Melusine tried to justify herself internally, seeking some comfort after the day's events.
"Altria, are you still troubled by today's battle?" Guinevere's voice was filled with concern as she approached her beloved knight. It was evening, and she noticed that Altria had eaten less than ten pounds of bread—a stark contrast to her usual hearty appetite. Worried, Guinevere went to check on her.
"Yes, I am," Altria admitted without hesitation, her brow furrowed in thought. "I never imagined that after defeating Vortigern, we'd encounter such a powerful enemy again. But today, the fairies truly humbled us."
"Don't worry," Guinevere said, trying to lift Altria's spirits. "It was just a minor setback. I'm sure you'll secure victory in tomorrow's battle."
"Victory?" Altria sighed. "I've already pushed myself to my limits. Even with Caliburn and Excalibur, I couldn't defeat her. How can I possibly get any stronger?"
As Altria pondered her strength and her future, a figure appeared before them.
"That's not true," a familiar voice interrupted. "You can definitely become stronger. You have a special bloodline, and you haven't reached your limit yet."
Dressed in white and looking almost too handsome, Merlin appeared with his usual air of mischief. He was the kind of person who made people want to draw a mustache on his face just to take him down a peg.
"Teacher?" Altria's voice was filled with suspicion as she looked at him. "Why are you here again?"
"Are you not happy to see me?" Merlin asked, taking a bite out of an apple and smiling playfully.
"It's not that, teacher," Altria replied, shaking her head. She hesitated for a moment, then continued, "It's just that no one in Camelot's army welcomes you."
Merlin's smile froze mid-bite.
"His Majesty Lott told me that the only way you'll be welcomed by the army is if you change from Merlin to 'Merly.'"
"Is that so? Well, that's easy enough. Where's the women's clothing? Should I change right here, or should I do it in front of all the soldiers?" Merlin asked without missing a beat, his expression serious.
Both Altria and Guinevere immediately blushed, covering their faces. The embarrassment was overwhelming.
"Doesn't he know any shame?" Guinevere muttered, glancing at Altria.
Altria quickly changed the subject, desperate to avoid further awkwardness. "Teacher, what is your purpose here? Are you planning to help me deal with the enemies?"
"Of course not! I'm just a weak magician," Merlin replied with a dramatic flourish. "I wouldn't dare confront an enemy. Besides, that fairy, Melusine, is incredibly powerful."
"So why are you here?" Altria asked, her confusion growing.
"I'm here to help you grow stronger," Merlin said, his tone serious now.
"Stronger?" Altria echoed, pointing to herself in disbelief.
"Yes," Merlin nodded. "Aside from these two swords, there's another weapon that belongs to you. I'm here to help you claim it."
"What weapon?" Altria asked, her interest piqued.
"The Holy Spear, Rhongomyniad."
"Teacher, are you joking?" Altria asked, genuinely surprised by Merlin's suggestion. She had always been content with her current strength. As the adopted child of a humble knight, she had achieved more than she ever dreamed. She wielded not one but two holy swords, a feat that would be the envy of any hero in a knightly tale.
She had felt frustrated earlier, but it was more about her own inadequacies in battle. Despite her powerful holy swords, she hadn't been able to overcome Melusine, and it made her feel unworthy of the gifts bestowed upon her by Morgan and Lott.
"How could I joke about something like this?" Merlin replied with a smile, though he only received a skeptical look from Altria in return.
Respecting one's teacher was important, but trust depended on the teacher's reliability. And Merlin's reliability was... questionable, to say the least. Altria's expression made it clear that she didn't fully trust him.
"I'm just trying to find a weapon that suits you," Merlin continued, his tone light. "But let's not bring up Morgan and Lott…"
He was about to delve into a lengthy explanation when a new voice interrupted him.
"Oh really?"
Startled, Merlin turned around. Standing behind him, hand-in-hand, were Lott and Morgan, both smiling warmly.
"Lott, Morgan!" Merlin exclaimed, surprise flickering across his face. He hadn't sensed their approach at all—a rare thing indeed.
"Altria, Guinevere, could you close your eyes for a moment?" Lott asked gently.
"Of course," they responded in unison, closing their eyes as instructed.
A loud thud echoed in the night, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. When Altria and Guinevere opened their eyes again, they saw Merlin covering his face, clearly in pain.
What just happened?
They looked at Lott, who was still clenching his fist, and then at Morgan, who was smiling in satisfaction. It dawned on them—both Lott and Morgan had struck Merlin simultaneously.
Morgan's magic, combined with Lott's strength, had completely blindsided Merlin. He had no time to use his usual tricks. Seeing their teacher like this, with one eye purple and the other bruised, both Altria and Guinevere couldn't help but laugh.
"Why did you two hit him?" Altria asked, still chuckling.
Lott, still holding Morgan's hand, answered, "Because your teacher is trying to push you into something without fully explaining the consequences. He wants you to take up Rhongomyniad to make you stronger, but that would change your nature."
"He still hasn't given up, has he?" Morgan added, her tone icy. "He wants you to wield the spear to increase your strength, but that comes with a cost."
Altria was puzzled. "What cost?"
"Rhongomyniad is powerful, but it's a weapon of immense responsibility. It's not just about strength. Using it could alter your very character," Lott explained, his voice serious.
"We came here to stop him before he pushed you into something irreversible," Morgan said firmly, her gaze never leaving Merlin.
A few days ago, while discussing the Wind Clan's movements, Morgan and Lott had decided to visit Altria. They knew Merlin would be around, but they didn't trust him to act in Altria's best interests, especially with such a powerful artifact involved.
They had traveled through the night, catching up just as Merlin began his little scheme. Hearing him talk about Rhongomyniad had been the last straw.
"If he'd managed to convince you, we'd have had a serious problem," Lott continued. "We can't afford to lose you, Altria. Not like that."
Altria's heart swelled at their concern. She looked at Merlin, who was still nursing his wounds and couldn't help but smile. Her teacher, as brilliant as he was, often caused more trouble than he solved.
"We'll discuss this properly tomorrow," Lott said, his tone gentle but firm. "For now, get some rest. We'll make sure you're prepared for what's to come."
Altria nodded, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. "Thank you, Lott, Morgan."
As they turned to leave, Morgan couldn't resist one last jab. "And Merlin, try not to get any more ideas tonight, or you might wake up with another black eye."
Merlin, still covering his bruised face, managed a weak smile. "Noted."
Altria and Guinevere burst out laughing again, the tension of the day finally breaking. Despite everything, they felt reassured knowing they had such steadfast allies by their side.