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Chapter 41 – Unseen Threat
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Liones Kingdom
Closing the door behind her, Gelda and Elias turned around. After Gelda put Elias on the bed and closed the curtain, they let out heavy, long sigh in relief.
"I admit, it's rather tiring me out, pretending as a child in front of everyone when in fact, you aren't a child anymore", Elias cracked his neck "but this is how my life turned out".
"oh? I thought you rather enjoyed it", sitting on the chair across him and leaning her back on the table, Gelda covered her mouth and scoffed "from how you looked glad when princess Margaret spoiled you. Not to mention, I heard from the princess, Lily and Silky rather spoiled you, right? Spriggan doesn't look like the type of a man who will spoil someone rotten, so I know he would have trained you really hard".
"yeah, he did", Elias nodded his head before he fumed as Gelda's words hit his mind "wait up! About how mother Lily and Silky spoiled me back then, it has nothing to do with my mission right now! Why did you bring it up here?".
"so they really spoiled you", Gelda snickered before asking him "then, what do you get?".
"well, you do know that waters have memories, right?", Elias snapped his fingers before the droplet of tears floating above his palm "from her tears, I've seen what she wanted to tell us. It took times to see her past but now, I know what should we report to the princess. Contact her".
When they contacted the princess, they were surprised to see it was Arthur who answered their call. He told them that Guinevere was not feeling well before Merlin and Nel Hativa took over.
Gelda asked, concern was clear on her eyes "what happened to Gwen, Merlin?".
Merlin convinced "don't worry, just the side-effect of using her power too much on her practice, let's just say it".
"well, whatever her practice, please ask her to not push herself too hard", Gelda sighed and rubbed her temples before turning to Elias "your report?".
"oh, yes", Elias seemed distracted by something before he gave report of what they earned from both Gilthunder and Margaret this day "so, what should we do now?".
Merlin answered them, giving an order in Guinevere's stead "Gelda, you have to go back to the Camelot Kingdom right away. There's something we need to ask of you. Elias, you have to go to Ordan Forest, East Of Vaizel, follow the Dawn Roar and find what they should kill".
Gelda only nodded her head, whatever her mission later, she would talk about it with her once they met "as you wish".
Elias demanded for details of his mission "what should I do after following them?".
"why do you think Cardinal Helbram who worked for Great Holy Knight Hendrickson sent the Dawn Roar, a group of Assassins to kill this 'Giant Armor'? I smell something fishy here", Merlin didn't tell them out loud about Guinevere's suspicion "we will believe next step to your judgment, Elias. If you think 'whatever you will find' is too dangerous and the Dawn Roar can't kill it, then help them to kill it", after she trailed off, she sounded so hesitant "...Can you do it?".
Elias put his hand on his hip, looked much more mature compared to his outer experience that looked exactly like a kid "don't worry, Lady Merlin. Not my first time to kill".
After the dawn, Elias and Gelda met with Margaret. She told her that she would take Elias to the doctor that Gilthunder suggested. Looking around, Gelda mentioned about how she wanted to give thanks to Gilthunder but she didn't see him at all. It was a pure lie. She could feel it that they were watched but they pretended to not realize it. When Margaret looked down with disheartened expression, Elias tried to cheer her up with telling him that he would go back right away and would start his training once his wounds all healed up, so he could protect Margaret. For the very first time after she got news about her sisters, Margaret smiled brightly and chuckled. Patting his head, Margaret smiled down and told him that she would depend on him when the time had come. In the halfway when they were sure that they were not watched again, Elias and Gelda parted. Gelda went back to the Camelot Kingdom using her teleport orb while Elias, using his skill to disguise his presence with the nature and asking the living creatures like birds etc. around him, was able to track down the Dawn Roar but in the halfway, Elias realized he wasn't alone on this because he found another suspicious stalker who following Dawn Roar too.
If he didn't wrong to remember, she was Jericho, one of the Holy Knight 'New Generations' and one of Helbram's pupils.
What did she expect to earn with following the Dawn Roar, he wondered?
Camelot Kingdom
To say that Gelda was shocked, it was an understatement. Merlin had made sure to lock the doors and windows to prevent anyone to peek into this room, with Escanor standing in front of the door as guard. Not even Arthur could come in and poor young King who feeling anxious of his fiancée, waited outside with Escanor as his company who tried to reassure him wordlessly. Gelda found out that Guinevere was struggling to stabilize the darkness and light powers in her body, from how two pairs of white wings sticking out of her back and the darkness swirling on her body. Touching her forehead, she could feel her burning up.
Gelda turned to Merlin and demanded "what happened?".
"I will explain it later. For now, can you absorb her darkness power to the point her darkness and light power are equally stable?", Merlin lifted her hand "and before you ask me, yes, Neiva could absorb it and she has done it before but it's still not enough. Her darkness power is too great and with my sister's condition right now, she can't do it again because she'd had enough of her share, not to mention she is away for another urgent mission. What you have to do only absorb a little of her darkness magic power from the magic circle on her chest".
"understood", Gelda put her hand on the magic circle on her chest that was drawn by Merlin. Gelda felt her darkness magic power stronger than before. When Guinevere looked better, her heartbeat and her breathing become steadier despite her still having fever, Gelda felt her darkness magic power emanating from her body "as expected of their daughter. I only took a little of her darkness magic power and it strengthened me this far?".
Looking down to Guinevere's (finally) peaceful and innocence sleeping face, Merlin sighed in relief as she caressed her bangs out of her face "it's because her magic powers went rampaging, that's why her condition got worsened. Thankfully Neiva was nearby and you also could absorb her darkness magic power, otherwise I would have to bring her to that Lake again and ask the Lady to stabilize her magic powers".
"who is this Lady and where is the Lake you're speaking of?", Gelda gasped "could it be—".
"yes. The Lady Of The Lake on Avalon", pulling the blanket up cover Guinevere's body, Merlin turned to her "ah, I promised to explain everything, right? Actually, yesterday—".
Nel Hativa clapped her hands, looking back and forth to the two Guineveres in front of her "wow, pretty impressive trick you have here! How could you do it?".
Lifting Sacred Treasure Galadriel Mirror in her hand, one of Guineveres smiled "this is one of special abilities of my Sacred Treasure Galadriel Mirror, Reflection. This is similar with the special abilities of father's Sacred Treasure, Lostvayne's Physical Clone".
After Guinevere explained about special ability of Lostvayne Physical Clone, her clone added "the difference is, Physical Clone of father are just clones, they will never be anywhere near the power level of the original. The advantage of using this Reflection is, I can create another clone of me just like the original one considering to my imagination and what I want to 'reflect' will become the reality from this Mirror. I just need to show myself in front of this Mirror and imagine what kind of my reflection that I wanted to create. For example, when I want to create the clone of me in 9 years old, I just need to imagine myself in 9 years old and show myself in front of Galadriel Mirror, then this Mirror will create my clone in 9 years old version".
"you're right", Nel Hativa pinched the clone of Guinevere's cheeks and rubbed her cheeks against the original one's cheek while hugging the original Guinevere "this is real!".
"but just like Lostvayne, Galadriel Mirror also has a weakness", after Merlin explained the weakness of Lostvayne's Physical Clone, Merlin compared it to Galadriel Mirror "for Galadriel Mirror, even if its Reflection can create the clone just like the original, when something happens to her clone like get injured or be killed, the original one will get affected while Sir Captain's Physical Clone will not bring harm to its owner. True, the special ability of Galadriel Mirror, Reflection is dependable but it's too risky. I'd rather to suggest you to use your father's Lostvayne to create your clone".
"but~ with this, my clone can go with you all to finish our business on the Magic Lake Of Salisbury to resurrect Tina with full power as long as I stay in the Castle as camouflage, so no one will be suspicious on us, right?", Guinevere grabbed Merlin's hands, tilting her head and looking up with her best puffy eyes "I promise I will be careful, okay?".
Merlin's eyebrow twitched before she sighed "...fine".
Nel Hativa snickered "can't win against your adopted daughter, huh?".
The clone Guinevere waved her hand to the original and cheerfully said "okay, I'll go with them".
The original Guinavere waved her hand to her clone "good luck!".
"funny, I feel like witnessing your adopted daughter as twin sisters", Nel Hativa lifted her hand "here we go".
"let me guess", Gelda twitched her eyebrow in irritation "something happened to the clone of princess when you all tried to resurrect Tina on the Lake?".
Earning Merlin's exasperated, heavy long sigh with a curt nod, Gelda groaned "please ask her to never use it again!".
"...godmother?", Guinevere blinked her eyes rapidly before hiding her lower face under her blanket "...I am so sorry, although I said I would be careful—".
"sup, just rest", Merlin kissed her forehead, she never really could get angry too long to her. Looking up to Gelda, Merlin sat on the edge of the bed and caressed her head "Gelda, you may tell Escanor that he and Arthur can come in now".
Gelda nodded before turning her back.
The Boar Hat
Diane whispered cautiously when she felt the situation was turned tense "nee, what will happen with Tristan if he refused the Royal Decree from the princess this time?".
"normally, they should have been punished to refuse the gift or Royal Decree from the Royalty because like Lady Morgan said, it can be considered as an insult", King whispered back "from the way they're speaking of, these princess and the young King seem like generous and kind person like King Baltra but who know?".
Before Tristan gave his answer, Lancelot closed the wooden box "you can't, right? At least, not with your condition now".
Tristan closed his eyes "...yeah, sorry".
"no problem. Maybe she has reckoned this, that's why the princess gave us time two days and a night away. We still have time to know your decision", Lancelot crossed his arms before his chest "but I don't think this is something you have to hide. You do realize you also can't hide this forever, right?".
Tristan sighed "...since when did you realize?".
Lancelot calmly tilted his head "when I clutched your neck, I wasn't sure. For a second, I thought your body was trembling a bit but I was sure when you grabbed by head. Seems like you hide it pretty well to the point none will realize it unless we touch your body. You still don't even have the energy to hold something, right? not to mention, the usual you would have stomped on me instead of letting me clutch your neck or grabbed my head".
Isolde sternly glared and scolded to him with distraught "if you didn't feel well, you should have told me!".
"I'm not—".
"to proof if my words are wrong, then you can win against me on arm-wrestling like usual, right?", as he eared his grunt, Lancelot sighed "see? Do you deliberately deactivate one of your sense organs again or this happens without your wish this time?".
When the other turned questioning looks to him, Tristan smirked lopsided, looking down to his palm "in case you forget, I'm not human. Homunculus like me can manipulate the function of my body like increase my heartbeat to earn more speed that I used on my match with Ban on Vaizel or deactivate one of my sense organs like this time. I only shut down my sense of touch, sense of smell and sense of taste and more focus on my hearing and sight senses. I did it to conserve my energy so I can recover faster. No need to fret over about it".
Ban cringed, as an Immortal, despite he was Undead, even him feeling unsettled due to his explanation "pretty nice trick you have here, Kid~".
Diane nibbled her fingers in fraught "I think it's not 'nothing' at all!".
King waved his finger up and down "she's right! You deactivate three of five from your sense organs! Isn't it serious, is it?!".
Gowther nodded, thinking to do the body-check on Tristan "impressive, may I—".
Meliodas lifted his hand in front of Gowther's face "and don't even think to do the body-check on him. He has had enough with Neiva, Isolde and Merlin".
"for Isolde, no problem at all because she's my healer", looking at Isolde's blush, Tristan quirked sly smirk before his face turned pale "but Merlin and Neiva clearly have fun which I feel like become their guinea pig".
"shouldn't you just rest?", Elizabeth said in concern when she feeling his forehead and realized his body heat before she turning to Meliodas as Tristan waved it off as nothing again "Sir Meliodas, please say something!".
"listen to her", Meliodas cracked his knuckles "or should I knock you out? Lancelot, carry him after I force him to sleep".
Lancelot cracked his neck "gladly, Dad. Should I assist you?".
"you do realize I still can run away with levitate or teleport although I can't fight back you two, right?", Tristan twitched his eyebrow at the trio before suddenly, his eyes widened as Meliodas and Lancelot did. Wrapping his arms around Isolde's waist, Tristan quickly trapped her in his arms before bending themselves down to the floor "get down!".
As the earthquake started, Meliodas wrapped his arms around Elizabeth and Lancelot wrapped his arms around Morgan before they did the same thing with Tristan. King protected Diane using his Chastiefol-pillow-form as they bent lying on their stomach on the floor. Ban pulled Cain, Gowther and Hawk to hide under the table while Griamore hugged Veronica, using his Wall to protect themselves.
After the earthquake stopped, Diane sat and sighed in relief "is everyone alright?".
Ban, Gowther and Hawk confirmed they were okay as they crawling out of under the table but after they saw Cain face-palmed and a vein popped on Veronica's head after she broke the hug with blushing face and turning to check them all, their attention now fully to triple sets of couple who still lying on the floor.
Meliodas buried his face on Elizabeth's breasts, casually groping her breasts as usual "yeah, that was surprising".
Elizabeth blushed furiously, scratching her cheek "um, Sir Meliodas, I'm fine already".
Hawk hoofed "oi! Don't take advantage on this earthquake, pervert!".
"you bastard, where did you put your hands and your face?!", Veronica clenched both her hand into fist and punched the back of Meliodas' head. Helping her sister stand, Veronica groaned in irritation "and Ellie, you should have slapped him or at least, angry to him! You're too kind!".
Looking to the side from the corner of his eye, Lancelot snickered as he groping Morgan's butt "damn it, Dad. Should you do it in the middle of chaos like that?".
"you're just the same", Morgan who lied on top of Lancelot's body, pinched his cheeks with blushing cheeks before she sat back, narrowing her eyes to Tristan who still clinging into Isolde "and I wonder why did he not get off of her already?".
"Sir Tristan, it's cramped a bit, not to mention I feel rather hot. Can you get off?", tapping his bicep, she asked him with blushing face. Isolde really meant it, she didn't know why but her body felt so hot lately, like she was the one who burning up and gonna get the fever but when she felt Tristan's body shuddered, she furrowed her eyebrow and tried to shake his body "Sir Tristan, what's wrong? Do you feel cold?".
Tristan didn't hear her. In his mind, he saw the scenes from long time age when his sister was butchered by those fiends, the Assassins who killed his parent in front of his twin's eyes before they killed her as well "kh... Tina...".
"oh, no. He's going into shock!", Isolde cradled Tristan's head when Tristan's body slumped on top of her body after he lost his consciousness, which his body started getting colder and his heartbeat turned unsteady "help me to bring him to the bed upstairs, on the second floor!".
"okay", Morgan snapped her fingers, using her teleport. She asked when they had moved to the bedroom on the second floor like Isolde had instructed "do you need something, Isolde?".
"all of you except Isolde, please get out", Lancelot pulled his sleeves up "just wait downstairs while we take care of him. Don't peek and don't come in no matter what you heard".
Meliodas turned his back and walked away "okay, perhaps I will go to the kitchen to make something for—".
Lancelot cut him off and stopped him with caught Meliodas on his shoulders "unless you want to poison us, please don't do it".
It earned good muffled laughter from the others (though for Cain or Ban, they laughed it out loud).
After giving a good smack on Lancelot's head which in result, Lancelot was having several bumps on his head, Meliodas ushered the others to wait downstairs but he himself waited on the front door "I will watch guard here".
"just call us when you need something, Captain", Diane pulled Elizabeth by wrist "come on, Elizabeth".
"I will make something", Ban smiled genuinely "wouldn't want you to poison us~".
"cheeky", Meliodas closed the door behind him, leaning his back on the door. Knocking the door behind him, Meliodas affirmed "you don't need to worry, I'll watch guard. Do it".
Lancelot smiled and told his father who waiting outside as he grabbed the hilt of his Sacred Treasure, Arondight "thank you, much appreciated".
When Lancelot pulled out the sword on his hip from its scabbard, Isolde dubiously asked "wait, what do you want with pulling out your Arondight?".
"oh, right. You haven't seen it before", Lancelot lifted his sword in front of his face before he narrowed his eyes "thankfully, it's rain outside".
From above, at the same time with they felt the strange presence and magic power, they heard Isolde screaming in shock "EH!".
Diane felt worried more "do you think it's okay for us to stay here instead of helping them?".
Gowther wiped his glasses and narrowed his eyes "knowing our Captain, he would help them in case something happened. The magic power just now also felt more like divine power such as healing power similar to Druids healing power rather than magic power that is intended to attack or hurt someone. No need to worry".
"well, Lancelot was right that Tristan miraculously survived when he grievously injured, clearly worse than this time considering he even couldn't get up from bed for a week and woke up on the fifth day of his bed-rest", Cain thanked Elizabeth for the drink "I remembered Meliodas and Liz were worried sick, Lancelot was still a little kid, so they watched guard in shift when Merlin nursed him".
Diane and King exchanged glances, the way Cain told his story, it might be sounded like Merlin still had a feeling to Tristan, just they didn't know that Merlin was together with Escanor now.
In front of the stove, Ban glanced sideways "...what happened to him, old man?".
"accident", Cain recited that Tristan was injured when trying to protect Liz and Lancelot from the fallen debris of earthquake "Meliodas was away for a mission so when he was home, we were shocked to see him blaming himself fiercely for not able to stay with them to protect them. Liz, Merlin and Lancelot persisted to stay with him as long as he was on bed rest. We even thought he wouldn't survive it after the doctor asked us to prepare for the worst, but Merlin convinced that he would survive it because she wouldn't let him die. For a second, we thought they would be together again when Tristan survived but oh, well... it's a wonderful news to know Meliodas and Lancelot are fine. Hopefully, Tristan's gonna get better soon, but I never expected him to be working as the owner of a bar like this. No, even more so... I can't believe he's traveling with the princesses of Liones and on top of that, making the princess work".
Wearing cutie uniform that identical with the one Elizabeth wore (although she wasn't too liking design of this clothes or how her flat chest couldn't be compared with Diane, Isolde, Morgan or Elizabeth, at least the skirt made it easier to move for her), Veronica waved the wooden tray as fan "well yeah, it's complicated, long story".
Griamore clenched his fist, he couldn't tell out loud how Veronica looked cute with that uniform.
Elizabeth nodded her head, wiped the glass in her hand "no at all, all I ever do is make mistakes, still...".
Cain sighed and put down the mug on the table "but I sure was shocked... your beautiful face and gentle voice are just like hers. For a second, I thought that maybe Liz had come back to life... if that woman were still alive, she would have been a beautiful woman by now".
Ban put the fried noodle on the plate, serving it to Morgan and Cain before he started to cook another food for his comrades "you seem really close with this Liz, old man. Was she your daughter?".
"Liz was her nickname. Her real name was Elizabeth, just like you, princess. She was Meliodas' wife and Lancelot's mother", Cain shook his head in the end of his stories of the endearing past-memories in Danafor "these were all scenes from long ago".
"stupid simpleton? Sir Meliodas is just really kind, that's all", Elizabeth looked down with slight blush "same goes with Sir Tristan".
Cain seemed to trail off for a moment before he chuckled and asked Elizabeth "fufufu... do you know why both Meliodas and Tristan never wield a real sword?".
When Elizabeth shook her head, Cain continued "because they are too strong. No one who's ever fought them seriously using sword has ever come out unscathed. They understand it thus they don't want to use a sword. Yes, and on top of that... they're too kind for their own good. Well, at least Tristan looks more jovial and lively compared to the first time I met him".
Ban quirked his trade-mark smirk "are you saying that Kid with helluva poker face whose expression barely ever changed as jovial and lively?".
"in his own way", Cain shrugged "who know? perhaps, it's because he has great family... or friends that he trusted like you all and the woman he loved like Isolde".
A/N :
so yeah, something happened to Guinevere's clone thus her condition turned into this while Tristan as Tina's twin obviously got affected by her resurrection.