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IBHJ Chapter 153
🕑 Added 2023-03-15 23:11:58 +0000 UTC"Princess Morgan--" the old man was about to speak, but Morgan turned her head and glared at him, raging like a lion, "How dare you speak! I'll condemn your soul to eternal damnation!"
Her eyes flickered with a cold light.
However--
She couldn't help but groan, as if hit by something heavy, looking uncomfortable.
Shirou quickly supported her, "Are you okay, sister?"
"I'm fine." Morgan said, but her eyes flickered with a resentful expression.
Sir Ywain let out a sigh and reminded Morgan, "Princess Morgan, have you forgotten that the use of deadly curses is forbidden in Camelot? We have Merlin and the court magi's Bounded Field, the blessing of the fairies, and the power of your father, the late King Uther, to protect us."
Morgan le Fay directed a hateful glare towards Sir Ywain before turning her attention to the old man, King Mark, and the others. Her expression turned cold as she spoke, "Do not think that I have lost my power! Curses is only one of my areas of expertise. I also have the support of Orkney, a thousand soldiers, and my reliable children!"
She grasped onto Shirou's arm and stood up, causing liquid silver to ooze around them. The kings immediately grew vigilant and unsheathed their swords. The magi accompanying them also rose to their feet, warily eyeing Morgan.
The old man heaved a sigh and remained silent. However, he knew that his goal had already been achieved. He had managed to plant doubts about Shirou in the minds of more people.
King Mark asked, "Do you have anything else to add, spy?"
Shirou scanned the room, observing the varying expressions of those present - sneering, joking, suspicious, smiling, and even pitying. He let out a chuckle and replied, "What else is there to say when you have already made up your minds? Tell me, how should I cooperate with you in the next performance?"
He realized that this wasn't a one-man show and that the script had already been decided upon by many individuals. The trap had already ensnared him!
King Mark scowled and accused, "Are you still attempting to deceive us? You merely wish to repeat the trick you pulled in Tintagel, don't you? You intend to use the power that Vortigern bestowed upon you to intimidate those who have never experienced true combat!"
He raised his long sword high, and the runes etched onto its surface shone and grew hotter, causing the surrounding space to tremble slightly. In the next instant, a beam of light shot towards the sky, only to be disintegrated by Camelot's Bounded Field.
The onlookers were left speechless. Wasn't this the King's proof that Sir Arthur had wielded in various locations? Some of the knights present were also shocked.
Having come from Tintagel, they had personally witnessed Shirou utilizing Caliburn to fire a beam of light.
King Mark sneered, "The so-called King's proof is nothing but a trick of the magi! You may deceive the unenlightened masses who rely on our protection, but deceive us? Ask the kings present, inquire of the northern kings - which king cannot do such a thing, spy?"
The onlookers' gazes towards Shirou grew increasingly suspicious. The Archbishop had already reclaimed the crown, and his eyes were flitting between King Mark and Shirou.
Morgan spoke out, "You persist in labeling my brother as a spy! However, it was my brother who drew the Caliburn from the stone!" She surveyed the room and continued in a loud voice, "Allow me to make this clear! Only the Red Dragon can draw the sword from the stone! This means that only my brother is capable of doing so! Isn't that correct, Archbishop, Sir Ywain, and Sir Baldwin?"
Archbishop, Ywain, and Baldwin exchanged puzzled glances. Was Morgan attempting to divulge the plan for the "King of Ideals"? However, upon noticing the scrutiny of those present, they nodded in agreement and confirmed, "Only one who possesses the power of the Red Dragon can pull the sword from the stone."
Morgan retorted, "This is evidence that my brother is Arthur, the Red Dragon of Britain! You cannot refute it, let alone slander him!"
King Mark asked, "Red Dragon? I may have faith in Merlin's prophecy, but how can you provide proof that this traitor is indeed the Red Dragon?"
Morgan extended her arm and unleashed a beam of light towards Artoria's hand, which was grasping the sword in the stone. With a resolute expression, she declared, "Merlin imbued the concept of the Red Dragon into the Caliburn. As my brother embodies the Incarnation of the Red Dragon, he can draw it forth! Observe my brother and the power of the sword in the stone!"
"Roar!" A dragon's cry emanated from the sword in the stone, and a phantom dragon emerged from it.
"Do you see it? This is-" Morgan's voice abruptly stopped.
This was because the phantom that materialized from the sword in the stone was not that of the Red Dragon, but rather that of a White Dragon!
"A White Dragon!?"
"The power of the White Dragon is embedded within the sword in the stone?"
"How can this be? Then, the one who drew the sword from the stone is-"
In an instant, the majority of the believers abandoned their previous convictions. There was no longer any room for doubt. Hostility and malice filled the eyes of those present, all of which were directed towards Shirou.
"I have betrayed my brother..." Morgan staggered backwards in a daze.
She remembered the fact that Vortigern had visited Tintagel. This entire situation was orchestrated by Vortigern!
"What's the matter, Princess Morgan? Why are you stopping? Why do you not unleash your spell against this traitor?" King Mark advanced towards her, but Morgan hesitated. She was uncertain of how to proceed and subconsciously turned towards the silent Aggravain.
However, Aggravain remained silent.
"Everyone! The answer is already clear! This so-called 'Arthur' is the traitor sent by Vortigern! He used the power of the White Dragon bestowed upon him by Vortigern to corrupt the sword in the stone and pull it out!" King Mark said.
"Is this...is this really true? Is 'Arthur' really Vortigern's spy?"
"Are his words...all lies?"
"I can't believe it..."
"If he's a traitor...then the real Arthur must have already been killed, right?"
"But didn't Princess Morgan vouch for 'Arthur' just moments ago?"
"Can't you see that even Princess Morgan appears to be struggling to accept this now?"
Doubt spread like a contagion throughout the entire city. King Mark wore a smile of contentment as he pointed towards Shirou and declared, "He wields the power of the White Dragon! As Princess Morgan is disinclined to unveil the real essence of this traitor's power to everyone, let my own magus demonstrate it!"
King Mark signaled to a magus who stepped forward and used the same spell as Morgan, directing its radiance onto Shirou.
As he watched, King Mark's smile grew wider, knowing that soon the phantom of the White Dragon would appear on Shirou's body.
This was a plot concocted by those who wanted Arthur to disappear after receiving the news.
Arthur's ambition posed a threat to those around him. He delivered speeches that won the hearts of the people and attacked the nobles, all while advocating for the redistribution of land. His actions made it clear that he aspired to become king. Despite his ambitious nature, he was a skilled orator who carefully avoided revealing any flaws, making it difficult to pinpoint his weaknesses. The Red Dragon? He is an uncontrollable dragon, so let him not exist anymore!
However-
"How is this possible!?" exclaimed King Mark, clearly stunned. Everyone in attendance shared his surprise.
They had expected to see the phantom of the dragon, specifically the White Dragon, but there was nothing to be seen!
Shirou smiled, knowing the reason for the absence of the dragon phantoms.
It was obvious to him that he had neither the Red Dragon nor the White Dragon factor within him. And even if he did possess them, they had already been consumed by his "Evil."
But now, it was Shirou's turn to strike back!
He sneered at King Mark and questioned him, "How far do you want to insult me, you bastard?"
He then looked around at everyone else and asked, "And how far do the rest of you want to insult me, you bastards!?"
His voice was laced with a chilling killing intent as he continued, "Do you really think I won't kill anyone?"
Despite carrying the burden of Evil, Shirou was not emotionless like a stone Buddha. He was capable of anger, annoyance, and even murder.
A stunned silence fell over the place. The situation had far exceeded the expectations of the nobles, leaving them unsure of how to proceed. Even the doubters were momentarily silenced by the unexpected turn of events.
It was well-known that the sword in the stone was imbued with the power of the White Dragon, yet Arthur was just a normal person. This realization left everyone unsure of what to make of the situation.
What's going on?
What is the identity of this 'Arthur'?
"Merlin..." Archbishop muttered to himself, then shouted loudly, "Where is Merlin?"
Merlin...
Merlin!!!
The name on everyone's mind, whether they were a king or a knight, was Merlin. The death of Sir Ector had left the situation at a standstill, with two pillars doubting everything and the Archbishop struggling to make sense of it all.
At this moment-
The only person who could prove Arthur's identity was the wise man who prophesized his coming - Merlin!
But where was Merlin? The people were shouting and searching frantically for him. It was then that many of the nobles suddenly remembered something crucial: Merlin had never even shown up to begin with! He was still in Caerleon!
Shirou inwardly sighed as the scene fell into complete stalemate. The coronation could not proceed, and the questioning could not continue.
All the people involved in the plan - the doubters, the believers, and the schemers, - were all trapped in this situation, not knowing how to proceed.
And then---
A knight covered in wounds rode in on a weary horse and shouted, "Report!"
Ywain recognized the knight and approached him, frowning. "Aren't you the knight of Brastias? What happened to you?"
The knight struggled to catch his breath, but he forced out the urgent words, "Vortigern... Vortigern has led an army of eighty thousand through Hadrian's Wall and has invaded the country! They are now only thirty kilometers away from here!"
"What did you say!?" The news left both nobles and commoners pale with shock.
"How did they manage to break through? And where is Sir Brastias?" Baldwin asked with urgency.
"Sir Brastias died in battle," the knight replied with a trembling voice. "Before he passed, he entrusted me with the task of riding back to report with all speed."
Boom!
It was like a bolt from the sky!
Everyone gasped in shock.
Sir Brastias, the pillar of Camelot, had died in battle!
"The Hadrian's Wall has been breached!" The crowd exclaimed anxiously.
"Brastias is dead? This is bad... it's all over..." Sir Ywain muttered, his voice filled with despair.
"Why would Hadrian's Wall be breached like this?!" Baldwin asked anxiously.
The knight clenched his teeth, a trickle of blood staining his lips. "Because the kings have abandoned their posts... they're the ones causing this chaos!"
As the words echoed, everyone's gaze fell on the vacant expressions of the kings present. The kings were shocked, unable to believe what they were hearing.
No.
Shirou noticed that one of the kings, though with a vacant expression, had relaxed eyes!
It was King Mark!
Could it be that this guy...! Shirou's eyes narrowed as he considered the possibility.
Agravain stepped forward, his expression dark as he scrutinized the knight. "Hadrian's Wall is hundreds of kilometers away from Camelot. How did you manage to arrive here so quickly, while we've only just begun the coronation ceremony? Wait a minute... unless... could it be..."
Morgan shuddered, her eyes widening as she realized what Agravain was suggesting.
The knight's sad expression grew even more somber as he spoke. "Vortigern broke through from the Orkney kingdom! The entire kingdom has fallen under his control!"
Boom!
Morgan, Agravain, Gawain, and the other people from the Orkney kingdom all had a drastic change in their expressions upon hearing the news.
"Impossible!" Morgan's voice was cold and disbelieving. "Are you lying to me? I left ten thousand soldiers in Orkney! And my workshop, my giants, my Mystic Code... even if I'm not there, how could he take Orkney so quickly? You tell me... how did he do it?!" she demanded, her voice rising with anger.
