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IBHJ Chapter 149
🕑 Added 2023-03-13 22:28:44 +0000 UTCAfter a long journey, they finally arrived at Camelot around noon. Located at the border between Wales and England, not far from the castle of Caerleon, Camelot appeared before them as a majestic white city. Its pristine buildings glimmered under the sun, creating a dazzling sight that left them in awe.
As they approached the city walls, Shirou noticed that they shone like jade and fairies could be seen playing around them, creating a dreamy atmosphere.
Perplexed by what he saw, he turned to Lucan and asked, "Sir Lucan, is it just me or do the walls of Camelot emit light? Has some court mages put some kind of enchantment on them?"
Lucan nodded in response and explained, "Yes, Your Highness. This city was once a fortress of the Empire, but after its fall, King Uther claimed it and rebuilt it. The walls were enchanted with a large-scale Bounded Field by court mages led by Merlin. In addition, King Uther invited fairies to bless the city. The result is a wall that is not only aesthetically beautiful, but also incredibly strong. In fact, it may be even stronger than Hadrian's Wall, and could withstand attacks from even the gods of Ireland. It is the last bastion of Britain."
Shirou expressed with emotion, "It appears that the former king put a significant amount of effort into defending against invaders."
The court mages, led by Merlin, cast large Bounded Fields, and with blessings from fairies, the walls were claimed to be unbreakable even by the gods. It is no surprise that after being transformed into a Noble Phantasm, it became a super-strong shield in the hands of Mash.
However, Shirou knew one thing for certain. Although Lucan had claimed that the city was indestructible, it had actually been destroyed and occupied by Vortigern. However, that story belonged to Artoria's epic, and as someone who had drawn the sword from the stone, he was determined not to let it happen again. Besides, Vortigern was currently blocked by the northern kings outside of Hadrian's Wall and was unable to advance.
Moreover, there was one more thing that concerned Shirou greatly. While the white city was extremely sturdy, it was also a perfect place to trap prey. Once the prey was within the city walls, the Bounded Field could be activated, making it difficult for them to escape.
As much as Shirou was pleased with the idea of trapping his enemies, he knew that playing with power always came with danger. The road ahead was uncertain, and caution was crucial.
Most importantly, he did not have the confidence to claim that he could handle the large-scale Bounded Fields created by Merlin and other Age of Gods magi, along with the blessings from the fairies. However, he was aware that his evil could corrupt Bounded Fields, and even directly erode and corrupt the world walls of Reality Marbles. This ability ensured that he could protect himself in times of danger.
Upon the arrival of the carriage outside the city, a welcoming party was already waiting for Shirou. It was evident that the high-level nobles of the kingdom had prior knowledge of his trip. The group was led by the familiar Sir Ywain, and standing beside him was a middle-aged man with a gentle and friendly smile who was completely unfamiliar to him. However, in his heart, Shirou lamented - another old fox!
Not only that, but behind these two were a group of officials and nobles, most of whom had polite and elegant smiles on their faces. Individuals like Bedivere, whose expression was pure and innocent, couldn't see through their facade. Even Lucan, who arrived at the outskirts of Camelot, skillfully put on a smile.
Shirou couldn't help but lament in his heart - he felt like he was walking right into the fox's den!
He had no choice but to put on a smile as well. While an animal's smile was a simple provocation, a human's smile was much more complicated. It could be a manifestation of happiness, a misleading cover-up, a weapon of attack, or a shield of defense.
Even the most professional behavioral scientists and psychologists haven't figured out all the intricacies behind human smiles. Shirou certainly didn't understand it, and he just instinctively put on a smile.
As for Artoria, despite being together for so long, Shirou had never seen her smile. Her emotions were too repressed!
"Your Highness Arthur!" Sir Ywain greeted him warmly.
"It's been a while, Sir Ywain!" Shirou responded with a smile, then turned to the middle-aged man standing beside him and asked, "This distinguished gentleman must be Sir Baldwin, am I right?"
"Your Highness Arthur, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am indeed Baldwin," he said with a warm smile.
Unlike Sir Ywain's poker face, Baldwin's smile was refreshing and seemed very sincere. However, Shirou couldn't help but feel wary in his heart. He knew that the more people gave off this kind of feeling, the more dangerous they usually were. And like Sir Ywain, Baldwin was one of the three pillars left by Uther in charge of palace affairs, which meant he held a high position.
Shirou knew he had to be on guard, as people like Bedivere, who were easy to understand, were rare.
"Hello, Sir Baldwin," Shirou replied with a smile before stepping off the carriage. After exchanging some pleasantries, he glanced around and asked, "By the way, did Sir Brastias make it to Camelot?"
"He's still guarding Hadrian's Wall," Ywain replied.
Baldwin's dissatisfaction was evident as he spoke up, "Your Majesty is about to take the throne and become King, a great blessing for Camelot and all of Britain. It's rather impolite that he's still stationed at Hadrian's Wall."
"Caution is necessary," Ywain interjected, "as Vortigern and the Saxons have always had their eyes on Britain."
"It's been reported that Vortigern's supply line has encountered problems and retreated to Londinium. Several Northern Kings have declared their intention to attend His Majesty's coronation, yet Sir Brastias still refuses to come!" Baldwin exclaimed.
"Stability is of utmost importance," Ywain interjected.
"I believe he's overestimating his abilities," Baldwin added.
Shirou pondered for a moment before interjecting, "Gentlemen, we must also consider Sir Brastias' absence as a measure for the kingdom's safety. The three of you are pillars of the kingdom, working tirelessly for its survival, and I deeply respect that."
He praised the Three Pillars and deftly steered the conversation away from the topic.
"Well said," Ywain agreed. "Your Majesty, please follow us. The banquet is ready in the palace."
"Thank you for your hard work," Shirou replied with a smile, following in Ywain's footsteps.
As they made their way towards the city, Ywain's gaze fell upon Artoria, who was holding Caliburn in one hand and the reins of Dun Stallion in the other. He couldn't help but asked, "If I may, is this the rumored Knight Princess who wields the King's Sword?"
"Yes," Shirou confirmed.
"I've heard that this Knight is Sir Arthur's sister?" a nobleman chimed in.
"Indeed," Shirou replied. "Artoria is my sister."
Sir Baldwin then spoke up, "Come to think of it, I recall when Merlin took Sir Arthur from the capital, he was alone."
Shirou maintained a calm smile and responded, "Sir Baldwin, my sister Morgan asked about the same thing. I suggested that we ask Merlin about it since my sister and I were young at the time and knew nothing. The whole arrangements were made by Merlin and the king's trusted advisors."
Sir Baldwin was taken aback, "Princess Morgan is here as well?"
A nobleman chuckled and responded, "Sir Baldwin, it seems you've been out of the loop. Princess Morgan Le Fay arrived in Caerleon recently and even held a grand ball in honor of Sir Arthur last night!"
"Oh? I didn't know about this," Sir Baldwin said, somewhat surprised.
"And did you know that someone purposely provoked Sir Arthur at the ball?" the nobleman continued. "His response was nothing short of amazing. You really missed out."
Another nobleman joined in, "Yes, do tell us about Sir Arthur's impressive display. I'm quite intrigued."
It seemed like they were praising Arthur's amazing deeds, but upon closer analysis, the topic was being smoothed over like this, wasn't it?
---- A bunch of foxes.
Shirou sighed inwardly.
As they exchanged pleasantries, a young nobleman spoke up. "By the way, Sir Arthur," he said, "I've heard rumors about your travels and your sister, the Knight Princess. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. But I'm curious, why haven't we seen Merlin and Sir Kay?"
"Merlin has been working tirelessly on our journey, and he's quite exhausted. So I gave him permission to rest in Caerleon for a while. Sir Kay is taking care of him there."
Artoria followed behind the crowd, flanked by attendants, feeling bewildered by what she had just heard. Merlin working day and night? And Sir Kay taking care of him? It sounded like a blatant lie to her.
Another nobleman asked, "Sir Arthur, I heard that you led the armies of various countries to hunt down a ferocious monster in Caerleon. It seems that the soldiers of various countries really admire you."
Shirou smiled modestly and replied, "I owe a great deal of thanks to the soldiers who trusted and followed me, as well as to my sister Artoria, who commanded the army. It was only through their collective efforts that we were able to achieve our goal. I couldn't have done it alone."
He was unsure of these nobles' intentions, but he remained composed and didn't reveal any information he shouldn't.
'Quite a difficult successor to handle!' Many nobles cursed inwardly.
It was clear to Shirou that Sir Ywain and Sir Baldwin had arranged everything. As he entered the city with its white walls, he was greeted by the enthusiastic cheers of the residents of the royal capital, who shouted his name in unison. The excitement was palpable, and Shirou couldn't help but smile and wave back at them.
Sir Baldwin smiled and addressed him, "As you can see, you haven't even reached Camelot yet, but the excitement here is already at a fever pitch. The people gathered spontaneously before dawn just to catch a glimpse of you. Doesn't it make you feel thrilled?"
Shirou smiled, "I appreciate your kind words."
As they made their way, he acknowledged the enthusiasm of the people and politely answered the questions of the curious nobles, being careful not to reveal any sensitive information.
Finally arriving at the palace, Shirou took a deep breath and prepared himself for what lay ahead. He knew that what had happened so far was merely a prelude to the real battle that lay ahead.
