(Titus's (Lot's) POV)
Nero took me to roam in the capital of Orkney. Since I was the king of this territory, I had to use my illusion magecraft to change my appearance. I also turned Nero's hair so that she wouldn't attract unwanted attention.
Come to think of it, I never explored my own territory even though I was the king of Orkney, and it was then I realized a fatal flaw in the people of Britain.
When I was exploring the city, I came across a small temple where a fairy with long ears, almost looked like an elf, was applying healing magic to the people.
"Please heal a cut on my thumb." A man came with a small cut on his finger.
I felt it was weird. I mean, who would go directly to a surgeon for a small scratch?
"I see. Please wait a moment." The fairy healer began to apply healing magic to the man's thumb. There were also other patients in much critical condition, but the man and the fairy ignored all of them. It took nearly 15 minutes to heal just a small scratch.
The healing fairy also looked exhausted, but there was just no end to the patients.
I moved to help, but Nero stopped me.
"Don't. Just observe."
I nodded and began to observe.
Just like me, a person noticed the exhausted fairy and asked him to get some rest when the fairy kicked that person.
"Do you want to steal away my purpose?! I will heal! I can only heal! I want to heal!" The healing fairy frantically began to yell at the person who came to the fairy's help.
The people in the row saw how messed up the fairy was in the head but didn't budge from their row.
"Let's go. There is more to see."
Nero then took me to other places where I found similar cases.
If people wanted to construct a house, ask fairies.
Helping in fields, fairies.
Repairing something, fairies.
Not wanting to eat yourselves, fairies.
Every single thing that people didn't feel like doing, they would ask fairies, and fairies who pleasure themselves to work like a slave would immediately do anything for humans. Some intelligent fairies would even ask for unreasonable exchanges like sacrificing a limb or a human child to eat them!
"These lazy fuckers!" I slammed a tree and gritted my teeth.
The people of Isles, Britons, had simply become too dependent on fairies and mystery, and so they became lazy. They just wanted another person to solve every single problem for them.
In my eyes, they were nothing more than worthless maggots who should be exterminated from this land. They didn't deserve to live. There is simply no meaning to live a worthless life!
"U-unkie…" I was snapped from my rage when Artoria woke up and called me with her sleepy eyes.
"It's okay, dear. Sleep well." I smiled and rubbed her back. Artoria beamed a soft smile before snuggling back into my embrace, covering herself with my beard and falling asleep.
Now it all made sense. Artoria Pendragon… she was raised for these people. The term 'Ideal King' was but a façade. The people of Britain just wanted someone to do their bidding. They never wanted a king but a slave who would do everything they asked for, and if he were to fail, they would have someone to blame for the failure.
Mordred, Morgan, even Artoria and Merlin were mere pawns that the world used to exterminate this bunch of losers. Britons, the people who worship mystery and depend on fairies for everything, were simply meant to be exterminated.
"Now do you realize why I went so hard on my people?" Nero came forward, petting my back.
Yes, I understood now. She wanted to face Romans to face some hardships. Maybe it was her way to train people that they aren't living in an eternal paradise. Time will change, and if they aren't ready to evolve, they will perish.
"Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times," Nero spoke reflectively. "In the midst of immense wealth and centuries of protection, my Rome was growing weaker from within. That's why I yearned to dismantle some walls—to deliver a reality check that our city walls aren't omnipotent boundaries guaranteeing perpetual protection for my people."
In short, she just wanted to discipline her people, and I think she was somewhat successful.
Saxons, a mix of Romans and Germans, were able to successfully invade these isles without any help of fairies or magecraft. Vortigern might just be using them for his advantage, but there wasn't any denying that Saxons were the champions of the future, and Britons would turn history.
"Tacitus, don't lose hope. It will be a bit challenging, but you are here to change fates, right?" Nero smiled, reassuring me.
"You are right." I sighed and smiled, "Though it will be hard to convince the same to the actual future king."
---
(3rd Person's POV)
Morgan was invited for a date with her husband to stroll in the capital. It was a weird, sudden request, but so far, Morgan enjoyed it. Something she had never experienced before.
"Morgan, observe the people here."
It was then King Lot asked Morgan to observe the people. Morgan thought she was here to enjoy, but apparently, it was another one of King Lot's tests. Morgan nodded and decided to observe the people. After all, these were the people she would be governing.
As she observed them, she realized something. Aren't Britons getting too lazy? It was true that fairies were as much responsible for Britons' laziness, but don't these actions make them stagnant? How would they fight the invaders with their laziness and carefree attitude?
"Now, I will be taking you to another city," King Lot said, and then in the next moment, Morgan was transported to an entirely different city. Morgan wanted to know this super rare transportation spell, but King Lot asked her to observe these people.
"These people…"
"Saxons. It is one of the cities that Saxons colonized after Britons fought and killed each other," King Lot explained, "Now, observe these people. How they live and whether they have a better future than Britons."
Morgan hesitantly nodded and decided to just see and watch.
As Morgan continued to observe the livelihood of the people, she couldn't believe her eyes. Magecraft? What was magecraft for Saxons? People there didn't even know anything about magic or fairies. They relied on tools and pure intelligence to progress into the future. They even developed weapons to ward off Phantasmal Beasts. Saxons were the true victors of the age of men. The age of mystery would simply crumble in their presence.
Soon, the scenery shifted, and she found herself standing outside the city on a hill. Britons and Saxons were the same people, yet one was a stagnant nation without any sign of growth, while the other represented the future.
"Morgan, so the reason…" King Lot began.
"Impossible." Morgan cut him off, staring at him intently. "I am Morgan Pendragon, a fairy born to protect the mysteries of these lands. Are you suggesting that the people I want to protect, along with the mysteries of these lands, are designed to perish, and I should just accept it?!"
Morgan wasn't naive. King Lot had made her see two different livelihoods of people and asked her to judge which race would survive.
"Morgan, I will say this clearly. Britons have no future. The world itself won't allow the age of mysteries to continue."
"Stop! Don't say that! Do you want me to just watch and see my people die? I want to rule this land and protect its mysteries! Should I just wait for my death?!" Morgan cried, tears streaming down her face.
"Morgan, there are two options then. One, protect these lazy Britons and preserve the mystery of these lands. I will help you wipe out every single invader myself—rivers of blood will flow, but you will have a safe haven for a short while.
Second, you will abandon the way of mystery and lead the Britons towards a better future. Unlike the first option, this will be hard, full of ups and downs. You will face challenges at every single step, but you will be able to save your people from their hellish fate of extinction."
Morgan was left speechless. Without a doubt, the first option seemed tempting. She could protect the age of mysteries and govern her people in peace, achieving her dream.
The second option seemed foolish. She would not only be fighting against both Saxons to claim the lands and Britons to change them for evolution. Both sides would retaliate. What's more, by siding herself with the age of men, she would be betraying the fairies and making them her enemies.
As she was about to choose, King Lot revealed something.
"But the first option will merely be an illusion, a singularity that will fade with the passage of time. The world will treat this land as mere fantasy. What's more, our blood, our lineage will never continue. In the future, no one will remember me or your reign."
King Lot then looked at Morgan. "So choose wisely. Either protect the mysteries or fight to correct your people and protect these lands. I will do anything you ask for, but I don't simply want to let you walk blindly."
Tears streamed down from Morgan's eyes as she clung to her husband.
"There must be a third option. Please, I beg of you!"
King Lot shook his head. "I am sorry, but there isn't. Now choose, and we will go down that path."
Morgan gritted her teeth and after thinking for a while, she chose…
"I will go with the second path," Morgan said and then looked at her husband. "But I want you to keep your promise and show me that I can truly change this country."
"I promise. Not only that, but you will also be able to protect magecraft in secret. Don't worry too much about fairies or their curses; I will take care of everything. You will just have to be a leader." King Lot smiled and caressed Morgan's head. "Morgan Pendragon, well done. I am proud of you, both as your husband and as your first subject."
Morgan felt warmth in her heart as she nodded with rosy cheeks. And so, it was the day when Morgan chose to lead her people towards a new future, even if it meant betraying the fairies.
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