Standing on the slope outside the church gates, Shiomi watched as Rider, having already left, patted Waver on the shoulder in encouragement. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"Should we teleport back using Magecraft, or walk for a bit first?"
"Let's walk."
Hearing his somewhat indirect suggestion, Morgan gave a clear response.
So, the two began walking down the stone-paved slope.
"I originally thought you and King Arthur were mortal enemies. But whether it was last night or just now, you seemed to be protecting Saber," Shiomi said to Morgan. "Is it because you're related—so only you can criticize her, and you won't allow others to say anything?"
"Is that how you see it?" Morgan asked, her expression tinged with amusement.
"Just a theory," Shiomi replied honestly.
Morgan nodded knowingly. "Nothing special. It's just that, to some extent, I understand her better than most. Artoria Pendragon is simply the result of Merlin and Uther's scheme—someone born from the start to shoulder Britannia's fate."
"So, people who don't know the full story have no right to judge her, and only someone like you, who understands everything, is qualified to comment on the King of Knights?" Shiomi chuckled. "Reserving the right to the final interpretation—how fitting for the Queen of Winter."
"My status as queen has nothing to do with Artoria Pendragon." Morgan understood Shiomi was joking, but still chose to answer seriously.
Shiomi's smile gradually faded. "I see. I misunderstood."
"That said, the King of Conquerors wasn't entirely wrong," Morgan added, pausing with a faint smile. "I am a woman of deep obsessions. Sometimes, that obsession is Britannia. Other times, it's something else."
After she finished speaking, Shiomi—who had already walked several steps ahead—also came to a stop.
He stood at the bottom of the slope for a long moment before slowly turning around, raising his head to look back at Morgan.
"I know."
The complex emotion in his eyes startled Morgan slightly, but she gradually understood.
"So that's how it is," she said, smiling in a way Shiomi couldn't quite read—part defeat, part joy. "I chose to take part in this Holy Grail War, yet I completely overlooked such a crucial detail."
A magical channel existed between Master and Servant, allowing memories to be shared through dreams during sleep.
Until now, Morgan had only slept once. The rest of the time, thanks to Shiomi's abundant mana supply, she remained unaffected even without rest.
But on the other hand, Shiomi still needed sleep—so through his dreams, he inevitably saw fragments of Morgan's past.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to peek—it just happened naturally while I was asleep," Shiomi said awkwardly, looking away toward the empty side of the slope. "I assumed you knew this would happen. Since you didn't block the subconscious interference, I figured you simply didn't care."
But Morgan truly didn't mind. If anything, she was more curious about which part of her unnaturally long memories Shiomi had seen—and what he had learned.
"No need to worry. I'm more interested in what you saw."
The two resumed walking.
Shiomi slowed his pace to fall in step beside Morgan once more.
"It's hard to put into words. At most, I caught a few scattered fragments," Shiomi said, shaking his head. "The first time wasn't so bad—I dreamed of a place where it was always raining... But the second time..."
"The second time?" Morgan raised an eyebrow slightly.
His expression turned grave. "There was nothing to laugh about. It was a dream of endless falling. From sharing the same boat, to facing a common enemy, and then turning on each other... there's no worse story than that."
"Turning on each other..." Morgan softly repeated the phrase. Her usually calm face lit up with an unusual excitement. "So that's the feeling you got."
Shiomi crossed his arms, clearly exasperated. He couldn't understand why Morgan seemed so pleased. "Alright, I get that being forced to fight an old comrade is unpleasant. But do you really have to deny it like that? Or is it that seeing people who once shared your ideals part ways is so hard for you to accept that you instinctively reject reality?"
Seeing the look on his face, Morgan realized Shiomi was genuinely concerned about her—and possibly even wondering if this was why she had manifested as a Berserker.
"Well, maybe that's true." Morgan avoided elaborating further and instead shifted to a seemingly cautionary tone. "One of the things I hate most is being betrayed by someone I trust. You should be careful too, Tenkei."
Sensing she didn't want to go deeper into the subject, Shiomi let it drop. "Don't worry. If it were any other Heroic Spirit, maybe I'd feel differently. But just seeing you makes it clear—betraying your trust would be a terrible thing."
He smiled and turned his head slightly. "Whether it's from a personal standpoint, or in terms of consequences, it's the same."
"My husband really does have a silver tongue. I suppose if you were dispatched as an envoy, you could win over nations with words alone," Morgan teased.
Shiomi just clicked his tongue and waved his hand, signaling that the conversation was over.
The Fuyuki Church stood on a mountain in the southeastern part of the city, offering a sweeping view of most of Fuyuki below.
A cold wind swept through, sending Morgan's silver hair billowing in the air.
"My husband, since you've resolved to purify the Holy Grail, and to avoid any unforeseen disruptions to that plan..." Morgan looked off in the direction of Einzbern Castle, her expression calm. "Before that, we need to remove any potential sources of instability."
"You mean the King of Heroes?" Shiomi asked reflexively.
He had always been wary of Gilgamesh. And with Kirei still lurking in the shadows, the situation remained uncertain.
To be honest, purifying the Greater Grail was just as troublesome as the Holy Grail War itself.
"Leave the King of Heroes for now. There's something else you must secure first," Morgan shook her head. "Artoria and her Master—they must be eliminated as a potential threat to your plan."
"If it comes to a direct battle, I'm ready anytime," Shiomi said without hesitation.
"No need to rush. I have another method," Morgan replied confidently, meeting Shiomi's eyes. "To win without fighting—that's something you taught me."
"When did I ever teach you that?"
Shiomi was full of questions, but decided to brush it off as one of Morgan's peculiar flirtations and put it out of his mind.
Since Morgan clearly had her own plans, Shiomi had no intention of interfering.