Not a single sound could be heard in the palace hall. Scáthach's gaze was fixed on the woman standing before her, while Nessa watched expressionlessly, her eyes shifting between Morgan le Fay and her mother.
"Do you know this woman, Mother?"
This was quite strange. The outside world was filled with monsters, and ordinary people would never dare to wander around carelessly. Judging by her attire, this woman was clearly no ordinary person, and she certainly was not a resident of the Land of Shadows.
So how had someone like her ended up inside the palace hall?
And why hadn't the guards announced her arrival?
"She is merely a guest. You may withdraw," Scáthach said to the guard who was about to step into the hall.
The guards immediately retreated.
Arthur stood there, noticing the provocative look in Morgan's eyes, and his mind went blank for a moment.
Just what is this woman thinking?!
Why would she suddenly appear looking for his master without any warning?
She had promised she wouldn't act recklessly!
"Mother?" Nessa called again.
"You should ask your brother." Scáthach cast a meaningful glance at Arthur, snapping him back to reality.
Arthur forced himself to regain his composure and coughed lightly. "She is—"
"I am Morgan le Fay." Morgan smiled and lifted the hem of her skirt in an elegant curtsy.
"Won't you invite me to enjoy this with you, Arthur?"
Arthur held the plate in one hand and silently covered his face with the other.
Now that things had reached this point, there was no way to drive Morgan away, was there?
"Is it alright?" Arthur asked, turning toward Scáthach.
That action made Morgan frown slightly, and her previous smile faded just a little.
It seemed this woman held great influence over Arthur… Did he really need Scáthach's permission for something as simple as this?
Scáthach glanced once more at the woman standing at the foot of the stairs and gave a slight nod.
"It is still unclear whether she is friend or foe. However, since she is someone you know, she may join us."
—xXx—
"Eat more. You're still growing, aren't you?" Morgan sat across from Arthur, smiling as she placed a piece of meat on his plate with her fork.
"Come on, say ah~"
"I can eat by myself—" Arthur began, but he caught the faint warning in Morgan's eyes.
Even without her saying a word, he could more or less guess what she meant.
Are you really going to reject me?
Morgan was clearly serious.
So Arthur silently opened his mouth.
This woman was a master of deception, yet at the same time she was not the type to treat everything as a joke. Sometimes you thought she was joking when she wasn't; other times, when she seemed serious, she was actually plotting how to trick you… That was what made Morgan le Fay so enigmatic.
"Here, have some of this too. You're still growing, so vegetables are important." Morgan immediately picked up some vegetables with her fork and fed them to Arthur.
"What's this?" She glanced at another dish of meat that looked somewhat dry, picked up a small piece between her fingers, and said, "Here, try this as well."
She placed the small piece of meat into Arthur's mouth. Her cool fingers brushed lightly against his lips. She licked her fingers casually and smiled faintly. "This one tastes quite good."
After saying that, she cast a casual glance at Scáthach, who was seated opposite her.
Nessa frowned, her eyes filled with displeasure. She moved away from Morgan and went to Scáthach, asking in a low voice, "Mother, aren't you angry?"
She had clearly seen what Morgan was doing… Did Arthur not know how to keep his distance?!
"He is your fiancé. You are the one who should be angry," Scáthach replied calmly.
Then she looked directly at Morgan. "You likely did not come here merely for a meal, did you? What do you want?"
Morgan slowly picked up a slice of meat and brought it to her mouth, wiping her lips casually with a small cloth. "Indeed, your patience would wear thin if this continued. Let your apprentice explain—"
"You should explain this situation yourself…" Arthur interrupted immediately when he noticed Morgan's gaze.
Because of the Geis, he could not explain Morgan's circumstances to Scáthach and the others, so he had no choice but to let Morgan speak for herself.
"Mm… I almost forgot. Very well, allow me to give a brief explanation."
Morgan nodded slightly and summarized her identity.
"That's correct. One of the blessings upon your disciple originates from me. Though it is a Geis, it is still highly beneficial to him."
Scáthach nodded faintly. Although she did not like the woman, she had to admit the truth in Morgan's words.
In fact, the benefits Arthur gained from the so-called Geis were far greater than any ordinary restriction.
"So Arthur has been secretly meeting another woman behind my back for quite some time?" Nessa lifted her foot and lightly kicked Arthur's shin.
"Playboy!"
"It's because of the Geis! I'm innocent!" Arthur retorted.
"Innocent?" Morgan echoed with a raised brow.
"Did something strange happen?!" Arthur exclaimed loudly, as though he had given up trying to defend himself.
He had absolutely no idea what that woman was thinking. She had clearly said she wouldn't cause trouble, yet she appeared the moment he left.
"No, nothing surprising~" Morgan replied with a meaningful smile.
Perhaps unwilling to continue watching Arthur being teased, Scáthach lightly tapped the table to draw their attention.
"Princess Morgan… May I ask what brings you here from Britain?"
"Well… if I must say, I like Arthur very much and hope he continues to grow stronger. You see, I am a kind person who enjoys helping others fulfill their dreams."
Morgan paused briefly before continuing, "I have only one objective."
Noticing the three pairs of eyes fixed on her, Morgan le Fay displayed an elegant, composed smile. She looked directly at Scáthach and said:
"Lend me your apprentice."
Arthur: "???"
What is going on here?
What exactly does this woman intend to do?
From the moment Morgan le Fay entered the palace, his thoughts had been in complete chaos. He had no idea what she was planning.
(End of Chapter)