章節 121: Kingdom Affairs
Morning, Next Day.
Arkhan gathered every minister of Camelot and held the first council meeting of the new year.
This marked his first formal involvement in handling the affairs of the kingdom after his ascension, signifying that from this point on, the responsibility of the kingdom was officially on his shoulders.
However, since the day he had pulled Caliburn, Arkhan had already prepared himself to face all of this.
Today, Kay and Artoria were responsible for his security. Since early morning, they had worn serious expressions that frightened the palace servants, who dared not even make eye contact with them as they quickly passed by.
"I say, you two don't have to be so nervous. It's as if someone owes you money." Arkhan said in exasperation.
"Ahaha... In a situation like this, who wouldn't be nervous?" Kay chuckled.
"Yesterday, facing hundreds of nobles, even kings from other kingdoms during the coronation ceremony, you managed to remain composed. Now, just meeting a few old men has you this scared?" Arkhan teased.
"I can't quite describe it..." Kay scratched his head. "Even though I'm just an observer, the thought of being part of a meeting that decides the fate of millions of people suddenly gives me a profound sense of purpose."
"I feel the same way." Artoria nodded in agreement, then looked curiously at her teacher. "Teacher, are you really not nervous at all?"
Even though Arkhan had openly revealed his origin, for some reason, Artoria still liked to address him as 'Teacher'. Nevertheless, it was a minor detail that no one minded.
"Why should I?" Arkhan smiled. "Since I've taken on the responsibility, I must do my best to excel in it. It's similar to how if you want to make money and profit, you have to bake delicious bread to sell to customers. It's all a matter of course."
"But this is a matter of great importance for the nation. How can you compare it to baking bread?" Artoria looked puzzled.
"If that's how you see it, you're mistaken, Lily."
Arkhan said calmly and began to give her a lesson.
"Ultimately, governing a nation isn't much different from baking bread. Just like a loaf of bread needs the right choice of ingredients, the right amount of kneading, and precise control of the temperature, policies, and strategies for governing a nation must evolve with the times, be grounded in reality, avoid rushing, stay adaptable, and avoid unfounded imagination. Otherwise, you'll end up with a subpar product that angers your customers, and they might throw it in your face."
Artoria appeared to be deep in thought, and after a moment, she earnestly nodded.
"I understand your point, Teacher."
"Good to hear." Arkhan nodded in return.
"My, my, describing governing the country as baking bread? That's quite a novel theory. I've never heard anything like that."
Morgan, with her usual stunning beauty, suddenly appeared from around the corner with a playful smile on her face.
"I wonder... what kind of bread can you make with that?"
"Let the facts be the judge." Arkhan chuckled and pushed open the grand doors before him.
In the spacious council chamber, a dozen or so Camelot ministers sat around a round table.
Upon seeing the king enter, they immediately rose and bowed.
""Your Majesty.""
Arkhan nodded slightly.
"No need for formalities. Please, take your seats."
He walked forward and sat in the central chair, with Morgan sitting on his right and Artoria as well as Kay standing behind him.
"Let's not waste any time and get straight to the point."
Arkhan looked to the left at the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ferguson.
"Lord Ferguson, please proceed."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Ferguson stood and provided a detailed report on the major events that had occurred in Camelot over the past year.
This was a tradition passed down from the reign of King Uther.
After the Samhain festival, which marked the new year, the first council meeting served as a summary of the previous year's work by the Minister of Internal Affairs. It provided recommendations to the king and established the primary goals for the upcoming year, which were then executed by the other ministers.
For the past fifteen years, since Camelot had no king, this step had been collectively decided by Ferguson and the other ministers.
"...The main topics are more or less these." Ferguson said solemnly. "But due to the sudden incident involving the Minister of Finance, matters related to it are still being tabulated."
"Thank you for your efforts, Lord Ferguson." Arkhan nodded slightly, turning to the other ministers. "For a nation, a Minister of Finance is necessary existence. Now that Hubert has gone mad, I've decided to appoint my elder sister, Morgan le Fay Pendragon, as the temporary acting Minister of Finance. Any objections?"
After some contemplation, most of the ministers eventually nodded in agreement.
A few others wore hesitant expressions on their faces but, after a stern look from Morgan, quickly nodded in agreement as well.
Arkhan nodded with satisfaction, feeling that his first move as the new ruler had gone rather well.
Now, it was time for the second move.
"I have another task to assign to Lord Ferguson." Arkhan turned to Ferguson. "Arrange your subordinates to conduct a census of Camelot's population. It must be accurate down to each and every household, with no room for error."
"Your command is my will." Ferguson bowed.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, what's the point of doing this?" One minister questioned, obviously wary of the labor-intensive and time-consuming nature of a population census.
"What's the point?" Arkhan looked at the person, baffled. "A population census is crucial. Let me explain the importance to you."
As he enumerated the significance of the population census, the ministers became more and more engaged. Some were so excited that they couldn't help but tremble.
Such a remarkable policy, if truly implemented, would undoubtedly elevate Camelot's power to a new level!
This led many to reflect, as they hadn't expected this young king, whom they initially thought might need time to grow into his role, to propose such groundbreaking policies from the outset.
Indeed, he lived up to the title of the Chosen King.
However, what surprised them even more was that the king went on to propose more policies, covering a wide range from agriculture to military, trade to diplomacy, and hygiene to the economy.
The scope was so vast that even the most erudite scholars would feel humbled.
More importantly, all of these policies were highly effective and promised to significantly boost Camelot's power!
As the king continued to talk enthusiastically, everyone in the council chamber was utterly dumbfounded.
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