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IBHJ Chapter 196
🕑 Added 2023-04-07 21:46:48 +0000 UTCScathach's decision to go to the seaside to hunt sea monsters came as no surprise.
Shirou had been troubled by how to deal with these monsters, as they were not only obstructing Cornwall's sea trade routes, but were also attacking people on the shore at times. The monsters were known to lurk near Cornwall, posing a constant threat to the people and commerce in the area.
Despite the threat posed by the sea monsters, they were all located in the sea. Attacking them with large ships would likely result in heavy losses without any guarantee of clearing them out. Moreover, the monsters were capable of escaping, which was a frustrating reality.
However, the arrival of an experienced sea monster hunter like Scathach put him at ease. He could now rest assured that the sea monsters would be dealt with effectively.
For Shirou, it had become routine business to delegate tasks to others after more than a year of development. As a result, there were fewer affairs to handle than in the beginning, and they could be quickly dealt with. However, this sudden ease and lack of something to do made him feel uncomfortable.
"Am I inherently a workaholic? When I have nothing to do, I feel uneasy," Shirou thought to himself, feeling quite self-doubting. However, he shook his head, knowing that this sudden reduction in long-term pressure was only making him a little uncomfortable.
Despite having entrusted some tasks to others, he knew there were still plenty of strategic issues to plan for. As a king, he understood that his ability to handle these issues was a crucial measure of his qualifications for the role. Fortunately, in this era, there were very few people with a vision and strategic acumen that matched Shirou's.
Even if Merlin's clairvoyance could see into the future, his vision would not surpass Shirou's, who had grown up in that future world. The reason for this was simply the limitations of their respective eras. The environment in which one grows up plays a significant role in shaping their perspectives and abilities. As a result, Shirou's unique experiences and knowledge from his own time gave him an unparalleled advantage in terms of strategic planning and decision-making.
As Shirou stood up and walked outside the palace, Agravain quickly handed over the affairs of state and pulled out a notebook to follow him.
He was Shirou's chief of internal affairs, but he also served as a kind of secretary. He had made this request himself because the more he interacted with the king, the more he realized the greatness of Shirou's wisdom and his own insignificance. He understood that to better serve the king and share more of his burdens, he needed to learn from the vast wisdom of the king himself.
As Shirou and Agravain toured the farmland outside the city, they were met with cheers from the people. They took the opportunity to visit the hardworking farmers, showing their appreciation for their efforts and dedication to the land.
"How is the situation with the mercenaries?" Shirou asked.
Agravain replied, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I have arranged everything. We can recruit around 1,300 people, but approximately thirteen leaders will not be able to stay."
"I see," Shirou said as he squatted down to smell the scent of buckwheat. "Try to keep as many people as possible, and for those who cannot stay, deal with them cleanly."
"Your Majesty, you are too merciful," Agravain remarked, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. "In my opinion, we should assassinate all those who control the army."
Shirou turned to Agravain and asked, "Agravain, didn't I ask you to communicate more with Bedivere? Have you spoken to him yet?"
Agravain hesitated before responding, "Well, Your Majesty..."
Shirou sighed, cutting him off. "Never mind, let's not talk about that for now." He then gazed up at the sky and remarked, "Do you think this winter will be as harsh as the last one?"
"Are you concerned about our food supplies? Rest assured, we have greenhouse cultivation. With the four-field system and crop rotation, we have an abundance of food! In Cornwall alone, we have seven granaries full, and there are also granaries in other territories. Your debts were already paid off during last year's harvest."
"I'm not worried about our own supplies, but rather the other kingdoms," Shirou replied with a smile. "Do you think they'll struggle this winter?"
"Are you considering helping them with our surplus food?" Agravain questioned. "Your Majesty, don't forget that they ridiculed us during that same harsh winter!"
"I never mentioned lending them anything," Shirou clarified with a smile. "I want to sell to them, and they will come begging for it."
"Sell?" Agravain was confused. "What's the difference?"
"The difference is significant," Shirou explained, patting Agravain's shoulder. "Killing should always be the last resort, especially in Britain, where the population is already sparse. If I continue to kill, how can I ever hope to unify the land?"
Shirou turned his head and smiled as he gazed upon a field of wheat.
Agravain was confused and asked, "Your Majesty, what do you mean? How does selling food relate to unifying Britain? Also, isn't Vortigern our greatest enemy?"
Shirou smiled in response and said, "Vortigern failed to kill me last year, so he's already lost. He's not my greatest enemy."
Then who is it? Agravain remained puzzled and turned to the king, who was lost in thought, gazing into the distance as if peering into a world beyond his sight.
"How's the road construction going?" Shirou asked suddenly.
"It's already connected seven territories, including Tintagel and Garrod. Other lords are also contributing to the road construction efforts, and merchants and travelers alike have noted that the roads are now much easier to navigate, with significant reductions in travel time," Agravain replied.
"Good to hear," Shirou replied with a smile, then turned to leave. "Let's go, Agravain. I sense a big wind is coming our way."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Agravain followed, but his mind was consumed with questions.
What kind of world does the king see? Agravain pondered.
He knew that his own wisdom paled in comparison to the king's. So, he diligently recorded the king's words and prepared to study and learn day and night.
Several days later, Scathach returned after successfully slaying the sea monsters. Her body was covered in the colorful blood of the sea creatures as she made her way to the palace, shouting, "The sea monsters that were troubling you have been vanquished by my hand. Are you now free, King Arthur? Let's have a one-on-one fight!"
"Huh?" Shirou set aside his paperwork and regarded Scathach with a smirk. "You do have some skills to have dealt with the sea monsters. For that reason, I'll indulge you and witness your pitiful skills once more."
As he picked up his spear to confront Scathach outside the palace, Shirou noticed a subtle shift in her arm movements. His instincts immediately kicked in, and he recognized that she was about to unleash a new attack.
"Oh, shit! She's going to use a new move!" Shirou panicked, realizing that his usual countermeasure might not work against this unfamiliar technique. A sense of urgency gripped him, and he quickly approached Scathach, calling out, "Wait!"
Startled, Scathach halted her movements and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Give me your spears!" Shirou demanded.
Without suspecting anything, Scathach assumed Shirou wanted to engage in a fair fight with the same type of weapon. Oblivious to his true intentions, she handed over both her spears to Shirou. But as soon as she did, Shirou pointed the tip of his own spear at her neck and sneered, "I thought you had improved, but you're still as pathetic as ever!"
Scathach: "???"
She was left perplexed and couldn't comprehend what had just transpired.
"What a waste of my time. You're boring!" Shirou tossed away her spears before turning around and walking back into the palace.
For a moment, Scathach remained puzzled and didn't grasp what had just occurred.
It took her a while to realize she had been played!
Fuming with anger, Scathach stormed into the palace, brandishing her spears at Shirou and shouting, "You despicable bastard! You have exceptional spearmanship, so why did you have to trick me like that?"
But Shirou paid her no heed, and instead, Scathach found herself surrounded by the knights. Morgan and some other magi also appeared, looking at her with malice in their eyes.
Despite her anger and desire to retaliate, she wisely held back and decided to walk away.
Shirou signaled to Merlin, who appeared helpless but couldn't help but smile. He then walked over to Scathach, and the two of them engaged in a private conversation. It is unclear what he said to her, but after their talk, Scathach turned around and made her way towards the mountains to hunt monsters.
She didn't return until three days later.
Upon her return, Scathach immediately challenged Shirou to a duel. However, he easily countered her most familiar move with a single shot and mocked her before resuming his duty.
Shirou was responsible for mocking, while Merlin was responsible for fooling around. Unknowingly, Scathach had helped Shirou with many things.
"I think the Queen will soon regain her composure," Merlin said. "Once she does, it won't be easy to deceive her. And if you truly want her to train the army, it's better to ask her properly."
"Have you deceived her so much that you believe she is easy to manipulate? You still haven't seen through her true nature."
"What?" Merlin was confused.
Taking the paperwork, Shirou remarked, "That woman is no docile rabbit. If you had asked her nicely, she would have returned to the Deadlands long ago. She may seem gentle on the outside, but in reality, she is a dragon with a strong desire for conquest. Only things that she cannot conquer will pique her interest."
Merlin was stunned and asked, "How do you know?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Shirou replied. "If you lack the ability to comprehend a person's true nature, how can you be a king?"
Merlin smiled wryly and remarked, "You've truly changed. You didn't possess this level of insight a year ago."
"Staying in this position for too long will lead to enlightenment," Shirou said, "Okay, she's almost back. Call Artie and the others."
After a moment, Scathach returned with a furious expression.
"A one-on-one fight! Face me in combat, King Arthur! Do not attempt to deceive me again. Your dirty tricks are useless against me!"
"Very well!" Shirou descended to the field, retrieved his spear, but Scathach rushed towards him, denying him the chance to speak.
Having learned her lesson, she knew how to deal with this despicable guy - go straight for the attack and deny him the opportunity to speak!
However -
Merlin, Artoria, and the others who had been standing on the sidelines rushed forward, and Morgan led a group of magi to subdue Scathach with a large-scale suppression field.
As expected, Scathach fell into the same trap as before and was restrained by Artoria.
"This is a one-on-one fight!" Scathach gritted her teeth.
"I am the king, and they are my knights. You can fight all of us one-on-one, no problem."
"Damn it!!!" Scathach's eyes blazed with fury. "You're toying with me! You're playing with me!!!"
"How foolish!" scolded Shirou, "You are a warrior with exceptional spear skills who has entered the realm of the gods, and yet you still haven't comprehended its true essence? Hmph! Must I explain it to you myself for you to understand? It's truly disgraceful."
"What?" Scathach was taken aback.
He snorted, "Hmph! Figure it out for yourselves!"
He instructed Artoria and the others to release Scathach, then settled back onto his throne.
Scathach looked perplexed. Had she missed something? But that couldn't be possible!
It seemed that this contemptible man was toying with her. However, he could effortlessly overpower her spear skills with his own superior martial arts techniques.
Scathach hesitated. Had she truly missed something?
At that moment, Merlin approached with a smile and asked, "Your Excellency Scathach, do you wish to return to the Shadow Land? If so, I can prepare a ship for you."
Scathach looked at Merlin's smile and her heart skipped a beat. She asked, "Tell me, what is King Arthur's true martial arts skill like?"
"Have you not already perceived it for yourself?"
"Then what is he trying to tell me?"
Merlin responded, "That is for you to discover on your own. After all, the king's wisdom is as vast as the sea." He retrieved a notebook from his pocket and continued, "The king once said, 'All tangible things are intangible. Everything that is bound is waste.'"
Scathach extended her hand to take the notebook, but Merlin promptly closed it and returned it to his pocket.
"What is that?" Scathach inquired.
"It's the king's wisdom. Nearly everyone possesses one to document his words and gain insight into his wisdom," Merlin replied.
Scathach frowned and pressed, "Could you lend it to me so I can take a look?"
"The king once said, 'If you want something done right, do it yourself,'" Merlin paused and continued, "Lady Scathach, do you intend to return to Ireland? If so, I can make arrangements for a ship."
"No!" she declared firmly, "I am not leaving!"
Scathach had a persistent sensation that the terrible king was attempting to convey something significant about the art of combat. As of late, she had also become familiar with the king's sagacity and wisdom.
Having contributed greatly to this king's cause, Scathach could not believe that this king, who had earned the admiration of countless people, would deceive her.
Hmm!
She was certain that there was something crucial that she had not yet grasped. However, upon reflecting on her battles, she realized that she had been outmaneuvered by the king's cunning and schemes each time.
What was the king attempting to convey to her? Lost in thought, Scathach departed from the scene.
Merlin turned his head away, unable to bear looking at her.
...
The Haunted Ground
Aife sniffled, her nose running from the frigid wind that howled from the Shadow Realm. Despite the biting cold, she could not abandon her post. She had to continue to safeguard the realm of the living.
But...
"I was only supposed to be here for three days, right? It's been over a month now! Where is Scathach!?" Aife's anguished cry reverberated through the deadland.
