Lancelot's Story

Two days later, in the morning.

[013: Lancelot (Berserker)]

[Character Information: Lancelot, one of the twelve Knights of the Round Table under King Arthur, was known as the "Knight of the Lake." His forbidden love affair with Queen Guinevere led to the downfall of Camelot, making him a symbol of King Arthur's tragic defeat.

While receiving great honour, he also lived in deep regret. His obsession—especially his conflicting love and hatred toward the King and the Queen—trapped him in madness forever. Seeking to suppress this torment, he continues his battles as a blackened knight, longing for that fateful encounter.]

[Hidden Information: Locked.]

[Record Conditions (0/3)]:

[•Earn Lancelot's acknowledgement. (Incomplete)]

[•Defeat Lancelot. (Incomplete)]

[•Free Lancelot from his madness. (Incomplete)]

"Mm..."

Sakatsuki stood side by side with Kariya, facing the silent knight clad in black armour. He stood still, like a wind-up puppet that had run out of energy, with only the tassels on his back trembling slightly—proof that there was still some instinctive awareness left in him.

"A wielder of a holy sword matching Excalibur, raised by the Lady of the Lake, and once known as the 'Knight of the Lake'... To think he has fallen to such a state."

"You recognize him...?!"

Even though Kariya had grown accustomed to Sakatsuki's vast knowledge, hearing him casually reveal a Servant's true name still made him uncomfortable.

"Of course. The one responsible for the fall of the Knights of the Round Table—Lancelot, the 'Knight of the Lake.' Anyone who's read the legends of King Arthur would know him."

As Sakatsuki spoke, he attempted to draw the sword from Lancelot's waist, only to have his wrist seized in an iron grip. The Berserker would not let him step forward.

"Kariya."

"I know, I know. Berserker, let go."

With a helpless sigh, Kariya commanded his Servant. The knight, who resembled more of a beast than a chivalrous warrior, released his grip, allowing Sakatsuki to draw the long sword from its sheath.

The engraved runes on the blade glowed faintly, shining like the waters of a moonlit lake.

The holy sword Arondight, also known as the Unfading Light of the Lake.

Though it had become a cursed weapon, its brilliance remained undiminished.

The underground training room, unlit, was suddenly bathed in an ethereal sapphire glow as if submerged beneath the waters of a mystical lake. The breathtaking sight left both men momentarily entranced.

"Compassion, generosity, wisdom, honour, valour... I too once passed the Five Virtues of Knighthood trial and claimed the Lady of the Lake's sword from the waters of Toussaint's Lac Célavy."

Sakatsuki ran his fingers over the blade, sighing wistfully.

"But unfortunately, I lost it once again. Completely, this time."

"You've done something like that before?! Also, where is Toussaint? Some island where mysteries still linger?"

Kariya's astonishment was quickly met with a disdainful glare.

"Of course not. In this day and age, mysteries have long faded. Fairies and spirits are hidden on the reverse side of the world—where would I find a divine-forged sword?"

"Then why did you sound so convincing?!"

Sakatsuki merely chuckled and returned the Unfading Light of the Lake to its sheath. The basement returned to darkness once more.

Night had fallen. A perfect time for storytelling.

"Let's tell a tale of knights..."

His voice was calm, gently picking up pieces of history long past.

It was the last era of romance on this planet. A time when islands still held onto mysteries, when magic and fae still existed, and when the sacred lands had not yet fully faded into twilight.

The legends of the Knights of the Round Table mostly come from this era.

Their King, Arthur Pendragon, still led them, driving out foreign invaders, protecting his people, and leaving behind countless tales of bravery sung by bards.

Among them, a knight from France, upon hearing rumours of the Sword in the Stone and the Ideal King, was compared to Arthur by his people. Unconvinced and curious, he set foot on the shores of Britain.

In a battle, he fought alongside the King of Knights and ultimately realized that Arthur's greatness did not come from physical strength, but from his unshakable conviction.

Moved by the King's will, he willingly pledged his loyalty and became one of the Round Table's knights.

As a foreigner in Britain, he paid closer attention to individuals rather than the collective, allowing him to notice the growing rifts between the King and his knights. When Sir Tristan left, saying that Arthur "did not understand the human heart," the knight was deeply disturbed.

Sharing a similar concern, he and Queen Guinevere reached an understanding.

In the tenth year of King Arthur's reign, their forbidden affair was exposed.

In his attempt to rescue the Queen, the knight killed Agravain, accidentally slew Gawain's brothers, and gravely wounded the Knight of the Sun himself.

In the end, he fled Britain with Guinevere, returning to his lands in France.

Even so, Arthur forgave him.

But during the rebellion of Mordred, he received a letter from the dying Gawain, pleading for aid, he rode to Britain to help suppress the rebellion—only to arrive too late.

The war between the King and his treacherous child had already ended.

The legend of King Arthur had come to an end.

The kingdom had fallen.

The knight spent the rest of his life in regret.

When Sakatsuki finished his tale, he realized that two more listeners had joined them unnoticed—Miyu, with her black hair, and Sakura, with her violet locks.

For young girls, nothing was more captivating than a tragic knightly tale.

Meanwhile, Kariya had unknowingly stepped closer to Berserker. His gaze toward the mad knight was filled with complex emotions.

"I see... So that's why I summoned you."

Berserker, King Arthur, and Queen Guinevere.

Matou Kariya, Tokiomi Tohsaka, and Aoi Zenjou.

How similar their fates were.

"▉▉▉▉..."

The man shrouded in madness, murmured. A voice more of a beast than a knight.

"If it were you, Kariya, what would you do?"

Sakatsuki's question pulled Kariya back to reality. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.

The complexity in his gaze faded, replaced by an unwavering determination.

"I will not let the one I love suffer. If Tokiomi is wrong, then I will correct him."

"Even if Aoi will never choose you?"

Kariya clenched his fists and turned away, answering in silence.

And at the same time, hiding the burning ambition in his eyes.

The Holy Grail War.

Sakatsuki, oblivious to Kariya's true thoughts, merely patted his shoulder in encouragement. Then he turned to Miyu, crouching down to meet her amber eyes.

"Have you tried it?"

"Yes."

Dressed in her violet-themed magical girl outfit, Miyu nodded. A new band adorned her left leg.

"The Class Card is stable. Everything is working fine."

"Good."

Satisfied, Sakatsuki smiled.

"If you've come to find me, then that means there's been movement in the Holy Grail War."

"Yes."

Miyu nodded again, her expression calm, but her voice held a rare trace of disbelief.

"Last night, Assassin tried to breach the Tohsaka estate's boundary."

"And?"

Hearing the keyword, Kariya's expression turned serious.

Miyu paused for a moment, then spoke in an almost incredulous tone.

"And then, Assassin was killed."

***

[T/N: Toussaint, the Five Virtues of Knighthood, and the Lady of the Lake's sword are referencing from The Witcher 3.]

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