[This prophecy emerged without warning.]
[You first learned about it from Gawain's report.]
"The White Dragon of Britain bears sharp fangs and claws, ravaging the land with cruelty and destruction."
"But people of Britain, you need not fear."
"For the incarnation of the Red Dragon shall descend among you, rising as the new king of Britain."
"The Knights of the Round Table shall draw their swords for this king, uniting to drive out the enemy."
"When the Red Dragon appears, the White Dragon shall perish, and Britain shall endure."
"People of Britain, await the proof of this prophecy with great expectation!"
"Father, Mother—that is the gist of it."
"There may be variations, but I don't believe they differ much."
Dressed in his knightly attire, Gawain stood before Rei and Morgan, speaking with the utmost respect—his reverence for his parents was genuine.
"Understood. You may go."
"Yes, Father."
As Gawain disappeared down the corridor, Rei shut the door.
Silence settled over the room, an unspoken declaration that an unspeakable crisis had arrived.
"My lady."
Rei approached Morgan, his expression serious.
"Something about this feels… unnatural."
Almost as if she had anticipated his words, Morgan spoke before he could continue.
"Rei, you want to know why this prophecy has suddenly surfaced, don't you?"
"Yes, my lady." Rei nodded. "It doesn't make sense."
"Neither I nor Gawain had ever heard of such a thing during our patrols."
"It feels as though it was created specifically to undermine us."
"I believe we should put our plans on hold and investigate this matter first."
"Agreed."
Morgan took Rei's hand.
"But before that, Rei, I have a question for you."
"Ask anything, my lady."
"What… do you think of this prophecy?" There was a subtle probing in her tone.
"It is meaningless." Rei answered without hesitation.
"Meaningless?"
"Yes." Rei met Morgan's gaze with unwavering certainty.
"My lady, the only person fit to claim the throne is you—only you."
"I will acknowledge no king but you."
"I will dedicate every ounce of my strength to securing your throne, even if it costs me my life."
"Silence."
Morgan pressed a fingertip against Rei's lips.
"You are mine."
"Whether you sacrifice yourself or not is my decision to make, not yours."
[You and Morgan temporarily set aside your fabricated invasion plans.]
[Instead, you began a serious investigation into the sudden appearance of the Red Dragon prophecy.]
[But the results left you stunned.]
[Almost all the citizens and knights seemed to believe that the prophecy had always existed.]
[To them, it was not something new, but a long-established legend with undeniable credibility.]
[You suddenly realized that this timeline coincided with the period when King Uther set out for war.]
[A sense of deep unease settled in your chest.]
[You returned to the royal court and reported everything to Morgan.]
"This prophecy existed since Father went to war?"
Morgan's eyes widened slightly, a rare flicker of surprise in her deep blue irises.
"That's impossible."
"I've never heard of such a thing before!"
Rei wasn't surprised by Morgan's reaction—he had felt the same way.
If the prophecy of the Red Dragon had existed for years, there was no way he or Morgan would have remained unaware of it.
There was only one possible explanation.
Rei turned to look at Morgan, only to find that she was already staring at him.
Their eyes met, and in that moment, they both knew.
"My lady, it must be magic, correct?"
"It must be." Morgan's voice was cold.
"A long-buried spell, hidden within Camelot, now finally triggered."
"My lady… isn't this similar to your own magic?"
"Indeed."
Morgan's expression grew serious.
"If this magic was meant to protect something, then those enchanted suits of armor we saw before were likely safeguards to ensure its activation at this precise moment."
"This…" Rei's expression darkened.
"Was it that petal-wielding magician again?"
"Most likely."
Morgan walked over to a nearby bookshelf, pulling out a thick tome and quickly flipping through its pages.
"Just like that suggestion-based or name-concealing spell from before, this magic has been running for too long. We cannot simply dispel it."
With a sharp snap, Morgan slammed the book shut. Her voice carried a dangerous edge.
"This means Father dismissed me from the very beginning."
"He never considered me an option at all."
"…"
Hearing the raw emotion in Morgan's voice, Rei stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.
"It doesn't matter, my lady."
"You do not need the former king's approval."
"Your power alone is enough to erase such meaningless prejudices."
[Your reassurance had a profound effect.]
[The anger that had been making Morgan tremble gradually subsided in your arms.]
[She placed the book back on the shelf and smoothed her slightly disheveled hair.]
"You're right."
Morgan clasped Rei's hands, resting them against her waist.
"I don't need anyone's recognition."
"I will claim everything with my own hands."
"That's exactly right, my lady."
Rei rested his head against Morgan's shoulder, inhaling deeply as if savoring the moment.
"Your relentless ambition only makes me fall for you even more."
"Is that so?" A faint smile curved Morgan's lips.
"In that case, Rei, you may have to repay me for all these indulgences."
"Go and uncover the truth behind this so-called proof of the Red Dragon, won't you?"
"Of course, my lady. It shall be done."
[You began investigating the so-called proof of the Red Dragon in secret.]
[But no matter where you searched, you found nothing—the magician behind this elaborate deception had hidden even the proof itself.]
[You realized that this was an opponent of extraordinary power.]
[But what you didn't know—was that the truth might have been far simpler than you imagined.]
Beyond Camelot, atop a distant hill—
A silver-haired man stood at the crest, gazing lazily toward the grand castle in the distance.
Yawning, he muttered in an almost drowsy tone:
"So, it finally begins."
"But… I haven't even finished making the thing yet… Ah, well, I'll just whip something up in a few minutes."
Repeating cryptic words to himself, he scratched his head and wandered down the road.
Wherever he stepped, flower petals scattered in his wake.