Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

The drowsy shopkeeper opened his eyes, nodded slightly, accepted the coins, casually picked up a newspaper, and handed it to the buyer outside the window.

Although it was his first order of the day, the middle-aged caretaker's reaction was anything but enthusiastic, much like the polite and distant nature of most British people in their daily lives.

Samael didn't seem to care much, and as he walked, he flipped through the newspaper, reading it quickly.

The newspaper had just been delivered from the printing plant; the fresh ink still smelled strong. The headline on the first page was a line of bold red lead type.

"Large groups of dark figures have been spotted in SoHo and Westminster. Witnesses say they saw vicious dogs from hell!"

Samael glanced at it briefly, not surprised, and decisively turned to the next page.

"Last night, a large-scale power supply disruption occurred in many areas outside the city, suspected to be caused by aging circuits. Repairs are currently underway, and some nighttime activity venues in the area will be temporarily shut down..."

Samael frowned slightly as the government documents cited in the newspaper came into view.

Samael's dark eyes flickered, a hint of something unreadable in his pupils. His gaze quickly swept over the various pointless gossips and miscellaneous chatter in the middle of the book, until he turned to the last page and fixed his eyes on it again.

"A fire broke out at Bethlehem Asylum, suspected to be caused by a gas leak. People have been evacuated and are receiving treatment."

After finishing reading, Gu She closed the newspaper, looked at the somewhat gloomy sky, and shook his head to himself.

Clearly, there were significant problems last night.

First, black dogs appeared in the patrol areas of Bagst and Melusin, causing chaos.

Secondly, Morgan's urgent departure and overnight presence at the Prime Minister's residence were likely due to the sudden and widespread power outage, which required her personal intervention to quell the situation.

The reason for the power outage, and the ban on closing some nighttime activity venues, may be related to that last, seemingly insignificant piece of news.

Bethlehem Asylum...

Samael rubbed his temples, muttering silently as he reviewed information about the place in his mind.

This was the first mental hospital in Britain. For many years, it was notorious for its inhumanity.

Because mental illness has long been considered a physical ailment and demonic possession rather than a disease of the brain, hospitals have sought to treat patients with potent drugs and cruel treatments such as blistering the skin with alkaline chemicals. As a result, patients often die under appalling conditions and undergo treatments that border on abuse.

The large number of deaths and the gloomy environment earned it the nickname "madhouse".

Its history has inspired numerous horror books, movies, and television programs. The hospital was even once a popular tourist attraction in London, providing morbid entertainment for the curious.

However, most of the legends have been based on hearsay, and virtually no tourists have actually encountered supernatural dangers in that terrifying place.

Even now, despite its mysterious return, this once filthy place rarely sees any deaths.

In fact, there are quite a few spirits lingering in Bethlehem Asylum, but they are so well-behaved mainly because of its past.

Before the asylum was built, the place was originally called "St. Mary Bethlehem Abbey".

The Virgin Mary, who gave birth to the Son of Man, and the Star of Bethlehem, which foreshadowed the birth of the Lamb, have sanctified this land for nearly a century.

Therefore, through continuous recitation, that land has acquired the function of comforting and purifying the souls of the deceased.

That's why, despite its notorious reputation, the Bethlehem Asylum never really caused any major trouble.

But Samael sensed something unusual about the fire that broke out at the Bethlehem Asylum last night, even though the newspapers were vague about it.

In addition, there were widespread power outages in the outer city, black dog activity spreading into the inner city, and the empty Buckingham Palace...

Based on all of the above, Samael could roughly guess what Morgan had been busy with all night, and where the knight king Artoria, who had broken her promise, had gone.

After a meticulous analysis, the ancient snake found the answer in several reports, leaving it both amused and exasperated.

I knew it! The term "gas leak" shouldn't be used carelessly...

Fortunately, things like the Bethlehem Asylum, being a place close to the earth, are quite troublesome to handle, and Morgan and Artoria will likely be busy for some time.

It seems that my messy situation with Xiao Mo won't be resolved anytime soon.

People are in charge now.

Samael, upon reaching this conclusion, felt a mixture of joy and worry.

Alright, good luck to you guys. May God bless you, Amen.

With mixed feelings, Samael made the sign of the cross on his chest as if to pray for the two victims who didn't have time to catch their husbands in the act, and casually prepared to throw the useless newspaper into the trash can.

However, when he looked up, he suddenly realized that he had unknowingly arrived at another famous London attraction.

King's Cross Station.

This is a transport hub located in the King's Cross area of ​​the city center. It not only connects many areas of London, but is also a vital lifeline in the British Isles.

People and goods from numerous cities, large and small, including Cambridge, Peterborough, Kingston upon Hull, Donxter, Leeds, York, Newcastle, and Edinburgh, could travel along this route to the British capital.

Therefore, the spacious hall was crowded with travelers coming and going, creating a bustling and noisy atmosphere.

However, Samael didn't seem to care much about this superficial excitement.

What really interested him was a well-known place in King's Cross Station.

Platform 9¾.

The famous attraction in the renowned British fantasy novel Harry Potter, where one can travel to the wizarding world and enter the magic school Hogwarts.

Of course, Hogwarts does not exist in this world.

But that didn't stop Samael from getting up close to the view and taking photos.

After all, since we're already here, it would be a shame not to go in and take a look.

With nothing else to do, Samael decided to buy a ticket on a whim, then went through security to enter the station and wandered around the annex buildings containing platforms 9 and 10.

Only after the train pulled in and he confirmed that there was no real Platform 9¾ did he regretfully step into the carriage and board the Muggle Express, intending to wander around the next destination and kill some time.

The whistle blew, and the train started moving.

However, before Samael could even sit down after entering the carriage, he was suddenly taken aback and looked at a passenger sitting in the corner at the back.

"Small gray?"

"Teacher~!"

At the same time, the passenger in the last seat seemed to sense something and looked up, his gaze passing over the long corridor and landing on Samael. His mouth dropped open in surprise, his pretty face full of joy, and he suddenly stood up from his seat, calling out in a clear voice with a distinct Welsh accent.

As everyone looked over, they saw a petite woman with fair skin, green eyes, and dark silver hair braided into a bun at the back of her head. Her clothes were also in black and white, with a black cloak and matching leather boots. She looked like a winter fairy from a colorless world, beautiful and aloof.

Perhaps because she was very shy, the girl who had been sitting in the corner had subconsciously buried her head under her hood, instinctively avoiding the gaze of those around her, which is why she hadn't stood out much.

But in her overwhelming excitement, the Winter Fairy suddenly became the center of attention in the carriage.

As all eyes turned to her, the silver-haired girl, who had stood up, blushed and became flustered under their scrutiny.

"Excuse me, this is a student I taught before."

Fortunately, just as the girl was feeling embarrassed, Samael stood up, smiled and explained, then reached out and pulled the dumbfounded girl to sit down in the seat next to him.

The fellow passengers greeted the teacher and student with kind smiles upon their encounter on the train, then went about their own business without disturbing them further.

After easing the awkward atmosphere, Samael habitually reached out and ruffled the girl's hair in comfort, then looked curiously at the student he had unexpectedly met on the train.

"I never expected to see you in a place like this, little Grey?"

"Teacher, I... I'm not a child anymore..."

Upon hearing the somewhat teasing nickname, the silver-haired girl in her seat looked embarrassed and tried her best to defend herself.

"Yes, yes, dear little Grey is already 15 years old. In three more years, she will be an adult."

Samael nodded and smiled in agreement.

But the obvious teasing tone made the silver-haired girl's face turn even redder, and she could only bury her head, bite her cherry lips, and weakly protest.

"teacher……"

"Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore."

Seeing that his student looked like he wanted to disappear into the ground, Samael straightened his posture and casually asked a question.

"By the way, why aren't you staying in Cornwall? What are you doing in London?"

"It's like this, the ley lines in Lentinion seem to have undergone some unusual changes recently. The undead are staying here longer, and many spirits from the wild are also converging here. So, I was ordered to come and investigate the reason."

The question touched on her area of ​​expertise, and Gray, who had been nervous, finally breathed a sigh of relief and answered in a low voice.

Her primary profession is that of a gravedigger, an expert in fighting spirits. Currently affiliated with the Dark Council, she uses the spells she has learned and the abilities she has acquired to purify the wandering undead in this land.

The man in front of her was the teacher who had discovered and taught her in the village of Blakemoya.

When she was a child, her body began to show abnormal symptoms. The villagers started to look at her with strange and unusual eyes from the shadows, which was a creepy feeling.

Even gradually, her closest relative, her mother, changed.

He became obsessed, looking at her as if he were examining a precious artifact, not a living person.

That oppressive environment made the naturally sensitive Grey somewhat apprehensive.

Things only started to improve after a teacher appeared, rescued her from the terrifying atmosphere, took her to a school that specializes in educating children with special needs, and actively communicated with her mother.

Therefore, Grey felt grateful and respectful towards both her job and the teacher in front of her.

Unfortunately, before she could officially graduate, her teacher left without saying goodbye. Because of her gentle and soft-hearted nature, she was unable to say a formal farewell or express her gratitude over the years.

Therefore, this matter has always bothered Grey.

She thought her past regrets would continue because of her timidity, but unexpectedly, she met her teacher on the train.

It has to be said, this is truly an amazing coincidence.

So, this time I absolutely have to say it!

Grey clenched her small fists hidden in her sleeves, silently cheering herself on.

Then, seemingly to alleviate her social anxiety, the winter fairy who had fallen to the mortal world would always look at the shoulder, hoping to receive encouragement.

Beneath the collar inside the cloak, a thumb-sized, illegal pet snake with black scales, which had somehow evaded inspection, cautiously peeked out and blinked innocently.

I see, so you thought so too, Xiao Hei!

Encouraged, Grey straightened her back, looked earnestly at the man in front of her, and tried her best to open her mouth.

"Teacher, I..."

Bang!

However, just as the girl stood up, about to speak her mind, the carriage shook violently.

Caught off guard, Gray's words caught in her throat, and she stumbled, falling into Samael's arms.

The girl let out a soft moan, immediately feeling ashamed.

Meanwhile, the scenery outside the window rushed past, the outside light seemed to dim, and the figures on both sides of the platform gradually blurred.

The train seemed to have traveled from reality into a dreamlike illusion.

Chapter Eleven: The Hell Train (4.5k)

Even at this age, you're still so reckless.

Samael chuckled and shook his head, feigning nonchalance, as he helped his young disciple up from his arms.

Having embarrassed herself in front of her respected teacher again, Grey's face turned so red it was almost bleeding. Her legs were tightly pressed together, her hands were fiddling with the hem of her gray cloak, her head was buried in her chest, and her eyes were filled with shame and indignation as she looked down at the ground, wishing she could find a crack in the carriage and crawl into it immediately.

Yes, she hasn't changed her shyness; she's still the same as before.

Samael glanced at his young disciple's embarrassed yet adorable little movements out of the corner of his eye, a smile of nostalgia and affection rising in his eyes.

Grey, the gravedigger of Blackmore Village, is also the "vessel" left by Morgan a thousand years ago to resurrect King Arthur.

In the past, King Arthur, Artoria, led her elite Knights of the Round Table into the Starry Sea in search of the Holy Grail, which possessed infinite magical power, in order to stabilize the Age of Gods in Britain and establish a sacred kingdom that would last for a thousand years. However, everything was arranged by fate and ultimately became a fleeting dream.

Morgan, who succeeded him, was unable to maintain the mystique of Britain and grew increasingly powerless as he struggled to maintain it.

In order to leave a sliver of possibility for Britain and her own future, this witch also left herself a backup plan.

As the divine age of Britain gradually collapsed, she secretly left the palace and, as the godmother of the Druids, delivered the Mystic Code "Erosion" to the villagers near the cemetery of Bracmore, giving them the mission to resurrect King Arthur. She then arranged various items for the resurrection of King Arthur inside and outside the village, and thus she was called "Black Mother" by the villagers.

The most important of these relics is the Dragon Factor that could create the pseudo-container of Artoria.

As envisioned, even if Artoria were to die in the Starry Sea, she could return as a soul carrying the Holy Grail, enter a pre-prepared container, complete a thousand-year pilgrimage, and restore the glory of Britain.

Morgan clearly overestimated the level of the Druidic cultists in the village of Brakmore, and the creation and perfection of artificial life has always been an ultimate subject that is difficult to perfect in any magic system.

Therefore, throughout the long history of the village of Brakmore, the successors have never been able to create a suitable host, let alone summon the legendary King Arthur back to the present world.

Of course, this is also related to the fact that Artoria herself was unharmed.

And so, the villagers of Brakmoa endured a thousand years of hardship, yet they were unable to fulfill the mission entrusted to them by the "Black Mother."