"Wow, this horse is impossible to control!"
Jiang You gripped the reins tightly, finally understanding what Medusa's A+ Riding skill truly meant. The Lion King's white steed was significantly slower than Pegasus, yet even so, Jiang You felt like he could be thrown off at any moment. At this height, even his C-rank endurance wouldn't save him from being smashed to pieces upon impact. Is this supposed to be a duel against the earth itself?!
"His name is Dun Stallion. Treating him like this, of course he won't cooperate."
The Lion King leaned against Jiang You's chest. Too weak to control her mount, she could only rely on his support.
The pose was rather intimate, but Jiang You had no time to enjoy it. Not only would falling ruin their progress, but the Lion King's armor was digging into him uncomfortably.
"You've never even trained in horsemanship, have you?" the Lion King observed, gazing down at the ground below. The height didn't faze her, but in her weakened state, a fall would likely leave her paralyzed at best.
"Judging by your Cards, your Spirit Origin seems capable of recording past experiences. Perhaps you should take the opportunity to learn horsemanship? You're currently relying entirely on your Noble Phantasms. While you've undoubtedly reached the pinnacle of Servants in combat, you'll still need to address other challenges."
"Rather than saying it can record experiences, it's more accurate to say I've never returned to the Throne of Heroes. I don't even know how long this 'saved state' will last."
Jiang You agreed with the Lion King's suggestion. Learning to ride and maxing out a mount Card would save him effort and increase his travel speed. He immediately seized the opportunity, "Then I'll humbly request the Lion King's guidance when the time comes."
The Lion King assumed Jiang You's "saved state" referred to his Spirit Origin, a perfectly reasonable way to describe an independent Spirit Origin.
"If I can still remember when we meet again."
"That's fine. But before that, there's a question I need to ask."
Jiang You's tone grew slightly nervous.
"Ask away. As the victor, you certainly have the right to question me."
The Lion King frowned, puzzled. Jiang You had always spoken his mind without hesitation, so why was he suddenly so tense?
"How do we make it stop?!" Jiang You roared, watching the ground rush closer.
"Don't squeeze your thighs so hard! That's a signal to charge!"
Although Dun Stallion had gained temporary flight through the Lion King's Divine Protection, it remained a beast at heart. Jiang You's desperate grip on its flanks, meant to keep himself from falling, only reinforced the command to charge forward relentlessly. The Lion King's warning came too late. The pair, horse and rider, hurtled toward the ground at breakneck speed.
Sensing the Spirit Origins of Jiang You and the Lion King—his current Master and the former sovereign he had served—Lancelot charged forward without hesitation. He poured every ounce of his strength into halting Dun Stallion's charge, but having already taken the brunt of Saber Lancelot's Noble Phantasm, he was at his limit in shielding the pair. With a final thumbs-up—whether praising Jiang You's victory over the Lion King or thanking him for letting him see Mash again—he dissolved into Prana and returned to the timeline of the Fourth Holy Grail War.
Jiang You's long-standing curiosity about whether a defeated Duel Spirit could be summoned again was finally answered: these beings had a cooldown period. After being defeated, they entered a summoning cooldown based on the Heroic Spirit's strength, preventing Jiang You from endlessly summoning them. This seemed reasonable. Lancelot's cooldown was five days, but the duration for King Hassan remained unknown. It was unlikely King Hassan's cooldown would be a full three days.
"Lancelot!"
Just as Bedivere was grieving Lancelot's departure, he saw the Lion King, trembling, push herself up from the ground with the support of her beloved horse. Instinctively, he gripped the longsword at his waist, unsure of the Lion King's intentions. After all, they had been enemies just moments ago.
"My King..."
Seeing Bedivere's hand on his weapon, Jiang You quickly explained, "Easy there, Bedivere. The Singularity is over now. There's no need to fight anymore. I brought the Lion King here to help you complete your final pilgrimage. You deserve some rest."
"Is he the Bedivere you mentioned?" the Lion King asked, scrutinizing the silver-armored knight. Memories began to surface, causing a sharp pain in her head. "He does feel strangely familiar, yet I can't quite recall him."
"Is this truly acceptable?" Bedivere asked, suddenly feeling apprehensive despite having the King so close. This manner of meeting felt strangely informal, lacking the solemnity it deserved. He had envisioned a more dignified reunion, perhaps by burning his life force to unleash his Noble Phantasm and present the Holy Sword before the Lion King.
"What's wrong with it? Go on!" Jiang You pushed Bedivere forward. "You wouldn't want Artoria to continue wandering aimlessly in this world, would you?"
Bedivere initially crept forward cautiously, but his pace soon quickened to a brisk walk. Finally, he knelt before the Lion King, bowing his head low.
"Your Majesty, please forgive my sins. I feared returning the Holy Sword would cause your death."
Bedivere removed his silver arm, which transformed into the Holy Sword in his hands. Stripped of the Holy Sword's Divine Protection, the weight of centuries instantly bore down upon the mortal Bedivere. He didn't even have time to age; his body began to crumble and disintegrate.
"I feared your death upon returning the Holy Sword, and I kept it with me, forcing you to linger in this form, unable to find release..."
"...I remember now. Sir Bedivere, stop this at once! How could I ever blame you? You bear no fault whatsoever."
Though the Lion King had regained some of her former self, she still distinguished herself from the sword-wielding aspect of her being. To her, this was merely a wish to keep her web of fate alive.
"You... you didn't have to go this far."
Having received the Lion King's affirmation, Bedivere smiled for the first time in ages. Now, he could finally depart in peace.
"That's because I still remember your smile from that day, King... I must thank you on behalf of the Knights of the Round Table. You bore the burden of that dark age alone, the only one who never experienced the glory of the Round Table... King, you are our shining star! At last, I can finally return this sword!"
Bedivere's resolve made the Lion King's gaze waver. She strode forward and grasped the Holy Sword just before Bedivere vanished.
"...Well done! My last, and most loyal, Knight! The Holy Sword has indeed been returned. Stand tall, Bedivere—"
"—Sir Bedivere, you have truly fulfilled your King's command!"
Bedivere smiled contentedly, his centuries-long journey finally reaching its end. He slowly closed his eyes and dissolved into the distant wind.
Jiang You also received rewards: two Round Table Knight Bedivere, one Sword of Promised Victory, and additional Ahoge rewards. In his final moments, Bedivere thanked Jiang You as well. If only Jiang You had managed to collect three, he could have added another loyal servant to his ranks.
"Alright, I've completed the Holy Sword Return mission as promised to Bedivere. Perfect. Time to log off and figure out how to get to Chaldea."
Just as Jiang You opened the menu to log off, the Lion King stopped him.
"Is there anything else?"
An extra cutscene... This smells like a special quest.
"You're going to Chaldea, aren't you? Take this with you."
The Lion King fixed Jiang You with a piercing gaze, as if steeling herself to a difficult decision. She handed him her helmet. "Though the version of me you'll encounter there won't be the same as here, allow me to contribute to the battle against the King of Magecraft. My mistakes have caused my loyal subordinates so much suffering and brought you so much trouble. I must do what I can to make amends."
The moment Jiang You accepted the helmet, he received two copies of the reward card Artoria (Lancer). Combined with the combat rewards he'd already earned, he now had three. This card's effects were identical to the Lion King's form, except for a 1000-point reduction in Attack Power.
"I suspect the King of Magecraft won't be the only foe you'll face."
Jiang You chuckled maliciously. His top-tier combat power had unexpectedly surged, though he still lacked the Holy Lance to complete the set. He preemptively buttered up the Lion King, saying, "But rest assured, when you manifest, it will undoubtedly be during the world-saving war. Lion King, when we meet again, please join us in saving the world."
The Lion King, assuming Jiang You was still talking about their card game, and that this matter would have nothing to do with her, passed the responsibility to another who resembled her. "If the need arises, I will certainly do so."