The next day.
Many people arrived at Camelot from their territories. Due to varying distances, the second day saw the most lords arrive. How could such a gathering of lords not have a grand feast and a wine banquet!
A long rectangular table stretched from one end to the other, connecting the palace and the outer city walls of the Royal City. Seating was arranged according to rank, starting with the four Grand Dukes and extending to the knights' tables... If you weren't a titled knight, you truly weren't qualified to sit at the table.
The entire day's banquet unfolded under Merlin's orchestration. Although the four Grand Dukes didn't particularly like Merlin, it was clear that in front of everyone, they still had to show her some respect.
The banquet provided ample opportunity for many nobles to chat and socialize. Ordinary nobles naturally engaged in small talk and gossip, but quite a few were whispering conspiratorially, their eyes furtive.
"Haha, how interesting." Sitting on the second floor of a rented civilian house, Kailar basked in the sun, a cup of red tea in his hand, smiling as he watched the nobles below. Pointing at them, Kailar looked at Artoria and said with a smile, "Look, those fellows are thinking about what benefits they can gain from such a major event as the king's succession." Kailar took a small sip of tea, his face filled with a sarcastic and disdainful smile.
"And what's truly interesting is: all their benefits are bestowed by the King, yet they still suck the blood of the entire kingdom like leeches... These things are all leeches." Kailar's gaze was as if he was looking at paramecia: "Only these guys, with no contribution whatsoever, rely solely on their ancestors' achievements to exploit the people and the kingdom... parasites."
"Are they... not good?" Artoria asked. She was now so afraid of her identity being revealed that she barely dared to speak much.
"Of course. You know about ***, right? These parasites have not hesitated to use that power... According to my intelligence network, very few of these guys have foresight. To live even more lavishly... they live incredible lives." Kailar said with a sneer, "Do you know who buys half of the luxury goods produced in our Red Leaf Ridge every year? That's right, besides the luxury goods exported to Rome, the other half is completely consumed by these nobles."
"Half? A whole half?" Artoria said with disbelief. She had always been by Kailar's side, and she knew very well about such matters, the value of luxury goods... a whole half of luxury goods... how much was that worth?!
"They can afford it?" Artoria was surprised and angry. She vaguely guessed the extent of exploitation suffered by the people of their territories to afford those luxuries.
"Hmph... Do they care about the lives of those commoners?" Kailar shook his head slightly and snorted, "I know exactly who bought my luxury goods..."
"Kay, you want to deal with them?" Artoria asked, "Won't this exceed your authority?" Artoria was still a little worried. Although she knew what Kailar was thinking, Kailar was a genius! A genius had his own way of doing things, and Artoria's biggest concern was that Kailar would make too drastic a move.
She would, of course, forgive Kailar, but overly aggressive actions would indeed make things difficult for her.
"I wouldn't do that. What I want to do is reduce this system of nobility." Kailar laughed heartily, draining his red tea and signaling to the apprentice butler Sebastian for another cup. Sebastian was just an apprentice butler; he still had much to learn from his father, Cyber, but his red tea skills, inherited from his mother, were truly impeccable.
"Yes." With a slight bow, his neatly combed hair and immaculate swallow-tail coat, he wore clean white gloves as he poured red tea into the tea set.
"Wait, how can you abolish a system like nobility, which consolidates the interests of countless people! You know this will make you everyone's target!" Artoria was only gifted in combat; it didn't mean she was foolish in politics. She simply hated the filth of politics, and the consequences of doing this would be terrifying.
"Haha, I didn't say I would abolish the system of nobility entirely." Kailar's eyes glinted with cunning: "I just want to slim down these bloated nobles and counts... Don't you think there are too many nobles in Camelot?"
"Such a thing... can it be done?" Staring blankly at Kailar, Artoria's eyes were filled with surprise and daze.
"Haha, like this and like that, by tomorrow, whoever ascends to the throne will surely be very grateful to me." Kailar laughed heartily.
"Hmm... they will definitely be very grateful to you." Artoria looked at Kailar with complex emotions, this man who was so talented that she found it hard to love or hate him, yet she didn't know what to say.
"Haha, I'm looking forward to what surprise my teacher will give me tomorrow." Kailar took a light sip of red tea, a mischievous glint in his eyes: "I really want to see how my teacher will contend with me... What is she planning?"
"Kay, you're smiling so sinisterly." Teresa, also smiling, said playfully as she gently sipped her red tea.
To be honest, almost all students or acquaintances considered Teresa to be the primary candidate best suited for Kailar. In fact, Teresa was graceful and dignified; despite being a Claymore, her face carried a perfect and approachable smile, much like Kailar's. Their temperaments and auras were remarkably similar. One had golden hair, the other silver; one had amber-green eyes, the other golden-pupiled eyes. Their handsomeness and beauty complemented each other perfectly. Furthermore, as Kailar's close guard, Teresa was very much in a position to take advantage of their proximity, but unexpectedly, Artoria took the lead... It must be said that no matter what Teresa thought, at least the group of girls who regarded Teresa as a senior or idol were very displeased... or perhaps it was self-pity?
At least, even the perfectly transformed Teresa didn't receive Kailar's favor, and it must be said that the Claymore girls were all a little disappointed.
This time, the Claymore girls were given a daunting task: to guard Red Leaf Ridge. This was also one of Kailar's trump cards; the Claymore girls were not just ordinarily strong! In this world where infantry had no titles, they, who could be called the strongest infantry, protected Red Leaf Ridge, fearing no one!