81 Dragon King—Artorius Pendragon

Returning to Britain and Camelot at the fastest speed possible was the first thing Artorius did upon ascending the throne.

Using magecraft, he swiftly spread the news of his ascension throughout all of Britain and requested that all the 'kings' of the various kingdoms in Britain make their way to Camelot as quickly as possible for an audience.

This news caused a slight disturbance among the kingdoms of Britain.

The King of Knights who had once held dominion over the other kingdoms in Britain, had actually abdicated?

And that wicked Dragon Prince had become the new king of Britain?

For a moment, the kings had various thoughts and considerations, but none dared to disobey the order.

The King of Knights was ruthless enough.

—Even though you're a king, and I'm also a king. I, as a king, have to listen to King Arthur. I can only call myself a king in my little corner, while King Arthur can call himself the King of Britain, representing the will of the entire country.

Is that fair?

At least the other kings thought it wasn't fair.

The problem, however, was that they felt it was futile to complain. The two generations of monarchs in Camelot, Uther and Artoria were content with the current state of affairs. Unfortunately, Artorius, as the newest generation, wanted to go further.

"I've had enough of Britain's division and the schemes of the nobles."

In Camelot, Artorius spoke to the Knights of the Round Table.

"Your Majesty, do you mean...?"

"I need a unified, consolidated Britain."

Artorius answered one of the knights and declared:

"The resources and manpower wasted by the kings' mutual distrust are meaningless and a waste of time.

In today's Britain, the loose organization and internal strife among the kingdoms are among the significant causes of our chaos and suffering.

I don't want to continue wasting our efforts in this regard.

I will order them, in the name of the King of Britain, to surrender their entire armies, accept the laws of Camelot, and regularly provide a sufficient tribute to Camelot.

These tributes and armies will be deployed in the conquest of the continent of Europe.

I will unite all of Britain to leave behind a prosperous empire for us and our descendants!"

The Dragon Prince—No, the Dragon King, radiating with majesty, surveyed his surroundings, imbuing his will into the depths of every Knight of the Round Table.

This was Camelot, and this was the policy change following the transfer of power in Britain.

Different from Artoria, Artorius would take a more active role in manipulating and harnessing the power and authority of Britain, dedicating it to the wars on the continent.

No longer will it be based on persuasion and voluntarism when he was a prince. It would become state policy, driven by power.

Among the members of the Knights of the Round Table, some were excited, while others felt a slight unease. But whether excited or uneasy, they all obeyed Artorius's orders.

"The authority of the new king surpasses even that of the previous king."

"We cannot refuse His Majesty's orders, ever since that day on the banks of the Seine... when His Majesty received the power of the Holy Grail."

"His Majesty is invincible, in both strength and vision, surpassing everything."

The Knights of the Round Table discussed among themselves in private. They held cautious optimism about Artorius's transformation.

"But, Your Majesty."

Afterward, Lancelot, who had come rushing from Gaul and continued to pledge allegiance to the Pendragon, asked, "What if those kings refuse? What then?"

"..."

Regarding this, Artorius curled his lips.

"Simple..." Artorius said calmly. "Gather a legion from the Germanic Military Region."

Artorius spoke calmly, but everyone could sense the strong scent of blood within his words.

Some people couldn't help but subconsciously glance at Artorius's side.

At his side, Morgan looked at him with fanatical eyes. Ever since Artorius ascended to the throne of Britain three days ago, she had been following him. Her gaze toward him had been increasingly strange.

And on Artorius's other side stood the former king, Artoria. Instead of retiring, she chose to join Artorius's ranks as a knight.

This action, as well as her presence, also served as a stabilizing factor for the Knights of the Round Table. Some knights who were not overly loyal to Artorius or disagreed with his actions could still obey his commands unconditionally because of her presence.

But...

"The former king's hair seems to have subtly changed color..."

It was strange to some people. Artoria's hair used to be bright gold, but recently, its color had become paler, resembling light gold.

Well, those knights who noticed this were a tiny minority. Most knights weren't that bored to pay attention to such minor details.

===

After Artorius finished speaking about 'Legion', everyone turned their gaze towards the former king, Artoria. They saw her with a serious expression, devoid of surprise, hesitation, or any other negative emotions.

This proved that she fully supported Artorius's plan without any hesitation or resistance.

—King... former king, you have indeed changed.

That was the thoughts of every knight that was loyal to the former king, King Arthur.

"Very well, my knights. Continue with your preparations. Three days from now, I shall host a grand banquet in Camelot, where all these so-called kings shall be brought to account if they fail to attend. It will be the Knights of the Round Table who shall carry out their punishment!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

As Artorius waved his hand, issuing his final command, the Knights of the Round Table, each with their own thoughts, were instantly 'infected' by his words.

Regardless, they would all pledge their loyalty to Artorius Pendragon, their new king.

The meeting came to an end.

Artorius calmly turned around, leaving the throne that belonged to the King of Britain, and headed towards the study that once belonged to his mother. By his side were Artoria, who considered herself his 'Guardian' and never left his side, and Morgan, who inexplicably didn't want to leave his side, as well as Bedivere, acting as the court steward and government official of Camelot.

"Your Majesty."

The handsome knight spoke with a gentle and somewhat concerned voice.

"Camelot is facing food shortages in fifteen villages, with three of them experiencing extreme scarcity."

"Don't worry, food will continuously be imported from the continent, but there are conditions. Those villages must send people to join my army." Artorius said calmly.

"But in their manpower..."

"Even if they lack young men, it's fine. They can work in logistics, transporting supplies, repairing roads and dikes. In short, they need to work to sustain themselves."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Bedivere nodded. "Regarding the coronation ceremony in three days..."

"Keep it simple..." Artorius replied. "Spend as little money as possible."

"As for grandeur..."

"Let those kings witness the elite soldiers and strong warriors under the banner of Camelot. Grandeur will naturally follow!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. And there is also..." Bedivere said again.

"What else? Speak up all at once, don't keep me waiting." Artorius said impatiently.

Bedivere's ability to handle affairs was indeed strong, but his indecisive nature meant he was more suited to be an adjutant rather than an official in charge.

"It's about Sir Galahad's funeral and the selection of a burial site."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Artorius fell silent for a moment. Then, with an unquestionable tone, he answered.

"Do it in the Mainz Cathedral. I will build a mausoleum there for the Empire soldiers."