"Aragorn, go select sixty junior disciples, twenty from each territory, including junior disciples in statistics, politics, agriculture, botany, architecture, planning, design, engineering, civil engineering, manufacturing, physics, and other fields. Then, take my order to the barracks and have these twenty junior disciples, accompanied by one hundred Knights, go to a territory. They must suppress any resistance and plan and design everything in those territories. I need a detailed plan report in one month. The command will be led by students from the military department; I give them the power to freely assess enemy attacks and retreats."
Kailar spoke decisively to the only two people beside him: Artoria and Aragorn.
"Yes, Teacher, I'll go now." Aragorn swiftly exited Versailles Palace, leaving Kailar and his family to catch up.
"Father, is there anything else?" Kailar's expression of wanting to leave was perfectly conveyed.
"Nothing else, but I want you to know that next month we are going to the Royal Capital to pull the sword." Grand Duke Andrei looked somewhat aged: "His Majesty the King dotes too much on that woman. Damn it, that woman has been with His Majesty the King for so many years and still hasn't given birth to a Prince! I should have killed her sooner! If there were a Prince now, we wouldn't have to rely on pulling a sword to determine who is qualified to be King… Damn these bloodline-ignoring bastards…"
"He's at it again." Shrugging, Kailar was long used to his father's notion of loyalty to the Royal Family and emphasis on bloodline. In his father's eyes, bloodlines could evolve, but the next generation must be elites. And this commoner-like sword-pulling approach, for a country, would surely be a disaster in the future.
Artoria, on the other hand, took a deep look at the Grand Duke, as if to imprint him deeply in her mind.
Gawain was also brought back by Kailar. He and his Knights, about four hundred strong, were all elites. Among them, one hundred were Knights personally bestowed by the King. Clearly, these individuals were very loyal to King Uther, which is why they directly abandoned Birmingham to follow Gawain in rebellion.
Clearly, this was very important. Each titled Knight had his own story, and their combat power was extremely formidable. Even if Grand Duke Andrei possessed Demonic Horse Knights, they would still pale in comparison to titled Knights.
Among Grand Duke Andrei's Demonic Horse Knights, only a mere eight hundred held titles… These eight hundred were all exceptional heroes, capable of wrestling lions bare-handed and slaying monsters in the sea. It should be said that these eight hundred were the essence of Red Leaf Ridge's armed forces!
And Gawain, as one of the future Knights of the Round Table, his combat power was unquestionable. As someone who could completely outclass other Knights and Lancelot to become the top Knight in the original work, Gawain's combat power was self-evident, and naturally, he needed to be won over. As for how to win him over? As cousins, what more needed to be said between them?
Among the three, Kailar was always the leader. Even in the other trio: Kailar, Artoria, and Lancelot, it was the same.
"That… Kay." As the three were about to exit Versailles Palace, Artoria, who had hesitated several times, finally asked her question.
"Hmm?" Kailar didn't turn his head, but Gawain looked at Artoria with a strange gaze. Gawain was unaccustomed to his childhood companion suddenly becoming a woman…
"What do you think of the Royal Family, in terms of bloodline?" Artoria had been with Kailar for so long that she knew these things. Her question made Kailar snort, "Bloodline? While I admit that such things can, due to parental factors, make children have a certain chance of being intelligent, it's clear that postnatal education is key. Bloodline itself doesn't mean much, but parental education is the most important…"
Kailar's tone suddenly became cheerful: "But now we have opened an academy. In just ten years… no, in just five years, we will be able to cultivate a large number of knowledgeable children… And twenty years from now, these children will pass on their knowledge to their own children, and our academy will continuously improve and evolve through the accumulation of knowledge… The accumulation of knowledge is the best driving force for scientific progress… Endless exploration will one day lead Camelot into the gate of truth." Kailar was as joyful as a poet at this moment.
"No, I wasn't talking about that. I was asking what you think of kingship, of the King," Artoria said hesitantly.
"Such things are irrelevant." Kailar gently shook his head, looking down at the beautiful scenery of Red Leaf Ridge and sighing softly: "If the King is mediocre and useless, he will be controlled after my father's hundred years. If the King can maintain a tacit understanding with me, like King Uther does, then even loyalty is fine. I need a grand stage, you know, Art. I don't care who the King is; I only care who can provide me with this stage." Kailar's words were exactly as Artoria expected of him.
Kailar was a person who valued emotions, for he would not go against his father and mother. Kailar was also an arrogant person, for he would never tolerate anyone interfering in his domain. Kailar was also an understanding person; he knew where Artoria's self-respect lay, which is why even though they had slept together and made love, he still kept her as his Knight escort.
But Kailar would absolutely not allow his talents to be like those unappreciated scientists and politicians in history, who lived and died in obscurity!
Clearly, the appearance of two influential figures: the future King of Macedonia, Alexander, who would command half the world, and Nero of Rome, gave him even greater confidence. He needed a stage, a grand stage! Only then could he display his talents, only then could he realize his dreams. He wanted to become incredibly, incredibly great!
The Four Great Generals of the West? That was merely a fleeting reputation.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the East? That was only from the mouths of historians.
Confucius, who enlightened all under heaven? After five thousand years, his doctrines only continued within Asia. To influence the West, who knew how many years that would take.
Kailar wanted to be the founder… Nuclear vibration? String theory? Schrödinger's Cat?
Unwilling! Unwilling! He wanted to be the founder of everything! Physics, chemistry, mathematics, literature, agriculture, forestry, everything… He wanted to become truly unparalleled in the world!!!
Kailar's ambition, Kailar's goal, Kailar's aspiration, Kailar's grand stage!!!