Steel and Mana

Chapter 379 – Confirmation

After Arthur and Lancelot were released, the siblings gathered in their parents' library, sitting around the same table. For starters, they listened to Arthur and Lancelot's retelling of what they had seen and what it was like fighting in a tavern. Until they remembered Sasha's gaze, coming for them on the day of their release. As for punishment... there wasn't any besides a 'lesson' about their responsibilities that they got to sit through. Then, to ease Galahad's worry, Arthur quickly explained everything that their Father had told them of their findings. Clearly, he wasn't mad at all... quite the opposite.

However, despite all of that, Galahad sat rigid in his chair, his fingers digging into his forearms as he stared toward the middle of the table. The guilt was still there, anxious that he caused his brothers to be locked up. Worse, there were newspapers about it, tarnishing their reputation all over the city and beyond—he’d expected at least something of a reproach from them, maybe a sharp remark from Arthur about it all. Something... It was his idea to bring them into this mess, after all. Instead, his siblings greeted him with grins, laughs, and jokes after returning from prison. Noticing his younger brother's grimace, Arthur leaned against the edge of the desk, arms resting on it, bringing Galahad's attention to himself.

“Let’s be clear about one thing one more time, little brother,” he said, his voice soothing. “No one’s blaming you, Galahad.”

“Not one bit,” Lancelot joined in from where he sat, slapping the table. “Stop thinking about it already; it wasn't even a big deal! Duh. And it was my brilliant idea!"

"Brilliant, and your idea is two things that I have never thought of being uttered together." Leyla chuckled, making Lancelot flinch.

"Well," He cleared his throat, "If anything, Galahad had done me a favor for giving me this chance!”

"Huh?" Galahad’s frown deepened. “A favor?”

"Duh!" Lancelot nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "I will be in the army soon, and with this, my future comrades will not look at me as someone special but as a brother in arms! Perfect."

"Okay, let's focus on the actual important thing and not on Lancy's ego." Leyla interrupted, looking at the boys, arms raised between them. “Let's look at what we now know for certain. Galahad's grandparents are indeed spies. They are being officially watched and monitored, so we are not in a hurry now. Whatever they are doing, Mom Yuri and her group have already done with their trap; they are just waiting to spring it.”

"I wonder if they will react the same way as those foreign nobles did," Morgan chuckled, holding one of the newspapers. “Like this, Count Oren’s meltdown over Avalon’s ‘barbaric’ justice system. Priceless.” She giggled, flipping through the pages. “I'm glad they are stupid enough to give comments like these. Dad can use them as leverage and reasons to squeeze them a little.”

"That is.... true." A reluctant chuckle escaped Galahad's throat, somewhat relaxing a little. “I still acted alone... dragging you in and possibly making it harder for our counter-intelligence people to work. I could’ve compromised everything.”

“We. Not you. We." Arthur reached over, rubbing his hair, "Don't say, I, I, I, when we are a family! And no, you didn’t. We didn't. That’s what matters.”

"Thanks..." Galahad murmured, blushing a little.

“So, what’s our next move?" Morgan piped up, excited. "If the spies are already being watched, sneaking around might just make us look suspicious, even if we can play it off as curious kids.”

"True..." Leyla groaned. “Morgan is right—we’re not really in the position to continue. If we bumble into Mom Yuri's pre-planned games, we’ll end up with actually ruining something big.”

"So..." Lancelot asked, sounding disappointed. “Then what? Sit around polishing our swords while the grown-ups handle it? Wasn't Dad our age when he was swindling an Empress and a mad Wizard out of their knowledge?”

“We can do something...” Galahad muttered as their heads turned to him. They watched as he unclenched his hands, his voice contemplative as he was still thinking. The guilt had finally indeed vanished from his expression, replaced with a refreshed, more relaxed look.

"What is it?" Morgan arched a brow. “Do enlighten us, little brother!”

“We go direct.” Galahad met each of their gazes. “I’ll visit my grandparents. Alone.”

"Alone?" Arthur went very still.

"Are you sure?" Leyla’s fingers tightened for a moment, exchanging a glance with her twin. “That’s a dangerous play, Galahad. They are your grandparents, yes, but... they may try something weird!”

“I know.”

"Let him go!" Lancelot whistled loudly. “Bold. I like it. He is still a man; let him act like one already!”

"He is a capable man, yes," Arthur agreed, looking warningly at Lancelot. "But he is our little brother, whom we sworn to protect. Anyway... Explain.” He muttered, turning back to his younger brother.

"From everything we have, I do believe that they are not in a position to refuse playing the spy." Galahad leaned forward, speaking slowly and deliberately, putting his calculations and deductions into words. "Because they’re hiding something, they’ll see me as an opportunity. The quiet grandson. They may even think I am somewhat of an overlooked one. Certainly not one who would be close to taking over our Father. They might try to sound me out, test my loyalties through those facts.” He smiled a little. “Maybe if I drop clues that would reinforce that thought... they may try to recruit me. Grandfather already used flowery words to get to Mom and me when they were led into the palace. I bet they would jump on the fact to complete their 'task' by getting to me.”

"Damn," Morgan’s smile faded, getting a bit worried about Galahad. “You’d be dangling yourself as bait.”

“Not exactly a bait.” Galahad’s fingers traced the worn arm of his chair. “They’ll show their hands if they think I can be swayed or manipulated. And if they’re innocent and turn out that they are just plainly arrogant and stupid, so much so that they are being taken advantage of,” he shrugged, “Then it’s just a grandson paying a visit. If they are not that... Even then, they won't know that I will remember every detail. I can later determine if they are malicious or just being used without the option to refuse when I sort everything out.”

"That is true...." Arthur exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. “It’s not a bad plan. But it’s a risk. They didn't trigger our magic detectors when they came to the city, but that won't mean we are foolproof!”

"If they had anything, Mother's girls had already used countermeasures against it." Lancelot grinned. “Anyway, since when do we shy away from possible dangers?”

"That doesn't mean we don't prepare for them!" Arthur ignored him, leaning closer to Galahad. “If you do this, you walk in with contingencies. The moment something feels off, you leave. No heroics. Leyla and I will put some spells on you that will protect you against any mind-influencing artifacts or spells.”

Of course, Galahad nodded, not arguing with his brother.

"And I will draw a healing one on your back!" Morgan joined in, "For security's sake. It is never a bad idea to be extra safe!"

"See?" Lancelot grinned. "He would be extra secure. We would also shadow you, Galahad. We’ll stay out of sight but close enough to intervene and ensure that no surprise visitors come in while you are in there.”

"..." Galahad opened his mouth to refuse—then caught Morgan’s glare.

“Oh, don’t even think of arguing,” she said sweetly. “If you believe we’d let you waltz into the old spies' hideout without a safety net, you’ve severely misjudged us.”

"Damn right," Arthur gripped his shoulder, his voice barely above a whisper. “We will see this through. Together.”

...
....
.....

Only a day later, Galahad was there, heading towards the house his grandparents were given after settling down in Avalon.

It wasn't a manor, nor was it luxurious. It was a regular, typical home by Avalonian standards, something that most people would still find extravagant in any of the kingdoms. Heating? Electric lighting? Private bathroom? A two-story home made out of stone? It wasn't something made for common people. At least outside of Avalon's territory.

"Breathe. Smile. Be the grandson they remember." Galahad said to himself, refocusing his thoughts from observing the house before him.

He adjusted the strap of the satchel that was now slung over his shoulder—a prop filled with nothing but a book on botany and a half-finished letter to Leyla. Just enough to sell the illusion of an idle visit, coming from a childish, spur-of-the-moment after walking nearby.

Still... The doors swung open before he could knock. Were they watching him? Most likely...

"Master Galahad!" The figure in the doorway, a gaunt man with eyes colored like rusted bronze coins, bowed to him. "What an... unexpected pleasure." As far as the official story went, the man was Kolpath. He should be the fifth cousin of his grandfather, part of the family. Still, being even that far removed... Galahad could see no points of resemblance in the structure of his face. This man was not part of the family. Not by a long shot.

"Yes..." he forced an unsure smile. "I was in the neighborhood."

While speaking, he kept watching... and the steward’s smile didn’t reach his eyes as he led him into the home, babbling about to come in and about how pleased his grandparents and everyone else would be that someone finally began warming up to them.

Being led forth, he found his grandparents in the sunlit living room, sipping tea while talking with two other members of the family they had brought into Avalon. His grandmother Elara looked up first, her simple, locally made teacup pausing mid-air. It wasn't hard to discern; her surprise was genuine. Same as his grandfather, Volkhir's. The other two? One of them displayed Elara's features around his eyes, chin, and nose. An actual relative. The other? No familiar lines on his face. An impostor. And the only one whose surprise was fake... his pupils never changing size while looking at him.

"Galahad?" Elara's voice was honeyed with the proper amount of surprise, the muscles on her face twitching and reacting naturally and not in a controlled manner. "Darling, what brings you to our doorstep? Please, please, come in, my dear, and sit! Tea? Tea! Yes... tea and some biscuits!"

While following suit, he noted that his grandfather was also jumpy. Everything he did to bring the kettle over and make room for Galahad masked a certain level of nervousness and fear. Yes, fear, and it was probably caused by the two fake family members remaining present. They stood so they could survey him and also look through the window to keep an eye on the outside world.

"Surely a grandson needs no excuse to visit," Galahad spoke, stepping forward. "After the time that had passed, and Mother's lack of willingness to visit... Passing close by, I had the impulse to break the ice."

"We understand," Volkhir gestured to a vacant chair he brought over. "Sit, please."

By the time he did so, Elara already offered a filled cup, smiling at him amicably.

"It is great," she murmured, stirring a cube of sugar into her own cup after sitting back down. "It is great... We know Luna is angry with us; she has all the right to be. But it was not a situation that could have played out differently..."

"Maybe," Galahad answered, fixing his position, moving his satchel around his waist, watching.

"Let me take that from you, Young Lord~!" One of the fakes said, reaching out with a smile, "It can't be comfortable; I will just hang it up at the entryway!"

His tone was light, but his gaze flicked to his satchel for a heartbeat too long. 'Noticed that, did you?' he almost asked out loud.

"Thanks, it is nothing much," Galahad said, handing it over while he blew on his tea. "I’ve been reading about medicinal herbs and was on a visit at our latest build, the Green House."

It wasn't a lie. He indeed came through it, making sure it showed on his clothes and boots. It was easier to sell a lie that way, and he was sure the man walking away with his satchel was already rummaging through it after exiting the room.

"So young, yet so smart already... I bet you are already smarter than your siblings, fighting in inns and all that nonsense!" Volkhir commented with a hearty laugh.

"That's... A fact." Galahad took a sip, maintaining his calmness and even showing an ample amount of pride. As for the drink, it tasted... regular. The tea itself was bitter and laced with something floral—linden blossom? Or something less benign? He swallowed anyway. With his siblings' magic on him, he was confident. "Though I’d also hoped to ask… about Mother."

"Luna?" Elara's smile didn’t waver. "Oh? Is she shy talking about herself?"

"You knew her best." Galahad traced the rim of his cup. "I’ve been thinking about her past lately. But she is not in the mood to bring it up, so I can never really ask."

"Well..." Volkhir said, exchanging quick glances with the others, "Luna was raised well. She was given the best teachers she could dream of, and she was raised to be the perfect maid for any duke who would take her in. She was... trained from an early age since she could walk! She was the hope and dreams of our family."

"I see..." Galahad kept his voice soft.

"Though," Elara added with a chuckle, "She was always a bit... lazy. When nobody was looking, she enjoyed doing nothing the most. But she was loyal to her cause, and when it was time to work, she never complained."

"And where do your loyalties lie?" Galahad asked of them, suddenly making the room eerily silent.

"To the family, of course," Volkhir answered first as he reached across the table to pat Galahad’s hand. His skin was papery and cold. His expression... The look in his eyes. The light... The motivation. "All family." His words... All of them... were fake. In that moment, Galahad wanted to sigh. He had no grandparents, after all. From what he could tell, even if they were being forced into this spying conspiracy, they were doing it to gain an advantage. For themselves... and for nobody else.

"I... See." Galahad smiled back at him. "I will try to talk to Mother and... bring you two a bit closer, once again."