Arkhan's Story

Arkhan put a piece of steak into his mouth and pondered for a moment.

"Probably because I killed Nuada."

"???"

Kayneth, with a confused face, still didn't get it.

"Wait, what did you just say?!"

After several seconds of digesting the information, Kayneth exclaimed in shock. He flipped off the couch and stared incredulously as his eyes swelled with disbelief.

"You said you killed Nuada?! That Nuada?!"

"I'm over here y'know, you're talking to a vase." Arkhan kindly pointed out.

"Don't be so wordy! That's not important!" Kayneth turned his head embarrassedly from the vase to Arkhan. "Leaving aside whether you actually have the strength for it, Arthur and Nuada aren't even from the same era. How could you possibly have killed him?"

Suspicion of Arkhan's identity rose again in Kayneth's mind. He had studied the Wizard Marshall's manuscripts, knowing that while there were different developmental trajectories between parallel worlds, some important timelines remained more or less the same.

No matter which world, the era in which Arthur existed was undoubtedly the late Age of Gods, where the Age of Gods neared its complete end. How could he have encountered God King Nuada, who existed during the zenith of the Age of Gods? They were separated by many years!

"Indeed, Nuada and I are not from the same era, just a little hiccup in between." Arkhan casually explained, eating his meal as he recounted his experiences.

He knew what kind of person Kayneth was—arrogant, confident, with a strong sense of self, lacking empathy, and fond of measuring others by his own standards. Once he decided on something, unless proven wrong, there was no way to change his mind.

In the original work, Kayneth's dislike for Diarmuid stemmed partly from his fiancee and partly from his distrust of Diarmuid.

He firmly believed that Diarmuid must be hiding something, refusing to believe that Diarmuid's only wish was to serve his Master faithfully. Thus, Kayneth remained suspicious to the end, leading to a significant difference in the relationship between Master and Servant.

To Kayneth, a 'Servant' was just a magical construct similar to a familiar—a tool to help him achieve victory.

To get along with someone like him, one either had to go along with his words, meaning placing oneself in a lower position and obeying his instructions completely, losing all autonomy.

Arkhan would never allow himself to be led around, so he chose the second path—showcasing his abilities, gaining Kayneth's approval, and achieving an equal status.

Kayneth, the genius of the Clock Tower and head of the Archibald family, had a reputation that made outsiders believe he was a staunch bloodline advocate. However, in reality, he supported the meritocracy.

In the world of magecraft, bloodline and ability were inseparable, making Kayneth appear as a bloodline advocate. But in front of him, only when you demonstrated your value would he truly acknowledge you. If you only bowed and kneeled, you might gain his superficial approval, but you would never gain his true recognition.

Kayneth never understood Diarmuid, and Diarmuid never truly understood Kayneth.

In a sense, the tragic ending was caused by the mutual misunderstandings of these two people.

However, now that Arkhan served as Kayneth's Servant, he wouldn't allow such a tragedy to repeat itself.

However, Arkhan didn't reveal the whole truth about himself, not because he distrusted Kayneth but mainly because explaining it was complicated. If, by any chance, Kayneth's memories were seized and known by enemies, his trump card would be exposed.

"Ohh, this is just unbelievable..." Kayneth muttered under his breath as he plopped down on the sofa after hearing Arkhan's story. "Restoring the Age of Gods using the genuine Holy Grail? That plan is downright insane."

Even more unbelievable was his Servant, who successfully managed to defeat such formidable enemies.

It sounded like something out of a fairy tale.

If it were him in that situation, he'd probably be reduced to ashes by now.

Undoubtedly, his Servant was a truly powerful and honorable king. Even in death, he wouldn't allow his glory to be easily tarnished.

Kayneth, being a noble himself, unconsciously elevated Arkhan to a position equal to his own.

Suddenly, as if struck by a realization, Kayneth nervously turned to look at Sola beside him.

To win the favor of his dear fiancee, the elegant and composed Lord El-Melloi had studied female psychology countless times in secret. He knew well the immense impact heroic deeds had on women, especially when the hero was as handsome as Arkhan.

Kayneth could almost hear the thundering hooves in his head.

"Ka-Kayneth..."

Sola, sensing Kayneth's gaze upon her, swiftly moved closer to him and whispered nervously. She tightly clutched his arm with a hint of fear in her eyes as she glanced at Arkhan.

"This Servant is too powerful. What if he betrays us? We won't be able to stop him... Can you really control him?"

Kayneth felt his heart skip a beat. Sola had never shown this vulnerable side in front of him before. Soon, blood rushed toward his head.

"Don't worry, Sola. As long as I'm by your side, not a hair on you will be harmed. Anyone who tries to harm you will have to step over the corpse of Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald!"

Kayneth responded without hesitation, full of youthful energy.

However, as soon as he said that, he regretted it.

In his mind, Sola was always a calm and rational woman. Hearing himself utter such childish and cringeworthy words, he anticipated her sharp rebuke.

Kayneth sighed inwardly; this was a perfect opportunity to showcase his noble elegance, yet he spoke like an overly enthusiastic teenager.

"I-Is that true?" Sola asked shyly, lowering her head. A rosy blush appeared on her face. "Will you really protect me at all times?"

As he heard her response, Kayneth's heart sank halfway.

Indeed, Sola was displeased with his frivolous words. But there was a chance to make amends, he must think carefully and avoid making the same mistake again.

After a long wait for a response that never came, Sola confusedly lifted her head. Seeing Kayneth's hesitating and undecided expression, her face gradually filled with unmistakable anger.

'My god, he's so fucking dense...' Arkhan sighed inwardly.

Kayneth seemed to have misunderstood Sola's words, forcing Arkhan to activate the power of Fenghuang Down he had subtly infused into Kayneth's consciousness moments earlier.

With a bang, a surge of resolve stronger than before rushed into Kayneth's mind, shattering his reason and wisdom.

His breathing became heavy, his face flushed noticeably, and in an instant, he flipped over, pinning Sola to the sofa.