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IBHJ Chapter 148
🕑 Added 2023-03-12 23:08:50 +0000 UTCGaheris confidently escorted Shirou and Artoria back to the inn before bidding them farewell. To their surprise, they found the silver horse wandering to the inn's stables.
After saying their goodbyes, Shirou and Artoria headed to their rooms to rest. However, he noticed Artoria sneaking off to the stables to feed and gaze at the horse with sparkling eyes. It was clear that, unlike the ball and fancy dresses, she preferred warhorses and weapons.
"Artie, don't forget to get some rest early," he reminded her.
She lifted her dress and pulled out the sword in the stone, speaking seriously, "Please rest assured, I always carry Caliburn with me."
He couldn't help but think, 'Wouldn't it hurt to have it poking you like that?' He also remembered that she was recently angry with a noblewoman and planned to use the sword to attack her.
In fact, if Shirou hadn't intervened, she might have used the sword against the woman. For Artoria, the honor of the knight and the monarch were intertwined. If the king was insulted, then the knight was insulted as well. This was a matter of great importance to her.
Despite feeling like a failure as a knight of the king, she believed that remaining indifferent when the king was insulted would make her a complete failure.
Shirou shook his head and said, "I'm not asking you to take care of Caliburn, but to take care of yourself. Don't stay out too late."
"I understand, my king!"
He then returned to his room, deep in thought about Morgan's sudden change of behavior towards him. He couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered within him. He knew he had to be cautious around Morgan and avoid making any hasty decisions until he fully understood her intentions.
He also reminded himself to be careful with the wine that Morgan offered him. He couldn't afford to let his guard down around her.
According to the Arthurian legend, Morgan had once drugged Artoria and used enchantment to take advantage of her, ultimately leading to the birth of Mordred. This knowledge only added to Shirou's apprehension about Morgan and her intentions.
Although he had the [Evil] attribute, which provided some defense against enchantment, he couldn't protect himself from physical intoxication. Thus, he knew he had to be extra careful around Morgan, especially when it came to accepting drinks from her.
In addition to his concerns about Morgan, he also had to prepare for his trip to Camelot the following day with Lucan. As the capital of Britain, Camelot was a far more complex and dangerous situation than anywhere else they had been.
He knew that if he wanted to become king and unify Britain, he would have to participate in battles there. These thoughts weighed heavily on his mind as he prepared for the journey ahead.
Furthermore, he understood that becoming king would only mark the beginning of a much greater battle. It wouldn't be just about personal combat ability, but also about leadership, personal charisma, and conflict resolution. The latter aspects were undoubtedly more difficult to master than the former.
Shirou acknowledged that he was a complete newbie to this type of battle. Unifying Britain and becoming king was an entirely new challenge, far more difficult than anything he had faced during the Fourth Holy Grail War. However, he also recognized that he had grown significantly stronger since then.
To face the challenges ahead, he knew he needed a phased development plan. He was a naturally structured and organized person, preferring to approach tasks with a well-planned and disciplined approach.
In a sense, making plans was also a compulsion for him. When he stranded in this place, he had no background or funds. If he wanted to succeed, he needed a clear career and life plan. This was something that professors often reminded students of in college, and even the significance of offering courses in career planning.
Throughout his nearly three-month-long journey, he had been focused on improving his reputation and gaining recognition from as many people as possible. In addition to this, he had been carrying out extensive field research to prepare for his upcoming development plan. And now, the time had finally come to carefully consider the details of his plan.
During this era, agricultural productivity in Britain was not highly developed, mainly due to the country's location in a temperate oceanic climate that was more suited for animal husbandry and cultivating juicy pasture grass, rather than simple agriculture.
Despite this, the agricultural yield was sufficient to sustain life. However, the main concern was the extent to which the vanishing mystery could impact soil cultivation.
Even though the fading mystery had only occurred after his victory over Vortigern, he had already made a mental note to consider its implications. As someone who had taken on the role of proxy king, Shirou was determined to give his best effort.
That was just who he was - once he had made a decision to do something, he would either follow through with it to the best of his ability or not do it at all.
Early in the morning, before dawn had even broken, Sir Lucan and his escort team had arrived outside the inn, patiently waiting for Shirou's arrival. It was as if they were butlers waiting for their master. Upon receiving the news, Shirou promptly dressed and headed outside to greet them.
"I apologize for keeping you waiting, Sir Lucan."
"There's no need to apologize, Your Highness. It's an honor to serve you," Sir Lucan replied respectfully. He then invited Shirou to enter the carriage, while Artoria followed close behind on the silver horse.
Merlin, on the other hand, disguised himself as a woman and didn't follow along because he didn't want to be seen. Kay stayed behind to keep an eye on Merlin, afraid that he would ruin his reputation.
"It's time to celebrate," Merlin said with an enigmatic smile, watching the carriage carrying Shirou departing from the window.
"Are you celebrating the King's ascension?" Kay asked.
Merlin simply continued to smile, refusing to answer the question. Growing frustrated with the wizard's evasive behavior, Kay pointed his sword at Merlin's neck and demanded, "Spit it out."
"Why are you doing this?" Merlin cried,
"Fuu~!" Fou chimed in, observing the exchange between Merlin and Kay with interest.
...
As the sky began to lighten, the streets were still relatively quiet, with only a few people out and about. The carriage departed from Caerleon Castle in a discreet manner and made its way out of the city.
Upon arriving outside the city, an army was already waiting for Shirou. He opened the curtain of the carriage and addressed the leading knight, Bedivere, asking, "Sir Bedivere, what is the meaning of this?"
"Your Majesty, they have been ordered to escort you to Camelot," Bedivere explained.
"I see," Shirou nodded in understanding.
When a king is in danger, especially a king from the West, there is always a risk of assassination or harm. Aware of this, Shirou was naturally wary. However, he trusted Bedivere and, more importantly, he held a higher reputation within the army than Bedivere did.
The group departed from Caerleon Castle in a grand fashion, making their way towards Camelot.
Inside the castle.
Morgan took a sip of mead and cast her gaze towards the crystal ball, a faint smile playing on her lips. "So, they've gone to Camelot," she remarked.
Turning slightly to look at Agravain, who was seated beside her, she asked, "Agravain, has that woman disappeared?"
"It's already been taken care of. At most, they'll only suspect King Arthur, but they won't be able to trace it back to him," he reassured her.
She nodded approvingly, admiringly remarking, 'He really is a reliable and likable child.'
Morgan held great confidence in Agravain, who was the only child she completely trusted and could reveal all her dark sides to. In contrast, when dealing with Gawain and Gareth, she had to be more cautious and hide certain aspects of herself.
"Are our troops in the vicinity?" Morgan asked.
"Yes, they are hidden in the forests along the route."
"Hmph, I have brought 8,000 soldiers. I dare anyone to lay a hand on a man of House Pendragon!" she declared. Her expression was cold yet alluring, much like a beautiful viper, her eyes possessing a deadly, mesmerizing gaze.
He reminded her, "Mother, we only have 1,000 soldiers."
"What?!" she frowned deeply, her cold gaze turning sharply towards him. "Didn't I tell you to bring 8,000 soldiers?"
"Bringing 8,000 soldiers would almost completely deplete Orkney's resources. If we deploy them, our defenses will be weakened, making it easier for Vortigern to take advantage," he explained calmly. "Orkney is situated in the northwest of Britain, and for the sake of Britain's safety, we must ensure that our stronghold remains secure. If Orkney falls, Vortigern can penetrate deep into Britain's heartland, encircling Wales - including Camelot - and putting all of Britain in grave danger."
"Does he have the guts?" she raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"We must exercise caution, Mother. Furthermore, whether it is due to the power of the island or individual strength, you are not a match for Vortigern," he reminded her.
"Tsk," she clicked her tongue in annoyance and shot him a displeased look. She took back what she had said earlier. While this child was reliable, she didn't like him one bit.
...
Not long after Shirou's departure from Caerleon, news of his journey to Camelot began to spread throughout the city. It started with the early-rising soldiers who were out for their morning training, followed by the civilians, and eventually reaching the various generals and nobles residing in the area.
The reactions from these individuals varied greatly. Some blessed him and expressed their joy, while others wore mocking expressions on their faces.
"Arthur doesn't have 3,500 soldiers at all. It's a lie!" one person exclaimed, confirming the news.
Another individual, wearing a mocking expression, added, "Hmph! I knew it all along. He's just a fraud! How can a fraud become a king? According to Merlin's prophecy, the true king who defeats Vortigern and unites all of Britain will reign. Arthur clearly doesn't fit the bill."
"What are we supposed to do now? The king ordered us to ambush Arthur, but he's already being escorted by Bedivere to Camelot."
"It doesn't matter. We're not the only ones who don't want him to be king! And we don't have to make a decision on this matter. According to the latest news, the king himself has arrived with other kings."
"Is that so? But if all these kings come together, won't the front line be breached by Vortigern?" someone asked.
Another person reassured them, "Vortigern has been blocked by Hadrian's Wall for the past ten years. He's likely given up by now. In fact, according to the news, he's already retreated to Londinium."
"I see. So if the White Dragon has given up, what use is there for the Red Dragon?" someone asked.
"Exactly!" another person chimed in. "Tristan, stop playing the harp. There's something you need to do! Don't forget who raised you and don't forget the king's kindness!"
Tristan halted his hand on the harp and let out a sigh. He responded, "I understand what you're saying, but please remember that Arthur is not an ordinary person."
