"Good evening, my King."
"Good evening. Come in."
Shirou hurriedly ushered Guinevere into the room, then closed the door.
Once inside, Guinevere went straight to the sofa and sat down with practiced ease.
Come to think of it, this was her husband's bedroom, so of course she knew it well.
Shirou sat on the sofa opposite her.
Guinevere wore light makeup that made her look even more beautiful and captivating than she had during the day. Her form-fitting evening gown perfectly accentuated her curves.
As a subtle tension began to fill the room, Guinevere was the first to speak.
"Um, I know I can't compare to Morgan-nee-sama."
"That's not true at all. I think you're beautiful too, Guinevere."
Shirou was only being honest. If Guinevere were not beautiful, she could never have given birth to a daughter as lovely as Artoria... Surely it wasn't because his genes were simply superior?
"'Too'... So you do think I can't compare to Sister after all."
"Guh..."
He had walked right into that one!
Caught completely off guard, Shirou cried foul inwardly.
"I'm sorry."
Seeing the red-haired boy sweating profusely as he apologized, Guinevere gave him a mischievous smile.
"I like how frank and honest you are... so there's no need to apologize. Now then, my King, will you allow me to fulfill my duties as your wife tonight?"
"Ah..."
So this really was going to involve more than simply sleeping beside each other.
Shirou found himself at a loss and began regretting all the suggestive things he had said earlier that day.
No matter how well they had gotten along that afternoon, Guinevere was still a woman he had only met for the first time today.
Although Shirou did not remember the Fairy Consort, their reincarnated selves had once supported each other and become partners in the Fairy Kingdom. That was why burying his face in Morgan-nee-san's chest felt as comforting as coming home.
But he shared almost no memories or bonds with Guinevere. Was he really going to consummate their marriage with her?
Shirou felt somewhat guilty, though the girlish shyness she had shown earlier that day had been quite endearing...
"You're spacing out again," Guinevere complained, pouting unhappily.
"Uh, sorry."
"You were thinking about Sister, weren't you?"
"No, I wasn't."
"You really weren't?"
"I was thinking about you, Guinevere."
"!?"
The noblewoman's eyes widened as she studied Shirou's expression. Once she realized he was not merely trying to placate her, a blush spread across her dignified face.
With a serious expression, Shirou said, "I want to get to know you better, Guinevere... I truly mean that."
"Um... Do you mean we should talk like we did during the day?" Guinevere asked.
Shirou shook his head decisively.
"Night calls for a more intimate approach."
The blush on Guinevere's cheeks deepened.
Shirou took a deep breath and rose from the sofa.
"Let's go to bed."
"Mm."
Guinevere stood as well.
Shirou walked over and took her hand as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
"My King, are you nervous?"
"..."
Shirou thought he had appeared perfectly calm and composed. How had she still noticed?
"How could I possibly miss it? I am your wife, after all."
The Queen of Camelot spoke proudly, though a gentle smile graced her face.
Shirou drew in a sharp breath before admitting, "I'm a little nervous."
"Then allow me to guide you tonight."
Without waiting for an answer, Guinevere pulled Shirou toward the large bed in the room.
The moment they reached it, she pushed him down onto the mattress.
The sudden change in her demeanor left the young man stunned.
"Guinevere!?"
"What is it?"
"You don't have to force yourself. This kind of role doesn't suit you, does it?" Shirou asked.
"Ah, I hadn't intended to act this way either. As a woman, of course I want to be cherished by my king."
Guinevere straddled Shirou's waist and looked down at him.
"I can't help feeling that you still haven't realized I am your woman, Shirou-sama."
"I'm sorry if I upset you."
"It's all right. Losing your memories wasn't your fault."
Guinevere deftly undid the tie at the back of her head, allowing her long black hair to spill freely over her shoulders.
Then she slowly began removing her evening gown.
Once the outer garment slipped away, it revealed her beautiful figure, clad in nothing but close-fitting lingerie.
Bathed in the crimson moonlight, her skin took on a faint pink hue that made her look especially alluring.
…
Noticing how intently Shirou was staring, Guinevere smiled with delight.
"So I'm going to leave my mark on you all over again, until my King truly understands that I am your woman too."
Unlike Morgan, Guinevere was a noble lady who had been raised in a sheltered household and doted on by her parents. She had never experienced any real hardship or adversity.
Yet to win back her husband's heart, she was willing to make herself act like a forceful and domineering woman.
"I love you, Shirou-sama."
Guinevere leaned down, cradled the back of his head, pressed her body against his, and kissed him.
As Shirou returned the kiss, he could sense how inexperienced she was.
Even after so many years of marriage, she had probably always been the one guided by Shirou. This was likely the first time she had ever taken the initiative and kissed her husband herself.
…
By then, the mood had grown intimate enough.
Guinevere gently bit her lip, her expression filled with resolve, then leaned close to Shirou's ear and whispered.
"I know I can't compare to Morgan-nee-sama, but..."
Her usually delicate, vulnerable gaze was now filled with unwavering determination.
"Just for tonight, I'll make you forget the Fairy Consort completely."
...
When Shirou awoke in the disheveled bed, it was already the following afternoon.
With the entire planet shrouded beneath the Crimson Moon, there was no longer any distinction between day and night on the surface.
After their deeply fulfilling union the night before, the distance between Shirou and Guinevere had disappeared.
He still knew very little about her, and they remained somewhat reserved around each other, but there was one thing Shirou could say with certainty.
No matter how many lifetimes he lived, he would never regret marrying Guinevere.
Shirou gently woke the Queen, who was sleeping soundly with her head resting on his chest. After lingering in each other's arms for a while, they headed to the dining hall together.
As they passed through the courtyard, Guinevere suddenly exclaimed, "Ah... Morgan-nee-sama."
She released Shirou's arm and hurried over cheerfully to greet her.
Morgan was elegantly enjoying afternoon tea in the lush garden.
"Good morning, Morgan-nee-san."
As Shirou greeted her, he discreetly checked his neck for any lingering hickeys.
"Did everything go smoothly for the two of you last night?"
Morgan raised her face, her intelligent, icy eyes gleaming beneath her black veil.
"Thanks to you, Sister, everything went very smoothly last night~"
Morgan glanced at the rosy-cheeked Guinevere, then nodded.
"Yes, I can see that. I would also be pleased to see the two of you getting along as husband and wife, but... what exactly did you mean by, 'Just for tonight, I'll make you forget the Fairy Consort completely'?"
"!!"
Guinevere's eyes widened.
Unable to meet Morgan's gaze, she lowered her head in embarrassment, looking like a child who had done something wrong.
Shirou stepped forward and protectively placed himself between Morgan and his beloved wife.
"Morgan-nee-san, isn't it inappropriate to eavesdrop on a married couple's private conversations at night?"
"I wasn't eavesdropping," Morgan replied calmly.
"Then how did you know what Guinevere said last night?"
"I placed a Barrier throughout Camelot. Whenever anyone speaks ill of me, their words reach my ears."
"Huh...?"
Shirou and Guinevere were utterly dumbfounded.
She truly lived up to her reputation as the witch who ruled the shadows of the White Wall City. They would have to watch what they said from now on.
Shirou and Guinevere exchanged a glance with their heads lowered, then shared a knowing smile.
Morgan sent Guinevere ahead to the dining hall and asked Shirou to remain behind, saying she had business to discuss with him.
"Last night, Mordred came to protest. She accused me of seducing her father and making you lose your will to fight the enemy."
"Well..."
"What do you intend to do next?" Morgan asked abruptly.
I want to spend every day being lovey-dovey with Morgan-nee-san and Guinevere!
There was no way he could bring himself to voice such a spinelessly honest thought.
"At this rate, this island will eventually fall into the hands of the vampires as well."
The Fairy Consort gazed up at the night sky and murmured, "Do you intend to keep sitting here and waiting for death, my husband?"
Morgan was right.
Even if it was only to prolong this happy, fabricated time, Shirou still had to defeat Crimson Moon.
It was something only he could do.
It was also something he had already accomplished once before, though Shirou had no idea how he had managed it.
Even with the Holy Sword of the Planet, even with the Heart of the Grand Dragon, could a human truly defeat Type-Moon?
"Of course you can. You're my Savior, after all."
For some reason, Jeanne d'Arc's face appeared in his mind.
The saintess from the Great Holy Grail War, whom he had never gotten the chance to bid farewell to, smiled at him. The Maiden of Orléans, who regarded him as a hero, told him, "You can do it."
"...I understand."
Shirou looked at Morgan and nodded.
"I'll defeat Crimson Moon."
...
Beneath a sky stained crimson by the moonlight, two figures stood facing each other.
Their battlefield was the Orkney Islands, at the northernmost edge of Britannia.
This was a battle destined to pass into legend, the decisive battle that would establish the foundation of Human Order and determine humanity's fate.
On one side stood the King of Britannia, guardian of the planet's farthest reaches. On the other stood the King of the Moon, who had descended from the moon itself.
Should Shirou lose, humanity's history as the dominant species would end here.
Only those who personally witnessed this final battle knew how it unfolded. Few records of it survived, and it became a myth in the truest sense of the word.
Before this, the Knights of the Round Table and the vampires under Crimson Moon's command had already fought several large-scale battles.
The Knights of the Round Table, led by Galahad, Mordred, and Artoria, had all played vital roles. The armies under their command repelled the vampire invasion, and countless True Ancestors fell to their swords.
But the Knights of the Round Table had finished their part.
What came next was a battle between kings, one in which no one else could interfere.
Shirou had left behind the tender embrace of his queen consorts and spent the time while the Knights of the Round Table held back the vampires rehabilitating himself.
As he was now, he could not defeat Crimson Moon. He needed to become purer.
The first thing a Savior had to cast aside was his human heart.
He had to reclaim his iron will.
He had to become a sword that existed solely to slaughter the invaders.
Although Shirou had yet to recover those memories, it appeared that he had already lost to Crimson Moon once.
In that battle, he had employed the same strategy he had used against the Roman Empire. He had taken the initiative and attacked first.
Believing that the enemy could not be allowed to cross the sea, Shirou traveled to Gaul, joined forces with the remaining powers of Europe, and challenged Crimson Moon.
The result was a crushing defeat.
Only through the sacrifices of his subordinates and the help of his Professor had Shirou barely managed to escape back to Britannia.
That defeat had dealt another devastating blow to the already depleted Knights of the Round Table. Even Merlin had failed to return to Camelot.
He could not afford to lose anyone else.
Artoria, Mordred, and Galahad were the hope of Britannia's future.
Morgan... After Merlin's disappearance, she was the only woman Shirou could rely on.
Shirou did not want anyone else to die before him, so he challenged the enemy king to a one-on-one duel.
A defeated opponent who had once fled was now demanding another duel. Crimson Moon's forces were probably laughing themselves hoarse at that very moment.
It did not matter. Shirou had resolved to defeat Crimson Moon with his own strength.
Unexpectedly... No, it was not unexpected at all.
Crimson Moon accepted Shirou's challenge.
And so, accompanied by only a handful of retainers and soldiers, the King of Britannia and the King of the Moon faced each other on Orkney, at the very edge of Britannia.
"Well met, Holy Sword Bearer. For that courage alone, I shall commend you."
A pure white figure stood proudly in the sky.
That was Brunestud, the calamitous moon that had plunged the world into the abyss.
He was the strongest opponent Shirou had ever faced, the final enemy who had shattered the immortal legend of the undefeated king.
Although his outward appearance was female, the personality within seemed to be male. His peerless beauty did nothing to conceal the arrogance of one who stood above all others.
The King of the True Ancestors gazed down condescendingly at the red-haired human.
"Thank you for accepting my challenge," Shirou said, craning his neck to look up.
Crimson Moon Brunestud smiled in amusement.
"It is nothing. Pay it no mind. This is merely a diversion before the creation of a new world."
A diversion before creation...
To Crimson Moon, conquering the world and exterminating humanity were nothing more than a simple, tedious game.
Within that game, Shirou, who had inherited the strongest heart on Earth, was one of the few beings capable of stirring even the slightest interest in him.
That was probably why the supremely arrogant King of the Moon had granted Shirou a second chance and agreed to his challenge.
"Do not disappoint me... Simply give me everything you have, Son of Man."
With that declaration, the white figure vanished from the crimson sky.
The next instant, a crushing pressure powerful enough to pulverize the earth descended upon Shirou.
Crimson Moon appeared before him as though he had crossed space itself. He leisurely raised an arm, then swept down fingertips capable of tearing through all things.
"————————!!"
Shirou had not activated the Wind King's Sheath. Instead, he met the attack directly with the Holy Sword's golden blade.
Drawing upon everything he had learned throughout his life, along with the output of Albion's heart, he barely managed to block the blow.
Even so, the impact overwhelmed him, and the ground beneath them collapsed instantly.
Crimson Moon Brunestud continued his assault.
To him, these were nothing more than casual, ordinary attacks with his claws. To Shirou, they were a lethal barrage. The slightest mistake would cost him his head.
Every collision between blade and claw unleashed countless shockwaves that tore the landscape apart with ease.
To anyone watching, it must have been a terrifying sight.
There was likely no other human alive capable of fighting Crimson Moon at such close range.
As he parried one strike after another, Shirou patiently waited for a chance to counterattack.
Crimson Moon Brunestud wielded the strongest body without restraint, but he knew nothing of human swordsmanship. That was Shirou's only chance of victory.
As for the eyes Shirou now possessed...
According to Morgan, they were called [Eagle's Eyes], a subtype of [Clairvoyance].
Those specially [Reinforced] eyes were dyed blue by Mana, resembling the eyes of an eagle soaring high in the sky.
By concentrating Mana into his eyeballs, Shirou could drastically enhance his vision and spatial awareness.
Combined with the wealth of experience he had gained across countless deadly battlefields, this allowed Shirou to contend with Crimson Moon's ability to predict the future.
Then, after countless exchanges, the opportunity he had been waiting for finally came.
After deflecting an attack that left Crimson Moon wide open, Shirou forced his nearly broken body into motion and thrust toward the King of the Moon's heart.
However, just before the Holy Sword pierced his body, Shirou's consciousness was engulfed by crimson moonlight.
Their gazes inevitably met.
Crimson Moon Brunestud's eyes flared with an ominous red light. Countless chains surged in from every direction and pierced Shirou's body.
The silver chains formed a sturdy cage around him, trapping him within.
Crimson Moon Brunestud had activated his Mystic Eyes.
The next instant, a fist slammed into Shirou's abdomen.
The chains shattered like glass.
The red-haired boy flew backward like a cannonball. Laughing in excitement, Crimson Moon raced after him.
He spread his fingers over Shirou's face. Just as Shirou felt his skull about to be crushed, Crimson Moon hurled him violently toward the ground.
"Urgh...!!!"
His consciousness cut out for an instant.
When Shirou came to his senses, he found himself lying battered and bloodied at the bottom of a crater dozens of meters deep.
Having been thrown like a projectile, Shirou had carved an enormous crater into the earth, as though a nuclear bomb had detonated there.
"Is that all you are capable of, Holy Sword Bearer...? How disappointing."
Crimson Moon Brunestud fixed him with an oppressive gaze.
On all fours, Shirou vomited mouthfuls of blood.
You have to be kidding me...
This could not even be called a fight. Crimson Moon was simply toying with him.
After only a single exchange, Shirou had experienced firsthand just how vast the difference in their power truly was.
Ultimate One.
The moon's mind and agent, Crimson Moon Brunestud, Type-Moon.
If the story of this blue planet were ever to reach its final conclusion, then the Last Boss who brought everything to an end could only be him.
It could be no one else.
Crimson Moon Brunestud had used nothing more than his Mystic Eyes and claws. With only his basic capabilities, he had utterly crushed Shirou.
According to the survivors of their previous battle, Shirou had apparently even forced Crimson Moon to bring out his armaments that time... How did I possibly manage that?
Damn it. I can't remember any of it.
"This is simply pathetic."
Crimson Moon Brunestud's bewildered voice drifted down from above.
"I was rather pleased when I received your challenge. I thought I had finally encountered a man with at least some backbone. Yet your will to fight has already crumbled...? You have disappointed me completely."
Crimson Moon's voice was no longer amused. It was filled with anger.
He had realized that Shirou had lost his will to fight.
Nothing could be concealed from those bewitching crimson Mystic Eyes.
Those eyes stood at the summit of all Mystic Eyes in existence. They were Mystic Eyes of the [Rainbow] rank.
Within those beautiful, kaleidoscopic pupils flowed countless supernatural abilities, as varied as the full spectrum of colors.
Crimson Moon Brunestud had used only their [Enchantment] ability, yet that alone had rendered Shirou incapable of resisting and left him entirely at Crimson Moon's mercy.
Nrvnqsr Chaos had once claimed that Shirou also possessed those eyes... Looking back, that had been complete nonsense!
Morgan had said it as well. His eyes were merely exceptional by human standards. They could not even be considered Mystic Eyes.
He would not obtain Mystic Eyes until the future, during the era of the Fairy Kingdom...
No. This was not the time to think about anything unnecessary. He had to focus entirely on fighting Crimson Moon Brunestud.
Shirou's mind raced.
How could he possibly fight Crimson Moon Brunestud on equal terms?
It was impossible. The difference in their fundamental capabilities was overwhelming.
By combining the Holy Sword, his swordsmanship, his eyesight, and the Dragon's Core, Shirou might barely be able to withstand Crimson Moon's claws.
But those Mystic Eyes...
The moment the King of the Moon activated them, Shirou would be immobilized and subjected to the same one-sided beating as before.
Even EX-rank Magic Resistance was meaningless before those Mystic Eyes.
No living creature could escape the gaze of the King of the Moon.
"..."
Shirou gritted his teeth.
Was this really his only choice?
While waiting for the day of his confrontation with Crimson Moon, he had thought long and hard until he finally devised a tactic that might allow him to fight back.
Truthfully, he did not want to resort to it, but...
Even if this was nothing more than a fictional world, Shirou had no intention of abandoning the people who believed in him.
He slowly rose to his feet once more.
"..."
Crimson Moon Brunestud looked down at the figure below and frowned slightly.
This man... Something about him had changed.
The Holy Sword of the Planet dissolved into particles in Shirou's hand. Then he drew another massive red sword from empty space.
"Let's go, Pyra."
Gripping the [Aegis] with both hands, Shirou kicked off the ground with all his strength, launched himself into the air, and charged at Crimson Moon Brunestud.
Roaring flames erupted from the enormous blade, threatening to engulf the King of the Moon's pure white body.
"!"
For the first time in the battle, Crimson Moon Brunestud blocked an attack.
Despite maintaining an unrelenting offensive until now, he had failed to react to Shirou's counterattack in time and was forced into a defensive stance.
Shirou's attack was easily deflected, but he did not stop. He swung the crimson greatsword, a weapon taller than he was, and launched one fierce assault after another.
"..."
Crimson Moon Brunestud felt a confusion unlike anything he had ever experienced.
An inexplicable sense of wrongness welled up inside him.
Something... was strange.
This human had not grown any stronger. He had certainly regained his will to fight, but...
That intense sense of dissonance hindered Crimson Moon's movements, and before long, he exposed another opening.
Tsk. What a nuisance...
Crimson Moon Brunestud activated his Mystic Eyes again.
In truth, he could have kept his Mystic Eyes active at all times. The Mana they consumed was negligible to a Brain of the Planet.
But had he done so, Shirou would have been unable to take even a single step, much less fight him at close range.
Crimson Moon's arrogance had led him to decide that he would tear the Holy Sword Bearer apart with his claws. Now, however, he could no longer afford to care about that.
"..."
The crimson light projected from the King of the Moon's eyes engulfed the human.
Yet this time, Shirou was completely unaffected by the Mystic Eyes.
He swung the [Aegis] with all his strength. The greatsword wreathed in explosive flames cleaved Crimson Moon Brunestud's body in two————!!
"Impossible...! How could a mere human resist my gaze?!"
The King of the Moon's severed upper body was sent flying through the air as he shouted in confusion and fury.
"Wait... You... Could it be...?"
Crimson Moon Brunestud stared at Shirou in utter disbelief.
This was the source of that strange sense of dissonance.
This was why his Mystic Eyes had failed to exert their [Enchantment] effect.
Something ran down the Holy Sword Bearer's hardened face.
Dark crimson blood flowed over his cheeks and dripped from his empty eye sockets.
Shirou had destroyed his own eyes.
***
...
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***