Arkhan had a growing suspicion that Guinevere might have offended Morgan.
Otherwise, there was no way to explain why, after three whole days had passed and they deliberately slowed their pace, Morgan still hadn't shown up.
He had already deactivated the counter-tracking magecraft on Guinevere, so if Morgan had any intention of coming, she should have arrived by now to take her sister away.
Arkhan couldn't help but wonder if this time Morgan had brought Guinevere out just to find an opportunity to get rid of her. If that were the case, the bond between these two sisters must be quite fragile.
But regardless of the truth behind the situation, he had to make a choice now.
"This path leads to Garrod..." Kay pointed ahead. "If we follow it, we'll reach Camelot in no more than a month."
"On the other hand, this path leads to the Kingdom of Orkney." Artoria pointed to the right. "If we go this way, we can reach Morgan's territory and return Guinevere home."
Both of them looked at Arkhan, and in unison, they asked:
""Teacher, which way should we go?""
Arkhan rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. After a long pause, he said, "Kay, would you mind escorting Guinevere? How does that sound?"
Kay paused for a moment, then nodded. "Sure."
Arkhan sighed in relief. "I'll place a tracking rune on you so that you won't have trouble finding us when you come back."
"Wait!"
However, at that moment, an untimely voice interrupted.
Everyone turned to see Merlin, with his charming smile on his face.
"I think it might be better to ask the person involved for their opinion first, Your Majesty, what do you think?"
'The person involved?'
Arkhan was slightly surprised and turned to the quiet Guinevere beside him.
"Guinevere, do you want to go with us or back to Orkney?" Merlin asked with a grin. "Don't feel constrained; His Majesty is forgiving and compassionate. So, tell him your true feelings."
"I..." Guinevere hesitated, casting a few glances at Arkhan. She lowered her head and whispered, "I want to go with all of you."
"Eh? You don't want to go back?" Kay was surprised, then suddenly realized. "Ahh, I get it. Morgan must be too annoying so you can't stand her, right?"
Kay stroked his chin, pondering, "Hmm, I understand. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't want to be around such a wicked and ruthless witch either."
"Kay... maybe you shouldn't say that..." Guinevere had a conflicted expression on her face. "My sister, she's not the person you described."
Seeing Guinevere's reaction, Kay became even more convinced of his suspicions.
"Don't worry, Guinevere. You don't have to be afraid. With Teacher here, even if Morgan is the heir to the former king, she won't escape justice for her deeds!" Kay said with determination.
"Hahahaha!" Merlin suddenly burst into laughter on the side.
"What are you laughing at?" Kay frowned and asked in confusion.
"Nothing~ I just feel relieved. Kay, you've finally grown up and learned how to uphold the knight's justice." Merlin wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye, his face suddenly taking on an incredibly serious expression. "You're right, even if Morgan is the late king's heir, we can't tolerate her reckless behavior any longer."
Kay felt a strong wave of excitement welling up inside him. He had received recognition from the great mage!
Despite Merlin's usual lack of decorum, his status and knowledge were undeniable. To earn recognition from the great mage was an honor second only to the king's approval.
"How about this, the next time we encounter Morgan, you'll be the one to take action and give her the punishment she deserves, alright?" Merlin grinned.
Kay's face stiffened, and he whispered, "But I can't defeat that witch."
"It's okay, it's okay~ I'll stand behind you and assist when the time comes."
Merlin waved his hand, and colorful lights emanated from Kay, causing his aura to skyrocket like a rocket. Feeling the expanding power within him, Kay gasped and his eyes lit up with surprise.
With the help from Abyss Flower for over half a year, his body had already grown strong enough to withstand the attacks of wyverns. With the additional buffs Merlin had just given him, his combat strength had soared to an unbelievable level.
Kay was now incredibly confident, and with this newfound power, defeating Morgan seemed like a piece of cake.
"No problem, count on me! I, Kay, as King Arthur's knight, will make sure that witch receives the punishment she deserves!" Kay thumped his chest proudly.
"Kay, I've done my best to help you. Please don't blame me later..." Guinevere couldn't help but cover her face and mutter to herself in a voice only she could hear.
Arkhan sighed inwardly. Although he didn't know what Merlin was planning, it was clear that Kay was about to be tricked again.
"Guinevere, are you really planning to join us on this journey?" Arkhan asked.
Guinevere nodded.
Arkhan tilted his head and asked, "Can you tell me the reason? I find it hard to believe that you're doing this solely to avoid being with Morgan. Otherwise, you would have said so last time. Even if you're too afraid to say it directly, you would at least have hinted at it."
From Guinevere's attitude, it was evident that her fear of Morgan was outweighed by her dependence on her.
"Because... I don't want to stay in that castle anymore..." Guinevere said, her voice low, toying with her fingers like a guilty little girl.
"I used to be scared of going outside because my sister told me there were many terrifying people out there who would want to use me. So, I never dared to leave the castle. But then, you took me to the skies and showed me so many landscapes I had never seen before. You told me that this world is full of endless changes and infinite possibilities. So, I want to go and see, to find... the world that belongs to me."
As Guinevere finished speaking, she noticed an eerie silence had fallen around her. She raised her head in confusion, seeing everyone looking at her with complex expressions.
Her natural cowardly tendencies finally took over, and she was about to cry.
"I-I'm sorry if I said something that made you all uncomfortable! I-I won't go! I'll go back to Orkney—"
But before she could finish, a warm hand suddenly rested on her head and patted it.
"Since you've said something like that, how could I possibly let you go back? Be prepared, Guinevere. Starting from now, you are officially kidnapped by me."
Arkhan spoke those words with a smile and confidence.