XElenea
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MP : 92 King
🕑 Added 2024-12-14 16:00:02 +0000 UTCDue to Roy's sudden disappearance, Artoria anxiously searched the forest for quite a while.
She had become so lost in her own memories that she failed to keep track of her Master's whereabouts. That was truly a dereliction of duty.
Sensing the sound of an explosion in a certain part of the forest and seeing a pillar of magical energy rise into the sky, Artoria immediately rushed toward the location.
When she arrived at the place Roy had devastated with his explosion, the once-slumbering King of Britain finally reunited with her loyal subject.
"Oh, great King Arthur... is it really you? After one thousand five hundred years, you've awakened once again from the grave of ideals."
Upon seeing Artoria standing before him, the once impassive face of the old gravekeeper finally showed emotion.
He immediately prostrated himself, kneeling before the returning king like a loyal servant, his eyes filled with reverence.
"...Are you a gravekeeper as well?"
Looking at the devout old gravekeeper kneeling before her, Artoria spoke.
Roy had already explained most of the details about this village built for her sake, so it wasn't difficult to guess the old man's identity now.
Moreover, his fervor and devotion left no doubt... he was a follower her sister had prepared for her, just like that girl, both unfortunate souls bound to King Arthur.
"Yes, great king. My name is Bersac Blackmore, and I am the gravekeeper of this generation."
"Please, rise, old man."
She waved her hand, offering comfort.
"I am King Arthur, Artoria Pendragon. But I am only a former king. My Britain has been gone for over one thousand five hundred years."
"The era of King Arthur ended long ago. Now, I am just Artoria."
This time, she had truly let go.
"No, you are forever our king, the ideal ruler we follow!"
The old gravekeeper's tone remained firm.
"Whether we are gravekeepers or descendants of the king's bloodline, we have all been waiting for your return."
"I…"
Artoria wanted to say more, but Roy, standing nearby, interrupted her.
"There's no need to waste words with him, Artoria. I've already tried to talk to him before we arrived."
"But this old man is stubborn, refusing to answer any questions. It wasn't until I mentioned you that he finally reacted. Their minds have been bound by Morgan le Fay. In their hearts, King Arthur is their pillar and deity. Changing that is nearly impossible."
"So, just ask him as King Arthur. Ask where Morgan le Fay is, where Gray is, and where the hidden crypt of this village is. We'll check it out ourselves."
Then Roy glanced at the old gravekeeper, adding, "You wouldn't dare disobey King Arthur's orders, would you?"
"All right."
Artoria sighed, standing still and gazing at the figure before her.
The old gravekeeper sighed as well.
He rose to his feet, a look of helplessness appearing on his aged face.
"If it is your order, great King Arthur... then I shall obey."
…
The gravekeepers of King Arthur.
As their name suggests, they are the ones tasked with guarding the tomb of the great ruler who conquered and ruled Britain over a thousand years ago.
This place is different from the conceptual tomb of King Arthur. The tomb here is the true resting place of King Arthur, the legendary Avalon, the land of ideals.
The gravekeepers are not descendants or subjects of King Arthur.
Their identity and mission come from the witch of the Age of Gods, King Arthur's legendary sister, Morgan le Fay.
Though not legitimate, they dedicate themselves to guarding the king's tomb and await King Arthur's return with hope.
They have given their lives and purpose to a king they have never met and who likely doesn't even know of their existence.
They see themselves as the true gravekeepers of the king.
"Did you really guard this place for over a thousand years? All to protect a failed king who couldn't save Britain?"
As she said this, Artoria's voice became somewhat melancholic. Although she had let go of her obsession with Roy's help, the sorrow of those memories couldn't disappear.
"Please don't say that. It is the gravekeepers' duty, and it is our honor."
"The ancestors who once lived on this land were your subjects under your reign. With your passing, Britain fell into chaos, the country fractured, and the former glory was lost. Our ancestors were displaced and eventually came to this land."
"It was at that time that the true descendants of the King, the native inhabitants of this land, welcomed our ancestors, allowing the bloodline to continue."
"According to the records left by our ancestors, when our people were on the brink of extinction, your sister, the witch Morgan le Fay, appeared on this land as well."
"She gave us power to protect ourselves and used her extraordinary magecraft to help us through our struggles, granting us a new mission in the process."
The old gravekeeper straightened his body, gazing at the gravestones illuminated by the moonlight and the swaying leaves. He let out a long breath.
"From that time onward, the ancestors of the gravekeepers have resided here, becoming your gravekeepers."
"But the gravekeepers are different from the original inhabitants of this land. They are the true inheritors, the rightful owners of this place."
"We gravekeepers are nothing more than servants of the past. We can only continue to fulfill our duty of guardianship until the end of our lives."
"Until the end of your lives? Have you gravekeepers never left this cemetery or this village?"
Artoria was shocked by the old gravekeeper's words.
"Yes, great King."
"The gravekeepers, who have faithfully worshipped King Arthur, have lived on this land for generations. They have never left this village, nor have they ever stepped beyond the cemetery. From beginning to end, they have been maintaining their duty and mission."
The old gravekeeper nodded and continued, slowly and deliberately, "It is both our honor and a curse... a curse that has bound us here for eternity."
"The current generation of gravekeepers doesn't even know how long this tradition has been passed down. Our history stretches back farther than those so-called noble magus families, and our mysteries are even deeper."
The old gravekeeper's voice was tinged with melancholy and regret.
Indeed, the lineage of King Arthur's gravekeepers has persisted unbroken for one thousand five hundred years, spanning dozens of generations.
Their history and mysteries are more ancient than most families in the world of magecraft.
It is a glorious mission. Even today, the gravekeeper family remains vigilant.
But time changes many things. Five hundred years of erosion can turn a just comrade into a corrupt old man.
What kind of changes would one thousand five hundred years bring to a family?
Roy understood well.
How many gravekeepers like this old man, still holding on to the ancient ways and whose hearts have not yet rotted, remain?
This once-honorable duty has long since transformed into a chain, a binding, even a source of pain... perhaps even hatred for the king.
"I see... You've all endured much."
Artoria's voice carried a hint of apology.
Knowing all of this, she felt a sense of guilt toward the gravekeeper family.
Unknowingly, she had caused even more harm to others.
Though it was all her sister's doing, it couldn't be denied that it was her existence that brought so much suffering to them.
It made her feel remorseful.
"There's no need, this is our duty."
The old gravekeeper lowered his head.
"Carrying out your duty deserves praise, and loyalty should be rewarded, but concealment is also a crime."
"So... what are your true feelings toward the girl with the same face as King Arthur, the perfect vessel, as you call her?"
Roy spoke, pointing at the old gravekeeper.
"Do you see her simply as a vessel, or do you truly regard her as a disciple or successor?"
"What... are you trying to say?"
"Nothing, just curious. She has the same face as the King, but from the beginning, you've avoided talking about her. So, what are you trying to hide? A girl appearing with the same appearance as King Arthur can't just be a coincidence, can it?"
"No... that's not right."
"Then what are you trying to conceal?"
Roy's voice was serious, pressing further.
The old man shook his head, then after a moment of silence, finally spoke, "I'm sorry, you're right. I do have my own selfish reasons. I don't want Gray to become the King's vessel and lose her sense of self."
"She's not only my disciple but also a glimmer of hope... a chance to break this thousand-year curse. That's why I've been so wary of you and avoided discussing it, even with the King."
"Why? Your King stands before you now. The King has been resurrected, hasn't your curse ended yet?"
The old gravekeeper looked up at Roy, shook his head, and continued, "No, it hasn't ended yet. I can still feel it... the oath and mission that bind the gravekeeper family haven't disappeared."
It hasn't ended yet… Could that mean the magical ritual isn't complete?
Has King Arthur, revived in the form of a Heroic Spirit, not truly returned?
Roy could more or less guess the reason.
"That child isn't truly part of the gravekeeper family. She also descends from the ancestors who inherited the blood of King Arthur." The old gravekeeper continued.
"Although she has King Arthur's blood, one thousand five hundred years have passed, and the bloodline is no longer pure."
"In fact, until recently, Gray was just an ordinary village girl, with an ordinary appearance and a happy family."
"But from a certain day onward, everything began to change." He sighed helplessly as he spoke.
"The glory of King Arthur started to reappear within her, the bloodline returned to its purity, and her features began to resemble the King's."
"From that day forward, the prophecy was fulfilled, and the legendary child of prophecy was born. The people of the village, even her own parents, found it difficult to see her as the girl she once was. They could only regard her with reverence, seeing her as the future king."
"So, that's why you took her in as a disciple, cared for her constantly, and treated her like an ordinary girl, without awe or fear?"
"Yes." The old gravekeeper nodded, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
"Her fate was predestined, something I couldn't change. And bearing the burden of the family, I couldn't change it either. But the thought of a girl having to sacrifice herself for our sake caused me pain as well. So, as her mentor, I could only offer her the greatest care and compensation."
"In fact… there was a line in the prophecy left by that witch."
[When the time comes, the figure of the King will reappear in the world. The child of prophecy will step into the forbidden land, freeing the ancient shadows sealed within, and the souls trapped there will have the chance to move toward the future!]
"That's the reason I've been concealing things. I am deeply ashamed. My King, please punish me. I am willing to pay the price for my concealment."
With these words, the old gravekeeper bowed his head again, a gesture that made both Roy and Artoria raise their eyebrows.
But they weren't surprised. They could understand why the old gravekeeper had hidden the truth.
It wasn't just because of the bond between mentor and disciple but also due to the gravekeeper family's burden of fate.
Although King Arthur had indeed returned, the bonds within their bloodline and the prophecy left by the witch had not yet been broken.
Gray was still the gravekeepers' prophesied child, and she was also the key to their release.
According to the prophecy, only she could enter the forbidden land and free the shadows of the past, bringing an end to the thousand-year-old fate.
For this reason, even when faced with the King, he chose to hide the truth.
"You needn't blame yourself, nor should you be afraid. In fact, it is I who should apologize." Artoria said softly, looking at the elderly man who had lowered his head in silence. "Your choice was for the sake of your people and the future, so it cannot be considered a betrayal."
"Besides, I am no longer King Arthur. In this world, I am only Artoria, Heroic Spirit Artoria."
Artoria could deeply empathize with the pain the old gravekeeper had endured.
She, too, had once been bound by obsession, unable to find freedom. She understood that pain.
For the gravekeepers, this was likely an unshakable obsession as well... their desire for freedom.
So the one who should be apologizing was her.
"I'm sorry, for it was the sins of King Arthur that caused you all to suffer for so long."
"Not at all..." The old gravekeeper responded, but before he could finish, Artoria gently took his arm, helping his hunched body to stand and allowing him to walk beside her. It was at that moment that Roy spoke up.
"If you truly seek freedom, then tell me everything your ancestors left behind... the revelation from Morgan le Fay, the forbidden land, and the matter concerning that young girl."
"I will take Gray into the forbidden land and free the so-called shadows. Afterward, you will all be able to attain the freedom foretold in the prophecy. A fair trade, isn't it? Perhaps you could even see it as King Arthur's gift to you."
"... That is my wish as well, sir." The old gravekeeper finally admitted, no longer having any reason to refuse.
"I only hope that you and the King can indeed release the spirits trapped here."
He bowed his head once more, agreeing to Roy's request, and then began to recount a tale from the past, carefully explaining the cause and effect of the past one thousand five hundred years.
