The Knights had decided the victor.
It was a shame that Lancelot, who had split the Knights of the Round Table with Gawain and caused its division, didn't come, but it was arguably the best outcome: no need to draw swords against each other.
Beowulf was different from Lancelot.
Although he was equally powerful and formidable, he had flaws—the Lancelot of the previous life, as described in epics and recorded in poetry, was a complete heartthrob; apart from being a bit promiscuous, he had no other blemishes.
He was the King of France, his son was Galahad, the pure and flawless Knight, the only one to lift the Holy Grail, and his love affair with Guinevere was even described in poetry as a spiritual romance in a grove, which was not illegal according to the law.
Heaven knows how a Knight who ensured no virgins existed in his territory (by exercising the right of the first night) could have a spiritual romance with a Queen who was perfectly healthy and not infertile?
Thirteen Knights were selected.
Besides the five who appeared in the previous chapter: Grand Duke Andrei, Bedivere, Gawain, Gareth, and Gareth, the other Knights of the Round Table were all outstanding heroes. (Due to variations in translation, I've translated them according to their phonetic readings on Wikipedia.)
First, a commanding presence was essential; as a leader of Knights, being weak in combat would never command respect. Second, composure was crucial. Leading troops into battle, while a daring move might make history and lead to a major victory of the weak over the strong, it is always the composed man who earns respect and is entrusted with important responsibilities—which famous generals in Chinese history, who made their mark, weren't pushed to the brink before fighting back desperately?
Besides those who, despite controversy, insisted on demonstrating loyalty and Grand Duke Andrei, who stubbornly insisted on joining the thirteen young Knights, several others were very famous in legends: Lamorak, a Knight with outstanding arm strength and a robust physique, wielded a blunted sword and defeated thirty-five titled Knights before finally collapsing from exhaustion.
Although slightly lacking in martial arts, he was an absolute killing machine on the battlefield.
Andrew Stuart, this Knight who wielded two swords, was very powerful in foot combat, and his superb horsemanship, a unique skill of biting the reins and wielding two swords, even made him self-satisfied.
Artoria, who had been carefully reading the profiles of the newly promoted thirteen Knights, finally became uncomfortable under the intense gaze.
"So, when are you going to tell me, my King?" Looking at Artoria, who seemed to have a snake slithering all over her body, making her uncomfortable, Kailar finally softened his intense gaze, his tone slightly teasing, chiding, and curious, making Artoria's face a little unnatural.
"Tell, tell me what!" Artoria bravely tried to put on a king's majesty to scold Kailar: "Don't, don't be too arrogant with me! You're just a tiny [Little Sage]! I can revoke your title with a single word!"
"Oh, really? Becoming a King has made you brave, hasn't it, my... Ki-ng!" Smiling, Kailar stood up from the floor, patted his bottom, which had absolutely no dust from sitting on the carpet, and slowly, with a smile, approached Artoria, enunciating each word.
At this moment, Artoria trembled like a kitten under Kailar's dark smile: "You, what do you want to do! I am the King! I will not lose to you... Ugh..."
A King or whatever... is meant to be kissed!
When their faces slowly separated, Artoria was already boneless, collapsing into Kailar's arms.
Gently embracing Artoria's slender waist, the 1.85-meter Kailar found it quite easy to hold the 1.54-meter Artoria, despite her long dress being quite cumbersome.
"Lily... haven't you become more sensitive?" Kailar looked at Artoria, who was blushing and panting, knowing she was aroused just by looking at her pink earlobes.
Kailar, with his incredibly high intelligence, immediately understood the reason. His hand, embracing Artoria, became restless, moving along her waist. He gently licked her earlobe and whispered in her ear: "Could it be... that the change in your status as King gives you a kind of perverse pleasure?"
Kailar was right. In Artoria's eyes, a King was selfless, righteous, balanced, a person who could bring blessings to the people and victory to the kingdom, without personal feelings, utterly impartial.
But when someone could use their closeness to her to act intimately with her, the sensory stimulation it brought indeed had a sense of illicit affair mixed with the blasphemy of trampling on the King's dignity... It was, one might say, like an anesthetic, tempting one to commit sin.
In fact, Kailar only had the latter feeling... the former was quite righteous... Should he be called evil or open and aboveboard?