Chapter 16: Lake where the princess was born
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[You confirmed that you heard Morgan correctly.]
[She did express her intention not to return to the royal court for the time being, and her attitude was quite cautious.]
You realize that she is worried that her request would violate King Uther's order to return to the capital.
[You decide to reassure her.]
"Okay, Princess," Ian said, taking the reins of his horse. "Then we won't go back for now."
"Will this be a problem?" Morgan asked cautiously.
"It'll be fine," Ian replied as gently as possible. "If there's any problem—"
Ian patted the horse beneath him. "Just say they are too tired."
Morgan knew that the man in front of her would never deceive her.
She nodded. "Let's go then, Ian."
"Okay, my lady."
[You temporarily delayed your plan to return to the royal court with Morgan.]
[You know that this is disobeying King Uther's order.]
[But you understand Morgan's current mood better.]
[You can't bear to see her return to the royal court in such a depressed state. You know that would be very painful for her.]
[You and Morgan strayed from your original path.]
[You two came to a forest, and a clear lake appeared in front of you.]
"Ian."
Morgan pulled the reins, causing her horse to stop.
"I'm tired; let me rest here for a while."
"Understood, Princess."
After receiving the order, Ian first stopped his horse, then got off, walked to Morgan, and assisted her.
"Please be careful, Princess."
"Yeah, I know."
With Ian's help, Morgan gracefully dismounted from the horse.
The two excellent warhorses from Britain were docile and intelligent. Without Ian's command, they began to eat the grass on the ground.
"Ian."
"Here I am."
"What do you think of this place?"
"Um..."
Because of Morgan's words, Ian began to examine the forest.
It was a green forest with many tall trees. Evergreen branches and vines hung from the treetops like a girl's hair.
The sunlight shone through the crown-like green leaves, casting patches of light and shadows on the forest road.
Flowers bloomed on both sides, dotting the green grass.
Not far away was an elegant lake.
The lake was so clear you could see the bottom. There was not a single impurity in the clear water. If you weren't careful, you might mistake it for jade.
"It's beautiful," Ian answered truthfully. "I've never seen anything like it."
"What if you compare it to me?" Morgan suddenly asked.
"It's beautiful."
"Why!"
"Because no matter how this forest changes, it is still within the scope of what can be described in words." Ian looked at Morgan and said so. "And you, my lady, cannot be described in any volume of poetry."
"Ah."
Morgan sneered. "That's quite a compliment. Is this all you've learned from your experience as a lurker under Vortigern's command?"
"No." Ian shook his head. "My Lady, if it were a compliment, I would say it in a more pleasant way. But in my heart, you are truly beyond description."
Hearing this, Morgan turned her head away. "Forget it... I won't argue with you about this."
[Morgan no longer discusses with you which is more beautiful, herself or the lake.]
[She walked ahead of you, contrary to her usual behavior, and seemed to be taking you somewhere.]
You followed her.
[Finally, you stopped by the lake.]
[Morgan made an unexpected request to you—she wanted you to bathe her feet here.]
[You did not reject her, but carried out her request very seriously.]
[The moment you touched her feet, you felt something strange.]
You realize that she has also performed a magic trick on herself.
"It's completely different from what you imagined, right?" Morgan asked while watching Ian take off his armor and go into the lake to bathe her feet.
"Yeah." Ian nodded sincerely. "My Lady, it is indeed completely different from what I imagined."
"It just got to my heart."
Although he had been touched by Morgan's feet many times, this was the first time he had personally touched them.
They were white and soft, without any wrinkles or scars.
The toes' skeleton supported the beautiful skin, and there was no dirt between the toes. The inner instep was slightly gathered because of Ian's control, but it still remained upright.
The ankle formed a perfect arc.
Ian felt it was not an exaggeration to call such feet works of art.
"Really?" Morgan raised the corner of her mouth in an imperceptible arc. "Then did you know that these feet were born from this lake beneath you?"
Ian reacted quickly. "My Lady, is this where you were born?"
Morgan didn't answer directly, but the slightly nostalgic look on her face was enough to explain everything.
"Answer me, Ian."
"Now that you know this, are you still moved by it?"
"Of course," Ian replied without hesitation, "Every day and every night."
"You're lying to me." Morgan looked directly at Ian, "No one needs a princess born in the lake."
"But I never lied to you, Princess."
Ian pinched Morgan's feet, gently stroking the jade-like skin.
It felt as delicate and smooth as touching milk, without any roughness.
Obviously, Morgan's magic has maintained it to the best moment, preventing its beauty from aging with time and battles.
"If this were the place where you were born, I would be happier than ever before."
"Because your birth has brought blessings to this place, the lake is clear because of you, and the trees are lush because of you."
"You are the owner of this forest. They are like the knights of Britain, grateful for your coming."
Hearing this, Morgan was silent for a long time.
Faced with Ian's praise, she was not as happy as usual, but instead looked very sad.
The long eyebrows on her beautiful face drooped slightly, like a sad song at the end of a play, and the indigo eyes hidden behind the eyebrows revealed waves of loneliness.
After a while, she seemed to have recovered, and in a voice that was no longer arrogant, she spoke to the man in the lake in front of her:
"Ian, what if I were destined to be abandoned by my father? What if I never had the possibility of becoming a king?"
"Will you...still be my knight?"
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