“Now, take your people and leave this place. I believe you no longer possess any leverage to refuse.
Leya, having single-handedly defeated over thirty men, strode confidently with her sword in hand towards Malfoy and his remaining dozen or so retainers.
Her voice carried an undeniable, king-like authority as she issued her command.
“Hmph! Very well, but remember this: I, Malfoy, am a member of the Rose Orchid Merchant Guild Alliance. From now on, either never show your face in the Kingdom of Alvia again, or I swear I will repay today’s humiliation a hundredfold!”
Upon hearing this, Leya’s brow furrowed, and she was on the verge of lashing out.
However, an inexplicable sense of knightly honor held her back—the unspoken code that ‘Knights do not slay the unarmed or those who surrender.’
“Let’s go!—”
As he departed, Malfoy shot a venomous glare at Leya, leaving her seething with helpless frustration.
She could only watch them leave, her heart burning with indignation.
‘How did this happen? I feel like the one who lost the battle. This is so stifling!’
“You two, wait a moment!”
Leya, seeking an outlet for her pent-up emotions, immediately drew her sword, blocking the path of the two retainers guarding the elf girl.
“Have either of you done anything to her?” she demanded.
“Misunderstanding! It’s a misunderstanding, Milady! By the Gods, we both swear we haven’t laid a single finger on her!”
“Exactly! Not even a finger! I didn’t even dare to glance at this lovely, kind, beautiful, and generous little elf!”
Upon realizing Leya was singling them out, the two immediately knelt, begging for mercy and offering explanations.
Their snot and tears were so exaggerated that Leya felt goosebumps erupting all over her skin.
‘It’s almost laughable. The second man claimed he didn’t even dare to glance at her. If he didn’t look, how could he possibly know the elf was lovely, kind, beautiful, and generous?’
‘Honestly…’
“Um, Sister, this Sister, I can vouch for them, I truly can! They really didn’t do anything to me. But let’s not talk about that anymore; could you please release me quickly? I truly don’t want to stay here for another moment.”
“…”
‘Ugh…’
‘Fine!’
‘Wasn’t I just looking for a punching bag? Why does everyone insist on going against me?’
‘Sigh… never mind, never mind. As a knight, such thoughts shouldn’t even exist, should they?’
‘Bullshit! They said it wouldn’t affect me, but I feel like I’m becoming completely unhinged!’
“This… Milady? Are we… hehehe…”
“Go.”
“Ah?! Oh! Yes, thank you, thank you, truly thank you! Milady, you are simply too magnanimous! Hiyah, a true knight should be just like you, Milady—beautiful and powerful, righteous and responsible! We will certainly never forget you after we return!”
‘Tsk tsk, that flattery… it’s truly impeccable. Even Leya, currently embodying King Arthur, felt a slight flutter in her heart. Hehehe, no wonder they managed to become trusted confidantes to their master.’
After casually dismissing the two men, Leya’s mood significantly improved; she was certainly much happier than before.
Approaching the wagon-cage where the elf girl was imprisoned, Leya lightly swung her longsword.
With a soft clang, the cage door easily sprang open.
“Thank you, Sister!”
Leaping out was a young girl with golden hair, her delicate features so perfect she resembled a work of art.
Even Leya, in her King Arthur persona, was momentarily stunned by her beauty.
Without thinking, Leya found herself asking, “Are all elf maidens as beautiful as you?”
“Hm? Heheheh—” The girl, amused for some unknown reason, suddenly let out a laugh as melodious as silver bells.
“Yes, we are all as beautiful as me and Big Sister!”
“Uh…”
‘Well, I just got outsmarted by a little girl…’
‘Never mind, never mind…’
Evidently, neither Leya nor Artoria were particularly adept at handling such conversational turns.
Without another word, Leya silently led the young girl, then picked up her longsword and proceeded to release the orcs and beasts from the other four wagons.
“It’s only today that I truly believe it.”
Watching Leya release the last group of goblins, allowing them to return to the forest, the young girl spoke with a touch of emotion.
“Hm? Believe what?”
“That among humans, there are beings who are as kind, benevolent, righteous, wise, powerful, and beautiful as our elf race.”
“Oh? And what makes you say that?”
“It’s the aura emanating from you. Elves are born with an innate talent to discern good and evil through auras. While it’s not foolproof, it’s akin to your human sixth sense, only much stronger and more accurate for us elves.”
“The ‘scent’ from you, Sister, tells me that you possess a responsible heart, brimming with virtues like kindness, beauty, and benevolence.”
‘Well…’ Leya remained silent, for she knew the girl wasn’t truly describing *her*.
It was Saber who perfectly embodied all the virtues the elf girl had enumerated.
“Hey, my name is Erica, Sister. What about you?”
“Saber… or you can call me Leya, mm.”
The name ‘Saber’ had escaped her lips instinctively, sending a jolt through Leya’s heart.
She couldn’t be sure if it was merely a slip of the tongue, or if…
‘Hiss—the more I think about it, the scarier it gets. The system said such a possibility shouldn’t exist. It must just be a slip of the tongue from getting too deep into the role!’