Eriri: "Gilgamesh's attitude did a complete one-eighty! What on earth happened to make him change like that? Was it the games?"
Conan: "Perhaps he was abused into affection. You know, some people have... special preferences like that."
Kurumi Tokisaki: "To think the renowned King of Heroes would have such a secret hobby... Ara ara, how truly unimaginable."
King of Heroes: "Mongrels! If you wish to die, this King wouldn't mind sending you on your way."
L: "Hooo... a banquet of kings? The King of Conquerors truly makes the most unexpected moves. But it is true; a victory of ideals holds far more weight than a victory in battle."
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "More than that, I'm curious about the organization Elysia mentioned. She's the 'Number Two' in it. So who is 'Number One'?"
Yukino Yukinoshita: "Now that you mention it, that is indeed worth pondering. We currently know Elysia is strong enough to level a small mountain. It's possible that the 'Number One' possesses even greater power than her."
Kevin: "..."
In the Sea of Quanta, Kevin silently typed out a series of dots. If he wasn't mistaken, the "Number One" Elysia was talking about was probably him.
However, Kevin never considered himself the leader of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. He was merely the First, pushed into the position by Elysia. Elysia herself was the true soul of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. Without her, such an organization would never have existed in the first place.
---o---
[In the video—
"What is this cheap swill? Do you truly believe this is a worthy measure of heroes?"
After taking a small sip of Rider's wine, the King of Heroes spoke with a look of disgust.
"Is that so? This is considered a very fine wine in the local market," the King of Conquerors replied, taking back the wooden cup.
"You think so only because you know nothing of wine, mongrel."
A golden vortex appeared once more beside the scoffing King of Heroes. It was the precursor to him summoning a Noble Phantasm. Waver and Irisviel felt a chill run down their spines, while the audience watched the scene with rapt attention.
But what appeared from beside the King of Heroes tonight was not a weapon, but a series of wine vessels encrusted with dazzling jewels. A heavy golden carafe was filled with a clear, colorless liquid.
A rich, potent aroma instantly filled the clearing. Without a doubt, this was not a wine that could be produced in the modern era. Seeing this, Elysia's eyes filled with curiosity.
So it wasn't just weapons; he could even summon miscellaneous items like wine and gold? She kind of wanted to see what the inside of that golden vortex looked like.
"Look closely, and remember. This is the 'Wine of Kings'," the King of Heroes said, quite pleased with himself as he watched the others marvel at his treasure.
"Oh, this is magnificent!"
The King of Conquerors, paying no mind to the King of Heroes' tone, happily poured the new wine into four cups.
The cups, too, were treasures from the Gate of Babylon. Not only were the King of Conquerors' wooden cups shabby, but there were only three of them, which was why the King of Heroes had chosen to bring out cups as well.
King Arthur remained highly vigilant against the inscrutable King of Heroes, but seeing Elysia—who wasn't even a king—down the golden cup without hesitation, she accepted the wine offered to her.
"Oh, delicious!!"
"Mm—not bad at all~~~"
Elysia and the King of Conquerors praised it at almost the same time.
Now, even King Arthur's curiosity was piqued. This was not a contest of who was more refined, but a competition judged by wine.
As the liquor flowed down her throat, King Arthur felt an intense, expansive sensation in her mind. It was truly the finest wine she had ever tasted. It was potent yet pure, mellow yet crisp. The rich aroma filled her senses, and she felt almost weightless.
"Incredible! This is surely not a wine brewed by mortals. It must be a nectar fit only for the gods!!!"
Watching the King of Conquerors lavish praise, the King of Heroes wore a leisurely smile. At some point, he had also sat down, contentedly swirling the wine in his cup.
"Of course. Be it wine or swords, my treasury holds only the finest treasures. With this, the hierarchy of kings has already been established, has it not?"
"The flavor is exquisite, but this wine is a bit too rich and potent, don't you think? If we're judging a person by their drink, this wine really does match your overbearing and unreasonable personality~~~"
Elysia poured herself another cup, continuing to savor it without the slightest reservation. King Arthur looked at her with some surprise. The wine was indeed too strong; she was not used to it. But Elysia herself showed no aversion at all?
That was only natural. Although Elysia herself didn't particularly like to drink, given her relationship with Eden, even if she couldn't hold a thousand cups, her tolerance was far beyond that of an ordinary person.
Seeing Elysia's hearty manner, the King of Conquerors grinned in admiration. "Oh? You can tell a person's character from their wine? Could it be that you too are a lover of drink?"
Elysia quickly finished another cup and said, "Unfortunately, no. But I have a good friend who is the foremost expert on wine. I just drink with her from time to time."
"Is that so? What a shame that a wine lover cannot experience this personally. This is truly a vintage of the highest quality."
The King of Conquerors sighed with some regret, while the King of Heroes said nothing, quietly observing him and Elysia.
After savoring the fine wine, the banquet truly began.
The King of Conquerors spoke first. "Archer, your supreme wine is indeed worthy of a treasured cup. Unfortunately, the Holy Grail and a wine cup are different things. You must tell us what great wish you have entrusted to the Grail."
The King of Heroes replied scornfully, "You are in no position to order me, mongrel. Furthermore, your premise of 'fighting for the Holy Grail' is already flawed. It was mine to begin with. All the treasures of the world can be traced back to my treasury."
"Are you saying you once possessed the Holy Grail? Do you know what it is?"
"I do not. Do not measure me by the standards of a mongrel."
The King of Heroes coolly dismissed the King of Conquerors' question.
"It is beyond your comprehension. The total sum of my property exceeds even my own awareness. But as long as it is a 'treasure,' it undoubtedly belongs to me. That much is clear. To think of stealing it from my treasury... you are a rather audacious thief."
As he spoke, the King of Heroes' gaze turned cold once more as he looked at King Arthur and the King of Conquerors with displeasure.
This time, it was King Arthur who was left speechless.
"Your words are no different from the mad ravings of Caster. It seems he is not the only deranged Servant."
"Well now, how should I put this."
Unlike King Arthur, Elysia didn't care whether the Holy Grail was the King of Heroes' treasure or not. Instead, as if responding to King Arthur, she said, "Although the King of Heroes is quite full of himself, that treasury of his really does have a lot of interesting things. With his abilities, he could grant a wish even without the Holy Grail."
Grant a wish without the Holy Grail? Was the King of Heroes' treasury truly that miraculous? To even earn praise from Elysia.
The audience, as well as Irisviel and Waver in the video, immediately perked up their ears, listening intently. But the King of Conquerors changed the subject.
"So, Archer, does that mean if you give your consent, we can have the Holy Grail?"
"Of course. But I have no reason to bestow it upon vermin such as you."
"Are you reluctant to part with it?"
"Certainly not. I bestow gifts only upon my subjects and my people."
The King of Heroes smiled mockingly at the King of Conquerors.
"Alternatively, Rider, if you were to swear fealty to me, I might gift you a cup or two."
"...Ah, that I cannot do."
The King of Conquerors scratched his chin, seemingly feeling the condition was far too steep, and simply turned his head away.
"But Archer, as Miss Elysia said, the Holy Grail is of no consequence to you. Are you not fighting for it to grant some wish?"
"Of course not. But I cannot allow thieves to make off with my treasures. It is a matter of principle."
"Which means—"
The King of Conquerors drained his cup.
"What great cause or reason lies within that principle?"
"It is the law. The law I have decreed as King."
The King of Heroes answered without a hint of hesitation. It was a self-evident fact.
"Hmm."
The King of Conquerors seemed to understand, letting out a deep sigh.
"A truly perfect king, able to enforce the laws he himself has set. But, I still want the Holy Grail. If I want something, I plunder it. That is my way. After all, I am Iskandar... the King of Conquerors."
"Then there is nothing to be done. You have broken the law. I will pass judgment. There is no room for argument."
"Then we shall meet on the battlefield."
As if sealing a pact, the two kings raised their cups and drank. A battle between them was inevitable, but for now, at this banquet, it was best to enjoy themselves to the fullest.
"—But Archer, let us drink for now. The battle can wait."
"Naturally. Unless you have no appreciation for the wine I have brought."
"What a jest. With such fine wine before me, how could I bear not to drink?"
At this moment, it was impossible to tell if the King of Heroes and the King of Conquerors were friends or foes. King Arthur and Elysia sat silently to the side, watching them. After a moment, King Arthur finally spoke to the King of Conquerors.
"Speaking of which, King of Conquerors, for what purpose do you seek the Holy Grail?"
Hearing this, the King of Conquerors paused. He seemed hesitant, almost shy. Finally, he picked up the golden cup and downed the fine wine in one go.
It was unclear if it was shyness or the effect of the wine, but his face flushed red. This bashful attitude confused countless people—what was he blushing for?
At last, the King of Conquerors struggled to give his answer: "I wish to obtain a physical body!"
King Arthur: "?"
King of Heroes: "Hah?"
The Audience: "???"
Then, Waver became agitated, rushing up to tug at the King of Conquerors and shouting, "What are you talking about?! Isn't your wish to conquer the world... Ouch!"
Before he could finish, a flick from the King of Conquerors sent him tumbling to the ground. Though he wasn't seriously hurt, Waver wore a deeply aggrieved expression.
Then, the King of Conquerors made his declaration: "Fool! What is the meaning of obtaining the world with a mere cup? World conquest is a dream I must realize with my own two hands! The Holy Grail is but the first step towards achieving that dream!"
He said this with a calm, matter-of-fact expression. Many viewers found it incredible, completely unable to comprehend the King of Conquerors' thought process. Wouldn't it be better to just use the Holy Grail to wish for the world directly?
Why take such a roundabout route?
But after the King of Conquerors made this magnificent declaration, Elysia's eyes lit up.
To obtain a body to achieve a dream, rather than taking a shortcut to the dream itself—this was one of the shining qualities of humanity.
With such a pioneering spirit and philosophy, it was no wonder he became a king who dominated an era.
Unfortunately, while his spirit was admirable, Elysia could not agree with his ideal. Conquering the world might seem romantic and grand, but it was built upon the suffering of other lives.
After learning of the King of Conquerors' ideal, the King of Heroes spoke, his tone filled with displeasure. "Mongrel, you mean to challenge this King for such a trivial matter?"
The King of Conquerors replied, "Though we have manifested through magical energy, we are ultimately just Servants." He looked down at his right hand, his expression grave. "Therefore, I wish to be incarnated in this era, to take root as a true living being!"
He clenched his fists, his voice ringing with conviction. "Then, with my own body, I will challenge this world, which to me is an entirely new frontier. This—is the entirety of the act of 'conquest'!"
"To begin, to advance, and to finally achieve in this way, that is my path of supremacy!"
These were without a doubt the words of a hegemon. Though brief and not some grand philosophy, they stirred a passion in people, making them feel a desire to follow this king forward.
The King of Heroes then laughed and said, "This King has decided. Rider, this King will kill you with his own hands."
The words were plain, and there was no terrifying killing intent, but they carried a sharp, piercing chill. It was clear Gilgamesh truly meant to kill him.
The King of Conquerors, hearing this, retorted in kind, declaring he would plunder everything in the King of Heroes' treasury.
This declaration of a bandit finally made King Arthur unable to hold back. She commented coolly, "In the end, you are nothing but a warmonger consumed by ambition."
The King of Conquerors looked at King Arthur, unconcerned by her assessment. Instead, he asked, "Then, Saber, for what purpose do you seek the Holy Grail?"
King Arthur looked at the King of Conquerors, then at the King of Heroes, before lowering her gaze to the fine wine in her cup.
In the crystal-clear liquid, her beautiful, flawless face was faintly visible. Her eyes held a look of nostalgia and reminiscence, as if recalling the past.
Then, she spoke, a faint smile gracing her lips. "At the very beginning, I intended to use the Holy Grail to change the fate of Camelot's collapse and the destruction of ancient Britain."
The King of Heroes was stunned. The King of Conquerors was stunned. Everyone who heard this answer was stunned.
Then, King Arthur continued, "But after coming to this era, I have already abandoned that laughable wish. Now, I have no wish to entrust to the Holy Grail!"
After King Arthur finished speaking so cheerfully, a long silence fell over the group.
"—I say, Knight King, did I hear you correctly?"
Rider finally broke the silence. For some reason, his face was filled with confusion.
"Did you say you wanted to 'change fate'? To overturn history?"
"That's right. Because my country was destroyed, and my people fell into even greater hardship."
King Arthur said softly, her eyes seeming to look back a thousand years to Britain.
"Then why have you abandoned that ideal now?" the King of Conquerors asked in a heavy tone.
"Because it is not necessary. The past cannot be undone. Even the Holy Grail, which is said to grant any wish, could never give Britain a second chance. Not only would it fail to change history, it would likely make it even more cruel and painful."
King Arthur paid no mind to the expressions on the faces of the King of Conquerors and the King of Heroes, continuing:
"But now, I am at peace... As a king, I should have shared in the despair and emptiness with my people after the war. But thankfully... although Britain has fallen, the legacy of Britain still exists in this world."
As she spoke these words, Saber's face was resolute, and her body seemed to shimmer with a holy light. Just looking at her was dazzling.
As she finished, the King of Heroes let out a snort, which turned into a hearty laugh.
King Arthur frowned and looked at him. "King of Heroes, what are you laughing at? Is there something amusing?"
The King of Heroes did not answer her. Instead, he turned to the King of Conquerors and Elysia. "Did you hear that? What this little girl who calls herself the Knight King said. Sacrificing herself for her country? Hahahaha! And she calls herself a king? Hahahaha!"
King Arthur stared coldly at the King of Heroes. "What is so amusing? As a king, it is natural to stand forth and strive for the prosperity of the nation one rules. Is that not the foundation of kingship?"
In the video, the King of Conquerors spoke. "No, you are wrong, Saber. It is not the king who devotes themself. It is the country and the people who devote themselves to the king. Never the other way around."
The King of Heroes stopped laughing. He said nothing, but his smiling expression clearly showed his agreement with the King of Conquerors.
After hearing the King of Conquerors' words, King Arthur was silent for a long moment. Then her expression calmed. "I understand. My kingship is fundamentally different from yours. It is natural that you do not acknowledge me. But by the same token, I do not acknowledge you. As tyrants whose nations were destroyed, you are fundamentally different from a king like me, who continued the destiny of her nation."
"In the end, the nations we once ruled have all perished. But... to this day, the people of Britain still stand strong in this world. The kingdom may be gone, but the people are not."
"In comparison, King of Conquerors, King of Heroes... where have your nations and your bloodlines gone?"
As she said this, a smile touched Saber's lips. It looked for all the world like a contemptuous sneer.
It was true. Although the kingdoms of all three in the traditional sense had fallen, only King Arthur's people could still be traced to this day. As for the King of Conquerors and the King of Heroes... their true subjects had likely vanished from this world long ago.
Faced with Saber's sharp counterattack, the King of Heroes merely gave a disdainful smile, clearly unfazed by such an attack.
The King of Conquerors, however, stated directly that although his country was destroyed, and he would mourn and weep for it, he would never regret it. Because that was the history he and his subjects had created together. And he would never have a thought like Saber's, to travel through time to change the past. That was absolutely unforgivable.
He even mercilessly pointed out that such a thought was the greatest insult and negation of himself and the subjects who had created that history with him.
Finally, the King of Conquerors stared at Saber and delivered his most powerful blow: "Saber, your will, your obsession, your Way of the King... it is less that of a king and more that of a desireless saint. And in my eyes, a king without desire is worse than a mere vase!"
"A king must be the one with the strongest desires, who laughs the loudest and rages the hardest! They must embody both the clear and the murky to the utmost extreme of what it means to be human! It is because of this that subjects admire their king, are captivated by their king, and in the heart of every person, the spark of 'I too wish to be king' is ignited."
King Arthur: "..."
She said nothing, merely staring coldly at the King of Conquerors. Clearly, she would not be swayed by his words.
The three argued for their own Way of the King, but while the King of Heroes and the King of Conquerors acknowledged each other, neither acknowledged Saber's.
However, both of them knew that Saber's stance was firm and she would not be broken by their words. So, the King of Conquerors could only change the subject, turning to Elysia, who had been watching the show all this time.
"Well—the words of kings have been spoken, and this banquet is more or less concluded. But... there is one last participant who has yet to speak."
Then, the King of Conquerors raised his cup to Elysia and asked, "So—Miss Elysia, if you were to obtain the Holy Grail, what would your wish be?"]