Miracle Summoner

She remembered.

She finally remembered.

The moment the holy lance shattered like glass in her hands and the holy sword returned to its rightful owner, Artoria remembered everything.

She remembered her past as King Arthur.

She remembered the reason she pulled the sword from the stone.

She remembered the reason she fought without end.

She remembered the final moment she unintentionally missed.

When all these memories returned, Artoria no longer wavered or felt lost as before. Instead, she regained her composure with a calmness surpassing even that of her divine self.

All of this was because Artoria remembered that name.

"Bedivere, my most loyal knight."

Artoria finally remembered his name.

For a thousand years, she had wandered the world, believing this was her destined end. Who would have thought that in the very end, the one who granted her peace and solace would still be him?

"You have faithfully returned the holy sword intact."

After 1,500 years, King Arthur's final moment had finally returned to its rightful course.

"You have done well."

Silently, Artoria offered praise to the knight who had long since passed and opened her eyes.

…

Unknowingly, the ends of the world had disappeared.

Everyone returned together to the grand audience hall at the top of the royal castle. Standing in this bright and vast chamber, not a single person spoke.

"Sir Bedivere..."

Mash lowered her gaze, tears of sorrow streaming down her eyes.

"Well done, Sir Bedivere..."

Artoria [Alter] had been watching the direction where Bedivere had passed away, murmuring softly.

"..."

Rozen remained silent. The radiant wings on his back and the golden glow in his eyes had faded. The immense High-Grade Mana within him dissipated like melting snow, reverting to a scale comparable to that of a planet.

Everyone simply stood in silent tribute to this moment, as if offering their condolences to the loyal knight.

Even the members of Chaldea could not bring themselves to say a word. Though their observations confirmed that the Singularity was being repaired, not a single person felt any joy.

Not even Artoria.

"…It seems that I have lost this time."

A faint voice echoed through the chamber.

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice and saw Artoria standing before the throne, looking down at them as she had before.

The only difference was that her armor was now tattered, her holy lance had vanished, and in its place, the holy sword shone with the radiance of the stars.

After 1,500 years, the holy sword had finally returned to Artoria's hands.

"Though my divinity remains, my authority has vanished along with the holy lance. This holy city will also disappear with it. In the end, there is no doubt that I have lost."

Artoria spoke in an unprecedentedly calm tone.

In response, the one who was also the same existence stepped forward.

"The Lion King is no more. Now, standing before us is the true King Arthur, correct?"

Artoria [Alter] addressed Artoria directly.

She received a simple reply.

"Of course." Artoria spoke lightly. "I am King Arthur, ruler of Britain, the pinnacle of the Knights of the Round Table, the child of dragons who should have perished in the forest. If only I had remembered this sooner."

As she spoke, Artoria glanced at Artoria [Alter].

"However, I do not acknowledge that you and I are the same existence—fallen Arthur."

Artoria declared firmly.

"I feel the same." Artoria [Alter] agreed without hesitation. "No matter what you say, you abandoned your humanity and became a celestial spirit, a divine being. I will never recognize you as the same as me."

Both were King Arthur, yet neither was the original.

One had fallen into darkness, becoming a king of evil.

The other had ascended to divinity, becoming a god.

Even though they were undoubtedly Arthur, they were no longer the original, pure, and true King Arthur.

At the end of their respective paths stood two versions of Artoria—one of darkness and one of divinity.

Thus, even though they were both King Arthur, neither would ever accept that the other was the same as themselves.

"However, there is one thing we do share in common."

Artoria spoke with absolute tranquility.

"Indeed." Artoria [Alter] did not deny it. Instead, she nodded and said, "No matter which path we walked, our most loyal knight was always him—the one-armed boy who wept bitterly before our passing, unwilling to return the holy sword."

That was the truth.

No matter what, this fact remained unchanged for every version of King Arthur.

Regardless of whether she had fallen into darkness to become the King of Evil or had ascended to become a divine being, that knight would never leave her side—not until the very end.

He was the first and final knight—Bedivere.

Artoria turned her gaze toward Rozen.

Rozen raised his eyes to meet Artoria's.

The two locked eyes in silence.

Then, Artoria raised her hand.

"Zing..."

With a flickering golden radiance, three golden chalices appeared in Artoria's hand.

Without hesitation or a hint of reluctance, Artoria tossed all three golden chalices toward Rozen.

"The Holy Grails!"

Mash cried out in surprise.

Rozen's eyes flickered. Extending his hand, he used his Space Manipulation Magic to envelop the three golden chalices and pull them toward himself.

"These are your spoils of war. Take them."

Saying this, Artoria stepped down from the throne and, under the silent gazes of Rozen and his companions, walked forward without looking back, passing them by as she headed toward the exit.

"Where... where are you going?"

Mash quickly reacted and asked.

In response, Artoria gave only a single reply.

"To where I must go, to finish what I must do."

With that, Artoria left.

The goddess of the holy lance now held the holy sword in her grasp. She turned back toward Rozen.

"Indeed, I have lost. That is undeniable. But that does not mean you have won."

Artoria declared.

It was not arrogance, nor was it unwillingness to admit defeat.

It was a fact.

A fact Artoria now revealed.

"Even now, I still believe humanity has no future. Human history is doomed to destruction."

Artoria stated expressionlessly.

"Among the seven Singularities, only one remains."

"But that final Singularity... you will not be able to pass through it."

"Because, in that place, there exists a calamity far greater than the Mage King."