I'm not. I don't. Don't guess.
The Servant Aslan almost blurted out three lies instinctively. After all, this was his subconscious reaction whenever the Sword in the Stone was mentioned. He looked at his sister beside him, eyes slightly widened. If he remembered correctly, the purpose of Artoria's participation in the Holy Grail War was to change the outcome of the King Selection.
Because she had led Britain to ruin, she wanted to return to the past, give up becoming the King of Great Britain, and choose someone better—someone who could lead Britain to a brighter future.
So the reason she asked him this question now was because she had set her sights on him, hadn't she? Perhaps in the eyes of the blonde girl, the other one chosen by the Sword of the Chosen King—but who had never ascended the throne—was the ideal candidate. In terms of strength and other qualities, he was no weaker than King Arthur.
What's more, during the battle against his "cheap father," when he offered support, he had managed to win the hearts of some. Even after leaving Britain, there were still many who cared about his safety and whereabouts. Artoria must have known this, which meant she understood he had the charisma and ability to win people over.
Moreover, now he was part of the legend of King Arthur, summoned into this world at the same time as his cousin. That in itself explained a great deal. Many unknown onlookers likely believed his deeds were King Arthur's. In other words, the public already recognized that some of what he had done was what a king should do.
If Artoria had come to understand all of this deeply, wouldn't her wish be to first place him on the throne of Great Britain—just to see what would happen?
I don't want that!!
I don't want anything to do with being king! Let's just hurry up and get to the Fifth Holy Grail War so my dear cousin can finally let go of this obsession!
"But Brother Aslan took the Golden Sword of Victory in the end, didn't he? That holy sword always wanted to stay with you. Doesn't that mean the Golden Sword of Victory may recognize your kingly path more?"
As Aslan listened to the words of the blonde girl in front of him, the expression on his face kept shifting. Please stop talking. And stop calling me 'Brother.' He was truly afraid that with this sort of friendly address, she was trying to get closer to him—just so that when the Holy Grail appeared, Artoria could rush up and shout, "Please let my brother Aslan Pendragon ascend the throne!"
It would be a real problem if a new Type-Moon parallel world opened right then. He didn't want to be enjoying all the convenience and beauty of modern times only to have his consciousness hurled into the distant past. Most importantly—who knew if Melusine even existed in that timeline…
"Well… it's all in the past, but you still can't let it go."
After hearing what Aslan said, the blonde girl stopped and lowered her gaze. She had been the King of Great Britain for ten years. Whether respected, loved, or hated by her people, she had always wished for that land to thrive. How could she let go so easily?
If something could be let go of easily, it was not an obsession.
If she hadn't held onto her obsession, how could she have made a contract with the Counter Force before returning to tranquility, becoming a Heroic Spirit still chasing the Holy Grail?
Sometimes, Artoria truly envied her brother. At least in all these long years, Aslan had no great obsessions. It meant, in his eyes, his life had been complete. Perhaps it was exactly because he lived so freely, he had no regrets.
"Listen, Artoria, none of this is your fault. It's all because of Merlin. Blame Merlin. Wasn't it that old bastard who kept guiding you, teaching you the way of kingship? So when you see him again, just punch him. You've done more than enough."
Artoria looked down at her palms and sighed. Maybe.
In the reception hall, Irisviel had already filled the teapot and had other androids bring in some pastries. Although she didn't know exactly what the Throne of Heroes was like, she imagined it wasn't a particularly happy or relaxing place. So she wanted the two Servants she'd summoned to unwind as much as possible.
"Saber~ Um… and… can I just call you Mr. Aslan? After all, in the Holy Grail War, once your true name is exposed, others will always find your weakness."
Irisviel looked a bit melancholy. Clearly, she was very familiar with Holy Grail War mechanics. But that was only natural, wasn't it? They weren't just participants in the War—they were also its creators. After three failed attempts, they had certainly learned a great deal about what to watch out for.
Aslan waved his hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter. I was summoned one after another. Better to put me in the open and let Artoria stay hidden for now. I'm sure Kiritsugu will agree. If something happens to me, Artoria, as the main body, won't be affected at all. On the other hand, if something happens to Artoria, I'll disappear."
Aslan narrowed his eyes slightly, a calculating gleam flashing within. "Besides, if something does happen to me as a decoy, it might even benefit Kiritsugu's whole plan. Who would think that the Sword Knight who already stepped off the stage wasn't the real one? Just treat me like a Servant you summoned and dismissed. The real swordsman stays perfectly hidden."
This was much more efficient than Hassan of the Hundred Faces sacrificing one of his clones.
Artoria said nothing. If such a plan were to be carried out, she would understand. Of course, emotionally, she didn't want Aslan to sacrifice himself in front of her. But this was war. And in war, there were conspiracies and open deceptions.
"Aslan, how strong are you now? Can you even survive until the end while acting as bait?"
Servant Aslan looked down at his palm and sighed helplessly. "I didn't bring any of my three EX-level Noble Phantasms with me. Judging from my current state, I'd say I've retained about one-sixth of my full strength. But don't worry. When I'm serious, I'm no weaker than you."
-End Chapter-
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