"Arthur, what exactly is going on?"
Nessa looked at Arthur as he stepped out of the hall, tilting her head slightly, her eyes filled with curiosity and unease.
She had no idea what had happened. Her mother had said she was going to talk to Arthur about something important, but to her surprise, he came out in less than a few minutes—far too quickly for any serious conversation.
Arthur slowly shook his head. "I don't know either."
In truth, he really didn't understand the situation. After two intense months of training, his strength had improved significantly, and the essence of the White Dragon would be able to fully merge with him in just one more month.
That should have been a happy occasion—something worth celebrating.
So why did it end like this?
You promised you wouldn't do anything reckless?!
That woman's words were definitely not trustworthy!
Arthur could only wait silently outside, standing near the hall doors, alert to any sign of trouble as he waited for the two inside to finish their conversation. At the same time, he couldn't help but worry about the possibility of a sudden loud noise coming from within the palace.
If that really happened, he would have to find a way to stop it…
I also have to worry about the two of them starting a fight…
Arthur frowned slightly, uneasy.
He was deeply concerned about the situation inside, but as it turned out, Morgan still had some credibility. At least half an hour passed, and there was still no movement within the hall.
Although the silence was unsettling, it was still better than a fight.
Not long after, the doors opened.
Morgan walked out through the palace gates with a relaxed smile, softly humming a carefree tune as if nothing had happened. When she saw Arthur beside her, she reached out and began vigorously rubbing his head in a possessive manner.
Nessa, standing nearby, watched the woman cautiously, her eyes sharp like those of a cat ready to react at any suspicious movement. For some reason, she instinctively felt that this woman posed a great threat.
"Your master agreed." Morgan's first words left Arthur completely stunned.
I'm already engaged to Nessa, so why would Master agree to Morgan's request?
"I agreed to her request regarding the royal selection." Scáthach's calm voice echoed from within the palace, steady and controlled.
After all, Morgan had indeed helped Arthur a great deal. If she were to turn her back on her now, her image as a master would likely suffer in the eyes of her apprentice.
"As for the rest, there is no need to listen to her," Scáthach continued, her tone carrying deeper meaning.
Arthur looked at Morgan, only to see her sigh helplessly, as if dealing with something inevitable. "Even if you only agree to this request for now, you'll have to accept my other requests sooner or later… after all, the restriction cannot be lifted."
Scáthach frowned slightly; even she felt somewhat troubled at that moment.
In the past, when faced with a shameless woman like this, all she could do was resolve the matter with force.
But now it was too late.
Arthur was under a restriction.
Even if Morgan were killed at this very moment, it would change absolutely nothing.
The only thing that could be done now was to delay the marriage as much as possible… and, in the meantime, try to find a way to break the curse.
Before that, she could only provisionally agree to what Morgan had previously proposed.
"Come on. This week, I'll make sure you and the dragon's essence are fully integrated," Morgan said to Arthur with a faint smile.
"Do I really have to go back to Britain?" Arthur asked hesitantly.
He had just returned, and now Morgan was already taking him back again?
Arthur looked at Scáthach beside him, who simply raised her hand and gently tapped his head—a rare gesture of affection.
"Go back with her first. You can return once everything is over."
"If you don't come back, I'll go get you myself, so don't worry." Scáthach's voice was calm, but left no room for doubt.
"How troublesome," Morgan shrugged, as if it were a minor inconvenience.
Although she hadn't achieved her original goal, the most important thing now was Arthur, and everything else could be set aside for the time being.
In the end, after a silent negotiation filled with unspoken tension, Arthur was taken away by Morgan. He didn't know exactly what she had said to his master, but since his master had given her word, all he could do was trust… and wait.
Upon returning to the palace with Morgan, she placed a small translucent vial in Arthur's hand. Its contents shimmered with a soft, almost hypnotic glow.
"This vial of dragon essence contains enough for one month. Take it, and you will be able to replace the current Vortigern."
Arthur examined the liquid carefully, feeling an invisible pressure just from holding it.
"Of course, since it contains so much concentrated essence and blood, it may be a bit painful… probably several times more painful than before, but I believe you can endure it," Morgan Le Fay said with a smile that mixed expectation and provocation.
"One month's worth of blood in a single day… and only a week to digest it… are you sure I won't just die on the spot, Morgan?" Arthur stared at the vial, swallowing hard as a chill ran down his spine.
"Don't worry. I am the Goddess of Death. I know better than you whether you will die or not," Morgan replied calmly. "Don't you want to become stronger? This is the best opportunity. Seize it, and you will become the true White Dragon."
"What will happen to Vortigern?" Arthur asked, still staring at the contents of the vial.
"That…" Morgan paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "…will probably turn into an ordinary human."
It was impossible for two White Dragons to coexist; the existence of one would inevitably replace the other. However, Arthur would not become a complete White Dragon, but rather exist as a human who inherited the White Dragon—just like Artoria.
"What, do you pity that dragon?" Morgan let out a soft laugh and circled behind Arthur, leaning close to him, her voice as soft as a whisper. "You shouldn't have that kind of compassion, right? If you do… I'll have to teach you a lesson."
Arthur immediately shook his head. "I'm not that easily swayed by compassion."
He had absolutely no connection to that being, especially considering it was a dragon that had nearly conquered Britain. There was no reason to feel pity.
"Good." Morgan smiled. "To be honest, if you had begged me to spare Vortigern or something like that, I probably would have given you a lesson you would never forget."
That sounded terrifying… especially since she said it with a smile.
Before Arthur could think any further, Morgan waved her hand casually.
"You should rest in the palace first. I have some things to take care of. Of course, if you're ready, you can integrate the remaining White Dragon essence into your body now. But it hurts a lot. If I come back and find you unconscious from the pain, I'll laugh at you mercilessly."
At first, Arthur considered waiting… but upon hearing those provocative words, something inside him stirred.
Still, a trace of hesitation remained.
The pain will be several times worse than before… just thinking about it gives me chills.
After watching Morgan leave, Arthur's gaze returned to the small vial in his hand, its contents shimmering with an almost supernatural glow.
After consuming this final vial of White Dragon blood essence, he would no longer need to endure this painful fusion every week.
Then he would be able to draw that sword from the stone and return to the Land of Shadows.
Thinking this, Arthur clenched his teeth with determination, opened the vial, and drank it in a single gulp.
A wave of dizziness hit him instantly.
His entire body began to tremble violently.
He could hear cracking sounds coming from his own bones, as if they were being broken and reconstructed at the same time. Excruciating pain surged through every fiber of his being, and he could even feel blood seeping through his skin.
Arthur roared in agony from within the room, his bloodshot eyes wide open, his breathing completely unsteady.
Morgan, you damn woman!! This pain isn't just a few times worse than before, is it?!
It was as if all of Vortigern's life essence had been compressed and condensed into that small vial.
At that moment, Morgan stood silently outside the door, gazing into the distant horizon.
Arthur's cries of pain echoed from inside.
She placed a hand on her chest and let out a quiet sigh of relief, her fingers tightening slightly against the fabric of her dress.
"I'm sorry…" she murmured, lowering her gaze, her blue pupils dimming slightly.
She should have allowed Arthur to adapt gradually.
But for the sake of completing her plans within a week, she had no choice.
Besides, as long as he survived this process, it would greatly contribute to Arthur's future growth.
---
Arthur didn't know when he had lost consciousness.
Time itself seemed to have disappeared.
But when he finally opened his eyes again, everything around him felt different—and so did his body.
All his clothes had been changed.
"You slept for an entire week… that's quite impressive," Morgan's voice came from beside him, carrying a faint trace of amusement.
"I slept for a week?!" Arthur turned his head in shock and saw the woman dressed in a golden gown.
Morgan looked completely different that day.
She resembled a true British princess, wearing a blue crown, her hair flowing naturally down to her waist. Her appearance was both noble and elegant—almost unreal.
"Yes, you slept for a week," Morgan confirmed.
"That's completely different from what you said before," Arthur complained, still recovering. "The pain caused by the dragon essence isn't just several times greater… it's more than ten times worse, isn't it?"
Even now, recalling it made his body shudder instinctively.
"Yes, I lied to you." Morgan did not deny it.
Seeing Arthur's resentful expression, she stepped forward without hesitation and embraced him.
Suddenly, she pulled his head against her chest.
His resentment… vanished instantly.
He wanted to say he was still angry, but he simply couldn't.
Moreover, he could clearly feel the immense changes in his body.
Compared to a week ago, he was now, without a doubt, the true White Dragon.
If he fought Artoria now, he was confident he could defeat her… or at the very least, fight her on equal footing.
"Thank you for your hard work. I will reward you properly after today's selection," Morgan said softly.
Arthur was startled. "The king's selection has already begun?"
"Mhm." Morgan slowly released him, staring straight into his eyes.
Her voice was more solemn than ever.
Her blue eyes reflected his face with intensity.
In less than six months, Arthur seemed far more mature than before—not because of age, but due to the physical changes and experience gained through his training.
Their gazes met.
Morgan spoke slowly, "Prepare to depart, draw the sword from the stone… and then tell that man who seems to see through everything—"
"To hell with your damn destiny…" Arthur finished, a faint smile forming on his lips. "Is that it?"
Morgan paused for a moment.
Then… she smiled.
"Yes. It seems we've finally reached an understanding."
At first, Arthur had been somewhat reluctant.
But now…
He was looking forward to that moment.
Of course, that was only if he could actually draw the sword from the stone.
---
(End of Chapter)