When they stood on the other side of the barrier Lily saw a large white castle surrounded by nature. Further behind, she saw fields and small villages all around and she felt that she had traveled back in time and entered a medieval world. They were led to the castle gate where there were many guards on each side with shields, swords and spears and they were wearing silver armor and helmets. It looked like there was a lot of security and the guards looked very alert and occasionally looked around.
"Why is there so much security?" Lily asked curiously as they walked inside.
The man sighed and replied, "King Arthur can explain that to you as it’s complicated."
Lily nodded and they went through corridors and halls and up to a 3rd floor and where was a big, nice hall where they saw a middle-aged man with dark hair sitting at the front of a long table. He was wearing a gold crown and he looked tired and worried. It looked like he wasn't sleeping well because he had black bags under his eyes which Lily noticed right away. He was wearing a white tunic that had a gold cross on the front.
“My king. This person has brought Excalibur to you.” The man explained, pointing at Lily.
Lily and the others walked up to the man who was King Arthur and bowed to him.
"Greetings King Arthur. I bring a weapon from Nicolas Flamel.” Lily said, taking out Excalibur and holding it in front of her with two hands without looking up.
Arthur looked at the sword and to Lily's surprise he didn't take it, which left her confused.
“My king?” she asked, looking up at him cautiously.
“You'd better keep it until I need it.” Arthur said, looking at her.
Lily couldn't possibly keep it because then she was afraid of Nicolas Flamel or the system would punish her for not completing her quest. She stood up with a serious face and placed the sword in his right hand but to her horror she saw his skin begin to sizzle as it touched the sword. She hurriedly yanked it away, looking confused at the sword and back at Arthur.
"Doesn't it belong to you?" she asked confused unless Nicolas Flamel had tampered with it, and she thought of the defective Philosopher's Stone.
"It's been in the system so I can't touch it anymore." Arthur explained, sighing.
Lily grew concerned, now knowing what he meant by his words a moment ago.
So, it was because he knew he couldn't physically touch Excalibur.
She thought of the red stone she had received from Light and took out a note and wrote: I got this and have more.
And took out the stone and showed him the note.
When Arthur read it and saw the stone, he immediately took it and looked relieved.
He stood up and looked at the man who had brought them here and said, "Gather the men or those who have time," and looked at Lily, "come with me." and started walking.
They were led to a large round wooden table that Lily recognized immediately as each had wooden chairs placed around it. She said there were more than 50 and knew it was The Round Table that she had heard about as a bedtime story.
Arthur sat down on a chair and pointed to the chair and said, "Take a seat."
Lily knew that only the chosen knights could sit at the table and became all nervous and suddenly unsure if he was testing her.
“My king. We are not worthy.” she said humbly.
Ace and the others also looked nervous as they looked at the chairs and didn't know what to say and chose to let Lily speak.
Arthur sighed and explained, "Take a seat so we can get started."
Lily looked at the others and nodded and they immediately sat down very carefully. She saw that Ezekiel looked speechless and excited and it looked like he wanted to kiss the chair. Shortly after some men appeared, all wearing white tunics just like Arthur. The man who stood in front looked young and very handsome and had long fair hair and blue eyes. His skin was pale, and Lily noticed him immediately because she had an idea of who he was.
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“Lancelot. Glad you could come.” Arthur said looking at the men sitting around the table.
Lancelot, who sat across from Lily looked at her with curious eyes.
Lily's cheeks blushed and she quickly looked away. He was really charming, and he didn't even have to smile. You only had to look at him and you could feel that he was overflowing with lots of charm.
Arthur placed the red stone on the table and suddenly it vibrated and there was a loud vroom and a large red round barrier formed around it. He smiled and looked at Lily and explained that the stone could temporarily block the system that everyone had inside so that it could not listen in on their conversation.
Ace and the others didn't know what was going on and Lily briefly explained to them about the system and that there was a god who used it to enslave everyone. They were all shocked when they heard her and looked at each other nervously. Lily told them that if they wrote notes to each other and read it in their heads the system couldn't spy which was weird.
"I felt like I was half robot, so now it all makes sense." Ezekiel said, still shocked but not surprised.
Lily took out a bunch of space rings and gave them to all of them including Arthur and his men and explained their function.
"So, the system can't take everything we put in it?" Ace asked to make sure he got it right.
"Yes. That means it also cannot destroy those things if it sees it as a threat.” Lily replied.
She looked at Arthur and introduced them all, explaining why she was wearing Excalibur.
"I was hoping Nicolas could fix the sword, but the system has infected it." Arthur said, shaking his head.
Not knowing why, she could touch it without getting hurt, Lily was reminded of Poseidon's trident and took it out and placed it on the table. They all looked at it and especially Ezekiel stared at it.
"I knew it couldn't be true." he chuckled, now understanding it all.
Feeling guilty, Lily explained that it was the real thing in front of them and she apologized for sending him a copy.
“Even if it was a copy, it still works for my purpose.” said Ezekiel who was not disappointed to discover the truth.
"I was told that only Poseidon can touch it but strangely I can." Lily explained, looking at Arthur.
He nodded and looked at his men who also nodded as a sign that they understood what was going on. Lily had no explanation or answer for that but only knew that she played an important role.
Was this the role she had wondered about at first?
"I have plans to overthrow the gods but haven't started the plan yet." she told with a serious face.
Arthur nodded and told how they had ended up in this mixed world with the system.
One day their world was invaded by black beasts that killed everything and everyone in their path and they were like a killing machine where nothing could stop them. When their world was almost destroyed, a mysterious man appeared who introduced himself as someone who could help them if they signed a contract. Then they entered a portal and the rest of their world entered with them. They ended up in a world mixed with other beings that they had to live with, and they didn't speak the same language, so it was difficult to adapt at first. Those beings had also signed a contract of the same man. Later, they met a nice deity who gave them an illusion stone that allowed them to live in peace from the outside world.
Lily was reminded of her master who was a sage and definitely an illusion master and wondered if it was him, they had met. She knew that on a contract you should always read the fine print because her father had taught her that and it was something she had never forgotten.
"Always read the fine print on a contract." she said, trying to teach Arthur and his men.
"I have learned from it." Arthur said, fully agreeing.
Lily knew that the man had used their suffering to his advantage and therefore had offered a contract on the spot and ironically, he also showed up just before they were completely wiped out.
Was it what she thought it was?
When Arthur saw what she was thinking he hurried to say, "He had told Baba Yaga that it wasn't him who had unleashed the beasts and she trusted his word because he had no reason to lie about it."
So that meant that there was someone else who also had a hand in the game that the man had just taken advantage of. He was cunning enough, but she knew that gods were always cunning and sneaky, so it didn't surprise her. If she were to defeat him in the future she would also have to be as cunning and sneaky as him because otherwise she would lose.
“I wish there was a guide on how to defeat a cunning strong god.” she said not joking but meant her words seriously.
“Unfortunately, I cannot take Excalibur back yet so you must protect it. Is there anything else I can do for you now that you have come in vain?” Arthur asked.
Lily felt bad that he offered to help her when she was the one who came to deliver the sword to him but had failed.
Wasn't the order wrong?
She had that quest with Triton and asked, “Do you know the Void Prison?”
Arthur shrugged and replied, "I don't know the location, but Merlin can help you break out of it."
It annoyed Lily when she heard that because if there wasn't an entrance why the hell would she use Merlin to break out of it?
But she had always wanted to meet Merlin himself and he was a strong mage in the eyes of many who naturally had powers compared to a sorcerer.
"Where do I find him?" she asked curiously.
“He’s staying in Avalon at the moment.” Arthur replied, taking out a map and handing it to her.
They chatted for a short time and suddenly they heard a cracking sound and saw that the red stone had developed cracks and was about to break. When it broke completely apart, they saw the barrier disappear in the same second.
They left the room and Lancelot showed them around the Camelot that Lily had always wanted to see. There were a lot of people in attendance, and it looked lively, and she said, "It seems like people have adjusted."
"It differs from person to person." said Lancelot.