Artoria felt like she was having a dream.
In the dream, she became a king who went by the name Arthur, burdened with the destiny of saving all of Britain from the clutches of an evil white dragon.
In the dream, she was a person of noble character, immense strength, and deep compassion—a rising star upon whom the entire island had placed its hopes, the one people called the perfect king.
While people hailed her as King Arthur, they also called her 'King of Knights.'
And she had been having this same dream for a month straight.
At first, she was just surprised why she kept having the same dream and felt a sense of unfamiliarity and curiosity towards the "her" in the dream. Gradually, she discovered that the scenes in the dream were remarkably similar to the future her teacher, Merlin, had told her about.
But how is that possible?
Although she was Merlin's disciple, Artoria didn't possess the ability to foresee the future like he did.
Carrying this doubt, the young girl eventually told her teacher, the great magus Merlin, about the dream.
But Merlin gave her a definitive answer.
"Yes, that is your future, Lily."
As if he had been waiting for this moment, the white nightmare answered Artoria's question with a grin. He told the aspiring girl that if she truly wanted to become such a perfect king, one who could command the fealty of all knights, she would have to devote even more time and effort to her training.
Without a doubt, the girl chose to believe Merlin's words.
At only eleven years old, most of her day was spent being indoctrinated by Merlin with the teachings of a king. She had less than three hours of sleep. Yet, in her current view, as long as she could become the perfect king from her dreams, any hardship was acceptable.
So, under Merlin's supervision, the girl abandoned all rest and other activities, focusing all her thoughts on training and honing herself. Her daily life revolved around eating, sword practice, and studying, in a continuous cycle. One day, at the age of twelve, she suddenly asked Merlin if she could practice her swordsmanship by the river behind their domain, but Merlin refused.
And so, time passed.
The life of the girl named Artoria began to unfold just like her dream. On her fifteenth birthday, she bid farewell to Sir Ector with her master Merlin and her foster brother Kay, setting out on a journey of training. During her journey, she gradually gained fame and strength. Whether in life-and-death battles with magical beasts or in combat against the Tyrant King's soldiers, she demonstrated the formidable strength and strategic awareness befitting a king.
Furthermore, the noble character she displayed earned the recognition of the people. From knights and nobles to the common folk, people were won over by this knight named Arthur.
So dazzling was the current Artoria that even the children of the witch Morgan, who should have been her enemies, were moved by her and came to pledge their allegiance.
Thus, Artoria accepted Merlin's suggestion and established the Knights of the Round Table, founded on the principle of equality, inducting the strongest knights, led by the Sun Knight Gawain.
Everything was proceeding just as Merlin had prophesied. She was getting closer and closer to the ideal of the "perfect king."
But for some reason, as time went by, Artoria always felt that something was missing from her life, perhaps a thing, perhaps a person.
The feeling was strange, as if there was an invisible person by her side. Although she couldn't see him, she could detect this person's existence through subtle clues. For example, every time Artoria went near a river, she would have the strange urge to talk to the water. Another time, when she and Kay were fighting a mountain giant, she felt that the person who should have been standing by her side, coordinating with her, was someone else.
The most obvious sign was that the third seat of the Round Table had always been vacant. Logically, Artoria knew this seat should belong to Gawain, but she always subconsciously reserved it, as if her subconscious wanted to leave this position for someone extremely important to her.
And it was at this time that Merlin brought her very important news.
Go to the royal cemetery, pull out the Sword of Selection, and become the perfect king she had yearned for countless times.
This was undoubtedly what Artoria longed for and anticipated the most.
Just as Merlin said, only by pulling out the Sword of Selection could her identity as the child of the Red Dragon be announced, gaining the recognition of those wavering nobles. Only then would she become the true King Arthur, supported by the will of the people.
But when Artoria truly stood before the stone with the Sword of Selection embedded in it, she hesitated.
In a daze, a voice in her heart seemed to be telling her not to pull out the sword. If she did, that person would disappear from her world completely.
Artoria couldn't help but feel a hint of confusion.
Since the day she vowed to become the perfect king under Merlin's witness, Artoria had never felt the word "confusion."
As King Arthur, the Red Dragon of Britain, and the leader of the Round Table, why am I feeling confused at this moment?
And it's because of a mere illusion, because of a person who doesn't even exist?
Is this right?
Just then, Merlin's voice sounded at the right moment.
"Lily, what's wrong? Why haven't you pulled out the sword yet?"
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Merlin's figure appeared beside Artoria with a gust of petals. Before them was a black stone, and embedded in it was the Sword of Selection that Merlin had personally arranged.
"Merlin..."
The girl looked at the nightmare who had appeared beside her, her eyes filled with hesitation.
"I think... I can't pull out this sword..."
"You can't pull out this sword?"
Hearing Artoria's words, Merlin was taken aback for a moment. He subconsciously thought that Artoria was a little timid after seeing so many knights fail to pull the sword before her, so he comforted her.
"It's alright, Lily. This sword was prepared for you. Trust my prophecy, only you in all of Britain can pull out the Sword of Selection."
"But..."
The girl hesitated, wondering whether she should tell Merlin about the doubts in her heart. Just then, the voice in her heart shouted at her again, telling her not to trust Merlin.
Don't trust him? Merlin?
Why?
Just as the confusion and bewilderment in the girl's heart grew more entangled, Merlin suddenly spoke again. But for some reason, this time his tone lacked its usual gentleness and instead carried a sense of urgency.
"Don't hesitate any longer, Lily. So many people are watching. If you delay pulling out the sword, it will affect your kingly authority."
"Besides, if you don't pull out the Sword of Selection, you won't be able to become king. Wouldn't all your efforts be wasted then, Lily?"
Hearing this, Artoria's movements froze. She seemed to realize something and subconsciously looked up at Merlin.
Feeling her direct gaze, Merlin belatedly realized that his words just now had been a bit hasty. He quickly smiled at the girl.
"Sorry, Lily. I seem to have lost my composure."
"Mm, it's alright. I know."
Suddenly, the girl lowered her head again. Then, under Merlin's delighted gaze, she gripped the Sword of Selection.
The next moment, under his expectant gaze, the Sword in the Stone was pulled out in an instant.
But before Merlin could step forward with a smile, Artoria suddenly swung the longsword, slashing towards Merlin's eyes.
Caught off guard, a splash of purple blood, accompanied by a faint floral scent, spread through the air.
-------
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