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IBHJ Chapter 253
🕑 Added 2023-05-09 22:44:55 +0000 UTCAfter settling down in the estate, Shirou spent a few days investigating Artoria's actions by talking to the common people. He found that the praise for her was very high, and she seemed to be doing an excellent job as a lord.
In contrast to Morgan, who used harsh and cruel punishments to control the people's daily behavior and actions, Artoria chose a more relaxed approach. She focused on stabilizing production by strictly adhering to the fundamental law, creating a calm and stable environment for the people.
Although it wasn't a perfect solution, it was undoubtedly much better than what Morgan had implemented.
As Shirou reflected on what he had learned, he couldn't help but question his own thoughts. What was especially significant was that Artoria seemed to understand many of his ideas. She recognized that being kind to the people was not enough for a good leader, and that using rewards and punishments and understanding the people's needs without being disconnected from reality were crucial for guiding them.
He was surprised by Artoria's insight and even wondered if she was possessed by Guinevere.
Artoria had the potential to be a benevolent ruler, but her kindness often lacked guidance, making it appear pedantic. Shirou had long seen through her actions and even labeled her as such.
However, after spending a year alone, Artoria seemed to have undergone a significant transformation. She had torn off the label that Shirou had given her and was now showing a newfound understanding of what it meant to be a good leader.
Shirou was amazed by how much she had changed in such a short amount of time. He couldn't help but wonder if spending a year in solitude was all it took to make such a profound difference.
He couldn't help but ask, "How did you come to understand this?" The transformation in Artoria was too significant for him to comprehend.
"I memorized every word you said and thought deeply about the way you handle things. You are the ideal king in my heart, and I will always follow in your footsteps."
Shirou sighed and said, "I'm far from being an ideal king, but you can learn from me. Just don't try to imitate me. People are unique, and they face different challenges. The most important thing is to be adaptable to different situations."
"I understand, my king," she nodded and said, "To truly empathize and understand others, one must first understand the human heart. That's why I am grateful to Arcueid. She helped me break free from the psychological shackles that held me back."
"Oh? Has something like this happened?" Shirou looked surprised. Arcueid hadn't even mentioned this to him, so he had no idea.
Or perhaps this was just a small matter of communication between Arcueid and Artoria, a minor issue between friends, so Arcueid didn't tell him.
Shirou understood that when it came to important matters concerning the country, he could not allow anyone to withhold information from him. However, he was not one to pry into other people's private affairs or indulge in gossip.
Nevertheless, he was glad that Arcueid had helped Artoria break free from her psychological limitations. Emotionally limiting oneself could strengthen rationality, but it could also make it challenging to express one's emotions. While being a capable and skilled general was essential, understanding the human heart was even more critical for a king.
He was moved by Artoria's newfound emotional openness. It wasn't a romantic feeling between a man and a woman, but a deep admiration for her growth as a leader.
Initially, Shirou had been hesitant to hand over the succession rights to Artoria because of her emotional limitations and the knowledge of her fate. However, with her recent transformation, she had proven to be even more qualified than Morgan.
Shirou hesitated for a moment before asking, "Artoria, let me ask you something. If you, as a ruler, had an absolutely trustworthy knight - someone you never doubted, someone like me and you - how would you prevent that knight from betraying you? And... why are you sweating so much? Are you feeling unwell?"
Artoria trembled as she tried to reply, "I... I would never betray the king..."
He nodded and reassured her, "I know that. I'm not asking if you would betray me. I'm asking how you would prevent it from happening."
She hesitated for a moment before responding, "If it's someone I absolutely trust, then they would never betray me."
He smiled and replied, "Artoria, you should never trust people too easily. There are many bad and cunning individuals in the world, and countless others who deceive others for their own benefit. As a ruler, you must remain impartial and listen to both sides of the story. And most importantly, you should not overestimate others."
"To only hear one side is to hear very little, but to hear both sides is to enlighten oneself," Shirou said with a smile. "Even the most trusted person should be doubted to some extent. Perhaps this is one of the most painful aspects of being a king. However, it's necessary to prevent deception unless all of your subordinates betray you."
He continued, "But that's an impossible scenario. As a ruler, if all of your subordinates betrayed you, you would have been assassinated or dethroned long ago. So, why bother deceiving the king?"
"Even though your psychological barriers have been lifted, you're still too naive and straightforward. There are many things you have yet to learn, including how to deceive people," Shirou chuckled.
"Yes... you're right," Artoria looked down, acknowledging his words.
...
After spending a few days resting in Tintagel, Shirou planned to return the following day. However, during his stay, Merlin had been quite bothersome, prancing around in his magical girl costume and causing Shirou no small amount of annoyance.
Despite this, he knew that Merlin had also gone to Zelretch for Camelot's sake. As a responsible king, he had no choice but to put up with Merlin's antics, even if it meant enduring his irritating behavior.
Shirou asked, "By the way, I haven't seen that baby I encountered a few days ago. Where is the baby now?"
Merlin remembered the comical scene of being bitten by a hungry baby and chuckled to himself.
"The baby has already been taken away," Ruby answered with a cheerful tone.
"Oh," He didn't even bother to look up at Ruby's response, but Merlin glanced over at Kay and asked, "My king, aren't you curious about whose child that was?"
Shirou replied matter-of-factly, "It was my and Artoria's child, of course."
"Huh? My king, you're really..."
Merlin was about to express his surprise when Shirou interrupted him with a sneer. "I knew you would say that. You think you can fool me for the fifth time? First it was Morgan, then Scathach, the fourth time was Gareth, and now it's supposed to be Artoria? Not bad. Who are you planning to use for the sixth time?"
Merlin was the embodiment of deceit, having fooled Kay, Morgan, Guinevere, Scathach, and countless others, including the Knights of the Round Table.
Even Merlin had managed to trick Shirou on a few occasions. After successfully subduing Vortigern, Shirou was concerned about Morgan's potential mischief. It was at that moment that Merlin appeared with a child from the crowd, claiming that it was his baby. The sudden announcement left Shirou pale with fear, but it turned out to be a prank, and Merlin laughed heartily. In response, Shirou called upon Kay to give chase after Merlin
In the knight circle, everyone knew that Merlin was a notorious liar. After being fooled many times, even Gareth had grown wary of Merlin's words. However, Arcueid seemed to be the only one who could see through his tricks.
"You can't even fool me with Morgan anymore. I've thoroughly examined the situation," Shirou remarked. "You should reflect on how to improve your deception skills. I look forward to the day when you can actually fool me."
Merlin: "......"
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LB
The irony was palpable.
