Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

The bride smiled more brightly than ever before.

"Eh, hehehehe... my wedding ring with Shirou... hehehe..."

Morgan raised his left hand above his head and stared at the ring on his ring finger.

Her cheeks flushed red, and she kept a childlike, silly smile on her face.

With that, there were no regrets. Shirou breathed a sigh of relief.

"My husband!"

"Waaah!"

Just then, Morgan suddenly lunged into Shirou's arms.

She pressed her whole body against him, holding him tightly with all her might.

"Thank you, my husband... I'm so happy... so joyful, this is the happiest day in three thousand years..."

Shirou gently stroked the witch's hair, becoming completely absorbed in gazing at her—

Morgan's face was filled with a blissful expression.

Great, that's it...

With that thought in mind, Shirou closed his eyes contentedly.

"...Shirou?"

When Morgan finally vented her emotions and ended the embrace with satisfaction, her husband was already dead.

The last expression on his face was a faint smile without any regret.

And so, the king ended his long life.

As if she were being buried alive with her king, the witch also died.

They shed their pilgrimage attire and hoods, donning black mourning clothes and veils.

Thus, the Queen of the Fairy Kingdom was born.

Volume 1, Chapter 116: Why did it turn into the Lion King again?! Beckham, did you play something wrong this time?

◇

Artoria had never felt so uncomfortable.

Looking back now, this was probably the first time that Shirou and I had been alone together during this Holy Grail War.

Irisviel was always caught in the middle between the two of them, her gentle, generous, and innocent personality acting as a lubricant.

So when Irisviel left the castle with the maids at noon today, leaving only her and Shirou to look after the house, she felt inexplicably uneasy.

"Irisviel doesn't seem to be back until the afternoon. Can I prepare lunch today?"

"Ah, um... I'll leave it to you, Shirou, thank you." Artoria nodded awkwardly.

The red-haired boy asked, puzzled, "Why are you being so polite with me?"

Upon hearing this, Artoria replied earnestly, "Shirou always prepares delicious meals for me. This is just proper etiquette!"

"Ah, yes, yes... don't be so fierce."

Shirou waved and turned to leave the room, probably heading to the kitchen.

Artoria breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the door close.

"That's strange," the girl frowned slightly. "Why am I nervous about being alone with Shirou?"

She took a deep breath and decided to greet Shirou more naturally when he returned.

lunch time.

"Is it really because they're hungry?"

Shirou suddenly spoke.

"what?"

Shirou explained, "Saber seemed a little strange earlier, but she's back to normal now."

So I was thinking, maybe it's because I was hungry this morning that I'm in a bad mood..."

Artoria's cheeks flushed: "That's not how it is!"

You took your anger out on Shirou just because you were hungry… What kind of image do you really have of me?

"Hahaha... Just kidding."

Shirou had finished his lunch, and Saber was eating her second bowl of rice.

The boy, with a satisfied expression, rested his chin on his hand and watched the blonde girl eating elegantly, then asked a question.

"Hey... Saber, what is your wish?"

Artoria's chopsticks stopped in mid-air, and she frowned, asking, "Why are you suddenly bringing this up? It's mealtime now."

"Let's chat about the secrets between the Holy Sword Wielders while Alice is away."

Saber, if you win the Holy Grail War, what wish do you plan to make?

Shirou pressed for more information, and Artoria remained silent for a brief moment.

"The reason for pursuing the Holy Grail, is that it? Can't it just be about wanting it?"

The Holy Grail is an omnipotent tool; once obtained, no wish is impossible to fulfill, therefore the pursuit of the Holy Grail needs no reason.

Shirou: "Saber doesn't want to talk about it?"

Her attempt to get away with it was too obvious; she must be very bad at lying.

"Um...Shirou...I..."

"I want to know what Saber wishes to achieve, but of course it doesn't matter if Saber doesn't want to say."

Not all of one's wishes can be shared with others.

Artoria looked troubled and her expression was very awkward.

Unable to speak.

Her wish is to use the power of the Holy Grail to return to the ritual of the chosen sword, destroy the existence of "Artoria," and entrust the mission of saving Britain to someone else.

She could never bring herself to tell Shirou such a wish.

Artoria now finally understands why she felt uneasy when she was alone with Shirou.

It's a feeling of inferiority.

As a fellow Holy Sword wielder, he had no desire to fulfill any wish through the Holy Grail.

It has neither selfish desires nor desires for a greater good.

His reason for fighting to the death was simply that he "didn't want the Holy Grail to fall into the hands of bad people."

Shirou must have accomplished something I could never compare to, and lived a perfect life without any regrets... to possess such a noble spirit.

"I'm sorry, I was too aggressive."

Seeing that Saber was unwilling to speak, Shirou apologized first.

Artoria quickly lowered her head, saying, "It's not Shirou's fault... I'm sorry."

An awkward atmosphere hung in the Einzbern restaurant.

Then, finally breaking the unbearable silence were the words—

“I like Saber.”

"……what?"

Artoria looked up and found the red-haired boy staring at her with an incredibly serious gaze.

Her cheeks flushed instantly.

"What are you saying all of a sudden, Shirou!" she scolded reproachfully.

"Ah... um... no! It's not what you think! Saber, let me explain!"

Shirou blushed and gesticulated wildly as he tried to explain.

"No, no, no! I didn't mean Saber as a member of the opposite sex, but as someone I like! Not the kind of liking you're imagining!"

"You don't need to deny it so completely!"

For some reason, Saber became even angrier, her wide emerald eyes seeming to shoot out flames.

The two looked at each other, and just like that... the atmosphere finally eased.

"Really, Shirou, don't say such strange things all of a sudden."

"I'm sorry, but what I said just now was sincere."

Saber pouted and snorted, then turned her face away. Shirou continued.

"Actually, I lied."

"Shirou?"

“That’s right… I once said, ‘Because Alice and Saber aren’t bad people, it’s okay to give the Holy Grail to you.’”

"That was actually a lie."

"..."

Saber frowned slightly.

Shirou said, "My real thought is actually..."

After learning about Saber's background, I felt sympathy for your life.

Therefore, I hope you can use the Holy Grail to find happiness.

"...Shirou!!"

If someone else had said those words, Saber would probably have been furious: she doesn't need anyone's sympathy.

However, Shirou's expression was so sorrowful that her anger got stuck in her throat.

“Saber is so tense right now, it’s unbearable to watch… It’s time for you to learn to smile.”

After saying this, the boy picked up the empty bowl in front of him and stood up.

"Saber has been fighting for everyone until now—"

Since no one else is saying this to you, I'll say it myself!

"That's enough, Saber... You've already tried your best."

You deserve the happiness you've brought to so many people.

Shirou winked playfully at the blonde girl, then picked up his bowl and chopsticks and headed for the door.

"Since no one is willing to help Saber, then I'll do it myself—"

I will help Saber obtain the Holy Grail... so please be happy this time.

As she watched his retreating figure, Artoria lowered her long eyelashes.

I'm sorry, Shirou...

A sinner like me has no right to happiness...

◇

……

There seems to have been a conversation like this during the Holy Grail War.

Saber snapped out of her recent memories.

It was late at night.