"No!" When Merlin mentioned the Isle of the Blessed, Gaius interrupted him with great emotion.
Merlin stared at Gaius, then hesitantly asked, "You know about the Isle of the Blessed?"
Kay also looked at Gaius. Gaius glanced at Merlin, then back at Kay, unsure how to proceed. Seeing his hesitation, Kay immediately stated firmly, "Gaius! I need you to tell me everything you know."
His attitude was absolute.
Gaius sighed, making one last effort to deter them. "Legend says it's the birthplace of the Old Magic, the source of its power. It's too dangerous!"
"But it's our only chance, Gaius. I can't just stand by while my brother dies. I have to find the cure for him. Tell me everything. I don't want to repeat how important Arthur is."
Kay spoke calmly, ignoring Gaius's warning.
"What do you intend to do? Bring Arthur back to life? The Water Wraith sought out Arthur—that suggests the Old Magic has sealed his fate."
"So your solution is for me to watch Arthur die in bed and then pretend nothing happened? You know me, Gaius, I can't do that!" Kay shook his head in frustration. He didn't want to hear this nonsense. As a pragmatic man of action, Kay naturally dismissed all talk of destiny or fate. He flatly refused to accept this so-called predetermination. Besides, if there truly was such a "destiny," Arthur wouldn't be dying; he was the man destined to become the King of All Britain.
"Besides, even if that fate is real, I'll convince those sons of a gun to change their minds!" Kay emphasized the word "convince," clearly implying his method wouldn't rely on mere words.
"..." Gaius felt like he was trying to reason with a brick wall—logic was getting him nowhere. However, he understood Kay's resolve; he didn't want Arthur to die either. He was simply doing his duty. "But it won't be easy. The Old Magic has the power to reverse death, but it requires a sacrifice... for one life to be given, one must be taken... Kay, I beg you..."
Gaius knew Kay well enough to fear that if it came to that, Kay would likely sacrifice himself to save Arthur. Kay valued responsibility and affection more than life itself. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so determined to save Arthur when doing nothing would allow him to legally and rightfully inherit the kingdom. No one could fault him if Arthur died.
If Arthur died, Kay would be the greatest beneficiary. Even the most loyal monarchists wouldn't be able to criticize him, because Kay's succession would be the optimal solution for Camelot.
Camelot was currently facing internal strife and external threats; without a strong leader to hold things together, the kingdom could fall at any moment. The nobles, for the sake of their own self-interest, would grudgingly accept Kay as king.
Yet, Kay was completely uninterested, focusing all his energy on saving Arthur.
In this era, people weren't wrapped up in the complex schemes of historical villains; what you saw was what you got. They didn't suspect Kay was faking his loyalty or hiding a treacherous heart.
Fortunately, Kay genuinely had no interest in the crown. Hailing from a time and place of immense empires, he found Camelot's territory barely the size of a county. Being king here felt more like being a small-town mayor—not much to get excited about.
"Say no more. My mind is made up. All you need to do is tell me where the Isle of the Blessed is!"
Kay again rejected Gaius's plea. Facing Kay's unyielding decision, Gaius finally fell silent. This man was even more stubborn than King Uther; once he made up his mind, there was no turning back.
With a sigh, Gaius resigned himself to his fate. The royal family he served was notoriously headstrong; King Uther, Arthur, and even Morgana were as persistent and stubborn as Kay.
Gaius stood in silence for about three minutes, finally collecting his thoughts. Just as he was about to provide the details about the Isle of the Blessed, an insistent, urgent bell began to ring outside.
This was the alarm bell of the royal palace, and its sound meant a suspicious intruder had been detected inside.
"You two guard Arthur. Do not leave this room for a second. I'm going to the King's chambers!"
Hearing the bell, Kay immediately grabbed his weapon and dashed out. He feared someone was targeting Arthur and Uther. Arthur's room was relatively safe, guarded by soldiers at the door and with Merlin inside as a backup. But King Uther's room was different; only Morgana was there to watch over him.
Merlin and Gaius exchanged quick glances, then immediately sprang into action. They instructed the guards outside to hold their position, locked the room, and pulled out their staff and sword, ready for anything.
---
Kay soon arrived at King Uther's room and found it heavily guarded, but without any sign of a struggle. Clearly, the intruder who set off the alarm had not come here. The knights and guards at the door immediately saluted Kay and allowed him to enter the King's chambers.
However, Kay didn't go inside right away. He inquired, "What happened? Why did the alarm ring?"
A knight stepped forward and truthfully replied, "We don't know, my Lord. We came straight here to protect the King after hearing the bell. We haven't had a chance to find out what's happening in the rest of the palace."
"Then send someone immediately to find out!"
After speaking, Kay entered the King's room.
Everything inside was normal. King Uther had just taken his medicine and was asleep; the commotion outside hadn't woken him. The man had clearly been worn out by the recent string of troubles.
Seeing Kay enter, Morgana, who had been keeping vigil over Uther, rushed forward and embraced him.
If a strong man like King Uther was exhausted by the recent events, it was even harder on Morgana. Her anxiety and fear were greater than anyone's, but she had been carrying the burden alone, afraid to burden others.
Now that Kay was finally back, she had someone to rely on.
Holding Morgana's trembling body, Kay felt a pang of tenderness. His feelings for Morgana weren't primarily romantic; they were more like deep, protective affection. Given his mental age, he could practically be her grandfather, so it was difficult for him to feel the passion of a young lover. For Morgana, Kay felt immense pity. The girl's life had been tragic, her worries ran deep, and she always tried to appear strong.
She might spend her days snapping at everyone, but she was suffering inside.
"It's alright. Don't be afraid. I'm here. Everything is going to be fine."
Morgana was smarter than anyone; she understood most things without Kay needing to explain. She didn't need long explanations; she just needed a safe harbor where she could finally rest. Kay didn't know if he was a good match for her romantically, but he could at least promise to do his best for her and keep her from harm.
Morgana quickly calmed down but didn't want to leave Kay's embrace. They held each other tightly until a knock on the door finally caused them to pull apart.