Davidian's Holy Grail War

They had all thought this was a battle with no chance of survival, but unexpectedly, under our king's leadership, they achieved such a great victory with such minimal losses. This is proof of King Arthur's destiny, proof of his kingship!

“You’ve come, Davian.” After ordering the others to clean up the battlefield, Artoria came to Davian, put the chosen sword back into its leather sheath, and then dismounted.

She knew that David would not let her down.

"I apologize, my king. I actually arrived a few days ago, but if my men had joined your side earlier, the battle might have turned into a protracted war."

This wasn't a good thing, so I lay in ambush, waiting for my chance to join the battle. As you can see, it did indeed provide the decisive opportunity.

As the purplish-black magic around David dissipated, Artoria saw his true face once again. He was much more tired than before, clearly having exhausted himself during the long journey.

Artoria smiled and shook her head. "It's alright. You made a great contribution to this war. Come, come to the city. Since we won, there should be a victory banquet. Let me give you a welcome feast."

“Before that, I have someone I’d like to introduce you to.” With that, Davidian waved into the distance.

The one-armed knight immediately rode over, his cloak stained with blood, but it was all the enemy's blood, not his own.

"Bedwell, you know who this is without me saying it. If you have anything to say, say it now."

As Davidian spoke, Bedivere immediately dismounted and knelt on one knee before Artoria.

Bedivere spoke in a sincere and humble tone:

“Unworthy knight, Bedivere. King Arthur, I have seen what you have done and heard your thoughts. Now I wish to truly serve under you and fight for your ideals.”

But Artoria smiled and helped him up, saying calmly:

"Bedwell, is that right? Before you really make up your mind, please celebrate today's victory with us first."

I commend your courage today, but I hope you will carefully consider your decision regarding loyalty before making a decision. We are about to embark on a very difficult path, so please think it over carefully before giving me your answer. Okay?

Bedivere's eyes showed emotion; anyone else would have been overjoyed to receive help from others during such a difficult time.

But Artoria remained calm and considerate, hoping he would make a more rational choice. How could such a king not be worthy of his loyalty?

But he still decided to follow King Arthur's wishes and conduct further calm reflection and observation before deciding whether to join. Even though he already knew the final answer at that moment.

Chapter 57 Celebration Banquet

That night, the entire city of Carion erupted in revelry. Such a resounding victory was undoubtedly very inspiring, and David could hardly guess how many knights and men would come to join King Arthur after today.

All of this was due to a single chosen sword, a resounding victory against the combined forces of the six kings.

Merlin's methods were indeed brilliant; King Arthur's prestige would probably sweep across the entire United Kingdom by now.

Of course, the townspeople wouldn't notice any of this. After the servants had cleaned up the battlefield and disposed of the bodies of the fallen...

Although many people were saddened by the loss of family or friends, the overall atmosphere in the town remained joyful.

This was truly a resounding victory against overwhelming odds, a perfect example of winning with fewer troops.

In the council chamber, Kay and Merlin sat on either side of Artoria, while David and Bedivere sat diagonally opposite her.

After all, in terms of time, Davidan had just joined the group, and although Bedivere hadn't officially joined yet, the fact that he was sitting here spoke volumes about his answer and Artoria's response.

The five of them sat around a small round table, and compared to the boisterous celebrations of the townspeople outside, their gathering was much quieter. After all, while those outside could relax, they couldn't.

Food and wine were laid out in front of everyone. Artoria raised her glass first: "Everyone, I toast to you all. Thank you for your contributions in today's battle. This victory belongs to everyone."

The four men raised their glasses in response, then downed their drinks in one gulp. Kai wiped his mouth and was the first to speak:

"Gentlemen, although we have won today, those five kings will surely regroup their troops. Next time, it won't just be eight thousand men; it will probably be several times the number of troops we have now. We must be prepared, because the war will likely be much more difficult then."

"Kaiqing is right. Those people won't let this go easily. King Ullens and King Lothar both have a strong prejudice against me. I'm afraid they really want to fight me to the death. Merlin, do you think we can divide them from within?"

During the battle today, I noticed that King Nantes stayed in the rear and didn't directly participate in the fighting. Perhaps their alliance isn't unbreakable after all.

Artoria asked Merlin this question, explaining that dealing with so many enemies at once was also a troublesome matter.

Moreover, while necessary killings are acceptable, reducing wars would be a good thing for the whole of Britain. Artoria hopes that she can only fight necessary wars, giving agriculture and the people more time to recover and rest.

Merlin shook his head and spoke his thoughts, or rather, the words he had already prepared:

"Not yet, Your Majesty. It was indeed a great victory, but the scale of this war is not large enough. The kings suffered losses, but that is all."

Once those five have divided up the lands, people, soldiers, and supplies of the fallen Scottish king, they will likely amass an even larger army. Only by inflicting heavy losses on them can we find an opportunity to divide and conquer them.

Davidian nodded, though he knew this was Merlin's plan, and that there was an element of showmanship involved. But Merlin's overall opinion and strategic approach were undoubtedly correct, and if things proceeded step by step, he believed that defeating Vortigern was only a matter of time.

"However, because of this war, King Arthur's fame will likely spread throughout Britain. My king, our situation will probably be much better than it is now."

Now that you have raised the banner of ending Vortigern's dark rule and won this unjust war waged against you by the kings, many ambitious people will make the same choice. They may even already be on their way.

However, Bedivere still has great hope for the future, and today's battle was undoubtedly a good one.

"Don't interrupt, Bedivere. Newcomers should act like newcomers."

Moreover, if so many people were to arrive, issues such as armor, weapons, food, and housing would need to be addressed. The current city of Karien could hardly support such a large influx.

Kay became serious upon hearing Bedivere's words. Carrian City currently lacked an internal affairs officer, and before Davidian's arrival, Kay had been managing everything alone. Hearing that many people might come, Kay expressed a headache.

David Ann stepped in with a laugh to smooth things over. Kai Qing was really something, her words had already revealed the information beforehand:

"Don't worry, Lord Kai. I believe there will be solutions to all of these problems. Let's just accept those who might come to join the army, based on the current reserves of Karien City."

While expanding its army, it also engaged in expansion into the surrounding areas.

Since we've declared ourselves kings of Britain, our aim isn't merely to swagger around the town of Carrian; isn't our target Lentinium, the domain of King Vortigern?

He paused, as if suddenly remembering something. Davidian then suddenly addressed the group:

"And after word of the battle's outcome spreads, one of my good friends should be coming soon. My king, you will surely be pleased to see him. I assure you, he is a humble and courageous knight."

Of those present, Bedivere and Kay were both curious about his words. Good friends must be like-minded people, so who was Davidian referring to?

Artoria nodded. "I understand. Since you put it that way, I will naturally choose to believe you. I will entrust the matter of expanding the military to David and Sir Kayle, and I will leave the matter of trade in supplies to Merlin."

Bedivere...would you mind taking charge of training the new recruits?

Compared to David Ann, who readily accepted his mission, Bedivere, a newcomer, was immediately entrusted with a heavy responsibility, and a look of joy instantly appeared on his face.

This not only represents Artoria's acceptance of him as one of her own, but also her trust in him, believing that he can complete the tasks entrusted to him well.

David patted him gently on the back, and the two of them turned to look at each other at the same time, their eyes showing admiration.

"I understand, and I will definitely complete the task entrusted to me by the King." Bedivere expressed his determination to complete the task entrusted to him by the King, as he would be letting the King down if he failed to do so.

"Then, everyone, I entrust the rest to you. After today, please do your best to prepare for everything in the future."

Artoria gave her final instructions, and those present understood the importance of the matter, so they naturally wouldn't be perfunctory. Even Merlin knew that he had to work hard at this point, or he would most likely be thrown into the darkness.

After everyone dispersed, David remained where he was, silently placing the food in front of him in front of Artoria. Artoria immediately blushed with embarrassment; how did he know?

"Eat up. With a heart like a dragon's, I can roughly guess how big your appetite is."

I don't know if it'll be enough, but please take this portion. When Lord Lancelot arrives and supplies are plentiful, you can have a proper meal.”

There will be time after Chapter 58.

"Lord Lancelot, will the Knight of the Lake come?" Artoria slowly ate her food, Devian's portion, clearly appreciating every bite.

Davidian nodded: "Yes, he's not the kind of person who breaks promises. Now that you've made a name for yourself, he'll definitely come, as agreed with Benwick."

I just don't know how much supplies he'll bring. I can't gauge the exact quantity either; you know, I have absolutely no experience in this area.

If I take too little, I'll look down on others; if I take too much, I'll be called greedy. I can't let that happen.

David had thought of all this, which was why he was somewhat ambiguous at the time and didn't elaborate too much. He could only hope that Lancelot knew what was going on here and would bring more supplies.

"I've heard that French food is much better than British food, is that true?"

Artoria's sudden remark surprised Davidian, who looked at her in astonishment before realizing what she meant.

That's true, Artoria is younger than me. She can make herself look like a queen, but she's actually quite young, not that old.

So he nodded: "Of course, I also ate the royal cuisine there when I was in Cornwall."

When I arrived in France, I realized that British food was simply not good enough compared to what I had seen.

Using the same materials, the results they make are completely different from the results we make here.

Artoria seemed somewhat incredulous, and she quickly asked, "Is the difference really that big? I think the food I eat now tastes much better than before."

David felt a pang of sadness upon hearing her words.

She used to sleep less than three hours a day, and she didn't even have a bed to sleep in; she just spent those few simple hours in the stable.

Because she knew that in her dream she still had many things to do and many things to learn.

When she woke up, she was busy with a series of daily tasks. She never even left Britain, and if anything, her eleven years there were very difficult.

"I will definitely have Lancelot bring over a group of French chefs when the time comes, just in time for us to conquer Lentinium and for the city you envision to be completed. Then you will know the difference between the two sides."

Davidian had always known about Artoria's dream—the Chalk City, Camelot.

"I'm really looking forward to it, and you'll keep your word, right?" Artoria was also very happy; she could sense that they were both getting closer and closer to their dream. She hoped the day the Chalk City was completed would come as soon as possible.

The two were engaged in a very intimate conversation, cherishing this relaxed chat. Both Davidan and Artoria knew one thing: in the future, such moments would become increasingly rare.

As they progress, their tasks will increase, and their own time will decrease until the day it all ends.

But neither of them regretted it. Since they had embarked on this path, they were determined to see it through to the end. They both believed this.

So after everyone's celebration ended, David went to the cemetery, accompanied only by his friend Winchenrib.