"Yi Ha~~!!" Although it was just dawn, music had already begun to play. The unique bagpipes of Scotland, played without pressure from piracy! The deep sound of the bagpipes, combined with the cheerful flutes and the elegant harp, had already made the entire Red Leaf Ridge lively.
"Oh oh oh oh!!!" What kind of festival would it be without stalls? Food, naturally, was priced at double the usual, yet people bought it in an endless stream. As for fine wine... drink to your heart's content! This year's harvest means next year's wine will be even sweeter!
"Ah ha ha ha ha! This truly is a paradise on Earth!!" Sitting in the center of the steps was a burly young man, over two meters tall, a rare sight even among Europeans. He held a wine jug in his left hand and a tankard of ale in his right, drinking with the same unrestrained spirit as a general. His exuberance earned him genuine cheers and applause. He laughed heartily, speaking in greek: "What a thrill! Truly thrilling! The joy and enthusiasm of these people are an absolute delight!"
"Your Majesty! Haven't you just ascended the throne? Is it really alright to abandon your subjects and come here to enjoy yourself?" A blonde, blue-eyed youth beside him quietly asked in greek, his tone reproachful.
"Kasinda, you! You are just too cautious! Life is only a few decades long; if one doesn't enjoy it to the fullest, what's the fun in being a king? Ah ha ha ha ha! Another bottle!" The last sentence was in English, spoken to the people of Camelot.
This time, he wasn't so easily dismissed! A large barrel of red wine was brought over, and the owner of the winery, a pot-bellied but very hearty old man, laughed loudly: "Drink, drink! The grapes will be ripe in a few months! Drink your fill!"
"Oh! That's truly congratulations!" Watching cartloads of wheat, simply bundled, being pulled by four-wheeled carriages down the main road, people along the roadside offered wine and food. He had to admit, the simplicity and enthusiasm of these people were very enjoyable, completely different from the enthusiasm in Macedonia! Excellent!
Just as a certain warmonger was contemplating whether this small country would be his first target for conquest, two petite figures, who had followed a carriage into the city, also stopped. As if stunned by the fervent atmosphere, the two small figures, both under 1.7 meters tall, saw laughter everywhere, and happy people everywhere, feeling a shock in their hearts as if their very souls had been struck.
"Octavia, look, this is the kind of smile people should have. Unlike the coldness of Rome, with only the frenzy and excitement of the gladiatorial arena, and the hypocrisy and frigidity of the court, which is truly nauseating! This is a true city of art! This is a true source that can inspire human creativity, this is a true nation!" Spreading her arms and spinning around, the other person, who bore the name of a Roman heir like Octavia, timidly tugged at her cloak: "Hey, Nero, Nero! Keep your voice down, if our identities are exposed, we won't be able to go back."
"Hmph! Octavia, you're just too timid! Forget it, I don't care! Let's enjoy ourselves. That thing over there looks delicious." The high-pitched voice clearly indicated that this was a girl.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew, and the cloak was undoubtedly blown away in an instant. If not for quick reflexes, it might have been lost forever. But this also exposed her face to everyone.
It was as if the air itself had solidified; almost everyone's gaze turned towards her, and the entire joyful scene paused.
Looking at the sharp eyes of the people around her, Octavia felt a chill down her spine, as if everyone here had seen through their identities... How valuable was a Roman royal? How much abuse would the two of them, as women, suffer? She shivered at the thought of the slaves torn apart by lions in the Roman Colosseum...
"Ah ha ha ha!" Laughter suddenly erupted, and a young girl stepped forward, embracing the girl named Nero.
"Al! Al! Al! Isn't this Al! Is Lord Kai here! Has Lord Kai arrived?" The girl's face was filled with infatuation, as if she knew Nero very well.
"Ha ha ha, Lady Knight Artoria actually arrived so early today! Could it be that Lord Kai has already arrived?" The people around laughed heartily, clearly accustomed to the two girls' intimacy, and more concerned about Lord Kai, whom she mentioned.
"Ah? En." Nero had no idea what they were saying and could only mumble with a straight face.
This, instead, made her resemble a certain Lady Knight even more.
Sure enough, shortly after she finished speaking, even more enthusiastic and intense applause, cheers, and the screams of unmarried women came from the end of the street.
Kayal, the spiritual leader of the entire Red Leaf Ridge, had arrived!
The Unicorn at this time was completely different from its initial petite appearance; it was as strong as a rhinoceros, making it a dream for Kayal to ride it without a saddle. Strong as a bull but faster than a bull, as swift as a cheetah but stronger than a cheetah—this was the Unicorn!
Kayal even found that if he used magic in conjunction with the Unicorn, with its unique affinity for elemental energy, even his magic would rise several levels... The Unicorn! The darling of the forest! Nature's own son! Amazing!
Riding the Unicorn, Kayal looked out to see all his subjects bowing their heads in salute. This feeling was very good! Especially good!
Kayal, of course, wouldn't act pretentious like some foolish youth; he merely smiled and raised his hand in greeting. He had used this gesture for ten years, and it was still effective even now. Smiling, he was like the sun, warm and incredibly gentle. Along his path, almost all vehicles and pedestrians moved to the sides to salute. Behind Kayal rode Artoria and Teresa, on two white horses.
Below the three were twelve Claymores, all top-tier Claymores from various generations, including one No. 1, five No. 2s, and the rest No. 3s.
Even so, Teresa was still the strongest... Irene ranked third... Teresa remained the most important part of Kayal's personal guard, while the second throne had fallen to Cassandra, the top student of the 78th class.
Although each class only had one No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, Claymores were brutal, and death was ever-present, so it was not uncommon to have so many No. 2s and No. 3s over seven years.
However, the Organization had curbed the desertion of No. 1s, so Kayal had only two No. 1s over all these years.
Although Kayal had never intended for them to be combatants.
The beautiful Claymores drew whistles, an unprecedented experience.
Kayal smiled, looking at the smiles of the Claymores and the happiness of his subjects. At this moment, he was successful. He had done so much, just for this moment!