Meeting this world's King Arthur here was something unexpected for Lancelot.
It was also something that left her unsure of what expression to show.
After all, just a few days ago, the two had fought fiercely, and she had severely injured her counterpart from that side. Logically, they should be enemies, and her lord had ordered it so.
But in practice, they had no real reason to be enemies. Both were fighting the dragon calamity to protect ordinary people, doing their best to safeguard the residents within this Singularity.
If the current situation didn't allow for any mistakes and required eliminating unstable factors, Lancelot felt she could sit down with Artoria and have a good chat.
With her hand on the hilt of her sword, Lancelot said in a cold voice, "For the King to appear here… the only thing I can think of is that you're heading to war. Have you finally decided to become our enemies completely?"
"If my lord has that intention."
Artoria also drew her Holy Sword.
Their differing stances left them unable to talk much, and neither revealed their respective issues. The information gap meant the two sides had no common ground to discuss.
However, there was one person who did.
"You're Lancelot from Arthur's side?"
Naoki's voice suddenly interrupted. Then, he boldly stepped between the two tense figures, eyeing Lancelot up and down as if observing her.
Seeing Naoki's sudden interruption, Lancelot's breath hitched, and her eyes widened slightly without her realizing it.
She had noticed at first glance earlier, but it was a rushed look, and with Artoria present, her diverted attention made her not pay much mind to Naoki.
But now, looking directly at his face, Lancelot could barely hold her sword steady.
"Your Majesty…!?"
There was no mistaking it. Even if Lancelot lost her memories, she would instantly recognize this face the moment she saw it. It was the face of the King she loved most. Even with some minute differences, the man before her was 99.9% identical to the King.
The slight difference was only because the face of the man in front of her had a touch more youthful energy.
"No, you're not His Majesty."
Taking two steps back, Lancelot quickly calmed her racing heart, which was beating twice as fast in her chest. Gripping her sword, she shouted firmly, "Who are you? Why do you look so much like His Majesty!?"
"Hm? Arthur never told you about me?" Naoki frowned. "I'm Natsukawa Naoki, Arthur's Master in the Holy Grail War twenty years ago. Ten years ago, I officially inherited the Holy Sword from him, and I currently serve as the third Holy Sword wielder."
As he spoke, Naoki drew the Holy Sword and held it in place.
Seeing the Holy Sword appear, Lancelot froze on the spot.
A face could be faked with Magecraft, and information could be casually spoken, but the Holy Sword was something impossible to forge. As a knight who had witnessed its light countless times, Lancelot was certain that the sword in Naoki's hand was undoubtedly the Holy Sword held by the King she revered.
"As for the resemblance, it's mainly because I died once during the Holy Grail War twenty years ago. At that time, Arthur gave me his Spirit Origin to save me, so we lived in symbiosis for ten years. That's why my face looks so similar to his due to his influence."
"What—!?"
(Symbiosis with His Majesty for ten years?!)
(This means he was with His Majesty for ten years… I'm jealous!)
Lancelot felt an unusual emotion stirring in her heart.
"By the way, Merry… that is, the Merlin on your side, is now my fiancée. We plan to get married after this Human Order Incineration matter is over."
*CLANG!*
Arondight fell to the ground.
As if suffering a severe mental shock, Lancelot clutched her head and staggered slightly. She steadied herself against the mountain beside her, then looked at Naoki with an expression of disbelief.
"You… you… you… you and that witch… that Magus… getting married?!"
"Yes."
"No way… that Merlin… No, more importantly, she's someone so similar to His Majesty…"
(A complicated feeling, or rather, not knowing how to feel.)
Seeing Lancelot cover her face, disbelief written across her expression and eyes, Naoki tilted his head. "Did I say something hard to understand? It shouldn't be."
"Honestly, Master, I think everything you said was a bombshell." Artoria said with a wry smile. "My apologies, Sir Lancelot. Master sometimes speaks without thinking, causing trouble for you."
"No, it's fine… I'm actually okay." Lancelot patted her chest. "But the shock and disbelief are real… Although I should doubt it at this point, the evidence is too strong. I can't find a reason to doubt it."
(A Holy Sword wielder succeeding His Majesty?)
"Ahem, ahem!"
Clearing her throat, Lancelot sheathed her sword and saluted Naoki. "I apologize for letting you see me lose control earlier, Sir Natsukawa. I am one of the Knights of the Round Table, Lancelot. Pleased to meet you."
"Yeah, pleased to meet you… though not exactly." Naoki smiled. "Merry sometimes talks about you all to me. When I used this Holy Sword, I also heard your voice. I was a bit surprised—your voice doesn't quite match the person."
"What do you mean?"
"You're much more mature than I imagined. You give off the vibe of a reliable older sister."
A reliable older sister!
It was just a very ordinary comment, but… if the situation were simplified, this was His Majesty calling her that!
(When I get back, I can brag to Gawain and Tristan.)
"Ahem… You're too kind. Perhaps because when the Holy Sword was sealed, it wasn't the same period as the me now. After all, the me summoned now is at the peak of my strength when I was alive. I am indeed a bit older than back then."
Though she felt delighted, Lancelot still managed to maintain her composure outwardly.
And at that moment—
[It seems you've met him, Sir Lancelot.]
A slightly playful voice suddenly sounded in Lancelot's head.
(Merlin? Spying again with Magecraft?)
[No, no. I'm just using Magecraft to monitor this world in real-time to track the appearance of dragon calamities. Since I noticed you hadn't moved for a while, I came to check. Turns out you're talking with the mission target.]
(Mission target?)
[Yes, the man in front of you, Natsukawa Naoki. He's the one I told you about yesterday, the one who directly infiltrated the throne room.]
"Lord Natsukawa, you infiltrated the throne room yesterday?"
"Hm? Yeah." Naoki nodded honestly. "Since I was attacked by Magecraft in the air, I thought I'd return the favor. And I saw Arthur sitting on the throne like a puppet—"
*SSSSST!*
Before Naoki could finish, Lancelot suddenly gripped her sword and swung at him!
Arondight approached Naoki's head at high speed, but just as it was about to touch him, the sword stopped in midair as if jammed, halting abruptly near Naoki's face.
Snapping his fingers to push the sword away, Naoki frowned. "That was a sudden attack. Did I say something to offend you, Sir Lancelot?"
"His Majesty is not a puppet."
Lancelot said in a low voice.
"Even though you're the successor acknowledged by His Majesty, entrusted with his Spirit Origin and Holy Sword, I won't allow you to call His Majesty a puppet."
"Even if you say that, to me, his mental state clearly seems like that."
Lancelot's eyes widened slightly. "What did you say? No… His Majesty's resolve is still there. What right do you have to call His Majesty a puppet?"
"Because I saw it with my own eyes. You said yourself I infiltrated the throne room yesterday, so it's natural I saw Arthur." Naoki said, pinching the sword with his fingers. "What's actually going on with that guy? And what's really happening in this Singularity?"
"That's not something you need to know. We, the Knights of the Round Table, will handle everything—my apologies, I just received another dragon calamity report. I have to go now."
After saying that, Lancelot leaped, and a horse suddenly appeared beneath her. Mounting it, she swiftly rode toward the White Dragon Nation at high speed!
(Puppet… Your Majesty, please don't let anything happen! That witch… if something happens to His Majesty—)