Otherwise, you can find another savior.

That would only put the cart before the horse. If possible, Irisviel really wanted to communicate with Kiritsugu again and convince him to give up.

But...is this really possible?

Precisely because she understood Emiya Kiritsugu better than anyone else, and because she understood that long-cherished wish better than anyone else, Irisviel was not sure that she could convince her husband.

"No matter what, it is necessary to—"

Altria tried to express her opinion, but before she could finish her words, Irisviel's face turned pale.

"Someone... has entered the forest," she said.

Saber stood up immediately.

Logically speaking, holding a meeting like that today means that all the masters and servants on all sides should tacitly cease fire and prepare to purify the Greater Holy Grail and end this Holy Grail War.

However, Kiritsugu’s leaving the meeting midway might have been seen by them as a sign of not accepting the proposal, and thus became a source of instability.

Are you going to take this opportunity to eliminate us? Saber wondered in her heart.

“No, the intruder who entered the forest has stopped.” Irisviel tried to concentrate and make a judgment.

But soon, it was too late for her, Saber, and even Kiritsugu and Maiya who were making plans in the next room.

A strange magical power enveloped the Einzbern Castle. Saber clearly saw that everything before her eyes had disappeared, leaving only endless darkness and silence.

“This is——!”

Chapter 1: The Courtyard of Disappointment ()

When she came to her senses, Altria was unable to open her eyes because of the bright sunlight, and she instinctively reached out to block them.

After gradually regaining her vision, she found herself standing outside the stable.

I suddenly couldn't remember who I was looking at just now. I only remembered that I took a knight's oath, saying that I would protect the other person's safety until the last moment of everything.

Maybe I'm dreaming?

Altria looked at the coarse cloth she was wearing.

She gradually remembered that her job today was to take care of her adoptive father Hector's warhorse. Perhaps she was too tired after finishing the work, so she actually sat outside the stable and stared at the glaring sun.

Before my eyes is a vast grassland bathed in the morning sun.

Hector lives outside the town, far away from people's living circle.

"Are you just sitting here in a daze, Altria?"

I don’t know if he was here to supervise me, but my adoptive father Hector came over with a knight’s spear in his hand.

"No, I just..." Altria tried to defend herself.

But it was true, she was indeed in a daze here.

"Never mind. It's good to take a short break." Hector didn't care about it. "I have something to give you. Kai seems to have forgotten something. We can still catch up with him if we chase him now. You can deliver it to him in town."

Artoria was stunned by the words, which seemed like she had heard them before.

There is a special celebration in town today.

In order to attend the festival, Kai rode his father's warhorse to the town, but forgot to bring the most important gun for a knight.

And there was no warhorse in the stable waiting for her to take care of.

Altria would never forget what day it was.

She silently took the knight's gun from Hector and ran towards the town.

It was a really excessive scene, sending her back to the day when she drew the chosen sword Caliburn.

Run through farmlands and fields towards the town.

The town certainly seemed more lively than usual, but the atmosphere was slightly different from what Altria knew.

Everyone headed towards the knight training ground outside the town.

The children rushed out noisily.

The adults' eyes were flickering with excessive expectations, but they didn't want their expectations to be betrayed, so they maintained corresponding restraint, but their pace was even faster than usual.

"It's the king!"

"The King is coming to town!"

"Today the king is going to select his personal knights in the town!"

The conversation, which was slightly different from the scene in Altria's memory, made her pause for a moment.

King? Is it her father, King Uther? She wondered in her heart.

"Hey? Isn't this Artorius? Is it really okay for you to just sit there and stare blankly? Even if you are an apprentice knight, you are still a knight. Maybe you will be chosen by Queen Morgan!"

The young man who knew her called out her male name and talked about what was going to happen next.

Queen...Morgan?

Altria stayed where she was, but the young people in the town who were familiar with her were discussing enthusiastically who had the chance to become the knight of the "Queen".

The young people didn't want to delay this grand event, so when they saw that Altria didn't react, they left her and walked away first.

When the road outside the town gradually became deserted and all the hustle and bustle gathered in one place, she saw Kai walking towards her with a horse.

"Brother Kai, this is--" She handed over the gun in her hand.

"Oh, thanks." Kai took the knight's gun.

"Um...what's going on with the selection of the queen?" Altria's mind was confused.

"It means exactly what it says. We don't have time to dream with Merlin and Uther. Compared to the sword of the chosen one, it is more appropriate to use the number of troops, money, and strength. On top of that, your sister also knows how to integrate the interests of all parties, let everyone cooperate, and can also take responsibility." Kai said, "That's enough."

"..." Altria remained silent.

"If you want to go, go. If you don't want to go, just walk around the town by yourself and go back before dark." Kai got on the horse, "There is no need for you to carry everything on your shoulders anymore, Altria."

As if to tell her something, Kai said this in a rather serious tone and then walked away.

In fact, Altria knew that Kai didn't want her to bear the responsibility of Britain and the king from the beginning, but she could only watch everything happen helplessly.

Then, now suddenly someone tells her that you don't need to be king, someone has taken over your responsibilities.

You don't have to work so hard anymore.

Altria lowered her head and stood at the place where the Sword of the Chosen should have been inserted. The stone was empty, with only traces of where the sword once stood.

Looking at the gap in the shape of a sword blade, Altria covered her heart, as if something was missing there.

"Isn't this what you expected?"

A familiar voice sounded.

She looked up and saw the magician sitting not far in front of her. The shadow of his white hood covered most of his face, and only the familiar faint smile could be seen.

"The result I expected." Altria thought.

Britain was destroyed, so she felt deep regret and wanted to change the ending. She wanted to go back to before she drew the Sword of Choice and re-elect a king who was more suitable than herself to change the ending.

So she saw it all.

It is true that another king was chosen, and it is true that everyone supports that king.

Queen Morgan...Altria Pendragon's sister.

Her royal temperament and love for Britain might be superior to hers, but she was a sister that Altria had never understood.

"You don't have to draw that sword again, you don't have to be hated by all humans, and you won't have to face a tragic death. Whether as a knight Altria or as a girl Altria, you can live a more normal life."

The right result, the result that will not hurt you anymore.

However, when she actually saw the result, she hesitated.

Even though she knew this might just be Morgan's illusion, it still hit Altria's heart.

"Under the rule of Queen Morgan, perhaps Britain will have a completely different ending." The magician smiled faintly, as if he was neither happy nor sad.

The next second, another voice sounded from behind.

"Or, you can't accept this situation?"

Turning back suddenly, Altria saw Morgan.

She just stood in the sun, without any expression, just asking questions quietly and then looking at her.

"In that case, it's not impossible to take it back from Queen Morgan now. You still have the qualifications."

The magician's voice sounded again.

Then, there was no one around, only Altria was left standing there, and... the Sword of the Chosen One reappeared.

Chapter 2: The Courtyard of Disappointment ()

The dry wood was thrown into the fire and began to crackle. The fire became a little brighter, illuminating the faces of Shiomi and Morgan.

The Einzbern Forest is only about four kilometers away from the castle.

The two men sat on a fallen tree trunk with a burning bonfire in front of them.

"Is this all we need to do?" he asked Morgan.

"That's enough. When I formed an alliance with Einzbern, I went to the castle. At that time, I had already started to prepare for the Holy Grail War after the alliance ended." Morgan looked at the burning bonfire. "For Altria, the 'Garden of Disappointment' is very suitable for her."

"'Garden of Disappointment'..." Shiomi nodded.

In fact, "The Garden of Disappointment" is not so much a magic as it is a magic fixed as a ceremonial costume.

No chanting is required, only magic power needs to be provided, and it will be activated according to the user's wishes. However, if the caster's own ability is insufficient, he may be swallowed up.

"But this thing can't be effective only on Altria. If there are other people in the castle, they will also be sucked in." Morgan said, "So it's better not to get close to there for the time being, my husband. Unless you also want to experience it."

Shiomi's face looked as if fresh lemon juice had been dripped onto the tip of her tongue, and her facial features were all squeezed together. "No thanks."

Although he didn't know what he would encounter, Morgan had already told him the principles of the "Garden of Disappointment" when he was making the fire just now.

Reduce the visitor's heart to nothingness, and let him suffer the pain of self-blame. Reveal the cold courtyard of warm deception.

If you can endure to the end you can leave the courtyard, but before that your heart will disappear.

But Shiomi didn't want to experience it, not because she was afraid of what she might see, but for other reasons.

"Do you think my magic is vicious?" Morgan asked calmly.

"From the moment magic was used as a tool for conflict, there was no difference between vicious and not vicious. The Holy Grail War is a matter of life and death. It is better to say--" Shiomi, who was warming his hands by the fire, said, "Are you too soft-hearted? It is obvious that if you and I work together, it would not be difficult to raze Saber's camp and the castle to the ground and completely exclude them from this Holy Grail War, but you chose this roundabout method. This is not the way to win without fighting."

"But you didn't object?" Morgan smiled.

"Just expressing my feelings." Xi Jian lowered his eyes and continued to warm himself by the fire with his hands spread out.

His eyes reflected the firelight, which was somewhat thrilling.

Be it vicious or cruel, she knew very well that he would never use such words to describe her.

Instead, she intended it to be a joke, but it was inadvertently interpreted as a self-deprecating and self-abusive statement, which made him angry.

"It's a bit boring to just sit by the fire and wait for the results," said Morgan.

"'Garden of Disappointment' is your magic, you should be able to see what's going on inside, right?" Shiomi raised her eyebrows.

"I'm not interested. Whether it's Altria or anyone else, what they saw in the 'courtyard', whether they can get out or not, has nothing to do with me." Morgan put his legs together, spread his palms on his knees, and looked relaxed. "This forest is so pristine, and now it's even darker and the dew is heavier--"

She patted the seat next to her with one hand and said, "Come sit over here. It's a little warmer than the fire."

"No need. I'm not an ordinary person. If a magician can't even keep warm, then it would be..."

He stopped talking midway, and Morgan adopted his attitude that did not brook rejection.

"We're still fighting, I won't listen." Xijian turned his face away, deliberately not looking at her expression.

Otherwise, just one glance, without any charm or magic, would make him obey her will.

"Since you won't come, let me go."

However, he inadvertently forgot that the two of them were just sitting opposite each other across the campfire, with no natural barrier between them. They could just move a few steps and sit next to each other.

Although Morgan didn't actually do anything but sit down next to him, he found himself a little disappointed, as if he had expected something.

It's really bad.