Chapter 103: A New Prologue -1-

Several years passed like flowing water.

Britain’s time moved on—sometimes impartially and mercilessly, other times brilliantly—and Kay had now entered his thirties.

The Pendragon sisters had also turned twenty-five, establishing themselves as admirable monarchs and generals who steadfastly supported Logres from their respective positions.

But the one who had undergone the most dramatic change was none other than Kay’s daughter, Mordred.

Chronologically, she was only four years old.

A normal child of that age would still be toddling around, but a homunculus’s growth follows a trajectory entirely different from that of an ordinary human.

In just four years, Mordred’s body had grown at a dazzling pace, now possessing the splendid build and physique of a mid-teenager.

With blond hair reminiscent of Artoria’s and a sharp, fierce gaze echoing Alter’s, she had become a rebellious yet gallant young knight. That was the Mordred of the present.

"Hah! Hyaaah!!"

Boom!!

Cambenic, the vast trading city.

Once ruled by the greedy Lord Eustace, the city had been transformed under the governance of its new lord, Kay, into Logres’s premier frontier fortress and a prosperous commercial hub.

Its location was impeccable. It sat adjacent to Artoria Lancer's North Wales and the allied kingdom of Wales; to the south lay Lily's Cornwall in the Tintagel region, and to the north was Manchester, which Kay had personally reclaimed from Taquin.

And every afternoon, a dreadful boom would reverberate across the vast drill yard of Cambenic Castle, shaking the very earth.

"You’re slow, Mordred! You’re putting too much tension into the tip of your blade! If you rely solely on mana bursts, your trajectory is far too predictable!"

"Shut up, Dad!! Try blocking it first, then talk!"

Clang!!!

In the center of the drill yard, thirty-year-old Kay—now matured like a silver wolf—and Mordred, radiating brilliant red lightning, were locked in a fierce spar that bordered on a real duel.

"Kraaahh!!"

Mordred gripped her sword with both hands and leapt into the air.

A torrent of crimson mana erupted from her entire body like a violent wave.

Despite being only four years old, her strength and mana output had already reached a monstrous, abnormal level that didn't pale in comparison to Artoria's.

Like a falling meteor, a strike of scarlet lightning descended.

"Tch, you've just become a brute."

Kay did not dodge the destructive blow. Lowering his muscular frame—which had grown thicker and harder in his thirties—he angled the hell-forged mana sword, Crudin, to parry the strike upward.

BOOOOM!!

The moment the blades clashed, an immense shockwave violently swept the sand across the drill yard.

Mordred’s strike had the momentum to shatter castle walls, but Kay skillfully twisted the direction of that raw force, letting it slide harmlessly to the side.

"What?!"

Unable to control her own momentum, Mordred’s body lurched forward.

Kay did not miss such a fatal opening.

Thwack!

He struck Mordred’s wrist sharply with the spine of Crudin, then spun in a fluid motion, hooking her leg and sending her sprawling.

"Waaah!"

With a heavy thud, the proud young knight crashed onto the dirt. Kay’s cold blade tip now pointed precisely at the nape of her neck.

"...Still needs refinement. You've still got a long way to go."

Kay let out a light chuckle as he caught his breath.

"Damn it, I lost again!!"

Covered in dust, Mordred slammed her fist into the ground. Though she had the body of a grown lady, her huffing and puffing were the unmistakable tantrums of a young child.

Kay sheathed Crudin and extended his hand to pull Mordred up.

"Don't be so frustrated. Real combat isn't won by strength alone. You still lack the experience to deceive your enemy's gaze and modulate your power."

"You always cheat by redirecting my force or aiming for my blind spots!"

Mordred grumbled, her lips jutting out.

"It's not cheating; it's the correct answer. Knights love to prattle on about chivalry, but there is no such thing as honor on a real battlefield. It's simply a matter of life or death—winning is all that matters. That isn't being cowardly. Cowardice is taking a child hostage to force a surrender. This is called skill..."

Kay ruffled Mordred’s tangled blond hair with his rough hand, adding affectionately:

"Your transition speed is much faster than last week. I'm proud of you, daughter. If you keep polishing your technique, you'll easily surpass Gawain."

"Really?! Hehe... ahem! Of course! Who do you think I am!"

At a single word of praise from her father, the frustration that had Mordred fuming moments ago vanished, replaced by a radiant glow.

"By the way, Mordred... I usually try not to comment on my child's fashion, but don't you think you need to try a different style of clothing?"

"Huh? What's wrong with this? It's the style you like, right?"

"I...?"

Mordred grinned proudly.

"You love it when women dress like this, right?! The revealing stuff! I know all about it~!"

Mordred's outfit was indeed highly revealing. While it had a certain Celtic flair, it was far too exposing for a girl to wear.

"No, that's... sigh, how do I even explain this?"

The "revealing clothes" Kay liked were strictly for private time with a lover. Kay felt a headache coming on, wondering where to even begin correcting Mordred's warped common sense.

"That was a wonderful spar, Sir Kay! Lady Mordred's swordsmanship is becoming sharper by the day!"

Britomart, who had been watching from the sidelines, approached while clapping her hands.

"Hmph. What's so wonderful about a boar-like style that relies on brute force? Could you stop rolling around so clumsily in front of me? You're kicking up dust everywhere."

Bavanshi, standing beside her with arms crossed, sneered while tapping the ground with her red high heels.

Despite her sharp tongue, she held cool towels and water bottles for the sweating father and daughter.

"Bavanshi is always so mean! Thanks, I'll take that towel!"

Mordred snatched the towel from Bavanshi's hand and stuck her tongue out.

"You little...! Why aren't you calling me 'big sister'? Show some respect!"

"Eh, it's not like there's that much of an age difference in looks!"

Watching the two bicker, Kay chuckled and drank some water.

"Master, well done. You've sweated quite a bit, so I shall prepare a warm bath for you immediately."

Bagest, who had established herself as the perfect head maid and guard knight, bowed politely to Kay.

Behind her, Calogrenant, acting as adjutant, hurried over carrying a thick stack of documents.

"My Lord! I apologize for interrupting your rest, but you must sign the tax collection reports from the Northern Merchant Guild and the movement reports from the scouts on the Botigan border..."

"Right, I got it. I'll head to the office after I wash up, so just leave them on my desk."

Now a proper lord of thirty, Kay nodded with composure.

Though a heavy burden of responsibility pressed upon his shoulders, Cambenic Castle was a far more liberating and secure sanctuary for Kay than the suffocating atmosphere of Camelot.

That evening, in the great dining hall of Cambenic Castle.

"Now, now, the wait is over! A special Tamamo feast to nourish our stalwart husband and adorable princess! Mikon!"

Tamamo wagged her tail as she brought an enormous spread of delicacies to the table.

There was a massive wild boar roasted with garlic and herbs, a steaming seafood stew, and a mountain of cheesy fries—Mordred's favorite.

"Looks delicious today, too. I'd prefer something Master made, but we switched to a rotation system so he can have days off."

Jeanne d'Arc Alter swirled her glass of red wine while carving the meat.

"Here, Master. Please eat plenty."

Medusa smiled faintly as she kindly served meat onto Kay's plate.

"I'm digging in!!"

Famished from her training, Mordred gripped a fork and knife in both hands and began devouring the boar meat voraciously.

True to the Pendragon bloodline, she vacuumed up the food on the table—a sight that Kay found utterly heartwarming.

"Slow down, Mordred. You'll choke."

Kay leisurely ate his stew, looking around at the precious people surrounding the table.

Bavanshi and Britomart, bickering even as they ate; Tamamo, clinging to his side while tending to his meal; and Mordred, grinning with sauce smeared across her face.

A small flicker of worry for his sisters back in the capital crossed his mind, but Kay soon shook it off.

They were twenty-five now; he couldn't coddle them forever. Besides, being with them every single day would be exhausting even for him.

Kay's current role was to develop Cambenic into the strongest fortress and serve as the shield of Logres in the coming great war against the White Dragon, Botigan.

And above all, it was to be a complete family for Mordred, so she could grow up experiencing the genuine emotions and happiness of a normal human.

"Dad! Let's go horse riding tomorrow! I bet I can run way faster than you!"

Having finished her meat, Mordred clung to Kay's arm with sparkling eyes.

"Alright. If I finish all my paperwork tomorrow morning, I'll go with you. But if you lose, you're doing the dishes tonight, deal?"

"Hmph! I'll never lose!"

A night in Cambenic, filled with the warm glow of the hearth and boisterous laughter.

A great darkness seeking the ruin of Britain was slowly creeping toward them, but for now, they savored this solid and brilliant peace.

However...

Sshhhhh—Crash!!!

An arrow flew from the distance, smashing through the window.

Thwack!

Kay swatted the arrow away with his hand, shattering it instantly, while Jeanne d'Arc Alter's eyes flashed as she fired a curse toward the direction of the attack. However, the opponent seemed to have dodged it.

"An ambush?!"

"...No, it feels more like they're just testing the waters."

As Britomart sprang up to don her armor, Kay frowned, watching the broken arrow vanish into a glow of mana.

"Near-sonic speed. And this level of destructive power..."

Kay felt a lingering numbness in the arm he used to deflect the arrow. This was no ordinary opponent.

"A mana arrow. It doesn't feel like a fairy... could it be?"

"What the hell! Who attacked us!?"

While Mordred scrambled in confusion, Tamamo's gaze turned serious.

"The mana... it's similar to that of a Servant."

"...It looks like things are about to get troublesome."

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