In Britain, the Noble Phantasm: Divine Key

"I feel so much better after a good sleep. No wonder so many immortal beings like to sleep when they have nothing to do."

He walked to the wall, opened the window, and fresh air instantly rushed into the room, making him feel relaxed and refreshed.

The location chosen by Anaen was not far from Nero's palace, and the residential area was just below. It was just dawn, but many commoners had already come out of their homes, picked up their tools, and gathered in twos and threes, chatting and laughing as they walked toward the construction site.

Soldiers clad in red armor stood steadfastly on the city wall, guarding their posts. Having stood there all night, they remained upright and unwavering.

Watching all this, Yanan thoughtfully stroked his chin:

"As expected of the emperor of the ancient Roman Empire, although he may seem a bit unreliable, he was indeed exceptionally capable in governing the country."

The state of a country can be seen from the spirit of its people. According to the results of Yanan's current observations, although the Holy Roman Empire was not large in scale and the living conditions were not good, the people had hope in their hearts, so the whole country gave people a sense of vitality.

Anan even couldn't help but think that if Nero had been given more time, she might actually have been able to replicate the Holy Roman Empire.

Unfortunately, Camelot won't give her that chance.

A soft footstep echoed in his ears. Yanan raised an eyebrow, walked over and opened the door, and as expected saw a petite figure standing in the doorway.

“Good morning, Melusine,” he said with a smile.

"Good morning." Melusin looked up at him, a sweet smile spreading across her innocent face.

The lake-blue armor she wore had vanished without a trace, replaced by a blue dress with a white inner lining and white knee-high socks. Combined with her delicate and adorable face, she looked exactly like a princess straight out of a fairy tale.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Yanan closed the door and led Melusin outside.

The early morning breeze still carried a hint of the night's coolness, completely dispelling the last trace of weariness from my mind, leaving me feeling refreshed and as if I had inexhaustible energy.

“She slept very well.” Melusin paused, then continued, “The house smells of Yanan, which makes me feel very safe.”

Yanan's lips twitched slightly. Little girl, your statement was dangerous...

However, he couldn't say anything about it. He could only comfort himself that the girl had been lonely for too long, so she was a little excited to see her relatives. He thought she would get used to it once she got to know them better.

Yeah, I think so...

He shook his head, clearing these jumbled thoughts from his mind, and turned to Melusin with a smile, "What are your plans for today?"

“No, I just want to stay by your side. Wherever you go, I’ll go,” Melusin said without hesitation.

“I see…” Yanan lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then said, “Let’s go find Ritsuka and the others first. We’re not familiar with this place, so let them show us around.”

Melusin nodded her little head and naturally stretched out her little hand.

Yanan's lips twitched slightly, he sighed helplessly, and took the soft, boneless little hand in his.

Fortunately, because of their height difference, he and Meluxin look like siblings, so even holding hands doesn't seem out of place.

If Melusin were any more mature, the pressure on him would be immense...

His residence is right next to Ritsuka and Mashu, only about a five-minute walk away, so he can get there immediately if any emergency occurs.

Just as Anaen and Melusin reached the door of Ritsuka's house, they suddenly saw a woman walking towards them.

After a moment's recollection, Anahn suddenly remembered that the other person was the attendant who had interrupted Nero at the banquet the previous night.

"Ah, it's you, Mr. Anan." The attendant stepped forward with a smile. "What a coincidence, I was just about to come and see you later."

"Looking for me?" Anan raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is there something wrong with Nero?"

“Um… well, you could say that.” The lady-in-waiting’s expression became somewhat subtle. “After the banquet last night, His Highness stayed up all night to finish the remaining official business and is still in his room. She said… she asked me to hand over today’s official business to you and the two elders.”

Yanan was slightly taken aback, then shook his head with a wry smile.

He thought Nero was joking with him yesterday, but he didn't expect that the prince would be so impolite as to send him the document the very next day.

As expected of the emperor, he truly keeps his word...

Yanan glanced at the text in the attendant's hand. It must be at least a hundred copies, given its height.

How can a country with a population of just over 10,000 have so many things to deal with every day?

No wonder Nero looked so miserable. Even an iron man couldn't handle dealing with so much text every day.

Shaking his head helplessly, Anan took the text from the other person's hand and said, "Alright, give it all to me. I also need to visit Ritsuka and Mash."

"Thank you for your help. I'll come to pick it up around noon." The maid bowed slightly before turning and leaving.

Yanan, carrying a thick stack of texts, knocked on Ritsuka's door.

"Is this Mr. Yanan? I'll be right there!"

With a series of hurried footsteps, Fujimaru Ritsuka opened the door, her face full of surprise, and said, "It really is you, Mr. Anahn, and Miss Melusin, what brings you here?"

“I’m here to give you a ‘gift’.” Yanan held up the text in his hand to indicate that this was the gift.

Fujimaru Ritsuka initially appeared delighted, but upon seeing the text, her face immediately fell, and she lamented, "Lord Nero really doesn't give people a way out... Can't you at least let me rest for a few days?"

"Be content. This time, even I was conscripted by that prince," Yanan said helplessly.

Fujimaru Ritsuka took the text from Anaen and led the two into the house.

At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka, Mashu, and Da Vinci were enjoying breakfast, which consisted of simple things like fried eggs and bread. Because of their status as elders, the three of them also received an extra glass of milk every day.

This ordinary breakfast is a rare treat in this day and age.

At the invitation of the three, Anan and Melusin also sat down to enjoy the meal. Everyone sat together, smiling and in harmony. Even Melusin, who was usually aloof, had a slight smile on her face.

A hint of nostalgia flickered in Anan's eyes. How long had it been since he'd experienced days like this...?

After breakfast, Leonardo da Vinci had to go to the construction site to build the forge. At present, the Holy Roman Empire's equipment was still far behind Camelot's in terms of quantity. In order to prepare for the great battle in the future, they had to make preparations in advance.

Anan, Mashu, and Fujimaru Ritsuka then began to handle the day's affairs. Anan had been a king for a period of time, so she didn't find it troublesome. Moreover, as Nero had said, most of these matters were not difficult, just a bit tedious.

Melusine sat quietly beside him like a doll. She had never handled political affairs before. Back in Camelot, all of these were handled by the Lion King's second-in-command, Adinwen. All she had to do was beat people up.

Moreover, as a dragon, her way of thinking is very different from that of humans, making her unsuitable for this type of work.

“Melusin, if you’re bored, why don’t you go for a walk?” Anan suggested.

Melusine shook her head: "As long as I'm by Anaen's side, I'll be happy no matter what I do."

Mashu and Fujimaru Ritsuka, who were flipping through the text, paused and gave Anan a slightly strange look.

Yanan ignored their gazes and coughed lightly, saying, "In that case, let's have a chat."

Coincidentally, he also had many questions that Melusin needed to answer.

About Merlin, about The Lion King, about Camelot, about... this world.

“Okay.” Melusin nodded obediently, her big eyes sparkling with eagerness.

She, who is usually quiet and reserved, seemed to want to talk forever when she was with Anaen.

After a moment's thought, Yanan said, "Then let's talk about... Merlin first."

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Secret of Camelot

“Merlin…” Melusin paused for a moment before saying, “Although in my memory Merlin has never made a move, my intuition tells me that if we were to actually fight, I might not be absolutely certain of defeating her.”

“That’s normal. Merlin is a magician close to the Grand rank. Even if she can’t beat you in a head-on fight, killing her won’t be so easy for you,” Yanan said.

“No, that’s not it.” Melusin’s little face was full of seriousness. “When I said I wasn’t confident of defeating her, I didn’t mean I couldn’t kill her, but that I might die with her.”

Upon hearing this, Mashu and Fujimaru Ritsuka exchanged a glance, both revealing a hint of shock in their eyes.

That great magician actually possesses the power to rival a dragon?

Yanan's eyes narrowed slightly: "Total destruction..."

As far as he knew, Merlin was a magician close to the Grand rank, but he rarely engaged in direct combat. He was best at support, and his only fighting skill was probably his superb swordsmanship.

But no matter how exquisite the swordsmanship, its effectiveness is quite limited when facing a dragon, which is an extraordinary being.

Moreover, Melusin is a pure-blooded dragon who directly inherited her bloodline from the ancient dragon Albion. Even Anan, who has mastered the "Infinite Martial Arts," wouldn't dare say he's guaranteed a victory in close combat against her.

Could it be that this female Merlin has changed her style and turned to studying offensive magic?

This is not impossible. With Merlin's talent, he could quickly master any magic he studied. The reason why Merlin in his world was unwilling to learn was mainly because he was lazy.

“Moreover, Merlin gives me a very dangerous feeling.” A hint of apprehension appeared in Melusin’s eyes. “Although that woman always appears dignified and elegant, and always smiles at everyone she meets, I feel that her smile is not from the bottom of her heart. Every time I get close to her, I feel uncomfortable all over, and I always feel that there is something else more crazy and terrifying hidden under that skin.”

Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't help but swallow hard. Based on the description alone, she couldn't imagine that Melusin was describing that legendary great magician. She almost thought it was a horror story circulating somewhere.

To be honest, although they are enemies now, she still greatly admires Merlin, the legendary figure who left a deep mark on British history, which is almost a reflection of most young magicians today.

Yanan frowned slightly. Merlin, as described by Melusin, was almost completely different from the Merlin he remembered. He simply couldn't reconcile the two in his imagination.

"Alright, let's leave Merlin here for now." He shook his head, putting the matter aside for the time being. "What about the Lion King? What's your impression of him?"

“Very strong!” Melusin’s little face immediately turned serious, which made her look even more adorable. “The Lion King doesn’t appear often. Most of the time, He stays alone in the deepest part of the palace. Apart from Adinwen and Merlin, almost no one else has ever seen the Lion King. Even I have only seen Him once.”

"But that one time convinced me that if we really fought, even if I revealed my true form, I would definitely be no match for that guy. I wouldn't be crushed, but I would definitely be the one who dies in the end."

Upon hearing this, both Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mashu felt their spirits sink.

Although they knew the Lion King was strong, they didn't expect him to be this strong.

They had witnessed Melusin's power firsthand, and even now, they still remembered the awe-inspiring presence of that jet-black dragon.

Even Melusine admitted that she was no match for the Lion King; they couldn't fathom just how terrifying he truly was...

Compared to the two girls' unease and anxiety, Yanan appeared very calm.

At least he arrived in his prime this time. If he didn't even have the confidence to go toe-to-toe with the Lion King, he might as well just commit suicide.

“Because of that tower, the Lion King’s divinity has completely suppressed his humanity. Even in my memory, there are very few gods who can possess this level of divinity. That person is probably not far from the realm of ‘true god’,” Melusin said with a serious expression.

"True God..." Anan pondered for a moment, then said, "Besides the Lion King and Merlin, are there any other figures worth paying attention to on Camelot's side?"

“No more.” Melusin shook her little head. “Besides the Lion King and Merlin, the original members of Camelot were actually just me, Tristan, and Gawain. The rest of the Knights of the Round Table were Heroic Spirits whose perceptions were forcibly altered by Merlin. In terms of strength, even if all of them were combined, they wouldn’t be a match for me.”

In the end, Melusine's tone revealed a hint of pride.

Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mashu breathed a sigh of relief; after all this time, they had finally heard some good news.

“Speaking of Tristan…” Yanan frowned slightly, “I’m actually a little curious, is she really a member of the Round Table?”

The woman who liked to wear extremely high heels left a very deep impression on him. He originally thought that she was so indifferent to human life because of the blessing of the Lion King, just like Tristan in the original story.

However, later events proved that her cruelty and evil had nothing to do with the so-called blessing; it seemed to be her true nature.

Yanan found it hard to believe that someone like that could become a Knight of the Round Table.

“Tristan…” Melusin paused for a moment, then said, “Actually, Tristan, like me, wasn’t originally a Knight of the Round Table. Merlin just gave us that title.”