"Honestly, Lamorak, you still treat me like a child, don't you?"
Ultimately, it was Artoria who broke the stalemate with a joking tone.
"I've grown up, you know. I only look small because time for my growth stopped when I pulled the Sword in the Stone."
"I've been traveling and gaining experience for a year. I'm a capable and responsible knight now."
"So... so please, don't deceive me anymore... okay, Lamorak?"
Hearing the young girl's forcedly cheerful voice and the unconcealable loneliness in her tone, Souya found himself momentarily at a loss.
Looking at that face, which was almost identical to Morgan's yet clearly distinguishable, Souya truly didn't know how to answer Artoria.
Facing Morgan, he could repent, he could ask for her punishment, and he believed Morgan trusted him enough.
After the necessary punishment, they would still be the Queen and Knight deeply devoted to each other.
But facing Artoria, Souya truly didn't know what to say besides apologizing.
Yet in this situation, an apology felt far too pale.
"Artoris... I'm sorry. I've disappointed you, haven't I?"
Souya smiled bitterly, looking at Artoria opposite him.
As if reflecting its master's poor mood, the golden ahoge on her head drooped.
"A Lamorak who approached you with the intention to deceive probably doesn't match the image of the Knight of Radiance in your heart."
Souya rubbed his forehead, shifting his gaze away from Artoria.
Her gaze was far too sorrowful, making Souya, who already felt guilty, feel a tightness in his chest.
But to his surprise, Artoria actually shook her head, denying his words.
"Not at all."
"Lamorak, you were merely fulfilling the duties expected of a knight. There's nothing wrong with that. On the contrary, it proves you are a truly good knight."
"Huh?"
Souya looked at Artoria in astonishment.
Am I like that?
The young girl didn't notice the unnatural look in Souya's eyes and simply continued.
"In my view, your coming here and approaching me is merely you fulfilling your lord's mission, a symbol of your loyalty."
"Frankly, if I were my sister whom I've never met, I would definitely be extremely happy and care deeply about having a knight like you."
Saying this, Artoria also felt a bit embarrassed. She cautiously stole a glance at Souya.
Seeing that he was still in shock and hadn't noticed her little thoughts...
Artoria breathed a sigh of relief, but inexplicably felt a bit disappointed as well.
In this world, the things you love but cannot have are the ones you desire the most.
"So, Lamorak, you don't need to blame yourself. In fact, I'm the one who should apologize to you for trying to bind your actions with personal feelings first."
With that, Artoria stood up and bowed to Souya.
"No, Artoris, you don't need to do this."
Souya hurriedly stopped the young girl's action. No matter what, he had approached her with the intent to deceive and even harm her interests.
No matter how you looked at it, it wasn't her place to apologize to him.
However, at this point, Souya was stumped on what to do next.
His original plan was useless, and he didn't have a Plan B prepared. To complete Morgan's assigned task, did he have to resort to forceful measures?
Souya conflicted and hesitated, failing to notice that his current state was somewhat different from his usual self.
If someone were to get close and observe his eyes intimately at this moment, they would find a faint, imperceptible pink hue deep within them, just like Artoria's earlier.
Seemingly noticing the conflicted look on Souya's face, Artoria remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking again.
"Lamorak, can you tell me why you chose to join Morgan, my sister's faction?"
The young girl looked at Souya earnestly, her gaze burning.
"Is she... good to you?"
Hearing this question, Souya instantly froze.
As if realizing something, he slightly gathered his chaotic and noisy emotions and thoughts, then shook his head and answered slowly.
"Many times, it wasn't me who chose who to serve and swear loyalty to, but an important person who chose me."
This time, Souya didn't avoid Artoria's gaze but looked up to meet it.
"Is she... a very important person to you?"
Artoria couldn't help but ask.
"Yes. Just as Merlin and Kay are to you, Morgan is a very important person to me."
Souya nodded in response.
"Even if she has a bad reputation, even if she is the Witch and Enchantress people call her, you still want to serve her?"
Artoria continued asking, somewhat unwilling to give up.
At this, Souya smiled.
"Artoris, do you remember what I told you before?"
"Everything in this world is colorful and ever-changing. Many people and things are veiled in a layer of gauze. You cannot see their true form clearly through the hearsay of others."
"Those stigmas attached to Lady Morgan are nothing more than Uther's tricks to suppress her. You shouldn't blindly believe only what certain people want you to see and hear."
"You should go to the current royal city of Camelot and see for yourself. Then you will understand what kind of person she truly is, and what kind of King she is."
"Furthermore," Souya paused, "she treats me very well."
"...I understand."
Looking at the faint smile on Souya's face, Artoria inexplicably felt a sting in her nose.
But at the same time, she memorized Souya's words.
Perhaps she really should go see this so-called Camelot. She should meet her sister, whom she had never met, but who had taken away the knight she valued most.
But right now, she had something else to do.
"Come, Lamorak. Let us have a knight's duel."
Her tone was incredibly calm and firm, but coupled with Artoria's beautiful face and incredibly serious eyes, it was impossible to ignore.
"Artoris?"
Souya's expression revealed confusion. Knowing he harbored ill intentions and came with an ulterior motive, even if she trusted him, shouldn't she at least keep her distance and avoid excessive contact?
Although he could somewhat guess that Saber seemed to hold feelings for him that exceeded ordinary friendship, Souya wasn't confident enough to think his position in her heart could rival the ideals Merlin had instilled in her since childhood.
At most, it was just some unrequited affection toward him.
Then why was she initiating a duel?
Although this was exactly Souya's goal, he still asked.
And the young girl's answer once again left Souya speechless.
"Because I don't want you to be punished by Morgan because of me, Lamorak."
Artoria said very earnestly.
It was just that, for some reason, these words carried an inexplicable vibe of a defeated heroine.
"Besides, we haven't seen each other in so long. I also want to know how much of a gap there is in our strength."
As if afraid Souya would hold back, Artoria immediately added after her previous sentence.
"Didn't you say that the communication and feelings between knights can be conveyed through the clash of their weapons? I also want to convey my feelings to you."
With things having reached this point, if Souya were to refuse and make excuses, he would truly be the ultimate hypocrite.
So, he sighed softly and stood up.
"In that case, bring it on, Artoris."
Souya raised his hand and waved it. The pseudo-Holy Lance, which Morgan had created using Magecraft to imitate Rhongomyniad, appeared in his hand out of thin air.
The black and blue pseudo-Holy Lance emitted faint fluctuations in the air, the flowing power of the End of the World.
"Just consider this me testing if your current martial arts level has reached the point I mentioned back then."
Souya smiled at Artoria.
"Alright!"
Hearing this, a smile bloomed on Artoria's face once again, as if the previous unpleasantness had been swept away.
Casually leaving a large pouch of gold coins for the restaurant owner, Souya immediately took Artoria to an open clearing he had scouted beforehand.
It was flat, open, and free of obstacles, making it perfectly suited for a fair knightly duel.
Although Souya's original plan wasn't honorable, he had his own bottom line when it came to fighting. He wouldn't resort to ambushes or taking cheap advantages.
A true man holds full respect for combat.
Soon, the two stood on opposite sides of the clearing, each drawing their weapons and preparing for battle.
However, just as Artoria was fully concentrated, tightly gripping the Sword in the Stone and waiting for the sound that would signal the start of the duel, she was caught off guard seeing Souya begin to strip off his armor in public.
"E-E-Eh?!"
The young girl's previously resolute face instantly turned bright red. She instinctively turned her head away to avoid looking at Souya, yet couldn't stop her gaze from drifting back.
"What are you doing?! Lamorak!"
"Taking off my armor."
Souya answered matter-of-factly.
Casually discarding the black and blue heavy armor covering his upper body, Souya's upper half, clad only in a black, tight-fitting undershirt, was instantly exposed to Artoria's eyes.
The muscle lines and tall, robust physique outlined beneath the tight shirt instantly made the young girl blush deeply.
Seemingly only just noticing Artoria's unnatural complexion and the confusion in her tone, Souya found it somewhat amusing.
How old are you, and you're still this shy? It seems you don't understand anything at all~ (Creepy Uncle Voice)
"Don't worry, I'm taking off my armor for the sake of a fair duel."
"Fair?"
Artoria froze, finally understanding that Souya's sudden action was because she wasn't wearing armor, and he felt that was unfair to her.
Instantly, the young girl's gaze toward Souya brightened a few more degrees.
Courageous, humble, compassionate, generous, kind, loyal, and now showing the quality of fairness. I really didn't judge him wrong.
Lamorak truly is the best knight in all the land of Britain.
If someone like him were my knight... how wonderful would that be...
Unwittingly, Artoria herself hadn't realized that the filter through which she viewed Lamorak was growing thicker and heavier.
Meanwhile, Souya had finished taking off his armor, instantly feeling his whole body much lighter.
He stretched his body a bit, then looked up at Artoria.
"Are you ready? Artoris."
Souya's voice snapped Artoria back from her thoughts. She instinctively focused her mind, adopting a serious attitude toward combat.
"Bring it on! I will show you my strength and resolve! Lamorak!"
"Then let's begin."
Souya chuckled. The next moment, majestic magical energy, surging like river water, rushed through his body. Wielding the black pseudo-Holy Lance, he transformed into a streak of black light and charged at Artoria.
Artoria only saw a flash of a black shadow before her eyes. Souya, who had been maintaining a mid-to-long distance from her, instantly appeared right in front of her.
And arriving with him was the black spear tip thrusting toward her modest chest.
"Intercepting the Flow!"
This technique, self-developed and theoretically constructed by Souya with the assistance of his Fairy Eyes, looked incredibly simple but was actually extremely powerful.
One must know, the saying that human potential is limitless is not just empty words.
Humans are inherently creations condensing the essence and wisdom of nature. The power contained within them is far beyond what other things can compare to.
And the foundation of 'Intercepting the Flow' stemmed from this very phrase.
Using near-miraculous power to utilize and control the human body. Exerting one hundred percent power when attacking, and utilizing one hundred percent speed when advancing.
This impossible-made-possible feat, like intercepting flowing water.
That was 'Intercepting the Flow'.
But similarly, Souya wasn't the only one who knew this move. Artoria, who had been taught by Souya when he was still a fairy, had also learned this move through day-and-night practice and her innate talent.
Thus, in this critical moment, Artoria similarly erupted with terrifying speed.
The magnificent golden longsword struck the lance from the bottom up, knocking the spear tip upwards. Simultaneously, the young girl's figure retreated slightly, dodging an upward sweeping strike Souya executed using the momentum.
Clang!
Accompanied by the sound of clashing weapons, a strand of golden hair slowly fell.
"Not bad, Artoris. Your strength is impressive!"
Souya looked at Artoria with a hint of surprise, as well as admiration.
That speed, that reaction time, those clever response techniques—all of it told Souya that the boy he had once said possessed great talent had grown into an incredibly powerful young girl.
"Well then, I'm going to get serious now. Be careful, Artoris."
Before his voice even faded, the young girl, who had been slightly happy due to Souya's praise, instantly focused her mind, her eyes locked on the raised lance in Souya's hands.
"Myriad Flowing Spirits, Unpredictable Waves."
The momentum of flowing water gradually adhered to Souya's hands and his lance, along with the release of his magical energy.
The next moment, Souya brandished the pseudo-Holy Lance. The black spear glints, carrying the power of flowing water, crashed down on Artoria like a tempestuous storm.
Seeing Souya get serious, Artoria no longer held back either.
She gripped the Sword in the Stone tightly, her entire body's strength highly concentrated. Even her pupils slowly transformed into vertical, dragon-like slits.
Thump, thump...
The sound of her heartbeat, like beating drums, gradually amplified. The Dragon Core, exclusive to the Red Dragon of Britain, beat faster with its master's breathing, gathering streams of incredibly pure magical energy onto the young girl's golden sword.
The next moment, invisible wind formed by magical energy coalesced on Artoria's golden sword, like an invisible warhammer.
She didn't choose to defend, but to attack.
Facing Souya's torrential rain-like lance strikes, Artoria responded with the most violent storm.
"Strike Air!"
"Boom!"
The violent wind and the torrential rain crashed head-on like two opposing armies. Amidst the collision, turbulent currents of magical energy scattered, forming a terrifying low-pressure zone around the two.
But the two people in the center acted as if they hadn't heard a thing. The weapons in their hands, under the release of two 'Intercepting the Flows' and different magical energies, had already turned into two flying, clashing afterimages.
But this was ultimately just on the surface.
Souya, after all, held far too many advantages over Artoria. Whether it was the overpowered 'Lingering Light of the Age of Gods' or the thousands of combat techniques and experiences recorded by his Fairy Eyes, he had far too many advantages over Artoria, who had only been out gaining experience for a year.
Just like now, the 'Intercepting the Flow' Souya unleashed relying solely on his physical attributes was far stronger than Artoria's.
And when Souya mixed a persistent, steady flowing state into his torrential lance strikes, the outcome of this battle was already decided.
The Noble Phantasm 'Myriad Flowing Spirits: Unpredictable Waves' was just such a comprehensive and utterly unfair existence.
Clang!
Following a crisp sound of clashing metal, Artoria ultimately lacked the stamina. The Sword in the Stone in her hands was deflected by Souya, and she stumbled backward several steps.
"You lose, Artoris."
Souya sighed softly.
He had to admit, Artoria truly shocked him.
Even with his Age of Gods physique, after experiencing such a frantic exchange of blows, his arms were numb and a few drops of blood trickled from the webbing between his thumb and forefinger.
If Artoria's physical attributes were brought up to the same level as his, Souya was almost certain he wouldn't be able to defeat her without enduring an extremely difficult, bitter struggle.
It was just that, although he had defeated Artoria, that Sword of Selection still hadn't broken.
Thinking of this, Souya glanced somewhat helplessly at the pseudo-Holy Lance in his hand.
Morgan only said this lance carried a curse powerful enough to shatter the Sword in the Stone, but she never told him how to actively trigger it.
In the battle just now, this pseudo-Holy Lance had clashed with the Sword of Selection in Artoria's hand no less than several hundred times.
Even so, it still hadn't triggered the curse upon it. Do I have to chant some weird, embarrassing incantation?
But was that really the truth?
Artoria's head was lowered, looking at the Sword of Selection in her hand, which now sported a crack. Her eyes swam with complex emotions, surging like hidden undercurrents.