Deep within the shadowed forest, the silver-haired Magus froze slightly after her companion's subtle reminder made her realize the problem.
Then she bent her fingers and traced fairy runes, taking an amber-colored potion from a Magecraft array and dripping a few drops between the child's lips.
The infant sucked and swallowed greedily, soon stopping her cries and sinking into a deep sleep.
Finally, quiet...
The silver-haired Magus let out a long breath. Beneath her veil, a faint hint of relief could be seen on her face.
Her temporary teammate glanced over curiously, then leaned closer and asked, "What's that?"
"A potion mixed with honey. It calms the mind and replenishes nutrients for infants..."
The silver-haired Magus explained, not forgetting to reassure him seriously.
"Don't worry, it isn't poisonous. I used it when I raised those children before..."
But realizing she had said too much, the silver-haired Magus immediately pressed her lips together and fell silent.
She may not have meant anything by it, but Samael took note.
In the dark, Samael, who had plenty of experience as a father figure, wore a strange expression and could not help grumbling inwardly.
You used this stuff to feed children?
Judging from that reaction earlier, could it be they never had breast milk at all?
At that moment, the "temporary mother" was holding the infant almost upright in the crook of her arm, walking back and forth while gently rocking her. The sleeping child's brows knitted together, and her little face scrunched up from the jostling.
"Stop. Take a break. I'll do it."
After watching for a while, Samael finally could not bear it anymore and took over.
At first, the silver-haired Magus still had a little feminine pride and remained skeptical of a man's childcare skills.
But once the child settled into the unnamed swordsman's arms, without any unnecessary movements, the little one's pitiful sleeping expression quickly relaxed, replaced by a peaceful calm.
At that, the silver-haired Magus had no choice but to be sincerely convinced. The air beneath her veil stirred slightly as she hesitated, as though she wanted to say something.
"My preferred hold is the cradle hold. You put the child's head in the crook of your left arm like this, use your elbow to protect her head and neck while supporting her back and waist, then slide your right forearm under her body to support her legs. It's more stable that way.
"If I'm holding a weapon and have to carry the child with one hand, I usually use Magecraft to form a similar support."
Samael glanced at his temporary ally and chuckled softly, taking the initiative to share his experience.
"One more thing. Newborns are too fragile, so you can't hold them for too long.
"And there's another common mistake. You shouldn't shake a baby back and forth, and you definitely shouldn't hold them upright, especially newborns. Their heads make up a quarter of their bodies. If you hold them upright for too long, it puts pressure on their cervical spine and makes them very uncomfortable..."
Though his tone was tactful, the silver-haired Magus beside him had already realized just how clumsy her earlier actions had been.
Still, the embarrassment did not last long. The woman soon found herself absorbed in his valuable childcare advice and unconsciously began asking about several related problems that had been troubling her.
Once Samael got going, he talked as they walked, answering each question honestly.
"You are... quite good."
Feeling that she had learned a great deal, the silver-haired Magus came back to herself. Her lips moved for a moment before she finally managed to offer a rare, sincere compliment.
Wait. After all that, you really are a blank slate when it comes to childcare, aren't you?
Realizing what that meant, Samael could not help silently pressing a hand to his forehead.
Then the Ancient Serpent's eyes flickered slightly. He took the initiative to extend an olive branch and asked, "By the way, I'm Samael, a wandering unnamed swordsman. How should I address you, Miss Magus?"
The name Arthur, wielder of the Starry Holy Sword, sounded impressive, but it also drew trouble too easily.
Unfortunately, that title was taboo for the temporary ally before him. Better to be honest and switch to his real alias.
A serpent lurked in darkness, coiling around the world, destined never to be laid bare beneath the light and made widely known.
Especially after the [War of the Covenant], when he had burned away his divinity, abandoned his divine seat, and set the world back onto its proper course, perhaps only old friends who had truly known him would still remember the meaning and past behind that name.
The silver-haired Magus paused slightly. After a brief hesitation, she spoke calmly.
"Morgause..."
Samael nodded slightly, his expression unchanged, though his eyes were already filled with understanding.
The Witch, Morgause...
Or perhaps he should call her the enchantress Morgan.
Morgan, full name Morgan le Fay, was recorded in early accounts as the biological daughter of King Uther and Queen Igraine, as well as King Arthur's older half-sister.
In truth, she was also King Uther's unexpected heir, protected by the Mystery of Britannia and gifted with an extraordinarily rare aptitude as a Witch.
If the King of Knights was the carefully planned and crafted [King of Men], then Morgan was the [Child of Nature] blessed by Britannia, similar in nature to the Usurper King Vortigern.
However, what the Usurper King Vortigern absorbed was likely the resentment, anger, and buried hatred of the dead from the [War of the Covenant], steeped in powerful negative emotions.
What King Uther and his heir Morgan received, on the other hand, were the blessings of life and fairies, making their attributes far more positive and radiant.
The two sides were like light and shadow.
In a sense, as the chosen [Child of Nature], her bloodline, identity, and rank as the [Isle's Mistress] were exceptionally high, placing her closer to kingship than the one in Camelot.
However, as the Age of Gods peeled away and the primate order was established, the human gods known as Heroes of Steel would eventually build cities, tear open the sky, cross the seas, and defeat the nature gods.
Thus, King Uther and Merlin ultimately chose the [King of Men] they had created and abandoned Morgan, who represented another answer.
But that decision also planted the seeds for Morgan's transformation and the future conflict between the two sisters.
Because of her mysterious power, elusive movements, drastic shifts in personality, and awe-inspiring aptitude as a Witch, countless rumors about her spread.
According to rumor, this enchantress was not one person at all, but three sisters, Morgause, Morgan, and Elaine, who together raised five children, Gawain, Gaheris, Gareth, Agravain, and Mordred, then sent them into the Knights of the Round Table in an attempt to undermine the King of Knights' rule.
Samael quietly glanced back at Morgan, thoughtful.
From the look of things, Morgause was most likely an alias Morgan used when acting outside, only for it to be demonized by others.
If he remembered correctly, a certain die-hard supporter of the King of Knights, slanderer, rumor-monger, and suspect named Kai had once unintentionally given the following testimony:
"She used to be such a good woman. Why did she become so terrifying?
"I was just about to say she was as innocent as a fairy and yet as magnificent as a war goddess, but then she turned as cruel as a witch. It honestly makes you feel like there are 'three women existing at the same time' inside one woman's body.
"...Well, she is King Uther's 'normal' daughter, at least.
"Morgan turning out this way might have something to do with some kind of blessing. She's probably another poor soul who got screwed over by those two old men in the palace.
"If only she could get along with Artoria..."
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