"Do you have many friends?"
Aslan rubbed his temples, comparing the current Morgan's demeanor to the one he remembered. He was certain that something was wrong. Not just with her words but her movements as well—there was something almost eerie in her apparent "simplicity."
Even though her eyes were cold, the way she looked around with an almost childlike curiosity made her seem like a little kid who was fascinated by the world around her. She was straightforward with her words, but did Morgan act like this? Was she really... Morgan?
Aslan looked at the woman, unsure.
Morgan, however, only lifted her head and gave Aslan a quiet glance, seemingly unbothered by his doubts. She then lowered her head, thinking. According to the simulated persona's reasoning, until her true persona was restored, the best course of action was to stay close to this boy who was at least somewhat related to her.
"... I'm sorry," Morgan finally said, her tone blunt but sincere. "I shouldn't have made it so obvious that you're the illegitimate son of Uther. I'll be more careful in the future."
Aslan's smile nearly slipped off his face. So she did emphasize it again! This was definitely not the Morgan he knew! While she was blunt with her words, she seemed easier to interact with than the Morgan he remembered.
"Well..." Aslan sighed in relief, then said, "You mentioned you owe me a favor, right? Can I use that favor to ask you to teach me magic?"
Morgan's eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, Aslan thought he saw the expression of a painting—one where the subject seemed to ask, "You really think you can learn magic from me?"
Aslan's smile faltered under that gaze. He wasn't a magic genius, but he wasn't incompetent either. If he could learn something, that would be great. If not, he wouldn't push it. His main focus was to become a powerful and renowned blacksmith, so his magic training was more about improving his ability to control and use magic effectively.
He didn't have the luxury of time to become a versatile magus.
Although Morgan's expression suggested doubt about Aslan's potential, she didn't refuse him outright.
"By the way, I'm not Uther's illegitimate son," Aslan added. "Though I am related to him, I don't have his bloodline."
While Uther was a great king, Aslan was of a different lineage—the blood of the dragon. He suspected that his bloodline, by rank, was even higher than Uther's, but he couldn't be certain. After all, the true power of the dragon bloodline might not have fully manifested in him.
Morgan's simulated personality furrowed its brows slightly at Aslan's words, but then relaxed. It made sense for someone not to want to acknowledge their illegitimate heritage. Moreover, this boy had clearly never been recognized by the old king.
Aslan didn't elaborate further. Morgan loved Britain, and if she misunderstood him, so be it. He wasn't going to get caught up in her possible misinterpretation. Besides, he was more concerned about his own future.
Another abandoned child... Uther, no matter how wise, was ultimately just a human, burdened with the same flaws as the rest of the nobility.
If Aslan had known Morgan's thoughts, he might have sighed and muttered that it was just another day of the late king's reputation being ruined.
Looking at Morgan, who was lost in thought, Aslan thought she had understood his intentions and let out a relieved breath. He then pushed the breakfast he had prepared towards the carriage, continuing, "In any case, you can rest here for the next couple of days. After we leave the area, we can talk. I don't think the magi will just give up so easily."
And indeed, that was the case.
The news of the deaths of Aslan's previous mentors had spread to the gathering of magi on the mainland. Along with the news that Vortigern was supporting these mainland magi, the rumor spread quickly among their circles.
To them, this leader, this king, was one who accepted foreign races as his subordinates, so they believed the messages of support for magi were true.
However, when the first group of magi sent to assassinate the island's strongest witch was completely wiped out, the surviving mages realized they had underestimated their enemy.
Now, their pride and face were on the line. There was no way they could return to the mainland in defeat. They'd rather die than be humiliated.
"Even though the magi who tried to assassinate her weren't weak, if Morgan is still alive, she must have been affected. If we press the attack, we can take her down quickly. If we let her recover, we'll only waste more time and manpower. We need to act fast—for our research, for the end of magic!"