"But aren't you here?"
Merlin shrugged, "I'd rather not get involved in matters like this. It could bring trouble down on me."
He looked toward a certain direction at the end of the street and said softly, "If I'm not mistaken, that child was probably sent by Morgan le Fay."
———
Under the deep blue sky, splendid sunlight poured over every corner of Camelot.
The summer leaves stirred, scattered shadows drifted, bringing a little coolness to the royal city.
On a certain street in Camelot, a plainly dressed girl walked along, her gaze wandering. She muttered to herself as if talking quietly, "So quiet, huh. Didn't expect not even the patrolling knights would be on the street. Saves me a lot of trouble."
"But with so many transmigrators appearing in the Camelot Empire, why is there no movement at the palace?"
"Just as mother said, the knight order is just a bunch of useless people who only eat and sleep."
Gareth was an artificial human created by Morgan le Fay through special means. In a sense, Artoria could be considered her aunt.
However, Gareth had only seen Artoria a few times in the past, and all were when they were children.
Not long after, Artoria and Morgan le Fay fell out, and Morgan le Fay took the young Gareth away from Camelot.
This time, if it weren't for Morgan le Fay's mission, Gareth would never have set foot in the royal city again.
'It is strange: now that transmigrators are running rampant in the Camelot Empire and King Arthur has issued orders to capture them, why are not only the knight order but even pedestrians scarcely seen on the streets?'
Gareth thought this but did not forget her purpose and headed toward the end of the street.
This time, the silver knight Morgan le Fay made had been destroyed by someone suspected to be a transmigrator, and Morgan le Fay seemed interested in this person with the strength to break the silver knight.
Gareth's goal was to take this transmigrator away.
'I have to admit, that transmigrator is clever. After destroying the silver knight, he immediately fled the scene and even hid inside the royal city."
'But, he probably did not realize that from the moment he killed the silver knight, escaping 'mother's' grasp has become impossible.'
The silver knight from the Camp Plain was forged using "White Dragon blood." Its blood would mark those who killed it.
Gareth, who is also infused with "White Dragon blood," could easily sense anyone nearby with the White Dragon aura.
And at this moment, Gareth could clearly sense that the mysterious transmigrator who killed the silver knight was right on this street.
The transmigrator probably never imagined that if he hadn't been so clever as to utterly cripple the silver knight, 'mother' might not have taken such an interest in him.
Nor would it have been so easy for her to find his location.
Thinking of how dumbfounded his face would be when he saw her later, Gareth couldn't help but show an amused smile.
Just as she was about to step into the street, a hand pressed down on her shoulder from behind.
"Gareth, what are you doing here?"
A clear, hearty voice followed.
Both tone and action gave off a carefree feeling.
The rude action made Gareth frown slightly. She turned to look and was about to speak.
But the words died in her throat.
Standing there was none other than one of the artificial human also created by Morgan le Fay.
"Mordred?"
Clad in heavy armor, carrying a greatsword on her right shoulder and wearing a helmet that wrapped her tightly, she was sealed up from head to toe. Even so, Gareth recognized her at a glance.
Mordred, like Gareth, had been taken from the palace by Morgan le Fay from a young age and was now considered one of Morgan le Fay's confidants.
'Isn't she supposed to be helping 'mother' investigate the transmigrators appearing across the Camelot Empire? Why is she here?'
"How are you here?", Gareth asked instinctively.
"There have been a lot of transmigrators appearing in the city recently, so I snuck in two days ago to investigate. I just saw a blond, broad-shouldered guy goading Lancelot."
Mordred raised a hand as if signaling. Her helmet quietly opened, revealing a fairly delicate, handsome face.
Then she asked curiously, "Why did you come to the royal city? Did mother give you some assignment too?"
Gareth did not hide anything and explained what she knew in detail.
"Oh?"
When she heard it, Mordred's face lit with interest, "These new transmigrators have been too weak, never thought one could defeat the silver knight my mother made."
"Since I'm out, take me to see him. Let me meet him myself."
Gareth paused and hesitated, "But don't you still have a mission…"
"It's just dealing with a transmigrator. Won't take long."
Mordred waved her hand impatiently, "Come on, lead the way."
Gareth had no choice but to lead Mordred toward the end of the street.
"Strange, Mother usually only cares about reviving the White Dragon. That she would take the initiative to capture a transmigrator this time is odd," Along the way, Mordred's eyes casually scanned the surroundings and she said carelessly.
"Maybe she found signs that the transmigrator could revive the White Dragon—"
"Just thinking about that is enough. Do you really think it's possible?"
Mordred said lightly, "The magic dragon is dead, and it was killed by the King herself. People can't be resurrected; Mother surely understands that."
Gareth fell silent.
Both she and Mordred were, in a way, daughters of the White Dragon.
Regarding that unknown "magic dragon" Morgan le Fay often mentioned, the two felt extremely complicated emotions.
But, both Gareth and Mordred clearly understood that the dead could not be brought back.
Over the years they had not mentioned this in front of Morgan le Fay for fear of upsetting her, or causing her to do something extreme.
Their conversation unknowingly brought them to a secluded alley.
"Is it here?"
Mordred looked up at the window of the small house and grinned, "Wait here. I'll go meet this transmigrator first."
Before Gareth could speak, Mordred had already stepped up the wall and, as if walking on flat ground, leapt into the house in one bound.
Gareth watched Mordred disappear from sight and sighed quietly.
Mordred had always been so impetuous. Although her strength was formidable, such recklessness would cause trouble sooner or later.
But since this time it was just dealing with a transmigrator, it was no big deal.
Just then, Gareth vaguely sensed a figure outside the alley.
She looked up and was stunned.
'Ariel?'
'If I remembere correctly, isn't she the assistant at King Arthur's side?'
'Normally wherever King Arthur is, she would be there.'
'So why is she here now?'
Remembering the empty street from earlier, when Gareth looked again toward the small house she felt a bad premonition.
———
Extremely warm sunlight, the soft touch of a woman's body, it was an incredibly leisurely afternoon.
Yet Alvin's forehead quietly broke into cold sweat.
When Artoria pulled the sword from the stone and became the King, the Camelot Empire was beset by troubles. The twelve great nobles had each become kings in their own territories. Though on the surface things seemed harmonious, beneath the surface they watched each other like tigers.
From Artoria's perspective, those were indeed extremely difficult times.
Of course, for Alvin, he had pursued that because of the special achievement "Watchman of Camelot."
But that was something he could not say. Otherwise with Artoria's temper, Alvin thought he might need to pre-research which imperial chamber he preferred.
"Alvin, do you remember what we promised each other?"
Artoria stared unblinkingly into Alvin's eyes and continued, "You said, no matter what difficulty, as long as you and I were together we could solve it."
"But in the end you used such despicable means to fulfill me… did you think what I wanted was merely the stability of this country?"
Alvin could not meet Artoria's steady gaze and said quietly, "Lily, at that time I could only do what I did—"
As soon as he finished, he sensed Artoria's clear eyes dim slightly.
Feels like a bad end triggered, Alvin hastily added, "But if I were given another chance, I might solve it another way."
He looked up at Artoria's mature, noble face and said seriously, "Both you and I were too young then. So to me, facing the watchful Saxons outside and the twelve great nobles inside seemed almost impossible to solve."
Artoria's brows lifted slightly, but before she could speak Alvin reached out and took the woman's soft hand.
The warmth of the young hand seemingly wrapped around her, and for a moment Artoria's eyes showed a flutter of deer-like bewilderment.
In that instant she seemed to be Artoria the girl, not the revered King.
'Indeed, though years has passed and Lily has grown up, at heart she is still that shy girl,' Alvin showed a contented smile.
When he first transmigrated into this world, Alvin had worried whether Artoria would have become a stranger after so many years.
But it proved she had not changed at all.
Or perhaps the "white moonlight" was just too powerful.
Maybe the past Artoria had kept her heart sealed before the world.
Yet when Alvin returned, even the frozen heart would slowly melt in the sunlight.
Seeing a slightly flustered expression on her face, Alvin's own expression softened, "Lily… I'm sorry."
He lowered his head to this extraordinarily beautiful face. In the sunshine, her full red lips glistened faintly, like an enticing cherry drawing men to taste them.
Thump! Thump!
Alvin's heart involuntarily quickened.
His face unconsciously drew closer to Artoria's.
The woman glanced at him, then quickly lowered her lashes.
Though she did not speak, she tacitly consented to the boy's action.
Alvin gently leaned in until he finally held that perfect figure in his arms.
Then he lightly kissed Artoria's soft red lips.
BANG!
At that moment, the door was kicked open with a roar.
"Hey, kid, you're unlucky to meet me—", Mordred kicked the door open, drew her greatsword, and was about to attack without honor.
But in the next instant, her steps froze and her pupils widened.
Inside the room, a boy was embracing a noble and beautiful woman, his lips just touching hers.
The blond woman wearing a crown had her eyes slightly closed, long curled lashes catching the light, and a delicate, stunning face flushed faintly.
"..."
Dust rolled in the afternoon sunlight. An eerie silence filled the room.
Mordred stood dumbfounded, her mind seeming to short-circuit, feeling as if asking, 'Who am I, where am I, what am I doing?'
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