After a major disaster, there are always children left orphaned. When these children finally made their way to the outskirts of Camelot City, it was Guinevere who crushed the heads of the slavers and established shelters specifically for them.
Now, glancing back, the corpses of criminals still hung from Camelot's city walls, including those of the slavers whose skulls Guinevere had shattered.
It was the King of Knights' mercy, the Knights' and soldiers' discipline, and Guinevere's brutal executions that brought order to the chaotic refugee camp outside the city.
Of course, Guinevere's ruthlessness earned her a favorable reputation among some victims, while solidifying her image as a demonic concubine in the eyes of criminals and their families.
At present, rumors of Guinevere as a "Queen of Calamity" had not yet spread widely. Most citizens refuted such claims upon hearing them. However, fueled by the machinations of certain individuals, the label continued to circulate.
Unable to gain influence through the upper echelons, some began attempting to sway public opinion.
Upon arriving at the "Orphanage," the children there were divided into two groups: the larger group consisted of those who had been orphans since their arrival, while the smaller group... still had family members hanging on the city walls.
Even for the children of criminals, Guinevere refused to "cut the weeds at the root." With so many knights watching, such a drastic measure was impossible.
In this era, knights were unwilling to harm the weak and innocent. They widely accepted revenge, firmly believing it was a knight's duty to display such courage.
"Sir Ector, distribute the food and clothing we've brought."
"As you command, Your Majesty..."
Near the city walls, in a small camp set up specifically for them, over a hundred children flocked toward Guinevere and her entourage. They were grateful for Guinevere's rescue, and when she smiled at them, they returned her smile.
Only the children of the executed criminals were different. Some were too young to understand right from wrong, knowing only that their families' deaths were connected to the Queen before them. The most foolish among them even threw stones at Guinevere.
She caught the stone, her gaze lingering on the angry stares of the surrounding children fixed on the foolish child.
For now, these children couldn't act on their impulses, but once they were out of the knights' sight, they would undoubtedly settle the score with the foolish one.
Whether this foolish but spirited child would survive would depend entirely on his luck.
After the snow disaster, these children, who had long lost their parents, had already lost their innocence before Guinevere rescued them. Most of the smiles they now wore were merely masks.
"Doesn't it bother you? Being pelted with stones by those children? If you truly want them to live, you should separate them from the others."
"Sister Morgan, how many refugees do you think would be willing to eat the flesh of the corpses on the city walls?"
"If we don't separate the camps, these criminals' children still have a chance to live. But if we truly isolate them, they'll face not just the malice of other children, but become targets for adults to vent their hatred."
Surrounded by smiling children calling her "Sister," Morgan smiled back beneath her veil. But after Guinevere whispered in a voice only she could hear, she immediately noticed that most of the children were deliberately trying to please her.
In an instant, her interest waned, and she began to wonder why Guinevere had brought her to such a place.
"Why?"
Guinevere replied. "This is just my usual routine. After feeding you each morning, I take a stroll outside the city to see if there are any more criminals to hang on the walls."
Taking Morgan's hand, Guinevere led the now disinterested woman out of the children's crowd. Under the protection of Sir Tristan and the other knights, the two continued their leisurely stroll through the refugee camp.
Just as they had outside the outer city walls, many refugees now recognized Guinevere's face. They cheered her name, bowed deeply, and occasionally, some would try to approach her to report grievances.
However, the refugees gathered outside Camelot City weren't all locals. With the thawing of the ice and snow, knights from across the land had nearly eradicated the ravenous beasts driven mad by hunger.
Refugees from the Vassal Territories arrived here daily.
In Camelot, the knights were now largely divided into three factions. First was the Noble Faction, most of whom were related by blood to the various Vassal Kings. They had come to the King of Knights seeking a better future.
Second was the Queen's Faction, with Tristan and the knights originally loyal to Guinevere forming its core. These knights had either undergone re-education at the Knight Academy in Guinevere's territory or were commoners who had risen through the ranks of the Knight Academy.
Third was the King's Faction, sworn to uphold the King of Knights' decisions and loyalty. This faction centered around several of Morgan's children.
The tension between the first two factions stemmed primarily from the recent issue with the Vassal Kings.
A few days ago, Guinevere had proposed at the Round Table meeting that the Camelot kingdom's policies toward commoners should be uniformly enforced across all Vassal Territories.
However, the problem was that the Vassal Kings lacked Lancelot's imported grain lifeline. Without this order, they could continue exploiting their subjects even further. Now, they would not only lose opportunities for exorbitant profits but also face another significant financial blow.
"Guinevere, why do some knights seem to avoid you, not even bothering to greet you?"
"Sir Tristan, tell Lady Morgan about the recent events at the Round Table."
At the Round Table meetings, most noble knights opposed Guinevere's continued harsh treatment of the Vassal Kings and her persecution of their relatives in the name of the commoners.
As a result, they frequently clashed with Guinevere's Queen's Faction.
Could Guinevere afford to back down?
If she did, how many more commoners in the Vassal Territories would die?
Even in the refugee camps, knights debated these recent events. They had heard of the disputes at the Round Table, but when asked to take sides, their opinions contradicted each other.
As knights, most of them carried noble blood and naturally sided with the Vassal Kings. Yet, as knights, they held the Knightly Code more dear than life itself.
When the demands of honor clashed with their innate loyalties, even ordinary knights found themselves embroiled in heated arguments.
"Guinevere, you wouldn't have Tristan tell me all this just to ask me to do something new, would you? Like having me intervene and demand the Vassal Kings' obedience?"
Riding alongside her, Morgan's calm voice reached Guinevere's ears, leaving her momentarily stunned. She couldn't fathom the source of Morgan's confidence.
"The man I was forced to marry is dead, but his vassal kingdom still exists, and I currently govern it."
Guinevere was even more stunned. Ever since she arrived in Camelot City, Morgan had been living alone in the Royal Palace. She had never even considered what had happened to Morgan's consort.
Now that Morgan claimed he was dead, Guinevere couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
In her past life's memories, she distinctly recalled that King Arthur not only didn't die so early but was actually a major ally of the King of Knights.
"He's dead? Well, so be it. But shouldn't Gawain inherit his vassal kingdom?"
Chosen by King Uther from among all the Vassal Kings, Morgan's late consort had commanded a truly formidable territory.
"Do you really think Gawain would willingly return to serve under my little sister?"