Kapitel 124: C124
"King Arthur! King Arthur!"
"King Arthur! King Arthur!"
Amidst the cheers of the knights, Shirou turned around and headed back to the mansion. Dealing with the next task would be easy - he could just leave it to Ector to dismiss the knights.
The knights would transform into troubadours, spreading the word of Shirou pulling Caliburn and what had transpired that day, thereby promoting his reputation.
In other words, the most effective use of these knights was not to rely on their personal loyalty, but rather to use them to spread Shirou's deeds and quickly enhance his prestige.
Let the people of Britain know that King Arthur has appeared!
Although Shirou had no experience as a king, he felt that he had to do this, even though he couldn't fully explain why. This was likely because of his status as a transmigrator from the modern era; he understood the power of public opinion like the back of his hand.
Shirou entered the mansion and Artoria looked at him with a puzzled expression, seemingly wanting to speak but hesitating.
"What's on your mind?" Shirou asked with a smile. "If you have something to say, don't be so formal with me."
"My King, I don't understand. Why did you have to confront them? And when you drew your sword, was it a threat? If so, why didn't those knights resist?" she asked, looking puzzled.
The most perplexing thing for her about this sudden event was why a threatening gesture would make people admire and cheer instead of react with anger or fear.
Based on what she had learned and understood, Artoria believed that making a threat would only cause people to lose respect and dislike you.
"I've mentioned it before, but please, there's no need to call me 'King' in private," he said with a helpless smile. "If it were up to you, how would you have dealt with the situation?"
Without hesitation, she responded, "I would have simply ignored them. Whether you pay attention to them or not shouldn't affect your chances of becoming king."
"That approach wouldn't be effective," he replied thoughtfully. "Even though I've never held the title of king, I understand that a king cannot afford to lose face. A leader who isn't respected won't be able to lead anyone. If I ask in return, how would you have managed the situation if you were in my position?"
Artoria took a moment to contemplate before responding earnestly, "I would start by reasoning with them. If they refused to listen, I would confront them individually, facing each one in combat until they were completely convinced."
Kay found Artoria's response to be very reasonable and couldn't help but nod in agreement. Meanwhile, Merlin simply smiled but didn't say anything.
"Both reasoning with them and engaging in combat could indeed be considered valid options," Shirou agreed, nodding in understanding.
Artoria's eyes sparkled as if she had received acknowledgment from someone she deeply admired. Excitedly, she asked, "So, do you believe my approach is viable?"
"It is certainly viable, but don't you think the efficiency might be too low?" he asked in response.
"Huh?" her expression shifted to one of surprise and confusion.
"In this world, there isn't necessarily a fundamentally incorrect method," Shirou explained thoughtfully. "The distinction lies in whether the method is suitable, efficient, and whether the cost and actions align with one's personal values and the values of the public."
He continued, "Some individuals can be swayed through reasoning, while others may prove resistant. Even those who are generally reasonable might become unreasonable in certain circumstances, and conversely, those who are typically difficult to reason with might display reasonability in other scenarios. The world is constantly changing, and as individuals dealing with various situations, we must adapt to these ever-changing dynamics. Embracing change paves the way to success, whereas remaining stagnant leads to failure."
Artoria appeared to be completely bewildered by his words.
Kay also appeared to be completely confused, and only Merlin remained calm with a slight smile on his face.
Shirou attempted to explain further, but after weighing his options, he realized that the full meaning of his words couldn't be conveyed in Old British, and his Old British language skills were not strong enough to fully express himself. All he could say was, "You'll have to interpret it for yourselves."
"I understand!" she nodded earnestly, her expression serious.
Shirou headed back to his room. At this point, his room was no longer the small, shabby quarters he had originally been given. Instead, it was a spacious room that wasn't much different from Kay's.
After defeating Merlin and farming in his dreams, Kay and Ector had quickly arranged for Shirou to have a new room.
Sitting on the soft bed, Shirou heaved a deep sigh.
To be honest, he hadn't felt too nervous when he was rallying the knights earlier. During the Fourth Holy Grail War, his small mortal world had been destroyed and decimated by Iskandar's vast world of conquest, without any mercy. It was this experience that gave him the bravery to pursue his goals. It was also the reason why he was able to create the Sin City.
To lead people, one must possess courage!
In truth, even though it had been extremely painful and distressing at the time, and he had harbored hatred towards everyone, when he finally emerged from that vicious cycle, he had experienced boundless freedom.
The Fourth Holy Grail War had brought him countless blessings, so he was deeply grateful to everyone he had met during that time. In his view, he had no enemies or opponents during that war, only teachers and friends.
Just then, someone opened the door and Merlin walked into the room.
"Why have you come to find me, Merlin the Great Swindler?" Shirou asked with a raised eyebrow, teasing Merlin.
"Hey now! What do you mean, 'Merlin the Great Swindler'? Am I really that kind of person?" Merlin protested, a look of annoyance crossing his face.
"I came to see you because I'm quite curious. Is this truly your first time being a king?" Merlin inquired.
Shirou laughed and said, "Guess~!"
Merlin: "..."
This was a sentence that Merlin typically directed at others, but now someone had turned the tables on him.
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. It's true that I lack experience as a king," Shirou admitted.
Merlin looked confused and asked, "Then why do you seem so experienced?"
"Because I've seen how other kings handle things," he explained. "I may not be a king, and no one has formally taught me how to act like one, but I learn by observing."
Shirou thought back to the kings he had encountered during the Fourth Holy Grail War - Iskandar, Gilgamesh, and even Artoria herself.
Before crossing over into this world, Shirou had read several historical novels, including Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as well as books on farming and agriculture.
Most importantly, his high school history books had covered the rulers of various nations and their policies within their historical contexts. The books presented their backgrounds, effects, and influences in a memorization-based format that made it easy for students to remember.
As the saying goes, "Having read countless poems, one can chant even if unable to compose." Shirou may not have been a king, but with so many examples and cases stored in his mind, couldn't he learn and adapt?
He was just an ordinary person, and the flame he possessed was just an ordinary flame. Lacking innate wisdom, he could only learn and explore in the same way as any other ordinary person. There was nothing more to it than that.
"Is that so? Well, you truly are an interesting individual," Merlin chuckled.
"You came all this way just to ask me that nonsense?"
Merlin smiled and replied, "I'm not that bored, of course. The question was merely incidental. Actually, Ector is the one who's looking for you, and I'm just doing him a favor. He's waiting for you in the living room."
"I see. As expected," Shirou said, rising from his seat.
"Don't you find it surprising?"
"If someone else took over the throne that he had raised his daughter for and didn't come to find me, that would be rather strange, wouldn't it?" Shirou chuckled. "The most critical factor is that he's a nobleman."
Shirou walked out of his room.
"You truly are an interesting person, Fujimaru Shirou," Merlin mused, squinting his eyes. "I wouldn't want to miss the chance to observe your fascinating nature, so I'll keep an eye on you for as long as I can."
...
Shirou arrived at the hall of the mansion, where he found only Ector standing alone.
"Good day, Sir Ector. Were you looking for me?" Shirou greeted him before walking into the hall.
As Shirou entered the hall, Ector looked at him with a complex expression. It was still hard for him to believe what had just happened. The young boy he had found a year ago, who shared a name with King Leodegrance's daughter Guinevere, had just pulled the sword from the stone. This shattered King Uther's plan of fifteen years and took the throne away from his foster daughter, Artoria.
Ector took a deep breath and composed himself before turning to Shirou and asking, "Shall I address you as King or Guinevere?"
"Guinevere will do for now. I am simply taking Artoria's place temporarily, and I will return the throne to her as soon as I can."
"The future is unpredictable, and it's possible that you might be tempted by the throne at some point," sighed Ector.
"However, King Arthur and his throne hold no interest for me. All I truly want is to return to my home. Please don't worry, Sir Ector," Shirou reassured him. "The beauty of Britain pales in comparison to the small pond in my hometown. I have no aspirations to be king or to rule, so you can rest assured."
"I understand that the future is unpredictable, and I don't think it would be productive for us to discuss it further," Ector acknowledged. "Instead, I simply want to ask whether, should you become King, you would be willing to give Kai an important role?"
This was Ector's primary concern. Regardless of any oaths or loyalties, the undeniable truth was that he was a nobleman who had to consider his own interests and the future prospects of his son. This was the very reason why Ector had agreed to foster Artoria when Uther had proposed it to him - Uther had promised him benefits in return.
Above all else, what was most crucial to Ector was that his family would continue to thrive and prosper once Artoria, his foster daughter, ascended the throne. This would depend on her remembering their gratitude for all that she had received from them.
However, the unforeseen outcome was that Shirou had pulled the Caliburn and Artoria had shown no intention of reclaiming the throne. What was more important now was that Shirou had demonstrated the cunning and intelligence of a true king. This forced Ector to reassess his betting strategy, taking into consideration Shirou's current attitude towards the throne.
In the current situation, it might not necessarily be required to have King Arthur on the throne. After all, Uther had been dead for many years, and his influence, though still present, was not enough to intimidate the other kings. As a result, any of the northern kings had a chance to take Uther's place, particularly the three kings who were originally allied with him and had the possibility of assuming his position.
Despite this, the threats posed by foreign forces such as Vortigern, the Saxons, and the Picts continued to loom large. The northern kings needed a strong and capable leader to preside over the situation. Currently, the Camelot Kingdom, supported by Merlin, still served as the backbone of the region. However, the political climate was very turbulent, and any slight carelessness could result in being replaced by another contender.
Given this situation, it was inevitable that the nobles would begin placing their bets and investments in one contender or another. Ector was also a nobleman, and he could not escape the need to make a decision on where to place his own bets.
Shirou responded, "If I do become King, and Kay is willing to assist me, I cannot promise him the highest position. That would be hypocritical and insincere, and I'm sure you wouldn't believe me even if I did. Nevertheless, I can assure you that I will certainly place Kay in a position that is appropriate for him."
"I understand," Ector replied, his expression giving away little as to whether he was satisfied or dissatisfied with the response he had received.
Ector finally spoke, "The sword has been pulled from the stone. According to Uther's plan, Sir Ywain will be arriving in a few days to discuss your coronation with you. He is the Master of Ceremonies, so you should prepare yourself accordingly."
"Thank you,"
"There is one more thing I would like to mention," Ector added. "During your temporary reign, Kay will become your knight. This is not because I want to gain anything from you, but rather because Britain has been longing for a strong leader for over a decade now. I truly hope that you succeed!"
"Thank you for your counsel, Sir Ector!"
With a nod, Shirou turned and left the hall, leaving Ector to his own thoughts.
"Am I right or wrong, Uther?" Ector murmured to himself, his face reflecting his confusion.
...
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