Early the next morning, Saira came back from shopping for breakfast with a strange look on his face.
"What's wrong?" Lin Ze took the hot cake from her and took a bite.
"There are rumors all over the city that someone broke into the palace last night and kidnapped the Witch King."
"The news came so quickly?"
"Yes, and everyone is saying that the person who kidnapped the Witch King is named Merlin." Sela looked at Lin Ze strangely. Although she didn't know who Merlin was, she did know Lin Ze's name.
Lin Ze stopped chewing the cake for a moment.
Sirius raised his head from the table, was stunned for a moment, and then laughed.
"Merlin? Who spread this?"
"The news from the palace." Saira sat down and poured himself a bowl of water.
"He said it was the guard who was knocked unconscious by you last night. He said he heard the Witch King call that name with his own ears."
"..."
Lin Ze remembered.
When he pulled Sirius away last night, Sirius actually shouted.
Merlin is above, God knows what Sirius is shouting is Magic God Merlin...
Sirius patted his head and turned to look at Lin Ze: "How about... you just recognize the name Merlin?"
Arthur came over with a bowl in hand. "What do you mean?"
Sirius put down the bowl and tapped his finger on the table. "Think about it, now there is a buzz in the capital that Merlin has rescued the Witch King. The king must also be looking for who this 'Merlin' is. Now go out and shout, I am Merlin! Won't the legendary mage that future generations of wizards have admired for thousands of years become yours?"
Lin Ze looked at Sirius speechlessly. "..."
He couldn't help but think: The name Merlin has never been heard of in this era. Maybe it was really because of his appearance that the time loop was closed and Merlin came to the world?
Sirius pursed his lips in the direction of Arthur: "It just so happens that our future king also needs the assistance of Archmage Merlin."
Arthur blinked at the side. Although he didn't understand, what these two people said seemed to be very powerful.
Lin Ze swallowed the cake and patted the residue on his hands.
"Merlin, just Merlin."
Sirius grinned, reached out and patted his shoulder twice. "Well done, from now on you will be a great mage who will go down in history. As long as you are rich and noble, don't forget us."
Lin Ze pushed his hand away and turned to look at Arthur.
Arthur was dipping the pancake into the soup at the bottom of the bowl. When he looked up, there was still a drop hanging on the corner of his mouth. "Who is the Merlin you are talking about? Is he very powerful?"
"How should I put it..." Lin Ze thought for a while, "Probably the kind of character in your legends who can make wind and rain, turn stones into gold, and be brothers with the gods."
Arthur The cake in his hand stopped in mid-air. "Isn't that even more powerful than the statues of gods that my uncle enshrined in the temple?"
"Idol? What idol?" Lin Ze asked in surprise, then glanced at Sirius standing aside.
"They seem to be some lesser-known gods. Anyway, I've never heard of them." Sirius shrugged.
Lin Ze frowned. Miracles were frequent in this era, and any clues might lead to the appearance of some unnatural supernatural creatures out of thin air.
"No matter what, since Merlin is already there, aren't we missing a "Sword in the Stone"?" Sirius seemed even more excited than Arthur.
Arthur frowned. "What sword? I don't lack swords..."
"No, no, no... that's a sword. If you get it, you can become a king!"
Arthur still looked confused.
Lin Ze understands.
Sirius grew up in Black's old house. He spent time in Pure-blood families's collection of books. Later, he followed James in Grimmauld Place's old study and read through many collections of legends about Muggle and wizards.
He also knew the story of Sword in the Stone, but he didn't know the specific content.
Looking at Sirius who was eager to try, Lin Ze suddenly felt that it was a bit nonsense that a few of them had become key historical figures.
Arthur drank the soup in the bowl, put it down, and said with a serious expression, "What is the name of the sword you just mentioned...?"
"Sword in the Stone."
Sirius put his legs up on the empty stool next to him and leaned back. The chair was only supported by its two hind legs. "A sword embedded in a stone, whoever can pull it out will be the king of Britain."
Arthur blinked.
Arthur glanced at Lin Ze.
Lin Ze put down the water bowl and shrugged noncommittally.
"Don't look at me, I'm not familiar with this either."
"Then who is the Merlin you are talking about?" Arthur asked.
Sirius spoke before Lin Ze: "To put it simply, he is the kind of person who helps the king conquer the world, gives ideas, and casts spells to help. If you become the king in the future, he will be the most important person around you."
Arthur glanced at Lin Ze again, with something more in his eyes.
"So you really are..."
"It doesn't matter whether it is true or not." Lin Ze interrupted him, "What matters is whether people outside believe it or not."
Saira came over from the stove carrying a plate of pickled vegetables, put it on the table, and pulled a stool to sit down.
"Let me tell you something." She picked up her chopsticks and took a bite of the pickled vegetables. "The things you two have talked about since last night until now sound pretty big, but there is one premise that you seem to have forgotten."
"What?" Sirius looked at her.
"Arthur Now he can't even enter the palace. The king left him outside without even a confidant."
"I mean... even if there is such a sword and Arthur pulled it out, so what? We don't have an army, and we don't..."
"Wrong! Big mistake!" Sirius snapped his fingers.
"We don't need an army. Don't forget, we have the great magician Merlin! What we need now is for public opinion to turn to our side."
Arthur was silent for a long time.
"Actually... I still have a few trustworthy ministers here." He finally spoke.
"There are a few old ministers who were the confidants of the previous king. They all grew up watching me. Although they are now being squeezed out by Constantine, they still hold positions in the royal city."
"Is it reliable?" Lin Ze asked.
Although he felt that it was not difficult for him to take Arthur directly to the palace to force the king to give up the throne, he had to consider the future of Arthur. A king who was like a polished commander would definitely be devoured by the secrets left by the previous king after the strongest force around him left.
What Arthur needs now is a close confidant, a group of fans who have entered the palace together and have the same interests.
"It should be no problem." Arthur nodded.
"Okay, then let's start preparations in two groups. The Witch King and I will prepare for Sword in the Stone. You two, Sela and Arthur, will be responsible for contacting the old ministers and finding ways to guide public opinion."