[FGO] The Kings of the Golden Desert

Unlike his radiant and warm appearance, the Sun Knight's embrace was awkward and cold.

Compared to Tristan, who treated the island witch with the utmost gentleness and care, Gawain's actions were slightly more forceful, but not to the point of hurting her.

To reach the main gate from the inner city of the Holy City, one must traverse a straight and magnificent avenue. Under Gawain's leisurely escort, the smooth, gray-white stone bricks echoed with the unhurried sound of horses' hooves.

Morgan, seated sideways on his horse, glanced at the knight beside him and tentatively asked, "What's the name of this horse?"

Gawain, holding the reins, answered without looking to the side, "Because it's a bred horse, it doesn't have a name."

Morgan subtly sensed that Gawain was trying to end things with her, but his tone was gentler than before, and his attitude seemed to have softened.

Perhaps he was simply unaccustomed to speaking with "Morgan LeFee"? Morgan, who maintained a composed demeanor but was actually quite flustered, guessed this.

Knowing (or guessing) that the other party was also nervous, Morgan became less anxious.

They weren't very close to begin with, so there was no sense of weakness in trying to repair their broken relationship (?). On the other hand, regardless of whether Gawain acknowledged the existence of "Sister Wang," Morgan's self-perception was the same, so there was no sense of guilt in deceiving the other party.

Therefore, Morgan was able to strike up a conversation without any hesitation.

After clarifying the sequence of events, she spoke again: "Gao Wenqing, what blessing did Artorius give you?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Wen replied, "It is the night, which will ensure that the sun will always be high in the sky on the battlefield where I am."

Fortunately, the Knights of the Round Table answered all his questions, preventing Morgan from being ignored.

"I remember you were exceptionally strong under the sun, weren't you?" Morgan blinked her blue eyes. She wasn't exactly familiar with Gawain's anecdotes, but that didn't stop her from praising the blond knight in front of her. "You must have put in a lot of effort when fighting the demon, right? You truly lived up to your reputation."

Based on the information currently available and Tristan's reaction, after Artorius summoned the Knights of the Round Table, he led the knights to fight against the demon who ruled the Crusaders. Although he ultimately won, the process was extremely arduous.

Perhaps this is why Gawain erected a tombstone on the hill.

It's not that Gawain is cold-hearted, but rather that in Morgan's eyes, it's more like the kind of behavior Tristan would do. So, if the one who proposed and carried it out wasn't that red-haired knight, perhaps... that battle would have been far more brutal than Morgan imagined.

When Morgan came to his senses, he realized that the Sun Knight had been silent for a long time.

Seeing the gloom clouding over that handsome face, Morgan couldn't help but feel a chill.

Did it evoke memories of that time?

Just as the British princess was pondering how to comfort him, Gawain's low, husky voice brushed past her ear:

"...Why did you only show up now?"

The golden-haired knight's hoarse voice was filled with an overwhelming sorrow, like a mournful sigh echoing through the valley, a heartbreaking cry emanating from the abyss of boundless despair.

The knight who uttered these words kept his gaze fixed on what was in front of him. Even though their eyes did not meet, one could still feel the profound and weighty emotion conveyed by his words.

Morgan, who could only see his cold profile, raised his hand to cover his chest, which was filled with soreness.

That experience seemed like a taboo subject that the Knights of the Round Table were unwilling to touch.

Even Altoris never told Morgan this.

However, the more she tried to hide it, the more suspicious it seemed. Although Morgan didn't know exactly what had happened, and she knew that asking for details would inevitably lead to hurtful words or attitudes, she always felt that it would be the breakthrough point for her to get closer to the Knights of the Round Table.

Then Morgan said quietly, "Gao Wenqing, would you have preferred me to be there?"

The golden knight, bathed in sunlight, remained silent, but his grey-blue eyes, which suddenly took on a serious expression, and his lips, which were gradually turning pale from being tightly pursed, revealed his regret for his slip of the tongue in questioning the woman.

After a long silence, Morgan finally heard Gawain's response:

"It's pointless to talk about this now."

Sensing the stagnant, heavy emotion reflected in Gawain's eyes, Morgan knew this was not the right time to press further and decisively ended the conversation.

"We've arrived at the main gate, Gao Wenqing."

Looking up, the first line of defense of the holy city—the main gate, built of gray and white bricks, stands tall and solemn. Every texture on the wall is engraved with an awe-inspiring presence that cannot be violated. Standing in its shadow, one cannot help but feel awe.

Morgan landed on the ground with Gawain's help.

Next came the realm of magicians. As a mere knight, Gawain had no experience in this area, so he could only stand aside and watch Morgan work.

Gawain didn't disturb Morgan, but simply took in the Island Witch's every move through his azure eyes. Morgan, in work mode, didn't notice his silence.

"Your Highness Morgan, what kind of magic trick is this?"

"Naturally, it's a defensive fortification." After a brief explanation, Morgan's wand emitted a cold, glacial glow, like that of a glacier under the moonlight, amidst several silent incantations.

Although the caster was his own mother, Gawain, being a knight, couldn't discern anything from it. He only sensed a thick magical energy hovering above the main gate, followed by transparent shields formed from magical energy falling from above the Holy City.

"This should be quite different from the magic you set up in the Holy Capital?" Since the city's guards were under Agarwin's command, Gawain had inquired with his brother's subordinates beforehand and learned that Morgan seemed to have cast a spell somewhere in the Holy Capital, but he had never seen such a display.

"Pretty much, it's all about protecting the Holy City."

Morgan's ambiguity made Gawain frown. Just as he was about to press for an answer, he heard the British princess say, "Next is the journey to the desert temple. Will you continue to accompany us, Lord Gawain?"

"You're going to the Egyptian king's territory? When did you make contact with them?!" Gawain couldn't help but show a surprised expression, his wide blue eyes fixed on Morgan.

King Ramses II of Egypt is a Servant summoned by the Holy Grail. He appeared long before the Storm King and, after seizing the Holy Grail, established his territory in the desert and remained an observer.

Gawain had never spoken with the King of Egypt, only that the Storm King had spoken with him at night. Afterward, the Lord conveyed the message to the Knights of the Round Table that "they are neither allies nor enemies." Therefore, the Holy City did not declare war on them, nor did it make any further contact.

Faced with Gawain's questioning, the Island Witch smiled slightly and said in a soft, flower-like voice, "I wrote to explain this a few days ago and received a reply from the King of Egypt, so this is a formal visit between royalty."

This action was tantamount to acting first and informing later. Gawain couldn't even imagine the Iron Knight's expression after learning about this, and he suddenly felt dizzy.

Gawain recalled his younger brother, Agwen. Just squinting his eyes was enough to instill pressure, let alone when things got out of control, his face could probably be used to write execution orders with a quill pen.

The Sun Knight stammered, "...When is the date of your visit?"

"Tomorrow, so there's not much time to prepare. This was supposed to be a surprise for Lord Tristan, but... how are you feeling right now?"

A heavy sigh escaped from beneath Gawain's hands, which were covering his face: "Haa—"

-

As night replaces the bright day, the moonlight spreads a layer of shimmering white light evenly across the vast yellow sands and the majestic city.

As night fell, the patrolling knights inevitably became less alert, but they still remembered their duty to patrol the streets and alleys of the holy city.

Perhaps because of the presence of the Knights of the Round Table, the palace where the Storm King resided only had a few knights on guard.

The torches embedded in the wall flickered in the evening breeze, their swaying light dulling the knights' visual perception, making them only want to finish their work and return to their soft beds.

Morgan was able to successfully infiltrate the Storm King's bedroom.

She even managed to deceive everyone by using only one concealment spell, passing through corridors and countless passageways right under Agraven's nose.

Fortunately, the white knight, King Arthur's close attendant, did not respond to the summons, so Morgan did not have to spend extra effort dealing with him.

In short, Morgan's purpose in coming here was not a night raid... she just wanted to confirm whether Artorius had truly fallen into a deep sleep due to unforeseen circumstances, as he claimed, rather than using it as an excuse to avoid spending time with her.

Since the night they met, Artoria has not appeared again, and the Knights of the Round Table have tacitly allowed her to roam freely. This phenomenon makes Morgan suspicious that Artoria might still be diligently meeting with the knights and issuing orders when she is not around.

Leading Tristan around to explore and allowing rumors to spread was one of the tests.

Gawain's appearance made Morgan realize that the plan had worked, so she decided to take advantage of the situation and do something drastic: the restless Knights of the Round Table would surely report what they had seen to their lord. Since they could not find out the location of the secret meeting, why not ambush them in the bedroom and catch them in the act?

If things didn't turn out the way she expected, she would simply see a sleeping beauty lying in bed.

Since he wasn't planning to assassinate his brother, Morgan didn't see anything wrong with entering his brother's room.

To be befitting his status as a king, Artorius's bedroom was naturally spacious, but the decor was minimalist. Apart from essential furniture such as tables, chairs, cabinets, and beds, the only decorations were tapestries embroidered with Camelot's mark and a gilded vase on the coffee table facing the door.

—While clearly denying the title of King of Knights, it embodies the integrity of a knight in every aspect.

Thinking of this, Morgan couldn't help but chuckle.

The British princess's cold blue eyes moved into the depths of the room.

Moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling onto the marble floor and casting a hazy glow on the heavy bed curtains hanging from the ceiling.

In the stillness of the night, bathed in the frosty moonlight, her graceful figure strode toward the king's bed.

The tentative steps that quietly approached the bedside came into view, until they caught the sound of long, steady breaths. The dark figure lying on the bed gradually came into view, the simple, dark patterned sheets and soft pillows outlining its silhouette.

When Morgan walked to the bedside, her gaze fell upon the face hidden behind the heavy black lion helmet, now reflected in her aquamarine eyes.

The island witch's icy gaze first swept over the golden-sand-colored hair spread out on the pillow, then over the other person's high nose bridge, sharply defined jawline, and the distinct Adam's apple that symbolized masculinity, before most of the hair disappeared under the sheets.

—His face was much more mature than that of the Holy Swordsman.

The young king's slender physique contained formidable power; the red dragon of Britain wielded his holy sword with deft agility on the battlefield, bringing overwhelming despair to the enemy. The Storm King, on the other hand, was even taller and more robust, his broad and thick chest rising and falling with his breath, his full muscles evenly distributed across his torso and limbs, and his features were more profound and cold.

Even when he is asleep with his eyes closed, his handsome appearance remains undiminished.

It's not hard to imagine that when he opens his eyes beneath his golden eyelashes, those eyes, seemingly cast in fine gold, will sweep away the hearts of all women.

Morgan carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, her silvery-white hair, reflecting the moonlight, meandering like a soft galaxy across the sheets. Artoria Pendragon rested naturally on her arm beside her, her black skirt spreading out gently like a blooming rose among the white bedding.

The noblewoman's rose-colored fingertips reached towards the sleeping king's face, gently smoothing his slightly disheveled hair. Perhaps this triggered the red dragon's instinctive wariness, as the man reflexively turned his head to dodge, but inadvertently brushed into Morgan's palm.

—It was as if a tamed beast had lowered its head and was acting coquettishly towards her.

A ticklish sensation, like a feather's tickle, suddenly darted into Morgan's heart, stirring ripples in the calm lake of his soul.

The tremor that stirred the island witch's heartstrings resonated in her chest, and her uncontrollable heartbeat transformed into drumbeats that filled her ears, shattering all attempts to test her.

"..."

"…………"

Morgan snapped out of her daze and gazed at the other person's peaceful sleeping face with a flicker in her eyes.

Finally, Morgan raised her fair, delicate hand from beneath the gilded sleeves, lifted the dark veil beneath the crown belonging to the Queen of the Fairy Kingdom, and leaned down to plant a kiss on the forehead of the King of Britain.

Sweet dreams, Al.

After speaking, Morgan, bathed in the bright moonlight, rose and left.

Out of her sight, her slender fingers twitched slightly beneath the thin blanket.