Ended
There was once a little girl on the other end of time and space.
She connected to the Swirl of the Root since birth, thus, the world held no secrets in her eyes.
She was the embodiment of truth.
She was omnipotent.
She was omniscient.
To create life, a mere thought was enough.
To bring death, a whispered word was enough.
There was nothing she couldn't do; she could manipulate as well as destroy—such was her existence.
Yet, such power also robbed her of much joy.
What others found fascinating bored her to the extreme.
She couldn't experience joy, nor could she ever feel sorrow.
Born omniscient, she saw through herself at a glance, living seemingly only to wait for the day she could die. Even though she had set a restriction for herself, such as being 'unable to foresee her own future', she still just barely managed to get by.
'But it's okay, it's fine.'
She didn't care.
Even if she lived like a dead.
Even if she died like a living.
Because hope still lingered in her heart.
This hope was the last future she saw before she restricted herself.
'When I join the Holy Grail War and become a Master, I'll fall in love.'
With that hope in her heart and a smile on her face, in February 1991, she finally encountered the destined love of her life.
He was honest, gentle, and noble.
His smile was as warm and radiant as the morning light.
He was a knight who upheld kindness and believed in justice, visible at first glance.
Not one for conflict, but wielding a sword stronger than anyone else.
His radiant sword could eliminate any wickedness, any evil in the world.
Arthur Pendragon, the King of Knights, was her one and only destined love in the past, present, and future.
Before meeting him, she was just a girl with the power of a goddess.
After their encounter, she became a goddess with the heart of a girl.
From that day on, the girl named Sajyou Manaka truly came into existence.
'I will fulfill your wish, Saber.'
With such a belief in her heart, she threw herself into the Holy Grail War, trampling all her opponents with a godlike demeanor.
The dreams of Masters, the wishes of Servants, all these things met their miserable end in the face of her pure love.
However, just that wasn't enough.
She, who understood everything clearly, knew that merely relying on the power of the Holy Grail couldn't possibly reverse Britain's fate of destruction.
Therefore, in order to disrupt the established fate, destroy the fixed history, and reshape Britain, she decided to sacrifice the soul of a young girl, her own younger sister, to awaken the Beast sleeping within the Holy Grail.
However, things didn't go as smoothly as she had hoped.
In the end, she was betrayed by the one she loved most.
His golden sword pierced straight through her chest, breaking the curse of the black-winged symbol on her chest.
'But it's okay.'
'Even if you pierce me again, I won't resent you.'
'For my life, it is only because of you that it has meaning, my prince...'
Being killed once again by her beloved, she smiled in the radiance of the golden particles, tears streaming down her face.
She opened her arms as if to embrace her beloved.
'I am not afraid of death.'
'I am just sad because I won't be able to see your face anymore.'
'Past, present, future... In any world, you are my special, the one I devoted myself to wholeheartedly.'
'You are the one I longed for, the one who haunted my dreams.'
'I thought our future would never end, but it ended in this way.'
'So, at least... at least the expression you see must be... my smile...'
'I love you, Saber...'
===
Everything finally came to an end.
Beast VI, along with the Root Princess, was completely obliterated by Excalibur.
After everything had settled down, the clouds in the sky were torn apart, creating a radiating hole above the ruins of Camelot, caused by the impact of the unleashed holy sword.
Warm sunlight pierced through the hole and fell upon the devastated land.
The towering white walls seemed to dissolve into the sunlight, bit by bit.
"I wonder if this can be considered as redemption for the mistakes I've made..." Arthur muttered slowly, a wry smile on his face as he watched his hand dissipate into light particles.
"It's far from enough, Arthur. The mistakes you've made cannot be erased by just one sword swing."
Arkhan chimed in as he approached from a distance, his black eyes locking onto the blond man before him.
"That's why, your journey is far from over. Go and save those who are still waiting for hope. This time, don't lose yourself in self-doubt again."
"I will." Arthur took a deep breath, looking at the holy sword in his hand. "To fight for faith and will—not only is it the restraint of Excalibur, but also my own. I'll always remember your blessing."
"Well then, my friend, may the wind be at your back." Arkhan smiled, extending his hand. "May we have the chance to meet again in the future."
"We will, someday." Arthur smiled back, shaking the hand. "And when that day comes, remember to invite me to see your world. I've always been curious about what Britain under another Arthur's rule looks like."
"As long as you won't feel inferior by then." Arkhan laughed.
"Is that so? Then I'll have to look forward to it." Arthur chuckled along, his body dissolving into endless light particles, dispersing into the air, leaving behind only a scabbard adorned with blue enamel.
Merlin reached out and took the scabbard while grumbling.
"That boy is becoming less and less nice over time. I went through all this trouble to come here and help him, but I didn't even get a thanks. All his attention is on this wild man he just met..."
Although her voice was low, it didn't escape Arkhan's ears, but he deeply suspected that she said it on purpose for him to hear.
"It's not hard to understand, is it? If it were me, I might do the same." Arkhan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "If you had come out earlier to awaken him, maybe the people of this city wouldn't have died."
"You say that so easily..." Merlin rolled her eyes. "That bad woman has been guarding him like a piece of plaster. How could I get close to him?"
Even if she was right, Arkhan remained unconvinced about it.
He didn't believe Merlin couldn't find a way to approach Arthur without getting past Manaka. Her reluctance probably stemmed from considering the risks involved.
As a result, she came to him as Mari, instigating him to come to the Holy City of Camelot, creating opportunities for herself to get close to Arthur.
Although people say 'self-preservation is the first law of nature', the act of disregarding the lives of tens of thousands for one's own selfish reasons would hardly be easily accepted by anyone.
Even so, Arkhan couldn't say much about it.
After all, Merlin was Merlin, she was not human to begin with, and besides, the victory this time was indeed largely due to her. If it weren't for the assistance she provided at the end, the whole world would probably have succumbed to Beast VI.
From the result, she was undoubtedly the hero who saved this world.
"Anyway, the trouble this time is finally resolved, and I can finally relax a bit and continue my travels." Merlin stretched lazily, showcasing her gorgeous figure. "Hmm... speaking of which, it seems like it's been ages since I last streamed. What kind of excuse should I come up with for my viewer this time... Oh, right, I'll just say I went to save the world! This time I'm not lying—"
"Hold on a sec." Arkhan interrupted her. "There's something I want to ask..."
"Is it about me as Mari?" Merlin tilted her head with a smile.
Arkhan nodded, his gaze slightly complex.
"Is this Mari... really exist?"
"It depends on how you see it."
Merlin just shrugged her shoulders casually, turning her head to the sky.
"If you were to ask the villagers now, they would sadly tell you that Mari tragically fell to her death while gathering herbs. They would remember every detail of burying the little girl, every detail of her growing up. Every year, they'd lay flowers on her grave and pass her story down to their descendants. Children would remember how, during the toughest times, a girl not much older than them brought smiles and hope, helping everyone through those desperate years..."
"Mari's traces will always linger. Maybe many years later, some curious kids will come across this name while reading their ancestors' memoirs... Do you think these things can prove Mari's existence? Well, I now go by Mari anyway."
After hearing Merlin's answer, Arkhan looked up at the sky, letting out a soft sigh.
"...I finally understand what perspective you're looking at this world from... Well, this answer is more than enough..."
===
Volume 6 ended.
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