"Father, what are you looking at?"
As Samael paused before the stone pedestal, lost in thought, Barghest, who had followed behind him, asked earnestly.
Perhaps because of her personality, Barghest was far too serious to play with the rowdy children who chased butterflies, caught beetles, and stepped on ants.
So, the girl habitually chose to follow the strong, becoming a little tail hanging behind Samael. She was deeply curious about everything he did.
The ancient serpent turned and stroked Barghest's head, answering with a soft chuckle.
"This is the stone pedestal that once sealed the Sword in the Stone. Legend says that whoever pulled this sword free would become King of Britain."
"What a shame someone got to it first. Otherwise, I'd have liked to test my own strength."
Barghest gazed at the sword mark left on the pedestal, looking rather regretful.
"Haha, special magic is attached to it. If you are not the one destined by prophecy, you cannot pull out this sword through strength alone."
Samael patted Barghest's shoulder at her words and corrected her with a smile.
Then, he leisurely told the tale of the Sword in the Stone, the model for all knightly legends. The little ones nearby gathered around Samael, listening eagerly to the story.
Even Merlutsyn, who had been sitting alone beneath the distant sun, looking aloof and unsociable, had somehow taken a seat at the back of the group.
The bedtime stories told by their caretaker were immensely popular with the children.
But ever since he had filled in and suppressed the calamity, he had grown lazier and lazier.
The ideal Eternal King... the Sacred Round Table Domain... the pure white kingdom of a thousand years...
Having listened to the tale with lingering fascination, Barghest felt her blood surge whenever those words connected