Chapter 52: Chapter 52. You are Mine, Forever
Chapter 52. You are Mine, Forever
[You once again water the princess's garden.]
[But she signals that it's far from enough.]
[You both bid each other good night in a state of defeat.]
[You've had a wonderful night.]
[The next day arrives.]
[Morgan rarely wakes up before you.]
[But you know the reason she wakes up late is because she wants to hear your good morning greeting.]
[However, at this moment, you want to see what she will do when she wakes up early.]
[You decide to pretend to sleep.]
Morgan sits up and looks over at Ian, who is "sleeping soundly" beside her.
In her blue eyes is a warmth like water.
"Ian?" She tries calling out once.
Naturally, it's impossible to call someone who's pretending to be asleep.
Morgan doesn't call again.
She raises her hand, gently caressing the face now marked by the passage of time, her expression filled with emotion.
Her soft, delicate fingers move over the old scars, slowly, as if she were a devout believer performing a ritual at a sacred site.
"These scars must have been so painful to form... What a fool who didn't take care of himself."
"How can there be a knight so reckless like this..."
Morgan speaks with a tone full of disdain, but her fingers become even gentler, as though trying to wipe away the wounds on the person's face.
"It's because I serve a perfect princess like you that I've become such a reckless knight."
"It's fate's design."
Ian turns to look at Morgan sitting beside him.
"Princess, good morning."
"..."
Morgan, whose hands were once so gentle, immediately becomes strong and pulls Ian's cheek.
"Ian, you were pretending to sleep, weren't you?"
"Ah... As expected, I can't escape the princess's gaze."
"Because you are my subordinate, my pawn, my knight, every action of yours cannot escape my watchful eyes."
Morgan grabs Ian's cheek, squeezing it a little, as a form of punishment.
"I'll let you off today."
"Quickly get up, I want to take you to see some things."
[Although you feel that Morgan is somewhat mysterious, you still follow her instructions.]
[You change your clothes and stand in front of the mirror to help her wear her magnificent royal attire.]
[She spins around in front of the mirror and asks if you think she looks beautiful.]
[After receiving your approval, she is satisfied and ends the matter.]
[She takes your hand and leaves the room where you've shared many joyful nights together.]
[The sight of you two walking hand in hand, happily, becomes a focal point that attracts all eyes within the palace.]
Ian doesn't care whether the looks from others are good or bad.
Even without those looks, he knows that he will always stand by Morgan's side.
"Princess, where are we going?"
Morgan doesn't directly answer this question but asks another in return.
"Ian, last night before going to sleep, you said that my father has been completely defeated, right?"
"...Yes."
Ian is very careful with his tone.
He understands that Morgan desires the throne – so the abdication of King Uther is certainly something that must happen beforehand.
But with the abdication comes the death of King Uther.
Whether Morgan feels more sorrowful about this or not, he can't be sure.
Just experiencing her pain in the lake once was enough.
He doesn't want to witness it again.
[The situation is not as complicated as you think.]
[Morgan is far more decisive than you imagined.]
[After confirming this information, her expression becomes somewhat relieved.]
This is not surprising.
She, who is wholeheartedly determined to seize the throne, may not have had much respect for King Uther in her heart.
Moreover —
Wasn't this the king who once sent her back to Camelot?
"Ian, does this mean we might have to take in the defeated knights returning from the front lines?"
"Yes."
Ian carefully glances around a little, then lowers his voice to respond.
"Princess, I've already killed a group on the way."
"I know."
Morgan tightens her grip on Ian's hand, her expression still cold, as though the words of the knight beside her are just an announcement about the beauty of today's morning sun.
"Your sword smells of blood."
"Anyway, Ian, you won't need to do things like this anymore."
"I will have Magecraft adjust their perceptions."
"Yes, I understand, Princess."
Ian clearly knows one thing.
His fate is now intertwined with Morgan's, inseparable, like two bodies merging in the darkness of the night.
This is an unchangeable truth.
[After entrusting everything, Morgan did not stop.]
[She took your hand and walked deeper into the palace.]
[The number of people you could meet became fewer, and the surroundings grew increasingly quiet.]
[This feeling was last experienced when you were on the throne with Morgan, doing things that shouldn't have been done.]
[You realized that the place you would go to next might have significance similar to that of the throne.]
"We're almost there."
Morgan, walking ahead, paused.
You could only see her reaching out and adjusting the angle of a book on the shelf nearby.
Immediately, the bookshelf moved aside, revealing a secret passage lit by candlelight.
Morgan tightly held Ian's hand and walked inside.
At the end of the secret passage was a room filled with strange items.
"Ian."
Morgan gazed at everything in front of her, her expression rarely showing such a captivated state.
"Do you remember when I asked you what name you liked for the child?"
"Of course, Princess." Ian smiled faintly. "You said you liked the name Gawain for the child, which is also the name I like."
"Mm."
Morgan held Ian's hand and placed it on her abdomen.
"Then do you remember how many desires you've unleashed here?"
"Countless, Princess. Your body intoxicates me so much that I can no longer remember those things."
"It's okay." Morgan smiled coldly. "Because you must have done very well."
"In everything that pleases me, you always satisfy me."
"So—"
Morgan looked at Ian.
"You are Mine, Forever."
"We will have a child named Gawain."
"The child will call you father, and me mother."
"It will receive great power under the blessing of my magic, and under your guidance in swordsmanship, it will display the demeanor of a knight."
"Its sword will fight for us until a new king appears in Britannia."
"Ian, although I have never loved you, I command you to accept all of this unconditionally."
After hearing these words, Ian gently kissed Morgan's hand.
"It is my honor, Princess."