I, Guinevere, am going to crush you, you curry stick, today!

"Fina said she believes Merlin you have a way to lift the curse."

“Very good, thank you for translating on your own initiative, although… I can actually understand it.” Merlin smiled: “Because when I was learning from my teacher, Dragon Language, Giant Language and Fairy Language were all compulsory courses. Let me first tell you about the worst-case scenario, and then we’ll talk about how to break this curse. Actually, the method isn’t too simple, but it’s definitely not difficult either. Simply put, you need to use the power of the sacred artifact to purify this curse.”

"Before King Solomon returned the ring, gods and mortals walked together on earth. During that long period, many powerful weapons were forged by gods, not mortals. We generally refer to these creations of the divine age as 'divine weapons.' At the end of the divine age, these weapons were either damaged or lost, gradually fading from people's sight. Although I know the whereabouts of some of them, Fafnir's curse is so powerful that among the divine creations whose whereabouts I currently know and can easily obtain, there is none powerful enough to purify it." Merlin paused here. "No, to be precise, there originally was."

"original?"

Artoria couldn't help but repeat it.

Merlin nodded: "Excalibur, the Star Sword. One of the three holy swords kept by Avalon. Born from within the planet, it's a divinely created weapon forged by the planet itself. It was forged by this planet, created to protect the world from an alien enemy seeking to destroy it. It's not for protecting humanity, but for protecting the world. Therefore, although the other two swords were also forged by the planet and entrusted to Avalon, they are slightly inferior in power and priority. It's a pity that Terena, that idiot whose brain is comparable to a demonic boar, stole the head of the three swords in her attempt to create a powerful vessel."

A twig tapped her forehead lightly, and Merlin's smile vanished. She looked at the two people before her: "You've probably already noticed. That holy sword should have belonged to this princess, but now—where is it?"

"This……"

Guinevere was taken aback. It seemed that ever since meeting the black dragon, the sword had completely disappeared from her memory. And what was most surprising was that before Merlin pointed this out, neither she, Artoria, nor Royal seemed to have any doubts about the sword's disappearance. It was as if, until just now, someone had erased the sword's existence from everyone's memory.

Turning her head, she met Artoria's gaze, both seeing surprise and uncertainty in each other's eyes. But it was at this moment that Nemia, who had been looking completely bewildered and seemingly unable to understand what the others were saying, suddenly interjected in a childish voice, "Daddy's sword, isn't it right here?"

She raised her little hand and pointed straight at Guinevere.

"That's right. The reason you didn't find this strange is because the Holy Sword has remained before your eyes the entire time. It was through the Holy Sword that Terenas brought the Fifth Son, who existed within the nightmare, into the mortal world and into the princess's body. In other words, only by lifting the curse of dragonification can the Holy Sword sever its connection with the nightmare and return to its original form. It is precisely for this reason that a creation with power comparable to the Holy Sword is needed to lift the curse imposed by the Holy Sword."

"Then... Merlin, do you have any clues?" Artoria asked.

“Of course.” The silver-haired woman smiled confidently. “And there’s more than one clue. But, when it comes to the easiest thing for you to get your hands on right now, after thinking about it, there’s only one—the Tower of Radiance, the Planetary Anchor. Thirty years ago, the Tower of Radiance appeared in the world, which caused a great deal of bloodshed among the feudal lords. Countless people died, and the battle ultimately ended in failure. No one was able to step into the Tower of Radiance and obtain the legendary treasure with unparalleled power.”

"Thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye. Now, although there are still quite a few people who know about the Tower of Radiance, very few people really believe in this legend. There is only one person who not only participated in the struggle thirty years ago, but is still searching for the Tower of Radiance to this day."

"who is it?"

“Fisherman King, Perez,” Merlin replied.

P.S.: The typhoon was really something! I went out with an umbrella to buy McDonald's and almost got blown away by the wind. Everyone, please be careful!

There will be another update later, remember to vote!

Chapter Seventy-Three: A Short Separation is Better Than Nothing...

Fisherman King Pelles.

Both men were familiar with the name, not only because he had had several territorial disputes with King Marco.

Artoria nodded: "I've heard Hector mention it before. The Fisherman King is a brave warrior who, according to legend, possesses a trident that can control water flow, and is also highly skilled in magic. It is said that the accuracy of his prophecies is no less than that of a top-notch diviner."

“Everyone says that wherever there is a sea current, it falls under the jurisdiction of Pelles,” Guinevere added, recalling the rumors she had heard in the court.

"It is indeed this 'Lord of the Ocean.' If you want to find the Tower of Radiance, you must rely on the power of the Fisherman King, but getting him to agree to help is no easy task. So, although I'm sorry, I'll probably have to separate you two for the time being." Although he said he was sorry, Merlin had a grin on his face, clearly enjoying himself rather than feeling apologetic.

"Your Highness seems to have been concealing your identity all this time, but gaining the Fisherman King's assistance as a commoner is ultimately difficult. Moreover, Perez is skilled in prophecy, and a clumsy attempt at concealment will only displease him. Therefore, I hope you can visit the Fisherman King openly and legitimately in the name of the Scottish Princess. Rest assured, it's just borrowing a title; it won't cause any trouble for your country. On the contrary, this matter will actually benefit Scotland. This is what Merlin himself said, and it's 99.999999—99% credible."

“In that case… there’s no problem.” Guinevere hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Then, regarding Artoria, I have something else I'd like to ask her—him. So, you two will split up for now. Once the Tower of Radiance appears and the dragonification curse on you is lifted, I'll return you to a perfectly healthy Artoria. How about it? As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder..."

"Merlin!"

Seeing that the other person seemed about to say something terrible, Artoria quickly interrupted, "We're not in that kind of relationship."

"Oh--"

Merlin's "oh" sounded quite meaningful. She then shrugged: "Let's just pretend it's not for now. As for the method to activate the Tower of Radiance, based on my investigation over this period, the Tower of Radiance itself doesn't actually exist in this world. Explaining the specific principles would be too complicated, and it might even be suspected of padding the word count. To avoid further questioning of the author's already dwindling integrity, I'll put it aside for now and explain it to you properly later when I have the chance."

"Although he seemed to casually say something incredible in the middle... I'll just pretend I didn't hear it." Guinevere tried her best to suppress the urge to retort and rolled her eyes. Artoria, on the other hand, was already used to Merlin's way of talking nonsense and just took it as another piece of rambling and didn't care.

"In short, for the Tower of Glory to appear, the power of at least three divinely crafted weapons needs to resonate. The Fisherman King's own trident is one, and as for the second one, I'll be in charge. I plan to set off to retrieve it. If all goes well, I should be able to easily steal... cough cough, 'borrow' it back."

“I think I just heard a word that can’t be ignored…” Artoria stared at her. Merlin coughed twice: “That’s not the point. As for the last thing, the key lies with this princess. When the time comes, you’ll know.”

"It's that same secretive way of speaking again."

"Hey, Artoria, don't you think it's precisely because we don't know how things will turn out that life is so much more fun? So, this is the second thing I want you to do. Any questions?"

Merlin looked at Guinevere.

"it is good."

The girl readily agreed.

Although she knew that agreeing meant parting ways with Artoria, Guinevere also knew that Merlin was someone she could trust. Since he had business with Artoria, it would be too mature of her to interfere. Even though she understood this, she still couldn't help feeling reluctant to part with him, secretly glancing to the side. She wondered if Artoria was also feeling a little sad… If only she were.

She thought to herself.

"And the third thing?" Then he asked, "Could it be one of those 'the third thing will be said later' routines?"

"Haha. Of course not, I hate it when people are kept in suspense like this. But you must be tired from your journey, so rest first. You'll find out about the third thing after you wake up."

"In the end, it just kept us in suspense, didn't it..."

"Oh, don't worry too much about this. Besides, it's leaving a little something to look forward to in the future." With a push-up, Merlin stood up and walked leisurely outside, beckoning at the door: "Artoria, come here, let me tell you something first."

"Can't we say it here?"

In response to Artoria's question, Merlin tilted his head: "If you don't mind?"

For some reason, Artoria suddenly felt uneasy. At the same time, with a "pop," Guinevere next to her watched as the ahoge on the other's head stood up straight. She was about to say something, but Merlin's gaze swept over her, and the words that were on the tip of her tongue were not uttered.

"Okay, I'm coming right now. Nimiao..."

"I'm with my dad!"

Before she could speak, the purple-haired girl had already spoken up. Her understanding was truly heartwarming, though… it would be even better if she could change the way she addressed her father. Seeing the two leave one after the other, Nimiao jumped off the chair, ran over and closed the door, then ran back, opened her arms and hugged herself tightly, rubbing her little face against her. Guinevere patted her head, unable to help but sigh softly in her heart.

but.

What exactly does Merlin want Artoria to do...?

Their gazes toward the half-open door were full of curiosity.

……

at the same time.

In a room a few steps away, the person in question looked at something placed on the bed with a very complicated expression.

"Merlin... I think it's unlikely, but could this be..."

Snapped!

The sound of a door closing came from behind me.

A faint floral fragrance gradually drew closer, and a hand gently rested on her shoulder. Breathing filled her ear, and at the same time, Merlin's voice, seemingly struggling to hold back something, rang out: "Artoria, you're someone I've watched grow up since you were little; in a sense, you could almost be considered my daughter."

"So, you certainly won't let all my hard work go to waste, right? I spent three months preparing this especially for you... Come on, relax. It might feel a little uncomfortable at first, but trust me, you'll feel comfortable soon."

"wait wait wait……"

Rustle, rustle.

It sounded like fabric falling to the ground.

"...Everyone starts out like this. Don't struggle, don't resist, you have to learn to enjoy it all..."

It was early morning.

Another ray of sunlight slanted into the room.

Within this small space, in the dazzling sunlight, one after another, a silver-haired woman with a strange smile on her face, a girl with disheveled clothes desperately clinging to the last piece of clothing on her body, and the various arrangements and furnishings in the room...

Finally, it landed on the bed.

In the golden light of dawn, what lay there spread out appeared to be... a white...

dress.

P.S.: Second update~ Seeing Qingbai diligently updating even during a typhoon, how about giving him more recommendation votes?

Chapter Seventy-Four: Lunar Therapy

When I woke up again, it was already evening outside the window.

Opening her eyes, she saw Nemia's sleeping face. The little girl was curled up, her soft breathing soft beside her ear, very obedient. She blinked a couple more times, her consciousness gradually clearing. Perhaps because she had finally caught her breath, a weariness she hadn't felt before surged up all over her body at this moment. Lying on the bed, even though it was a hard, cold wooden plank bed, and her pillow was just a hard piece of wood, she was still lazy, as if in heaven, too lazy to even move a finger. But after two minutes, Guinevere obediently got up.

There was nothing else to it, except that my wings were numb from being pressed down all night.

At times like these, she always desperately hoped to return to normal as soon as possible, especially in the first few days when she hadn't yet mastered the dragon wings. Several times a night, she would dream of flying inexplicably, or unconsciously opening and closing them repeatedly, only to writhe in pain the next day from cramps. Of course, Guinevere can now close her wings while sleeping, remaining quiet and obedient like a chick all night. However, the blood and tears behind this proficiency are something no outsider could ever know…

Guinevere hoped Merlin could really find a way to solve this so-called dragonification curse, otherwise, before she got used to sleeping on her stomach or side, she didn't know how many more times she would have to suffer the tragedy of waking up because of the soreness and numbness in her wings... With a silent sigh, Guinevere glanced at Nemia on the bed, thought for a moment and decided not to wake her up. She stretched her arms and began to stretch her wings somewhat awkwardly, while also using a comb to tidy up her messy hair. Occasionally, she would bump into her two horns, making this originally very simple task much more difficult.

While combing her hair, she suddenly heard a knocking sound at the door. To prevent anyone from accidentally barging in—whether it was a wrong person, a thief, or a drunkard—being seen in this state would be troublesome. Therefore, before going to sleep, Guinevere not only made sure to close the doors and windows, but also used the Wind Mark to create a wind wall around her, similar to a barrier, to completely eliminate the possibility of an accident.

She sat on the edge of the bed, paused her hand holding the comb, and asked softly, "May I ask who this is?"

"it's me."

As soon as she finished speaking, the wall of wind blocking the door vanished, and with a creak, the wooden door opened, and the silver-haired woman, holding a wooden cane, slowly walked in.

As soon as she entered the room, the door behind her suddenly closed again without making a sound. At the same time, an unnatural flow of wind condensed once more into a faint, pale blue wall, blocking the doorway, as if it had never disappeared at all.

"Wind Wall, a magic that Semias is skilled in. As far as I know, this spell should not exist in the lineage of the Wind Mark. Does Your Highness perhaps know a druid from Murias?"

Guinevere nodded: "I learned this from a druid master named Klark. But I've never heard of the names Murias and Semias before... Could you please explain them to me?"

“I see.” Merlin wasn’t too surprised. She seemed to notice that Nemia was still asleep, and from the moment she entered the room, she lowered her voice considerably. “Klark, I know him. Among the druids still alive today, he’s quite a talent. But…” She paused, then changed the subject. “The matter of Murias isn’t really a secret. If you want to know, I’ll tell you briefly. A long, long time ago, the Tuhaddanan tribe—because their first leader was the goddess Danu, they also called themselves the Danu tribe—landed in Ireland and began a protracted war with the Furmoor tribe.”

"Before heading to Ireland, they obtained four artifacts from four islands in the north: 'Farias,' 'Grias,' 'Fendias,' and 'Murias.' Originally a single island and the birthplace of druids, it later fragmented due to internal strife and divisions, splitting the druidic lineage. Over time, four distinct schools emerged, each with its own focus. The druids of Murias far surpass others in their worldly desires, their thirst for power, and their mastery of the elements. Now, with the end of the Age of Gods, most druids have chosen to live in seclusion, but the Murias branch still frequently appears in the public eye. I heard your father hired many druids at great expense, led by that Klark, all of whom are from Murias."

"Then the Semias you just mentioned, is he also a druid from Murias?" Guinevere asked.

"To be precise, it was Semiras who got into a dispute with the other three, which eventually led to the Isle of Origin splitting into four. In a sense, he could be considered the master of Murias... But actually, these things have nothing to do with you for now. Just listen to them as stories and don't take them too seriously." Merlin waved his hand: "Instead of this, let's talk about some more practical issues."

"The dragonification curse on you was created by Terena using the Holy Sword and its scabbard as a bridge, allowing the beings from the nightmare to descend, and you, unfortunately, were chosen as the vessel. Logically, you should have completely transformed into a dragon by now, but for some reason, the effects of the curse seem to be taking much longer than I originally expected. But even if it takes effect slowly, it won't buy you much time. If you want to survive, finding the Tower of Radiance before then is the only way."

“I already mentioned all of this this morning. Now, it’s up to you to figure out exactly what to do.”

"For the Tower of Radiance to appear, at least three powerful artifacts must be gathered. You have a good relationship with the Lothian family of Orkney, so you should also know about the holy sword that Gawain wields. The Sword of Victory, symbolizing the rotation of the sun, was also crafted by the planet like the Star Sword. It was Ninne Anne who was in charge of choosing a master for this holy sword, and she traveled all over the three islands of Britain before finally choosing Gawain. The Sun Sword is the best match to resonate with the Tower of Radiance."

"So the relic you mentioned this morning, the one you're going to retrieve, is Gawain's sword." Guinevere suddenly realized, but then she thought about Merlin's tone that morning, which made it sound like he was going to steal the sword, and she felt a little uneasy. So she asked, "Should I write a letter to him to borrow the sword? Knowing Gawain's personality, he should agree very readily..."

"Haha, thank you for your kindness, but you don't need to trouble yourself with this matter. Relationships between people can be deep or shallow, and it's best not to waste them unless necessary." Merlin waved his hand and declined with a smile. "As for the other two, one is the trident that I mentioned before, which belongs to the Fisherman King. And to be on the safe side, I plan to make a few more preparations for the last artifact."

"You were curious about what I wanted Artoria to do, right? Well, this is it. If everything goes smoothly, by the time I return with the Sword of Victory, Artoria will probably have obtained the third artifact—oh, she's already set off. She saw you were sleeping soundly, so she didn't want to wake you and even asked me to apologize to you. But if anything goes wrong, you'll have to figure it out yourself."

"Hmm... I understand." After thinking for a moment, Guinevere nodded.

She had gradually gotten used to the cryptic way these prophets and charlatans spoke, and since Merlin was unwilling to elaborate, there was no point in asking further... she could only take it one step at a time.

"very good."

Merlin smiled with satisfaction: "I can't explain this too clearly right now, otherwise it wouldn't be interesting. In short, just keep it in mind and pay attention to it. The most important thing now is to gain the Fisherman King's approval and get the trident first. I must warn you, this is not an easy task, and for some reason, Royal, Tristan, Bedivere, and others cannot accompany you. Rather, I don't recommend any man go to the Fisherman King's territory at this time, because if things go wrong, there could be a crisis that affects our descendants."

“That’s why Artoria will have to split up with you for now. Although we both know the truth…” She winked at Guinevere, who paused for a moment, then gave an awkward but polite smile. Merlin didn’t seem to mind and continued, “But life is tough, and some things are better left unsaid. You shouldn’t encounter any major crises before meeting the Fisherman King himself, but if you conceal your identity, you might run into some minor troubles along the way. So I recommend that you go openly and honestly as Guinevere.”

"But looking like this, no one would believe you're a princess of Scotland. And for a princess of such stature to have no attendants is rather bizarre. So, Merlin, I have a perfect solution—"

The silver-haired woman clenched her left fist, placed it in front of her mouth, and coughed twice with feigned seriousness. She then fell silent, staring intently at Guinevere. Finally, the girl sighed and asked, "What is the method?"

"Hmph, good question!"

Merlin immediately puffed out his chest, a smug expression on his face: "It's quite a coincidence, really. I just happened to run into an acquaintance in this town, who's kind of my student, and a very pretty girl at that. After I explained the situation to her, she immediately and readily agreed."

"You promised...what?"

"I will temporarily serve as your guard and attendant."

"This……"

"Of course, with your abilities, you may not need any other guards. However, while my student cannot completely eradicate the curse from you, she has a way to temporarily lift it and restore you to your original state. And this is not because I favor my student; she is a pitiful and beautiful young woman. Even in the whole of Britain, no, including Rome and France across the sea, you simply cannot find many girls as beautiful as her. So, don't be in a hurry to refuse; it's not too late to see her in person before making a decision."

With a wave of her cane, the wind wall dissipated, and the wooden door opened by itself, revealing the corridor outside. A faint white figure seemed to be standing there, but as soon as Guinevere looked over, the figure vanished.

"They...ran away?"

The girl was momentarily stunned.

“This child is rather shy. Please wait here for a moment, I’ll go bring her over.” Merlin tapped his forehead with his cane. He seemed to be suppressing something, his body trembling slightly. After saying this, he turned and walked out. Guinevere remained sitting on the edge of the bed, her comb pausing on a tuft of slightly curled blonde hair. Recalling the figure she had glimpsed just moments before, her brows slowly furrowed.

How does it feel...

That person looks very familiar?

*****

And soon, this bad feeling was confirmed.