Chapter 18: The Uncanny (Please Support and Recommend)

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Kale first comforted Gwen, easing her worries. Only after she had calmed down did he begin his questioning.

“Gwen, don’t think about anything else for now. I need you to carefully recall the past few days. Has Morgana encountered anything strange? Any unusual people? Don’t rush to answer. Take your time, think it over carefully. Even the smallest oddity, no matter how trivial, could be important.”

Kale’s voice was gentle as he asked.

At that moment, Merlin, curious, tried to sneak closer in hopes of overhearing what Kale was saying. But just as he was about to move, Arthur stopped him.

“What are you doing?! This is Morgana’s chamber! It’s already a stretch that I let you come this far. If you go in any further, Uther will not be pleased.” Arthur looked troubled. He had long suspected Merlin harbored feelings for Morgana. Although Merlin never admitted it, Arthur was convinced of it. Merlin was Arthur’s friend, and normally, a friend’s love interest would be supported.

But if that love interest was Morgana, it was a different matter entirely. Setting aside that Morgana and Kale were childhood sweethearts, perfectly suited for each other, the difference in status between Morgana and Merlin alone meant this unrequited affection had no future. The best outcome would be Merlin getting beaten half to death by Uther and Kale and then thrown out of Camelot. More importantly, Arthur wouldn’t know how to help him.

After all, one was his father, the other his brother. Arthur disliked weighing who mattered more to him, but reality was cruel. No matter how close he was to Merlin, he could never put him above his own family.

Seeing Merlin attempt to enter the room, Arthur thought Merlin’s concern was for Morgana, his secret love. Arthur himself was saddened by Morgana’s current state, but he still firmly comforted him, “Listen, Merlin. Though it’s harsh, there’s no chance between you and Morgana. She already has Kale, and... well, you need to forget her. You can find someone better—even if I doubt anyone could compare to Morgana. But you must face reality and let go. Also, don’t let your feelings show, or I can’t guarantee what Kale and Uther might do.”

Merlin found Arthur’s words both amusing and exasperating. While largely true, no one else would comfort someone quite like Arthur’s way. To an outsider, it might even seem like Arthur was mocking and ridiculing Merlin!

In any case, thanks to Arthur’s good intentions, Merlin stayed put. This was the royal palace, and Merlin was but a servant. Reaching the princess’s door was already a great favor. Although the Celts were less strict about male-female boundaries than ancient China, it was still forbidden for a male servant to enter the princess’s chamber while she rested in bed.

Meanwhile, Gwen’s emotions were gradually steadied by Kale’s almost magical tone, and she began trying to recall recent events as Kale requested. Yet, after several attempts, she found nothing unusual.

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In recent days, Morgana had been busy caring for Arthur and Kale, never leaving the palace. The people she saw and the things she did were no different from usual. But Morgana’s current condition could not be without cause. Gwen therefore kept trying to remember, even though she wasn’t sure it would help. As long as it could aid Morgana, no matter how small the detail, she was willing to do it.

Seeing Gwen deep in thought, Arthur did not interrupt. Instead, he began to examine Morgana’s room. Kale was more familiar with this room than anyone else and quickly finished his inspection. Morgana was not fond of luxury; most items were familiar to Kale, with few new things.

The only notable change was a bouquet of lilies on Morgana’s bedside table, apparently replaced just yesterday, blooming beautifully. Kale knew Morgana loved flowers, so nothing seemed odd.

Just as Kale prepared to check if anything else had been tampered with, Gwen suddenly clapped her hands and exclaimed, “I remember—it’s the flowers! The flowers!”

Gwen, lost in thought, had spoken a bit too loudly, drawing everyone’s attention—including King Uther’s.

“Flowers? What flowers? And Gwen, what are you doing? Morgana is ill and needs rest! You cannot shout here!” Uther’s mood was foul, and Gwen’s excited tone only irritated him more.

“As a handmaiden, you failed to care for the princess properly—that alone is negligence. Now you shout at her bedside? This is unforgivable! Guards!” Uther was furious, and as a tyrant, venting his anger by punishing others was not unusual. If the guards took Gwen away, her fate would be grim.

“Wait!” As Arthur and Merlin prepared to plead on Gwen’s behalf, Kale stepped forward first. “My king, Gwen did not mean any harm. I was questioning her about important clues. Please forgive her. Your majesty’s presence overwhelms a lowly handmaiden’s mind, which is no help in understanding why Morgana is like this. I beg you to calm your anger.”

Kale’s words immediately softened Uther’s demeanor. Especially since Kale’s reason focused on uncovering the cause of Morgana’s condition—Uther’s greatest concern now. This also highlighted the difference between Kale and Arthur or Morgana. In the Celtic court, no one seemed to have mastered the art of diplomacy; if something was wrong, they would bluntly point it out.

That was honest, but foolish. Uther was not just their father but also their king. Regardless of intent, pointing out a king’s mistake openly was tantamount to stripping him of his dignity.

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Even a common person would feel humiliated being so bluntly corrected, let alone a king.

Arthur and Morgana never intended to slight Uther, but they often assumed they were right without considering his pride. Such behavior was utterly foolish. Many things could be achieved more effectively through subtlety—why choose the worst approach?

Now, Kale’s words both praised Uther and gently advised him, allowing the king to save face. Why cling to a momentary temper?

After Kale’s counsel, Uther did not send the guards away but instead focused on the matter. “So you mean Morgana’s illness is suspicious?”

“Absolutely!” From the moment Kale entered Morgana’s room, he was certain her sickness was caused by someone—magically inflicted. As a competent mage, though not trained in Celtic magic, Kale knew some things transcended cultures, such as curses.

Every curse carried deep malice, universal in nature. Kale sensed such malevolence in Morgana’s condition. She was cursed. Yet, since Kale was unfamiliar with Celtic spells, quietly resolving the issue would be difficult. Curses were troublesome, and Kale wasn’t sure if intervening directly might harm Morgana. Hence, he wanted to investigate and identify the culprit first—only by addressing the source could the problem be truly solved.

In any case, finding the one who cast the curse was the most direct and effective solution.