Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, Arthur led his army through the second and even the third alien territories, advancing with an efficiency that bordered on the unbelievable. However, the spirit that had escaped from the Otherworld Portal was never seen again, as if it had simply vanished from existence.
What was even more surprising was the complete absence of fierce battles.
Arthur reclaimed the lands that had once been under Saxon control with astonishing ease.
There was almost no resistance from them.
In fact, there was barely anyone guarding those territories at all; everything indicated that they were abandoning their positions and almost entirely giving up the fight.
However, the common people had no knowledge of this reality.
The speed at which the territories were reclaimed gave rise to countless legends about the king, spreading across Britain like wildfire.
"Despite his youth, he's a genius! In less than half a month, he conquered three territories in succession, and the Saxons were defeated and fled in disarray!"
Stories like that became widely circulated, repeated in taverns, public squares, and even among the nobility.
Without realizing it, Arthur was already being turned into a symbol.
"This is very strange… where did all the Saxons go?"
Inside the room, Arthur sat in a chair with a thoughtful expression, calmly analyzing the events of the past few days.
I thought we would face intense battles…
But instead, we took three cities with almost no effort.
Even considering the power of the Knights of the Round Table, this should have required at least some meaningful resistance.
"It is indeed a bit strange."
A clear voice sounded nearby.
Arthur turned his head and saw Artoria Pendragon sitting beside him. She had recently returned from enemy territory and was still wearing her armor. Her helmet had already been removed, revealing her hair tied up neatly, and her sharp eyes conveyed a firm, heroic presence.
She looked every bit the model commander.
"I initially thought it might be an ambush," Artoria continued, frowning slightly, "but I didn't expect them to simply hand over the territory so easily."
Arthur observed her for a moment.
No wonder Morgan likes her so much…
She really does have natural charisma.
The girl before him had a presence that could easily attract both men and women—not just because of her beauty, but also because of her strength and bearing.
However…
There was one curious detail.
A small crumb of cake remained at the corner of her lips.
That tiny detail contrasted almost comically with her serious demeanor, making her appear strangely more… adorable.
"It's good that we're able to reclaim lost territory," Arthur said, briefly looking away before meeting her gaze again. "But we still need to understand the enemy's intentions. You've already discussed this with Sir Lancelot, haven't you?"
"Yes." Artoria nodded. "I've already sent him to investigate the movements of the Saxon troops. What's even stranger is that not only are there few guards… we also haven't found any enemy leaders in any of the cities."
Three cities.
No leaders.
No organized resistance.
That was undeniably abnormal.
"It's as if they've completely given up on the war…" Arthur murmured, pausing before continuing. "But with Lancelot's help, we should have answers soon."
Lancelot was one of the strongest among the Knights of the Round Table. If anyone could uncover the truth, it would be him.
"Until then, all we can do is wait."
Arthur let out a small yawn as he finished speaking, his eyes watering slightly.
The strange situation had forced him to temporarily halt their advance. Moving forward without understanding the enemy's intentions would be reckless—and dangerous.
Artoria observed his sleepy expression for a moment before speaking again:
"Speaking of which… haven't you been a bit too relaxed lately?"
"Relaxed…? I don't feel that way," Arthur replied.
Artoria nodded seriously.
"You've reduced the intensity of your training. Even with recent success, you can't afford to become complacent."
Arthur cast her a sideways glance.
"Lily is quite strict."
"It's my duty as your personal assistant," she replied without hesitation.
Arthur nodded slightly… and then extended his hand.
Without warning, he touched the corner of Artoria's lips and wiped away the crumb with his thumb.
"It's not very convincing hearing that from someone with crumbs on their face, Lily."
He raised his finger, showing the tiny trace of cake, a faint smile on his lips.
"I-I was hungry when I got back…" Artoria looked away briefly, a rare hint of embarrassment appearing on her face. "And it wasn't just me… I gave some to Stallion as well."
Arthur tilted his head, staring at her in silence.
You gave the bread I made… to a horse?
Dun Stallion—or simply Stallion—was the name Artoria had given to the white steed they had brought. An elegant, intelligent animal… and clearly one she cherished deeply.
In truth, what surprised Arthur most wasn't the act itself.
But how casually she shared food.
I never imagined she would grow so attached…
Though, it makes sense.
That steed is far from ordinary.
"Sorry… I thought he wanted to try it," Artoria said, lowering her head slightly.
"It's fine," Arthur replied calmly. "I just didn't expect you to be so generous."
"I've always been like this," she retorted, slightly displeased.
"I see," Arthur responded almost automatically.
Artoria narrowed her eyes… and then leaned closer.
Their faces were now dangerously close.
"Do you really understand?"
Arthur instinctively leaned back.
"I already said I don't mind you giving bread to Stallion."
But…
Doesn't she realize how close we are?
This… is definitely not a normal distance.
Knock knock.
The sound at the door broke the moment.
A man entered immediately afterward.
"My lord, regarding the investigation you requested, I've brought the results—"
Lancelot stopped mid-sentence when he saw the scene.
Arthur and Artoria standing very close, looking at each other.
Silence.
"…Ah. My apologies. I'll come back later."
He turned around immediately.
Arthur's eyes widened internally as he realized what Lancelot must be thinking.
"No need!" he said quickly, regaining his composure. "We were just discussing something. Please, come in and sit."
Artoria, on the other hand, had already stepped back calmly, as if nothing had happened.
Or perhaps…
She simply didn't care.
She stood to the side, attentive.
"Based on what we've recently investigated," Lancelot began, now serious, "we've discovered something important."
Arthur and Artoria both focused their attention on him.
"A few days ago, the Saxons withdrew most of their forces from eleven cities. Currently, they are all concentrated in a single location."
He paused briefly before concluding:
"They abandoned nearly all their territory… and chose to completely isolate themselves."
Arthur remained silent for a moment.
So… it wasn't a coincidence.
They were… deliberately giving everything up.
So they really are handing it all over for free…?
(End of Chapter)