom and this Singularity?"
The British princess gave the astute guard a deep look, then, under the gazes of the Storm King and Tristan, she spoke softly:
"—Do you know about 'displacement magic'?"
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