Chapter 1109
Don Quixote de la Mancha
After that brief daze, Eivass saw a clear memory.
However, unlike the blurry, dream-like first-person perspective memory from before, this one was in the third person. It was like a movie, complete with storyboarding and camera work.
It was in a village square.
A younger “Arthur,” whom Eivass was quite familiar with, and several Knights of the Round Table were speaking on a stone platform.
At this time, however, people were not paying attention to Arthur’s speech.
Because an extremely beautiful fairy suddenly appeared in the crowd.
She was clad only in a semi-transparent black veil. Under the midday sun, it barely concealed anything.
She had enchanting long black hair and eyes as green as peridot. A single glance could captivate the mind; her fair skin was as delectable as cream.
Her mere appearance drew the crowd’s attention. Even the Knights of the Round Table stared, mesmerized.
“Is she here to join us too, Merlin?” Gawain asked Merlin.
The reason for his question was simple: the woman was holding a magnificent and exaggerated holy sword. The scabbard was attached to her waist, and the hilt was at the center of her chest, almost completely hidden by her soft form. Yet, the sword seemed to accentuate her curves, giving them a dynamic feel. It was this sight that held everyone’s gaze.
The holy sword was so brilliant and radiant that even Arthur’s eyes widened.
However, Arthur was not looking at the woman, but at the sword.
“…No,” Merlin’s expression grew grim. “She should be a Lake Fairy. I think she’s here to cause trouble.”
“My brave knights.”
The woman’s voice was soft and heart-trembling. ” I am not a knight, nor do I wish to join you.”
“As the mage said, I am here to give you a challenge.”
“This sword in my chest… it has troubled me for a long time. It is bound tightly to me… With it here, I cannot even wear clothes.”
She said, lightly tapping the sword’s body. This caused the hilt to tremble, and its white light blinded the onlookers.
“Only the purest and most upright person can draw this sword and grant me release. Morgan told me that you are all righteous men of the Empire… If even you cannot save me, I fear no one else can.”
She looked at Arthur, her expression seeming to smile yet not smile. “Arthur, the great lover of Morgan… Will you try?”
“…I will.”
Arthur was silent for a moment, then stepped forward.
He reached out his hand, and at the Lake Fairy’s guidance, he probed into her chest. But as soon as he grasped the sword, he felt a strong desire amplified.
—The great Arthur, in full view of everyone, had an erection!
His hand froze, unable to draw the sword no matter how hard he tried. His solemn and upright face turned even redder, his breathing becoming heavy.
It was only then that the knights realized… this was not a benevolent plea for help, but a malicious humiliation.
“I will!”
Gawain charged forward without a second thought.
Gawain, considered the perfect knight, was humble and polite, restrained and just, the embodiment of all virtues. Yet, even he could not draw the sword. His outstretched hand repeatedly brushed against the Lake Fairy’s chest, causing her to let out a low moan that everyone could hear.
Naturally, he also failed.
Under the subtle gazes of the crowd, Bedivere, Kai, Merlin… one by one, they all failed.
No one could draw the sword, which meant… they were not the “purest and most upright people.”
“—What are you looking at! No looking!”
Just then, an incredibly angry roar erupted. “What business is it of yours how we are?! Just because we can’t draw the sword, does that mean you can?!
“Damn it, it’s just a sword! I’ll see how hard it is to pull!”
Before anyone could react, a strong, fierce-looking knight directly charged forward.
Balan was not interested in women, so he had not paid attention to this farce from the beginning. In fact, he wasn’t even paying attention to Arthur’s speech to recruit followers, but was squatting in a corner eating. However, seeing his comrades fail one after another, Balan could no longer hold back.
He charged forward and grasped the sword.
His movements were so rough that the Lake Fairy let out the loudest moan.
However, Balan remained unfazed.
Or rather—when he grasped the sword, the hundredfold amplified desire in his heart was not lust.
He wanted to kill this woman who had disgraced him and his brothers’ reputations.
He wanted to surpass Arthur’s status.
He wanted to obtain greater power.
He wanted people to worship him, to kneel before him.
He wanted to kill everyone he wanted to kill!
Right now, immediately—
The whispers in his heart made him instantly lose his sanity.
Balan finally couldn’t help himself.
Not only did he draw the sword, but as he drew it, he casually severed the Lake Fairy’s head!
The pleasure of wanton slaughter brought him immense satisfaction—a blissful, almost heavenly feeling that could not be obtained by eating any amount of gourmet food!
As Knight Balan gripped the sword Maldrima, his pupils flashed with a scarlet cold light.
At that moment, Merlin suddenly froze.
He felt the will of the stars, and a prophecy blurted out:
“—Whoever draws this sword shall bring death to the world’s most valiant knight. The Empire will face crisis, fragmentation, and become desolate.”
He paused and uttered a more precise prophecy: “This sword shall do both good and evil. Its power will never wane until the cycle of the world ends.”
Following this, Merlin’s vacant gaze turned to Balan, delivering a god-like judgment: “You shall kill the one you love most in the world. Your blood and his blood shall mingle according to the will of the stars.”
Then, Merlin suddenly returned to normal.
Arthur frowned deeply, as if worried about something.
He earnestly asked Merlin, “Is there any way to break this curse?”
“…I’m afraid not.”
Merlin shook his head with some distress. “The power of fate is stronger than individual will.”
“This is a future that has already been decided… a destined fate from which no one can escape.”
In the next instant, the illusion became clearer.
Balan had disappeared at some point, and the one holding the holy sword had become Galahad.
But next to Galahad, there was another person.
He was a wild-looking man, about eighty percent similar in appearance to Balan, only with different hair and eye color.
He had long black hair and emerald green pupils, just like the Lake Fairy from before.
This was a knight invisible to the other Knights of the Round Table. A knight who existed only in imagination.
“Fate’s arrangement is better than we hoped!”
The knight laughed heartily, pointing his sword forward. “Look, Sir Galahad! There are more than thirty giants over there! Come, let’s defeat them!”
“Those are windmills, Sir Balan,” Galahad said calmly.
“Call me Don Quixote, Sir Galahad! I am the guardian of La Mancha, a title conferred by Her Majesty!”
The knight laughed, “Come quickly and defeat those giants! These cowardly giants must have prayed to the Supreme Heaven for divine art and cast an illusion, making us see windmills as giants. You joined the Round Table too late and don’t understand the valor of my battles back then!
“Charge with me! When it comes to fighting, one must not miss even the slightest opportunity!”
“You have already mistaken many things for giants, Lord Don Quixote,” Galahad retorted. “Just like Hercules the First. Before, you mistook Gawain for a giant in armor.”
At that moment, Don Quixote’s pupils contracted sharply for an instant.
It was as if some lost memory was about to be recalled at that very moment…
But he quickly gave up.
“What are you saying! You don’t understand such things. I am an expert at fighting giants! If you’re scared, step aside! I can defeat them by myself!”
Don Quixote laughed heartily, charging forward with high spirits.
But naturally, he did not exist. Just as the giants did not exist.
In the illusion visible only to Galahad, Don Quixote crashed into a windmill and passed right through it.
However, from Don Quixote’s perspective, he seemed to have driven the thirty giants into a hallucination—
“Look, Sir Galahad! I have pierced a great hole through the sinful and strong bodies of the giants! I have pierced thirty giants with a single blow!”
“You are truly admirable,” Galahad replied calmly. And it seemed that just this was enough to satisfy Don Quixote.
Suddenly, Don Quixote turned his gaze and met Eivass’s eyes.
“Look, Sir Galahad! The future Her Majesty is watching us!”
He laughed, “He is watching our heroic deeds!”
“Greetings to Her Majesty.”
Galahad’s expression remained unchanged. He nodded, as if offering a salute.
Don Quixote was somewhat displeased. “Such impoliteness, Sir Galahad! Do you know what a great person that is? He is the Child of the Father of Snakes and the Candlemaster, the future Savior! He has crossed space-time to see us—especially my heroic battle!”
He looked at Eivass eagerly and performed an exaggerated knightly bow. “Great Majesty, please wait for me! After a long time, the guardian of La Mancha shall finally arrive by your side!
“—Please allow me to protect you, just as I protect my victories and glory!”
As his words faded, the illusion before them suddenly collapsed and shattered!
