Mordred sat in a pose so obedient she had never taken it once since birth, her arms wrapped around her knees, and watched the boy talking with her Master with complicated feelings.
He looked about seventeen or eighteen. Even among Easterners, his features seemed young.
Despite that boyish face, he gave off a calmness far beyond his apparent age.
Those quiet, gentle amber eyes reminded Mordred of the twilight at the end of the world she had once seen with her mother in Orkney as a child.
How could this be...
It really is Father...
So the starlight I saw last night wasn't Lily's, but King Arthur's...
"So, so, Uncle Sisigou, you think that white-haired priest is suspicious too?"
"Yeah. His Servant... her True Name is Semiramis, right? Humanity's oldest poisoner. I don't think she's the kind of woman who plays nicely with allies."
Tch, what are these two doing...?
Mordred clenched her back teeth.
For some reason, Father and her own Master were chatting as comfortably as old friends.
"Mm, I think so too."
The red-haired boy nodded.
"She's not my type, so when they asked for my True Name, I turned them down flat."
"Huh? They asked you for your True Name too?"
"Then that means you also..."
"Yeah. Father Kotomine asked for Saber's True Name as soon as we met, so I refused."
"Oh, right. Mordred can hide her True Name too, thanks to what she got from her mother. That white-haired priest must be losing his mind because he can't get Saber's True Name, huh? Hahaha, Uncle Sisigou, you're pretty bad."
"By that logic, aren't you the same? Hahahaha!"
According to Kairi Sisigou's explanation, Father called himself the "Black" Saber.
Mordred had been defeated by him while tracking "Black" Assassin, and Sisigou, who rushed over afterward, had also been captured alive.
However, "Black" Saber had not killed them.
After learning that Kairi Sisigou had parted ways with the "Red" faction, he said that he too was a free agent who had broken away from the "Black" faction.
"In that case, would you consider forming an alliance with me?"
"Black" Saber had been the one to invite them to team up.
Kairi Sisigou was already a defeated man whose life was in the other party's hands, so naturally, he had no reason to refuse or bargain.
And so, by the time Mordred woke up, things had become what they were now.
"All right! Then the alliance is formed! Well, actually, it's not really up to me... My Master has to agree first."
"Huh? It's not up to you? Then were you just messing with me earlier?"
"Relax, relax. My Master is easy to talk to."
"Oh? Sounds like you have a good Master-Servant relationship, 'Black' Saber."
Kairi Sisigou smiled and said, "I wish my Saber were as understanding as you."
"...Shut up."
Mordred lowered her head and bit her lip.
Normally, she would have punched Sisigou by now, but today she did not react.
The girl still did not know how she should face her Father.
She had once sworn to her Father that she would protect Britannia.
But after her Father left, she broke her promise, started a rebellion, and destroyed with her own hands the country her father had left to her and her younger sister.
That was something unforgivable.
Even if she was the King's most beloved daughter...
Mordred felt as if she was about to cry, but if she cried in front of Father, she might as well slam her head into the wall and die.
Just then, a hand reached out in front of her.
Mordred looked up in surprise, her eyes widening.
"Fa..."
The red-haired boy gave her a kind smile.
"Nice to meet you, 'Red' Saber Mordred. I am 'Black' Saber.
My True Name is Artorius, the Hidden Seat of the Knights of the Round Table, King Arthur's confidant and stand-in."
Mordred stared blankly. "...Huh?"
"I heard from Uncle Sisigou. In your world, your history, there's no such person as 'Black Knight Artorius,' so that's why you mistook me for King Arthur, right?
Haha, since I'm King Arthur's shadow warrior, I really do look a lot like the King. No wonder you got us mixed up."
...What is this guy talking about?
What does he mean, King Arthur's stand-in? What "Black Knight Artorius"?
What nonsense are you spouting? Camelot never had anyone like that!
Mordred could never mistake her own father.
She might mistake anyone else, but never the father she revered.
His eyes, his scent, his tone, the very shape of his soul... all of it was carved deep into Mordred's memory.
This person was Father.
He was not some look-alike, and he was not a stand-in or shadow warrior.
Father... why are you lying?
Mordred wondered in confusion. Was he trying to conceal his True Name this way?
That's right. Father and I are currently on different sides of the Great Holy Grail War. We're enemies.
Even so, Mordred felt that even within the Class System framework built by the Holy Grail, even if the gap between her and Father had been greatly narrowed, she still did not think she could beat him.
That meant there was only one reason left for why he refused to admit he was King Arthur.
Father did not want to acknowledge her as his daughter. He did not want to recognize the child who had betrayed him.
"...Ugh!"
An intense feeling of suffocation made Mordred clutch her chest.
"Are you all right, 'Red' Saber? Is it an aftereffect from Strike Air?"
"Ugh...!"
He was not calling her "Mo-chan" or "Mordred," but "Red" Saber?
The girl felt as though another dagger had been driven into her chest.
She wanted to ask why he would not admit he was King Arthur.
She wanted to accuse him of refusing to acknowledge his own daughter.
She wanted to throw herself into his arms and cling to him like she used to.
But Mordred could not do any of it.
Having gained everything in life, she was far too afraid of losing everything.
"Oh... oh! No wonder you can use Father's armaments. So you're that 'Black Knight Artorius,' huh?"
Mordred forced herself to rally and clasped the hand offered to her.
Hearing that, Shirou looked surprised. "You know me?"
He thought to himself that this was a setting he had just made up.
Mordred nodded.
"Of course. The Holy Grail gave me the necessary knowledge, so naturally, I also received the memories of this world's Mordred.
You exist in those memories... though it doesn't feel very real."
"I-I see."
Shirou was startled. Could there really be someone called "Black Knight Artorius"?
Am I stuck now? Do I have to tell countless lies just to cover up one?
"How long are you planning to hold my hand?" Mordred frowned in annoyance.
"Sorry."
When Shirou let go, "Red" Saber glared fiercely at him.
Ugh, Father's hand...
It's just like before. Slender, but firm...
I want this hand to pat my head so badly... Guh!
After that, Shirou contacted Manaka Sajyou through telepathy.
As expected, Manaka accepted the alliance with the "Red" Saber faction.
For her, victory in the Holy Grail War was important, but Shirou's safety came before everything.
"All right, then the alliance is settled."
The moment Kairi Sisigou said that, a dissatisfied voice suddenly came from behind him.
"I haven't agreed to anything! Don't decide things on your own!"
Mordred shouted angrily.
Shirou and Kairi Sisigou looked at each other, then both laughed.
"What's so funny?"
Mordred crossed her arms over her chest. "In the first place, why should I ally with someone stronger than me?
Once all our enemies are gone, won't it just turn into a civil war between us?
That's exactly why you want to ally with me, isn't it?"
Kairi Sisigou muttered under his breath, "Now this is unexpected...
This is the first time I've seen you honestly admit there's someone in the world stronger than you."
"Wh... Master, you shut up!"
The girl's face went bright red.
Of course I'm the strongest!
But Father is the strongest, strongest, strongest of all! That's obvious!
Mordred's thoughts were that simple.
"In any case, give me a reasonable reason.
Why did you choose us as allies? If you can't explain that, I'm not trusting you."
Watching the sulking blonde girl with a smile, Shirou spoke.
"As for why I suggested an alliance... I think 'Red' Saber is someone I can entrust things to."
"Someone you can entrust things to?"
Mordred frowned slightly, and Shirou continued.
"This Great Holy Grail War is extremely dangerous, and there seem to be plenty of hidden circumstances we still don't know about.
Even I may not be able to make it through unscathed.
If things continue like this, then even if Manaka goes to the Church for shelter after I'm defeated, there's no guarantee she'll be safe.
After all... the Church's Overseer is like that."
"Hmph. You really do care about your Master, don't you? So what does that have to do with me?"
Kairi Sisigou was dumbfounded. Saber, you don't even understand that much? You're usually so sharp.
Shirou said seriously, "If I lose, I'll entrust Manaka to you. You'll be the one to ensure her safety."
"..."
Mordred's mouth fell open.
T-This is...
The girl felt a surge of heat rush into her chest, and her heart pounded like thunder.
"So, Saber, will you accept my condition?"
Mordred was silent for a moment before speaking.
"I will... but there's one thing I need to make clear."
"Mm, go ahead."
"You won't lose. There's no way you could lose!"
After saying that, Mordred left the room.
"..."
Shirou stared blankly at the girl's lively back.
Hmm. Did I just earn some incredible trust and expectations?
The Rebel Knight Mordred... what a good kid...
...
...
In the Audience Hall of the Sky Garden, the Servants of the "Red" faction were gathered together.
Semiramis, the Queen of Assyria, sat proudly upon her high throne, prepared to announce a full-scale attack against the "Black" faction.
"According to the Spirit Origin readings, 'Black' Assassin withdrew last night... Most likely, they were eliminated by either 'Red' Saber or 'Black' Archer."
"Most likely? Even your doves failed to see it?"
Atalanta wore a mocking expression, but Semiramis paid it no mind.
"The Fortress of Millennia now has only Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Berserker, and the captured Spartacus remaining.
With Saber and Assassin withdrawn, and with our preparations complete, this is the best time for the decisive battle.
Besides, simply repeating small-scale skirmishes would be terribly dull, wouldn't it?"
"Red" Assassin gave a bewitching smile. "Since we've gone to the trouble of taking part in a war, don't you think we should make a grand spectacle of it?"
As expected of a woman who once ruled an ancient empire, her incitement worked even on Heroic Spirits.
Atalanta and the Rider, Achilles, nodded reluctantly, while Caster cheered with open delight.
A flame of fighting spirit flickered in Karna's eyes. He had a strong premonition.
That man would certainly appear again tonight.
The mightiest King who had broken the golden armor bestowed by the Sun God... Given the chance, Karna would settle things with him this time.
And so, the "Red" faction marched out with their fighting spirit high.
...
...
The Yggdmillennia clan predicted the enemy's possible attacks from every angle and arranged corresponding defensive plans.
Would they charge in all at once from the city of Trifas, or bring a great army from the east?
The possibility of a surprise attack from the sky was also far from low, but...
"...I never expected them to attack with their entire territory."
"Black" Archer, Chiron, sighed.
The massive fortress slowly advancing from the distance was none other than Semiramis's prized Noble Phantasm, [Hanging Gardens of Babylon].
The Queen of Assyria was not the true owner of the historical Hanging Gardens of Babylon. There was simply such a legend about her.
In reality, she had never once seen the Hanging Gardens, but she knew they were carved into her heart in the form of her own fantasy, and she could clearly feel them there.
For that reason, if she wished to manifest [Hanging Gardens of Babylon], she first had to gather materials such as stone and timber from specific regions.
It could not be formed from Mana. It had to be based on substances from the real world, and they had to be timber, stone, minerals, plants, and water from the lands where the Empress had once lived.
The Master who had prepared all of that for her was Father Kotomine.
By assembling the collected materials and performing dozens of hours of uninterrupted ritual Magecraft through chanting, he transformed the illusion into reality.
It was a false reality, a Noble Phantasm that should never have existed in the first place. That was why it bore the name "Aerial Garden of Vanity."
Though it was a false creation, in this Great Holy Grail War, it was the strongest illusion truly capable of standing against many opponents at once.
"That Assassin... To think she was hiding something like this. How ridiculous."
"Red" Archer, Atalanta, stood high upon the Sky Garden, preparing for the decisive battle to come.
The dry, cold wind unique to late autumn lightly brushed through her hair, and the beast ears atop the girl's head twitched.
"Hm...?"
Greece's foremost huntress seemed to sense something.
Her sharp gaze pierced through the sea of clouds and turned toward the far end of the horizon.
Then Atalanta saw it.
"Huh?"
Like the [Hanging Gardens of Babylon], it was a massive fortress cruising thousands of meters high in the sky.
That Noble Phantasm, with its overwhelming presence, had a shape resembling a pure-white yacht, yet bore gleaming golden wings of light.
The High-Mobility Hall [Ehangwen].
It was one of the many Noble Phantasms possessed by King Arthur, a small water battleship powered by True Ether.
Of course, as King Arthur's ultimate form, the Nameless King, it was also recorded in Shirou's current Spirit Origin.
Furthermore, even when he was alive, the King had considered that he might not be allowed to rest peacefully after death.
In order to counter a certain oldest golden King, he had also outfitted Ehangwen with flight functionality and a bow ram.
...
...
"Um... Artorius, I said I wanted to go meet someone, but I didn't ask you to bring out something like this..."
Ruler, Jeanne d'Arc, stood at the bow of the white chalk warship, tugging at the red-haired boy's sleeve as she looked down uneasily.
Fifth-century Britannia actually had a vehicle like this...
Also... is this Noble Phantasm of yours really legal?