C125

Days passed by like this.

Other than the fact that the servants in the estate were becoming more and more respectful towards him, there seemed to be no difference from usual.

Although things may have seemed unchanged, Shirou couldn't help but notice a few noticeable differences. For one, there was a daily crowd of knights and town residents who would surround the estate, shouting and asking to see him. If he didn't know any better, he would think he had done something terrible.

To address this, Shirou took it upon himself to not only offer comfort and encouragement to the townspeople, but also deliver impassioned speeches denouncing Vortigern's treacherous behavior, promoting his own ideals, and rallying support by wielding the Caliburn.

By this point, there wasn't a soul in town who didn't know the name "Arthur." No matter where Shirou went, he was greeted by the sound of people shouting his name. Artoria believed that this was the epitome of an ideal king.

According to the normal succession process, Shirou should have waited for Sir Ywain to arrive and then followed him to Camelot to assume the throne without having to go through so much trouble.

However, Shirou did not follow the normal procedure and instead took the initiative to build up his reputation. By the time Sir Ywain arrived, Shirou had already rallied the majority of the townspeople to his cause.

Although there were those who didn't agree with Shirou, most people had been won over by his cause. Even those who didn't share his views didn't dare to stir up trouble in the face of the overwhelming support for him.

Every single day, Shirou delivered captivating speeches that never failed to inspire those around him. Initially, his words held great power and moved people deeply. However, as time went on, his speeches continued to resonate, even among those who had heard them before. Surprisingly, the listeners remained fully engaged and inspired, their spirits rejuvenated with youthful vitality and a renewed sense of hope. This was something Merlin couldn't help but envy.

Merlin had to admit, Shirou's way with words was truly remarkable. While he couldn't help but be impressed by Shirou's abilities, there was also a small twinge of jealousy that crept into Merlin's thoughts.

For Shirou, however, this was all just par for the course. Though he still felt a little nervous when speaking in public, he was no longer afraid to do so. However, when it came to being crowned king and doing all that a ruler should, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of hesitation.

After all, this was his first time being a king, and the situation that Britain was facing could hardly be described as "optimistic." It was an incredibly difficult time to be taking on such a role.

In some ways, the challenge of being crowned king was similar to that of participating in the Fourth Holy Grail War. The difference was that while the Holy Grail War tested an individual's combat strength and personal strategy, the struggle for the throne tested one's leadership and comprehensive qualities.

He had graduated from the Fourth Holy Grail War, but in terms of the struggle for the throne, he was a complete novice.

The key difference was Shirou's mentality. During the Fourth Holy Grail War, he had only thought of running away and had resorted to self-deception and unsavory tactics. However, now that he was faced with the upcoming war for the throne, he made the active choice to confront it head-on.

This was a sign of growth on Shirou's part!

In addition, Artoria had been displaying some peculiar behavior lately. Though she remained a loyal guardian to him, she frequently retrieved a notebook from her pocket and diligently jotted down something while observing him. It was a behavior that he found somewhat intriguing.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Shirou eventually asked Artoria what she was documenting. In response, she replied, "I am taking notes on the ways of a king's life and learning from them."

Shirou nodded, feeling relieved. As he embarked on the road to becoming a king, he recognized that he was still a novice and had much to learn. He might not be able to mentor others just yet, but he had many examples to draw from and could use them as templates in his own leadership.

While she was eager to learn from him, Shirou didn't mind sharing all of his experiences with her. However, the challenge was that translating everything into Old British was not only time-consuming, but there was also a risk that the translation might not be accurate. It was probably best for Artoria to learn on her own, at her own pace.

In fact, the best way to handle the translation of these cases would be to use Merlin to connect their dreams and communicate through mental dialogue, which would eliminate the language barrier altogether. However, at this point, Merlin's dream connection was much less advanced than it would be 1,500 years later when Scathach invaded his dream. The mental strain of doing this every day was too high, and it left him feeling as if he was being possessed by a ghost - it was an exhausting experience.

As a result, Shirou was hesitant to allow Merlin to invade his dreams unless it was absolutely necessary.

Days continued to pass in much the same way, until one fateful night when a group of cavalry in armor suddenly charged into the town.

Upon hearing this news, Shirou realized that Sir Ywain had finally arrived!

Merlin instructed him to meet with Sir Ywain at the Town Hall in the town the following day. Shirou nodded calmly and accepted the news without any resistance.

As the successor, he was going to meet the Minister instead of the other way around. It seemed a bit amusing, but that was simply the way things were.

Until the new king took power, the Minister held the dominant position. However, once the successor was crowned, they would become the dominant figure.

As the world changes, so too do people's positions, and it's important to be adaptable in order to succeed.

The following morning, Shirou dressed in a formal knight's attire that Ector had helped to prepare. As he looked at himself in the bronze mirror, dressed in a silvery armor with a white cloak, he couldn't help but feel as though he resembled a young knight from the medieval era.

However, there was one thing that continued to bother Shirou: his hair. As he looked at his black locks, which had grown past his ears, he couldn't help but sigh.

In ancient Britain, there were no scissors, let alone professional hairdressers. Haircuts were typically done by cutting with a knife, which wasn't very safe. That's why Shirou had neglected his hair.

Shirou couldn't help but think that if his mother saw his long hair, she would probably give him a good spanking - just like she used to when he was a child.

Once he had finished dressing, he looked considerably more formal. He picked up Caliburn and walked out the door.

As he stepped outside, he saw that Ector, Merlin, and others had been waiting for him for some time. He nodded to them before the group set out towards the town.

Ector likely supported Merlin's strategy and agreed that Shirou should temporarily act as the king. For the past few days, he had been telling Shirou about Sir Ywain.

According to Ector, Sir Ywain was once one of King Uther's closest knights and was also one of the executors of the "ideal king" plan. Along with Sir Baldwin and Sir Brastias, he was one of the three major ministers and one of the three pillars that upheld the Kingdom of Camelot after King Uther's passing.

Sir Brastias took charge of border defense and military affairs, ensuring the safety and protection of Camelot's borders. On the other hand, Sir Baldwin held the responsibility of managing the court, overseeing its operations and administration. Working alongside them was Ywain, who served as the master of ceremonies, effectively managing the internal affairs of Camelot. Together, they formed a competent team that ensured the smooth functioning of the kingdom.

As per King Uther's plan, once Artoria pulled the sword from the stone, Sir Ywain was to rush from Camelot and escort her back to Camelot for her coronation.

Ector had described Sir Ywain as having a mild personality and being fiercely loyal to King Uther. However, Shirou couldn't help but feel a little wary of the man - his description made him sound like an old fox.

It's true that people can change, and while Sir Ywain was once very loyal to King Uther, it had been many years since his passing. As the master of ceremonies, Sir Ywain had held power for quite some time, and there was a chance that he might have become corrupt. It was difficult to say for certain.

The only way to know for sure would be to meet Sir Ywain in person and assess the situation firsthand.

Shirou wasn't worried about his own safety. He had accumulated a year's worth of magical energy, and even though he wasn't as powerful as he once was, he was still a Servant who was beyond the limits of normal magical energy. He was more than capable of dealing with the knights of the end of the Age of Gods with ease.

He was only concerned with what Merlin had warned him about. He worried that if he mishandled the matter and caused internal strife in Camelot, then Vortigern would break through the northern defense line and unify Britain. Not only would he be unable to return home, but Britain would also be devastated.

It was true that Merlin had a talent for spinning lies, which made Shirou feel quite worried.

He was caught in a dilemma - on one hand, he strongly suspected that Merlin was fooling him, but on the other hand, he knew that he had to take what Merlin said seriously. It was a difficult position to be in.

Despite his concerns, Shirou knew that he could only take things one step at a time. He had to face Sir Ywain and assess the situation before he could make any decisions or take any actions.

As Shirou led his group into the town, he couldn't help but notice how different it was from their previous visits. This time, people had formed a welcoming team and were cheering loudly for Shirou from the city gate.

"King Arthur! King Arthur!"

"King Arthur! King Arthur!"

The people shouted with all their might, creating an overwhelming uproar that echoed throughout the town.

The overwhelming response from the people was a direct result of Shirou's efforts over the past few days. He had worked hard to inspire and bring hope to the people for a better future. It was a reminder that as a leader, it wasn't enough to simply work hard - one must also be able to inspire and rally others to their cause.

It was unlikely that many people would be willing to stand behind a silent and uncommunicative leader. Even if someone were initially willing, after being together for a long time, they might begin to describe the leader as "difficult to get along with" and eventually leave. A leader needed to be able to communicate effectively and inspire their followers to work towards a shared vision.

In response to the loud cheers from the people of the town, Shirou said nothing, but simply raised Caliburn high above his head, a symbol of hope and leadership to the people.

With just this one action, the people became even more excited, and their shouts grew even louder,

Shirou's actions had responded to the people's desire for a better future and had given them hope. He had become the symbol of their aspirations and the one who would lead them towards a better tomorrow. This was momentum, the beginning of a movement towards a brighter future.

He understood that if he were unable to respond to people's expectations for a better future, the momentum he had created would eventually swallow him like a huge wave.

He was well aware of Artoria's ultimate fate, which was a cautionary tale of a leader who, despite responding to people's expectations, was unable to satisfy their aspirations for a better future. She had pulled out the Caliburn, defeated Vortigern, and yet, in the end, she was spurned and hated by the very people she had fought to protect.

She had been unbeaten throughout her life, but her ultimate fate had been a tragic one.

This proves one thing—

The sword is a double-edged weapon!

Being a king is more challenging and entails greater responsibilities than simply being a warrior.

However, this time he won't escape as he did during his involvement in the Fourth Holy Grail War!

Whether or not he is aware of the challenge, he will find a way to overcome it. If the task is difficult, he will diligently brainstorm for solutions. Even if it becomes stressful, he will grit his teeth and persevere until he gets through it.

Face it head-on!

This is growth!

"Arthur is truly dazzling!" Morgan stood in the crowd, gazing at the Caliburn as it glimmered in the sunlight, unable to resist squinting.

"Mother, are we going to join them?" Gawain asked from the side.

"No, we will not." she replied.

"But why not?" Gawain persisted.

Morgan hesitated for a moment before responding, "Because this Arthur has black hair, and I'm not entirely convinced that he is truly my brother."

...

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