The moment I said that, everything went silent.
The tense atmosphere from before, when Gilgamesh first appeared, began to fade, and even the irritation in her presence seemed to lessen.
Maybe... I could actually survive this.
After this, I wasn't going to get involved with the Holy Grail War anymore. I'd just go back to the orphanage, stay there until I turned eighteen, then leave and start my own life using magecraft.
"Pfft-HAHAHAHAHAHA! To think a fledgling in this muddy era has better eyes than the rest. Fine. Since you have recognized your King, I shall grant you the honor of looking upon me."
As I kept my head lowered, I could hear her laughter echo across the entire docks.
"Now, raise your head, child."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," I said, following her command as I slowly raised my head, ending my bow.
The moment my eyes landed on her, now that I was closer, I could see her even more clearly.
Her body was... unreal.
No, that wasn't enough.
It was perfect.
Not the kind of perfection people casually talk about, but something more, something that felt complete in a way nothing else could compare to. Every line, every curve, every proportion felt intentional, as if it had been defined from the very beginning as the standard itself.
There was no flaw, no imbalance, nothing that could even be questioned.
It didn't feel like I was looking at a beautiful person.
It felt like I was looking at the origin of beauty itself.
Even compared to Lady Ava, I was certain Gilgamesh stood above her in that regard, not by a small margin, but by something fundamental.
This wasn't something natural.
This was a body crafted with the authority of the gods, something that surpassed the limits of human design, carrying a presence that no ordinary existence could ever hope to reach.
"Even though you are a child, you stare as if you are trying to memorize every line of my existence. Tell me, is the 'Sun' too bright for a little fledgling? Or have you finally realized that everything else in this harbor-those brawling mongrels and their dull steel-is nothing but dust compared to me?"
Her voice pulled me out of my daze. I didn't even realize I had been staring at her body for too long.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I have never seen anything so beautiful in this city. I forgot my manners because I was mesmerized."
"Hah. For a child, you certainly know how to use that small mouth of yours to please this king."
Gilgamesh slowly uncrossed her arms and stepped forward from the top of the lamp post. Instead of falling, she descended as if walking down invisible stairs, each step graceful and steady, while ripples of golden light spread beneath her feet with every movement.
As her feet touched the ground, I could hear the clear sound of metal from the golden armor that covered her waist down to her legs, each step carrying the weight of steel against the concrete.
She kept walking toward me until she finally stopped right in front of me, her crimson eyes fixed on me with clear interest.
Those eyes... they weren't just red.
They burned like molten gold mixed with deep crimson, sharp and overwhelming, as if they stood above everything else. It didn't feel like I was being looked at by a person, but judged by something far higher, something that naturally stood at the top.
I instinctively tried to bow again. Standing this close to Gilgamesh felt completely different, and my body began to shake under the weight of her gaze.
"Stop that. Stand up straight and look at me." Her voice was filled with command, making me flinch as I immediately followed her order.
I didn't know what was going on anymore. Everything had happened so fast, barely five minutes since I appeared, yet everyone here seemed curious about what would happen next, their attention fully focused on me.
I exhaled slowly, trying to calm my trembling body before lifting my head and meeting her eyes again.
"I only descended into this filth because two zasshu were out here braying about their 'thrones.' To call yourselves 'Kings' in my presence… the depth of your impudence is truly staggering," Gilgamesh said, clearly referring to the earlier exchange between Rider and Saber.
"But still, for a child, you truly are a curious little thing. Most would have withered under my shadow by now, yet you stare as if you are trying to drink in my very essence. Do not be so greedy, child—there is plenty of time for you to worship. Now, tell this king your name."
'Oh, fuck.'
The thought slipped out immediately. That was the worst question she could have asked me.
Telling her my name wasn't really the problem. Even if I told it to other Servants, it still wouldn't matter much to me.
The problem was what came after. If I said my name here, their Masters would hear it as well, and with their resources and connections, it wouldn't take long for them to trace where I came from.
And if that happened… the orphanage would be in danger.
I stayed silent for a moment, my mind racing as I tried to figure out what to do. My eyes moved slightly, almost unconsciously, glancing around the harbor. I could feel it—the attention of everyone here. Not just the Servants, but the Masters watching from afar.
If I lied, Gilgamesh would know immediately. Someone like her would never tolerate being deceived, especially not by a child standing right in front of her. But if I told the truth… then every Master here—Kiritsugu, Tokiomi, Waver, Kotomine, Kayneth, Kariya—would hear it, and it wouldn't take long before they traced me back to the orphanage.
I tightened my hands slightly, forcing myself to stay calm, but my hesitation didn't go unnoticed.
"You hesitate?" Gilgamesh's voice carried a sharp edge now, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly as they locked onto mine. "You dare keep this king waiting for something as simple as a name? Or is there a reason you keep glancing around like a cornered animal?"
Her gaze felt heavier with each passing second, pressing down on me as if demanding an answer.
I inhaled slowly, steadying myself. There was no safe answer here.
So I chose something else.
I lifted my head and looked back at her, then slowly raised my right arm. My movement was careful, deliberate, making sure not to appear threatening. Then, with a small motion, I gestured toward her with my palm facing upward, curling my fingers slightly.
A quiet, almost playful gesture.
Like calling a kitten to come closer.
"Your Majesty… could you come a little closer, please…?" I said softly. Whispering my name directly into her ear was the only way I could think of.
But there was a problem. I was too short. For that to work, she would have to lower herself to my level, whether by kneeling or leaning down.
And that was basically a death sentence.
Of all people, asking Gilgamesh to lower herself just so I could whisper my name… it sounded insane even in my own head.
I knew that.
But it was still better than risking the orphanage.
"Your Majesty… could you come a little closer, please…?"
For a moment, everything went quiet again. The air felt heavy, like the entire harbor was waiting to see what she would do next.
Then—
"Hoh…"
A low, amused sound left her lips, but there was a clear edge behind it. The pressure around me increased, her gaze sharpening as it locked onto mine.
"For a mere child, you certainly have the nerve," Gilgamesh said, her voice calm but filled with authority. "To ask your King to lower herself… do you even understand what you are implying?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't.
"To command me, even in such a roundabout way… most would have been executed on the spot for such insolence." Her eyes gleamed faintly, a dangerous light flickering within them. "Perhaps I should erase you where you stand, as an example."
My body tensed, but I held my ground. Running now would only make things worse.
There was a brief pause as she studied me, her expression shifting into something more curious than angry.
"And yet…" she continued, her tone lowering slightly. "You ask this not out of arrogance, but necessity. You weigh your words, measure your actions… even now."
Before I could react—
I felt something grab the back of my collar.
My feet suddenly left the ground.
"Eh—!?"
Like a kitten, I was lifted effortlessly into the air, my body dangling as Gilgamesh held me up without the slightest strain. The world shifted for a moment as I was brought closer to her, my eyes now almost level with hers.
"If you wish to speak to me in secret, then I shall simply bring you to a height worthy of it," she said, her lips curling into a faint, amused smile. "Do not presume to make your King lower herself. Learn your place."
Even like this, her presence didn't lessen at all. If anything, being this close only made it worse. Her eyes felt sharper, heavier, like they could see straight through me.
"Now," she said, her voice quieter, but no less commanding. "Speak, little one."
Hanging in the air like that, I found myself brought even closer to her face, so close that I could see every detail without anything in between.
Her beauty wasn't something that could be understood at a glance.
It became clearer the closer I looked.
The smoothness of her skin, flawless without the slightest imperfection, the sharp yet elegant lines of her face that carried both nobility and overwhelming confidence, and those crimson eyes that seemed to shine with a depth that pulled everything in. Even the way her golden hair framed her face felt deliberate, as if every strand existed only to complete that perfect image.
It wasn't just beauty anymore.
It felt complete, like nothing was missing, nothing could be added, nothing could ever surpass it.
Then there was the scent.
A faint, unfamiliar fragrance reached me, something I had never smelled before in either of my lives. It wasn't like perfume or flowers, nor anything natural I could recognize. It was light, yet rich, something that felt refined to the point it didn't belong to the world I knew, like it existed on a completely different level.
Without realizing it, I kept staring.
Completely absorbed.
"Hmm..."
Her voice snapped me out of it.
Those crimson eyes were watching me closely, and this time there was clear amusement in them.
"You stare as if you have been granted revelation," she said, her tone carrying a hint of satisfaction. "Good. At the very least, you possess the eyes to recognize what stands before you."
Her lips curved slightly, not quite a smile, but something close.
"Unlike those mongrels who surround us, blind to their own insignificance, you do not avert your gaze, nor do you fail to understand what you are witnessing."
Her grip on my collar remained firm, yet effortless, as if holding me like this was the most natural thing in the world.
"A child who can properly perceive worth… how rare in this rotten era," she continued, her voice lowering slightly, almost thoughtful. "Very well. I acknowledge it. Your gaze carries value."
Her eyes narrowed just a little, the faintest spark of interest deepening within them.
"Now then… do not keep your King waiting."
"Ah… right. I'm sorry, Your Majesty," I said, snapping back to myself as I slowly leaned closer toward her ear.
Hanging like this in her grip made it awkward, but I tried my best to move carefully without making it look like I was struggling. Seeing what I was trying to do, Gilgamesh seemed to understand. Her hand shifted slightly, adjusting her hold just enough so I could get closer without resistance.
For a moment, I was close enough to feel the warmth of her breath near my cheek.
"My name is Rikka, Your Majesty," I whispered quietly.
"What!?"
The reaction came immediately.
It wasn't the cold dismissal I expected, nor the amused arrogance she had been showing until now. It was sharp, sudden, and filled with clear disbelief.
My eyes widened slightly as I pulled back just enough to look at her face.
That… wasn't normal.
For someone like Gilgamesh to react like that, even for a moment, meant something was wrong.
---
---
---
"A child?" Kiritsugu said. Even with his usual emotionless tone, there was a faint hint of surprise and disbelief.
While he had been observing the clash between Saber and Lancer, the situation had already escalated beyond expectation. First, another Servant had appeared, then another. A man riding a chariot pulled by divine beasts, and then a golden woman overflowing with arrogance. From their presence alone, Kiritsugu understood immediately that neither of them were ordinary Servants.
But what truly disrupted the flow of the battlefield was not their arrival.
It was Archer reaction.
When Archer spoke, her words confused everyone present, as if she was addressing someone that shouldn't have been there. Then, from the shadows of the shipping containers, a small figure revealed itself.
Then suddenly, a little girl, just a bit taller than his own daughter Illya, appeared.
Despite her size, her posture remained straight, her movements controlled as she walked toward Archer without hesitation, as if forcing herself not to be intimidated by the overwhelming presence before her.
"Maiya, do you see that?" Kiritsugu immediately shifted his focus, adjusting his rifle as he locked onto the girl.
"Yes… a child, out here at this hour?" Maiya's voice came through his earpiece. "Do you think she's a Master?"
Kiritsugu didn't answer immediately. Instead, he brought his scope into position and began observing her closely.
Her clothing made it easy. With short sleeves exposing both arms, there was nowhere to hide. He carefully scanned for the mark he was looking for.
A Command Spell.
Nothing.
Even as the girl bowed and slightly lifted her skirt in a gesture of respect, there was still no sign of it anywhere on her body.
"Not a Master… or she's hiding it?" Kiritsugu muttered quietly.
He wasn't the only one confused. On the ground below, Saber, Lancer, Rider, Irisviel, and Waver all shared the same uncertainty. None of them understood why a child was standing in the middle of a Holy Grail War.
For Irisviel, however, something felt strangely familiar.
Her gaze lingered on the girl, a faint sense of recognition stirring in her mind. She was certain she had met someone like her before… someone older, yet carrying the same presence.
"Younger sister?" Irisviel thought to herself, recalling the girl she had met earlier that afternoon.
But Saber's reaction was different.
The moment she saw the child, her expression subtly changed. There was no confusion in her eyes, only recognition.
She could feel it.
That presence, that faint trace of magecraft, and something deeper that she couldn't fully describe. It was the same as before.
There was no doubt.
Both little girl and the girl from this afternoon were the same person.
"Merlin…? No… that's not right…"
Previously when Saber watched as the little girl walked toward the golden Archer.
To any normal person, the concrete of the docks was empty, but Saber's instincts picked up on a specific resonance.
Years of dealing with Merlin's illusions had sharpened her senses to the point where she could recognize his brand of magecraft by the way it disturbed the air.
As the girl moved, a faint trail followed her footsteps. It was like a visual glitch, a momentary flickering of flower petals that vanished as soon as they appeared. It was a signature of mana that Saber recognized instantly.
It felt exactly like the magecraft the magus of flowers had used to mask his movements back in her own time.
Saber tightened her grip on her invisible sword. She did not know who this child was, but the trace of that familiar magecraft made her chest tighten with a sudden, sharp confusion.
She had never seen anyone in this era who could replicate that specific feeling.