Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice

Barton Fortress.

Vortigern sat on his throne and lightly tapped his armrest, his expression somewhat unpleasant.

Meksis asked, "My lord, it seems like you're feeling a bit restless."

Vortigern glanced at him and sighed, "I am aware of Camelot's strength. That wall was once a bulwark that Ywain and I defended together, and although I was prepared for it, I did not anticipate Ywain fortifying it to this extent. Conquering Camelot may take us years."

"Should we consider attacking other cities first?"

"No need for that," Vortigern responded firmly. "Those magical beasts will spontaneously attack other cities, sparing us the effort. We shall focus on Camelot for now."

"So, are we going to stubbornly attack Camelot head-on?"

Vortigern smiled, "This city is the toughest nut to crack in all of Britain. Other cities are nothing in comparison. Once we take it down, all of Britain will be mine, and I just have to wait for it."

Standing up with the Rhongomyniad in his hand, Vortigern was filled with fighting spirit.

Meksis looked at him for a long time and smiled, "Your Majesty's demeanor is truly admirable."

Vortigern turned his head and smiled bitterly. "You are my friend, there's no need to comfort me. My hands are already stained with blood, and I'm not worthy of the title 'King.' And Meksis..."

"I'm here, my lord,"

After hesitating for a moment, Vortigern said, "Wear more clothes. This winter will be cold and long, and you don't want to catch a cold."

He then waved his cloak and left the palace.

...

With a full load, Shirou returned to the dock, the sound of oats and buckwheat pouring out of the ship like a mesmerizing melody.

After docking the ship, he disembarked and introduced Lancelot to Geraint and the others who were already waiting at the dock. Then, he called out for help to unload the grain and transport it to the castle's warehouse.

As they made their way to the castle, he apologized to Lancelot, "Sir Lancelot, Cornwall is the most barren place in my kingdom, and there is little here to entertain you. Moreover, we have recently moved to the southern border, and there are many affairs that require my attention. I hope you will pardon any shortcomings in our hospitality."

Lancelot nodded understandingly, "King Arthur, I fully understand the weight of being a king. Please don't worry about me."

"Good to see that you understand," Shirou said. "By the way, I happen to know someone who can show you around. Let me introduce you to him."

He motioned for Kay, whom he knew very well, and took him aside, speaking in a low voice. "Kay, you are the most reliable knight when it comes to handling affairs. Camelot is on the verge of collapse, and it could happen at any moment. Lancelot is the prince of Benoic, and they're our allies. I need you to show him around and keep him in the dark about the real state of Camelot. If anything goes wrong, blame it on Cornwall's infertility. But if anything goes well, make sure Camelot gets the credit. We can't let him figure out how dire things are, or he might turn against us, and things will only go downhill from there."

Kay nodded solemnly, "I understand."

Kay escorted Lancelot out of the room, and Shirou turned to his administrative officials to discuss the dire situation at hand.

Fortunately, the instructions that he gave to the officials were well-implemented in his absence. However, tasks such as counting the population and checking the roster were significant undertakings that could not be completed overnight.