jdhmnovel Chapter 712 Mordred
Chapter 712 Mordred
712 Mordred
— A Month Later - Camelot Outskirt —
On the vast green pastures of Camelot, shepherds of all ages—some young, some old, and some accompanied by their parents—train in the art of shepherding. They oversee flocks of sheep and various other livestock. Herding dogs bark and run around, assisting their owners in controlling the sheep, while others simply rest, lie around, or play with their owners as the sheep graze peacefully.
Amid this peaceful scenery, Daniel and Morgan take a leisurely stroll while holding each other's hands. They're talking and teasing each other like a normal couple. The scent of fresh grass, the sound of barking dogs mixed with children's laughter, and the occasional soft bleating of sheep create a soothing atmosphere for the couple as they walk side by side.
The shepherds pay no attention to the couple, as both Daniel and Morgan le Fay are dressed in simple clothes, much like ordinary villagers or peasants. They walk together along the dirt path, slowly enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
As they walk, something catches their attention: a girl, about ten years old, is herding a flock of sheep all by herself. She struggles but manages to keep control—until one sheep strays from the flock. She rushes after it, but by the time she retrieves the lost sheep, the rest of her flock has scattered, some even mixing with other flocks nearby.
The girl falls to the ground, seemingly overwhelmed by despair.
"Uuuu... master might not let me eat again... No... I... I need to bring all of them back," the girl says in a trembling voice, on the verge of tears.
Seeing this, Morgan hurried her step to the girl, followed by Daniel, who also heard what the girl said.
"Why is your master not going to let you eat? Is it because you lost his sheep flock?" The witch gently asks.
The girl turns toward the witch, she seems to be stunned at her feature. As a common peasant in this era, she's not familiar with clean clothes and beautifully combed hair. Most of the woman she saw were either quickly cleaning themselves with water from a water tub or combing and bundling it behind or on the top of their head. Taking a full bath is something luxurious, only affordable once a week or maybe a couple of weeks, or on a very special occasion such as getting married. She isn't familiar with the silky hair that can be beautifully combed into intricate braided hairstyles, the kind that looks artistic and enchanting, like something out of a fairy tale, as she sees on the woman standing in front of her.
Seeing the girl stunned and unresponsive, Morgan le Fay nudges her gently. "Hello?"
The girl startles and snaps out of her daze. She quickly composes herself, feeling that she might be speaking to a noble. Clean clothes and beautiful features are traits of nobility, and she can discern that much.
"Err... umm... Your... your ladyship. Why ship though?" she murmurs at the end of her sentence but then startles again, realizing it might be rude to mumble. "Er! No, your ladyship, I'm sorry! I didn't mean that!"
Morgan le Fay lets out a light chuckle, her soothing voice calming the girl's frantic state. Daniel, standing to the side, smiles faintly, amused by the girl's behavior.
"Um... As for your question, your ladyship, my master usually just scolds me and teaches me. He doesn't usually deny me food. It's just that yesterday, I lost a sheep from the flock, and he stayed quiet, went to sleep, and didn't let me eat," the girl explains.
"Hm? Are you his apprentice? Where is your master? Isn't he supposed to be here teaching you?" Morgan asks.
Morgan slowly approached the old man's body. Little Morgan stopped calling for her master as Morgan le Fay checked the old man's pulse. There was nothing—no response. Judging by the rigidity of his joints, the old man had likely died in his sleep of natural causes. Due to the cold weather, his body showed no signs of decomposition yet.
"Little Morgan... I'm sorry..." Morgan le Fay hugged the girl and gently explained what had happened to her master. The old man had passed away peacefully in his sleep.
After listening to Morgan le Fay, little Morgan slowly accepted the truth. She was remarkably mature for a ten-year-old, perhaps due to the harshness of her life accelerating her growth.
"So... yesterday... It wasn't that master was punishing me for losing one of his sheep. He... he went to heaven, right?" Little Morgan asked, though her words were more of a confirmation and acceptance than a question.
"I'm sorry, little Morgan... What are you going to do now? Do you have any relatives nearby?" the witch asked gently.
"No... I'm an orphan. Master picked me up from my old home several years ago... I'm alone," the girl replied.
Several years ago—based on what the girl said—it must have been during the war with the undead, the conflict that shaped Camelot. Daniel glanced at Morgan, unsure if she was aware that, as a witch, she couldn't have children of her own. But he knew that Envy—or Morgan—had a fondness for children, at least from what he remembered of the future. Seeing the opportunity before them, he decided to suggest adopting the girl. Morgan le Fay also seemed to have taken a liking to her.
"Since that's the case, Morgan, why don't we adopt her as our daughter?" Daniel suggested.
Hearing this, Morgan le Fay was momentarily stunned before breaking into a smile.
"That's a wonderful idea, Merlin!" She quickly turned to the little girl. "What do you think, little Morgan? Would you like to be our daughter?" the witch asked excitedly.
The girl was confused for a moment but then nodded with determination. She knew she couldn't survive on her own. Even if she tried, life would be incredibly difficult, and she might have to resort to theft or fall into depravity out of necessity. The girl quickly recognized this as her lifeline.
"Thank you, Father! Thank you, Mother!" the girl said quickly, afraid that the two might change their minds.
Morgan le Fay nodded but then frowned. "Hmm... there's one problem."
Her words startled the girl, who feared that the next sentence might be a change of heart. She gritted her teeth, praying that her fears wouldn't come true.
"Your name is Morgan... the same as mine. It's confusing. How about I change your name to Mordred?" Morgan offered with a wink.
"Yes, Mother! I'll change my name!" The girl quickly agreed, her heart, which had been racing a moment ago now filled with relief. It was just a name change, after all.
But Daniel, who had been listening nearby, made a strange face. Mordred? Don't tell me... His mind flashed back to the card he couldn't use yet because it wasn't the right time—the Mordred card.