When there were finally no more legitimate Knights, the entire scene fell silent.
In fact, King Uther's oral decree was very clear: all Knights and Knight Marquises were to try, but the problem was that the legitimate Knights had all been defeated. If you allowed someone who hadn't received a Knight title to successfully draw the sword… how would that make the Knights feel?
Thus, the atmosphere immediately cooled down.
"Sage! You haven't tried drawing the sword yet, you should try too!" Someone suddenly shouted from below, immediately drawing a chorus of agreement. In recent years, the policies Kailar suggested and King Uther promoted had achieved considerable success. At the very least, many farmers could still survive after being exploited. This alone made many people grateful, not to mention their yearning for the prosperous life of Red Leaf Ridge. Knights could only be considered a reserve of nobility; as righteous men, they were soldiers, very different from the nobles. At least they weren't qualified to save the common people from suffering, but seeing farmers unable to survive due to their lord's exploitation, their self-respect would be reproached. However, a single policy made them feel much better.
Prestige is not begged for; it is earned through tangible actions. Those who can do practical things are always more respected than those who merely boast.
"Haha…" Kailar smiled, stepped forward, and declared loudly: "Everyone should know that His Majesty the King's dying wish was for all Knight Marquises and Knights to come and draw the sword. I am neither a Knight nor a Knight Marquis. If I draw the sword, it would be breaking the rules. Everyone knows that without rules, there is no order; it would cause chaos! So, I will not draw the sword."
Kailar's words immediately garnered much goodwill. No rules, no order—these words were perfectly spoken. Merlin was disliked precisely because she meddled too much. Of course, a more important point was that Merlin was a woman. How could a group of arrogant individuals obey a woman who dictated to them?
"Sage, you also come from a noble family; drawing the sword would not be a violation. Please, draw the sword! Can you truly bear to watch a Knight Marquis lead us to glory?" The person who said this truly harbored ill intentions. What was Kailar's status? He received the title of a minor Sage when he was barely a teenager, and he had no noble title. It would be foolish for him to draw the sword with such a status.
With a slight smile, Kailar did not speak, but simply retreated behind his father.
The Knights looked at each other, their last hope gone. Were they really going to let a Knight Marquis draw the sword?
His Majesty the King's decree… The Knights gritted their teeth and shook their heads: Since it was His Majesty the King's decree, there was no other way. Draw it!
As mentioned earlier, due to the large number of Knights and the vastness of the Knight Marquises, many Knight Marquises remained in their territories, except for the most favored ones. Those who came here were the most favored and most promising Knight Marquises!
For this reason, there were even fewer Knight Marquises than titled Knights!
Even after a full day, not a single Knight Marquis who had tried to draw the sword succeeded… While secretly celebrating in their hearts, the Knights also became confused: What was happening? Where should the kingdom go? Would Camelot, without a King, simply crumble and disperse?
{No… no, there must be one more!} Kailar's intelligence was not impaired. He almost instinctively looked behind him, but there was nothing there. Had she… actually deceived him? The one he trusted most… had she actually deceived him in such a matter?!
His heart was tightly gripped, that empty feeling… until the woman in plain clothes appeared.
Her long, flowing hair was tightly bound in braids, revealing a capable face. The golden bangs on her forehead could not hide her resolute expression.
The entire arena suddenly fell silent. All the Knights instinctively moved aside. The woman in the dark-colored clothes, with her sleeves rolled up and radiating a powerful aura, walked steadily from the edge of the plaza, along the path cleared by the Knights, step by step towards the platform.
"Hey, who is that?"
"I… I don't know, I don't recognize her."
"Is she some family's page?"
"No, she looks like a girl…"
"What are you talking about? There are no women among the Knight Marquises…"
"No… have you forgotten! There is one! That woman in white armor next to the Sage…"
"Wait, now that you mention it, isn't this person that woman…?"
The Knights whispered among themselves, but amidst their murmurs, she had already arrived on the platform.
With a complex gaze, she swept over the Grand Dukes, Merlin, and finally rested on Kailar, who had his head bowed. A flicker of pain crossed her eyes. He must be angry too… angry at my deception and betrayal… but… I have a task to bear, a responsibility to fulfill… I… "I shall be the King of Britain! I am Arthur! Pendragon! Son of King Uther! I am the Knight King!" She roared, a deafening cry as if announcing to the world, and fiercely drew the sword.
The sword in the stone, the Sword of Victory, the Sword of Unbreaking, gleaming with brilliant light, was drawn.
Her face was calm, neither sad nor joyful, neither arrogant nor humble. With her delicate hand, she gently placed the sword in the stone before her chest, then opened her eyes.
The aura of a King swept over countless people like a tide.
No one could react to this unexpected development. Everyone stared blankly at the maiden who had drawn the magnificent sword, feeling a suffocating silence in their hearts.
It was a very awkward silence… a very difficult silence… Artoria felt as if she herself was suffocating.
At some point, she, who merely wanted to prove that women were no less than men, had surpassed men and become King. But a Queen… was it possible? Would these Knights agree? She was now so soft and strong, resolute and fragile, longing for the warm embrace of the man who had held her in his arms… but she couldn't, she couldn't! She… was already King!!
Is that it? Kailar smiled silently. So that's how it is… Is that how you shoulder this burden? You fool!
Idiot! Kailar stood up and walked forward. His movement, in this scene where everyone was frozen and suffocating, was as eye-catching as a colored figure suddenly appearing in a black-and-white film from the seventies.
"You, are you my King?" He came from behind her, to the foot of the steps… He turned back and knelt down on one knee, leaning on his bronze crystal staff, smiling like the boy he was ten years ago.
"Clap, clap, clap…" Without the slightest hesitation, his Knights, at least eight thousand of them, mingled in the crowd and knelt down.
The crowd effect spread like a tide, with the kneeling Knights fanning out.
Until everyone had bowed their heads and knelt, the four Grand Dukes then came to her sides, bringing their oaths of allegiance, and knelt down.