Chapter 57: Story of Uther and the Dwarves

Drake shifted slightly, his massive form casting long shadows across the dungeon floor as he began to speak. His voice rumbled like distant thunder, carrying the weight of ancit memories.

"Your father, Uther Pdragon, was a man of immse strgth, both in body and in will. But like you, he was not without his fears and doubts. There was a time, long before you were born, wh Camelot was on the brink of ruin. It was a dark time, marked by treachery and war."

Artoria leaned in, her atttion fully on the dragon, as Drake continued.

"The Dwarves of the East, once allies of Camelot, had grown vious of the kingdom's prosperity. They began to spread whispers, turning other kingdoms against Camelot, claiming that Uther had brok ancit pacts. The Dwarves allied themselves with powerful witches, who fueled their armies with dark magic. It wasn't long before the Dwarves declared war on Camelot."

Drake's eyes glinted in the light, his voice growing more somber.

"But the real threat was not from the outside—it was from within. Uther's own knights, m who had sworn their lives to him, began to question his decisions. They were afraid. They believed the Dwarves and the witches were too powerful, that Camelot would fall. Their fear turned into whispers, and whispers turned into treason."

Drake's story wasn't over yet.

"Uther knew he had to act swiftly, or Camelot would be destroyed not by the Dwarves, but by the crumbling loyalty of his own m. So, one night, he summoned 35 of his most trusted knights—those who had begun to doubt him—and led them into battle. But instead of facing the emy, they found themselves in a barr, desolate place, far from the battlefield."

Drake paused, letting the tsion build. "Uther revealed that he knew of their doubts, their plans to betray him. He gave them a choice: stand with him or be cut down as traitors. Most of the knights were too proud, too fearful to admit their faults. So, Uther did what he knew had to be done. He slew them—every last one of them.

Their blood stained his sword, and the g where they fell became cursed, barr for cturies to come."

Artoria's breath caught in her throat. The thought of her father killing his own knights was almost unimaginable.

"Uther th turned his gaze to the witches who had aided the Dwarves. He knew that simply killing them would not be ough; their influce was too great, their magic too dangerous. So he devised a plan. Uther spread a rumor that the witches were conspiring against the Dwarves, feeding them false information and planning to betray them.

This rumor spread like wildfire, and soon, the Dwarves themselves turned against the witches."

"....Rest well, Drake".

....

Artoria and Merlin walked out of the room, the library shelf, oping up, revealing a passage where they had walked into.

Once they were out, it closed.

They both didn't say a word, Merlin settled on the guest chair and Artoria right on the single chair behind the desk.

The sound of the soft surface of the chair echoed in the silt room, both of them looking at one another.

"So...uhm..." Merlin tried to speak.

"I know, you don't have to say it." Artoria sighed, "We both don't know much about my father..."

"Right? If I were to speak like Ha Joon, I'd say, I thought he was a total dick head!" Merlin imitated with a raise of her finger.

"I wouldn't go that far." Smiled Artoria, "But yeah, that does sound like something Ha Joon would say".

Just as Merlin was about to speak, a voice echoed from out.

"Please make way!!! The prime minister has returned!!!"

"Ha Joon?"

Artoria and Merlin immediately wt towards the mirror to check, and what they saw, let their mouth widneded in shock.