The First Round Table Conference

The day after Queen Sophia's death.

At 7:07 a. m., the Candle Holder Cathedral in the Red Queen District tolled its Death Knell.

It was a dull, monotonous sound, quite different from the usual chimes. Thick leather pads were strapped to both sides of the bell's clapper to make the sound low and Death Knell.

The Death Knell tolled seventy-nine times, symbolizing the seventy-nine years of the Queen's life.

When the seventy-nine Death Knell had finished, Isabel was already seated at the head of the Round Table Hall.

The Round Table Hall is also located inside the Silver and Tin Palace, and even within the main hall.

Long, long ago, the earliest "Round Table" was a place where knights enjoyed banquets before and after battles. Back then, the Round Table Knights would eat while chatting and discussing things around the table. Later, as more and more warriors followed Arthur, the banquets certainly expanded beyond a single table.

But without a doubt, the knights who dined at the same table as Arthur were the bravest, most loyal, strongest, and most prestigious among them.

These were the Round Table Knights. Many matters were discussed and decided by them together, while other knights attending the banquet would listen and offer their opinions—everyone had a voice. But ultimately, the decision rested with the knights at the Round Table.

This also became a tradition for the Round Table Knights to discuss political affairs.

By the time the Silver and Tin Palace was completed, the earliest Round Table Knights had already ascended to the Dream Realm. Therefore, the successors would no longer need to gather for a meal.

Even so, to commemorate his former comrades, Lancelot still transformed the largest and most central room in the main hall of the Silver and Tin Palace into the Round Table Hall, where he placed the round table that once could seat twenty-two people.

Besides the twenty founders, there's Lancelot himself, and the Silver Crowned Dragon, whose existence has been obscured from history. This happens to correspond to the number of cards in the Major Arcana of the Tarot Card.

Later, more and more knights were qualified to enter the Round Table Hall, and the political affairs facing Avalon after its founding became increasingly complex, far beyond what those twenty people could handle.

However, as an antique, the round table cannot be made to grow larger and larger.

So, apart from the Founding Family who could sit at the round table, the other knights would surround the round table on both sides and in front of it, with three rows of seats of different heights, making it look like a lecture hall.

In other words, most of the knights and ministers who came to the Round Table Hall for meetings were not actually qualified to sit at the Round Table.

In Avalon, a society that values "authority," proximity to the Round Table became a symbol of a knight's status and influence. The closer one was to the Round Table, the higher their rank. The inner circle was divided into three ranks: the "Inner Ring," the "Middle Ring," and the "Outer Ring."

Meetings at the Round Table Hall are held very frequently. At the slowest times, there are two or three times a month, and at the fastest, more than five times a week. However, the Founding Family almost always only manages to attend less than half of their members, and the inner circle is always significantly absent. In contrast, the knights of the outer circle always fill the room to capacity.

Today's Round Table Hall is different from usual.

None of the knights arrived at the Round Table Hall in advance; instead, they lined up at the entrance.

After the Death Knell had rung, they were summoned and entered through the main gate in turn.

The order in which people entered was decided by Isabel —though actually it was written by Iver.

After entering through the main entrance, you first have to go through the long Glass Staircase.

This is one of the reasons why this place is called "Glass Island," as it is rich in glass. These Glass Staircase were part of the early royal ceremonies of Avalon. Because glass is slippery and fragile, and knights wore heavy armor, a fall could easily shatter the Glass Staircase.

This forced the knights to proceed cautiously and slowly, as a sign of their loyalty and respect to the royal family and the Round Table Hall.

Upon entering, they did not sit in their usual places. Instead, they went to Isabel's right side, knelt on one knee, swore allegiance, and kissed the Silver Dragon Ring on Isabel's hand. However, since Isabel was not yet married, according to etiquette, they should have kissed their own thumb, which rested on the ring.

The first person to enter was Ligeia, the Vice-President of the Arbitration Hall and the Grand Arbitrator; the second was the Grand Guardian, the Knight Commander of the Round Table Hall and concurrently the Minister of Military and Political Affairs; the third was Shafiya, the Grand Adjudicator of the Inspectorate; and the fourth was the elderly Grand Justice.

Fifth on the list is Camelot Minister, who serves as Privy Council Minister.

He was an elderly man with white hair and green eyes. He looked at least sixty or seventy years old, yet he was still clad in full, gleaming silver armor. Even his hands were covered in gauntlets. He carried no sword, even though he had the right to—he merely wore the shield inherited from his ancestor Galahad, as a sign of his resolve to protect Avalon with his life.

But when Camelot Minister entered, he was even taken aback.

He was first surprised that he was the fifth to enter... On the other hand, he was also surprised that he was the fifth to enter.

The Privy Council Minister is essentially equivalent to the Prime Minister of Star Antimony or the Minister of State of Iris, serving as the King or Queen's chief advisor and handling many of the most important political affairs. They are arguably the most important and highest-ranking minister in Avalon.

Sixty years ago, when Queen Sophia ascended the throne, the second person she pledged allegiance to was the Privy Council Minister. Of course, he was certainly not the Privy Council Minister of that generation.

Camelot Minister, however, considered himself loyal to Queen Sophia and an absolute confidant of Queen Sophia —which is why Queen Sophia entrusted him with the position of Privy Council Minister. The Camelot Family is a collateral branch of the Du Lac Family, and their ancestors can also be considered descendants of Lancelot I; they are related to each other.

Five years ago, Queen Sophia even secretly instructed him... If the entire Du Lac Family were to die or become extinct due to the curse, the Camelot Family could adopt one of their offspring into the Du Lac Family and establish him as the New King.

However, when Queen Sophia passed away last night and the Silver and Tin Palace did not urgently summon him... Camelot Minister already had a premonition.

He only gave up completely when he saw the newspaper this morning.

Without a doubt, he was not among the trustworthy and reliable people that Isabel categorized him as.

That actually makes sense.

Objectively speaking, the Camelot Family's bloodline was a threat to Isabel, who did not Path of Authority. Moreover, even if old Camelot to Queen Isabel, his descendants might not be able to maintain this family-inherited loyalty.

... But that's what they say. Old Camelot had watched Isabel grow up, and he sensed her Isabel somewhat.

To Camelot Minister's surprise, the young minister who enjoyed Queen Isabel's deep trust was not the first to enter the Round Table Hall.

Even after the knights had almost all entered, they still hadn't seen Minister Moriarty.

—Was he late?

That's what the knights initially thought.

But even after all the knights had entered, that spot on the round table remained empty.

At the first Round Table Conference after the New King ascended the throne, only one person was absent.

The knights whispered among themselves about this illogical scene—some were relieved, some were gloating, and some were uneasy about it.

In the rule-abiding Avalon, the "unconventional" is the most unsettling anomaly.

Finally, amidst the increasingly noisy discussion, Queen Isabel rang the bell beside her. The knights rose in disarray, their armor scraping against each other with a clatter. The people conversing did not fall completely silent; the noise in the Round Table Hall lessened somewhat, but it remained, and even became more jarring.

Only after the Grand Guardian coughed softly, his authoritative power radiating throughout the room, did the Round Table Hall finally fall silent.

"Meeting now."

Following Iver's advice, Isabel announced with a stern face and cold demeanor, "Please take your seats as arranged."

As Isabel finished speaking, the two Ceremonial Officer guarding the entrance to the Round Table Hall tapped their Dragon Head Scepter one after another on the already closed doors of the Round Table Hall.

"Honor the Silver Crowned Dragon!"

"Honorable Queen Isabel!"

They sang loudly in turn.

The first knock revealed a silver-white "X" on the heavy, dark silver door, which then glowed and completely sealed the door. The second knock struck the very center of the "X," from which a larger, shield-like cross emerged and superimposed on the "X."

The silver barrier instantly expanded, enveloping the entire Round Table Hall. It dispelled all power within the Round Table Hall except for authority, purified the spirits and minds of everyone present, dispelled all spells that could cause charm or suggestion, completely blocked spells such as teleportation, eavesdropping, and spying, and also prevented attacks from the outside.

Immediately, all the knights present shouted in unison, "Hail the Silver Crowned Dragon! Hail Queen Isabel!"

Then all the knights sat down at the same time. The heavy armor fell down in unison, making a crisp sound like a thousand horses halting in unison.

Isabel subconsciously pursed her lips, feeling nervous at the spectacular sight before her.

But she still remembered Iver's instructions.

She even saw this as a test—

Even though she had Iver to rely on, and elders like Ligeia to depend on, she was ultimately the Queen of Avalon and practically the sole heir to the Du Lac Family.

Apart from her two-year-old brother John and her biological father, Prince Albert, who had long since fled the royal family and the curse, Isabel had no other relatives.

She must be strong.

Perhaps Iver could help her, but he couldn't help her forever— Iver lacked the characteristics of Path of Authority, meaning that rule and power would be of no benefit to him. Iver would eventually ascend to higher positions, and at that time, Avalon would only be a burden to him.

Even if you can't help, you must never become a burden.

This has been Isabel's philosophy from the very beginning.

She faced the bizarre curse with this belief, and she also repeatedly attempted suicide in her nightmares with this belief.

"His Majesty."

Camelot Minister rose first and said respectfully, "Everyone has arrived. Please take a look."

He then respectfully handed the bag containing the documents to the Grand Justice. After opening and inspecting it to ensure there were no problems, the Grand Justice stepped forward and handed it to Isabel.

This is the Policy Outline for this year and next year, written by Privy Council Minister.

These documents were all written while Queen Sophia was still lucid, and then submitted to Queen Sophia for review and signature. Because a new monarch has little understanding of the various political affairs upon ascending the throne, acting arbitrarily based on intuition or ministerial advice at this time could lead to errors that would be irreparable for years or even decades to come.

Therefore, the Policy Outline for the first two years of the year was determined by the previous monarch.

Isabel was certainly aware of this as well.

But as she took the document, she said in a cold and serious tone, "Not all of them, Lord Camelot."

"There is one knight I trust who has not yet arrived. His presence is of utmost importance."

"... Did he ever pledge allegiance to you?"

Camelot Minister asked.

Upon hearing this, Isabel's lips curled up slightly, but she quickly closed them again.

Even with a straight face and a low voice, she couldn't hide the joy in her voice. "Yes, as early as last night, Moriarty, Knight swore allegiance to me. And I bestowed upon him the title of knight."

"He was not able to attend the first Round Table Conference I chaired today because he was not feeling well. But this was with my permission."

Isabel spoke very clearly and slowly. This was to avoid saying something wrong or accidentally stuttering and thus losing face.

She had already rehearsed these words in front of the mirror. She had said all the possible things she might say several times in advance, and finally, with Iver's help, found the calmest, coolest, and most serious tone of voice.

She will try her best to keep every word she says in that tone of voice.

Because of this, she didn't sleep all night last night.

Seeing that the other knights remained silent, Isabel lowered her head and began reading the document aloud.

Most of these changes maintain the status quo, with only a few worth discussing.

After Isabel finished reading the Policy Outline, she handed the document over to the Grand Justice for archiving.

The first to speak was the Grand Guardian, who was also the Minister of Military and Political Affairs.

"Your Majesty," he began respectfully, "You said you would increase military spending by 5% and conduct a round of compulsory conscription for young men over the age of twenty-six... Does this mean we are preparing for war?"

"Yes."

Isabel answered calmly.

As soon as he said that, the entire Round Table Hall became noisy.

"Quiet!"

The Grand Guardian, who was the Knight Commander, immediately raised his voice, and invisible ripples spread, bringing the Round Table Hall back to silence.

"I'm fine now."

He nodded respectfully and sat down.

After this was set in motion, the newly appointed Minister of Trade rose somewhat uneasily and nervously. "Your Majesty, who are we wary of? Star Antimony or Iris? What are the chances of war? How long is it expected to last?"

"—Sir Griffiths, this is not a question you should be asking."

Isabel answered calmly, her tone very firm, even hostile.

She always remembered what Iver had said—to the ministers she could trust, she should nod in agreement to whatever they said and answer their questions directly; but for those who were unsure of their position but were questioning her or deliberately making things difficult for her, she should first push the topic back, and it was okay to be a little tough and show some hostility.

Then come back and tell Iver how they reacted when faced with these topics that were pushed back.

She may not understand politics, but Isabel is very good at acting.

If she doesn't yet know how to be a qualified Queen, then she can at least "play" the role of a Queen.

The new Minister of Trade, Griffiths, noticed Isabel's gaze and was immediately alarmed.

What a cold gaze it was—it seemed like a warning, an unquestionable light of authority. It was as if she were not meeting the art student Isabel, but her Grandmother Sofia.

No, she was even more assertive than Sofia!

Those emerald Grandmother eyes had the majesty of Lion King.

The Minister of Trade suddenly felt guilty... Although this matter was indeed somewhat related to him, he felt as if his heart had been seen through when he was being stared at.

Adding to this, the Grand Guardian was squinting at him, and the recent arrest of the Minister of the Navy and the execution of the Minister of the Navy two days prior... all of this made him break out in a cold sweat. He swallowed back all the words he was about to say and all the proposals he had mentally drafted.

"Does she really lack the talent for the Path of Authority?" The Minister of Trade wondered, then reluctantly apologized and sat down.

A brief silence fell over the Round Table Hall.

After that, the Minister of Royal Affairs Mycroft Hermes slowly rose and asked, "Your Majesty, should the Silver and Tin Palace recruit a new batch of palace staff?"

"Hermes, the decision is yours," Isabel replied without hesitation.

Following suit, the other ministers also spoke up. They temporarily suppressed their previous disdain and thoughts of making trouble, and instead asked about the important matters at hand.

"Your Majesty, Queen Sophia previously promised to allocate funds to the Ministry of Agriculture..."

"I'll consider it."

"Your Her Majesty the Queen, the list of students proposed by the Theocracy needs your final confirmation."

"Put it down for now, I'll look at it later."

"Your Majesty, it's like this... The Griffin Division is severely lacking in griffons. We haven't been able to provide frontline inspectors with griffons on time for a long time... You see..."

"There should be enough griffins. Figure it out yourself."

Bearing in mind all of Iver's demands, Isabel handled state affairs methodically, portraying herself as a dignified and meticulously shrewd Queen.

In the first Round Table Conference, which was attended by the Queen, the main responsibility was to specify the key policies for the future, and there were no proposals that required the knights to vote on.

As Isabel gradually got into the zone and her gaze became increasingly sharp, the Old Knight with ulterior motives exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions turning strange.

Finally, in an exceptionally harmonious and peaceful atmosphere, the first Round Table Conference came to an end.

"My lords, the Silver Crowned Dragon is watching Avalon."

The young Queen's calm speech now sounded like a threat.

None of the difficulties Isabel had imagined occurred—but instead of taking a breather there, she calmly closed her eyes, held her scepter, and waited for the knights to leave.

—But in reality, she was rapidly recalling the contents of the meeting and the attitudes of all the ministers. She would then have to relay these to Iver, and any misremembering could be fatal.

As the knights looked at each other, as if they wanted to say something but hesitated to do so...

Only the unnoticed, plump Minister Mycroft Hermes in the corner seemed to see through something, his hands tucked into his sleeves, a slight smile playing on his lips.

I'm not feeling well today, this is a two-in-one chapter, meow.