The Wing Clan fairies flew back and forth, conducting their observations.
They sought to prevent the human army from launching a surprise attack while the fairies were still embroiled in internal strife, delivering a devastating blow.
However, no signs of the human forces approaching to engage them were found.
Thus,
the conflict between the Fang Clan and the Wind Clan grew even more intense.
Even Melusine, who had no desire to fight, was forced to shed blood in self-defense.
Within just a few short days, the infighting among the fairies had descended into utter chaos.
The battle between the Fang Clan and the Wind Clan was evenly matched neither side could gain a decisive advantage.
But the actions of these two clans pushed the patience of the remaining four major clans to its limit.
We know your clans are powerful.
But to ignore our opinions and fight amongst yourselves like this isn't that going too far!?
As their anger grew,
Lot and Morgan began to move.
Among the remaining four clans, the Rain Clan and the Earth Clan had already chosen to side with Morgan. Now, only two clans remained to be persuaded.
The Mirror Clan was easily dealt with.
With Lot present, the Mirror Clan's abilities were effectively nullified.
Their prophetic powers could not be utilized at all,
rendering them the weakest of the six great fairy clans.
Thus, among the six clans, there was no way the Mirror Clan could become the leader of the fairies.
This made them the easiest to persuade.
When the leaders of the Earth Clan and the Rain Clan went to convince the Mirror Clan, they quickly agreed.
Of course,
Lot's true identity was not revealed during this process.
If the Mirror Clan had learned that Lot was involved,
they would never have agreed, no matter what.
Because of him,
our clan has been reduced to this state.
With the Mirror Clan persuaded, only the Wing Clan remained.
The Wing Clan was indeed more difficult to convince than the Mirror Clan.
However,
this time, Lot was not accompanied by just the two clan leaders.
With three of the four remaining clans already pledging support, the last one had no reason to hold out.
Under the combined pressure and persuasion of the clan leaders, the Wing Clan also relented.
Moreover, their leader understood the situation clearly.
This "Great Mother" before them had no clan of her own. Upon ascending to power, she would have no reason to favor any particular clan.
So what would their clan gain?
Fairness. Fairness and damn fairness.
Thus, after much negotiation, all four remaining clans aside from the Fang Clan and Wind Clan chose to support Morgan.
However, they did not make this public.
Instead, they waited for the conflict between the Fang Clan and Wind Clan to reach its conclusion.
...
The Fang Clan and Wind Clan fought for several days, until finally, the Wind Clan made their choice.
They withdrew.
Because of this, the Wind Clan's leader had much to complain about regarding Melusine, who stood by her side.
"You barely contributed at all. Was that truly acceptable?"
She spoke these words to Melusine.
Hearing this from the leader who had taken her in, Melusine felt deeply wronged.
Was it wrong for her to not want the fairies to fight amongst themselves?
Especially when they still had to face humanity wasn't such infighting irrational?
Yet, since the Wind Clan's leader was the one she had chosen to follow, Melusine did not voice these thoughts.
She was not blind to the leader's mistakes,
but
she chose to remain loyal regardless.
She said nothing further.
Seeing Melusine offer no rebuttal, the Wind Clan's leader did not press the matter.
"Let us withdraw for now."
"What of the battle here?" Melusine asked.
"The battle? With this mess, I doubt they can achieve victory now." The Wind Clan's leader snorted coldly.
"Then what shall we do?" Melusine pressed.
"I have my plans."
The Wind Clan's leader looked at Melusine, her mind already set.
Her true strength had yet to be fully unleashed.
If she were to harness the power of Albion's dragon,
then even if Vortigern were to return, the Wind Clan's leader believed Melusine could stand against him.
She may have lost this battle,
but that did not mean she could not emerge victorious in the end.
With that, they began their retreat.
The entire clan's forces pulled back.
During this process, Camelot's forces did take notice.
However, just as they prepared to act, they were stopped by a message from Lot.
He knew all too well the extent of Melusine's power.
His daughter was strong, but she still fell short in comparison.
...
Meanwhile, among the fairies, the acting leader of the Fang Clan was overjoyed upon seeing the Wind Clan's forces withdraw.
What did this mean?
Though no formal surrender had been declared,
it was like two people fighting if one fled, the other was naturally the victor.
The Fang Clan's acting leader was ecstatic.
He
was the winner now.
Next, he would unite the remaining fairy forces and lead a charge against the human stronghold.
Then, after crushing humanity, he would become the ruler of the Fairy Kingdom.
What?
That he was merely an acting leader, while the true clan leader was still imprisoned in Camelot, forced into hard labor?
Once he defeated the human army,
this acting title would naturally become permanent.
"Though it'd be even better if that leader died in Camelot."
The Fang Clan's acting leader thought to himself.
Of course, he did not voice this aloud.
Such thoughts were considered treasonous in the minds of fifth-century people.
Had it been a few centuries later, the Fang Clan's acting leader might have found a kindred spirit in a certain Chinese emperor.
But even unspoken, this did not stop his ambition to claim leadership over the fairy clans.
He summoned the leaders of the remaining four clans.
For this grand ceremony, he even donned formal attire.
Though the Fang Clan's leader bore the appearance of a werewolf,
his clan still placed great importance on outward decorum.
For the occasion, he cut a respectable figure.
Once the other clan leaders had gathered,
he smiled and declared:
"Leaders, the Wind Clan has abandoned us. From now on, I shall lead us all in battle."
After speaking these words, he expected unanimous praise from the other clan leaders.
Instead,
what met him were four icy expressions.
Well, three cold faces and one emotionless visor.
Lot had once again infiltrated their ranks.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Seeing the fairies' expressions, the Fang Clan's acting leader could not suppress his fury.
Yet, in response to his rage, the clan leaders only laughed.
"When did we ever say that victory would grant you command over the rest of us?"
The Rain Clan's leader spoke leisurely.
The others nodded in agreement.
Hearing this, the Fang Clan's acting leader turned his gaze to Lot.
In response, Lot merely shrugged, playing innocent.
"I did say that, Acting Leader. But I'm not one of the four clan leaders my words carry no weight. Unless you'd like me to spend the next three or four centuries persuading them?"
"You're toying with me?"
The Fang Clan's acting leader roared in fury.
"Hah. And what if I am?"
Lot replied matter-of-factly.
In matters like this, taking advantage of others was to be encouraged unless it involved books.
Especially when the Fang Clan was his enemy.
Enraged, the Fang Clan's acting leader lashed out with his claws.
"If words won't work, then I'll use force to show you the error of your ways!"
His first target was still Lot.
In his heart,
Lot was the one who had to die.
But
was Lot so easily dealt with?
Seeing the fairy charge, Lot was already prepared.
He did not draw Joyeuse,
instead wielding a finely crafted sword forged by the Earth Clan.
But before this confrontation, Morgan had bolstered him with enhancements.
Calmly, he blocked the incoming strikes,
even managing a few counterattacks.
However,
victory was still out of reach.
Seeing this, Lot dashed out of the tent.
As he fled, he did not forget to shout to the other clan leaders:
"Now's your chance! Subdue the Fang Clan fairies while you can!"
"Understood."
The clan leaders nodded.
The Fang Clan's acting leader heard this too.
But even so, he did not abandon his pursuit of Lot.
"The other clans may be strong, but the Fang Clan is the most suited for battle. Once I tear you apart, I'll lead my kin to crush the rest of you. I see now to become king, strength is the only way!"
He declared this with great bravado.
Yet he had overlooked two critical points.
First, while the Fang Clan was indeed formidable, that was only true at full strength.
After days of battle with the Wind Clan, how much of their power remained was highly questionable.
Second, the Fang Clan's acting leader had failed to consider one thing:
Was he even a match for Lot?
But such thoughts did not cross his mind now.
Seeing Lot flee, he assumed it was from fear.
If that was the case,
then there was nothing left to discuss he would give chase.
...
Lot fled ahead, the Fang Clan's acting leader hot on his heels.
Soon, the two were far from the fairy encampment.
With no one else in sight, Lot suddenly stopped.
Seeing this, the fairy assumed Lot had exhausted his stamina and could only await death.
"Then perish!"
He thrust his claws toward Lot's chest.
In that moment, Lot did not dodge instead, he swung his sword in a direct counter.
It seemed he intended to trade injury for injury.
The Fang Clan's acting leader was delighted.
In his eyes, this was a desperate move from a cornered foe.
A trade of wounds?
He was of the Fang Clan!
The armor Lot wore was mere thin metal even if they exchanged blows, he would come out ahead.
Especially since his strike was aimed at the chest.
Then,
their attacks collided.
Lot's blade left a deep gash on the fairy's body.
And the fairy's strike
succeeded in tearing through the iron plating on Lot's chest.
But
it did not reach flesh.
Instead, a brilliant golden light shone from within.
With a shake, Lot discarded the iron armor, then removed his visor.
Beneath, he wore golden armor, with a pair of earrings the radiant form of the Kavacha and Kundala.
"It's been too long since I last revealed this handsome face."
Lot smirked.
At the sight of his true appearance, the Fang Clan's acting leader paled.
"You you're human! You're Camelot's King Lot!?"
"Correct. Full marks."
As he spoke, Lot drew Joyeuse.
"Fairy, you shall not escape! Taste my blade!"
Now, it was the Fang Clan's acting leader who sought to flee.
But
if Lot had revealed himself, how could he let his prey escape so easily?
From the shadows, Morgan emerged.
Gazing at the fairy, she began weaving her spells.
Together,
the two confronted the lone fairy.
As for the outcome…
Naturally, the Fang Clan's acting leader did not escape.
To date, after obtaining Joyeuse, whenever Lot and Morgan joined forces,
the only one who had escaped unscathed was young Gawain.
All others met grim fates.
"Now, it's time to prepare the ceremony for our ascension as Fairy Lords."
After disposing of the body, Lot spoke to Morgan.
"Mm."
Morgan gave a slight nod.
...
Soon after, Lot donned his visor once more, and the two returned.
The fairies' battle had already concluded.
The exhausted Fang Clan fairies had all been captured.
The four major clans were even preparing the ceremony to crown Morgan as the Fairy Lord.
Given that they were on the battlefield, everything was kept simple.
The four clan leaders knelt before Morgan, pledging their loyalty.
As for Lot,
he did not kneel.
He was not that henpecked.
(Though if we're speaking of kneeling, there were occasions just that, at those times, Morgan was the one lying down.)
As he watched the solemn ceremony, this was Lot's inner musing.
Hearing this thought, Morgan, standing above, gritted her teeth in frustration.
Damn horndog!
What are you imagining at a time like this!?
The four clan leaders, noticing Morgan's sudden shift in expression, were baffled.
Had they done something wrong?