Chapter 20: The Little Demon King and the Great Holy Grail War (9)

At the same hour, in the downtown area of a nearby small city, a man and a woman were wandering the streets after finishing their dinner. They were the only pair among the Red Faction masters who had escaped being poisoned by Semiramis... One was Kairi Sisigou, a man with a scarred face, eyes as sharp as razors, and a towering, muscular frame clad in a black jacket crafted from the hide of a Phantasmal Beast, perpetually smelling of blood and gunpowder. Beside him stood one of the knights who had flourished at the end of the Age of Gods, a member of the Round Table, the legitimate heir to the King of Knights, Artoria, and the one known as the Knight of Treachery... Mordred. Mordred clicked her tongue and grumbled as she looked at her Master, Sisigou.

"Tch! I had high hopes for this Great Holy Grail War, but what the hell is this? Days have passed and I haven't seen a single hair of the Black Faction. Nothing but a bunch of cowards... Psh..."

"Hey now, Saber~ Why not enjoy the fact that we can actually spend some leisure time like this?"

"Hah? It's not like I'm asking for much, am I? I don't even need a massive group brawl; I'd be satisfied with just a single duel! Dammit! I was summoned from the Throne to this Great War or whatever, and I can't even fight... My whole body is itching for combat!"

"Seriously, you're a real battle-maniac, aren't you?"

Sisigou let out a sigh as he watched his Servant, who was desperate for a fight. No matter how much of a rough-and-tumble guy he was himself, he wasn't so obsessed with combat that he would go out of his way to stir up trouble.

Whether she realized her Master’s predicament or not, Mordred huffed and puffed, glaring fiercely at the people passing by. A few burly men took offense and tried to say something, but they usually ended up tucking their tails and running after seeing Sisigou’s imposing physique and intimidating gaze behind her.

"Tch! Nothing but empty husks. How boring..."

"That doesn't mean you have to go around picking fights with everyone..."

"You look like you've got quite the temper yourself. Isn't that a bit rich coming from one of our own kind?"

"No, no. No matter how scary I look, I don't go out of my way to start fights."

"Hah?! You don't just look scary, you look terrifyingly creepy, kid! You see those guys over there shivering because of your face?"

"............Saber, wasn't that because they were overwhelmed by your killing intent?"

"You're a Master who really lacks self-objectivity."

"Pot calling the kettle black."

As they bickered back and forth, they headed toward a less populated area, seemingly noticing a presence trailing behind them.

"Hey... Master, did you feel that too?"

"Yeah... I did. Should I call it bold, or... just plain stupid...."

Sisigou and Mordred lured their stalkers into a deserted back alley before aiming their weapons. However, the figure who emerged remained perfectly composed.

"Calm yourselves first. I didn't come here to fight."

"Hah! You follow us all the way here and then spout that crap? Fine then, why don't you reveal who the hell you are?"

"I'm disappointed. Have you already forgotten my voice? That's a bit hurtful, Mordred."

"You bastard... how do you know my name... No, wait, this voice, could it be...."

"Yes, it is I... Mordred."

"......Father?"

"Heh... To think you were summoned here as Saber. I am surprised, Mordred."

Much like Jeanne Alter, Artoria Alter had been wandering alone when she spotted her. A female knight with wild blonde hair tied in a ponytail and sharp green eyes—a spitting image of her original self. Mordred was the homunculus child created by Morgan le Fay, her sister, who had harvested Artoria's sperm while she was masquerading as a man and fused it with her own ovum.

Mordred immediately leveled her Noble Phantasm and armament, Clarent (The Radiant and Brilliant Royal Sword), at Alter.

"What the hell.... Why are you here?! And what's with that appearance?!"

"Heh... To see your father and not even offer a greeting. I don't recall raising such an irreverent son (daughter)..."

"What? You motherfucker!! What did you just say?"

"(Glare)..... You have quite the foul mouth for your father, Mordred."

At Alter's words, Mordred became even more incensed, spewing curses.

"Fuck! You didn't even treat me like your child in life, let alone acknowledge my existence! And now, of all times, what?"

"......Is that so? Then I must apologize, Mordred. I am sorry."

"Eh? Uh?"

Alter bowed her head slightly and apologized to Mordred. Mordred was visibly bewildered by this uncharacteristic behavior.

"Indeed, I doubted your existence... I saw you only as a homunculus of Morgan's and obsessed over that. I thought you were merely a spy... an assassin seeking my throne. In my paranoia, I cruelly trampled your hopes... Apologizing now may be meaningless, but... at the very least, I believe I am different from my 'radiant' self. I recognize my own sins, and I realize I did you a terrible wrong... I am sorry."

"............"

Faced with Artoria Alter's sincere apology, Mordred didn't know how to respond.

Since her living days, Mordred had harbored a complex love-hate relationship with the original Artoria. She respected and loved her, yet hated and resented her in equal measure.

She had never been acknowledged until the moment of her death. And now, after death, a reversed version of that woman was acknowledging her and apologizing.

Mordred was thrown into utter confusion.

"Am I going crazy? Or what the hell is going on?"

"Are you confused? That's only natural. I understand."

"No, I mean, what is that appearance in the first place?"

"As I said, this is an Alter (Alternative)—an inversion."

"In modern terms... a Blackened state?"

"Similar, but different. It is not mere corruption. My alignment has been inverted. My original self is Lawful Good; I am Lawful Evil. If the original me was a virtuous and diligent King, I am simply a Tyrant."

"......I think I like the current Father better?"

Once she explained that she was an inversion and different from the original Artoria, Mordred actually decided she preferred the current Alter state. Alter let out a faint smile at that.

"Heh... Even if it's just flattery, I appreciate it. Take this."

Alter handed something to Mordred. It was a well-wrapped hamburger.

"What's this?"

"A hamburger. I bought it myself. Specifically to give to you."

"Fa... Father personally gave me a gift? To me?"

For a moment, Mordred was so moved that her eyes grew misty.

"Uhh... excuse me."

Sisigou, who had been momentarily forgotten, looked at Artoria Alter and asked a question.

"So, should I assume you're that King Arthur?"

"What part of our conversation did you not hear?"

After blunt reply to Sisigou, Artoria Alter checked her wristwatch and nodded.

"They should be arriving soon.... Follow me. There's someone I want to introduce you to."

"This isn't a trap, is it?"

Sisigou spoke warily, but Artoria simply snorted.

"What profit would I gain from deceiving the likes of you? If I wanted to dispose of you, I would have done so already."

"At the very least, you're not part of the Black Faction, right?"

"I am not a Servant summoned for this Great War in the first place. And I've answered enough questions... Just follow me quietly."

Looking into Artoria Alter's cold, frigid eyes, Sisigou broke into a cold sweat but followed her obediently along with his Servant, Mordred.

.

.

.

"Artoria, I was wondering where you went, but you're already here? Ah... is that kid the one?"

Before them stood a boy of peerless beauty with blonde hair, blue eyes, and an androgynous charm. For a fleeting second, Mordred thought he was a handsome, heartwarming boy who reminded her of Gareth or herself—but the moment he approached her father, Artoria Alter, with such familiarity, she leveled Clarent at him. The boy gave a wry smile.

"Oh? Am I being hated already?"

"Hey... don't act all friendly when approaching Father..."

"Insolent, Mordred. Put Clarent away. This is your new mother."

".....(Digs ear) Is my ear blocked? Father, I'm sorry, but could you say that one more time?"

Thinking she must have misheard Artoria Alter’s words, Mordred dug at her ear and asked again, only for Artoria Alter to drive the point home.

"Mordred, this is your new mother."

"Fufu~ Hello. Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Zod. I'm the Master of Berserker in this Great Holy Grail War, and the man who will be your new father (Master), so I look forward to working with you, Mordred."

"........................"

Mordred simply stopped thinking.

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