บท 116: C116
Shirou hesitated for a moment before pointing to himself and saying, "Please take a good look at me. Guinevere is a princess, and I am male!"
Gawain widened his eyes and carefully examined Shirou from head to toe. Realizing his mistake, he became embarrassed and apologized repeatedly, "I'm sorry, I made a mistake."
Shirou was both amused and frustrated by the situation. It seemed that everyone in Britain was prone to mistaking someone's gender. He couldn't help but feel annoyed with the name "Guinevere" that had been thrust upon him.
He had been chased by a group of cavalry who had continuously called him Guinevere, and in the end, the name had stuck.
This was mainly due to Shirou's lack of understanding of the Old English language at the time, making it difficult for him to argue. Being in an unfamiliar environment, he had to remain cautious and analyze the situation silently, which led to him being stuck with the name "Guinevere" for almost a year, until it became an identity he couldn't shake off.
Kay quickly lightened the mood and turned to Gawain, asking him the reason for his visit.
"Well, you see," Gawain began, "My mother heard that her brother, Arthur, was being fostered in Sir Ector's house, so she asked me to bring Arthur to meet her."
At the mention of Princess Morgan le Fay, Kay's expression darkened slightly, and Shirou raised an eyebrow, glancing subconsciously at Artoria.
Morgan le Fay, also known as Morgan, was King Arthur's sister and played a significant role in the downfall of Camelot.
She was not only King Arthur's sister and the daughter of Uther Pendragon, but also the mother of Mordred, Gawain, Agravain, and others.
In addition to her royal lineage, she was also the dark side of the Lady of the Lake.
Since the death of King Solomon, the Age of Gods had disappeared, and this had a profound impact on Britain. During the Age of Gods, every king of Britain received a blessing from the land, and with the disappearance of the Age of Gods, King Arthur was the last to receive this blessing.
After Uther's defeat at the hands of Vortigern, he and Merlin designed the Red Dragon of Britain to pass on the mystery to the next generation, which became Arthur, or Artoria.
However, surprisingly, Morgan was also a princess with a supernatural bloodline and was the daughter who inherited the British Isle.
As the "Lord of the Island," she was capable of surpassing Artoria and turned the entire island of Britain into her own property.
In the Arthurian legend of the Nasuverse, Morgan despised her sister, who was also a woman but was favored by their father. This resentment drove her to spend her entire life seeking revenge, and she ultimately became a major factor in the downfall of Camelot.
On the day before the selection day, she sent Gawain to invite Artoria to meet with her. Shirou didn't know if there was any deeper meaning to this, but he was worried that Artoria might agree to the invitation.
But, to his surprise, she stood silently behind Ector, revealing that he had misunderstood her. Although Merlin had taught her to be somewhat formal, serious, and occasionally clumsy, Artoria was not foolish. She knew that her true identity was not a male and that she could not reveal herself to others, especially not in front of her sister, who practiced magecraft.
Ector regretfully said, "That's unfortunate. Arthur is currently preparing for the selection day tomorrow and isn't at the manor. Perhaps you can meet him tomorrow."
It's worth noting that Uther had given Artoria the name Arthur, which symbolized a male, while Artoria was her real name, known to only a few individuals.
"I see... that's a shame," Gawain expressed his disappointment and smiled kindly, "In that case, I will take my leave."
Gawain departed quickly and decisively.
So, the other party had come to take Artoria to meet with Morgan?
Hold on.
Does this mean that Morgan was already in town?
This was getting interesting!
If Morgan, who possessed the power of the island, could pull the sword from the stone, what would happen to the king's selection?
...
Shirou wasn't aware of it, but Artoria's daily mission had arrived.
"Guinevere, would you do me the honor of becoming my knight?" Artoria made a sincere request.
"I'm sorry, but I must decline," Shirou replied without hesitation.
As he gazed into Artoria's blue eyes, he began to feel a headache coming on. It felt like he had become the target of a dating simulation game, with Artoria as the player who greeted him daily, increased her affection level, and ultimately won him over...
What a joke!
He was not some character in a dating sim game!
...
After leaving the estate, Gawain led his cavalry to their temporary quarters and recounted everything he had seen and heard to Morgan.
"So, they claimed it was all in preparation for the selection day tomorrow?" Morgan sat on her throne, lightly tapping the mithril armrest with her slender finger. A faintly mocking smile emerged on her beautiful, taut face, which bore a resemblance to Artoria's.
"Preparing? I think they're attempting to conceal something," she mused.
"What could they be hiding, Mother?" Gawain inquired.
"Whatever it is, we'll find out soon enough. For now, let's focus on tomorrow," Morgan said, reassuring him. "Just do your best to pull the sword from the stone."
"I promise to do my best, Mother," Gawain replied.
After instructing Gawain to rest, Morgan tapped her finger on the armrest before rising to her feet. The throne she had been seated on liquefied like water and vanished underground.
Morgan was not only a skillful magus, but also possessed the power of the island.
Approaching the window, she peered down at the bustling town below and muttered to herself, "If you were a girl, Arthur, I would never relinquish the throne!"
With the power of the island coursing through her, Morgan was, without question, the most qualified candidate to succeed Uther's throne. But despite possessing the power of the island, Morgan was never interested in inheriting the throne since, according to the laws, a woman couldn't become a monarch.
Learning about Uther's plan to execute the "Ideal King" and create the Red Dragon of Britain only made her less interested in the throne. Instead, she focused on supporting her younger brother's efforts to unite Britain. She considered how she could best assist him and bring about the peace and stability that their land so desperately needed.
When Arthur was five years old, he was sent away from the kingdom to be fostered, and the Sword in the Stone and the Day of the Selection were established as an alternative to directly naming an heir. Morgan sensed that there was something amiss, but being young at the time, she didn't give it much thought.
As the Day of the Selection drew near, Morgan became increasingly uneasy about the "Ideal King" plan. Ultimately, she realized the most crucial point - that Arthur was likely a daughter like herself!
This was a horrifying realization because it meant that their family line would come to an end!
It dawned on Morgan that all of Uther's offspring were daughters. If that were the case, why should she, who inherited the legitimate power of the island, relinquish the throne to the artificially created Red Dragon? Why should she have to stand by as her father, Uther, lavished all his attention and hopes on Arthur?
She was consumed by jealousy and fury.
These emotions motivated her to bring Gawain to this town. She wouldn't relinquish what rightfully belonged to her!
However, after arriving in town, she realized that this matter was likely not as simple as she had anticipated. This was due to the involvement of Merlin and the Archbishop.
Moreover, the arrival of the White Dragon had become a major nuisance!
It was none other than Vortigern, the usurper king.
Although their encounter had been brief, Morgan was certain that she had seen him correctly. As someone who had inherited the power of the island, she could detect Vortigern easily.
However, she chose not to expose him. Vortigern was an excellent pawn to stir up trouble, and she couldn't pass up this opportunity. She would wait until she obtained the Sword in the Stone and fulfilled the Day of the Selection before revealing his true identity. This way, she could force Merlin and the Archbishop to acknowledge her rightful claim to the throne.
This was the true value of Vortigern!
As she contemplated her rise to the throne as queen, a faint smile crept across Morgan's face.
However, unbeknownst to her, two figures were leaving town under the cover of darkness.
"My king, are we departing already?" asked the attendant.
Vortigern nodded. "Yes, it's time."
The attendant furrowed his brow. "But shouldn't we stir up some chaos before we go?"
"There's no need."
"Why not?"
"Because the situation is already in turmoil! Besides, I have already obtained what I wanted," explained Vortigern. "If we linger, Morgan might use me to try and pull the Sword in the Stone herself."
"What? Morgan? Isn't she in Orkney?" the attendant asked in surprise.
"She's been out for some time, and she's already discovered me! Humph! Does she believe she can exploit me while keeping me hidden? In comparison to my naive brother Uther, she is light-years ahead of him."
"Come on, let's make haste and return quickly. Before long, these British Kings will begin to bicker among themselves. That's when we'll seize the opportunity and annihilate them all!" Vortigern brandished his cloak and rode off into the distance.
...
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