Chapter 283: Artoria [Alter]
In a restaurant on an island in the West Blue, the sound of knives and forks clashing against plates echoed with the crisp sound of ceramic.
Everyone in the restaurant stared wide-eyed at the gluttonous eating habits of Akame and Artoria.
"The speed at which the food is served can't keep up with how fast they're eating!"
"Look at their slender figures, where is all that food going?"
Akame was wearing a sleeveless black top with a red tie around her neck, a dark red pleated skirt, and her legs wrapped in long stockings, with black leather shoes.
She had already stacked two piles of empty plates, each about a meter tall, and was still stuffing more meat into her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out as she smiled contentedly, her eyes narrowing in happiness.
Artoria, on the other hand, was dressed in a black hoodie and shorts, with black knee-high boots and her platinum blonde hair tied into a ponytail.
Unlike her pre-corruption eating habits, she now refused to touch delicate or fine food, spitting it out after just one bite. On the other hand, she accepted fast food without question, and burgers had become her favorite food.
The two of them were simply eating in the most basic way, yet they made everyone watching feel full just by observing them.
"Ah." Kurumi tilted her head and said, "Eric -, you've brought in another big eater, now Akame- isn't lonely anymore."
"?" Akame tilted her head in confusion, but she quickly dismissed Kurumi's comment and continued to eat voraciously.
The two of them didn't care about the stares from others, they were simply enjoying their food, looking extremely satisfied.
"Phew..."
Both of them sighed deeply at the same time, signaling they were done eating.
"After an intense battle, my stomach's hungry. Using food to replenish mana is the most basic requirement," Artoria elegantly wiped her mouth with a napkin.
"Well then… let me reintroduce myself. My name is Artoria Pendragon. May I ask, would you walk beside me?"
"Of course, it's my honor, King of Knights."
"Mm—your gaze is quite determined, and your reactions are swift. It seems you've walked quite a long journey using those legs. Quite impressive, I accept you. Now, the contract is complete—"
"By the way—right now, I am neither a king nor a knight. I am just your sword and shield."
"Don't try to flatter me. I'm a woman who feels nothing whether my subordinates die or my people suffer."
Everyone: "…"
Artoria's words carried the coldness of a ruler, yet her demeanor exuded a sense of dignity that surprisingly didn't make anyone feel offended.
Instead, Miku's eyes sparkled with stars, her hands clasped tightly in front of her chest, "So cool! Ah, I'm not saying Darling isn't cool, but Artoria-chan's expression right now has this indescribable feeling..."
"It's the aura of a king," Esdeath, who had been observing Artoria, smiled softly and said, "From you, I can feel the presence of a long-time ruler."
"Yes, yes! Exactly!" Miku nodded vigorously in agreement.
"…" Eric was unsure of what expression to make, internally grumbling, 'A harem king is also a king! You look down on the harem king?!'
"Hmph." Artoria didn't respond to what the two had said, her cold eyes fixed on Esdeath, "You're constantly emitting strong killing intent. Do you want to fight?"
"Of course."
"Hold on, although I healed your chest after it was gouged out with a magic bean, it's better to keep good relations with everyone now. Esdeath, you too, don't go around picking fights with newcomers."
"Hmph, since Eric said so, I'll spare you today."
"Same to you."
The fierce stare-off between the two finally paused.
"Although Artoria is unwilling to introduce herself much," Eric helped her by introducing, "Artoria has spent most of her time educating herself as a king to protect her country. Her days of relentless study and training have never stopped."
"Until that day, when she drew the 'Sword in the Stone' and became the king of Britain, the weight of an entire nation was placed on the shoulders of the 15-year-old Artoria."
"She gave up being a woman and became a male king, sealing her emotions in her heart, abandoning all human feelings. To protect her people, her sword became stained with blood. Even when she was abandoned, betrayed, and vilified, she never regretted the path she chose."
Artoria, along with the others, quietly listened to her own story. She, too, wanted to know how others viewed what she had done.
Even though she had never regretted drawing the "Sword of Victory," deep down, she still wanted to know if what she had done all these years was truly the right thing.
"Arthur, the king who always saved his country, his subjects, and his people, despite his best efforts, could not stop the country's collapse. Britain eventually perished in a brutal civil war, with its people killed or wounded."
"As she neared death, she made a pact with the 'World,' the Araya, giving up the chance of reincarnation, hoping to obtain the Holy Grail's wish."
Silence fell. Almost everyone looked at Artoria with respect. Ghost Shark, who had completed countless dirty tasks for the village, smiled behind his mask, acknowledging his companion who had stained herself with blood for her dream.
Kind-hearted Wendy also, after witnessing such a brutal battlefield, realized that reality wasn't as beautiful as she had imagined, and she looked at Artoria with respectful eyes for giving up everything to protect her country.
"Hmph, this is just another version of my story," Artoria's gaze casually swept over everyone, finally resting on Eric . "I am merely her alter ego, and I won't be as kind as 'she' was."
[Artoria Pendragon [Alter]'s Affinity Increased, Bond Level raised from 1 to 2, earned 1 Bond Point]
'Even with that cold exterior, deep down she's a girl who craves recognition, another tsundere,' Eric thought to himself.
"You, who summoned me from eternal reincarnation, what exactly do you want to do?"
"I desire your strength to build a new country."
"Are you insane?"
"Even if I fail, it will only provide another topic for conversation. Let those foolish people laugh! To stand at the peak, one must endure the mockery of the mediocre, right?"
Eric met her light golden eyes, "Just like you, even before inheriting the throne, you already knew the fate of Britain."
"!" Artoria's eyes widened slightly. "What? So you knew all along?"
"Even so, you didn't give up on trying to save it," Eric smiled and said, "How could I easily give up on my dream? A person's dream never ends!"
"Good spirit. Then I'll see where you'll end up."
[Artoria's Affinity Increased, Bond Level unchanged]
(END CHAPTER)
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