C164

After some thought, Shirou had come to the difficult decision of abandoning Camelot. However, this choice also meant forfeiting any hope of reclaiming Wales.

Geographically, the island of Britain is divided into three distinct regions: Scotland situated to the north, England positioned to the south, and Wales located to the west.

At present, the Picts have control over Scotland, while the Saxons have taken over the northern region of England, centered around the city of Londinium. Meanwhile, the central part of England, up to Hadrian's Wall, is under the governance of the Northern Kings and the Dead Apostles.

Located on the boundary between Wales and England, Camelot serves as a crucial stronghold. Should Vortigern succeed in overtaking it, Wales would inevitably succumb to his grasp.

Vortigern's reign extends over both the Picts and the Saxons, making him the most formidable force in the region. Consequently, the southwestern part of England is the only viable option left for Shirou to consider.

Within this region, there is but one place that possesses the potential to establish a new kingdom and initiate a rebellion - Cornwall!

Situated at the extreme southwestern point of England, Cornwall is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and north, and the English Channel to the south. Across the sea lies Gaul, and Cornwall is blessed with abundant mineral resources.

In bygone times, Cornwall was an independent kingdom. However, it eventually rebelled against the ruling forces and was subdued by Brastias, becoming a territory under the jurisdiction of Camelot.

Over the past decade, Ywain and Baldwin, fearful of Cornwall's potential resurgence, launched multiple offensives that significantly weakened the region. Nevertheless, with no other options available, Shirou is left with no choice but to retreat to Cornwall.

Perhaps the most significant advantage of Cornwall is the presence of numerous mountains that act as a natural barrier against monster attacks. In addition, constructing defensive walls would further aid in safeguarding the region and reduce the need for excess manpower.

However...

Shirou gazed down at his coronation plan, feeling overwhelmed with despair. Despite having surveyed the entirety of Camelot, he had overlooked the importance of assessing Cornwall. As a result, he had neglected to include any development plans for the region in his strategy.

Now, he was faced with the task of building his foundation in Cornwall, a daunting challenge. Disheartened, Shirou shook his head and tore up the development plan he had spent countless hours formulating, tossing it into the flames.

...

For straightforward knights like Gawain, the notion of persuading people to abandon their homes and migrate elsewhere was a challenging prospect. However, Shirou managed to achieve this feat with relative ease.

He painted a grim picture, informing them that Vortigern had already breached the Barton Fortress and that Camelot was in grave peril. If they failed to evacuate the area, Vortigern would lay siege to Caerleon and plunge the region into chaos. He warned that they would all be vulnerable to monster attacks and have no hope of survival.

The only chance for survival, Shirou proclaimed, was to follow him and migrate to a safer location. With his leadership, they could have a fighting chance at living to see another day.

The people were gripped with fear and anxiety, uncertain of their fate. In this moment of crisis, Shirou relied on his authority as their leader and brandished his crown, urging them to trust him and follow him to a safer place where they could rebuild their lives.

Given the gravity of the situation, the people had no other choice but to place their faith in Shirou's leadership. He granted them one day to gather their possessions before organizing a retreat route to ensure their safe departure from the danger zone.

Their safest and most efficient route was a southwest mountain road that led through the rugged mountains, ultimately leading to Cornwall. By relying on the natural barriers provided by the mountains, they could ensure a swifter and more secure journey to their destination.

In this critical moment, Shirou was no longer alone, but instead, he held the position of a king. As they embarked on the great retreat, Shirou took on the role of the group's leader, at the forefront of their journey.

However, with the constant threat of Vortigern's army in pursuit, it was necessary to assign some knights to remain behind as guards. Artoria, Gawain, and other trusted knights were given this responsibility to ensure the safety of the group.

As the group prepared to depart, Ywain was the only one who needed to return to Camelot. Shirou asked, "Ywain, do you really have to go back?"

"It's imperative that someone informs Camelot of the truth about King Mark. Additionally, only Baldwin and I possess the ability to activate Camelot's protection. It's something that needs to be done."

"But if you go, there's a chance you may not make it back."

Ywain smiled, "Then don't wait for me. As the red dragon spreads its wings, the land he touches with his sword will become his kingdom! My king, may your dragon wings soar without bounds!"

Without looking back, he turned his horse around and rode off to Camelot.

Under the shroud of darkness, the following night, Shirou opened the rear gate and led the people out of Caerleon, embarking on their journey towards Cornwall along the mountain road.

Kay's garrison troops transitioned into a logistics unit, responsible for maintaining order within the group as they fled.

Meanwhile, Artoria, Tristan, Gawain, Gahares, and a small group of knights remained behind to defend Caerleon and provide a crucial delay to Vortigern's forces.

"Thud, thud, thud—"

As the people advanced, their footsteps echoed through the silent night, their faces reflecting the fear and uncertainty that lay ahead.

Shirou led the group on horseback, riding at the front with Merlin on his left and Morgan on his right. Together, they navigated the treacherous mountain terrain.

Using Merlin's Clairvoyance, Shirou was able to access a detailed map of the area, allowing them to navigate through the treacherous mountain road towards Cornwall with greater ease.

As they journeyed along the winding path, the group stretched out like a long dragon.

They made their way along the mountain road, some of the group turned their heads to look back at the distant Caerleon. A collective cry echoed through the crowd, evoking a sense of heartache and sorrow. Shirou, too, felt the weight of the moment.

Ahead of him lay a complex and intricate road, with no one in sight. But behind him, there were many people, each with their own fears, hopes, and dreams.

The wind and sand whipped around them, obscuring their vision and wiping away their tears. Some were able to express their emotions through tears, while others remained stoic, their emotions buried deep within.

...

As the sky slowly brightened with the dawn, Vortigern's army recovered from the blow of losing their highest commander and launched a counter-attack with their remaining magical beasts and Saxon cavalry towards Caerleon.

Rather than strictly defending the city, Artoria and the remaining knights spread wine throughout the residential areas of Caerleon as a diversion before retreating to the nearby mountains.

When the Saxon cavalry charged into Caerleon, Tristan signaled to the archers lying in ambush, and they raised their bows.

"Swish, swish, swish—"

As the arrows were released from the bows of the hidden archers, they flew like shooting stars and rained down upon Caerleon. In a split second, massive flames erupted, engulfing many of the monsters and Saxons, burning them alive.

The enemy discovered them, and the twin-footed flying wyverns dominating the sky attacked them first.

Tristan quickly ordered, "Disperse and lead them away!"

Gawain added, "If we survive, we will reunite in Cornwall and speak of our glory. If we perish, we shall enter the book of legends together!"

Artoria remained silent for a moment before quietly saying, "Good luck."

With a fierce battle cry, the brave knights charged forward, leading the Saxons towards other directions in groups of three or five. Artoria, Gawain, and the others split up,

With a sword in one hand and a spear in the other, Artoria charged fearlessly towards the enemy formation, mounted on her majestic silver horse.

Her imposing presence was like that of a lion, attracting a massive group of magical beasts and Saxons to engage her in battle. However, even the double-winged wyverns and griffins in the sky struggled to keep up with her.

Gawain spoke in awe, "Truly, she is a peerless knight, deserving of the title 'Princess Knights'!"

Tristan added, "Even as a woman, she is exceedingly admirable. There is no one among the king's knights who can match her skill and bravery."

Along with Artoria, several other knights led groups of soldiers, breaking off into smaller group to draw the enemy army into other areas.

Artoria galloped across the battlefield, her heart heavy with the weight of the sacrifices made to buy time for their retreat. More than 700 people had acted as bait, but she didn't know how many would survive.

The deaths of the 243 cavalrymen weighed heavily on her, yet she dared not reveal her sorrow. She suppressed her emotions, knowing that her king had enough to bear. She couldn't let her own troubles add to the burden on the king's shoulders. As a knight, it was her duty to protect the king, not the other way around.

"I'm sorry, Guinevere," she whispered to herself. "If it had been me who pulled the sword from the stone, perhaps you wouldn't have had to bear such a heavy burden. I'm sorry, my king." With these words echoing in her heart, she led most of the enemy forces away from the innocent civilians she was sworn to protect.

As Vortigern's army approached Camelot, Artoria knew that she had to act quickly. Leading the army of magical beasts behind her, she charged straight into Vortigern's army with her holy sword in one hand and spear in the other, riding on her trusty silver horse. With her weapons flashing, she darted in and out of the enemy ranks with ease, cutting down any who stood in her way.

She was a sight to behold as she charged through the battlefield, her mithril armor stained with black blood and bits of shattered organs. With her sword and spear flashing in the sunlight, she looked like a god of war descended from the heavens, unstoppable in all directions.

As Vortigern surveyed the battlefield, his gaze fell upon Artoria, and he couldn't help but furrow his brows in consternation. He turned to his people, Meksis, and asked, "Who is that?"

Meksis shook his head, "I don't know, my lord. But whoever she is, she is a force to be reckoned with."

Vortigern's eyes widened as he watched Artoria charge through his army. He could feel the power of the White Dragon stirring within him. Suddenly, everything became clear to him, and he exclaimed, "That's the Red Dragon!"

Without hesitation, he picked up Rhongomyniad, mounted his horse, and charged towards her.

As she saw Vortigern charging towards her with Rhongomyniad, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. She swiftly brandished her holy sword and spear, ready to face her opponent.

Their weapons collided with a loud "clang!", the sound of metal reverberating in the air.

With just one exchange, Artoria was knocked back and hurled into the horde of monsters. She grimaced and spat out a mouthful of blood as the spear that Shirou had projected into her hand shattered easily upon impact.

She swiftly swung her sword, driving away the surrounding monsters, and called for her horse. With nimble movements, she mounted her horse and charged away from Vortigern, who was in hot pursuit.

However, her silver horse was no ordinary steed - it was the horse that Morgan had gifted to Shirou. In terms of speed, it surpassed Vortigern's horse by far.

Artoria and Vortigern charged in and out of the horde of monsters, their weapons clashing as they fought fiercely. However, the sheer number of monsters began to work against Vortigern, hindering his movements and slowing him down.

Frustration etched on his face, Vortigern furrowed his brow and poured magical energy into his lance. The tip of the lance emitted flickering lights, and in almost an instant, a beam of light about ten meters in diameter shot towards Artoria with a terrifying aura.

She remained calm and expertly maneuvered her horse to evade the attack.

The beam struck with apocalyptic force, obliterating all the monsters in its path without any resistance. It tore through the air and shot straight towards Camelot, looming in the distance like a harbinger of destruction.

As the beam of light approached, the walls of Camelot shimmered with a magical shield. In the instant of their collision, it seemed as if space itself froze, and then--

"Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble!!!"

The sound of a volcanic eruption echoed through the air.

But to Artoria's relief, the beam of light disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, having been repelled by the unyielding magical defenses of Camelot. The city stood steadfast like a mountain, impervious to Vortigern's onslaught.

He had already anticipated the failure of his attack on Camelot, his true target had always been Artoria. However, her silver horse's agility and the difficulty of hitting her with his straight-shooting beam had frustrated his plans. Even in pursuit, his horse proved no match for Artoria's.

Faced with this obstacle, Vortigern called upon the power of nature and transformed into a thirty-meter giant white dragon, towering above both Artoria and the surrounding monsters.

The two eyes of the colossal white dragon fixed on Artoria as it charged towards her, its massive form striking fear into the hearts of all who beheld it.

With a wave of its hand came a storm, its movements like a mountain collapsing. It opened its jaws wide and unleashed a blast of deadly energy towards Artoria, bombarding her and causing her to fall from her horse three or four times, her head bleeding from the impact. Fortunately, her silver horse proved agile and fast enough to help her escape the danger.

At this moment, two blasts fired from Camelot struck the white dragon. Though unscathed, the white dragon turned its gaze towards Camelot.

She took advantage of the opportunity and broke through the enemy lines, disappearing into the distance.

The white dragon attempted to pursue her by spreading its wings, but was interrupted by ten beams of light converging and striking its right wing, causing it to crash to the ground.

As the white dragon reverted back to Vortigern, his expression became grim.

Meksis rushed over and asked urgently, "Your Majesty, should we go after the red dragon first?"

"No need," replied the king with confidence. "It's only an artificial red dragon. Let the magical beasts pursue it. Besides, without Camelot, how can the red dragon defeat me? We must act swiftly to bring down Camelot."

Meksis nodded in agreement with the king's plan.

Artoria took charge of the majority of the monsters and led them towards Vortigern's position before heading towards Cornwall. However, the people were moving at a slow pace. She caught up to them swiftly and urged those at the back to pick up their pace. Soon, thousands of monsters were rushing behind them.

Thankfully, Shirou had chosen the mountain path, which passed through a valley. Both routes were treacherous and mountainous, except for a single passage.

Artoria directed the people to pass through the mountain valley while she alone stood guard at the passage. The route were filled with steep mountains, the only way through was behind her.

She held a sword in her hand and stood alone, facing thousands of magical beasts, who were attempting to breach the passage.

"Roarrrrrr---!!!" The magical beasts let out fierce and ferocious roars.

"Kill---!!!" She raised her sword and shouted, determined to hold the passage at all costs.

No one knew how long the battle lasted. When Gawain and the others arrived, having shaken off the monsters, they were shocked by the gruesome sight before them.

The ground was littered with the lifeless corpses of monsters, and Artoria, clad in armor and wielding her sword, was covered in their broken organs and black blood. The stench of death filled the entire battlefield, yet she stood there, undaunted amidst the sea of corpses. Even the surrounding monsters were terrified and dared not approach her.

Clad in the armor of a lion, Artoria had an invincible appearance that made people tremble with awe.

Gawain muttered under his breath, "The Princess Knight."

Although every knight was usually proud and arrogant, they all praised her in this moment.

Gawain and the others fought their way through the monsters and arrived in front of her.

"You go ahead," she said, "I'll hold the line here."

Gawain and his companions had never before conceded defeat to a knight, but in that moment, they acknowledged her superiority. They nodded respectfully and turned to depart from that place.

Meanwhile, Artoria stood firmly amidst a vast sea of corpses, gripping her sword tightly in her hand.

...

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