[Lake's Blessing+ Activated: Your magic resistance has increased due to your past visit to the lake where Morgan was born.]
[You sensed that something was amiss with the magic surrounding Arthur.]
[You realized this was not magic of her own, but rather an enchantment placed upon her in advance by another.]
It was not as if someone had been observing the desecration from the very beginning.
Rather, it was only when Rei harbored true intent to kill Arthur that the magic revealed itself—not as a tangible spell, but merely as a concept.
The sensation it gave Rei was intricate, difficult to articulate in full, but not beyond comprehension.
"As it stands, anything is permissible—except her death."
"Perhaps this wording is flawed. I'll refine it later."
The tone was languid, indifferent—just like that of the unseen mage who had once left behind those unmoving, half-finished suits of armor in the moonlit forest.
There was no mistake.
This was undoubtedly the work of the same magus.
But even so—
That did not mean Rei would halt.
His intent to kill was set in stone.
His fingers remained firmly upon the hilt of his sword.
He knew all too well the cost of hesitation.
[Especially when Arthur is shrouded in layers of doubt.]
As long as his blade could pierce her chest, everything would come to a perfect end.
However—
He couldn't do it.
[You tried to unsheathe your sword, only to find that no matter how hard you tried, you simply couldn't.]
[It wasn't just that "stabbing Arthur with your sword" was forbidden—even the act of drawing your blade from its scabbard was not permitted.]
[You exerted all your strength, yet you could not break through this imposed perception.]
[Furthermore, no matter what method you considered to end Arthur's life, various forms of cognitive denial obstructed you at every turn.]
[You realized the magic upon her was far beyond the limits of what your resistance could withstand.]
"Sir Rei… is… is it over?"
"Did I… successfully prove that I'm not a girl?"
Arthur's voice came in broken fragments, as if she might collapse in the next breath.
"You haven't succeeded yet, Arthur."
Rei realized the magic placed upon her went beyond what he had initially perceived.
She harbored a deep misconception about her own identity.
To defy one's bodily reality and enforce an alternate truth—was such a thing truly possible?
Rei refused to accept such nonsense—he had far more extreme methods at his disposal.
Taking hold of the reins, he halted the warhorse that had only just been named.
"Arthur, let's dismount and take a walk."
[You led the weary Arthur down from the horse.]
[You brought her to a lakeside.]
[It was a place you had noticed earlier on your journey, now proving unexpectedly useful.]
"Sir Rei… what is this for?"
Arthur gazed at the water, clearly at a loss.
"After riding for so long, I'm feeling a bit sore."
Rei stretched lazily.
"Arthur, let's take a bath together."
"W-what?"
Arthur's eyes widened in shock.
"T-that's not proper!"
"Sir Rei, you go ahead! I'll wait outside!"
Blushing furiously, Arthur tried to flee.
But Rei had no intention of letting her escape so easily.
He grabbed her hand, his voice steady as he said:
"Arthur, didn't you want to prove that you're not a girl? Right now is the perfect opportunity."
"But Sir Rei, this isn't right!"
"That's correct—if you were a girl, what I'm doing would be utterly shameless and disgraceful."
"However—"
Rei's gaze did not waver from Arthur. Rather, his eyes landed on her chest.
There was no striking curve, only the faint rise and fall of modest hills.
"You don't acknowledge that, do you?"
[You dragged Arthur into a contradiction.]
[In those deep green eyes, confusion had taken root.]
[You felt as though you had discovered a way to counteract this magic.]
[However, the outcome was not what you anticipated.]
[Arthur made her choice.]
"I understand."
Arthur did not evade Rei's challenge.
Her fair, delicate figure—undeniably feminine—was laid bare before him.
Face flushed, she clasped her hands behind her back in an awkward, uncertain gesture.
"Sir Rei… like this, is it enough?"
"Then—"
"You must do the same and meet me as an equal!"
[Arthur turned the tables.]
[But only for a fleeting moment.]
[As a villain draped in false virtue, you had no qualms about stripping off your armor before a blossoming young maiden.]
[Under Arthur's gaze, you met her eyes and, with sheer force of will, made her look away first.]
[You took her hand and led her into the lake.]
Even though Arthur had complied with his request, Rei still refused to acknowledge her claim.
That body, while not overflowing with allure, still carried an unmistakable grace unique to women.
He knew he had to make Arthur admit it herself—because that would mean the magic upon her was not unbreakable.
Upon stepping into the water, Rei became even more assertive.
He held onto the girl's hand, ensuring she remained close, maintaining the very state she had just exposed.
And his eyes—unwavering—remained upon her form.
Of course.
Rei did nothing more than simply touch her—anything beyond that would have meant outright betrayal of Morgan.
Yet even this was enough to shake Arthur, who had never experienced such things, both in body and mind.
Rei sensed that the moment had come.
"Arthur, you understand now, don't you?"
"No matter how much you deny it, your body's instincts are something you can never truly override."
"But Sir Rei…" Arthur's chest rose and fell, her breath unsteady with tension. "It's true that I displayed many involuntary reactions."
"But that doesn't mean I lack the same resolve as you."
"I—"
Arthur turned slightly, the redness of her cheeks contrasting against the determination in her expression.
"There are things I must do."
"I will never admit that I am a girl."
"So, Sir Rei—"
"Even like this, you will not shake my belief!"
[Arthur sat down voluntarily.]
[Only when she lifted her head and let out a soft gasp did you realize what had happened.]
[Your attempt at proving her wrong had failed.]
[But you also came to a realization.]
[During your time apart, Arthur's perception of herself had undergone a dramatic shift.]
[She neither denies her feminine traits nor ceases to pursue the steadfastness of a man.]
[And all of this is undeniably tied to the magus who wields magic in the form of petals.]
[This is crucial information.]