Chapter 456
"..."
Shirou turned to look at Lady Avalon and the figure that appeared to be Artoria.
It was that towering pillar of light.
The moment it hit the ground, everything stopped.
Shirou was speechless: Is this... some kind of "True Magic" like stopping time?
"Fae Domain" or "Principle Blood Ring" can alter the laws of the earth's surface to a certain extent, and "Inherent Barrier" can also do so, but large-scale spacetime interference like this is impossible.
Such spatiotemporal manipulation should be corrected by the world; "Time Control" and "Nest of the Beast King" are good examples.
However, Artoria is now able to do this, almost as if she has become the ruler of the texture.
"... I quieted down the outsiders."
In the utter silence of the world, only Artoria's steady voice echoed continuously.
Just a moment ago, I could still feel some warmth in her voice, but now it has become cold and ruthless.
"Are you really King Arthur... Artoria?" Shirou asked.
The surrounding space was enveloped by a powerful torrent of magic.
That wasn't just magic.
That was the highest purity of magic essence that Shirou had ever experienced before.
Gilgamesh and Karna also had similar reactions when unleashing their Noble Phantasm, seemingly due to an energy called Divine Aura energy.
However, the Divine Aura that Artoria exuded at this moment was beyond imagination.
Towards the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War, Artoria should have returned to her Britain.
What exactly happened?
Although she has a female human form, Artoria seems to no longer be human.
He was neither a knight who ruled the Round Table, nor a king from the distant age of gods.
She was like a storm, like the dead, like calamity, like power itself.
Although she appears to be a mature woman who is breathtakingly beautiful.
But her aura involuntarily reminded Shirou of the ancient legends of this Western European land—
The King of Storms, the Wild Hunt.
The woman who resembled Artoria spoke.
"I have abandoned the title of King Arthur; I am now known as the Lion King."
"... The Lion King?"
"That's right, Shirou! As you can see, Artoria is neither Servant nor a human now."
She's gained the same level of Clairvoyance as me! And it's even more useful than mine—"eyes that can see into the future"!
Lady Avalon said with a cheerful expression, "If we were to give her existence a reasonable definition, well—"
It is the embodiment of the Holy Lance, "Goddess Rhongomyniad"!
"Rhongomyniad... the goddess of the Holy Lance?"
Shirou shouted it out.
He recalled the rumors he had heard from Ash before.
The Holy Sword and the Holy Lance are extremely dangerous entities, each possessing its own unique blessing (curse).
The Holy Sword will cause the wielder's physical body to stop growing and grant them immortality, while the Holy Sword will affect the wielder's mental and Spiritual Structure.
Now that he understands Artoria's tall and voluptuous figure, Shirou gets it.
This is probably a result of Artoria's body naturally growing stronger after losing the Holy Sword.
Her being called "Goddess Rhongomyniad" is likely a result of changes in her mental and Spiritual Structure caused by wielding the Holy Lance for an extended period.
"Hmph, as expected of my most prized disciple, your reaction is truly quick."
Lady Avalon said happily, as if it were none of her business.
"How long."
Shirou seemed to realize something and suddenly asked, "How much time has passed since then...?"
The Lion King said, "After parting from you, I was sent back to Camlann Hill I lived in the past."
"!?!?"
Shirou's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "...1500 years ago."
"In human timescales, it's 15 centuries, that's correct." The goddess nodded indifferently.
"Such a thing actually happened..."
Shirou now understood why Artoria was here.
Shirou had come to understand what kind of being she had become.
Only one question remains: --
Shirou asked in a hoarse voice, "What is your purpose?"
The boy felt his shoulders tremble as he asked the question.
Shirou's Instinct told him that he was about to hear the cruelest words from the goddess's lips.
"My purpose, or rather my wish, is to save the Kingdom of Britain— "
"Stop joking!!"
Shirou angrily interrupted the goddess's declaration.
I was furious, more furious and saddened than ever before.
"Isn't this topic already over? Haven't you already figured it out? Haven't you already given up?"
"You clearly made a promise to me back then... and decided to give up that wish, so why are you bringing this up now!?"
Save Britain.
This was Saber Artoria Pendragon's wish during the Fourth Holy Grail War.
By erasing all traces of her own existence, she makes the figure of King Arthur disappear, thereby achieving the redemption of Britain.
This is the final, sorrowful wish of a young girl who regrets her life, as she faces death.
"..."
The Lion King's dignified and serious face showed no emotion whatsoever; he simply ignored Shirou's protests and accusations and continued explaining.
"What I want to do is not simply change history."
With my current power (Authority), I could easily go back in time and change the history of the planet.
However, this alone is not enough; merely denying existing history is not enough.
We must completely negate the established phenomena, that is, the current Human Order Foundation; only in this way can we—"
"What are you talking about? Isn't it just about preventing the destruction of Britain?"
I understand now, I understand it perfectly well, better than anyone else, your foolish and absurd wish!!
Shirou's roar was filled with exhaustion and despair.
Although I already knew that Artoria was a girl with deep-seated obsessions and a strong competitive spirit, but...
"As you said, saving Britain is my ultimate goal, and it is not out of personal selfishness."
"Boring."
Shirou gritted his teeth and said, "No matter how many times I say it, it's utterly boring! Stop joking!"
Britain doesn't need you to save it, it can't be saved, the past is the past!
The Lion King said expressionlessly, "Shirou, how can you lie to me so calmly?"
"Varied..."
No matter what you say, my mind will not change.
The goddess with shimmering yellow-green eyes said, "This is my final conclusion after 1500 years of pilgrimage across the earth."
Shirou felt nauseous and wanted to vomit. "Just because of something like this, you're going to deny your life?"
Just to change the fate of Britain... are you really going to make yourself, and the character of Artoria, disappear?
"...?"
Upon hearing Shirou's words, the goddess frowned.
Lady Avalon's shoulders trembled as she covered her mouth, struggling to suppress a laugh.
What's going on with these two...?
The Lion King spoke with a puzzled expression.
"Why do you say that, Shirou? I never intended for my existence to disappear."
"What?"
Aren't you planning to save Britain through "self-destruction"?
The Lion King quietly shook his head. "You've misunderstood, Shirou."
In my lifetime, I failed to protect my country.
I became king to protect Britain, yet I failed to fulfill that responsibility.
As you said, this is a settled outcome.
"The Sword in the Stone must have chosen the wrong person, which is why I've decided that this time a more suitable person will become King of Britain."
"Haven't we come full circle back to the original question? Ultimately, 'saving Britain's is simply impossible—"
"OK."
The Holy Lance Goddess asserted, "I know a man who once protected the kingdom as King Arthur."
He will take my place, and this time he will surely save Britain-- "
Shirou: "Stop talking nonsense, Artoria!!"
Lion King: "That person is you, Shirou."
"Ah???"
Shirou gasped, his mind reeling.
I feel dizzy and lightheaded.
"Shirou, how can you lie to me so calmly?"
"Saving Britain is not an impossible task."
"I know a man who once protected the kingdom as King Arthur."
"That person is you, Shirou."
The red-haired boy was speechless.
My throat felt like it was choking me, and I couldn't say a word.
"My goal is for you to pull out the Sword of Selection in my place and become the King Arthur of this world."
The Holy Lance Goddess spoke in a deep, monotone voice.
Don't worry, I won't erase my existence.
For then, I too will serve you (the true king) as a knight, and this will be my atonement.
This is the answer the Lion King obtained during his 1500-year-long, solitary pilgrimage.
This is the dream that the Goddess Rhongomyniad saw with her all-seeing eyes.