"Calling oneself a King, and being revered as a King by the people."
"Such a person actually feels regret?"
"Hahahaha! How can one not laugh at such a thing? Amazing, Saber! You truly are the funniest clown!"
"Why are you laughing?"
Artoria could no longer endure Gilgamesh's humiliation. "My country, which I, as King, dedicated my body and mind to protect, was destroyed. Is it funny that I mourn for this?"
"No."
Listening to Artoria's words, Rin shook his head. "Your idea is a bit presumptuous."
"What?"
"Saber..."
Rin did not mock Artoria's ideal like Gilgamesh did.
On the contrary, Rin also hoped that a Leader would be a wise and benevolent ruler.
But such a thing was destined to be impossible.
"I want to ask you a question."
"You want to use the Holy Grail to save your country, and then what?"
"What?"
Artoria was startled, somewhat not understanding what he meant.
"Is it hard to understand?"
"I just want to know, assuming you actually get the Holy Grail and have the opportunity to fulfill your wish, what do you plan to do?"
Rin: "Simply say to the Holy Grail, 'Please save my country'?"
"I..."
Artoria was stumped by Rin's question. She really hadn't thought about how to use the wish to achieve the miracle of salvation.
It was the Holy Grail War she had longed for, yet she hadn't even thought through her wish.
Gilgamesh had no wish.
He participated because every Heroic Spirit vying for the Holy Grail was a challenger coveting his Noble Phantasms.
Killing and punishing everyone was, for Gilgamesh, a matter of course.
Iskandar wanted to continue galloping on the battlefield, for which he needed to obtain a physical body, to enjoy a life of freedom in a new world, a new era.
Artoria had a wish, but did she truly know how to use the Holy Grail to achieve her needs?
"You can take your time to think about this question."
"Now, I'll assume your wish comes true, and the country is truly saved."
"Then what?"
Still "then what," still a bewildered Artoria.
What then?
Then what?
"What I mean is, since the country is back on track, what about you?"
"I..."
Goodness, Rin's questions caught Artoria completely off guard.
To be honest, Artoria hadn't thought that far ahead.
And according to Rin's meaning, if the country was saved, what use would she, as King, be?
'If the country no longer needs me, then where do I go?'
Such a question.
When Artoria was alive, in order to become the King of Knights everyone admired.
She was like a saint, without desires, diligent and conscientious.
So, Artoria had never thought about it.
What would she do if she wasn't King anymore?
To be honest, did she, who had lived her entire life for others, truly have a dream of her own?
"The Holy Grail saved your country, so what about you?"
"Do you continue to be the King of Knights of Great Britain, and then wait for this country to be destroyed in your hands once again?"
"What?! You..."
Artoria was startled.
At the same time, she realized.
The Holy Grail saving her country did not mean everything was over.
History had already proven that she was not suitable to be the King of Knights, at least Artoria herself believed so.
Britain could be destroyed in her hands.
Even if the Holy Grail saved it once, what about next time?
"Waiting for the country to be destroyed again, then you go find the Holy Grail, repeating endlessly..."
"What's the difference between such a country and a puppet of the Holy Grail?"
When Rin said this, he pointed at Iskandar and said, "You mocked Iskandar for vying for the Holy Grail to satisfy his selfish desires."
"But at least he knows that a conquest brought about by a single cup is meaningless!"
"This point is the same for your country."
"If the continuation of a country is not through the joint efforts of its people, but by wishing upon a cup, what is the meaning?"
"..."
Rin's words were calm, but Artoria felt a chill in her heart.
Yes, wasn't the salvation obtained by wishing on the Holy Grail the same as Iskandar's wish for 'world conquest'?
"In that case!"
Artoria steadied herself and retorted, "Then let's change the King!"
Artoria didn't care about being a King.
As long as she could save her people and her country, what did it matter if she wasn't a King or didn't pull out the Sword in the Stone?
"Change the King, huh..."
"That method is feasible."
"But…"
"Saber, don't you think your wish is a bit too cruel?"
"What?"
Artoria didn't understand what Rin meant by that.
Why would he say she was cruel?
"Isn't it cruel?"
"You made a wish for Britain to select a King greater than yourself."
...
"So the question is, why would you impose something you couldn't achieve on someone else?"
"According to you, a King should be noble, righteous, kind, tolerant, benevolent, like a saint, flawless."
Rin looked at Gilgamesh and Iskandar, seeing both of them shaking their heads, then said in a deep voice, "If such a person truly exists, then so be it."
"But if all of this is imposed on him because of your wish…"
"Isn't that cruel?"
"You, Artoria Pendragon, for your own selfish desires, turned another person into a walking corpse known as a Holy King!"
"He could have enjoyed fine wine and food, and had a happy family."
"Yet, because of your wish, his happiness and life were taken away from him!"
"I, I, no, that's not what I meant!"
Artoria was startled by Rin's words. She still understood the principle of 'do not do to others what you would not have them do to you'.
And given Artoria's character, she couldn't possibly do such a thing.
She just, she just felt that she wasn't a qualified King and wanted someone more excellent.
"What if the new King is like Gilgamesh or Iskandar?"
"If the new King you despise and cannot understand is the one who can save Britain, what would you do?"
"This, this kind of thing…"
It was a King she had denied, even called a 'tyrant'.
This caused a violent clash with Artoria's perception of a King.
(To be continued.)