Chapter 30: Self-Righteousness

With a bit of glib persuasion from Kay, Morgana happily put on the ring, swearing never to take it off again. As the ring slid onto her finger, Morgana felt a sudden sense of lightness, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her. She didn’t dwell on it, however, attributing the sensation to the joy of the moment.

The two were caught up in their own affectionate bubble, much to the irritation of the three single men nearby. Arthur, in particular, was stunned; he had never known his older brother to have such a romantic side. He had always viewed Kay as a carbon copy of Uther, with the only difference being that Kay was slightly more approachable. Otherwise, the two were remarkably similar: stubborn, dull, overbearing, and iron-willed.

Finally realizing they were not alone, Morgana awkwardly set aside her doting demeanor and pulled Kay to the dining table to discuss matters of business over their meal.

Once Kay had finished setting the table, the three of them began to eat. Before long, prompted by Arthur’s persistent signals, Morgana broke the comfortable silence.

"Kay, did you... did you send away a young man named Lancelot today? Could you tell me why?" Morgana set down her knife and fork, took a sip of wine, and asked as if making casual conversation.

Kay did not answer immediately. He leisurely finished the last bite of his short rib. It had to be said that the palace chefs were quite skilled. Kay knew how to cook—having lived alone for much of his life after his parents passed away, he had often had to fend for himself. He had a genuine talent for it, often indulging in the fantasy that if he ever gave up being a policeman, he could make a fine living as a chef.

However, he only knew how to cook Chinese food; he was not particularly adept at Western dishes. He could never replicate the tenderness of these short ribs, which, in an era where seasonings were incredibly scarce, was a testament to the chef's skill.

After wiping his mouth with a napkin, Kay looked at Morgana with a smile. This was a habit carried over from his past life: he disliked speaking with food in his mouth, as he considered it impolite. He made it a point to finish his meal and tidy his utensils before speaking.

"Since you’re asking, I assume you already know what this is about? You’re not Arthur; you wouldn't come to me without knowing the facts." In this, Morgana was indeed sharper than Arthur. To Kay’s mind, though, Morgana’s brilliance had its limits—not because she lacked intelligence, but because she lacked experience. She was no match for a seasoned veteran like him. Simply put, Uther had protected them too well; they were like hothouse flowers.

Hearing this, Arthur’s eyes widened. Although Kay had called him an idiot since childhood, Arthur didn't believe it; he always thought he was quite sharp. He had simply been deceived by those closest to him, and at the thought, he shot a fierce glare at Merlin.

Morgana had heard of Lancelot’s situation and believed him to be an honest and kind man worthy of knighthood. She was not prepared to give up—a common flaw of those sheltered from the world. They were too quick to trust, too confident, believing that if they treated others well, no one would ever wrong them. Just like Arthur now; even though he knew Merlin had lied to him, after Merlin explained his reasons, he chose to trust him again, believing that Merlin could never harbor ill intent toward him.

"I know Lancelot’s actions were highly inappropriate, but there was a reason! His home was destroyed by northern barbarians, and everyone he loved is dead. That is why he wanted to become a knight. Besides, Lancelot’s talent is more than sufficient. We shouldn't deny him because of his birth; it isn't fair! I think we should give him a chance. At least let him try. Kay!" Morgana pleaded, tugging on Kay’s hand with a touch of sweetness, almost like a pout.

Kay gently kneaded her small hand, offering no response, but instead looked toward Merlin and Gwen.

"Merlin, you forged Lancelot’s noble credentials, didn't you?"

Merlin had known Kay would ask. He had planned to step forward and shoulder the blame if confronted. But faced with Kay directly, his courage melted like snow under the sun. He couldn't bring himself to deny it, yet he couldn't summon the resolve to defend it either. He stood there helplessly, stammering, unable to form a complete sentence.

In his past life, Kay had interrogated hundreds of people; he possessed an aura that could make anyone feel like a criminal under scrutiny.

"And you, Miss Gwen, you played a part in this as well, didn't you? Otherwise, Morgana, naive as she might be, wouldn't have agreed to persuade me so quickly." Merlin had only known Morgana for a few months, and they had barely interacted. If she had agreed to Merlin’s request so easily, she would have to be incredibly dim-witted. This request violated at least three of Camelot’s laws!

"I..." Gwen looked just as lost.

Kay didn't press them further, instead turning to Arthur. "And now for you, Your Highness! What exactly are you trying to do? Or should I ask, do you even know what you’re doing?"

"I... I... of course I know!" Arthur’s mental fortitude was stronger than the others; at least he dared to defend himself. "I just... I think Lancelot is a man of talent. It would be a waste to send him away. I think he deserves a chance. There are so many nobles with no talent at all—letting them be knights is the true disgrace to Camelot. Why not give Lancelot a try? Birth shouldn't define everything!"

Arthur had braced himself for a lecture or even a beating, but to his surprise, Kay didn't get angry. Instead, he nodded with genuine appreciation.

"Good. It is excellent that you think that way."

As a young man raised under the red flag in his previous life, Kay naturally scoffed at rigid class divisions. A person’s ability was always paramount; lineage was secondary. Of course, Kay wasn't naive enough to completely deny the advantages of birth—the world was, after all, a practical place.

Arthur was ecstatic. Like many parents from traditional families, Kay rarely praised him, and Arthur had almost never received such validation.

"So, you agree? That’s great—"

Arthur hadn't finished his sentence when Kay interrupted. "Agree to what?"

"You just said—"

"Your thinking is correct, but what does that have to do with Lancelot?" Kay’s tone turned cold again. "I just praised you for being smart, how have you become stupid again?"

Arthur felt that Kay’s temperament changed faster than turning a page; he didn't know how to respond.

"Do you understand what I meant? That Lancelot wants an opportunity? Fine! Why shouldn't he have one? He could have told the truth. Yes, a knight must be of noble birth. But has anyone ever said he couldn't *become* a noble?"

Although the Celtic kingdoms had rigid class structures, they were not entirely devoid of upward mobility, however difficult it might be.

"True, it’s hard. But if he had been honest, and with your backing, if he possessed real talent and performed meritorious service, would it be impossible? Who would stop him?" It was difficult for a commoner to rise to nobility, but if Lancelot had true ability and Arthur supported him, the difficulty would drop significantly. While still a challenge, his odds would be far better than anyone else's.

Uther might be rigid, but he wasn't so heartless that he wouldn't listen to his own son if no laws were broken. Besides, if Lancelot were truly that exceptional, would Kay really stand by and do nothing?

Impossible!

Once he accumulated enough merit, bolstered by the lobbying of Arthur and Kay, it was entirely possible for Lancelot to become a lord. Uther was, after all, a man who valued talent.

"But what did Lancelot do? He chose deception! He chose a shortcut to gain something for nothing! He made a mockery of Camelot’s laws! And you? You are the heir to Camelot, a beneficiary of the law, and its natural guardian. Yet, you plead for a blatant fraud and undermine the very foundation of your rule? Are you trying to pull the rug out from under your father? What do you have in your head? Rocks?"

"And you, Merlin! You forged noble documents, deceived your prince, and lied to your sovereign. Now that you’ve been caught, you show no remorse, instead continuing to goad Arthur further down the wrong path? I thought you were just young and ignorant, which is why I didn't intend to pursue this. But now, I see I must reconsider. You are no longer fit to stay by Arthur’s side. Guards!"

Kay slammed his hand on the table and called for the guards.

Merlin finally snapped out of his daze. "I just thought it was unfair, Lancelot..."

Kay felt profound disappointment. He had originally thought the legendary Merlin was a wise man, but it seemed he was just a self-righteous little brat.

"Unfair? You think it’s unfair? What about your deception? Is that fair? You wanted Lancelot to have a chance? Fine! Speak openly! If he’s as good as you say, he would have had his chance! But what did you do? You forged documents and deceived Arthur. What do you take Arthur for? A tool to be used? Is that fair to Arthur? Is it fair to the others who are competing for knighthood? And did you really think your deception could be hidden forever?"

"Not to mention me, the High Chamberlain knows the details of that family. What were you going to do then? Tell him not to perform his duties? Stop him from telling the King the truth? Fine, let's say you could convince him. What about Lord Lothian? His family isn't extinct! If they heard of this, what would you do? Expect them to just accept this non-existent fifth son?"

"You come to me with a baseless argument, shouting about fairness? Then tell me, where is your fairness? More terrifyingly, you have used Arthur time and time again. Even after being exposed, you show no repentance, continuing to manipulate Arthur into fighting for your so-called fairness, all while undermining his own interests... How can I trust you? You have completely placed your own agenda above Arthur’s! You never once considered the consequences for him. If everything had gone as you wished and it was exposed later, what would happen to Arthur? Tell me, what kind of influence are you having on him?"

The guards knocked and entered.

"Throw him in the dungeon! No one is to let him out without my orders." Kay signaled for the guards to drag the shell-shocked Merlin away. Arthur stood by, anxious and helpless; he wanted to intervene, but he knew Kay’s personality—it was identical to Uther’s. If he tried to stop him now, it would only make things worse. Kay was even more unyielding than Uther; Uther might have softened out of concern for his son, but Kay would not.

If he pushed it, Kay might just draw his sword and take Merlin’s head.

"Now, Arthur, tell me—where is this Lancelot?"

Arthur, shaken by Kay’s lecture, felt unsteady.

"He... he left. Merlin and I tried to keep him, but he felt he wasn't worthy to stay, so he left... We had intended to track him down after we convinced you..."

"Hmph! He has some sense of shame, at least. Otherwise, he would have met my blade!" Kay’s mood improved slightly. Just moments ago, he had truly intended to kill Lancelot, for he had finally remembered where he had heard that name before.

This was the very Lancelot who would eventually gift King Arthur a pair of cuckold’s horns.