Afternoon. The living area of the hotel suite.
Artoria, now dressed in casual women's clothing provided by Merlin, sat on a single-occupancy sofa. Her face was flushed crimson, and she kept her head low, remaining utterly silent. The atmosphere was stiflingly awkward.
On the coffee table sat a selection of pastries Merlin had brought back from Finland. From Ludwig's room, the sound of running water from the shower echoed, accompanied by Merlin's cheerful, wordless humming.
"...That woman is completely defenseless right now. If you want to make a move against her, I won't stop you," Ludwig said, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he looked at Artoria. "Of course, if you'd rather kill me first, that's fine too. You have every right and reason; I won't resist."
Artoria had ultimately been swept up in their affairs. To make matters worse, having spent her life hiding her gender and living as a King, she had only ever entered a symbolic marriage with Guinevere. She had zero experience in the matters of the flesh.
She was, in the truest sense, a pure maiden.
And yet, under Merlin's seduction, she had surrendered that body to Ludwig. Looking back at the situation, it felt less like a choice and more like both she and Ludwig had been lured into a shared fall from grace by Merlin's influence.
This was the source of the excruciating awkwardness currently hanging between them.
"No... there is no need..." Artoria's gaze drifted aimlessly. "I simply... underestimated the 'Merlin' of this world."
Caught off guard and bewitched by Merlin's Mystic Eyes, she had joined a night of carnal indulgence. If judged purely by the senses, the experience had been so overwhelmingly pleasurable that Artoria found it impossible to summon any genuine rage. Instead, she felt a profound sense of restlessness, unsure of how to carry herself.
The youth's magical energy was so unique that, after tasting it so intimately, she found herself reminiscing about it despite herself. She suddenly understood why "faint-hearted kings" throughout history became obsessed with wine and women... It was a realization she would have preferred to live without.
"On that point, I'm in the same boat," Ludwig muttered, still pinching the bridge of his nose.
He did harbor a genuine fondness for Artoria, but he had never intended to treat her as a toy or a tool to be possessed in such a manner. Merlin was essentially a demon presiding over Luxuria, playing them like fiddles with effortless ease.
"In... in any case... regarding this matter..." Artoria tried to find words, but nothing came. The moment she met Ludwig's eyes, the memories of their proximity flooded back, turning her face an even deeper shade of red.
"I will take responsibility." Ludwig reached out and solemnly took Artoria's hand.
"You cannot. I am here for the Holy Grail—"
"The Grail is exactly what I'm talking about." Ludwig sighed. "I will finish this war with you. I will bring the Holy Grail before you and see your wish fulfilled. As for what happens after... we'll deal with 'after' when it arrives."
His words allowed Artoria to regain some of her composure. She gave his hand a firm, reciprocating squeeze. She would treat the event as an "accident"; she didn't have the luxury of freedom to enjoy her second life.
The trauma of Lancelot's loss of control and his final words had been grinding away at her spirit, leaving her mired in regret over her failures. In a strange way, Merlin's recklessness had acted as a placebo, and the physical intimacy with Ludwig had provided a tangible relief to her exhausted mind and body.
"Thank you, Lud," Artoria said. "As for 'afterward,' I believe I owe you an explanation."
"An explanation for what?" The youth released her hand, looking at her with confusion.
Artoria shook her head. "Earlier, you asked me what I would do after my wish is fulfilled. I told you what I wanted to do, but I didn't tell you the reality of my situation."
She could sense that when Ludwig spoke of "afterward," he hoped she could remain by his side so they could figure out their relationship properly, rather than letting it end in a muddle.
"What kind of reality?" Ludwig asked seriously.
"The reason I can manifest as a Servant yet cannot turn into a spirit form is actually quite simple," Artoria explained. "Before my death, I struck a contract with the World. I froze my life at the precipice of death in exchange for the chance to seek a miracle... the Holy Grail."
"An exchange? You mean there's a price?" Ludwig was startled. "What price did you pay?"
"My life after death," Artoria said. "The moment my wish is realized, I will become a Counter Guardian for Alaya. I will have no freedom once the wish is granted."
'I shall provide the opportunity; in exchange for the achievement of your wish, I shall take your soul after death.'
Artoria had understood the meaning behind those words the moment she heard the voice of the Counter Force. Even so, she had relied on that power.
"I see. A truly vicious miracle," Ludwig said, his expression becoming flat as he leaned back against the sofa. "But you agreed to it knowing the price. I have no right to judge."
"I am sorry..." Artoria whispered, though she had nothing to apologize for.
"If you really want to apologize, save it for when you're sent as a Guardian to kill me," Ludwig said, tilting his head with a forced, difficult smile. "By then, I might be the one apologizing because I have to kill you to survive."
"What do you mean?" Artoria thought she had misheard.
Ludwig stared at the ceiling. "During the battle last night, a Guardian suddenly manifested and attacked me."
"...Was it then?" Artoria thought back. The only window for such an event was the gap between Ludwig's first clash with Gilgamesh and the moment he came to her aid.
"Don't worry too much. He was a powerful Guardian, but as an executor of the Counter Force's will, he couldn't actually do anything to me," Ludwig added nonchalantly.
Artoria fell silent. She knew the youth was rejected by both the Counter Force and the Planet, but she hadn't expected the human side's response to be so swift and direct. This fact heralded a grim truth: once they obtained the Grail and her wish was fulfilled, Artoria Pendragon would instantly become Ludwig's enemy.
Until she killed him, the Counter Force would likely continue to dispatch her as its Guardian.
"It's nothing to dwell on. I know my situation better than you do," Ludwig said with a relaxed smile. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. The winner of the Grail will be decided tonight."
"But I would become the Guardian tasked with taking your life..." Artoria couldn't bear the thought. She hadn't imagined that the first person she might have to kill for the "preservation of humanity" would be the boy who helped her achieve her dream. The miracle offered by the Counter Force was truly malicious.
"To think a Master and a Servant would be so troubled by the actions of a heartless machine."
Merlin, wrapped in a bath towel and radiating allure, stepped out from the room. She leaned against the back of the sofa, teasing the two of them with a sultry, knowing look.
"And?" Ludwig looked up. He knew Merlin had something to say.
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Type-Moon: The A-Ray Knight's Holy Grail Journey(91 Chapter - Ongoing)
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