The people called out by Rin Tohsaka all showed somewhat subtle expressions.
Lining up in order to make wishes... Why does that sound so weird?
Where did the cruelty of the Holy Grail War go?
"I understand." Artoria quickly composed herself and responded to Rin.
She stepped forward, gently holding the golden vessel in her hands.
"By the way, Saber, have you thought of a specific way to realize your wish?"
Seeing Artoria with the Grail, Souta suddenly asked.
Using the Grail to make a wish doesn't require understanding the principles behind it, but a specific plan must be provided.
For example, if one wished to be wealthy, the method had to be specified—whether they wanted a lump sum of money or an elevation in social status to amass wealth. The Grail needed a clear process to directly skip the effort and reach the result.
Take "world peace" as an example. Amakusa Shirou Tokisada's method was to turn all human souls into materialized energy. If he had obtained the Grail, the wish would have been fulfilled in that way.
On the other hand, if Kiritsugu Emiya had won, nothing would have been realized.
Because he didn't know how to achieve world peace.
He wished for an idealized world, but no known method could accomplish that.
He assumed the Grail could do it for him, but in reality, the Grail required him to provide a method.
Without a method, the wish was impossible to grant.
"Sort of," Artoria replied, looking at Souta. "I will retain only my consciousness and return to my past body, becoming a king once more. Using my knowledge of the future, I will guide my kingdom toward a stable demise. Perhaps this is just self-satisfaction, but... I must do it."
Her eyes were unwavering.
"...That sounds kind of weird," Rin Tohsaka muttered before Souta could comment.
Becoming king again just to destroy her own country... To someone uninformed, this would sound utterly insane.
"Have you thought about how to handle the Knights of the Round Table?" Souta asked next. "They all contain elements of the Age of Gods, and since the Age of Gods is destined to fade, the Counter Force will inevitably target them. If not dealt with properly, the country will still fall into chaos."
"I will find the right moment to have them exit the stage of history, one by one, and return to the Inner Sea of the Planet," Artoria replied after some thought.
"In a way, I suppose it's like deceiving history."
"If that's the case, I have a suggestion," Souta pointed at Artoria's small frame. "A person's body subtly influences their mind. Look at Illya—she's already 18, but because her body is still that of a child, she often acts like one... cough cough."
Noticing Illya suddenly looking at him, Souta quickly skipped over that topic and continued:
"Anyway, you should consider abandoning Excalibur and using Rhongomyniad as your primary weapon. Without Avalon to keep your body frozen in time, you'll be able to grow. Going through the process of aging might make you more mature in your thinking."
"Are you sure that will... make me more mature?" Artoria eyed him doubtfully.
After her conversation with Lancelot, she had indeed realized... that she was somewhat immature.
If Souta's suggestion could help, she was willing to try.
"I'm not sure—it's just a guess. But trying won't hurt. Rhongomyniad is on par with Excalibur, so it'll still be strong enough to help you maintain order."
Souta imagined Lancer Artoria riding her steed and smirked.
"You know what they say—'A king's bloodline must end by the sword'... So maybe just use a lance instead."
"Is that really how the phrase is supposed to be understood?" Artoria looked exasperated.
Souta shrugged. "As long as it gets the point across."
"Alright, I'll consider it. Well then..."
She looked at the group—mainly at Souta and Irisviel—and gave a gentle smile.
"I won't say anything too sentimental. If we meet again, I will repay this kindness. Farewell."
With those words, she closed her eyes.
Souta felt an overwhelming surge of magical energy rippling through the portal above.
The density was suffocating.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the golden-haired girl gradually dissolved into particles of light, vanishing into the air.
Once the magic stabilized, there was no trace of Artoria left.
Only the golden Holy Grail remained, floating in midair.
"It seems the Grail won't disappear until its magic is fully depleted," Souta remarked.
He turned toward Irisviel and Illya, gesturing for them to proceed.
"Saber is really gone..." Irisviel showed reluctance on her face.
But she quickly composed herself, took Illya's hand, and approached the Grail.
Irisviel was the first to touch it. The Grail's glow enveloped her, healing all the hidden ailments in her body.
A few seconds later, a relaxed expression appeared on her face.
Illya reached out and touched the Grail.
The remaining magic was instantly drained to the last drop.
The portal in the sky also disappeared.
The magical aura in the cavern had thinned, like a bottle of wine diluted with several buckets of water.
He had something to say, but he really didn't know if he should say it.
Irisviel blinked, looking at her daughter's unchanged body with uncertainty.
Did it really take that much mana just to restore her body?
"Illya, what exactly did you wish for?"
"My wish was granted in the castle in Germany," Illya said, glancing at Souta before answering.
"As for what I wished for... it's a secret."
"Scumbag!" Rin Tohsaka glared at Souta and mercilessly insulted him.
Souta looked confused. "You don't even know what she wished for."
"Then why are you insulting me?"
Ignoring Rin, Souta walked over to Iskandar.
He wanted to pat the King of Conquerors on the shoulder to comfort him, but given the height difference, he just said:
"Sorry, the Grail ran out of mana. But don't worry, I still have some divine power left. I'll help you reincarnate as a human."
"Haha, much appreciated! I'll remember this favor," Iskandar laughed heartily.
"When I conquer the world, you're welcome to join my ranks and be a lazy, well-fed lord."
"Conquering the world isn't really feasible anymore. Monarchs don't have much of a place in modern society."
"Times have changed, that much I know. But conquest isn't that narrow of a concept. To conquer is—"
"Alright, alright, stop right there. I have no interest in world domination, so don't bother explaining."
Souta interrupted him, then released a large mass of divine power, condensing it into a transparent sphere and handing it over.
"This should be enough to grant your wish for a human body. The Greater Grail is empty now, and I doubt your current form will last much longer. You should use it quickly."
Iskandar examined the orb curiously and muttered,
"Your power... is truly mysterious. This alone is practically a Holy Grail."
"No, in terms of nature, it's actually more advanced than the Grail," Souta smirked. "But I'm not quite at that level yet."
"By the way, are you all heading back to the future soon?" Iskandar suddenly asked.
"Once we wrap up everything here, yeah."
"I see... Then, see you in the future."
Iskandar clapped Souta on the shoulder and grinned boldly.
"When that time comes, I'll treat you to a drink!"
With that, he left Ryuudou Temple alongside Waver.