"Did you learn it?"
Scáthach's voice suddenly brought Arthur back to reality.
It was as though he had just awakened from a trance.
Arthur blinked several times before nodding.
Then, immediately afterward, he shook his head.
"I learned it... but I'm still not very proficient."
His tone carried a natural honesty.
He truly had improved.
However, he was still far from considering himself a master of it.
After a brief hesitation, Arthur raised his eyes toward Scáthach.
"Then... can we dance again?"
Scáthach fell silent for a moment.
Then she answered calmly:
"In that case, it would no longer be a dance."
Her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the mark on her neck.
"It would simply be a private lesson."
"I see..."
Arthur looked somewhat disappointed.
Even so, he didn't insist.
In truth, he already considered this situation far better than he had imagined.
Being able to dance with Scáthach like that had already far exceeded his expectations.
Because of that, he didn't dare ask for more.
Slowly, he released her hand.
But in the very next instant, Scáthach grabbed his hand again.
Arthur looked up in surprise.
"Remember this."
Scáthach extended a finger and lightly flicked his forehead.
"Never give up on something so easily."
Her gaze became slightly more serious.
"That kind of behavior is typical of cowards."
Arthur raised a hand to his forehead.
"If you give up after hearing only a single refusal..."
Scáthach narrowed her eyes slightly.
"...then don't tell anyone you were my apprentice when you leave the Land of Shadows."
"Huh?"
Arthur looked genuinely confused.
"But isn't that strange?"
Scáthach raised an eyebrow.
"How so?"
Arthur tilted his head.
"If I ask Master for help in the future, and Master doesn't want to help..."
He paused.
"Then should I keep insisting?"
Scáthach let out a small laugh.
"Persistence is always better than giving up easily."
She gently squeezed his hand.
"Besides..."
Her eyes met his.
"Didn't you say you wanted to reach my level?"
Arthur was momentarily speechless.
"Giving up on everything so easily will only disappoint people."
Scáthach spoke calmly.
Without scolding.
Without severity.
Yet those words carried a weight that was impossible to ignore.
"Of course."
A gentle smile appeared on her lips.
"Back then, when you said you would continue following me..."
Her fingers slowly slid toward the mark on her neck.
"...your courage truly made me happy."
Arthur felt her cool fingers glide across his skin.
"But..."
Scáthach's voice became lower.
"Don't trust others so easily."
Her finger remained over the mark.
"Even when those people are extremely kind to you."
"I'm sorry."
Arthur replied instinctively.
Scáthach stared at him for several seconds.
Then she smiled.
"Do you regret it?"
Her face looked even more beautiful beneath the golden lights of the ballroom.
Her calm smile possessed an almost hypnotic charm.
"Where exactly did you go wrong?"
she asked, amused.
The classic impossible question every master asks their disciple.
Arthur opened his mouth.
Closed it again.
And remained silent.
Scáthach let out a resigned sigh.
"You still lack confidence."
She shook her head.
"You are now the King of Britain."
Her crimson eyes stared directly into his.
"Show the same spirit you displayed when you pulled that sword from the stone."
Arthur stood motionless.
"Although I wasn't present at that moment..."
Scáthach continued,
"...I was able to picture the scene perfectly through the accounts of those knights."
A small smile appeared.
"They acknowledged you."
She slightly raised her chin.
"So why do you continue hesitating now?"
Around them, the music began once more.
The couples returned to dancing throughout the ballroom.
Arthur remembered the words Scáthach had spoken earlier.
He felt again the touch of that cool, delicate hand.
Then he held it more firmly.
His eyes met hers.
"I want to dance with you one more time."
Scáthach remained silent.
Simply watching him.
Arthur's hair was impeccably styled.
The golden crown rested upon his head.
His face still retained a certain youthful appearance.
But his eyes now displayed a completely different determination than before.
After several seconds, Scáthach smiled.
A genuine smile.
"That look is much better."
She gave a slight nod.
"Far more decisive than before."
Then she squeezed his hand.
"In that case..."
Her smile softened slightly.
"...let us dance again."
---
Inside the magnificent golden ballroom, countless young nobles continued displaying their elegance.
The golden lights reflected from luxurious dresses and refined formal attire.
Some young ladies had already noticed the King's presence.
However, none of them dared approach.
The reason was simple.
The woman beside him was Scáthach.
Her presence was overwhelming.
Her aura was far too powerful.
Compared to her, even the most beautiful and charming young women seemed inferior.
"You don't seem jealous."
Morgan held a girl's hand while dancing.
An amused smile rested on her lips.
Although the girl's appearance had been altered by the ball's magic, Morgan recognized her immediately.
It was Nessa.
"Jealous of what?" Nessa asked calmly.
Morgan smiled.
"Stop pretending."
Her gaze drifted toward Arthur.
"You've been looking at him for quite a while."
Then she added:
"And you've already acknowledged that woman as your mother."
"So what?"
Nessa raised an eyebrow.
"What does that have to do with you?"
"Hmm..."
Morgan pretended to think.
"Perhaps nothing."
Her smile became even more provocative.
"After all, it's only your mother dancing with her own disciple."
She looked toward Arthur again.
"But did you see the way he was looking at her?"
Morgan let out a small laugh.
"It was incredibly gentle."
Then she looked back at Nessa.
"You really don't feel anything?"
For several seconds, Nessa remained silent.
Then she smiled.
"Morgan, I realized a long time ago that Arthur loves Mother."
Morgan fell silent.
"He's someone who desperately wants to receive love."
Nessa's voice remained calm.
"That's why he remembers every small kindness he receives."
Her eyes softened slightly.
"I've always been by his side."
She smiled.
"So I quickly realized that the way he looked at Mother was different."
Morgan didn't respond.
"But I never minded."
Nessa shook her head.
"In fact..."
Her smile became even more beautiful.
"...I like it."
Morgan frowned slightly.
"Because that way we can stay together forever."
Nessa raised her eyes.
"Mother is determined to die fighting a powerful enemy."
Her voice remained surprisingly calm.
"But if Arthur can make her change her mind..."
She smiled.
"...then I'll be happy to help him."
Morgan's smile faded slightly.
For the first time, she realized that perhaps she didn't understand this girl as well as she thought she did.
Nessa looked innocent.
She looked adorable.
But her thoughts ran much deeper than they appeared.
"So..."
Nessa looked back at Morgan.
"...it doesn't matter what you do."
She smiled.
"In the end, Arthur will return to the Land of Shadows."
"To stay with Mother and me."
Morgan raised an eyebrow.
"Was that a provocation?"
"Perhaps."
"But you've misunderstood something," Morgan replied immediately. "I don't like Arthur."
"No. You do like Arthur," Nessa said.
Morgan fell silent.
And her dance steps stopped.
"Morgan."
Nessa tilted her head.
"You don't actually think I'm an idiot, do you?"
Morgan remained motionless.
"You really believe I'm going to accept that story about you liking girls?"
Morgan released a long sigh.
Finally giving up on pretending.
Why are all the women around him so intelligent?
Well...
Except Lily.
Morgan had thought her only problem would be Scáthach.
But apparently even that woman's daughter was a troublesome opponent.
Morgan shifted her gaze toward where Arthur and Scáthach had been.
Then her eyes narrowed.
"They've already left."
Nessa looked in that direction as well.
"They really disappeared."
Morgan smiled.
"I wonder when they left."
Her smile became highly suggestive.
"Perhaps they were having a deep conversation."
She leaned closer.
"Perhaps they were opening up emotionally."
Then she breathed warm air near Nessa's ear.
"Perhaps Arthur was holding Master's waist..."
She smiled.
"...whispering sweet words while standing very close to her..."
Nessa looked at Morgan.
"Morgan."
"Hm?"
"You're imagining too much."
Morgan blinked.
"That's completely impossible."
"You trust him that much?" Morgan raised an eyebrow.
"Although I hate to admit it..."
She crossed her arms.
"...that woman is extremely attractive. Especially to young men."
"Of course, I'm not saying I'm any less attractive." Morgan raised her chin.
"The problem is that she was the first important person in his life."
Truthfully...
The idea of stealing Arthur away from Scáthach and hearing that woman say something like, "I met him first," sounded absurdly entertaining.
Nessa shook her head.
An amused smile appeared on her face.
"What I mean is..."
She took a deep breath.
"...Arthur probably couldn't even reach Mother's earlobe."
Morgan froze.
"..."
Nessa continued.
"After all, she's wearing high heels."
Morgan was left completely speechless.
As romantic as the imagined scene sounded...
Physically speaking...
It might genuinely be difficult.
"They probably only left because the ballroom is too noisy."
Nessa spoke again.
"And Arthur hasn't seen my mother in a very long time."
She smiled.
"So they must have a lot to talk about. After all..."
Her smile became gentle.
"...he always liked confiding in her."
When she finished speaking, she looked at Morgan again.
Waiting for some kind of reaction.
But Morgan didn't answer.
For the first time, her expression had become serious.
"Why did you suddenly get so quiet?" Nessa asked.
It was strange.
A woman who was normally so provocative rarely wore such an expression.
"They've started."
Morgan replied.
A cold gleam appeared in her eyes.
"It seems there are some rather skilled assassins among the Saxons."
Her smile became dangerous.
"Now I'm even more curious to find out how long they'll last during interrogation."
Nessa became thoughtful.
"So there really are assassins after Arthur..."
she murmured.
"Because he is the King."
Morgan nodded.
"And because his existence affects a great many people's interests."
Then she glanced at Nessa.
"You're not worried?"
Morgan looked genuinely surprised.
"There may be enemies searching for him right now."
"Of course I'm worried."
Nessa answered immediately.
Then she paused.
"But I'm even more worried about something else."
Morgan raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Nessa smiled.
"That Mother will make such a huge scene that she ends up ruining the ball."
She sighed.
"I still haven't danced with Arthur."
Morgan fell silent.
"Besides..."
Nessa raised a finger.
"...Mother is a complete battle maniac."
Her smile became mischievous.
"And Arthur is her disciple."
She looked directly at Morgan.
"Attacking her disciple right in front of her..."
Nessa lifted her head.
"Morgan."
Morgan answered automatically:
"Hm?"
"If you really want to capture those assassins alive..."
Nessa's innocent smile became dangerously amused.
"...I suggest you go outside immediately and stand guard."
(End of Chapter)