Artoria's Birth

"Three days after you repelled the Orcs, which is to say one day after the King awoke, Princess Morgan le Fay Pendragon went missing."

"Missing?" Anno sat back up, his brows furrowed tightly.

He had an impression of Morgan le Fay; that little girl who had been reduced to tears by his presence was actually quite cute.

Suddenly remembering something, he asked, "Did she go missing after the King announced his new queen?"

Merlin nodded.

Huh?

Shaking his head, Anno asked again, "Apart from that, has the King taken any other actions?"

"The King is purging dissenters. I cannot participate due to my origins, and as for you, it is because of your association with me."

"However, once your wounds have healed, we shall return to Camelot together."

"Fine." Anno laughed heartily.

Meanwhile, at the Holy Lake.

The Lady of the Lake was bored, yawning at the bottom of the water, when she suddenly heard the cry of an infant.

She poked her head above the surface and spotted the figure of a woman hurrying away amidst sobs, leaving a wailing baby by the shore.

The Lady of the Lake waited in surprise for a while, but when the woman who abandoned the infant did not return and the baby's cries grew faint, the compassionate fairy finally approached the shore and picked up the child, whose throat was already hoarse from crying.

Gently stroking the infant's face, she saw the baby was exquisitely beautiful, with a short, lovely head of purple hair.

Under the fairy's caress, the baby smiled happily, letting out a gurgling sound.

The fairy joyfully cradled the infant in her arms.

"Lancelot, you shall be called Lancelot, a child adopted by the lake!" The fairy smiled with a delight that had nothing to do with her usual grace.

Time flew by, and the moment arrived for Lady Igraine, Queen of Britain, to give birth.

During this period, Princess Morgan le Fay had been found, but she had become silent and withdrawn.

News of Lady Igraine's labor was known to few; only Anno, Merlin, several other elders, and Sir Ector, who was already preparing to care for the next king, were aware.

Merlin and Anno were currently in the Camelot royal court, preparing to escort the next King of Britain to the home of Sir Ector.

During this time, Anno had been leading the knights in small-scale battles to clear security threats from the borders of Britain. His aura of slaughter had grown increasingly intense, his features had become more rugged, and he himself had become a man of few words.

Merlin, however, remained unchanged, still wearing a smile and his white robes.

King Uther had once intended to marry Princess Morgan le Fay to Anno, hoping to bind this powerful knight through marriage, but Anno had refused.

The reason for the refusal was the princess's age; Anno was already twenty, while Morgan le Fay was just over nine.

King Uther walked out of the room, and Anno and Merlin bowed in succession.

"My King."

"Mm. Rise, Mr. Merlin, Sir Anno." King Uther's pale, gaunt face trembled slightly.

In his arms, he held a naked little infant.

"This is the born King of Britain," King Uther said in a deep voice.

It was a baby girl, her pale downy hair making it impossible to discern her true color, and her skin was still wrinkled from birth.

Looking at the infant, Merlin and Anno each had their own thoughts.

Merlin: So this is Lia.

Anno: What was I going to say again?

King Uther ignored their gazes: "Now, go. Take my child to the place where she belongs."