Returning Home in Glory

Or rather, what would Teacher do if my plan exceeded her abilities?"

As he said this, he looked at Scathach with an expression that was half-joking and half-serious—

Unlike Merlin, Morgan le Fay, and Vivian.

In Arthur's plan, Scathach was crucial and irreplaceable.

Her understanding and control over "Fate" ran the deepest. If he wanted to "Usurp Fate," he could not do without her help.

By comparison, Morgan le Fay, Merlin, and Vivian could be replaced or even absent.

That was why Arthur acted more cautiously when dealing with Scathach.

As for Scathach saying that she had "already obtained what she wanted," he analyzed and pondered it seriously. In the end, he reached one conclusion.

What she wanted was the sense of pleasure that came from teaching and nurturing others.

After all, she was a legendary teacher.

How did that saying go again? "To educate the finest talents under heaven is one of life's three great joys." In other words, as long as she could teach an outstanding bishonen like Arthur, a girl like Old Woman would be grinning from ear to ear.

As a renowned educator from the Age of Gods, although she was not as outstanding or famous as Chiron—she surely regarded "teaching gifted children" as one of life's pleasures.

Not to mention a boy like him, who was not merely exceptionally gifted, but exceptionally gifted beyond that.

That much, Arthur could be certain of.

As for the other things she "wanted," Arthur could only guess.

What did Scathach want to obtain from him?

Or rather, what had Scathach already obtained from him?

Emotion?

Happiness?

The feeling of battle?

Or something else?

It could not be love, could it?

Even someone as intelligent as Arthur had no way of knowing, because there were simply too few clues.

So he needed more probing, a deeper understanding of Scathach's heart. He needed to excavate, obtain, and even control the secrets, emotions, and heart of this unparalleled, one-of-a-kind woman.

The best outcome would be to win Scathach over completely and make her as obedient to him as Little Mo was.

A lesser outcome would be to at least form a sufficiently strong and intimate bond.

Companions? Lovers? Such relationships were probably not secure enough for Celts.

What Artorius wanted was to become her "supreme" and "only one." It did not matter what kind of relationship it was—siblings, mother and son, teacher and student, lovers—as long as it was positive.

After all, Arthur intended to accomplish great things. He had to ensure that his plan was foolproof.

Restraining the other party through emotion was also one possible method.

Though for now, it did not seem to be going very smoothly.

As he thought about this, he spoke words of probing, then watched Scathach and waited for her answer.

"The more you wish to obtain, the more prepared you must be to give."

Scathach did not answer his question directly. Instead, she asked him this:

"I am always ready to throw myself into a war, even if it costs me my life... but what about you, Artorius?"

"..."

"I can see that you do not possess that resolve."

When Arthur fell silent, Scathach answered for him.

"We will meet again."

After Scathach said those words, everything before Arthur gradually became blurry. Then, in the next second, his consciousness cleared. When he came back to his senses, he was lying inside a tent.

"Seven days. Neither long nor short."

Thinking this, Arthur turned to look at Little Mo. She was even more dazed than he was, as though she had not fully awakened from the dream.

"Little Mo, snap out of it."

"Big Brother... oh."

After staring at Arthur foolishly for a while, Mordred finally came back to her senses. "Shadow Country, Scathach, training..."

As soon as she remembered, Mordred sprang to her feet, dressed at the fastest speed possible, and ran outside.

"Little Mo?"

"I'm going to test it out!"

Once Arthur had also dressed and stepped out of the tent, he understood exactly what Mordred meant by her experiment.

It was Spear Techniques.

Mordred had casually taken a spear from the camp and wielded it with ease, using moves and techniques freely and fluidly. They were clearly simple techniques with few variations, yet they gave off a powerful, terrifying, even unstoppable feeling.

"So it really wasn't a dream! It was all real! My Spear Techniques really improved!"

Filled with simple joy over this, she revealed a dazzling smile beneath the morning sun.

This is wonderful. If I become stronger, I can help Big Brother even more.

Thinking that, Mordred felt incredibly happy. She was delighted like a kitten being blissfully petted.

After receiving Arthur's promise that "we will continue going to the Shadow Country in the future to receive Teacher Scathach's training," Mordred once again resolved to study properly and seriously, in order to repay her brother's trust and affection.

That happiness lasted until that afternoon.

Her and Arthur's troops finally returned to their home: Camelot, the Tower of White Chalk, gleaming with a tranquil luster beneath the sunlight.

Author's Note:

Update, update, update!

Also, I've been thinking.

Is it only by offering rewards that I can get more monthly votes and blades?

I'm thinking about whether I should go all out and give it a try...?

Chapter 64: Returning Home in Glory

"We're back..."

At the highest point of White City, inside King Arthur's study, she watched through the window as her beloved son and his cavalry advanced slowly forward.

At Camelot, the ceremonial guard that had been waiting for so long joined up with their master, creating an impressive display for the governor of the German Army.

It felt a little like returning home in glory.

Arthur had spent two years making his way outside. He was someone with material desires and could not remain indifferent to worldly matters, so naturally he had to return home in glory.

The ceremonial guard from the Germanic War Zone was the "Governor's Guard," the most elite force under Artorius.

Their origins were complicated. There were knights from Britannia, heroic veterans from Rome and the Germans, and even steppe nomads from farther east, such as Huns, Alvans, and Alans.

Every warrior who could join the Governor's Guard had been personally selected by Arthur. They had to be skilled riders, formidable fighters, and proficient with spears, swords, bows, and javelins.

After being selected, Artorius personally trained and instructed them, granting them generous salaries, land, the finest weapons, and the best treatment.

This was one of Arthur's strongest forces. Its status was equal to that of the Cadet Corps, which consisted of noble youths and served half as a "study class" and half as hostages.

The latter had less loyalty than the former, but its future potential was somewhat greater.

Because of the limitations of the era, and even more because knowledge and traditions were monopolized, the core of Arthur's future foundation and empire still had to be selected from among the nobility.

This was not something that could be solved overnight.

Every one of Arthur's guards rode a pure white warhorse of equal height. Arthur had specifically gathered these horses, which possessed the bloodline of Phantasmal Beasts. Each one was exceptionally magnificent. Even while wearing heavy Magic Plate Armor, they could fight continuously and run for days without tiring.

The guards themselves also wore expensive Magic Plate Armor. Their weapons, lances, and shields all gleamed with magical light.

Beneath the three banners of the red dragon, Black Eagle, and White Wolf, the guard numbered a full four hundred men.

That number surpassed the Knights of the Round Table.

In terms of top experts, Arthur's Governor's Guard could not compare with the Knights of the Round Table. But in overall quality, these warriors were the strongest of their era.

The Knights of the Round Table, who selected warriors only from the British Isles and could at most add a few Gauls, could not possibly compare with him.

But if I can bring the heroes of the Knights of the Round Table under my control as well, that would be even better.

Riding at the very front, with Mordred, Gareth, and the newly arrived Galahad gathered around him in protection, Arthur could not help thinking this.

Britannia in this era had clearly also received Fate's favor.

Was it the unwillingness of the British Isles, or merely coincidence? This era of Britannia was filled with outstanding heroes. Every one of the top twelve Knights of the Round Table was among the greatest heroes of the age, except Kay. The best among them were outstanding even among Heroic Spirits.

Even the vast Rome could not compare in this regard.

What a pity that Father King has squandered such strength, wasting it on the meaningless search for the Holy Grail.

Percival, Tristan, Lamorak, Gaheris, Bedivere, Lammorok. These knights, whether exceptionally gifted in combat or capable of making extraordinary contributions elsewhere, have all embarked on a fruitless journey because of Father King's stubbornness.

Beyond that, there was something even worse: King Arthur's will was spreading among the Knights of the Round Table who followed Arthur.

Lancelot, who held an important place in Arthur's strategy while stationed on the continent, was using the power of his own kingdom to aid the knights searching for the Holy Grail. That strength and energy should clearly have been used against Rome.

What troubled Arthur even more was... Galahad beside him.

On the road to the Tower of White Chalk, Arthur had one last conversation with his junior.

Unlike Mordred, who supported Arthur wholeheartedly, and unlike Gareth, who considered herself Arthur's knight.

Galahad possessed outstanding ability, potential that even surpassed Lancelot's, and talent that Arthur considered worthy of assisting a king. Yet he too had been deeply influenced by King Arthur.

As Arthur's friend, he believed himself to be King Arthur's knight.

So after they met, he suggested to Arthur, "I intend to leave the Germanic War Zone for the time being and travel across Europe in search of the Holy Grail."

"..."

Artorius neither agreed nor objected. Looking at his junior's serious expression, Arthur knew that persuading him would be difficult.

So he decided to stall for time.

"Don't say that, Galahad." Arthur replied, "Once we finish dealing with things here, we can discuss whether you should stay or leave, all right?"

"..."

Hearing Arthur say that, Galahad hesitated. He wanted to say more, but did not speak. Perhaps he was worried... even afraid. Afraid that Arthur would try to keep him, making it difficult for him to refuse.

As an important member of the German Military District responsible for its daily administrative affairs, his status was equal to that of half a chancellor. He could be considered the foremost figure in the civil administration, nearly equal in status to Mordred, the foremost figure among the military.

For someone in such a position to leave would be like an earthquake in the German Military District. It could not be decided casually.

But...

But if Artorius... if His Highness refuses afterward, can I really leave...?

Galahad doubted it.

He understood deeply what sort of darkness lay beneath the sunlight surrounding his close friend, the lord he would serve in the future—perhaps even now.

The brighter the sunlight, the deeper the shadows.

The purer the white frost, the darker the soil beneath the frost and snow.

That was Artorius: a powerful and unfathomable ruler who could not be judged by such simple terms as "good" or "bad."

"I understand."

After that, Galahad expressed his obedience.

Author's Note: