"What's wrong, my disciple? Haven't you coveted this body for a long time? Now that I'm giving you this opportunity, don't you feel even a little tempted?"
As soon as Scáthach finished speaking, she deliberately licked her lips. The contrast between her usual coldness and her current seductive appearance created a powerful sense of allure, making Arthur's heart pound.
However, Arthur knew very well that the woman standing before him was not his master.
"Morgan, stop messing around. You and my Master have completely different auras. I can tell the difference at a glance."
"Oh, is it really that obvious?" Morgan shrugged indifferently, returning to her original state. Her hair fluttered in the wind, and her cheeks were faintly flushed by the sunset, making her look incredibly charming.
"But now you know just how powerful I am, don't you? If you have me, you can have anyone you want. With my illusions, I can become whoever you desire. Even forbidden relationships between master and disciple can be realized—"
"No matter how much you change, deep down you're still not truly yourself, are you?" Arthur retorted helplessly.
"But at least it would satisfy your vanity." Morgan paused briefly. "Ah, of course, even after conquering me, you'd still have to wait until you're an adult to enjoy those pleasures."
"What are you even talking about?!" Arthur sighed in exasperation. "How did you create the illusion?"
"You're really impatient…" Morgan teased, then, perhaps noticing Arthur growing increasingly irritated, gently patted his head.
"Alright, alright. I'll teach you now."
---xXx---
Morgan briefly explained the method behind "illusion," then casually added, "Don't be fooled by how easily I seem to use it right now. In truth, it's quite a difficult type of magic. It requires extreme concentration and precise control over magical power."
Arthur remained silent, recalling the method Morgan had explained earlier, and tried to follow it exactly as instructed.
Morgan then added, "Also, with your current magical power, you'll probably only be able to use illusions three or four times when fully focused, and you won't be able to transform into other people. As for the duration, that depends on your magical power."
"Magical power, huh…" Arthur muttered to himself.
His problems with physical abilities were basically resolved, but the issues caused by magic were about to begin all over again.
Both Scáthach and Morgan had stated that Arthur possessed vast magical power sealed within him, and all he needed to do was gradually develop it for his own use. However, judging by his current progress, it seemed unlikely he would fully develop it before dying of old age.
"Are you worried about magic?" Morgan seemed to read Arthur's thoughts.
"Don't worry too much about it. Just focus on learning the magic I teach you. As for your magical power… I'll find a way to help you once you become an adult."
In the end, her enchanting smile carried a hint of seduction.
"Once I become an adult?" Arthur looked up. "What does that have to do with me growing up?"
"It's something very serious… children shouldn't know too much about it," Morgan said softly.
"I'm fifteen," he retorted, clearly dissatisfied.
"Fifteen is still a long way off." Morgan stared at Arthur for a moment, then turned toward the forest and asked casually, "If I hid something from you after teaching you so many skills, would you stop talking to me if you found out later?"
"What are you hiding from me?" Arthur repeated.
"Yes, it's something I've been hiding from you."
She was referring to the chaos Britannia had fallen into three months earlier due to the collection of the White Dragon's blood. In truth, Morgan had considered whether or not she should tell Arthur the truth.
But she couldn't let it go so easily… She had turned him into a White Dragon without consulting him. Although that despicable dragon was powerful, it was a great enemy of Britain and would be viewed with hostility.
Who knew what would happen if Lily were to discover Arthur's true identity in the future?
"Morgan, did you do something that could harm me?" Arthur suddenly asked.
"It's not exactly harmful… at least for now, it seems more beneficial than detrimental to you. It's just that I haven't told you the truth yet, and you might get angry or something when you find out later—"
"Since it didn't harm me, I won't get angry." Arthur immediately changed the subject. "By the way, Morgan, haven't you noticed anything special about me?"
"What's special?" Morgan paused, then turned around.
Another Arthur was standing behind her.
"An illusion?" she asked, slightly surprised.
In just two hours, he had already learned how to use "illusion"?
"I really need to look at you in a new light." Morgan looked at Arthur again, her eyes filled with even greater admiration.
According to the original plan, it should have taken at least three days to gain a basic understanding of illusions, and even longer to become fully proficient. She hadn't expected Arthur to learn so quickly.
"Very well, let's begin the second training exercise: use up all of your magic before you return!" Morgan said. "Not by releasing magic randomly, but by controlling it so that it flows slowly."
"Use all my magical power…?" Arthur was surprised.
"That's right. I was away for a while, so you didn't slack off, did you?" Morgan asked, giving Arthur a deep look.
"I relaxed just a little… just a tiny bit," Arthur said guiltily, averting his gaze.
Morgan stared at him. "Very well! I've decided. If you don't use all your magic this time, I'll help you personally."
"As for how I'll help… just imagine it yourself."
"I don't need help with that." Sensing the danger in Morgan's gaze, Arthur replied immediately.
"Hm, you're a good boy." Morgan took two steps back, satisfied. "Let's begin."
Morgan's gaze softened considerably as she watched Arthur begin his serious training.
She realized that Arthur had deliberately changed the subject, and his intentions were quite obvious.
He didn't want her to keep dwelling on the idea that "she hadn't told him the truth."
That boy had always been very considerate of others' feelings.
Thinking of this, Morgan narrowed her eyes.
That was precisely why she wanted Arthur to fall in love with her.
---xXx---
"Mother, what's wrong with you today?" Nessa asked curiously as she followed Scáthach back to the palace alone.
For some reason, she had a strange feeling that her mother's condition wasn't very good today.
"Did Arthur make you angry?" Nessa tried to ask.
That didn't make sense. With his timid nature, how would he dare irritate Scáthach? Besides, Scáthach wasn't the type to lose her temper easily.
"It has nothing to do with my apprentice. His training today was excellent, it's just that…"
"Just that?" Nessa tilted her head, her beautiful violet eyes filled with confusion.
"You have a very low sense of crisis, Nessa." Scáthach cast a deep look at her.
If it weren't for her, if her daughter's fiancé were deceived by that goddess someday, her daughter would probably remain completely oblivious.
"A sense of crisis? What crisis do I have?" Nessa seemed to have countless question marks appearing above her head, utterly clueless about what Scáthach meant.
"It doesn't matter, it's nothing." Scáthach shook her head.
That goddess was behaving like a child. Did she really think she could irritate her with the same method she had used before?
She merely spoke ill of her and tried to make her apprentice do the same.
She wasn't so bored as to be angered by something so trivial.
"Mother, where are you going?" Nessa asked in confusion when she saw Scáthach stand up and leave the palace hall.
"I'm going to see how the other disciples are training at the training grounds. It's been a long time since I last fought them. Let's treat it as a small test."
"Huh? Now?!" Nessa was stunned for a moment, her expression immediately growing much more tense as she hurried after her.
It sounded wonderful—after all, training with someone so powerful would greatly improve one's practical experience.
But it only sounded good…
Scáthach always took battles seriously. Most of the disciples in the Land of Shadows were formidable fighters. They came here to learn martial arts, but preferred training alone rather than sparring with Scáthach, because doing so would leave them suffering terribly the next day.
Not everyone possessed Arthur's resilience, capable of enduring both mental and physical blows and training with Scáthach every single day.
"I'll try to persuade Mother later…" Nessa thought as she followed Scáthach.
That said, why did Scáthach suddenly want to train with those disciples?
(End of chapter)