054, Master's Words... Are Fine

"The thing I want to change has changed."

"Is that so?" Rimuru stared at Saber for a moment, then lowered his eyes with relief and smiled. "Saber, you finally understand."

Saber's former wish had been to return to the past, but not to change the outcome. She had wanted to change the cause—

She believed that becoming the King of Britain had been a mistake, so she wanted to return to before the king's selection and let the Sword in the Stone choose another king.

To Rimuru, the Conqueror, and the other kings, that was clearly an act of escape. That was why, in discussions of the king's path, most people could not acknowledge Saber. It was not because Saber's ideals were too saintly or wrong. In truth, every person had their own path. Kings might hold differing views on them, but they should not ridicule or mock the views of others.

The reason the Conqueror shook his head, and the reason the King of Heroes mocked her, was more because... Saber, as a king, wanted to deny her own history and deny her identity as a king.

When even you, as a king, did not acknowledge yourself and believed that being king had been a mistake, what right did you have... to uphold your own kingly path?

"Is that so?" Hearing Rimuru's tone, Saber froze slightly, as though she thought he had misunderstood something. "I will not give up on the Holy Grail, Archer."

"As long as you have changed your original wish, that is enough, Saber."

"I told you, Saber." Rimuru turned around and said calmly, "I myself do not wish to become a righteous person, because justice is relative—but that does not prevent me from holding reverence for saints."

"Saber, in my heart, you may choose to