FATE: The Man with Divine Keys

After being silent for a while, Arkhan finally responded to Merlin.

"Probably... because I don't want to see this heavy burden fall entirely on that frail shoulder."

"Ahh, so that's how it is. Indeed, this is something only you can do." Merlin sighed. "But do you really understand the challenges you'll face when you take that throne?"

"The Vile King Vortigern..." Arkhan replied nonchalantly.

"That's just one aspect of it..."

Merlin responded with a carefree tone as he sat down next to Arkhan.

"The Vile King Vortigern has inherited the last power of the gods, becoming the symbol of calamity as the White Dragon. He is the 'Final God' of this era. If he takes control of Britain, the Age of Gods will rise again, and humanity will once more become slaves to the gods. Of course, that doesn't concern me, but for you, Vortigern is a mountain that's difficult to climb."

A sly smile played on Merlin's lips.

"So, how is it? Do you feel uneasy, like a deer leaping about in your heart?"

Arkhan glanced at Merlin with a bored expression. "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't waste your breath on pointless chatter."

"You're really boring~"

Merlin complained while rolling his eyes.

"I just wanted to inform you that I suspect Vortigern may be plotting something. He hasn't launched any major attacks on Camelot in years, which could mean he's preparing something. But I don't know what it is since my clairvoyance hasn't been able to track him for the past ten years."

"I wish one day I could hear some good news from you..." Arkhan sighed. "Has Camelot not sent anyone to gather intelligence on that matter?"

"No, because I didn't tell them~" Merlin replied with a grin.

Arkhan furrowed his brow. Why hadn't Merlin informed Camelot's higher-ups about such critical information until now?

"Well, I kept it as an ace up my sleeve..." Merlin explained casually.

"I specifically reserved this piece of information for Lily. Just imagine, in the royal court, when everyone doubting and questioning her, she suddenly drops this bombshell. It would definitely intimidate a lot of people and boost her reputation. It would be a great help for her."

'The fuck?'

Arkhan looked at Merlin in disbelief. This dick wizard only cared about grooming Artoria into the 'Ideal King' and didn't care about anything else, even if the information could endanger the entire country.

It's no wonder that later on, even Artoria who was his own protege, wanted to give this guy a piece of her mind.

Arkhan couldn't fathom what Uther was thinking when he entrusted the country's hope to someone who clearly lacked an understanding of human emotions.

"Why did you tell me this then?"

"Aren't you already committed to pulling out the sword from the stone for Lily? In that case, this piece of information is no longer valuable." Merlin replied nonchalantly and shrugged his shoulder.

"I thought you wanted to stop me or something."

"I'm just a powerless mage. How could I do that?" Merlin laughed sincerely.

"Besides, my goal is to nurture Artoria into the 'Ideal King'. Until I achieve that, I can't be hasty and snatch away the fruits of victory." Merlin's face lit up with satisfaction. "And lately, I've noticed that my interest in you seems to be growing."

A pole-like shadow swept by, scattering petals in the air.

"Ahem, don't be so grumpy. I just provided you with such important information, you know~" Merlin reappeared with a wide grin, surrounded by reassembled petals.

"Hmph."

Arkhan coldly harrumphed, his Abyss Flower in hand fading into nothingness.

"You lost to me in our previous competition and promised to do something for me. You still remember, right?"

"Of course, I remember! I'm a trustworthy and wise mage, always keeping my promises. Tell me, what do you want me to do? Even if it's knocking Guinevere out and delivering her to your bed, I will do it!" Merlin said confidently while patting his chest smugly.

Arkhan's forehead developed a few dark lines.

"Thanks for the offer, O Wise Mage, I'll make sure to smile if someone beats you to death someday."

"But you just said that a smile isn't suitable for every situation."

"But at your funeral, there won't be a more appropriate expression than a smile."

"You're really breaking my heart with that remark..." Merlin sighed. "Hahh... so, what do you want me to do?"

"Remove the seal on the sword in the stone. I know you've placed a seal on it. Besides Lily, no one can pull the sword out." Arkhan requested.

Merlin's eyes shifted slightly, and he awkwardly chuckled, "Ahahaha... about that... it does seem to be the case."

Arkhan narrowed his eyes and became suspicious. The time he had spent with Merlin had given him a deeper understanding of just how unreliable this dick wizard was, especially when he wore that expression!

"Don't tell me there's some problem..." Arkhan said suspiciously.

"How could the seal I set up possibly have problems? It's just... the effects might be slightly stronger than originally intended..." Merlin said, extending his index finger and thumb to indicate a very small amount.

"Slightly stronger?" Arkhan's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, initially, I only planned to use the ancient fairy language to seal the sword, but I thought that was too simple. So, I added some Rune, but then I realized Morgan might know them too. Then I included ancient dragon language, but I still felt unsure, so I added a bit of ancient elven, giant, divine—"

"So, how many seals did you put on the sword?"

Arkhan's face grew darker as interrupted Merlin.

"Over a dozen years, I've added more than two thousand seals, I think...? Hehe..." Merlin admitted with a sheepish smile.

"...I guess you're about to tell me that you can't break the seals on the sword anymore." Arkhan took a deep breath. 

"Ohh! As expected of the man Lily and I acknowledge! You're absolutely right!" Merlin grinned broadly, giving Arkhan a thumbs-up.

*BOOM!*

A black pillar of fire shot into the sky!

"Die, Merlin!"

===

Half a month later, the day of the king selection had finally arrived.

Before dawn, knights from various regions gathered, donning armor polished to a gleaming shine. They rode tall steeds with excitement and anticipation in their hearts as they headed towards the rocky mountain on the outskirts of Tintagel.

Following them were the town's residents, abandoning their daily tasks to witness this historic moment.

Everyone had waited for too long.

Ever since King Uther's passing, people have lived in constant fear and uncertainty. Although the distant northern defenses remained intact, the shadow of the White Dragon loomed over everyone.

All were hoping and yearning for a new king to rise, one who would carry the name 'Arthur' to defeat the Vile King Vortigern, expel the Anglo-Saxons, and let Camelot's glory shine once more in Britain.

For over a decade, this had been the hope of Camelot's people, and today, everything would come to a close.