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IBHJ Chapter 240
🕑 Added 2023-05-01 23:09:41 +0000 UTCThe holy lance Rhongomyniad recognized Shirou as the rightful lord of the Island, signaling an end to the long battle with the past.
But Shirou couldn't accept this honor alone - it would be a betrayal of all the warriors who had sacrificed their lives for this cause.
It was not just him. It was them.
Together, they had thwarted the final counterattack of the past era.
However, the matter was far from over. Although the leaders had perished, beasts still roamed the land. That said, with the White Dragon's death, the magical beasts could no longer wreak havoc as they once had.
Following successful alliance of the kings, the once-rampant groups of beasts vanished within a mere three months.
Deprived of the qualifications to enter the Reverse Side of the World, and rejected by the surface world, the creatures had no place to call their own.
Destruction was the only fate that awaited them.
This was a war of races - a brutal battle for survival.
To abstain from battle was to concede defeat and embrace certain death.
Shirou had no room for mercy, nor did he possess the right to offer it. Instead, he was filled with a profound sense of gratitude—for the ancestors and forebears who had carved a path out of nothing.
Now, the fallen heroes who had given their lives for this land would become the revered ancestors of future generations.
Perhaps future generations would not remember their names, or perhaps they would worship useless gods instead. Yet, it was undeniable that the foundation of humanity’s future had been forged through the toil, sweat, and blood of those who came before.
But the war was far from over.
Although the shadows of the past had been vanquished, the struggle with the future had only just begun.
To carve out a place in the future, one must make a move towards the European continent - to become part of the select few who can claim that future for themselves.
This would be the ultimate battle - the final struggle for survival.
Having quelled the final counterattack of the past era, the newly ascendant human race faced a formidable foe - even before they had grown strong enough to reach for the stars.
This external threat hailed from beyond their planet, known as the King of the Moon.
Now, the fate of humanity rested on the shoulders of Shirou - the king who had brought an end to the Age of the Gods.
Indeed.
With the Holy Sword and Holy Lance now in his possession, the king had set his sights on the head of the Crimson Moon.
But first, he knew he needed to consolidate his own kingdom.
Camelot had spent half a year in recovery, dispatching laborers to clear the ruins and lay the groundwork for a long and arduous reconstruction.
As the king had anticipated, land production began to decline following Vortigern's death.
To be more precise, it was the productivity of land cultivated by the Britons that had decreased.
With the departure of the last god, the power of the Island had begun to cleanse itself of the vestiges of the Age of Gods.
In response, the king made the decision to let the Saxons take over the task of cultivating the fields.
All of the Saxons had been rounded up and arrested - the strong ones were conscripted into the army, while the others were made slaves.
The king ensured that they were provided with enough supplies to survive, but their labor was put to work for the benefit of the kingdom. Despite this, the Saxons were grateful for the chance to prove their worth.
Over time, the king meticulously sorted and developed the Saxon workforce, creating a vast pool of labor that left the nobility of surrounding territories with no choice but to compromise. Eventually, the slaves were liberated, and the Saxons were put to work according to the king's requirements and rules.
Those who refused to follow the king's rules were quickly ostracized by the rest of the kingdom, thanks to the king's skilled manipulation of people's hearts and reputations. These dissenters were dealt with accordingly.
With his wings fully spread, the king could no longer be obstructed by the nobles.
As the kingdom continued to develop, the king issued a new currency that gradually began to circulate in the market.
Despite the king's claims of its effectiveness, those who had grown accustomed to the Roman monetary system - which had been in place for hundreds of years - were hesitant to fully embrace the new currency. Many feared that the new currency might become invalid, so they prioritized using it for purchases within the kingdom, while holding onto the old currency as a backup.
Nevertheless, as time went on, the new currency gradually gained acceptance and eventually replaced the old currency altogether.
Thus, this was the process by which one currency was replaced by another.
With the circulation of the new currency and the internal situation approaching stability, the king showed his sharp claws to the neighboring kingdoms on the island.
He decreed that all trade must be conducted with the new currency, effectively putting an end to the traditional practices of bartering with animal hides and ore for food.
Now, the neighboring kingdoms had no choice but to adopt Camelot's currency for all their economic dealings.
This, however, presented a new dilemma: how were these kingdoms to acquire Camelot's currency?
To solve this problem, the king established exchange centers for other kingdoms to exchange their goods for currency. At the same time, he also provided 'assistance' and distributed currency to other kingdoms - disguised as loans - to ensure they could keep pace with Camelot's growing economic influence.
Initially, the receiving kings did not notice anything unusual and even viewed Camelot as a reliable and steadfast ally.
However, after several months of currency circulation, they began to sense that something was wrong. They soon discovered that their kingdom's wealth was flowing into Camelot at an alarming rate, and that Camelot was exercising control over the prices of goods and commodities throughout the island.
As several kings began to add up the numbers, they began to realize the true extent of King Arthur's ambition - it was nothing less than an invasion!
They were baffled and outraged by this incomprehensible act of aggression. Realizing that something had gone terribly wrong, they scolded King Arthur for his insatiable greed and then banded together to declare war on Camelot.
In response to this, Shirou simply sneered and ordered Kay and Lamorak to secure their borders, rather than engage in outright destruction.
Following the battles with Vortigern, the population of Britain had significantly declined. Even if one included the remaining Saxons and Picts, it was unclear whether the total number of people still living on the island exceeded 200,000.
As a result, Shirou knew that he could not afford to engage in a full-scale massacre. Instead, he chose to wage a subtle yet ruthless economic war against his enemies.
Despite their efforts to resist, the northern kings found themselves unable to withstand the economic stranglehold imposed by Shirou. With Camelot controlling the economy, resources, and food supply, it was only a matter of time before their kingdoms would collapse.
For a relentless month and a half, Kay and Lamorak staved off the invaders. Eventually, though, the enemy was left with no choice but to acknowledge defeat, their domains crumbling under the economic siege.
Feeling the noose tightening, the other kings started to seek a compromise with Shirou, in the hope of becoming vassal states of Camelot.
Shirou, however, had grander designs. Mere vassalage was not enough; he wanted to expand Camelot’s borders.
Despite their initial resistance, the other kings ultimately found themselves backed into a corner. As their kingdoms began to spiral into chaos, they were forced to compromise with Shirou and relinquish control over their lands.
Shirou spoke with a commanding tone: "I am willing to grant you wealth and status, but in return, I demand that you surrender both your military and financial powers to me!"
The other kings nodded their agreement, knowing that they had little choice but to accept the King's terms.
As Shirou consolidated his hold on the island, he also invited the nobles who governed his territories to his royal court and entertained them with lavish banquets. Amidst the toasting and chatting, Shirou deftly stripped them of their military and financial powers.
Despite their mounting anger, the nobles dared not speak out against the King's actions. With the kingdom on the brink of collapse and the King's grip on power tightening with each passing day, there seemed to be little hope for any kind of resistance.
Anyone who dared to voice objections would face the King's butcher knife. Even those who had supported the King in his most critical situations were not exempt from his cold and ruthless blade.
This principle was well-known to all who lived under Shirou's rule, for it had been a tactic used by countless empires before him. Just as the emperors of Rome had done when they transitioned from a city-state system to an empire, Shirou demanded absolute control over both military might and financial resources across his territories.
Despite their reservations, the nobles knew better than to defy the king's will. With Rome's history serving as a cautionary tale, they smiled and praised the king's greatness, even as they reluctantly handed over their powers.
Lancelot quickly realized that something was wrong and rushed back to Benoic to inform his father, putting their collaboration with Camelot on hold for the moment. However, it was already too late. King Arthur's economic invasion had already taken root in Benoic and caused significant damage.
Despite Benoic's valiant efforts to resist the invasion for more than a month, they ultimately had to accept defeat, and King Ban could only manage a bitter smile as he surrendered to King Arthur.
The lifeline had been cut off. Fewer people were planting crops, and King Arthur's economic warfare had brought everyone to their knees.
In the end, King Ban could only submit to the inevitable with a mixture of sadness and admiration, acknowledging King Arthur's wisdom with a heavy heart. "You are truly wise."
King Ban couldn't help but admire how King Arthur had managed to conquer his kingdom without even unsheathing his sword.
It was unprecedented!
But King Arthur simply shrugged and smiled. "It was nothing. You are my friend, and I assure you that your son Lancelot will inherit the territory of Benoic."
Despite losing his prince status, Lancelot swore allegiance to King Arthur as a knight, bound by the code of conduct that governed knights.
At long last, Lancelot had attained his lifelong dream of becoming a knight under the King's banner. However, he couldn't shake off the odd feeling that lingered within him. After all, this King had invaded his kingdom, reduced it to a mere territory, and yet here he was, pledging allegiance to him.
Despite the confusion, Lancelot decided to trust his heart and put aside any doubts. He was determined to serve King Arthur to the best of his abilities and uphold the chivalrous values that came with being a knight.
The king resorted to legal torture to subjugate the Irish kingdoms, and those that dared to resist faced direct military action from his troops.
Within a year, the king had effectively established his rule over the British Isles and the island of Ireland, leaving only Altrouge's territory as an independent entity. As a result, he ordered an attack on Altrouge's domain!
Under the King's personal command, the battle was not as grandiose as one might expect.
The Land Whale, a formidable beast that once defeated a dragon, was swiftly slain by Artoria's holy sword, which shattered its skull and ended its life.
The Sky King met a similar fate, as Shirou used Rhongomyniad to blast the bird into pieces.
Scathach expertly dismembered the Sword Maiden, the massive mechanical girl, with swift and precise strikes.
Meanwhile, Morgan captured the white mouse and preserved it as a specimen in a magical potion.
She expressed a great deal of interest in the white mouse, even flashing an ecstatic grin as if she had stumbled upon a treasure trove of knowledge.
Merem, on the other hand, suffered the cruel fate of having his limbs dismembered and being imprisoned in a cage by Agravain, returning to a state resembling that of his former village. His limbs had been contractually linked to four-body daemons, including the white mouse, all of which had been captured and transferred to Morgan's magic workshop for further study.
Lamorak found himself pitted against his own father, King Pellinore, and ultimately emerged victorious, albeit with a heavy heart.
Tears streamed down Lamorak's face as his father reached out to stroke his cheek, telling him that he had grown into a strong and capable warrior. With that, he departed from the world of the living.
Shirou tried to comfort Lamorak, but the young knight surprised him with his words. "My king, this is not a tragedy. My father passed away long ago, and he remained in this world only because he didn't want to leave me behind. He was waiting for me, waiting for me to become strong and to surpass him. Now that I have fulfilled his wishes, he can depart from this world in peace. I will carry on his expectations and live on with renewed purpose."
Shirou was speechless.
With Merlin's assistance, Arcueid managed to overpower Altrouge, leaving her seething with anger and resentment. Altrouge glared at her as though feeling betrayed, but Arcueid was confused as their relationship had always been fraught with tension.
Arcueid didn't hold back in her attack, unleashing the full extent of her fury on Altrouge. Thanks to Merlin's illusions and spells, Altrouge was rendered powerless and unable to mount any kind of effective resistance. Arcueid easily subdued her, leaving her humiliated and defeated.
Desperate to seek aid from Crimson Moon, Altrouge attempted to make contact, but Merlin quickly put a stop to her efforts by sealing her. Shirou then covered her face with black mud, which was too much for Scathach to bear watching.
Shirou's "Vampiric Evil" proved to be a formidable weapon against the Dead Apostles, and he succeeded in defeating them all.
This marked the first decisive victory in over three years of warfare, and the most remarkable aspect of it was the fact that there were zero casualties!
The king was overjoyed and beamed with delight, a rare sight on the battlefield.
That night, the king celebrated this momentous achievement with his soldiers, sharing in their happiness and reveling in the victory.
Comments
Harato Kerito
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