It seemed that the King of Heroes now regarded Iskandar as his true rival in the Holy Grail War.
The King of Conquerors, however, didn't seem bothered at all. He simply continued to smile, enjoying the casual atmosphere of the feast, just like Gilgamesh.
Just as Tatsuya Suzuki shifted his gaze toward Morgan, intending to prompt her to speak, she unexpectedly broke the silence first:
"I have no wish to entrust to the Holy Grail."
"What?" Artoria was stunned.
Iskandar and Gilgamesh also showed varying degrees of surprise, while Waver and Irisviel could hardly believe that a Servant could have no wish.
Morgan, unconcerned with their reactions, continued in her ambiguous manner: "If I must say, I achieved what I desired by merely participating in this Holy Grail War. My pursuit of the Grail is only in response to the hard work of my Master and my husband."
Her words seemed contradictory, as if they could easily be exposed as lies. Yet no one questioned her.
Though Morgan didn't reveal what she truly desired, it was evident she wasn't lying.
"Haha... Could it be that what you desire is the host of tonight's feast?" Iskandar joked.
Mysterious and unpredictable, Morgan was hard to read, but her regal bearing was genuine.
Morgan swirled her glass, taking another sip. "Your guess is correct, King of Conquerors."
She glanced at Artoria, who was quietly eating beside her.
"It seems you've always been curious about my intentions, but unfortunately for you, I've already accomplished my goal, so there's no need for me to reveal everything," Morgan said to Artoria with a hint of sarcasm. "In this case, will you still share your wish with others?"
Artoria set down the food she'd been eating. Though she seemed to be enjoying the feast, her mind remained focused on the night's purpose.
"Well, why don't you tell us?" Morgan suggested calmly, almost as if she were assuming Tatsuya's role as host.
Feeling at ease, Tatsuya listened quietly.
"My wish is to save my homeland. I want to use the omnipotent wish-granting device to change the fate of Britain's destruction."
Her noble declaration brought a hush over the room.
"But Britain fell during your reign, with the conclusion of your final battle," Tatsuya pointed out, breaking the silence as he looked at the King of Knights.
"That's why I regret it and want to change the outcome! It's all because of me…"
Before she could finish, Gilgamesh let out a twisted laugh. "Hey, did you hear that, Rider? She calls herself a king, worshipped as a king by her people, yet she regrets it! Hahaha!"
Rider wore a serious expression, making no comment. Artoria, feeling insulted, showed a flicker of anger and was about to respond when someone else spoke up.
"It's indeed worthy of ridicule, but are you truly in a position to mock, Hero King?"
Morgan suddenly interjected, turning her criticism toward Gilgamesh, abruptly halting his laughter and replacing it with a menacing glare.
Self-centered as he was, Gilgamesh wouldn't tolerate criticism from anyone. He glared coldly at Morgan.
"You must have prepared yourself for such insolence, fairy of paradise. Even if you're innocent, you're guilty of treason and deserve death."
Despite the murderous aura bearing down on her, Morgan remained unmoved.
"No need to be so hasty. This is a long story. Please listen patiently and then decide if my words hold any truth, Hero King," Morgan calmly put down her glass and glanced around the room.
Artoria, at that moment, was the most confused person at the table.
She had never expected the sorceress to defend her, let alone to place the blame for Britain's destruction on the Hero King—a legendary figure Artoria had only known from tales.
Morgan didn't look at Artoria beside her; her gaze remained fixed ahead.
"To begin with, you've misunderstood the cause from the start. The fall of Britain wasn't due to someone's incompetence; it was an inevitable fact. You merely delayed this outcome, allowing Britain under your rule to persist a while longer."
Morgan's words, spoken in a light tone, revealed the essence of Britain's demise, leaving Artoria silent.
Of course, Artoria knew that Britain was destined to fall—Merlin had warned her of this before she became king—yet she had hoped for a more peaceful end for her homeland.
"…I understand that, but what does this have to do with the Hero King over there?" Artoria asked.
"The fall of Britain is part of the broader decline of the Age of Gods," Morgan explained, turning her gaze toward the King of Heroes.
Gilgamesh, who had been enraged moments ago, now appeared calm, though his usual disdain remained.
"The Age of Gods was destined to end around 1000 B.C.," Morgan continued. "Britain's proximity to the Inner Sea merely delayed this process by 1500 years," she said, directing her mockery at Artoria. "If you wish to change this fact and save Britain, you'll need the power of the Holy Grail to reverse the retreat of the Age of Gods from the world."
"…I…" Artoria fell silent.
The demise of Britain stemmed from the decline of the Age of Gods, and clearly, this was not a fate that could be changed easily.
"So, what does this decline of the Age of Gods have to do with Gilgamesh?" the King of Conquerors asked.
Morgan smiled faintly. "It's simple. The Hero King Gilgamesh is one of the catalysts for the decline of the Age of Gods. When the Hero King chose to lead humanity in rebellion against the gods, the Age of Gods began its descent. The actions of the Mage King, who returned the miracles bestowed by the gods to the heavens, only accelerated this process. As a result, the once fertile lands gradually became barren, unable to sustain the people living there. Artoria, it's no wonder your Britain fell."
With that, she turned to Gilgamesh once more, a hint of pride in her voice.
"So, if we look at it from this perspective, shouldn't the responsibility for Britain's destruction ultimately be attributed to your rebellion against the gods, Hero King?"
All eyes turned to him.
Gilgamesh had no intention of denying this responsibility, merely chuckling with disdain.
"It's tedious. Even if it's true, it doesn't change the fact that it's all terribly dull."
___________
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