Everyone knows how the British Empire met its end. King Arthur, whose life was filled with legends, fell at the Battle of Camlann.
It all began when a golden-haired, blue-eyed girl knight drew Caliburn from the stone, became King Arthur, and abandoned her identity as a person to become a king. She stopped considering her own feelings and worried only about her country and its people.
In the end, Britain met a tragic destruction.
But could there be a worldline where an Arthur did not want to draw the Chosen Sword?
Artoria: Is it possible that I don't want to draw the holy sword?
Merlin: Of course! ^_^
Artoria: Yay! I'm going to slack off!
Merlin: Your kingdom is going to fall apart! Y(^_^)Y
Artoria: What? Guilt-tripping?
Merlin: That's right! (=^▽^=)
Artoria: Is something seriously wrong with you?
And so, Artoria gave in to the unscrupulous mage's guilt-tripping and endless chatter, drew the Chosen Sword, and finally set the story back on course.
But as she became king, she was nothing like that idealized holy king. In fact, she was downright absurd.
P.S. On the day of her coronation, she was so nervous that she ignored her big sister and got put on the blacklist.
On the battlefield, she was too scared to speak, so everyone thought she was calmly directing the battle.
While handling government affairs, she slacked off and got yelled at by Agravain until she cried.
After getting married, she changed back into women's clothes and slipped out of the palace to slack off, only to get caught by her wife.
Yet it was through these many experiences, and all that embarrassing history, that she changed from an inexperienced girl into a steady, gentle, and respected holy king.
Kay: Steady? Gentle? How many layers of filters have you put on her? She drives me so mad every day I practically breathe fire! (〝▼皿▼)
Bedivere: Well, she's the king. She can be a little childish now and then, but overall she's fairly dependable... I think.
Agravain: Have you finished handling your affairs of state, Your Majesty?! (Arthur says her heart is tired.)
Guinevere: The king is actually very cute. She even secretly puts on her casual clothes and sneaks out with Agravain without him knowing... I mean, she goes on undercover visits.
Agravain: You are the woman who led the king astray! You should be eliminated as soon as possible. Death penalty!
Arthur: Agravain, if you touch her, you're finished!
This unconventional king led Britain toward recovery. But the Age of Gods had passed, and Britain, a relic of that age, faced its inevitable destruction.
"I'm sorry, my homeland. I failed to keep my vow to protect you."
"I'm sorry, my people. I failed to lead you into the future."
"I'm sorry, my beloved. I failed to give you the happiness you deserved."
"So I will bear the fate of Britain's destruction alone."
Note: This is an Artoria fanfic, but the Artoria portrayed here is another version of her who exists in my heart.
Warnings: This story only borrows Type-Moon's worldbuilding and some of its setting. The characters' personalities are very different from the original, though they have some similarities. Some events may lean toward historical fiction, but I'm no history expert, so I might not write them very well. Most of it should be made up.
Finally, this is a story I've been imagining for a long time, written purely out of love. Please go easy on me.
Thank you for reading!
Theme: I will always love Artoria
