Chapter 151: Chapter 38: A Reliable Ally Bordering Family.

Sitting in the back of Sebastian's black car, Lancelot was exhausted as he leaned his head against the cushion with a sense of frustration, feeling that today could have been the end of him for sure—there was something he lacked...

I need to train myself in more than just the sword...

My body, my mind, magic... anything.

I must hone them all!

"Really, thank you for today, Sebastian..."

He was given a slice of humble pie today and realised that things like dragon-restraining rituals and demon-sealing sigils existed and didn't want to act arrogant, at least now, while nobody could see him but the man who saved him.

"You are my Lord, and it is my duty—there is no need to be so humble without your ether and ability to use that strange power you took out most of their regular troops. I think if you trained your body more vigorously and learned martial arts or combat arts, then you would be better..."

"Ah, forgive me for being so forward."

Lancelot could only smile and shake his head.

No, it was thanks to this man, and the idea of learning combat arts never occurred to him once, even though it was quite simple to learn them.

I was limiting myself because of my prejudice...

Where is the Lancelot that would use anything, even a toilet brush, if it would help him win?

"No, Sebastian, you are right. I am a mere first year, and there is much for me to learn. As for combat arts, I am not sure how to gain or practise them... Although now I believe they might help greatly in future battles."

"Young lord..."

Suddenly, the car slowed and left the fast lane to enter the shoulder before it stopped for a moment in the evening city.

"I once failed to protect someone because of the same reason."

Sebastian admitted as he turned to Lancelot and pulled up his sleeve to show a huge scar that wrapped around his arm from the shoulder to his wrist and hands... a brutal blade scar.

"Eh... that, I may be rude, but who could you have failed?"

Lancelot felt a sudden change in the car and Sebsatian's aura as it flared up.

"My wife."

Tik-Tok

The sound of the car's indicator sounded as the men both stared at each other, one with a solemn and old face, while the young man regretted his half-hearted question, showing a look of apology.

"Do not look that way, young Lord. I have seen how much you care for Lady Sumika and Guinevere... you can imagine my pain if either of those were to die. I can see it in your face, the serious and painful gaze you have." Sёarch* The nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Especially during that assault... watching you go all out for those enemies made me realise you are no playboy, just having fun."

"Ah? That was..."

"To protect them right, to make yourself a large target and those girls to become unneeded compared to your brilliance."

"..."

Lancelot and Sebastian stopped for a moment as he popped the doors open, indicating for the young man to follow him as they stood on the side of the road where a large monument was placed.

On the top of the monument was a large name and message.

—Here lies the monument to our fallen heroes and our shining lady of silver, Gladis Sundral, the Valkyrie of moonlight.

"This is the place and monument that shows my failure... sixteen years ago." Sebastian walked forward with slow steps before he knelt at the monument, placing his scarred right hand on the stone before remaining still.

Lancelot didn't move and showed respect to those who died in the first-ever documented Avalon invasion, where demons, monsters and creatures from other worlds broke the barrier and attacked this world in large amounts.

To think... My butler's wife was the Silver maiden...

Lancelot's eyes then shifted and noticed a weathered part of the monument that seemed to have been scrubbed out... it was hard to read, but his divine eye completed the text.

—Together with her fearless sister of battle, Maribeth du Lac, Lady of the Brilliant Sun, the Golden Valkyrie.

"Eh?"

"Did you notice?"

His mind was blank, and he almost didn't hear the words that Sebastian spoke.

As if he was falling into a stodgy pool of oil, his senses became vague as he tried to understand what that name meant.

Who is that person?

"That woman, a wonderful noble who gave up her title upon becoming pregnant at a young age to a certain enemy country's crown prince."

Sebastian stood up and looked at Lancelot differently—his eyes were full of both sorrow and respect.

"Her name was removed from the empire books and nobility, yet she fought, forced to leave her only son in an orphanage after being told the prince wouldn't accept or acknowledge his birth..."

"Thus she fought until falling in this place sixteen years ago where even now... the nobility refuse to acknowledge there were two valkyries that came from the academy 30 years ago."

The more he spoke, the more Lancelot realised that this woman... Maribeth du Lac was likely to be his real mother...

A woman he had cursed many times for his suffering and miserable life...

Yet she suffered just as much... and died here without a tomb or the respect she should have!

"Maribeth and Gladis were geniuses... at the age of twenty, both of them were already in control of city-level territories."

"The only reason the nobles didn't try to snuff her out was due to this friendship, sistership and her role in protecting the human lands from the demonic invasions from Avalon."

Sebastian's eyes were stone, as he seemed to be thinking of his wife and that day, as dark clouds began to furl in the skies, placing a hand on the young knight's shoulder.

"I did not save you because of Merlin's order. I was the one who requested Merlin to watch over you."

"As the son of my wife's sworn sister. You are the same as a family to me."

But Lancelot was confused... In the first life, then why didn't he tell him or let himself known...?

[My beloved husband... Do you never wonder why you survived without power and those divine skills that your enemies and allies had?]

[Every battle... from your 22nd to your 25th birthday, he protected you in secret.]

Suddenly, a scene played in his mind... It was a memory from his first life.

A battle shortly after the Empire fell and the academy was besieged... Lancelot and his goblins were fighting an older student with wargs and orcs as his troops...

Lancelot's blade mastery wasn't as exquisite as today, but he fought in the centre of the orcs, slicing, dodging and dancing as silver sparks and red blossoms fluttered around his body...

But he didn't see... in the distance a second Lord with a large number of dark elf archers... their bows were drawn and aiming only at him before a single male...

A handsome and dandy butler with grey hair and beard blocked every single arrow... before killing the majority of the archers...

I remember this fight... I remember seeing the archers after defeating the orcs and being exhausted. We lost many goblins, but there were only ten archers...

Not two hundred.

All this time... there were so many people protecting and helping me, seeing me as family, and I was too blind even to notice...?

[Don't blame yourself—even the likes of Arthur could not see these things in one life. You were alone, forced into a corner and treated like a pest. How could you trust the world or open your heart?]

Morgana... You always help me—let me see the light in this dark and abysmal world... How can I repay you?

[Fool... Think about how to respond and repay that old man first... You have already given me my most cherished wish.]

[Your child in my womb.]

!!!

***

"Are you alright, Young Master?"

Hmmm, his way of calling me changed suddenly?

"Sorry, Sebastian, for not knowing anything and relying on you for protection... I know it sounds arrogant and selfish..."

"However, I pray thee... Help me to become stronger. I can endure any adversary... overcome all harsh training... I want to protect them."

"Not just my beloved women... or loved ones and friends... I want to protect my troops down to the lowest footmen!"

Lancelot bowed to the butler, who looked shocked for a moment, a glint of nostalgia in his eyes as she started to laugh with a deep bellow from his stomach.

"Gyahahahaha... ah... this is what she felt back then?"

"Eh?"

He didn't understand why Sebastian seemed so amused, but then the old man knelt on one knee and put a fist to the ground while looking towards Lancelot.

"Young Master, my family has been the servant and protector of the Du Lacs since before the Empire existed, and I was trained personally by your mother as the last Azure Knight."

"All you needed to do was order it, and I would teach you all you need."

"Your mother's combat arts, her martial arts and the body arts passed down to my family."

"Because you have passed the test to become the true heir for the Du Lac Family and restore its glory once again."

Lancelot felt it was a lot to take in but wanted to know what might have happened if he failed the test and didn't match the expectations of his mother and ancestors.

"What if I failed?"

Sebastian slowly rose from the ground and smiled with a bitter look.

"Then I would spend this life to protect you until my life should end and hope your child might carry the calibre to pass."

"How would you know if you died?"

He just looked to the sky as raindrops began to hammer down onto the stone floor, his white-gloved hands opening the car door as he spoke with a low voice, as if not wanting it to come true.

"My granddaughter would become your child's guard like I am to you. As well as me, there should also be another family who supported you from the dark... I believe they currently run a tavern or pub, was it called?"

"I think their daughter was meant to become your Fiancee if you managed to pass the Azure test... then it would be the job of the Opal knights to further confirm your calibre as a lord and leader."

Lancelot felt a strange feeling... remembering the ginger barmaid who was going to become a Lord and the old man who was clearly stronger than he looked...

No way...

[Yes, way... That crafty girl, you will meet before you expect.]