"King of Knights, you have married a woman of great ambition! Your kingdom will inevitably crumble because of her!"
The battle erupted swiftly and ended just as quickly. Though the Knights of the Five Kings outnumbered their opponents, their quality paled in comparison.
After Guinevere's forces suffered three deaths and the King of Knights' forces lost five, with everyone on their side wounded except the King of Knights...
They captured over thirty enemy knights and annihilated the remaining seventy-odd Knights of the Five Kings who refused to surrender.
The final words of the last of the Five Kings were an attempt to sow discord between Guinevere and the King of Knights.
"Long time no see, my King."
Guinevere, her left arm bearing a sword cut—thankfully blocked by her armguard, now throbbing faintly—rode her horse alongside the King of Knights, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Removing her helmet, she let her silvery-gray hair cascade down her back, her exquisite, nation-toppling beauty now stained with crimson streaks of enemy blood.
"Guinevere, aren't you worried I might believe his lies?"
Both the armored knight and her white-armored steed exuded an otherworldly grace. The exceptionally intelligent steed sidled closer, allowing the King of Knights to reach out and gently wipe a stray smear of blood from Guinevere's cheek.
"How fares the sword I bestowed upon you? Does it serve you well?"
Whether wiping away blood or inquiring about her wedding gift, the King of Knights betrayed no flicker of emotion, speaking with casual indifference.
But she remained composed. Guinevere, who had adored her since her past life, suffered terribly. Her heart pounded fiercely, even faster than when she had been slaughtering enemies moments earlier.
"The sword works well—it's a fine blade. As for whether I trust you...
If you don't wish to marry me, I'll simply return home. But from now on, we'll be enemies."
The Knights of the Five Kings numbered just over a hundred. Guinevere's faction fielded eleven knights against thirty-three, while the King of Knights' forces deployed twenty-four knights against seventy-four.
In terms of kills, Guinevere had personally slain seven enemies, while the King of Knights had killed ten. Although the King of Knights seemed to have killed more, considering the total number of knights each side faced, Guinevere's kills were undeniably more efficient.
Moreover, the Fake Excalibur in Guinevere's hand now glowed with a satisfied radiance, having absorbed a significant surge of magical energy.
Based solely on this battle and the power Guinevere's side had demonstrated, the King of Knights would not abandon the marriage agreement so easily.
"Let's go back to Camelot City."
The King of Knights spoke these words in a calm tone, her helmet still in place. But as she turned her horse to leave, she stopped after only two steps, her hand firmly gripping the reins as Guinevere remained motionless. She continued:
"Their territories... do you still wish to handle them yourself?"
"No, this place is too close to Camelot City. Of course you should handle it. Besides, soon I will be yours entirely, and it would be pointless to argue over such trivial matters. I simply wanted to know how you would manage it."
"Kay, following the Queen's precedent, relocate the Kingless's family to Camelot City. Then ask if anyone wishes to be enfeoffed within the Territories of the Five Kings.
However, Guinevere, I must make one thing clear: I will not initiate attacks against the Kings. I will not accept the proposal you made in your letter.
After our marriage, I will not permit you to engage in such actions again.
This... this is my final indulgence towards you."
The King of Knights' words ended there, leaving both Guinevere and the knights under her command relatively satisfied.
Guinevere heard will not initiate attacks, while the King of Knights' knights heard this ends here.
But these knights didn't realize—could Guinevere possibly be unaware?
Until the King of Knights' story reaches its conclusion, the Kings who have nominally submitted will never truly be compliant, and the Kingdom of the King of Knights will rarely know a single year of peace.
"You are my King. In matters of great importance, your word is law."
"In this battle, three of my knights fell. After our marriage, they will also be your knights.
Therefore, you shall provide the compensation for my fallen Knights. From the newly conquered Territories of the Five Kings, you should also allocate One King's territory to your new knights."
Guinevere urged her horse forward, continuing to ride alongside the King of Knights. While negotiating benefits for her subordinates, she also openly admired the King.
But Guinevere lacked X-ray vision; she couldn't see through the King of Knights' bloodstained lion-shaped helmet to discern her expression.
"You've been staring at me... What are you trying to see?"
"I'm naturally trying to see... whether the King I'll accompany for life is smiling right now."
Under the influence of magic, the pain in Guinevere's left arm gradually subsided. The knights from both sides began chatting among themselves, having acknowledged each other's strength after the battle and already planning a sparring session.
After Guinevere's bold teasing, the King of Knights likely flushed red. Guinevere heard her struggling to regulate her breathing before she turned to her companion knights and commanded:
"Foster Brother, Lancelot, leave the cleanup here to you. I'll take Guinevere and the others back to Camelot first."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Kay, the King of Knights' foster brother, responded promptly to her command. However, the other knight, clad in a purple helmet and full-body armor, remained silent, failing to acknowledge the King's order.
"Lancelot?"
For the first time, a rare note of questioning crept into the King of Knights' usually serene voice.
Prompted a second time and nudged gently on the shoulder by Kay, the distracted knight finally snapped out of his daze. In a state of deep unease and panic, he stammered an apology to the King.
"Lancelot, what were you looking at?"
Moments earlier, Lancelot had been staring in the King of Knights' direction, but his gaze had drifted past her, lingering instead on Guinevere's bewitching smile.
"I... I..."
His heart pounded uncontrollably, and Lancelot wondered if he had been bewitched. He knew Guinevere was to become the wife of his liege lord, yet he had found himself utterly captivated by her beauty.
He knew this was wrong, terribly wrong. He was grateful he wore a full-face helmet, which allowed him to retain some semblance of dignity, hiding his entranced expression from the others.
To prevent further embarrassment for everyone, he decided to bear the discomfort himself and offer a small, well-intentioned lie.
"Your Majesty, you know my eyesight isn't the best. I can barely recognize some of my colleagues when they change armor. So, I was trying to firmly imprint Queen Guinevere's appearance in my mind, lest I mistake her for someone else later."
"Is that so? You were just looking at Guinevere? Then look as much as you need to. Make sure you remember her well."
The King of Knights' voice remained calm, showing she genuinely didn't detect anything amiss.
Guinevere's entourage, including Tristan, though finding the explanation impolite, cast resentful glances at Lancelot. However, since the King of Knights didn't object and their Princess remained silent for the moment, they dared not overstep their bounds.
"Tristan, take ten knights and stay here to assist Sir Kay and Sir Lancelot. Remember to give Sir Lancelot a proper beating—I don't like the way he looks at things."
The strings of Tristan's harp vibrated, and his eyelids twitched as if about to open. He was taken aback by Guinevere's directness, her malice toward Lancelot utterly undisguised.
Yet Lancelot bore Tristan's animosity with ease. He merely bowed deeply to Guinevere, daring neither to look at her again nor wishing to.
A nascent self-hatred began to stir in his heart.