The air in the lord's chamber suddenly became so heavy it felt impossible to breathe.
Artoria Alter's golden pupils slit vertically like a reptile's, and the jet-black Mana seeping from her body caused the furniture in the room to tremble ever so slightly.
The little sister who had just been eating the abalone congee her brother had prepared, reminiscing about hamburgers with a tender smile, was nowhere to be seen.
She was a ruthless tyrant who had never been broken—neither in Taquin's prison nor on countless battlefields.
And the only irascible spot of that tyrant had been foolishly provoked by the vast knight standing before her.
"How dare you wag that base tongue so freely, pretending you're safe. You wretched warlord who once scuttled about some backwater Irish village, and now dare to crawl your way up here."
Artoria Alter rose from her seat with a smooth motion and reached out toward the black holy sword standing in the corner of the room.
"I'll rip out that three-inch tongue and feed it to the dogs, and I'll impale your thick skull on the castle gate!"
As if responding to her murderous intent, black flames swirled around the banner of Jeanne d'Arc Alter, talismans flared into existence at Tamamo-no-Mae's fingertips, and Medusa crouched low, ready to fling her chains at a moment's notice.
But Galehaut didn't so much as bat an eye at that overwhelming presence. Instead, he placed his hand on the hilt of his massive greatsword and lifted his head to face Artoria Alter without a hint of fear.
"Your anger is understandable, Lady Artoria Alter. But I am the sword of His Majesty the Lion King. My life and my loyalty are pledged solely to Her Majesty the Queen of North Wales."
Galehaut continued, casting a contemptuous glance at Kay.
"I know nothing of what happened five years ago. But Britain is now embroiled in a colossal disaster called Vortigern. Her Majesty the Queen bleeds day and night commanding the battlefield… and yet, you, a man of unknown origin who hasn't so much as shown your face during all that time, now seek to usurp your place by her side? I can never trust you."
His words echoed the sentiment common among the Knights of North Wales.
They had witnessed firsthand how perfect and ruthless the Lion King is as a ruler. Yet they had also endured the quiet anguish of seeing that flawless queen lose her composure and waver at the mere mention of the name "Kay."
To them, Kay was nothing more than a germ that weakened their great queen.
"If Artoria Alter chooses to punish me by force, I will gladly lay down my neck. But I will stake my life to oppose that irreverent man standing by Her Majesty's side──!"
"…Enough."
The one to cut off Galehaut's resolute cry was none other than Kay's low, placid voice.
"Brother! Don't hold me back! I'm going to tear that bastard apart today!"
Artoria Alter was about to unleash her Mana, but Kay gripped her shoulder tightly with one hand and held her down.
She flinched at the weighty, unwavering force radiating from Kay's hand and ceased her movement. His strength was overwhelmingly vast compared to the old days.
Kay physically stood between Artoria Alter and the Servants' murderous intent, then slowly approached Galehaut.
Galehaut was a hulking giant well over two meters tall, so Kay had to look up at him. Yet there was neither intimidation nor anger in Kay's gaze.
"Sir Galehaut, is that right?"
"…That is correct."
"You're right. I haven't been by my sisters' side for five years. I have no excuses. And seeing a loyal vassal as admirable as you worry so much for my sister, as her brother, I actually appreciate it."
At Kay's unexpected concession, Galehaut's brow furrowed slightly. He had expected some pathetic excuse, but instead…
Kay scratched the back of his head and continued calmly.
"Insulting me and looking down on me? I've been through that countless times in my life, so it doesn't even anger me anymore. It's just exhausting to kick every stray mutt that barks at me."
At Kay's offhand analogy, the nine knights standing behind him bristled and gripped their sword hilts, but Galehaut raised a hand, restraining them.
"But you know."
Kay's voice dropped a tone.
His previously calm gaze shifted to that of a predator—cold and ominous—the same one that once swept through thousands of demonic beasts in the [Abyssal Realm].
"What you just said wasn't an insult to me."
"What are you talking about?"
"You just insulted the judgment of the Lion King, your liege."
Galehaut's eyes widened.
Kay tapped on the rigid steel breastplate of Galehaut's armor with his index finger and said,
"Artoria Lancer is the one who makes the most rational judgments in Britain. If someone like her sought me out and wanted me at her side, there must be a clear reason. Yet you—her loyal vassal—use nothing but surface impressions and meager loyalty as an excuse to call your liege's judgment flawed and deny it?"
"…I was merely trying to prevent interference with Her Majesty's grand endeavor──!"
"That's arrogance, you oversized fool."
In that moment, a harsh curse burst from Kay's mouth.
Even the half-man, half-giant Galehaut involuntarily drew a breath and took half a step back at the compressed aura surging from Kay.
"I can tolerate being cursed at and looked down on indefinitely. But… as her brother, I will never forgive any lowborn wretches who dare to judge and ignore my sister's hard-won decision."
Kay clenched his fist. He felt like swinging an axe right away, but since they were his sister's knights… he would not harm them.
"Save your loyal vassal act for Artoria Lancer. In front of me, you're nothing but a haughty hunting dog doubting your master's orders."
Galehaut's face flushed red with shame and rage.
He had once been a king of a nation. To be so openly insulted by a man of unknown origin was more than his dignity could bear.
"…How dare you liken me to a beast. Were it not for Her Majesty's orders, I would have split you in two this instant!"
Galehaut drew the colossal two-handed greatsword strapped to his back.
The knights in the room all drew their swords in unison.
"Kay!!"
Artoria Alter shouted urgently, but Kay, without turning around, raised his left hand to restrain her.
"Stay still. This is just your brother correcting some bad habits in his sister's retainers."
Kay clenched both fists and lowered his stance.
"Come at me, Captain of the Lion King's Knights. Let your meager might prove whether you're in any position to challenge my sister's decision—I, her brother, will be the judge."
Galehaut roared like a beast and swung his greatsword in a massive arc.
The destructive blow, infused with the giant's monstrous strength and Mana, descended over Kay's head as though it would cleave the entire lord's chamber in two.
But.
KAAAAANG!!!!
With an unbelievable clang, Galehaut's greatsword was knocked aside in midair.
Kay did not dodge. He struck the side of the greatsword with his fist, sending it skittering away.
"…What?!"
Guhk…!!
Kay's right fist—the pure iron fist honed through tens of thousands of strikes in the [Abyssal Realm]—impaled itself against Galehaut's breastplate like a thunderbolt.
Kwad-d-d-deuk!!!! Paaaaarng-!!!
Galehaut's massive body, clad in dozens of kilograms of silver plate armor, arced upward into the air with a horrible tearing roar.
He crashed through the thick oak doors of the lord's chamber and flew all the way down the corridor, embedding himself in the wall.
The remaining nine knights froze, watching their mightiest commander be sent flying like a leaf by a single punch from a seemingly ordinary man who didn't even resort to using Mana.
Kay brushed the dust from his fist and gazed coldly down at the knights who stood there dazed.
"Hey, you lot left standing. If you doubt my legitimacy, come at me. Feel free to gang up on me, I don't mind."
The knights' hands trembled on their sword hilts, but none dared to charge at Kay.
The monster who had supposedly matched the Lion King blow for blow—Sir Galehaut—was felled in a single strike.
Only now did they realize why the Lion King had sought this man so desperately. He was by no means a feeble germ.
He was the colossal, overwhelming pillar their great queen could lean on and rest.
At that display of overwhelming force, Artoria Alter's cheeks flushed a rosy pink, and the Servants each wore satisfied smiles as they looked upon their Master.
Kay walked slowly over to the slumped, groaning Galehaut and grabbed his massive collar, hauling him upright.
"Commander. You come to your senses?"
Grrrk… Guhh…
"If you truly wish to lighten the King's burden, then stop sowing discord with pointless doubts and go chop off another enemy's head."
Though he staggered to his feet, Kay gripped his shoulder with force.
KKAAAAAGH!!!
"What is this absurd force!? I, the son of a giant, am being overpowered!?!"
Kay squeezed with the ferocity to crush his shoulder—so powerful that Galehaut, confident in his own might, could not help but recoil in horror.
Truly overwhelming.
A special bloodline? No, this was the embodiment of effort.
A masterpiece crafted by the fiercest Godslayer.
Since he had no talent, he shed more blood and sweat than anyone else, desperately striving to attain this strength.
"That's what a loyal vassal does. Understood? Ready the carriage—I'm heading to North Wales. And you… put in more effort. If you're going to call yourself a faithful retainer, then act like one."
Kay tossed Galehaut to the floor and turned on his heel.
"Artoria Alter, how are you feeling? Think you can ride in the carriage?"
When Kay wiped away the murderous aura he had just displayed and asked kindly, Artoria Alter grinned as if nothing had happened and linked arms with him.
"…Hmph. If I overexert myself, I might get dizzy, so I'll rest my head on my brother's lap in the carriage."
The siblings and their Servants, leading their thoroughly cowed knightly guard, set off for North Wales, where the Lion King awaited their return.