Chapter 136: Getting the device.
'I didn't think i'd be doing it this easily... but seems like faith wants me to get this settled before attending to the demi human problem and the bridge.'
Ha Joon whispered to himself, a nervous look on his face as he was seated in front of Morgana in her room.
She was sipping a cup of tea, while occasionally stealing a glance at Ha Joon, who was still trying to figure out how he was going to spark a conversation.
Just so he could have her all to himself, he made sure to tell Yukio not to allow anyone in, not even Artoria when she returned from her trip.
If Morgana was going to be a threat later in the future, Ha Joon was more than ready to send her back to the coma he woke her up from.
"How long are you doing to keep staring at me, your majesty?" Those words slipped smoothly out of Morgana's lips.
Ha Joon couldn't help but flinched the moment he heard her voice.
"Pardon me, I was just intrigued at how quickly you recovered. It was like you were never sick." He smiled at her.
"Hmmm..." Morgana sipped her tea, a small smirk on her face, "I think it's because of how nice Camelot has become. It used to be so dull, filled with depression from everyone. That doesn't seem to be the case now, even the maid is happy... I didn't think I'd see the day when that would ever happen to this kingdom."
Ha Joon's expression softened when he realized she was indeed telling the truth.
"You're a good person." He blurted out.
This caught Morgana off guard, she paused for a while, her eyes widened slightly, "You think so?"
"Well I can't exactly read the human heart, the most I can do is follow my guts. And my gut is telling me I won't regret walking you up from your slumber, so I'd like to go with that, unless you want to prove me wrong." Ha Joon smiled, "I haven't said this, but, it's good to have you back in the family, sis."
Morgana felt something swirl up inside her, disgust? Envy? Whatever it was she immediately forced a smile on her face and shoved it to the side.
"I'm glad you welcome me. Are you not curious to know how I ended up like this?" She asked.
"Oh definitely." Ha Joon stood up from the chair, "But I trust you'll tell me when you feel comfortable. If you need anything, call for me, I'll be here in a split second." He smiled at her, before walking away.
Morgana watched him walk away, the door closing before she eventually averted her gaze to the chair he was seated on.
Ever since she woke up and had gotten wanted familiar with Ha Joon's scent when he kissed her, she had been looking for any opportunity to get a sniff of him again.
She had so much conviction on her face, you could almost mistake her for a soldier going to war.
"One time wouldn't hurt... right?" She said as she stepped down from bed and moved towards the chair.
First she fell to her knees, her face resting on the chair with her eyes closed as Ha Joon's scent filled her nostrils.
Morgana smiled, her dress already folded up as she had begun to rub her thighs, "I knew it~" she moaned a bit, "you really are the only one I need".
....
Back at the castle, Ha Joon had gone to check up on the bridge construction.
Erin and the rest of the dwarves had taken over the entire project due to their amazing skills at crafting. Though the other workers were a bit skeptical of the dwarves, knowing that it was their king that brought them put an ease on everything.
In a few days, the bridge and road leading to Unakel kingdom should be complete, and he could then begin to shift his influence into the kingdom.
_click_
Ha Joon opened the door to the throne room, Yukio and Mordred following behind him.
While he was at the construction site, he had heard news that his wife had returned from the southern borders, and thus he came to confirm him.
Artoria was back.
"My dear wife, I didn't expect you to arrive this early."
Ha Joon walked up to the throne where Artoria was seated, her hand resting on the bottom of her blade.
With slow steps, he leaned against the chair, pulling his face closer so he could kiss her soft lips. Of course, Artoria did not refuse this gesture.
Yukio looked away, even if she knew it was something normal between couples, she was still interested in her king, looking at him kissing another woman seemed almost wrong.
"So, what's the update?" Ha Joon asked, his face still close to hers.
"I've spoken to the Viscount of the land as you requested. Of course, he was a bit wary at first but he eventually opened up."
Artoria began to caress his cheek, "Apparently, the governor, William is behind most of the demi humans kidnapping that has been going on. William has managed to gather a team of people that helps him in this regard. Something relating to reviving the demon lord."
"So I've heard," Ha Joon looked to the side a bit, "I have asked Merlin to do more research on the matter, my knowledge on demons and wizards is lacking."
"You can always know everything." Artoria smiled a bit, "If you wish, I can confront the governor and bring him to trial."
"Nah, don't do that yet, it wouldn't take anything for him to deny it, and even if we brought him in forcefully, I doubt he's the master mind, this could lead to the true person behind it putting up his guard. I'll handle it, you don't worry."
Artoria smiled again, "My husband can't seem to catch a break, the people of Camelot owe you a lot."
"I did sign up to be king after all." He kissed her on the forehead, "I'll be heading off now. Tell Merlin to leave whatever she finds in my chambers."
And with that, Ha Joon was gone, on to the next phase on his plan.
....
(Somewhere in the southern region, Telver city.)
In the dim lit chamber, shadows danced across the walls, cast by flickering candles that struggled to pierce through the suffocating darkness.
Around a circular stone table sat six figures, each cloaked in black, their faces hidden beneath deep hoods.
Their gazes were fixed on the one standing in the center: a man draped in red robes, his pale hand gripping a staff topped with a crimson jewel.
The air seemed to thicken as the figure in red spoke, his voice low and commanding. "We are close... closer than ever before. The moment we have long waited for is almost upon us."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the group, but one voice cut through the tension. "Are we certain this time? There have been too many failures. Too many false starts," a woman's voice rasped from the shadows.
The red-robed figure lifted his chin slightly, his pale eyes gleaming under the hood. "This time, there will be no mistakes. The device is in Camelot... and the king himself holds it."
The room fell into a heavy silence as the gravity of his words sank in.
"The device," the woman muttered, her voice softer now. "You mean the artifact the king carries... the one that no one understands? How do we know it holds the power we need?"
The red-robed man, known only as Magus Kaine, stepped forward and spread his hands. "Because we have seen it before. It thrums with ancient magic. I have sensed it during my reconnaissance in Camelot. And as fate would have it, this device is unknown to most people, even I. What I do know is it contains enough concentrated mana to act as the trigger for the ritual.
More than we could ever gather from demi-humans alone."
Another figure stirred, his voice gruff and impatient. "So, how do we take it? The king might not know the power of what he holds, but that doesn't mean he'll hand it over willingly."
A smirk played on Magus Kaine's lips, though none could see it beneath his hood. "The king of Camelot is a fool... one easily distracted by the trivial matters of state and court. We will use the chaos of our attacks on the demi-human villages to draw his attention elsewhere. While his forces are scattered, we will strike at the heart."
A low chuckle echoed from one of the cloaked figures, their body shifting slightly as they leaned forward. "And what of the wizard with him? Merlin. She will sense something amiss."
At this, Kaine's smile faltered, and his eyes darkened. "Merlin... yes, she is a problem. But even she cannot be everywhere at once. We will deal with her when the time comes. For now, our focus is on the device.
With it in our possession, the ritual will commence, and the Demon Lord of Concur shall rise again."
The murmurs grew louder, excitement bubbling beneath the surface.
Each member of the group had waited years, decades even, for this moment.
The return of the Demon Lord would restore balance in their favor, tipping the scales of power in Camelot and beyond.
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