[Camelot].
In this nation of noble knights, Morgan stood out like an anomaly.
"Conspiracy."
The word was ever on her lips.
This red dragon princess, born to privilege yet hardened by the fall of her kingdom and the suffering she'd witnessed, always assumed the worst of others.
Upon meeting someone, her first instinct was to deem them a villain. Then, she'd ponder what schemes they might be hatching and how they could harm her side.
... This was undoubtedly a dangerous mindset, one that had caused serious consequences for both herself and others.
For this reason, despite her beauty and prestigious titles as "Uther's daughter" And "Arthur's elder sister." most knights in the kingdom kept her at a respectful distance, rarely engaging with her.
Already disinclined to socialize, she embraced the solitude, choosing a remote palace where she stayed, only leaving to handle tasks assigned by Artoria.
But today, having extracted critical intelligence from a Saxon prisoner, she had no choice but to venture out.
…
Morgan headed to Artoria's palace.
By Artoria's own preference, she disliked residing in such a lavish palace... she felt a modest wooden house was just right, allowing her to manage state affairs and easily step out to mingle with the villagers.
But Merlin, citing "a king must have a king's dignity" And "the people take pride in their king's lifestyle." persuaded her to move into this castle, now the temporary palace of Camelot.
In the palace's great hall stood a massive round table, capable of seating over a hundred knights... a gift from Guinevere's father, sent along with Guinevere herself, who had become Artoria's close friend.
Incidentally, that elegant and wise princess held a far higher standing among the knights than Morgan, her fellow princess.
Knock, knock...
Morgan stood outside the meeting room, rapping on the door.
"Come in... " Artoria called instinctively, her head buried in a sea of paperwork, not looking up.
Knock, knock...
The door remained closed, the knocking persistent.
"Oh, it's my sister!" Artoria realized, quickly rising from her desk and heading to the door.
Morgan never entered the meeting room.
In her own words, she despised such "noisy" places... even though, at the moment, only Bedivere was inside, assisting with paperwork.
Guinevere also avoided the room, though her reason was, "This is the sacred domain of knights, which even a princess must not infringe." See why the knights adored her and shunned Morgan?
"What's the matter, sister?" Artoria asked seriously.
She knew Morgan, a severe introvert and recluse, would never seek her out without urgent cause.
"Yes."
Morgan nodded, her expression grave as she presented the intelligence gleaned from the Saxon prisoner:
[Last year, the false king Vortigern issued a decree forbidding his Saxon followers from further encroaching westward on Celtic lands.]
[Violators face execution without mercy.]
"Huh?"
…
It was an astonishing piece of intelligence.
At first glance, it seemed Vortigern feared Artoria's growing power, attempting to draw a boundary between the Cambrian Mountains and the Cornish Peninsula, dividing Celtic and Saxon territories to maintain a "dual kingship" Over Britain.
But upon closer inspection, something felt off.
Last year... the "Battle of the Ten Kings" Hadn't even happened yet. Artoria and her people were still holed up in their valley, eating tough black bread!
Moreover, recent reports suggested the Saxons' actions didn't align with this decree.
According to scouts, the Saxons, quiet for nearly a decade, were stirring again... repeatedly sending small hundred-man squads to raid the borders of Celtic kingdoms, plundering villages near the frontier.
To counter this, Artoria had ordered her adoptive brother to lead a hundred elite cavalry to hunt down these Saxon raiders.
... Her brother was a master hunter, moving through dense forests as if at home.
"But all evidence suggests the Saxons' actions contradict this so-called 'White Dragon King's decree.'"
"What do you think?"
Morgan passed the question to Artoria.
The answer was obvious.
"Either the false king is deliberately misleading us, setting a trap."
"But that's unlikely... there are many ways to lay a trap, and this one's too costly for little gain."
Conspiracies require a balance of cost and benefit; no one pursues a losing deal. If this were a scheme, Artoria's side would lose nothing, while Vortigern would sacrifice both territory and loyalty.
"Then there's only one other possibility."
"For some reason, the false king genuinely wants peace."
"But… with his current strength, he can no longer suppress his followers' ambitions for expansion!"
Morgan said thoughtfully.
When she looked up, her eyes, usually brimming with suspicion, now gleamed with sharp insight.
"He's weak."
"For some unknown reason, he's definitely weakened!"
"Artoria, there may be risks, but this is an unprecedented opportunity!"
"We must find out what's happening there. And then... "
Morgan paused.
The flames of vengeance burned fiercely in her eyes.
"Strike while he's vulnerable and take him down!"
***
Hi guys, I just wanted to let you know that I'm currently working on a new fanfic, so if you like this one, you should definitely check that one out too:
[Saint Seiya: The Lord of the Underworld (Multi-Cross)]
Hades.
The Lord of the Underworld and one of the Three Sovereign Gods of the Greek pantheon is among the most powerful deities to ever exist.
It is said that He was the strongest of the Three Sovereign Gods, and that Zeus holds the throne of the heavens only because He allowed it to happen, because He lacking of ambition and valuing the balance of the world above all else.
But what if this time, the title of Lord of the Underworld had changed hands, and inherited by someone whose ambition is as vast as the waters of the sea?
Chaos!
This is the story of an ordinary human who through both luck and misfortune inherits the title and responsibility of the Lord of the Underworld.
Yet there is a fundamental difference between the Lords of the past and the present.
Ambition!
It is in human nature to possess ambitions that can reach the stars, and because of this once-in-a-lifetime chance, he will not let the opportunity slip away to expand his dark and somber dominion, making it as bright as the sky and as deep as the ocean.
---
This is a multiverse fanfic that focuses on journeys to worlds other than Saint Seiya.
Saint Seiya, Nasuverse, Dragon Ball, Campione, Re:Zero, Date A Live, Genshin Impact, Akame ga Kill, Kimetsu no Yaiba, Overlord, No Game No Life, Marvel, DC, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, Pokemon, Fate, Danmachi, and etc.