Chapter 459: Next Stop: Sword Rail

"Hey hey, what do you mean by pervert……"

Xia Zhi expressed his disagreement, turning his head to look in Alice's direction seeking support: "Alice, you tell them, can this be called a pervert?"

"Eh, this…… this……"

Alice took a small half-step back, she raised a finger with some trouble, gently scratching her own doll-like exquisite cheek.

Her eyes revealed a trace of hesitation, as if she felt a bit troubled by this sudden question, not knowing how to answer in a more tactful way.

After all, directly appearing in her own room, this is indeed a bit……

But……

It doesn't seem like something worth getting so tangled up over either.

Because she herself was sheltered under his rule, only then could she obtain a place to stay and peace.

Not to mention anything else, if the other party hadn't resurrected her, then her current situation would probably be far more miserable, one suspects even her consciousness would cease to exist.

She was originally a dead person……

It was only within the Great Holy Grail that her personality's data records were preserved……

If this man hadn't refined the Great Holy Grail into a True Elixir, swallowing it into his belly in one gulp……

——Then, she would truly be unable to appear here now, and would have no opportunity to reunite with her daughter once more.

Everything before her eyes, like a paradise in a dream, was truly the happiness Alice had longed for day and night in the Great Holy Grail in the past, yet dared not hope for in the least.

So to speak.

Seems like being squeamish about this aspect has no meaning either?

For a moment, Alice's thoughts scattered, not knowing where they ran off to, her gaze drifting aimlessly to look elsewhere.

"Hey, Master don't put pressure on Alice……"

Artoria pouted her lips, then took a deep breath: "Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore."

"How can we not talk about it, this concerns my reputation……" The youth frowned slightly, having quite a few objections to the Regent Princess's statement.

"Tell me, Master, why so sudden?"

Artoria ignored him, asking on her own, her pupils sharp as she stared tightly at him.

"……"

"……"

"What do you mean? Me appearing in Alice's room?"

Xia Zhi blinked his eyes.

"You clearly know what I'm saying……" The ahoge on her head jumped, the girl bit her lip, saying quite displeasedly.

"I mean——about letting me…… letting me summon the Round Table or whatever."

"Oh, this ah……" The youth didn't know if he was feigning or truly suddenly realized.

He gently shook his head, then, tracelessly moved a step by the window, as if unintentionally crossing the boundary between reality and illusion, stepping into another layer of space.

"……"

"……"

In just a split second——

When Artoria and the other reacted——

They discovered the surrounding scenery had already quietly changed, the two of them were no longer standing in Alice's room.

But in another elegant room, they were also sitting peacefully in their respective seats.

The exquisite tea snacks before them emitted an alluring fragrance, the chair cushions seemed able to absorb the world's weariness.

The entire room was enveloped in an indescribable tranquility, the air flowing with a gentle stillness.

Like being caressed by a spring afternoon's sunlight, yet also like the sound of bamboo leaves gently swaying in a summer night's breeze, time seemed to become slow and long.

The Regent Princess's heart suddenly surged with a trance.

Then she gently pursed her lips, her gaze strange and bizarre as she turned toward the Master sitting opposite the table.

——This feeling……

——How is it like time frames had their middle parts deleted……

Clearly it should be a very sudden change, but Artoria inexplicably felt it was very normal, as if everything happening was so natural, without the least sense of discord.

Even Rank A Instinct completely failed to perceive anything wrong.

This wasn't that kind of dizzying, world-spinning, all objects rapidly shattering and reassembling feeling.

On the contrary, it was more like a tiny moment of distraction, in a trance coming back to her senses, discovering she was already sitting here.

Just like usually walking on the road, perhaps subconsciously thinking about certain things, absent-mindedly walking to the destination, only then perceiving she had already finished the journey.

But the brain was a blank, having no real sense of this stretch of road.

——The current situation is just like this.

The Regent Princess subconsciously felt this should be time flowing normally, the events that happened also indeed happened.

But the "process" was deleted, leaving only the "result".

So……

It should be that she walked over herself, and also actively sat in this seat, only thus could it explain why Instinct didn't react, and still considered everything as usual.

Only because the middle time was deleted, only that segment of connecting time was quietly withdrawn, therefore the appearance gives people the illusion of spacetime dislocation.

That's why it would appear as if she and Alice were instantly moved into this elegant room, sitting here.

At this time——

"Wow, this room is really nice, I like it here……"

Alice on the other side didn't think that much, her voice full of surprise and satisfaction.

She was simply observing the room's environment with a hint of novelty.

Then, with great interest, she picked up the black tea before her and examined it for a while; her silver-white long hair fell gently with the movement, adding a few touches of tranquility and elegance to this refined room.

One must say, this doll young lady is probably the person with the most sense of leisure in the entire Fairy Court right now.

Although not to the extent of being a salty fish, lying flat, or anything like that……

But it is indeed true that she doesn't have many other pursuits anymore……

Precisely because of this, she is instead able to treat all kinds of occurring events with a usual mindset in most situations, and view them with an optimistic mindset.

Not to say desirelessness makes one strong, but that could also be called innocent and carefree……

"……"

"……"

Artoria pulled at the corner of her mouth, suddenly feeling a bit envious of how her good friend is.

She withdrew her gaze, then also silently raised the black tea cup before her.

"Then let's talk, Master…… are you preparing to let me take charge of Britain?"

Calming her mood as much as possible, and with a tone as calm as possible, she spoke like this.

"What's wrong, doesn't seem like it?" Xia Zhi asked back with a smile.

"Doesn't seem like it——" Artoria said directly, not the least bit tactful, "Even if you are willing, that fellow Morgan definitely won't agree."

"Could it be that Master you won't consider her opinion, and insist on handing Britain over to me?"

The Regent Princess spoke not the least bit politely.

But in fact, it is indeed exactly so.

There is only one Britain, Morgan won't cede ownership, and as long as that bad woman is unwilling, then whoever comes it's all in vain.

At this moment……

Although Artoria was rational in her heart, she still couldn't help but bite her lower lip, looking somewhat despondent and unwilling.

One must say, this time Morgan's luck was too good, too good.

Acquainted in trivial times, now already standing on undefeated ground…… thinking of this point, the young lady looked at the youth opposite with a very complex gaze.

"Wrong wrong, the premise is wrong……"

At this time, Xia Zhi shook his head.

"What?"

Artoria blanked for a moment, not reacting for a time.

"Britain isn't only one." Xia Zhi said, "Under the vast Star River, there is completely room for two Britains."

"What are you saying, Britain of course only has one……"

The Regent Princess frowned, subconsciously speaking.

"That, I have to remind you once, this side is the Lostbelt Fairy Kingdom's World Line, this side's Britain also belongs to Vivian's Britain——"

The youth smiled somewhat amusingly, only able to solemnly point out: "While you are from the Pan-Human History World Line, the Britain over there is the one corresponding to you……"

"……"

"……"

Artoria's expression became somewhat strange.

She first blanked, then was doubtful, immediately after realized, as if finally remembering something.

The ahoge on top of her head stood straight up all at once.

Next moment——

The Regent Princess fiercely stood up from her seat, a face of surprise:

"Right, I still have a Britain!"

"……"

"……"

The air seemed to have quieted down.

The atmosphere became very subtle for a time.

Alice beside them also put down the black tea in her hand, looked toward her good friend's direction, couldn't help but have the corners of her eyes twitch slightly.

——So to say, you completely forgot this matter?

——Clearly working so hard, yet losing the target of your efforts…… the Britain you worked so hard for would cry.

"Wait! Th-this can't be blamed on me either…… I…… I just finished the last war over there."

Artoria's complexion was somewhat red, unknown if from shyness or anger she explained——

"I…… I'm actually still stopped at the Sword Column……"

"Just the contract signed with the Counter Force hasn't ended, still in the fulfillment period, so my time was stagnated……"

"Then, my first summoning was the Fuyuki Holy Grail War, Alice you know too…… that time didn't succeed, I returned to the Sword Column……"

"Then the second summoning, still Fuyuki's Holy Grail War, just ten years later the Fifth Holy Grail War……"

Explaining in a flustered rush, speaking to here, Artoria then paused.

Then she bit her lip hard, glared annoyed at the Master opposite, gritted teeth: "Result that time still failed, and the Great Holy Grail was completely dismantled."

"The later things you all know too, I was pulled to the Fairy Kingdom here, then been busy until now……"

Open and secret struggle with Morgan……

Working hard to handle all kinds of affairs for Britain……

Big and small, no matter too trivial, all kinds of policies and legal decisions……

Artoria was so invested, the result being completely immersed within, to the extent she nearly forgot she came from another Britain.

"Indeed, indeed, you've had a hard time..."

Xia Zhi averted his gaze, not meeting the Regent Princess's eyes, and offered a word of praise with little sincerity.

In this regard, he indeed had not acted very decently.

"Is that all you're going to say, Mr. Xia Zhi?"

Alice couldn't help but retort; this flippant sentence was far from enough.

"Of course not just saying it; aren't we currently discussing how to handle these problems?"

The Nascent Soul Cultivator said with a straight face: "Wait, let's go to the Sword Column and thoroughly revive Artoria."

(Chapter End)