Nearly a month had passed since the sword in the stone was drawn.
If one were to ask Artoria what it felt like to become the king of a nation?
Among ten thousand words, there was likely only one that could express her current state of mind.
—Annoying!
It was simply beyond annoying.
Although she had indeed been taught by Merlin since childhood on how to be a proper king, there was ultimately a gap between theory and practice.
Only by being in the situation could one know how great the difficulties truly were.
Since she was crowned and officially took the throne, documents from all over the world had come like a tsunami, so numerous they left her breathless.
Furthermore, there were those troublesome nobles within the country; every single one of them refused to accept Artoria, this ‘parachuted’ king.
Originally, over a dozen years had passed, and they had worked hard to spread rumors and finally hold this festival, hoping that a candidate for king would emerge from among the nobility through this competition.
But Artoria’s sudden appearance directly interrupted their painstaking layout.
If not for the fact that the commotion caused by the sword of selecting the king was too great, and that the commoners who firmly believed Artoria was the destined king were cheering too loudly— faced with the mountain of public opinion, the nobles could only swallow their resentment and were forced to recognize King Arthur as the monarch of Britain.
This was high society: there were only ever eternal interests.
When they saw that the current situation was no longer on their side, no matter how great the hatred between them, they would smile and shake hands to make peace.
The nobles broke down and reorganized their previous plans, turning to plot new schemes in hopes of maximizing their own interests.
For the commoners, the appearance of King Arthur made everyone feel exceptionally excited.
They shouted the King’s name and spread the news, their eyes shining with longing and expectation for their future lives.
However, this expectation placed a mountain of pressure on the girl who was still a somewhat green, new king.
Britain at this time was like a magnificent palace—it looked exquisite and brilliant on the outside, but in reality, it was an empty shell, its interior long since riddled with holes.
If not for the fact that Artoria had received modern education and the battering of the information explosion in her previous life, coupled with the bootleg ‘Emperor’s Art of Heart’ instilled by Merlin since childhood in this life, she probably wouldn’t have been able to hold on long ago.
She now had enough reason to suspect that the Dragon Core she possessed was prepared specifically to prevent her from dying of overwork.
Damn Merlin, and that cheap father I’ve never met—you two really planned this well!
The girl, working 24/7 and pulling overtime until she was exhausted, finally finished her immediate work today.
This allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief while simultaneously feeling an uncontrollable bitterness.
So this is the ultimate corporate slave?
All I can say is, I love it, I love it.
Having finished her official duties, Artoria dismissed the attendants around her and went alone to the main hall of the palace.
She walked step by step toward the high-and-mighty throne and sat down.
Sitting high on the throne and looking down at the entire hall, a hint of sadness suddenly welled up in her heart.
She thought of her foster brother’s incredulous expression when he learned she had pulled the sword of selection, and the smile on his face that mixed sadness with relief.
Although they had come to that southern town for the purpose of participating in the King’s Selection trial, in Kay’s heart, it was actually just a disguised vacation at public expense.
He never imagined that his foster brother, with whom he had lived day and night and grown up together, would actually pull out the sword in the stone.
And become that legendary destined king who would save Britain.
This was truly an affair too much like a dream.
The events that happened between her foster brother and her after that were still vivid in Artoria’s mind.
Kay, who used to joke and play with her like a true family member, knelt on one knee before her.
Even though they had been close just moments before, now, the difference in status between the two was like an unbridgeable chasm lying between them.
Loss was already inevitable.
They could no longer be as close as in the past, he could no longer affectionately call the King by name, and when he looked up, his gaze had to carry respect.
“Respected King Arthur, please allow me to pledge my loyalty.”
At the coronation ceremony, Kay lowered his head and spoke thus to Artoria, who wore the crown.
Although they couldn’t go back, Artoria was currently struggling at every step.
Occupying the highest position in the entire country, the power and chips the current King Arthur held were simply too small.
Kay wanted to help his former foster brother.
So he chose to protect the still-fledgling King Arthur in the name of a knight.
To do his meager part to lighten the burden on his shoulders.
“…I allow it.”
Though saddened by Kay’s attitude, the crowned Artoria also respected her foster brother’s choice.
A king is the object to whom all knights swear loyalty; it is precisely because of loyalty that one cannot overstep.
“I thank my King for her mercy.”
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Kay lowered his head to King Arthur.
And so, Artoria had her first knight of her own.
Kay’s actions set an example for all the knights present at the time.
After news of this spread, more and more people with lofty ideals came to the capital, wishing to offer their loyalty to King Arthur, who governed Britain.
This was an open scheme by Kay and Artoria, carried out in public for all to see.
The nobles who did not wish to see King Arthur grow stronger could only swallow their resentment.
They put on forced smiles of relief to express their congratulations to King Arthur.
The memory ended, and Artoria let out a silent sigh.
Thanks to Kay, her influence had grown considerably over the past month.
Nearly half of the Knights of the Round Table, famous in the legends of King Arthur, had already been gathered.
Kay, Gawain, Bors, Gareth, Tristan, Percival, Bedivere, and others.
In addition to those knights who, despite limited abilities, were still battle-hardened, their numbers had just surpassed a hundred.
This was enough for her to establish a specialized elite knight order.
These were forces that belonged exclusively to Artoria herself.
She believed that this knight order would play a crucial role in the upcoming battles.
“It’s about time they returned…”
Artoria tapped the armrest of her throne with her finger, silently calculating the time in her mind.
Since her coronation, she had given the future Knights of the Round Table a secret mission.
That was to act on her behalf to lobby the kings of the city-states near Britain, hoping to gain the friendship of those countries in the name of King Arthur.
After all, at this time Britain was facing both external threats and internal strife, and she had only recently become King; it was truly not a suitable time to start a war.
If she could learn the attitudes of the nearby city-states and know whether they were friend or foe to Britain,
Then she would be able to formulate a more detailed strategic policy for the revitalization of Britain.
At that moment, an attendant entered the hall and interrupted Artoria’s deep thoughts.
“King, Sir Gawain, Sir Tristan, Sir Bors, and Sir Kay have arrived for an audience.”
They were back!
Hearing this news from the attendant, her spirits couldn’t help but lift.
Speak of the devil, they really arrived at the perfect time.
“Let them in,” Artoria commanded.
The attendant respectfully withdrew, and in a short while, the four men arrived in the great hall.
They lowered their heads and knelt on one knee together, expressing their highest respect to the monarch they served.
She really still wasn’t used to this.
Artoria sighed softly as she watched the scene before her.
Looking at the four men kneeling below, she said gently:
“You have all worked hard on your journey.
You may all rise.”
Upon hearing her words, the four knights slowly stood up, looking at King Arthur before them with respectful gazes.
“How have you all fared with the mission this King entrusted to you?”
Artoria inquired with a touch of impatience.
Hearing the King’s question, Kay was the first to step forward and reply: “My King, I have fortunately fulfilled my mission.
The kings of the Kingdom of Cornwall and the County of Orkney are very willing to establish a long-term friendship with Britain.”
Following Kay, Tristan and Gawain both brought heartening good news.
However, only Bors, who was the last to report, lowered his head in frustration.
He apologized to Artoria, who sat upon the throne:
“My King, I am sorry.
Among the countries I was responsible for, the King of Scotland is willing to be on good terms with us, but the King of Ireland…”
At this point, he knelt on one knee and regretfully asked Artoria for punishment.
“The King of Ireland is a headstrong and opinionated man; he rejected the olive branch we offered.”
I see…
Although she had expected such a possibility, it was still unpleasant to hear.
Ireland?
It seemed she would have to adjust the course of action she had previously set.
Now was not the time to think about that.
Artoria suppressed her thoughts and looked at Bors kneeling below the throne.
“Raise your head, Bors.
What crime have you committed?
I am not an incompetent ruler.
This matter was clearly caused by the King of Ireland and has nothing to do with you at all.”
Saying this, Artoria stood up and walked down from the throne.
She came before Bors, who was looking up at her with emotion, and bent down to help him up.
The refined and handsome King Arthur showed an inclusive smile.
She looked at the knight who had stood up and said:
“Instead, I should thank you.
Thank you for bringing me such important intelligence.”
After speaking, she paused and made a final decision on the matter.
“Knights gathered here, be proud!
You have made an important contribution to Britain!”
Watching the moved knights withdraw, Artoria once again threw herself into the tedious affairs of state.
In short, no matter how besieged by enemies or how thorny the path ahead might be,
Artoria was slowly and methodically preparing for a brand new future at her own pace.
She would use her talents and abilities correctly to become the King who truly deserved to save Britain.