บท 132: C132
Upon his return to the campsite, Shirou found that Artoria and Kay had already woken up and were anxiously searching for him. When they saw him, they both let out a sigh of relief.
"My king, where did you disappear to?" Artoria asked with a hint of anger in her voice.
Shirou responded with a smile and apologized, "Ah, I'm sorry. I heard some wonderful music and couldn't resist following it for a while. I apologize for making you worry."
"I'm not blaming you, my King! I am just a knight and have no right to do so. However, could you please inform us where you are headed next time? We were extremely worried!" Artoria said with concern.
He nodded in agreement, "Sure, I understand. But..." He placed a reassuring hand on Artoria's shoulder and added with a smile, "I must say, Artoria, you are making excellent progress in expressing your emotions. Keep it up!"
"No, that's not it..." She subconsciously retorted, her voice trailing off as she grew increasingly uncertain of how to respond. A troubled expression appeared on her pretty face.
He noticed her distress and offered some words of encouragement. "It's important not to ignore your inner feelings. Learning to express your emotions is a valuable skill."
Following their overnight stay in the cave, they departed at dawn to continue their journey.
Merlin appeared to be in an exceptionally good mood that day, with the corners of his mouth upturned in a cat-like grin and a glint of joy in his eyes.
Observing Merlin's demeanor, Shirou couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious.
Thanks to his clairvoyance, Merlin was able to observe everything that was happening at that moment. As a half-human, half-incubus, he had a natural inclination towards the latter, which drove his enjoyment of observing humans.
Merlin particularly enjoyed observing Shirou, especially when he encountered challenging situations. It had become one of his favorite pastimes.
Given Shirou's past experiences, it was clear to him that something troublesome awaited him in the near future, as evidenced by Merlin's cheerful expression.
He recalled an incident from two months prior when Sir Brastias had visited during a meeting with Sir Ywain. On that occasion, Merlin had undoubtedly observed something unfavorable for Shirou, but had stubbornly refused to reveal it.
Shirou lacked clairvoyance, so he was unable to observe everything, but he had learned to keep an eye on Merlin to get a sense of the situation. As a result, he grew increasingly vigilant and instructed Artoria and Kay to be on high alert as well.
Artoria, not understanding the reason behind Shirou's instructions, asked him why she needed to be vigilant.
He took Artoria aside and pointed towards Merlin, whispering to her, "As a king, it's important to learn how to observe those around you. Look at Merlin's expression, he's wearing a cheerful smile, as if he's watching a show. There's no doubt that we'll face some difficulties ahead!"
Artoria was initially skeptical, but her doubts were dispelled when Merlin suddenly made a bitter face and began to consciously control his facial expressions.
Shirou pointed out, "See, he's already starting to control his expressions now, undoubtedly aware that we're discussing him. It seems like he hasn't had much practice in concealing his emotions, and his current expression is quite amusing."
Merlin: "..."
Merlin's staff fell to the ground with a loud "clank," as he gave up struggling against Shirou's observations. He finally realized that he had always been the one observing others, and now, he was being observed. He had become a surveillance device, used to judge whether there was trouble ahead. He was at a loss for words, unsure of how to react to this situation.
The four of them made their way out of the forest and followed the country road, with the silhouette of Caerleon Castle visible in the distance. However, for some reason, as they drew closer to the castle, Kay's complexion grew increasingly worse.
"Kay, is everything alright?" Shirou inquired, noticing the sudden change in Kay's complexion. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Kay replied with a shiver, "No, it's not physical. I just have a feeling that I'm going to be harmed again."
"What do you mean?" Shirou probed further, seeking to understand the nature of Kay's unease.
"I'm not sure...I just have this foreboding sense that something bad is going to happen to me," Kay replied with a worried expression on his face.
Merlin placed a reassuring hand on Kay's shoulder and smiled in the bright sunlight. "It's probably just your imagination, Kay. Perhaps you didn't rest well," he said in a soothing tone.
Kay's expression remained anxious as he asked, "Do you really think so, Merlin?" He had been plagued by this unsettling feeling, and his demeanor towards Merlin had become somewhat subdued, no longer referring to him as the "White Mouse."
"Absolutely, Kay. Look into my sincere eyes and you'll see that you can trust me," Merlin reassured Kay, his smile brightening.
Kay nodded, grateful for the reassurance. Whether it was just an illusion or not, he felt much more mentally at ease.
As they approached Caerleon Castle, Shirou couldn't help but furrow his brow. Was this truly the last line of defense for the capital city of Camelot? There seemed to be an overwhelming number of cavalry troops stationed there, all clad in silver armor and mounted on horseback.
Passing through the city gate and entering the castle, they noticed that there were more soldiers than civilians on the streets. The atmosphere was serious and oppressive, with a sense of tension hanging in the air.
What was even more concerning was that the camps of the cavalry troops they saw were flying different flags.
Shirou paused to observe the flags and consider the implications of the military forces stationed at the castle.
"What's wrong, my king?" Artoria inquired, noticing Shirou's thoughtful expression.
He turned to face the group, pausing momentarily on Merlin's face before speaking with a serious tone. "We must evacuate Caerleon Castle and make our way directly to Camelot."
She asked in confusion, "Why?"
Kay furrowed his brow and spoke up, "Why can't we stay here and deliver your speech as planned? We've come all this way."
Shirou responded with a question, "Have any of you noticed the large number of cavalry troops from different kingdoms here in Caerleon Castle?"
Kay raised an eyebrow in response. "Isn't that a normal occurrence?" he asked. "After all, you'll be crowned king in a few days, and it's customary for the northern kings to send troops to celebrate with you."
"That may have been true under normal circumstances," Shirou replied, gesturing towards the grinning Merlin. "However, since Merlin had that peculiar expression on his face, I suspect that things are not as simple as they seem."
Merlin suddenly frowned, feeling somewhat annoyed. Although Shirou was skilled in many areas, why was he so fixated on observing him? Who was Merlin and who was Arthur, exactly?
"My king, are you suggesting that they may have come here with ill intent?" Artoria questioned, her expression serious. "Rest assured, I will protect you."
"I trust in your ability to protect me, Artoria," Shirou replied. "However, for now, we only have four people. Unnecessary fighting could prove costly. Instead, let them expect Arthur to come to Caerleon Castle while we make our way to Camelot."
Both Artoria and Kay nodded in agreement, and Merlin's expression grew even more bitter. He made a silent vow to himself that he would work harder to control his facial expressions in the future.
The four of them turned to leave, but suddenly, a large hand reached out from behind and pressed down on Shirou's shoulder. A cheerful voice spoke out, "Arthur, I've been waiting for you. When did you arrive?"
In that moment, everything seemed to freeze. Shirou could feel a wave of gazes wash over him as the name "Arthur" rang out. The cavalry troops who had been scattered throughout their camps all turned their heads simultaneously, their eyes filled with curiosity, hostility, and mockery all directed at him.
He could see some of the cavalry members' hands straying towards their swords, which glinted menacingly in the sunlight. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead as he turned to face the person who had ruined his good mood.
He was taken aback to see a tall, blond knight smiling brightly at him in the sunshine. It was Gawain!
Artoria drew the Caliburn and stepped forward, her voice cold as she addressed Gawain. "Release my king," she demanded, her gaze sweeping over the hostile cavalry troops with a fierce look in her eyes. Her icy blue eyes betrayed her readiness for combat.
It was clear that if combat were to break out, Artoria would not hesitate to strike with the full force of the Red Dragon's true incarnation.
"Artoria, how could you speak that way about Lord Gawain?" Shirou turned to Gawain with a bright smile on his face.
Merlin couldn't help but shiver as he watched Shirou's bright smile, feeling uneasy at the sight of it. He had seen this smile before and had learned the hard way not to trust it.
As he watched Shirou's unnatural yet impeccable sunny smile, Merlin had a sinking feeling in his gut. He knew that when Shirou smiled like that, he was up to something. He was sure that this guy was going to start pulling dirty tricks again!
But Artoria was not aware of this. She thought Shirou was blaming her and couldn't help asking, "My king, did I do something wrong?"
"No, that's not it. Your reaction was understandable, but... Lord Gawain is my nephew!" Shirou explained, stepping forward and placing his hand on Gawain's shoulder with a smile.
He deliberately raising his voice and beaming at him. "My nephew, Gawain, the Knight of the Sun and son of King Lot of Orkney," he announced. "I never imagined that King Orkney would send you with 3,000 cavalry to celebrate my coronation!"
Gawain's face went blank as he thought to himself, "I didn't bring any troops with me, and my father didn't send anyone to congratulate you!"
Gawain quickly explained, "Arthur, you have misunderstood me, I..."
Before Gawain could finish his explanation, Shirou's voice rang out again, interrupting him. "What? Not 3,000 cavalry, but 5,000 cavalry stationed in the forest outside the city? King Lot really shows his respect for me, but 5,000 cavalry is too many. If it weren't for you leading them, I would have thought they were here to ambush and assassinate me."
As Shirou spoke, his eyes darted around, observing the movements of the cavalry. The leaders of the cavalry emerged, hesitatingly instructing their soldiers to sheathe their swords while keeping their eyes fixed on Shirou and Gawain, slowly backing away.
Shirou breathed a sigh of relief. The physical prowess of people in the late Age of Gods was far from comparable to that of modern people. Although not as terrifying as the army of Heroic Spirits he had encountered in the Root, the cavalry in this era still had formidable combat power.
Gawain was completely baffled at this point. He had come to say hello, but why was he now being represented as bringing 5,000 troops to congratulate Shirou on behalf of King Orkney?
Shirou greeted Gawain with a smile and asked, "Gawain, it's been more than two months since we last saw each other. You came to find me today at Caerleon Castle. What brings you here?"
Gawain's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he appeared uncomfortable, as if he wanted to lie. He replied, "Well, it's like this. In a few days, you'll be crowned as the King of Camelot. As your nephew, I came to offer my congratulations in advance and to escort you to Camelot."
"Oh, right." Gawain showed a look of realization, then pushed a slender, cloaked figure behind him forward, "This is Gemos, an apprentice magus who swore allegiance to me."
Shirou directed his gaze towards the cloaked figure. The small frame was wrapped in a gray linen cloak, with only some golden hair peeking out, and a thin veil obscuring the face. However, there appeared to be some kind of concealment magecraft at play, making it difficult for him to discern the figure's features.
He carefully scrutinized the figure, paying particular attention to magus' silhouette, focusing on the contours of the shoulders and buttocks. The wider hips compared to the shoulders suggested a female physique.
The figure was petite, almost like Artoria, standing next to Gawain as if she were a kidnapped princess held captive by a wild beast.
The woman had blonde hair, a small stature, and identified herself as a magus under a fabricated name. But what caught Shirou's attention the most was Merlin's face, as he tried his best to hold back his laughter. There was no mistaking it - this was none other than Arthur's sister, the infamous witch Morgan le Fay. She was a key figure in the downfall of Camelot.
But why was she hiding her true identity and posing as a apprentice magus? What was her objective?
After contemplating for a brief moment, he decided not to reveal her true identity, but instead, greeted her with a smile, "Greetings, Gemos. My name is Arthur."
...
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