Gawain watched in shock as the farmer rolled up his trouser leg, revealing a neatly bandaged wound.
"What is this?" Gawain asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
The farmer, noticing Gawain's reaction, thought he had never seen such a thing before. He straightened up, puffing out his chest proudly. "This was done by a barefoot doctor from our village," he explained. "You see, this is why the life of us farmers in England is better than that of you knights on the island of Ireland. Even in the most remote villages, we get proper treatment for our injuries. Unlike you folks in Ireland, who only know how to bleed and bleed and bleed."
"Barefoot doctor?" Gawain repeated, focusing on the unfamiliar term.
The farmer nodded vigorously. "Yes, barefoot doctors. They've been going around all the villages, teaching people basic medical care. Now, when someone gets hurt, they know what to do. That's why, even if we're just farmers, we're better off than your knights."
Gawain, trying to hide his astonishment, asked, "Are these barefoot doctors only in your village, or are they everywhere?"
"They're in every village," the farmer replied confidently. "Everywhere you go, there's a barefoot doctor. Life's much better now."
Other villagers joined in, echoing the farmer's words, emphasizing how much their lives had improved with the arrival of these doctors. They spoke with pride about how well they were treated, and how they no longer feared illness as they used to.
Sensing that Gawain was losing interest, the farmer quickly added, "But don't worry, we'll soon be one country. There's an army camped near our village, and I've seen them—strong and well-trained. It won't be long before we're united."
Gawain listened, but he kept his thoughts to himself. The farmer was no expert; he couldn't judge the true strength of an army. But now he knew the location of the barracks, which meant he had a starting point to gather more information.
After chatting a bit longer to avoid suspicion, Gawain returned to Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others, relaying everything he had learned.
"Medical care for everyone?" Mash asked in disbelief. "How could they train so many doctors in such a short time?"
"Yeah, it doesn't seem possible," Ritsuka agreed. "Medical training takes years. And as far as I know, there are no universities in England yet. Where did all these doctors come from?"
Da Vinci, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "It's not impossible, you know. All it takes is the right book."
"What kind of book?" Ritsuka asked immediately, her curiosity piqued. "If they can do it, then we can too, right?"
Da Vinci sighed. "It's a book from Huaxia—a sacred text that can quickly teach basic medical care in a largely uneducated, agricultural society."
She paused, then continued, "I don't have a copy, of course. Huaxia is off-limits to most magicians, and I've never had access to their books. But every village doctor likely has a copy now. We could try to steal a few and use them ourselves."
"Is it really that powerful?" Mash asked, still doubtful.
"Yes," Da Vinci confirmed. "And I'm not exaggerating. The content is simple, yet it covers a vast range of knowledge in a way that anyone can understand."
She looked thoughtful for a moment. "If Lott and Morgan have access to something like this, it means they're able to communicate with the future somehow. They're getting things from the modern world, which is a huge advantage."
Gawain frowned. "How can you be sure they're getting these books from the future? What if they just remembered it?"
Da Vinci scoffed. "Remembered it? Do you know how much information that is? Even I would struggle to memorize it all. Lott and Morgan are smart, but they're not superhuman. They must have access to some form of time manipulation or communication."
Gawain shrugged. "You sound like you're bragging about yourself."
Da Vinci gave him a playful glare. "I'm a genius, Gawain. I don't need to brag—it's just the truth."
Ritsuka looked worried. "So, if these barefoot doctors have become so widespread in just a few months, what about their soldiers? Could they be using another book to train them?"
Da Vinci nodded slowly. "That's what I'm afraid of. If they've used a similar method to train their army, then we're facing something much more dangerous than we thought. We need to find out exactly what they've done and prepare accordingly."
"Then we have to go deeper," Ritsuka decided. "We need to see their military capabilities firsthand."
That night, the group barely slept, their minds racing with what they had discovered. The next morning, they followed the farmer's directions and made their way to the barracks.
From a high vantage point, Gawain looked down at the training grounds. His heart sank as he watched the soldiers moving in perfect synchronization, their drills precise and well-practiced.
"Their training... it's at a completely different level," Gawain muttered, his face pale.
Da Vinci, observing through her magical vision, nodded grimly. "They've integrated modern military techniques. This isn't just about appearance—they've fundamentally changed their approach to warfare."
Fujimaru Tatsuka clenched her fists. "This is unfair. Their soldiers are using muskets while ours are still fighting with swords and spears. How can we compete?"
"We need to get back and warn everyone," Mash said urgently.
"Wait," Oberon interrupted gently. "We need more information before we return. We need to understand everything we're up against."
Gawain nodded. "He's right. We have to know exactly what we're facing. Let's keep going."
And so, they continued their journey deeper into England, the weight of what they had seen bearing heavily on their shoulders.
The further they traveled, the more they realized that Morgan and Lott's changes were not just superficial. The training they saw in various barracks was consistent and rigorous, and the presence of barefoot doctors in every village confirmed that this was a systematic transformation.
By the time they reached the outskirts of the chalk city, they were more troubled than ever.
At the city gates, they saw something that made their hearts sink even further. Soldiers were lining up, holding long, cylindrical objects—muskets. They were practicing loading and firing with speed and efficiency.
Ritsuka's face went pale. "They're already producing muskets on a large scale..."
Da Vinci nodded, her voice grim. "This is the worst-case scenario. They're not just arming a few elite soldiers—they're preparing an entire army."
Ritsuka felt a surge of frustration. "This isn't a fair fight! How are we supposed to win against this?"
"We need to warn the others," Mash said, her voice urgent. "We have to tell Lancelot, Agravain, and the rest to prepare."
Ritsuka took a deep breath and nodded. "Oberon, head back to Ireland and inform them of what we've seen. We'll stay here and gather more information."
Oberon nodded, concern etched on his face. "Be careful. You're walking into the heart of the beast."
As he turned and left, Ritsuka and the others steeled themselves for what lay ahead. They knew the risks, but they also knew that understanding Camelot's true power was the only way to have any hope of victory.
The road ahead was uncertain, and the odds were stacked against them. But they wouldn't back down—not now, not ever.