CK Simulation, Creating the Style of Tsukino Fumi

Page 29

You actually let a child be a cabinet member?

This is deceiving the emperor!

"Are you going to give that black dog a position next, Lord Quinn?" Artoria asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh, I do have some thoughts on this matter as well. Although Bagst is a fairy, from my observation, she is a very capable person. Considering the current shortage of talent in the Kingdom of Camelot, I recommend Bagst to serve as a court tutor and the chief hunter of the royal family. Please trust my judgment, Your Majesty, you will be satisfied with her."

Quinn's beaming smile infuriated Artoria, who had just taken office and was eager to make her mark. She grabbed the royal seal from her desk, intending to throw it at Quinn as a weapon, yelling, "Why don't you just remove me from the throne?!"

“I am merely the Chancellor of the Palace; what right do I have to do such a thing?” Quinn said calmly. “Your Majesty, I suggest you calm down. The seal is a symbol of your power. If this thing is damaged, all official documents of the kingdom will have to be stamped with my Chancellor’s seal from now on.”

Artoria's hand paused, her mood growing even more irritated. She couldn't help but snort coldly, "Hmph, a symbol of power? Fine, I'll write an order right now, stamp it with this thing, and order you to hand over all your military power to me. Will you obey?"

"No problem at all."

Artoria was taken aback, looking suspiciously at Quinn who had agreed to hand over military power. She wondered if she was hallucinating and instinctively asked, "Really? If I order you to hand over military power now, you'll give me the army?"

“Of course it’s true. Anyway, I’ve never had the authority to mobilize the Camelot Kingdom’s army. Those heavy cavalry are my private troops, Your Majesty.” Quinn grinned, revealing an arrogant smile. “According to the kingdom’s laws, although I am considered a nobleman of Camelot, I do not yet have any actual fiefdom. You have no right to order my cavalry legions to join the kingdom’s army, so…”

"Enough! You can cling to Sister Wang and your power all you want. When you die, I will never attend your funeral!"

Artoria completely lost her temper. She glared fiercely at Quinn, shoved the seal in her hand into his arms, and stormed out of the room in a fit of rage.

Seeing this, Quinn didn't forget to call out from afar, "Your Majesty, where are you going? You haven't finished your official duties yet!"

"I must see Merlin! I am King Camelot, do I not even have the right to see a criminal?"

"Oh, then don't forget to tell Bagst that I agreed, otherwise you won't be able to see Merlin."

Having said that, Quinn said no more, leaving only the angry footsteps of Artoria as she walked away down the palace corridor. The guards along the way, seeing the furious king, dared not utter a word, pretending not to have witnessed this confrontation between the palace minister and the king.

To be honest, the fact that they didn't help the Chancellor keep the new king confined to his room and prevent him from leaving is already quite moral. If Camelot's current political situation were in an Eastern country, the new king would be considered unambitious if he didn't fall seriously ill several times and be unable to attend court.

Once Artoria's figure had completely disappeared down the corridor, Quinn shook his head, picked up Artoria's seal, and stamped it on the list of recommended personnel.

Artoria has approved your list of recommendations; the cabinet of the Kingdom of Camelot is now officially complete.

Chapter 62

Clearly, sometimes, this new Camelot ruler is completely incapable of building up her own power base in your court, because the person most likely to help her defeat you in the political arena has already been imprisoned in Camelot's dungeons.

[But Artoria did not forget Merlin's existence. She also realized that if she wanted to become the true king of Camelot, she had to have her own faction to rival you. Otherwise, Camelot would only be your personal fiefdom, and she would never be able to achieve her goal.]

[You don't care about Artoria's actions because you know that even Merlin, in this situation, only has one option for Artoria—invite Kai, her brother, back to Camelot.]

The author says:

Author's note: PS: I'm not feeling well, so only one update today.

I'm taking a day off; I'll update tomorrow.

I don't seem to be feeling better from my last fever, so I'm taking a break. I owe you all three chapters, which I'll make up for this weekend. Two chapters tomorrow.

Chapter 53 Oh no, I've become the Guardian of the North!

Outside Camelot.

The young knight Kai, leading a horse for another knight who looked somewhat old, returned along the main road to the capital city that he remembered so vividly. Since the tournament ended, Kai had been traveling all over Britain to hone his martial skills. According to his original plan, he was supposed to take a ferry to France next month to experience what Quinn had gone through.

but……

"What Atolis said in the letter was actually true; Camelot is different from before."

The old knight, sitting on his horse, looked at the bustling city before him, at the large number of merchants and farmers traveling in and out of the town, his eyes revealing nostalgia and surprise.

“Didn’t I already tell you about Camelot’s situation? Father, Camelot has changed drastically since Ser Quinn appeared. Now that Atorius has become king and Ser Quinn is assisting him, it’s only a matter of time before they defeat Vortigern.”

Kai sighed helplessly at the old knight, who was his biological father and Artoria's adoptive father, Hector.

Both father and son received letters from Artoria, accepting rewards and honors in the name of the king's brother and adoptive father. Although Artoria did not specify what rewards she was going to bestow upon them, it was a long-standing tradition for a new king to support his own faction upon ascending the throne. Kai and Hector guessed that Artoria's purpose in summoning them was most likely to find someone she could trust to work for her.

Especially their adoptive father, Hector, an old knight who had served the late king in his early years, was more knowledgeable than Kai and even guessed that his daughter's current situation in the court was probably not good. Therefore, he snorted at Kai's words.

"The premise is that the King and the Chancellor's interests are aligned. Kai, you're still too young. If Camelot's situation is really as good as you say, why didn't Artoria just state in her letter what she wanted us to do? Haven't you heard about Merlin's arrest for treason?"

"That doesn't prove anything, does it? That old guy did threaten the Prime Minister's child; his behavior was despicable."

When Kai recalled what Merlin had done, his face instantly fell. A large part of the reason he didn't choose to stay in Camelot like Artoria was because Merlin's outrageous behavior made him ashamed to stay there. Therefore, when he heard that Merlin had been captured, his first reaction was that it was good that he had been captured. This troublemaking nightmare should have been arrested long ago.

However, his reaction earned him a loving beating from his father. Without hesitation, Hector swung his fist and smashed it into Kai's head. "Foolish! No matter how much trouble Merlin causes, he is still one of Artorius's biggest supporters. Without him advising Artorius in the court, Artorius would be sold out and still have to pay the price."

Kai was speechless. He couldn't say for sure that Quinn wouldn't bully his sister, no matter how much Quinn had previously favored Artoria. The situation was different now.

The Palace Minister was a member of the Princess's faction, and as everyone knew, Princess Morgan was the original heir, not Artoria, whose succession was disputed. He could only keep quiet and obediently lead his horse to the Camelot court. Fortunately, even though Kai had been away from Camelot for quite some time, he still knew quite a few people in the capital.

Not long after the two entered the city, the captain of the guards who had once worked with him appeared before Kai. The two old acquaintances who had worked together met again, and although they weren't exactly getting along well, they were still on friendly terms, until the captain learned that Kai had been invited by the new king...

"...It's a pity you've come at a bad time." The captain of the guards looked somewhat embarrassed. "The king is currently discussing some appointments with the prime minister. I recommend you go to the palace later."

Upon hearing this, Kai knew that his father was right.

Seeing his younger sister in trouble, Kai couldn't sit still any longer. Ignoring the captain of the guard's expression, he immediately led his father to the palace. There, they discovered that everyone in the palace treated them with a degree of hostility. It seemed that the entire palace and its inhabitants harbored some resentment towards Artoria.

The changes around them made the father and son uneasy, and this unease reached its peak when they arrived at the entrance of the Palace Administration Office, because as they walked down the corridor, they heard a loud banging on the table, followed by Artoria's roar.

"Lord Quinn, you've gone too far!"

The father and son exchanged a glance, and a bad feeling immediately arose in their hearts.

Oh no, my own kid is angry. It looks like he's about to get serious. If things escalate to the point where the king kills the prime minister in a fit of rage, the Kingdom of Camelot will be doomed.

Upon realizing this, the two immediately sprang into action, rushing one after the other to the government office and quickly knocking on the door.

The knocking on the door caused a commotion in the office for a while before Quinn's voice finally came through, "Come in."

Having received permission, the father and son immediately pushed open the door and entered. At that moment, they had already prepared for the worst, but once they stepped inside, they discovered that reality was far more outrageous than they had imagined.

Inside the office that originally belonged to the king, the newly enthroned king stood in front of his desk, his face filled with barely suppressed anger. But when Artoria saw the two people who entered, her angry face instantly turned to astonishment, as if she had never expected her family to come to Camelot.

"You've finally arrived," someone said. "Please find a place to sit down. It's just that His Majesty and I were discussing your affairs."

The young knight father and son shuddered. They looked at the mayor of the palace sitting on the king's throne and sensed that something was wrong. The old knight, Hector, in particular, noticed that the seal that once belonged to the late King Uther was in the mayor's hand, leaving its mark on the rolls of parchment as the mayor moved, just like any other seal.

Oh no, that letter is fake! Camelot has become a one-man show!

[You anticipated Artoria's intention to seek outside help. Logically and morally, as the Prime Minister, you had no reason to stop the King from inviting his adoptive father. So, you forged Artoria's letter in advance, inviting her brother and adoptive father to the court and bestowing titles and honors upon them. Now, the two who received the letter have arrived.]

"Sir Ke, Sir Hector, on behalf of the people of Camelot, I thank you for your nurturing of the King. Therefore, we have discussed with the King and intend to grant you both court positions and fiefdoms as a reward."

You decide to grant them the positions of Antiquities Researcher and Head of Relief Officials. One will guard the religious artifacts you've recovered, acting as a museum caretaker; the other will serve under your command and be subject to your supervision. In one fell swoop, you've placed these two of the king's most trusted subordinates...

Chapter 63

To distance yourself from the core of the kingdom's politics, completely eliminate all of Artoria's support, so as to prevent her from interfering with your decrees and ensure that her royal orders do not leave the palace.

As for the fiefdoms, you intend to appoint them as Wardens of the North, to guard the Scottish region for the kingdom in the future.

Chapter Fifty-Four: You are more like a dragon than Vortigern

[Kay and Hector joined the royal court, taking on the positions of Antiquities Researcher and Chief of Relief Officials. You assigned Kay to the Hall of Knights of the Round Table to guard the Holy Lance, while his father was brought under your command.]

Artoria expressed extreme dissatisfaction, but it was to no avail. Hector also saw this, but he did not side with Artoria or defend his adopted daughter. He knew that this would only worsen Artoria's situation.

Meanwhile, under your arrangement, Morgan also placed even more stringent binding magic on the Camelot dungeon, and recruited numerous fairies from all over Britain to guard Merlin, in order to completely isolate Artoria's supporters.

[Your cooperation successfully prevented the formation of a new king's faction, but you know this is only temporary. Unless Artoria steps down completely or you become the emperor of all Britannia, she, as queen, will always be a threat that could disrupt your plans. In fact, Morgan is one of them.]

You've noticed Morgan's sudden change in personality lately. She's started frequently hosting women's salons with Guinevere, someone she didn't initially like, creating a close, almost platonic atmosphere. But you know this is just Morgan's act. She already knows Guinevere is pursuing you. Ever since the rumors of your search for the Holy Lance spread, anyone paying attention would know that Guinevere harbors feelings for you, let alone Morgan.

The fact that these two women, who should have been at odds with each other, suddenly came together made you feel uneasy. Artoria had already undergone a huge change because of your impending death, and Morgan certainly wouldn't abandon you. However, unlike her straightforward sister, she knew how to conceal herself and manage the situation.

[You are helpless in this situation. One is your own fiancée, and the other is the daughter of an ally. You can't just stop them from seeing each other, especially since these two never hold their salons in private. They always invite the ladies of the British royal families. These are open and aboveboard gatherings for women, and it would be inappropriate for you to interfere no matter what.]

[You choose to let Morgan do as she pleases. After all, no matter how much trouble she causes, she won't directly oppose you and forcibly stop your plans like Artoria did. Rather than focusing your energy on how to guard against your family, you think it's better to advance the plan for the united empire as soon as possible. Because, with Artoria's rise to power, the kings of Britain are no longer very interested in staying in Camelot.]

So, seizing the opportune moment, you convened a banquet within the Hall of Knights of the Round Table.

The kings and nobles of all Britain gathered in the palace with the French king, including their trusted knights, for a feast under the Holy Lance. It was an unprecedented banquet, with dishes no longer native to Britain but originating from France and Rome. This unusual experience amazed the British kings, who had little exposure to the world, and also satisfied the French king. In terms of the banquet itself, everyone was satisfied, except for Artoria.

As the monarch of Camelot and the host of the banquet, she was seated at the head of the kings. However, apart from King Rhodes and King Fa, your two allies who interacted with her out of courtesy, the other kings did not give her any face. Instead, they huddled by your side, trying to find out the purpose of your banquet.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, you observed that all the kings and nobles were in high spirits from the banquet, and felt that the time was ripe to reveal your plans. So, you stood up and announced to the kings your intention to establish a united empire.

[You have made Vortigern and the Saxons your targets, detailing their dangers and emphasizing that Vortigern is not an ordinary man but a true dragon. If he is not stopped, the island of Britain will be destroyed. However, Camelot's family alone cannot defeat Vortigern. All Britons must unite to have any chance of defeating this formidable enemy on the battlefield.]

Therefore, you propose that all the kingdoms of Britain be united as one, and that a common emperor be elected to lead all the kingdoms of Britain in a decisive battle against Vortigern.

Your words jolted the slightly tipsy kings awake. Apart from your allies who already knew your plans, everyone was shocked by your ambition. The once harmonious banquet descended into chaos. Before the kings could react, their knights rose to condemn your audacity. But soon, the kings began to intervene in the behavior of their knights, ordering them to observe proper etiquette.

[You don't care about this at all. You observe the reactions of the kings, judging their stance and attitude one by one based on their attitude towards their knights. Soon, you come to a conclusion.]

The princes bordering the Kingdom of Camelot were more conciliatory in their stance on this matter. They knew the strength of Camelot's army and its general economic situation, and had already determined that they could not contend with the Kingdom of Camelot. Therefore, they were not opposed to joining this united kingdom. On the other hand, those princes far from the Kingdom of Camelot and with larger territories were extremely vehement and would never agree to your proposal.

Meanwhile, you also discovered some little secrets. The princes of Ireland seemed to be neither supporting nor opposing the matter, maintaining a neutral stance and siding with whoever won. You realized that unifying Britain by force might be easier than you had thought, so you smiled and indicated that it was just a joke.

The banquet has ended, but your actions have not stopped. You have sent Agravan to privately summon those princes who have not expressed opposition to this matter and invite them to the palace at night to discuss important matters.

That night, you gathered all the princes who were willing to join the alliance. When they were all together, they finally understood why you dared to make this suggestion. The King of France was standing right beside you, and they immediately realized that the powerful continental European nation across the sea from Britain had become your supporter.

[Faced with these potential allies who might join the alliance, you offered them the highest level of promises, guaranteeing that you would unify the entire Wales and England region before this winter and conquer Scotland the following year. Once Wales, England, and Scotland are unified, the Irish region will also be willing to join the empire. At that time, you will reorganize fiefdoms and kingdom titles.]

These nobles, mostly from Wales and England, were very tempted by your promises, but they still had one question: how did you plan to achieve your expected swift victory?

[To this, you simply smile, give me 5 followers, and you'll be victorious.]

In an instant, the entire secret chamber fell into a deathly silence, until the Dharma King broke the silence.

"5 gold coins, that's no small sum, sir. Are you joking?"

The Dharma King looked at Quinn, whom he had placed high hopes on, with a hint of doubt in his eyes, and the meaning behind his words was self-evident.

Even if you sold everyone here, you still couldn't scrape together 5 gold coins. You really dare to ask for that much! Vortigern is a dragon? You're the dragon! Asking for 5 right off the bat—why don't you just rob us?

Chapter Fifty-Five: The All-Britain Unrestricted Fighting Tournament Begins!

Buying an empire for 5 gold coins is not a loss, but it would be a big problem for everyone present to come up with 5 at once. Even someone as wealthy as the Dharma King couldn't do that.

Everyone thought Quinn was somewhat mentally unstable, but Quinn had anticipated this and quickly backed down, saying, "I never said I wanted to pay it all at once."

Chapter 64

"It's in installments; what I just mentioned was the total expenditure."