" – Oi, say, Saber, talk about your wish too."
In response to Rider's sudden inquiry, Saber paused momentarily before replying calmly—or rather, with pride—"I want to save my homeland. I will change England's fate of destruction."
Hearing Saber's answer, the atmosphere grew quiet. Everyone present fell silent, and Rider, holding a wine goblet midair, couldn't help but say, "Hey King of Knights, I might have heard you wrong but...Did you say "you want to change fate"? Which means you want to reverse history?"
"Correct. Even if the wish is something cannot be granted through a miracle, if the Holy Grail is truly omnipotent, surely..."
"Errr, Saber? I'd like to confirm this... The destruction of that Britain was in your time, right? Edwardg your reign?"
"Yes! That's why I can't forgive myself!" Saber insisted firmly in response to Rider's doubt. "That's why I can't let things be that way. The destruction of my country was my fault, and thus I want to reverse it."
At that moment, Archer couldn't hold back anymore and burst out laughing.
"...Archer, what's so funny?"
Frowning, Saber questioned him, and Archer replied, still chuckling, "Calling yourself a king – praised by all – a person like you could have 'regrets?' Ha! Of course it was funny. Saber! You're the world's best clown!"
Meanwhile, Rider also appeared displeased and said, "Hold on. You, hold on, King of Knights, you want to deny the history in which you've created?"
"Correct. Why you suspect me? Why are you laughing? The country to which I sacrificed my life as a king had perished. Is there something wrong with me grieving?"
Archer laughed even louder at this. "Oi, oi, did you hear that, Rider! This young girl who calls herself the King of Knights – is saying something about sacrificing for her country!"
"I don't understand what is there to be laughing about. As kings, we should naturally sacrifice ourselves, and strive to create a better country!"
"No, you're wrong."
In a firm, rock-like voice, Rider objected.
"It's not the king sacrificing for the nation. It's the nation and the people sacrificing their lives for the king. You got it backwards."
"What-?!"
Saber could no longer suppress her own anger. She shouted loudly. "──Isn't that a tyrant's rule?──Rider, Archer, you bastards are nowhere near a king! Heretics!"
"Indeed, but we are not just tyrants; we are heroes. So, Saber, if a king is dissatisfied with the outcome of their rule, it only proves they are an inept king—worse than a tyrant."
"Iskandar, your empire, which you built with your own hands, was eventually divided into four parts. Are you not the least bit unwilling? Don't you wish to do it over and save your nation?"
"I do not. If my decisions and the actions of my subjects led to such a result, then destruction was inevitable. I would mourn, and I would weep, but I would never regret it—let alone attempt to overturn history! Such foolishness would be an insult to everyone who shaped that era with me!"
On screen, as Iskandar the Conqueror passionately expounded on his philosophy of kingship, the cinema erupted in heated discussion.
This debate about the ideal qualities of a king was unprecedented. Normally, such discourse would only emerge in societies that had reached a certain level of development. However, Fate/Zero forcibly brought this discussion to the forefront. The audience, captivated, experienced the thrill of delving into the complexities of governance for the first time.
Yet, limited by their own knowledge, most viewers could offer no profound insights. They could only parrot their agreement with the King of Conquerors's approach. Many, almost as if brainwashed, fervently proclaimed him the most suitable king, an evidently unusual reaction.
Indeed, while the empire had achieved a degree of literacy through widespread basic education, advanced political education was still monopolized by the mage elite. Consequently, the general populace lacked any substantive knowledge of high-level governance. Even many of the aristocracy relied more on instinct than understanding.
Thus, when watching Fate/Zero, these "novices" were naturally swayed by Rider's commanding logic. This led to an overwhelming majority of the audience—99 out of 100 people—instinctively endorsing his words.
Whether this was good or bad remained uncertain. However, one thing was clear: the film had introduced a potent byproduct—shaping public opinion.
Public opinion refers to the collective beliefs, opinions, and attitudes of citizens regarding a particular matter at a specific time and place. While it may not significantly impact society in an age of limited information flow, in a more advanced era, wielding public opinion as a weapon could topple entire nations.
Therefore, as the film continued, Emperor Hubbard, seated behind Edward, refrained from commenting on the ideologies of the three kings. Instead, he remarked, "Baron Durin, you're aware of the impact such works can have, aren't you?"
"Of course. No one understands it better than I do," Edward affirmed resolutely, having anticipated this long before Fate/Zero was produced.
To reassure the Emperor, he added promptly, "At least for now, I don't believe films will have the extreme effects you're imagining. However, in the future—when the film industry or communication technology reaches a certain level—such 'weapons' will undoubtedly pose significant risks. To prepare for that day, Your Majesty, I suggest establishing a regulatory body preemptively."
In essence, Edward was advising the Emperor to create a government agency to oversee the film market. Otherwise, when the film industry matured and expanded beyond a single studio's control, the power of cinema to influence public opinion could become unimaginable.
Emperor Hubbard, contemplating Edward's words, continued watching the film before finally speaking: "It seems my decision to come here was indeed correct. The empire is fortunate to have someone as talented as you. Can I entrust this matter to you entirely, Baron Durin?"
"?? This kind of responsibility... isn't it inappropriate to assign it to a businessman like me?"
Evidently, even someone as prepared as Edward hadn't anticipated that Emperor Hubbard would make such a decision. After all, as a proper young man of modern Chinese values, Edward had no faith in the notion that the market could fully regulate itself.
To him, such regulatory matters should be handled by an independent and impartial institution for better outcomes. Although, truth be told, Edward would have preferred to take charge of the matter himself, as he doubted that the people native to this world could grasp the concept of film regulation so quickly. Yet, he understood his current position and knew it wasn't appropriate to force such a demand.
In response, Emperor Hubbard simply smiled and said, "Naturally, I didn't entrust this to Edward Film Studio' director, Edward. I am entrusting it to Baron Durin, the Imperial Mage. What do you think? Though I may not have accomplished any grand feats in my life, I am confident in my ability to recognize and use talent. If you agree, I can even elevate the Edward family two ranks, granting them the title of Earl."
"Your Majesty, no, I'll take the role of overseeing the film market, but please spare me the promotion. My family is already large enough. If you grant us more land, I'm afraid even Winry won't be able to manage it..."
Indeed, accepting a higher noble title naturally meant acquiring more land. The Durin family's not-so-large territory was already giving Edward a headache. Adding more would likely overwhelm even Winry, though in reality, nobles weren't obligated to personally oversee the people in their territories.
Hearing his reply, Emperor Hubbard couldn't help but laugh louder. Though it was unclear why he found it amusing, he seemed very satisfied with Edward's answer.
<+>
Imperial Mage Academy, Grand Plaza
"At first glance, among the three kings, the King of Conquerors seems to be the most qualified ruler. But on closer reflection, that's only a view suitable for a prosperous era. Every kingdom goes through periods of strength and decline, so outright rejecting Saber's perspective seems unfair. Although, I do find Saber's idea of rewriting history somewhat problematic. If history changes, the country she seeks to protect would also change. Would that still be what she aims to save?"
"The main issue is that Saber lacks conviction. In debates, the first rule is to firmly hold your stance, even if flawed, and counterattack the opponent's weak points. Her self-doubt in the face of the King of Conquerors's words makes her appear quite lacking. But it can't be helped. After all, she's a defeated monarch from a fallen kingdom. Losers rarely exhibit the confidence of victors."
"True, but we have too little information about these heroic spirits to judge properly."
"The King of Conquerors's views reflect the arrogance of a king from a golden age. He believes his path is correct simply because he succeeded and dismisses Saber's as wrong. This is a typical attitude of a victor toward a loser. In reality, no success is without flaws, and no failure is devoid of merit."
"Exactly. Different times, different contexts, and different perspectives lead to different judgments. While Saber, the King of Knight, may not appear as strong as the King of Conquerors, her efforts to save her kingdom in a chaotic era make her a virtuous ruler."
"Right, both kings have their merits. One suppresses chaos, the other ignites war. One seeks peace, the other prosperity. What matters is that they each hold distinct ideologies. The worst rulers are not foolish ones but mediocre ones—those who do nothing are the most pitiful."
"Indeed. From this perspective, only that golden Archer hasn't shared his ideology. But he seems more like a tyrant. What kind of era or mighty kingdom could have produced such an arrogant ruler?"
Clearly, compared to ordinary citizens, who are easily swayed by the values presented in films, the formal mages at the Imperial Mage Academy are far more learned and insightful. After all, the Academy's curriculum includes real history and governance classes. Though these are minor courses, their mere presence broadens the horizons of the mages significantly.
Thanks to the foresight of the first Arch Mage, Roland, who stated, "Mages must not involve themselves in politics, but they cannot be ignorant of it. Even the weakest mage must grasp the fundamental truths of the world to make progress in magic," the mages, guided by this philosophy, could easily identify the flaws in the King of Conquerors's seemingly impressive rhetoric and understand the essence of the "The Three Kings Discussion."
As a result, they were neither swayed by the film's presented values nor hesitant to propose their own perspectives on the seemingly theatrical debate.
Meanwhile, the newly arrived freshmen at the Academy found themselves at a loss. Having received only basic education so far, they couldn't comprehend the discussions of their senior peers. All they could do was look on in admiration, thinking, "These seniors are amazing."
In summary, while the "The Three Kings Discussion" stirred up significant waves, its impact remained limited by the constraints of this world. Most people simply engaged in idle chatter, with no one truly transforming into a remarkable individual because of the film's ideas.
Under these circumstances, the debate gradually reached its conclusion, culminating in Rider's use of his Noble Phantasm to instantly defeat the suddenly appearing Assassin.
<+>
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