Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice II

Chapter 344

Shirou and Lorelei strolled down the corridor, their footsteps echoing softly. He glanced at her and asked, "Lord Barthomeloi, any news from Waver? Has he found anything useful?"

She beamed with excitement and replied, "No need for the formal 'Lord' address, Your Majesty. You might not remember, but Barthomeloi's ancestors were your court mages. One of them even received the Third Red Dragon Badge, the highest honor you ever awarded!"

Red Dragon Badge? Shirou's memory jogged, recalling the merit system he had once established. It was true, the badge held immense significance and was a symbol of utmost valor.

As memories flooded back, he recalled that during the Camelot dynasty, only three Red Dragon Badges had ever been awarded to magi.

Morgan and Merlin were the recipients of two of those badges. And then there was the third badge... It belonged to a diligent magus with a sunny smile, a person who took their work seriously.

He remembered that when he first implemented the merit system in Cornwall, he awarded this magus a bronze medal. At the Ceremony, the magus wanted to touch the bright silver badge awarded to Merlin, but was promptly rejected by Merlin without any hesitation.

He couldn't help but let out a sigh. "So, it was him..."

Lorelei's eyes sparkled with anticipation, and she couldn't contain her excitement any longer. "Your Majesty... have you finally remembered our ancestor?"

"He was an excellence magus."

Her eyes sparkled with sincerity as she added, "Yes! Our ancestor was truly exceptional, the pride of the Barthomeloi family. We've always looked up to him and strived to follow in his footsteps!"

Observing her earnestness, he couldn't help but feel that the Barthomeloi family had lost their way.

When he spoke of "excellence," he wasn't merely referring to magecraft expertise. It encompassed much more—the warmth of that magus's sunny smile and his remarkable leadership qualities. Undoubtedly, he possessed a unique ability to unite magi, surpassing even Merlin in that regard.

As time passed, that magus rose to prominence as the leader of the court mages, succeeding Merlin. Yet, it became apparent that the Barthomeloi family had taken a wrong turn...

The harmonious and united community of magi, which had been fostered by that magus, had now transformed into the Clock Tower—a fragmented society riddled with chaos and conflicting factions.

But never mind, he wasn't interested in getting involved in the pretend games of the Clock Tower. He'd rather leave it as a toy for Zelretch to play with.

Shirou strode ahead with quick steps, while Lorelei lagged behind with slow ones, giving the impression that the Queen of the Clock Tower had taken on the role of a secretary accompanying her boss in the mundane world.

In truth, it was usually Lorelei who took large strides forward, with others following closely behind.

However, in the presence of the Eternal King, who had been worshipped by the Barthomeloi family for generations and was believed to have dominion over all creation, none of the members of the Barthomeloi family dared to display even the slightest hint of disrespect.

It was only natural. The Barthomeloi family were known for their extreme aristocratic attitudes, looking down upon almost everyone outside their own lineage. Even the heads of the Barthomeloi family throughout generations considered only those who had attained the level of a Magician of the Second Magic as their equals.

Yet, only in the presence of the Eternal King, the very source of their family's glory, would the members of the Barthomeloi family willingly bow their proud heads.