33 Chapter 32 - The Original Goal
After being side tracked by Abby, his new daughter that liked him rather fondly to say the least.
Ray said his farewell to the Chaldean and hopped to another timeline with a new addition to his original two people group.
"So, where are we going next, Master?" Ravel wondered as she took in her surroundings, a misty forest that gave off a somber feeling.
"To recruit King Arthur. Or King Artoria for this world." Ray drops the bomb casually while being cuddled by Abby as they tread through the forest.
"Wait. King Arthur! The wielder of the strongest Holy Sword, Excalibur!" Ravel exclaimed while hurried to follow after Abby and Ray.
"Not the same person. But yes." Ray nods and explains the difference between the two.
"Unlike the whatever inferior Excalibur from your world. The Excalibur of this world is the closest article to the real one told by the legend. The sword that embodies the hope and prayers of humanity."
Well, the reason why I want to recruit her is to teach the people from your world what the true Excalibur is. Those Excalibur Fragments don't worth shit in front of the real one." Ray shrugged before they appeared before a wounded female knight leaning over a tree with a bloody hole on her royal armor.
"Is that you, Sir Bedivere…?" The female knight asked with cloudy eyes stained red by blood flowing from her own forehead.
Ray jumped down from Abby's hold and stood before the injured female knight.
"Unfortunately, no. I am not. But I am someone that can grant your wish unlike that scammer Alaya." He said, which made the female knight look momentarily fazed by her thoughts before she laughed a little but stopped because of the pain from her gaping abdomen.
Looking unfazed, Ray continues. "However, I warn you the price for your wish is expensive and rather foolish in my own personal opinion. But first, let me fix your injury." He said and the injuries all suddenly vanished with his mere speech alone instead of reversing time as he previously did.
The female knight looks astonished while Ravel is already immune to his miraculous power and Abby already knows there's nothing impossible for her dearest father knowing his true identity.
"This… You have my gratitude, my benefactor." The female knight made herself more presentable and thanked Ray who shrugs.
"Anyway, as I said. I can grant you your wish but at the price of your soul, your life and your everything." He said, went straight to business while holding off the pesky Alaya who is frankly infuriated he is poaching its agent.
Artoria has no reason to feel distrustful of the miraculous cat that healed her grievous injury like nothing.
"I understand. However, I must ask. Why would you think my wish would be foolish? I had failed my people, my followers and my kingdom. Why is it foolish to wish for a better person than me to replace me?" She asked, looking rather offended by his words.
Ray raised an eyebrow at her courage to openly show her hostility despite her Draconic Instinct should clearly tell how easy he can kill her if he wanted. But he decided to humor her.
"For a rather simple reason actually. There is no one better than you. Precisely there is no one capable of leading Britain that your father, Uther Pendragon and Merlin created with the Welsh Dragon's heart to be the perfect ruler for Britain. But it is the fault of Merlin who does not understand the nature of humanity that everything turns out the way it is. In short, if I were to grant your wish. Britain will be left leaderless and vulnerable to Vortigen as the Caliburn itself is rigged by Merlin to only be able to be pulled by you and you alone who bear the heart of the Welsh Dragon, the 'perfect' King they created. So, unless they created another you. There will be no one that can replace you which is impossible since there is only one Welsh Dragon heart" Ray explained everything in a single breath.
Artoria, to her credit, remained calm and took in the revelation silently as she contemplated and then sighed.
As Ray, explained if it's all true. There is really no other person more worthy than her to pull the Sword of Selection, Caliburn, than her and become the King of Britain. If she is to go through with her wish, Britain will fall into an age of long strife until she finds it unbearable and steps in again. In which, history will repeat again.
Artoria took a deep breath and moved into a stance as she lifted her head up to the sky and shouted with hate and resentment.
"DAMN YOU MERLINNNNN!!!"
Then Artoria took another deep breath and finally calmed down again.
"I apologize for my unsightly look." She apologized sincerely and Ray give an understanding nod considering how Merlin fucked over her life.
"But, as long as we fix that. Britain is saved to some extent. But even so, changing the event is impossible since that will result in an irregularity and the timeline will be pruned. So, regardless if your wish came to fruition or not. Saving your kingdom from its demise is impossible to begin with since it is destined to fall for mankind to move on from the Age of Gods to Age of Man."
"Now that you have learned the necessary information. What is your choice, King Artoria?" He asked in a pondering manner. "Will you continue your futile endeavor to defy fate or accept that the fall of your kingdom is inevitable?" He said.
Although, completely creating a timeline that Britain is saved is a rather easy task for Ray. He can do it with little effort. But it is more interesting to see the conflict in Artoria's face as she makes the hard decision.
After much contemplation, Artoria sighed deeply and locked her eyes with Ray who was smirking at her, no doubt already able to read her thoughts completely but still continued his theatrical act and waited for her answer from her own mouth.
"You said earlier that you can grant me a wish right?"
"Naturally." Ray nodded in reply.
"Then, I wish that Britain will be saved." She said while grinning shrewdly.
Artoria knew that Ray already had a solution to her problem. He is much like Merlin who enjoys observing how a human reacts to certain situations. That is how he derived his enjoyment from after all, that damned half incubus.
So, Artoria simply bet on the power of this creature to grant her her wish. Since it sounded that confident, he must have sufficient power to back his own words, that is what she is betting on.
"Hmn. Not the most interesting choice. But it is enough I guess." Ray shrugs before sealing the deal between him and Artoria.
"Then, let us seal our pact. I shall grant you your wish of saving Britain in exchange for your everything." He said solemnly as he floated up and placed his paw on Artoria's forehead. "From today onwards, the one you will serve will be me."
After sealing their pact. Ray landed back on the ground before his power surged up alarmingly that twist and distort the very fabric of reality. His power is like a weaver, weaving the event, history and timeline to his liking. Overwriting the fate of the entire world and timeline to where Britain will survive no matter what and creating another Artoria who is a proper and capable leader to lead her kingdom as the original Artoria envisioned instead of a cold and inhuman leader incapable of even understanding the heart of her people. Then Ray allows Artoria to glimpse at the results of her wish.
"Thank you, Master." Artoria said with a content smile on her face before she kneel down. "From this day onwards, I, Artoria Pendragon, vowed to my Master my blade and body. I shall loyally serve as his blade from now to the day I draw my last breath."
"Hmn. I received your oath. Now, let us return home. I feel rather tired after working very hard today." Ray nods and yawns before stretching his body lazily.
"Let me carry you, Father." Abby rushed to receive Ray before Ravel could, which left her with a massive pout.
Ray didn't see Ravel's pout as he yawned again and closed his eyes, indicating his tiredness. He managed to bring everyone back to DxD world before he fell asleep in Abby's arms.
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