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"O King, your humble servant has an impertinent request!"
Even though his attire had been utterly destroyed by the fierce duel just moments ago, even though the knightly garb that originally displayed his heroic martial prowess was now slashed to tatters by the sword winds unleashed by the holy sword.
This great knight was not the type to rely on his equipment. Rather than seeking sharp and sturdy longswords or incredibly thick armor, he was more willing to hone his own martial skills.
It was precisely because of this conviction that he had become Italy's foremost knight, even lauded in the tales of the magi as being nobler than Italy's leader, the King of Swords, a Godslayer.
At this moment, this man, whose clothes were not merely disheveled but whose attire was almost unrecognizable, knelt with utmost respect on one knee before the throne.
As a knight, he naturally, like those old-fashioned fellows, clearly understood the etiquette required when facing a monarch, so it could not quite be considered impolite.
Of course, that was assuming one ignored the words he spoke.
"I implore you, treat Erica with kindness!"
He spoke thus, the persistence and stubbornness in his tone causing even Liliana, who stood beside him, to frown slightly.
This knight was truly willing to risk enraging the King's majesty to make such a reckless move.
However, the sly smile on his face hinted at a different stratagem.
Liliana was about to speak out and stop him, but the King upon the throne, high above, who disdained all mortal beings, spoke.
"How this King treats his pets, is it your place, you mongrel, to dictate!"
That man named Gilgamesh, the man who was the King of Old, possessed not a shred of tolerance for those who offended him.
Even if he had slightly acknowledged that this knight named Paul was a fellow worthy of his notice, this did not mean they had the qualification to interfere with the King's will.
"Then, as a mongrel who dares to offend the King's majesty in such a manner."
Gilgamesh leaned forward slightly, moving away from the throne made of incredibly soft, but also incomparably expensive, magical beast pelts.
His crimson, serpent-like eyes, which no one had the courage to meet directly, filled with thick killing intent and unquestionable majesty, slowly opened.
Even the incredibly fierce duel just now, a duel that could be called a miracle in the eyes of ordinary people, had not caused him to open his slightly narrowed eyes. But now, this fellow's offense against the King had made him, involuntarily, become serious.
This knight was doing it intentionally. Gilgamesh knew this mongrel's thoughts with utmost clarity, and precisely because of this, he was so enraged.
"As you are a mongrel, this King shall mercifully grant you death. Be grateful for this immense boon, mongrel!"
The King spoke with such immense arrogance, lightly raising his arm, which was encased in golden armor polished to reflect a dazzling brilliance.
With his movement, golden ripples slowly materialized in the air.
That was the Noble Phantasm known as the 'Gate of Babylon,' a sanctuary that contained countless treasures and riches of the world.
Even the Noble Phantasms in the hands of other Heroic Spirits could be considered as having flowed out from this King's Treasury.
All the wealth of the world belongs to the King—this was a rule established in that era countless years ago, by the nation called Uruk, a rule that even the gods could not refuse.
Weapon after weapon, symbolizing the legends of this world, Noble Phantasms that represented the crystallization of the world, slowly revealed themselves from those portals of light.
Only four light portals had appeared, which seemed much weaker compared to the full thirty-two gates of light during the slaying of Odin.
However, simultaneously bearing the pressure of the arrogant King and those numerous Noble Phantasms, along with the killing intent surging forth like a tidal wave.
Paul felt his bones, tempered through countless trials and capable of easily withstanding a sword strike, emit whimpers of unbearable strain.
This man, originally a knight among knights, the paragon of knighthood, a man as steadfast as granite, now revealed an unspeakable fear.
Perhaps, his plan had been wrong from the very beginning. Provoking this King was, in itself, an act of utter folly!
Just at that instant, as this heroic knight was about to welcome death.
The pressure vanished.
That pressure, like the weight of tens of thousands of tons, which had robbed him even of the courage to resist, disappeared as if it had never existed.
"You, would you stop me? Do you wish to defy my will for this mongrel, Lady Liliana?"
It was a voice slightly tinged with laziness, yet at every moment, it exuded an unparalleled, endless majesty.
The King, standing before his throne, had a slight upturn at the corner of his lips, a smile of utter contempt.
He repeated sharply once more.
"Why do you stand before this King, Lady Liliana? Do you perhaps intend to halt this King's wrath?"
The fear in Paul's heart slowly drained away. He gently, slowly, raised his head.
Before him, a young girl knelt on one knee, her pretty, elfin face bearing the same stubbornness and resolve as always.
"No, O King!"
The young girl named Liliana, who considered knighthood her very life, spoke thus slowly.
Facing the King's oppressive aura, every word she uttered carried a slight tremor.
But, even so, she had no intention of backing down.
For her loyalty, a loyalty that could indeed be called blind, she was gambling her life here.
"O King, Lord Paul is the pride of Italy's magical world. If you were to kill him privately here, it would surely cause those fellows to question the King's majesty!"
She paused slightly, then stated her true purpose.
"This, for your reign over the entire magical world of Italy, would be an extremely great blow!"
After finally finishing these words, Liliana was the first to let out a breath.
The oppressive aura that had been weighing heavily upon her had gradually receded.
"Well then, do you think this King cares about the thoughts of those mongrels?"
Gilgamesh said, a haughty smile on his face, as if speaking casually.
However, even with such a casual tone, even Liliana understood that if her answer did not satisfy this King, what awaited her would likely be merciless coldness.
And Paul, the pride of Italian knighthood, would undoubtedly find his life in peril.
Most importantly, the King she had pledged allegiance to would suffer damnable slander!
This point alone, the young girl absolutely could not tolerate!