The King fell silent, observing the Heroic Princess with clinical intensity. There she sat, a princess draped in the raiment of the Wise King. She possessed the features of a peerless beauty: a gentle, crimson gaze and long hair like spun gold. Her silhouette was one of divine proportion—strong, graceful, and etched with the red command spells that marked her skin.
And beneath that supreme physical form lay a soul of platinum: untainted and brilliant.
"Indeed. It must be so. For a princess who spent a month in Uruk, this is the only fitting form."
"Th-thank you very much!"
As Air nodded, her face flushing crimson, the King smiled with deep satisfaction.
"With this, I find myself looking forward to the day you unveil yourself in Chaldea. I only hope the brilliance doesn't strike the mongrels blind. Your journey has been quite the saga, has it not? The descent of the Heroic Goddess, the 'Lamassu Mask,' the great duel in the jungle, the final battle against Tiamat… every event is a fitting color for the life you lead. —Since you've enjoyed yourself this much, it would be poor form not to give you a parting gift."
With those words, the Wise King presented her with an object.
"This is…?"
It was a clay tablet. Inscribed with ancient script, it glowed with a faint, golden hue. Even at a glance, she could feel its weight—a heavy, powerful radiance that spoke of terrifying hidden power.
"The Tablet of Destinies. When held by one who is worthy, it grants the bearer ultimate sovereignty. It will serve you well in the coming struggle against Goetia. Together with your secret name, Lemegeton, show them who truly holds the right of judgment."
It was his way of cheering her on. No matter how much they wished otherwise, they would part when this Singularity reached its end. Therefore, he felt he must provide some recompense for the princess's continued struggle.
The King had granted her the proof of true kingship—the authority once held by the god Enlil. He did so because he believed in the King she stood beside. He did so out of concern for the conclusion of the battle she was destined to fight.
"…Thank you. Wise King."
She hugged the tablet to her chest and looked back at him.
"I will live up to your feelings. I swear it—I will bring this journey to a worthy end."
The Wise King merely watched her, accepting her vow of resolve.
"…The King of Mages sent the Grail to this era, and Tiamat was dragged from the Imaginary Number Space." He shifted his gaze back to Uruk. "At that moment, I saw the future, and I told my people."
Uruk will perish in six months. This is an unavoidable end. That was the prophecy he had given his subjects.
"And yet, standing here six months later—the scenery is entirely different from the one I foresaw. The end has been overturned. The 'Demise of Uruk' has been transformed into a 'Rite' of resistance, a 'Final Battle' that will decide the fate of the world."
In the vision where Tiamat awakened, the Wise King had been the only one left in Uruk. But now—all the people were gathered. They had joined forces with Chaldea, and even with those from other worlds. They had dragged 'Destruction' down to the level of an 'Even Fight.'
"No matter what the conclusion may be—at this final precipice, the whole of Uruk has united. —If this is not a 'Great Achievement,' what is?"
The Wise King nodded, his voice thick with pride. He recognized the value of standing face-to-face with ruin. The people of Uruk had surpassed the limit of their era.
"Yes. The people of Uruk did not run from destruction. They looked it in the eye and swore to fight. Alongside their Great King." Air smiled gently, her pride mirroring his. "I believe with all my heart that their decision was noble, brave, and infinitely… precious. The people of Uruk are irreplaceable; they are the embodiment of everything wonderful about the human species."
"Indeed. Well smiled. You recognize their worth. —I doubt you would ever do so, but had you shown them 'pity,' I would have struck you down myself."
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