"A king without desire is nothing more than a decorative vase for the nation!"

  Iskandar's voice rang out with vi. "Saber, you are a noble saint, incorruptible and idealistic. But not everyone is as selfless as you."

  "Who truly desires a life of martyrdom?"

  "A king," Iskandar tinued, "should be greedy, ugh the loudest, and accept both the highs and the lows of life. Only in this way the people feel drawn to him, admire him, and be willing to follow him to the ends of the earth."

  Hearing this, the First Emperor and Chihiro, along with others who uood the plexities of ruling, looked at Iskandar with newfound respect. For a queror from the West, he dispyed an uanding of band the burdens of leadership that resonated deeply.

  Iskandar fixed his gaze on Artoria. "King of Knights, your justid ideals may have saved people, but what was the final oute for those you saved?"

  "You fought to save them, but you never guided them. You left your people in fusion, lost within your ideals. You believe yourself noble, but in truth, you are shackled to an ideal of kingship, bound by the image of an idol called 'king'!"

  Artoria staggered back, visibly shaken by his words.

  "Saber!" Irisviel rushed to support her, worry etched across her face.

  But Artoria's gaze was distant, her spirit cast into self-doubt. Her ideals, once so unshakable, now felt precarious.

  "Ahh…."

  At that moment, the Berserker began to rise, his movements driven by sheer willpower despite his freate. He seemed desperate to say something, yet his madness prevented him from f coherent words.

  "Oh, Berserker, it seems you have something to say," Iskandar remarked, both surprised and intrigued. "I'd love to hear your perspective, but it's unfortunate you ot speak."

  "That be arranged." The First Emperor raised his hand and, with an authoritative and, activated a and Spell. "Berserker, I order you tain your sanity, if only temporarily."

  Uhe pressure of the and Spell, the madness in La's eyes subsided, and his breathing steadied.

  "King Arthur…"

  La's voice was hoarse as he removed his helmet, revealing his weathered fad striking purple hair.

  "You… you're Sir La!" Artasped, stuo see the true face of the knight before her.

  Iskandar looked at La with i. "La? Ah, the famous Knight of the Lake, the one responsible for the fall of the Round Table?"

  "Yes," Waver muttered. "One of the greatest knights—and the one whose as pyed a role in Britain's downfall."

  "So, he's a former ally of yours, Knight King?" Iskandar mused. "But from the look of him, his loyalty to you remains."

  Artoria's voice was filled with fusion and sadness. "Sir La… I never imagihat you would return as a Berserker."

  She could hardly recile the image of her once-honorable knight with the freortured figure he had bee.

  "Is it… because of me?"

  "No!" La's voice ained but firm. "This was my own choice. It was I whht ruin upon Britain. I who… killed Gareth. I am unworthy of the title of knight."

  "Sir La…"

  "Please, my king, do not doubt yourself because of the words of others." La fell to one knee before Artoria, his voice clear and resolute. "Your path as king was n. Every knight who served you did so with vi, from the depths of our hearts."

  "Do not fet," he tinued, "it was you who saved Britain. You who led the people. Without you, Britain would have fallen long before."

  "Sir La…" Tears glistened in Artoria's eyes as she looked at her loyal knight, feeling the strength of his faith in her.

  Iskandar crossed his arms, studying the se thoughtfully. "Berserker… La, are you suggesting that my ideals of kingship are fwed?"

  La met his gaze firmly. "I do not deny your way, King of querors. But each king has their own path. My king's way led Britain to glory. It is not as meaningless as you cim."

  "Hah! Well said!" Iskandar ughed, aowledging the knight's loyalty. "King of Knights, it seems you are blessed with loyal followers."

  Artoria offered a grateful nod to La. "Thank you, Sir La."

  "It is nothing, my king," La replied with a deep bow. "We knights exist to uphold your honor."

  Turning his attention back to the First Emperor, Iskandar asked, "And you, Ruler? What is your wish?"

  The First Emperor scoffed lightly. "A wish? I am here as a Ruler. I have none."

  After all, those summoned as Rulers are, by nature, heroes without earthly desires.

  Iskandar raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Is that truly so? I've heard that you were quite… fixated oain goals during your life."

  The First Emperor's expression softened, as though refleg on a distant memory. "Call it an epiphany. As my life s end, my vision became clearer."

  He tinued, his tone calm and almost nostalgic. "Death is a journey into silence. All desires, all ambitions fade. Looking back, you realize hoursuits were but fleeting whims. Some of them… even ughable."

  Iskandar chuckled, intrigued. "Laughable, you say? Would you share an example?"

  The First Emperor's eyes held a glint of self-awareness. "Take, for instance, my searmortality… all while strug a tomb for myself. Even though I doubted the promise of eternal life, I still g to the pursuit. And in the end, I achieved nothing of the sort."

  Iskandar ughed heartily. "Hah! It seems even emperors ot escape the tradis of humanity."

  "Immortality is merely a lure, dangled by gods to tempt mortals," Gilgamesh interjected coldly, a bitter edge to his voice.

  "Oh?" Iskandar turo him, intrigued. "Hero King, you sound as if you have personal experieh this pursuit."

  Chihiro, who had been quietly , finally spoke up, smiling faintly. "The great Gilgamesh oaihe herb of immortality from the depths of the underworld. But before he could e it, a snake devoured it."

  Gilgamesh's expression darkened. "You i fool, that was not for you to reveal!"

  Iskandar burst into ughter again. "Hero King, it seems your luck was rather poor."

  Gilgamesh's gre shifted to Ishtar, a glint of accusation in his eyes. "It was no mere ce. I suspect a meddling goddess could expin."

  Ishtar scoffed, folding her arms with a smug look. "How dare you insihat I, a goddess, would interfere with your petty pursuits?"