C243

As Shirou sat on the throne, he summoned Artoria and Morgan and dismissed everyone else. Guinevere remained seated at the desk, engrossed in doing paperwork.

"My king, is there something you need?" Artoria asked as she approached.

Morgan smiled and was about to walk over, but Shirou stopped her, saying, "Stay where you are and don't move!"

Morgan's face froze.

Shirou put on his black armor.

Morgan's face froze even more.

Why was he so guarded?

Artoria stood still with a calm expression.

"I have summoned you to discuss the matter of the heir to the throne," Shirou stated.

Artoria gazed up at the king seated atop the throne, recognizing the familiar face that she had known for so long that it felt almost impossible to know it any better. An array of complex emotions swirled inside her.

Had the moment finally arrived?

The king wanted to leave...?

She felt uncomfortable but couldn't say why.

"Are you planning to abdicate?" Morgan asked.

"Yes," he replied, rising to his feet and lifting his foot as if to take a step forward. However, he hesitated and glanced at Morgan before retracting his leg and sitting back down.

In the absence of Merlin, he was cautious and preferred to maintain a safe distance.

"This throne was originally meant for Arthur, or Artoria," Shirou explained, his voice tinged with regret. "But for various reasons, I ended up sitting on it instead. As per our agreement, I should have returned the throne to her..."

Artoria's heart was overcome with emotion, and she spoke up hastily. "My king, I believe you should continue to reign on the throne."

"Are you trying to talk me over, Artie?"

"No, I..." she started to defend herself, but he cut her off.

"Please let me finish," he said, his voice gentler this time.

She closed her mouth and lowered her head, her golden hair falling over her face.

"I unified Britain and established our dynasty, spanning from northern Ireland to southern Gaul. As your king, I cannot allow a foolish successor to squander my legacy. Therefore, I have broken our agreement. Though you both have the right to inherit, I will choose only the most suitable candidate."

Morgan looked at him intently. "What do you want us to do?"

"I will evaluate each of you and determine who is more fit to take the throne," he explained. "To do so, I will grant you each territories to govern for a year. Based on your performance, I will decide which of you is best prepared to rule."

Morgan furrowed her brows. "And what criteria will you use for this evaluation?"

Shirou looked at her with a hint of annoyance. "Do you really expect me to give you the answer to everything? Are you becoming as foolish as Scathach? Don't waste my time with such questions."

Morgan's heart sank as she shrank under the king's domineering presence. Though she hid it well, his authoritarian manner secretly intimidated her.

Shirou proceeded to allocate territories, assigning the prosperous Cornwall to Morgan and the more rustic Tintagel to Artoria. He also appointed Bedivere as Morgan's official, but did not provide any support for Artoria.

"Do you have any objections, Artie?"

"No, I will follow your arrangements, my king," she responded obediently.

"You have been studying by my side for quite some time. Let me see how much you have learned."

She nodded. "Yes, my king!"

He then addressed both Artoria and Morgan. "Do either of you have any further questions?"

Artoria hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "My king, I feel that you--"

He cut her off with a stern look. "Hmm?"

She quickly retreated, bowing her head. "It's nothing...I have no further questions," she murmured softly.

"You have three days to travel to your territories," he declared, closing his eyes dismissively. "Now leave me. I'm tired."

"Yes, my king," Artoria and Morgan replied quietly as they left the palace.

Thumbing through paperwork, Guinevere spoke up. "You've already decided for Morgan, haven't you?"

Shirou narrowed his eyes. "What makes you say that?"

Unfazed, she continued. "You gave her wealthy Cornwall - that's proof enough of favoritism. As long as Morgan puts on a decent show, you'll dismiss Artoria out of hand and name Morgan your heir."

Looking confused, she asked, "If you doubt Artoria's abilities, why make us both sign that contract?"

"I intended for her to inherit the throne back then," Shirou replied with a weary sigh. "But I've since changed my mind."

"Why the sudden change?"

He shot her a scathing look. "You're overstepping. Seems you've forgotten your place."

Undeterred, she smiled mischievously. "But I am a fairy, my king. The magical contract has been lifted, and I am free to leave whenever I please. You wouldn't harm me, would you?" she teased.

In response, he seized Guinevere by the hair, pulling her towards him roughly.

"Ow, ow, ow!" she whimpered, her face contorted in pain.

He sneered at her. "Indulging in spoiled behavior is unbecoming of a fairy. You'd do well to show more respect, especially to a fickle king."

"If you pull my hair again, I'm going to leave!" she protested.

His expression remained disdainful as he regarded her coolly.

In a fit of frustration, she stomped her foot and declared, "I am not joking, my king!"

He scoffed, "Just focus on your duties."

Guinevere gritted her teeth and seethed inwardly at the king's insufferable demeanor.

'He doesn't take me seriously at all!' she fumed inwardly.

"I am a fairy! A powerful fairy, Vivian!" Guinevere exclaimed in frustration.

Shirou glanced at her briefly before drawing his sword and brandishing it towards her head. Guinevere's heart raced as she realized that he was threatening to shave off her hair.

"No...I'm Guinevere. I'll fulfill my duties, I promise."

He lowered his sword and rose from his seat, heading towards the door without another word.

"Where are you going?" Guinevere asked in a hurry.

"It's the king's business. Don't worry about it. Just do your job well and I'll be sure to praise you for it," he waved his hand and left.

As she watched the king's retreating back, Guinevere couldn't help but pout in frustration.

"Why does he always treat me like a child? Ugh, he's so infuriating!" she made a face at the king's back and stuck out her tongue.

...

Walking through the bustling streets, Artoria felt lost and empty after departing from the palace. As a dutiful subject, she always followed the king's commands without question. However, with the king's impending departure, she was left feeling unsure of what to do next.

Though she knew it was her duty to accept the king's decision, the emotions churning within her made it difficult to keep a level head. It was as if the person she had always admired, the one she had always relied on, was suddenly gone.

Artoria clutched her chest, feeling suffocated by the weight of her emotions. She couldn't even find the words to describe what she was feeling.

Merlin had never taught her about this.

"What's the matter, Artoria?" Arcueid noticed the despondent expression on Artoria's face as she sat on the street, watching the children play.

"I'm not sure...I just feel...so sad," she replied with a bewildered look on her face.

"You're not even sure what's causing your sadness?" Arcueid questioned.

"No..." she replied with a nod.

"Then let me help you work through it," Arcueid said, placing a comforting hand on Artoria's shoulder and directing her to gaze into her own eyes. "Just look into my eyes and don't look away."

She obeyed Arcueid's instruction, meeting her mesmerizing gaze. A tidal wave of emotions crashed over her, overwhelming her senses completely.

---"Good morning, Artoria. You're back from patrolling the town?"

---"From now on, I want you to return to your female form."

---"Artoria, guess what I have? Food? No, it's fireflies!"

---"Don't be so quick to sacrifice yourself. Appreciate the beauty you've sworn to protect."

---"Glory means nothing. You're alive and can provide for yourself. That's my greatest achievement!"

---"Artoria, this will be the last time our people starve! I vow to use all my power to ensure they never suffer like this again!"

As the memories flooded back, Artoria couldn't help but recall the king who had profoundly impacted her life. Yet she knew he was only passing through. Soon he would be gone, never to be seen again.

This realization was too much for her to bear. Her emotions, which had been controlled by her suppressed emotions, now cracked, and with the help of the Mystic Eyes, came rushing to the surface. Tears streamed down her face.

Seeing Artoria's tears, Arcueid panicked. "Oh no, what did I do? I'm so sorry, please don't cry!"

"I don't want to cry...I can't stop it..." she sobbed, emotions long-repressed now flooding out unrestrained. "I don't want him to go!"

...

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