When Artoria awoke again, two days had passed. The primary reason for her collapse was over-exertion of her energy, coupled with a degree of mental shock. In those two days, thanks to the bug-like magical energy recovery of her 'Dragon Core' and Merlin's magical assistance, she was able to wake up so quickly.
However, it was clear that her mind was still groggy.
"Lamorak?"
Sensing a pair of hands wiping her face, the girl slowly came to. Through drowsy eyes, she seemed to see a male figure taking care of her and subconsciously called out his name.
But in the next moment, she realized she was mistaken. Lamorak's hair was grayish-white; the man before her had black hair.
"...I'm telling you, Lily, what kind of love potion did that scoundrel give you? You've only known him for a few days and you're already so fixated on him," Kay's voice was full of displeasure. He wrung out a damp cloth and placed it on Artoria's forehead. "Your brother Kay has been taking care of you for three whole days, and the first thing you do when you wake up is look for that guy. You don't even say thank you to me."
"Mmm... I'm sorry, Sir Kay." By now, the girl had come to her senses. Hearing Kay's grumbling, a shy blush crept onto her cheeks. But she quickly realized something and sat up slightly, looking around. "Where are we? Where's Merlin? Why isn't he with you? And where did Lamorak go?"
"Hey, hey, hey, Lily, I know you're anxious, but calm down. Your fever just broke. Take your medicine first," Kay, now in full mother-hen mode, grumbled even more. He first calmed her down, then took a bowl of medicine and fed it to her spoonful by spoonful. Only after she had finished it all did he begin to answer her questions.
"Don't worry, we're still in the town where we came to subjugate the beast. The beast has been captured, and the people here are back to their normal lives."
"As for Merlin, he said he had something to do and left early this morning. Hasn't been back since. Who knows where that guy went, probably off drinking or climbing into some girl's bed again."
"And as for Lamorak..." At the mention of this name, Kay's expression turned dangerous. It was as if Lamorak, in his eyes, was not a living, breathing knight, but the pig who had rooted up his precious cabbage. And not only had this pig trampled his cabbage, but he had done so in a way that made the cabbage fall for him, willingly wanting to be trampled again.
My god, how can someone be so shameless? How can something be so infuriating!
Even though the man had once saved him from a mountain giant, he had done such a shameless thing to his sister and refused to take responsibility. No matter how much Kay told himself the man was his benefactor, he couldn't bring himself to look at Cang Ye favorably. So, when answering Artoria's question about where Lamorak had gone, Kay maintained a stone-cold face, his tone dripping with hostility.
"That guy ran off without a second glance right after breaking your sword and knocking you out. It was like he was afraid we'd hold him responsible."
"That's just hitting it and quitting it! No sense of responsibility at all!"
"Mmm..." Hearing Kay's crude analogy, Artoria's face reddened as she thought of something. But Kay was on a roll and didn't notice his sister's reaction.
"And that's not even what makes me the angriest! You know what, Lily? What really gets me is that bastard Merlin! Not only did he not join me in cursing him out, he actually defended Lamorak!"
"Saying things like, 'what is fated to be cannot be helped, no matter how frustrating,' and that 'Lamorak will surely join our Round Table in the future,' and that 'the more famous he is now, the more he'll benefit us later'."
Listening to Kay's account, Artoria's eyes grew brighter and brighter. After a moment, she couldn't help but interrupt. "Sir Kay, did Merlin really say that? Will Lamorak really join us in the future?"
"Yeah, he did, but it's pure nonsense." Kay, still lost in his rant, didn't notice the change in her tone. He just assumed she was being a good listener. "That guy Lamorak has sworn fealty to that Queen of Camelot, what's her name, Morgan? So he's still an outsider."
"The fame and benefits he gained from breaking your sword, Lily, all go to Morgan, right? What does that have to do with us? The fact that he went to all this trouble to design a plot against you just because Morgan ordered him to clearly shows there's something shady going on with them. What kind of knight these days would go against the world to attack you? In my opinion, he's definitely got something going on with Morgan! Otherwise, why would a knight famous for his noble character pledge himself to the then-infamous Morgan just because he 'saw something'?"
Kay huffed and puffed. When it came to the pig who dared to trample his cabbage, he always assumed the worst.
But it was clear Artoria was extremely displeased with his words. "How can you say that about Lamorak, Sir Kay!" she said, staring at him angrily, her cheeks puffing out. "Lamorak is not that kind of person! He possesses so many noble knightly virtues! He would never be with my notorious Royal Sister!"
"Right now... right now, he's just been deceived by the facade my sister is putting on! One day, I'll make him see her true colors, and then he'll willingly stand by our side!"
Hearing his own sister so vehemently defending an outsider, Kay was finally stunned into silence. "Hey! Lily! How can you side with him against me? I'm your brother! And that guy just broke your sword! That was the Sword of Selection, the symbol of your future as the King of Britain!"
"I know you're the best brother to me, Sir Kay! But a good knight really shouldn't speak ill of others without proof..." Realizing she had gotten a bit too emotional, Artoria's tone softened, a hint of guilt in her voice. She decided to change the subject.
"Actually, the shattering of the King's Sword really had nothing to do with Lamorak. I was too emotional at the time and couldn't control my power. I forcibly released a power that exceeded what the sword could handle in its current state, which is why it broke." A trace of guilt crept into her voice as she spoke. She didn't understand why she had been so emotional then, so desperate to prove herself to him, to prove she had the strength and resolve to walk alongside him. Or even to lead him.
But she didn't regret it.
"When Merlin gets back, I'll explain and apologize to him personally," she said seriously, clutching the blanket.
In the next second, a lighthearted and slightly exaggerated voice suddenly sounded. "Apologize? For what? Did Kay commit some sin of deceiving an innocent maiden again?"
"Tsk, deceiving innocent maidens is your favorite pastime. I, for one, am not interested in little girls," Kay immediately retorted. The newcomer was none other than Merlin, dressed in his white robes, his pinkish-white hair flowing down to his waist as he entered carrying a large basket.
"Merlin, you're just in time. About the Sword of Selection, I..." Seeing Merlin, Artoria's eyes lit up, but she was cut off by his words.
"Alright, Lily, the sword is a small matter. As the saying goes, out with the old, in with the new. We'll just get you another one."
Hearing this, both Artoria and Kay were taken aback, their faces showing confusion. "Really?"
"Of course. That sword was never essential. It was more symbolic than practical. Its breaking was just it following the flow of fate," Merlin said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He then pulled a bottle of wine from his basket, uncorked it, and took a large swig.
"But what will I do for a weapon now..." A thought struck Artoria, and she frowned. It wasn't that she was picky or looked down on ordinary weapons after getting used to the King's Sword, but that her current physical abilities and the quality of her magical energy were too much for any ordinary enchanted weapon to handle. This was why, in the epics of Britain, almost every Knight of the Round Table had a blessed or enchanted weapon. Only equipment of high enough quality could contain the depth and vastness of a powerful warrior.
"Don't worry, Lily. I foresaw that the King's Sword would break, so I borrowed a treasure from my Fairy Queens in advance." Merlin gave her a mysterious smile. "Trust me, the power of that sword will be beyond your imagination."
"If you say so, Merlin, then I won't worry anymore." Seeing his confident smile, Artoria was reassured. Although Merlin was a degenerate in his daily life and always liked to stir up trouble, he was very reliable when it came to important matters. There was a reason he had been the Court Magus for so long.
"However, Lily, since you've reached the point where you must claim that sword, your training must also end ahead of schedule." As if remembering something, Merlin's expression became intriguing. "Lately, Vortigern's army has found some new method. The divine protection they were losing due to our resistance has somehow returned, making them difficult to deal with again."
"The time has come for you to truly step onto the stage of Britain. It's time for you to go back and become the true King Arthur, Lily."
"Yes, I understand," Artoria nodded gently in acknowledgment. This day was always going to come. There was no need for hesitation or sorrow. She had been training long enough. It was time for the pure white knight-princess to become the Son of the Red Dragon, Arthur, the one who would command the armies of Britain and carry the hopes of this land.
"Alright, let's not be so serious. I have something good to show you." Sensing the atmosphere had become too heavy, Merlin, who disliked such feelings, quickly reverted to his usual cheerful, carefree demeanor. "In fact, our little subjugation trip was not without its rewards."
"Ta-da! Look what we have here~"
Watching Merlin's showman-like performance, Artoria and Kay's gazes were drawn to the basket covered with a black cloth. After pulling out a few empty wine bottles, under Artoria's growing curiosity and Kay's growing impatience, Merlin finally revealed what he wanted to show them.
It was a strange little animal that shared Merlin's color scheme, looking like a mix of a cat, dog, rabbit, and squirrel. It was none other than the infant Beast of 'Comparison,' Fou, who had quietly disappeared after being captured by Cang Ye. It was currently sleeping with its eyes closed, its little mouth opening and closing slightly, as if mumbling in a drunken dream. And indeed, Fou reeked of alcohol. It had clearly been forcibly intoxicated by a certain trollish incubus.
"Is that... Cath Palug?" Artoria looked with curiosity at the little creature Merlin was holding. She remembered that this little guy had been the cause of everything. After it was captured by Cang Ye, her attention had shifted away from it. This was the first time she had really gotten a good look at the神奇 (shénqí - magical/amazing) little animal.
"Yes, that's right. This little fellow is the thing I've been telling you about. Its ability is special; it can evoke feelings of comparison and certain desires in humans, and feeds on them. Just like what happened with you and Lamorak earlier, Lily, you were both under its influence," Merlin explained cheerfully, even handing Fou over to her, motioning for her to hold it.
As for Kay, he was clearly still traumatized by the earlier 'Frenzied Swipes' to his weak point and stubbornly refused to come closer.
Artoria hesitated for a moment, but then, following her girlish instincts, she took Fou. Hmm, aside from the smell of alcohol, he feels really nice to hold. She contentedly petted the sleeping Fou.
"Are you going to keep it, Merlin?" she asked, looking up at him. Kay's expression changed at her question, and he looked over as well.
"Mmm, not exactly 'keep' it," Merlin replied, having nothing to hide from her. "This little guy may only be an infant, but it's still too dangerous. I plan to return to Avalon and seal Cath Palug there. I'll also use my 'Clairvoyance' to take a peek at the future while I'm at it." He smiled, not specifying what he intended to look at.
Merlin's clairvoyance was 'Clairvoyance of the Present,' allowing him to integrate all information from the present world, analyze it, and, combined with his nature as an incubus, predict the future through dreams. But in Avalon, where the concepts of past, present, and future did not exist, his Clairvoyance could observe and predict everything to its greatest extent.
"I understand. Then we shouldn't delay. We'll rest one more night and head back tomorrow morning," Artoria said with a nod. She now felt an intense desire to go back and become the true King Arthur. This was not only for the sake of her ideal and destiny, but also for a selfish reason.
Or rather, a desire.
A desire to quickly become a worthy monarch, to prove herself to Cang Ye, and then to snatch him away from the hands of her wicked Royal Sister. This was a desire, but it was also Artoria's longing as a human being.
Meanwhile, back in the royal city of Camelot, Cang Ye was unaware that he had unintentionally planted a seed of humanity in Artoria's heart. Perhaps this seed would one day sprout and bloom into a strange flower, preventing her from becoming the perfect king.
But at least with this seed, she would not lose everything that made her human. She would not become the lonely king who never understood the human heart, as she did in the original history.
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