Artoria wants to read people's hearts

"...I plan to take Yabel to the east, and climb three hills towards the east. There is another village there. Maybe Yabel and I can live there. "

Withdrawing his gaze from the flames, Gert looked at the knight standing beside him.

"I have already tidied up a clean house. If you don't dislike it, please rest here until tomorrow morning, the two knights. You have been running around frequently for our affairs. You should be very grateful, but now this situation …”

He shook his head with a wry smile, and stopped talking.

Arturia and Kai looked at each other, and agreed to Gert's proposal.

Too many things happened today, for the sake of tomorrow's journey, it is indeed time to take a good rest.

Gert led them to a house in the west of the village. Although the house looked a bit shabby, it was not damaged at all.

It seems that whether it is a robber or a monster, the previous riots were lucky not to affect it.

Looking into the room, clean bedding is neatly spread on two adjacent wooden beds, and other things for the night have also been prepared.

Not only that, but there is fresh food and water on the table.

After saying goodbye to Gert, Arturia and Kai quickly filled their stomachs with the food on the table.

After a simple cleaning, the already exhausted two lay on the bed and soon fell asleep.

The dark night is like boundless thick ink swaying heavily on the sky, time goes by bit by bit, and after an unknown amount of time, the first ray of morning light shines on the quiet village.

The next morning came as promised.

Artoria has already developed the habit of getting up early, not to mention being in an unfamiliar environment, she is naturally vigilant.

Calling Kai, who was sleeping like a dead pig, the two quickly cleaned themselves up after getting up.

After they found Gert and Yabel, they bid farewell to them.

Scenes of parting are always poignant.

After packing their bags, Artoria and Kai rode on horses, saying goodbye to the hunters and children who were sent to the entrance of the village.

Accompanied by the warm sunlight, the figures of the two gradually drifted apart.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and the moon waxes and wanes. No matter how dark it was, the existence called human beings still has to look forward.

....................

It has been more than a month since we set off from home, and the journey of wearing stars and wearing moons has an end after all.

In a small southern town.

Artoria and Kai led a large circle around the town, and finally found a hotel where they could settle down.

Because of the existence of the King's Choice Sword, this small town that was originally unknown is now full of people.

The streets are full of nobles and knights with swords.

This situation is somewhat similar to those famous tourist destinations in the previous life.

Fortunately, they came here today, and a special festival is being held in the town.

It's funny to say, so many years have passed since the sword in the stone appeared, because no one has been able to pull the sword out of the stone for a long time, everyone has changed from the initial excitement to the current doubts.

Can anyone actually pull it out?

Is Merlin the magician tricking us?

That sword is just a decoration besides being pretty, right?

So with the passage of time, it finally evolved into the current situation.

'Instead of waiting hard for the King of Destiny who doesn't know whether he exists or not, it's better for everyone to elect a king internally. '

Such remarks spread like a virus, and eventually gained everyone's approval.

This is the origin of today's festival.

Knights who have confidence in themselves come from all over the world. They compete in martial arts in this festival, and the winner in the end will be pushed to the throne of Britain.

In order to participate in the festival, Kai and Arturia packed their luggage in the hotel and hurried over there.

The bright sunlight came in, pouring golden waves on Artoria's hair.

The young man with exquisite appearance was in the crowd and looked up. All he could see was the crowds in the square, like the stars in the starry sky.

The people around were noisy, and the impetuous atmosphere permeated the surroundings.

She and Kay were dispersed because of the crowd, but it didn't matter, after all, if you want to reunite, you only need to go back to the hotel.

Artoria is really not tall, she tried her best to stand on tiptoe and look forward.

The goal of entering is a very wide open space, and now there are all kinds of knights in armor and long swords gathered in the open space.

They were gearing up, each with high fighting spirit, and it seemed that everyone was full of confidence.

After waiting for a long time, Arturia heard someone announce loudly in front of her.

"The competition begins!"

With an order, the crisp sound of swords colliding together rang out.

The knights in the open space were divided into two groups, and each tried their best to defeat their opponents.

Eyes from all directions were watching the fighting knights, and the spectators around were whispering and discussing which knight was the best and which knight was not good at learning.

"Okay~!"

With a sound of applause, a knight slammed down the long sword in the opponent's hand. The sword swirled in the air and finally plunged obliquely into the ground.

This move once again caused the crowd to burst into cheers.

"........."

'It was like a farce. 'Artoria thought so.

So she shook her head and slowly withdrew from the crowd, turned around and walked in the direction of the sword in the stone that she had just inquired about.

It was in another direction of the town, and by the time she wandered past slowly, it was already noon.

Perhaps it was because people went to the festival to join in the fun, and there were not many people around the boxy boulder.

She walked up to the sword in the stone, and lowered her eyes to look at the legendary sword.

-------The hilt is mainly golden blue, and the upper part of the sword body is made of gold. There is also a valuable ruby ​​inlaid in the middle of the sword.

Looking down, there is a line of delicate golden words engraved on the body of the sword:

[He who draws the sword and leaves the stone, is born to be the destined king of England]

Artoria looked at it with complicated eyes for a long time, and finally said something from the bottom of her heart:

"How can this fucking sword be so handsome."

Chapter 8 Dawn

into the night.

Artoria tossed and turned in bed, but couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

It was precisely because she knew the real cause of her insomnia in her heart that she felt extremely irritable in her heart.

As the night darkened, Artoria, who had tried many times to fall asleep but failed, finally let out a sigh of resignation.

After all, sleeping is not something that can be forced.

So she got up from the bed and changed out of the clothes, reached out and opened the window of her room.

Anyway, I can't sleep anymore, so I might as well go out to relax, maybe a walk outside can relieve some of the stagnation in my heart.

It would be too conspicuous to go out through the gate, not to mention that Artoria didn't want to cause trouble to others in the middle of the night.

Then quietly, accompanied by the moonlight as bright as jade and the stars all over the sky, a vigorous figure jumped down from the window.

Like a light feather, it fell to the ground without a sound.

The town is quiet at night, with the breeze blowing gently, occasionally accompanied by one or two dogs barking in the distance. At this time, the quiet street is completely free from the bustle and noise of the day.

Artoria liked the current atmosphere very much, which made her steps a little lighter.

Walking aimlessly, turning one after another, passing orderly houses, and crossing golden fields.

She saw ancient windmills. The blades of the windmills seemed to spread their wings, rolling along with the evening wind, forming a strange scenery with green grass and wild flowers.

There is a small river on the outskirts of the town, like a blue ribbon, surrounded by endless golden fields.

These beautiful sights calmed her down a lot.

However, no matter how prosperous a small town is, it has boundaries, just like a circle.

Suddenly, as if by fate, a square boulder appeared again in Artoria's field of vision.

Already come here......

Arturia's brisk footsteps slowed down, and the long sword stuck in the stone brought her back to reality again.

There was a stone bench not far from the sword, and Arturia went to the chair and sat down.

Dragging her cheeks with both hands, she just fell into deep thought.

Thoughts fly wildly, let the complicated thoughts roam freely in the dark night.

She looked at the gorgeous Sword in the Stone not far away, and what she thought of was what she had seen and heard during the journey.

To be honest, she hasn't been very happy since leaving home.

Most of what I saw along the way was that the people were hungry, and the robbers burned, killed and looted.

Coupled with the rampant monsters and the inaction of the lords everywhere, people live in the fear of precarity all day long.

"-----It's just too painful."

She heard herself sigh.

This country has long been in danger, and she has already realized this fact very clearly.

Recalling the mediocre and unchanging ordinary life of my previous life.

There are also bits and pieces of this life from the past ten years to the present.

Dripping ink into the water, the existence named Shi Qing and the self who is now Artoria, which one is the real me.

"........."

Why ask such a hypocritical question?

Artoria sneered mockingly at her own thoughts.

The correct answer, of course, is whether it is the past, the present, or even the distant future, I am still me.

Shi Qing is me, and Artoria is also me.

Isn't that what it should be?

Really, it is easy to let people cranky at night.

Arturia shook her head, reached out and patted her cheek to cheer herself up.

The people who were in deep despair along the way flashed in my mind, the painful cries of Gert and Yabel flashed, and finally the look of hope in my adoptive father's eyes before he left home was frozen.

She stood up slowly, raised her head and took a deep breath.

Artoria's gaze focused on the Sword in the Stone again, but this time, her eyes were filled with firm awareness.

Responsibility, obligation, or human conscience?

It doesn't matter which one drives her forward.

Now that it has been decided, it must be carried out to the end.

She walked slowly but firmly, step by step came to the sword in the stone.

"Have you considered it yet?"

A sudden inquiry sounded from behind Artoria.

She calmly followed the voice, and what caught her eyes was a young man with white hair and wearing a robe.

A young man like the wind blowing on the prairie.