Wood took a breath and switched the phone screen from the call interface to the home screen. Seeing that the phone was connected to the inn's Wi Fi, he hurriedly clicked on the time and region, letting out a startled cry—
Boss, I—I'm in Glastonbury right now, Glastonbury in England! The legendary entrance to Avalon! It's also the place where English contemporaries met the wizard Merlin and Lancelot, who insisted he wasn't the Knight of the Lake! The time is 1:00 PM!
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Author's Note: Note: There is a five-hour time difference between New York and London, so when it is eight in the morning for the Boss, it is already one in the afternoon for the protagonist.
The main storyline officially begins~
Thanks to readers Qian Duo, Li Yu, Shi Yi, "..", a, Gu Lu Gu Lu, "If the Moon Doesn't Come", kiki, Yue Xia Yin Cha, Lei Zhuang, "A Rain Hat in the Abyss", "Raise a Feifeiing", Ye Yuan, Half City of Sand, " ", Xing Ye, Lan Mei Xiao Yang, Suisui Wei Jun Ge, Lan Wu, Min Irrigation Nutrient Solution
Chapter 33 True and False Arthur (3)
.. What on earth happened! Why did I suddenly appear at the Glastonbury Countryside Inn in England! I have no cash or identification on me, only my phone and some changes of clothes.. It's one o'clock in the afternoon local time, which means—my stay in the guest room has likely already exceeded the time limit!
("Calm down first—")
But..
Wood scratched his hair weakly. "If the person checking me in only booked one night! I.. what am I supposed to do now! I have no cash! And no identification! I don't want to end up on the streets! Even though the public safety in Glastonbury is bad, it can't be worse than New York.."
Wood was on the verge of a breakdown.
Regarding your identification, I will have Jason contact his colleague in England to help resolve it for you. As for the more difficult issue of cash—since I was able to reach you, it means you are still using your mobile phone. Perhaps you can obtain some cash support from the Inn Staff via your mobile wallet, including your room and meal expenses for the next few days.. If there is no money in your mobile wallet and no bank accounts under your name are linked, then wait quietly for Jason or my support..
Listening to the various instructions coming through the speaker, Wood was so moved that he was on the verge of tears.
.. Boss!
.. Even for me, using a private jet for long-distance flights across borders and oceans requires a certain approval process. You will need to wait at least twenty-four hours. In the meantime.. try not to leave Glastonbury. It would be best if you could stay in the inn where you are currently located, keep in contact with me at all times.
Don't worry, Boss! During this time, I will definitely stay in my room until you come to pick me up!
("You cannot stay in your room all the time, because you need to eat and have necessary communication with the Inn Owner, England's colleagues might also seek you out—you must remain vigilant when interacting with these people, in case their identities are suspicious!")
Understood! Understood! I understand everything!
Wood replied repeatedly in agreement.
("Alright, I'll hang up for now, then I'll contact Jason and have him notify England as soon as possible—")
Thank you, Boss! Boss, you are the best person in this world to me!
Wood wept with joy, making loud kissing sounds into his phone.
..
What a lovely guy~
In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Master smiled as he put down his phone, but his smile soon froze. He turned his head to look at the uninvited "Arthur."
What exactly are your intentions?
I have no intentions at all; I simply think he is adorable and want to develop a pleasant relationship with him.
Oh?
You know, it is as natural for an England man to fall in love with a man as it is for a man to fall in love with a woman. Not to mention his appearance perfectly fits my aesthetic—blonde hair, emerald green eyes, fair skin that turns a lovely pink when he gets excited. His personality is both simple and complex.. Well, the only problem is that he only seems to like you at the moment..
You're lying.
Oh?
He has already arrived in England and is currently staying in a small inn in Glastonbury. If you want to pursue him, you'd better hurry—I will arrive in Glastonbury in twenty-four hours.
.. Why?
You were unwilling to be honest with me before, so I have no obligation to be honest with you now.
Master smiled gently, but his eyes—
You may leave, Arthur, or rather—***!
Alright.
"Arthur" gave a slight smile, his body transforming into shimmering light as he dissipated into the air.
Master lowered his head, stroking the back of his hand: "—What is it you want? Or rather, what can you possibly get?"
..
..
Wood sat at the aged dining table, looking at the traditional British meal brought by the staff—thickly battered Fish and Chips, roast beef with a strictly pink interior, roasted potatoes emitting a strange aroma, mushy and sweet Baked Beans, terribly hard, shriveled Toast beside the plate—his expression one of bewilderment.
He was hungry now and in dire need of food to replenish his energy, but this stuff—
Alright! I must survive first before I can have the chance to enjoy a feast for the Soul.
Muttering to himself, Wood picked up a salt and peppered chip and carefully put it into his mouth—
(Ah!)
An indescribable pain instantly erupted on the tip of his tongue.
(Why! Why even the chips can be made this disgusting! This isn't even chips! This is—)
(I eat this stuff just to stay alive! I can't be too picky!)
(But—)
After reminding himself once more that "the primary goal of eating is to sustain life," Wood suppressed his complex emotions and mechanically shoved the expensive, even more complicated-tasting life-sustaining meal into his mouth.
(Hang in there! Keep going! In twenty-four hours at most, the Boss's plane will arrive in London and pick you up in Glastonbury, then you'll be able to eat food that actually tastes normal!)
(Endure it! Endure it! Endu—this stuff is simply too disgusting!)
Wood thought in agony, his mental state collapsing with every bite, as tears involuntarily welled up in his eyes.
(Why! Why is the food so terrible! Have the taste buds of the people in England collectively evolved into some kind of unutterable realm!)
(Sigh~ No wonder Little Anubis was so adamantly opposed to me going to England on a business trip.. This food is so terrible..)
—Mister, do you mind if I sit opposite you?
A polite and gentle voice sounded from above. Wood looked up and saw an old man with thick white hair and a white beard, wearing a royal blue robe.
Hello.
Out of politeness, Wood asked the old man to sit down: "Are you playing the role of the mage Merlin?"
Playing a part?
The Old Man froze for a moment, then nodded repeatedly. "Yes, I am a great admirer of the mage Merlin; I am a follower of Merlin."
Your appearance and looks are so much like Merlin—is your hair real hair?
Real hair? Of course it's real hair!
The Old Man looked at Wood with an eager smile: "Young man, what is your name?"
Me? I am—
Wood suddenly fell silent.
He noticed that although the Old Man before him had an aged face and hair and beard that were completely white, his cheeks were flushed and firm, his eyes lacked the cloudiness of the elderly, his back was straight and upright, showing no signs of hunching.
You don't look like an Old Man at all.
Is that so?
The Old Man narrowed his eyes: "You think I—"
I think you're fifty at most.
Wood spoke cautiously.
Everyone who has seen me says I look younger than my actual age.
The Old Man looked at Wood with deep eyes. "Young man, you possess pure natural blonde hair and beautiful green eyes. Are you willing to become my Arthur?"
Me? Why?
Wood asked with feigned ease, while cold sweat broke out on his back—his strong sixth sense told him that this Old Man before him was definitely not simple!
You look very much like Arthur, you could practically say you are identical..
The Old Man gazed at Wood with an obsession, his eyes so stubborn that they frightened Wood.
I—I—I'm not..
No! You are Arthur!
Merlin suddenly raised his voice, pressing both hands onto the table, his towering figure completely overshadowing Wood.
Wood was so startled that the fork in his hand fell to the floor with a clatter.
“..”
(Did I run into a madman?)
Muttering to himself, Wood leaned down to pick up his knife and fork, only to suddenly realize—even with the Old Man shouting and screaming at him, the others in the inn's dining room continued to eat with their heads down, as if they had heard and seen nothing at all.
—Are you surprised at this moment?
The Old Man's voice, resonant as a pendulum, continued to ring out above his head.
Why is it that even though I am speaking loudly to you, no one around us reacts?
From the moment I appeared before you, you entered my private small space, shrouded by my Barrier; the others in the restaurant cannot hear our conversation.
Wood was shocked, looking at the white-haired Old Man in disbelief: "What! What did you say?"
—I am not some hack actor playing the part of Merlin the Wizard; I am the real Merlin the Wizard, having awakened from a fifteen-hundred-year slumber only a few days ago.
You are Merlin? Master Merlin?
Yes, I am Merlin, Arthur's best friend and mentor, the mage Merlin.
Merlin announced proudly, "There is no way I could be mistaken; you are indeed Arthur."
But—
Wood recalled the photos of Merlin and Lancelot attached to the documents: "You look completely different now than.. I remember you had a companion named Lancelot.. You.. why.."