After completing the preparations, Altria quickly sent word to Morgan and Lott, informing them that everything was ready. As soon as they arrived, they could settle in and eat without delay.
The Scout Knight returned and delivered the message to Lott. Upon receiving the notification, Lott and Morgan wasted no time. They immediately gathered their troops and headed to Orkney Castle.
Lott's reputation in Orkney was nothing short of remarkable. His leadership was cherished among the people, and his popularity could be seen in the eager faces of the crowd that awaited them.
As Lott and Morgan entered the city, the people erupted into cheers. Mordred, standing among the crowd, watched in surprise. The admiration these people had for Lott was overwhelming. She couldn't believe the sight before her.
Is he this popular? she thought, comparing the scene to her memories of Camelot. Even when King Arthur returned victorious, the citizens of the Chalk City only greeted him with mild interest.
"Why is there such a huge difference between the two?" Mordred muttered to herself, puzzled by the contrast. She continued to watch as Lott and the others paraded through the city gates.
The army began to pour into the city, with Lott and Morgan leading the procession. Each rode a majestic white horse, their regal presence captivating the crowd. The two of them moved side by side, their eyes frequently meeting with affectionate smiles.
Mordred's jaw nearly dropped in disbelief. What is this? Am I seeing things? She couldn't believe her eyes as she watched her mother, Morgan, gazing at Lott with an expression filled with love. This was not the Morgan she remembered—stern, unyielding, and always focused on her ambitions.
No, I have to figure out what's going on, Mordred resolved silently. She glanced at Lott again, noting his handsome features. Compared to her previous life, he was far more attractive than Gawain or Agravain. But surely her mother wasn't swayed by mere appearances?
Still, if Mordred knew that in this timeline, Morgan genuinely found happiness in Lott's presence, she wouldn't know how to react. Lott's charm and kindness made it difficult for anyone to harbor ill feelings towards him.
After seeing Morgan and Lott together, Mordred's gaze shifted to the rest of the group. She spotted Kay and Galahad among the knights. Knowing that Galahad had appeared in this world earlier than expected, she wasn't too surprised to see him. However, she noticed three unfamiliar figures following Lott, which made her frown.
Wait... who are these three women? Mordred thought, her confusion deepening. She didn't recall seeing them in her memories of Camelot. She decided it was best not to draw attention to herself and turned her gaze away.
Morgan, clearly enjoying the admiration of Orkney's people, smiled as she addressed the crowd. "We departed from here to conquer all of Scotland. Once we secure the land, you will have complete peace. You will live here in Orkney Castle without the fear of being attacked ever again."
"Good!" the crowd roared in unison.
"We look forward to the peace brought by Your Majesties!" another voice called out.
The cheers echoed through the city. For the common folk, peace was a dream worth any cost, and hearing Morgan promise it filled them with hope and joy.
Lott, seeing the people's enthusiasm, spoke up with a playful tone, "Now, everyone, it's almost night. If you don't go home and start cooking, you'll end up hungry! And we should go eat too—I'm not fond of going hungry."
His light-hearted words sent the crowd into laughter. The people began to disperse, making way for Camelot's army to move through. Lott and Morgan led their troops toward the barracks.
As they reached the camp, Altria was already there, waiting for them. She greeted them with a formal bow. "Your Majesty Lott, Your Majesty Morgan, I, Knight Altria, report that dinner has been prepared. I have personally tasted the food to ensure it is safe. No one will be poisoned."
"Tasted it?" Morgan looked at Altria with a mix of curiosity and disbelief. "How much did you taste?"
"I tasted a bowl from each pot," Altria replied earnestly.
Lott blinked in astonishment. "A bowl from each pot? There must be hundreds of pots for an army this size!"
He felt a chill run down his spine. The thought of Altria consuming that much food was frightening.
"..." Morgan was momentarily speechless. Finally, she sighed and said, "Well, as long as you're happy."
What can I even say to that? Morgan thought, feeling too tired to argue.
"Understood," Altria nodded, taking Morgan's words at face value.
Morgan dismounted and took Lott's hand as they began walking towards the camp. As they walked, Altria continued, "By the way, Your Majesty Lott, I noticed someone observing us when we entered the city. I'm not sure who it was."
"Someone watching us?" Lott mused, his expression turning serious. "It seems we have a spy among us. We'll need to tighten security around Orkney."
Lott's eyes narrowed as he considered the implications. A spy, here in Orkney? Whoever it was, they were brave to infiltrate so deeply into their territory.
"Galahad!" Lott called out, summoning the young knight. "Tonight, we'll conduct a large-scale search for spies. Make sure you use the methods I taught you to find them all."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will eliminate all spies as you instructed," Galahad responded with a firm nod.
Lott and Morgan had already dealt with spies stirring trouble among the fairies. To prevent such sabotage, Lott had shared strategies from his knowledge, training Galahad and others in espionage and counter-intelligence.
Fortunately, in this era, espionage tactics were not as advanced as they would become. Lott had drawn from his experience watching TV shows and reading, compiling all his knowledge into manuals for his allies.
Now, it was time to put those teachings to use. No one expected that the entire spy network in Orkney Castle would be dismantled by a heroic spirit acting under Lott's guidance.
Meanwhile, after changing out of her armor, Mordred returned to Ritsuka Fujimaru.
"How did it go? Were you noticed?" Ritsuka asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Of course not, Master! Who do you think I am?" Mordred replied confidently, pointing to herself with pride. "There's no way I'd let myself be discovered."
Her assuredness made Ritsuka smile, though he said nothing about her boldness.
Da Vinci, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "By the way, Mordred, who did you see when you were out there? Who should we try to contact first?"
"Oh, I saw Morgan, Lott..." Mordred began listing the people she had seen. Then, recalling the three women, she added, "Oh, yes, and there were three other women I didn't recognize."
"Three women?" Da Vinci asked, her interest piqued.
Lancelot, who wasn't aware that two of the fairy knights were following Morgan, didn't react. Da Vinci continued, "In that case, our best option is to approach Galahad. If there's anyone who might know more about the situation, it's him. Seeing Mordred might confuse him, and that could give us the chance to get some answers."
Lancelot, hearing this, shifted uncomfortably. "I'll stay behind. You go without me," he said, his voice tinged with guilt.
The others glanced at him knowingly. During their journey, Mash had explained Galahad's lineage and connection to Lancelot.
In his past, Princess Elaine, who was enamored with Lancelot, had tricked him with a potion, making him believe she was Guinevere. They spent the night together, resulting in Galahad's birth. Lancelot, feeling unworthy and ashamed, never took responsibility for his son, leaving Galahad to grow up alone.
Even though these events hadn't occurred in this timeline, the story weighed heavily on Lancelot's heart. He was ashamed of the role he had played, even if unintentionally.
Thinking about Galahad's mother, Lancelot felt an even deeper pang of regret. He was well aware of how Elaine had gone to great lengths to be with him, and the knowledge that he had failed both her and Galahad filled him with sorrow. He couldn't bear to face his son, knowing all that had transpired.
As Lott and Morgan walked together, the atmosphere in the camp was lively and filled with a sense of anticipation for the coming battles. The night ahead would be long, but they were prepared to face whatever challenges lay before them.