"How unsightly, Saber!" A third voice echoed through the underground parking garage.
Saber barely glanced at the newcomer—it was Ryougi Raku. "...Raku?" Her eyes were filled with disbelief and deep anger. It was clear from the situation that Lancelot was merely Ryougi Raku's Servant!
The profound pain of betrayal lingered in her heart, making Saber gasp for breath. 'It doesn't matter anymore, does it? There was no promise to begin with, so what betrayal is there?' She made excuses for herself, wanting only to give up. If the vows she made to protect were her last straw, now even that last straw was gone.
"Is this the renowned King of Knights? Giving up so easily? Abandoning your pursuit, abandoning your path!" Ryougi Raku said coldly, with sorrow and a hint of disappointment that she didn't fight harder.
"...After all you've been through, you still can't be as open-minded as a child like me?"
"...Fine, let me help you one last time." With a self-deprecating smile, Ryougi Raku used the Command Spell he obtained from Matō Kariya.
"Berserker! Speak! Speak the words from the depths of your heart! Tell me if you truly hate your King!" The absolute power of the Command Spell took effect. Even the most perfect knight, when appearing as a Servant, could not resist.
"My King, you look so unsightly now, nothing like the figure in the depths of my mind..." Lancelot, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"My King, what made you abandon your ideals? What made you pursue that laughable dream? Was it because of us? Was it because of us...?"
"...No, it's not, it's not because of you..." Saber shed tears, lying on the ground, reaching out to deny it.
But her heart kept telling her that she pursued the Holy Grail precisely for these knights. Sacred friendships had dissolved, loyal knights had betrayed her, and the people didn't understand her because they couldn't reach the King. But as the closest knights, how could they not understand her? How could they betray her?
'Was I really wrong? Do I really not understand human emotions?'
'Wasn't I fighting for the country? Wasn't I fighting for the people? Am I truly so selfish? Is my wish for the Holy Grail driven by my own desires?' Saber was completely lost in self-doubt.
"I have never hated you!" But this resolute statement finally cleared Saber's mind. These were words Lancelot couldn't say in the past. He had no opportunity, no standing. His long-suppressed words, now, in this war, under the effect of the Command Spell, he finally spoke them!
"Didn't we gather under your banner precisely because of your wish, because of your holiness?!"
"But, oh King! You are too holy. Why did you not personally execute me, who committed such a great sin? Why did you forgive me? How can I possibly live in this world with such a face?"
"It is precisely your nobility that makes us feel so ashamed!"
Lancelot's tears flowed slowly. This was the conflict between the ideal of the nation and personal desire. But Lancelot did not possess the unwavering conviction of King Arthur. When faced with his desires, he still wavered—that love that should not have existed... Lancelot truly hated himself. He wished King Arthur would personally execute him, so he wouldn't be plagued by guilt. But King Arthur 'didn't understand' human emotions... "...You don't have to feel guilty, my King. Your wish to contend for the Holy Grail is to mend what's broken, isn't it? But it's not that you failed us; it's that we failed you. They must think so too..."
"...However, you are still immature. But, oh, this way you seem more human..." Lancelot said with a slight smile.
"...No, I am very mature!" Saber quickly denied, even though her current posture looked so comical. Or rather, Saber, are you tsundere?
Having finally spoken his mind, Lancelot felt a sense of relief deep within. This was something he could never utter in the past, a problem that had plagued him. Now, he finally saw a glimmer of hope for its resolution.
"Do you hate us, King? Do you hate that because of us, you lost your life and the kingdom fell?"
Saber gazed blankly at the dimness above. She should hate them, for betrayal had caused this outcome. But she hated herself; she took all the blame upon herself. "...No, I don't hate you. I just... hate myself..."
"Do you believe in us?" Lancelot's eyes shone brightly. In that instant, even though his body was defiled, he still possessed the radiance of a knight.
"Of course!" Without any hesitation, Saber said this without thinking.
Lancelot finally smiled. "...Then, let us bear this sin, this hatred, together with you, our King... If you bear it alone, you would not be trusting us, you would be betraying us..."
"...Ah." Saber wanted to say something, wanted to deny this answer, but the hot tears in her eyes prevented her from refusing. She should do this: trust her knights, trust her subordinates. King Arthur betray her subordinates? No, how could such a thing ever happen!
"Lance..." Saber smiled through her tears, murmuring.
"...Then, a mistake must be punished. This is the honor of a knight! Your first knight, Lancelot, here, accepts your judgment, my King!" Lancelot's words were firm and powerful. He knelt on one knee, with satisfaction and the relief of having confessed everything. His sins were finally about to end, and he would finally be worthy of his title as a perfect knight!
"Sir Lancelot..." Struggling to stand up, even though she was extremely weak, Saber's body was filled with an unprecedented strength!
'The King will never understand others' feelings...' Who said that before leaving the Round Table?
'Kings are all arrogant,' I once said. How many people's thoughts and troubles did I ignore because of that?
Gawain, who died heroically, Galahad, who failed his mission, what were they thinking in the end? Did they also leave this world with regret and unwillingness? Why did I deny everything so resolutely?
If I had understood Lancelot's true feelings, how could he have appeared in this world with such a defiled body?
But it's not too late now. I still have a chance to make amends!
Standing up, a sharp holiness returned to Saber's body. Facing the figure kneeling on the ground, she cried, she smiled, but she firmly raised the sacred sword and plunged it into the loyal knight's body... "...Although so much time has passed, you finally punished me yourself... I will no longer carry any guilt..." Lancelot smiled contentedly.
"...No, Sir Lancelot, you never needed to carry guilt!" Saber wept, but with a captivating smile.
"...Heh, how wonderful. To finally die in the King's arms, like a loyal knight."
"Don't say that! You are absolutely a loyal knight!" Saber said anxiously.
"Heh heh... Thank you..." This last thank you was directed at Ryougi Raku nearby.
"You've seen such an embarrassing side of a King and a knight..."
"But I won't tell, will I? This is our shared secret..." Ryougi Raku suddenly winked at Lancelot, smiling.
"...Hahahahaha, I am truly grateful to you... It is truly my and my King's fortune to have met you here!" With a hearty laugh, his gaunt, pale face suddenly became radiant.
Accompanied by that final laugh, Berserker—Lancelot—finally exited the stage of this war... In Ryougi Raku's opinion, Lancelot was truly a tsundere. If he had been bold enough to speak those words, how could there have been so many problems? Therefore, a man being tsundere is a great sin!
Saber still stood there, quietly shedding tears. "Saber, you should bless him. Even if he could continue fighting alongside you, appearing in such an unsightly body would be an insult to this knight..." Ryougi Raku gently persuaded her.
"No, Raku, I'm just crying tears of joy." Her eyes were a little red and swollen, but that delicate, tear-streaked softness had never appeared on Saber before.
Ryougi Raku was stunned, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned his head, saying, "Is that so? Then it seems I misunderstood..."
"Heh, I didn't realize you could make mistakes too, Raku?" Saber chuckled.
"I am human, you know. As a human, making mistakes is quite normal, isn't it?" Ryougi Raku's words carried a subtle meaning.
Saber was taken aback, then said with a laugh, "Indeed, as a human, there are times when one makes mistakes..."
"Still, you've seen quite a sight, Raku..." Saber's expression was still a bit awkward at this point; after all, he had seen such a vulnerable side of her.
"Haha, it's my honor to see another side of the famous King Arthur." Ryougi Raku said with a slight exaggeration.
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