Fate/Ultimate Antagonist

[52] My Heart, Belonging to Morgan

Listening to Merlin's pitiful wails, there was no sympathy in the hearts of the Round Table members. Instead, a rare sense of satisfaction emerged.

The lives of over two thousand knights from Britannia, as well as the grim fate awaiting the Knights of the Round Table for the next round, were almost entirely orchestrated by Merlin.

Having lost a hand, it was questionable whether it could be reattached. Even if it could, wielding a sword in the future was almost out of the question.

The consequences of the siege he initiated were to be borne by himself, and the Knights of the Round Table had no complaints.

As for those knights who were subjected to madness?

Some of them could have escaped.

But just like that, they were heartlessly treated as expendable by this incubus.

Those who toyed with people's hearts and lives did not deserve sympathy.

However, they were utterly helpless against the incubus. Its near-immortal nature and illusions capable of deceiving the world made revenge an impossible feat.

At this moment, hearing his wails, the only thought in the hearts of all the Knights of the Round Table members was...

Serve you right!

Artoria's expression was even colder than that of the Knights of the Round Table. If it were the usual Lily, she would have expressed concern for her mentor.

But at this moment, Arotria's eyes showed no trace of mercy.

She detested deceit.

So when the incubus told her, "I have hardly told any lies to you." Artoria immediately understood, everything Alvin said was true.

When a person emphasizes that they haven't violated the law, it means they lack moral integrity.

Merlin seemed to derive great pleasure from having said, "I have hardly told any lies."

So, he believed he had "hardly made any mistakes."

When the golden-haired girl said to him, "Merlin, I don't trust you again." the incubus's expression did not change, only appearing very puzzled.

Why?

I'm almost entirely telling the truth.

Why?

I only guided you on the journey to become a king, Lily.

Why?

I was doing something so correct—straightening the world, bringing it back on track, such an unquestionably right thing...

But...

"The greatest lie is the truth left unsaid."

With a surging sense of nausea and disgust, Artoria thrust the Sword of Selection into Merlin's shoulder, cut off her own cloak, and handed it to the incubus, symbolizing the severing of their future relationship.

Afterwards... returning along the same path, she found herself trapped in that land of fairies, only able to watch as the knights besieged Alvin.

Anger, helplessness.

She knew she had fallen into a trap.

Setting herself free was Merlin's intention, he was well aware that she would speak up to save the Knights of the Round Table.

This fact made Artoria feel incredibly disheartened.

"Am I just a disposable pawn to you, Merlin?"

The incubus, with eyes filled with remorse, could no longer answer her question. The illusion collapsed to the ground, convulsing and dying, turning into scattered flowers.