"In the end, I couldn't protect anything."
Britain, which was once glorious for a while, eventually fell into disarray.
The seemingly eternal city of Camelot turns out to be less solid than the sand castles randomly built by children on the beach.
"..."
After a moment of silence in the depressing atmosphere, Boudica suddenly reached out and took off Artoria's visor.
Under the visor was Artoria's unwilling expression.
But then her expression changed to surprise.
She actually failed to react at all to Boudica's movements.
If Boudica's behavior just now was an attack, then she should have been penetrated through the spiritual core without any defense.
But Boudica's movements did not bring any strange feeling to Artoria Alter.
It was as if she had taken off her own mask.
"I used to have the same expression as you."
Boudica recalled the past as she spoke.
"How can I revive the Iceni, how can I unite Britain? How can I save the homeland I love and the people who live in it?"
As if treating her own daughter, Boudica lovingly touched Artoria's face.
"Then I couldn't get rid of that expression anymore."
Looking at the long sword hanging on Boudica's waist that looked similar to her own Sword of Victory, Artoria Alter pursed her lips and finally expressed her doubts:
"But you don't have that expression now...not even the slightest trace of unwillingness."
Boudica smiled and shook her head.
"How could I not feel unwilling to report it? Why is my country so weak, why is the enemy so powerful, why can't I get any reward even though I have put in all my efforts——————"
After a pause, she continued:
"Even if you follow the correct steps and work three times as hard, you may not be able to achieve final success in this world. The truth is so cruel."
Boudica then smiled to herself.
"What's more, I haven't been able to take the right path at all. Even if I work hard, what will happen? Even if I don't give in, how can I complain? It's better to say that it's hard to do even if I don't give in."
"In that case——————"
Arturia was interrupted by Boudica before she could finish her words.
"In this case, how can I smile like this? You may want to ask, King Arthur."
Faced with Boudica's rhetorical question, Artoria shook her head and continued:
"I am neither a knight nor a king now, I am just a sword (saber) driven by my master."
"Really? Is this the way you use to explore other possibilities?... But people can't fool themselves. You should remember it very clearly in your heart. All the things you have to do as a king. The things that come with being a knight——and the things that come with being the King of Knights.”
Boudica calmly exposed Arturia's disguise to protect herself.
Although her behavior and personality have changed drastically, Arturia's essence has not changed.
She is still the same King Arthur who was killed by Mordred at the sword fence.
"Alternation" does not mean degeneration, nor does it mean change. Altria's "alter" means "alternation".
Just like the Sword of Victory (Excalibur) that has turned into darkness but is still a holy sword.
It's not getting worse or better.
It just shows another side.
How can a person have only one side?
"Well, all that aside, I haven't answered your question yet."
Seeing that Arturia was lost in thought again, Boudica brought the topic back to its original track.
"Why is there no reluctance on my face, why is there no hatred in my heart?"
"Of course there was reluctance on my face, and of course there was hatred in my heart——but now I was summoned to this world as the [Queen of Victory]."
She neither appears as a revenge queen nor is she remembered as a rebel.
Boudica's name, which was actually sung two thousand years later, was a name that symbolized victory.
It is the honor of being respected as the Queen of Victory even if she fails in the end.
"Victory...Queen?"
"Hahaha...I don't know why. Even though we lost so embarrassingly in the end, we are still regarded as the victorious queen."
Boudica touched her head in embarrassment and said with a smile.
"Since you are considered that way, you should make yourself more worthy of the name. However, it is different from my sword that is just called victory based on wishful thinking——"
Boudica held Artoria's wrist and placed her palm on the hilt of the Sword of Victory.
"You do have a sword that can bring victory."
Staring into Boudica's eyes, Arturia acquiesced.
"Then use it to bring victory to your master, to others, and even to Rome."
This time Arturia did not hesitate and nodded heavily to Boudica.
"Even if you are not a knight, even if you are not a king. In this posture, holding this sword, you are the Arthur who brings victory and hope."
It wasn't the King of Knights who became Arthur.
Instead, Arthur, who pulled out the Sword of the King and the Sword in the Stone, chose the path of becoming the King of Knights.
Now, she naturally has the right to choose other paths.
Staring at Artoria in front of her, Boudica looked a little strange.
"Sir Boudica? What's wrong with you?"
"Ah————, I really can't help it anymore!"
Boudica, who made dangerous remarks, finally followed her inner choice and held Artoria in front of her tightly in her arms.
Even though she is the Knight King of Britain, Artoria is still just a girl whose figure was fixed in her minor years.
Although she had a similar face to Nero, Boudica felt that Arturia in front of her was so endearing.
Reminds her of her daughters.
Constantly rubbing Artoria Alter's platinum-blonde hair, Boudica couldn't hide her love for Artoria.
"Senior, it's not good, Miss Saber was suppressed in Miss Boudica's arms!"
"The legend of Queen Boudica is also one of the prototypes of the legend of King Arthur, so it is expected that there will be a close relationship between the two people."
Across the blue image of Chaldea, Dr. Roman said while admiring the beautiful scenery.
It would be better if Saber's current outfit was not the heavy armor used on the battlefield but the ceremonial dress she had always worn in Chaldea.
"Where are you looking!"
After severely punishing the doctor with Da Vinci's iron fist, the genius temporarily took over Chaldea's support services.
"But if it's Boudicca, I'm afraid all the British servants will be recognized by her as her companions. Director Animusfia also mentioned this."
Leonardo da Vinci added.
"Huh? If you say so————"
Mash remembered that Artoria and Animusfia had both recognized him as the true form of the Spiritual Base and that he was a Servant of Britain.
"Okay, shield girl over there, don't be so shy, come over together————"
So Ma Xiu was also swept up by the majestic maternal love.
After this, it is difficult to imagine that there will be a more motherly character than Boudica.
Probably not anymore.
Fujimaru Ritsuka watched all this with cold eyes.
"Senior, help me..."
"Despicable eggplant junior, it's very annoying to pretend to be ignorant and show off to others even though you are blessed."
"senior?!"
The farce finally ended with the muffled sound coming from Arturia's belly.
Boudica, who volunteered to prepare British cuisine from her hometown for Mash and Artoria, also did not forget to sign a contract with Fujimaru Ritsuka.
***********
After everyone had finished eating and resting, a figure in heavy black armor came silently behind Boudica, who voluntarily stood on the guard tower to guard the surroundings.
"Do you have any more questions? Miss Artoria."
Boudica turned to look at Artoria.
"If you just can't talk, it's better to get more rest. After all, we will start traveling tomorrow."
"I can be considered a Servant, and I don't need to rest just like you."
"Ah...I'm sorry, I forgot. I mixed you up with the daughters without knowing it...It was the same thing before, I'm sorry."
Arturia shook her head, indicating that she didn't take it to heart.
"That's good. Speaking of which, Miss Saber, do you have anything else to ask?"
"That's right... I want to know, as the Queen of Britain... what is Boudica's wish?"
"Ah, this."
Boudica looked suddenly enlightened.
"Before I say that answer, may I know what your wish is? Artoria Pendragon."
"...I want to save Britain."
"It's a pretty straightforward wish...well, but mine isn't much better. I hope Britain can stay away from war and be at peace forever."
Although the two had similar wishes, Artoria was keenly aware of the differences.
"Don't you want to bring peace to Britain with your own hands?"
"Well, how should I put it... Of course I thought so, and I tried that. But gradually, I changed my mind."
".....Why?"
"Can peace really be considered peace if it can only be maintained by a certain [King of Victory]?"
If this peace is not what everyone living on the land longs for, then all it takes is the King of Victory to disappear for a moment, and all peace will be like a soap bubble that has been popped without leaving a trace.
Just like Arturia's rule.
"So, I don't hope that a new king will emerge in Britain to bring everyone into the glorious years of peace... let alone that king be myself."
What Boudica hopes is that every resident of the British Isles can pursue and enjoy their own peace.
Being able to enjoy the joy and peace that is still in people's hands even though the [Queen of Victory] has long since disappeared.
