"Hmm, it does seem a bit unfair to Sir Lancelot. He's just married, and now we're sending him away."
Though she said this, Guinevere believed it would be better for both of them. Daily interaction would only torment Lancelot further, and something unfortunate might actually happen.
Having agreed to let Lancelot leave after the wedding, Guinevere cherished their remaining time together even more.
She sought him out almost daily for sparring sessions, hungrily exploiting his skills to enhance her own strength.
Another half-month passed. When Guinevere and the King of Knights finally found time to spar, they clashed blades for half an hour, but the result remained a draw.
Yet both knew the truth: the King of Knights' swordsmanship had fallen far behind Guinevere's. She was relying solely on her Instinct to force a stalemate.
"Your Highness, you seem in particularly high spirits today?"
"Sir Tristan, I finally managed to tie with Arthur!"
Even when speaking to her closest confidant, Guinevere still referred to the King of Knights as "Arthur," using male pronouns rather than female ones.
Until the King of Knights chose to reveal her true gender, Guinevere was obligated to maintain her secret.
"I see. That is indeed something to celebrate."
Guinevere and the King of Knights had sparred last night when the Training Ground was nearly deserted. After all, the King of Knights needed to maintain her regal dignity. This meant that Tristan, her Personal Knight, only learned of the match when Guinevere told him herself.
Speaking of which, whether we follow Le Morte d'Arthur or the Fate universe, Guinevere's Personal Knight should have been Lancelot, the knight the King of Knights trusted most. But that was now utterly impossible.
And speaking of Lancelot, we arrive at the reason Guinevere was strolling through Camelot City with Tristan.
Regardless of the circumstances, having used Lancelot as a sparring partner for half a moon, Guinevere owed him a debt of gratitude. Moreover, as Queen, she felt it was her duty to prepare a wedding gift for this strongest of knights.
"Sir Tristan, what do you think I should give?"
"Your Highness should focus on Princess Elaine. Lancelot tries hard to hide it, but everyone can see his feelings for you. He'll be happy with whatever you give him."
"Sir Tristan, is this my fault?"
"Yes, it's all Your Highness's fault for being too charming. Not only has the King of Knights become gentler because of you, but you've even captured the heart of the noble Knight of the Lake."
Having served Guinevere for so long, Tristan, the "Child of Sadness," now smiled more often. His faerie-like beauty also drew the attention of many women, but his eyes always sought only his wife.
Teased by such a devoted knight, Guinevere laughed confidently. "Indeed, who can resist Guinevere?"
As they walked through the streets of Camelot City, Tristan wore his gleaming silver armor, now paired with the heavy, standard-issue cloak for Round Table Knights.
Guinevere, too, wore armor and a cloak, her ash-gray hair styled in a ponytail. With makeup, she was unrecognizable to those unfamiliar with her true appearance.
Yet whenever she encountered people, they were invariably struck by Guinevere's beauty, especially now that she smiled so readily, her good mood making her kinder and more approachable.
"So, Sir Tristan, what do you think about gifting Princess Elaine a complete set of jewelry? As for Lancelot, if I sent him women's clothing, would he actually wear it?"
For some reason, Guinevere's thoughts jumped to Fate/Grand Order, picturing the burly Lancelot neurotically changing into a skimpy catgirl outfit to please his "daughter," revealing over ninety percent of his skin.
Guinevere quickly shook her head to stop herself. "Never mind that! I take it back! I was just rambling!"
"Your Highness," Tristan replied, "what I meant to say is, if you truly sent such a gift, Lancelot would likely wear it. However, you would undoubtedly incur the wrath of countless knights."
In the eyes of many knights, Lancelot's affection for you was merely a hero's admiration for a beautiful woman—even something to be celebrated. After all, he had only harbored feelings and committed no acts of disrespect.
But to send him women's clothing as a humiliation, especially on his wedding day...
"If someone were to take this to an extreme, they might think you're suggesting he's not a man—that he doesn't even dare to compete with the King of Knights for a woman."
"Sir Tristan, please stop! And don't tell anyone about my momentary lapse..."
A moment of mischievous amusement had backfired on Guinevere, leaving her somewhat embarrassed. She had never realized Tristan was so talkative. But the possibilities he raised made her realize she had to be cautious, so she decided to abandon the gift altogether.
"Fine, I won't give him a separate gift. If I encounter someone as imaginative as you, anything I send will be completely misinterpreted."
"Actually, not giving him a gift at all might invite even more speculation—and make it even more likely. After all, custom dictates you should give one."
Tristan's red hair swayed in the breeze, his sharp tongue reminding Guinevere faintly of Kay.
In the Throne Room, since that battle, the Round Table—large enough to seat over a hundred knights—had never been fully occupied again. This had led the knights who were eligible to sit at the Round Table to become closer and influence one another more readily.
That Kay... He's always been particularly witty when he's around people he's familiar with.
As they spoke of Kay, Guinevere and Tristan spotted Kay's father, Sir Ector, who was with his biological older brother, Lancelot.
They appeared to be preparing for the imminent wedding, laden with supplies and gear for themselves and their horses.
"Your Highness... they've seen us."
"Let's avoid them," Guinevere replied. "I really don't want to interact with Lancelot outside the Training Ground or official business. If possible, I'd prefer he crawl out of my pit sooner rather than later."
With that, Guinevere gave a deliberate nod to the two knights a few dozen meters away. As they moved to approach, she quickly turned and left, leaving Lancelot with only a lingering sense of melancholy.
"Listen, old brother," Ector said, "Lia is my adopted daughter. She specifically came to tell me that Guinevere would accept her marriage proposal because Guinevere prefers girls. So forget it—you never stood a chance from birth."
"Sir Ector, even you think I harbor such feelings?"
"Does anyone who frequents the Training Ground not see your true intentions? And I'm telling you, forget it. Lia took the initiative to come to me to discuss this, and she doesn't mind revealing to you that she is female."
"Firstly, I trust in your integrity. Secondly, she has truly begun to care for Guinevere. Please uphold the virtues of a knight and do not betray the King's trust in you."
Though they were on a public street, the two Round Table Knights spoke in hushed tones, ensuring their conversation remained unheard by any third party.
Seeing Lancelot's crestfallen expression and vacant gaze fixed on the women's clothing store, Sir Ector felt a foreboding sense rise within him.
"Brother, you wouldn't be..."
"What are you implying? I merely wish to pick out some clothes for Elaine. I truly owe her an apology."
"You'd better mean it."
With that, Sir Ector could only accompany his own brother into the women's clothing store.