"Sit wherever you like." Morgan settled on the edge of the bed, looking directly at Arthur, who remained standing in front of her.
"Don't be so reserved. You don't seem like a shy person, do you?"
Arthur didn't move.
He turned his body and tried to open the door behind him, but it didn't budge even an inch.
Morgan had just sealed it. The moment Arthur saw her raise her hand to cast a spell, a bad feeling crept over him. It didn't take long for him to realize that she had turned the room into a completely isolated space.
With no alternative, Arthur had no choice but to turn back and face Morgan, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed.
A completely sealed room.
A man and a woman alone.
Windows locked from the inside.
And the woman, casually playing with her hair, staring at Arthur with seductive eyes.
Arthur's heart began to race.
This scene…
Isn't this basically the perfect setup for one of those eroge games?!
"What? Do you need me to come over there and bring you to the bed?" Morgan cast him a teasing glance.
"Normally, I'd be the one doing something like that," Arthur replied, unable to hold back.
After all, he was a man.
Letting Morgan carry him like that… wouldn't that be a complete reversal of roles?
"Oh?" Morgan's face lit up with an amused smile. "Then why don't you come and hug me?"
Arthur looked at her for a few seconds… then shook his head.
"Forget it. I'm not interested."
After that, he sat down in front of Morgan's bed.
Her lips curved slightly into an almost imperceptible smile.
Ha… what a coward.
Says he's not interested?
She had clearly noticed where his gaze kept drifting.
Even while saying that… his eyes still returned to her from time to time.
In a situation like this, any excuse would sound completely unconvincing.
"Just tell me what's going on, Morgan. I want to return to the Land of Shadows as soon as possible."
Her gaze and the silence in the room were making Arthur increasingly uncomfortable. Unable to endure it any longer, he decided to get straight to the point.
And his desire to return wasn't a lie.
Two months had already passed, and he wanted to go back to Dun Scaith.
He wanted to see his master again, to see Nessa again.
Of course… there was also a small sense of anticipation about the current situation and what might happen next…
Well, just a little.
About the distance between his thumb and index finger.
"Don't be in such a hurry. Sit beside me." Morgan lightly patted the space next to her.
"What? Don't tell me you want to sit on my lap?" Seeing that Arthur still hadn't moved, she tilted her head slightly, letting a strand of hair fall over her eyes.
Arthur: "…"
Driven by her constant teasing, he finally let out a resigned sigh and sat down beside her.
'Do you think I'm some kind of coward, Morgan?'
If he weren't concerned about the fact that she never played fair, he would have teased her back a long time ago.
"As expected, my charm is still irresistible," Morgan sighed as she noticed his gaze. "Sometimes I really wonder why I'm the Goddess of Death… and not a Goddess of Love."
"If I were Cupid, I could draw my bow and aim right here…"
She extended a finger and lightly pressed it against Arthur's chest.
"With a 'pew'… you would become my prisoner forever."
"Morgan… could you stop that? What exactly do you want?" Arthur forced himself to stay composed.
This woman always does this…
Does she never think that one day he might actually lose control?
"You're not very resistant to my teasing," Morgan said with a shrug.
"King Uther is dead."
The sudden shift in topic hit like a blow.
Arthur was completely stunned when he heard that.
"Didn't they say it would take at least three more months? Why so soon…?"
"He was already gravely ill after being defeated by Vortigern. The fact that he lasted this long is already remarkable," Morgan replied calmly. "Three months was only an estimate. He died a few days ago."
"The capital is in complete chaos. Some are already predicting the fall of the country after his death, and several bards in the villages are spreading poems that only deepen the people's panic."
"So… the time for Lily to draw the sword will be moved up?" Arthur asked, a faint trace of emotion in his voice.
He hadn't expected that day to come so soon.
He had known Artoria for less than six months.
He truly believed they would have more time together.
But that moment… had arrived earlier than expected.
Morgan nodded slightly.
"In one week, countless knights will attempt to draw the Sword that Chooses the King."
Arthur nodded.
That was only natural.
There were many people who desired to become king.
"In the end… Lily will be the one to pull the sword from the stone," Morgan continued.
"This was a plan devised by Uther… and that fraudulent flower mage."
"I know…" Arthur lowered his head slightly, his hair shadowing his eyes.
Even if it was hard to accept… that was destiny.
She was a red dragon.
It was natural for her to become the King of Britain.
It was natural for her to lead the knights.
It was natural for her to fight the Saxons.
As Merlin always said… everything was part of an inevitable fate.
"Do you believe in fate?" Morgan suddenly asked, looking at Arthur.
Why is she asking this now?
Arthur was caught off guard.
"I do," Morgan said softly. "Everything already has a predetermined outcome. No matter how much the process changes… the end always remains the same."
That sounds exactly like Merlin…
So even she thinks like that?
But before Arthur could finish that thought, Morgan continued:
"But fate… can be deceived."
She stared at him intently.
"Deceived…?" Arthur repeated.
"Yes." Morgan raised her hand and gently stroked his hair. "Merlin said that only a true king can draw the sword from the stone and become the King of Britain, leading the people to prosperity."
"But that's nothing more than a lie. A plan orchestrated by Uther and Merlin."
"The King will draw the sword from the stone…" she murmured. "In other words… whoever is the chosen King can draw the sword from the stone."
"Isn't that just obvious?" Arthur frowned, not fully understanding.
Morgan then brought her hands to his face, holding it gently.
"Has anyone… ever said that the King of Britain must specifically be Artoria?" she asked softly.
"What do you think about becoming the King of Britain?"
---
(End of Chapter)