[FMMIKA] Chapter 312: I Want You to be Mine

"Very well." Artorius nodded. "Now, I understand what you all want to achieve."

After saying that, he turned without hesitation.

"Let's go."

He beckoned to his group, not sparing a glance at everything behind him, striding purposefully towards the exit.

"Eh...? Eeehhh?!"

After Artorius uttered those words calmly, he turned around and walked away, leaving Stheno stunned.

All the previous submissiveness, innocence, and the mix of anticipation and shyness disappeared in an instant, replaced only by shock and panic.

"Your Majesty?!"

Under her astonished gaze, Artorius and his entourage turned and left without hesitation. Even Ritsuka, who moments ago had a delighted and expectant expression, followed suit without hesitation.

'Why?! Others I get it, but why would even this woman?!'

Watching this absurd scene unfold, Stheno felt her worldview collapsing. For a moment, her petite face turned deathly pale.

===

"Such an obvious flaw. Really thought I was a fool, huh?"

At this moment, Ritsuka, with a triumphant air, spoke to Mash.

"If His Majesty becomes a 'God', even the 'Chief God', signifies the complete failure of the empire, right? Because what His Majesty wants to establish is a 'human country', compiling the 'New Human History'. If we accept their offer and move forward according to their plan, it's a complete betrayal of the original path."

"After all the hard work, sweat, deaths, and the consumption of so many resources for so long, how could we just abandon it all because of a few words from that loli? This deception... that's just the style of the Greek gods. Truly foolish. It's just a shame that we couldn't get the gold and silver treasures, as well as those Noble Phantasms and Divine Constructs... by the way, can't we just take those?"

After Ritsuka finished venting, Mash responded, "Senpai, even if you don't speak, no one will mistake you for a mute. And, considering His Majesty's aspirations, since he decisively refused, he won't take anything from here. He's not a commoner like you, Senpai."

"Don't worry, little eggplant. Those foolish gods are already dust in history. Thinking of investing in His Majesty, using the power of his empire to resurrect themselves and then take advantage of it—that's indeed clever. But such a plan, even someone like you, can't be deceived by it; it's just a delusion like a Showa-era strategist. It's utterly meaningless."

"Shouldn't you say 'even I can't be deceived'?" Mash raised an eyebrow.

"That's what I'm saying, even you can't be deceived." Ritsuka pretended not to understand Mash's meaning.

"Yes, it's you, Senpai." Mash retorted calmly.

"Yeah, even you can't be deceived." Ritsuka was adamant.

Mash and Ritsuka playing word games, continued their banter as they followed Artorius, leaving Stheno alone, dumbfounded.

Stheno reached out her hand as if she wanted to stop him, but in the end, she didn't dare.

Because of fear and terror.

Although she is a 'Goddess', stronger than ordinary Servants, facing him means certain death.

When she was panicking and at a loss, suddenly—

"You've failed..."

"Saying that any man would fall for oneself..."

"So confident, yet you couldn't even take the first step. Quite amusing..."

Was it an illusion or reality? Near Stheno's ears, a voice like a nightmare suddenly lingered.

"I-I can still—"

"What can you still do?"

The voice interrupted Stheno's words. It seems they have run out of patience and don't want to hear more of her nonsense.

"Admit it, you have no chance from the beginning."

"Originally, executing this plan was just to see a one-in-a-million chance."

"What a pity, my power is almost ineffective in this era..."

"So, it's better to wait for that era..."

The latter part of their speech was not directed at Stheno but seemed like self-talk. This proved they had completely lost interest in her, who they considered a 'failure'.

Stheno seemed to have accepted her fate, slumping to the ground, eyes lifeless, seemingly having lost confidence in the future.

However...

"?"

The only light source was obscured by shadows. Stheno looked up, wanting to see who or what stood before her. But she found that the one blocking her view was the Dragon Emperor, who had returned.

"...?"

Stheno's inner calmness became profound.

'Will I be killed? By such a handsome guy? Well, okay... at least, among all outcomes, it's the least bad one.'

With that in mind, Stheno closed her eyes.

'But, before dying, I really want to see them again... eh?'

Afterward, sensations spread through her calves, thighs, back of the neck, and spine. Two hands, from top to bottom, then a forceful *whoosh* lifting her up.

"Staying here any longer is dangerous."

Stheno opened her eyes, surprised to find Artorius carrying her in a princess carry. He held her, striding outside calmly.

"Your fate won't be good after your mission failed, right? So, you might as well follow me from now on."

"???"

Stheno widened her eyes, looking at Artorius, subconsciously wanting to say 'No, this isn't right', but before she could speak—

"Oh, by the way, what I said was a statement, not a question. Whatever you want, whatever your choice, the final result won't change. I've set my eyes on you and want you to be mine. Since that's the case, you have no choice, just accept it. After all, you're so weak and cute, a girl with no strength. A girl like you should be saved, protected, and loved by a powerful hero, isn't that right?"

'Rather than saying it's a powerful hero protecting a cute girl, it's more like a fearsome monster, an evil dragon...' Mash thought wryly from the side.

After all, Artorius is the Dragon Emperor with insatiable lust, a fact Mash can't change.

"NTR-ed again, how does it feel? What do you think now, Mash?" Ritsuka asked with a teasing tone.

"If you're so interested, I can help you order a complete set of doujin and movies in that genre from Da Vinci, Senpai."

Ritsuka and Mash's comedic performance didn't disturb Stheno.

When Artorius gently lifted Stheno's body, the nightmare-like voice belonging to 'Them' disappeared from her ears.

'Maybe it's okay like this...'

Thinking so, the goddess leaned against the Dragon Emperor's chest.

'It's not about relying on my sisters but having a real reliance... maybe having a man isn't such a bad thing...'

Stheno embraced Artorius's neck with joy and then revealed a happy smile.