Chapter 1118: Is Your Orientation Okay?
"Thump!"
Artoria crouched on the ground, clutching her head with tears welling in her eyes.
This bastard couldn't take a joke!
"What would asking achieve anyway?"
Eiji lay back on the bed, looking thoroughly satisfied.
"Or what, do you actually want the Queen to take your place?"
"Can she?"
Artoria blurted out without thinking.
Hearing this, Eiji's face darkened as he rolled up his sleeves.
"No, no! That's not what I meant!"
Artoria quickly waved her hands in denial.
Just because she was dissatisfied, she'd spoken without thinking and nearly earned herself a beating!
Though honestly, that hadn't been her actual intention to begin with.
"Then what did you mean?"
Eiji lowered his sleeves, glaring at her fiercely.
"Please don't look at me like that, it's creeping me out."
Artoria swallowed hard, unconsciously taking a step back.
"I do hope the Queen can replace me... uh, what I mean is, I hope the Queen can replace me in saving this world!"
Seeing Eiji start rolling up his sleeves again, she hurriedly spoke the truth.
She would eventually have to return to her original place.
Once she went back, she wouldn't be able to return here.
And in this Fairy Kingdom, there was something that only a Fairy of Paradise could accomplish!
If she couldn't return, the only one who could do it was the Queen!
"Up until now, just like you said, I've never actually intended to oppose the Queen."
Artoria smiled bitterly with frustration.
"The reason I joined the rebels to attack Camelot was essentially because everyone wanted to defeat the Queen. I couldn't very well be the only one objecting, could I? I'm the prophesied child everyone's counting on."
The expectations placed on her were simply too heavy.
Tens of thousands of humans and fairies were all counting on her.
This burden of expectation was so heavy that even though she didn't want to oppose the Queen, she could only smile and agree.
As Eiji would put it, she was simply "being forced into action"!
"The more I learn about this Britain, the more I understand that the Queen's methods are actually correct."
Artoria expressed her true feelings.
That's right.
Actually, anyone who understood the truth about the Fairy Kingdom would definitely not think Morgan was in the wrong.
And as another Fairy of Paradise, no one could understand this more deeply than Artoria.
While others were cursing and resenting the Queen, she had already realized that the Queen's approach was correct.
The fairies of this Fairy Kingdom simply weren't worth saving.
Whether in Tintagel, Salisbury, Norwich, or Camelot, it seemed all the fairies were only concerned with protecting their own vested interests, all immersed in their pleasures.
This wasn't inherently bad - after all, you couldn't expect all fairies to be saints.
In fact, because they wanted to protect their own interests, such people were more trustworthy and easier to motivate.
But when protecting their own interests meant disregarding the survival of cities, nations, and the entire world, it became downright disgusting.
Coincidentally, the fairies of the Fairy Kingdom were exactly this kind of fairy.
Every single fairy displayed selfish, self-serving attitudes, as if there wasn't a single normal person in the entire world.
Artoria understood this better than anyone, having lived in such a world since childhood.
Thus, she deeply comprehended how correct the Queen's methods were.
Fairies like these simply weren't worth saving.
Domination was the only way!
If there was one flaw in the Queen's rule... it would likely be the absence of a redemption mechanism within the comprehensive punishment system.
If instead of pure oppression, severe punishments were accompanied by merciful opportunities for redemption—with crimes categorized by severity and duration—this fairy nation would be a hundred times better than it is now!
In simpler terms, what was lacking was a fair and just legal system to restrain the fairies.
"To be honest, I actually admire the Queen quite a bit."
Artoria said something that sounded more like something Melehan would say.
"She had her own ideals and the will to betray her mission for them, unlike me who's still hesitating... If there were an ideal type for fairies like me, it would be someone like the Queen!"
Seriously, are your preferences alright?
"If the Queen is still alive, please convey these words to her!"
After elaborately expressing her thoughts, Artoria sincerely made this request to Eiji.
"I will."
Eiji nodded.
Upon receiving his affirmation, Artoria immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sorry to interrupt you two at this time, but could you come to the command room now?"
Just then, the room's intercom suddenly sounded.
From it came Da Vinci's unusually serious voice.
"Right now?"
Artoria looked surprised.
"But it's only been half an hour... Understood, we'll be right there!"
Let's hurry!
Artoria called out to Eiji, forgoing rest as she rushed toward the command room.
"Such a half-baked person no matter where you go."
Eiji placed his hands on his hips for a moment, smiling with both helplessness and fondness.
Half-baked, yet still somewhat mature.
"Hm? What did you say?"
Eiji lowered his head.
Though the room was empty, he seemed to be conversing with someone.
"Nothing? Impossible, I definitely heard something just now... Oof!"
He suddenly clutched his chest, his face contorted in pain.
"If it's nothing then it's nothing, why poke me?"
Even if I can't die, it still hurts quite a bit.
...
"Sorry I'm late."
By the time Eiji reached the command room, Gudao, Mash, Tristan, and Artoria had all already gathered.
"The others aren't here?"
"They're all conserving their energy."
Da Vinci rose from the control panel, answering Eiji's question.
"Gathering only us here—has something happened?"
Mash asked Da Vinci with a grave expression.
"Yes, look at this!"
Da Vinci activated the simulator's display.
Instantly, a sea of fire filled their vision.
Raging flames were everywhere—buildings and trees alike engulfed in an inferno—as if a massive conflagration had swept across the entire world. Just watching made them feel the heat radiating from the scene.
"Isn't that city... Manchester?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka carefully examined the city in the image and couldn't help but gasp in shock.
"Exactly! That's why I called you here!"
Da Vinci-chan let out a long, complicated sigh.
"Mash's words reminded me - we still have unfinished business with Barguest. If we delay any longer, even the fairies of Manchester might face extinction. So while analyzing the Great Pit, I took the opportunity to survey Manchester's condition... and this is the tragic result!"
The entire city of Manchester was engulfed in flames.
Moreover, the inferno wasn't confined to Manchester alone - the sea of fire was spreading in other directions as well, almost as if someone was deliberately controlling it!