There was only one reason for all that was said.
King Uther died!
This mighty ruler, who was of the same era as Emperor Claudius, and who thwarted Emperor Claudius countless times as the King of Camelot, indeed did not live longer than Emperor Claudius. Although Emperor Claudius was constantly plagued by illness, he managed to cling to life with the aid of ancient Roman medicine, until King Uther's time was up.
King Uther was supported as he came to the palace balcony.
This balcony faced the entire Royal City, and the moment he stepped onto it, the soldiers standing on either side of the balcony immediately blew their ox horns.
The crowd gradually moved towards the palace. As mentioned before, as the hero of all Camelot, King Uther's prestige among the people was immense. This is why, even when he was old and frail, completely lacking the heroic demeanor of a King of Knights, no one dared to defy him or rise in rebellion.
Of course, besides these, the four Grand Dukes of the East, West, South, and North were also his reliance.
Kayal's father was the Southern Grand Duke, Red Leaf Grand Duke, Andre etoque.
He was a Royal Knight who once followed King Uther in campaigns across the land.
His domineering father also once bowed before King Uther. It's hard to imagine how King Uther, who looked twenty years younger than his father but was actually older, managed to subdue his father back then and keep him loyal to this day.
Perhaps only the concept of 'King's Aura' could make the old man so devoted?
Standing on the wide balcony, King Uther, though aged, still held his back straight as a sword, his eyes sharp as knives. He gently caressed the precious sword at his waist. This sword, Gram, had accompanied him his entire life, from when he was just an ordinary prince, through battlefields, to his becoming king. His glory, accompanied by this sword, this once common iron, now the Sword of Victory, reached its peak.
Like humans, those with titles possess great power in specific locations, and weapons are no different. Weapons with immense merits, sung by all people, can develop special effects.
Coincidentally, Gram in his hand was such a sword.
It defeated the Saxons who ravaged Camelot, defeated the Gaul sea pirates, and repelled the invaders, the colossal Roman Empire.
Gram, having endured countless battles big and small, was sung by all people and named: Victory!
Holding Gram in hand could bring victory! Wielding Gram could bring glory, but Gram, named the Sword of Victory, did not possess such powerful functions.
Its power was only one:
Fight to the death!
Even if the last drop of blood is shed, even if the head is cut off, even if the body is riddled with wounds, as long as the sword is held in hand, and the sword is held in the heart, victory is sure to come!
Lead the charge in every battle! Slay the enemy in every battle!
King Uther, surrounded by his four former personal guards, now Grand Dukes and Knights, was by no means a foolish brute.
Possessing extremely superb martial arts, he also accumulated a body full of old wounds after a hundred battles.
Despite possessing the Sword of Ultimate Battle, once he left the battlefield and released the sword hilt, he was just an ordinary person.
Even Merlin had no remedy for his wounds, making him appear younger and more energetic than Emperor Claudius on the surface. But in reality, both knew that Claudius's death was a natural aging process, while his was a completely accidental death!
Caressing his sword hilt, his spine remained straight, his lips firm, his gaze sharp. He was simply going to die! He was not old!
Old soldiers never die, they just fade away!!
"I am going to die!"
His voice was still booming!
"But Camelot will never end like this!"
His legend still echoed!
"He who pulls out this sword shall be King of Britain!"
His story was still beautiful!
"I am the King of Camelot! I am King Uther!!"
Heroes only die, heroes never grow old!
"God bless Camelot! O Sages! Assist my descendants, and establish a great legacy forever!"
With all his might, he hurled Gram. Gram flew like a meteor towards the huge stone in the center of the Royal City's central plaza.
That was a black iron meteorite.
With current forging techniques, even Merlin, who once coveted it, couldn't transform it into what she desired.
Ten years ago, Gram, forged from common iron, plunged into that meteorite like a red-hot knife cutting through cheese, carrying glory and power.
It inserted firmly, without a single tremor, its entire blade, leaving only the hilt exposed.
Having done all this, King Uther fell heavily with a relieved smile. He believed that his four Grand Dukes of the Southeast, Northwest would assist his descendants in reaching the highest peak. He believed Merlin would guide his descendants to become kings. He believed that the Sage who grew up with his descendants would never abandon them to languish alone in the small Red Leaf Ridge for a lifetime.
The two trumpeters on the balcony did not go to help King Uther, who had collapsed onto the ground. They simply blew the wailing horns repeatedly, letting the mournful sound echo throughout the Royal City. Looking at them from the front, the two trumpeters, whose faces were etched with the marks of time... were in tears.
King Uther died!
This news instantly spread throughout the country and then across the entire world.
"Hahahaha!" Although already frail and ill, Emperor Claudius was still eating meat. The steak, prepared in the Roman court style, was soft and delicious, much to Emperor Claudius's liking.
He burst into three loud laughs while eating, then began to cough violently.
And then... the Emperor, who had been entangled with King Uther his entire life, choked to death from that laugh...!
The leaders of these two great nations, separated by the sea, died just like that!
King Uther was still fortunate! At least he left behind a Gram. Emperor Claudius tragically choked to death during lunch without even uttering a last word!
Frustrated! Depressed!
As Rome plunged into chaos, Camelot was also engulfed in turmoil.
The various nobles, who had been holding back for a long time, simultaneously revolted in the Southeast, Northwest. As for King Uther's saying: 'He who pulls out this sword shall be King of Britain,' it was seen as a joke.
Who would bother pulling a sword these days!
Might makes right!
However, they forgot that not everyone was as ambitious as them!
The staunch royalists were always more numerous than the rebels!
The moment of rebellion was met with ruthless suppression. Did they think King Uther's four personal guards from many years ago were just for show?
After ten years of political accumulation and open conditions, with almost unreserved aid and assistance to the four, the power of these four Grand Dukes had long surpassed that of ordinary Grand Dukes, not to mention the knights under them.
A few Marquises and Earls rebelling? They were seeking their own demise!!
Didn't they think might makes right? These four Grand Dukes personally led their knights to show them that truth always lies within the knight's spear!
"Father..." Looking at his father, who was proudly riding on horseback, Kayal couldn't help but fall silent. His father was sixty-five years old! He was born when his father was forty-five, and now twenty years had passed. Not to mention in this ancient era with poor medical conditions, even in modern times, he would be considered old and frail. Kayal couldn't bear to let him go to war.
"A true man, if given the choice between dying in bed from illness and dying on the battlefield, not dying on the battlefield would be a disgrace! So, there's no need to persuade, nor will I be persuaded!" His voice was as resonant as a bell. Grand Duke Andre was still the same, "Are you all ready to make your contributions and achieve great deeds!"
"Roar!!!!" The knights behind him, like mountains and seas, roared loudly.
"Then what are you waiting for!" Grand Duke Andre laughed heartily, spurred his horse, and with countless knights following him, headed towards the battlefield...