"Hm, it all started when I turned five years old. And father said he wanted to give me something special on my birthday, my father was never the soft kind. He gave me a locket, Although at the time, it just felt like a small normal locket."
Artoria began, and Merlin listened. Ha Joon was still camping on the walls, eavesdropping on their conversation.
"It wasn't until I turned seven that I began to realize what the locket really was. Every night, since I began wearing the locket to bed, I would have visions of this young man, roughly the same age as me at the time, black hair and dressed in this weird kind of outfit.
His bedroom was very different from what I've seen in the castle walls, pictures of women dressed in strange outfits on the walls, and other magical items that I still don't know the name of. I believe one of them was called a playstation, at least that's what was written on it everytime I appeared there".
'Eh? Playstation? How does the king of Camelot know about something in the far future? And this guy, having pictures of girls in his room at 5? Surely it can't be me, it can't be me .. right?' Ha Joon had begun sweating.
"At first it was weird and I felt lost, but I got curious to know what that world was, where I'd always find myself everytime I slept. And so, I kept going back there every night. I could hear his voice, the things he did-"
'T..the things I did?' At this point, Ha Joon's sweat was trailing like bullets on his face.
"Although some were… quite embarrassing. But luckily he couldn't see or hear me. And that became my place of comfort, if I was ever sad, I'd go there, if I was happy, I'd listen to him play with his magic shiny objects. This kept going on until I was 13, when my father died. The power of the locket died too, the boy in the other world became unreachable, -"
"And then you miraculously found him on the battlefield, the boy you haven't seen for over 8 years was suddenly in front of you, ah♡, romanceeee~" Merlin hugged Artoria, nudging her back and forth like a cute doll.
The only person in the Camelot would dare to do that.
"And this is the last time I'm telling you this. Why did you even ask for it? You haven't asked about it in a long time." Artoria asked, giving Merlin the side eye.
"Oh, let's just say someone needed to understand what was going on." Merlin grinned deviously.
"Someone? What do you mean some-"
Merlin suddenly used her magic to splash water on Artoria's face. Her laughter was loud as she kept on with the attack.
Meanwhile…
Ha Joon had managed to step down from the castle wall. He was not standing in the courtyard, his back pressed against the wall.
His hand covered his mouth as he looked to the ground, his eyes widened in shock.
'No freaking way, please tell me it's not what I'm currently thinking. She was in my room? How? I mean there's a chance she wasn't talking about me right? But then again, I'm the only Traveler. Or atleast the only one I've heard of'.
Ha Joon's face turned even more red as a new thought crossed his mind.
'That would explain her reaction when she first saw me… and why on earth would she take in a stranger… it's all making sense now, what's even worse …'
'There's a chance she saw me masturbating!!!'.
...
The next day*
Ha Joon rode behind Artoria on her dragon, drake, his hand around her waist as the dragon soared through the air.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the water source. To his surprise, a lot of people were present, from mages, to knights and even some merchants.
'Ehhh? Why are there so many people here? I thought this place was supposed to be secure?' Ha Joon spouted.
[I believe they are here to be witnesses, in case an allegation was ever brought up against the royal house.]
[People tend to have problems trusting in things like this, as they believe it might be political scandal]
'Well that's just dumb.'
Drake landed on the ground, just right in the middle of the gathered crowd.
Artoria and Ha Joon leaped down, all eyes immediately falling on them.
"Don't make eye contact with anyone." Artoria whispered to Ha Joon before she advanced towards the river.
"R-Right." Ha Joon responded, walking slowly behind her.
"That is the King's pet? He looks nothing like the description states".
"Is this the man who was supposed to fix the corrupted water? That's such a shame".
"I knew the kingdom was facing financial issues, but to stick to a clown parade is bad to the King's reputation, is Camelot seriously falling already?".
'Do these people realize we can actually hear them talking? The hell? What are they attacking me for?' Ha Joon took one quick glance at the crowd and noticed the hatred on some people's features.
He looked away.
'Oh now I get it. There are always some groups of people who stand against those in power, the poisoned minded people. Camelot is way too big to spot every one of them, ruining the Royal family's reputation is their whole mission. The fact Artoria has been having issues ruling the kingdom isn't helping her case either… in other words, I need to make her a better king.'
Ha Joon arrived in front of the river, and there Artoria stood to the side, the knights all surrounding him so no one would get close.
Even Merlin was watching from a distance with a smile on her face.
'If all she needs is a few scam miracles to get to the top, to make sure her fame as the legendary king of Camelot remains? Then that is something I'll definitely do, no question asked'.
He touched the surface of the water.
'Watch, I will become Camelot's savior!'.
"Purification."