Chapter 1034: Must Make Cernunnos Happy
On the night of their arrival in Londinium, Eiji and Mash were accommodated by Uther in a guest room within the clock tower.
From the room's vantage point, they could see the streets outside still bustling with fervent preparations for the coronation ceremony the day after tomorrow. Fairies materialized lights with their magic, while people scattered festive flowers along the streets and corners.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Come in."
The door swung open to reveal a young man with golden hair and blue eyes.
"King Uther? What brings you here?"
Eiji shifted his gaze from the window to the blond youth.
"Even in your own room, you won't remove your disguise?"
The blond youth stepped into the somewhat cramped room, his deep eyes fixed on Eiji's hands.
"What's that?"
"A camera, just something to record moments."
Eiji raised his hand and snapped a photo of Uther with a click.
The image captured a momentarily startled Uther.
"To the fairies, my very existence is a sin, so I won't easily drop my disguise."
"...You're just like Cernunnos, always saying strange things."
Uther suppressed his surprise at the inexplicable flash and offered a wry smile.
"May I speak with you?"
"You're one to talk about saying strange things."
Eiji chuckled lightly.
"If you're not speaking to me right now, what are you doing?"
"I'll take that as a yes."
Uther glanced behind him.
The hallway was empty.
He closed the door and abruptly drew his sword.
"Forgive me, but please take this strike!"
With a fierce glint in his eyes, he stomped his right foot forward, thrusting his sword through the air straight at Eiji's chest.
Clang—!
But the blade never reached Eiji himself.
A crystalline gem, radiant as a jewel, floated autonomously a foot in front of his chest.
The transparent crystal seemed like the hardest shield in the world; no matter how much force Uther exerted, he couldn't breach it even slightly, let alone touch Eiji.
"What's this? With Cernunnos not here, are you trying to murder her husband?"
Eiji extended a hand.
The moment the crystal dissipated, he flicked a finger.
Uther's arms shuddered, and the sword in his hands seemed to gain a will of its own, flying uncontrollably out of his grasp and embedding itself deep into the wall.
"My apologies, I overstepped."
Uther sighed, his expression full of admiration.
"After hearing Cernunnos speak so highly of you during the day, I couldn't help but feel a bit resentful. But the truth proves you are far more suited to be with her than I am."
Honestly, who wrote this Lostbelt's story?
Eiji mentally cursed the author of this chapter ten thousand times.
In Pan-Human History, King Uther was Cernunnos's father, albeit not by blood.
Yet in this Lostbelt, Cernunnos had become King Uther's non-blood-related foster mother, and Uther had fallen in love with her? How twisted was that?
"Please forgive me! If not, I'll take a strike from you in return!"
"No need. Cernunnos would give me trouble for it."
Eiji waved his hand, dismissing Uther's straightforward apology.
If I really struck you with my sword, you wouldn't live to die from the fairy's poisoned wine.
"You came all the way here in the middle of the night just to vent your frustrations?"
"Of course not!"
Yusef quickly shook his head in denial.
"Let me be honest with you. I was raised by Cernunnos since childhood, constantly indoctrinated with the idea of leading Britain toward peace..."
"Hey, we just met today. Is it really appropriate for you to pour your heart out like this?"
"I don't know if I'll survive the coronation ceremony the day after tomorrow. If I don't, there won't be another chance to say these things."
"...Go ahead."
"Thank you for your understanding."
Yusef bowed slightly toward him in gratitude.
"In my memory, Cernunnos has always been very kind to me, getting me whatever I wanted as soon as possible. But correspondingly, she has also been very strict. I'm grateful for her kindness, so I've always worked hard to live up to her expectations."
"Leading Britain to peace—looking back now, that was actually an idea Cernunnos deliberately instilled in me... I became king solely to meet Cernunnos's expectations."
He himself never truly desired it.
Of course, having grown up under Cernunnos's influence, he certainly wanted to save Britain, but not to the extent of wanting to become king.
Going this far was entirely for Cernunnos.
"The thought that I might die the day after tomorrow terrifies me."
Yusef's expression was complicated.
"Cernunnos has always seen me as her last hope to fulfill her ideals. If I die, what will become of her? I'm truly afraid to imagine!"
"...Aren't you afraid of death?"
Eiji fell silent for a moment before asking with admiration in his voice.
"How could I not be afraid? But when I embarked on this path, I was already prepared to die in some unknown corner. Compared to that, I'm more worried about Cernunnos."
"Although Cernunnos always greets people with a smile, I can sense that deep down, she's an extremely lonely person."
Yusef said this.
Hmm.
Eiji could indeed agree with that statement.
Although Cernunnos had companions like Grim, Ector, and Habenyan around her, at her core, she regarded herself as entirely alone.
They were companions, yes, but they hadn't truly entered her heart.
Even Eiji could feel that Cernunnos still kept too many things hidden from him.
Her heart was burdened with too many secrets, never fully revealed to anyone.
For example, what exactly was her mission?
Ultimately, as Cernunnos herself said, protecting Britain was merely because "she wanted a place to belong," not due to any mission as a Fairy of Paradise.
No one knew what her true mission was.
After achieving her ideals, what did she plan to do?
After completing her mission, as a Fairy of Paradise, would she return to where she came from?
No one knew this either.
Not even Eiji, who was currently closest to Cernunnos, knew these things.
Grim had likely seen through Cernunnos's nature from the very beginning.
It was unclear whether Ector and Habenyan had realized it, but they probably sensed it to some extent.
"If I die, I hope you can become Cernunnos's next pillar of support."
King Yusef looked at Eiji with unprecedented seriousness and sincerity.
"I don't want to see her despair over everything after I die. Someone must support her to keep moving forward, and that person can only be you!"
"If possible, I hope you can make Cen happy!"
This guy, even at death's door, was still thinking about Cen.
As if his own affairs no longer mattered, as if he had already prepared himself to face death.
"To be honest, I'd rather you say these words to Cen yourself."
Eiji looked at Yusei with apparent indifference.
"Our efforts—mine and Cen's—are predicated on your survival."
"...But I promise you, I will definitely bring happiness to Cen."
"Thank you!"
Finally reassured, Yusei thanked Eiji with utmost solemnity.
Everything would depend on the coronation ceremony the day after tomorrow.
Whether Yusei could survive it or not.
And soon enough.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
The coronation ceremony was now imminent!