Guinevere was, of course, exceedingly beautiful.
Otherwise, she would never have married King Arthur or captivated Lancelot.
At this time, she was still a bright-eyed, radiant young maiden.
"Oh, it's nothing."
King Leodegrance quickly changed his expression, forcing a jovial smile.
This aging king was indeed incompetent.
However
He did have one redeeming quality.
He was the very definition of a doting father.
His indulgence toward his daughter knew no bounds.
Consider the original history: when King Arthur married her, the dowry included not just a dining table but also one hundred and fifty knights.
Even for King Arthur, this was an exceptionally significant force.
For King Leodegrance, it was nothing short of a devastating blow.
"I don't believe you!" Guinevere retorted to her father.
"Father, is the war not going well?"
"You needn't worry about that. No matter what, I will protect you, my daughter."
To reassure Guinevere, King Leodegrance added, "Moreover, I've already sent requests for aid to Camelot's Morgan and Lot. I'm certain they'll come to our aid. Once they arrive, the day of our counterattack will come."
"Lot and Morgan…"
At the mention of those two, Guinevere frowned slightly.
"What's wrong?"
Noticing his daughter's expression, King Leodegrance pressed anxiously.
"It's just… I can't help but feel their methods are rather… unbecoming," Guinevere replied with a frown. "Attacking others from behind it's hardly in keeping with the rules of chivalry. I much prefer winning through honorable, knightly means."
"Yes, you're absolutely right."
King Leodegrance humored his daughter.
His daughter was perfect in every way except for her somewhat unrealistic fantasies.
He had once asked her what kind of husband she wished to marry in the future.
To his surprise, she declared she wanted a heroic knight.
In this era of Britain, did such a man even exist?
As he pondered this, the messenger he had sent to seek aid from Lot and Morgan returned.
"Well? Has Lot agreed to send troops?"
The moment he saw the messenger return, King Leodegrance urgently questioned him.
"About that…"
The messenger hesitated, then relayed Morgan's demand.
"'We'll need more money'?!"
The king's expression twisted in disbelief.
Since when were you so shameless?!
But…
"Fine. I'll pay."
King Leodegrance gritted his teeth.
"Whether it's land, provisions, or treasure I'll give whatever they demand. As long as they agree to help us."
Beside him, Guinevere pursed her lips.
As a maiden who idolized chivalry, this was hard for her to accept.
Yet she said nothing.
She wasn't foolish she knew their survival depended on Lot and Morgan's assistance.
Still, in her heart, she yearned for the knight of her dreams.
"I long for the day when, at dawn, my castle is besieged by countless enemies only for a gallant knight to break through the tide of foes and rescue us."
The maiden lost herself in her fantasy.
Morning
Lot and Morgan were dining in their castle.
They had also invited Artoria.
There were three reasons for the invitation:
She was, after all, Morgan's sister-in-law as her brother-in-law, Lot felt obliged to look after her.
Having Artoria at the table genuinely improved one's appetite, encouraging everyone to eat an extra loaf or two.
As for the third reason…
Both Lot and Morgan adored fine cuisine but had modest appetites. Every meal left them with heaps of leftovers.
Naturally, they needed Artoria to clean their plates.
"Your Majesty Morgan, is something the matter? You seem uncomfortable while eating."
Artoria, a professional when it came to mealtime, noticed Morgan's strained swallowing and tilted her head in concern.
Hearing this, both Lot and Morgan's expressions stiffened slightly.
Morgan shot Lot a venomous glare.
You damn,
Couldn't you have saved your stamina for something useful?!
Ugh…
It still stings.
"The sea breeze last night was rather strong. I may have caught a chill," Morgan replied after a moment's thought.
Lot watched, silently amused.
[Morgan's lies are getting smoother. She came up with that excuse on the spot.]
You bastard, whose fault do you think this is?!
Morgan glared daggers at Lot, then stomped hard on his foot under the table.
Lot feigned innocence.
I was being perfectly discreet how did you even notice?
Morgan's instincts are terrifying.
To spare his foot further abuse, Lot swiftly changed the subject.
"By the way, Morgan, do you think King Leodegrance will accept our terms?"
"He'll have no choice but to accept."
Morgan's tone was absolute.
"True. If his situation is dire enough, any sane ruler would choose financial loss over annihilation."
Lot agreed wholeheartedly.
"Um, Your Majesty Morgan… isn't this tantamount to exploiting his weakness?"
Artoria, her cheeks slightly flushed, finally voiced her concern.
As a knight overflowing with righteousness, she couldn't fully condone Morgan and Lot's actions.
Though Morgan had repeatedly threatened to withhold meals, Artoria couldn't stay silent.
Hearing her objection, Lot mused to himself:
[Ah, as expected Artoria is the ideal knight but not the ideal king. She's far too naive. Truly, the King of Heroes does not understand human hearts.]
Then, his gaze drifted to Morgan's chest.
[Mm. My wife, on the other hand, understands them perfectly.]
Morgan nodded reflexively
But then paused.
Something felt off.
Why do I get the feeling this husband of mine was staring at my chest just now?!
What exactly do you mean by 'understanding human hearts,' huh?!
I swear, your idea of 'reading the room' is anything but proper!
Though internally exasperated, Morgan maintained her composure and addressed Artoria:
"Aiding the weak is the duty of a knight. But a true king must prioritize their kingdom's interests above all else. Artoria, a king carries the hopes of an entire nation. You cannot act solely on personal notions of justice."
Even if she would never let her sister become king again, proper guidance was still necessary.