Free? Free My Ass!

Arkhan and the surrounding nobles engaged in conversation, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

Artoria, seated nearby, gradually adapted to the atmosphere. Although she still remained silent, she no longer clung tightly to his arm as she did earlier.

"I've heard about the legendary bravery of Your Majesty's knights. They are said to be invincible and possess unparalleled valor. I wonder, where did Your Majesty manage to gather such a talented group of people?" An earl asked while chuckling.

The other nobles all turned their gaze towards the new king, their curiosity piqued.

In just three short months since he emerged as the new king, where did he find that formidable knight order? Before this, they had never heard of such a force existing in Britain.

"Though it might sound like boasting, these knights were not recruited deliberately."

Arkhan replied with a smile while gently shaking his wine glass.

"After the king selection ceremony, some knights chose to stay in Tintagel rather than leave. They wished to pledge their loyalty to me, and their sincerity moved me. So, I gave them a chance, more precisely a trial."

Many nobles were taken aback by this revelation. Did this mean that the new king had personally created this knight order?

"What was their strength like at the time?" Mark's eyes glittered slightly as he asked.

"Strength? Hmm..." Arkhan stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and then glanced at the brooding Lamorak. "If we exclude Sir Lamorak, I'd say Sir Tristan alone could have easily defeated all of them."

Arkhan believed his description was accurate. After all, Tristan was one of the top Knights of the Round Table in the legend, on par with the Round Table's chief knight, Lancelot, in terms of combat skills. Whether it was archery, spearmanship, or swordsmanship, he excelled in each.

Tristan was surprised when the new king used him as a benchmark, but he eventually bowed slightly and said, "Your praise is too generous, Your Majesty."

The nobles exchanged glances, all of them feeling a sense of absurdity.

A group of ordinary knights couldn't transform into such a formidable army in just three months. Such exaggerations only belonged in myths and legends, didn't they?

Yet, they couldn't forget that the new king himself seemed to possess godlike power, and his knights had achieved the impossible feat of defeating a twenty-thousand-strong army with just three hundred.

If one person could accomplish the impossible, why not a second?

"Your Majesty, may I ask what method you used to train these knights in the first place? It would be enlightening to hear about it." Another earl inquired.

Other nobles stared at him with a look as if he had just asked something ridiculous. Revealing such crucial information was unheard of unless the new king was a complete fool.

"Of course." Arkhan nodded nonchalantly.

'He's actually going to tell us?!'

Almost all the nobles, including several dukes, were in shock.

"Your Majesty, ar-are you really willing to share the method with us?"

The earl who asked the method stuttered. He hadn't held much hope for a positive response, yet the new king had agreed quite readily.

"Why not?" Arkhan smiled. "We are all part of Camelot. The stronger you become, the stronger Camelot becomes. A more powerful Camelot will increase our chances of defeating Vortigern and eventually unifying Britain. Isn't that a good thing?"

Defeat Vortigern and unify Britain!

Upon hearing this, many nobles were taken aback. The new king's goals seemed extremely ambitious.

Defeating the White Dragon alone was an extremely difficult task, and yet, he was also contemplating unifying the entire Britain.

This was something only the Roman Empire had managed in the past!

In normal circumstances, they would have scoffed at such grandiose ambitions, but at this moment, they couldn't help but feel a strong sense of admiration for the new king.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. From now on, the House of Cromwell will always be your strongest support. Whenever you need it, our soldiers will clear any obstacles in your path."

"Come hell or high water, the House of Kinsworth will steadfastly carry out your will."

"The House of Tyndale also..."

As if moved by the new king's words, several nobles immediately swore their loyalty to him.

Mark couldn't help but sigh quietly in his heart. He had initially thought the new king would be a cunning fox, but he never expected him to be so selfless, completely sacrificing personal gain for the sake of the nation. This brilliant spirit made him feel inferior.

Perhaps only such a person could pull the sword from the stone and bear the fate of the Chosen King.

Arkhan looked around and noticed a map of Camelot on the wall. He led the nobles over and used Rune to draw a winding line on it.

"In fact, my training method is quite simple. I've chosen a path for trial and let them complete it. Also, as long as someone can successfully complete this path, I will recognize them as true knights."

Nobles frowned as they looked at the drawn path.

"I remember this place has a thousand-meter cliff..."

"Isn't this the Death Forest they talk about? They say hundreds of people die here every year."

"Have you seen this Wyvern Ridge here? This damn place is the nesting ground of wyverns!"

Some nobles couldn't contain their emotions and even blurted out curses.

This wasn't a path for trial; this was a path for death!

No one doubted if the new king was deceiving them, as these places were rarely visited, and investigating would easily confirm the truth.

"Now I understand why Your Majesty's knights are so strong..." An earl chuckled.

Other nobles nodded in agreement. Anyone who could survive such a perilous path would be nothing short of extraordinary.

"If you want to send your soldiers to attempt this path, I can have my knights summarize their experiences and share them with you." Arkhan said with a smile.

Many nobles were intrigued. With that knowledge, maybe their soldiers could conquer the path. Although they wouldn't experience the same transformative growth as the new king's knights, it would significantly boost their strength.

"If we want this knowledge, what would it cost us?" A cautious noble asked.

"Didn't I mention before, my dream is to make Camelot strong, strong enough to one day defeat Vortigern and unify Britain." Arkhan said calmly. "That's why, I'll offer this knowledge for free, without charge."

"Your Majesty is a great monarch."

Many sincerely admired the new king.

"I'm just doing what I should." Arkhan replied with an apparent indifference, but he was already celebrating inside. 'Trying to get all this for free? Free my ass!'

During their earlier conversation, Arkhan had subtly used the power of Fenghuang Down to quietly implant the insidious influence of Jizo Mitama's 'corruption' into the nobles' minds, making them unconsciously feel a sense of submission.

Otherwise, how could he have convinced these old foxes to pledge their loyalty to him so easily?

With Jizo Mitama's powers, he could have turned them into puppets, but he thought it didn't align with his moral values. Moreover, puppeteering them would reduce their usefulness, while having them willingly serve was efficient and effective.

Apart from these people, he had also planted the seeds of 'corruption' in some other nobles, which would bloom and bear fruit at the right moment.

As for those he hadn't dealt with yet, they were already on his list for elimination. With a new king in power, it was the perfect opportunity to rid the kingdom of these tumors.

Arkhan didn't intend to make the first move; he wanted these nobles to willingly step into the trap he had set first.

*Thunk!*

Suddenly, all the lights inside the hall went out, plunging the surroundings into complete darkness.

Artoria instinctively shielded Arkhan and scanned her surroundings with her piercing azure eyes.

However, Tristan beside her, and even Mark remained unperturbed, showing no signs of alarm.

The rest of the nobles were equally composed, without a hint of panic.

Footsteps echoed crisply in the eerie silence as a spotlight suddenly illuminated a woman who had appeared on the second-floor balcony.

She was a tall woman in a black formal dress, exuding a mysterious charm reminiscent of the night. Her pale chin lifted slightly, revealing a swan-like, elegant neck. Her pale golden eyes overlooked the crowd below, radiating an air of regal nobility and arrogance.

"That is..." Artoria's eyes widened in disbelief, her gaze expressing intense incredulity.

The woman on the balcony took a deep breath and then began to speak.

"First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for accepting the invitation to this banquet. While many of us are old acquaintances, I do see some new faces."

"Before we begin this event, allow me to introduce myself."

"I am the eldest daughter of the late King Uther, the ruler of Orkney, and the inheritor of Britain's Power of the Island, Morgan le Fay Pendragon."