C251

For an entire year, Shirou had been plagued by worry and speculation since the day he had fainted and frightened himself. Not even his usual coping mechanisms of picking on Guinevere, taking advantage of Scathach's silliness, or even the pure and innocent smiles of Galahad and Arcueid could dispel this emotion.

Shirou ultimately reached a conclusion that women were just too dangerous, particularly women like Morgan. If he ever found himself in the presence of such a woman again, he vowed to keep his distance and stay far away.

After a year of contemplation, he finally resolved his doubts and made a clear decision about his intentions.

If nothing happened, everything would be fine.

But if something did happen and a child was born, he vowed to do his best to love and take full responsibility for that child. He would even go to great lengths to bring the child and its mother back to the present day, even if it meant facing a singularity or suddenly stumbling upon Chaldea.

Shirou possessed a far-sighted and broad-minded nature, yet his strong sense of responsibility remained at his core. Responsibility was an unwavering value for him. When he bore the heavy crown, his instinct wasn't to flee, but rather to devise ways to save the kingdom. Even after unifying all of Britain, his strong sense of responsibility drove him to plot Crimson Moon's death.

He sighed. "But it would be better if nothing happened at all."

As they rode towards Cornwall, Gawain's expression was serious, as if he was bracing for an imminent and dangerous war. Shirou found it strange and asked, "Gawain, what's with that expression? Are you worried about Morgan's inheritance, or the upcoming war?"

Gawain pondered for a while before asking hesitantly, "My king... when the final war is over, will you... will you truly depart?"

Shirou smiled faintly and replied, "I hail from 'Avalon'; it's where I belong. I have been away for far too long, and it's time to return home. I don't belong here. So there's no need for sentimentalism. This is the king's decision."

Gawain lowered his head, and replied softly, "Yes..."

Kay knew from the start, Agravain discovered the truth from Morgan, and Gawain was informed after joining their team. If they kept Gawain in the dark, there was a risk that he might learn of it from Kay or Agravain and spill the beans. Hence, it was better to tell him beforehand and use the king's command to seal his lips.

Gawain was an excellent knight, and his loyalty was beyond question. Thus, using the king's command could guarantee his silence.

Although the odds were low, Shirou remained apprehensive about being deceived. He didn't fully trust the three of them, so he personally inspected the situation and monitored the heir's status.

While en route, Kay suggested, "My king, why don't you inspect Cornwall while I go to Tintagel to attend to our father's estate?"

Shirou shook his head and smiled. "No, we're conducting a surprise inspection. If you head to Tintagel, it'll be unfair to Morgan. You're trying to alert Artoria and prepare in advance, aren't you? That's not acceptable."

Kay sighed, conceding defeat. "You're too sharp for me, my king."

Shirou smiled, knowing that even if Artoria had made preparations, he had already aligned himself with Morgan.

Upon reaching Cornwall, he discreetly assessed the situation and found it to be stable.

But...

"Why is it so lifeless?" Shirou frowned.

The inhabitants of Cornwall were law-abiding, yet they also seemed wary, as if something frightened them. The atmosphere was gloomy and dreary.

Shirou turned to Agravain and asked, "Are you certain that Morgan is following the law?"

"Yes," Agravain affirmed.

"Then why is it like this?"

He recalled that when he had departed Cornwall a year ago, the people had been lively and spirited. What had caused this lifelessness?

Shirou motioned for a group of commoners to approach him so he could inquire about the situation. But as soon as they saw him, they broke down in tears.

"Oh, my king... my king," they sobbed.

Concerned, Shirou furrowed his brow and asked, "What's wrong?"

The commoners implored him, "Please come back to us, my king! Or at the very least, take Lady Morgan away!"

Shirou was taken aback. "Why? Has she committed some sort of atrocity?"

The commoners went on to explain the extent of Lady Morgan's cruelty, detailing the heavy taxes and severe punishments imposed on them. They also lamented the loss of their right to celebrate festivals and the freedom to travel beyond the borders of Cornwall.

Shirou's expression grew increasingly grave as he listened to their accounts.

As he probed deeper, the situation gradually became clear to him. He realized that the establishment of the new Camelot dynasty had necessitated the removal of old, outdated practices in order to pave the way for a new order. Unlike in the previous era, the new Camelot dynasty was a multi-racial society, which meant that laws and regulations could be tailored to fit local customs without infringing on the fundamental laws of the dynasty. This approach was designed to mitigate conflicts between different regions, races, and customs.

Shirou had never imagined that Morgan would wield her authority in such a cruel manner. It was not merely a case of her abusing her power as a lord, but rather the implementation of a slew of draconian laws that relied heavily on harsh punishment to govern the people.

This behavior was typical of Morgan, who was known for her possessiveness and need for control.

Shirou felt an intense desire to grab Lady Morgan and Bedivere by their hair and throw them into the sea to jolt them out of their misguided actions.

Their actions also exposed the limitations of the system. Although the system had been constructed using modern knowledge and wisdom, it was still a despotic monarchy society. The childish laws implemented by Morgan would have never passed Camelot's review under the fundamental law. However, due to her identity and position, the reviewing officials had no choice but to pass them.

Shirou strode into the lord's administrative hall with a dark expression on his face. Morgan and Bedivere rushed over to greet him, but Shirou rebuked them sharply, singling out Bedivere for an extra helping of scolding. The young man looked crestfallen, having failed to prevent Morgan's decision he so vehemently opposed.

He dismissed Bedivere and led Morgan to a separate room. Once inside, he asked her, "Why did you make such a foolish decision?"

Morgan cowered, feeling intimidated by the gravity of the king's serious expression. "I... I don't understand what you mean," she stammered.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Shirou's tone was firm. "As the founder of this dynasty, I am capable of dealing with anything - unification, external threats, and internal discord. Therefore, my successor should not be a conqueror who relies on torture, aggression, and a desire to dominate, but rather a compassionate and accommodating guardian of the realm. Do you understand? I want you to prioritize the well-being of the people."

Morgan was stunned by his words.

Seizing the momentary lapse in her composure, he pressed her further. "And where are my heirs?"

Morgan appeared confused. "What heirs?"

"Never mind. Just make sure you manage Cornwall well. I have high expectations for you, so don't disappoint me." With that, he turned and left, a look of relief on his face.

Shirou couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt towards Artoria for the way he had handled Morgan. However, his conscience was assuaged when he discovered something nice during his stay in Cornwall.

He spent the next few days covering himself in black mud to shield himself from Morgan's antics, while conducting covert inspections of her workshop and other locations. His efforts yielded satisfactory results.

After just five days, the people of Cornwall bid Shirou a reluctant farewell, and he set off for Tintagel.

As Shirou journeyed towards Tintagel, he couldn't help but sigh, "I never imagined that Morgan would resort to using punishment to control her subjects. Agravain, was this your idea?"

"My king, this was entirely Morgan's idea," Agravain replied. "While I happen to agree with her methods, I didn't advise her. Sir Bedivere tried to persuade her to change course, but she was adamant about doing things her way."

Agravain paused for a moment before offering his opinion, "If your concern is the well-being of the people, then I believe Artoria would be an excellent successor. She commands the loyalty of every soldier and has achieved great military success."

Shirou smiled at his suggestion, "Well, we'll just have to wait and see about that."

He chose to keep his hint to Morgan a secret from everyone.

When they finally arrived in Tintagel, Shirou couldn't help but notice the stark contrast in the atmosphere compared to Cornwall. The people here wore smiles on their faces, and everything seemed to be thriving and prosperous.

"It appears that Artoria didn't resort to using torture to govern her subjects," Shirou remarked, pleased with what he saw.

Kay couldn't resist asking, "So, my king, do you believe my sister would make a suitable successor?"

Shirou chuckled, "It's not wise to speculate or inquire about the king's thoughts, especially when it comes to the successor. In any other kingdom, your question would have cost you your head, Kay."

"But you're not any other king. You're my king, so that's why I said it," Kay replied.

Shirou shook his head and led the group to the administrative hall. As they entered, they saw the officials working diligently, but Artoria, who was in charge, was nowhere to be found.

He was surprised and called an official over to inquire about Artoria's whereabouts. "My king," the official responded, "She has completed today's affairs and has gone to the orchard outside the city to pick apples."

"Why did she go to pick apples? Can't she have someone else do it?" Shirou asked, perplexed.

"Lady Artoria said she wanted to lead by example," the official replied.

"But as a lord, her role is to assign tasks and manage, not to do everything herself. That's a waste of time and energy," Shirou pointed out. "Still, since she has finished her work, I suppose it's her own leisure time. It's okay for her to do as she pleases."

Shirou led the group towards the outskirts of town, where the orchard was located. As they neared the fields, they saw many women busily picking fruits.

"Kay...Kay, am I seeing things?" Shirou asked, incredulous.

"You're not mistaken, my king," Kay replied with a suppressed smile.

Shirou rubbed his eyes and looked again. He saw Artoria wearing a white dress and picking apples nearby. Her hair ribbon was down, and her bright golden hair fluttered slightly in the breeze. She looked like a young girl enjoying her youth, rather than the formidable King of Knight that he knew.

Artoria noticed Shirou's group and paused for a moment before smiling like a young girl and waving to him. "My king!"