The next day.
Many people came from their territories to Camelot. Due to varying distances, most lords arrived on the second day. With so many lords gathered, how could there not be a grand feast and wine banquet!
A long rectangular table stretched from one end to the other, connecting the royal palace to the outer city wall of the royal city. Seating was arranged according to rank, starting with the four Grand Dukes and extending to the knights' tables... only titled knights were truly qualified to sit at the table.
The full-day 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 give her some face.
The banquet provided ample opportunity for many nobles to converse and socialize. Ordinary nobles naturally chatted and gossiped, but many were whispering furtively to each other.
"Haha, how interesting." Sitting on the second floor of a rented civilian house, Kayal basked in the sun, holding a cup of black tea. He smiled, looking at the nobles below, and then, pointing at them, he said to Artoria with a smile, "Look, those fellows are contemplating what benefits they can gain from such a momentous event as the king's succession." Kayal took a small sip of tea, his face filled with a sarcastic and disdainful smile.
"And what's truly interesting is that their benefits are all bestowed by the King, yet they still act like leeches, sucking blood from the entire kingdom... These things are all leeches." Kayal's eyes seemed to regard them as paramecia: "Only these types of individuals, without any contribution, exploit the people and the kingdom solely based on their ancestors' achievements... parasites."
"Are they... not good?" Artoria asked. She was now so afraid of her identity being exposed that she barely dared to speak much.
"Of course. You know about ***, right? These parasites haven't hesitated to use that kind of power... According to my intelligence network, very few of these guys have any foresight. To live a more extravagant life... they lead incredible lives." Kayal said with a sneer, "Do you know who buys half of the luxury goods produced in our Red Leaf Ridge each year? That's right, besides the luxury goods exported to Rome, the other half is completely consumed by these nobles."
"Half? A full half?" Artoria said, utterly incredulous. She had always been by Kayal's side, and she knew very well about such matters. The value of luxury goods... a full half of the luxury goods... how much value was that?!
"They can afford it?" Artoria was surprised and angry. She vaguely guessed the extent of exploitation their subjects endured in their territories to afford those luxuries.
"Hmph... do they care about the lives of those commoners?" Kayal shook his head lightly 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 bit uneasy. Although she knew what Kayal was thinking, Kayal was a genius! Geniuses have their own way of doing things, and Artoria's biggest worry was Kayal making too extreme a move.
She would, of course, forgive Kayal, but extreme actions would indeed make things difficult for her.
"I wouldn't do that. What I want to do is reduce this system of nobility." Kayal chuckled, downing his black tea, and motioned for the apprentice butler Sebastian to pour another cup. Sebastian was just an apprentice butler, and there were many things he still had to learn from his father, Cyber, but his black tea skills, inherited from his mother, were truly impeccable.
"Yes." With a slight bow, his neatly combed hair perfectly in place and wearing clean white gloves, he poured black tea into the teaware.
"Wait, how can you abolish a system like nobility, something that has consolidated the interests of countless people! You know this will make you everyone's target!" Artoria was only talented in combat, which didn't mean she was foolish in politics. She simply disliked the dirtiness of politics, and the consequences of doing this would be terrifying.
"Haha, I didn't say I would abolish the system of nobility entirely." Kayal's eyes gleamed: "I just want to slim down these bloated nobles and earls... Don't you think there are too many nobles in Camelot?"
"Can such a thing... be done?" Artoria stared blankly at Kayal, her eyes filled with surprise and bewilderment.
"Haha, like this, and like that, by tomorrow, whoever ascends to the throne will surely be very grateful to me." Kayal laughed heartily.
"Hmm... they will definitely be very grateful to you." Artoria looked at Kayal with complex emotions. This man, so talented, made her feel a mix of love and hate, and she didn't know what to say.
"Haha, I'm looking forward to what surprise Teacher will give me tomorrow." Kayal took a small sip of black tea, a mischievous glint in his eyes: "I really want to see how Teacher will contend with me... What is she planning?"
"Kay, you're smiling so slyly." Teresa, also smiling, said playfully as she gently sipped her black tea.
To be honest, almost all students or people who knew them believed that Teresa was the prime candidate to be with Kayal. In fact, Teresa was graceful and dignified; despite being a Claymore, her face carried a perfect and approachable smile, much like Kayal's. Their temperaments and auras were extremely similar. One had golden hair and the other silver, one amber-green eyes and the other golden-pupil eyes, both handsome and beautiful in complementary ways. Furthermore, as Kayal's close guard, Teresa was very much in a position of 'being close to the water to get the moon first,' but unexpectedly, Artoria took the lead... It must be said that no matter what Teresa thought in her heart, at least the group of girls who saw Teresa as a senior or idol were very displeased... or perhaps, feeling inferior?
At least, even the perfectly transformed Teresa hadn't won Kayal's favor, and it must be said that the Claymore girls were all a little disappointed.
This time, the Claymore girls were given a difficult task: to guard Red Leaf Ridge. This was also one of Kayal's trump cards. The Claymore girls were not just generally strong! In this world where infantry had no titles, they, who could be called the strongest infantry, protected Red Leaf Ridge, fearing no one!