"Summon the knights Kay, Artoria, Galahad, and Tristan at once."
Having made up her mind, Morgan gave the order to her maids.
"Understood."
Seeing the cold glint in Morgan's eyes, the maids stiffened and hurried to carry out her command.
Soon, the four knights stood before her in the castle hall.
"Your Majesty, what are your orders?" Kay stepped forward, addressing Morgan respectfully.
Morgan studied her most loyal knights, then narrowed her eyes and spoke.
"Look at what these nobles have done. When their lands failed to yield enough grain, they stripped their people bare. Then, when Lot and I devised a plan to supplement food shortages through fishing, they embezzled the catches for themselves."
The knights' faces darkened with fury.
Every one of them was righteous at heart. Hearing of such cruelty naturally filled them with indignation.
Morgan's voice grew colder.
"I had hoped out of consideration for my health and to give them a chance to repent that they might change. Instead, they grew bolder, stealing even more. This time, I will show no mercy."
"Your Majesty, we will never forgive such crimes."
Artoria's agreement was firm.
She knew all too well the agony of hunger.
For nobles to deliberately starve their people?
Unforgivable.
Morgan's lips curled slightly at her sister's words.
Good. At least she's on my side.
All that food I fed her wasn't wasted.
"That's why I called you here." Morgan's tone turned decisive. "Artoria, you will lead the Knights of the Round Table. Arrest every noble on this list leave none behind."
"Understood!"
Artoria's voice rang out with conviction.
Satisfied, Morgan turned to Tristan.
"You will assist Artoria. Your archery is unmatched ensure no one escapes."
Anyone who tried to flee would find an arrow in their back.
"By your command."
Tristan nodded solemnly.
His loyalty to Morgan and Lot was absolute.
They had changed his life.
Even if he suspected their initial "test" had been a setup, he was grateful for it.
Now, if Morgan needed his bow, he would wield it without hesitation.
"Your Majesty, rest assured not a single traitor will slip away."
Morgan gave an approving hum.
She had seen Tristan's skill firsthand. With him supporting Artoria, failure was impossible.
Next, her gaze fell upon Kay and Galahad.
"Kay, Galahad mobilize the Orkney Army. Be ready to strike if the noble factions dare resist."
The Orkney Army, forged under Lot's command over years, was their most elite force.
Crushing the noble militias would be child's play for them.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Kay and Galahad answered in unison.
With roles assigned, Morgan prepared to dismiss them
But Kay hesitated.
"Your Majesty… what should we do with the nobles once captured?"
His eyes flickered to the alarmingly long list.
Nearly every remaining noble in Camelot was named.
Arresting them all at once could spark chaos if mishandled.
Morgan didn't falter.
"Execute them. Every one of them has blood on their hands. They deserve death. No don't even bring them to me. If their crimes warrant it, hang them on the spot."
Lot had once mused about purging the nobility.
Why keep such parasites alive?
To exploit peasants?
No.
Better to wipe them all out.
Lot had wanted them hanged from lampposts but Camelot had no lampposts.
A simple gallows would suffice.
Once the purge was done, Camelot could consolidate its strength, defeat Vortigern, unify Britain
And finally break free from the dying Age of Gods.
Gaia wants Camelot to fall.
But I refuse to accept that fate.
Kay opened his mouth, then closed it.
In the end, he simply nodded.
The knights departed to carry out their grim task.
Meanwhile, Morgan stretched lazily.
"Good. That's settled. Now, to check on Lot."
As Lot often said: "A ruler's duty is to strategize."
She had done her part.
Now, she could await the results.
No way those nobles stand a chance against my knights.
"Let's see how he's handling Gawain. Hopefully, it's not as he claims 'Father's duty is to keep the child alive.' I should make sure she hasn't lost any limbs."
Morgan, after all, had slightly more sense of responsibility than Lot.
Slightly.
About as much as Merlin had integrity.
Louis was one of the few nobles who had survived Morgan and Lot's previous purge.
When their army had marched on his lands, he had surrendered immediately.
No shame in cowardice.
Fighting was not an option.
But while he lacked the spine to defy the king and queen…
Oppressing peasants?
That, he could do.
In his mind, the logic was flawless
"We nobles are already so obedient what's wrong with skimming a little extra?"
"Even the mighty need us to govern!"
"You can't possibly expect King Lot to collect taxes personally!"
"And with Vortigern still lurking in Wales…"
"As long as we stay loyal, we're untouchable."
Guided by this "wisdom," Louis raised taxes ruthlessly.
Resistance?
Pfft.
His thugs might cower before the Orkney Army, but peasants?
They could handle those.
No need for mobilization his men marched out eagerly.
Beating farmers?
High morale guaranteed.
Too poor to pay?
No problem!
"I'll lend you the money!"
"Then you can pay me back… with interest."
"Can't repay? Welcome to serfdom."
After several rounds of this, Louis faced zero consequences.
His greed grew bolder.
When fishing boats returned with bountiful hauls sold cheaply, affordable even to the poor
He saw an opportunity.
By colluding with corrupt fishermen, he bought out the catches before they reached the markets.
Then resold them at inflated prices.
Another profit.
Now, whistling cheerfully, Louis considered visiting Camelot's pleasure quarters.
"Should I hit the brothel today?"
The thought had barely formed when
BOOM!
His front door exploded off its hinges, spinning through the air before slamming at his feet.
Standing in the wreckage was Artoria Pendragon, sword in hand.
"Y-You ?!"
"Louis, Baron of Greyshire you are under arrest."
Her blade rested against his shoulder.
Louis sputtered.
"This is outrageous! I was just thinking about visiting a brothel that's not illegal! Hell, haven't you gone before?!"
Even now, he assumed his arrest was over moral offenses.
Exploiting peasants?
Who didn't do that?
"No. I haven't."
Artoria's expression darkened as she seized him.
"Your crimes are oppression and bloodshed. This time, you won't escape justice."
With that, she dragged him away.
As they marched through the streets, Tristan eyed her curiously.
"Wait… you really haven't been to a brothel?"
"No."
Her answer was firm.
"But your teacher "
Tristan's gaze turned skeptical.
Everyone in Camelot knew what kind of man Merlin was.
"My teacher's habits are his own."
Artoria's scowl deepened.
Just because I trained under Merlin doesn't mean I share his vices!
If proximity dictated behavior, then anyone near her would start eating enough for five men.
…Actually, no.
That would be disastrous.
She had some self-awareness.
If all of Camelot matched her appetite?
The kingdom would starve within a month.
No amount of productivity could offset that.
Not all nobles were as delusional as Louis.
Some resisted arrest
Only to be cut down by Artoria and Tristan.
One close combat, one long-range.
An unstoppable duo.
Had these nobles stood a chance against the Round Table, they would've rebelled long ago.
Soon, the remaining nobles rallied their private armies.
But against them?
The Orkney Army advanced.
Irregulars versus elite guards?
The outcome was never in doubt.
By the end, every traitorous noble had been captured.
Those guilty of capital crimes were hanged.
As for the numbers…
"Killing them all might include a few innocents…"
"But sparing one in ten would let too many escape justice."
Meanwhile, Morgan sat with Lot on a palace garden bench.
Lot cradled a fussy Gawain while lounging across Morgan's lap.
The noble purge?
She never doubted the outcome.
Victory was inevitable.
Watching Gawain's tearful squirming, Morgan sighed.
"Lot, give Gawain to the wet nurse. She's probably hungry."
Then she glared at him.
Gawain relied entirely on the wet nurse.
Why?
Not because Morgan lacked milk.
Oh no she had plenty.
But no matter how much she produced, half of it ended up in Lot's stomach.
What kind of father?!
[Uh… I was just curious, okay?]
Lot coughed awkwardly under her stare.
Morgan could only sigh.
Shameless.
Almost as bad as those nobles.
Except Lot's shamelessness annoyed her…
Yet made her love him more.
As for the nobles?
The more audacious they were, the longer Morgan wanted them dangling from the gallows.
Just as she mused, Lot pulled out a stack of papers.
"Hm? What's this?"
Morgan eyed the sheets, bound along one edge with adhesive.
"You'll see."
Lot's grin was cryptic.
[Woodblock printing finally got it working. With this and our paper, we can start literacy campaigns.]
Literacy campaigns?
Morgan blinked.
[Once the commoners can read, we won't need nobles anymore. Then heh we can hang them all from lampposts.]
Morgan's smile froze.
First, educate the masses…
Then eliminate the nobility?
"What's wrong?"
Lot frowned at her expression.
"Um…" Morgan swallowed. "I think… I might've made a mistake."