[FGO] Flower Wreath

The following day, the sunlight, high in the sky, spread across the vast yellow sand, casting the dark shadows of eagles as they swept by.

The figure standing on the city wall of the holy city silently watched the main gate, his dark eyes reflecting the two people riding towards the Temple of the King of Egypt.

When that intense gaze finally disappeared, the British princess relaxed her straightened back slightly.

On the night of the invasion of the royal palace, her first impression of Iron Agraven was that of a black obsidian with sharp edges.

Born from scorching magma, it cooled and solidified into an abyss-like darkness.

His appearance and demeanor give off a solemn sense of distance, but he has a burning passion within him.

Perhaps she and Agravan were surprisingly able to resonate with each other on the same obsession with "something"—Morgan thought.

Pulling her wandering thoughts back, Leng Lan turned her gaze to what was in front of her.

Thanks to the convenience of the isolation and cooling magic, Morgan gently pressed her skirt and sat gracefully on the saddle. The extended reins were tied to hers by the rough-looking Sir Gawain. This gesture was more of a symbolic "close protection" than a practical safety measure, and it was not hard to see that Gawain had not let his guard down.

According to formal etiquette, some gifts should be prepared and sent along with the delegation, but Morgan and the King of Egypt agreed in their correspondence to simplify this part and focus directly on the "matter of communication".

The two remained silent on their way to the Egyptian temple until they happened to pass an oasis.

Servants don't need to rest, but Morgan suddenly had a whim and said to the Sun Knight, "Gao Wenqing, please pick some flowers for me."

"Please forgive my rudeness, but this has absolutely no connection to or necessity of the purpose of this trip." Gawain's tone remained indifferent, as if he were deliberately drawing a line.

Upon hearing this, Morgan couldn't help but raise his voice: "Then is there any connection or necessity for you to hold the reins for me? Or what is the connection or necessity for you to travel in a cloak?"

As if finally unable to withstand Gawain's relentless refusal, the Island Witch's words carried a hint of sharpness. Before Gawain could respond, she turned her head away, continuing, "What I mean is, please pick some flowers for me."

After her beloved (King Arthur) falls into a deep sleep, even though Morgan is a princess of Britain, she is not close to the Knights of the Round Table and cannot explain everything to anyone. Therefore, she has to carry out her plan alone while the knights are on guard.

However, neither swallowing all the pent-up frustrations nor passively accepting the hostility of others was in line with Morgan's character.

Given that Gawain and Morgan were related by marriage, she couldn't help but have some expectations of him. However, no amount of tolerance could satisfy her cold attitude, so she couldn't help but speak ill of him.

On the other hand, Morgan felt embarrassed by this childish tantrum.

Frustrated, Morgan unconsciously puffed out one cheek. When she caught Gawain's gaze, she couldn't help but wonder if her sideburns had properly concealed her burning ear tips.

A moment later, she heard the blond knight reply, "Yes, sir."

When Morgan turned around, he saw Gawain's tall and imposing back.

—If it were Altoris's order, Gawain would have carried it out immediately without hesitation. Although my brother couldn't possibly have made such a request, the imagined differential treatment still made me indignant.

The Storm King is the monarch of the Knights of the Round Table, and Morgan is merely the monarch's sister. Their status as mother makes it even more impossible for them to betray their loyalty. Even with the Storm King's guarantee, the "Island Witch's" past negative deeds have placed her in an ambiguous relationship with them.

The fact that she wasn't confronted with swords by these knights was probably the greatest kindness "Sister Wang" could receive.

It's worth mentioning that Artoris was unaware of her plan, yet he unconditionally allowed her to move around within the Holy City... Was this due to Artoris's confidence in his own strength, or were there other unknown factors?

Morgan suddenly felt an urge to run back to the blond king's bedroom, shake him awake from his deep sleep, and confront him.

She could vaguely make a connection: the madman Lancelot she had met in the Holy Grail War was the same person she had reunited with on the hill outside the Holy Capital. So, was the Storm King's complete trust in her also based on her future?

What circumstances led Artorius to treat her with such tender gaze and ambiguous words?

Morgan felt a little timid, but also... a little curious.

A peaceful sleeping face came to Morgan's mind.

That was the first time Morgan had seen Artoria asleep. Her soft, golden hair lay flat against her forehead and the top of her nose. Her breaths, deep and steady, came out with her eyes closed. Her chest rose and fell slowly under the covers. Her unguarded appearance softened Morgan's heart.

Especially when Artorius's nose brushed against her palm, even the resentful Morgan had to admit that she was helpless against him, and could even be said to have completely fallen for him.

After all, she is the "queen sister who dotes on King Arthur" type of personality. When Artoria acts coquettishly or shows weakness, she can only be manipulated.

—That wretched King Arthur!

"Your Highness." The call in his ear drew Morgan's attention back.

What came into view was a blond, blue-eyed knight and a brightly colored bouquet in his hand.

A few clusters of snow-white flowers surrounded a large patch of pale purple and crimson blossoms in the center. Although the color combination wasn't particularly unique, Morgan couldn't help but smile with delight as she saw her prince charming picking beautiful flowers for her.

The Island Witch accepted the bouquet from Gawain with both hands, and said with a gentle smile, "Thank you, Gawain."

She flashed a radiant smile that rivaled the beauty of the sun, and under the gaze of the Sun Knight, she took a flower and placed it on her lap. Then, the remaining bouquet wove itself into a circle in a pale magical glow.

A delicate, white hand emerged from beneath the black sleeve, lifting a fragrant floral wreath and placing it atop Gawain's shimmering platinum-gold hair.

As Morgan withdrew her hand, the gentle touch of the petals lingered on her fingertips, causing her heart to soften. Her slightly curved blue eyes shimmered with iridescent light. "This is a gift of thanks, to thank you for your protection today, Gao Wenqing."

After a moment of stunned silence, Gao Wen let out a trickle of blood from the corner of his tightly pursed lips, and then punched his forehead hard with his fist, making a loud thud!

"!?!?!"

Gawain's unexpected actions startled Morgan, who, sitting on horseback, asked helplessly, "Gawain? What's wrong? Are you alright?!"

Faced with Morgan's question, the Sun Knight remained silent for a long time. When he looked up at the woman again, he had a bright smile on his face that was completely different from before.

"No, it's nothing, please don't worry about me, Lady."

-

After repeatedly pressing Gawain to confirm whether he was truly unharmed, and receiving confirmation from him, Morgan reluctantly dropped the subject.

But then Morgan clearly sensed that Gawain's attitude towards her had completely changed, and even before she was about to dismount, he considerately raised his hand as if to help her.

Given Gawain's change in how he addressed her, Morgan guessed that his thoughts had shifted in that instant.

The outcome was good for her, so Morgan stopped worrying about it.

The Egyptian king's domain was peaceful and prosperous, with towering pyramids standing solemnly and sacred amidst waves of golden wheat.

—As if blessed by the gods.

The female pharaoh Nitocris who greeted the two had a pair of animal ears, which, combined with Egyptian mythology, can be seen as proof of the existence of a god.

The two enormous mythical beasts crouching on either side of the female pharaoh are not meant to intimidate enemies, but rather to demonstrate the queen's respect for her visitors.

Knowing full well that their actions represented the image of the Holy City, Morgan and Gawain remained unfazed by the divine beast's gaze.

Despite his occasional carefree nature, Morgan was still of noble birth, and the formal greetings among superiors came naturally to him. After exchanging greetings, Nitocris led them to the audience hall.

The king, seated on his throne—Ramses II, also known as Ozymandias—radiated a dazzling brilliance like the sun.

It seems that the kings who rule over fertile lands are not shy about showing off their strong and muscular bodies, and beneath his thick, black hair, his golden eyes, as if tempered by sunlight, cast a sharp gaze.

"Honorable guest from afar, Princess of Britain, I have instructed the servants not to be negligent in the slightest, and to look forward to the banquet tonight."

Ozymandias's deep voice resonated in my mind, compelling me to submit willingly.

Morgan had seen him through a water mirror in another world, and at that time, Morgan was worried that the divine being would awaken from his dream, causing his magic to fail. This was the first time they had actually faced each other, especially with Ozymandias's deliberate indulgence, the pressure of the king and the god came rushing down like a tiger.

If Morgan didn't possess the memories of the Fairy Queen, she couldn't guarantee she could maintain the demeanor of a princess.

Even though Servants don't need to eat, for kings, ritual is far more important than practicality.

Inside the open-air pavilion outside the pyramid, sheer curtains hanging from the ceiling fluttered gracefully in the wind, and a golden dining table was laden with steaming dishes and fruit platters.

Gawain and Nitocris sat to the left of Morgan and Ozymandias, respectively.

The meeting was held at a dinner party to create a relaxed atmosphere, since the Storm King and the Sun King were still acting independently, and the purpose of the meeting was not to antagonize each other.

Referring to the actions of a certain king, Morgan went so far as to offer a bottle of fairy wine (non-poisonous) as a gesture of goodwill.

After a few rounds of drinks, and with Morgan's few words of praise for the Egyptian territory, the atmosphere at the table became exceptionally harmonious. Morgan even accepted Nitocris's invitation to experience the aromatherapy at the bathhouse together after the dinner.

Soon after, both sides put aside the superficial pleasantries and got down to business.

"King Ozymandias, I've come to confirm one thing. Before the final battle with the Magician King, Egypt and the Holy City have agreed to a non-interference policy. Will you uphold this stance?"

Even if Altoris's statement was true, and given his pride as a king who would not easily go back on his word, Morgan still wanted a clear statement from him.

The brown-skinned king pondered for a moment, his half-closed golden eyes fixed on the wine in his glass. "I will not comment on the Storm King's methods; letting those refugees go is already the greatest mercy."

"Refugees...do you mean the group of people gathered outside the Holy City?"

Although Tristan and Gawain led her through other gates, she still noticed the refugee settlement at the East Gate of the Holy City, but she never inquired about the details.

Morgan couldn't help but feel puzzled when the Sun King suddenly brought up those refugees.

"What? You're planning to use it in other ways?"

As soon as Ozymandias finished speaking, a solemn atmosphere filled with immense pressure descended, forcefully shattering the previous peaceful atmosphere. Even Nitocris, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but look over.

Despite the pressure from the Egyptian king, the British princess spoke calmly: "What are you talking about? Aren't the refugees just existing there? Although I'm puzzled by Altoris's decision to let them gather without taking any action, but..."

"Please wait a moment." Suddenly, Nitocris interrupted Morgan.

Under the gaze of eyes bathed in the cold, icy blue light of the bright moonlight, Nitocris cautiously asked, "Your Highness Morgan, how long have you been in this world?"

Morgan blinked and said, "About two weeks."

Seeing this, Nitocris glanced at Ozymandias, who merely picked up his wine cup and took a small sip, seemingly having no intention of responding. So the female pharaoh continued, "So, you haven't yet seen how the Holy Selection is being carried out, have you?"

"I heard that it's a ceremony to select people who are qualified to enter the holy city."

Upon hearing this, Gawain's long-silent, gloomy expression instantly changed. Before he could speak, unable to hide his anxiety, Nitocris's words reached Morgan's ears first:

"—Didn't the Storm King explain the Chosen Process to you?"