The encounter under the moon was a wonderful turning point, and everything continued.
[Morgan kept the secret of your night visit to the princess's bedroom. No one knew that you, as a knight, took the princess's first night.]
[She remembered your name and promoted you from among the knights to be her confidant.]
[However, you never saw Morgan's sad appearance from that night again, nor did you taste her body again.]
[She deliberately kept her distance from you and never called your name in public. The distance between you seemed to forever remain that of a princess and a knight.]
[You were a little sad, but you also knew that this was inevitable. Princess Morgan could not admit that she had spent the night with you in a drunken revelry.]
[Months passed like this, until one day, she sent someone to find you.]
"Sir Knight."
Morgan's servant respectfully said to Ian.
"The princess has something to discuss with you; she hopes you can go to her as soon as possible."
"Is that so?" Ian turned around. "I understand, I'll go now."
Passing through the corridors of the royal court, Ian stood before the door and gently knocked on the door that had once changed his fate.
"Who is it?" Morgan's voice came from inside.
"It's me, Princess, your knight Ian."
"Come in."
With Morgan's permission, Ian pushed open the door.
Morgan was standing in front of the mirror, arms crossed, looking at her reflection seriously.
"Come here, Ian."
Although he didn't understand what Morgan wanted to do, obeying the princess's orders was a knight's duty, so Ian walked slowly to Morgan's side.
"Princess."
"Don't look at me, look at the mirror."
The simulation continued with Morgan's order.
[You looked at the mirror and saw a strange yet familiar face.]
[You felt that she had something in common with Morgan, but also had completely opposite traits in various aspects.]
[The image in the mirror was very unstable, lasting only for a short time before disappearing.]
[You realized that it might be Morgan's magic, but you didn't make a fuss about it.]
"What do you think?"
Morgan raised her head, looking at the tall knight beside her.
"What was your first impression of the person you just saw, Ian?"
"Princess, what does 'first impression' mean..."
"The first word that comes to your mind," Morgan replied. "Ian, give me the answer now."
"Understood."
Ian looked at the mirror, which had returned to normal, and answered.
"Then, Princess, my answer is you."
"Me?"
"Yes, Princess," Ian looked directly at Morgan. "I saw you in that mirror."
Morgan's lips first curled upward, but soon fell back into a frown.
"Ian, you're lying."
"The person in the mirror was clearly not me."
"Yes, not exactly you," Ian did not deny Morgan's words.
"But because I saw parts similar to you, and I only care about those parts, so for me, it is you, and you are it."
"Heh," Morgan sneered.
"Ian, according to your logic, as long as someone has similarities to me, you will consider that person to be me and then swear loyalty?"
"Is this your so-called loyalty?"
"That's not possible," Ian continued to answer. "A knight's loyalty is only given once, and mine is already in your hands, Princess."
[Morgan was speechless at your flawless answer.]
[She gently touched the mirror, making the previous image reappear.]
[She explained to you that it was magic, a magic she had researched herself.]
[You believed her without doubt, because you knew she was one of the few magicians in Britain capable of challenging Merlin.]
[You asked her who the person in the mirror was, but she replied that she didn't know either.]
[You realized that she had created a virtual imaginary enemy based on herself, which was why the face was so similar yet different.]
"Princess, why did you do this?"
Ian looked in the mirror.
"An imaginary enemy should only add to your troubles; it should be erased."
"This is not an imaginary enemy, she..."
Halfway through her sentence, Morgan realized she had let something slip.
She turned her head away and changed her words: "It's none of your business, Ian. You are just a knight; I decide what you can know."
"Indeed," Ian apologized. "Princess, please forgive my rudeness."
"..."
"I'm not angry," Morgan said, having regained her composure and not intending to dwell on it.
"Ian, for you, was my reflection really the only thing you saw in the mirror?"
"Yes, Princess."
Ian answered without hesitation, which was Morgan's favorite way of answering, symbolizing loyalty and sincerity.
Morgan did not doubt him as she had before.
She sat on the edge of the bed, issuing orders like a true king.
"Ian, kneel."
With just this sentence, her knight knelt on the ground.
This absolute command made a faint smile flash across Morgan's face—but it quickly disappeared.
She parted her thin lips:
"Ian, you didn't tell anyone about what happened that night, did you?"
"I have never mentioned it to anyone."
Morgan did not doubt Ian's words.
After all, if he had really told someone, she might only lose her reputation, while he would disappear from British soil.
Morgan slightly lifted her foot.
Her slender and fair jade foot stepped on Ian's forehead, leaving a slight mark on his skin.
This absolute submission seemed to satisfy Morgan greatly, and she continued:
"It seems you are not completely foolish; at least you know how to save your own life."
"But I still need to tell you that you are now just ashes from that night of pleasure, which can be scattered at any time."
"I don't like you at all, and I will definitely not have any feelings for you, because I don't need such cumbersome things."
"Ian, tell me, you understand this."
"Yes, I fully understand your meaning, Princess."
"This is what I deserve."
[Morgan was very satisfied with your submissive appearance as a knight, which seemed to give her a sense of something untouchable.]
[But this was not the only reason she called you here.]
[She took a sword from the shadows, with her name engraved
on it.]
[She thrust the blade into the ground beside you.]
[You realized that she probably wanted you to do something.]
[Morgan did indeed have a task for you.]