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“Wooooah, racing through the desert is so much fun!!”

“Hehe, it’s actually quite rare for outsiders to say that.”

“Gyurururururu!!”

Arthur and the others, who were acting separately from Morgan’s group, were riding the Crimson Arrow and tearing across the desert at full speed.

When traveling with a large group, safety had to be considered, but since it was just the two of them, going all out felt incredibly exhilarating. Arthur even found himself thinking that next time, he would like to come with Kei as well.

“Oh, right. Is it really okay for me to keep this rosary? I found it in the Valley of Trials. It belongs to the Desert People, doesn’t it?”

“The fact that it reacted to you, Arthur-sama, means it may have belonged to the Holy King. I discussed it with my brother, and we decided it should be returned to the rightful successor, so please don’t worry.”

“I see… so that’s how it is.”

Arthur replied absentmindedly, but if Morgan had heard this conversation, she would surely have thrown a triumphant fist pump.

After all, that statement meant the chieftain of the Desert People had acknowledged Arthur as the successor to the Holy King. Of course, Arthur himself had no idea, and was simply thinking about where he should store it.

“But Arthur-sama, why are you going this far for our sake? Not only did you resolve the food problem, you even mediated this conflict… Normally, people would just abandon us.”

“What are you talking about? I told you we’re comrades. And I’ve said it many times—I get along well with my brother Rod. If we just talk a bit, we’ll make up right away.”

“You really are kind… truly…”

Miranda nearly burst into tears at Arthur’s carefree tone.

Naturally, once knights were dispatched, it couldn’t simply be dismissed as a misunderstanding. Money had already been spent, and if there were no results, someone would have to take responsibility. Both Rod and Arthur were competing for the throne, and neither could afford a misstep. And yet Arthur spoke as if it were nothing at all, which deeply moved her.

The boy clinging to her back had no idea that Miranda never imagined he would try to settle things with a casual, almost childish, “It was just a misunderstanding.”

“We should be able to see them soon. Do you think Rod-sama is over there?”

“Hmm, hard to say. Can we get a little closer?”

“Leave it to me. Let’s go, Crimson Arrow!!”

“Gyurururururu!!”

Following Miranda’s command, the Crimson Arrow approached a group of knights riding camels. With sand billowing into the air as they advanced, there was no way the knights wouldn’t notice, and they raised their bows…

“Hey, you guys!! Where’s my brother Rod? Can you tell him Arthur has come to talk?”

“Huh, Arthur-sama? Is that really you?”

“I’ve seen him before. Weren’t you supposed to be captured by the Desert People? Why are you together so peacefully?”

The knights, confused, lowered their weapons.

“My brother Rod is mistaken. I’ve already reconciled with the Desert People. I came to tell him that.”

“What in the world is going on?”

“Should we report this to Rod-sama? But will he even listen to Arthur-sama?”

“They seem to be arguing… will everything be all right…?”

As Miranda muttered anxiously at the murmuring knights, Arthur recalled words spoken by Morgan in his previous life.

-“You know, if you, as king, don’t stand firm, the knights can’t act properly. They aren’t the ones who bear responsibility… that’s the job of us nobles and royalty. You have to learn many things so you can make proper judgments.”

It was a bitter memory from the past.

But now, he could understand her words a little. When he had simply followed Lord Glutton’s advice, he hadn’t realized it, but thinking things through and acting on his own was truly difficult.

“I’m not asking you to do anything for me. I just want you to tell me where my brother Rod is.”

“But if we tell you and Rod-sama is ambushed…”

“I’ve heard the Desert People are skilled at surprise attacks.”

Though shaken by Arthur’s words, the knights continued to watch Miranda warily. In that tense situation, one knight stepped forward.

“Arthur-sama!! If you’re going to negotiate, then please promise that you’ll go alone with that Desert Person. That’s our condition.”

“Hey, saying something so impertinent to Arthur-sama—”

“Fine. I swear it on the name of Arthur Pendragon. You all will be my witnesses. Is that enough?”

As the other knights hurriedly glanced at Arthur’s expression, stunned by his unexpected response, the knight who had stepped forward nodded.

“Understood. Rod-sama should be in the central area around now. He said he was hiding in a place with many monsters.”

“That would be an Armor Scorpion nest. There’s no way a large group could live in a place like that…”

Miranda muttered in mild disbelief at the knight’s words. Then, as they prepared to head toward their destination, Arthur voiced a question that had been on his mind.

“Hey, why did you trust me?”

“I serve Hervé-sama. And I saw with my own eyes how you devoted yourself to the Golden Wheat. I believed someone like you could be trusted.”

“I see… thank you. I’ll treat you to some good cookies next time.”

Noticing the look of respect in the eyes of a knight from another faction, Arthur felt a little embarrassed. Cracking a light joke, he mounted the Crimson Arrow once more.