"By the way, where's Artoria?"
Kay curled her lip. "Her? She wolfed down some food early this morning and rushed off to town. Said she promised to pull the final shift today."
"Does she ever run out of energy?" Artorius muttered.
He seriously suspected his younger sister was living on some kind of permanent stimulant. During the day, she was up before the sun to check the horses. After breakfast, she'd start her knightly training, and once that was done, she'd head to town for "non-essential" patrols, claiming it was practice for her future as a knight. Upon returning, she'd train some more, and even in her sleep, she was dragged into "dreams" by that unscrupulous teacher for even more sessions.
Artorius felt exhausted just catching naps whenever he had a spare moment during the day, yet Artoria had been going at this frantic pace for years without missing a beat.
"I must be getting old," Artorius sighed. "I just can't keep up with the youth anymore."
Ector: "???"
Once breakfast was over, Artorius—who had long since finished his formal training—had the maids prepare a hot bath. Afterward, he retreated to his bedroom for a nap.
"Artoria isn't back yet. Go to the town and find her. Once you do, bring her home immediately. We have a distinguished guest arriving tomorrow."
Artorius had just woken up and was heading to the kitchen to see if a meal was being served when his foster father, Ector, intercepted him.
"A distinguished guest?"
"The King of Cameliard, Lord Leodegrance, is a dear friend of the late King. He has sent his only daughter to witness the Selection Ceremony, and she will be passing through our lands on her way."
And so, it happened.
A bleary-eyed Artorius sat atop his horse, yawning as he rode out of the castle. The wind was restless tonight; the starry sky and the bright moon were hidden behind heavy clouds, and the air held the damp scent of rain.
"It's going to pour," Artorius remarked, glancing at the sky. He nudged his horse with his thighs to pick up the pace. His mind was already formulating a plan to be firm with Artoria. He needed to give her a proper talking-to.
Letting her remain this naive wasn't an option. Right now, whenever she ran into trouble, she had him—her older brother—to clean up her messes without complaint. But what about later? When she was working or married, would a boss or a husband indulge her like this?
I'm not King Arthur, he thought. I can't protect her from everything forever...
"Aaaah!!"
Suddenly, a distant cry of terror caught his attention. Artorius looked up. At the edge of the horizon, the faint glow of fire flickered.
"Is that... the direction of the town?"
Artorius's expression shifted instantly. He kicked the horse into a full gallop, racing toward the settlement.
Before long, the town came into view. The once bustling, peaceful place was now engulfed in flames. The air was thick with the sounds of wailing, agonizing screams, and the rhythmic shouts of killers.
From a distance, Artorius saw a woman clutching an infant, fleeing toward him. Three men dressed as soldiers trailed behind her at a leisurely pace, occasionally firing an arrow. They laughed uproariously as the woman stumbled in panic, only to scramble up and keep running despite her pain, shielding her child.
"Please! I beg you, save my baby! Save my child!"
Seeing Artorius on horseback, the woman's eyes lit up with desperate hope. She collapsed before his horse, holding her infant high and pleading with him to take the child away.
Artorius spared only a brief glance at the woman and the baby before turning his gaze toward the three soldiers. They were blonde, blue-eyed, and had coarse, rugged features.
"Saxons?"
But why are Saxons here?
Although more than half of Britain had fallen since Uther Pendragon's defeat, and Saxon raids were a common occurrence, this area was deep within the heart of Wales—far from the borders. He had lived here for over a decade and had never seen a Saxon this far inland. How had they bypassed the defenses to get here?
"Hey kid, look at that fair skin. A noble from Camelot, aren't you?"
"Hand over the horse and the sword nicely, and we might let you live."
Artorius dismounted. He stepped right past the woman, who was still kneeling and sobbing into the dirt, and walked toward the three Saxon soldiers.
"Ooh, look at that long face. Is the little lord angry?"
"So delicate. Have you ever even killed a man? I bet your meat tastes tender, though."
"Don't be stupid. A pretty boy like this should be captured alive. We'll offer him to the chiefs who like male consorts. Imagine the rewards we'll get!"
Artorius ignored their filth. His hand settled on the hilt at his waist, drawing the blade just an inch.
The moment he was within three meters, the Saxons' smiles vanished. They lunged simultaneously, swinging their blades with savage force.
Artorius moved.
Clang!
A flash of silver erupted in the darkness.
The head of the closest Saxon soldier spun into the air.
Artorius parried the second soldier's blow with such overwhelming force that the man's sword flew from his grip. With a fluid, masterful twist, Artorius's blade swept across the throat of the third soldier. Then, in a reverse stroke, he sliced through the jugular of the disarmed man.
It all happened in a heartbeat.
Before the Saxons even realized their comrade was dead, one was decapitated and the other two were clutching their throats, twitching on the ground in disbelief.
Artorius expressionlessly flicked the blood from his blade and sheathed it. He turned back to the woman, who had stopped crying out of sheer shock.
"Can you ride?"
"...N-no, my lord."
"Do you know of Count Ector?"
"I do."
"Good. I am Artorius, Count Ector's foster son." He pointed to his horse. "Get on. You don't need to do anything; just hold on tight so you don't fall. The horse will take you to my father's castle. Once you arrive, tell him everything that happened here. Do you understand?"
"But... but what about you, my lord?"
"My sister is still in there."
The woman grabbed his sleeve frantically. "You can't go in, milord! My husband is a squire to Sir Pancy, the knight guarding the town. He just fled back to tell me a Saxon army is coming! The garrison and Sir Pancy are all dead..."
"If your daughter were still in there, would you go in?" Artorius interrupted.
The woman opened her mouth, but no words came out. She lowered her head, tears streaming down her face.
"If you're grateful, remember what I told you. If the reinforcements arrive a bit sooner, I might actually make it out alive."
"...I will!"
Artorius lifted her by the waist and set her on the horse. "Hold on tight. It's going to be a bumpy ride."
Once he saw she had a firm grip, Artorius slapped the horse's flank. The beast let out a sharp whinny, reared its front hooves, and—amidst the woman's scream—bolted back toward the castle.
Artorius watched until the horse disappeared into the shadows. Once he was certain she hadn't fallen, he turned back to the town. The hellish inferno was reflected in his eyes.
"Artoria... please, be safe," he whispered.
Gripping his scabbard, Artorius stepped over the twitching corpses and walked resolutely into the burning town.
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