FATE: The Man with Divine Keys

"I said, can you walk a bit faster?" 

Arkhan turned around, looking at Guinevere, who was about seven or eight meters behind him, with a helpless expression.

The journey should have taken only half an hour, but now it had dragged on for a full hour, and they had just completed half of it.

This reminded him of the experience of shopping with his first love in a previous life. It was so tedious as fuck!

Seeing Arkhan's impatient expression, Guinevere was so frightened that she shivered all over, her face on the verge of tears.

She had been trying her best to delay, but her sister still hadn't come.

'It used to be so quick... why hasn't she appeared yet? What should I do now? This mage looked so intimidating...' Guinevere thought in distress.

Arkhan looked up at the sky, and the sun was gradually approaching its zenith.

"Ahh, it's almost lunchtime. If we don't hurry back soon, Lily will have eaten everything."

He teleported next to Guinevere in an instant, one arm around her slender waist, and the other hand drawing a Rune in the air.

"Sorry my lady, you're just too slow. I need to speed things up."

[Rune - Element]

A rush of wind elements converged, forming a pair of pale blue wings on Arkhan's back.

"Hold on tight."

With a gentle flap of the wings, Arkhan and Guinevere were lifted off the ground, soaring through the sky towards the direction of the estate.

This series of changes left Guinevere, who was already on edge, unconscious. But then, the red crystal gem hanging around her fair neck glimmered slightly, and she woke up in a daze.

Watching the trees passing by below like fleeting shadows, she realized her situation and was terrified, closing her eyes tightly and hugging Arkhan firmly, not daring to let go.

An invisible barrier formed in front of them, blocking the strong winds that came at them head-on, preventing them from looking too messy.

"Open your eyes and take a look. From this angle, the world is quite a sight you know." Arkhan said.

Guinevere was nearly scared to death, how could she possibly dare to open her eyes?!

But she was also afraid that her resistance would anger this mage, and he might just drop her from this high up in the sky. After weighing her options for a while, she reluctantly opened her eyes just a crack.

And then...

Vast forests stretched out before her like a vivid oil painting.

Sunlight scattered on the clear river, creating shimmering ripples.

In the distance, the mountains formed a continuous range, with peaks standing tall and trees reaching for the sky.

The flowing water and the interplay of light and shadow outlined the world with the most straightforward lines, creating a vast and pure landscape.

It was a sight Guinevere had never seen before—or perhaps she had seen it before, but her emotions at this moment were far more overwhelming.

"Take a good look. This is the world we live in—endless changes and boundless possibilities. With your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars, this world belongs to anyone who holds hope. There's no need to feel anxious or constrained. Just keep moving forward, and you'll pave the way to the future. Every footprint we leave behind will become the brightest diamond in our crown."

Arkhan spoke with a gentle smile as he gazed to the front.

Years later, Guinevere would still remember this day.

A man bathed in sunlight carried her through the air, making the most passionate declaration to this infinitely vast world.

Shining like the sun.

===

Five minutes later, Arkhan landed at Ector's estate with Guinevere.

"Ahh, Teacher, you're back. Lily was looking for you just now. Did you encounter—"

Kay had just walked out of the house and greeted Arkhan, but upon seeing Guinevere with Arkhan, he instantly fell silent.

"You scoundrel, what have you done to my sister?!" Kay's eyes turned red, his face contorted in anger as he roared, charging at Arkhan like a berserker in a frenzy.

Then...

*Thud!*

Arkhan landed a solid punch on Kay, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Guinevere: "..."

Arkhan crouched down, patting Kay's head, and said solemnly, "Yo, this is punishment for disrespecting your teacher."

"Yo my ass! You're despicable! I will never submit to you!"

"Refusing to repent and daring to repeat your mistakes, huh? Continue the punishment then."

*Thud!*

"I will... never... give up... one day... I'll defeat you... and throw you... into the dung heap..."

Arkhan's face turned green. "Disrespect your teacher, plotting revenge... another punishment!"

*Thud!*

After taking three punches in a row from Arkhan, Kay couldn't utter another word. He lay on the ground like a lifeless body with a large lump on his head.

Guinevere shivered like a quail, finding Arkhan to be quite violent.

Seeing Arkhan suddenly turning towards her, Guinevere crouched on the ground, hands covering her head. "Don't hit me! Don't hit me! I didn't insult you or say anything bad about you. Please don't hit me; I'm afraid of pain!"

Arkhan paused for a moment, then sighed, "...I wanted to ask if you're hungry... lunch is ready..."

Guinevere blinked, and her small nose twitched as she caught the scent of food.

*Gurgle~*

Guinevere's stomach made a faint rumble and her face turned red.

'I guess I haven't had breakfast yet...' Guinevere thought as she realized the reason for her rumbling stomach.

After hesitating for a while, Guinevere stood up and followed Arkhan like a well-behaved puppy. She glanced back at Kay lying in the courtyard and couldn't help but whisper, "Is he okay?"

"That guy's skin is thicker than a wild boar's. That mere injury will heal in no time." Arkhan replied casually.

Over the past six months, Arkhan had helped Kay strengthen his body with the power of the Abyss Flower. Now, relying solely on physical strength, Kay could even go toe-to-toe with a wyvern. That kind of injury was nothing for him.

Arkhan and Guinevere walked into the house. There was a table filled with food, but a familiar golden-haired figure was conspicuously absent.

Arkhan couldn't help but wonder if he had gotten out of bed on the wrong side today. He seemed to be encountering an unusual number of bizarre events.

They both took their seats and started eating.

It had to be said that Guinevere, like her sister Artoria, had an elegant posture but a surprisingly fast eating speed.

Do all three sisters have this trait?

Before long, Kay walked in from outside, rubbing his head while complaining to Arkhan, "Couldn't you be gentler with your wake-up call? How am I supposed to sleep with such a big lump on my head tonight?"

"Why were you acting like a lunatic anyway? I had to resort to that method to wake you up." Arkhan replied as he swallowed a piece of grilled meat.

"I think you just wanted to get back at me..." Kay grumbled.

Arkhan didn't respond. Some things were better left unsaid, and he wasn't about to admit he was being petty.

Kay glanced at Guinevere and asked, "Who is she by the way?"

He had fully regained his senses now and realized that although this woman looked identical to Artoria, there was a significant difference in her figure and demeanor. She couldn't possibly be Artoria.

"Lily's sister..." Arkhan replied casually.

Guinevere looked utterly confused. She had no idea when she had acquired another sister.

Suspicion flashed in Kay's eyes and whispered to Arkhan's ear, "Is she 'her'?"

"No." Arkhan smiled. "Anyway, let's wait for Lily to come back and I will explain."