Chapter 182: C182
Camelot's army composition is modeled after that of the Roman Empire, using cohorts as the fundamental tactical unit and organized into legions. A typical Roman legion consisted of 4,500 to 6,000 soldiers.
Despite Shirou's inclusion of bandits, he still couldn't assemble a legion of Roman Empire proportions, so he created a framework and gradually added to it.
He disbanded the bandits and reorganized them into different types of units, assigning them to Gawain and other leaders for training. As a result, the existing soldiers were mostly promoted by at least one rank and began to take on leadership roles.
He had a lot on his plate, with numerous projects demanding his attention, so he made the decision to use what resources he had and forego overhauling Camelot's rank system. Instead, he implemented a medal and honor incentive program.
The necessary materials for producing the medals had already been sent to the blacksmith, and once the medals were ready, the soldiers would be promoted accordingly.
Alongside training and farming, it was crucial for the troops to learn about the spirit, making it a crucial aspect of their daily routine.
He placed great emphasis on nurturing the spirit of his army. He understood that, aside from superior equipment and skills, a military unit requires a sense of purpose and belief. Without it, even the best-equipped unit is akin to a lamb that can easily be demoralized.
On the other hand, a unit with a strong sense of spirit and belief is a formidable force that sees death as a mere return and has unwavering morale that's difficult to break. Such a unit is easier to manage and maintain military discipline, making it an invaluable asset.
To bolster the spirit of his troops, he instructed Gawain, Tristan, and other leaders to lead the soldiers in reading and worshiping their beliefs every night. In addition, he implemented a system of monthly rewards for soldiers who adhered to their faith and performed well, while those who failed to do so were subjected to punishment.
When Gawain asked about which faith they should worship, Shirou was prepared. He had previously practiced this in the "City of Sin". The most fundamental requirement was not being able to burn, kill, and loot. However, he found that the language used to express these principles was too lengthy, lacked concision, and did not inspire a strong sense of will. So, he condensed the beliefs he wanted his soldiers to uphold into eight concise principles: Love for country, compassion, honor, bravery, sacrifice, humility, justice, and honesty.
These eight principles would govern all their actions. Gawain and others were impressed by Shirou's teachings, and what made it more significant was that they believed that these principles were not only applicable to soldiers but also to knights!
Prior to the introduction of these eight principles, Gawain and others had difficulty in discerning whether a knight was truly noble or not. They could only base their judgments on their intuition and accomplishments to determine a knight's worthiness of praise.
However, with the implementation of these eight principles, they now had a clear framework for evaluating knights. Essentially, these principles served as the standard for assessing knights and the codes of conduct for both soldiers and knights.
"Truly, you are a wise and great king," exclaimed Tristan, brimming with admiration. "I would love to play a song for you," he added, pulling out his harp.
Shirou smiled, "How about we play a piece together? Music has a soothing effect on the mind, and I've been feeling tired lately. I could use some relaxation for my spirit."
Upon hearing this, Tristan put away his harp and never mentioned playing again.
These eight principles were passed down, and every night, the sound of soldiers reciting them from their camp could be heard. Over time, the people in the vicinity also began to recite them, internalizing the principles as their own.
"Love for country, humility, justice, honesty..."
Slowly but surely, the soldiers' beliefs were taking shape and becoming deeply ingrained.
...
At night, within the palace.
"You've worked hard, Agravain. You helped me supervise things and managing documents."
"It's just a small matter, Your Majesty. Please don't worry about it."
Shirou flashed a grateful smile as he plucked a parchment from the towering stack. "I wouldn't be able to keep up with everything if it weren't for you."
Merlin popped his head out from behind a nearby stack of parchments, eager to claim some credit. Although he was mainly managing the business and manufacturing industries, which Shirou had temporarily given up on reforming,
"And let's not forget that your big brother Merlin is here to help as well. Why don't you give me some praise?" he whined with a mock pout.
Shirou shot him a withering glance. "Who told you to be lazy before? You're just making up for it now. Less talk, more work! Or else I'll call Kay back to supervise you!"
Merlin: "..."
"I'm going on strike! I'm going on strike!" Merlin bellowed in protest.
Shirou, focused on his task, paid him no mind. "Consider this, Merlin," he remarked, eyeing the document in his hand. "That move Kay used? I taught him that. As the master, I have even more devious tactics up my sleeve."
Merlin's face fell, and he slumped back into his seat, resigned to his fate. With a heavy sigh, he picked up another stack of papers to read.
"I miss Uther," Merlin whispered softly.
Memories have a way of stirring emotions, and that was certainly the case in this moment. Tears welled up in his eyes as he recalled the past.
Back then, as a court mage under Uther's command, he had been full of vitality and spirit. Countless people had admired him and considered him a great sage. Simply standing by his side, he could captivate thousands of young women without even trying.
But what about now? He was treated like a mere tool, relegated to the roles of surveillance, magus, swordsman, and internal affairs official. And when he dared to ask for a bit of recognition, he was met with nothing but saliva. His king was nothing but a scoundrel!
The scent of resentment hung heavy in the air.
Shirou said, "Stop daydreaming and get back to work. Otherwise, I'll have all the people in Cornwall spit on you."
Merlin: "..."
Why do memories always make people cry?
Because there's an evil exploiter by his side who doesn't treat him as a human being!
After spending a considerable amount of time, Merlin finally completed his tasks for the day. He glanced over at Shirou's side, only to see that there was still an overwhelming amount of work left to be done.
Of course, this was to be expected. Any attempt at reforming the status quo was bound to be a challenging process, and there were numerous aspects that Shirou needed to oversee and manage.
Agravain had already departed, and Merlin had finished his tasks, yet Shirou still had a great deal of work to attend to.
"I mean, haven't you been working nonstop for days?" Merlin paused for a moment before gently suggesting, "Why don't you take a break?"
Shirou shook his head in response, "If I don't finish these tasks now, they'll only accumulate for tomorrow. The longer I delay them, the more there will be to do."
"Well, you must also take care of your own well-being," Merlin insisted. He pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and flipped through its pages. "Just two days ago, you were telling Agravain how the body is the foundation of everything. You emphasized the importance of taking care of yourself in order to be able to handle other responsibilities."
Shirou looked shocked, "Why do you have that too?"
Merlin sighed, closing the notebook with a sense of helplessness. "Didn't you ask for my assistance? Your viewpoint is more than 1,500 years ahead of mine, so I must piece together the wisdom of the future based on your words to understand it, in order to be of help to you. But I've only just begun taking notes, and I have far less content than Lucan, and even less than Lily."
Shirou: "..."
"What's with that odd expression on your face?" Merlin asked, raising an eyebrow. "You don't have feelings for me, do you? That could pose a real issue. I know I'm irresistible, but unfortunately, I'm not interested in becoming a woman."
Shirou groaned, clutching his stomach. "Who in their right mind would develop feelings for you? My stomach just hurts... I feel like I've turned into a medieval quack..."
"You see?" Merlin retorted, "This is all because you don't take proper care of yourself. You said it yourself: words alone aren't enough. You must put them into practice."
"Alright," Shirou pondered for a moment before nodding and speaking up, "In that case, I want you to transfer these files into my dream space, and I'll attend to them there."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on there! All you're doing is giving your body a break, you shouldn't forget about your mental well-being."
"Less talk, more action. Let's get this done," Shirou replied firmly, not wanting to waste any more time.
"Fine, fine... Just make sure to take care of yourself. Don't let your mind get dragged into the realm of the dead," Merlin sighed helplessly.
"You're capable of showing care and concern for others, aren't you?" Shirou asked pointedly.
Merlin was taken aback.
"Remember this feeling," he continued. "It's a human emotion that you're trying to understand."
With that, he lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep.
"I don't know what to say to you, Fujimaru Shirou," Merlin sighed. "I'm just imitating your emotions, this isn't something I truly feel."
Merlin stepped into Shirou's dream and transferred the files as requested. In the dream world, Shirou found himself surrounded by a vibrant sea of flowers, and there he proceeded to review and process the papers.
Several days had passed.
Finally, the northern defense line was constructed, and Bedivere began to escort the people back to their homes.
Shirou instructed Gawain to dispatch a group of soldiers with Gae Bolg to secure the front lines, allowing Artoria to be recalled. However, he couldn't help but notice that the legend of the King of Knights had started to spread among the troops.
The talk of the King of Knights wasn't limited to just Gawain and Tristan; even the common soldiers and people in the city were abuzz with the rumors. They spoke of an unparalleled knight who had valiantly fought on the front lines against magical creatures and single-handedly defended the borders.
The soldiers themselves didn't seem to find anything out of the ordinary, and even the king remained silent on the matter. However, Agravain, Geraint who had previously served as the lord of Cornwall, and even Morgan couldn't help but furrow their brows at the rumors.
Morgan tasked Agravain with investigating the matter secretly, though he had already been looking into it on his own accord.
As it turned out, the legendary knight that had captured the imagination of the soldiers and people alike was none other than Artoria, Morgan's own sister and the first knight to pledge loyalty to the king. And to Agravain's surprise, it was Gawain who had initially coined the nickname "King of Knights."
Agravain's mind raced with dark thoughts, suspecting that Gawain may be attempting to seize power. He couldn't help but attribute Morgan's attitude towards the matter to this possibility.
As someone who was privy to all of Morgan's dark desires, Agravain was keenly aware of her burning ambition for the throne. If Morgan had indeed set her sights on the throne, Agravain, who had yet to pledge loyalty to the king, would be willing to lend his support.
However, after talking with Morgan and trying to piece together her intentions, he was surprised to discover that his mother had no interest in claiming Arthur's throne. So how had the rumors of Artoria's ascension to the status of "King of Knights" come about?
But no matter what, there were still some things that Agravain needed to remind them of, even if those brothers didn't really like him.
Determined to address the matter at hand, Agravain sought out Gawain and Gaheris, and gave them a stern lecture. "Consider yourselves lucky that King Arthur isn't angry with you," he began. "Had it been any other king, the consequences could have been far more dire for you!"
"But..." Gawain and Gaheris looked on, unsure of how to respond.
"But what? I can't and won't try to control the actions of others, because they're not my brothers," Agravain continued. "But I can and will try to persuade you. You've already pledged your loyalty to King Arthur, so it's high time you develop some self-awareness. You're no longer princes of Orkney, but knights of King Arthur. You should start considering things from his perspective and refrain from speaking recklessly. Otherwise, you'll only end up being used as pawns by malicious forces, regardless of whether you have any ill intentions or not."
"But..."
Agravain's voice grew stern as he continued his lecture. "But what troubles me the most is that you are all children of our mother. And as you know, our mother is a daughter of the House of Pendragon. If you continue to speak so recklessly, King Arthur may misunderstand our mother's intentions and start to suspect that she's plotting to seize his power. And once those rumors start circulating, who knows what kind of chaos they'll stir up!"
A sigh escaped Agravain's lips as he shook his head. "You all lack self-awareness. How am I supposed to leave here with a clear conscience knowing that you could be unwittingly setting off a chain reaction of suspicion and distrust?"
Gawain's frown deepened as he processed his brother's words. "Are you leaving King Arthur?" he asked incredulously. "He's a good king, a wise king!"
"I don't dispute that fact," He replied calmly. "However, the current situation is extremely challenging, and the odds of defeating Vortigern are slim. I'm simply trying to consider what's best for Britain as a whole. In my estimation, the northern kings have a better chance of defeating Vortigern, and that's where I'll be headed."
Gaheris spoke up next. "But did you even consult with mother before making this decision?"
"No, I didn't consult with her. This decision was made of my own volition."
Gaheris nodded thoughtfully, then added, "So that's why you've been hesitant to swear allegiance to the king?"
"Exactly," He confirmed. "But you two are making me uneasy with this talk of giving Artoria the title of King of Knights. It could cause unnecessary tension and misunderstandings."
"Well..." Gawain and Gaheris exchanged glances.
Gawain sighed and said, "This is the king's will."
"What!?"
Agravain was stunned. "You... you mean this is the will of the king, King Arthur?"
Gawain nodded, "We understand our position well. We've witnessed Her Majesty Artoria's prowess on the battlefield and couldn't help but acknowledge her as a powerful Knight. Moreover, we are fully aware that publicly acknowledging her as the King of Knights would bring significant trouble for both the king and her highness. Therefore, we have made a mutual decision not to speak of it. However, the king himself has given us instructions regarding this matter."
Agravain murmured in disbelief, "King Arthur... What is he trying to do?"
...
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