Since returning to the Holy City from the Round Table Fortress, the Lion King had not once rested in her bedchamber. She remained on her throne, listening to the reports from the Knights of the Round Table and issuing the necessary orders and judgnts.
A great battle was inevitable. Morgan had declared she would personally destroy this place, prompting Agravain to suggest activating the Holy Lance and summoning the Tower of the End. That way, Morgan would no longer be able to destroy Calot, and this place would beco the millennia-old kingdom that had never co to be in Britannia.
After the eting, the knights departed the great hall, leaving only the Lion King behind. She placed her hands on the armrests and slowly closed her eyes.
Rest was necessary, after all. But as a divine being, the Lion King typically did not dream. Sleep for her was rely a chanical form of hibernation.
At least, that was how it was supposed to be.
When she opened her eyes again, she realized she was, in fact, dreaming.
A hazy light filled the royal palace's main hall. Standing at the base of the steps leading to her throne was a figure.
Tenkei Shiomi.
"To think you could barge in like this... infiltrating my mind through a dream," the Lion King said slowly, her voice still calm and emotionless.
Shiomi gave a rare bow. "It was just a shot in the dark, but it worked. Looks like you didn't throw away the Rune Stone I gave you."
As he spoke, the Lion King reached beneath her cloak and produced the stone inscribed with runes.
She had received it from him during one of their outings. He had called it a "badge of parting ways."
Destroying it now would end the dream, and the Lion King would return to her usual, empty slumber.
"What was the point of testing this thod?" she asked.
Shiomi frowned slightly. "You know very well what it ans to concentrate all forces scattered across the Singularity into the Holy City. Our army has already begun its march. The siege will start soon."
"An army cobbled together from mountain folk and refugees, hastily trained... they're no threat worth worrying about," said the Lion King. "The Round Table Fortress fell because of Morgan's fake Holy Lance. As for the attack led by Queen Scáthach—it's little more than an itch."
Her ssage was clear: whether it was Morgan or Chaldea, with such a rabble, breaching the Holy City was impossible.
"Instead of simply waiting for our attack, activating the Holy Lance would be far more effective," Shiomi said as he slowly walked through the hall, his voice echoing in the air. "Once the Holy Lance is activated and this place becos the end of the world, even we would be forced to rush our assault. In that case, your victory would be inevitable."
"What are you trying to say?" the Lion King asked.
"Why haven't you done it? Ever since arriving at this Singularity, you've acted with perfect logic. So why delay the final decision now?" Shiomi stopped, not looking at the Lion King but at the direction ahead. "Is it because you hesitated after seeing what lies beyond Calot?"
"You misunderstand," said the Lion King. "This is the only rcy I can offer."
"Oh?" Shiomi raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
He had only intended to use the dium left with the Lion King to reach her through this dream, hoping to speak with her one last ti before the war began—to ask her true intentions.
"When I crush your assembled forces head-on and you lose every companion you've gathered, then you'll understand—there's no aning in going against ," the Lion King said. "When that ti cos, you'll have two choices."
"Two choices?" Shiomi folded his arms and chuckled. "Let
guess—sothing like the King of Magecraft's line, 'Submit to
or die here,' right?"
"No. Either co with —or I'll take you with ," the Lion King replied.
"...Is there a difference?" Shiomi blinked.
After all, if the end of the world truly ca, even if he remained in the Singularity, he couldn't avoid vanishing along with it. He had long since accepted that fate when it ca to this final battle.
"It's only a question of whether or not you have free will," the Lion King said, gazing at him.
"I have to admit, you're quite skilled at persuasion," Shiomi said with a faint smile. "If I were even a bit less resolute, I might've wavered."
"Whether you waver or not doesn't matter. The result is already set and won't change because soone struggles against it. Just like your resistance against the King of Magecraft—no matter how many Singularities you repair, even if you reach him, you still can't stop humanity's destruction." The Lion King's tone was cold and rational. "No matter what trump cards you hold, the odds have never been in your favor."
"So instead of resisting the King of Magecraft, you chose to preserve the qualified humans as data—to avoid the destruction of humanity itself," Shiomi said, shaking his head as he turned to et her eyes. "Then let
make it clear again. We reject your approach, just as we've rejected every Singularity so far. The so-called great undertaking of the King of Magecraft—we'll reject that too."
"I already knew of that resolve. That's why I'm giving you a chance—a chance to witness your complete defeat," the Lion King replied. Her tone shifted slightly, revealing a flicker of annoyance toward soone who continued to defy her.
The change was fleeting, like a breeze brushing the surface of a lake—so subtle that Shiomi didn't even notice it, mistaking it for his imagination.
"So I was naive... thinking that after showing you our strength, I might have a chance to change your mind."
This visit had been the final attempt to pursue a peaceful resolution—so those fighting alongside him might live to see the Singularity restored and the future of humanity.
"Go back." The Lion King stood from her throne and stepped down. On the final step, she extended her hand toward his face, stopping just short of touching him. "I'll overlook this intrusion into my dreams—but don't do it again."
"There won't be a next ti," Shiomi said, his expression turning solemn. "Then, I'll leave you to your rest."
"It's fine. Speaking with you isn't a waste of ti."
The Lion King acknowledged both Shiomi's actions and his resolve to keep trying, even on the eve of battle.
"It seems you never even considered the possibility of losing."
Shiomi said this softly, then his figure dissolved into light and vanished from her sight.
Only then did she gently close the hand she had extended—but nothing remained.
She closed her eyes once, then opened them again.
Alone, the king still sat upon the throne, holding the Rune Stone, now devoid of Mana.
The long night was nearing its end.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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