78. The Princess’s Curse, Piercing the Wrong Body 

[You and Artoria continue to forge your legend.]

[With the blessings of the sun and moon, the Sword of Revolving Victory (Excalibur Galatine) and the Sword of Promised Victory (Excalibur) display their majesty as sacred swords upon the land of Britain.]

[You are unstoppable, victorious in every battle.]

[King of Knights Shadow has been upgraded to King of Knights Shadow+: Your radiance is not completely overshadowed by Artoria. Everyone remembers the sight of you raising the Sword of Revolving Victory as you cut down your enemies.]

[You are destined to leave a lasting mark in Britain's history.]

[After a decisive victory, a knight appears before you and Artoria.]

[You sense that something about him is off, but you choose not to speak up about it.]

"This time… you go talk to him."

Artoria says this while standing beside you.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"There's no problem." Artoria shakes her head. "Since they all call you my shadow, then shouldn't a shadow also handle the matters that befit a shadow?"

"..."

You say nothing more.

Following Artoria's request, you step forward to speak with the peculiar knight.

"Who are you?"

"Palamedes."

"And the reason you're here?"

"I admire King Arthur."

[Your experience surpasses that of ordinary men.]

[With a single glance, you can tell that the tall knight with a sun-kissed complexion is lying.]

[However, as you look into Palamedes' eyes, you feel no need to expose him.]

[You sense that he has a simple and earnest purpose.]

"I see."

Rei extended his hand toward Palamedes.

"Welcome to Camelot."

Palamedes looked at the outstretched hand in front of him, somewhat surprised.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking:

"You... aren't going to ask me anything more?"

"There's nothing worth asking."

Rei looked at the man in front of him with an unreadable expression.

"The past cannot be changed, but the future is still yours to choose."

"The path you walk is for you to decide."

Palamedes fell silent.

Finally, he reached out and clasped Rei's hand.

"I understand."

"In that case, allow me to fight for you."

What Palamedes didn't realize—

Had he refused this invitation,

The Sword of Revolving Victory would have pierced his heart in the very next moment.

A cunning knight eliminates all potential threats.

[You have seen through Palamedes' intentions.]

[You now know he is a knight from Saracen, deemed a heretic by his own father due to his relentless pursuit of challenging powerful opponents.]

[He expressed his desire to fight against you.]

[Gift of the Red Dragon+ activated: With the magic power inherited from Artoria, you effortlessly defeated Palamedes.]

[He was astonished by your strength.]

[He now sees you as the rival he must one day overcome.]

[You don't mind this development.]

[After all, this essentially ensures that Palamedes is now aligned with your side.]

[For you, this is nothing but a favorable outcome.]

[Artoria observed everything and was pleased.]

Later that night.

The king's armor was lying on the ground in a slightly messy manner, and the girl, who was only wrapped in the king's robe, was moving her body on rhythm with a cock in her asshole, while the man lays below her.

Of course.

The place she was using was still not the one that should have been used.

This was not an act the girl had requested, but a specific instruction from Rei.

Without the armor beneath, the King's robe held no practical purpose.

All the despicable knight could see was the girl's snow-pale body and the desperate thrust of her waist.

The robe draped over her now served only to deepen her humiliation.

"Ah—"

Feeling her orgasm reaching its peak, the girl arched her back, eyes widening, as her hands flew to cover her lips.

It was clear.

The first sin of the night had already bloomed within her.

Rei reached out to stroke Artoria's golden hair.

"Well done."

"It keeps getting better."

"…"

Artoria burned with embarrassment at his praise.

Pleasing her beloved like this had seemingly become part of her daily life.

It was shameful beyond measure—a king debasing herself to satisfy a knight.

And yet—

For Artoria, this was the only way to grasp the ordinary life she'd never known.

Her pleasure might well stem from this fragile delusion.

Rei, of course, knew this.

Ever the opportunist, he would never let such a chance slip by.

"Sir Rei…"

Artoria nestled against the man's chest, her robe slipping.

"Being alone with you like this… it's bliss."

"So though it may sound greedy…"

"I—"

Blushing furiously, she clutched at Rei's shirt.

"I want more."

"Isn't that only natural?"

Rei slid his hand beneath the King's robe.

"Why should a good thing happen just once?"

The girl's lips were claimed in a kiss;

Her body subjected to fresh indignities from head to toe.

Yet she remained, perversely, utterly content.

[You have deepened Artoria's corruption.]

[When you are alone, just your gaze is enough to make her feel all giddy inside and start ovulating.]

[However, this does not affect your performance on the battlefield.]

[On the contrary, your mutual understanding allows you both to achieve even greater victories.]

[Your reputation continues to grow.]

[Your name is now known not only across Britain but has even reached the shores of France.]

[It is said that a powerful knight is searching for you.]

[However, you pay no mind to this matter.]

[For now, your goal remains distant.]

[Your passive ability, 'Devotion to Darkness,' has been replaced with 'Battle Continuation'—your determination is unwavering, and you will not fall until your mission is complete.]

[You and Artoria continue expanding your victories.]

[You sense that a direct confrontation with Vortigern is inevitable in the near future.]

[However, before that battle comes, another unexpected event disrupts your plans.]

At the Military Camp

The knights, filled with high morale, were conducting training exercises.

Each of them radiated determination, fully prepared for battle.

Under the guidance of Percival and Palamedes, their discipline and combat prowess had been honed to new heights.

This was Camelot's finest force—its elite warriors, standing before you in formation.

Rei and Artoria walked side by side, moving through the ranks as the knights acknowledged their presence with admiration and respect.

"Sir Rei," Artoria lowered her voice, speaking in a tone only he could hear.

"Have you heard the latest discussions among the knights?"

"You mean the rumors about the 'Night Assassin'?" Rei asked with a slight smirk.

"Exactly," Artoria nodded. "There are whispers that an assassin is planning to strike at us under the cover of darkness."

"What do you think, Sir Rei?"

Rei's expression remained calm as he chuckled.

"Baseless nonsense."

"If an assassin were truly bold enough to attack our camp at night, they would be vastly overestimating their own abilities."

"Rather than believing such rumors, I suspect this is misinformation deliberately spread by our enemies—an attempt to shake the morale of our knights."

Artoria, despite her strong presence as a ruler, knew that Rei was far more than a mere strategist or warrior. His insight into battlefield deception and tactics was just as sharp as hers, if not sharper.

"An enemy ploy to disrupt our forces?" she pondered aloud, nodding as she considered his words.

"You may have a point, Sir Rei."

"In that case—"

"Perhaps we should simply ignore these rumors altogether?"

Rei shook his head.

"No."

"If we dismiss this outright, it may give the impression that we are too arrogant to take precautions."

"It is always wise to remain vigilant."

"That makes sense," Artoria agreed, gripping the hilt of Excalibur.

"Then—"

"We should reinforce our night patrols, just to be safe."

As she gave this command, a thought seemed to cross her mind.

She turned back toward Rei, her emerald eyes gleaming with an almost mischievous glint.

"Sir Rei, if we're increasing night watch duties—"

"Does that mean I now have an official excuse to summon you to my tent at night?"

"Eh?"

The sincerity in her tone was undeniable. There was no pretense, no hesitation, only the pure and open expression of someone who genuinely longed for companionship.

[Artoria has ordered heightened night patrols.]

[At the same time, she has also—without hesitation—summoned you to her tent each evening.]

[She ordered that no one be allowed inside—this was your private time together.]

[However, due to the lingering rumors, the two of you refrained from doing anything too excessive.]

[You simply reminded her how to properly fulfill her role as a partner in trust and loyalty.]

Artoria had fallen asleep.

But Rei had not.

He carefully ensured that everything was in order, erased any traces of their time together, and then stepped outside.

The moon cast a soft glow over the military camp, draping everything in a thin veil of silver light.

The knights had already begun to doze off.

Rei did not wake them—after all, they had been maintaining night watch for nearly two weeks.

The rumored assassin, who was said to strike under the moonlight, had yet to appear.

Fatigue was inevitable.

Could it really have been just a rumor?

Even as this thought crossed Rei's mind, he knew better than to fully dismiss the possibility.

If it turned out to be real, being unprepared would be a grave mistake.

The night passed uneventfully.

Morning came, unchanged.

As the sun's first light began to rise, the flap of a tent rustled slightly as a figure stepped out.

A pair of soft hands suddenly covered Rei's eyes.

"Guess who?"

"Hmm… too difficult. I can't tell."

"Sir Rei, you're just brushing me off!"

"Then… are you going to punish me?"

"Hmm—!"

Artoria grabbed his hand.

"Your punishment is to accompany me to the river and wash up!"

[You and Artoria made your way to the riverbank.]

[This was the closest river to the camp, where knights often gathered for their morning routine.]

The young king sat upon a smooth stone at the water's edge.

Dressed in her regal attire, she carried both the poise of a ruler and the quiet shyness of a maiden.

Of course—

In Rei's presence, her royal demeanor often faded, leaving only that rare and genuine shyness… perhaps even a hint of lust.

"It's nice," Artoria said softly, looking toward the rippling water.

"Coming here together with you, Sir Rei—it makes me happy."

She turned to look at him, her emerald eyes glimmering like stars.

"Do you feel the same way?"

"…"

Rei did not hesitate for long.

"Yes." He nodded. "It is a pleasant moment."

"Then—"

Artoria reached out, gently holding his hand.

"Sir Rei, if you ever want to spend your mornings with me… you can always come here."

Even she seemed to realize how bold her words were.

After speaking, she quickly lowered her gaze, a faint blush on her cheeks.

Yet, there was no sign of embarrassment.

Rather, she looked as if she were waiting in quiet anticipation, having spoken her heart's true desire.

Rei was about to respond—

But just then, a distant rooster's crow echoed across the land.

The dawn had broken.

And at that very moment—

Rei suddenly felt a gaze upon his back.

A sharp, unwavering presence.

[An Assassin in the Shadows]

He did not know whose gaze it was.

Yet in that instant, he finally pieced together what had been troubling him since their arrival at the camp.

Rumors—

Do not always need to be true in order to serve their purpose.

The goal of such whispers is not always to predict an actual event, but rather… to lull the target into complacency.

The moment the rumor of an impending attack spread, the knights naturally remained vigilant.

And that vigilance, over time, would transform into exhaustion.

Once fatigue set in across the entire camp, the true purpose of the rumor would be achieved.

Following this logic—

The assassin's true attack was never meant to take place at night.

The real danger would strike at dawn, when exhaustion had settled in.

And now, in this very moment—they were fully exposed to it.

Too late.

The realization came seconds too late.

The owner of that gaze was closing in—

Faster than humanly possible.

A miracle of sorcery.

A dark-cloaked figure moved like a shadow, their face completely concealed.

In their hand—

A dagger, radiating a venomous, cursed energy.

Their eyes locked onto Artoria, utterly disregarding the man standing before her.

On the other hand—

Artoria, lost in a peaceful moment with Rei, remained unaware of the assassin's silent approach.

This was an attack where both the assassin and their target were oblivious to the full reality of their situation.

Only one person had clarity in this moment.

The man who stood between them—

The man who, for all his cunning and deception, had never allowed himself to drop his guard.

Rei had no time to warn her.

No time to shout.

His body moved on instinct alone.

He stepped forward—shielding her with his own form.

A sharp blade pierced his back, the dagger running clean through to the other side.

Crimson splashed onto Artoria's face.

Rei's eyes widened.

And in that moment—

For the first time, the so-called 'devious knight' stood as a true protector—

A shield before his king.