"Saber. Witness it well—this is the true desire of a king."
Caster raised his staff, his voice ringing with power.
"Oikoumene!! (The Dream of Conquered World)."
A blinding white radiance swallowed the battlefield.
The world shifted.
What stretched before them was no longer the war-torn streets, but an endless plain without borders. Cities glimmered like jewels, the Silk Road unfurled into eternity, and oceans shone without division. It was the dream of a king who sought to unite the world.
Assassin of the Hundred Faces faltered. "What… where is this…?" Their voices overlapped in confusion.
Crowds emerged from the light. Throngs of people raised their voices in jubilant cheers, welcoming their sovereign. Legions knelt in unison before Iskandar, enthroned at the heart of this boundless land.
Saber staggered under the weight of that charisma. Her knees nearly buckled—yet her reason screamed at her to resist.
"Caster, stop this! Whatever you're attempting, it will not work on me!"
Iskandar laughed from his throne.
"Hahaha! Fear not. This is but a test—to see if you can endure the lightest touch of my authority."
His gaze turned upon Assassin. His eyes gleamed.
"Kneel."
The words struck like thunder. Assassin's countless selves trembled, unable to resist. One by one, they collapsed to their knees before him.
Allen, idly feeding Medusa popcorn, looked around with a curious spark in his eyes.
"So in this world, even enemies feel the pull… the urge to belong to something greater. This isn't mere illusion—it works on the mind, on the spirit. Am I right, Caster?"
Iskandar's laughter boomed again.
"Close. But not quite. This world holds more than that."
Archer's eyes sharpened. Something in the distance caught his attention.
"That… Is that Uruk?"
"Indeed, Archer," Iskandar replied proudly. "In my dream, every city—past or future—exists for me to conquer. Within this Marble Phantasm, I may summon them as shields… or as spears."
Archer scoffed.
"Hmph. A mutt's dream, nothing more. All of this—mere imitations."
Iskandar only grinned wider.
"Imitation or not, I will show you. The vision of a king who conquers!"
With a rumble, a colossal fortress rose behind him, teeming with soldiers awaiting his command. From every city, towers flared to life, mana cannons turning as one to lock onto Assassin's forms.
"Saber, carve this into your heart. King or not, desire is the essence of life!"
He stood, staff in hand, and thrust it forward.
"Fire!"
The world itself roared. Blinding mana shells rained down.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Velvet could only stare, breath caught in his throat.
"Amazing…" he whispered.
The Hundred Faces screamed, their forms obliterated in the inferno. In a single instant, Assassin was erased from the war.
And then—
Cracks splintered across the skies. The radiant world shattered like glass, falling away piece by piece.
The battlefield returned to normal. Assassin was gone.
Beneath the glow of the moonlight, the scene had returned to normal. The drinking continued, though the atmosphere had shifted. The four Servants only stared at one another in silence, while among the three Masters, Kiritsugu remained unconscious—the sedative Allen had given him strong enough to put down even an elephant, leaving him in what would likely be a very long sleep.
Allen, meanwhile, was flushed red from drinking far too much. He could hardly handle another drop. Only Velvet was still sober, having chosen not to join in.
"Rider, you should stop your Master from drinking any more. This much alcohol won't do him any good," Iskandar remarked.
Medusa, hearing this, took Allen's wine cup and drained the remainder herself.
"Hey, Rider! What do you think you're doing? Give that wine back! And who's drunk? I'm perfectly fine—"
But his words betrayed him. No sooner had he protested than Allen slumped over, fast asleep, his body reverting to that of a child. Medusa caught him before he fell, lifting him into her arms with practiced ease.
"Well then, we should wrap this up. Tonight's banquet of kings and heroes ends here," said Caster as he stood, preparing to leave. He still had to return the borrowed car to its rightful place.
But Saber, still seated, looked as though she had more to say. She tried to stop him.
"Caster, wait—I'm not finished yet!"
"Saber, enough," Iskandar cut her off, his tone firm. "If you insist on clinging to that belief of yours, then I will not continue this discussion."
Then, with finality, he added:
"Saber, as of this moment, I no longer recognize you as a king."
Saber froze, stunned.
"What do you mean? Are you still trying to sway me, Caster?"
Iskandar only looked at her, his eyes filled with pity.
"Why do you look at me like that?" Saber demanded.
"Little girl… wake from your dream. Otherwise, you'll lose the very self that made you a hero in the first place."
"I—I won't!" Saber tried to deny it, her voice faltering.
But Iskandar turned away and called to Velvet.
"Come, boy. We're leaving. The car still needs to be returned."
"Ah—yes, right! Wait for me, Caster!" Velvet hurried after him.
Moments later, they were gone, the borrowed vehicle carrying them off into the night.
Iskandar's refusal to heed Arturia until the very end left her humiliated. Yet his words… they lingered in her heart, sowing doubt. His ideals clashed violently with hers: his dream of conquest versus her oath to protect. Still, she could not simply dismiss what he had said. Deep inside, each of his words carved into her, refusing to be erased.
She wanted him to take back his declaration. Without that, she could not feel at peace.
"Saber, pay no mind to what Caster said. Just follow the path you've chosen," came Archer's voice.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You've mocked me this entire time, laughed at me… and now you praise me?"
"Of course," Archer replied coolly. "Because your way of speaking is far too righteous, far too heavy for a woman like you. The conflict you carry—it amuses me. It makes me want to jeer at you even more."
He took a slow sip of wine, then added with a wicked smile:
"I truly admire a clown who struggles under the weight of kingship. Saber, do your best to entertain me. Perhaps then, I'll reward you with the Holy Grail."
"Caster is gone, and this banquet is over. Archer, draw your sword—or leave," Saber snapped, her anger flaring. The prana in her body surged, shattering the glass in Archer's hand.
Archer only smirked, unfazed.
"Do you know how many nations have been destroyed for this cup? Hmph. I won't hold it against you. After all, getting angry at a clown would only stain the dignity of a king."
"Silence! This is your final warning. Next time, I will kill you."
But Archer paid no heed. He only laughed, rising to his feet.
"King of Knights, I look forward to your struggle. Perhaps in the future, you'll earn more of my favor."
And with that, his body dissolved into fragments of golden light, vanishing as he retreated into spirit form.
Allen stirred faintly from Medusa's arms, muttering groggily.
"Ugh… does that guy always act like some edgy overlord or something?"
Medusa only held him closer.
"Master, let's head home too."
"Ah, right… but we should at least say our farewells to the castle's owner," Allen mumbled.
Medusa approached Saber.
"We're leaving, Saber," she said simply.
Then, with Allen in her arms, she departed without waiting for Saber's reply.
...
Inside the car, Allen activated his magic circuits to neutralize the alcohol in his system.
"The wine Archer gave me was truly exquisite. Even now, I can still taste it lingering in my throat," Allen remarked as he glanced at Medusa, who was calmly driving them back toward Fuyuki City.
"Master, is it really alright to reveal your identity to them?" Medusa asked, her tone carrying a trace of concern.
Allen waved it off casually.
"Relax. It was a banquet, after all. I doubt they'll say anything. If such information were leaked, it would only wound their pride and dignity as kings."
Medusa nodded in understanding, saying no more.
When they arrived home, Medusa parked the car neatly inside the garage.
"Welcome home, Master," Irisviel greeted warmly as Allen stepped inside. She quickly helped him remove his shoes and jacket with practiced grace.
"Thank you, Irisviel," Allen replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He was admittedly pleased with Irisviel's increasingly attentive demeanor of late.
"Master, Miss Sakura called earlier and left a message for you," Irisviel continued. "She said she wishes to stay with her mother for the night. She told me to tell you that she misses her family."
"Oh, I see. I suppose I'll try contacting her tomorrow. By now she's probably already asleep," Allen said without much concern. He didn't mind Sakura wanting to spend time with her family.
With that, Allen made his way to his room, lying down on his bed to rest as he usually did.
Allen fell asleep quickly after a long day. But that night his sleep was uneasy—he felt his body grow light, as if dragged by an unseen current. When he opened his eyes in the dream, he found himself standing in a barren plain under the moonlight. In front of him stood a young girl with long purple hair, wearing simple clothes, her face still innocent and not yet showing the darkness Allen knew in the figure of Rider.
"This… Medusa?" Allen muttered, shocked to see the pure version of the Servant who now stood as his companion and protector.
The sound of footsteps echoed, two other girls appeared. They were her sisters—Stheno and Euryale, their beauty dazzling, graceful, yet their gaze cold and full of superiority. Allen could feel their divine aura.
Allen walked along with the shadow of the events, realizing he was witnessing fragments of Medusa's past. The young girl, Medusa, tried to smile every time her sisters looked at her. But slowly, the dream shifted.
Before long, their peaceful atmosphere shattered when a goddess appeared. Golden cold eyes, silver hair, and an aura that suppressed all mortals—Athena.
"Your beauty surpasses the bounds of humanity, even surpassing mine," Athena's voice echoed, full of anger and jealousy. "For that, only a curse befits you."
Allen was shocked to see Medusa kneel, her body writhing in unbearable pain. From her back emerged dark purple scales, her hair turned into snakes, and her eyes became something to be feared.
The people who once worshipped her now screamed "monster," then fled, abandoning her.
The next flash showed Medusa with her two sisters, Stheno and Euryale, on a remote island—Shapeless Isle. The place was silent, filled with stone and ruins, cut off from the outside world. Her sisters were still beautiful, still divine, and they looked at Medusa with pity yet distance.
Days passed in loneliness. Allen could feel how slowly Medusa lost her humanity, how a thirst for blood grew inside her.
Then came the darkest moment. Medusa's body grew larger, transforming into the form of Gorgon. The urge to kill burned within her, and in the end—with golden-purple eyes shining—she killed her two sisters. Stheno and Euryale screamed, yet still smiled bitterly as if they had already accepted their fate.
Allen covered his mouth, horrified, but he couldn't look away.
Time leapt again. He saw the giant Gorgon alone on the island, her body covered in scales and snakes, her face no longer human. All who came to slay her turned to stone. And there her life ended, slain by Perseus, her head severed as a trophy—a tragic end for a girl who only wanted to be loved.
Allen woke up gasping, his heart pounding hard. He looked at Rider—Medusa—who sat silently beside his bed, her eyes as usual, without emotion. But for Allen, after that dream, he knew the truth: behind the coldness and silence was a girl who carried the weight of a curse, betrayal, and lifelong regret.
"Medusa…" Allen whispered softly, his eyes shedding a few tears. Allen could still remember how Medusa cried and tried to stop herself from attacking her sisters; that sorrow was something he couldn't explain with mere words.
"Forgive me, Master, because of me you had a nightmare," said Medusa, wiping away Allen's tears.
Allen only embraced her and didn't want to let Medusa go. "You won't be alone anymore, I promise."
Hearing that, Medusa then embraced Allen tightly too. For the first time, Medusa once again shed her tears.