VALRRR
patreon
[FTMWDK] Chapter 115: Casting the Net
🕑 Added 2023-11-15 07:38:02 +0000 UTCIn the study inside the royal palace, the lights were bright, dispelling the deep darkness of the night.
Suddenly, an earth-shattering scream rang out from a distance.
"What did you say?!"
Kay widened his eyes while looking at Artoria with an expression of disbelief.
"Guinevere is actually Morgan?! Lily, please tell me, you're not joking with me, right?! Right?!"
As she heard her brother's scream, Artoria furrowed her brows slightly.
"Brother Kay, honesty is a virtue of a knight, and I have never told a lie."
"But... this is just too..." Kay ruffled his hair in frustration.
He couldn't believe that the timid and weak Guinevere would turn out to be the legendary witch Morgan, who was as ruthless as a snake and as wicked as a scorpion!
The difference between the two was just too great!
But if it was true...
Recalling the things he had said to Guinevere about Morgan before, Kay suddenly felt a chill running down his spine, while his scalp tingled!
Not only Kay but also Bedivere, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, wore expressions of incredulity. Even the usually composed Lamorak had a look of obvious astonishment in his eyes.
Only Lancelot stood innocently to the side, after all, he was the only one who didn't know Morgan.
"So, Her Highness confessed her true identity as Guinevere at tonight's banquet, and publicly acknowledged that Your Majesty is her brother?" Bedivere mused for a moment.
"Umu." Arkhan, seated in a high-backed chair, nodded with a smile.
Upon hearing his teacher's confirmation, Kay's face stiffened.
Bedivere gave a wry smile and rubbed his forehead.
"I apologize for my ignorance, Your Majesty. It would be much appreciated if you could explain it to us personally. Our minds are all in complete disarray now, except for Lancelot of course..."
Everyone, except Lancelot, nodded in unison, their eyes fixed on Arkhan with keen curiosity.
"It's not actually that complicated."
Arkhan interlocked his fingers and placed them on his lap, smiling.
"Guinevere is indeed Morgan. She followed me primarily to observe whether I had what it takes to be a king. Fortunately, the events that unfolded during that time earned her acknowledgment, so she decided to confess her true identity to me."
Arkhan didn't reveal the secret of Morgan's split personality; that was her greatest secret, and if it got out, it would surely bring her a lot of trouble.
"You should all understand that the biggest obstacle to my ascension to the throne is my origin. To fill this one and only flaw, Morgan and I planned this banquet together."
Arkhan smiled calmly without any worry.
"In this matter, no one holds more authority and authenticity than the daughter of King Uther, the Princess of Camelot herself. If even she acknowledges me as King Uther's son, then no one in this kingdom would dare oppose me."
"No wonder Your Majesty accepted the invitation without hesitation..." Bedivere said with a wry smile, sighing. "I thought Your Majesty had made some kind of deal with Her Highness, which is why she agreed to help you."
Arkhan's face stiffened slightly, and he cleared his throat as if nothing had happened.
"So, the story of Your Majesty as King Uther's child is actually fabricated?" Lamorak asked.
"Isn't that obvious?" Kay rolled his eyes, pointing at the portrait of Uther on the wall. "Look, there's no resemblance at all between Teacher and King Uther. How could they possibly be father and son?"
Artoria lowered her head slightly, and for some reason, upon hearing Kay's words, her mood seemed not only sad but also somewhat... joyful?
"If even Her Highness stands by Your Majesty's side, then the obstacle to your ascension to the throne is completely removed, right?" Bedivere exclaimed excitedly.
"That's not necessarily the case." Arkhan lightly tapped the armrest and a mysterious smile played on his lips. "In the most desperate times, some people might choose to remain silent, but others might decide to go all-in."
Arkhan looked at Lamorak.
"Send someone to the Holy Church tomorrow in secret, find Archbishop Canterbury, and tell him that—"
"You can start casting the net."
===
Ferguson stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the towering castle in the city center, a deep sense of confusion in his gray-brown eyes.
He couldn't forget the feeling that had surged within him the day he saw the new king walking through the city gates. It was a feeling so familiar as if etched deep within his soul.
"It's just too alike..." Ferguson muttered and repeated this phrase again and again, not knowing how many times he had said it.
He was the longest-serving follower of King Uther in all of Camelot. He knew the late king better than anyone, and he was sure that what he had felt back then was not a mere illusion.
That new king was undoubtedly connected to King Uther!
'But didn't His Majesty entrust Merlin with taking away a baby girl named Artoria? Where did this boy named Arkhan come from?' Ferguson furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
*Knock! Knock!*
A knock on the door suddenly sounded, and a servant entered, bowing slightly.
"My Lord, Lord Hubert is here to see you."
'Hubert? That greedy fox? What does he want?' Ferguson frowned slightly, then after a moment's thought, he responded, "Bring him to my study."
"Understood."
Ten minutes later, a nobleman of around fifty, dressed immaculately in a tailored suit, with a slender frame, a pointed chin, and small eyes that gleamed with a hint of craftiness, entered Ferguson's study.
He was Camelot's Minister of Finance, the younger brother of Hugenberg, Hubert Montague.
"It's been a while, Lord Ferguson. I heard that you've been preparing for the coronation ceremony these past few days, staying indoors for days on end. You've really worked hard."
Hubert said warmly as he approached, attempting to shake Ferguson's hand. However, the latter didn't extend his hand in response, keeping his hands behind his back with indifference.
"I'm sorry, Lord Hubert, but I have many matters to attend to, and I don't have time for idle chit-chat." Ferguson said in a flat tone. "What brought you here?"
Hubert's outstretched hand awkwardly hung in the air for a moment, and a barely noticeable gloom passed through his gray eyes. Then, as if nothing had happened, he withdrew his hand and smiled casually.
"Lord Ferguson, you're as business-focused as ever it seems, no matter the occasion."
"I'm simply doing what needs to be done." Ferguson replied impassively.
"Haha, isn't that the case for all of us?"
Hubert chuckled and then continued his words.
"When the late king was on his deathbed, he entrusted this kingdom to us. For so many years, we've worked tirelessly to uphold this nation, all to hand it over intact to the designated heir, as the late king wished."
"But now, a brazen bandit has stormed in, wanting to claim this kingdom that has been our labor of love and the subject of our late king's countless expectations."
"Lord Ferguson, can you truly stand by and let such a thing happen?"
