Type-Moon: The Human Love Simulator

"Hahaha! My finest son, Kaelar, where are you?"

Even before Sir Ector appeared, his booming laughter echoed in Kaelar's ears. His voice, loud and infectious, carried so well that even the servants and knights who had retreated far from the castle could hear it clearly.

How odd. Every time Sir Ector came home, he and Kaelar would have a fierce argument, ending with both of them storming off. Never before had Ector seemed this delighted to see him.

Kaelar raised an eyebrow, curious. What's gotten into the old man?

Ector pushed open the door and spotted his impressive son. Without warning, he pulled Kaelar into a bear hug, laughing heartily. "My best son, you've finally come to your senses! Now I can rest easy…"

"No wonder you're my son, to have thoughts that align so perfectly with my own!"

Oh, please spare me. To Kaelar, that felt like an insult to his wisdom and philosophy. Ector had his good qualities, but relying on his wit and skills to govern a tiny place like Maple Ridge? He'd probably have to abandon it for a more menial job.

It all made sense now why, in the original timeline, Artoria and Ector's family wandered as farmers until she pulled the sword from the stone after Uther's death.

Kaelar remained silent, waiting for Ector to continue. The typical Celtic warrior didn't believe in hiding his thoughts, and Ector was no exception. His face lit with excitement as he went on: "Kaelar, my son, do you know how happy I was when I received your letter yesterday?"

"My boy, you've finally become a true Celtic warrior!" Ector's voice grew louder, almost shouting with pride, as if he wanted everyone to hear what Kaelar had done. "War! We Celts have no fear of war! The very idea excites us!"

"A true Celtic warrior lives to slay his enemies on the battlefield, to let their blood flow…"

"...Frankly, yesterday's impulsive decision is one I regret more than anything else."

Kaelar carefully studied Ector's expression for a moment before he let out a quiet sigh. "I was just wondering how I could fix things, but it seems I don't need to. Thankfully."

"Things didn't escalate to the worst-case scenario."

Judging from Ector's expression, it was clear that Uther had not agreed to wage war against the Anglo-Saxons. It was a huge relief for Kaelar, saving him from a world of trouble.

Ector's laughter came to an abrupt halt. The jovial, carefree tone vanished instantly, and he looked at Kaelar as if betrayed, his voice rising to a near roar: "What did you just say?!"

"I said that yesterday's moment of impulsiveness was a decision I deeply regret. Luckily, it didn't have severe consequences. It's a lesson I should learn from—to be more cautious in the future, to think thrice before acting."

Kaelar, never one to hide his flaws, spoke with frankness. "My fear of the unknown and my inability to control the situation led me to make such a reckless suggestion to Uther. I'm filled with remorse for it."

"If my thoughts stray even a little, it could lead to a disaster beyond imagining. In my efforts to educate, I must choose my words with great care."

Ector's knuckles tightened, and for a moment, he seemed on the verge of throwing a punch. Thankfully, he remembered Kaelar's combat prowess and thought better of it—not because he couldn't win, but because fighting his own son for real felt... wrong.

Besides his perceived softness and foolishness, Kaelar was almost flawless—a sage who could rival the great wizard Merlin. Many a lord envied Ector for having such a gifted son.

Ector held back, yet couldn't suppress his frustration. He finally burst out: "Then why did you send that letter yesterday?! Do you have any idea how happy I was?!"

There was no denying it. The deep joy turning to disappointment was a bitter pill to swallow, and the fact that Ector hadn't lost his temper completely was a sign of remarkable restraint.

"Father, you don't understand…"

Kaelar's usually unwavering gaze showed a rare hint of sadness. "You're all Celts, barbarians in a world that's changing… You truly don't understand."

He chuckled bitterly. "In fact, Uther likely rejected my suggestion not out of concern for his people's lives and well-being."

"It's just because he's afraid of Vortigern!"

"You don't know anything! Do you understand the terror that the White Dragon brings to the battlefield?" Ector snapped, his teeth clenched. "That shadow-devouring White Dragon is a monster! I've seen him crush the charge of ten thousand knights head-on..."

"If war breaks out, it would take at least fifty thousand knights, along with the aid of Merlin, to defeat Vortigern and his Anglo-Saxons."

"Fifty thousand knights may seem like a lot, but it's not an impossible feat for Uther," Kaelar replied calmly. "Just in Camelot alone, over ten thousand knights are sworn directly to him. Gathering fifty thousand from all of Celtic Britain's lords isn't unthinkable."

The Celtic population on the island far exceeded the Anglo-Saxons, and raising fifty thousand knights, while taxing, was well within reach.

"And Merlin? That old nightmare is already Uther's court wizard. Convincing him to assist wouldn't be difficult, would it?"

Kaelar gave Ector a long, steady look. "If defeating Vortigern were only a matter of numbers, Uther would have already struck."

After all, Uther was the true King of the Celts. Vortigern had few loyal Celtic lords under his command, which was why he relied so heavily on foreign Anglo-Saxons.

As Ector fell silent, Kaelar's voice softened. "Is it because of Morgan?"

If only two factions were vying for power, the matter would have been settled long ago. But Britain wasn't divided into just Celts and Anglo-Saxons.

"Yes, Morgan, the Fairy Queen, one of the Nine Sorceresses of Avalon." Ector nodded, acknowledging Kaelar's insight. "Uther must consider her influence."

"Although Uther gained a semblance of the island's authority by performing the ritual that made him the Fairy Queen's 'father,' it's only a facade. Morgan remains the true ruler of Britain."

Ector sighed. "But she's the ruler of the fairies, not of humans. Uther must look out for all the Celts."

"And you only guessed part of it. Besides the fairies, there are also the Romans."

Ector gestured southward. "Even though Rome has splintered and Britain seized the opportunity to become independent, the Roman influence here remains formidable. If we and Vortigern's forces were to annihilate each other, Britain would once again become 'Britannia.'"

Ah, yes—the Romans.

They were another powerful force that could not be ignored on the island.

Uther's recovery from his devastating defeat at Vortigern's hands was only possible because of Roman support.

Yet over the years, the Romans had remained quiet, never interfering in Britain's internal conflicts, allowing the struggle between Uther and Vortigern to simmer.

Perhaps, from the Roman perspective, a turbulent Britain was the most advantageous.

In the original timeline, King Arthur's twelve great victories drove the Anglo-Saxons away and defeated the Romans, earning him the title of the most glorious and eternal King of the Celts.

And in that same timeline, Sir Kay—known as the Knight of the Round Table—died fighting the Roman commander Tiberius. If the Romans could kill someone of Kay's caliber, a first-class hero with a title among the Round Table, their strength was not to be underestimated.