章 441: C441
Shirou glanced at the scales in his hand and said, "By the king's authority, I grant you a divine duty."
His words flowed like a sweet melody, and a soft glow extended from his hand, wrapping around the scales.
As the light completely enveloped the scales, he set aside the holy lance and drew the Caliburn. The blade emitted a radiant gleam as he swung it down—
"By the king's command, come forth, Astraea!"
With one swing of the sword, a luminous humanoid figure obediently materialized through the summoning.
Luvia was dumbfounded. "Th-this is... a joke, right?"
Taking on a more solid form, the figure gripped a sword that screamed 'justice.' Displaying an imposing bearing, she announced, "Goddess of Justice, Astraea, I have come in response to your summons, my king!"
"M-my... my king?"
Both Rin and Luvia stood there, jaws dropped, as if the world was falling apart.
The reappearance of Astraea, a goddess who had been swallowed by the monster, was already mind-blowing on its own.
But now?
A goddess referring to a human as her king?
This was beyond comprehension!
Merlin broke the silence. "This isn't something to be surprised about,"
"Magus Merlin, can you explain what's going on?" Luvia asked.
Rin also shifted her gaze toward him.
They both realized they were standing in front of none other than Merlin, the legendary magus from the Arthurian legend. So, they didn't waste any time and just went ahead and asked him what was going on.
With a chuckle, he began, "In the grand legacy established by our king, he isn't merely a ruler but the embodiment of heaven, earth, and its people. His voice resonates like a divine melody. The king's authority is unmatched, even by gods. He is, essentially, the ruler of all things, so it's only natural for gods to fall under his jurisdiction."
Rin latched onto an important detail. "But Astraea doesn't come from the Camelot legend, though, does she?"
Merlin flashed a smile, "Ah, but didn't Luvia just hand over the Divine Core to the king a moment ago?"
Rin seemed deep in thought, while Luvia looked confused and asked, "What does that have to do with anything?"
Rin snapped, "Are you kidding? You just gave the Divine Core to Fuji—" She paused and stopped short, choosing her words carefully, "—you gave it to His Majesty. That's probably the moment Astraea aligned with Camelot, right?"
Merlin grinned, pleased. "Exactly. So, it stands to reason that our king could now also summon Lady Astraea from the Throne of Heroes. The thing is..."
"The thing is what?" Luvia interjected, growing more curious.
"This manifestation of the goddess isn't the same as before. She now embodies the attribute of Justice, not Virgo and Stars," Merlin elaborated.
Astraea caught Merlin's eye before shifting her focus to Shirou. "Indeed, my king. As the magus of flowers has accurately stated, the elements of Virgo and Stars have been absorbed by that thing. Through my manifestation using your Noble Phantasm, I only represent Justice."
Shirou simply nodded. "That's fine."
"My King..." Astraea's looked at him.
He shot a quick glance at Luvia and Rin before speaking, "Rin, Luvia, Astraea, go ahead and do what you need to do."
"Got it," Rin and Luvia chimed in almost simultaneously.
Astraea joined them, her voice gentle as she added, "Rin, Luvia, let's give it our all together, okay?"
Luvia and Rin exchanged a hesitant look for a moment.
Undeterred, she continued with a soft smile, "Don't treat me like a stranger. I'm still the same me. The part that got absorbed was just one side of me. The version His Majesty summoned from the Throne of Heroes still holds onto my old memories. She put in a lot of effort to create those memories. So, please, don't keep your distance. It'd make me kind of sad."
"Lady Astraea..."
The three departed.
Shirou shifted his attention to Miyu and instructed, "Miyu, you and Ruby head over to the office and see how the evacuation is coming along."
She hesitated briefly before giving a determined nod, "Yes, Fu... Your Highness!"
With that, Miyu and Ruby took their leave.
"Now then, my king, I suppose it's time for me to tend to my duties as well," Merlin spoke with a smile as he got up to leave. However, before he could go far, Shirou signaled for him to stay.
Curious, Merlin asked, "What's the matter, my king?"
"I need to ask you something important. Tell me honestly, is Mordred the child of me and Artoria?"
Merlin's smile froze on his face.
He locked eyes with his king, whose gaze was as keen as an eagle's, and a shiver ran down his spine.
The moment he'd been dreading had finally come...
Merlin's shoulders slumped as he let out a resigned sigh. With a nod, he admitted, "Yes."
Shirou looked at him, "Did you conspire with Agravain and the others to keep this from me?"
Merlin's head drooped, his response barely above a whisper, "Yes."
Shirou gazed at him calmly and said, "Don't move, stay right there."
"Huh? My king?"
Merlin raised his head, only to be met with the Holy Lance, Rhongomyniad, radiating a searing white light that consumed him.
Within the blaze of white light, his body crumbled to ashes, and as his last breath slipped away, Merlin let out a resigned sigh.
The king was undeniably furious, and Merlin was well aware of it.
Once Merlin's life had been extinguished, Shirou took a moment to wipe down the Holy Lance.
Oddly enough, not a single soldier among those present voiced any disagreement.
But then again, was this really surprising?
They had all overheard the exchange between the king and the magus.
Moreover, the king's words were deemed divine, his judgments beyond contestation. Everything felt natural, unquestionable—an undeniable truth and a verdict beyond explanation.
After carefully cleaning the Holy Lance, he brought its shaft down to the ground with a forceful thud, the sound echoing.
His voice, low and commanding, reverberated, "Gather before me, Knights of the Round Table!"
From the very tip of lance's shaft, a shimmering light extended, forming a luminous path that expanded outward.
And then, like an assembly of light, the Round Table Knights—the pinnacle of power within the kingdom—materialized before him.
"Your Majesty!"
As the knights materialized, they all bowed respectfully to the ruler who held power over everything.
Even King Galahad, who had already ascended to the throne, was no exception.
Shirou took a quick glance at them and wasted no time; he blasted Gawain, Kay, and Agravain with his lance.
The knights displayed a mix of reactions—some looked scared, others let out sighs, and a few appeared utterly puzzled.
Just like Scathach.
She couldn't wrap her head around why he had instantly taken down Gawain, Kay, and Agravain without any hesitation.
She was tempted to ask, but a single look at his expression made her think twice and seal her lips.
The Eternal King's current manifestation was unlike any of his previous forms; he exuded an aura of undeniable authority.
With a serious expression, he spoke up, "Those responsible for inciting rebellion, step forward!"
A few knights quietly stepped forward.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom—!!!"
...
Shirou didn't show any mercy, employing the full might of the Holy Lance to bring them all down.
His voice carried an unyielding tone as he declared, "Those who supported Mordred as my descendants, step forward!"
Once more, a cluster of knights silently came forward.
From the moment Gawain, Kay, and Agravain fell by the king's hand, they understood that this manifestation wasn't about delegating tasks; it was a settling of debts.
A long-awaited reckoning for the dynasty's downfall that had happened 1500 years ago!
Shirou didn't hold back and used Rhongomyniad to eliminate them one by one.
Glancing around, only a handful of knights were left in the end.
He stated with a heavy voice, "The knights mentioned earlier shall be stripped of their titles in my service!"
At first, the remaining knights maintained their composure, silently bearing witness to his settling of scores, his brand of justice. However, his words hit them like a thunderbolt.
For a knight, what's the most difficult thing to accept?
Losing their honor, having their knightly title revoked.
But for a knight who serves under Eternal King, the most excruciating and difficult thing is the loss of the king's acknowledgment.
It's a clear indication that the king has turned his back on them!
At that moment, a wave of panic swept through the remaining knights.
"My king..." Galahad began, but a single look from his king stifled his words before they could escape his lips.
The king's gaze was firm, yet deep within it, there was also sorrow.
Why the king was sorrowful went without saying.
The trust he had placed in those knights, the trust that had surpassed all else, had been cruelly shattered by their act of betrayal.
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