Chapter 229: The Harmonious Pendragon Father and Son
'Hmm... Father's movements have changed!'
As Arturia's opponent, Mordred was the first to sense that something was off.
Arturia's attacks had grown sharper, shifting away from theatrical flourishes meant for the camera and toward the precise, disciplined strikes of a true knight's duel.
'This is... Do you really want to fight me for real, Father?'
Mordred raised an eyebrow, staring at that almost identical face. A strange emotion rippled through her chest, and her thoughts began to drift.
This was the story of a knight named Mordred and a king named Arturia.
Once, as a young girl, she had spied on the king from the shadows under her mother's guidance.
Brave, cold, steady, and strong as steel.
Morgan had wanted her to observe her greatest enemy, but instead, the girl became deeply enamored with the king.
Because Arturia was flawless—her character, her swordsmanship, her strategies—everything was so perfect it was beyond criticism.
And such a perfect king could never be defeated.
So, there was only one answer.
The girl chose to serve the king, to become her knight, her sword, her shield, and to cleanse the world in her name.
The time she spent as a Knight of the Round Table was the happiest period of her short life.
But happiness is always fleeting.
When Mordred learned that she was not just Morgan's child, but also Arturia's, at first, she was overjoyed.
The knight she had admired for so long was more connected to her than she had ever imagined.
She was the only heir to the King of Knights' bloodline.
That meant she was the one and only rightful successor.
However, the king she idolized denied her outright.
"I see. Though this was indeed my sister's scheme, you were still born of me. However, I will not acknowledge you as my son, nor do I intend to pass the throne to you."
In that same cold, distant tone as always, the king made her stance clear.
And it deeply wounded the girl's heart.
Being the successor was not the issue.
What she couldn't accept was the king's refusal to acknowledge her as her child.
"You refuse to admit I'm your son?! Is that really what you're saying, King of Knights?!"
But the king did not turn around.
She only continued walking further and further away.
"Fine. I'll make you regret it!!"
That vow marked the beginning of their rift.
She transformed her love into hatred, pushing herself to utterly reject everything about her father.
The more she had once loved the king, the more she hated her now.
Her achievements, rule, and victories—
Mordred was determined to erase everything Arturia had built over the past decade, turning it all to dust.
By spreading rumors about the queen and the First Knight of the Round Table, she finally found the opportunity she had been waiting for.
With Arturia away on campaign, Mordred, as regent, used threats, persuasion, and every underhanded trick available to seize the throne.
At last, she challenged her king in open war.
The final battle had begun.
After a series of small skirmishes, the two had faced each other on the Hill of Camlann.
"Just like today..."
Mordred murmured to herself.
Her strikes grew heavier, her movements sharper—until both their swords whipped up a furious storm of steel.
By now, everyone else on set had stopped what they were doing.
The entire film crew was mesmerized by the sheer intensity of the battle between father and son.
"Hey, Master..."
Watching the two fight more and more fiercely, Jeanne's smile became increasingly strained.
"Are you really not going to step in?"
"Step in for what? This is exactly the kind of fight I want to see."
Shinji straightened in his chair, ignoring how the wind had mussed up his hair.
His eyes remained locked onto the monitor.
'This is it. This is the level of battle I was aiming for!'
Suddenly, as if realizing something, Shinji abruptly looked up.
"Jeanne!!!"
"What?! Do you want me to stop them? No way, I'm not getting involved in that level of domestic violence!"
"Jeanne, hurry up and use your Noble Phantasm to give the camera an invincibility buff! The IMAX camera won't survive in these extreme conditions!"
"Hey!!"
Despite her reluctance, Jeanne still activated her Noble Phantasm to shield the camera from damage.
She had no choice—after learning the price of an IMAX camera, the frugal and responsible Holy Maiden of Orleans simply could not tolerate such an unforgivable waste!
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At the center of the storm, Mordred let out a furious roar.
"ARTHUUUUUR—!!"
Arturia's gaze sharpened. She parried Mordred's sword with her own and countered with a swift thrust of her lance, aiming for Mordred's shoulder.
"Tch—"
Mordred staggered back from the injury, but she refused to relent, continuing her fierce assault on Arturia.
After several intense exchanges, both of them were injured. Mordred's ponytail had come undone, her golden hair now hanging loosely around her face.
But none of that mattered.
At this moment, she had only one thought—
Defeat her father.
"I will defeat you!"
Hearing Mordred's declaration, Arturia responded.
Her golden holy sword shot forward at incredible speed, aimed directly at Mordred's chest.
CLANG!
Mordred blocked Excalibur with her own sword, but at that moment, Arturia's other hand struck forward—wielding her holy lance, aiming to pierce Mordred's heart.
"I won't fall for the same trick twice!"
Mordred twisted her body, letting the lance pierce her abdomen instead—an injury that was far from fatal for a Servant.
Enduring the pain, she pressed her sword against Arturia's throat.
"This time... I... win..."
Mordred panted, her vision blurred by the blood trickling into her eyes. She could barely see Arturia's expression.
"Indeed. I have lost."
Her father's voice echoed in her ears, from incredibly close by.
"Hah... You finally admit it—"
Just as she was about to let out a triumphant laugh, dizziness overwhelmed her, and she lost her balance.
"Huh?"
But instead of the hard ground, she felt herself being gently caught by a pair of warm arms.
"Uh... Father?"
Mordred's consciousness was slipping.
Her wounds had drained too much mana, leaving her utterly exhausted.
Arturia stretched out her arms, holding her child tightly in a firm embrace.
"You fought well, my child."
Her voice seemed to seep into Mordred's very soul, making her entire body relax.
Whatever happened next...
Didn't matter anymore.
Even if she collapsed on the Hill of Camlann once again.
Even if she returned to the Throne of Heroes.
Because—
"My King... you finally acknowledged my existence."
With those final words, Mordred's consciousness faded to black.
Gazing at the unconscious Mordred in her arms, Arturia tilted her head, troubled.
"Was that really all she wanted? Have I been too harsh on this child...?"
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"Tada—! The knight Mordred has been resurrected!"
Having restored herself with mana healing, Mordred beamed and struck a praise-the-sun pose in front of everyone.
"You're being way too dramatic."
Jeanne didn't even know what to say to this girl anymore.
"..."
Meanwhile, Arturia, Mordred's most beloved father, maintained her usual stoic expression throughout the whole ordeal.
It seemed like Mordred didn't quite understand Arturia's reaction, as she spun in circles happily in place.
"Ahh, Master, you're pretty skilled, huh? This is the first time I've actually felt like you're somewhat useful~"
Shinji, unimpressed by the compliment, waved a hand dismissively.
"Hey, even though your fight just now was great, your final movements deviated from the script. We're reshooting it later."
"Huh? I have to get stabbed again? Ugh, what a hassle..."
Annoyed, Shinji narrowed his eyes.
"Listen up, brat. You better think carefully about how you talk to me. Believe it or not, I could use a Command Seal to make sure you never see your beloved father again."
"Pfft, as if I'd believe that~"
Mordred stuck out her tongue and made a mocking face at Shinji.
"If you dare try that, Master, Father will definitely kill you. Right, Father?"
"Hmm..."
Arturia scanned Mordred up and down, then, completely out of nowhere, remarked—
"Even if you clean yourself up, you don't look much better. Thank goodness you don't really resemble me."
"FATHER! What the hell do you mean by that?! Are you saying I don't look like your child?! But you just acknowledged me earlier!!"
Mordred instinctively lashed out with a kick, but Arturia dodged it effortlessly.
"Relax. Whether you look like me or not, you're still my child. I won't deny that anymore."
"Then just deal with it! This is how I look, it's just fate!"
"I just think it's unfair to myself... It kinda feels like I got scammed."
"Hey! Hey! Parents and children aren't supposed to look exactly the same! Don't give up on me, Father!"
But Arturia pretended not to hear her, turning her gaze elsewhere.
"Ah, such a heartwarming father-child moment."
Watching the two bicker, Shinji smiled in satisfaction.
At least Mordred had taken the first step—Arturia's attitude had shifted from cold indifference to mild disdain.
"Master, is the meaning of 'heartwarming' in your dictionary?!" Jeanne mercilessly called him out.
"Also, don't they actually look pretty similar? Why does that British woman keep denying it?"
"I'd say there's quite a difference between them, actually."
"Like what?"
Shinji smirked mischievously.
"Fangs, personality, and... body type."
Jeanne tilted her head, confused.
"Aren't they both just two iron boards with a couple of nails hammered in?"
"I'm talking about potential."
With a smug expression, Shinji pushed up his nonexistent glasses, speaking in the tone of someone who had already foreseen the future.
Jeanne grabbed Shinji's face and stretched it hard.
"Master, please wake up before you start spouting nonsense!"
"Tch, believe what you want."
Shinji clicked his tongue but internally began plotting ways to create Arturia's "Lancer" version.
"Brr—"
Arturia suddenly shivered.
"Father?"
"I have a strange feeling... like someone's scheming against me."
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