Under Modred's leadership, the human army quickly routed the enemy. As for the follow-up cleanup, Modred didn't need to be involved.
After leading her knights back to the human army's camp, Modred returned to her tent in high spirits.
However, when she lifted the tent flap, she found someone already inside. Her first reaction was to reach for the hilt of her sword, but in the next second, she recognized who it was.
"Oh, you startled me showing up like that."
Modred wasn't alone when she entered the tent. Her most trusted aide, Galahad, and several others followed behind her.
Except for Galahad, none of them recognized Ethan. Seeing a stranger suddenly appear, their first instinct was to draw their weapons and call for the royal guards.
However, Galahad raised a hand to stop them. Judging by their reaction, Galahad clearly held a high position. When he signaled that there was no need to panic and that this was an acquaintance, no one objected or insisted on summoning the guards. At most, they looked at Ethan with curiosity, silently guessing his identity.
Ethan glanced around at the people in the tent. He wasn't very familiar with this world, and among those present, the only one he could identify was Daenerys Targaryen, the Dragon Mother. She was easy to spot.
With her small frame, platinum-blonde hair, and plain robe, she stood out among the group of armored men.
However, Ethan only gave her a quick glance. In his eyes, the so-called Dragon Mother was just an ordinary person. As for the three fire dragons? Ethan had fused with the bloodline of a high-level dragon. If he wanted, he could suppress the three young ones with just his presence.
But he wasn't so bored, and he didn't come for the Dragon Mother or the fire dragons. His attention was focused on Modred. Though her appearance and figure hadn't changed, her presence had transformed. Compared to Arthur, she was still more unruly, but she now exuded the clear aura of a ruler.
"Looks like you've done pretty well."
"Of course!"
Modred was proud of her achievements. She had not only quickly assembled her first army using the most efficient method (brute force) but had also swept across and occupied a region to establish her base.
Then, with Galahad's help, she significantly boosted her army's combat capabilities.
While other factions were still busy scheming and playing politics, Modred had already built a powerful military through straightforward, brutal means and started the direct and forceful unification of the continent.
At that time, Daenerys had only just hatched her three dragons and hadn't yet stepped onto the stage of destiny, when Modred had already taken over the entire performance.
Of course, as an "important character," Daenerys wasn't written out. Modred had taken an interest in the three fire dragons she controlled. These dragons were formidable weapons on this continent, so Daenerys, as the one who could hatch and command them, couldn't be ignored.
Modred gave her two choices: surrender, or die.
Daenerys didn't want to die, so she chose to surrender. She became one of Modred's core military assets. With Modred's knight order, artillery corps, and aerial dragon strikes, the last resistance forces on the continent soon collapsed.
At that point, Modred shifted her focus to the White Walkers in the north. As for the wildlings beyond the Wall? They were just a bonus to deal with.
"So, I've completed this trial?"
As Modred described what she had done, Galahad filled in the details and handed something to Ethan. It was a detailed video log that recorded nearly everything important Modred had done since arriving in this world. Of course, Galahad hadn't bothered recording her daily routine.
With the footage and Galahad's commentary, Ethan quickly gained a comprehensive understanding of what Modred had accomplished.
This was also reflected in the group around them. They didn't know who Ethan was, but they could see that their king held him in extremely high regard.
More importantly, the mysterious methods he used seemed supernatural to them.
Unfortunately, neither their revered King nor the gracious Lord Galahad intended to offer any explanation. All they could do was stand awkwardly in silence until this mysterious man named Ethan finally nodded in satisfaction and said something like, "The test is over. Are you ready to return now?" Only then did the entire group react with alarm.
Was he serious? How could their king just leave with a stranger? If she disappeared, what would happen to this newly established Britain?
Some of the more agitated ones even wanted to summon the guards to arrest the intruder or cut him down, just to prevent him from continuing to deceive their king.
As for the king choosing to leave?
Impossible. Their king wouldn't abandon her country and people. That didn't make sense. Maybe this man had used some strange method to confuse her. Yes, that must be it!
Where are the guards? Kill him!
Unfortunately for them, their opposition meant nothing. Ethan didn't even acknowledge them. No matter how loudly they objected, he only needed to lift a finger to suppress the few overly emotional ones who were about to charge at him with weapons drawn.
For Modred's sake, he didn't hold it against them.
Modred watched as her subordinates panicked. She understood their reactions. Part of it came from loyalty, but more of it was due to their own interests. With Modred in power, their positions were secure.
If she left, whether or not this new empire collapsed, there would definitely be a reshuffling of power. They might lose everything they had just gained.
To protect those gains, they naturally wouldn't want her to go.
After living in this world for years, Modred was already used to this kind of thing.
Compared to their desperate pleas, she was far more eager to return to the Artemis and begin the next trial.
After ten years as a ruler, she had come to understand what her father, King Arthur, had intended by sending her onto the ship in the first place. As she grew older, she had also gradually matured.
Even though she still looked very young and sometimes displayed her usual wild and energetic personality, it didn't mean she lacked the qualities of a king.
She understood what needed to be understood. Years of training had taught her how to be a proper ruler. She knew what she could and couldn't do. She figured that after a few more trials, Ethan would send her back.
Compared to inheriting the massive empire her father had built with his own hands, this country, which existed purely to train her, wasn't that important.
As for any capable subordinates she might bring with her? Besides Daenerys, the rest were mediocre at best. One could only say they didn't drag her down.
Having grown up on Ethan's ship since childhood, Modred's way of thinking was more like Ethan's modern mindset. She saw the people of this world as backward and ignorant, often finding them frustrating because they couldn't understand her intentions properly.
If it weren't for Galahad, her reliable assistant, she might have been driven mad by her own followers.
That was why she didn't consider bringing any of them back. If she wanted to build her own team, she would return to the Artemis and recruit people specifically, just like Ethan had done.
"In that case, let's go."
Ethan didn't waste time. He asked Galahad and Modred if there was anything they had forgotten. After confirming there wasn't, he took them both and left that world, leaving behind a mess. But what did that have to do with Ethan?
"Ah~ it feels great to be back! Living in that backwards place for so long, I almost forgot how convenient modern equipment is."
The worst part had been the lack of toilet paper. It had driven Modred mad and even forced her to develop some basic daily-use magic, which inadvertently helped improve her fine control over magic power.
"Cough cough!"
Seeing Modred sprawled out like she was dying, sighing in comfort and saying things like "Let me rest a little longer," Galahad habitually reminded her to watch her behavior.
Modred waved him off.
"We're back now. You don't need to keep reminding me to maintain my image as a king."
Besides, Modred's dignity had never come from appearances. It was backed by her terrifying strength. Anyone who doubted her would get blasted to dust by her magic cannon.
"Sounds like you really hated that ancient setting."
"Yeah, everything was inconvenient... especially hygiene. It was awful."
Just thinking about it made her uncomfortable.
The world Modred was born into, thanks to Ethan's influence, wasn't like ancient Europe. She had never lived in such unsanitary conditions before.
So the first order she gave after gaining territory was to strictly regulate urban hygiene. In her opinion, even the livestock pens in Camelot were cleaner than that city.
After downing two bottles of cola and polishing off a box of fried chicken, Modred finally turned to the real topic.
"So, where are you sending me next?"
(To be continued.)