Arthur looked at Artoria, who was lost in thought, then slipped his hand into his pocket and gently squeezed the small glass vial containing some kind of mysterious liquid.
Although it had only been said to be a possibility, the moment she accepted the vial Morgan offered her, it was practically predetermined that she would later agree to Morgan's request.
Although Arthur did not know why Morgan was going to such lengths to help him, there was no doubt that accepting her request would only benefit him at this moment.
The only potential problem would likely be joining the Knights of the Round Table in the future.
Arthur was unaware of Morgan's true intentions, but when she noticed his hesitation, Morgan immediately made a vow:
"I will not ask you to do anything that would harm others against your will."
That oath reassured Arthur, but it also left him uneasy.
What exactly did Morgan want him to do?
While Arthur pondered this, he and Artoria headed back together.
They walked through the village, along the narrow paths between the fields, raindrops falling on them as mist shrouded the farmland.
"Hey, Artoria, aren't you training today?"
Suddenly, a villager's voice rang out from the fields. Artoria turned her head toward him and gave a slight nod.
"I had something to take care of."
"I see. You can't afford to slack off. Maybe one day you'll finally get rid of that title of apprentice knight!"
"Yes, I'll do my best."
Artoria nodded again and walked straight across the fields.
Arthur glanced at the villager behind her, then quickly caught up to Artoria.
"They all think you're a man?"
Artoria remained silent for a long time before giving a faint nod.
"Don't tell anyone about this."
"I know. I won't say anything, don't worry," Arthur reassured her.
The girl simply said "thank you" and continued walking silently toward home.
As he took in the primitive scenery around him, Arthur couldn't help feeling a little emotional.
Britain truly was quite underdeveloped…
That was understandable. The country had only recently emerged from an age of darkness and turmoil and still needed time to recover.
A few years ago, the empire had collapsed, and the Saxons—seeking resources, food, clothing, and shelter—had crossed the sea without hesitation to invade Britain and seize its lands. Peoples who had once lived in constant conflict united to resist the foreign invaders.
This should have been a story of everyone defeating the outsiders and working together to build a better home.
However—
Vortigern Pendragon, the brother of King Uther, attempted to seize Britain by luring in the Saxons and inciting rebellions. His overwhelming power swept across the land, and he defeated King Uther. Just when everyone believed he would rule the kingdom…
Vortigern mysteriously vanished.
Yes, after defeating King Uther, the White Dragon could have ruled the country—yet he disappeared without a trace. Some claimed to have heard his mournful roar, but no one knew what truly happened.
Even so, King Uther firmly believed that Vortigern would one day return. And thus, Artoria was born.
Living in this world as a man, waiting for the day she would become king—this was a predetermined fate.
However, a certain siscon sister was unwilling to accept that outcome…
---xXx---
Arthur and Artoria had been traveling since noon, and most of the day had already passed. The sky was overcast. It had to be said—Artoria's stamina was truly remarkable. Even after traveling for so long, she showed little sign of fatigue.
"Why didn't you go on ahead? I'll probably head straight back to the Land of Shadows," Arthur said.
He had also considered that so much time had passed that Kay and Sir Ector must have realized Artoria was no longer nearby and were probably searching everywhere for her.
But Artoria simply shook her head.
"Then let's rest for a bit."
After saying that, she sat down beside Arthur. Together, they watched the rain fall beneath the eaves as villagers hurried past in the downpour.
"Tell me—what exactly brought you here in the first place?" Arthur suddenly asked.
Thinking about it, it made no sense that Artoria had done nothing after following him, only to return with him again.
Artoria stared at the rain, her eyes unfocused, until Arthur's voice brought her back to her senses. She shook her head lightly.
"I don't know."
She had only wanted to see her older sister, but she didn't know what purpose that would serve.
"It doesn't matter," Arthur sighed helplessly. "I'll go back with you first."
Artoria turned to look at him.
"Why?"
"You're not very good at lying, are you? In that case, let me explain it. Or do you think they haven't already realized you snuck out?" Arthur said.
Artoria fell silent.
They had probably already discovered that she had slipped away secretly—but how she was supposed to explain it to her brother and adoptive father once she returned… she truly hadn't thought that far.
"Then let me handle it," Arthur said. "We'll just say we went to a nearby town. But don't contradict me while I'm explaining it…"
For some reason, he always felt Artoria was a bit unpredictable, and he feared she might innocently say something like,
"I went with Arthur to visit my older sister."
If that happened, Arthur was certain he would be beaten to a pulp by Kay and Sir Ector.
Artoria nodded slightly.
"Thank you."
---xXx---
"I see… Next time, you'd better tell me or my father about these things in advance."
Inside the cabin, Kay sat across from Anzhiyu, speaking gently as he looked at Artoria.
"Your identity is very special. If you want to go out, you need to explain things first."
Artoria nodded silently, accepting her brother's admonishment—no, it wasn't really a scolding, just a simple lesson.
Arthur let out a quiet sigh of relief at the sight.
It seemed this knight named Kay had a much better temper than Arthur had imagined.
Or perhaps… he was simply in a good mood because he was dealing with his own sister.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back now." Arthur stood up and gave a slight bow.
"I'm sorry about what happened today."
"It's not your fault. In your current condition, it's difficult to notice someone secretly following you," Kay replied gently. "Do you want me to walk you home?"
"No need," Arthur said as he headed for the door.
"Arthur."
Artoria suddenly stood up, as if she wanted to say something.
Arthur stopped in his tracks.
Kay glanced around, smiled, and said, "I'll step outside for a bit."
After saying that, he left the cabin.
Arthur turned to Artoria.
"Is there something else, Lily?"
Confusion flickered in Artoria's eyes, as though she still wasn't used to the sudden change in how Arthur addressed her.
"I'm sorry… It's not appropriate to call you that, is it? Calling you by your first name felt a bit too long…"
"No, it's fine. Call me whatever you like," Artoria quickly regained her composure, shook her head lightly, and then looked at him with a hint of unease.
"Are you angry at me?" she asked.
"Why would I be angry with you?" Arthur replied.
"I followed you today without permission…"
Thinking that Kay might still be outside listening, Artoria swallowed the word "sister" and chose a much subtler way to phrase it.
"Oh, that?" Arthur smiled. "Of course it's strange. How could I not be upset about you secretly following me like that? If something had happened to you, the responsibility would've been mine."
Seemingly surprised by his answer, Artoria lowered her head, her ahoge swaying slightly as she wore a blank expression.
"So," Arthur said quietly, "next time you plan to go, tell me in advance. That way, it'll be easier for me to help you."
Artoria raised her head, her eyes shining faintly.
"You mean—"
"Yes," Arthur nodded. "If you go next time, we'll go together. We can look out for each other along the way."
Under Arthur's gaze, Artoria nodded firmly and said seriously,
"Yes. I will protect you."
"You've completely misunderstood, haven't you?" Arthur smiled helplessly. "After all, I'm a man—"
"But you can't defeat me," Artoria said.
"But I'm a man—"
"You can't defeat me," Artoria repeated.
Arthur: "…"
Alright. Do whatever makes you happy.
(End of Chapter)