"Leyton, I need these Gaul people and orphans. Can you help me get them?" Kayal had no choice but to use Leyton, who had just participated in the war, to get involved in this matter. Otherwise, as an ordinary person, it would be very difficult for Kayal to insert himself into the whole situation—even if he was the Red Leaf Grand Duke's son.
"Yes, they don't care about these, so it shouldn't be a problem." Leyton waved his hand and instructed his subordinates to handle it.
Several knights nearby immediately went to inform the other leaders. Leyton and Kayal's reputation still held some weight. After the knights ran over, the slaughter slowly stopped and turned into taking prisoners. The Gaul people who could escape with their lives no longer resisted or fled, and they all surrendered at once.
"Oh, I forgot to tell Father not to kill them all," Kayal suddenly exclaimed, slapping his forehead.
"You don't have to worry about that. Grand Duke has never left any survivors in any war," Leyton said with a smile, uttering chilling words. "This is precisely why Grand Duke is so favored by His Majesty."
"What a waste," Kayal muttered softly, shaking his head. "Alright, hurry up and gather the prisoners. How about we take them back?"
"I need to go back first, Leyton. Remember to bring these orphans back too." Kayal pointed as he watched several ragged children slowly emerge from the ruins, leaning against the wall.
"Hurry up, Dad is coming soon," Kayal whispered to Teresa and the others, turning his horse around.
"Wait, Young Master, who are these ladies?" Leyton asked, vaguely guessing their identities from Teresa and the others' attire.
"Hmm, you know them. They used to be Claymores, but from now on, they'll be my personal guard," Kayal nodded slightly, smiling.
As a subordinate, one should not criticize the lord's actions and commands. Leyton, upholding the spirit of a knight, nodded slightly and faithfully carried out Kayal's orders.
And Kayal fled in a hurry amidst the Claymores' smiles.
"Dad is coming… Pfft." Teresa repeated the sentence with a smile, then a soft sound made Kayal's smile contort.
"Hey! Teresa!" Seeing the other Claymores barely suppressing their laughter, and even Atoris behind him shrugging his shoulders, Kayal called out in dissatisfaction.
"Yes, yes, you're the boss, you call the shots." Teresa's smile remained unchanged, showing no sign of fear towards Kayal.
Kayal had no way to deal with this woman, who was full of smiles and exuded the scent of a ripe peach. Not only was she powerful, but she was also cunning. With her, Kayal felt utterly defeated.
"Phew, let's go quickly. It'll be troublesome when Dad arrives," Kayal scratched his head. If he went back to his mother for help before Grand Duke Andre got angry, Kayal honestly felt quite confident in avoiding trouble. But confronting Grand Duke Andre directly would be beyond imagination—he'd get a beating!
Kayal knew this well, so he fled quickly.
Gawain, you can stay here and bear Dad's wrath.
Kayal happily took his people and left Gawain there, returning to his territory at least three times faster than when he came.
First, of course, was going home.
"Hey, hey, is this your home?!" Sophia couldn't help but exclaim, looking at the luxurious estate, "This is just too…"
Luxurious? Magnificent? Beautiful? Extravagant? Decadent?
She couldn't find any words to describe Kayal's estate. To call it decadent, yet the periphery of the estate was covered by morning glories, blooming in vibrant colors as if growing on the walls. And to call it ordinary, these ordinary red walls and green tiles would take an ordinary person a lifetime of hard work to afford.
"Young Master, you're back." Kayal's Unicorn was too easy to recognize. Someone had already reported to Cyber, and then a line of maids, wearing stockings that were absolutely alluring for this era, bowed. The skirts, only thigh-length, made even the Claymore women blush.
Fortunately, Atoris had already experienced this situation. The first time he met them, he was even worse than these Claymores: blushing furiously, he had even drawn his sword, intending to attack. Fortunately, Gawain was nearby, otherwise, he might have done something impulsive in his hot-headed state.
"Hey, hey! Don't joke around, are we really going to wear such embarrassing clothes from now on?!" Unexpectedly, it was Rolulia who cried out, a tomboyish appearance but surprisingly pure inside. Rolulia's face was flushed, and she gesticulated wildly as she exclaimed.
"Calm down, Rolulia," Irene's hand rested on Rolulia's shoulder.
"Haha, how is that possible?" Kayal laughed heartily. "For now, if you like the Claymore uniforms, wear them. Once we're organized, we can discuss it again. If you think the Claymore armor is good, use that. If not, I'll design something else for you—of course, if you like maid outfits, wearing those is also fine."
Kayal teased.
He hoped to see surprise or anger on Teresa's face, but Teresa only smiled.
Kayal sighed softly, "Alright, you'll wear maid outfits from now on."
"Hey, hey! Are you serious?!" Sophia, who thought Kayal was joking, also got anxious and cried out.
Shrugging his shoulders, Kayal dismounted, holding Priscilla: "Whynot?"
"He's just like a sulking child," Irene calmly pointed out Kayal's change in mood.
"Heh heh, like a child." Teresa smiled, repeating Irene's words as she looked at Kayal's retreating back. It was only then that Sophia and Rolulia realized that Kayal, who had always commanded them, comforted that monster Priscilla, was decisive in killing, and had never made a wrong decision, was just, just—a child under ten years old!
"So he's just a child… Wait, Sister Irene, then what are we?!" Kayal's behavior made Sophia feel extremely inferior.
"Even younger than him," Teresa delivered a fatal blow with a smile. Sophia was instantly defeated.
The victorious army returned on the fifth day, bringing back about thirty thousand Gaul prisoners. The remaining Gaul people had either been killed or died in Ira. Along with them came about three thousand five hundred orphans—they were survivors from Ira, their parents killed by the Gaul people. They were now homeless wretches… If not for Kayal, their future would likely have been as a new generation of vagrants, or they would have died in some forgotten gutter.
But now, Kayal was here. Having changed the fate of countless people with his own actions, Kayal didn't mind changing the fate of even more people…