At this moment, Lancelot's mana was still eroding Excalibur.
Artoria immediately shook off his hands and quickly retreated.
"You know this sword? You know that I am the King of Knights? Then why hide your identity? Reveal your true name!" Artoria challenged.
From the shadows, Haruka Kasugano ordered Lancelot to remove his disguise and let her see him clearly.
"Heh heh heh…" Lancelot laughed darkly.
Then he removed his concealment.
His purple armor and the radiant blade Arondight were fully revealed.
The moment she saw that armor—saw the unmistakable Arondight—Artoria's heart shattered.
"Arondight… the Undying Lake Light… Could you be…?" she stammered.
"Ar…thur…" Lancelot growled.
Though he did not remove his helmet as in the original story—
"Lancelot… You are Sir Lancelot…" Artoria wavered.
Even without removing his helmet, she would never mistake that armor, that sword, that voice.
"Why would you—the greatest knight of the Round Table—fall into the Berserker class…" Her grip on her sword weakened.
Seeing this, Haruka Kasugano immediately ordered Lancelot to attack.
He had to knock Artoria down while she was shaken!
"GRAAAAAH— ARTHUR!!!" Lancelot charged.
Artoria had lost her fighting spirit. Under Lancelot's assault, she was forced back step by step; she could barely hold her sword steady.
Right now, she only wanted to cry.
----
"ARTHUR!!!"
Lancelot slashed wildly at Artoria.
She was kicked flying.
"You were always 'saving' your subjects… but never guiding them…" Artoria murmured blankly.
She was repeating the words Tristan once said to her.
"Because I did not guide my subjects…"
"I was only bound by the ideal of being a 'king' who exists for others… just a foolish little girl…"
"Was it my ideals… my kingship… this foolish girl…"
"That drove you to this state?"
Lancelot did not listen to her words. He raised his sword again.
"ARTHUR!!!"
"Lancelot…" Artoria's spirit collapsed.
She remembered the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, and the glory of his Noble Phantasm—his Army of the King.
His Noble Phantasm embodied the unity between himself and his retainers.
Only a king truly loved by his subjects could possess such a treasure.
And she… did not.
Artoria wanted to cry.
From the side, Haruka Kasugano sneered.
Of course you don't. But Lancer Artoria does—she has the Noble Phantasm "Round Table Assembly."
That version of you was a true king beloved by her people—the Lion King.
But that's just a legend.
You're not suited to be a king.
You're only suited to be my mount.
Haruka Kasugano secretly used a Command Seal.
"Berserker, charge up! Activate your Noble Phantasm and crush her!"
"GRAAAAAH—!"
Under the immense mana supplied by the Command Seal, dark energy surged from Lancelot's body.
He activated his Noble Phantasm—Arondight!
A devastating slash descended toward Artoria.
In the original story, the only reason Artoria managed to counter-kill Lancelot was because Matou Kariya suddenly died—his body finally giving out under the crest worms' corrosion.
But here, things were different.
Under Haruka Kasugano, Lancelot had ample mana.
There would be no sudden reversal!
Slash—
Arondight flashed brilliantly.
Artoria's armor was shattered, and she was sent flying over ten meters, crashing into the Emiya residence wall.
She coughed up blood and collapsed.
Her heart broke alongside her body.
Memories assaulted her fragile mind—about Irisviel, about Kiritsugu's coldness.
Everything drained her will to fight.
Looking at the knight before her—
Her former comrade—
It was my fault…
It's all my fault…
I should never have existed…
Even if I were to restore Britain, would they ever forgive me?
Seeing Lancelot ready to kill her—
She despaired.
They won't forgive me…
Her eyes dulled.
Her right hand released Excalibur.
She gave up.
"GRAAAAAH—!" Lancelot prepared to strike again, intending to finish her.
But Haruka Kasugano would not allow it.
Artoria had already lost her combat capability. There was no need to continue.
He used another Command Seal to stop Lancelot.
"Grrr—" Lancelot froze in place.
The gravely wounded Artoria was stunned.
What… happened?
At that moment, Haruka Kasugano walked in from the courtyard.
"Yo, miss. Long time no see!" he smiled.
"It's you… Leave quickly! It's dangerous here!" Artoria said anxiously.
"Not dangerous at all," he replied.
"Even in this situation, you're still worried about others. What a good girl."
"How could anyone not be moved?"
He stepped closer, examining her beauty.
Her skin was as pale and soft as fresh snow. Golden hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall of sunlight.
Her emerald eyes seemed to hold the secrets of a forest. Even without makeup, she was breathtaking.
Her blue ribbon tied her hair neatly, giving her an elegant and dignified air.
"Truly beautiful," Haruka Kasugano smiled.
"You…" Artoria sensed something wrong.
For safety's sake, Haruka Kasugano restrained himself.
If he acted now, she might still be able to cut him down.
He needed to fully control her first.
So he took out Circe's Bond Craft Essence.
Using it, he could deploy a small-scale Reality Marble.
Though not as powerful as Circe's original, it was more than enough against the current Artoria.
In fact—
This Reality Marble had special effectiveness against Artoria the glutton.
He activated it:
"Banquet of the Witch of the Eagle!"
A whirlwind of mana swept through.
Artoria tightened her grip on Excalibur at first—
But the next second, she relaxed.
Before her lay an extravagant feast.
All kinds of food—things she had seen, heard of, and even things she had never encountered.
Beautiful maidens served as attendants, bringing exquisite dishes and fine wine to feed her.
"Wait—"
"This is delicious!!!"
Artoria, being a notorious glutton, simply could not resist.
Since only she and Haruka Kasugano were inside this Reality Marble—Lancelot was nowhere in sight—her guard lowered.
"Don't worry. I'm a mage too. It was dangerous just now, so I used this method to save you," Haruka Kasugano coaxed.
Under the combined effects of [Incitement], [Disguise Work], [Espionage]—and mountains of food—
Artoria actually believed him.
"So… the danger is completely gone?"
She relaxed completely.
Then she began devouring everything.
A turkey leg in each hand, she ate enthusiastically.
"Delicious!"
"Really delicious!"
"This wine smells wonderful!"
It seemed she was trying to drown out the emotional blow from Lancelot by stuffing herself with food.
============
Bonus Chapter
Power stones 50 + 1 chapter
Power stones 100 + 1 Chapter
power stones 200 + 1 chapter
power stones 400 + 1 chapter
============