"Arthur?!"
Nessa had been talking with Scáthach about something when she casually turned her head toward the door.
The moment her eyes met Arthur's, they shone faintly, as if all the coldness she had maintained until then had been broken for an instant. However, before any emotion could clearly escape, she coughed twice quickly and straightened her posture.
"You're here."
Her voice sounded calm, almost indifferent.
At that moment, the girl seemed surprisingly dignified and distant. Her long purple hair fell naturally to her waist, smooth as silk, while her bright light-violet eyes occasionally cast discreet glances toward Arthur.
Even so, she remained seated at the edge of the bed, motionless, showing no intention of approaching him.
Arthur blinked a few times.
Nessa... did you switch personalities?
This indifference is completely unlike you!
"Master." Arthur shifted his gaze toward the woman seated beside Nessa.
Scáthach merely gave a slight nod, maintaining her usual serene posture.
"I spoke with Nessa and asked her to come see you."
In truth, Scáthach had not intended to let her daughter meet Arthur again so soon.
However, after watching for days the expression plainly written across Nessa's face—something between I'll die of missing Arthur and I have no reason to live anymore—even she found it difficult to keep denying this meeting.
Although training remained as rigorous as ever, it was still necessary to care for her daughter's emotional state in daily life.
"Why did you take so long?" Nessa asked, crossing her arms while maintaining that cold pose. "Did you fail?"
Arthur scratched his cheek, somewhat embarrassed.
"I guess you could say I succeeded..."
He paused before continuing.
"But I accidentally became the King of Britain, so I'll need to wait a while before I can come back."
Nessa remained silent for a few seconds.
Then her eyes narrowed.
"So... that huge commotion in that direction back then was caused by you?"
Her previously cold voice began to lose its firmness.
"That's why you couldn't return...?"
By the end of the sentence, her tone had softened considerably.
Some time ago, when Arthur had pulled the sword from the stone, countless pillars of light had shot into the sky from a certain direction, as if piercing the heavens themselves.
Even from the Land of Shadows, that dazzling brilliance had been visible in the distance.
Thinking back now, it had probably been the celebration of a new king's birth.
"You already knew about that?"
Nessa immediately turned toward Scáthach.
Scáthach gave a slight nod, not denying it.
At once, Nessa's expression soured visibly.
She frowned and began muttering:
"That's why I said a long time ago that woman's words couldn't be trusted..."
"But no one believed me."
"And now look what happened."
All the cold and distant composure she had built up completely collapsed.
In the next instant, Nessa rushed toward Arthur, grabbed his collar with both hands, and shook him violently.
"How are you supposed to come back after this?!"
"Why don't you just run away right now?!"
Arthur nearly lost his soul from the sudden shaking.
His field of vision swayed from side to side.
"N-Nessa... calm down...!"
Fortunately, before he passed out, Scáthach intervened.
She firmly grabbed Nessa's wrist and said calmly:
"That is his decision."
"Let us respect his choice."
Nessa pouted unhappily, but eventually let Arthur go.
He staggered back a few steps and straightened his clothes while regaining his balance.
Scáthach then turned her crimson eyes toward Arthur.
There was a faint smile on her face.
"And... you will return as well, won't you?"
The question was calm, but it carried silent confidence.
Even now, the remaining Geasa within Arthur had not yet been activated.
That meant that, deep down, Arthur still belonged to the Land of Shadows.
Although the Goddess of Death had done everything she could to keep him in Britain...
Although Morgan had prepared traps, crowns, and responsibilities...
Although fate itself seemed determined to push him toward Camelot...
He still wished to return.
And for Scáthach, that was enough.
Sooner or later...
Her disciple would come back.
She had never imagined that woman, usually so cunning and calculating, would make such a basic mistake.
By trying to bind him by force, she had only confirmed even more clearly where his heart truly wished to return.
Scáthach lightly shook her head, and within that gesture was a clear trace of regret at Morgan's foolishness.
That woman had believed she had found the perfect way to keep Arthur trapped in Britain, but in the end, she had merely used the feelings her disciple held for her to force him to remain there and help her.
However, that would inevitably come to an end.
As soon as Britain's internal conflicts were resolved and its external threats eliminated, Arthur would return.
It was only a matter of time.
Hearing Scáthach's words, Arthur nodded firmly, though his heart felt heavy.
"Of course, the Land of Shadows is my true home... but there are still some things I need to settle there before I can return."
His voice carried absolute sincerity.
No matter how much time had passed, no matter how many responsibilities he had taken on as King, somewhere deep inside him, the Land of Shadows was still the place where he truly belonged.
"You're really coming back, Little Fish?"
Nessa's eyes shone brightly, as if in that moment she had finally found a glimmer of hope after days of anxiety and frustration.
Arthur nodded again, this time with even greater conviction.
Nessa broke into a wide smile and, without hesitation, wrapped an arm around Arthur's shoulders.
"I knew you wouldn't give up on us!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the girl pulled him toward her and hugged him tightly, shaking him energetically.
Even inside a dream, the sensation of skin against skin through the thin layer of fabric still possessed a strange and delightful clarity.
"Nessa... it's hard to breathe like this..." Arthur said with difficulty, feeling the air leave his lungs. "Stop squeezing me!"
"No way!"
Nessa refused immediately, tightening her hold even more.
"I want to hug you like this until morning!"
With a sudden push, she pressed Arthur down onto the soft bed and buried her face against his chest, as if wanting to hear every beat of his heart.
"I really want to keep your body here forever... hehehe."
The smile on the girl's delicate and adorable face was sweet, gentle, and charming.
And yet, for some reason, seeing that expression sent a chill down Arthur's spine.
Strangely enough, it frightened him more than when Morgan had led him into the basement.
"Master is still here... please have a little restraint, Nessa..."
Arthur spoke in a low voice, almost pleading, yet it still echoed clearly through the silent room.
"It's fine. Mother won't mind."
Nessa replied without the slightest concern.
"Besides... if it were Mother in my place, you wouldn't mind."
She then turned her face to look at Scáthach.
Scáthach watched the two of them in silence.
Her gaze rested upon them like that of someone looking at her own son and daughter. Her usually cold, distant, majestic eyes had softened in a rare way.
There was an almost imperceptible tenderness there.
"Mother, why don't you lie down and rest a little?" Nessa asked gently.
"We are living inside a dream right now. Resting inside a dream makes little sense."
Scáthach answered calmly, turning her eyes toward the window and the darkness beyond it.
"And... that woman is probably still watching all of this in silence."
Nessa frowned slightly upon hearing that and let out a displeased snort.
"Let's ignore her."
She settled herself even more comfortably atop Arthur and closed her eyes.
"Let's stay like this. Let that so-called Goddess of Death understand once and for all that keeping Arthur trapped in Britain changes nothing."
Her voice grew firmer.
"He still wants to come back no matter what. So keeping his body there is completely pointless."
Nessa wore adorable pink pajama pants that left part of her thighs exposed. Her legs rested perfectly across Arthur's lap, making the situation even more unsettling for him.
After speaking, she closed her eyes and seemed to deeply enjoy that fleeting peace.
Arthur remained motionless, barely daring to move.
"After all of this is over... I don't know how long it will be before we meet again."
After a long silence, Nessa opened her eyes again and looked at Arthur.
Within her violet irises, a dark shadow appeared—a feeling difficult to describe.
Realizing the atmosphere had suddenly grown heavy, Arthur hurried to comfort her.
"If you talk to Morgan, it probably won't be that difficult."
"Even though she usually has a difficult personality... surprisingly, she's actually easy to talk to."
"Why are you defending that woman so much?"
Nessa narrowed her eyes and stared at Arthur intensely.
"You're not in love with her, are you?"
"I'm only stating the facts."
Arthur let out a tired sigh.
"Think about it. If she didn't want to, I wouldn't even be able to see you right now, would I?"
Hearing that, Nessa truly reflected for a few moments.
Though reluctant, she realized there was no way to deny his words.
"Hmph... even so, I still don't like her."
She grumbled, turning her face away.
Scáthach then cast a glance at Arthur, and then at the girl lying across his chest.
A trace of confusion appeared on her face.
It truly made no sense.
Even if that goddess had agreed to allow Arthur to meet them, there was no reason for her to let him see them so soon.
Did that mean Morgan had given up on taking her disciple for herself?
If so, it was a sensible decision.
After all, completely tearing Arthur away from the Land of Shadows was unrealistic, even if his body remained in Britain.
Scáthach sank into silent thought.
"By the way, Arthur... what is that on your neck?"
Nessa's voice suddenly broke the silence.
"What mark is that?"
Scáthach immediately turned her head.
She then saw Nessa's fingers gently caressing a faint reddish mark on Arthur's neck.
For an instant, the entire atmosphere seemed to freeze.
The faint smile on Scáthach's face disappeared.
Her eyes, once serene, became cold and piercing.
An invisible pressure filled the entire room.
That mark...
It did not look anything like a simple wound.
(End of Chapter)