Chapter 147: Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
This knight did his research and studied our information before meeting my group. Lancelot also knew the achievements of what we did from the Caerleon kingdom. And I believed that Lancelot also gauged my strength, since he thought I was the missing king or kidnapped King Arthur.
Lancelot might have expected that I did something terrible to King Arthur of Albion. But as he found out, I was a completely different person. And I had a noble goal to end this war and a solution for the famine.
But as soon we stepped out from the room, marching sounds echoed elsewhere. Lancelot widened his eyes and checked the building's every nook and cranny for the approaching people.
Despite the drumming sounds of footsteps, Lancelot might have not expected visitors besides us. And these guests ruined his plot.
Within a few seconds, a platoon of guards arrived at the door's fore. All of the soldiers armed themselves with blades directed on our figures. They even aimed their weapons at Lancelot, who I taught he sent to my team. I had already readied my hands and glared at Lancelot.
But the scene caught me by surprise.
"What is the meaning of this? Who sent you? I am on my way to King Arthur and request an audience with him! I have found some people that could…"
Before Lancelot could finish his sentence, a guard struck the pommel of his sword at him. Lancelot groaned in pain and fell flat on the floor, with his drools wetting our feet.
My team and I gasped as we witnessed the violent scene. But we couldn't help the poor men kissing the ground.
"Well, well, well. If isn't Sir Lancelot conspiring against Albion….You even brought some esteemed guests today. And when I mean guests, you brought demons into the castle?"
Now that I had thought about it, this place reminded me about the citadel's interiors. All the designs came from the gameplay's trailer, which I barely visited. Since I was the strongest player in this game, there was no need for me to enter this place. I didn't have to listen to the official's orders, considering my title.
"Sir Lionel! My cousin! What is the meaning of this?!" Lancelot grunted, as he lifted his head.
But the soldier, who hit him earlier, stomped his feet against Lancelot's back. The force of his foot sank Lancelot's body, bringing him more pain than ever before. Lancelot couldn't say anything about his situation, despite wanting to defend himself. If he tried blindlessly protect himself from these guards, the king would sentence him for treason.
"Are you a traitor of the Albion? You vowed to protect the kingdom by bringing a demon inside? Your oath is the one who gives you strength. And yet you dare oppose it?" Sir Lionel, a knight from the round table, exclaimed. "You're nothing but a worthless pig if King Arthur hears this news. And if I did that, you have no choice but to go to prison, together with Guinevere."
"Don't get her into this, Lionel! She has done nothing wrong! If you're mad at me, lash your anger at me instead! Never let Guinevere into the quarrels we've made!" Lancelot retorted.
Despite Lancelot's replies, Lionel turned around his back and motioned his fingers. He didn't even say a word as he left the premises. That man let his guards do the dirty work as he rushed towards King Arthur's throne room.
The guards who heard Lionel's instructions lifted the broken Lancelot and pushed him onwards. These soldiers tried doing it the same, but Lilith shook them off.
"Lay your hands on my friend's skin and I shall pulverize you into dust!" the demonic girl yelled, and summoned her dark magic.
All of us unleashed our powers and broke free from our chains, telling these guards our outmatched arcane. Those soldiers all widened their eyes as soon as they witnessed our release. But none of them had the balls to fight us, since we had a demon by our side.
Even Lionel returned to the room and gawked at the scene. He tried running away, but Fenrir caught him in his neck.
The guards immediately reacted and directed their weapons at our team. I had to step up, since the situation had gotten out of hand.
"Please, soldiers. Drop your weapons and we will spare everyone's life," I said, while waving my hands. "You don't know how capable we are to kill you in the blink of an eye. And we won't just kill you. We will call every citizen in this area and retreat. How's that?"
Those soldiers who had a brain let go of their blades and surrendered. Some guards had a stubborn personality and issued everyone to attack us. But when those knights realised their positions, all of them reginated their fates to our hands.
"You lots are no match against King Arthur! As soon as he-."
I didn't let the soldier finish and requested Meliodas to zip the soldier's mouth. Meliodas' harp echoed in the room, creating some background sounds for our conversation. As he ended his piece, I continued my topic.
"I know that if we kill you all, we would have announced war against the humans. But we didn't come here for that. We visited Camelot to have an audience with the king. And it's like what this man, Lancelot, has mentioned. The demons have a plan to stop the war and the famine once and for all," I announced, and glared at the soldier's direction.
"What kind of bluff are you....R-Release me!" Sir Lionel spouted, but became paralysed within seconds.
Thanks to Meliodas' song, Lionel couldn't end his sentence. No matter how hard the unfortunate man struggled, Lionel couldn't free himself from Meliodas' bind. The piece that came out from the harp was strong enough to limit the movements of this soldier.
"I don't need to explain to an idiotic person like you. You're nothing but a pawn in this room and the round table. If there's someone I could talk to, it would be King….."
"I am here."
A voice came out suddenly from the upper floors that disrupted our conversation. The mysterious man went down the stairs and met with all of us.
Within a few seconds, a bloke wearing golden armour greeted our eyes. He had the face of a bartender, paired with some masculine facial hair. That man stood in front of us, with a sword gripped in his hands. The blade the guy held was not an ordinary weapon made by common blacksmiths.
My system notified me that the weapon this man equipped was an Excalibur, which was also the legendary sword. It even gave me warning signs, saying that this man had an arcane amounting of a mountain. This bloke had the most statistical power I had ever seen in my life, which almost ranked with my main account.
"Are you, perhaps, King Arthur?" I asked, and turned around.
After a few months, I finally came face to face with the Albion's mastermind.
"Aye. And you must be the leader of your gang. I could see you have a demon with you, spouting a plan to save the war. Very well. You have my curiosity, Arthur," King Arthur said, and raised his hand. "Do not have any ill intentions with these guests of mine. And young lad, I ask you to release my knight gripped by your animali-human friend."
Fenrir heeded King Arthur's word and let go of Lionel from her hand. That knight landed on the ground and gasped for air. As soon as he recovered, Lionel sprinted towards King Arthur's side while cursing at us.
"Thank you. Come and follow me to my throne! Soldiers, standby and protect the gates. I do not want any visitors or elders breaching this meeting."
As soon as King Arthur said those words, the players rushed outside and guarded the door. Those gates slammed tight as the knights waited on their posts, as King Arthur had ordered.
King Arthur led us inside the throne room, together with the five of them seated on the table. I had heard stories about these benevolent knights saving the village from any monsters harming the people. Even the game referred to them from a legendary story that I didn't know.
Those five knights muted themselves upon witnessing our figures entering the throne room. All of them immediately leered at Lilith, who was the demon in our group. Compared to the treatment we received from Lionel, these knights valued our presence. Those five knights didn't say anything besides keeping an eye at every movement we performed inside this room.
Sir Lancelot and Lionel made their way towards their seats and greeted everyone. Those two were also knights of the round table, participating in our discussion.
"I would like to introduce to all of you our sudden guests for today," King Arthur confessed, and presented our team. "Let us all listen to whatever they have to say about the war and the treaty."