Fragments of the Lost [Fate/Grand Order] [Abandoned]

Chapter 3

"You seem more loathsome than usual Archer."

"What do you mean Ruler?" Archer looked at Altria while he stood still and held his pool stick, one of the balls going into the pool table.

"Perhaps I've been watching you for too long to notice how your face reflects the way you're feeling sometimes."

"Watching me for too long? I didn't know the King of Knights was such a stalker." Archer said with amusement. Aiming and adjusting on which ball can he hit to bounce ahead and hit the others.

"It's not the way you're thinking Archer!" Altria said almost too quickly.

"It was but a joke, your highness. Who am I to assume I get stalked anyway?" Archer asked as he hit the white ball, sending it to hit the number 2 ball which hit all the others and went into the holes. With a small smile as he looked on in victory. He may or may not have cheated a bit but it's not like nobody knows.

"I've told you already to call me by my name, Archer."

"Yes. Yes, your majesty."

"Did something happen for you to carry out such a grim face today?" Altria asked Archer while he put his pool stick on his shoulder.

"Nothing that's concerning. It's just that my thoughts are all around the place that I'm not quite in the mood today."

"What thoughts might those be exactly?" Altria asked him.

"Mmm. That's a good question. At this point, even I'm not sure myself. At some point, I've stopped caring about what I thought. It's not like it mattered anymore..." Archer said with a small frown.

"What makes you say that? It's not great to stop caring about the little lest things."

"You may be right. But someone like me can care less about the most little things. It's just how I've come to accept things. Whatever the outcome is, I'll just simply accept it. There's no point in trying and no point in changing things... I've learned all too long ago." Archer said with an exhale.

"You've dealt with a lot." Altria said.

"What makes you say that your majesty?"

"I've told you to call me Artoria, Archer. There's no need for formalities. You're not one of my knights. I'm not a king. Here in Chaldea. I'm just like everyone else, a Servant and ally. There's no need to be so formal." Altria said with a small frown at the Bowman's titles for her.

"Very well Artoria..." Archer said with a small smile. Altria looks at Archer. His eyes show a sense of relief and nostalgia in them. Like he's thinking back to the past. Yet eyes like those show great sorrow...

"Archer..."

"Hmm? What is it Artoria?"

"May I ask something personal to you?"

"Hmm? What is it that you wish to know? I'm nobody important and I'm not interesting."

"Not interesting? What makes you say that? You're a great cook, a hardworking cleaner, you're quite knowledgeable, an irregular Heroic Spirit, someone capable of copying other Noble Phantasms of great heroes and able to use them, you were a mage back when you were alive. I think that's quite interesting if I may say so." Altria said with a smile as she began walking.