King Arthur Won't Die by Accident

Even Merry couldn't restrain Lancelot?

"Merlin… Merlin, are you slacking off again?" Arthur asked with suspicion.

No matter how you looked at it, this was just too fake.

Merry's strength wasn't limited to magic. Her swordsmanship was peerless, far beyond any knight in Britain. Arthur doubted even in Rome, the mighty empire, that there existed a swordsman who could rival her in pure technique.

"It's unfair, my king. I really can't restrain Lancelot. I'm so weak now~!"

She was still joking?

Yeah. Definitely lying.

Even so, Arthur didn't intend to let it slide. He pulled out a card and flicked it through the air. Wind surged, and invisible chains formed, binding Lancelot's neck, limbs, and torso in the blink of an eye.

Just like that, the Chief of the Round Table was immobilized. Only his low, inhuman roar proved he hadn't returned to sanity.

"All right. That'll do."

Arthur let out a breath and turned to Morgan. "Sister, you created the potions. You should know best—can he return to normal with another dose of the calming formula?"

Before Morgan could respond, Merlin stepped forward with a cheerful smile.

"No, no~! Lancelot's current condition is caused by the clash between the two potions—one inducing calm, the other frenzy. If he takes either again, the result will be the same: total mental collapse."

Her tone was light, almost gleeful.

Far too convenient.

And given her track record… Arthur wasn't so sure.

"Well," Arthur said, "I can hold him magically until he stabilizes. That should give him time to recover naturally."

"No can do~!" Merlin shook her head dramatically.

She hadn't expected Arthur to restrain Lancelot so easily.

Still, even if she got chopped up afterward—it was worth it for the plan!

"Lancelot's current mental state is no longer his own," she said urgently. "The opposing forces inside him are only accelerating toward catastrophe. If we do nothing, the contradiction will resolve the only way it can—self-destruction! The only way to save him now is to awaken his true consciousness!"

The exaggerated panic in her voice only made Arthur more skeptical.

But… it wasn't entirely unreasonable.

Arthur furrowed his brow, preparing to argue with her, when suddenly—a burst of golden light flashed across his vision.

His perception expanded to an astonishing level.

A flood of imagery surged into his mind.

Still the research institute.

Still surrounded by Merlin, Morgan, Meli, Artoria, Lancelot.

But this time... they were all grinning. Unnaturally so. Approaching him slowly. Each holding—

Arthur's face darkened.

Ah. So that's how it is.

I see now.

I've been too lenient with these people.

On the other side, seizing the opportunity, Merry raised her voice as if prompting a child:

"Listen closely. What is it that Sir Lancelot longs for most? What vision will awaken the noble knight's true will?"

Right on cue, Lancelot began to roar:

"AAAA—AAAA—A-ARTHUR! ARTHUR! ARTHUR!"

"So that's it!" Merry declared. "At this critical moment, the one he thinks of… is our king! Such loyalty! Such devotion! King Arthur, did you hear it? Did you feel it? Could you really stand by and let such a loyal knight be lost to madness?!"

This was no mere statement.

It was a performance.

These two… really had a death wish.

"Women's clothes—Arthur—women's clothes!"

"Oh!" Meli exclaimed with glee. "Now I understand! Only when our king dons women's clothing can Lancelot's consciousness be revived! My king, the time has come to decide. If your temporary shame could rescue your most loyal knight, should there be any hesitation?"

"Merlin! This is too much!" cried the innocent Artoria. "If Sir Lancelot were in his right mind, he would never ask our king to surrender his dignity!"

But no matter how virtuous Artoria's protest, could the others resist?

Meeting!

Unanimous!

Everyone wanted to see Arthur in women's clothes.

Merlin, well played!

Their gazes sparkled with dangerous admiration.

"You must understand," Artoria added, suddenly switching sides, "this is for both a loyal knight and our king's noble heart!"

"That's right!" Guinevere chimed in. "Little Arthur is the greatest king! He must save his knight from such a tragic end!"

"Fufu~"

"Ahem…" Kay looked away. "My king, Sir Lancelot is the Chief of the Round Table. If word gets out that an experiment broke him—"

"Your Majesty," came a cold voice, "Lancelot may be trash, but he's your trash. He represents Camelot. Just wake him up first—then we can behead him."

You know exactly who said that.

No explanation needed.

Requesting the king execute her own husband?

Truly a clever little girl.

"My king, please make a decision!"

"Great King Arthur, choose wisely!"

"A noble knight must not fall to madness—!"

The research institute erupted in a frenzy.

Everyone was focused on Arthur now. Their expressions were hopeful, intense, pressing.

Even inanimate objects seemed to be cheering.

[Task Triggered]

[Shelter]

Request: As a monarch, dressing in women's clothing to save a loyal knight is not shameful. Please do it—seriously.

Reward: Item – Separation Blade

???

Finally, Arthur moved.

He slowly raised his hand. Everyone assumed it was a signal for silence—and the room immediately hushed.

Then Arthur snapped his hand down.

A fierce wind exploded outward. Materialized chains clanked in the air.

Lancelot, still upright, was slammed to the ground.

His limbs spasmed. His muscles twisted. His face began to contort.

"Someone drag Sir Lancelot out and castrate him."

"!!!"

"Wait! My king, I'm fine, I'm awake! I saw your shining figure—I'm sane now! Stop! Nooo! Don't touch me! Let go!!!"

That night, Arthur sat alone in his dormitory, visibly troubled.

He had a question.

Since the system task "Shelter" hadn't disappeared, that meant it hadn't registered as failed.

So... was it still not too late to wear women's clothing?

Ahem!

Not for the reward, of course.

Just... well, his eyesight wasn't good.

He'd mistaken the maid's uniform for a nightgown.

Yes. That was it.

And it's not like anyone would see.

Unless—

Suppressing his shame, Arthur changed clothes like a novice thief, every motion alert and paranoid.

Finally, the system responded:

[Mission Complete]

Right then, the door burst open.

"My Lord Prince, didn't you say you didn't like Gawain's mashed pota—Puwaaaah?!"

Manaka dropped the tray. Blood shot from her nose.

She collapsed in a heap, unconscious within seconds.

Only a faint murmur escaped her lips as she lay twitching, the image burned into her soul:

"This… is proof of my love for the prince…"

Nosebleed counts as love now?! Manaka!!

-End Chapter-

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