Long Live Money in Anime Crossover

Isn't bringing peace to the people and enabling them to live and work in peace the ultimate goal?

“Artoria,” Momo seemed to see Artoria’s confusion and said, “Do you know what the biggest difference is between humans and animals?”

What is the biggest difference between humans and animals?

Artoria frowned, pondering the various animals, but seemed unable to find an answer.

"If humans live simply to survive, to have food, clothing, shelter, and to reproduce, then what is the difference between humans and animals?"

"The difference is significant!"

Artoria instinctively wanted to refute Momo, but Momo interrupted her.

"Yes, there are differences. The only difference between humans and animals is their food source. Their fur has become clothing, their nests have become houses, and they can even speak different languages."

"But is this a fundamental difference?"

013 How about having another wife?

"The essential difference..."

Artoria murmured to herself, her eyes filled with confusion and pain, yet also with anticipation, for she had already sensed what she, as a king, a failed king, was lacking.

As if sensing Artoria's expectation, Momo smiled slightly and said, "To be honest, it's actually quite simple."

"It's just hope."

"hope……"

Artoria repeated the word, looking at Momo with a puzzled expression.

"To put it simply, the reason why humans were able to separate themselves from animals is ultimately because of various desires that go beyond what animals should have."

"Transcending the most basic instinctual desires has given humanity higher aspirations. In the process of pursuing these higher goals, the more we gain, the more satisfied we become. This not only drives the continuous progress of humanity itself, but also promotes the development of the entire civilization."

"As for this desire, you can call it a wish, an ideal, or simply a lazy idea to save some effort. All of these have become the cornerstones that have built humanity's current position."

Mo Mo raised a finger and said, "However, I prefer to call all of this hope."

"Hope is the belief that everything that follows will be better than today."

"People in war hope for peace tomorrow, people suffering from illness hope for recovery tomorrow, people striving for success tomorrow, and even homeless people on the street hope for good weather tomorrow."

Mo Mo pointed to his eyes and said, "Human eyes look forward. Only by looking forward can humanity continue to move forward. Human development also looks forward. Hope is the forward-looking eye of humanity, driving all of humanity to go further."

"As long as there is hope, humanity will not despair, and humanity has the right to embrace the future."

"The hope is to make humanity look forward; this is what distinguishes humans from animals and makes them a civilized and social species."

Momo's words brought a glimmer of light to Artoria's eyes.

Once, as Artoria, King Arthur, she was invincible, making the entire nation powerful. The people, caught in turmoil, saw hope in her, fighting and striving alongside her to rebuild the nation's glory.

And then what?

Artoria protected the people, ensuring their safety forever.

But what happens after that?

No more.

All Artoria has ever done is protect, like a high wall protecting humanity's home, blocking all floods and wild beasts.

But what happens when the floodwaters recede and the wild beasts flee?

The high walls remain high walls, unchanged, still protecting the people. However, the people, now safe, no longer need a king to protect them, but a king to guide them.

Whatever this king leads them to do—whether it's invading, indulging in pleasure, or leading them to destruction—it's still better than turning into a wall and confining the people.

To live, one needs hope, which can also be called a dream.

Living in reality, yet dreaming of the future.

Only by holding onto hope can we continue to act after the war is over, lest our bodies rust and decay from silence.

Otherwise, all that awaits an individual, a nation, or a country is another disaster, and then all of this will be united in the face of that disaster—whether natural or man-made—to regain strength.

This is the cycle of ancient dynasties, not just in China. The same principle applies to any country and nation, unless one day, even in times of peace, the country's leaders can still give the entire nation the opportunity to dream.

This is not a tragedy for humanity, but rather the greatest aspect of humanity.

Although most people's dreams will never come true in their lifetime, there are always people who push reality toward their dreams.

Humanity in every era lives in the dreams of its predecessors and strives for its own dreams, resulting in future generations living in the dreams of modern people.

Human civilization is the result of generations of dream chasers pushing the wheels of history forward, step by step. Countless bones lie buried beneath those wheels, their entire lives consumed by the effort of merely moving the wheel a fraction of an inch.

Momo's voice was calm, but his words were powerful. Artoria clenched her teeth, and her eyes began to tremble.

Mo Mo wasn't speaking directly to her, but his words seemed to explode in her ears.

Moreover, Momo's words reminded her of the time at the King's Banquet when she met Gilgamesh and the Conqueror King, and how the two of them showed their disdain and mockery of her royal path.

At that time, Artoria even questioned Gilgamesh's path to becoming a conqueror, but history showed that Gilgamesh was the greatest and oldest king, while the conqueror had countless companions willing to follow him until his death.

Both of them were things that Artoria envied.

Only Artoria herself met a tragic end, abandoned by everyone.

Why on earth?

Artoria didn't understand before, but now she's gradually starting to understand.

Gilgamesh and the Conqueror King, regardless of whether their paths were right or wrong, as kings and leaders, they always took the lead. And their people believed in their kings and followed them forward.

Even if the road leads to destruction and end, throughout the entire process, the king and his people have always been fellow travelers, working hand in hand.

But what about Artoria?

At least during wartime, in order to end the war and rebuild the country, Artoria was on the same path as all the knights and all the people.

However, after the war, Great Britain became a powerful nation, but by then, Artoria had stopped. As a protector, there was nothing more she could do.

However, when the king stopped, his people and knights naturally had no choice but to stop as well. At first, it might not have seemed like a big deal, but eventually, Artoria and her people and knights went from being fellow travelers to strangers, or even adversaries.

Because King Arthur, who stopped walking, was no longer a great king leading the country, but instead became a great statue blocking the people's path forward.

However, even the greatest statue, once it loses its glory, is nothing more than a stumbling block.

Thinking of this, Artoria closed her eyes in anguish.

Momo's words were addressed to everyone, but Artoria understood that there were many things Momo wanted to say to her as well.

Momo neither criticized nor instructed Artoria; he simply offered his own commentary on Artoria's experiences.

Momo didn't care whether Artoria agreed with his ideas. He just hoped that his words could give Artoria another direction to think about and help her let go of her burdens.

Although Artoria currently refuses to acknowledge the past, this is also evidence that Artoria cannot let go of it.

If Artoria has truly let go, then why bother with the word "rejection"?

"Hope...?"

Artoria closed her eyes, unsure whether she was savoring the meaning of those two words or reflecting on her past.

The girls also noticed that something was wrong with Artoria, but Momo didn't stop, and everyone also avoided paying special attention to Artoria, giving her space to think for herself.

From beginning to end, Momo did not believe that it was all Artoria's fault. Because ultimately, Artoria's path to kingship was an ideal path to kingship, and this ideal path to kingship was created by Merlin and his people.

They instilled their ideal of kingship into Artoria, and then truly created the king they envisioned, who successfully led Great Britain to glory.

However, this is not the true path of kingship that springs from the depths of Artoria's heart, nor is it a path of kingship that has been tested by iron and blood.

How can the kingly way envisioned by strategists compare to the kingly way born from the king's own experience?

A king and a subject are ultimately different. What Artoria lacks is the ideal of being a true king; she lacks the guidance of a true ruler. Therefore, Artoria is, in the end, still a knight-king, a knight who has become a king.

A knight can win a war, but he cannot lead the people like a king.

After a long while, Artoria opened her eyes, while Momo and the girls began discussing the details of their next move.

Artoria missed out on a lot, but these few minutes of reflection felt incredibly precious to her.

"Mo Mo".

"I'm here."

Artoria looked at Momo, and Momo smiled back at Artoria.

"Next, in the world of Code Geass, please let me see how to bring hope to the people, okay? And I, Artoria, will become your knight forever after that."

"father!"

Yui was somewhat surprised and looked at Momo, because Artoria had actually made a deal with Momo.

Momo was also somewhat surprised, but this time, Momo shook his head and rejected Artoria's trade request, leaving Artoria full of doubts.

"Artoria, if you ever truly find liberation from the past, I hope you will be a knight girl named Artoria, possessing both the heart of a knight and the heart of a beautiful young girl."

"Furthermore, you are not my subordinate. None of you around me are my subordinates. You are my lovers or my partners."

"Artoria, I am not a king, I am just a merchant. The title of Heroic Spirit King is just for showing off. As a merchant, having more friends and partners is what makes me happiest."

Artoria smiled slightly, nodded, and then said something that made everyone's jaw drop.

"Then... how about having one more female confidante?"

014 I am guilty, so let me repent.

"what!"

As soon as Artoria uttered her words, the girls gasped in disbelief. They stared at her incredulously, never expecting her to say such a thing.

Artoria was also taken aback, but then she realized what was happening. Her face flushed slightly, and she quickly waved her hands, saying, "This, that's not what I meant. I just wanted to be Momo's confidante... It's my mental state, you know. That black thing just interfered with my words!"

Seeing Artoria's hurried explanation, the girls were still full of doubts, while Argo simply curled his lip and stretched out his leg to grind Momo's foot under the table.

"That's right."

However, at this moment, Yui stood up for Artoria, saying, "I also noticed the fluctuations in Artoria's mental state just now. So Artoria, you should go and rest. It's best not to let your mental state be subjected to too much stimulation."

Upon hearing this, Artoria naturally knew that Yui was speaking up for her. Although she had indeed been a bit agitated just now, some of the words had simply slipped out.

The fact that she could say it so readily actually represented Artoria's feelings. After all, the fact that Artoria agreed without hesitation meant that her various colors shared a common ground and a common understanding.