From the moment trade began, so too did the circulation of Red Dragon banknotes.
In Rome's most prosperous cities, the sudden surge was further amplified by the ever-popular casinos—whose mastermind happened to be a certain charm-specialized individual. Their influence spread like wildfire, intensifying both the utility and reach of Camelot's paper money.
Currency is not just an economic tool—it is the symbol of a nation's strength and credibility. And whether it was the Camelot of old or the present-day British dynasty, they had proven themselves trustworthy enough to absorb any volume of wealth flowing back home.
Now, Red Dragon banknotes were on the verge of becoming the mainstream currency of Rome.
A complete empire… with its citizens using another country's money.
This meant that at any moment, Britain could shake the very foundation of Rome.
Artoria could hardly believe what she was seeing—Romans using Camelot's paper currency so casually, as if it were their own.
The girl understood what this meant.
If Arthur was given enough time, perhaps Rome would fall without a single sword drawn—just like how the old kings of Britain had surrendered one by one.
To dismantle a nation not by war, but by economics…
It was exactly the kind of warfare Arthur excelled at.
"Hey! Are you going to sell it or not?! You've already taken my money—let go already!"
A flustered Roman man tugged at the merchandise in Artoria's hands.
One reason he was so red-faced was that, despite being a grown man, he couldn't wrest the item away from a petite, weak-looking girl.
The other reason?
He had been obsessed with this particular sculpture for months.
Carvings like this were beloved across all Roman territories, but this batch—brought by the British caravan—was unlike anything before.
If the previous statues were art, these were masterpieces.
So adorable!
Faced with true treasures, Roman men had no choice but to abandon dignity.
"Wuu~" Artoria let out a reluctant wail. "I… I'll give it to you, just be gentle. Don't break it…"
Even though she had taken his money, she still seemed more worried about the sculpture than the buyer.
She finally let go.
Unfortunately, the Roman man instantly lost his balance, stumbled backward, and crashed to the ground—clutching the statue tightly.
Thankfully, the piece was undamaged.
Artoria let out a breath of relief—but then her eyes immediately locked on the man's hands with a look of pure distress.
"...!"
That look.
The man flinched.
Terrified that the terrifying British girl was about to steal it back, he bolted like his life depended on it.
British girls are way too scary!
"Artoria, you can't keep doing that," Merry said, exasperated. "Your expression is terrifying."
"But… but…" Artoria clutched another statue, her face a picture of heartbreak.
Of course Merry understood exactly how she felt!
She didn't want to sell them either!
Why did they have to drag these precious statues of their king all the way to Rome and sell them to uncultured Roman barbarians who didn't know how to appreciate true beauty?!
If it were in Britain, even the most ordinary peasant would treat these statues as holy relics.
Selling them?
Blasphemy.
But this—this—was an order.
An order issued in Arthur's name. By Merlin himself.
It had been going on for years.
Look at the other soldiers disguised as merchants—their eyes were hollow, their expressions dead.
That's the look of someone who has lost all hope.
Artoria finally understood why those men whipped the slaves so hard last night.
It was revenge!
"Woo, woo… I understand how you feel." Merry looked equally crushed. "But this is all to ease our king's burden."
She sighed and looked up at the Roman city around them.
"In this era, both Britain and Rome are… special. Rome, especially. From the beginning, they worshipped their emperors as gods. That's why each emperor holds terrifying divine authority."
The ability they wielded was known as Imperial Privilege.
Capricious, unreasonable, powerful.
Even Merry—who mocked everything—had to admit she couldn't belittle this power.
Imperial Privilege allowed the emperor to be strengthened to absurd levels within Roman territory.
It was as if the sun's love for Gawain had been distilled into law.
That's how Rome designed its empire: by making their ruler the very embodiment of power.
And by all accounts, Lucius—the current Sword Emperor—had the most aggressive and war-oriented form of all Roman emperors.
"Come to think of it, it's similar to how we Britons empower our king and the Knights of the Round Table," Merry mused. "But the Roman method is more direct."
She straightened proudly, her mood slightly lifted.
After all, she had done her part.
The flower magician's magic covered the entire British Isles—gathering faith and belief to strengthen Camelot's soul. You could even say…
It was magic that transcended time.
Yes, this was her power.
Even if she'd only contributed a portion, it mattered.
"So, even if the mechanisms are different, the foundation is the same. If we can distort or weaken the Sword Emperor's 'form,' it will reduce his power on the battlefield—even slightly. That's our goal."
"But teacher, I still don't understand—"
Artoria was practically in tears.
Even if this was all to spread admiration for her beloved Arthur—even if it would help build his legend across nations—there was one thing she could not accept.
"Why do we have to use my collection as display items?!" she cried. "If someone buys them, how will I ever get them back?!"
The desperation in her voice made Merry twitch.
At the top of the display stand—front and center—was the Arthur sculpture. One of Artoria's most prized possessions.
It had been handcrafted by Manaka, Merry, and Morgan. It captured Arthur's gentle smile so perfectly that even high-ranking nobles in Britain couldn't get one.
Even with all her connections, Artoria had to beg Morgan for months to get it.
If someone bought it…
Artoria would absolutely kill Merry.
No mercy. No hesitation.
Her fierce stare made that crystal clear.
"Don't worry, don't worry!" Merry laughed nervously. "We'll set the price super high! No one's gonna buy it. And if they try—just say it's not for sale! Besides… who said I don't have one? I made it."
Two words:
Shameless woman!
But then—
"Wow~ I didn't expect to find such treasures on this little trip."
A red-haired man strolled over, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"These are far better than anything in my collection. Excellent. I'll take all of them. And while we're at it… let's put in an order for a thousand more."
"······"
...
...
DAMN YOU, MERRY!!!
-End Chapter-
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