Departure, Non-Human Realm

"Mr. Anno, Lancelot, and... Master Merlin?" Artoria, who was grazing horses in a meadow, looked at the three men riding toward her in surprise.

Her surprise stemmed from the short interval since Anno's last visit; less than two months had passed between the two trips.

Furthermore, he had brought Merlin along this time.

A terrifying conjecture inevitably took root in her heart.

"Lia," Lancelot greeted her in a friendly manner.

Merlin stood to the side, smiling without a word, while Anno looked at the young girl with a complex expression.

More than anything, it was pity.

Artoria had never experienced the things a girl of her age should; she had been raised as a boy since childhood, and now, not yet fifteen, she was on the verge of becoming the king of a nation.

Anno had indeed considered preventing this girl, who had barely reached the age of maturity, from becoming king and taking the throne himself, but every time he saw King Uther's aged face, and every time he recalled Artoria's solemn vow to protect this country, his already weak ambition would quietly extinguish.

It was just hard on this child.

Anno reached out, wanting to pat Lia on the head, but his hand stopped in mid-air before finally dropping to his side.

She would be his king; even if she wasn't yet, it was better to break such overstepping habits early.

"Lia, we have come this time... to tell you some news." Anno's voice was low.

Artoria swallowed hard, her hand gripping the reins trembling slightly.

Lancelot turned his head away in distress. In the years he had lived in Camelot, he had met King Uther many times. This elder, stern on the surface but kind in private, had given him much guidance in knighthood, and his passing was deeply painful for Lancelot as well.

Merlin sighed softly, saying nothing.

"Your biological father, the Knight King of Britain, Uther Pendragon, has passed away." After Anno finished speaking, he fell into silence.

Artoria was struck as if by lightning, frozen in place.

The wind blew across the meadow, rustling the grass.

"How could this be?" Despite having only met her father a few times, Artoria still held some affection for him.

"We came this time to take you away and make the final preparations for your coronation," Merlin said from the side.

"Let's go to Sir Ector's home first," Anno said, shaking his head and patting Merlin on the shoulder.

A moment later.

"That is the situation, so we must leave with Artoria now," Anno said to Sir Ector.

"The King... the King..." Sir Ector wept, overcome with immense grief.

He had been by the King's side since he was young; he was the most loyal person to King Uther in all of Britain, and the one with the deepest bond to him.

"Uncle Anno, I want to go with you too!" Kay did not have a profound connection to the passing of King Uther; he only wanted to protect his foster sister.

"If your father agrees, you may," Anno nodded.

"We will take Lia to the Non-Human Realm to train for a year, then return to Camelot to draw the King's sword," Anno continued.

It took a long while for Sir Ector to compose his emotions. "Go, Kay. Go, Lia, the future King of Britain." As he spoke, he waved them away.

Artoria was still immersed in her grief and did not hear Sir Ector's words at all.

Anno stood up and bowed to Sir Ector. "I will bring back a mature and reliable king for Britain."

Due to health reasons, there is only one chapter today.