Chapter 618: Great British Magic-Altria is ready to eat!
Several years passed in a flash.
Artoria grew rapidly under the guidance of her teacher Merlin. Not only did her swordsmanship improve rapidly, but signs of joy, anger, sorrow and happiness also gradually appeared on her face.
However, these changes in emotions are mostly due to the pranks of an unscrupulous teacher.
To outsiders, it was still difficult for Altria to show obvious emotional fluctuations.
After breakfast as usual, I prepared to go to the stable to ride a horse out to practice swordsmanship and riding.
However, her adoptive father Hector, who had moved out, came here before her to choose a horse.
But because he was too old, he tried several times but failed to climb onto the back of a war horse.
"Sir, do you need help?"
"Altria? You've come just in time. Kai seems to have forgotten something. It's still not too late to chase him now. Go to town and give these to him."
As he spoke, Old Hector handed over a complete set of knight equipment.
Altria remembered that there seemed to be a special festival in the town today.
Although Kai rode out on horseback to attend the festival, he forgot to bring the most important gun for a knight.
"Brother, he is a knight after all. How could he forget his weapon when he went out?"
"We are going out to attend a festival, not to go to war, so it's normal to forget to bring your weapons. But this festival is a little special, and you may need to demonstrate your martial arts skills."
"Just give these to Brother, okay? I have classes today."
"No classes today. On the way back, I ran into Master Merlin, and he also went to town to join in the fun."
Artoria felt relieved and nodded to her adoptive father, then she mounted her warhorse, put her brother's belongings on the horse's back and headed for the town.
We left the hill where the manor was located, crossed the grassland, and walked between the fields.
Although the sky is a little cloudy, it is very clear and there is no need to worry about rain.
The teacher's face appeared in her mind, and she felt an urgent desire to meet him as soon as possible.
During these years of getting along, that figure seemed to have become an increasingly indispensable part of my life.
Without him, I can't sleep well, I can't eat well, and my orderly life will become a mess.
Well, in a realistic sense.
However, Altria suppressed her urgency and rode towards the town at her normal riding speed.
A horse carrying a heavy load could easily hurt itself if it went too fast.
On the way, after gazing at the familiar pastoral scenery, she looked towards the forest in the distance.
The forest, which had been so beneficial until last year, has now become somewhat dangerous.
In the past, hunters could go out hunting and get the necessary amount of meat without much effort, or collect enough fruits and wild vegetables to fill their stomachs.
However, it is no longer a place that outsiders can easily enter.
The forest is being invaded by foreign races, the activities of magical beasts are becoming more and more frequent, and the living circle of the British people is being invaded and compressed bit by bit.
If you go into the forest alone and are unlucky enough to encounter aliens or monsters, not only will you not be able to get food for tomorrow, you might even die today.
The reason for all this was naturally the humble King Futigeng who colluded with foreign races.
After all, he was the murderer of his father.
So, should I be angry or sad?
Altria thought about it seriously.
But since she could not recall any information about her father, King Uther, she could only shake her head, keeping a dead calm on her face, and rode forward.
After passing through the farmland, we saw the fence surrounding the town. Although Londinium, located in the center of the island, was built as an imperial fortress city, the town in front of us was very ordinary.
But the atmosphere in the town is definitely different from before.
Everyone impatiently headed to the outskirts of town where the knights' practice grounds were located.
The children rushed out noisily,
The adults' eyes were sparkling with excessive expectations, and although they held their breath to prevent being too disappointed when their expectations were betrayed, they also walked quickly towards that place.
"It's Merlin!"
"Merlin is here!"
"Today, the successor to the king will finally be chosen from among the knights!"
Hearing the discussions and cheers around her, Artoria roughly understood why this ceremony was so grand.
Fifteen years ago, the late King Uther was defeated by the humble King Vtigen.
When he was dying, he arranged his affairs after his death under the advice of the great wizard Merlin.
One is her, who has the bloodline of a red dragon and was conceived and born on this island through [conceptual conception], the [Son of the Red Dragon].
The other is the [King Selection Ceremony].
Before his death, King Uther inserted a holy sword called the [Golden Sword of Victory] into a rock.
The rock is called the Stone of Destiny. Legend has it that it can see through the fate of all things, select heroes with the qualities of a king, and lead the Celtics to eternal glory.
Therefore, a unique restriction was imposed on the holy sword inserted into the Stone of Destiny.
"Whoever can pull this sword from the stone platform will be the destined king of Britain!"
That's what his teacher Merlin told her.
This is also a well-known prediction of the Celtic's fate.
They firmly believe that the successor of destiny, the incarnation of the red dragon, will draw out the holy sword and lead countless heroic knights to repel the evil white dragon.
So, is this why the teacher and brother came to town?
"Isn't this the old knight's? Don't just stand there in a daze. Even an apprentice knight is still a knight. Maybe you have a chance too!"
Several young people recognized her and came up to talk to her.
Altria nodded perfunctorily.
Outside, she presented herself as a teenager.
No, she has been raised as a "man" since she was born.
She thought so too.
She usually wears men's clothes, has her hair tied back, and behaves like a boy. She is an orphan adopted by the old knight Hector, and is still an apprentice knight who has not passed the assessment.
But because of her beauty, she was quite popular among the girls in town.
Teacher Merlin was quite dissatisfied with this, saying that she had stolen the limelight and caused many beautiful young ladies in the town to fall in love with other men, so he often asked her to change into women's clothes in private.
Altria looked down at her palms and chest.
Before the age of fifteen, even if she had a slender body, she could still pass herself off as a man, but after that, she couldn't hide it. Although she was an apprentice knight now, she would have to officially become a knight and go to the battlefield sooner or later.
Altria pursed her lips, and roughly understood the intention of her adoptive father Hector to ask her to deliver the weapons.
"Please make way. I need to deliver something to Sir Kay."
"What is that, a gun? Weapons aren't necessary for festivals, right?"
"Lord Merlin said it when he came just now. If someone can pull the sword out from the rock in front, it will be fine!"
"Whoever pulls out that sword will be the King of Britain!"
This is what the great sage Merlin said.
The sword pierced into the rock is the holy sword that brings victory, and is the proof of the kingship more certain than blood.
Bloodline means nothing in the face of gods and fate.
Only those who possess power, those who can save Britain, will be recognized by the sword.
"I see, the name is Caliburn, right?"
"Oh, yes. Thanks to this, we were so noisy early in the morning."
“There’s never been so many people in this town.”
"I suspect all the famous knights in Britain are here!"
No wonder it is so lively and has become a festival of gathering.
Knights who are eager to revive Britain and take the throne are gradually gathering in this town.
Her sworn brother Kai was also the son of Ector, who was famous far and wide in the past. He had every right to challenge the Sword of the Chosen.
Altria looked ahead and saw countless knights in front of the Sword of Selection.
People gathered around the Sword of the Chosen, watching in fascination, watching the knights put their hands on the hilts with serious expressions, and then leave dejectedly.
There were knights who challenged several times without giving up; there were knights who kept shouting "something must have gone wrong"; there were also knights who seemed to be able to lift the entire rock and were proud of their strength...
However, no one could draw the sword.
Altria also couldn't find her teacher among the crowd.
The feeling of loss spread not only to the knights, but also to the people.
Is there no knight in this country who has the qualities of a king?
Is there no future for Britain?
By the way, is the prophecy of the great sage Merlin true?
The knights, sensing the crowd's uneasiness, began to discuss.
Anyway, there are so many knights gathered here. There are many ways to choose a king.
Simply testing the strength of a knight, the best one will succeed the late King Uther and be made the Knight King.
The knights ignored the fact that their swords were not chosen and started to choose in a way that was advantageous to them. First, they fought on horseback. If they were true knights with honor, it would be natural for them to ride on horses and wield spears and engage in a surprise duel.
Altria looked around and finally found her brother who was standing beside her without a gun and with an unhappy look on his face.
She quietly approached, handed the weapon to her brother in the most inconspicuous way possible, and asked the question in a low voice:
"Brother, are you just going to leave the Sword of Selection alone?"
"There's nothing to worry about. Since no one can pull it out, it's just a nuisance. Next up is the knights' elimination game. This is something we decided together."
Kai turned his head and looked at Altria, his eyes flashed, and he instructed,
"Okay, go back now. Only officially canonized knights are eligible to participate in the next elimination round. You, an apprentice knight, have no chance to participate."
"But are we really going to leave the ceremony alone?"
"We don't have time to dream with Merlin and Uther. It is more humane to judge by how many subordinates, money, and power we have now than by the invisible proof of the king. There is no need for a strong commander. If our interests are aligned, it will be easier to cooperate and it will be simpler to plan anything. Most importantly, compared to the illusory fate and prophecy, I believe in my own hands more. The "agent of God who saves everything" sounds like a chore. To put it bluntly, isn't this just a puppet being pulled by the strings of fate? What is there to fight for? I wouldn't accept it even if it was given to me!"
"Brother, do you really think so?"
"Of course. Go back to the manor. Dad needs someone to take care of him, and the horses haven't been fed today. Listen carefully, this is your first and last chance. Don't worry about these things, just go home obediently."
Kai ordered again and again, with a rare sternness in his tone.
However, the knockout rounds had already begun, so he had to follow the knights and report to the competition venue.
The surroundings became quiet.
It was so lively just now, but now there is no one here.
The knights and the people left.
No one approached the rock with the holy sword stuck in it. It was doubtful how many people believed in the prophecy. The sword was left there as if it had never changed from the beginning.
Human pursuit and abandonment are so fickle.
But Altria ignored all this and walked forward against the flow of people.
The breeze blew away the green grass, revealing the quaintly shaped [Stone of Destiny].
The prophecy of the fate of drawing the sword to become the king was engraved under the stone platform, and a three-foot-long sword with a molten gold sheen was inserted into the central groove. The sword body was made of red gold forged by secret methods, with veins winding like blood vessels and silver light like star fragments. In the center of the sword spine was engraved a line of ancient inscriptions "Caliburn"
——The golden sword of victory.
——It represents the kingly power of domination, calls for victory on the battlefield, and brings a miracle of hope to this broken world.
"...No one wants to be a puppet of fate..."
She did not feel aversion to her brother's words.
Because she understood that it was another kind of protection, hoping that she would reject the shackles called "mission".
But she had been born for this day, for pulling out the King's Sword.
To this end, she began to practice sword, learn about state affairs, and master all the knowledge of being a king since she was old enough to understand.
In fact,
She still doesn't know what her real parents look like, and she lacks emotional resonance with these two blood relatives.
And become the so-called [Eternal King] and establish supreme achievements.
She was also unable to empathize with things like her deceased father's regret or wishes.
What has constantly inspired her during these fifteen years is the ordinary days with her adoptive father Hector and brother Kai, as well as the teacher's daily guidance and care for her.
The motivation for her to come here was very insignificant and natural - it was not the desire to dominate as a human, nor the sense of obligation of a commander, nor the intoxication of faith.
Just like when you come to a fork in the road, you have to turn;
After childhood, one must move toward adulthood;
After completing the course, students must pass the final examination.
Everything is just a process she has to go through.
Altria quietly placed her hand on the hilt of the sword.
The voices of brave cavalrymen were heard in the distance.
The noise of the knights was far away, and there was no one around the rock.
The hilt fits the hand surprisingly well.
Something that had been difficult to handle until now, churning in my body and seemed to be bursting from the inside, was sucked into the sword, and my body felt lighter and lighter.
Next, she just needed to retract her hand and the sword would be pulled out. She was so sure that she was about to take a breath.
"It's better to think carefully before you officially pick up that thing."
When she came to her senses, the great sage that everyone had been looking for for a long time was standing behind her.
"What do you want me to think, Sensei?"
Altria asked over her shoulder, her face as calm as ever.
There was a hint of disappointment in Luo En's eyes, but he still spoke:
"I asked you two questions before. What do [Chivalry] and [Kingly Way] mean to you?"
"——【Responsibility】and【Mission】?"
Altria answered with a frown on her face, she thought for a long time.
Empty and meaningless.
Is it still not working?
Lorne sighed:
"Put it down, Altria."
"But……"
"You are not ready. Now is not the time to draw that sword."
Altria stood in front of the rock without moving. She felt a little unwilling and aggrieved.
It was obvious that he could pull the sword out with just a little effort.
Why is the teacher still not satisfied?
"I'm bored of staying here, are you interested in going out for a walk with me?"
Altria's body tilted slightly, but soon stopped.
"If we don't live in the manor, I'll be the only one cooking on the road..."
A gust of wind blew, and the figure in front of the stone platform rushed to Loen's side at an astonishing speed.
Although she was trying to suppress her obvious swallowing movements, her face was full of anticipation:
"What's for lunch?"
"Lamb chops with some game and mushroom soup?"
"Can you prepare some more rice?"
"How much do you want to eat?"
"Three, not four barrels!"
"Okay, this meal is enough for you."
While planning today's menu, the master and disciple walked side by side out of the town, leaving the chosen sword alone standing in the breeze.
(End of this chapter)
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