Setting Out to War Again

Once the war council had concluded, the war machine Leon had built for Britain began to rumble into action.

Leon returned to his bedchamber and found Morgan, spending the last quiet moments with her before setting out.

"The war will be over before our daughter is born. Don't worry; I'll be back in time." Leon stroked Morgan's swollen belly and promised her.

Over the past six months, Morgan's belly had grown larger and larger. Once the child in her womb had taken shape, she used Magecraft to examine it and discovered she was carrying a girl. She told Leon.

When Leon learned his child was a girl, he wasn't particularly disappointed.

A girl was a girl. Who said girls couldn't achieve great things? His daughter would surely become the world's second ruler!

Seeing Leon's reaction, Morgan couldn't help but breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

In truth, she'd known the child's sex since the fertilized egg stage. She had only kept it secret because she worried Leon might resent having a daughter.

She'd eventually given in to Leon's relentless questions and told him when she could no longer keep it hidden.

Why hadn't she simply used a boy's embryo from the start?

Heh.

Morgan hadn't expected Leon's genetic material to be so difficult to work with. Despite all her efforts, she'd managed to produce only three viable results, and the one she was happiest with was the girl in her womb.

To be clear, by "happiest," she meant that she could be sure the child would be born looking like a normal human.

As for the other two, Morgan suspected that even if they could be born, they'd barely be humanoid.

Morgan wasn't especially worried about her husband's safety on this expedition. With the gods having fled, there were only a handful of beings in the world capable of harming him.

As far as Morgan knew, the only one on the island of Ireland who could trade a few blows with Leon was that old woman.

"Ah, Leon, if you run into a purple-haired old woman who uses a spear, be careful. She's dangerous and likes fighting strong opponents."

"Mm-hmm." Leon didn't seem to take it seriously. He just kept his head lowered.

Morgan remembered her two sons and added, "And make sure you take Gawain and Agravain with you. They're still young, but they should be able to help."

"Mm-hmm." Leon managed only two muffled replies.

"Take care of yourself. Don't get hurt, and keep an eye on Gawain and Agravain, too. After all, they once called you their father."

"Mm-hmm."

"Ah, that's enough! You've had your fill!"

Morgan shoved her husband away.

Honestly, she did feel a little engorged, but she hadn't meant for him to nurse for quite so long.

What a beast. He was even stealing food meant for their unborn child. Would the baby go hungry after it was born? Was he really not worried about starving the child?

"Heh heh."

Once the four thousand-man units had assembled outside Camelot, Leon bade farewell to his father, Morgan, and the daughter in her womb.

With his wife's blessing, Leon climbed into his war chariot and left the palace. Escorted by his personal guards, he made his way out of the city in a grand procession to join the army.

The roadsides were packed with Camelot's residents. Ever since they'd heard that the Lion King was setting out that day, they'd waited by the road to witness Leon's imposing departure with their own eyes.

They knew how cruel Leon could be, but they still believed he would win.

His elder brother Joe led the personal guards ahead of him, clearing the way. Gawain and Agravain were still too young to fight, so Leon had kept them at his side, where they could serve him.

At that moment, they were riding behind Leon in the same carriage.

The brothers exchanged glances, each seeing the same helplessness in the other's eyes.

Ever since they'd accepted this adoptive father, he'd deliberately separated them. Agravain was serious and diligent, so he'd been sent to handle paperwork with Luther, the King's father. Gawain was sturdy and brave, so he'd been assigned to Kay, training every day alongside the soldiers and learning the skills of battlefield combat.

Over the past six months, their adoptive father Leon had been decent enough. He'd checked in on their lives and studies from time to time.

But ever since their mother became pregnant, it was as though the two brothers didn't exist. She neither asked after them nor showed any concern, acting as if she'd forgotten them entirely. They could only visit her in the palace when Leon gave them permission.

This was...

Wonderful!

They might be Morgan's sons, but they hated the witch who was their mother.

It wasn't that they didn't understand filial duty or couldn't tell right from wrong. Their mother Morgan had never treated them as sons. She'd treated them as tools to help her rule Britain.

If a mother didn't treat her sons as sons, how could they treat her as a mother?

If they could have chosen, they wouldn't have wanted to come into the world bearing Morgan's name as her sons.

Fortunately, they'd met the Lion King. Though, like their previous father, he'd been bewitched by their mother's beauty, he hadn't completely lost his reason.

In fact, he could even keep their mother in check.

Even setting aside the Lion King's achievements, they admired him for that alone.

The only unfortunate thing was that the Lion King worried too much about them and, out of misplaced kindness, had let them visit their mother in the palace.

Couldn't he see that they didn't like their mother?

Keeping away from her was what was best for them. They even felt that the six months without her had been the happiest time of their lives.

Unfortunately, as her sons, they couldn't say that out loud.

They did feel sorry for their unborn little sister, though. She'd ended up with a witch for a mother...

Leon, seated at the front of the carriage, had no idea what his two eldest sons were really thinking. Even if he had, he probably wouldn't have cared.

His eyes were fixed on Merlin riding alongside him—and on the horse beneath Merlin.

His face was full of envy.

"Merlin, you can ride a horse?"

Leon's question was so absurd that Merlin didn't know how to answer.

Fortunately, Leon didn't wait for a reply. He asked again, "Merlin, do you know where I can find a really big horse? One I could ride into battle?"

Merlin understood. So Leon wanted to ride a horse.

Given Leon's height of more than three meters, finding a suitable warhorse really wouldn't be easy.

The island's draft horses were large, but not large enough for Leon to ride. They weren't suited for combat, either—only for plowing fields.

And with Leon's brute strength, Merlin worried that he might crush his mount to death just by squeezing with his legs.

After considering it from every angle, Merlin shook his head.

Leon wasn't ready to give up. "What about Phantasmal Beasts? Divine beasts and magical beasts are fine, too. Unicorns, flying horses, Hippogriffs, White Dragon horses, griffins—if I can ride it, I'll take it."

"...Your Majesty, do you want to hear yourself right now?"

That was quite a dream. Every one of those Phantasmal Beasts was precious and rare. How could Leon expect to get one so easily?

And even if he did find one, most Phantasmal Beasts were highly intelligent. Why would they so readily accept a master?

"Report!"

Just then, a knight rode up from the front, interrupting their conversation.

The knight addressed Leon. "Your Majesty, the commander reports that a knight named Lancelot is waiting ahead and wishes to follow you. He's sent me to ask what you would have us do."

Lancelot?

Leon raised his arm, and the entire convoy immediately came to a halt. The movement was smooth and orderly, without a hint of confusion.

It seemed Lancelot wanted to follow him and make a name for himself.

"Bring him here."

"Yes, sir."

Before long, Lancelot rode up on a fine steed. The moment he saw Leon, he dropped to one knee.

"I am the knight Lancelot. I wish to follow Your Highness and become my King's blade. My life and death will be at the King's command."

Looking at the Knight of the Lake, who had finally come over to his side, Leon nodded in satisfaction.

Lancelot's skill with arms was beyond anything Leon had ever seen. He was honest, sincere with others, and noble in character—in short, the ideal knight.

Leon had spent half a year wearing him down, using the same approach Cao Cao had taken with Guan Yu: banquets every three days, rewards every two. Bit by bit, he'd opened Lancelot's heart and won him over.

Leon took two strides down from the carriage and hurried over to help the Purple Knight to his feet.

"Haha! With you at my side today, there's no land I cannot conquer!"

Then he invited Lancelot up into the carriage with him, a clear show of favor.

Overwhelmed by the honor, Lancelot replied firmly, "I am ready to give my life for my King."