[As per her orders, you left the royal court.]
[From that day forth, rumors spread across Britain—of a knight who had murdered his own companions and fled.]
[You knew this was Morgan's carefully crafted lie. She had severed all possibility of your return.]
[Trait Update – Charisma → Charisma (Malice): Instead of persuading with kindness, your tarnished reputation now grants you a more fearsome presence. Your words are now more threatening than convincing.]
[Trait Update – Battle Continuation → Battle Continuation+: Because of Morgan's final words to you at the bath's edge, you will continue to fight, no matter how grave your wounds—until the moment you strike down Vortigern.]
[You traveled alone for a long time. Yet, despite the solitude, your unwavering devotion to Morgan never wavered.]
A Border Town.
Beyond this point lay the domain of Vortigern's forces.
Rei decided to stop and rest.
Inside a tavern, the townsfolk drank freely, lifting their wooden mugs in high spirits—despite the looming war.
They could afford such ease, after all. The Britainn army still protected them.
"Hey, hey!"
A bearded man, reeking of alcohol, spoke up.
"Have you lot heard the news? Some damned knight killed his own comrades and ran off!"
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Rei took a slow sip of his drink.
This was not the first time he had heard such rumors.
And he knew—
They were all talking about him.
But he did not mind.
After all, these people were merely spreading rumors without truly seeking the truth.
This was exactly what Morgan wanted.
And so—
A princess's will is a knight's will.
Even if it meant being branded a criminal, Rei had no complaints.
"Yeah, I heard about it."
The fat man beside the bearded drinker nodded in response.
"What kind of grudge do you have to hold to actually kill your own comrades?"
"Who knows?"
The bearded man took another long swig of his drink before shifting the topic.
"But more importantly—have you heard the latest about the crown heir?"
"Oh, I know this one!"
A thin man joined in.
"I heard they made some kind of decision before setting out for war, right?"
Rei sat silently, hidden beneath his heavy coat.
More than his own rumors, what truly mattered was information regarding Morgan.
And so, he listened intently.
[You held your breath and listened carefully.]
[You heard of the grand ceremony celebrating the birth of Britain's royal heir—a momentous event that had even reached this remote town.]
[You had already learned much about the banquet from Morgan, but what they said next caught you completely off guard.]
[They believed that after King Uther, the newborn heir would inherit the throne and become Britain's next ruler.]
[You realized that someone— just like Morgan— was actively spreading such rumors.
And yet, even knowing this, you could not suppress your rage.]
BANG!
Rei slammed his hand onto the already rickety wooden table, shattering it into pieces.
The entire tavern fell silent.
All eyes turned toward the tall, cloaked man who had suddenly erupted in fury.
"The next King of Britain…
WILL NOT BE THAT HEIR!"
"This land's rightful glory belongs to the Princess alone!"
Before he could escalate things further, Rei tossed down a handful of gold coins—enough to cover any damages—and stormed out of the tavern.
The crowd watched him leave, exchanging bewildered glances.
"What a lunatic."
"Forget him—let's keep drinking."
And just like that, the tavern returned to normal, as if Rei had never been there at all.
[You left the tavern and began traveling nonstop, day and night.]
[You crossed mountains, forded rivers, and ventured through dense forests.]
[You entered the war-torn lands ravaged by Vortigern's forces. But a false king was still a king—he was far harder to find than you had imagined.]
[You realized that at this rate, you would never fulfill Morgan's command. You needed a more extreme approach.]
[If you could not find Vortigern—then you would make him find you.]
[You began slaughtering his soldiers. To a former knight like you, it was effortless.]
[The more soldiers you killed, the more your presence spread across the lands far from the royal court.]
[Whispers of your name began to circulate. This was exactly what you had wanted.]
[Then, one day, an old man claiming to be Vortigern appeared before you.]
[He came alone—with no soldiers at his side.]
[He challenged you to a duel—and within mere moments, he struck you down.]
You were utterly outmatched.
For the first time, you truly understood—
The sheer, insurmountable gap between you and Vortigern.
You finally grasped the immense difficulty of King Uther's war.
[Trait Activated – Battle Continuation+:
Morgan's words echoed in your mind.
Your body refused to die.
Even as Vortigern crushed your wounds beneath his heel, letting blood spill freely onto the ground—
You still did not perish.
[Vortigern took an interest in you. Or rather, in your unyielding will to survive.]
[He secretly brought you back to his camp and had you treated with the best care available.]
[Slowly, your body began to recover. You realized—your plan had succeeded.]
[And then, one day, Vortigern returned.]
"So, you're finally awake, young man."
Vortigern sat down beside Rei's bed.
"I had thought you would need more time to recover… but you seem stronger than I expected."
Though Vortigern had stood against King Uther and allied with Britain's long-time enemies, the Saxons,
He still exuded a majestic presence—one undiminished by time or treachery.
Rei could not tell whether this was the aura of a true-born king—
Or the glow of a man who had been forged by endless war.
But he did not forget his mission.
And so, he began his deception.
"Yes. Thanks to your care, White Dragon King, I have recovered well."
Vortigern's sharp gaze bore into him.
Despite his age, his eyes still carried the presence of a ruler.
"Then tell me, young knight."
"You who have traveled so far—why did you choose such a method to capture my attention?"
Rei's heart tensed.
Did Vortigern already see through him?
"White Dragon King… I was falsely accused of crimes in a fit of rage."
"I could not accept the judgment placed upon me—so I traveled far and wide, seeking your protection.
That I might preserve my life."
"Hah."
Vortigern let out a cold chuckle.
"Rei. The wandering knight of the royal court."
"You murdered your own comrades—surely you must understand that such a crime deserves punishment?"
Rei took a sharp breath.
Vortigern already knew everything.
He was merely testing to see how Rei would respond.
Fortunately, Morgan had kept him imprisoned for years—severing his existence from the rest of the world.
Now, the only crime tied to his name was the murder of his fellow knights.
"However—"
Vortigern's tone shifted.
"If the ones you killed were not your comrades, but your enemies…"
"Then there would be no crime to speak of, would there?"
Vortigern's eyes glinted with amusement.
"Rei, if you seek my protection—then prove yourself with their blood."