Promised Fate

" Medea, are you satisfied?"

I asked the elven woman as she stood over the corpse of Aphrodite in a human form with various stab wounds and burns. I kept my promise to her and found a Lost Belt that had the Greek Goddess of Love in it for her to kill and torture. It took some searching, but I found it and brought Medea to exact her revenge. The elven woman looked down at the corpse with a neutral expression despite being covered in blood and said.

" You have honored your deal."

" That's not what I asked, Medea."

I could tell she was not as satisfied as she thought she would be and was at a loss for what to do next behind her calm exterior. As she refused to say anything else, I then asked her.

" Shall we return home?"

" Home?"

Medea looked at me in surprise, and I could guess why. She probably did not expect me to continue to allow her to remain in my home after I kept my promise to her. I then told her.

" Yes, home. Our home. Medea, regardless of your past, you are welcomed into my humble abode for as long as you like. I know that Iri enjoys having you around since you two have similar hobbies; plus, Illya and Sakura want to learn more from you, and I would undoubtedly miss you as well, as I have gotten used to your presence and enjoy your company."

" I... I would like that, Silva Branwen. Let's return home."

I could see the elven woman blush as she covered her head with her hood, and I opened a portal back to my home in Fuyuki. Medea then left for her room at the underground complex in a hurry, and I let her be for the time being. With my promise to her complete, I now need to see Mordred about facing the Sword of Selection. I entered my home and went to the living room first to find the Knight of Treachery watching anime with Illyasviel, Fran, and Gray. Gray and Mordred have an unusual relationship with one another after finding out that the Gravekeeper was meant to be Artoria's vessel.

Oddly enough, they get along because they have similar mixed emotions for the King of Knights. I looked at what they were watching, and it was clearly a shounen genre anime. I watched for a bit and was decidedly not interested, so I went to kill time in my room. I found Himiko waiting for me.

" Hello, Silva, fancy meeting you here!"

" What is it this time, Himiko?"

I was still surprised that Ruler still existed despite the fact the Great Holy Grail War was over. The Servant nervously fidgeted as she blushed and asked.

" Could we talk some more?"

" Sure."

Skadi allowed Himiko to stay with us while I was unconscious from my fusion with Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg to acquire the Second Magic. The reason for that is due to Ruler's unique Magecraft, Kidō, which served as the basis for Shintoism. While primitive, it still retains a lot of Mystery because the practice died out when Shintoism rose, so it can be considered a forgotten art. Both Sakura and Illyasviel are studying under her, which shows how much my dear wife cares about her students.

" So what do you like to do, Silva?"

Ruler asks me, and I debated whether or not to tell her the reason she can't divine my future is not that I am her destined one but because I lack a connection to The Root. Ultimately, I decided to be truthful to her since I didn't want to give her any false ideas. After all, if I want a relationship with her, I want to do so openly without any misunderstandings.

" Himiko, you think I am your destined one because you can't predict my future, correct?"

" Of course! Why else would I not be able to peer into your future!"

Himiko happily exclaimed, and I sighed as I told her the truth of the matter.

" Himiko, I am a foreign entity that has no connection to the Root, so of course, you can't predict my future like with other people."

" Eh?"

Ruler looked at me in shock, and I continued.

" With that in mind, I can not be destined to be with you, but if you're interested in being... Romantically connected despite this, then let's talk. I will leave you with your thoughts."

I left my room and went to the library next to relax as she still looked stunned. I dug out a light novel series to read to pass the time until Mordred is done watching anime with her faction members. As I read, I heard someone call out to me.

" Silva?"

I looked up to see Medusa in her casual wear, a black turtle neck and jeans with glasses instead of a blindfold. I politely asked her as I greeted her.

" Hello, Medusa. How have you been?"

" I have been well, thank you. How was your trip with Caster of Red?"

" In all honesty, a headache and a half because tracking a diminished goddess in a Lost Belt was nothing short of difficult, but I kept my promise. The Lost Belt not only had a bunch of Divine Spirits running around but also Phantasmal Species of every kind, and to top it off, humanity was dead and gone, with only homunculi supplying faith to the Gods. Let's not also forget that there were invading Outer Gods as well in that mess. Unfortunately, it was one of the few places where Aphrodite still existed in a weak enough form so Medea could kill the goddess."

Rider just looks at me with disbelief at what I went through for the elven woman, although, thankfully, the difficulty made it so Medea did not think to ask me to take her to other versions of the Greek Goddess of Love for her to kill. Medusa then asked me with concern.

" Are you alright?"

" I will be fine; I just need some time to unwind before keeping my promise to Mordred. Then I will go off on my journey back to my homeland."

Silence descended, and Medusa looked lost at how to continue the conversation, and I went back to reading as I had nothing else to add. I felt Rider leave my presence, and after finishing my light novel, I went to find my troublesome Saber. I saw her eating a snack with Artoria in her alter form. Unfortunately for the King of Knights, the news of her "switch" spread among the household. The more mischievous members took delight in having the poor Saber switch personalities for their amusement.

I then called out to Mordred.

" You ready to go?"

" Finally! I have been waiting for this!"

The Knight of Treachery said with a wide grin as she got up, and Artoria curtly told her, "Son."

" Mordred, don't get hopes up."

" I will prove to you that I am worthy of being your heir, Father!"

Mordred snapped at Artoria and proceeded to drag, or at least try to, me away to take her to where she could face the Sword of Selection. I found it a bit funny to see her try to drag me away when I was an unmovable object with a bit of Magic. I silently teased the Saber until she finally asked.

" Can we just go already, Master?"

" Sure. Let's head outside first."

We went to the backyard, and I opened a portal where no one drew Caliburn from the stone for one reason or another. It wasn't hard to find this World Line as it stood out while not being a Lost Belt and having an abundant Mystery compared to other World Lines. Mordred looked at the Sword of Selection after I brought her here with nervousness and asked me.

" Master, why hadn't Father or anyone for that matter pulled the sword?"

" Well, Artoria broke her neck while Merlin was away at the time, so she died. No one worthy showed up for various reasons, which ultimately did not drastically change history, surprisingly in the grand scheme of things. Her uncle got disposed of from other means in the end, and then after the initial chaos, things just fell into place for history to flow as intended. Merlin just hid the sword from the mundane world, and here we are with you, trying to pull it."

After explaining the circumstances, the Knight of Treachery looked at the sword in the stone and breathed before trying to pull it out. Placing her hands on the sword and tried to pull it out. She, unfortunately, could not pull out, no matter how hard she tried, and I kept silent as I watched her struggle. After a while, she stopped and asked me without looking at me.

" Am I really not worthy of Father's legacy, Master?"

" What legacy? Artoria's kingdom rose and fell in a single generation and still would even if you did not rebel because a utopia is something the Will of Humanity will not tolerate."

I saw her shoulders shutter, and I walked up to her and hugged her from behind.

" Let me go!"

Mordred demanded but made no attempt to resist or break out of my embrace. After a moment, the knight lets out her frustration and fury at being fully denied her perceived birthright as she cries out against the heavens.