Artoria was strong.
Picking up the blade that symbolized the King, she could charge to the forefront of the battlefield like a lion.
But Artoria was also fragile.
It took only a few words to make her emotional defenses collapse with a crash.
"You..."
Her beautiful long golden hair scattered like straw in the wind; the young girl no longer possessed the dignified air of a knight.
She covered her lips, looking both flustered and pleasantly surprised.
"Alright, have you calmed down now?"
Meeting the girl's gaze, Ian asked.
"Look at the reality around you, Artoria."
"Is this truly everything you wanted?"
"..."
Artoria looked around wordlessly.
Dust swirled, and the embers of burning fires rose and fell with the wind; some specks settled on the girl's golden hair.
The gloom in her eyes was fading bit by bit.
Finally, those beautiful lips trembled slightly:
"What have I done..."
Ian knew his judgment was not wrong.
The Artoria before him was an existence teetering on the edge of alteration.
She still possessed reason, but she could become hysterical at any moment upon contact with the truth.
His proactive strike was correct!
"You have done many wrong things."
"But it is not without a turning point—"
Ian responded to Artoria, his chest, which had been pierced by Excalibur, rising and falling with his breath.
"You still have a chance... to stop yourself from committing even graver errors."
"Um, you..."
Looking at her blade, Artoria was at a loss for what to do for a moment.
She had already sobered up.
But precisely because of this, the reality she had to face stung her kind heart even more.
"Don't worry."
Meeting Artoria's gaze, Ian smiled faintly.
Then, he pulled Excalibur directly out of his chest and handed it to her.
"I won't die."
"I still have many things to do, so I absolutely will not die here."
Watching the man's wound being quickly filled by black shadows, Artoria knew he wasn't just comforting her.
He indeed had the confidence to say such things.
However—
After completely calming down, Artoria became increasingly melancholy.
"How should I make up for the things I did wrong..."
"I... can't think of anything."
"Aren't I here?" Ian held Artoria with both hands. "I said, let me bear that sin of yours together with you."
"Bear it together...?"
"Mn." The man nodded, and then proceeded with further actions.
With a thud.
The girl was gently pushed down onto the devastated ground.
The [Sword of Slaanesh] and Excalibur stood on the left and right, looking like their loyal guards.
Artoria could hear his breathing.
Every breath seemed to tease her heartstrings, seemingly there and yet not.
"In your life up to now, you have been the 'King of Knights' and not 'Artoria'—"
"This is your original sin, the source of everything."
"So, after this, look at yourself squarely."
"Even though..."
Ian's hand gently stroked the girl's hair, messy from continuous battles.
"You are such a cute girl."
Artoria's pupils trembled like an earthquake.
Crystal-clear tears flowed silently from the corners of her eyes, until she began to weep softly.
The thick armor of the King of Knights also developed countless cracks at this moment, until it shattered completely and vanished.
This was a possibility that should not have appeared, yet at this moment, it emerged before the man with incomparable reality.
However, it was not surprising at all.
"Is that so?"
"I understand—"
"I will complete this final proof."
Just as Artoria's fate was destined.
Her body had also completely frozen in time the moment she pulled the sword.
As tough and indomitable as she was when she was the King of Knights, the remaining self after shedding that was equally tender.
"It might hurt a little."
"Mn... I know."
Artoria's expression was already written full of shyness.
Perhaps, she had actually been waiting for such an opportunity all along?
"Then—"
"I hope you will like the happiness of being a girl."
A suppression like a vice grip; there was no possibility of breaking free.
Ian looked directly into Artoria's eyes, which had become blurred due to such contact, but his heart held unstoppable regret.
If she were just a girl of ordinary birth, she would have had a better ending, right?
However—
It was not without gain.
At least, the sins of Singularity F, he, carrying Slaanesh, could write them off for her after this.
"Artoria, you truly are a genuine girl."
"Is that so?"
"That's great..."
"This way, I can indeed experience tangible happiness❤."
The girl continuously let out tender sounds she had never dared to voice before, her arms wrapping tightly around the man's neck.
Until—
"Mn❤—"
Artoria's eyes widened, and her hands dropped down powerlessly.
"You went straight away..."
"After all, Artoria is a girl to begin with." Ian gently stroked that body which was gradually becoming transparent.
He knew everything was about to end soon.
"Will we meet again in the future?" The girl asked.
"We will, definitely."
Ian answered without hesitation.
"At that time, I will definitely let you experience even more happiness of being a girl."
"That's wonderful—"
Exhaling hot breath slightly, the lingering Artoria revealed a happy smile.
"However, enjoying happiness unilaterally like this feels a bit guilty, so..."
"Avalon, I'll leave it to you for now."
"This is the only memento I can give you."
"Perhaps, it will be useful very soon."
At the same moment.
Fujimaru Ritsuka could not imagine at all what was happening on the mountain peak.
Her attention was entirely focused on Emiya [Alter] before her.
"The Command Spells... are used up, Mash."
"Mn..."
The girl holding the cross shield was panting heavily.
Although she was determined to stall Emiya [Alter] for Ian, as a novice, she was simply no match for this person.
Even with Fujimaru Ritsuka using Command Spells with all her might to support her, they could only achieve the level of "barely avoiding being killed."
"Senpai, hold on a little longer."
"Ian, he surely has a way—"
"Mn, I know."
"Meaningless, fighting spirit so foolish it's nauseating."
Emiya [Alter] picked up Kanshou and Bakuya, showing no intention of showing mercy.
"Now, I will kill you."
However—
Just as Mash was pondering how to withstand this attack with Fujimaru Ritsuka exhausted.
Emiya [Alter] covered his own throat.
"What... Urgh—"
The nearly unsolvable black killer knelt on the ground and began to dissipate like smoke.
"Mash... what did you do?"
"I, I don't know..."
The sudden situation made Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash look at each other in dismay.
But soon, the two realized something in sync.
"It's Ian, he handled it!"
"That's right, Senpai! That must be it!"
"Then let's hurry up and regroup with him!"
"Mn!"
________________________________________
Get rewarded for helping with our community goals!
🎯 Reward for all: +1 bonus chapter at 50 Powerstones.
🚀 Tier Reward: Help us reach 20 members for +5 chapters on all stories!
👻 Join the crew by searching Ms. Medusa on (P). You know the spot! 😉