"Yes, this Scottish army is mostly composed of the Pendragon lineage," Da Vinci remarked thoughtfully. "But maybe we can still find some lords who haven't pledged yet. Let's go look for them first."
Ritsuka Fujimaru nodded. "Alright," she agreed, and the group set off to explore further possibilities.
In the days that followed, Lott and Morgan experienced firsthand the overwhelming response of many local rulers surrendering to them. Despite the small size of the Scottish territories, the sheer number of people coming forward was surprising.
To show proper respect for the Scottish Kings, Lott and Morgan met with each one personally. After yet another king had been sent away, Morgan wiped the sweat from her brow and glanced at Lott. "I knew it," she sighed. "I should have just let them oppose us instead."
Lott couldn't help but smile at Morgan's exasperation.
Morgan's frustration was mostly in jest. Despite the challenging terrain and rugged, defiant people, Scotland was being brought under control. The region was akin to a small Afghanistan in the British Isles—difficult to manage but crucial to secure.
"Considering that two-thirds of the local rulers have already joined us, the remaining holdouts might try to rally with the local populace," Morgan observed, reviewing the latest reports.
Lott nodded. "Yes, we've taken control of two-thirds of the British Isles. The only part left is Ireland. Once we secure that, the entire British Isles will be united under our rule."
Although it sounded straightforward, Lott knew that conquering Ireland was no simple task. Even in the 21st century, Irish independence movements posed challenges, and it was no different now, in the 5th century.
Morgan looked contemplative. "When we've unified all of Britain, we'll be ready to either march into France, take on Rome, or even confront the will of the planet itself."
Lott smiled at Morgan's ambition. "So, what do you think we should do after taking over France and Rome? How should we distribute the land?"
Morgan's eyes gleamed with excitement. "I suppose we could leave Britain to little Gawain, then divide the European continent among our other children—France, Spain, Italy... the more, the better."
Lott stroked his chin thoughtfully. "All the lords of Europe would be our children. You know, people might start calling me the 'Father of Europe.'"
Morgan laughed. "And you'd be the 'Mother of Europe.'"
They both burst into laughter, enjoying the playful banter. Standing outside the room, Altria and Galahad exchanged glances and quickly made a gesture of silence. The two knights had originally come to report on army matters, but upon hearing the conversation between Lott and Morgan, they hesitated.
We're definitely not here at the right time, both thought, knowing that if they revealed they had overheard their king and queen's private conversation, it would be incredibly awkward. What would they do to us if they found out?
The thought made Altria and Galahad shiver. No, it's better not to be noticed.
"But if we conquer Europe," Morgan continued dreamily, "we could taste the entire continent's cuisine. Even if it doesn't compare to Orkney's, it would still be an adventure."
Altria's eyes widened, tears of excitement welling up as she imagined the array of food. Galahad, watching her expression, gave up on reconciling the image of this food-loving knight with the dignified King Arthur he remembered. The gap between the two personas was simply too vast.
"But exploring all of Europe would be wonderful," Galahad mused to himself. In his previous life, he had never traveled beyond Britain. Now, having come so far, he felt the urge to explore the entire continent.
His Majesty Lott had done an incredible job leading Camelot to prosperity, making it a place where the people flourished under his and Morgan's rule. Galahad admired this immensely.
Now, hearing their ambition to spread Camelot's ideals across the world, Galahad clenched his fist, feeling a surge of determination. He was ready to support them in any way he could.
Meanwhile, outside...
The Chaldean group had been walking for some time before stopping in a dense forest. The undeveloped areas of Scotland were vast and filled with thick vegetation.
Ritsuka turned to Mash, Lancelot, and Mordred. "Alright, what happened between the three of you back there?"
Although she had observed the arena events, she hadn't been able to catch the details afterward.
Mash, looking a little embarrassed, spoke first. "I was with Miss Melusine. She didn't do anything inappropriate, but she kept holding me and patting my head. I felt a bit shy, but I had to endure it because I lost our bet."
"I see. So, next time we face Melusine, I should let you handle it," Ritsuka teased, making Mash blush even more.
Turning to Lancelot, she asked, "And you, Lancelot?"
Lancelot shrugged. "I was just talking to Galahad. He's come to appreciate the world as it is now, but I want to strengthen my resolve to help you change it. I'm betting on you and your vision."
Ritsuka smiled. "Thank you. I won't let you down."
Finally, she turned to Mordred. "And what about you, Mordred?"
Mordred, who had been dragged away by Altria during the commotion, looked annoyed. "Hmph, like I care what those people think."
Everyone burst into laughter at her expression.
"Master, if you laugh one more time, I won't help you!" Mordred threatened, glaring at Ritsuka.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," Ritsuka said, stifling her laughter. "So, you and Lancelot both want to win?"
Mordred nodded. "Of course. I never want to lose."
Ritsuka nodded, her expression turning serious. "Alright. We'll do our best."
Mordred hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Master, do we really have to restore this singularity? Can't we let both worlds coexist?"
Da Vinci, who had been listening quietly, chimed in with a smile, "Seems like Mordred has grown attached to this world."
"Absolutely not!" Mordred protested, turning away stubbornly.
Even the least observant person could see through her. Ritsuka and the others shared knowing smiles.
"But in this case, we really have no choice," Da Vinci explained gently. "Our world and this singularity exist on the same timeline. They can't coexist in parallel. If this world continues, our own will cease to exist."
"Is there no way to create another timeline?" Mordred asked, curiosity replacing her earlier reluctance.
"It's not that simple," Da Vinci replied. "Creating a new timeline goes far beyond magic."
"I see…" Mordred's disappointment was palpable.
"Let's talk about it later," she said finally, turning to Mash with a reassuring pat on her shoulder. "For now, let's keep moving."
"Right!" Ritsuka agreed enthusiastically.
At that moment, Lancelot glanced around. "Wait, I feel like we're missing someone."
Everyone paused, looking at each other in confusion until Mash pointed out, "Mr. Merlin isn't with us."
"Oh, right, that old trickster," Ritsuka remembered. "Could he be lost?"
Mordred rolled her eyes. "With his clairvoyance? If anyone's lost, it's us, not him. He's definitely up to something."
"I agree," Mash nodded.
Da Vinci added a word of caution. "Be careful around Merlin."
"Of course," Ritsuka affirmed. The group continued onward, knowing that whatever Merlin was up to, it was bound to complicate things further.