Chapter 5: Tristan's Report, The King's Anomaly
Gudako and the others did not yet know what this "Selection" signified and were inquisitively chatting with the refugees.
""Selection," huh... I wonder what it's like. It's really making me curious."
Seeing them like this, Shirou told them the truth.
"Eh, it's actually like that!?"
Gudako was astonished, while Mash proposed a suggestion.
"Should we warn everyone?"
Shirou nodded indifferently.
"You can try."
Gudako, Mash, and the others then proceeded to tell the refugees the truth; however, in the end, not a single person believed them.
Watching the people who were still waiting for the "Selection," both Gudako and Mash were somewhat puzzled.
Da Vinci, however, had already seen the reason and explained to them: "To these refugees, the Holy City is already their last chance for survival. Regardless of whether this is the truth or not, they have no other path left to choose."
"B-but..."
Mash still wanted to say something, but she didn't know how to put it into words.
"There is no need to waste breath on this. We just need to follow them to that 'Selection'," Shirou said.
Gudako also nodded in agreement.
"Since everyone doesn't believe the truth, then we can only protect everyone when the 'Selection' happens."
"Yes, I understand."
Mash gripped her shield tightly, answering with a determined look in her eyes.
Following the footsteps of the refugees, they entered the Holy City together to participate in the "Selection."
...
Steel boots stomped on the floor, echoing clearly through the massive palace.
The other four knights were busy with other tasks; only the King on the throne at the highest point remained seated there, looking at the arriving knight with calm eyes.
"Sir Tristan, do you have something to report?"
"Yes, my King."
Tristan hurriedly knelt on one knee to perform a knight's salute, saying in a respectful tone.
"During my mission, I encountered the Master of Chaldea, as well as someone calling himself Orihara Shirou. His strength is quite formidable; I was no match for him and could only return first to report this to the King."
"Orihara Shirou..."
The King's glowing yellow-green pupils, full of divinity, trembled slightly. Then, she tilted her head and closed her eyes, as if she were thinking about something.
Suddenly, her brows furrowed deeply, and her thin lips trembled slightly, as if she were enduring something or perhaps having a nightmare.
This was the first time Tristan had seen the King exhibit such an expression since she summoned him to this world.
"King, what is the matter?"
Tristan asked with concern.
The Lion King simply shook her head lightly in response; her lapis-lazuli eyes returned to a state of stillness, as if she had suppressed the anomaly from just a moment ago.
Just now, the instant she heard that name, her heart accelerated for a moment, and even she did not know why.
"...It is nothing. You may go and assist Sir Gawain in conducting the 'Selection'."
Hearing the King's order, the knight immediately saluted.
"Understood!"
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As the city gate opened, the refugees were led into Camelot in batches under the watch of the knights.
Among that group of knights, the crimson banner bearing the head of the Pendragon Red Dragon fluttered high in the wind.
Night expelled the light; evening had already arrived.
Though the clothing of Shirou's group, who were mixed into the crowd, was somewhat peculiar compared to those around them, under Shirou's deliberate concealment, the knights did not notice anything unusual.
Da Vinci, who was following the crowd, looked at the stairs leading to that magnificent city ahead and whispered thoughtfully.
"There are so many people. If a battle really breaks out, it will be very difficult to protect them all..."
Shirou patted Da Vinci's shoulder, signaling her to relax.
"Leave it to me."
Da Vinci let out a breath and revealed a beautiful smile: "Since you said so, I have no choice but to trust you."
The dense crowd was soon driven like livestock by the Knights of Resolution into a massive circular plaza.
And standing before the closed doors leading to that City of Ideals was a special knight.
His hair, brilliant and bright as the blazing sun, shimmered in the moonlight.
This was the "Sun Knight"—Gawain, who was as famous as Lancelot, the "Lake Knight," the strongest under King Arthur!
Gawain scanned the refugees gathered in the circular plaza with a stern gaze.
"Welcome... contestants participating in the 'Selection.' I am Gawain, a member of the Round Table Knights."
Upon hearing the title of the Round Table Knights, the crowd couldn't help but cheer, and Gawain continued.
"Our Holy City, Camelot, is the perfect, pure white thousand-year kingdom. Inside this gate, an ideal world is waiting for you."
After Gawain finished his speech, the figure of the Lion King appeared on the platform above.
"There are not many who can be brought to an ideal future; that is why this selection exists..."
Inside the gleaming silver-white lion-like armor and helmet, the King's emotionless voice rang out.
"Those souls that are not polluted, those souls not eroded by evil—humanity's inherent, eternal purity... among you, there are only three."
As the Lion King raised her right hand, three commoners within the crowd in the circular plaza below were enveloped in golden light.
The Lion King's final words reached everyone's ears at this moment.
"Bring those three inside."
Having said that, the Lion King turned and left, leaving only a group of bewildered people behind.
Shirou looked at that departing silver-white back and narrowed his eyes slightly.
That was not the Artoria Pendragon he knew, but a wraith who had failed to die when she should have and was now wandering the world holding the Holy Spear.
However, if Saber were now to merge into this same body, he didn't know what kind of situation would eventually unfold.
Moreover, because the Spiritron foundation of the Goddess Rhongomyniad and Artoria Pendragon were identical, her current strength had reached a deity-level far exceeding that of a Heroic Spirit.
Without using the Holy Grail, Rhongomyniad could summon numerous Knights of the Round Table and thousands of Knights of Resolution; the magical power of her holy judgment was also quite terrifying.
Rhongomyniad believed that under the influence of King Solomon, humanity had already lost its future, but she could still preserve a portion of humanity, even if they would thereby become eternal specimens kept within the Holy Spear.
Shirou's thoughts returned to the present as the crowd grew restless.
At this moment, Gawain took a deep breath and looked at the crowd with a resolute gaze.
"Everyone, I am very sorry; this is also for the sake of humanity's survival. Now—Holy Punishment begins!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!!!
The archers surrounding the circular plaza drew their bows taut in unison and fired their arrows.
At this moment, the people finally understood the truth of the "Selection"; all wore expressions of horror and began to flee in panic.