allendalepharm Chapter 78 Love and Denial in the Depths of the Tomb
Chapter 78 Love and Denial in the Depths of the Tomb
Along Camelot's border, the wind of the wasteland carries a chilling dampness.
Leading the procession was Arthur, clad in silver armor. His white horse trotted steadily, and his holy sword emitted a faint, reassuring light from its sheath.
However, this light seemed unable to penetrate the almost tangible, heavy atmosphere behind the group, an atmosphere so intense it seemed to freeze the air.
This team, besides King Arthur, also includes Morgan, who represents the pinnacle of British magic and has a menacing expression.
The dream demon, Melly, floats in mid-air like a phantom, looking languid and "weak."
And Princess Sajou Aika, who is holding a parasol and seems to be strolling in her own backyard.
As a backdrop, Kai, Gawain, and Ayaka Sajou, shivering on horseback, are trying to keep themselves away from the storm.
"Waaah..."
Ayaka Sajou gripped the reins tightly; she was not good at riding horses, much less at galloping across the rugged wilderness of Britain.
"Ayaka, if you're not used to long-distance riding, would you like to switch to my horse?"
Arthur pulled on the reins and slowed down to run alongside Ayaka.
His emerald green eyes revealed genuine concern, and he even reached out a hand, ready to help Ayaka up.
"The terrain here is complicated, so it would be much safer to ride together on one horse."
In that instant, Ayaka felt as if the biting wind had stopped.
She stiffly turned her head to look at her sister, who was sitting sideways on the horse's back.
Sajō Aika tilted her head, revealing a sweet smile that sent chills down Ayaka's spine.
"Ayaka, the place behind the prince... is a very sacred place, you know."
Ai Ge murmured softly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the air, where faint black cracks appeared due to the overload of magic.
"If you feel uncomfortable, I can use magic to 'modify' your pain receptors, or... I can just let you 'sleep' right at the entrance of the Tomb of the Dead, okay?"
"No, no, no! No need! Arthur, I... I think riding horses is so much fun! Really! I feel like I could run all over Britain!"
Ayaka shook her head frantically as if she had been electrocuted. She would rather be thrown off a horse and die than get close to Arthur under her sister's almost "abyss-like" gaze.
Arthur looked at Ayaka, who was clinging desperately to the horse's mane, and then at Aika, who was smiling brightly, and could only let out a barely perceptible sigh.
"Wow... young people these days are so energetic."
Floating in mid-air, Merry let out an exaggerated moan.
It was clearly just a phantom created by magic, but for some reason, the edges of the phantom appeared blurry, and even the petals that usually danced seemed listless.
She would occasionally raise her hand to cover her mouth and yawn.
His posture, which made him almost unsteady on his feet, would lead anyone to think that he was "exhausted due to overexertion last night."
"Merry, if you really can't hold on to this illusion, you can go back to your tower."
Morgan snorted and slammed the end of his wand into the ground, shattering a protruding rock.
The witch queen's face was extremely gloomy. She stared intently at Mary's "weak" appearance, her disgust almost tangible.
"And you, Arthur." Morgan turned his head, his tone as sharp as a knife.
"I never knew that my dear brother could have sex with a nightmare to this extent..."
The aftershocks of that magic, powerful enough to disturb the entire planet's ley lines, nearly blew Camelot's observation tower off last night.
Are you fulfilling your duties as king, or are you digging your own grave for some primal desire?
Arthur froze, his hand, which had been gripping the reins tightly, trembled slightly.
"Morgan, that was... that was an accident caused by magical resonance, not what you think..."
The embarrassment caused by the public discussion of his "private life" made the king, who had never retreated on the battlefield, show an extremely awkward expression.
"An accident? You're telling me that that incredibly dense magical field was an accident?"
Morgan was aggressive; she couldn't accept that such a thing happening right under her nose.
"Oh dear, is the witch jealous?"
Saya Aika smiled and joined the conversation, gently stroking her hair, her tone as calm as if she were discussing the weather.
"Although that nightmare was indeed annoying, Arthur's aura last night was entirely due to me."
Morgan stopped his horse, his gaze fixed on Aige, and without any warning, he raised his wand.
[Analysis: The Illusory Circle]!
A black magical wave erupted instantly along the earth's veins, like a giant net made of countless fairy characters, attempting to dismantle and reconstruct Aika's entire being.
This technique can instantly see through a person's magical pathways and intervene accordingly.
However, Ai Ge didn't even close the parasol.
She merely raised her eyelids, a hint of mockery flashing in her beautiful yet empty pupils.
hum!
The black magic net disappeared without colliding with Aige when it came within a meter's radius.
"This kind of 'analysis' is like how primitive people rubbed wood together to make fire in front of the sun."
Aige looked at Morgan, her tone still sweet.
"Miss Witch, if you really want to understand me, I can send you into the Root to see for yourself."
However, it's very cold there. Once you go inside, the concept of 'Morgan' might cease to exist.
"You..." Morgan's fingers tightened suddenly; she felt it.
In that instant, her spell was not broken by force, but rather the very existence of that girl negated the meaning of the spell's existence.
"That's enough, you two."
Guinevere, who had been riding behind Arthur, suddenly stepped forward and spurred her horse to block the two of them.
Guinevere changed into a sharp military uniform. Although she couldn't compete with these two monsters in terms of magic, the solemnity she exuded made her appear exceptionally imposing.
"Miss Aige, Your Highness Morgan, what lies ahead is the graveyard of Britain under threat, not an arena for venting personal emotions."
As king, Arthur brought everyone out to protect them, not to watch them argue about such empty things.
Ai Ge tilted her head slightly, looking at the woman in front of her, a playful smile curving her lips:
"Oh? How long can this courage, which is forced out to protect the prince, last in the face of despair?"
You are just a mortal destined to grow old, Guinevere.
"It is precisely because I am a mortal that I understand the weight of protecting others even more."
Guinevere met Aige's terrifying eyes head-on without flinching, her tone resolute.
"I may not be able to rewrite the world like you, but as long as I stand here, I will exist as the cornerstone supporting Arthur's heart."
Miss Aika, you possess godlike power, but... do you understand what true 'protection' really means?
Aigo's smile faded slightly, and the displeasure at being challenged by a mortal lasted only a second before transforming into a haughty disdain.
Looking at Guinevere standing in front of him, Arthur felt an indescribable sense of relief and emotion. He knew how much courage Guinevere needed to face her love song.
"Thank you, Guinevere," Arthur said softly.
"We've arrived."
Before them lay a desolate ruin shrouded in purple mist.
This was originally a primitive burial site before the founding of Britain, and now, countless dark, incongruous shadows are crawling out of the frozen soil.
Although these shadows are blurry in shape, they carry a kind of "mystery" that does not belong to this era.
That was a series of erroneous reflections that arose in the world after it perceived Aigo as an "outsider."
"That's the 'Shadow Servant'."
Mary floated to Arthur's side, her tone still flippant, but her eyes sharpened.
"Because Miss Aika's existence is so much like a beacon of light, all these shadow fragments sleeping in the imaginary space were forcibly absorbed."
Arthur, these monsters may not be strong in combat, but they are numerous and possess a illogical nature.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!" Arthur drew his holy sword, and golden light instantly tore through the surrounding mist.
"Let the knights handle these minor monsters."
Kai drew his longsword. Although he was usually talkative, his eyes became incredibly sharp as soon as he entered battle mode.
"For the glory of the king!" Gawain roared, and the golden holy sword in his hand burst forth with light as bright as the sun.
With a single sweep, dozens of Shadow Servants who rushed up were reduced to ashes.
The battle proceeded unexpectedly quickly.
Arthur, Gawain, and Kay formed a perfect battle triangle.
As Britain's most elite military force, these irrational shadows simply couldn't get close.
Even if one or two are missed, they will crumble instantly under Morgan's overwhelming magic.
Aigo didn't even make a move; she simply stood quietly behind Arthur, watching him gallop across the battlefield with a fervent adoration in her eyes.
However, when the last trace of shadow on the wasteland was cleared away, no joy of victory appeared on the faces of the people.
A suffocating chill seeped from the depths of the tomb.
The magical fluctuations were completely different from the previous shadows.
It lacks that illusory sense of incongruity; instead, it possesses an ultimate, refined quality that rivals the true spirit.
Even Ai-ka, who had been in "game mode" all along, gradually lost her smile.
"Your Highness..." Aika whispered a reminder, and for the first time, a powerful magical circuit appeared at her fingertips.
"Under there... something disgusting was born."
boom!
The gates of the tomb opened amidst a dull tremor.
In the deep darkness, a figure slowly walked out.
The man wore armor almost identical to Arthur's, but instead of starlight, he emanated a dark, ethereal mist that devoured everything.
When that figure completely emerged from the darkness, everyone's breath hitched.
That face was almost identical to Arthur's, but there was no compassion or determination in those dark gold eyes.
Yes, but it is an absolute denial of all "emotions," "bonds," and "love" in this world.
That aura was like a monster called "Absolute Zero Love," forcibly created by the world to suppress "Ayaka Sajou's Love."
"A virus called 'love' has caused the world to function in such a distorted way."
The black-clad Arthur spoke slowly, his voice as deep and resonant as a death knell from the underworld.
"In that case, I, this 'shadow,' will erase this superfluous emotion, along with this polluted world."