Alessandro Serpi was in front of the mirror. He was putting in place the black robe of the Coven, he wanted to get rid of all the wrinkles and clean it from dirt. Behind him, lying on the bed, was Saber. The girl was prone, with her head resting on one hand and her legs in constant motion; she wore only the upper part of a white shirt and played chess with Alessandro.
« You're good enough for chess, Master. » She said.
« What do you deduce it from? »
« You can find the time to make yourself beautiful in front of the mirror, while you have to face your opponent in a strategic game. In my day these things didn't even exist. »
« You'll learn quickly, I'm sure. »
Saber moved the tower and Alessandro, without even looking, said:
« Queen eats the tower. »« What? No! How did you do? »
« I have the impression that you're doing it on purpose. » Observed Alessandro.
« Why do you say that? »
He turned to her and replied:
« Because you often make the same mistakes, as if you were repeating them
on purpose. »
Saber made a mischievous grin and, moving her bishop, exclaimed:« Checkmate. »
Alessandro took a look at the board and realized that Saber had actually trapped the king. Sighing, the boy commented:
« See? You're not denied for this game, and maybe you weren't even before. Why did you repeat those mistakes on purpose? What did you hope to get? »
« A strong enemy to defeat. » She answered lifting the black king of Alessandro.
« Let me understand better. »
« In war there is not only victory or defeat, there is something else. »
« What? »
« The legend. There is a big difference between a trivial war and a war that is told. The first is forgotten, the second becomes a legend that will remain forever in the memory of humanity. But to be able to carry out such a war, a war that is narrated, one must know how to create an enemy that is worthy of being defeated. This is what I did with you: I gave you small victories but then I inflicted the great defeat on you. »
Alessandro took a chair and sat down in front of Saber and thought:
« However your tactic is risky. An enemy that wins gains morale and therefore becomes more dangerous. And what happens if that enemy can take great advantage from those little victories? How can you hope to defeat him? »
« The advantage is never in the hands of those who win but it is in the hands of those who know how to win. You can get a win or you can get twenty wins, nothing changes, if those victories have been granted to you, that means you don't know how to win and therefore you will lose when the victory is no longer granted. Who knows how to win always knows how to win, even when it seems to be at a disadvantage. »
« And if your enemy knew how to win? »
« Do you think it's so easy to learn to win? To know how to win, you must triumph over an army that confronts you without giving you any victory. When the enemy army gives you victories it threatens your experience because it falsifies it with an illusion, with a lie. How can you learn to win based on a lie? »
« But what is the purpose of all this? What is it for? »
« To be remembered. Your allies and foreigners must believe that the enemy you are facing is really strong, that he is a great leader. Your equal. By selling this innocent lie you will create your myth, your legend, winning the battle against the enemy. The ultimate goal is to be remembered forever. The aim is to have a name that can never be erased from history. »
« But what is the use of having a war that is told? What is the purpose of it? »
« A legend can change the world and people's way of thinking. A legend can make you divine, both good and bad. The war as an end in itself is useless, it is a joke of bad taste. The war must have a following, it must have a story that is told. Only then you can scare your enemies and be loved by your friends. »Alessandro saw Saber's eyes shining with pride and joy. The girl was obviously enthusiastic. Intrigued, he asked her:
« Do you have any wishes? »
« Me? »
« Yes, do you have any desire to ask the Holy Grail? »
« Ah … » Saber sighed with a melancholy look.
The girl got up from the bed and looked out the window. With her eyes focused on the afternoon sky she replied to Alessandro:
« I have many desires: I would like never to have been killed by those whom I considered my friends, I would like to be able to reincarnate to restart the conquest ... no ... maybe these desires arestupid … »
« What is your greatest wish, Saber? »
« My greatest wish? Well … »
Saber remained silent thinking about it and then answered, turning to Alessandro:
« My greatest desire is to be able to rejoin the woman I loved most of all. A very powerful queen, the most beautiful of all queens. I would love to be with her for eternity. »
"A beautiful desire." thought Alessandro. Saber's desire was to be able to spend eternity with the person he loved, this was what spurred her to move forward.
He was not like her, he was aware of this. He had no desire for the Holy Grail. He was forced to fight the Holy Grail War but at the same time, when he felt Saber's desire, he thought it was unfair and selfish to do less just because he had no desire.
Saber had a wish and Alessandro convinced himself to fight so she could make it happen.
He approached the girl and, looking her straight in the eyes, said to her:« I promise you that I will make it come true. Together we will win the Holy Grail War and you will be able to embrace your beloved one again. I promise you, Saber. »
Saber was shocked by the benevolence of her Master and with a smile, and tears in her eyes, she said:
« Thank you, Master. You have no idea how much better it makes me knowing it. »
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