Chapter 25: Chapter 25: The new Arthur

    "Did you hear the rumor that the King is planning to raise our salary by 15%?" one knight said, leaning against his spear with a grin.

    "Really?" another knight replied, eyebrows lifting in surprise. "That''s great news! I''m not great at math, so I''m not sure exactly how much more I''d get, but a raise is always welcome. Are you sure, though? Rumors like this tend to be just rumors."

    "I''m pretty sure. The source is reliable," the first knight reassured him.

    "Well," a third knight chimed in, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "if this were a few months ago, I''d have dismissed it outright. But King Arthur Jr. has been different lately. Humble, proactive, and genuinely interested in improving our lives. Over the past three months, he''s shown us he''s serious about change. I''d say there''s a good chance the rumor is true."

    A fourth knight nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he''s been training with us almost every day. And not just as a formality—he''s putting in real effort. Plus, he treats us with respect now, like a real knight, not just expendable pawns like he used to."

    The first knight grinned slyly and suggested, "How about we make things interesting? Let''s bet on whether King Arthur will actually give us a raise."

    "I''m in," one of the knights replied enthusiastically. "I''ll bet that he will."

    Some skeptical knights crossed their arms and some frowned. "Why are you so confident he''d even consider a raise? Sure, he''s acted more like a proper king these past few months, but do you really think someone can change their personality so drastically?"

    "Then put your money where your mouth is," another knight said, a teasing edge in his voice. "If you think he won''t give us a raise, bet against it. Let''s see who''s right."

    The group erupted into laughter and spirited debate as the knights began to toss their bets into the pool, the room buzzing with anticipation about their king.

    ...

    In the king''s chamber, Arthur stood in front of the mirror, examining his reflection. He grabbed at his belly, squeezing the remaining fat with a thoughtful frown.

    I must have lost around 10 to 12 kilograms in these past three months, Arthur mused. It''s a shame this world doesn''t have a proper scale to confirm it. Still, I''ve come a long way—at least I can see my feet when I stand straight now. He smirked at the thought. Wouldn''t it be great if magic existed to just suck all this fat away?

    Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "You''re not entirely wrong, but there''s more to it. Chronos hasn''t attacked because they''re already engaged in a war with Elysia. Attacking us would stretch their resources further. But what happens if they win their war against Elysia? Do you think they''ll pass up the opportunity to conquer us and claim more wealth? I certainly don''t."

    Klein still seemed unsure. "So, what is your plan to defend against them, Your Majesty?"

    Arthur''s tone grew firm. "I''m not looking to wage war against Chronos—or anyone else, for that matter. Instead, I''m going to buy us time and resources. We''ll strengthen our military while Chronos and Elysia remain locked in conflict."

    "How do you plan to achieve that?" Klein asked, his confusion deepening.

    Arthur leaned forward. "I''ll use the tension between Chronos and Elysia to our advantage. The only reason Chronos helped defend us against Elysia in the past was to maintain the balance of power. If Elysia had taken Keldoria, it would have tilted the scales in their favor. I intend to exploit that fact. I''ll threaten Chronos with the possibility of allying with Elysia if they don''t renegotiate the terms of the agreement. If they refuse, we''ll side with Elysia."

    Klein''s jaw tightened. "But, Your Majesty, there''s a risk Elysia could betray us once their armies are within our borders."

    Arthur nodded. "It''s a risk I''ve considered, and I''ll take precautions to mitigate it. However Chronos will surely agree to negotiate, they won''t let their nation fall because of pride. No matter which side we choose, there''s always the possibility they''ll turn on us once their primary war is over. That''s why it''s essential to use this time to bolster our defenses and improve our resources instead of giving it away. If we sit idly and comply with Chronos, they''ll likely come for us once their war ends. I refuse to let Keldoria remain vulnerable. So join me Klein"

    Klein shook his head, his voice filled with regret. "Before that please punish this unfaithful knight who has given up on Keldoria. I knew that once the war between Elysia and Chronos ended, one of them would inevitably turn their sights on us. But I couldn''t see a way out, and in my despair, I abandoned hope for this kingdom."

    Arthur smiled warmly. "Your doubts are understandable, Klein. Now that you found hope, don''t ever give up on Keldoria again."

    He straightened, his resolve hardening as he continued, " Thank you, Your Highness. Your determination and vision have reignited a fire within me. I am deeply sorry for my weakness, Your Majesty. Since you have not given up, neither will I. I swear to serve this kingdom with all my strength and to fight for its survival until my final breath."

    Arthur nodded showing his approval.

    Klein asked, "Your Majesty, what will you do about the people who assigned Odette to assassinate you? It''s been three months. I think we should take action since they tried to kill you."

    Arthur thought to himself, I assigned only Klein to interrogate her to prevent anyone else from discovering my anti-magic abilities. After the interrogation, Klein eliminated her as instructed. He then traced her back to uncover solid evidence of who sent her. However, I ordered him to publicly announce that he found nothing and to keep the real information hidden.

    "It''s still too early," Arthur replied. "I don''t want unnecessary conflict within my region just yet. I''m also waiting for Duke Richard Luke to finish defending against Elysia. Once Elysia''s troops retreat, I''ll summon Duke Richard and deal with them properly. For now, gather all the mages and knights in the palace—I need to deliver a speech to inspire them before I announce and implement Project Stabilization."