"In any case, even if you use the Holy Spear, Iâll interfere, so you might as well save that precious Magic Power."
"Youâre not planning to use the throne lightly, are you?"
Reiger gestured toward the direction of the large cave.
"After all, your throne was originally prepared to deal with that thing, wasnât it?"
This statement made Morganâs gaze flicker once again.
Seeing this, Reiger spoke indifferently, saying.
"If I win, I hope youâll willingly come with me, freeing yourself from this Curse that has bound you for thousands of years."
Bound...
Curse...
Morganâs eyes grew slightly cold, her mood clearly not very good.
Something she had persistently pursued for thousands of years was being judged by others as a bind, as a Curse, and the person doing the judging was her nominal husband. How could Morgan possibly feel happy?
"What if I win?"
Morgan coldly uttered this question.
She spoke not because she intended to accept Reigerâs wager.
In Morganâs view, Reigerâs wager was utterly meaningless.
Whether she won or lost, she couldnât possibly abandon Britain.
If she won, she would continue to rule Britain, guarding this kingdom that belonged solely to her.
If she lost, she would only fall before the throne, accompanying her Britain to its end.
She already had nothing left, except Britain.
Therefore, whether she won or lost, she wouldnât abandon Britain, nor did she have any reason to accept this wager.
As Morgan silently thought this in her heart...
"If you win, Iâll not only help you resolve Britainâs Curse, solve the issue in the large cave, but also bring back to life those you care about."
Reigerâs voice faintly penetrated Morganâs ears.
"Bawan Xi, who showed you kindness and goodwill when all the fairies in Britain despised and rejected you..."
"Woodworth, born as Reineckâs successor, who has always been loyal to you..."
"And, the Rain Clan."
When the first two sentences reached Morganâs ears, she could still remain composed.
After all, Reiger had said the same thing before, and Morgan had firmly refused.
Though Bawan Xi and Woodworth were special to Morgan, compared to Britain, Morgan would stubbornly choose the latter, sacrificing the former.
This was not only Morganâs persistence but also a decision she had long madeâto protect Britain no matter what she had to sacrifice.
But when the last sentence entered Morganâs ears, she... completely lost her composure.
"Rain Clan..."
Past events, or childhood memories, began to replay incessantly in Morganâs mind.
They were memories that should have faded.
They were treasures from a distant childhood that even Morgan had nearly forgotten completely.
In her weary wanderings across Britain for thousands of years, Morgan had hardly ever felt happiness, only endless banishing of the "calamity," betrayal, torment, and humiliating pain from fairies, as well as an accumulating grudge within her heart, ready to explode.
Yet she could continue in this pain, this grudge, and grow increasingly determined to protect Britain because of that long-forgotten childhood.
The paradise girl raised by the Rain Clan in Orkney â Vivian.
That was the only period Morgan considered to be a happy memory and life.
If not for that time in her life, she wouldnât have embarked on this irreversible path, wouldnât have wanted to build a peaceful kingdom where anyone could find happiness.
If possible, Morgan even wished she had perished with the Rain Clan when Orkney was overrun, rather than surviving to this day.
She should have died on that day if not for the later unexpected events...
Now, Reiger actually told her he could resurrect the Rain Clan?
"...You can even accomplish something like that?"
When she finally reacted, Morgan realized she had already said this.
"Why do you think Altoria could ring the Sixth Pilgrimage Bell, which should have been destroyed?"
Reiger merely replied with this sentence.
"......"
This time, Morgan fell into a long, long silence, longer than any silence before.
Because she finally felt hesitance, began to struggle.
"You donât need to give me an answer now."
Reiger could see that Morgan was already wavering.
With any other matter put on the scales, compared to Britain, Morgan would undoubtedly choose Britain without hesitation.
Not to mention Bawan Xi and Woodworth, even taking Reiger, a person with a more special place in Morganâs heart, and comparing him to Britain, Morgan would choose Britain without a second thought.
Britain had become an obsession for her.
To be blunt, Morgan Le Fay might not love anyone, but she couldnât not love Britain.
However, Rain Clan was clearly an exception.
Without Rain Clan, there would be no current Morgan, nor the once Vivian nor Savior Ash.
Just being able to make Morgan waver meant Reigerâs purpose for this visit was accomplished.
He feared Morgan wouldnât understand, and if she lost, Britain met its doom, she might sacrifice herself alongside Britain.
If that happened, it would be disastrous.
Thus, he must give her a little eye medicine to make her feel attached to things outside Britain.
"Tomorrow, as long as you donât use the Holy Spear, donât use the throne, face Altoriaâs challenge with your own strength, our wager will remain in effect."
Reiger left her with a sentence destined to keep Morgan awake all night, his eyes glinting softly as he looked at her.
"Trust me, this is not a bad thing for you."
With a last word, Reiger didnât give Morgan a chance to respond or immediately go back on her word, disappearing from the spot in an instant, vanishing without a trace.
Morgan could only stare at where Reiger disappeared, remaining silent for a long time, recalling that dead childhood.
"Will you... be able to come back again?"
Morgan murmured towards the deathly silent night sky.
This murmur wasnât cold, nor resolute, but carried a fragility Morgan herself hadnât noticed, like a little girl sobbing with longing towards her mother, filled with helplessness and grief.
At this moment, Morgan was no longer the ruling Winter Witch of Britain, nor the savior who repeatedly saved Britain, but just a fairy girl who once ran carefree by the coast.
That girl who should have died seemed to be showing signs of life again...
...
On the other hand, having left the royal city, Reiger actually didnât go far; instead, he reappeared in a corner of Camelot.
Standing silently for a moment, Reiger suddenly spoke.
"Itâs about time to come out, isnât it?"
Once these words were spoken, a figure immediately slowly emerged from the silent and empty alley corner, appearing before Reiger.
"So it really is you."
Looking at the familiar figure appearing before him, Reiger grinned.
"...You realized I was here long ago?"
A strong body, honed through countless trials, couldnât hide in the shadows, and with an unmistakable presence, it was none other than the Elf Knight, Bagster, who spoke these words in a deep voice.
"Youâve got it backward," Reiger corrected, "It was you who noticed me appearing in the royal city and deliberately released some aura, taking advantage of Morganâs momentary distraction to lure me here, wasnât it?"
Reiger crossed his arms, looking at Bagster who had no intention of drawing his sword, speaking with some interest.
"Judging by your demeanor, it seems like you want to discuss something with me, and you donât want Morgan to know about it?"
Bagster didnât deny Reigerâs statement at all.
"...Letâs make a deal."
Bagster remained silent for a while before speaking this.
Reigerâs expression became even more intrigued.
"Iâm all ears."