"Everyone..."
"Sir Bedivere. You, above all others, are the one fit to serve as the King's right hand."
"I leave the King in your care."
"But, I..."
"We are a disgrace, those who turned against humanity. We have no right to face the King again. —My friend, Bedivere. Please, fulfill the King's final decree."
"We shall remain here. May the blessing of the sun be upon you—"
"You should go as well, Agravain. A vacation is exactly what you need."
"…But, Sire."
"Go and overcome that singular flaw of yours."
"—Understood."
[ Pass through— ]
"Wait for meee! I'm coming too! Please take me along!"
(—I'm counting on you all.)
The Summoning: Knight Edition
"Alright, the time has finally come! It's the Knight Edition, Gil! Yes, Knights! Which means Sabers!!"
Artoria—currently in her Heroine X persona—cried out, taking practice swings with her holy sword. While her voice and expression seemed cheerful...
—Her eyes were completely devoid of joy.
There was no light in them; they were fixed in a terrifying, hollow stare. The whoosh-whoosh of her sword slicing through the air was nothing short of ominous.
"A reunion with old acquaintances, hm? I wonder who will be the first to show their face, Artoria?"
"I. AM. SO. LOOKING. FORWARD. TO. IT. Whether it's the Lazy Pig, Sir Mashed Potato, or that Knight of Trouble... I have my welcome preparations ready. I hope they all come. Oh, I can't wait."
The King of Heroes watched Artoria as she spoke in a stiff, robotic monotone. Then, he let a smirk slip.
"—Very well. Since you're tagging along, I shall allow three summons for this round."
"Only three? That's a narrow window. Why the sudden restriction?"
Gilgamesh let out a soft chuckle at her question.
"I wish to see which knight answers the call of your bond. Who truly remains devoted to you... It should be quite the show, don't you think?"
By limiting the numbers, he was narrowing the path. He wanted to test them: who among those summoned from the Throne of Heroes would serve this "Paradise" exactly as they were?
"Hmph. I see. Fine then. Let us see which member of the Round Table is invited to this paradise—I'll be expecting anyone except Galahad or Mordred!"
Artoria gave a firm nod. They bumped fists lightly and began to spin the summoning circle.
"Now, let's begin! Roman, if you please!"
"You got it! But man, the Round Table... they're all so powerful. Anyone we get will be a huge help, but..."
"They're all total weirdos, aren't they?" Ritsuka added, pulling no punches.
Artoria stumbled at the blunt remark. "W-well, when you put it so bluntly, it does sting a little... Though you aren't wrong..."
"Indeed," Gilgamesh remarked. "One can only imagine the hardships you endured. A barren land, knights defined by nothing but their eccentricities, and constant invasions. —Only a fool like you, who offered their body and soul to a lost cause, could have kept that country going. —Hmph. I suppose I must give you credit for that. It's irritating to admit, but in terms of peace and protection... you were the optimal King for them."
Artoria pulled her cap down low and fell silent.
"————I don't think it was quite as chaotic as your life, considering you were harassed by gods and divine beasts on a daily basis. Besides... 'Kingship' isn't something to be compared. We both fell, and we both left our marks on history. That alone makes every path of kingship both a mistake and the absolute truth. My reign gave form to chivalry. Your reign laid the foundation for the city-state. —Both were essential elements carved into the record of humanity."
Her voice seemed to tremble, almost as if she were on the verge of tears, but neither the King nor the Princess mentioned it. They were not so tactless as to intrude on that moment.
(I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for running around like Cath Palug and causing trouble. ...But seriously, Britain... Vortigern, Saxons, Picts, the isolated island, the barren soil, Morgan, knightly infighting, gender issues, the Will of the World, rebellion... it's nothing but a pile of red flags! Artoria, you really worked yourself to the bone.)
Looking back at the sheer turmoil of Britain, even Fou felt a genuine sense of sympathy for her.
"…A reign, huh. I wonder if I... had I been conscious... could have empathized with the pain of others..." Roman muttered vacantly. Sheba gently placed her hand over his.
"The summoning is starting, Master Roman! ♥"
"R-Right!"
Grateful for the quiet kindness in Sheba's touch, Roman stabilized the Spirit Origin.
"The pattern is... Saber! It's coming!"
At Olga Marie's shout, everyone's eyes widened. What appeared was—
"…——I have come to fulfill my King's command of old."
White armor. A tarnished right arm. Long hair and a gaze of iron.
"————..."
Artoria was speechless. Standing there was...
"Saber, Bedivere. I am he who has answered the call, following the King of Knights' decree to 'Reach the Paradise.' —Though, my skills are admittedly modest..."
"BEDIIIIII—!!!"
Overcome with emotion, Ritsuka, Mash, and Artoria all grabbed him at once and hoisted him into the air for a celebratory toss.
"Wha—?! E-Everyone—?!"
"You—! You really are... the conscience of the Round Table...!"
"Welcome, Sir Bedivere! Truly, truly—!"
"You can rest now! I said get some rest, dammit!"
" To think he was registered on the Throne in some world. By whatever trick of fate, he seems to remember his oath from this world's version of events. —Truly, a man possessed by the obsession of loyalty. To take up the sword again just for a verbal promise. "
—Sir Bedivere... You have shown me the true beauty of humanity...
With tears in her eyes, Ea (the sword/spirit) closed her eyes.
—Please, have peaceful days from now on. Forever...
(A rusted sword, a simulated Holy Sword! To go that far, honestly...)
Fou laughed, exasperated but impressed. —He had taken up the sword once more.
『...So, Bedivere has been summoned.』
the King of Knights' voice echoed, filled with relief.
"First, get him to a bath."
『...——Yes.』
—Once again, the loyal knight... had fulfilled the decree of his King.
Artoria and the others left the room, still carrying Bedivere off to show him the way. In their place, the King of Knights appeared.
"I've come to stand in. Now, let us continue the summoning."
—That's wonderful, Artoria!
"—Thank you, Princess."
They exchanged smiles. Simultaneously, they spun the circle, signaling the next summon.
"Now—let's see what knight comes next."
"Gulp..." Olga Marie watched with bated breath. The circle glowed, then stilled. Standing there was...
"—The lowest seat of the Round Table, Agravain. I have arrived to handle the chores, the paperwork, and the dirty work. —Do not expect 'pleasant interaction' from me."
The workaholic knight, Agravain, had appeared. His manner was as cold and off-putting as ever, but...
"—It seems you've come to fix your one and only flaw, Agravain."
At the King of Knights' smile, Agravain gave a shallow nod.
"…The King said that overworking was my flaw. …It is unacceptable for the one who supports the King to have a flaw. Therefore... I thought I might try to relax, just a little."
That was the reason he had answered the call. To fulfill a command of old—just like Bedivere.
"A serious man, aren't you? Do you need a guide, Iron Knight?"
"Unnecessary. I shall grasp the layout myself. —Now, if there are any orders, pray tell."
Agravain gave a stiff, formal bow to the King of Knights, the Hero King, and the staff of Chaldea, then briskly exited the room.
"…He's terrible at resting. I'm actually a little worried if he'll be able to manage it."
The King of Knights watched his retreating back with a warm smile—like a close friend watching over someone dear.
"Hmph. He was quite well-loved. —And yet, all things are fleeting. There was loyalty, there was good governance. And yet, it never reached the point of a stable reign."
"—It is not something to be mourned. Destruction and the collapse of the Round Table were the answers of history. To grieve, to shed tears, to regret—and yet, to accept. That is the duty of a King."
Note:
Dear readers,
The Lunar New Year is approaching, and I wish you all a new year filled with success, good fortune, and prosperity!
Holiday Announcement:
I'm writing this to announce that I will be taking a short break from posting to celebrate the holiday from February 15th to February 22nd, 2026. I will officially return to work on February 23rd.
Don't worry though! During this break, I'll be busy prepping a bunch of new chapters so I can post them consistently once I'm back. I promise the upcoming parts will be even more exciting, so please stay tuned!
Thank you so much for your understanding and for always being such a supportive community.
Happy Lunar New Year!