"It really worked! Merlin, for once, you actually came through."
The boy exclaimed over the miracle in his hands, offering his teacher a compliment that hardly sounded like one.
"Hahaha, naturally."
Merlin laughed it off, concealing the turmoil within him.
In truth, he had not known whether it would succeed either. After all, this was his first encounter with what could, in a sense, be called a "Star-Made Armament."
Fortunately, it had worked. Otherwise, he would have had to shamelessly beg his teacher, who lived in seclusion, for a Fairy Demon Sword. An ordinary human-forged sword certainly could not withstand this boy's abuse.
"Sovell, would you like to give this holy sword a name? You did construct its core yourself, after all."
"Hmm..."
At Merlin's suggestion, the boy pondered for a moment before replying:
"I'll keep calling the sword Rhongomyniad. No matter how the Holy Lance's outer shell changes, its core is still the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad.
As for the sheath... I'll call it Invisible Air, 'Storm Sheaths.' The power in that blow that sent me flying was just like a strike from a true king of storms."
"Invisible Air... a fine name."
As he spoke, Merlin took out a white robe and handed it to Sovell.
"Here, take this."
The boy accepted the robe.
"What's this?"
"The White Robe my teacher left me. She said it was for her student's student.
When a student receives this robe, it means his mastery of magecraft is sufficient for him to graduate.
Do you have that confidence, Sovell?"
Looking at the white-robed Magus of Flowers before him, whose expression had never been so solemn, the boy's gaze froze for a moment.
Eight years of teaching, eight years of companionship. It would have been impossible for Sovell to feel nothing for Merlin.
In Sovell's eyes, Merlin had long since become not just his teacher, but someone like an older brother.
Sovell drew a deep breath, stepped forward, and said:
"I do!"
Hearing the boy's answer, Merlin smiled and handed him the White Robe.
Then Merlin waved his staff, and petals began to drift down around Sovell.
"I'll reverse the Magic Circuits the fairies used to move Avalon here and teleport you out. That will ensure you return to the Island of Britain."
"But there's no guarantee where in Britain I'll land, right? (¬▂¬)"
Sovell supplied the second half Merlin had left unsaid.
"Ahem.
All right, enough chatter. You have three days. Lia will draw the sword on the second day of the Selection of the King Ceremony.
Even in the worst case, if you can't cross a single Island of Britain in three days, your magical attribute will weep bitter tears~
Now for one final friendly reminder from your big brother Merlin:
Beware of Lia's sister,
Morgan le Fay."
The instant Merlin finished speaking, before Sovell could reply, light flashed before his eyes. He felt as though a powerful torrent had engulfed him and was sweeping him upward.
"Urgent news from the south! Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Queen, Prince Gawain! The magical beasts in the forest south of the royal capital are running wild again! They're massing and advancing on the southern gate!
Sir Andrew has already begun organizing the soldiers for battle!"
In Orkney's royal court, a messenger rushed inside faster than he had ever run in his life.
He loudly reported the emergency at the front to the two figures on the thrones and the light-brown-haired boy beside them.
At the messenger's words, the ministers in the court erupted into a noisy uproar, all talking over one another.
"Silence! There will be no clamoring before the throne!"
Thud! Thud!
The boy struck the floor twice with the silver greatsword in his hand. The noisy hall soon fell silent.
Then the boy addressed the man on the throne beside him:
"Father, I, Gawain, request permission to fight!
Please let me drive off those magical beasts with the knights."
The king did not answer Gawain's request. Instead, he turned to the beautiful woman seated beside him.
"Morgan, what do you think?"
"Your Majesty, let Gawain go. Didn't this child receive this 'Carnwennan' (Galatine) from 'me (Vivian)' a few days ago? This is the perfect opportunity to test the holy sword's might.
I trust Gawain's strength. He will be fine."
The woman named Morgan supported Gawain's request. Had Sovell been there, he would surely have been dumbfounded. Queen Morgan looked remarkably like Artoria!
Or rather, her appearance was that of Artoria grown to adulthood.
King Lot pondered for a moment before answering:
"Very well, since your mother says so.
Go, my child. You have permission to command every soldier in the city except the garrison. Drive off the magical beasts!"
"Yes, Father!"
With that, Gawain carried his silver greatsword out of the hall.
Ten minutes later, Gawain rode a dark-brown fairy horse out through the city gate, leading a company of knights. The infantry formation holding back the magical beasts ahead opened several gaps to let the cavalry pass.
"Let's go together, Gringolet. Hyah!"
Gringolet was the name of the fairy horse Gawain rode. These so-called fairy horses were actually hybrids of ordinary horses and phantasmal species, such as pegasi or hippogriffs.
With the bodily structure of an ordinary horse and the physical prowess of a phantasmal species, their speed naturally surpassed that of ordinary horses by an immeasurable margin.
Gawain charged ahead of the others, galloping toward the magical beasts in front of the infantry line. He drew on the magic of the artificial sun within Carnwennan's hilt, and solar flames rose from the holy sword.
Gawain swung the holy sword, unleashing flames that towered into the sky and instantly burned every magical beast within fifty meters ahead of him to ashes.
Battle cries shook the battlefield. The fighting between the soldiers and magical beasts had continued from morning until now.
Throughout it all, Gawain had charged at the very front. Swinging his sword while riding Gringolet proved awkward, so he had even begun fighting on foot at noon.
As a young child, Gawain had been baptized by a saint who had once performed a miracle.
That saint had also been named "Gawain." He had given the boy his own name and bestowed a blessing upon him:
For the three hours from nine in the morning until noon, and the three hours from three in the afternoon until sunset, Gawain's strength would increase to three times its usual level!
That was why Gawain had fought amid the beasts for nearly half a day without exhausting himself.
But evening had already arrived, and Gawain's blessing would soon expire. He swung Carnwennan with all his might, trying to slay as many magical beasts as possible before the blessing faded.
Under the advancing infantry formation and the solar flames of Gawain's holy sword, the magical beasts gradually began to retreat.
Gawain and the soldiers secretly rejoiced. Everyone except Gawain was already utterly exhausted. The sun sank steadily in the west, and the saint's blessing was fading.
Panting heavily, Gawain cut off the head of the demonic boar before him with a single slash. Blood sprayed from its severed neck.
Gawain kicked the headless carcass aside and continued charging toward the magical beasts ahead as they fought their retreat.
Everyone was already imagining the wine and meat at the victory feast, and the wives and children waiting at home. Smiles appeared on their faces.
Just then, something unexpected happened!
"ROOOAR!!!"
Before you continue