Kapitel 45: The Chosen One
On the second day, the knights packed their belongings and set out on the route Arkhan had planned. But to his surprise, among the three hundred knights, not a single one chose to quit.
Even though he had sensed that several individuals were strongly considering backing out, they all decided to go along.
Though he didn't know what had transpired, Arkhan couldn't help but feel relieved.
"See that, Nidhogg? That's the resilience of humans. They know the road ahead is tough, yet they won't give up hope for the challenge. I feel like I can already see the scales of victory tipping in my favor."
"Hmph! Stop talking to yourself. Even if they do manage to complete this journey, who knows how far you are from your goal? If you surrender now, I might be a little gentler on you later."
"You've never beaten me before, and this time won't be any different."
"You—"
*Knock! Knock! Knock!*
A crisp knocking on the door interrupted their quarrel.
Arkhan blocked out Nidhogg's insults as soon as possible, then walked over and opened the door.
Standing outside was an elderly man in clerical robes, with wrinkles on his face like deep crevices. Though he appeared quite old, his eyes were as clear as a child's.
"Archbishop Canterbury?" Arkhan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Your Majesty, may you be blessed and prosperous." Canterbury placed a hand over his heart and gave a slight nod of his head.
Arkhan responded with the same courtesy.
Although Arkhan himself wasn't particularly fond of religion, this old man deserved respect.
The Church held a special and independent position in Camelot, and as the Archbishop, Canterbury could have enjoyed a life of luxury but chose to live a life of austerity, with minimal material needs.
Few people knew that this Archbishop had been living in the same small room of less than ten square meters since he first joined the Church as a novice.
After Uther's death, Canterbury spent five years traveling all over Camelot.
In every village and town he visited, he held Mass and prayed with the local residents, listening to their worries and alleviating their anxieties.
It was his unwavering dedication over these five years that had helped the people of Camelot overcome the most difficult times.
Everyone respected Canterbury greatly, and it could be said that he had become a spiritual pillar of Camelot.
If not for that, he wouldn't have been chosen to oversee the grand ceremony to select the king.
"Your Excellency, is there something you need from me?" Arkhan asked curiously.
Canterbury nodded slightly. "I've come to bid you farewell, Your Majesty. The king selection ceremony has concluded, and it's time for me to return."
Arkhan nodded with a smile. "Do you need Sir Ector to send someone to escort you?"
"No, there's no need." Canterbury replied, shaking his head. After hesitating, he continued, "Your Majesty, I assume your next step is to go to Camelot for the coronation ceremony?"
"Of course, the coronation ceremony is a tradition set by the late king."
Arkhan responded with a smile. Only after the coronation ceremony would he truly bear the name of 'Arthur' and become the new ruler of Camelot.
"To be honest, I shouldn't be the one saying this, as per the late king's rules, the Church should not interfere with matters of the monarchy, but..."
Canterbury's face showed some hesitation as he looked at Arkhan.
"Your Majesty, you do realize that the person who was supposed to pull the sword from the stone wasn't originally you."
Arkhan nodded with a knowing smile.
Canterbury sighed and said, "Actually, at the time when the late king told me this plan, I felt that the plan wasn't perfect, but unfortunately, at that time, we didn't have much choice."
Uther's campaign against Vortigern had ended in a disastrous defeat, and even Uther himself had suffered severe injuries in that battle.
Despite having access to the Fountain of Youth, which Merlin obtained from the Lady of the Lake, it only extended Uther's life for a short while.
At that time, Artoria had just been born, and even with Merlin's assistance, she was far from being able to support the kingdom.
To buy time for Artoria, Uther betrothed his daughters to the King of Gwent and King of Deheubarth, ensuring that Camelot would not fall prey to external threats.
To stabilize the people's emotions and prevent internal strife, Uther, along with Merlin, devised the 'chosen king' plan and laid the groundwork for Artoria's future ascension.
This plan carried a great deal of instability, but for Uther, who had little time left, it was the best he could do for his country. In the end, it was his final and finest choice.
"Everything Your Excellency has said, I can understand." Arkhan sighed inwardly. "So, are you here today to ask me to return the throne to Artoria?"
"No, Your Majesty, you've misunderstood. In fact, I'm here to support you."
The guidance from the 'Revelation' was still vivid in Canterbury's mind, so he had no doubts about Arkhan's legitimacy as king.
"The key issue is that those in the palace who know the truth will never acknowledge Your Majesty."
Arkhan raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"
"Because Your Majesty is not King Uther's blood." Canterbury said with a serious expression.
"Haha!" Only a certain black dragon lady, who enjoyed watching the chaos, could laugh at a time like this.
Arkhan's mouth twitched slightly. "Pulling the sword from the stone to become the king was a prophecy the Great Mage Merlin left over a decade ago. Why question me now if they didn't oppose it back then?"
"Your Majesty, don't pretend you don't know..." Canterbury said with a wry smile. "We all know that the king selection ceremony is just an excuse."
"In that case, why did Your Excellency support me then?" Arkhan asked with a smile.
"Because Your Majesty is the Lord's chosen one." Canterbury said with seriousness.
"The Lord? God?" Arkhan raised an eyebrow.
Canterbury only nodded with a gentle smile.
This answer was unexpected. He knew that for devout believers like Canterbury, matters of faith were not to be taken lightly.
This meant that the so-called 'Lord' might have truly conveyed some information to Canterbury. This was the reason for his change in attitude.
But why would such an entity take an interest in him?
Arkhan was at a loss as he pondered that question.
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