Failed Face-Slapping

"Why are you standing there like a fool? Come over here~" Morgan said.

Of course, Artorius wasn't just standing there like a fool, but that didn't stop Morgan from happily imagining various scenarios or even scheming to conquer him.

'This guy is completely enthralled by me, fufufu~'

'Now, he is my devoted servant.'

'He's completely mine.'

'Artoria, my foolish sister, this time, it's a perfect victory for me, the older sister.'

'Hmm~nghh~mhhm~ Just imagining it already makes me wet...'

And now, it was time to exercise the power of the victor and enjoy the spoils of war.

Though it wasn't exactly so.

"Stop daydreaming you old hag." Artorius wanted to say to her like that if he could.

He wanted to decisively shatter Morgan's delusions, give her a profound and unforgettable lesson, and let her know who the dominant one was, who was the one in control of the situation.

After all, Artorius was a fair, upright, and kind-hearted man. He treated good women gently and taught a lesson to the bad ones, not changing his attitude towards them just because they were seductive or alluring women.

The lesson needed to be taught.

The bad behavior needed to be scolded.

Promises need to be kept.

Of course, at the same time, he had to give this woman a little sweetness, a little hope, so as not to make her resent him in rage. In short, a carrot-and-stick approach.

Morgan wasn't the kind of person Artorius desired. It was the same old story. If the situation allowed it, he would have made her realize just how terrifying the Dragon Prince's piercing attack could be.

"I have a serious matter to discuss with you." Artorius approached the bedside and said to her.

"Sure, a serious matter~"

"It really is a serious matter. Don't forget your promise to me, Morgan."

Artorius said earnestly, "I need you now. Come with me to a place—the Holy Grail. You know about it, right? My plan requires its energy, but I don't intend for you to directly use the Holy Grail. I only need you to extract a portion of its energy and store it. Tell me, can you do it?"

"..."

Artorius decided to be straightforward about his intentions, to prevent Morgan from entertaining any unnecessary thoughts.

He laid out everything in one go, his expression, tone, and demeanor, all serious and genuine, making it clear to Morgan that he was serious.

Morgan: "..."

The witch widened her eyes and stared at Artorius in disbelief, as if saying, "I've even taken off my pants, and you're here talking about this?!"

"..."

Artorius felt helpless.

He didn't want it to be this way.

But he had no choice.

He took a step closer and whispered in Morgan's ear, "Don't worry..."

The beautiful youth's magnetic voice resonated next to Morgan's ear.

"After everything is over, I will compensate you with what you desire."

The warm breath made Morgan's body tingle.

This, too, was an act of helplessness. The only one who could help him right now was Morgan.

===

A few minutes later.

"So this is the Holy Grail, huh..."

By the banks of the River Seine, Artorius unexpectedly led Morgan to the camp of the Knights of the Round Table. While they grew wary, Merlin, on the other hand, sported a delighted smile on his face. It appeared that he was pleased to see his guess coming true, implying that he hadn't used clairvoyance at all, but had merely relied on his intuition.

"Hmph!"

Morgan, despite being low in leadership skills which in turn made the leadership of King Arthur seem great, still belonged to the Pendragon. While the Knights of the Round Table drew their swords and pointed their spears, showing guarded expressions toward her, she remained calm and composed. She coldly sneered and looked at them with disdainful eyes.

She was a person with a strong sense of class consciousness, akin to a social elitist, and had no intention of blending in with the Knights of the Round Table.

As a princess, her status set her apart from the knights who served in her own family. They were in no position to be compared to her.

Seeing that Morgan wasn't cooperating or willing to speak, Artorius had to step forward and say, "Don't worry, Lady Morgan is here to assist us."

Upon hearing Artorius's words, both Morgan and the Knights of the Round Table felt dissatisfied.

The former was displeased with his way of addressing her, and the latter was surprised and puzzled. Why would His Highness bring along Morgan le Fay, an evil antagonist character here?

"Rest assured, everything is under my control, right, Lady Morgan?"

Artorius could see the concerns of the Knights of the Round Table. So, as he spoke, he looked at Morgan.

"..."

"Hmph."

Morgan let out another light snort. She didn't directly answer Artorius, but her meaning was clear—yes, she agreed with his statement.

This relieved the Knights of the Round Table, yet they remained somewhat puzzled.

No one among the Knights of the Round Table wanted to provoke someone as influential as Morgan. After all, mages and knights were two different realms of power.

As for their confusion...

'How did His Highness manage to make someone like Morgan le Fay obey his word?'

The other Knights of the Round Table couldn't figure it out no matter how hard they thought.

On the other hand, Bors engaged in a hushed conversation with Merlin, discreetly gesturing towards Artorius. This created an atmosphere filled with a sense of joy, as well as Artorius's and Morgan's growing sense of murderous intent upon witnessing the two men's joyful conversation.

"Hmm~hmm~" Merlin cheerfully hummed as he observed the aunt and nephew duo's angry glare directed at him.

Unlike the shameless character of Merlin, Bors responded to the angered gaze with a warm smile. He portrayed himself as an honest individual, gesturing with an expression that said, "Please, go ahead," to Artorius.

He was very confident, brimming with self-assurance.

In fact, the other Knights of the Round Table were the same.

No one believed that Morgan could lift the Holy Grail. They just considered her attempts as an opportunity to challenge their skepticism and see if she could prove them wrong.

Little did they know, Artorius had brought Morgan here not to obtain the Holy Grail but to gain some small advantage from it.

However...

"Go ahead, Lady Morgan."

Artorius addressed Morgan like this, and she let out a cold sneer. She took a step forward, then another, and another—until, under Artorius's curious gaze, she extended her hand and reached for the Holy Grail.

Being a Pendragon, one of Morgan's favorite pastimes was saying 'No' to those who were full of themselves. Demonstrating her prowess and proving them wrong served as an important lesson for the princess. In short, she enjoyed delivering a 'face-slap' to such individuals.

'So, you thought I couldn't lift the Holy Grail?'

'Very well, this time, I will lift it!'

But...

She couldn't lift it.

"..."

Morgan fell silent for a few seconds before continuing her efforts.

With steady footwork, like the twisted roots of an ancient tree and the rotation of a magnetic field with a force of 990,000 horses, she displayed her boundless martial arts skills... and yet, the Grail still didn't move at all.