[Argh! How could I even have such an idea? The person in front of me is an enemy.]
Guinevere cursed herself silently.
She had truly started to feel something for Leon.
[But that hug just now was really…]
So strong… and warm.
She and Artoria had embraced in the past to maintain the image of the perfect couple, but the difference between Artoria's embrace and Leon's was worlds apart.
It was the first time Guinevere had experienced such a generous and powerful hug. Her body, which had been silent for ten years, suddenly felt warm again.
After all, Artoria had never been able to satisfy her.
As the wife of King Arthur, she could not have much contact with other men. Guinevere often lamented that she had never even had her first time.
And just now—while drunk and unconscious—she had kissed Leon!
"That was my first…"
Guinevere wanted to cover her face with both hands and crawl into a hole in the ground.
Leon was now her first kiss.
E-Even now, I can't stop thinking about it, ahhhhhh—!
Even though she was screaming inside, she had to admit Leon had a handsome face that appealed to her, and unlike Artoria, he was very much a man.
If she weren't the wife of King Arthur… she might have fallen for him.
But he was the enemy!
Someone she should never fall in love with!
If that ever happened, it would be like a live-action version of the tragic romance Romeo and Juliet, written by the popular novelist Natsume/Beta.
"Prince Leon, do you plan to attack Britain?" Guinevere asked nervously, clenching her hands together.
"Yes. I simply hadn't figured out how to start before, but now I have a plan," Leon admitted.
Even if he ignored it, Britain was a kingdom fated for destruction. Leon's concern was how to take possession of that land legitimately.
But after hearing the information Guinevere had just revealed, he already had the perfect plan—and now intended to hasten the kingdom's destruction.
He would attempt to conquer Britain in three months.
If Renner proved strong enough, her kingdom would soon be under his command as well. That way…
The conditions for ascending the throne with "the support of three kingdoms" would be fulfilled!
"You will never succeed!"
Guinevere glared straight at him as she spoke.
"Oh?"
"King Arthur is invincible. Perhaps Britain truly will be destroyed one day, but I will never believe anyone could defeat the King of Knights in direct battle."
The King of Knights, Artoria Pendragon, possessed two treasures that made her unbeatable.
Guinevere had witnessed her battles firsthand and was convinced that the ever-victorious king wielding the Sword of Promised Victory would never lose on the battlefield.
Artoria had the finest sword—a Divine Construct, the pinnacle of holy swords, the strongest of all sacred blades.
A weapon forged by the Planet itself as the crystallization of humanity's hopes, stored and tempered within the Earth.
With the King of Knights wielding such a sword… victory was guaranteed from the moment the battle began.
And even more formidable was the sheath, Avalon.
The bearer of the sheath received an incredible healing power, allowing even fatal wounds to be repaired instantly.
Minor injuries healed with ease, while even lost limbs and destroyed vital organs—such as the heart—could be restored at the critical moment before death.
Aiming for anything other than the bearer's head to destroy the brain was useless—it required a decisive blow to cause lasting harm.
With Artoria holding the strongest holy sword and a sheath that prevents her death, no one in this world can defeat her in direct battle.
Guinevere believed this with all her heart.
However, Leon's lips curled into a smirk.
"Of course I know about something so trivial."
"Trivial?"
"It's just a sword and a sheath. Thinking that alone makes you invincible is a huge mistake. So… shouldn't you be praying for my victory, Queen Guinevere?"
Leon looked at her provocatively.
"What are you talking about!"
"It's the truth. When I capture Britain, you'll no longer be queen—you'll be free, right?"
"Eh?"
Leon smiled and said that in exchange for revealing such important information, he would not kill her, but instead grant her true freedom.
"After all, you don't really want to be a queen. I'll help you. Then you can live your life however you want—find someone who truly loves you and spend the rest of your days happily, as an ordinary woman."
"Live an ordinary life… with someone who loves me…"
Guinevere stared at Leon blankly.
She was stunned to think she could still have such a future. She had long since given up hope of it, never daring to ask for such a thing. Yet here it was—a faint glimmer of possibility.
Her heart trembled involuntarily. She knew she shouldn't… but she couldn't stop herself from hoping.
"Ahh~ Sorry, I can't agree to that."
"What?"
Leon's sudden change of words startled her.
She couldn't help but wonder—was this man truly so cruel? To give her a glimpse of hope only to snatch it away…
You have such a rotten personality. Don't think that just because you're handsome you can do whatever you please. You're playing with a woman's heart!
Leon spoke with complete seriousness.
"Most of the women who've spoken to me ended up falling in love with me. Even if it's unintentional, if you fall for me, I won't be able to return your feelings."
Hearing this, Guinevere's eyes twitched. This man was unbelievably narcissistic… though, annoyingly, he didn't seem to be lying.
Tch!
Who would ever fall for you?!
So what if you're a little handsome?
So what if you hugged and kissed me just now?
So what if you're strong and smart?
I will never fall for your charm!!
She conveniently forgot how flustered she had been less than ten seconds after being in his arms.
"Hmph. Britain can still be saved. Your plan is doomed to fail," Guinevere declared, her tone firm.
She insisted that even in a decaying Britain, there was still a glimmer of hope—and as long as it could be seized, the fate of destruction could be overturned.
But Leon only shrugged and revealed:
"There's a way to save it, huh? You think it's the Holy Grail?"
"You! How do you know?!"
Guinevere was stunned. How could this man possibly know everything?
Perhaps he had already figured it out.
Many years ago, Artoria had ordered the Knights of the Round Table to search for the Holy Grail—the legendary wish-granting device said to be able to grant any desire.
"Indeed, if such a legendary wish-granting device truly exists, it might be able to reverse Britain's doomed fate. But… you'll never obtain it."
Leon ended his statement with a smile.
Guinevere could not suppress a cold sweat. This prince was truly unfathomable.
She watched him elegantly hold his wine glass, speaking with absolute confidence.
"The first person to claim the Holy Grail… will be me."
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."