Dealing with the Emperor Alliance Army didn't take long.
"{Excalibur Galatine} (Sword of Promised Victory)!!!"
"{Arondight} (Unfading Light of the Lake)!!!"
"{Clarent Blood Arthur} (My Beautiful Father's Rebellion)!!!"
"{Longinus Count Zero} (Shining Spear of Destiny)!!!"
Even with just the Round Table alone, it wouldn't be a big problem, but with me and Artoria joining in, Darius's immortal army or the like is no match. The army of over 100,000 was annihilated by us.
In fact, the Round Table's firepower Noble Phantasms are usually not used properly due to friendly fire or terrain damage, but they're perfect for use in such plains.
After the battle, we moved again towards the alliance capital.
"Fergus's homemade lunchbox... this is precious."
"I'll make it for you every day from now on."
"Hehe, is that so... Well, there won't be any reason to fall behind now."
Artoria smiled faintly and leaned gently against me. While doing so, she ate the lunchbox. Nero, sitting on the opposite side, glanced at Artoria...
Plop...!
"Hmm?"
"!?"
"I'll eat here. It's more comfortable here."
"Ah, yes..."
"...."
Nero sat on my lap and started eating the lunchbox right there. Artoria frowned and glared at Nero, and Nero chuckled in response. This is quite the Saber rivalry.
"Is that so..."
Then Artoria pulled my arm and pressed it against her chest. Since she's become bustier than before, she's using her chest...
"... Hehe."
"... Hmph."
When Nero stared blatantly, Artoria was the one to chuckle this time. Nero snorted as if to say, "What now?"
"Let's not argue while eating..."
"We're not arguing."
"We are not."
Anyone can see that they are...
"I'm jealous..."
"Is this what they call 'flowers in both hands'..."
Mordred looked at me and said she was jealous, and Lancelot muttered while gazing at the distant sky. So this is the Round Table...
After the meal, we continued moving and arrived at a place a bit away from the Emperor Alliance capital.
"If we ride for about two hours from here, we'll arrive."
"I see. Thanks to Gawain, it's always noon here. Even if we don't sleep, let's take a short rest."
Even though it had become night, thanks to Gawain's gift, it remained high noon here. So, even if we don't sleep, let's rest a bit——
Snap!
At that moment, Nero flicked her hand, and Gawain's sun disappeared. Is that the power of a beast...?
"The, the sun..."
Gawain was dismayed by that. He really likes the sun.
"Not for long, but I want to sleep for a little while."
"Is that so... Well, let's rest for a bit over 30 minutes. Think of it as a nap and sleep."
"Hmph, thank you."
I got off the chariot and set up a simple tent, and Nero took my hand and went in. Then she made me sit and lay down using my lap as a pillow... She's become more spoiled.
"... I am your wife, though."
"Haha... Please be a little more forgiving, Artoria."
"Hmm... Fine. We have a deeper bond than this, after all."
Artoria chuckled and sat next to me. Artoria and I exchanged small talk.
"Chaldea? You were staying in such a place?"
"The facilities are quite good. Recently, it was renovated, so it's even better."
"Is that so... But, with the director of that organization and..."
"Ahem... Well, I was there for two years."
"... No, it's really nothing."
For someone saying it's nothing, she looks quite pouty... Look at that pout. She's sulking.
"But, are you really okay with this?"
"With what?"
"Her. Do you plan to keep taking her with you?"
"I have to leave her in this era. She's a person of this time and will live for several more years. If I take her with me, who knows what might happen... Honestly, I think it's bitter. She'll be quite lonely alone..."
I looked down while stroking the forehead of Nero, who was sleeping soundly. Even though she awakened as a beast, as a human of this singularity, if the singularity is resolved, she will return to being an ordinary human. Nero is history that must survive until 68 AD and be impeached.
I can't take her with me. Her survival and presence in Rome are key to preventing the Human Order Foundation. The enemy's goal is to deny human history by disrupting the original history. I must not take her.
"Well... We'll see when the time comes."
"Haha, is that so..."
"Everything will be fine. It's you, Fergus. You who twist fate and build happy endings, have confidence."
"Thanks for saying that, Artoria."
It's almost over. If things proceed smoothly like this, we can resolve the singularity without much trouble. And...
It's Nero. After all, we'll meet again someday as a Heroic Spirit. It might be a bit cruel to her, but when the singularity is restored, the people of the singularity forget what happened in the singularity. So she'll forget about me too. I'm also very regretful. But still...
It's the reality that I can't take her with me.
Crack...
"..."
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing."
Just now, I definitely saw something wriggle in Nero's golden cup...?
Was it my imagination? I tried to peer into the golden cup just in case, but there was nothing. The structure of the golden cup is something even my eyes find hard to analyze. It must be nothing... right?
In the original story, clearly, Nero's familiars went rampant and tried to steal her power. The demonic beasts, similar in concept to Demon Pillars. Beings based on the seven deadly sins, embodiments of Nero's resentment and hatred towards the world. But, that was only in the original story where Nero tried to commit suicide and they rebelled and ran wild.
It's distinctly different from Nero now, who wants to live. So, it must not be that.
After a short rest, we set out again. The huge castle visible in the distance. The Emperor Alliance capital came into view.
And the countless golems and soldiers positioned in front of such a castle. In front of them stood a man and woman with majestic postures. One was Altera, and the other... the one who is human and the founding king.
Romulus. It must be his appearance from his later years.
Is that the tree and spear he planted on the seven hills when founding Rome? That's a spear...? Even seeing it, I don't get it.
A man with the ability to freely manipulate trees, it's not like he's the First Hokage from Naruto. But he's a monster on that level.
They say that when that tree was destroyed, Rome split into East and West. That's how strong the divine power feels. Originally, as the son of Ares, he's a demigod, but did he intentionally seal his divinity? A man who praises humanity so much that he even seals his own divinity to affirm humanity's future, yet he radiates such divinity...
He's not a man who became a Grand Servant for nothing. His appearance as a human is also impressive. No wonder he's compared to kings like Gilgamesh or Ozymandias.
It's power beyond the Round Table who received gifts. No wonder several of the Round Table died.
"Climax time... If we defeat them, we'll break in right away and finish this."
It's almost over... I'll be there soon, Olga. What I need to do here is almost done.
".... Hmph."
Nero was touching her chest as if uncomfortable somewhere, and when I looked at her with concern, she shook her head with a faint smile. It's fine, right...?