Fairy Palace, Great Underground Cavern.
This place used to be where the Old Bug hid his filth, but now it has been completely purified by Morgan and transformed into a magic altar radiating a faint blue glow.
At this moment, in the center of the altar, the golden “greater grail” was quietly floating in mid-air.
It was a massive crystallization of prana, gathering the souls of five Heroic Spirits (Assassin, Lancer, Caster, Archer, Rider).
Although not yet full, it was more than enough to realize that wish.
“Ugh…” Beside the altar, Irisviel clutched her chest, leaning somewhat weakly into Arthur’s arms.
Just now, under Morgan’s precise operation, functioning as the “Lesser Grail,” she had successfully channeled all the absorbed Heroic Spirit prana into this altar.
Thanks to the protection of the [Avalon] within her body, she did not lose her life as she did in the original story, but was merely a bit weak, like someone after giving blood.
“Thank you for your hard work, Irisviel.” Arthur gently stroked her silver hair, injecting a stream of Crimson Dragon Prana into her body to help stabilize her mind.
“Go and rest.
Sakura has already prepared hot tea for you.” “Mm…
Arthur, thank you.” Irisviel glanced at Artoria, who had a complex expression, smiled gently, and tactfully left the basement, leaving the space to the three “involved parties”…
In the basement, only Arthur, Morgan, and Artoria remained.
Artoria looked at the Holy Grail before her, radiating an omnipotent glow.
A trace of struggle flashed through her emerald eyes, but it eventually turned into a sigh.
She turned around to look at Arthur, a poignant smile appearing on her face: “Arthur, and sister.” “Although the process was different from what I imagined, since the winner is you, I can rest easy.” “My wish…
if it’s you, I’m sure it can be realized in a better way.” After saying this, her body did not dissolve into spiritrons like a normal Heroic Spirit.
Because she was not a deceased Heroic Spirit.
She was a “living person” named Artoria Pendragon, who had made a contract with the world (Counter Force) before her death on the Hill of Camlann, temporarily descending to seek the Holy Grail.
“My task is over.” Artoria lowered her head, looking at her hands.
“Whether in victory or defeat, after the war ends, I must return to that small hill filled with corpses and continue to wait for death…
or become a Counter Guardian, trapped in an endless cycle.” “That is my fate.
It is also my final atonement for Britain.” She closed her eyes, preparing to undo the summoning and let her consciousness return to her main body.
However.
One second, two seconds.
The expected “return” did not happen.
A warm, large hand firmly grabbed her wrist, interrupting her spellcasting.
“Who gave you permission to leave?” Arthur’s voice echoed in the empty basement.
Artoria opened her eyes in surprise: “Arthur?
If I don’t go back, I…” “I said, this is your utopia.” Arthur looked at her, his gaze incredibly serious.
“I don’t accept that ending of waiting for death on the hill.
I won’t allow that future of working for Alaya as a Counter Guardian to pay off a debt.” “But the contract…” “Contract?” Arthur sneered.
“Such a thing, just tear it up.” He muttered in his heart: “System, use ‘Dimension Correction Authority’.
Target: Artoria Pendragon.” “Operation: Sever her contract with the ‘World (Counter Force)’ and completely anchor her existence to the current worldline!” [Ding!
Detected that the host has an S-rank Plot Change Evaluation.] [Consuming 5,000 Dimensional Points…] [Severing contract…
Rewriting the line of fate…] *Crack!* Artoria seemed to hear a crisp sound of chains breaking.
Those were the shackles named “responsibility” and “price” that had bound her soul for a thousand years.
An unprecedented sense of relief flooded her entire body.
She was surprised to find that her connection with that “future destined for death” had been completely severed.
She was no longer the king waiting for death, but a person who truly possessed a future.
“This…
this is…” Artoria was so shocked she couldn’t speak.
“From today on, you are no longer the Heroic Spirit Saber, nor the King of Britain.” Arthur let go of her hand and gently flicked the ahoge on top of her head: “You are just Artoria.
A diner in this house, Sakura’s bodyguard, and…
my family.” Tears streamed down her face.
The King of Knights tightly covered her mouth, not letting herself cry out loud.
She hadn’t wanted to be saved.
She had always felt she didn’t deserve to be saved.
But this man had overbearingly given her the freedom she craved most…
“Hmph, what a touching and sentimental scene.” Morgan, watching from the side with her arms crossed, snorted coldly, but the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her good mood.
“Since you’ve taken care of this stupid sister of mine, what should we do with this thing?” Morgan pointed at the Holy Grail in the air.
“Although the prana inside is massive, it seems to be mixed with the curse of All the World’s Evil.
If used to wish for something stupid like ‘world peace,’ it would probably turn into a disaster.” “I don’t need world peace.” Arthur walked up to the Holy Grail, feeling the surging prana within.
Maybe it’s not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
“And If you’re enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!”