A solitary day remained before the subjugation of the Vile King, Vortigern.
What have I done in the interim, you ask? Toil. Constant, unrelenting toil.
I oversaw the organization of military formations and ensured the appropriate distribution of the treasury's coin. This required a meticulous examination of every line in the ledgers to verify allocations. Furthermore, I was tasked with the final inventory of the armory, inspecting the very blades our soldiers would carry into battle.
To make matters worse, I discovered a nest of wretches embezzling funds and siphoning off weaponry. Their judgment was swift; they were purged and their records subjected to a rigorous audit.
Because of this, Sir Bedivere and I were forced to labor with the desperation of men facing their execution, snatching less than three hours of rest a day.
Naturally, I sent the bastards who had increased our workload to... well, I sent them to Agravain.
I forwarded their list of crimes in writing. He will handle them with his usual thoroughness. By now, they are likely enjoying a most enlightening interview with him.
I turned my gaze toward Bedivere. Like me, his face was a mask of exhaustion, the dark hollows beneath his eyes testament to his sleepless devotion.
"You have worked well, Sir Bedivere. As the final troop formations require an audience with Her Majesty, you may take your leave and rest."
"My... my thanks, Sir Elius..."
At my words, Bedivere drifted out of the solar like a wandering spirit, his gait unsteady.
I watched him go with concern, though in truth, my own situation was hardly better. I had shouldered a greater share of the burden than he; my appearance was likely even more ghastly.
If there was a mercy to be found, it was that my mastery of Prana allowed my physical form to transcend common human limits. My body, tempered by the grueling drills of the knightly order, was a monstrous machine of endurance; even three hours of slumber could scour away the majority of my fatigue.
I did not have to fear the ignominy of death by overwork.
Now, I only needed to deliver the final reports to Artoria. Having not seen her face in some time, I decided to take the scrolls to her personal study myself.
The Queen's study was near the administrative hall, and I arrived shortly. I knocked softly upon the heavy oak door.
*Knock, knock.*
—Who approaches?
"It is I, Elius."
I replied to Artoria's dignified, resonant voice. There was a brief silence following my response.
*Thud. CRASH. Rumble. Boom!*
...What was that sound?
A series of strange, thunderous noises echoed from within the chamber. Standing in the corridor, I furrowed my brow in confusion. Finally, the room fell silent once more, and Artoria's voice drifted out again.
—...Ahem. You may enter, Eli.
I turned the latch and stepped inside. Artoria sat upon a chair at the center of a pristine, orderly study, her gaze fixed upon me as I entered.
"For what matter have you come seek—Eli, are you... quite well?"
"Ah, I am fine."
Her eyes, initially questioning, widened with startle at my appearance. Doubtless, I looked like a man risen from the grave. I held up a hand to dismiss her concern, despite the visible worry etched upon her features.
"If you say so, then I shall believe you... but what brings you here, Eli?"
"I came to deliver the finalized reports—and to see your face. Work has kept us apart of late, hasn't it?"
"It... it has."
Artoria's single cowlick of hair swayed like the tail of a contented hound. She was pleased. We spent a short while exchanging pleasantries and discussing the mundane trials of the past few days before transitioning into the official military briefing.
The reporting of the tasks completed and the current status of our forces proceeded smoothly. As the final matter was settled, I looked into her green eyes.
"I should take my leave then. The reports are finished, and I have seen that you are well."
"I see..."
Her golden lock of hair drooped sadly at my words. The sight was so endearing that I could not help but reach out and stroke the shining strands of her golden hair. Her mood seemed to lift instantly, the strand springing back to its spirited position.
"Continue your good work, Artoria."
"Yes. You as well, Eli. Thank you for your service."
"Of course."
I turned to leave, massaging the nape of my neck as the weight of my fatigue finally began to settle in. I reached for the door handle and pulled it open.
*Creak.*
Standing in the threshold was a woman leaning upon a staff.
"Greetings."
"......"
*Slam! Click!*
"...I must be more exhausted than I thought. I'm beginning to hallucinate wretches."
Yes. Surely, my eyes deceived me. However, the voice from beyond the door proved otherwise.
—Elius!! Open this door!!
"...Is that Merlin?"
Artoria, who had been bewildered by my sudden behavior, asked as she heard the voice. I let out a heavy sigh and nodded, reopening the door. I had to leave eventually; there was no sense in delaying the inevitable. As soon as the gap was wide enough, she slipped inside before I could slam it again.
"Hello, My Lord. I've come because I have business with both you and Elius."
"...With me as well?"
"Yes! I have gifts to bestow. Hup!"
Merlin handed a gleaming white spear to Artoria and a sword to me.
"...What is this, Merlin? This lance and this blade?"
"Well, you are marching to slay Vortigern tomorrow, and your armaments seemed... lacking. So, your dear Merlin prepared these!"
I looked down at the weapons. A dense, ancient Mystery radiated from both. While the lance's aura was overwhelmingly superior, the sword I held possessed a weight of Mystery far beyond any mundane blade.
"The spear is Rhongomyniad—the lance that shines at the world's end."
"And what of this?" I asked, lifting the sword.
Merlin offered a mischievous grin. "Ah, that? That is Caliburn."
Both Artoria and I froze, staring at the weapon. Caliburn was meant to be shattered. Its fragments were a memory of a broken promise.
"...What do you mean, Merlin? Caliburn was destroyed."
"Mmm, to be precise, it's a re-forging. Caliburn shattered, but its fragments still held the dregs of its Mystery. I processed and refined them into this new form. It won't match the original's glory, of course, but it's leagues better than that plain iron stick you've been swinging, Elius."
It was true. Unlike the other Knights of the Round Table like Lancelot or Gawain, I possessed no Noble Phantasm. Artoria nodded, understanding the logic.
"Since it's just a remnant, it's not quite fitting for a Knight of the Round Table yet, so I'm working on something else in the meantime. That will take a while, though. For now, make do with this."
"...You speak as if this were a trifle. This is more than enough."
I held the blade with reverence. Even if its power was diminished, it was a Mystic Code of the highest order. To think Merlin—who seemed so flighty—actually possessed such a thoughtful side.
"I accept this with gratitude. I shall wield it well."
"Hmm. If you're so grateful, perhaps you should offer me a reward?"
"...Beg pardon?"
I looked at Merlin, caught off guard. She smirked like a demon from the pits.
"Surely you didn't think this was free? Come now, Eli. One must give as much as they receive, no?"
There it was. I should have known. I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment. "Fine... what is it you desire?"
"You."
"...Excuse me?"
I doubted my own hearing. *Pardon?*
Merlin gave an enchanting, dangerously seductive smile. "I happen to be quite short on Prana at the moment. Oh my! This elder sister's heart is already racing at the thought of spending the night with you!"
Ah... that's right. She is part succubus.
As legendary as the sword might be, I couldn't pay *that* price. I held the hilt out to return it. "If that is the cost, then I shall return—"
"Too late! The moment you gripped it, the sword recognized you as its master. No returns, no exchanges!"
"What?! This is a fraudulent contract!"
Merlin advanced on me, and I retreated instinctively.
*Thud!*
My back hit the stone wall. I was trapped. Merlin leaned in, her face inches from mine, heat radiating from her skin. She toyed with my chin with a slender finger.
"Fufufu. Since it's Eli's first time, and it's also *my* first time..."
*Dangerous. This is exceedingly dangerous!*
"What do you say? A passionate night with this beautiful elder sister—"
*SNAP!*
The sound of something fracturing drew our attention. The quill in Artoria's hand had been crushed into splinters, unable to withstand the sheer force of her grip. Ink splattered her hand and desk, but she ignored it, her eyes devoid of light as she stared at Merlin.
"...Merlin. To dare attempt such a thing with my knight, in my presence... do you have a death wish?"
The icy, 'dead-eyed' glare of the King of Knights actually made Merlin's playful mask flicker with genuine alarm.
"Ha... haha. A-Artoria? Let's just... calm down..."
"I am perfectly calm. In fact, I haven't been this composed since I drew the sword from the stone."
"...Wait, Artoria, don't tell me you—"
Merlin seemed to realize something. She leaned in and whispered something into Artoria's ear that was too quiet for me to hear. Whatever it was, it was enough to make Artoria's face turn as red as a ripe tomato.
"—N-no, I... no! That is... argh!"
"Well then! This Merlin shall take her leave! Farewell!"
"Wait! Don't leave!" I shouted.
*You should at least fix the King you just broke before you go!*
Despite my internal plea, Merlin vanished in a flurry of illusory flower petals. I stared at the empty space for a moment before sighing and walking over to the blushing King.
"Sigh... Artoria, are you alright? Whatever Merlin said, she was surely just teasing you."
I reached out and placed my hands on her cheeks to try and cool the fever of her blush. Startled by the contact, Artoria snapped her head up. Our eyes met from mere inches away.
*Ah... we are very close.*
Artoria seemed to reach the same realization, her face turning even redder, if that were possible.
"......Eek."
"...Eek?"
"EEEEEKKK!"
"Gah!"
*CRACK!*
"...Ah."
A profound sense of deja vu washed over me as a masterfully executed uppercut caught me square in the jaw. My vision blurred. *A magnificent strike, Artoria...*
With that final thought and the sight of her horrified expression, the world faded into darkness.