[?] Important person
"Hmm... I enjoy talking to you, and walking with you through streams, shady trees, and flower fields. Sometimes you're like an elder, sometimes like a playmate of the same age, and sometimes you have a cute, childlike side that I find endearing. If I could add one more line to my knightly declaration, I would add, 'I will do everything in my power to protect you'—I think both of these feelings are very precious treasures."
Those were words spoken without hesitation or pretense; words that touched Morgan's soul and revealed his loneliness.
The title of "Princess of Britain" is inseparable from the "Red Dragon of Britain." As long as Morgan is human, she will be bound by the "Red Dragon of Britain."
Morgan had imagined what kind of person Red Dragon would be.
If the Red Dragon is muddle-headed, she will not be able to remain unscathed. If the Red Dragon is domineering, she may be drawn into evil deeds. If the Red Dragon is arrogant, she will lose her reason for existence.
Unlike witches and fairies, as a princess, a queen's sister, and a human, she can only rely on Artorius (King of Britain) to maintain her existence.
Fortunately, the British Red Dragon was Artorius Pendragon.
He was a knight who was as warm and straightforward as the sun, and whom Morgan Le Fey adored.
Morgan unconsciously rubbed the flower stem in her hand with her fingertips, then looked away and said, "...If you just wanted to talk to me, you didn't need to come all this way. Just call my name into the water mirror, and I'll hear you."
Upon hearing this, the dejected blond knight seemed to see the sun break through his cloud of worry, his green eyes gleaming brightly. "Really? Is it Morgan's magic?!"
"When have I ever lied to you?"
With the weight lifted from his heart, Artorius's face beamed with smiles. "Indeed, no, because you always keep your word, which is one of the reasons I enjoy talking to you."
The British princess was somewhat overwhelmed by her brother's radiant smile. She deliberately narrowed her eyes, her face hardening as she uttered a questioning tone: "You're getting more and more glib. Are you trying to trick me into giving you a kiss, like those knights who frequent brothels?"
"I'm just stating the truth. And which knight received a kiss from you? Please tell me their name! I will defeat them in a fair and square manner."
Hearing this, Morgan couldn't help but chuckle. He could only reach out and ruffle Artorius's blond hair, explaining as the boy pretended to struggle, "There is no such knight. There has always been only you, Artorius."
Thus, the British princess's cold blue eyes were softened by the emerald green that seemed to melt away.
The young knight's emotions came and went quickly.
So Morgan pressed his advantage, saying, "Let's make a deal, Al. You've traveled far and wide, and you must have seen unparalleled, beautiful, and magnificent sights. I hope you can share your journeys with me so I can also witness those scenes I've never seen before. Although the chances are slim, if I do embark on a journey, I will share with you everything I experience."
Upon hearing this, the young man not only nodded solemnly, but also said in an unequivocal tone, as if he had just thought of something, "In the near future, I will personally take you all over Britain, Morgan."
Morgan immediately softened completely.
The conversation was very fruitful for both sides, especially since Morgan did not just verbally appease Altoris, but also invented a magic trick for communicating remotely and taught it to the blond apprentice knight.
Even though his magical talent was not as good as Morgan's, the red dragon's magical power was more than enough to learn a few tricks.
After that, Morgan would often chat with him through the water mirror. Altorius always seemed to have endless things to say, about what happened during the day, what people and things they encountered, and even the compassion he felt when he saw people suffering.
Even though the heart of a red dragon beats in Altolis's chest, it does not diminish his empathy for ordinary people.
This is a land that is both incredibly beautiful and incredibly cruel.
The rampage of monsters on the island and the invasion of powerful external enemies have shrouded Britain in darkness. The few remaining sanctuaries, such as Tintage, rely on the protection of a mysterious figure (Morgan Le Feuer).
Britain needs a king who can pierce the deep darkness and plant hope in the hearts of its suffering people.
Clearly, Artorius Pendragon was the chosen one.
—The "Morgan le Fay" within him kept uttering curses, which "Morgan" locked in a locked box.
The apprentice knights' journey continues. Among the group, Artorius is a chivalrous knight, Merlin is the source of trouble from time to time, and a knight named Kai is responsible for cleaning up the messes of his companions.
The handsome young man, reflected in the water mirror, complained, "I've been nagged by my companions all afternoon again. I certainly have many shortcomings in upholding justice and preserving leeway for both sides, but surely they don't have to say that all I have to do with my mistakes?"
"I saw it. You chased away the thieves who were blocking the road to protect the mother and daughter."
"Does Morgan also think I did something wrong?" Altoris asked, but his eyes were seeking approval.
"...Do you want to know what I'll do?"
"I would like to hear the details."
"I will kill those thieves."
Under Altoris's astonished gaze, Morgan explained in detail: "Whether it's the mother and daughter or the thieves, they all seem to live nearby. I can protect the former once, but I can't always get to them. Especially after I stand up for them, wouldn't the thieves be very wary and resort to even more violent methods?"
"So, to solve this once and for all... we choose to kill them outright...?"
"My way may not be right, Al. It's just a choice, and every choice comes with its own gains and losses. Perhaps one of those thieves is a father whose death will leave his wife and infant in dire straits, unable to even survive the season."
Morgan fell silent as he looked at the blond knight on the other side of the water mirror.
Just before she could speak again, another figure appeared on the screen. "Is this the lady my brother is so obsessed with? Thank you for your magic trick the other day."
"Brother Kai!?" Artorius's panicked expression was completely genuine.
"Nice to meet you, valiant knight. What's your basis for believing I was the one who attacked?"
A few days ago, when Altolis and his party were passing through a village, they were unexpectedly drawn into a dispute among the villagers. The various developments in the process—mainly Merlin's provocative remarks—forced them to be chased and beaten by the villagers.
Normally, they could easily handle the villagers' pursuit, but the village's inhabitants were mostly hunters, so there were all sorts of traps and mechanisms in unexpected places.
Morgan, who witnessed everything from the side (on the water), used a few magic tricks to help them escape just as they were about to be caught.
"Hmm... After all, if it were Merlin, he would definitely make things even bigger and wouldn't care about escaping or not." Kai's tone was full of helplessness.
Morgan wholeheartedly agreed with Kay's insights and formed a united front with him. Although Artorius harbored inexplicable dissatisfaction, he could only accept that Morgan's conversation partners were no longer exclusively his.
Time travels through each of Morgan and Arthur's conversations in the water mirror, and the latter's increasingly composed expression.
The British princess is not always there to help in times of crisis. When her inner personality takes over her body, she sinks into the depths of a dark lake until she has a chance to surface.
Therefore, Morgan always gave his body to Vivian.
Given the way the three of them exist, her position and that of Morgan le Fay were too polarized; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they suppressed each other. Therefore, she always kept her distance from them.
This was the only tacit understanding between her and Morgan Le Fey; the rest was like fighting for the very air they needed to survive, suppressing each other's presence to the point of having no room to utter a sound.
Because of their mutual dislike, Morgan wouldn't proactively access the island's owner's memories, and assumed Morgan le Fay was the same. However, during the third time when only Kay was having a conversation with her through the water mirror, the latter felt that this "taken-for-granted" approach needed to be questioned.
Kay wasn't a clueless blockhead either. Noticing Morgan's unease, the reliable older brother offered an explanation: "I always trust my own feelings, but the more important someone is, the more hesitant you become. Right now, Artoria is like someone watching a thread that's fallen into a haystack. You want to reach for it, but you're afraid of messing things up and never finding it again."
"...There's always a turning point. What happened?"
"What I do know is that Merlin spoke to him." Kai shrugged, then, as if struck by a thought, his lips curled into a smile: "Could it be a battle between women? If so, Artorius must have been completely fooled."
Good news, it's not Morgan le Fay stirring up trouble.
The bad news is that the troublemaker is a hedonistic female succubus, so things don't seem to be getting any better.
"Thank you for informing me, Kaiqing."
The knight, who was addressed with respect, showed no surprise. Instead, he gave Morgan a proper bow, and Morgan realized that both he and Arthur knew her true identity.
—Perhaps…it really is time.
"Kaiqing, I would like to ask you for a favor."
"It is my honor, most esteemed lady of Britain, but I must state beforehand that I will not conceal or appease Artorius for you."
"Of course, no problem. I agree that we should maintain an attitude of honesty and openness."
"That's wonderful. As an older brother, there's not much I can do to see my younger brother so distressed. Thank you again, Your Highness Morgan." Kay readily switched his form of address to Morgan.
The two formed an alliance again through the water mirror.
So, following Kai's message, Artorius went alone to the witch's workshop.
A silver-haired witch once warned him not to step into enemy territory without any precautions, but he still trusted her completely and didn't even bring his sword.
If a nightmare were to see this, she might cry out, "This is discrimination! Even boys are more fond of their new love? I'm so sad!"
However, knowing its true nature, neither of the two who met in the cabin in the woods paid any attention to the nightmare's feigned sorrow.
Looking at the blond knight standing by the fireplace, the flickering firelight cast a thin glow on the young man's face, causing Morgan to momentarily lose himself in thought.
Even when talking through the water mirror, some information is still missed. For example, Artorius has grown much taller than when they last met, and now she needs to raise her chin to meet his emerald green eyes.
The green eyes, once filled with trust and longing in my memory, now held a hint of indistinct sadness, adding a touch of melancholy that evoked pity.
The British royalty stared at each other in silence for a moment before Artorius finally broke the silence: "...Do you hate me, Morgan?"
The travel-worn young man's voice was slightly hoarse, with a faint tremor, like a seedling taking root in the wilderness, trying to grasp the barren soil with its roots.
Morgan had expected to face accusations or resentment from the other party, but instead he received a cautious probe.
The island witch was speechless.
Artorius always showed her gentlest and most tender side.
Just like the beautiful bouquet he presented to Morgan, he specially removed the prickly branches and sprinkled the petals with glistening water droplets, making the already beautiful colors even more vibrant.
It is also the color of his sincerity in exchange for sincerity.
At this moment, questions such as "Did Merlin say something?" are meaningless in the face of such genuine emotion.
More importantly, why did Morgan not truthfully reveal his identity after learning Altoris's name?
The reason Morgan had to conceal his identity was to convince Artorius… no, it was to convince Arthur Pendragon, the future ruler of Britain, who was deeply entangled with the British princess.
Then the answer can only be—
Under his younger brother's stunned gaze, Morgan slowly spoke: "Artorius, as for me... I possess three personalities. On this island where mystery has not yet dissipated, I am a fairy, a witch, and a princess. Fairies cannot understand human hearts, witches wantonly trample on human hearts, but I want to cherish human hearts."
King Arthur's understanding of the mysteries was no less than that of a magician, but her confession resolved some of Artoria's doubts.
In the past calls from the Water Mirror, why were the faces that occasionally flashed by cold and intimidating? Why did Morgan disappear for long periods of time once he lost contact? And why did she choose to continue to hide his identity even after knowing it?
"Just like your precious feelings, I also harbor the thought, 'I will do everything in my power to protect you.' You are such a unique existence to me. The reason I am telling you this secret is because I believe in Artorius Pendragon, who, even knowing a future full of hardships, still draws the Sword of the Chosen."
The resounding words clearly reached Artorius's ears and left an indelible mark on his heart.
It's as if all things in the world, in that instant, begin to flow slowly through the long river of stars and frost.
"Let me reintroduce myself, I am Morgan Tintage, a noblewoman and princess of Britain, Morgan le Fay." The flickering flames in the fireplace outlined two figures at the table, and the orange-red glow reflected on the woman's face, softening her delicate and graceful features.
Under Arthur Pendragon's gaze, the flickering flames cast a hazy halo over the beauty's long, silvery hair, and the shimmering light penetrated the British princess's icy eyes, reflecting a variegated brilliance like the surface of a summer lake.
I want to be an important person to you.
After speaking, Morgan paused for a moment to observe the other party's reaction.
—Artorius looked somewhat surprised, as if he hadn't expected Morgan Le Fey to say such a thing.
So she began, "Is it strange, Arthur? We should be the closest people to each other, at least for me. My fate is intertwined with yours, but I don't want to be your enemy forever. What do you think?"
Faced with Morgan's question, Altorlis lowered his eyes in thought for a long time before answering in a low voice:
"Before I met 'you,' I thought we were enemies. After I met 'you,' I felt we were friends... even close family members. Therefore, I don't want to be your enemy; that would be too sad and too lonely."
After speaking, the blond knight's face revealed an undisguised look of desolation. Meeting the pair of emerald eyes that had risen again, Morgan blinked. "So, we've reached a consensus?"
"I think so, about... that we are important to each other. However, that's only true if you are 'you'—Sister Wang."
"Of course, my dear Artorius. If you put anyone other than 'me' in that position, I would be angry, even very sad," the British princess said, making a seemingly unintentional joke.
"I will not let you be sad, my sister," King Arthur said, his solemn expression like that of a knight reciting a knight's oath.
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