Half a month after Arthur's return to Britain.
Everything in the British Dynasty was running smoothly. Thanks to the various supplies Arthur had brought back from the parallel world, the nation had returned to a level of bustling activity it hadn't seen in years.
Although Britain's magical technology had reached a remarkable level (consider the Star Destroyer), its breadth—especially in civilian convenience—still lagged far behind that of the parallel world, which had been developing for thousands of years. There were improved crops, advanced knowledge, and sophisticated manufacturing processes that Britain had never possessed.
Indeed, given enough time, even Manaka's could be produced.
But that required time.
For Manaka alone, merely converting the fundamental knowledge into written form was already an arduous workload.
This time, however, the tour was different. They had brought back ready-made samples which, with only a little experimentation and adjustment, could solve countless problems for Britain. They could even reduce the nation's reliance on productivity while bringing in considerable profits.
To absorb these benefits as quickly as possible, even Arthur—reluctantly—had returned to working overtime for the first time in six years.
In fact, because of Manaka's personal involvement, Arthur's workload had increased considerably compared to before.
Not only did he have to set guidelines for Britain's future development, he also had to shoulder technological research and development.
It was, undeniably, exhausting.
By noon, after finishing the last of yesterday's documents, Arthur stretched and squinted at the sunlight while waiting for today's reports to arrive. Though his skill [Insomnia] completely blocked sleepiness, he still found the endless paperwork unbearably dull.
"Hm~ Kay, yesterday's work should be finished. That's all of it, right?" Arthur asked, his tone dry.
It sounded more like a plea than a question.
"Yes, my king. You've completed all the written records. The only thing left is… one more matter," Kay replied hesitantly.
"Another?!"
"My king, perhaps because you haven't worked seriously in so long, you're a bit rusty?" Kay's look was oddly strained.
In the past, Arthur could have finished the entire task in half a day. Now, it had taken him from yesterday morning until today.
Perhaps he had grown too lazy.
"Are you dissatisfied?" Arthur's expression turned cold. "How about we switch roles? I'll be your guard, and you can handle my government affairs?"
"Ahem! You misunderstand. I only meant that in two days, my king will adjust again, and the work will become easy." Kay quickly turned his face away and decisively admitted fault.
What a joke—he couldn't even read most of the documents Arthur handled.
Handle government affairs? He'd rather be killed outright.
"Alright, enough joking. If you have something to say, then say it. I'd still like to have breakfast today."
"It's not major, which is why Lord Draven stopped me from reporting it. But I've already received several requests, and he even asked me privately for help—"
"Wait, Kay. He asked you privately to tell me this now? That's bribery. Clear bribery. If I recall, Camelot's prison has been empty for quite some time. Who knew Lord Kay had such interests? Shall I send you there to test whether the cells need maintenance?" Arthur's smile turned wicked.
"My king, this is serious business. Please, stop jesting." Kay sighed helplessly.
"Ah, you've really grown boring. Can't you appreciate humor? Look at Draven—every time I scare him, he believes me and goes along with it, even when it's outrageous. Now that is the right attitude toward life," Arthur said, pouting like a spoiled child.
No, that was simply you threatening Lord Draven, Kay thought grimly.
It was obvious Arthur wanted to dodge his duties again.
Unfortunately, Kay had seen this routine far too often to be fooled.
"Excuse me, but here it is: Lanmaroc of the British Embassy in Rome—"
"Oh, I won't listen, I won't listen!"
"His term has expired, and he has requested to return to Britain."
"I told you, I didn't hear that!"
"No, my king, you heard it. Please decide quickly. Compared to what you just handled, this is a trivial matter." Kay edged toward the door and quietly blocked it.
"…Do you really think I'm the king?"
"Of course. My loyalty and righteousness are witnessed by heaven and earth."
"Forget it. Rome again… No wonder Draven didn't want me to hear it." Arthur exhaled lightly, helplessness flickering in his eyes.
Truthfully, when Kay first mentioned Lanmaroc, Arthur had forgotten who he was.
Then he remembered.
Lanmaroc had once been hailed as the man closest to the Round Table. His strength was undeniable, and his character was marked by integrity and fortitude. But over five years ago, in the war against the Bite King, Lanmaroc's arrogance had cost the lives of thousands of soldiers.
Among them was a nephew of Lord Draven.
After the war, Lanmaroc had been exiled to Rome. Officially, he was appointed as an ambassador with little power.
In reality, he held sway over Rome's military, economy, and politics—wielding more authority there than the Roman emperor himself. He was, in truth, Britain's appointed ruler of Rome.
Thus Draven had been denied even the chance to blame or scold him, burying his hatred deep instead.
This time, Draven would not miss the chance to make Lanmaroc suffer.
"Very well, I understand. Although I feel sorry for Lord Draven, punishment is punishment. We agreed on five years, and now the time has passed. Recall Lord Lanmaroc. Let Draven arrange the handover. If there are complaints, let them settle them in Rome—don't bring them to Britain." Arthur frowned and stopped there.
Yes, punishment.
For a knight, further progress required not only training but also the right environment.
The richest concentration of true ether in the world was in Britain.
By contrast, Rome had long entered the age of human civilization, its mysteries fading.
Thus, while Lanmaroc appeared to enjoy power, his strength stagnated. The further he was from the Round Table, the further he drifted from his goal of joining it.
That was the greatest punishment for a knight whose dream was the Round Table.
"Yes, I will obey the king's command."
"Good. If there's nothing else, leave me to rest for a while."
Once Kay had left, Arthur casually set up a barrier.
That should be enough. Time to tally this harvest.
"System, show my personal panel."
-End Chapter-
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