The fringes of the Counter Force, the Throne of Heroes—a place reserved solely for Guinevere and the King of Knights...
Beneath swaying wheat fields and a scorching sun, before a modest Camelot-era estate, beneath a grapevine trellis...
A young King and Queen crossed wooden swords.
This estate, belonging to her foster father Sir Ector, was the happiest place in the King of Knights' childhood.
Here she grew, honed her skills, and lived until the fateful day at fifteen when she drew the Sword in the Stone outside the Capital, fulfilling her destiny.
Through the clash of their blades, the King of Knights' nostalgia and longing flowed ceaselessly into Guinevere's heart.
After a long while, their sparring match came to an end, with Guinevere once again emerging victorious. Though their appearances had reverted to a more youthful state, their inner selves remained unchanged.
"Lia, is this the most tender part of your heart?"
The two wooden swords lay discarded beside them as they climbed to the highest rooftop of the manor. Hand in hand, they gazed at the scenes unfolding before them—the King of Knights' earliest memories.
Within the King of Knights' mind, the Throne of Heroes environment continued to shift. A younger Artoria materialized out of thin air, tearfully accepting a handkerchief from Kay.
"Before I turned seven, I always wore down the palms of my hands through training. Every time that burning sensation seared through me, my brother would feel sorry for me. He'd go out into the wild, catch a pheasant, and roast it for us to eat.
At night, after falling asleep, my thoughts would drift to a library. Master Merlin would hand me book after book, encouraging me to learn on my own until I could read independently. Only then could I ask him about what I didn't understand."
"Ah? Is that how Master Merlin taught his students?" Guinevere asked, surprised.
"Master Merlin was just too brilliant. He could grasp any knowledge with a single glance. I suppose he initially assumed I'd be the same."
"Then you must have worked incredibly hard."
"Yes, it was grueling. But thankfully, he quickly realized I was a complete idiot."
As she spoke, the King of Knights, now restored to her fifteen-year-old form, chuckled softly. After a playful struggle with Guinevere, she sighed in mock resignation and laid her head in Guinevere's lap.
As she settled down, she nuzzled her cheek against Guinevere's silky-smooth bare leg before lying flat on her back, gazing up at Guinevere's generous bust.
Without hesitation, she reached out and playfully squeezed Guinevere's breasts, magically reducing their size slightly.
"Guinevere, I can't even see your face anymore! You're making them this big on purpose, aren't you? You weren't nearly this big when you were sixteen!"
Not a trace of regal dignity remained—only pouty cheeks and playful accusations.
Pfft.
Amidst the laughter, Guinevere fulfilled the King of Knights' wish and playfully pinched her cheek.
At that moment, the King of Knights wore a white lily dress, while Guinevere was clad in a sheer black dress.
Time held no meaning for Heroic Spirits, for the Throne of Heroes existed outside the flow of time.
The moment the King of Knights in the present world vowed to share the same Throne of Heroes, their respective Thrones merged into one.
As the King of Knights' memories unfolded in vivid detail, no time might have passed in the present world—or perhaps these events were unfolding in the past or future.
"Hey, Guinevere, this is all the tenderness I've reserved for myself."
"Lia, you already know about my childhood, don't you?"
"I'm not talking about that. I want to know everything about you. Only after completely sharing a Throne of Heroes have I fully confirmed that you're still hiding something from me.
Guinevere, we're destined to be together forever—past, present, and future. Can't you open your heart to me completely?"
At this moment, the King of Knights was being somewhat aggressive, but Guinevere understood the reason behind her insistence.
One had fully bared her soul, while the other remained guarded. Such imbalance was bound to cause unease.
However, Guinevere also knew that if she refused to speak, the King of Knights wouldn't press further. But that would only widen the distance between them—something Guinevere felt was unnecessary.
Yes, we're going to be together forever. Even if the King of Knights learned about my past life, that I came from a parallel future, and that my world contained stories about this one, she would probably just give a serene smile, wouldn't she?
Guinevere opened her mouth, then closed it again, caught in an endless cycle of hesitation and fear. Then the King of Knights wrapped her arms around Guinevere's neck, gently pressing her head downward. Guinevere braced herself, pushing upward to bring their bodies and souls as close as possible, letting their mana flow between their lips.
Through this connection, the King of Knights conveyed her longing, making Guinevere finally understand...
No matter what you're hiding, I will always replenish your magic.
How long had this hesitation lingered? By present-day reckoning, it must have been 1,500 years.
Guinevere exhaled deeply, steadying her mind. After exchanging a tender gaze with the King of Knights, she willed the environment of the Throne of Heroes to transform according to her heart's desire.
It transformed into an ordinary Eastern-style cottage, a young girl's bedroom overflowing with otaku treasures.
Bookshelves overflowed with novels, while dozens of figurines of her favorite anime characters lined another wall.
Among these figurines, naturally, the King of Knights had the most—even the legendary Evil Saber was represented.
The scene had changed. The King of Knights still lay with her head on Guinevere's lap; only their location had shifted from the rooftop to a bed.
"Lia, don't look at that..."
"Hmm... It's quite unique."
There were over a dozen figurines that were clearly of her, along with recognizable figures of Morgan, Jeanne, and Mordred. Additionally, there were several figurines with 'Artoria's' face that weren't any of them.
"What on earth is all this..."
Guinevere's past life was remarkably simple. She said her name in that life was Guinaifen, the translated name for Guinevere in this country.
She also mentioned that the Type-Moon series was a creative work from her world.
"So, what you most wanted to hide wasn't that you have memories of a past life, or that you're from the future, but simply that we're characters from a creative work?
In that case, Guinevere, are we truly real? And your past world... could it also be a creative work of that one?"
To the first question, Guinevere responded with a direct kiss, her intense emotions answering the query.
As for the second question, Guinevere wasn't sure either, but...
"That doesn't matter, does it? What's important is that you and I truly exist."
"Hmph, so you finally understand!"
Sometimes, a stubborn mind needs a sharp blow. After truly taking this step and seeing that the King of Knights hadn't changed in the slightest, Guinevere finally received the answer she had long known in her heart.
At that moment, nothing else mattered. She and the King of Knights lay together, binge-watching Fate/Zero, FSN, and even Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot and the upcoming Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia on a tablet.
"I see. So that's how you can see the future. No wonder you said you could only see a single future."
How much time did they spend binge-watching? That, too, was meaningless to them. At most, it meant the King of Knights had also grown to love anime, making Guinevere show her every series from her memories.
"I told you not to worry, didn't I? Haven't you already changed every future you saw? So I'll ask again: are we truly real?"
Another embrace, another kiss, another...
"Of course."
Afterward, their binge-watching continued until Merlin's summons from Babylon arrived.
This time, they both noticed that the Spirit Origin supporting their current manifestation was exceptionally high-quality, capable of sustaining much more of them.
"A Grand Saint Graph?"
"It seems so..."
Exchanging a smile, the two responded to the summons.