There was a feeling of returning to childhood.
Artoria, inside one of the Gardens, thought this.
This wasn't her first time in a Garden. When she was young—roughly between ages six or seven and thirteen or fourteen—she often entered the Garden occasionally for various reasons.
The most common reason was issues with her Magecraft lessons.
After her seventh birthday, Naoki and Morgan began teaching her Magecraft. Though both said there was nothing more Artoria needed to do in this Britain, for various considerations and precautions, they still decided to teach her Magecraft.
Elemental Conversion, Summoning, Displacement mastered by Naoki, plus the four main Magecraft systems mastered by Morgan: Mirror, Tower, Garden, and Coffin… Though not all were learned, Artoria was still forced to study most of the Magecraft from both within permitted limits.
Not just in quantity, but in effect.
Unlike the gifted Morgan, Artoria—though also a Fairy of Paradise—had unremarkable Magecraft talent, and her Mana quantity was below average among fairies. In such conditions, the difficulty Artoria faced in learning Magecraft was imaginable. Failure was routine, plus her slightly slow mind—some things needed teaching three or four times.
As a result, she often angered her parents in teacher mode, then was exiled into the Garden by Morgan for reflection.
This life continued until two years ago. Only after desperately passing the Magecraft exam both gave her did she end the occasional confinement in the Garden as punishment.
"It's been a while since I was here—I'm actually a bit nostalgic…"
Artoria sighed.
As she sighed, a Displacement Magecraft door suddenly appeared in the previously empty Garden.
[Come out; your confinement time is over.]
Hearing the voice from the other side, Artoria realized she had unknowingly spent a full week inside the Garden. The Garden not only served as a restraint and prison but also affected the prisoner's time perception.
Artoria felt she had only spent about two or three days inside.
Passing through the Displacement Magecraft, Artoria left the Garden and immediately—
*PLUNG!*
Her entire body fell straight into a bathtub of hot water.
The bathroom?
"How long are you going to stand there dazed, Artoria?"
"Uhiii~~~!"
The sudden voice from behind made Artoria jolt, then fearfully look back. At the bathtub's edge, her nominal mother leaned there, soaking in the hot water with great enjoyment.
"Eh… Mother…"
Artoria looked at Morgan with slight awkwardness.
"W-why are you bathing… By the way, why was the Garden exit in the bathroom?"
Morgan glanced at Artoria gently: "This is the morning of the eighth day since you returned. After sharing a bed with your father all night, it's natural to need cleaning."
"Ah… R-right… You two are always so romantic."
Morgan's explanation made Artoria blush slightly.
Artoria knew quite well about her adoptive parents' private life. Though married over two thousand years, they were still like newlyweds—their feelings hadn't faded at all!
However, since Fairies and Elemental Spirits couldn't have biological children normally like humans, they still had no blood child to this day. Their actions were purely to replenish each other's Mana.
"Rather than that, how long will you stand in front of me looking so unsightly, Artoria?" Morgan said in a heavy voice. "Go outside, remove your wet clothes, then come back and bathe properly. After that, join us at the dining table and report everything you did during your ten-day runaway—one by one."
"Yes, I understand, Mother."
After answering, Artoria stood, dragging her wet clothes and body outside, removed everything, and returned to the bathroom wearing only a towel. She sat beside Morgan.
The moment she sat, Morgan asked: "What were your impressions after traveling?"
"Eh… Pretty… good?"
Artoria said with slight hesitation.
"Because midway I was constantly chased by Barghest, so basically no good experiences. After escaping, I got lost in the forest. If not found by someone from the Earth Clan wearing black armor, I might still be in the forest."
"Oh? Earth Clan wearing black armor?"
Morgan grew slightly interested.
Naoki's surveillance Magecraft was shared with her, so she knew where Artoria went. The Earth Clan fairy who helped her was also known to her and Naoki.
Black Knight Ector.
An old friend from thousands of years ago, a friend who parted with them two thousand four hundred years ago.
"So that fairy told you about the Holy Sword on the Boundary Isle?"
"Ah… Yes, that's right." Artoria nodded. "After I told him some things about myself, he suggested I go to the Boundary Isle… But before I could get the Holy Sword, I was already captured by Barghest."
"Your father and I have certainly warned you not to go to that island. Why didn't you obey?" Morgan's voice grew demanding. "This time is forgiven—don't let it happen again. You may go anywhere in Britain, but only that island—you must not approach. Understood?"
"..."
"Your answer?"
"I understand," Artoria answered with slight reluctance. She believed Naoki and Morgan forbade her from approaching the Boundary Isle for her own good, but they never gave the exact reason. This frustrated her quite a bit.
"Oh, Mother, there's one more thing. I met two people on the Boundary Isle who weren't the Guardian."
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash.
They were the first pure humans Artoria had ever met—the first true humans she encountered.
"Barghest injured them; I don't know their condition after…"
"That's not something you need to worry about."
Morgan rose from the water, revealing a figure that made Artoria envious.
"Though they survived Gawain's attack then and healed during this time, from now on they won't be able to leave the Boundary Isle. They can only be trapped there."
"Eh? What do you—"
"After bathing, hurry out. Breakfast is ready. After breakfast, catch up on all the lessons you missed while running away. I'll supervise you."
"!"
Artoria, who had been worrying about Ritsuka and Mash's safety, instantly tensed.
Now it was time to worry about her own safety!
(Directly supervised study sessions by Mother… I'm done for! That could really kill me!)