The Main Characters That Only I Know

Chapter 415:

Due to Oello's remarkable efforts and Arthur's desperate resistance, the citizens of Camelot were miraculously able to evacuate safely outside the city.

When there was no one left within the city, Merlin took a deep breath and prepared the final teleportation spell.

"Now that it's all over, we just need to escape ourselves."

At that moment, a massive flash burst across the sky.

It was the golden radiance from Arthur's Excalibur, striking the Justiciar and causing an explosion.

As the Justiciar staggered heavily, this became their only chance to escape.

"Arthur!"

Kay called out Arthur's name. Gasping for breath, Arthur turned toward the voice.

"The mission is complete."

Oello shook hands with Arthur lightly and immediately boarded the carriage. The other fixers who had come with Oello quickly joined him in the carriage.

Before closing the door of the carriage, Oello addressed Yu-hyun.

"I’ll wait nearby."

"Understood."

Soon, the golden carriage departed from Camelot as swiftly as it had arrived.

Now, only a few of the Knights of the Round Table, King Arthur, and Yu-hyun and Seo Sumin remained.

As Merlin recited a spell, a blue magic circle formed around them. This was now the final teleportation spell.

"So, this is the end."

Arthur murmured as he looked at the golden barrier gradually fading away.

From the gap of the vanishing barrier, Elohim descended holding spears. Despite there being no one left to kill, they calmly held their spears and aimed at Camelot.

Their purpose was to erase Camelot from this realm. They would not stop unless killed.

The will of the world cannot be defied.

Feeling this reality bitterly, a sour taste filled his mouth.

"Arthur. Let’s leave now. It’s inevitable that Camelot falls, but the kingdom can be rebuilt."

"A kingdom rebuilt…?"

Arthur repeated Kay's words a few times as if savoring them, then unexpectedly spoke his heart.

"I, actually, just wanted to live as an ordinary country lad."

"What? What are you saying all of a sudden?"

"I wanted to love in an ordinary way, have a family, and just… live a simple, happy life."

"Arthur, you…"

"But it didn’t turn out that way."

Arthur was smiling as he spoke, but it was the saddest smile imaginable.

Kay couldn’t offer any words of comfort to Arthur. Nor could Gareth, Bedivere, Merlin, or Lancelot.

Arthur had become a king. He had drawn Caliburn from the stone and received Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake, becoming a king and leading a nation.

He led a nation, and that nation perished.

A story that should have been filled with glory and victory ended in betrayal and internal strife.

"Kay. Merlin. Gareth. Lancelot. And everyone else."

Arthur looked at Elohim and the Justiciar slowly approaching them and spoke.

"Thank you all for helping me. It seems my story ends here."

"You…"

"Even if I return alive, they won’t stop. The Shrine’s target is Camelot, but what they wanted to erase the most was me, the one who spread the name of Logos. No matter where I go, the Shrine will chase me to the end, trying to kill everyone."

"Are you saying you’ll stay behind?"

"There’s no other way."

Kay couldn’t tell him not to or suggest they fight together.

Knowing the power of the Shrine too well, he couldn’t recklessly offer empty words of fighting together.

If they escaped with Arthur from Camelot, the Shrine would pursue them to the ends of the earth, resulting in countless lives being lost.

Maybe it would be better to end things here with Arthur’s life…

‘What am I even thinking?’

Realizing that he had considered abandoning Arthur, Kay shook his head. Madman. No matter how rational it seems, how could I consider leaving the king behind? How could I do such a thing?

Despite chastising himself, no clear solution came to mind.

In a situation where there was no choice, where he was forced to make only one decision.

Not only Kay but everyone was aware of this.

"Don’t be too sad. It’s inevitable."

"But, why…?"

"Gareth."

"If only… if only I had lived without knowing anything…"

Tears streamed down Gareth’s face.

Knowing the truth had set the Shrine into motion. If he had known nothing, if he had simply carried out the role assigned to him… at least things wouldn’t have ended this way.

Arthur shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Gareth. That’s a cowardly escape."

"My king…"

"Knowing the truth yet turning a blind eye, choosing a life oppressed by oneself… as a being with reason, that’s something I can’t allow. Don’t you agree?"

Arthur’s gaze fell on Yu-hyun, who had been quietly observing the situation.

"Are you suddenly asking me?"

"There’s no one more suited to answer. You already know, don’t you? A seeker of freedom defying the will of the world. You made your choice."

"…You know me well."

"Actually, I never mentioned it, but I’ve watched you reciting poetry in the mortal realm a few times. I really enjoyed it. Quite impressive, especially that story of the last knight. As a fellow knight, it was inspiring."

"That’s…"

"You are the last in the lineage of those who pursue that now-forgotten chivalry, a lineage now dismissed and forgotten. To think that you, knowing the truth of the world, would move toward its end. Is this fate? Quite fascinating."

"It’s not fate."

"Then what?"

"It’s our choice."

Hearing Yu-hyun’s razor-sharp reply, Arthur looked dumbfounded for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Haha! That’s right. Fate. How could one compare something as sacred as your choice to mere fate? My apologies for the offense."

"No problem."

"Yes. Yu-hyun, the last knight and the Lord of Book Piles. My journey may end here, but not yours. You… will continue moving forward. And you’ll reach the end of this world. So, take this."

As Arthur spoke, he extended Excalibur toward him.

Seeing the golden sword, a symbol of the king’s authority, Kay and Gareth opened their eyes wide in shock.

"Arthur!"

"My king!"

"Why are you both shouting?"

"But, no matter what, Excalibur…"

"This is my choice. This is where my story ends, and I can no longer journey with you. So, at the very least, I can help support the journey of someone who shares my will, can’t I?"

This Excalibur was Arthur Pendragon’s final arrangement and gift.

"In comparison to what lies ahead, even Excalibur might seem ‘insignificant,’ but still, please accept it."

"…It’s an excessive gift."

"If it can help, even a little, then it’s worth it."

With a hesitant hand, Yu-hyun received Excalibur. Though it was said to reject any unworthy of it, Excalibur remained silent in his grip, emitting a subtle light as if recognizing its new owner.

"It’s yours now."

"…I’ll use it well."

"Arthur. But what will you use as a weapon…?"

Even for Arthur, it would be impossible to face opponents like this barehanded. Arthur gave a slight smile and took out a spear.

"That is…"

"Rhongomyniad. My final weapon, and the symbol of my sin for killing my son. This will be my companion to the end."

The spear, made of ash wood, appeared plain, yet exuded a chilling, ominous aura.

Arthur chose Rhongomyniad as his final weapon on this ultimate battlefield. He believed it suited him best.

The golden barrier over Camelot had now completely vanished, and Elohim filled the sky.

"Alright. They’re almost here. That’s enough talking. Merlin, are you ready?"

"Yes, my king."

"Merlin. Thank you for everything. I enjoyed being with you."

"My king, I…"

Merlin began to say something regretful but held his tongue. He couldn’t face the king’s last smile with a pathetic expression.

"…Yes. I enjoyed it too."

Merlin recalled a distant past.

When he served Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon, found Arthur, his bloodline, and helped him become king.

Ultimately, he saw every future, accepted his fate, and willingly faced Nimue’s betrayal, being sealed beneath the stone.

But now, a sense of regret lingered.

If he had defied fate, what might have happened? If he had left Arthur as a simple country youth and prayed for his happiness, resisting his own fate until the end…

At least he wouldn’t have felt this sorrow.

Still, he had to send him off with a smile.

As one who served the king, as one who followed him, this was the final courtesy he could show.

Merlin activated the final teleportation spell.

"Everyone, farewell."

Wrapped in the light of teleportation, Arthur waved to his comrades. Soon, they disappeared along with the light, leaving only Arthur at the top of the half-destroyed castle in Camelot.

The city lay desolate. Not a single citizen remained. All had left, leaving him as the only one behind.

So, this is what it feels like to be left alone.

Arthur gripped Rhongomyniad and looked up at the sky.

"With this… I won’t be able to awaken in Avalon."

He muttered self-deprecatingly, yet his resolve didn’t waver.

Let’s go.

Let’s do what a king must.

Though he hadn’t

sought kingship, he had never taken his position lightly after becoming king.

Too absorbed in it, he had lost too much, leading to regret.

But at this moment, he felt certain he would never regret it.

With strength in his legs, he leaped high.

Gripping Rhongomyniad, Arthur charged toward the descending Elohim.

Countless white angels descending from the sky and the one lone king facing them.

Just before they collided, Arthur heard a voice.

Father.

A cherished voice, one he could now hear only in dreams.

Arthur looked toward the source of the voice.

‘Mordred.’

His son.

A pitiful child who had only wanted to be acknowledged by him but, failing that, made an extreme choice.

Breaking free from the Mabinogion, the boy had fallen to the realm of the dead, Satan’s domain, and was now looking at him from outside Camelot with a sorrowful gaze.

‘I’m sorry. For not being a good father.’

The spear in his hand felt more sinister and heavier.

With this spear, he had stabbed his son to death in the Battle of Camlann. At that time, he thought he had no choice. To protect Camelot, to protect Britain.

But looking back now, it all felt pointless.

‘Morgan.’

Beside Mordred, Morgan stood in tears.

‘I promised we would go back to how things were, but it seems we cannot.’

In the slowly flowing time, Arthur reminisced.

When he loved Morgan, and when Mordred was born.

Few memories brought him as much genuine happiness as these.

Now, it was an ideal that he could no longer attain.

But so what?

"Come!"

At this moment, he discarded the title of king.

The last king of a fallen dynasty, he now stood as a rebel, spear pointed toward the world.

Arthur Pendragon, the king of rebellion.

This was his last and final tale.

"You dogs of Logos!"

Elohim filled his vision. Their massive forms surrounded him, and their spears ravaged his body. Yet Arthur laughed, swung Rhongomyniad, and pierced Elohim, bringing them down.

Before long, Arthur was obscured from view by Elohim. The remaining Elohim threw their spears toward the ground.

Countless beams of light and flashes exploded, pillars of light descending upon the castle of Camelot.

With the explosion, the building crumbled, the walls reduced to ashes.

Survivors, watching from a distance, held their breath as they beheld the scene.

The moment their king and city vanished together.

All they could do was watch the wind.

On this day,

Arthur, the king of rebellion, breathed his last alongside Camelot.

Unlike in the myths, he would not go to Avalon, nor did he leave any hope of return.

But it didn’t matter.

Though he would never return, he left a small seed in the hearts of those who remained.

The seed of rebellion.

* * *

Yu-hyun arrived at a quiet clearing in the forest.

The forest, shrouded in early morning mist, was filled with an otherworldly atmosphere.

He had asked Seo Sumin to wait outside and had come alone.

Waiting to meet him was the blond-haired boy, Oello, who had arrived earlier and was perched on a rock.

"You’re here?"

"Yes."

"What happened to the client?"

"He met the end he desired."

"I see."

Oello climbed down from the rock and stood before Yu-hyun.

"We have much to discuss?"

Yu-hyun nodded.