Arthur looked at Iskandar and said, "In that case, Iskandar, speak your dream. Let us see if you possess the caliber to bear the Holy Grail."
Iskandar seemed slightly nervous. He took a hearty gulp of his wine and then said, "My wish? Revival, or rather, to obtain a physical body."
In the ensuing silence of a few moments, Waver suddenly reacted. He pointed at Iskandar and exclaimed, "That's strange! Didn't you desire the entire world?"
Iskandar stated directly, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "Fool! To conquer the world is my dream. How can a dream be entrusted to another? By obtaining a physical body, I will then strive to conquer the world through my own efforts. That is my path of conquest!"
"To oppose me for the sake of a mere physical body, your life is truly cheap," Gilgamesh scoffed.
"Hahahaha!" Iskandar continued to laugh. "With a physical body as my foundation, I will advance towards the endless world, constantly facing challenges, constantly overcoming them! That is my royal road! Therefore, a physical body is but the first step in my grand design!"
Gilgamesh remained silent, a smile playing on her lips—a smile that held both amusement and a hint of wistfulness.
"It seems, King of Conquerors, that I may yet grant you death."
"Haha, come then! It just so happens that this king also desires to plunder all the treasures of your world! Especially this wine!"
"Haha, excellent! Count me in; my funds aren't exactly overflowing!" Arthur added directly.
At this moment, a sharp voice cut through the air. It was Artoria.
"This is not the way of a king! This is the way of a bandit!"
The King of Conquerors' words did not resonate with Artoria. Her heart was set on the welfare of society, the nation, and its people. In her eyes, both Gilgamesh's pursuit of pleasure and Iskandar's ambition for conquest were insults to the very concept of a king.
Although she didn't believe her own royal road was the absolute best, Artoria firmly believed it was at least the correct one. Therefore, she resolutely stood up, facing the others directly.
"I must return to save my country. I must reverse the fate of Kingdom's destruction."
Arthur heard Artoria's declaration; he had indeed heard it. It seemed his perception of Artoria's unwavering resolve had been accurate all along. Perhaps, his own presence had only intensified her self-doubt.
After Artoria spoke, a heavy silence fell upon the group, as if everyone was deep in thought. Artoria, observing the atmosphere, also felt a sense of unease.
Her statement had been made, but regardless of whether it was good or bad, praised or condemned, there should have been some response. Yet, there was none.
"Knight King, are you certain of what you just said?"
Iskandar was the first to break the silence, though he also seemed perplexed by Artoria's words.
"You wish to save kingdom, and therefore, you wish to change everything about yourself?"
"Yes. No matter how difficult it may be, if it is within my power, I will use the Holy Grail to achieve my wish."
Artoria continued firmly, realizing why the others were looking at her with such expressions.
"In that case, King Arthur, was the destruction of Britain under your leadership?"
"Yes. As king, it was my duty to save my country."
Artoria did not deny her own words, remaining steadfast.
"Because I have already failed, so—"
Before Artoria could finish her sentence, Gilgamesh burst into laughter. The King of Conquerors shook his head, while Arthur looked at her with a complex gaze.
Artoria felt as though her kingship was being questioned. This was an insult to her royal way!
"What? Is there something wrong with what I said!"
Gilgamesh ignored her and continued to laugh.
"Hahahaha, how amusing, truly amusing! A king, a Heroic Spirit praised by the world, revered by the masses, actually wishes to deny herself and change her own future!!! Hahahaha."
Looking at the laughing golden king, Iskandar said helplessly,
"To think you would erase yourself, change your own achievements?"
Artoria looked at everyone as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Of course! Is there anything surprising about that? I am the king! My people suffered because of me, my country fell silent because of me. Is there something wrong with wanting to save them!"
Gilgamesh laughed even more heartily.
"Haha, to actually do such a thing! Iskandar, did you hear that!!"
Iskandar became even more silent. Arthur was the same, but unlike Iskandar, Arthur was contemplating how he could make Artoria understand her "mistake."
"What's so funny! As a king, shouldn't one dedicate oneself to the people!"
"Shouldn't!"
Arthur, who had been silent until now, suddenly stood up and walked towards Artoria.
"Arthur, you—" Artoria was taken aback. She hadn't expected Arthur, the one she trusted most, to stand up and contradict her.
"As a king! What you must do is not dedicate everything to the people! That is the way of a slave, not a king!" Arthur looked at Artoria with fervent intensity! "As a king! It is the people who should dedicate everything to you, and then you repay them!"
"What?—"
Artoria had never been so angry! Why! Why was he opposing her?
"That is the way of a tyrannical ruler! How can a king demand anything!"
"A tyrannical ruler? Demand? I ask you! Are you the king, or are they the king!"
"Of course, I am!"
"Then why do you constantly place yourself beneath the people?"
Arthur looked at Artoria sternly.
"King? What is a king! The sovereign of emperors, one person as heaven, holding great power, judging the times and assessing situations, utilizing everything to its fullest, employing everyone according to their talents, with a broad mind to encompass the world, and a vast heart to embrace all rivers."
Arthur articulated his understanding of what it meant to be a king.
"You keep saying that it was because of you that Britain was destroyed? Then, what about them? Where are those you believe you failed? And what about the vassals, what were their reasons!"
Arthur truly felt heartache. What kind of circumstances could place the entire burden of a nation upon the shoulders of a single girl! And have her accept it all as a matter of course!
"Arthur, it seems your royal way is quite interesting!" Iskandar laughed. He had initially thought the two King Arthurs were alike, but it seemed he was mistaken.
"And you, Iskandar, don't you laugh either! Your empire crumbled into pieces; it seems your mistakes weren't small either!" Arthur retorted.
Iskandar's laughter choked off, and he shook his head.
"Do your people love you?" Arthur asked Artoria.
Artoria wanted to say yes! But then, she suddenly recalled the words, "King Arthur does not understand the hearts of men." She fell silent.
"What does it matter whether they love you or not? The people are fools! The common folk of the past were ignorant. For them, as long as they had food and clothing, that was enough. Those were their only demands of a king! As long as your conscience is clear, why bother with the opinions of others!" Gilgamesh declared dismissively.
"How can I ever have a clear conscience?" Artoria lowered her head despondently. "It's all because of me..."
"Don't you understand yet?" Arthur continued.
"If my country were to be destroyed, I would grieve, I would be filled with sorrow and anger, but I would not regret! There is nothing in this world that you should regret. Because when you regret, you are questioning your own people."
"Your country was so perfect, of course you wouldn't regret it—"
"I wouldn't regret it! Ask your vassals, would they want to erase the memories of fighting alongside you?" Arthur's tone softened considerably. "Artoria, you are too kind. You are a perfect knight, but you are not a proper king. Are you truly happy?"
Artoria's memories seemed to drift further away. She seemed to recall Merlin's words to her when she pulled the sword from the stone.
"From this moment forward, you are no longer an individual, but a king." It seemed that ever since then, she had never truly been happy. How long had she worn the mask of a king? Artoria couldn't remember.
Seeing Artoria lost in thought, Arthur nodded. One time might not be enough to change this stubborn girl, but Arthur would make Artoria understand that she had never been wrong!
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