Even after the king-selection ceremony had ended, the knights did not disperse.
As if to dispel the gloom brought by that person, a lively celebration was held in the town.
In the square, roast meat, bread, and fruit wine were freely available.
Under the sun, the knights laughed and talked, drinking joyfully.
As if by a tacit understanding, no one dared to mention that taboo name again.
Why was the king-selection ceremony held in such a remote town?
The knights finally knew the answer—because this was the town where Lady Artoria grew up.
In the future, it would surely become a famous scenic spot, right?
Thus, the knights vied to carve their names on the stone of selection, another form of leaving a mark for posterity.
Though the most regrettable thing was... the heroine of the celebration was not here.
"I'm going to find Merlin, Brother Kay, and check on his injuries..."
Looking at his sister, who had now been proclaimed king, still smiling so gently and speaking so softly to him, seemingly unchanged from before, Kay gazed into her eyes and keenly perceived the sorrow and fatigue rippling in the deep green lake of her pupils.
"You should just rest for a while, Lily..."
Kay couldn't help but advise.
"That stupid white-haired bastard got what he deserved!"
Thinking about how much trouble Merlin had caused over the years, and how many times he and Lily had to clean up his messes, Kay couldn't help but want to curse.
He even dared to sleep with the duchess! And if you're going to sleep with her, fine, but he used my damn name! Merlin, can you be a human for once?
Right, that bastard probably isn't human.
So now that Merlin was disfigured, Kay was quite happy.
As long as he wasn't dead, he wouldn't feel sorry for that stupid white-haired man. Serves you right for trying to pick up women all day and then mocking me for having no luck with them!
In these past few years, let alone Alvin, Kay himself had felt the urge to kill him countless times.
If Merlin the heartless really died, Kay felt he would mourn for maybe three seconds, no more.
The golden-haired youth tore off a large piece of roast meat and chewed it fiercely, as if it were the flesh of an incubus.
The taste... not as good as Alvin's.
"I think everything Alvin said is true,"
Looking at his sister, Kay's tone was extremely serious.
"He even announced his own identity... I'm serious, he has no reason to lie to you, Lily.
"I still recognize him as my brother-in-law... you should try your best to win him over."
Hearing Kay say this, Artoria... no longer knew what to say, and could only smile like that.
The members of the Round Table beside her silently looked away.
Kay sighed.
Well, what can I say? To hit is to show affection, to scold is to show love.
Kay thought to himself that he had been cursing Alvin every day for so long, he had almost developed feelings for him.
He had traveled for several years, and he had cursed Alvin for several years.
He originally thought he was carrying out justice, but now it was just awkward.
Good thing Alvin doesn't know.
However, his identity was now exposed. To still want to be brothers... that was probably no longer possible.
But, he had been the big brother of Vortigern's son for a few months. Damn! Kay felt he could brag about this for the rest of his life...
"Then... let's talk about those unsettled matters later, Brother Kay. I just want Merlin to answer me in person."
Artoria clenched her fist.
That Sword of Selection was now in her hand, perhaps still stained with the incubus's blood.
If the truth... was really as Senior had described, she wouldn't mind staining it again.
"I have some questions I must ask him...
"If those things are true, I will never forgive him in my life...
"Senior is still waiting for me. If I don't get answers from Merlin, I can't give Senior an answer."
Leaving these words behind, bathed in the midday sun, the golden-haired girl left without looking back.
Now only the Knights of the Round Table were left drinking in the square.
Because of their status, they were naturally given the most central seats.
From time to time, knights would come up to socialize, but they all left dejectedly under the scorching gazes.
They were just drowning their sorrows in wine.
All the Knights of the Round Table were thinking about that person.
Earlier, when that person had walked through their ranks, the breathless Round Table had heard Kay's exchange with him.
And his conversation with Lady Artoria had also been overheard.
The relationship between them was something that one couldn't help but let one's imagination run wild about.
Percival, the oldest brother in the group, finally couldn't hold back.
He was a master of the spear, his resolute face softened with a gentle expression. His tall figure was the most prominent in the knightly order, and he also had a head of smooth silver hair as conspicuous as that person's.
"That son of the Vile King... Kay, you've known him for a long time?"
"He's my little brother," Kay said.
"Pfft—"
The Knights of the Round Table spat out the wine they had just drunk, splashing each other.
Damn, you take the son of the demonic dragon as your little brother? You're more badass than Vortigern.
"Strong, invincible, Brother Kay," Gareth gave a thumbs up. "You dare to brag about something like this? Aren't you afraid of being cursed by Vortigern..."
"I'm really not bragging, you guys better believe me."
Kay thought back to that peaceful and comfortable time, and his tone couldn't help but become a little nostalgic.
Little brother is nothing. He had been Alvin's wild dad countless times.
Sigh... I really want to eat Alvin's cooking.
Hearing his solemn tone, it didn't seem like he was faking it.
The Round Table couldn't help but start asking for details.
"Not by blood, sworn brothers. I ate a lot of his grilled fish back then."
Kay recounted the scene of meeting Alvin, of course, omitting the part where he was beaten up.
With the memories, those melancholy things couldn't help but surface.
That peaceful life was gone forever.
Thinking of this, Kay couldn't help but sigh and cover his face.
He himself was fine, but Lily...
She was the one who was hurt the most.
"I see..."
After hearing Kay's simple account, Agravain, who was usually taciturn, suddenly spoke.
"Then, since you're so familiar—do you have any idea how strong Alvin is, Kay?"
That's right.
This was the question the Round Table was most concerned about.
They had all personally experienced the oppressive feeling that person gave off.
A three-times Gawain was already the strongest knight among them in a normal state, but even so, the brilliance of his holy sword couldn't suppress the other's darkness.
If they were to fight... it would surely be a river of blood today.
Alvin Pendragon, this person was destined to be the enemy of the Round Table. Such a terrifying opponent, just how strong was he?
Facing everyone's scorching gazes, Kay thought for a moment and gave a very pertinent evaluation.
"It's about a 50/50 match with me. I used to solo kill him often back then."
The Round Table: ?
Hearing this, everyone lost their composure.
They experienced how much Kay could brag every day. To say he was fifty times stronger than Vortigern was a common occurrence.
For the first time ever, he actually said someone could have a 50/50 match with him?!
What did that even mean?
Thinking of such a thing, the crowd felt a shiver of fear.
Even a three-times Gawain was easily suppressed by that person, unable to even hold his sword. Then doesn't that mean this guy is ten times, or even nine times stronger than Gawain?
"I really don't know," Kay said helplessly with a shrug. "I've barely fought him."
Are you kidding? Who would go up for a fight they know they can't win? In Zaun, that kind of behavior gets your mom hunted.
"You should ask Lily about this. The two of them were like glue back then, fencing every day...
"I've watched their duels not a hundred times, but a thousand times. The final result is heartwarming."
Kay's words finally made the Round Table feel a little encouraged.
"Could it be that even this monster can be suppressed by Lady Artoria?!"
"Watch your address, Gareth! It's 'Our King' now!"
"That's right. It seems only our king can suppress the edge of that demonic dragon's son."
Tristan plucked his strings and said with a sigh,
"To be defeated by the king hundreds and thousands of times, yet that guy didn't give up. He is indeed a respectable opponent..."
"Uh, I think you guys misunderstood something..."
Kay scratched his head and hesitantly revealed the truth.
"—Lily never won a single time."
The Round Table: "..."
Kay, you son of a bitch!
The Round Table rushed up and beat Kay to the ground.
The golden-haired youth dusted himself off, sat up, and continued to drink and eat. It was just playing around; he was used to it.
Everyone's expression suddenly became worried again.
But thinking about it another way, this was actually quite heartwarming?
The King, she lost a full thousand times, yet she never lost heart!
As expected of Lady Artoria, she easily did what we could not do!
...A crimson petal floated down into a cup, rippling slightly on the surface of the wine.
As if sensing something, the crowd looked up. The figure of the magus slowly walked out from the shower of flowers.
"Merlin...!"
"Merlin, are your injuries okay?!"
The knights all stood up at once and looked at him.
The magus's face was as handsome and flawless as ever, with a gentle, spring-breeze-like smile on his lips. It was just that his figure was slightly illusory and dim.
The Round Table could all see that this was an illusionary clone.
Is it because the wound on his face can't be healed for the time being, so he has to show himself as a clone?
"Don't worry about me... I've already sent Lily away. I came here to call on everyone—to do everything in your power to kill Alvin.
"He is waiting for Lily alone in the outskirts. Knights, this is our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
The incubus said with a soft, smiling whisper.
His gentle voice, carrying such sinister and vicious content, reached the ears of every knight present.
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