153 Return and New Quest

Arkhan, Artoria, Nidhogg, and Thrud had just stepped out of the portal when a bone-chilling wind swept through.

However, this level of cold wasn't much for the four of them.

'Wait, could we really be considered four people?' Arkhan thought and glanced at Artoria, Nidhogg, and Thrud behind him, then sighed helplessly.

"Is this the outside world?" Thrud curiously looked around, then squeezed her own hand. "The concentration of true ether is indeed low; my strength has been weakened by about thirty percent."

She had already learned about the outside world from Arkhan and Artoria before coming, so she was prepared and not too flustered.

"Ahh... This is fantastic! The air of freedom!" Nidhogg exclaimed, spreading her arms wide, thoroughly enjoying herself.

As the embodiment of the rules, her power didn't originate from true ether, so whether in the Norse Realms or Britain, it did not affect her.

...

[Quest Five: Rescue Nidhogg's true body within three years (Completed)]

[Quest Reward: Ninth Divine Key - Star of Eden]

...

[New Quest Detected]

...

[Quest Six: Defeat the Seven Northern Kingdoms within five years (0/7)]

[Quest Reward: Seventh Divine Key - Judgment of Shamash]

...

[Quest Seven: Defeat Vortigern within seven years]

[Quest Reward: First Divine Key - Void Archives]

...

[Quest Eight: Defeat Crimson Moon within seven years]

[Quest Reward: Second Divine Key - Cosmic Juggernaut]

...

The continuous mechanical voices in his mind made Arkhan pause for a moment.

"Well, well, giving out three Divine Keys at once? Is this approaching the grand finale?" Arkhan muttered as he read the quest descriptions.

"Huh? What grand finale are you talking about?" Nidhogg turned to him in confusion.

"Nothing, just talking nonsense."

Arkhan waved his hand dismissively and looked to the north. Based on past experiences, the System's issued quests were generally related to his current situation.

In other words, within a maximum of seven years, Arkhan and Vortigern would inevitably engage in the final battle. By then, only one of them could emerge alive as the True King of Britain.

'Seven years... It's a bit tight.'

After pondering in his mind, Arkhan realized that seven years was not only the time to complete the preliminary reforms in Camelot but also to assemble a complete Godslayer Knights. It was indeed a very troublesome matter.

'It looks like I have to make good use of my time.'

He turned his head, gazing at the snow-covered great wall not far away.

===

"Currently, the third army is running low on provisions, and we're short of 1200 cotton coats. When the next batch of supplies arrives, prioritize them."

"The patrols reported finding traces of Anglo-Saxon soldiers in the Black Forest. It seems they want to open a supply route from there. Have Kay take two thousand soldiers and three court mages to investigate. If it's true, make sure he completely blocks that path for me. If he dares to let even one person slip through, I'll kick his head like a ball!"

"A sudden surge of Phantasmal Species on the north plateau? Hmph, immediately have Lamorak lead the knights to attack and make sure those bastards' faces are unrecognizable!"

As he heard the orders, the messenger swallowed his saliva nervously, picked up the documents in front of him, bowed, and hastily left the study. After closing the door behind him, he took a long breath.

"How's it going?" A colleague waiting outside asked in a hushed tone.

"Same as always, of course." The messenger replied with a wry smile.

"Ah, ever since His Majesty disappeared, the temperament of Her Highness has been getting more and more explosive. I heard even Sir Kay and Sir Bedivere don't dare to greet her directly; they must take a detour." The colleague sighed.

"Well, cut her some slack. Her Highness suddenly lost her brother and sister and still has to handle so much every day. If it were me, I'd probably be in a terrible mood too, or even worse." The messenger consoled.

"True... But I've heard lately that the relationship between Her Highness and His Majesty seems to..."

"Don't chat outside when there's work to be done. If you're so free, why not go stand guard on the city walls for a few days?"

A haunting voice of Morgan came through the door, making the two men shiver. They quickly apologized, then dashed out as if their lives depended on it.

"I'm busy all day long, and you guys dare to slack off. I'll have to teach you all a lesson."

Inside the study, Morgan mumbled indignantly while leaning back in her high-backed chair. Watching the snowflakes fall outside the window, she sighed softly.

"It's been twenty days... When are you coming back?"

She rubbed her slightly ached forehead, turned to look at the towering pile of documents on her desk, and gritted her teeth.

"When that idiot returns, I'll make sure he gets what's coming to him!"

"Hahaha, such crude language shouldn't be spoken by an esteemed princess."

Someone's voice, accompanied by a light laugh, suddenly entered her ears. She instantly froze in place upon recognizing the familiar voice.

Like a rusty robot, Morgan turned her head inch by inch, afraid that any sudden movement might mean she saw nothing at all.

'Please, even if it's just an illusion, let me see him again...' Morgan prayed inside her heart.

When the familiar figure of a man with a smiling face appeared before her eyes, Morgan finally couldn't control her emotions. Tears, the size of pearls, slid down her cheeks.

Seeing Morgan's visibly weary face, Arkhan couldn't help but feel guilty. He walked over, gently embracing her.

"Sorry, Big Sis, for making you suffer..."

In less than ten words, he broke through her psychological defenses.

Sweetness, grievance, joy, confusion—various emotions surged like a tide. Morgan was unsure of how to vent, so she chose to bite down on his shoulder.

"Hiss..."

Arkhan sucked in a breath. His sister didn't hold back at all. Even with his body strength, he felt a piercing pain.

Instinctively, he wanted to push her away, but looking into those resentful, pale golden eyes, he couldn't help but smile wryly. Instead of escaping, he relaxed his muscles and calmed down.

After about ten minutes, Morgan finally released her grip. Looking at the bloodstains on Arkhan's shoulder, she suddenly felt a twinge of regret.

"Sorry, did I... go a bit too far?" Morgan reached out with her delicate hands, gently caressing the scars on his shoulder, with a hint of concern in her eyes.

"It's fine. Isn't it normal for a big sister to teach a lesson to her mischievous little brother?" Arkhan grinned.

"At least you know you messed up..." Morgan huffed, then seemed to recall something, looking around in a bit of a panic. "By the way, where's Lily?! She disappeared with you, didn't she?! Hasn't she come back?!"

"Don't worry, she's back. She's just starving, so I sent her to the kitchen with the other two."

"Other two?" Morgan raised an eyebrow. "What exactly did you do?"

"Well, that's a long story."

Arkhan sighed and spent a whole hour narrating his experiences in the Norse Realms.

"So, you disappeared to rescue Nidhogg's body..." Morgan realized. "But if I heard correctly, you encountered Vortigern, and the Holy Grail ended up in his hands...?"

"That's right." Arkhan nodded.

"The Holy Grail..." Morgan frowned slightly. As an excellent mage, she was familiar with the Holy Grail and, thanks to extensive readings, understood its terrifying power.

It was a true wish-granting machine, a miraculous relic that even the authority of gods couldn't reach.

"But the good news is, although Vortigern got the Holy Grail, it hasn't acknowledged him fully. So, we still have a chance to win." Morgan mused.

"How do you know that Vortigern hasn't been acknowledged by the Holy Grail?" Arkhan questioned, as he hadn't mentioned this detail before.

"According to ancient texts, only those recognized by 'God' can wield the power of the Holy Grail. Just like King Solomon, who stood at the pinnacle of magecraft more than thirteen hundred years ago. It's because he was acknowledged by 'God' that he gained the Seal of Solomon in the form of ten rings, symbolizing true wisdom."

"For beings of that level, it's easy to see who is worthy. If Vortigern were truly chosen by 'God', he wouldn't have waited until now to make a move, or perhaps, he wouldn't need to personally intervene at all. So, it's clear that for fifteen years, he's been hiding in the North, trying to forcefully establish a connection with the Holy Grail through magecraft, seeking the qualification to wield its power."

*Clap! Clap! Clap!*

Arkhan applauded, impressed.

"Truly deserving of being one of Britain's top two mages. Such rich experience and profound wisdom, it's truly an eye-opener."

Morgan nodded in satisfaction, clearly pleased with her brother's admiration. But then her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Even if Vortigern doesn't reach Solomon's level, having the Holy Grail is still a significant problem. We need to find a way to counter him."

"Don't worry, actually... I succeeded in defeating him before." Arkhan chuckled.

"Wait, you mean you defeated Vortigern, who has the Holy Grail?!" Morgan exclaimed in surprise with her eyes widened.

"Yep."

Arkhan walked to the window, catching a snowflake in his hand, and watching it melt slowly in his palm.

"If I can defeat him once, I can defeat him again..."