Chapter 7: The Prophet and the Knight
[Morgan discovers you have been cursed]
[The curse is extremely sophisticated, undetectable until triggered, and once activated, it means certain death for the victim. However, for Morgan, noticing it makes it relatively manageable]
[Morgan lifts the curse from you]
Reading this, Noah frowned.
So he had died from a curse.
To be honest, when he saw the curse, his first suspicion fell on Merlin... But since he was currently viewing the simulation, he didn't jump to conclusions and continued reading.
After all, he could simulate, but the version of him in the simulation couldn't recursively simulate within that simulation. So, this non-simulating version would inevitably take certain actions. He might as well wait until he finished watching rather than speculate now.
[Morgan immediately suspects Merlin, and you share her suspicion]
[Artoria, however, believes it couldn't be Merlin's doing. So, to ensure fairness, you task both Artoria and Kay with gathering evidence]
[Artoria is grateful for your decision and vows to uncover the truth]
[Morgan feels somewhat displeased by this, but you've been working hard to mend the relationship between the two sisters. After you reassure Morgan, she says nothing more]
[You all trust that Artoria would not conceal the truth to protect Merlin]
[And indeed, she does not]
[Artoria and Kay quickly find evidence of Merlin casting the curse. This time, even Artoria has nothing to say in his defense]
[Merlin doesn't seem surprised; he doesn't even attempt to flee]
[But since execution cannot kill Merlin, Morgan chooses to seal him in a tower at the world's end, forcing him to swear an oath that nearly eternally binds him to the tower]
[After Merlin's matter is resolved, the Knights of the Round Table are swiftly established]
[However, due to the absence of Morgan's offspring, the Knights of the Round Table are severely understaffed, and their combat strength is far inferior to the original roster]
[Morgan also believes such a knightly order might struggle against Vortigern, so she takes you to meet the Lady of the Lake, allowing you to approach the Sword of Promised Victory]
[(Left Hand of God—Gandálfr, activated)]
[You directly draw the Sword of Promised Victory, and Morgan places the Scabbard Avalon within your body, greatly enhancing your power]
[Morgan also devises a solution to the manpower shortage: she proposes that you marry Artoria and use your descendants with her to fill the Knights of the Round Table]
[You agree, and Artoria agrees as well]
[Knights of the Round Table such as Gawain are born]
[However, during this period, Vortigern launches an assault on Britain. Morgan goes to confront Vortigern, while you lead the knights to repel the Saxons]
[You are defeated]
[After Morgan falls to Vortigern, just as King Uther did, you make a final charge against the White Dragon of Britain]
[But it is utterly futile]
[Vortigern swiftly defeats you, and with your dying breath, you hear his scornful laughter]
["So, after dealing with Merlin, the combined strength of the rest of you is far from enough to oppose me, Uther. In the end, I have won."]
["You have died."]
Today's final simulation, the third one, concluded. Noah stared at this outcome and Vortigern's parting words, finally realizing something.
"It seems the curse wasn't cast by Merlin after all—it was actually Vortigern who laid it..."
Having uncovered this fragment of truth, Noah couldn't help but sigh.
"I truly am not adept at scheming and cunning strategies."
He had always been clear about his own limitations, but this third simulation served as yet another stark reminder.
When it came to underhanded tactics, figures like Vortigern, Merlin, and Morgan were far more cunning than he could ever be.
Still, these three simulations had allowed Noah to gain a clear understanding of his own circumstances.
As for the inevitable downfall of Britain that Morgan feared—though the thought made Noah frown, he wasn't particularly worried.
It was simply too distant a concern.
Moreover, his current simulations were still stuck at the Vortigern hurdle, nowhere near reaching the so-called inevitable fate.
There would be plenty of opportunities ahead.
As for notions like "fate cannot be defied" or "the Age of Gods must fade"—Noah paid them no mind.
Individuals like Morgan, Merlin, and Vortigern were either able to glimpse the future, perceive fate, or possessed profound insights into what lay ahead. After all, they were masters of intellect and foresight, which shaped their perspectives.
But Noah was a knight—and now, presumably, a king.
Thus, his mindset diverged entirely from theirs.
If a challenge awaited in the future, unavoidable and inescapable, then the problem shifted from the realm of cunning strategies—where Noah excelled little—into the domain where he thrived.
There was only one path forward, and the enemy awaited at its end.
In such a scenario, all schemes became meaningless, all clever tactics useless. What was there to do?
Strike them down!
Crush the opposition—that was all!
When paths narrow, the brave prevail!
Why complicate things?
In facing this, Noah—despite his lack of cunning—possessed a courage that Morgan, Merlin, and Vortigern lacked.
Call it foolishness, call it ignorance.
But Noah would not abandon hope, nor would he believe in inevitability or impossibility.
He would simply keep searching for a way to overcome.
The so-called inevitable fate was, to him, merely a larger version of Vortigern—nothing more.
Thus, compared to that greater enemy, his immediate focus remained on defeating Vortigern first.
With this resolve, Noah proceeded to claim the rewards from this simulation.
Though he was certain that after all these years, wielding the Sword of Promised Victory had honed his skills and attributes significantly, he opted for the tag reward over the incremental gains he could grind in each simulation.
Namely, [(Legendary) Left Hand of God—Gandálfr].
As Noah made his choice, he felt a distinct warmth spread across the back of his left hand. Then, the symbol of Gandálfr materialized plainly upon it.
After obtaining this item, Noah casually drew the Sword in the Stone. As the Gandálfr rune glowed, he distinctly felt his understanding of swordsmanship becoming clearer and more pronounced.
Moreover, with the Sword in the Stone in hand, it felt like an extension of his own arm, and his control over the blade grew remarkably formidable.
Simply by holding the sword, his mind gained newfound clarity in organizing combat strategies, significantly enhancing his prowess in this area. Even his perception saw noticeable improvement.
"Truly worthy of a legendary-tier tag. Impressive."
"If before, wielding an ordinary sword required a combination of physical strength and skill to defeat Lancelot, now I could likely overwhelm him in every aspect with pure technique alone."
After a brief test, Noah set the Sword in the Stone aside and prepared to contact Morgan next.
With three simulations completed, he had gained considerable clarity about the challenges he would face at this stage.
Thus...
Even someone unskilled in political maneuvering like him could now make the most optimal decisions.