The term "White Moonlight" typically refers to something or someone that was never possessed, thus appearing all the more beautiful in memory.
Previously, Alvin had unlocked a special achievement titled "White Moonlight" through a series of actions… and after transmigrating, he naturally inherited this trait on his panel.
This didn't surprise him.
But… what did "Reversal White Moonlight" mean?
From the moment this trait began radiating that deep black glow, Alvin had felt a vague sense of unease creeping in.
Still, he shook his head and dismissed those needless worries.
Thinking it over, there was nothing to be afraid of.
After all, he was the White Dragon of Britain Even if he encountered danger, escaping from it would be a breeze.
With his mind full of such scattered thoughts, Alvin descended the Radiant Tower's staircase with the two girls by his side.
As they neared the exit, Manaka suddenly paused and looked up at him with a cheerful smile.
"Looks like there are quite a few palace knights gathering outside. I'll refrain from getting involved in that."
"If there's a chance later on… would you have tea with me?"
Alvin was slightly taken aback by her request, but, then quickly smiled and nodded.
"If you'd like, you can come find me anytime."
The girl gently pressed her soft pink lips together, smiling faintly.
"Hehehe… who knows, maybe you'll be the one coming to find me."
Before Alvin could grasp the meaning behind her words, she had already stepped through the doors of Radiant Tower.
Only after watching Manaka's figure disappear from sight did Alvin finally let out a slow breath.
And he wasn't the only one relieved, far away in Avalon, Merlin also let out a sigh of relief.
From the very beginning, Merlin had been monitoring everything happening around Radiant Tower, and it wasn't until he sensed that Manaka Sajyou's presence had disappeared that he finally felt at ease.
"That was close... for a second there, I thought the King was about to get cucked..again."
Merlin had initially been looking forward to what sparks might fly between Manaka Sajyou and Alvin after their meeting... But judging from what just happened, sparks did fly—just not the kind he expected.
It felt more like the sparks of romance.
If Artoria ever found out what happened today, Merlin's good reputation as a wise court mage would probably go up in flames on the spot.
At that thought, Merlin couldn't help but feel secretly relieved.
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Outside the Radiant Tower.
"Why aren't they out yet?"
Galahad stood beside his father, his gaze locked intently on the towering symbol of the Holy Lance, the Radiant Tower.
The two had been waiting there for nearly an hour.
If it weren't for the restriction that prevented outsiders from entering the tower, Galahad would've barged in already to check for himself.
Lancelot didn't say a word, but his sharp eyes were also fixed firmly on the tower's exit.
He'd been shocked with joy earlier when he heard Alvin was still alive, but after calming down, his feelings had turned to confusion… and anger.
Right now, he could hardly wait to confront Alvin and demand answers.
Buzz!
Just then, under the father and son's anxious gazes, the exit of the Radiant Tower lit up and the figure of a boy slowly came into view.
Trailing behind him was a gray-haired girl, carrying a birdcage in her hands.
Although she had obtained the Holy Lance, just as Add had said earlier, Gray was still too weak to maintain its true form. Therefore, she usually kept it sealed in the form of a "birdcage" when not in use.
That way, it wouldn't attract too much attention, and it also saved magical energy.
Just as the two of them stepped out of the tower, a knight strode toward them with an imposing presence.
He was tall and upright, with chiseled facial features and a sharp longsword in hand.
His iconic purple hair glistened under the sunlight with a soft golden sheen.
Sensing the intense pressure of the man approaching, Gray's heart tensed instinctively.
Alvin stepped forward, placing himself between Gray and the approaching man as he looked up to meet the other's piercing gaze.
...It was Lancelot.
"Gray, go get some rest. He's probably just here to ask about what happened in the Radiant Tower today," Alvin said calmly.
Gray glanced at Alvin with concern in her eyes. "But..."
Alvin leaned toward her and whispered softly,
"Don't worry. Cooperation is the trend now. They won't touch an invited guest of King Arthur at a time like this."
Then, turning his gaze toward Galahad, he added, "Would you mind escorting her back so she can rest?"
Galahad instinctively looked to Lancelot, and only after seeing the latter give a slight nod did he place a hand over his chest and perform a standard knight's salute.
"Please come with me."
Seeing this, Gray still wore a trace of worry in her eyes. But when she looked once more toward Alvin, she saw the boy already turning and walking toward the nearby forest.
Lancelot followed right behind.
"Don't worry. He'll be fine," Galahad said with a reassuring smile, seemingly having read her concern.
"With so many people present today, my father wouldn't attack him in public... not to mention, that would go against the knight's code."
For the knights of Britannia, especially the majority of the Knights of the Round Table, chivalry was like a second life.
Unless in extraordinary circumstances, most of them would uphold that code of justice.
Hearing this, Gray finally relaxed a little.
But as she watched Alvin's figure disappear into the distance, a complex light flickered in her eyes.
After all, she and Alvin had always been students at the Clock Tower, but ever since the last time he returned from his journey through the britain, she felt that he seemed to have suddenly become a little mysterious...
What exactly happened to him?
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The ancient European-style buildings gradually became obscured by trees, with only fragments of sunlight piercing through the canopy.
A heavy silence hung between the two men.
"I thought you'd ask me how I'm still alive," Alvin spoke first.
"I never believed you would die... not even when you took the King's Excalibur head-on."
Lancelot's eyes were icy cold as they locked onto Alvin, and his voice was just as frigid:
"But I can't understand why you stood by and did nothing this time."
By "them," he naturally meant Morgan le Fay and Artoria.
"Morgan broke into the royal palace openly. Others may have faltered, but you once swore to protect the King for eternity. Why, then, did you...?"
Faced with Lancelot's accusation, Alvin replied calmly,
"If the two married women you loved started fighting each other in the street one day, would you pick one to help?"
"Alvin, don't slander me!" Lancelot shouted furiously. "The women I pursued were all single! Married women have nothing to do with me!"
"Relax, I'm just giving a hypothetical."
Alvin explained patiently:
"Now tell me, in that situation, would you pick one to side with, or would you look for a better way to break the stalemate?"
The unspoken message was clear:
"It's easy for you to judge—if you think you can do better, be my guest."
Think about it. One is Morgan le Fay, wielder of the authority of "Isle Sovereign," The other is Artoria, the King holding Excalibur.
And both are people closely connected to Alvin.
No matter which side he chose, it would inevitably disappoint the other and possibly even turn them against him forever.
From Alvin's position at the time, it truly was a lose-lose situation.
Lancelot fell silent for a moment.
When he had first learned that Alvin was still alive, he'd been brimming with unresolved resentment, ready to confront him and demand answers.
But now, after hearing all this, he suddenly couldn't find a counterargument.
Most of the Round Table knights knew, at least vaguely, about the complicated relationships between Morgan, Alvin, and Artoria.
Lancelot asked himself honestly, if he were in Alvin's place... he might not have been able to choose either.
More importantly, Morgan held the powerful "Isle Socereign" Authority.
If a catastrophic battle really had broken out within Britain, the consequences would've been devastating.
Breaking the silence, Lancelot said,
"Still… we can't let things go on like this."
"Don't worry," Alvin smiled, "I'll handle it."
"After the banquet, I'll convince Morgan."
To the outside world, Morgan le Fay was known as a ruthless and dangerous woman. But if one could truly reach her inner heart, they would find she also possessed a softer side.
And as for her deep-seated resentment toward Artoria, well, that came from love turned to hatred.
In other words, as long as that hatred could once more be transformed back into love... then things would become much easier to resolve.
Lancelot snorted coldly,
"Let's hope so."
Even if one trusted Alvin no matter what, the idea of making that witch feel love and warmth, and then abandon her hatred because of it… that was nothing short of a fairy tale.
But now that things had developed to this point... there was no choice but to trust Alvin.
After the two talked for a while, Lancelot suddenly remembered something and looked at Alvin for a few times, before asking suspiciously: "That girl who was with you earlier—what's your relationship with her?"
It almost sounded like he was saying: Why are you chasing girls again?
Alvin had always been popular with the opposite sex. Even before the White Dragon Incident, many noble young ladies had secretly admired him.
Lancelot's question was, in truth, out of concern for Alvin's "safety"... in multiple senses of the word.
Alvin sighed, and said a bit helplessly:
"Don't look at me like that... Gray is indeed someone I know well, but it's not what you're thinking."
Lancelot clearly didn't believe him and simply let out a dry chuckle.
"Alvin, I won't interfere in your love life, but don't say I didn't warn you... you know Morgan le Fay's personality. If you don't want to die, you'd better be careful."
"Otherwise... even I won't be able to save you."
With that, Lancelot turned and left the forest.
"These days, no one believes the truth anymore..."
Alvin looked at Lancelot's departing back and shrugged helplessly.
Hmm... but Lancelot had a point.
No matter what, while in Britain, he had better stay cautious… If possible, Alvin had no desire to trigger any sort of "bad end CG."
As he was mulling over these messy thoughts in his minds and about to walk out of the woods, Alvin suddenly stopped.
"Come to think of it… you've been secretly watching me for a while now. Quite the peculiar hobby, don't you think?"
His voice echoed across the empty forest.
After waiting for a moment and receiving no reply, Alvin quietly closed his eyes.
Every magical residue, every fallen leaf, even the finest speck of dust was drawn into his perception at that moment.
Then he slowly opened his eyes and locked onto a specific direction deep in the woods.
"Shall I go in and invite you out myself?"
Still, there was no response.
But just as Alvin was about to move, a smooth, feminine voice suddenly rang out, "Oh?"
"Even though I deliberately hid my presence, the White Dragon's perception really is beyond my imagination."
The clack of high-heeled boots echoed softly as a woman's silhouette stepped forth from the depths of the forest.
Alvin's gaze sharpened.
The moment he saw the intruder's face, his pupils instantly contracted.
"...It's you?"
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Meanwhile, under Galahad's escort, Gray absentmindedly returned to her room.
Just as she entered, she saw Reines already sitting in a chair, waiting for her.
Dressed in a deep blue short dress radiating the elegance of a noble lady, her long legs were wrapped in sheer black stockings, revealing a subtle, porcelain glow under the sunlight.
"Gray, I've been waiting for you for a while. Did you go out to clear your head?"
Reines looked up and smiled teasingly.
Gray gently placed the "birdcage" on the table and softly said,
"A lot happened after I crossed over… but everything's been resolved now."
Even in front of her closest friend, the girl had no intention of bringing up the matter of the Holy Lance.
For one, the secret also involved Alvin. For another… once people knew she had the Holy Lance, it might attract dangerous attention, and even Reines could be put at risk.
And besides, this was something between just the two of them.
"Why are you smiling to yourself like that? Don't tell me you've had a romantic encounter or something?"
Seeing the faint smile on Gray's face that appeared unconsciously, Reines couldn't help but show a trace of suspicion in her gaze.
Could it be that someone was trying to woo Gray?
But with her kind of innocent personality, if she met the wrong sort of person, she'd definitely be tricked… That thought left the noble lady more than a little worried.
"No! Why would you think something like that?"
Gray brushed it off casually and quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway… you came looking for me—was there something important?"
Looks like there was something going on after all. Reines narrowed her eyes slightly, an inner flame of gossip sparking to life, but her expression remained composed.
"Did you hear the news that spread from the royal palace today?"
"...What news?" Gray blinked in confusion.
"After King Arthur's disappearance, everyone thought the cooperation between the transmigrators and Britain would be put on hold… but today, Morgan has decided to temporarily act on King Arthur's behalf and push the cooperation forward. She even plans to host a banquet."
Reines said with a distant tone,
"If nothing unexpected happens, transmigrators from all different eras will attend."
A collaboration between modern-day magi and ancient Britain… no matter how one looked at it, it sounded like an unprecedented golden era.
And this banquet wouldn't only involve Britain's high-ranking officials but also the Round Table Knights themselves… Just the thought of it made it feel almost unreal.
However, Gray didn't feel happy at all. In fact, she felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
"What are you thinking about?"
Seeing the girl fall silent, Reines couldn't help but ask.
Gray spoke softly,
"Morgan is a vengeful spirit. Her goal was to destroy Britain—at least, that's how all the ancient texts I've read described her."
"So why would she voluntarily bring about this cooperation?"
"Right? I thought it was strange too… But my brother's already decided to attend, and I figure the other Lords of the Clock Tower will show up as well."
Reines sighed,
"Let's hope nothing goes wrong when the time comes."
Saying that, she seemed to remember something and muttered,
"I wonder where Alvin even went. Ever since the transmigration, I haven't seen a trace of him."
Gray froze slightly, and a thought suddenly surfaced.
Technically, all of them were guests specially invited by King Arthur, and there was an expectation of future cooperation.
Even someone like Lord Kayneth hadn't been imprisoned by Morgan… There's no way she'd lock up Alvin alone, right?
Then why wasn't Alvin staying in the same palace as the rest of them?
And more importantly, Alvin's strength today had been equally puzzling. Especially how he had faced down a god head-on… Even now, just recalling that moment in the Radiant Tower made her heart skip a beat.
After Reines left, Gray quickly shut the door behind her, then walked over to the cage containing "Add", crouched down, and stared at it.
"Add, I want to ask you something…"
"Kekeke, I know what you want to ask, but I don't feel like answering—"
Gray raised the cage, clearly about to slam it into the floor when Add quickly yelped,
"Wait, wait! I'll talk, I'll talk, okay?!*
Seeing the girl lower the cage, the magical equipment that simulated "Kay's" personality grumbled,
"Seriously, can you stop resorting to violence every time? At this rate, you'll never get married… I bet that guy from today definitely prefers gentle girls."
"Why are you suddenly bringing him up?"
The girl frowned slightly, though her voice softened noticeably.
"Isn't what you're trying to ask me also related to that Alvin guy?"
Add drawled lazily,
"Pitch-black magical energy, a unique Authority so powerful it can dull even the Holy Lance… In all of Britain, only one mythic creature opposed to the Red Dragon is capable of that."
"I've already said this much—do I really need to spell it out further?"
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The palace, deep in the woods.
Holding a bright red spear, a cold and beautiful purple-haired woman walked slowly out of the woods, looking at the boy with a smile.
Alvin also looked at the woman in front of him. When he saw her appearance clearly, he couldn't help but open his mouth, murmuring in a tone filled with great astonishment:
"…Scáthach?"