bookbashuk Chapter 110 The Starlight of Vigil
Chapter 110 The Starlight of Vigil
Sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees in the courtyard, dappling the four kings.
After praising Artoria's profound yet radiant resolve, Iskandar raised his golden goblet and drank the rich wine in one gulp.
The rich aroma of the wine, combined with his innate boldness, made the air in the entire courtyard seem to be ablaze.
"Saber, your resolve is truly admirable, but as a king, carrying such a heavy burden is far too painful and restrictive!"
Iskandar wiped the drops of wine from his beard, his wild and conquering eyes scanning the surroundings.
He spoke, in an extremely cheerful tone, throwing out his proud "domineering" theory.
"Since everyone here calls themselves kings, they must understand what it means to rule over all people."
In my view, a true king must never be a saint who restrains his desires, much less a perfect idol devoid of emotion!
The Conqueror King opened his arms wide, as if to embrace the entire world, his voice booming like thunder:
"A king must be more greedy than anyone else! More tyrannical than anyone else! And more easily moved than anyone else!"
Only by displaying the pinnacle of human desire will the subjects be attracted by that dazzling vitality, and thus cry out in their hearts, "I also want to be like the king!"
Ignite the ambition of my subjects with boundless desire, and lead them to conquer all! This is my way of kingship!
"So, esteemed kings, what are your thoughts on the domineering nature of my desires?"
The first to react to the Conqueror King's arrogant and domineering argument was Gilgamesh, who let out an extremely contemptuous snort.
"That's just the coarse barking of a wild dog, whitewashing bandit-like greed as the way of the world. Is your brain just filled with cow dung, Rider?"
Gilgamesh gently shook the golden cup, his crimson serpent eyes filled with arrogance and mockery.
"Listen up, you bastard, the so-called king doesn't need to crave or conquer."
Because everything in this world has been within my courtyard from the very beginning!
The Hero King slightly raised his chin, displaying the posture of an absolute ruler who transcends all living beings:
"The king does not need to run himself; he only needs to sit high on his throne and judge all things in the world with absolute law and majesty."
For those thieves who dare to touch my treasures, I will bring down merciless punishment; for those subjects who please me, I will bestow favors. That will be enough.
"Your act of plundering everywhere is nothing more than a greedy insect snatching the scraps left over from others."
Artoria frowned slightly in the face of Iskandar's "domineering" attitude and Gilgamesh's "judgment".
Just as she was about to speak, Arthur, who had been sitting quietly, gently put down the golden cup in his hand.
"bite."
A crisp metallic clang, though not loud, instantly drowned out all the wind in the courtyard and drew everyone's attention.
Arthur raised his head, and in his clear, emerald-like eyes, he displayed an unparalleled rationality and the majesty of a king.
"I see. This is the royal way you're so proud of."
Arthur's voice was gentle yet sharp, and he first looked at Iskandar.
"Conqueror King, your ideals are indeed brilliant, and your soldiers are willing to go to the battlefield with you."
But your domineering arrogance, disguised as 'conquest,' is ultimately nothing more than a wildfire raging across the nation.
Iskandar's smile faded slightly.
Arthur ruthlessly dissected the cruel reality behind that grand gesture:
"With your personal charisma and insatiable greed, you have bound the entire nation to your war chariot. You have ignited the ambition of your subjects, but you have left no system to restrain their greed."
You taught them how to plunder, but not how to protect. So, the moment your wildfire goes out, your vast empire will crumble.
After your death, your generals only learned to tear each other apart like wild beasts; this is the price you paid for indulging your 'desires'.
Arthur looked at the silent King Conqueror and calmly gave his answer:
"A true king should not be a wildfire that burns everything, but a star in the night."
I will not tempt them with greed; I will establish just laws and order so that every person in Britain can have the dignity to build their own future with their own hands.
Protecting the weak and upholding justice—this is the king's 'responsibility' to his people.
Without pausing, Arthur slowly turned his head, his emerald green eyes meeting Gilgamesh's scarlet serpentine pupils.
"King of Heroes, you possess eyes that can see into the future of humanity, so you chose to judge the world with absolute laws, but your arrogance has caused you to completely break free from them."
Arthur, without fear, looked directly at the oldest king and gave his assessment:
"You treat your people as part of your court, and only know how to impose punishments and bestow favors from your high throne. You do not listen to the cries of the weak, nor do you comfort the sorrows of mortals."
You are not ruling a vibrant country; you are merely guarding a "dead treasure trove."
A king who refuses to share the joys and sorrows of his people and equates life with mere objects, no matter how much he prides himself on being absolute, is nothing more than an arrogant jailer.
"presumptuous!!"
The void behind Gilgamesh instantly distorted, and the sharp edges of dozens of Noble Phantasms emerged from the Gate of Babylon, pointing towards Arthur.
"How dare a mere outcast use such a despicable mentality to measure my absolute rule over the world!"
Faced with the imminent threat of a powerful weapon, Arthur not only refrained from drawing his sword but instead revealed a calm smile.
In that instant, the Red Dragon Furnace Heart within his body was no longer suppressed.
A vast, pure life force, so immense that it caused the surrounding space to tremble slightly, surged forth from Arthur's body like a warm morning sun!
A sudden gust of wind arose, causing Artoria's cloak to flutter wildly.
She looked at Arthur before her; his vitality was so dazzling and so vibrant.
Arthur ignored Gilgamesh's rage and slowly stood up, golden magic swirling around him.
Looking at the two kings before him, he frankly revealed the current state of his kingdom:
"My Britain is not a flawless utopia; in fact, I have not been crowned for many years."
My country is still young, its land scarred by war, and everything needs to be rebuilt.
"I am here because of a miracle that temporarily brought me into this world while I was still alive."
Arthur slightly raised his chin, his eyes filled with boundless anticipation for the future.
That was a kingly majesty built upon absolute responsibility and hope:
"I did not, like you, forcibly tie the future of the nation to personal ambition or arrogance."
Therefore I am certain that even though I am no longer in Britain, my knights will still be dutiful and my people will still be sowing hope in the fields.
My country is developing vigorously.
He looked down at the two summoned kings and, with the most impeccable reality, delivered the decisive blow in this question-and-answer session:
"You have become heroic spirits and sit here because your era has ended and your story is set in stone."
And I am the truly living king! I will return to that young land and greet tomorrow's sunrise with my people.
This is my path to kingship.
The courtyard was deathly silent.
Then, the magic in the air boiled.