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The starlight condensed and transformed into a sharp sword that bore a striking resemblance to Excalibur. He then handed the scabbard to Artoria and instructed her to keep it close and away from Guinevere's sight.

Although she was curious, Merlin insisted that the matter pertained to the fate of the king, and so she remained silent.

After some time, Artoria's injuries had completely healed, and Guinevere said, "Can we leave now?"

"Of course," Merlin said with a smile.

Guinevere proceeded to open the exit to Avalon, and the trio stepped out onto the surface of the lake that linked the passage.

As Guinevere observed the second sword in Artoria's grip, a sense of familiarity washed over her. In fact, she had been feeling this way for quite some time. It wasn't until she caught sight of the scabbard that Artoria had concealed in her arms that Guinevere's eyes widened and her teeth clenched. "You...how dare you steal my sword! Give it back to me!"

Artoria said seriously, "Merlin said that this sword is related to the fate of the king, so please forgive me for refusing."

"You--!"

Guinevere attempted to retrieve her stolen sword but was met with resistance from Merlin.

"What is your intention? With your clairvoyance, you should comprehend the significance of that sword!" Guinevere's tone was laced with anger.

"I do understand, but the sword has already recognized Lily as its rightful owner," Merlin replied, gesturing towards the sword in Artoria's possession. "Isn't the sword's manifestation of itself in this manner a sign of its approval?"

"That sword belongs to me! It's mine!" Guinevere seethed through gritted teeth.

Merlin responded with a smile, "You have established a magical contract, therefore, what belongs to you now belongs to Lily."

"Do you think a human contract would hold up against fairies? Let me tell you..." Guinevere trailed off, surprised when she was unable to dispel the contract. "Why can't I dispel it? What's going on?"

"Unfortunately, my contract won't be that easy to dispel," Merlin stated.

Guinevere's expression constantly shifted until she fixed her gaze upon Artoria. "That sword... it is the Sword of Promised Victory, created from the planets to combat foreign invaders. If you possess it, you will no longer be human, but the wielder of the Holy Sword. Even you will be subjected to attacks from countless malevolent invaders who seek to invade this planet. Do you still wish to accept it?"

"Is it... powerful?"

Guinevere nodded, a proud smile playing on her lips. "It's the Sword of Promised Victory, so of course it's powerful!"

"Then I accept it," Artoria declared resolutely.

Guinevere couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

"Because it will allow me to better protect the king."

Guinevere studied Artoria for a moment before speaking again. "If you're willing to release the contract, I can give you either the sword or the scabbard."

"Then release it."

"Lily!" Merlin called out, his tone urgent. "There's no need for that."

Ignoring Merlin's protest, Artoria turned to him and said, "Merlin, please help release it."

He let out a deep sigh, knowing he had no other choice. Reluctantly, he began the incantation to release the contract.

Guinevere rubbed her wrist and posed the question, "So, which one will it be? The sword or the scabbard?"

She replied without hesitation, "The sword!"

Guinevere felt Artoria's response was too quick and felt compelled to advise her, "Consider this: the sword is a weapon of destruction, a tool that can bring you and others both glory and misfortune. The scabbard, however, is a shield that can protect you from harm. Some might say its value far surpasses that of the sword. Are you certain of your choice?"

She nodded confidently and returned the scabbard to Guinevere. "Yes, I am sure."

"Why?" Guinevere couldn't help but ask.

She answered without hesitation, "As a knight, it's my duty to bring victory to the king. Defending myself alone is pointless. A sword in my hand symbolizes that duty. A scabbard, however useful, cannot fulfill it."

Guinevere sighed deeply, almost as if letting go of a burden. "Very well. The sword has accepted you, so the scabbard should be yours as well. Take them both."

"Thank you," Artoria thanked her earnestly, not refusing the offer.

"It's nothing," Guinevere murmured softly. "You've stamped your mark on them, so what use is the scabbard to me?"

Guinevere looked up at Artoria with a serious expression and said, "I must warn you that the true power of this sword lies not in the blade, but in the scabbard. The sword's full power can only be unleashed against extraordinary opponents, such as the invasion of monsters from beyond our planet that threaten the world's survival. The scabbard, which was endowed with the concept of Avalon, allows the holder to recover from any injury and even stop any form of aging. So, even if you throw away the sword, never lose the scabbard!"

"I understand," she nodded solemnly.

The boat drifted to the shore, and Artoria disembarked with Excalibur and the Caliburn in hand, heading towards the distance.

As she watched Artoria depart, Guinevere turned to Merlin and asked, "I have a question. I entrusted the Sword to the fairies for safekeeping. There are many guards in Avalon. How did you get it? I don't think you have the ability to snatch it by force."

Merlin chuckled, "Oh, who told me to be so charming? Those fairies are very enthusiastic. I just met them in my dreams a few times and asked about the sword, and they sent it over themselves."

"Damn incubus!" Guinevere glared fiercely at Merlin. "Remember this! There is a price to pay for stealing my things! I will have my revenge!"

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing with an air of arrogance, "And you can be sure that it will come."

Turning around, she stalked off with a threatening air.

Merlin watched her go, then called out, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to work!" Guinevere said, her anger palpable. "Do you think everyone is like you, always slacking off on the job?"

"Well, you better work hard then," Merlin chuckled before turning and leaving.

"Damn it," Guinevere scowled at his retreating back before sinking back into her seat and eyeing the pile of paperwork on her desk.

As she worked, her mind wandered, and she suddenly remembered something important.

"Wait a minute, I don't think I ever agreed to work for that king. The magical contract has been dispelled, so why am I still staying here?"

Just then, Sir Geraint approached her desk with a piece of paper in his hand. "This is the conscription report, Lady Guinevere. Please take a look."

Guinevere quickly scanned the document, but as she started to fill it out, she suddenly froze. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face.

"What's wrong, Lady Guinevere? Why are you crying?" Sir Geraint asked, concern etched on his face.

"It's nothing," she managed to choke out. "Just... the wind today is a bit strong." She sniffled and wiped away her tears.

...

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