Mordred breathed deeply, tasting the homely atmosphere again. Even though that was not the Britain of her time, it still remained her homeland and she felt a nostalgic feeling to return there after so long. She had to admit that the idea of saving Britain was not bad. She could finally create a correct kingdom with the right king to rule the land.
"We must reach the settlement that will become Camelot or Londinium," Yuto said, scrolling the rough map of Britain on the table.
"Londinium?" Lavinia murmured, crossing her arms at her chest.
"Yes, the village is located where the future capital of roman province will be," Yuto said, placing a stone on the map near where their destination was located. "We are lucky that it is located within the territories conquered by Caesar. It will allow us to move easily."
"That's why you took those things," Mordred said, looking at the trunks they had. They were all empty, and that had confused Mordred. "We'll travel incognito."
Yuto nodded. "If we meet someone, Mordred and I are bodyguards for Lavinia, a noblewoman who will marry a noble patrician while Jack is her maid."
"What is a maid?" Jack asked.
"You're Lavinia's servant," Yuto answered, seeing Jack's gloomy look. "It's just a facade. You must wear it until we reach the village."
"Will Jack be Mom's daughter again?" Jack asked.
Yuto nodded.
"Have you thought about what to do when we get there?" Mordred asked.
"My idea is to forge weapons and teach the villagers how to use them. I don't really know if it will work," Yuto said. "I'm afraid they'll remember me. If that's true, they won't welcome me with open arms."
"Why do you think so?" Lavinia asked.
"Because I abandoned them," Yuto said.
Yuto told them how he had saved them by washing them with Vivian's water.
/
The sky was covered with black clouds. Water beat the earth incessantly and thunder's roar was deafening. No one in his right mind would have the guts to set out with such a weather, and even a fool would think twice before making such a decision. Yet Yuto was that fool.
Yuto unrolled the parchment on which a map of Britain was drawn.
"We should go back. I heard that an epidemic is spreading in this region," the guide warned.
"You don't have to follow me. If you're afraid of getting sick, you can go back," Yuto said, putting the map back on.
"Are you crazy?! Should I return with this thunderstorm?!" the guide protested.
"Then don't complain." Yuto focused the magic energy in his eyes, strengthening his sight. "There is a village a little further. We'll find shelter there."
Epidemic or not, storm or clear sky, Yuto had come to Britain for a reason and he would not return until he found what he wanted. Ignoring the protests, murmurs and curses spoken by the guide, Yuto continued to walk at a brisk pace towards the village he had glimpsed on the horizon.
They passed the main gate, laid their horses inside a stable and then headed to an inn. The innkeeper was a middle aged man; he had slightly greyed hair and a dulled beard.
"I apologise for the late hour. Do you have a room to rest?" Yuto asked the innkeeper.
"Of course, but we can't offer you food," the innkeeper replied.
"That's fine. I wasn't expecting anything different at this late hour," Yuto said, placing bronze coins on the table.
The innkeeper observed the clothes that Yuto wore under his cloak. He wore a black armour that highlighted his athletic physique, black trousers made of a material unknown to the innkeeper, tight at the shins and thighs by straps, a belt with protruding pockets hanging from it, and steel-toed shoes.
"You are not from here. Where do you come from?" the innkeeper asked.
"I'm a scholar. I wander the world following my curiosity," Yuto replied.
"So you are here to study," the innkeeper said with a wide smile. "Will you publish a treatise of your knowledge?"
"I doubt that it will be of any use to the world," Yuto said, smiling at the innkeeper with an embarrassed smile. "Well, I won't be here long. My journey doesn't allow it."
/
"What exactly were you looking for in Britain?" Mordred asked.
"Uhm... officially I was on reconnaissance. I was drawing a physical map of Britain," Yuto admitted.
"What is the unofficial reason?" asked Lavinia.
"I was looking for the red dragon," Yuto replied.
"Wait, did you kill a dragon?" Mordred asked, stunned.
"Not just any dragon, but that red one," Yuto said, referring to the red dragon that had been infused in Artoria. "I ripped out his heart and I drank his blood, strengthening the dragon element."
"What happened next?" Lavinia asked.
"Well..."
/
"Another sick..." the villager A murmured.
"I wonder what we have done to anger the gods,"the villager B muttered.
Yuto was passing by by chance and listened to their speeches. The guide, who had meanwhile returned, told him of a strange epidemic.
"Sorry, I'd like to know more about the disease," Yuto said, approaching them.
"Who are you?" the villager A asked rather rudely.
"I'm a scholar. I'm travelling the world and maybe I can be of help," Yuto said.
The two villagers hesitated, forcing Yuto to use a little hypnosis to reveal the details of this disease.
"Hmm... from the symptoms... hmm... how the hell is that possible..."Yuto thought as he read his notebook."Well, if that's it, maybe I can..."
He put the notebook back and headed for the village chief. He was an old man by the standards of the time, with gray hair and wrinkles that marked his face. He was the last of the sick and the symptoms that marked his body were just like those described in his notes.
There were pustular ulcers strewn all over his body and had a high fever. Unlike others, he did not have diarrhoea, nausea or other symptoms, but it was still a plague. And if it were not for the fact that it was circumscribed, he would have almost said that this was one of the seven plagues of Egypt.
"As I thought,"he said, looking at the patient."I almost feel sorry for the fool."
/
"I found out that the disease was a curse. I stopped it, but I couldn't heal the patients. Before the disease spread across Britain, I had to find a solution," Yuto said.
"You sought out Vivian," Mordred said.
"Yeah, the village survived because I stole water from the lake. It wasn't much, but it was enough to allow me to make more," Yuto replied. "Mixing it with water however has decreased the healing effects. This is why they are not immortal... perhaps."
They knew the rest of the story and what Yuto had done next.
"The problem was solved. I had no reason to stay there anymore, so I left," Yuto said. "That's how the story went, but it was a betrayal from their point of view."
"How can it be treason if you have not sworn allegiance?" Lavinia asked.
"It's not from my point of view, but humans see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. The truth matters little," Yuto said, putting the last trunk on the wagon and covering it. "Okay, if you've got everything sorted, we can go."
"Did you really let her go?" Claudio asked in shock.
He had just heard from his mother the news that Lavinia had left for Britain and it had shaken him. It was not common for an unmarried woman to follow a man of her own free will, although that man was the one she would marry soon.
"Calm down, Claudio," Claudio's mother and Lavinia said in a firm but reassuring voice. "This is a good way to test him."
"If he returns to Rome with those weapons and Lavinia, then we will have found a perfect right hand for you," Tiberius said.
Yuto's strength was now certain after the last events. Now they wanted to see if they were sure that he could fight in the role of Claudius and pave the way for Tiberius' eldest son to a brilliant political and military career.
"Father, how long have you been watching him?" Claudio asked.
"Since I found him in the market. The truth is that my life was saved by him." Tiberius removed the top of his toga and showed a striking scar. "I was young and at the beginning of my career. The legion I was part of was slaughtered by order of the King of Ponto and only I was lucky to save myself. The gods must have guided Archer who found me. Somehow he managed to heal me without having to go to a doctor and I was able to return to Rome." Tiberius put his toga back on. "When I was young, I didn't believe in the existence of Archer. I was arrogant and I thought it was just a story told to a child. But that meeting changed my mind. When I met him at the market, I recognized him immediately."
"Did you recognize him without the mask?" Claudio asked.
"It was a moment. I saw the tattoo on his arm and a small scar on his eyebrow," Tiberius said.
"So he not only saved my sister's life but yours too," Claudio summarised, trying to keep his calm. "That explains a lot of the preferential treatment you gave him."
"I understood who he really was after he saved your sister's life." Tiberius handed parchment that looked very old. "Time spares no one yet he is alive. In the memories we have seen, he has clearly avoided how he got immortality. I wonder if my wounds had healed because of something."
"Something like his blood?" Claudio intervened.
"It is possible and if such blood has such properties, it is something worth getting," Tiberio said.
"Besides, your sister would have followed him even without our approval," Lavinia said.
Tiberius sighed, massaging his neck tiredly.
"Okay, changing the subject. I have some news regarding Lucio Tarquinius." Claudio nodded to his mother to leave them alone. He waited until only he and his father were alone before reporting the results of his research. "It seems that was true. The scouts have discovered an unusual activity in the Mesopotamian province. They have captured some barbarians and have discovered some things."
The information that Claudio brought had not been verified, but it was worthy of not being discarded regardless. They were concerned with the ancient history of Rome and the last three kings. What interested them most was to know what had really happened in the last moments of the monarchy. It wasn't easy and Tiberius didn't even expect to find out anything.
"It corresponds with what the others have told me," Tiberius said, handing over a scroll. "The grave was empty."
"But why did you decide to act now?" Claudio wondered.
"He found the treasury only recently." Tiberius and Claudius turned to look in the direction from which the voice came. Archer left the spiritual form and appeared before them with a stern look. "His body died while his soul was put inside a doll. Then they used the Youth Potion to rejuvenate the body and put the soul back in his place. Meanwhile, they had to create a strong army, formed by personalities who were dissatisfied with the status quo and corrupt the Senate with the prospect of huge gains."
"But this would take years," Lavinia said, returning just in time to hear Archer's explanation.
"The body is a vessel for the soul. A doll moves with magical energy and Morgan is a fairy. It's not impossible," Archer replied, making a contemptuous grimace. "I didn't expect him to have such patience."
"You seem to know a lot," Claudio said, looking at Archer with suspicion.
Archer ran his hand through his hair. The shock was obvious when they saw his face more clearly.
"When I was given this job, I tried to infiltrate the enemy ranks in the hope that they would lead me to the target to be eliminated." Archer sat casually on the couch as if he were at home. "I can tell you with certainty that the relationship between Lucius Tarquinius and Morgan is not idyllic. I do not know what the pact is although I can suppose. Knowing the witch, she is not hidden in an easily traceable place. That is why I would tend to delete Cuma or Britannia from the list, although I can't discard the thought that she could have established some connection."
"Where do you think she is?" Tiberius asked.
"She is in Japan... a land in the far east," Archer replied, laying out a planisphere he had with him and pointing to the archipelago further east. "The location is great for hiding. The area is prone to tidal waves and tsunamis. Without strong ships, it's almost impossible to reach those islands."
"It makes sense if what you say is true. It would be a natural stronghold," Tiberius said.
"There are cities that have disappeared while others I didn't know," Claudio said, looking at the map with interest.
"Some of them have been abandoned while others are yet to be founded or have little relevance at the moment," Archer said.
Claudio looked interested. From what he could see, there was much more land than was known and this meant that it was rich with resources and labour power. A future conquest would have meant more habitable land, more fields to be farmed and consequently greater wealth to bring to Rome but the techniques were not enough for such a difficult conquest.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm giving you this information for my own gain. I don't care what happens to Rome or to you. I just want to erase Yuto Pendragon from human history," Archer said with such coldness that even a general like Tiberius would shudder.
Although he did not possess future clairvoyance, he could imagine what would happen. A historical fact would then become a legend handed through the centuries.
"If he conquers Britain and eradicates Morgan's influence, he will unify and pacify the land... yet something does not fit me. " Archer laid eyes on Britain. "Why should someone who has always turned to the other side act now? What am I missing?" Archer looked wide as his eyes pointed to London. "Ohhh..."