Artoria's urgency suddenly faded.
"A farce." She concluded after grasping the full picture of the situation.
If she still couldn't see through the machinations at play, all those years of "kingly education" And her title as the "destined King of Britain" would have been for naught.
"Kay stumbling upon the young dragon might have been an accident, and bringing it to this town was just his nature." She mused. "But everything that followed? That's the work of that magus."
"Tch, a living dragon... what a grand spectacle."
Artoria's lips curled slightly in disdain.
She understood Merlin's intent. If she could pull the so-called "Sword of Selection" in front of all these knights and rightfully take the young dragon home, her standing among the people of Britain would soar to unprecedented heights.
It would be undeniably advantageous for her future.
To put it plainly, being Uther's illegitimate child was far from a badge of honor... it was a mark against her. But if she could "tame" A dragon, even a young one, the other knights would proclaim her legitimacy, declaring her "worthy of the red dragon's blood" And the "true Red Dragon King."
This would grant her the mantle of righteousness, making her the spiritual leader against the usurper Vortigern in the hearts of all Britons.
It was the smoothest, most straightforward path.
Even Artoria had to admit the script was flawlessly crafted. She barely needed to do anything... just pull the holy sword only she could wield, call the young dragon (who seemed bored of its antics) to return home, and everything would fall into place effortlessly.
But, oh, but...
"Why go to such lengths?" She wondered.
Artoria glanced at the sword embedded in the stone at the center of the square, now ignored by the crowd.
She refused to follow the script Merlin had laid out for her.
She was no actor, nor anyone's puppet... she was a king, with her own will and her own resolve.
"Even without these things, I am still a king."
"The king who must save this island and protect the smiles of its people!"
The girl... no, now she should be called a king.
The king turned and walked slowly toward the crowd ahead.
A commanding aura radiated from her... mana condensed into a tangible force, expanding outward from her body, forcibly carving a path through the overcrowded street.
At the end of that path sat Kay, lounging on the steps with a spear and shield in hand. Beside him, sprawled atop a glittering pile of gold coins, was the young dragon, bored enough to play a coin-tossing game with its tail.
"You lose!" Kay said cheerfully, despite the grim expression on Artoria's face as she approached.
The young dragon flicked a gold coin to Kay.
It had made a bet with the young knight, wagering whether Artoria would first pull the sword or come to them. The dragon, betting on the sword, lost... but it was delighted.
See? She chose me first.
She cares about me!
The street wasn't long.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the young king reached the end in less than a minute, standing before the dragon's "guardian knight."
"I know your plans and your resolve." Kay said, looking up at his sister. For once, his tone was earnest. "But listen to me... if I had my way, I'd have you turn back, go home, and stick to tending horses."
"We'll head back tonight. Together."
It was his final attempt.
Though he knew it was futile, as her brother, foreseeing the thorny path ahead, he had to speak the harsh truth:
"Nobody's really waiting for this so-called 'chosen king,' are they?"
"Nobody wants to chase Uther and Merlin's dreams. Rather than some intangible proof of kingship, isn't it more practical to judge a king by their followers, wealth, and power?"
"And let's be honest... nobody's hoping for some 'divine agent to save everything.' No one wants to be that, and no one wants to be ruled by it either, right?"
At this, even the knight couldn't help but chuckle, as if he'd told a great joke.
But Artoria didn't laugh, not once.
Nor was she angry... she knew the knight spoke out of genuine concern.
Yet, just as he, as her brother, felt compelled to stop her from straying down a doomed path, she, born to be king, had her own reasons to press forward.
"Honestly, your sharp tongue is your only flaw… Thank you, Kay."
The king lowered her head, offering a soft word of thanks.
Then, without hesitation, she climbed the steps, facing the young dragon that had taken flight from its pile of gold.
"Ready to go home?" The king asked.
The dragon nodded... but then slowly shook its head.
It wanted to go home, but not yet.
"Roar... "
The dragon let out a loud cry, piercing and resonant.
Amid the bewildered gazes of the onlookers, Artoria turned, puzzled, toward the Sword of Selection in the square, still ignored by all.
"You're pleased with me? So you want to form a contract? And I should bring that sword to you now?"
"What does that mean?"
Artoria repeated the dragon's words, confused by its intentions. Still, she followed its guidance. She strode to the square, pulled the gleaming Sword of Selection from the stone, and brought it to the dragon's side.
Crunch...
With its sharp teeth, the dragon unhesitatingly bit through the sword... the "growth limiter" That had blurred Artoria's identity as man or woman.
Then, under the shocked and secretly delighted gazes of the crowd, the dragon's body erupted in a blinding white light.
[Ding! You have gained 1000 growth points from this item.]
[Current growth points: 1065/100.]
[Evolution conditions met. Would you like to evolve now?]
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