บท 53: Side Story: The God of Hope Daily Life (Part 2)

Uzumaki Kyomachiya

Kyoto, Japan

In a traditional Japanese estate, Artoria sat surrounded by five of Naruto's wives. Their expressions were a mixture of curiosity and mischief as they studied the legendary King of Britain.

"I'll get straight to the point," Rhea began, her tone firm yet kind. "Are you interested in our husband?"

Artoria's cheeks flushed, and she hesitated before replying. "I... I don't know. But when I see his smile, it makes me feel strange. I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Kuroka chuckled, her voice playful. "Nyaa~ our hubby does have a talent for attracting all kinds of women. Even legendary ones."

"Honestly, I can't believe Naruto managed to charm the King of Britain," Lara added, shaking her head in disbelief.

Saeko sighed. "Another one, huh? And this one isn't an ordinary woman either…"

Medusa decided to shift the conversation. "Artoria, could you tell us more about yourself and the situation in your world?"

Artoria nodded, gathering her thoughts. "My name is Artoria Pendragon, though many know me as King Arthur. In my world, I'm currently part of an organization called Chaldea. Our mission is to clear singularities and prevent the extinction of humanity. I serve as a Heroic Spirit—a being summoned to aid in this task."

"Heroic Spirit?" Saeko tilted her head, intrigued.

"Yes," Artoria continued. "Heroic Spirits are beings of higher existence, residing in the Throne of Heroes. We are summoned by mages to participate in events like the Holy Grail War."

"The Holy Grail War?"

"It's a battle royale where seven Servants—Archer, Lancer, Caster, Rider, Saber, Assassin, and Berserker—fight for the Holy Grail, an artifact said to grant any wish."

Lara's eyes gleamed with interest. "Sounds shady. Did you believe in its power? And if so, what would you wish for?"

The atmosphere grew tense. Artoria's face darkened. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

"I… I would wish to save my homeland. With the Holy Grail, I would rewrite my past and prevent the destruction of Britain."

The room fell silent. The others exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Saeko broke the silence. "Are you saying you'd go back in time to change history? To erase your role as King?"

"Yes," Artoria admitted, her voice steady but heavy. "My failure as a ruler led to Britain's downfall. If I were replaced by someone more capable, my kingdom might have survived."

Lara stood abruptly, her fists clenched. "You're joking, right? Tell me you're joking, Artoria!"

Artoria's gaze hardened. "What's wrong with my wish? It's my responsibility as a king to correct my failure."

Lara glared at her, her voice rising. "Yes, it's your responsibility! But erasing your existence as King? That's not the answer! What kind of King abandons their legacy?"

Artoria's eyes narrowed. "If my existence caused Britain's destruction, then erasing myself is the right choice. Someone better suited should lead."

"That's absurd!" Lara snapped. "You're King Arthur, for crying out loud! Running away from your responsibility isn't noble—it's cowardly!"

"You!!!" Artoria growled, her tone fierce and unyielding.

Lara, however, remained defiant. "What? You can't take it? Can't accept how foolish you sound? I can't believe the person I idolized is this naive. You've completely disappointed me!"

"That's enough," Naruto interrupted firmly, stepping between the two women. His presence immediately defused some of the tension.

Lara turned to him, her voice sharp. "Naruto, you heard her, right? What's your opinion about this ridiculous wish of hers?"

Naruto sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'm not a king, and I've never led a kingdom. I don't know the kind of weight Arthuria's carried. But, Artoria…" He looked at her, his expression earnest. "What you're wishing for… it's not going to fix things the way you think it will. You'll just create a parallel timeline. Please, think it through again."

Artoria's eyes widened slightly, her grip on Excalibur tightening. His words were simple but struck a chord within her.

Rhea, standing nearby, crossed her arms and added with a heavy sigh, "Artoria, your legend is one of the most famous in history. You're a symbol of strength and perseverance. Many children grow up idolizing you, Lara included. Imagine how they'd feel if they knew you were willing to erase yourself from existence."

"That…" Artoria's gaze faltered. Was her wish truly so wrong? Was she betraying her legend?

Saeko stepped forward, her voice firm but tinged with empathy. "And what about your comrades? The ones who stood by you, who fought and died for you? Do you think they'd be proud to hear you say this? Would you really mock their sacrifices like that?"

Artoria's breath hitched. The words cut deeply, and she looked down at her lap, her heart heavy with doubt.

Kuroka chimed in, her tone lighter but no less serious. "Artoria, one of my teammates back home is named Arthur Pendragon. Every time he talked about you, it was with so much pride. Imagine how he'd feel if he heard this conversation right now."

Medusa remained silent, her disappointment evident in her solemn gaze.

Artoria clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles turning white. Were they right? Was her wish truly foolish? Had she been blind to the truth all along?

Her mind swirled with memories. Gawain… Lancelot… Bedivere… Galahad… Everyone… Their faces flashed before her eyes, one by one. The comrades who had fought alongside her, who had believed in her.

But no matter how much their words struck her, Arthuria's heart refused to accept it completely. Why can't they understand? Why can't they see?

"I…" she started but couldn't finish. Her voice trembled, filled with frustration and pain.

The room fell silent. No one pressed her further, allowing her to process the weight of their words.

•

The morning sun filtered through the canopy of trees, casting soft rays onto the training ground. Artoria sat alone on a fallen log, her fingers brushing the pommel of Excalibur as she stared at the ground. Her expression was unreadable, but the tension in her shoulders betrayed the inner turmoil that gripped her.

She heard footsteps approach but didn't look up. "If you're here to scold me again, I'm not in the mood," she said softly.

Naruto's voice broke the stillness, light and calm. "I'm not here to scold you, Artoria. Just wanted to talk."

Artoria glanced up at him as he settled onto the log beside her. He didn't speak immediately, instead letting the silence hang between them. Finally, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"You know," he began, "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. Back when I was younger, I thought being Hokage—being a leader—was all about power. About being strong enough to protect everyone. But as I got older, I realized it's not just about strength… it's about understanding."

Artoria tilted her head slightly, curious despite herself. "Understanding?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Understanding the people you're protecting. Their hopes, their fears, their dreams. It's tough. And yeah, sometimes we mess up. Sometimes, we fail. But that doesn't mean the people we care about stop believing in us. You're a king, Artoria. You led your people, inspired them, and even now, centuries later, your legend is still giving people hope. That says something, doesn't it?"

Artoria's grip on Excalibur tightened. "But I failed them, Naruto. My kingdom fell because of my decisions. I should have done better. If I could just go back—"

"—and erase yourself from history?" Naruto interrupted gently, turning to face her. "What about all the good you did? What about the lives you saved, the people who followed you, not out of fear but because they believed in you? If you erase yourself, you're erasing their sacrifices too."

Artoria's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't thought of it that way.

Naruto's voice softened, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Look, Artoria, I'm not saying your wish is wrong. I get wanting to fix things. Heck, if I had the chance, maybe I'd want to change some stuff too. But what makes us strong isn't running from our mistakes—it's facing them, learning from them, and using them to become better. That's what being a leader means."

Artoria stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. "You really believe that?"

"Of course," Naruto said without hesitation. "You've got a good heart, Artoria. I can see it. And I know it's hard to carry all that guilt, but you don't have to carry it alone. You've got people here who believe in you—me included."

She blinked, surprised. "You… believe in me?"

"Yeah," he said, grinning. "Why wouldn't I? You're King Arthur, for crying out loud! Besides…" His grin turned mischievous. "I can't have you moping around when breakfast is waiting. Come on, Rhea's probably whipped up something amazing."

Artoria couldn't help but smile, a small but genuine expression. "You really are something else, Naruto."

"Hey, I'll take that as a compliment!" he laughed, standing up and extending a hand to her. "Come on, let's eat. You'll feel better on a full stomach."

For a moment, Artoria hesitated, but then she reached out and took his hand. His grip was firm and reassuring, and as he pulled her to her feet, she felt a flicker of warmth in her chest.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said softly.

"Anytime, Artoria," he replied, his tone sincere.

Together, they walked back toward the Uzumaki home, the tension between them replaced with a quiet understanding.

Side End.