I, Guinevere, am going to crush you, you curry stick, today!

“The fire was huge, and there were a lot of people. I searched and searched, but I still couldn’t find her. Maybe my mind was too confused at the time, and I suddenly started to doubt whether Xiaoming had come out with me at all. The thought of this possibility made me extremely anxious... and then…” After a long while, Guinevere managed to force a smile: “I rushed back in.”

In the previous narration, Lily already knew that the other person seemed to have died in this fire in their previous life, but only now did she learn the whole story.

If it were the current Guinevere, with her Wind Mark and exceptional swordsmanship, she could easily move through even the fiercest flames. However, in her previous life, she seemed to be just an ordinary person with no strength to even kill a chicken. Even so, after escaping to safety, she turned around and rushed back into the sea of ​​fire without hesitation…

"That little sister named Xiaoming is an important member of your family, isn't she?"

“Yes.” Guinevere gave another bitter smile. “In the end, we never found her… Looking back now, I was just too anxious. I remember it so clearly, and everyone around us saw us come out together. How could she still be inside? In the end, I even lost my life…”

"But there are still people who are saved because of you."

"Yes... if I hadn't gone in, that child would probably... have died there. Thinking about it that way, I feel like I did a good deed." Compared to her tearful expression just now, her expression seemed a little better this time.

"And I'm still alive... It might sound strange, but I died once and I'm still alive. Some people might be sad because of my death, but as time goes by, that sadness will gradually fade, so in a sense, it's a happy ending for everyone."

As they walked slowly, talking, the girl's profile, though tinged with sadness, also revealed a faint smile. Lily watched her quietly, her footsteps falling, the silvery moonlight shimmering like lake water. Just as she was about to say something, suddenly, a small dark figure appeared ahead, and another voice interrupted.

"Dad, Sister Lily... I have something to tell you."

With her long, pale purple hair and soft, sweet voice, Nimiao had changed into a clean magician's robe. She also had a purple pointed hat on her head, which she wore askew. Beneath the brim, two bright red eyes stared intently at her through the night-shrouded woods.

"...I'm leaving here."

Chapter 153 Parting (Part 2)

The moonlight was pale, and the night wind rustled through the woods. Nimiao, who usually spoke with a slightly unclear pronunciation, spoke with an even more ethereal quality amidst the rustling wind.

"...I'm leaving here."

To be honest, from the time I met Nimiao until now, although we have been through a lot together, it has only been about a month.

But the depth of feelings is never solely determined by the length of time they have known each other. Guinevere certainly had necessary wariness and questions about this girl who had been affectionately calling her "Dad" since they met. In their interactions, she still regarded her as a companion, or perhaps, as the counterpart to that title... her daughter.

And so, gazing into those deep, sorrowful, and unusually bright crimson eyes, the girl remained silent for a moment, as if a thousand words were flowing through her heart, but in the end, she only sighed: "Now?"

Nimiao nodded quietly: "I have reasons to leave... but before that, there are a few things I want to tell you. About my origins, about the nine marks, and..."

Her gaze fell on Lily for a moment, as if she were thinking about something, but she quickly looked at Guinevere again: "The enemies you may encounter in the future."

"Ok."

For a while after that, there was only the sound of the wind and the rustling of clothes. After a short while, the footsteps stopped, the girl sat down on a tree stump, and took off her tall, pointed hat. The other two also found places to sit down.

The moonlight shone brightly on the woods.

Nemia tilted her head, pondering where to begin, when she suddenly realized that this gesture was actually one of Guinevere's habits, which she had unconsciously picked up, and couldn't help but smile slightly. But once she had gathered her thoughts, the smile gradually faded, and her expression became serious—she understood that what she was about to say was not something that could be dealt with so easily.

"Let me first tell you about my origins. Until yesterday, I was still in a daze, but thanks to Merlin and the power of the Tower of Radiance, although not completely, I've managed to recall... or rather, recover some of my memories. This includes why I ended up in that forest..."

In a sense, what Nemia said afterward was something Guinevere had vaguely guessed but never dared to verify.

"Long, long ago... in an era when gods and humans coexisted, a tribe that worshipped the goddess Danu abandoned their desolate homeland in order to survive and sailed to the island of Ireland. However, their first leader, the goddess Danu, unfortunately died during the voyage. After discussion, the tribe decided to elect the most valiant and skilled warrior, Nuada, as their leader. They negotiated and fought with the local indigenous tribes... and eventually became the new leader of the island of Ireland."

Although not as detailed as Nemium's account, these kinds of myths were quite well-known in Britain at the time, with many people growing up listening to tales of gods like Nuada and Ruge. However, even the most skilled storyteller could hardly compare to what Nemium had told. Lily and Guinevere listened quietly, without interrupting, only occasionally exchanging glances, finding shared emotions in each other's eyes.

"Nuada had two wives. One was named Macha, a goddess who ruled over war and magic, and the other was named Niman, whose name symbolized 'malice' and 'terror.' During the war with the Furmor tribe, Nuada and his two wives died under the evil eye of Balor. Nuada's remaining consciousness lingered in the world for a long time before finally being defeated and disappeared on Mount Ellen by his descendant, Finn, the Grand Master of the Fiona Knights."

"As for Macha, everyone thought she had perished completely in that battle, but judging from yesterday's events, she has somehow survived until now... at least she hasn't completely died. Macha's mastery of magic has reached an incredible level. You have thwarted her plans this time, and you may face retaliation in the future. Please be careful."

Seeing that Guinevere had agreed, Nemia smiled and continued, "As for Neman... Father, you've probably already guessed. After being struck by Barol's Mystic Eye, although she didn't die completely, she was constantly affected by it, hovering between life and death. It wasn't until after a long period of time, when the power of the Mystic Eye weakened slightly, that Neman finally found an opportunity to plot her resurrection..."

“Niman’s magical prowess is inferior to Macha’s, and her combat skills are far inferior to those of warriors like Nuada. But she knows how to influence people’s minds and manipulate them at will. Because of this, when her power declines to a certain point, Niman is far more terrifying than other gods.”

"Merlin discovered her secret plot and gathered eight witches to defeat her. To eliminate any future trouble, he divided Neman's remaining divine power into nine parts, distributing them among nine people, including himself. But even then, the remaining power could still influence the witches' minds..."

"First came the lightning and the blade. The sisters, who were once loving and devoted to each other, fought each other for power and died. The mark, under Neman's deliberate guidance, fell into the hands of Terena, the weakest of the nine, who rushed over to stop the fight. The unimaginable power quickly corrupted the witch's mind... She believed that all her actions were based on her own judgment, but she did not know that she had long since become Neman's puppet, running around trying to bring him back to life."

"During this time, Terenas followed Neman's orders and killed a qualified baby girl, turning her into a vessel to hold Neman's divine essence, preparing it as the body she would use when she was resurrected in the future."

"But because of the prophet's intervention, the baby girl was unexpectedly lost halfway, and Terena's memories related to her were also erased... The prophet forcibly intercepted the baby girl's soul, which should have already gone to the stream of souls, and stuffed it back into her original body, giving her a name similar to but not like Niman's. Then he abandoned the baby girl in a forest on the edge of a dream and never cared about her again."

"Until a year later..."

Originally destined to be a "sacrifice" for the descent of the gods, she was spared the fate that allowed her to live on in this world. Finally, she met two kind and good people. In the time that followed, she lived happily and... contentedly.

Nemia bit her lip, her expression seemingly smiling, but her voice was muffled, as if she was trying to hold back something. Guinevere's hands opened and closed repeatedly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lily with an expression that looked like she was about to cry.

"I know, I've always known, that I'm different from others..."

Nimiao twitched the corner of her mouth: "No normal person would want to bite through skin and tear flesh with their teeth and drink scalding blood like Nimiao... It's not to fill my stomach. Even if I'm already full, I still feel an indescribable hunger when I see other creatures... With this strange desire, I'm probably not even a beast, just... just an ugly monster."

“Nimia…”

“But now, I finally know why things happened. And I also understand… why the Prophet saved me.” She tried to smile, and after a moment, she finally managed to produce a smile that could barely be called a smile: “Thanks to what I went through back then, I now have a part of Niman’s memories… and the Nine Witch Marks that Terenas took from me have also been absorbed by this body.”

"In this world, perhaps only I know how to completely eliminate Nieman. And now, I can do it..."

"What method—"

"Dad doesn't need to know. Neither does Sister Lily..."

The wind ruffled the three girls' hair slightly, and the little girl's smile became even more genuine: "This is Nimiao's revenge alone. And you... you also have things you must do, don't you?"

At this moment, Guinevere couldn't discern or comprehend the emotions hidden in those red eyes. A multitude of feelings surged within her, indescribable with a single word.

"I will remember every day we spent together, every meal we ate, and every word we said. I will never forget them." With that, Nimiao stood up gently.

Some of the wrinkles in her robe fell down, obscuring her overly pale and slender calves and ankles. She looked at Guinevere and took a step forward.

The girl remained seated. Nemia took another step, opened her arms, and the next moment, the girl suddenly hugged her. It was a tremendous force that almost made one wonder if a bone would break. Guinevere slowly returned the hug, and after a while, Nemia released her arms and hugged Lily beside her.

The air flowed quietly, and the moonlight poured down like water. The little girl put on the hat, which was a little crooked. Guinevere reached out to straighten it for her and adjusted the angle a few times. On the other side, Lily was half-squatting, straightening the edges of the robe that had been wrinkled from sitting on it, dusting it off, and trying to stand up, but then squatted back down to continue tidying it.

"correct."

"Remembering something," Nimiao said softly.

"what?"

“Yesterday, there were some enemies, I don’t know who sent them, who wanted to attack us. Although I was very hungry at the time… I managed to hold back. Because Dad and Sister Lily both said that it was wrong to do that, so… and, and I promise, I will never eat anything alive again, no matter how hungry I am. I will also never kill people indiscriminately, and I will never kill good people indiscriminately… Dad, Sister Lily, in that case, would you consider Nimiao to be a good and obedient child?”

"...Yes, Nimiao is an obedient and good child."

"Could I... I heard from the adults in the caravan that everyone calls the day they are born their birthday. It's a very special day, and they celebrate it happily. There are delicious things to eat and special gifts. Nimiao didn't know when she was born before, but she remembers now... Could I celebrate my birthday sometime in the future if I have the chance...?"

“Of course,” Lily replied this time.

Nimiao smiled, then her eyes darted around. After a while, she asked timidly, "So, so, although everyone only celebrates their birthday once a year, since Nimiao has already died once, could we have one more birthday, two birthdays a year... I want two presents, is that okay?"

"Don't just say two portions, ten portions are fine too..."

"Two gifts are enough. One for Dad, one for Sister Lily, and as for the other gifts... Nemia doesn't really want them."

The little girl smiled happily: "It's a deal then. You can't go back on your word, okay? If you don't have a gift when we meet again, Nimiao will be angry." She then flashed her sharp little fangs: "Bite—it hurts!"

Guinevere chuckled and pinched her cheek, then flicked her forehead. Nemia protested with a soft "Ugh—", before the various emotions in her eyes gradually subsided, becoming as calm as a still lake. She looked at the two people in front of her and said softly, "Well then... goodbye."

"Goodbye."

In the shadow of her hat brim, the girl's eyes sparkled, glistening with tears. She pressed down on her hat, completely obscuring the remaining half of her face, then abruptly turned and walked out of the woods.

The girl silently watched the small figure gradually disappear into the night in the forest.

"Goodbye..."

After a long while, she finally let out a soft sigh.

"Fina".

Just then, the person standing beside her seemed to hesitate before calling out. Nemia's figure had already vanished. The night wind was chilly, making one's heart feel cold. Guinevere looked to the side, and when her eyes met Lily's, she smiled with a touch of loneliness.

"No wonder you seemed to have something to say since this evening, Lily... I see. Are you leaving too?"

P.S.: It took me two days to finally finish this 4,000-word post... Well, I've actually been skipping updates, so it's understandable that my favorites keep dropping. But anyway, I hope someone will urge me to update regularly—that's what gives me motivation!

Chapter 154 The Wild King Arthur (and His Friends)

If we rewind a little, about a few hours earlier, under the midday sun, there was a brief conversation like this—

"What? So you were here."

Hearing the voice behind her, Lily, who was sitting on a rock, was about to get up when her shoulder was pressed down and she sat back down.

"You don't have to be so formal with me."

With her usual leisurely tone, Merlin turned around, tapping the ground as she leaned on her long wooden staff, which she never parted with. This was outside the camp, a secluded spot where wild animals might roam normally, but there was no such worry now. Lily sat sideways on a flat, large rock, a weapon resembling a sharp cone resting in front of her knees. She placed her hand on it, looking thoughtful.

"Is this its present form? And therefore, does it have a name?"

"The Holy Lance, Rungomminiad."

Lily replied.

Merlin muttered, "I see..." He gently stroked his chin, staring at the Holy Lance with a scrutinizing gaze for a long time. Lily remained silent; the air was quiet, yet not unpleasant.

Their interactions in dreams were probably like this. Although Merlin was eccentric and had a personality that could be described as extremely wicked in some ways, she was still an excellent mentor most of the time. So far, what he had learned from the female magician, whether good or bad, might have surpassed what Hector had learned.

As she pondered these thoughts, she observed the profile peeking out from under the hood, trying to guess the topic that would follow. Meanwhile, Merlin's gaze gradually hardened: "This truly... lives up to my expectations in the slightest. In fact, it's far more terrifying than I initially imagined. I say, Artoria... let's just call you Lily for now."

"Although the events of this time were somewhat unexpected—even I didn't expect a god-level being to intervene—in any case, you have finally obtained the power to be an enemy of Vortigern, and at the same time, you have cleared away the dark clouds that have shrouded this territory for decades. As an initial step, it is almost impeccable. So next... it's time to begin."

Merlin didn't say what to begin, but both of them knew perfectly well what was going on.

After a moment, the girl nodded quietly.

"I have already discussed this matter with Fisher, Elaine, and that Fisher King. The one who murdered Drem beforehand and attempted to seize the Trident of Poseidon midway is indeed a formidable figure. However, given that Vortigern's forces assisted in this, it's reasonable to equate the two. King Vortigern may have some connection with Macha—or other gods still in existence—mutually benefiting from each other, or even forming an alliance to some extent. Considering this, the future of this territory is currently quite grim."

She narrated calmly. This was also one of the things Merlin emphasized teaching in his dreams: as a king, standing before everyone, one bears the responsibility for the lives of countless people. Therefore, one's vision must be longer than anyone else's, one's thinking more comprehensive than anyone else's, and one's judgments must be more accurate than anyone else's.

Lily understood that this was not the female magician's own expectation, but rather the expectation shared by her father, who had disappeared before she had met, her mother, whom she had also never met, Hector, who had raised her until now, and many other people.

A righteous, great king who can save Britain from this chaotic situation.

I must not let this expectation down.

Even if this casts a shadow over one's pride and glory.

Also do not hesitate.

“King Vortigern… I did hear His Highness Fisher say that before we arrived here, he had already killed one of the King’s envoys. Even if the reason was that the envoy wanted to take advantage of the situation to launch a sneak attack, killing an envoy is still a very serious matter. It seems that no matter what happens in the future, this territory is unlikely to choose to submit to the King again.”

Lily paused for a moment: "And the reason they dared to do this is probably because they possess two secret treasures, the Scepter of the Sea God and the Pearl of the Illusionary Sea, and at the last moment they can release the Wave Beast and the imprisoned Fisherman King, so they can perish together..."

"Excellent analysis."

Merlin smiled slightly.

“So…” The girl’s eyes were somewhat complicated: “Merlin, you just said that the goddess named Macha was unexpected, so the appearance of the Wave Beast was also within your plan.”

“No matter how powerful a force is, it needs an opportunity to be displayed in order to be known by people. For Rungomminiad, the powerful magical beasts from the Age of Gods are just such a touchstone. Similarly, after demonstrating the power of the Holy Lance, all eyes should fall on this territory, and they will soon discover that the renowned 'Fisherman King' Pelles no longer possesses the power that matches his reputation.”

"The greater the power, the greater the greed it attracts. Even if Fisher and Elaine, the scepter and the Pearl of the Sea were still there, they wouldn't be enough to deter those ambitious people." Merlin smiled again at this point. "So it didn't take much effort for me to persuade the Fisher King and his two children to agree to an alliance with King Arthur. Well, don't worry, it's not a threat or any underhanded means, nor is it a relationship of submission, but an alliance of equals."

“But the premise of equal status is that the difference in strength between them cannot be too great.” Lily frowned. After the attack that killed the Wave Beast in the early hours of this morning, she had no doubt about the power of the Holy Lance. However, apart from personal strength, the number of followers was also very important.

It's unacceptable for both sides to publicly form an alliance, with one side boasting a strong army and waving banners, while the other side is all alone...

This is so sad.

"Don't worry." Merlin chuckled, seemingly reading her thoughts. "That kind of development would be quite interesting, but let's skip it this time. And although the numbers aren't huge, with a little cobbling together, we can still assemble a respectable army that won't embarrass my lovely Lily in front of outsiders. First, there's Kay, and the fifteen knights and their squires who came with him to serve King Arthur. As for Hector, he's too old and has old injuries; continuing to wear armor is a bit too much for him, so let him retire peacefully for now. Then there's Royal and the others you've interacted with before—"

Sir Royal?

“There’s nothing strange about it. He has been banished from the country by King Marco, and the group of people gathered around him are also on the side of opposing the king for various reasons. Even if you join forces to defeat Terena, who is manipulating Marco behind the scenes, nothing that has happened will change.”

"Besides, even though it was only for a short time, Royal himself has called himself King Arthur, which means that he and his companions are already King Arthur's subordinates. Isn't it normal for them to fight for the real King Arthur? Oh, of course, he has already given his consent, so there's no need to worry about that—" Merlin added, "Royal, Lucan, Bedivere, and the others are probably on their way here now."

She then held up two fingers, then pulled one back: "There are two other sides. I'll keep one of them a secret for now, and you'll have to go to North Wales to clean up the mess of the other one."

North Wales...?

"Didn't I say back in Cornwall that Guinevere was accompanied by the swordswoman Lily, while King Arthur was in North Wales? This wasn't just an excuse to get you to change into this outfit—"

"Not only that, but also part of it is for this purpose?" Lily's expression remained unchanged, but she narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Little Lily, your gaze is starting to look ominous. Ouch, ouch, that look is hurting me!” Merlin exaggeratedly took two steps back, pretending to shield his eyes from the light, and after a few seconds continued, “Alright, enough joking. Simply put, do you remember the day you drew the sword, when Hector mentioned the ‘Million Arthur Plan’ to you?”

"I have absolutely no recollection of this stupid name."

"Ha, ha, ha. This is a name that Lord Merlin racked his brains to come up with, it would be too hurtful to say that you don't remember it... Wait, really don't you remember it? Didn't you hear it from Hector?! I reminded him so many times!"

"…Merlin."

"Alright, alright, let's get back to the point. I think you probably already know, since I've mentioned it more than once, the current king of North Wales is Lanes, with his brother Nero as his strategist. The two brothers, one a strategist and the other a warrior, have conquered eight kingdoms in the past few years, and they've shaved off the beards of those who lost and used them as decorations to adorn the edges of their cloaks. But Lily, you haven't grown a beard yet, so you don't need to worry about that..."