Although his body was strong,...he could still feel the real coldness.
Looking to the side, the magician with white hair and a staff made of wood was standing beside him.
"What's wrong, Annuoqing?"
The magician looked at the knight in white armor with a smile that had lasted for decades.
"...The expression on your face has not changed since the day I saw you."
"Yeah."
Behind the two people, standing were the ministers of Camelot.
And in front of the two of them——
A tall but gaunt man wearing a crown and a red cloak was facing away from them.
"...is it worth it?"
The magician moved his eyes away from the knight and looked at the red cloak that seemed to be dyed with blood.
"I know it feels uncomfortable to force yourself to accept all this. Isn't this a difficult decision for you?"
Faced with the magician's question, the knight did not say any words.
The king held a golden sword in his hand.
"I have no idea."
"I just feel..."
The knight's eyes lowered.
The king raised the sword in his hand.
"I must......"
Zheng——
The king thrust his sword into the meteorite in front of him.
"Do this."
boom------
The moment the sword was inserted into the meteorite, a strong wind centered on the sword and spread out in all directions. Everyone in the cemetery raised their heads.
The king turned around and looked down at the courtiers below, including knights and magicians.
"The name of this sword is... [The Golden Sword of Victory] (Cailbur)"
The king's voice echoed in the dusk cemetery.
The ministers listened in silence.
They knew that this was the last time the lion in front of them would say these words here.
"Whoever draws this sword will be the new king of Britain."
King——King Uther said this while walking past the ministers.
The knight Anno and the magician Merlin looked at each other and said nothing. They just followed King Uther and left the cemetery with him.
The remaining knights and courtiers stayed where they were, talking among themselves.
but--
This has nothing to do with User, who is already dying.
"Mr. Anno, among all the knights in Britain, you are the only one to whom I can safely hand over this country."
Outside the royal court, User stopped, raised his head and looked at the somewhat desolate castle under the sunset, and said to Annuo who was following him.
"You are qualified to draw that sword."
He suddenly turned around, his dim eyes flashed with intense light, staring at An Nuo.
Annuo was stunned.
He naturally understood what the king meant.
Perhaps what this country needs now more than the future King Arthur who is so talented and powerful is a King Anno who can fully control the situation.
But...can I do it myself?
Can you really do this yourself?
He had this thought, but...he couldn't convince himself.
He could only show a smile, a... bitter smile.
"King, you know...I won't pull it out."
"Even if I am qualified."
The light in King Uther's eyes went out.
"Yeah."
He turned back and continued walking towards the royal court.
The knight was a little at a loss and could only sigh and continue to follow. The magician standing behind the knight smiled and shook his head.
This is the white knight.
There is nothing but dignity, abandoning loyalty and only surviving, pushing aside strength and unexpected weakness.
...
"You came here when you were seventeen, and now you are thirty-four."
"What have you learned in these seventeen years?"
King Uther is dead.
The court magician Merlin left Camelot and embarked on the road to cultivate a new king for Britain with Anno.
As for the royal city, it has fallen into a state of chaos without a leader.
Annuo lowered his head and looked at the bonfire not knowing what he was thinking.
"I know, Annuo, you went to the cemetery again the night the king passed away, right?"
Merlin's eyes were focused on Annuo, with a little playfulness in his eyes.
"How does it feel to hold the hilt of that sword?"
Annuo still didn't answer.
He has always regarded himself as righteous.
But can what we are doing now really be called justice?
If you become the king yourself, no one will have any objections. If you train a new king, it will only plunge the country into chaos and collapse.
His actions were undoubtedly loyal, but... were they just?
What he insists on is nothing more than dignity.
Under the guidance of Merlin, he came to Britain and became a knight by King Uther's side. Because of his strong strength and smart mind, as well as his absolute ruthlessness in the face of the enemy, he was quickly reused. King Uther even wanted to
He married Princess Morgan to Anno to completely tie him down, but Anno declined the marriage just to maintain his purity.
Then what?
Until now...so what?
"Merlin, what do you want me to do?"
He still didn't answer Merlin's question, but just threw a new question to Merlin.
"My thoughts are not important to you."
Merlin just smiled and shook his head.
"You are no longer the little knight who came to Britain under my leadership."
"You are the only one who can decide how you want to live your life now."
"Besides... weren't you involved in this matter from the beginning?"
Merlin smiled half-heartedly.
It seems that nothing has been said, and it seems that everything has been said.
......yes.
I have been involved from the beginning.
He participated in the battle between King Uther and Vortigern.
King Uther's one-night stand with the Duchess of Cornwall was covered up by himself.
Merlin's magic, I saw it myself.
I witnessed the birth of Arthur.
He never got away from it.
So...the answer left to yourself seems...
There is only one left.
"Then do you think I'm right?"
Anno asked Merlin another question.
He lowered his head and looked at his right hand.
There are thick calluses on his right hand, and even the joints are thick, but this is not the key.
A few days ago, after Uther died, he came to the cemetery alone, and then... held the Sword of the King's Choice with this hand.
I held it, but didn't pull it out.
"You ask me? Then I think you are indeed right."
Merlin's face showed a happy emotion.
That's exactly it——
Annuo is such an interesting person.
Emiya Shirou looked at everything in front of him through Anno's eyes.
He didn't know how to evaluate all this.
but......
He felt something was wrong.
Doing so is indeed loyal, but how should the people of this country, the knights under him, deal with themselves?