CK Simulation, Creating the Style of Tsukino Fumi

Page 37

[You watch as Morgan's smile widens, choosing not to tell her the truth, letting it all be Mordred's doing, so she can enjoy the moment longer. But you know that ultimately, Morgan will have to accept reality and acknowledge that the mystery's dissipation was an inevitable outcome.]

Before that, you decide to let this beautiful moment last a little longer; to do that, you must first defeat Voodoo.

You began spreading the word that you were sending people to Germania to gather information about the Saxons. Soon, you learned the information you wanted. Perhaps because of your great fame, the Saxons were filled with fear of you. They felt that Britain was no longer the best target for invasion, so they changed their target and began to attack the Roman Empire. As for Vortigern…

Vortigern was currently deep in the Germanic region, neither continuing to rally the Saxons into an army nor launching any further counterattacks against Britain. According to the last person fortunate enough to see Vortigern still alive, he had inexplicably aged considerably, completely lacking the imposing presence he had displayed when he ignited the civil war, and instead resembling a frail old man past sixty.

You fell silent. In your memory, Vortigern, though not a great king, was not an opponent you could easily contend with. He was a monster who had drunk dragon's blood, making himself almost one with the island of Britain. In this era at the end of the Age of Gods, he was one of the few opponents who required the combined might of King Arthur and Gawain, both fully equipped, to fight against him, and ultimately, the Holy Lance was needed to defeat him.

[But according to the information you've received... Vortigern seems to have lost his power. You're unsure if this information is true, but that won't prevent you from making your next decision.]

[You plan to spend this winter and then launch an expedition to Germania together with the King of France after the spring planting season ends. Since Vortigern doesn't intend to come to you, then go to him and fulfill your agreement with the King of France.]

Your heir, Mordred, has shown great interest in your decision and has expressed her desire to accompany you.

Chapter 71 This game had an amazing start.JPG

Mordred is intrigued; she is particularly interested in everything related to you. She openly states that she wants to be your most favored offspring and therefore wishes to accompany you to Germania to fight Vortigern in the future.

[You had no reason to refuse, because your planned expedition was after the spring planting next year, giving Mordred plenty of time to grow. Moreover, you intended to take your entire force on this expedition, ensuring its safety and stability. Therefore, you agreed to her request.]

To avoid disappointing you, Mordred showed exceptionally proactive learning behavior. Over the next six months, she completely became your little follower. Whether you were working or resting, Mordred always followed behind you, watching your every move. This overly clingy behavior, unlike your other children, made you feel somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of ​​raising a child for the first time.

You tried asking Mordred why she always followed you, but when she answered that she was learning from you, you were speechless.

[Because this is perfectly normal; children learning from their parents is a biological instinct. From this perspective, Mordred's behavior is not problematic. On the contrary, children like Gawain and Agravain, who are almost born well-behaved and obedient, seem somewhat extraordinary.]

If you feel uncomfortable with Mordred's learning behavior, then Morgan, Mordred's biological mother who originally had high expectations for her, now looks at Mordred with a hint of annoyance. This is because Mordred's unusually clingy behavior has greatly reduced her private time with you. Since Mordred's birth, she has rarely had any intimate time with you in private.

Before this, she had always thought that all children, like Gawain, Agrave, Gareth, and Gahoris, should enjoy being with their parents when they were young, but without disrupting their parents' lives. Now, she suddenly understood her father, because she herself was only slightly more independent than Mordred when she was young, but most of the time she still liked to stick close to her parents.

If Morgan hadn't wanted to become like her father, she probably would have followed his example and ordered Mordred to stay away from her and Quinn, forcing her to live alone in the tower. Instead, she's now forced to suppress her urge to beat her daughter as she watches Mordred, who's even more attached to Quinn than she is.

[In contrast to Morgan's impatience, Artoria was delighted. She rarely had the chance to be intimate with Quinn, so Mordred's influence on her was almost zero. In this situation, seeing Morgan, who usually monopolized Quinn, get his comeuppance was an extremely rare treat for Artoria.]

However, soon, Artoria also found herself unable to laugh anymore.

As time passed and Mordred grew older, her learning ability became increasingly outstanding. Relying on the exceptional blood of the red dragon within her, Mordred displayed a talent in martial arts that surpassed the vast majority of the Knights of the Round Table. Soon, only Gawain and Lancelot remained among the Knights of the Round Table who could suppress her in combat, while Tristan was barely on par with her.

If she were merely exceptional in martial arts, that would be one thing. However, after honing her martial skills, Mordred also demonstrated political acumen that was almost comparable to Agravan's. She skillfully used her status and prestige to resolve various affairs within the court. However, because she disliked handling paperwork, her methods often appeared simplistic and crude.

Even so, compared to other rulers of this era, Mordred has clearly demonstrated a ruling talent far surpassing Artoria's own, and even that of many monarchs. At least, in Artoria's view, the only one who can truly overpower Mordred is you.

From a national perspective, this is clearly good news, indicating that you, as the founding emperor, have nurtured a...

Chapter 82

A heir capable of inheriting the family fortune, but in Artoria's eyes, this was already a huge threat to her position, because...

At Mordred's current rate of development, it won't be long before the person standing beside you will no longer be her, but Mordred, her blood-related offspring.

The worry that her daughter might surpass her own talent weighs heavily on Artoria's mind, but for you, it's all good news. Mordred's growth symbolizes the stability of your empire. Perhaps, contrary to your expectations, Mordred is the heir who will ensure the empire's continued existence.

Please don't.

If this country is truly sustainable, wouldn't I be hunted down to death by the Counter Force? And... System, how do you think she can make the country sustainable?

Quinn looked at the simulation prompts in front of him, then at Mordred, who was sitting in his place at the government office desk, baring her teeth at a pile of documents as if she had seen some dangerous object, and thought that there was something wrong with the simulator's judgment.

After all, the system is indeed highly effective, provides a lot of resources, and is very generous, but as for reliability...

Quinn had never seen a reliable simulator system. Although there are always exceptions in this world, after reading so many simulator novels, he did not think he was one of those exceptions. Otherwise, according to the normal routine, he would have a system of his own, so why would he be targeted by something like the Counter Force?

[You still feel Mordred isn't quite up to the task, so you decide to strengthen your heir. Therefore, you consciously arrange for her to interact with various vassal nobles within your empire, teaching her how to read people and discern human nature. Unlike Morgan, who possesses a natural fairy eye that can detect lies, you don't want her to be deceived in the future. Meanwhile...]

[You are also consciously teaching her how to use her power more efficiently. So, you have given her a task: to send Mordred to the territories of other nobles so that these nobles, who were originally just your vassals, can learn Camelot's cabinet system.]

Yes, you are attempting to centralize power, and on a large scale, to completely consolidate the "autonomy" that was originally scattered among various nobles into the hands of the Imperial Cabinet. In this way, even if you are no longer the emperor, your successor can achieve stable rule over the entire empire through the Imperial Cabinet.

Mordred was excited to receive your task, but instead of immediately turning to work, she made a request of you.

She wanted temporary control of the "Pacifiers".

You acquiesced, and then you watched Mordred casually take the order you gave her and begin to flaunt it around the court, as if she had received a great toy and wanted to share her joy with others. But you knew that your heir already had a third of your flair.

As you predicted, at the end of this year, when winter snow once again covered the earth, Mordred completed your task. Within Britannia, the number of noble fiefdoms outside your jurisdiction decreased by one-fifth, replaced by vast areas of autonomous cities. The mayors of these cities are the nobles who once ruled these lands, but... the appointment of all officials within the cities requires the approval of the Imperial Cabinet.

You are exceptionally pleased with Mordred. You know, Mordred is now essentially one step away from becoming a formal Crown Prince of the Empire.

[Establish martial arts skills]

You began more frequent correspondence with the King of France and the Pope of the Catholic Church, and you started to discuss detailed plans for conquering Germania. Subsequently, you jointly announced, in the name of God, a call for all Catholic countries to launch a "holy war" against the entire Germania region.

Chapter 72 Daughters Always Resemble Their Fathers

From Britain to the Iberian Peninsula, from Brittany to Hungary, news of the impending holy war spread like wildfire along with the Pope's letters. Almost all Catholics, upon hearing the news, began preparing their armor and swords and rushing to Paris, the rumored meeting point of the holy war.

Choosing Paris as the assembly point for the army was naturally Quinn's idea.

Therefore, the first army to arrive in Paris was Quinn's own private army, accompanied by Artoria and most of the Knights of the Round Table. Apart from Agravure and Hector, who were required to stay behind to guard their home, almost all the Knights of the Round Table participated in this holy war, especially Lancelot, who was particularly enthusiastic about it.

This was exactly what Quinn wanted to see. He wanted to use this battle to extinguish the signs of the Anglo-Saxon rise and make Germania a vassal state of his empire. As for why he chose Paris as the assembly point for his army...

Naturally, this was to negotiate with the King of Germany on how to divide the Germania region.

[You must also remember the agreement you signed with the King of France. Before starting the holy war, you persuaded the King of France through letters to agree to first launch an expedition to the Germania region. Your reason was that the holy war could help you recruit a large army that you couldn't raise under normal circumstances. Many people who were unwilling to respond to the king's call were willing to respond to God's call. Therefore, as long as the holy war started, the King of France would essentially have a much larger army temporarily.]

[In this era, many people who were unwilling to respond to the king's call were willing to respond to God's call. Therefore, recruiting soldiers under the guise of holy war, and then continuing to conquer the Frankish region as soon as the holy war ended, was the explanation you gave to the French king. This explanation was actually very far-fetched, but your accumulated reputation was enough to make the French king think that his problem with this explanation was his own problem, not yours.]

[Therefore, the French king focused on how to divide the Germania region afterward. In his view, this holy war was enough to destroy all the infidels in Germania, provided, of course, that the Romans did not interfere.]

[You remain unperturbed by the King's concerns, because the letter Lucius sent you recently has already explained that the Romans are currently not interested in managing Gaul. They are clearly more focused on the Middle East, which is more likely to generate economic benefits for the Roman Empire. Given the resilience of the Middle Eastern people, Emperor Lucius will likely be stuck in the Middle East for at least a year or two, unable to deal with the situation in Gaul.]

[But you still need to reassure the King of France. So you tell him that the Romans will not get involved in this matter, because what the Romans want to see is Gaul and Germania in chaos, watching them fight the Saxons. The reason is simple: both they and the Saxons are enemies of the Romans, and every major battle between their enemies is something the Romans want to see.]

This argument is actually untenable from a national perspective, because a vast, unified empire is always more dangerous than numerous scattered small tribes. However, for the French king, who had only recently gained independence from the status of a province under the Roman Empire, this was not a plausible reason, but rather one of the core theories supporting his initial alliance with Quinn.

The King of France was genuinely afraid of the Romans. After all, unlike Britain, which was separated from continental Europe by the sea, France lived right next to Rome. If the Romans made any move, France would be the first to be attacked.

The King of France asked you for a solution, and you gave an answer that was extremely advantageous to you—take the Saxons as vassals, use the barbarians as a moat, Britain would take Upper Germania, and France would take Germania. In this way, if the Romans wanted to attack France, they would have to conquer Lower Germania first.

The King was extremely satisfied with this plan, and the two of you hit it off immediately. You have already seen the prospect of France also submitting to your empire. After all, the King is not you, and France is not the Holy Britannian Empire you established, so they cannot benefit from the Golden Age bonus.

While you and the Dharma King were exchanging toasts and discussing specific battle plans...

Chapter 83

Your offspring Mordred is already getting restless.

Looking at the Catholics who had recently flocked to Paris from all over Europe, carrying their own provisions and weapons, she realized that now was an excellent opportunity. The scale of this operation was so large that spies of any skill level could easily obtain information about the Crusaders' movements. If she were to seize this opportunity and lead an army to raid the Saxons' stronghold, she might be able to capture Vortigern on the spot.

So she approached her elder brother, Gao Wen, and began relentlessly pursuing him, trying to extract some power from him.

Yes, this time your army commander is not Artoria, but Gawain. Since the founding of the British Empire, Artoria is no longer a queen who can be bossed around, but a prince under you, the emperor. The territory of the Camelot dynasty has also expanded from a small area to the whole of England. Therefore, the position of King of Camelot is particularly awkward.

Theoretically speaking, the title of Emperor of Britain is an upgraded version of the King of England, which in this context would be equivalent to the promotion of King Camelot. Legally, the rightful emperor should be Artoria, but fortunately, you two have a tacit understanding on this matter, treating Camelot as if he were England. Artoria is willing to be the head of your largest warlord, and you are willing to have Artoria by your side as a queen of equal rank.

Under this delicate balance, you also made concessions regarding the power of the army, deciding not to manage it yourself. This can be seen as a transition to nurture the next generation. Therefore, Gawain became the commander of the army. He had experience fighting alongside you in many campaigns, and as the emperor's eldest son and a Knight of the Round Table, his abilities and prestige were enough to command respect.

Unfortunately, you've all forgotten one thing: while Gawain is indeed reliable under normal circumstances, he's exceptionally forgiving towards his siblings. Therefore, he gave in to Mordred's persistent pleading.

Gawain did not directly grant Mordred an army, but he gave her the power to recruit and march troops on her own, which was enough for Mordred. After obtaining this power, your heir came to the outskirts of Paris and began to proclaim her identity, recruiting armed monks and knights who had spontaneously come from all over Europe to join the army.

[Using your status as her offspring, Mordred summoned a mobile force of several hundred men, and then you received her good news.]

[Just as you finished your long political tug-of-war with the King of France and were leaving the Parisian court to return to your military camp for a brief, intimate rendezvous with Artoria, you saw Artoria rushing towards you, looking pale and with a grim face beside her.]

"Quinn, something's happened! Mordred has led eight hundred crusaders on horseback into Saxon territory without permission!" Artoria was extremely anxious, as if she had lost her golden retriever and was frantically trying to find it. "She left a letter saying she was going to burn the enemy's fields. Who taught her that? How dare she venture so deep into Saxon territory with so few men?!"

Quinn remained silent after hearing this.

Yes, who is it? Who dares to lead hundreds of people to burn land back and forth in the Saxon homeland?

Then... it definitely wasn't me...

The author says:

Author's note: P.S.: Sorry, I suddenly fell asleep in front of the computer last night.

Chapter Seventy-Three: The Holy War Begins!

Seeing that Artoria was anxious because of Mordred's unauthorized actions, Quinn, who was originally about to lose his composure, finally made the decision to arrange for people to bring Mordred back. However, Quinn was not worried about Mordred's safety, unlike Artoria.

Because Mordred is not some helpless little girl. Although she may seem to be leading eight hundred unknown soldiers deep into enemy territory, she is actually a Gundam with eight hundred cheerleaders.

As one of the most skilled Knights of the Round Table, second only to Gawain and Lancelot, Mordred naturally possessed weapons worthy of her. The King's Sword, Clarent, which was reforged by Morgan from the broken King's Sword at Quinn's suggestion, had already been given to Mordred by Quinn. In addition, Mordred also carried another treasure.

The scabbard of the sword in the lake.

To ensure the safety of his heir, Quinn had a rather complicated attitude toward the scabbard, which had no effect on him but could protect the user from any attacks. On the one hand, he felt it was a priceless item worth carrying with him, but on the other hand, considering that it had no effect on him, Quinn felt that the item was somewhat of a "useless but not worth discarding" item.

Ultimately, after Mordred was born, he gave Mordred the scabbard, while the sword in the lake itself was naturally carried by him.

In other words, even if Mordred were to venture deep behind enemy lines and run head-on into Vortigern, and Vortigern still retained his former strength, he would not be able to harm Mordred, who possessed a scabbard. Although Mordred was unlikely to defeat the dragon, escaping would certainly not be a problem.

Furthermore, thanks to his own tutelage, Mordred is no longer a stubborn brat. He understands the essence of keeping a record of grudges when he can't win a fight, and waiting for revenge in the future. Therefore, Quinn is not worried at all about Mordred's life being in danger.

You believe Mordred is not in any danger, but considering the feelings of those around you, you still send your most trusted knight to search for her.

Lancelot accepted your mission and led 500 purgatory knights to Germania to search for Mordred's whereabouts, while you and Artoria remained in Paris awaiting the Crusaders' assembly. Gawain, feeling guilty for his mistake, began frantically preparing war plans, hoping to make amends for his dereliction of duty.

After learning of this, the Dharma King began to comfort you and also dispatched people to search for Mordred. He hoped that you would not delay the progress of the entire holy war because of your son's momentary actions.

Perhaps because people of this era value their descendants, everyone seemed to expect you to go to great lengths to find Mordred. However, when they saw you continuing your usual routine, they became puzzled, wondering why your daughter had ventured deep into enemy territory with only a small group of people, yet you remained completely unperturbed.

They quickly understood why.

On the third day after Mordred's unauthorized actions, Lancelot returned to Paris with a strange expression, bringing news that Mordred was sweeping through the Saxon tribes of Lower Germania.

Mordred completely imitated what you did for Morgan. She led highly mobile troops back and forth between various Saxon settlements, relentlessly destroying enemy fields and houses. Moreover, unlike you, she didn't need to carry provisions; she simply employed scorched earth tactics, focusing solely on disrupting the Saxon logistics.

[In just three days, by the time Lancelot found Mordred, she had destroyed eight Saxon supply settlements, prompting a large Saxon force to search for her. Moreover, when Lancelot asked her to return to Paris, Mordred actually produced a dispatch order signed by you, demanding that Lancelot also give her the right to command the Caliber Knights, and ordering Lancelot to return to Paris to report her achievements to you.]

Faced with that dispatch order, Lancelot was helpless, for it was indeed a document you had personally signed, authorizing the dispatch of the "Pacifier Knights."

Looking at the dispatch order Lancelot brought back and the letter Mordred had handwritten, you were momentarily speechless. You had forgotten about this; this was a dispatch order you had specifically issued to Mordred when you needed to centralize power. Theoretically, it did indeed grant her the authority to command the Righteous Knights to fight for her. As for Lancelot…

Mordred has not yet given orders to...

Chapter 84

This is Lancelot's authority as a Knight of the Round Table, but Lancelot's jurisdiction is over the Chastising Knights. Therefore, theoretically, Mordred could indeed have Lancelot do some things for him.