Artoria Pendragon.
That name was not unfamiliar to Uchiha Itachi.
During his time unconscious, he had been reliving countless dreams — but the one standing at the center of those dreams was not himself.
It was her — the woman now standing before him — Artoria Pendragon, the King of Britain.
She hailed from a nation long perished — Britannia.
Artoria had been created as the savior and protector of that land, born of both human royal blood and the essence of a red dragon.
Within her human body flowed the power and functions of a dragon itself.
Like him, she had been raised from childhood under rigorous discipline and education.
Military strategy, politics, royal etiquette, horsemanship, swordsmanship, spear techniques — she mastered them all, blessed with the finest talents humanity could offer.
At the age of fifteen, under the watchful eyes of the nation's rulers, she drew the Sword in the Stone.
At that moment, she abandoned her gender, her personal life, and even her human emotions.
Just as her predecessors had hoped, she shouldered her kingdom's fate, embraced its suffering, and ascended as its new monarch.
On the battlefield, the Red Dragon King — Artoria — was an invincible existence.
Every time war broke out, she stood at the very front lines, leading her knights in resistance against invading armies.
Her strength, her confidence, her unshakable will — they inspired every knight who followed her banner.
Before her, no enemy could halt her army's advance.
After ten long years of blood and fire, Artoria's renown had risen to that of a living deity.
By her own strength, she had reversed her nation's decline and rekindled hope for Britannia's survival.
Yet, tragically… that nation still fell.
In grand strategy, she never erred. But endless wars meant endless exhaustion of resources.
To sustain her kingdom, Artoria made a fateful decision — one that defied the very ideals she once embodied.
She sacrificed the spirit of knighthood itself.
Under her orders, soldiers began seizing supplies from villages and towns — grain, iron, and all manner of resources — to replenish the war effort.
It was a cold, pragmatic act — one that violated the sacred Knight's Code and caused her loyal followers to waver.
This king sacrificed everything: her reputation, her womanhood, her humanity — all to uphold what she believed was the true path of kingship.
She fought with every fiber of her being to protect her nation.
But in the end, the one to destroy that nation was not the enemy beyond its borders — but the people within.
"The king protected her country… but the country did not protect the king. That is all there is to it."
Those words echoed in Itachi's mind as he looked at the calm, regal figure before him.
He couldn't fully grasp the weight of her memories, not yet — but simply witnessing her life stirred an unexplainable sorrow in his heart.
She could have lived a peaceful, content life as a woman named Artoria.
But instead, she cast away her heart and humanity for her kingdom — and in the end, was betrayed by her own people.
Was it worth it? He could not understand.
At that moment, Artoria's serene emerald eyes reflected no emotion.
"When I died and came to this world in this form," she said evenly, "I learned about it through your memories."
Her voice was calm and measured, as though she had long accepted her fate.
"But it seems… you also came to know my memories through that connection."
Her tone was so tranquil, so steady — almost peaceful.
But had she truly found peace?
"I…"
Itachi began to speak, but Artoria raised her hand gently to stop him.
"From what I can determine," she said, turning toward the tent's entrance,
"it seems that only you can see me — only you can hear my voice and sense my presence."
"Your father and the other shinobi nearby are all highly perceptive. If you were to suddenly start speaking to me aloud, they might assume you've fallen under Genjutsu."
Her gaze softened.
"You can communicate with me directly through your thoughts. I can hear your inner voice."
"Of course," she added, "if you don't wish me to hear certain thoughts, you can shield your mind — guard it, as you would a fortress."
Itachi couldn't help but be impressed.
As expected of a monarch — her ability to learn and adapt was astonishing.
He himself hadn't even sorted through the new memories flooding his mind, yet Artoria had already fully grasped the workings of this world — even using terms like Genjutsu.
Still, one question lingered: why were they here, together, in this way?
He took a moment, then spoke in his heart as she had instructed.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty… I didn't mean to intrude. It all came to me while I was unconscious, like a dream."
Artoria shook her head lightly. "You bear no fault. You're far too young to have consciously accessed my memories."
"Besides," she added, "I, too, have seen your memories."
Her expression remained composed.
"From both our memories, it's clear neither of us understands the reason behind this encounter."
"When you were unconscious, I tried to leave — but I can't stray far from you, nor can I touch you."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"But you should know this: the reason I learned your memories so quickly… is because your life thus far has been very short — only four years."
"In contrast, the memories I've given you span decades — a lifetime of battles and burdens. The fact that your mind hasn't collapsed under that weight is extraordinary."
An encounter… memories…
Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly.
So she could even hear the thoughts he hadn't wanted to reveal.
But… what did she mean by mental defense?
How was he supposed to do that?
At this age, he had only just learned how to extract and control chakra.
He hadn't yet mastered even the basic Three Body Techniques — let alone anything related to mental or illusionary arts.
Did that mean his mind was exposed — that his thoughts could be read at any time?
As if sensing his concern, Artoria's gentle voice sounded again:
"In my memories, I recall the summer day I drew the Sword in the Stone, leaving my village for the royal capital to be crowned king.
It was near dusk when my teacher, Merlin, taught me the art of using magical energy — and with it, the technique of mental defense."
Her words flowed softly, naturally guiding him toward her memories.
"...Magical energy?"
Itachi closed his eyes.
In his mind's eye, he saw the memory — the summer light, the sword drawn from the stone, the wind stirring her golden hair…