Lott Is Also Dumbfounded
Altria's success in drawing the sword from the stone had led to a series of puzzling developments. Merlin, observing from the sidelines, was deeply troubled. He had anticipated that only Altria could pull the sword from the stone, but now everything seemed uncertain. He had to consider how Morgan was handling the situation, and whether there were any hidden motives behind her actions.
Merlin emerged from his contemplation and saw Altria approaching with a large bag of buns. His mouth twitched in surprise at the sight.
"Teacher, you haven't left yet?" Altria asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
Without waiting for a reply, Altria handed Merlin a vegetable bun from the bag. "Teacher, do you want to eat some steamed buns? His Royal Highness Morgan asked the chef to make them specially. They're quite delicious."
Merlin took the bun with a smile, but his eyes remained observant. "I'm not fond of vegetarian food," he said as he selected a meat bun instead. "This one suits me better."
He took a bite, his expression one of quiet pleasure. As he ate, he observed Altria with keen interest. She had drawn the sword and claimed it, yet Morgan had given her food rather than taking the sword herself. Was Morgan rewarding Altria for her actions, or was there another reason?
"Could this be some sort of compensation for the throne?" Merlin wondered. "If it were Lott, perhaps, but Morgan… she should be resentful right now, shouldn't she?"
Merlin, still chewing the meat bun, pondered if the food was poisoned, but soon realized it was perfectly safe and quite tasty.
Altria, meanwhile, complained to Merlin. "Teacher, please don't tease me so much next time. If it weren't for His Royal Highness Morgan, I'd be the subject of ridicule."
Merlin shrugged nonchalantly. "Ah, I only wanted to see how you'd handle the sword. I thought maybe you'd become Camelot's new king if you managed to pull it out."
He pointed at the sword still at Altria's waist. "So, the sword in the stone, you pulled it out. Does that mean you're now aiming to become Camelot's new ruler?"
Altria took up the sword and addressed Merlin seriously. "This sword is a treasure of the Pendragon family, and the whole event is a conspiracy against them. Without His Royal Highness Morgan's intervention, Camelot would be in a dire state."
She continued, explaining Morgan's intentions and her role. "In the end, His Royal Highness Morgan gifted me the sword. I must now focus on my training and fulfil her expectations."
Merlin, though initially perplexed, accepted the explanation. "King Uther's sword is indeed quite the enigma. Alright, Altria, go practice your swordsmanship. I have other matters to attend to. I heard there are discounts on brothels in the city of Chalk. I can't miss such an opportunity."
Merlin grabbed another meat bun and left, leaving Altria to ponder the situation. She knew Merlin's motives well enough to understand that he was more interested in seeing her reaction than in actual hunger.
Outside, Merlin took a vigorous bite of the meat bun. If he had emotions, he would have been seething with frustration. The sword in the stone was a Pendragon family secret, something he had personally placed there. The fact that Morgan knew about it and used it to manipulate Altria was both surprising and infuriating.
Merlin thought, How did Morgan know that the sword was only meant for Altria? And her approach... making Altria grateful while keeping the credit for herself? It's almost as thick-skinned as me!
He reflected on how Morgan had manoeuvred the situation to her advantage and made Altria the centre of attention. Merlin admired the strategy but was frustrated by the unexpected twist of events.
Lott, meanwhile, had also been taken aback by the news of the sword being drawn. He quickly grasped that Altria was the one who had succeeded. He assumed Merlin would be quite pleased with this development.
Lott considered the implications: Altria would likely become the king and the usual conflicts with Mordred would follow. However, Lott had other plans. He wanted to comfort Morgan, who had been left out of the glory she had sought.
Lott set out to find Morgan, intending to offer her support and reassurance. As he approached, he spotted Morgan and embraced her warmly.
"Wife..." Lott said, pulling her into a hug.
Morgan, enveloped in Lott's embrace, felt a sense of comfort and affection. She nestled into him, thinking that Lott had come to celebrate her successful manipulation of the situation with the sword.
A sweet smile crossed Morgan's face as she thought, My husband understands me well. He knows I've successfully outmanoeuvred Merlin, and he's come to celebrate.
But then, Morgan's expression shifted as she heard Lott's internal thoughts. Comfort? Why would I need comfort? The real person who needs comfort is Merlin!
Morgan was puzzled. Why would Lott think I need comforting? I should be the one comforting him, not the other way around.
As the scene unfolded, it became clear that the dynamics between the characters were shifting in unexpected ways, setting the stage for more intrigue and drama to come.