"This is Camelot!"

Clean and tidy flagstone streets, a clear separation between residential areas and markets, and from the high vantage point of the palace, one could even see the pristine white city walls in the distance.

The legendary city of Camelot was a pure white holy city, and now they had finally seen it with their own eyes.

They weren't sure whether Arthur had intentionally built this holy city to match the legends, or if he simply hadn't paid much attention to the details, and the craftsmen had naturally recreated it perfectly.

Even Arthur himself wasn't entirely certain, but he was very proud of the city of Camelot that had been built under his direction. This legendary holy city wasn't just majestic in appearance; its internal layout and design were far ahead of its time, with various drainage and sewage systems built to 21st-century standards.

"Unfortunately, limited by the technology of this era, many designs couldn't be fully realized."

Arthur felt it was a shame. The Camelot in his ideal should have been an advanced city. At first, he didn't even want city walls—he had been deeply influenced by the image of futuristic cities. A holy city without walls, once completed, would carry some special significance.

Unfortunately, reality didn't allow him to do something so outrageous. Britain at this time was far from peaceful. There were countless kingdoms on the British Isles, with complex relationships between them. War was never far away, and city walls still played a very important role in this era.

"Kingdoms?"

Seeing Ethan's puzzled expression, Arthur briefly explained the general situation in Britain at the time.

On the entire large island of Britain, there were countless forces. These forces were all nominally called kingdoms, and the title of king was incredibly common.

The legendary duel in which Arthur lost the Sword in the Stone was a battle against a king.

Among so many kings, Arthur was, of course, very different. The kingdom he ruled grew stronger day by day, and countless small kingdoms around it relied on his nation to survive. Later, he even unified all of Britain, and King Arthur was respectfully called the King of All Lands—equivalent to a king among kings, or simply, the "King of Kings"...

There was too much to mock, and Ethan didn't know how to respond.

"What are you thinking?"

After spending time together, Arthur understood Ethan well. Seeing his strange expression, he immediately guessed that his old friend must have thought of something rather impolite.

"Nothing. I just didn't expect the title of king to be so meaningless at the time."

Arthur narrowed his eyes at Ethan, not believing his excuse just because he gave an answer.

"My gut tells me that's not what you were really thinking."

"You're overthinking. I swear on a lamp!"

"There's a huge chandelier in the reception room next door. Go swear on that one."

As they chatted casually, it soon became dinner time. The banquet carefully prepared by Arthur's subordinates did not disappoint.

They had originally thought the food of this era would be limited to boiling or roasting, with very few seasonings, and wouldn't be particularly tasty. However, they were surprised to find the dishes at the banquet quite exquisite.

"I always forget that this King Arthur has traveled to other worlds with Ethan."

Not everyone overlooked this detail, but no one expected that the dignified King Arthur would take food so seriously. Had he studied recipes just to avoid a lifetime of bland meals?

"Food is very important. If a country and civilization want to grow strong, they must pay even more attention to food."

A diverse diet ensures better nutrition. Only by ensuring proper nutrition can ordinary people improve their physical quality and give birth to better offspring.

Generation after generation, such improvements would quickly create a significant gap compared to countries that could barely feed their people, let alone consider nutritional balance.

So Arthur not only studied recipes, but also researched farming and animal husbandry, making sure the people under his rule had enough to eat.

Even if he didn't understand all the details himself, he could bring back the relevant knowledge and have his subordinates continuously experiment.

Today, the living standards in the kingdom Arthur ruled were very high. The abundance and variety of food played a major role in helping his country become the most powerful kingdom on the entire British island in such a short time.

Speaking of which, Arthur's reign began with a focus on hygiene and food, which made many nobles at the time doubt the new king. Arthur faced many challenges back then, and it was entirely thanks to his personal charisma that he was able to attract talented individuals. Coupled with his own extraordinary strength, he made it through the most difficult period.

Ethan noticed that Guinevere, who had been sitting beside Arthur and hadn't spoken since she was introduced before the banquet, had been watching him with a gentle smile as Arthur recounted his struggles.

It was clear that the Queen and King had a very good relationship. Arthur had clearly won Guinevere over with his personal charm—her expression now was exactly like that of a fangirl from modern times!

As the banquet continued, Arthur gradually finished recounting his experiences over the past decade or so. Although he didn't go into every detail, it was clear to everyone how much effort Arthur had put in over the years to finally build such a powerful kingdom.

"Has Britain been unified?"

"There are still a few small countries refusing to submit, but that's just a matter of time."

Unlike the legends, this Arthur did not accept the vassalage of other kingdoms. With his broadened perspective, Arthur focused from the beginning on building up his own strength. Once his power reached the level he desired, he revealed his long-hidden fangs and directly annexed the surrounding kingdoms.

A Britain full of fragmented kingdoms could never become the country of his dreams. This small island could only accommodate one nation.

Naturally, his actions provoked desperate resistance from many kings. But it was meaningless, because not all kingdoms were willing to fight Arthur to the death—especially after he revealed his overwhelming power.

His ambition also attracted countless talented individuals to join him. The legendary Knights of the Round Table were even stronger than in the stories.

Ethan hadn't met any of them yet, but from Arthur's previous descriptions, it was clear that he had an abundance of talent under his command. So much so that several knights famous in legend often had nothing to do but idle at home.

For example, the well-known Gawain and Lancelot were currently resting at home in Camelot. Not only had they not participated in any campaigns, but they didn't even hold official positions in the court.

This also showed how well Arthur controlled his kingdom. Even knights of such high prestige like Gawain and Lancelot could be left to rest at home without causing dissatisfaction. As long as he continued on this path, even if conquering the European continent remained uncertain, he could definitely forge all of Britain into a solid and unified nation.

After the banquet ended and the dishes were cleared, everyone didn't immediately leave. Instead, they remained to chat. Queen Guinevere stayed for a while but eventually excused herself to rest, replaced by Bedivere, who currently served as a guard knight—finally, they had met a legendary Knight of the Round Table.

Sir Bedivere was extremely vigilant. From the moment he entered, he kept within one step of Arthur and maintained a stance and hand position that allowed him to strike or at least shield Arthur at a moment's notice.

He was a loyal and dutiful knight.

As the night wore on, Bedivere reminded Arthur that it was getting late and he should rest.

After all, Arthur was the ruler of a country. Spending an entire half-day entertaining Ethan was already the limit. If it went on any longer, the next day's duties would be affected.

As the country grew and the population increased, and with Arthur's desire to continue improving his nation, there were many matters to attend to daily. He had to ensure sufficient rest to deal with them properly.

Arthur gave Ethan an apologetic look. He had to leave to rest, but before the others were led away to their quarters, he asked Ethan to stay behind, wanting to discuss one more thing privately.

No one showed any curiosity. Ethan's companions knew that if it wasn't a secret, Ethan would tell them later. If he didn't, then it wasn't something they needed to know, and there was no need to pry.

Everyone thanked Arthur for the hospitality and left the dining hall. In the now empty room, only Ethan, Arthur, and Bedivere remained.

"Need help with something?"

"Yes."

Arthur seemed unsure how to begin. That expression was rare for him, and it piqued Ethan's curiosity.

"What's it about? Just say it. Given our relationship, you don't need to feel awkward... If I can't help, I'll tell you straight."

Arthur knew Ethan was trying to ease the tension. He gave a wry smile and finally spoke.

"You should know... I have a son... the very famous one..."

"I know... Mordred..."

The key figure who ultimately led to the downfall of King Arthur. Even those with only a basic understanding of Arthurian legend had heard of this son and nephew of Arthur.

But Arthur already knew his 'future'. He shouldn't have repeated the same mistakes that led to tragedy, right?

Looking at Arthur's awkward but polite smile, Ethan realized that Arthur hadn't escaped this fate. The troublesome child who, in the legend, brought down the kingdom and mortally wounded Arthur, had still appeared.

(To be continued.)

***

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