Within Camelot's chalk-white walls, in the Hall of Light.
The temple, so lively yesterday, was suddenly quiet today.
No one came to disturb, no one came to pray, and no one shouted rebukes like "get out"...
"So boring."
Viviene sprawled on a stone table in the garden, lazily basking in the sun while lightly tapping her fingers on its surface, producing a crisp sound.
"That girl is really foolish… It's obviously a trap, yet she jumped in with such glee."
Recalling Mash's "Wow!" As she rushed off, as if a pile of gold awaited her, Viviene couldn't help but marvel at the young girl's energy and acknowledge her own age.
Working for free, just for the joy of it... even the other Knights of the Round Table shook their heads, inwardly muttering "too intense" At the sight of such a spirited young girl.
Alaric, however, was intrigued.
"You could tell it was a trap?"
He looked at his sole "follower"... he hadn't noticed that this woman, who once dared to swing a blade at Scáthach, had quietly grown into a "strategist" Of sorts.
"Please, divine lord. I may not be as clever as you lot, but that doesn't mean I'm a fool."
Viviene, still sprawled on the table, tilted her head and rolled her eyes at Alaric.
"It's obvious... the king is training her knights… Hmph, what a bunch of foolish knights, getting played for a worthless title, even fighting to the death over it."
Viviene saw through the scheme in an instant.
Yes, a title... or rather, "honor."
In Viviene's eyes, it was worthless, but to the Knights of the Round Table, it was more precious than life itself.
No one wanted to lose, especially those knights with grudges against each other. They were eager to crush their rivals, ensuring they could never rise again.
Of course, Artoria's ultimate goal wasn't to have the Knights of the Round Table settle their scores definitively.
As king, her aim was singular from start to finish... to maintain the stability of the knightly order and the entire kingdom.
Viviene understood this clearly. Even if she didn't grasp Artoria's methods, she knew it was a trap and that the knights would be thoroughly outmaneuvered by their king.
... But that didn't matter.
That was between Artoria and her knights. Viviene didn't care, nor was it her place to care.
Right now, only one thing truly concerned her.
"Divine lord."
Viviene rose from the table, abandoning her lazy demeanor. She sat upright, her expression serious yet tinged with sorrow.
"Something's happened, hasn't it? You're preparing to leave, aren't you?"
…
Alaric was genuinely surprised this time.
He swore he had never hinted to Viviene about any plans to "leave"... not even a mention of it.
Yet she had keenly sensed it.
Who had told her? Or had she pieced it together from subtle clues?
"Just think about it, and it's obvious, isn't it?"
"Those heroic spirits wouldn't appear in this world for no reason."
"Their connection to Morgan is so close... yet there's no trace of their existence in this world."
"And the stories Mash told, about events fifteen hundred years in the future."
"Put it all together… even Fou could tell something's wrong with this era, this kingdom, right?"
Viviene glanced at the white beast perched on Alaric's shoulder, giving it a slightly impolite greeting.
"Fou! (Stupid woman... )"
"Fou fou fou fou! (I knew about this ages ago!)"
Fou growled at her, clearly displeased.
In truth, the white beast had known about Alaric's issue for a long time... second only to Merlin.
But what could it do? It couldn't speak!
…
Ignoring the white beast's protests, Alaric and Viviene locked eyes.
Viviene stared into Alaric's gaze, as if trying to discern something... but his eyes were too profound, the soul within too powerful. After just a few seconds, she felt dizzy.
"Daring to gaze upon a god's radiance? That alone is enough to send you to hell."
Alaric scolded his sole subordinate in a deliberately stern tone.
But Viviene's face showed no trace of fear, only pure excitement.
"So, you're heading to hell. Are you sending me to scout the place first?"
"Dream on! I'm bound for paradise. You can head to hell on your own!"
"What? No way! Haven't you caused enough trouble in one hell? Are you planning to turn paradise into a hell too?"
Pointless banter.
It wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last.
But this time, Viviene heard what she truly wanted from Alaric...
"I don't know what happened, or why you're suddenly preparing to leave."
"But whether it's paradise or hell, you'll take me with you, right?"
"You wouldn't abandon me, would you?"
Viviene asked urgently.
She looked up again, meeting Alaric's eyes.
His divine aura remained overwhelming.
Yet, at the same time, her own eyes gleamed with a cyan light, allowing her to face his radiance without flinching.
Indeed, she had no need to shy away from it.
As a servant devoted to the god, his will was already woven into her soul, an inseparable part of her existence.
"Yes."
Looking at Viviene, Alaric pondered for a long moment before nodding.
"Your future rests upon my wings as well."
He made a solemn promise.
And in that moment, in a place unseen by all, on the white dragon wrestling with curses and despair...
A new, pristine white wing slowly unfurled, bringing a subtle change to the dragon that seemed on the verge of merging with those ominous forces.
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