Chapter 177: Mia had no time to think

Vortigern’s gaze revealed disdain; he spread his sharp claws, destroying everything beneath his massive dragon body as he dove.

Mia had no time to think, grabbing Artoria’s shoulder and activating Teleportation Magic.

When the dragon landed, it was like a meteorite crashing into the ocean; the heavy force turned the scorched black earth into something no different from liquid.

Artoria and Mia appeared in another part of the city. The moment they tumbled out of the teleportation state, Mia released Shadow Magic to hide them both.

The dragon turned around, but upon looking back, he found that Artoria’s presence was gone from the place he had just struck.

Vortigern’s breathing made a sound comparable to a gale.

“Where are you?” The dragon’s neck, as long and slender as a snake’s, swiveled around.

A voice like thunder spread fear into the hearts of everyone in the city.

Pitch-black pupils scanned the city, more than half of which had already been turned into ruins.

Vortigern suddenly felt something flash past the corner of his eye, and his giant maw lunged forward, crushing a house to pieces.

He raised his head, swallowing the wreckage of the house like a crocodile, and then saw a mother and child hiding within the roofless building.

Seeing the giant dragon, the mother tightly covered her child’s eyes, staring at Vortigern with bloodshot eyes full of terror, shivering silently.

Vortigern had no interest in the two; his twisted dragon claws came down, grinding the remaining house and everything inside into dust as he walked through the city.

“I can smell you, Daughter of Uther.”

He climbed a bell tower and looked down upon the city.

Uther’s daughter had to be nearby.

Vortigern had some understanding of Mia’s Teleportation Magic.

But this time was clearly different from Teleportation Magic. Vortigern could feel Artoria’s presence, but it was faint and fleeting, making it almost impossible to pinpoint her location.

The dragon’s eyes scanned the area, finally locking onto the palace atop the hill.

Above that palace swirled a massive amount of negative emotions that only he could see: fear, anxiety, despair, and more.

The rest of the people in the city were in the palace.

That would be perfect bait.

Vortigern left the bell tower.

“Destruction, wonderful destruction. I am always eager to turn Britain into a hell; it is such a beautiful picture.”

“Do you want to see that future vision?”

Vortigern walked slowly toward the palace, his eyes constantly observing his surroundings.

“Trust me, you will be captivated by the beauty of destruction.”

The people in the palace saw the giant dragon slowly approaching.

That was the personification of Death itself. As the dragon breathed and whispered, it formed chain after chain that tightened around people’s hearts.

The chains were tightening.

Some wept, some prayed, and some screamed in a breakdown.

“All righteous people!” a priest shouted, raising his arms among the crowd. “If this is the end, then let us hold our heads high and welcome the Lord’s judgment! Those with hearts as clear as mirrors shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”

From beneath a damaged roof, Mia saw the dragon’s tail, wreathed in black mist, sweep overhead.

She used all her strength to restrain Artoria in her arms, covering her mouth.

The latter was constantly struggling, but Mia was temporarily able to use her positional advantage to control the thrashing Artoria.

But clearly, Artoria’s strength was greater than Mia’s.

“Mmph— mmm—”

Artoria held the sword in the stone, of which only the hilt remained, in one hand, while her other hand clawed at Mia’s arm.

“You’ll die if you go out there!” Mia hissed into Artoria’s ear.

Artoria was about to break free.

Out of desperation, Mia used Calm.

A blue light flashed, and after a few breaths, the girl in her arms gradually calmed down.

“Don’t be impulsive,” Mia said in Artoria’s ear.

“Okay.”

The moment Mia released her hold, Artoria knelt on the ground.

Her white dress had long since lost its original color.

“…” The girl remained silent, staring fixedly at the ground.

Her hands clenched into fists on the dust- and rubble-covered floor.

She suddenly straightened up.

She violently threw the sword hilt from her hand.

The only remaining evidence of Caliburn’s existence in this world hit the wall with a clatter and fell into the ruins.

The girl stared blankly at the hilt.

“Liar…” she murmured.

She wanted to cry out, but what would be the point?

“Wasn’t it the sword of selecting kings? Wasn’t it the holy sword that would allow one to rule Britain if pulled out?”

Artoria sobbed.

In the end, she still couldn’t resist the so-called prophecy.

“It’s not your fault…” Mia wasn’t very good at comforting people.

“That sword has nothing to do with the prophecy,” Mia replied.

‘I should have remembered sooner…’ She felt a bit of self-reproach.

Caliburn wasn’t the legendary Holy Sword of the Stars; it was just a counterfeit made by Merlin.

It simply couldn’t withstand the full release of Artoria’s magical energy.

Coupled with the buff Mia had given her, it was only to be expected that this sword, which had already been unleashed once, would shatter.

Artoria knelt on the ground in silence.

Mia didn’t speak either.

She took out the blue Cerulean Seed Flask and drank its contents in one gulp.

Although the dew would restore over time, she had already drunk more than half during the day, and now only a third remained.

The dew was sweet.

How discordant that sweetness felt amidst these ruins.

‘It’s up to me now.’ Mia sighed softly.

She looked up at the pitch-black sky; behind the dark clouds, the stars were twinkling.

When she lowered her head, she suddenly caught a glimpse of white out of the corner of her eye.

“Hmm?”

“Fou.”

A small monster, neither quite a cat nor a dog, was perched on the window of the house.

‘Wasn’t this fellow taken away by Merlin?’

Just as she was thinking this…

“Oh dear, oh dear, I hope I’m not too late.” A young man with white hair and white clothes appeared at the back door of the house. In contrast to his usual relaxed smile, he was wiping sweat from his brow.

“Now then, Artoria, a girl becomes ugly if she cries.”

“Merlin.” Artoria looked at Merlin in despair. “Can you help me?”

She said these words in an almost pleading manner.

Artoria placed her final hope in Merlin.

The mage who had been by her side for as long as she could remember, who taught her knowledge beyond martial arts, but who always wore an unreliable smile and always seemed to be idling his life away.

“Hmph hmph,” Merlin had a confident expression on his face. “Though no one asked, I’m sure you all want to know where I went, right?”

“Ta-da!” He reached out and grasped at the air.

Clang—

Something made contact with the floor of the house, emitting a crisp sound.

Manifesting from the void was a pure white lance.

“As you can see, Artoria, I went to pick up a package for you.”

“Though this wasn’t in the prophecy either, wouldn’t it be quite boring if we relied on prophecies for everything?”