She wants to invite the King and Morgan to attend her wedding in the Millennium Castle...?
Upon hearing Arcueid Brunsteid's words, which were nothing less than a declaration of war, the minds of everyone present seemed to stall for a moment.
They were all high-ranking officials of Britain, the ones history would later revere as the Knights of the Round Table.
Veterans of the Vortigern Campaign, defenders of the border, witnesses of the legendary duel between the King and the White Dragon.
Even the recent, world-shaking duel between the two sisters, which had been widely circulated among the transmigrators, was held under the watch of the Round Table.
They had seen everything there was to see.
And yet… nothing had prepared them for this scene.
"Has the Moon Queen gone mad?!"
After a long silence, someone finally broke out of their stupor, and soon, everyone's faces began to shift into a mix of disbelief, confusion, and stunned fascination.
In front of both Artoria and Morgan, someone had just declared that she was going to marry Alvin...the very man they both loved.
...A second marriage?!
Emotionally, it sounded absurd.
But rationally, a marriage between Crimson Moon and the White Dragon of Britain might actually be beneficial. It would eliminate a potential threat.
In fact, it might be an ideal political alliance.
But for Artoria, prideful as she was, this statement was nothing less than humiliation.
As Knights of the Round Table, everyone present knew Altria too well.
Even Morgan's betrayal could be tolerated, after all, they had a bit of a complicated sibling rivalry.
But an outsider? Inserting herself between the sisters?
Unforgivable.
"The King is angry…" Kay muttered in a low voice.
Everyone looked over subconsciously, and then their hearts were startled.
Artoria was indeed angry.
The sword in her hand blazed with holy light, glowing with her wrath and killing intent. Her sacred turquoise eyes now gleamed with gold under the radiance of the blade.
In that instant, magic surged violently from her, forming a storm-like sea of mana. Golden whirlpools began to silently spin beneath the veil of night.
Whoosh!
When the fully suppressed mana burst forth from the holy sword, Artoria's figure vanished from her spot in the blink of an eye.
The golden sword light made her appear even more regal and sacred.
In the very next moment, the tip of the gleaming blade was already inches from Arcueid's face.
But just as the sword was about to pierce her, Artoria's swing froze mid-air.
Because she heard Arcueid quietly say a few words.
Although it was one short sentence, but it carried a mysterious power that caused Artoria's body to stiffen slightly, her expression shifting to disbelief as she stared at Arcueid.
"..What did you just say?"
After a long silence, Artoria slowly regained her composure, though the tip of her sword remained pointed directly at Arcueid as she spoke in a cold tone.
"..You're not lying?"
Yet when she saw the latter's calm and unshaken expression, Artoria's gaze gradually became conflicted.
"Do you think I need to lie to you?" Arcueid said coolly. "As the Red Dragon, you should understand better than anyone what the Counter Force actually is."
"Artoria, the biggest difference between you and the White Dragon is that you're the Arthur of 'history.'
The Counter Force has no reason to correct your existence."
"But Alvin is different.. He really is the White Dragon, but also the last anomalous creature of the Age of Gods. It's only a matter of time before the Counter Force moves to erase him."
Yes, that was what Arcueid had just revealed.
And she did not lie.
After all, like Arcueid herself, the White Dragon was an "anomaly," a being rejected by the Counter Force.
In the canonical Type-Moon timeline, the White Dragon is already dead.
And so, as far as human history is concerned, that chapter is closed.
Anything that happened after is a deviation — an existence beyond history.
Alvin belonged neither to Gaia nor Alaya.
Even if he sided with either of the two great Counter Forces, he would likely still be "corrected" by history in the end.
Arcueid had already suspected this ever since she heard King Marco mention Alvin.
And conveniently, very conveniently, the Millennium Castle, her Reality Marble, could nullify the corrective effect of the Counter Force.
After a long silence, Artoria narrowed her eyes.
Though she believed Arcueid might be telling the truth… letting Alvin be taken away just like that was still unacceptable.
"Moon King, I believe your words.. but the method you're offering is just to keep him locked away in the Millennium Castle, isn't it?"
At that moment, Morgan's melodic voice rang out.
She stared straight into Arcueid's eyes, and spoke in a cool yet sharp tone.
"In the end, even you can't avoid the Counter Force's correction forever, can you?"
Hearing her words, Arcueid didn't look angry or annoyed, instead, she looked up at the starry sky, her beautiful, indifferent face slowly blooming into a confident smile.
"Not immediately, no.
But if I remain on this planet long enough, yes — I'll be corrected."
"But if I become the strongest being on this planet.. then even the Counter Force won't be able to erase me."
"I plan to hold the most sacred of vampiric rituals during the wedding.
Once it's complete, I will become the strongest, and at that point, both he and I will be free of the Counter Force's interference."
There were two paths to becoming the strongest.
The first was to kill the current strongest being of that planet, the path, she first wanted to take.
And the second was to evolve.
By consuming the blood of exceptional beings, a vampire could evolve.
That was their nature.
And as the progenitor of all vampires, Arcueid Brunsteid was the pinnacle of that potential.
Actually this method was far too rare, after all, there was no such powerful blood that could fulfil the conditions, especially for a vampire like her.
But now, now was different...
Ever since she tasted Alvin's blood, she knew that he was fundamentally different now.
His blood was too special,
It was a hybrid of man, dragon, and god.
If she could share a true bond with him, an unreserved, intimate one, she might actually be able to transcend all limitations and become Earth's next Ultimate One by another path.
"You two may choose not to believe me.. but do you really want to see him vanish one day, erased by the very fabric of history?"
As she said that, Arcueid gently turned to Alvin, her gaze filled with deep, lingering affection.
"If neither of you can decide.. then why not let him choose for himself?"
"Of course.. if he doesn't trust me either, I can leave right now."
As soon as those words left her mouth, all the pressure instantly shifted to Alvin.
Artoria frowned deeply.
After all, although, in her eyes, Arcueid was still an enemy, however, what she said couldn't be ignored.
If Alvin truly would be erased by the Counter Force someday… then even in death, even as a spirit in the Throne of Heroes, she might never see him again.
Meanwhile, Alvin's brain had already gone into full overdrive.
In every route involving the Millennium Castle, Arcueid was always a proud and distant figure.
Even after he spent so much effort winning her over, he only barely touched her heart.. and died not long after.
But all in all… others might still have some concerns regarding her, but at least, he could trust Arcueid.
The only problem now… if he actually said yes to something this insane…Alvin felt that even if he somehow managed to dodge the Counter Force in the future…
…he'd still be utterly screwed.
But if he refused Arcueid right now...
It felt like he had no choice.
Alvin let out a soft sigh.
Yet just as he was about to speak, Artoria's cold voice quietly broke the silence.
"Oh? So when the two of you get married... are you planning to invite me and my royal sister to attend the ceremony?"
Hearing her words, Alvin's head shot up in shock, and even Arcueid looked genuinely surprised.
"You're quite amusing, Arthur King," She said with interest. "I thought you'd be furious."
Artoria replied calmly, "Letting him marry someone else is fine... if that's what it takes to prevent him from being corrected by history."
Though she had never left Britain in the past, her time spent interacting with various transmigrators had given her some awareness of the concept of "future."
If Alvin was really going to be automatically corrected someday... then it was necessary to act beforehand.
Even if that meant him marrying someone else.
"Sister, do you have anything to say?"
Artoria turned her gaze toward Morgan.
Ever since Arcueid mentioned the word "marriage," Morgan hadn't spoken at all.
But the look in her eyes as she stared at Alvin had turned... unusual.
Only when her sister called out did she finally snap out of her thoughts, as a sweet smile surfaced beneath her veil.
"Since the rightful consort has no objections, how could I possibly oppose?"
She said lightly.
"In fact, I'm rather looking forward to the wedding."
"Then it's settled," Arcueid smiled, her expression like ice melting into sunlight. "Since that's the case... I'll be taking him with me now, alright?"
.
.
.
And just like that, to the utter bewilderment of the Round Table knights, the earth-shattering battle
they'd all been bracing for, the battle which started simply because someone too Alvin's mask off, simply fizzled out.
And so, at Arcueid's invitation, he stepped into the Millennium Castle — now manifesting within the real world.
Morgan stared up at the ancient, ominous castle in the sky, then withdrew her gaze and said evenly,
"I have something to take care of. You all head back first."
After she finished speaking, she turned and left the crowd alone, leaving the Knights of the Round Table looking at each other in bewilderment.
Agravain opened his mouth and wanted to call Morgan, but was stopped by Artoria, who spoke.
"Let her go, she may need some quiet time."
"King...what on earth is going on?"
Unable to hold back, he simply asked.
"Why did Alvin leave with that woman?"
Though the others, like Gawain, did not speak, all of them turned toward their golden-haired king.
"It's a long story..." Artoria replied coolly. "But for now, think of it this way — it's one less enemy you have to fight. Isn't that a good thing?"
Agravain frowned slightly.
She wasn't wrong, per se, but a battle that was supposed to be catastrophic had just ended without a single blow. And that vampire girl had walked off... hugging Alvin like some treasured lover.
It left a strange taste in his mouth.
Like one of those shady H-games where, after losing a fight, you had to offer up your heroine to the enemy as tribute...
Right now, Agravain felt exactly like that.
Not that he thought he or his king had lost, but Alvin really had left with the so-called "Moon King."
"Don't worry. He'll be fine."
Under the silent night sky, Artoria gazed at the towering dark castle above.
"Who knows — maybe he's just catching up with an old flame right now."
There was a hint of coldness in her words.
Not giving Agravain a chance to reply, she turned her attention to the unconscious Mordred lying nearby.
"Mordred."
Ever since being "Embraced" earlier, Mordred had remained in a deep slumber.
Even now, hearing her name called, she kept her eyes shut like she was still asleep.
"If you really want to never see your father again, then by all means, keep sleeping."
At those words, Mordred's eyelids twitched slightly.
She rubbed her eyes in feigned sleepiness and murmured,
"What happened...? Did I miss something?"
Artoria shot her a cold glance as she spoke. "You know exactly what happened."
"Once we return to the palace, summon Merlin. I need to speak with him."
Hearing these intriguing words, Mordred inexplicably felt guilty, and when she heard Altria's subsequent words, she couldn't help but be startled, and subconsciously asked.
"What do you want with Merlin?"
Artoria raised her eyes toward the dark castle that loomed beneath the stars and answered softly:
"I'm still not at ease."
"Before the Moon King's wedding begins... I want to personally visit the Millennium Castle."
---
After Arthur and her knights had all dispersed, another woman quietly returned to the scene.
The night wind whipped through her flowing gown, the fabric pressed tightly against her tall, proud chest, even in the darkness, her stunning curves couldn't be hidden.
It was none other than ..Morgan le Fay.
She lifted her head and gazed up at the magnificent castle hanging in the sky.
The Millennium Castle, an extension of the Moon King's Reality Marble.
There were only two ways to enter: either be an "Embraced" thrall, or receive a direct invitation from Arcueid Brunsteid.
And clearly, until the wedding was ready, Arcueid had no intention of allowing either of the sisters into her world, nor would she welcome any interference in her time with Alvin.
However...
Let's not forget about one thing..
Arcueid Brunsteid had just bitten Morgan not long ago.
Although as a special being of the Trinity, Morgan would not be subject to the First Embrace, she was able to analyze and utilize the mark of the First Embrace, giving her the special power to enter the Millennium castle.
"You underestimate me, Moon King."
A cruel smile appeared on Morgan's delicate veiled face, and a bright red light quietly lit up on her swan-like white neck.
The next moment, Morgan exuded a special aura similar to that of a 'vampire' as she took a step forward and quietly sneaked into the Millennium Castle..