“You made Calis stall time.”

“Hm? Try expanding on that Gawain, I think…your deduction skill’s pretty good.”

Salsaal smiled and bursted laughing, his mood was light. He sat down on a chair, pulled out by Calis from G.o.d-knows-where. “If possible…it’s best if you start deducing from the top. I’m afraid there’s an idiot around here who can’t follow the situation…”

His ruby coloured eyes glanced at me…despicable, don’t say the truth!

Nigel’s argent eyes became visibly gentle when he looked at me. He placed Haref’s body down tenderly. At first he was going to put the sword in Haref’s hand down but the Prince uttered something. “I think it’s best to not touch Excalibur if you still want to live Gawain.”

Nigel was silent, he didn’t do anything else apart from taking his eyes off Haref and meeting his gaze with Salsaal.

“At first, I thought the reason we’re in here because Calis Merlin carried us two in…”

Calis’ mentality was dealt a large damage, “…I-I’m delicate you know…there’s no way I’ll be able to carry two men…”

Till this day, he’s still confident in his figure. I don’t know if he’s just trying to escape reality or no one’s told him yet.

“But from what I saw with Haref…you are able to control our bodies when we are unconscious…no, eve if we were conscious, you would still be able to control us.”, Nigel’s argent eyes became cold. “…Like that day when you controlled Gil’s body…”

A pair of ruby coloured eyes glistened.

“Smart. Yes, that day, I was the one who controlled Gilbert’s body. I’m amazed you were able to catch onto it.”, The Prince rested his chin on his hands. “You can’t beat Haref Lancelot in powers, knowledge or skills but your deductions and ability to figure out someone’s character and their motives are outstanding…possibly even better than Lancelot’s, huh…”

“Because Gawain are born to be leaders of the knights of the round table…we have to be able to use peop…”, suddenly, Nigel stopped and glanced at me, he tightened his lips before continuing. “You brought us here, the so called mechanism might even be something created by you…”

“Honestly speaking, that mechanism was created by Excalibur, I couldn’t undo it and every time I met Excalibur, I’ll always encounter the same mechanism as you. Kill…”, Salsaal scrunched his eyebrows before changing the subject. “But you seem rather brutal, Gawain…”

“…”

“This mechanism is a high-level mechanism. Even if you may know it can be destroyed as long as you kill the person who appears in the mechanism…kill the person who’s most important to you. It’s illusions are conjured up using your memory…an illusion so real you can’t tell what is reality anymore…”

The corners of Salsaal’s mouth curved into a sinister smile.

“But the moment you entered the mechanism, you were able to ‘kill’ what appeared in front of you so swiftly and cold heartedly…”

“We are always taught to be calm at all times.”, Nigel’s argent eyes darkened. “…From what you’ve said, it meant I woke up too early for your plan to succeed. You made Calis stall our time so you would be able to take Haref, who was holding onto Excalibur, and made him unseal your imprisonment…and since you’ve been here for at least a year, you must’ve built a teleportation point somewhere.”

“What you’ve said is right, I won’t deny anything.”, Salsaal shrugged.

“But what I can’t comprehend is Gil…for what reason would you drag someone…who’s…weak…I meant delicate like him into all this.”

I was glad that Nigel still thought of my emotions even if he may be too direct.

“Gilbert’s just a back up plan incase Haref Lancelot can’t use Excalibur…that’s all.”

Nigel lowered his eyes arrogantly, “What are you going to do to Haref next…”

“Hm?”

“Haref is able to use Excalibur, to put it simply…he’s next in line to be King. Even if he may not be a direct descendant but since Excalibur’s chosen him, he has the rights to…”

“Wow…then should we kill him?”, Salsaal lifted the corners of his mouth. “Were you expecting me to say that? Huh, funny. That guy can use Excalibur and so what. You know full well that the current Royal family won’t allow that, if this gets out, either Haref dies or the Lancelot household is doomed before the people even get to hear of it.”

Nigel looked down.

“Instead of asking what I’ll be doing with Haref Lancelot, you should ask me…”, Salsaal used his finger to lift Nigel’s chin up, he scornfully smiled.

“…what am I going to be with you Nigel Gawain.”

I could faintly hear the wizard heavily breathing. When I turned to her, she was covering her nose tightly and mumbling something but her mumbles were rather easy to guess…hey girl, you’re still a rookie!

This much is nothing!

I turned back to the scene. Salsaal likes attractive people. right now, the most attractive person in the game is Nigel…after this, there’s a chance my friend might be done in by that despicable b.a.s.t.a.r.d…

If it’s ghost Salsaal then I might be able to do something but with real life Salsaal, if I even think of fighting him, I’ll be dead well before that…

Big bro has to keep his life so he can meet up with his psychotic fujos.h.i.+ lil’ sis. No matter how cute lil’ bros in this world may be, they can’t wear skirts and I devotedly wors.h.i.+p my lil’ sis…

“What are you going to do to me…”, Nigel finally said something, this made the Prince smile even wider (along with the heavy breathing of the wizard as a soundtrack). “…Are you going to kill me?”

“No…there’s no way I’ll kill you”, his lowered his eyes.

“Become mine, Nigel.”

“Screeeea…oumph!!”, the fujos.h.i.+ over there fully drenched in blood!!

“become my sword, become my s.h.i.+eld, become my brain…support me…no matter what, all to-be Dukes would have to choose which Prince to support in the future either ways…that’s why give your loyalty to me”, he took his hand out from Nigel’s chin, caressed Nigel’s cheeks and placed his hand on Nigel’s neck…

“…Or die here!”

“Yandere*…oumph!!”

Nigel’s not gonna die but the fujos.h.i.+ over there is near death!

But even though she’s near death, she’s determined to listen to this drama CD** to the end.

“You’re forcing me…”

“You don’t have a choice…ever since you’ve met me, you’ve lost all your choices Nigel Gawain.”

I turned to Calis once more…the Prince probably doesn’t know he’s murdering his own men right now.

“…To me…you’re not suited…”, Nigel was silent. “You’re too brutal, too wicked, your powers will never get accepted by the people which is why you’re the person who’s the least likely to become King…

…or even if you did become one, you’ll only become a tyrant in everyone’s eyes.”

At first, I thought Salsaal was going to become angry but no, he laughed madly along with the pressure increasing.

“You said I am brutal, you said I am wicked, you’ve ruled me out as this kind of person but have you never thought what made me like this? Because of who? Oh, is it that I was born evil! Great!!”, the Prince laughed, he hit Nigel’s shoulder until the other flinched in pain. “I have powers which are not accepted by the people but can I ask you guys one thing…

…what have I done wrong.

I was merely born different from everyone else, just this made all of you brand me…’Wow! This guy is dangerous he must’ve been born evil! Capture him! Kill him! Yay!'”, the Prince laughed but his hand squeezed Nigel’s shoulder harder. “You guys are such…wonderful people.”

His sarcasm was right ton the mark.

“You all say I’m wicked but have you ever thought, for what reason was I wicked. If you’ve never, then let me enlighten you…”, a warm ‘fake’ smile decorated Salsaal’s face. “I only wanted to turn everyone’s wish into reality…

…don’t you want a wicked person? I can be wicked…am I not a good person?”

That’s also sarcasm.

I looked at Nigel who had an ugly expression on his face and turned to Calis…the fujos.h.i.+ isn’t dead yet, she’s still alive.

“Think about it Nigel Gawain, either you come to my side or you die here…don’t worry, I only want you…to me…”, he raised his hand to caress Nigel’s hair.

“…you’re…worth more than Haref Lancelot.”

Directly after sentence finished, the fujos.h.i.+ over there has pa.s.sed on to heaven…I will never forget you.

“That…”

“I have the Royal family’s blood which Gawain has sworn to be loyal to. You’re not betraying Gawain or going against their beliefs. No matter what, you’ll have to choose in the future either ways then why don’t you choose me?”, Salsaal smiled sweetly. “I’m powerful, intelligent, do you dare say I’m weaker than my other siblings?”

“…No, you’re extremely strong…”, Nigel’s voice faded while Salsaal flirted…I meant persuade him.

“I was born from the queen, about this power of darkness, I’m smart so, don’t you think I’ll add some colours to it and make it a beautiful story and become King? Or, I’ll just kill all of my other siblings. Now…

…if there’s no one else, why would I not be able to become a King, Nigel Gawain?”

Either you become a King or a terrorist at this point, you’re such a despicable person…

Nigel looked uncomfortable, he turned to me and pressed his lips tight. “It seems I have no other choice…”

If he doesn’t choose, he dies, but if he does choose…it might be worse than death.

“Fine…I choose you…your majesty.”

He closed his argent eyes.

He knelt down before Salsaal.

It’s a sign of a knight’s vows to be loyal to the other person. Normally, the kneeling part comes when the King is crowned but sometimes, a knight will find a Prince who they’ll want to serve before the coronation, which is also fine.

When you’ve given your loyalty to someone…

…you cannot take it back.

Salsaal is truly pressuring Nigel.

“I present this body to your majesty, this soul to your majesty, my blood will be shed for you, your majesty…in the name of Gawain…

…Nigel Gawain vows to serve you…my King.”

A sword made out of darkness appeared in Salsaal’s hand. He lifted it to touch both of Nigel’s shoulders, closed his eyes and said lethargically.

“I accept your loyalty. From this moment onwards to your death…

…you are my knight.”

No light shone unto this place devoured by darkness.

Nigel stood up with a completely expressionless face. He touched his chest lightly. From what I can recall, when you vow your loyalty to someone, a crest will appear on a part of your body. Nigel’s would probably be his chest…

“Hey! Bedivere, Gawain’s said his vows would you like to come say yours?”, Salsaal turned to me as if he’d just remembered, “So we can do it all at once.”

…So I’m just a buy 1 get 1 free giveaway item.

“…Gil hasn’t vowed his loyalty to Prince Salsaal? Then why…”, Nigel looked confused, he probably thought I was more than one foot into Salsaal’s gang.

“I forgot. That guy’s a weakling and he poses no danger so I’ve allowed him to run around…”, the Prince said before putting his sword into his shoulder, just like a gangster. “Since I’ve taken the sword out, might as well just kneel and say your vows.”

I looked at Salsaal before sighing and said bravely, “No thanks…”

“What, are you betraying me?”, Salsaal lifted his eyebrows and stared at me as if to say ‘you dare?’.

“…There’s a bit of a problem, ahem.”, I closed my eyes before looking at Salsaal and turning to Nigel who’s got the expression of someone whose friend abandoned him and made him stay with a despicable b.a.s.t.a.r.d…a real problem.

“Well…I can’t remember the Bedivere style of vows…ugh!! I’m sorry Salsaal! Ahhhhhhhh!!”

“You f.u.c.king dimwit!”

.

.

.

Ca.s.s Bedivere is making a black list in his mind…

His golden eyes sparkled while looking at his elder brother who’s being hit by that black guy…naturally, he’s not worried about his elder brother or anything, he just hates that black guy that’s all.

But right now, he can’t do anything…

He averted his eyes from his beloved elder bro….just elder brother! Who’s being bullied and turned to the golden sword which no one payed attention to…

Even though it’s the only thing that’s glowing in this darkness…

Excalibur.

He closed his eyes before walking out from the scene. He could only hope that the black b.a.s.t.a.r.d guy would return Excalibur back to its place before it regains its consciousness and return to its human form…

He rolled his eyes and looked at the guy.

My life from now on would be even more annoying than ten elder brothers combined…

Both him, his elder brother and that black guy…

…

But if that’s the case then he might as well elope with his elder brother and leave that b.a.s.t.a.r.d to deal with aunty Excalibur, this is a good plan…

*Yandere – a character who can kill for their beloved (and sometimes they’ll kill their beloved so they can be with them for an eternity)

**Drama CD – when a manga or novel is recorded (like anime but just without animation)

P.S. there’s some d.a.m.n fine drama CDs out there go listen to them.

P.S. 2 Is SalGel a thing? Who knows.

I’m back from the primitive world. Didn’t know I could last this long only reading books. I both hate New year and love it at the same time (cause the guy who was supposed to install the wifi at my house was on holiday).

Happy late New year everyone!