The war with the Saxons went smoothly.
Or perhaps, it went a little too smoothly.
In Londinium, the central fortress city of Britain, the war between the Saxons and Britain lasted for a full three days.
It began with open-field combat, followed by a siege, and then proceeded to urban warfare.
The Saxons, adorned in chainmail, wielding battle axes, with their hair loose or braided, clashed against the Britain knights, donning finely crafted plate armor, wielding steel longswords and lances, and mounted on armored warhorses.
The difference in warfare styles, tactics, and equipment between the two sides spanned an entire era. Not to mention, the Knights of Britain possessed a multitude of monstrous warriors wielding magic swords.
Artoria, with Excalibur; Sir Gawain, with the Excalibur Galatine; Sir Lancelot, wielding the Arondight; and Artorius, wielding the Clarent.
In contrast, there was not a single great hero from the Saxons. They either did not exist in the same era or had no interest in invading wars.
4 versus 0.
How could they lose?
Artorius thought this way in his mind, completely unconcerned about the possibility of a mishap in the upcoming battles.
From the very beginning, he had slain over a hundred enemies. He advanced like the most formidable war machine on the battlefield.
First, in the open-field combat, he charged into the enemy ranks atop his warhorse.
In the subsequent siege, he was the first to climb the city walls and plant the flag of the Red Dragon.
During the urban warfare, Artorius was at the forefront once again.
On his flanks stood Galahad, wielding a large shield and a longsword for protection, and Gareth, wielding a long lance and a round shield for mid-range attacks. Artorius, wielding Clarent, served as the main source of offense and close combat specialist.
The three of them formed a small combat unit, pushing forward through the blood-soaked streets of Londinium.
Such a display would astonish anyone, who would exclaim—this youngster is truly powerful.
Apart from talent, effort, the halo of a newcomer, and the approval of the masses, what was most crucial was the sword, Clarent.
Just as Vivian had said—'Clarent', this magic sword symbolized the concept of 'succession of the throne' and was the perfect fit for Artorius as the Crown Prince.
This sword greatly enhanced his strength. The extent of its enhancement was far superior to any magecraft he could have applied to himself through desperate efforts. It was remarkably potent.
Artorius, wielding Clarent, possessed combat prowess on par with any of the Knights of the Round Table. He could even hold his own against his mother, as long as she didn't use her Rhongomyniad and Excalibur with its ultimate life-saving scabbard, Avalon.
"The credit for this battle undoubtedly goes to Artorius!" said Gareth, who was also on the battlefield for the first time, excitedly by Artorius's side.
Being a member of a family of knights, she possessed bravery equal to anyone else's, and after overcoming her initial nervousness, she had become adept at engaging in combat.
"Yes, indeed, he truly deserves to be called the Son of the King of Knights," added Galahad, feeling somewhat sentimental. As he spoke, he skillfully used his massive black shield to block arrows shot from a distance, but they were far too feeble to cause any harm.
"The reason for this is also thanks to your assistance, Gareth, Galahad!" Artorius said happily.
Though his sword couldn't unleash beams of light since it hadn't reached the status of a 'Noble Phantasm'. Nonetheless, Artorius felt content. His path to 'saving Britain' had taken another step forward.
This excitement persisted until they reached the next intersection.
"AAAHHHHH!"
A berserker knight clad in heavy plate armor, wearing a horned helmet, and wielding a greatsword swung wildly from one end of the street to the other.
"That's... Mordred... how violent..."
While the trio knights' goal was only to take lives, Mordred—the berserker knight wielding a large sword unleashed relentless attacks, each one thoroughly destroying the bodies of the opponents. The excessive brute force would decapitate, sever waists, and dismember enemies. Along the path of the onslaught, there were severed limbs scattered everywhere.
Rather than calling it a battle, it was more like indulging in the pleasure of slaughter. This was the person known as Mordred.
'No wonder this tomboy isn't popular in Knights of the Round Table.' Artorius thought to himself.
At the same time, as if sensing the presence of Artorius and his companions, Mordred turned her head, glanced at them, and then left without saying a word.
"How cold-hearted..." Gareth muttered, furrowing her brow. Galahad remained silent, but he surely felt some dissatisfaction as well.
Artorius, on the other hand, understood the complex psychological dynamics of this tomboy.
'Family issue, huh...'
His great uncle, Vortigern, was an enemy. His aunt, Morgan le Fay, was also an enemy. His tomboy sister, Mordred, was an enemy too... And of course, there were his cousins—Gawain, Gareth, Gaheris, and Agravain—each presented their own troubles. What a challenging family!
At the age of 14, Artorius could still barely get away with his pretty 'shota' tactics, but what would happen in a few more years? Since he would grow into a handsome man, would he need to rely on 'ikemen' tactics?
'I need to come up with another way to win over everyone in Knights of the Round Table.' Artorius thought to himself.
At the same time, even though Mordred was younger than Artorius, her physique resembled that of an adult more than his. She had already roared in anger and charged in a more distant direction.
Being a descendant of King Arthur herself, she felt a sense of competition with Artorius.
Even though she had joined the battlefield earlier than Artorius, when she saw his performance in this battle, she couldn't help but feel frustrated, as if she had been 'outdone'. And of course, there was also the inexplicable joy of thinking, 'He is truly the Son of the King!'
'First, I'll conquer Mordred.' Watching Mordred's retreating figure, Artorius thought to himself, 'After all, it's easier to deceive children, right?'
Since his conquering records began, it took Artorius half a day to conquer the duchess he randomly found, while the Lady of the Lake took two hours.
So the question is, how long will it take for him to conquer Mordred?