"Eh? There's something like this?"
[Illya], who was acting as her Master, replied, "After all, we can't really count on the hopeless Miss Illya herself, so as her Master, I had to put in a little effort. It's just a replica based on a Class Card, and for various reasons, it couldn't even replicate one ten-thousandth—or even less—of the original's power... Hmm, actually, if it did replicate the full power, some people would definitely complain. Besides, a Servant's Spirit Origin has its limits for what it can contain. Taking everything into account, this downgraded product was all I could make."
"...It feels kinda cheap for some reason... And one ten-thousandth..."
Illya couldn't help but grumble, looking at the card in her hand—the one [Illya] claimed didn't even have one ten-thousandth of the original's power. She was speechless. "That number... it's really hard to trust."
Usually, you'd say something like 'one-hundredth,' right?!
"Well, you can try it out anyway. It's something I whipped up on the fly. If you're not satisfied, I can tweak it later."
"[Illya] added, "Though, personally, I'm quite pleased with this creation."
"Alright then..."
"How do I use it?"
"Just stick it on Ruby and release your magical energy," [Illya] instructed. Miss Illya's movements were quite clumsy as she followed the directions—though she was somewhat expectant.
Even though she felt that 'one ten-thousandth' probably wouldn't help much, she subscribed to the idea that every little bit counts. Miss Illya, already fed up with her own "noob" status, was willing to try anything if it meant a chance to get stronger, even just a tiny bit. It wasn't like she had anything to lose.
"Please, Ruby!"
"Oooh! Here it comes! This feeling!" As Ruby exclaimed, a massive surge of magical energy erupted, engulfing the unprepared Miss Illya in the next moment.
"Whoa, I actually feel stronger!" Illya could sense the magical energy surging within her. Ignoring the fact that her 'Dream Summons' had already changed her into a gorgeous outfit, Miss Illya was clearly more focused on her previously lacking strength.
She clenched her small fist and threw a few air punches.
"I feel like I could take on ten of my previous self right now!"
Miss Illya was somewhat excited, her previously lacking confidence—due to being so weak—swelling up. However, in the next moment, she noticed something—looking around, whether it was Ozymandias or Gilgamesh on the high seats, or even Iskandar, almost every Servant present was looking at her.
Undoubtedly, at this moment, Miss Illya had transformed from a barely noticed nobody into the center of attention!
This sudden, intensely pressuring change made Miss Illya, who had been somewhat pleased just moments before, blush crimson. She started to sweat... Wh-why...
"Master, I think they're all looking at me!"
Not quite accustomed to this kind of attention, especially as an elementary schooler who wasn't fond of being in the spotlight, let alone becoming a focal point for kings and heroes, Miss Illya felt completely overwhelmed. She hurriedly asked [Illya] on the magic channel for help.
"Hoh. I was beginning to think this banquet would be somewhat of a bore."
"It seems I misjudged." Ozymandias, every bit the theatrical pharaoh, leaned back on his throne, his interest piqued. "I never imagined a little girl like you would possess the aura of a King... No, this feeling, it's that of a Pharaoh, isn't it?! So fervent, so radiant, it's as if I'm seeing Ra himself. Unquestionably, only a Pharaoh could possess such brilliance."
"Hmph... Merely some cheap magic trick. Spiritual Evocation, is it? Well, although it's a product of Spiritual Evocation and not your own, this presence indeed belongs to a king... To possess the capacity to bear a 'King,' even if only as a vessel—for a shoddy creation like a homunculus, I shall acknowledge you as a superior specimen. You should be grateful, mongrel."
"Haha, don't be like that, King of Heroes! Though it's Spiritual Evocation, this presence undoubtedly belongs to a king. That being the case, she deserves a seat at this royal banquet. Hahaha, interesting! The renowned King Arthur being a little girl already surprised me greatly, and now an even younger one appears. At this age, in this country, she'd just be an 'elementary schooler,' right? What's this? The Elementary Schooler King?"
"Eh... I'm a king too?" Being the subject of teasing, Miss Illya wasn't too angry—she was still as annoyed with that golden guy as ever. But the idea that she was seen as a king left Miss Illya more than a little shocked.
[Illya] explained, "Yes, that card works that way. Though calling it 'king' isn't entirely accurate, such titles are man-made definitions anyway."
"Besides, while the power granted to you isn't complete, the 'will' carried by that card is undeniably real."
"So, now that you've used that card, you can't show any weakness in front of those three. Not that I, or 'she,' care much for empty titles, and even if she were awakened, it wouldn't matter much, but..."
"—The name of the Empress of Glamoth shall not be insulted by others!" Almost subconsciously, facing Iskandar's teasing and Gilgamesh's dismissiveness, Miss Illya blurted out the cold words. After saying them, Miss Illya herself was rather shocked.
I didn't mean to say that!
Nani the heck?!
"[Illya] continued, seemingly unfazed, "Ultimately, that's what kings are like—their self-awareness is so excessive that it can easily overwrite an individual's own will. Well... don't worry too much. It's just the will used to constitute the card. Neither she nor I are the assertive type, so it'll probably only influence some tendencies. It won't be a major problem."
[Illya] wasn't surprised by this at all; rather, it seemed quite natural.
Just like how Illya's best friend Miyu would get her account forcefully taken over if she used Gilgamesh's card, Class Cards with an overly strong will embedded within them could easily overwhelm the user.
At best, it might affect their personality; at worst, it's a direct "account takeover" where the original spirit plays for you. The 'Firefly Card' that [Illya] casually created was also susceptible to this issue.
"You should have told me about this stuff earlier!"
Miss Illya felt like crying but had no tears.
Suddenly blurting out something like that, she felt her embarrassment levels were about to explode!
"...Empress of Glamoth? Haha, is that you announcing yourself?"
"A rather unfamiliar name. Some obscure little country, perhaps? Still, a Empress, how rare," Iskandar said, chugging his wine and scratching his head before bursting into laughter.
Undoubtedly, female 'sovereigns' were extremely rare worldwide.
Wu Zetian of the Divine Land, the empresses of Assyria, Catherine the Great of Tsarist Russia, and the Elizabethan line of Great Britain... All in all, you could count the number of female sovereigns on two hands... Hmm, and now it seemed King Arthur had to be added to the list.
Unfortunately, the latter's conduct was somewhat unbecoming of a king. Even though Iskandar wasn't the type to care about gender and was generally understanding, it was hard for him to say anything in Saber's defense.
"This aura... I do not believe it is one that the ruler of a small nation could display," Ozymandias remarked nonchalantly, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on the quite oblivious Miss Illya.
Although a king's aura couldn't be measured by the size of their domain—otherwise, that golden-armored fellow spouting nonsense over there was, in reality, merely the ruler of a city-state, equivalent to a 'lord' or 'daimyo' in the Far East or Europe, hardly impressive—the aura born from the scale of one's territory and achievements would certainly differ.
Mr. Golden Armor was arrogant not merely because he was a king, but because he was a hero.
Both a hero and a king, the most ancient King of Heroes, standing at the very source of history, looking down upon all that flowed downstream.
And as for himself, the most brilliant pharaoh in Egyptian history, and Iskandar, the famed Alexander the Great of the West, their credentials needed no further elaboration.
But that little one...
How novel.
This feeling... of sweeping across the six directions and engulfing the eight desolations... That could only belong to a great unifier.
In this regard, even the Conqueror King Iskandar fell somewhat short. Perhaps only the 'First Emperor' of the Divine Land, whose 'merits surpassed the Three Sovereigns and virtue exceeded the Five Emperors,' could truly match this aura.
"How curious... This presence almost makes me wonder if you are that First Emperor from the Divine Land... And this nostalgic feeling... I've only seen something similar in my old friend, Moses..."
Even more absurdly, he also detected the air of a 'hero' or 'brave' about Miss Illya.
That was a category of people Ozymandias respected most—much like how the hero in Ozymandias's heart was a certain cheap one-star archer.
A hero, a sage, and a unifier all at once...
"Suddenly, I find myself quite interested in you, Empress of Glamoth."
No, no, no! I'm not interested in you at all!
Why am I suddenly the center of attention?!
Miss Illya's eyes widened in shock, her mind a complete mess.
She just wanted to get a little stronger, not have the opposition turn up the heat on her! Being targeted by such a dangerous individual would definitely lead to trouble, wouldn't it? It absolutely would!
Miss Illya already felt like bolting right out of this massive tomb-like place with Irisviel in tow.
But clearly, such an action wasn't feasible.
Never mind that Ozymandias was already rather annoyed by the successive deserters.
To think that a king who had piqued his interest would try to flee—how would that look? Was my hospitality lacking? he might wonder.
Of course, what was worse was that Miss Illya herself felt like her legs wouldn't move.
This was undoubtedly the 'Firefly Card' at work! After all, a king couldn't be a deserter!
And so, quite reluctantly, Miss Illya was dragged directly into a discussion among the four kings.
Just like in the original scenario—about their 'Way of Kingship.'
For them, all sovereigns, the only thing they could debate was the path each had chosen as a king.
Iskandar, undoubtedly, represented the Way of Conquest.
He unified the will of the people through overwhelming power, making them follow in his wake.
As for Mr. Golden Armor, Gilgamesh, he was similar to Iskandar.
Without a doubt, the Gilgamesh who manifested in his youth, with his flamboyant personality, was an out-and-out 'tyrant.' He decided everything, dominated everything, through tyranny and harsh laws.
Everyone had to conform to his will and act accordingly.
"Sigh..."
Enkidu, an observer, let out a sigh.
Servants transcended past and present, so he knew of Gilgamesh's changes after his own death.
Although from the perspective of a dear friend, any version of Gilgamesh was his dear friend, he had to admit that Mr. Golden Armor's style during this period was something the relatively gentle Enkidu found hard to agree with.
Of course, Gilgamesh himself understood this, but even his closest friend Enkidu couldn't make him change his path.
It wasn't until after Enkidu's death and his own failed quest for immortality that he matured, began to restrain his flamboyant nature, shed the mantle of a tyrant, and became the overworked Sage King Gilgamesh from the Absolute Demonic Front.
Although the current Mr. Golden Armor also knew about his future self.
But just as his child self and his Sage King self wouldn't like the Tyrant Gil, even knowing he would head down that path, he still wouldn't make any changes.
And Ozymandias.
Undoubtedly, he represented the classic King's Way.
"As Pharaoh, I enjoy all that this world offers, and naturally, I should rule all that this world encompasses."
Enlightenment, administration... As the most brilliant Pharaoh, Ozymandias was already the wisest Pharaoh of ancient Egypt in his era.
He walked the path of both kingship and godhood, likening himself to a god—that was the path trod by Pharaoh Ozymandias.
As for Miss Saber, who had disgraced the dignity of a king.
Although she was absent from this Banquet of Kings for various reasons.
The path she practiced could undoubtedly only be called the 'Sacred Way.'
To listen to the wishes of her subjects, respond to their expectations, remain steadfast and unchanging, preserving for eternity—this was by no means a path that a human king should walk, but rather something akin to an idealized construct.
More than a king, she was like some kind of desireless 'machine.'
Although neither Iskandar nor Gilgamesh, nor even Ozymandias, would ever acknowledge such a thing—hmm... if it were the latter, perhaps there would be partial agreement, since Ozymandias himself believed that as the incarnation of Ra, he should rule the world forever, and for that reason, he greatly detested his own mortal, decaying flesh.
But to be completely without desire? That would be too much, too harsh, even for a god, wouldn't it?
And now, with King Arthur absent, Miss Illya shivered as she faced the intensely pressuring gazes of the three kings. Ozymandias, with utmost solemnity, boomed in his distinct, resonant voice:
"Now, Empress of Glamoth, answer me."
"—What is the Way of Kingship that you practice?"