As a knight who upheld chivalry and possessed a noble character, the very concept of "stealing the Grail" was foreign to Artoria Pendragon, the King of Knights, once she knew it had an owner.
Now, hearing the words of Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, Artoria pursed her lips and, with a serious expression, questioned him, "King of Conquerors, you acknowledge that the Grail belongs to another, yet you still intend to seize it by force."
"What wish could possibly drive you to such lengths?"
Artoria's question drew even Gilgamesh's attention to Iskandar.
As kings, they naturally believed Iskandar's earlier claim that this gathering was intended to determine, through a "Holy Grail Q&A," who possessed the spirit and vision most worthy of wielding the Grail.
However, little did Iskandar know that the "Holy Grail Q&A" would be stillborn.
With Gilgamesh's ability to materialize the Golden Capital, the treasury of his sublimated Gate of Babylon, a treasure like the Grail would undoubtedly be among its contents.
Under normal circumstances, Gilgamesh's ownership of the Grail would have brought this gathering to an abrupt end.
Yet, Iskandar, by daring to challenge Gilgamesh for the Grail under the banner of his title "King of Conquerors," had already betrayed the original intent of this meeting.
Only Ailin, unconcerned with what he already knew, took advantage of the others' conversation to pour himself more wine.
No one could ever have too much of such exquisite wine.
More importantly, Ailin had opened a spatial passage at the bottom of his golden goblet, temporarily storing the wine from the golden vessel within his Reality Marble.
While he had already recorded the designs of the golden vessel and the wine within his Unlimited Blade Works, creating Zanpakutō that didn't enhance his combat abilities would only waste his spiritual pressure.
Therefore, during this Grail War, at least before the final confrontation, Ailin wouldn't waste his spiritual pressure creating a wine-producing Zanpakutō.
He might as well take advantage of the others' distraction to hoard more wine, lest he run out in the coming days.
Under Artoria and Gilgamesh's scrutiny, Iskandar appeared somewhat flustered.
Even with his darker complexion, the two kings could discern two cloud-like blushes on his cheeks.
"Well, I want to obtain a body."
"Huh?"
"Ah?"
Artoria and Gilgamesh were both stunned by Iskandar's wish.
They had expected something far grander, given his willingness to cross swords with Gilgamesh for the Grail. But to simply wish for a body…
Did Iskandar want to live another life?
"Mongrel, you dare challenge me for such a trivial matter?"
Gilgamesh's eyes turned cold.
He wouldn't have been so enraged if Iskandar had a more ambitious wish.
But simply to obtain a body and live…
"Ah ha?"
Even more exaggerated than Artoria and Gilgamesh's reactions was that of Iskandar's Master, Waver Velvet!
From seemingly nowhere, Waver, who had previously collapsed under Gilgamesh's oppressive aura, found the strength to leap to his feet and rush towards Iskandar.
"Rider, what are you doing? Your wish… wasn't it to conquer the world?"
"Thwack…"
But before Waver could reach Iskandar's back, he was swatted away with a casual backhand.
"Fool! What good is it to have a cup conquer the world for me? Conquering the world is my dream. The Grail is merely the first step in achieving that dream. Our current forms are nothing but Servants, constructs of magical energy."
"I want to be reborn into this world, to live as a human. To challenge the world, even the heavens themselves, with my own body! To begin, to advance, and finally to achieve my goal – that is the essence of 'conquest'. This is my 'kingly way'!"
Hearing Iskandar's final words, Gilgamesh understood.
Iskandar was using his "kingly way" of conquest to challenge Gilgamesh's own.
This was a contest between two kings, a clash of their ideals.
Thus, Gilgamesh responded in kind.
"Hmph!"
"I've made my decision, Rider. I will kill you myself."
"Hahahaha…"
Iskandar laughed. "I won't hide it any longer, Goldy. I've long coveted the treasures in your vault. If you lose, I will plunder every last one of them."
"Rider!"
Iskandar and Gilgamesh's exchange deeply unsettled Artoria.
She immediately challenged Iskandar, "That is not the way of a king."
"Oh?"
Iskandar turned to Artoria.
This was a clash of kingly ideals. As a king, Artoria had the right to challenge them with her own.
"Then tell me your thoughts."
"My wish is to save my homeland… I want to use the omnipotent wish-granting machine to change the fate of Britain's destruction."
…
"It's starting!"
"The iconic scene from the Fourth Holy Grail War."
Hearing Artoria's wish, Ailin knew what was coming: the most intense clash of ideals in the Feast of Kings.
The King of Knights, Artoria's ideal of self-sacrifice for her people, Iskandar's kingly way of conquest, and Gilgamesh's rule of law…
Finally, after a heated debate that left Artoria speechless, Ailin raised his hand.
"Um, may I interject?"
"Hmm?"
Ailin's words drew the attention of Gilgamesh, Iskandar, and Artoria.
Only then did the three kings remember that this gathering included another participant: the mysterious Berserker.
"Of course, Berserker. Do you have something to say about our discussion?"
"No, I have no opinion on your kingly ways. After all, I don't live in your eras, nor am I a subject under your rule. Each era has its own unique form of governance, and regardless of your ideals, you all share a single goal."
"That is to rule your people well. If your kingly way isn't accepted by your people, a new king will rise to overthrow you. My interjection is to say a few words to Saber."
After being repeatedly refuted by Iskandar and Gilgamesh, Artoria was clearly shaken.
She was now in a state of confusion, unsure if she should continue pursuing her distant dream.
"Speak, Berserker."
"As I told you before, I am not a Heroic Spirit of this world. I merely happened to pass through and was captured by this world's Counter Force, summoned to the Throne of Heroes."
"Thus, compared to you, I have encountered many Heroic Spirits from parallel worlds. King of Knights, I want to tell you that I have seen you as the pure White Knight King."
"White Knight King?"
Artoria was bewildered, unsure of what Ailin meant.
"Yes, the White Knight King."
"In that form, you never broke the Sword in the Stone, you retained your human emotions, and you earned the unwavering loyalty of your people, ensuring the continuation of Britain…"
"That is perhaps the ideal you envisioned when you wished upon the Grail. Perhaps it is because of your efforts now that the White Knight King came to be."
"So, you needn't be swayed by the King of Conquerors and the King of Heroes' ideals. After all, no matter what choices you make, the one who is revered as a spiritual icon by all knights, the one they will always call king, is you—"
"Artoria Pendragon!"
Ailin's words were like a ray of sunlight piercing the darkness, dispelling the shadows that clouded Artoria's heart.
Yes, perhaps in this world, she had failed as the King of Knights, ultimately killed by her son, Mordred, leading to Britain's downfall.
But because of her efforts, in some parallel world, another "her" had, with the Grail's power, truly saved Britain.
Iskandar and Gilgamesh fell silent.
Despite their earlier criticisms of Artoria's ideals, those criticisms couldn't change one fact—
Throughout history, past, present, and future, anyone who called themselves a "knight" would inevitably revere Artoria Pendragon, the King of Knights, as their spiritual icon, their king!
In Gilgamesh's era, knights and chivalry didn't yet exist. But that didn't prevent Heroic Spirits who identified with chivalry from calling themselves "knights" after being summoned to the Throne of Heroes.
Iskandar's army, too, was composed almost entirely of "knights."
While pledging loyalty to Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, his followers also revered Artoria as their spiritual ideal.
Perhaps it was their belief in Artoria's chivalry that allowed them to connect their spirits to Iskandar's, becoming part of the landscape within his Reality Marble.
Iskandar's rejection of Artoria wasn't so much a denial of her ideals as it was an attempt to liberate her from the "curse" of self-sacrifice, to allow her to live for herself.
But now, with Ailin's words, his efforts had been undone.
As for Gilgamesh, he had wanted to see Artoria, consumed by her lofty ideals, ultimately burn out.
But now, Gilgamesh's plan, too, had been thwarted by Ailin.
After all, Ailin's words were essentially telling Artoria: You were right, you succeeded. In countless parallel worlds, one of you has fulfilled your wish, leading Britain to prosperity.
Thus, Artoria's ideal, instead of being extinguished, would burn even brighter.
"Thank you, Berserker!"
Artoria, casting a grateful glance at Ailin, stood tall. Magical energy surged around her, materializing her blue and white armor. With a determined gaze, she faced Iskandar and Gilgamesh.
"Rider, Archer, I will not relinquish the Grail this time. Bring forth your best. I will not falter!"
"What a bother…"
Iskandar rubbed his forehead, a troubled expression on his face.
"I had hoped to use the 'Holy Grail Q&A' to determine the Grail's owner without bloodshed. But it seems I've only made the war more brutal."
Iskandar's words weren't entirely disingenuous.
Having understood each other's ideals, the three kings were no longer simply clashing in terms of strength. They were now battling with their very kingly ways.
At this point, Iskandar picked up the golden wine vessel in the center of their gathering, intending to take another drink.
However, the moment he lifted it, his expression changed.
The weight was wrong!
With a sinking feeling, Iskandar tilted the vessel upside down. After a long pause, a single drop of crimson wine, clinging to the rim, finally fell into his goblet.
"Berserker, I regret inviting you."
Iskandar shook his head in heart ache.
This was the finest wine in the world! He'd only had one cup, and now it was gone?
Iskandar was a straightforward man.
He had poured wine for the others only once at the beginning of the feast. Only Berserker had touched the vessel since.
However, Iskandar hadn't expected Berserker to be so ruthless, leaving them only a single drop.
Moreover, he had disrupted Iskandar's attempt to "save" the King of Knights.
"Hahaha, I, on the other hand, don't regret attending this feast,"
Ailin replied cheerfully, contrasting sharply with Iskandar's dejection. "Though I've had to listen to your tedious conversation for half the night, this wine alone has more than compensated for the wasted time."
"Hmph, a mongrel is still a mongrel!"
Gilgamesh scoffed at Ailin.
Their intense clash of ideals had been dismissed as a "tedious conversation." This mongrel was truly courting death.