Training Plan

King Arthur's worries were destined to be misunderstood by the Knights of the Round Table. Even Bedivere, one of his closest confidants, found it difficult to understand his king.

That was only natural, for not everyone possessed the ability to see through the future.

At this time, the Kingdom of Camelot was in an unprecedented period of strength and growth. During the reign of the previous king, Uther, the monarch had merely borne the title of King of All England. Yet after Arthur became king, he ruled over all Britannia as King of Britannia—a feat that even the Roman Empire had never accomplished in Britain.

England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland had, for the first time in history, been united into a single kingdom.

Although there were still many rulers across Britannia who bore the title of king, they had all submitted to the authority of Arthur, the High King, and recognized him as their sovereign.

In Camelot's official documents, however, all these kings were uniformly referred to as dukes. Britannia had only one king, and that was Arthur.

Through unceasing campaigns north and south, King Arthur had built an incomparably powerful nation, consolidating his throne and authority through victory after victory.

The Knights of the Round Table led by King Arthur had once fought the Roman Empire and defeated the Roman Emperor, earning fame throughout Europe. They had also won their war against the Saxons. As long as they could establish a stable system of succession, the ideal realm built by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table could endure.

Yes, in Bedivere's eyes, Camelot's greatest enemy was neither the Western Roman Empire, which had already fallen to barbarian invasions, nor the invading Saxons. The only thing that could truly harm Camelot was the king's lack of an heir.

"Prince Gawain may not be as outstanding as you. After all, there has only ever been one Arthur in all of Britannia's history. But even Gawain, with merely ordinary talents, could become a good king if he received guidance from the Knights of the Round Table.

"There will be bards from France at today's New Year's banquet. Chancellor Kay has already arranged the performance. Its theme will be the story of Alexander the Great—King Philip and his son Alexander."

Sir Bedivere was not a forceful man by nature. If the matter of royal succession had not been so crucial, he would never have contradicted the king. Still, he felt obligated to offer his counsel.

In this age, as long as one possessed the skills to kill enemies on the battlefield and had mastered the spear, sword, bow, and horsemanship, one was considered highly educated.

Yet the knights, especially the high-ranking Knights of the Round Table, all understood that once an ordinary knight became a noble and acquired land, cultural education became indispensable. King Arthur relied on them to govern the realm.

Thus, at Merlin's suggestion, with King Arthur's support and Chancellor Kay's organization, the court held several grand performances each month based on Greater Rome.

History could serve as a mirror, revealing the rise and fall of nations. Lessons could be drawn from the past.

The poems and plays concerning Rome mainly drew upon the histories and epic tales of Ancient Greece, Troy, and Ancient Rome. Naturally, they included the story of Alexander the Great.

Alexander's greatest achievement was unifying Greece and, through his eastern campaigns, establishing the Macedonian Empire across Europe, Asia, and Africa. The world hailed him as the King of Conquerors.

Yet even such a mighty Macedonian Empire had been no more than a fleeting splendor.

Although Alexander's father, King Philip of Macedon, had died young and his achievements did not compare to his son's, he left Alexander a powerful and tightly organized kingdom, an undefeated army, and many ministers loyal to the crown. This allowed Alexander to assume royal power smoothly upon reaching adulthood.

But when Alexander died, he had no heir. His generals began fighting among themselves, and the Macedonian Empire fell into civil strife. Twenty years of war not only destroyed Alexander's empire, but also caused Alexander's mother, brothers, wife, and unborn child to die untimely deaths. The Kingdom of Macedon, which had endured for centuries, perished just like that.

In the past, listening to the bards' tales could not help but make one sigh. But when one thought of how both kingdoms had lacked heirs, it was difficult not to worry that Camelot would follow Macedon's path.

Britannia had an old proverb: a donkey never stumbled twice in the same place.

"Arthur! A story is merely narrative magic. It is not strength that gives one courage; it is courage that gives one strength. In the past, Britannia was filled with bandits. They possessed strength over the common people and used it to tyrannize them, but could one say they possessed courage?"

Merlin interrupted King Arthur and Bedivere's conversation and slowly said, "You misunderstand the concept of courage, and you have twisted the true meaning of strength. A true warrior is like your foster father, Sir Ector. Even old and bedridden, when facing such villains, he still had the courage to rise and draw his sword. It had nothing to do with whether he possessed strength. If courage only comes with strength, then it is merely gilded. When danger arrives, it will become fire and melt that gold leaf away completely.

"Do you believe Gawain possesses the fearless courage to protect the people and defend the entire kingdom and the Church?"

Merlin's question left Arthur silent. Perhaps his understanding of strength had indeed been flawed, but he did not wish to admit that he had also misunderstood courage.

King Arthur looked at his Excalibur. He could already sense it: if he were to return his sword to the stone, Gawain did not possess the conviction to draw it out.

Everyone in Camelot believed that King Arthur had been able to draw the sword from the stone because of his strength, because he had been chosen by the gods. In truth, it was a divine sword that could only be drawn by someone with the conviction to sacrifice himself to save the nation.

"No," King Arthur answered helplessly. That was the true reason he believed Gawain was unfit for the throne.

"Then if Gawain's mother and you were in danger, would Gawain have the courage to fight dragons and giants for his family?"

"This...?"

King Arthur froze. A person might not have the courage to sacrifice himself to save the world, but most people had the courage to fight enemies for their families, even if that courage arose from necessity.

"You have sat upon the throne for too long. You have come to regard the valor of knights as something only natural. In truth, everyone possesses courage equal to that of the Knights of the Round Table. There is no difference between them. Knights protecting the people and aiding the weak against the strong is only proper, but ordinary people are different. They too possess courage, but it needs to be awakened and guided."

"I have a plan. It is called the Gawain Education Plan. In order to train him into a qualified heir to the throne, we must put him through a trial."