The moonlight tonight was exceptionally bright and gentle.
Moonlight flowed like water through the gaps in the trees, landing on the grass. Dotted with the light of fireflies, the forest was bathed in an atmosphere resembling the kingdom of fairies.
At this moment, Souya was walking along a forest path under the night sky with Morgan and Britomart, heading to a fairy banquet. However, compared to Souya's indifferent attitude about being asked to come along, Britomart showed great reluctance.
After all, Morgan had no intention of hiding it from her. She knew exactly who would be waiting for her there.
Logically speaking, a runaway child would miss their family after being away for a while and hesitate over whether to go back and apologize. Yet Souya could see that this logic did not apply to Britomart in the slightest.
The fairy knight girl had become much more cheerful since meeting Souya, and this reached its peak after meeting the Faerie Queene, Morgan. Going out on adventures, making friends, finding a Faerie Queene to serve, and obeying her commands. Aside from not confessing to the person she loved and becoming partners, everything Britomart was doing and experiencing now was highly similar to her mother's past experiences.
Perhaps other children would throw tantrums and reject this, but for Britomart, who had idolized her mother since childhood and yearned to experience the same adventures, her current life in Camelot, Britain, was a joy she never wanted to leave. Even though the reason Morgan constantly gave her missions was simply to prevent her from clinging to Souya whenever she had free time.
Therefore, upon learning that Morgan was attending the Faerie Queenes' night banquet and that someone had specifically requested her presence, Britomart instantly understood what was going to happen. Souya could only offer his silent sympathy regarding this.
However...
"Even if you are afraid of seeing your mother, you don't have to insist on wearing the Queen's Fortress!"
Souya looked back at the black mecha that was deliberately trailing a short distance behind them. Finally unable to hold back his urge to complain, he spoke in a lowered voice.
The three of them were traveling together. Morgan and Souya were both dressed in black formal attire, looking like young nobles attending a ball. Meanwhile, Britomart, who should have been showing her face as a youthful and beautiful fairy girl, was wearing the burly and ferocious black mecha. Instead of looking like she was going to an elegant banquet, she looked like a bodyguard or someone heading to the battlefield to kill enemies.
"Who said I was afraid of my mother!" Hearing Souya's words, Britomart immediately became anxious. She wanted to say some bold words to refute him, but thinking of the person she was about to see, her tone couldn't help but weaken.
"I just, I just... forget it, I am not telling you. You will understand anyway."
"Heh." Souya replied with a cold sneer.
However, considering that he was indeed the one who brought the girl along, and having spent so much time together, he could be considered half a guardian. He still needed to comfort her a bit. Harboring this thought, Souya spoke.
"Do not worry too much. A mother is still a mother, and she will always love you. Just give her a proper apology when the time comes, and this matter will pass."
Saying this, Souya also patted her mechanical arm soothingly. He did not pat her shoulder because he could not reach it. However, Britomart's reaction to his words exceeded his expectations.
"Do you also think I should go back?" Britomart looked down at Souya. Through the helmet, he could not see her eyes, but he could feel her dejection from her words.
"Do you not want to go back? Do you not miss home?" Hearing this, Souya's expression showed some astonishment. He had always thought Britomart possessed the mindset of a little girl, pure and simple. Although slightly rebellious, she was generally a good girl, and judging from her speech, she did not seem to have any conflicts with her family. So why was she unwilling to return?
Thinking this, Souya asked the question aloud. But the girl remained silent and did not speak again. Helpless, Souya explained the pros and cons to her.
"People always have to go home, Britomart. Moreover, the ether in the air of Britain is already very scarce now, which has a huge impact on you." Pausing slightly, Souya continued. "If you never go back, your life will be in danger."
"What about you? What about you and Lady Morgan?" Britomart asked this question abruptly. This time, the fairy girl's tone softened a bit. She looked at Souya, as if expecting an answer that would make her happy.
"Me?" Hearing Britomart's words, Souya could not help but freeze for a moment. After a little thought, he instantly understood what she meant.
It went without saying for Morgan. As the Lord of the Isle, she would not truly die as long as the Isle of Britain did not perish. As for Souya, he was considered a half-fairy. According to the rules of the world, he indeed had the qualifications to sink into the Inner Sea of the Planet and live in the Fairy Kingdom.
But would things really go so smoothly? The lingering light of the Age of Gods shining upon him was both a blessing and a curse. If that day came, he would probably die.
Thinking this, Souya still did not voice it out loud. He simply patted Britomart's mecha again and said, "We are different."
"But Lamorak, you can also..."
"What are you two arguing about? It is time to quiet down." Suddenly, Morgan's emotionless voice rang out. The Queen, dressed in a pure black formal gown, stopped walking and stood still in front of them.
Hazy moonlight shone from behind her, accentuating her still-beautiful face and perfect body curves, making her even more pleasing to the eye. However, by the moonlight, Souya saw a hint of displeasure on Morgan's face.
The two of them quieted down in unison, and the words Britomart had yet to let out were swallowed back.
"Apologies, my Queen." Souya bowed to Morgan, his behavior impeccable.
"Hmph!" But Morgan did not seem to buy it. She gave a soft snort, turned around, and continued walking forward.
Souya gave Britomart an apologetic smile, then hurriedly followed. Seeing Souya catch up, the cold expression on Morgan's face softened slightly, but she still maintained an aloof posture. Seeing this, Souya merely smiled faintly. He did not say anything, simply accompanying her quietly.
Hidden by her dress, Souya's hand clasped Morgan's. Although the latter symbolically tried to shake it off, she ultimately gave up her resistance. They held hands tightly, their fingers intertwined.
"Lamorak."
"I am here, Lady Morgan."
"Stay closer to me."
In the back, Britomart hung her head, failing to notice the unusual behavior of the Queen and the knight ahead. She was pondering something.
After walking for another ten minutes and following Morgan through an invisible bounded field, they finally arrived at the venue for the Faerie Queenes' night banquet. This was the same Holy Lake where Souya and Morgan had first met, and it was also the birthplace of Morgan, the Queen of Camelot.
As the initiator of this banquet, although Morgan was the last to arrive and had done no preparatory work, she provided the venue. But this was enough, because when the three crossed the bounded field, they saw a scene under the moonlight. Several beautiful, graceful, pointed-eared, blonde women were sitting around a table and chairs made from a large tree by the lake. They were drinking tea, eating pastries, and chatting merrily.
Flying around them were many small fairies, either acting as attendants or serving as fireflies, waiting upon their respective Queens. Rather than a night banquet for Faerie Queenes, this scene looked more like a tea party for fairies. The only difference was that the time had changed from afternoon to night, and the warm sun had been replaced by the moon. Of course, even so, it did not diminish the Faerie Queenes' interest in the slightest.
Morgan's arrival naturally caught their attention. The Faerie Queenes all stood up in unison. Whether sincere or not, they all showed beautiful smiles on their faces, welcoming her arrival. Morgan had no intention of engaging in polite small talk with them; she went straight to take the main seat. Souya and Britomart stood dutifully behind her.
However, one person, or more accurately, a half-human, half-fairy like him, caught his attention. It was a woman with her silver hair tied into a ponytail, leaning on a cane, wearing a short white formal dress and high boots, looking very much like a duke.
At this moment, her gaze was sharp. Her face, which bore a seventy percent resemblance to Britomart's, was as cold as frost. From the moment they entered, her eyes had been fixed on the burly Queen's Fortress. With such obvious characteristics and behavior, Souya immediately recognized that this was Britomart's mother, the first Fairy Knight of Pan-Human History, Britomart the First.
"It looks like Britomart is in for some suffering later." After silently praying for Britomart in his heart, Souya lowered his head. He stopped observing his surroundings and dedicated himself to listening to the conversation between Morgan and the Faerie Queenes.
After some meaningless small talk and catching up, Britomart the First received authorization from her Queen and Morgan. She then dragged Britomart out of the Queen's Fortress and took her aside for a lecture. With that, the true purpose of this banquet was finally brought to the table.
Without the slightest hesitation or probing, Morgan expressed her thoughts directly. "It is time to make your stances clear, everyone."
Her fingers gently stroked the exquisitely crafted crystal cup. Her beautiful spectral-blue eyes swept over everyone at the table one by one, her tone calm.
"I want you to give me the Holy Sword of the Planet, Excalibur."