A gentle sea breeze swept through the coastline, where warm sunlight danced upon the pure white sands. Tiny grains of sand sparkled under the sun's rays, while gentle waves lapped rhythmically at the shore, their soothing sound blending seamlessly with the serene environment. Time seemed to slow in this peaceful, idyllic seaside, where the world felt tranquil and unhurried.
On a flat rock overlooking the sea sat a young woman. Her delicate features and platinum-blond hair, tied neatly into a single ponytail, gave her an air of elegance.
She held a fishing rod lazily in her hands, resting her chin on one hand, lost in thought.
There was no one else around—only her and the endless expanse of the sea. Occasionally, a seagull would glide across the water's surface, breaking the stillness with a cheerful cry.
Suddenly, the water around her fishing line began to ripple.
Frowning slightly, Artoria raised her head and turned her golden eyes toward a distant point on the horizon.
"The War God who governs victory is beginning to reclaim their scattered manifestations, are they?"
Her gleaming eyes reflected a flicker of contemplation.
"Mordred… should be in that direction, shouldn't she?"
"…I see. So, those two have decided to clash again. For now, I'll leave them to it."
Losing interest, Artoria shifted her gaze back to the fishing line dangling in front of her, refocusing her attention.
---
This was Sardinia, a picturesque island off the western coast of Italy, situated in the heart of the Mediterranean. One of Europe's oldest regions, its mild winters and dry, hot summers made it an alluring year-round tourist destination.
The island boasted numerous archaeological ruins, traditional festivals, and a rich cultural heritage.
"Ah… I'm so bored."
The voice of complaint came from the shade beneath a structure styled after ancient architecture.
Seated on the ground in a trendy outfit, Mordred let out a deep sigh, her head hanging low. Oddly enough, despite the bustling crowds around her, not a single person seemed to notice her presence—as though she didn't exist at all.
"They call this place a tourist hotspot? A 'must-see destination'? Bah! I can't even find an arcade here! What a dump… Don't you think this place is boring too?"
Mordred directed her words at a cat she had grabbed from the street. The feline, clearly displeased, hissed at her in response.
"Oh? You dare hiss at me, Mordred the Great? Bold of you! I respect your courage!"
Laughing, Mordred set the cat on the ground, then lifted it upright by its tiny front paws, forcing it to stand on its hind legs.
"Meowww~!"
"Ha! How's that? Realize how mighty I am yet? What's that look? Thinking about scratching me? Hah! I love that 'I want to kill you but I can't' face of yours."
"Meow! Meow!"
"Eh? What's your problem? For your information, I'm a god now. A god, you hear? Well, I don't totally understand what that means either… but it's still super impressive, right? So show me a little more respect."
Too bored without any games to play, Mordred resorted to using the unfortunate cat as her source of entertainment.
If the poor feline could speak, it would probably lament, Dear heavens, someone save me. I was just sunbathing on the sidewalk, minding my own business, when this lunatic shows up, grabs me, and starts rambling about being a god. What did I do to deserve this?
"Honestly, Father is so weird. How does she find something as boring as fishing fun? I gave it, like, thirty seconds before I wanted to fall asleep… Why couldn't she just come into town and hang out with me?"
Pouting, Mordred puffed out her cheeks like an irritated pufferfish.
"Hey, kitty, don't you think Father's being unfair?"
"Meow…"
"What? You think Father doesn't like me? That's impossible! Sure, I killed her once and destroyed the kingdom she worked so hard to build, but she killed me too! We're even, right? Besides, I'm totally different now! After learning Father's true feelings, I'm a good girl, through and through!"
Of course, the cat didn't actually say anything. Mordred was projecting her own insecurities into the conversation.
Her pretense of being obedient around Artoria came from a place of guilt.
Even though she had already died, become a Heroic Spirit, and heard Artoria say she held no grudge against her, Mordred still carried the weight of her guilt.
People often say, What's done is done, but those words can feel hollow. Scars from the past remain, like marks on the skin, and every time you look at them, you're reminded of the pain that caused them.
The person who found it hardest to forgive Mordred for her rebellion was Mordred herself.
"I wonder if there's a world out there where Mordred never became the rebellious knight… where she remained loyal to the very end."
She let out another sigh, her frustrations bubbling to the surface.
"This world's Arthurian legend is entirely made up, right? And yet, even in the stories, Mordred still betrays Arthur. What a hopeless loser that version of me is… And the kicker? In those stories, Father and I are both men?! What kind of idiot came up with that nonsense? Did their brain get kicked by Agravain?"
Proof that even Mordred was capable of getting mad at herself.
"Thanks for listening to me ramble, kitty."
Having vented her thoughts, Mordred stood up and dusted herself off.
The moment she released the cat from her grasp, it bolted into a narrow gap between buildings, disappearing from view in the blink of an eye. Clearly, it knew the area well enough to make a clean escape.
"Ugh… Father said this world is crawling with gods and divine beasts, but I've been here for so long and haven't seen a single god yet. All I've met are that woman with the ridiculous name, Guinevere, and that traitor Lancelot, who's still a traitor even in this world."
"Meanwhile, Father has already run into several gods… Lucky her. I really want to see what this world's heretic gods are like."
Stretching her arms, Mordred revealed her slender waist and snow-white skin. Then, without any particular destination in mind, she wandered into the crowd.
A strange sight unfolded: no one around her seemed to notice her presence, yet whenever someone was about to bump into her, they instinctively moved aside as though avoiding an invisible obstacle.
She didn't know where she was headed. Going back to Artoria's side was an option, but the thought of sitting around fishing—which was the complete opposite of her personality—felt unbearable. She might die of boredom if she stayed.
As she passed by a tennis court, however, her steps suddenly halted.
Something had caught her attention.
She turned her head, her gaze falling on the court.
---
...
"GACHA!!"
"WOOOO you made it to the end! That's commitment! That's—wait—wait—are you F2P!? Disgusting. Fix it."
"You like words? You like fanfics? You like dopamine without burning 300 quartz and a pack of tissues?? SUPPORT WISE-TL!!"
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL] (LIMITED TIME BANNER, RATES UP, NO LIES, NO MERCY—OK MAYBE A LITTLE MERCY IT'S HALF OFF RIGHT NOW)
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl] (JOIN. SHITPOST. ROLL. SCREAM. COPE.)
"If you don't click that link RIGHT NOW, I'LL MAKE SURE U ONLY GET BLACK KEYS AND MAPO TOFU. TRY ME."
-Gudako