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Since ancient times, serving one's lord, guarding one's lord, and eliminating all obstacles for one's lord has been the very meaning of a knight's existence.
However, compared to these duties, what Gilgamesh anticipated even more was the amusement that this girl's interesting reactions could bring him.
As the King of Heroes, he naturally wouldn't resort to such base methods to torment the girl; he merely wished to see her interesting expression.
What kind of reaction would this girl, as self-disciplined as a classical knight, show when facing the 'torment' of the lord she had pledged loyalty to?
Would she choose to endure everything for the sake of her organization and her future, or would she choose reckless resistance to demonstrate her value for her own body and integrity?
Savoring the 'greatness' within human nature—this was precisely his method, as the King of Heroes, for dispelling boredom, and one of the few accomplishments that could bring him pleasure.
However, this girl presented him with an unexpected answer.
"'Your Majesty, if it is Your Majesty's wish... I will come to your chambers tonight to rest, so...'"
Yet for Gil, the crucial point wasn't this.
This girl was making this choice of her own volition.
Neither her affiliated organization nor her own life had influenced her decision.
In other words, she had made this decision entirely on her own.
This meant the girl harbored a certain fondness for Gil.
Gil naturally sensed such obvious feelings. Rather than attributing the girl's attempts to halt Gil's actions to some other reason, it was more likely she was striving to maintain her dignity as a knight.
Connecting this realization with the girl's terrible taste and habits, a trace of resignation appeared on Gilgamesh's face.
"'Reading those novels depicting knights and kings, did you actually start believing them?'"
Indeed. Lilianna, the Great Knight of the 'Bronze Black Cross', a genius among heaven's chosen, was, in her daily life, merely a girl obsessed with knight novels.
Incidentally, she had even written several romance novels about knights and kings herself, which Erica Blandelli, another of heaven's chosen, mercilessly used as material to mock her.
In any case, Gilgamesh, who had initially been anticipating the girl's reaction, couldn't help but feel a trace of delight.
It was delight stemming from the unexpected; the girl's unanticipated reaction genuinely surprised him.
"'Um... um... You should also pay a little attention to your own conduct, Your Majesty!'"
Lilianna grumbled.
Perhaps because of everything that had just transpired, she couldn't even manage the most basic decorum.
Yet, even so, Gilgamesh wasn't angered by her offense.
Perhaps beings capable of surprising him, capable of exceeding his expectations, were simply too rare.
In short, even if it was this 'vice' of hers that amused Gil, it was enough for this King to regard her as a subject worthy of attention.
After all, it was precisely because of this that the girl possessed the qualification to bring him, the King, further amusement.
"'You truly are an interesting creature. It has been a long time since the presumptuousness of a mere mortal has made me laugh so heartily.'"
Gil smiled faintly, narrowing his eyes arrogantly. With the boundless magnanimity of a king, Gil overlooked the girl's inadvertent offense.
He took a light sip of the fine wine treasured within the headquarters of the 'Bronze Black Cross'.
While the wine's mellow aroma could be considered high quality, and its long history served as a point of interest, it was indeed quite inferior compared to the treasures within his own vault.
However, he didn't blame the 'Bronze Black Cross' for this; after all, as a king, he still knew how to show consideration for his subordinates.
Immediately following, golden ripples materialized in the air above Gilgamesh's sturdy hand.
That was the vault containing all the treasures of the world, the treasury known as the 'Gate of Babylon'.
Whether it was the most trivial gold, scrolls by masters dead for countless ages, treasures left by peerless artisans, fine wines that would make even the gods sigh, or the most noble items within—the paragons of this world representing legends and epics, heroes and gods, the prototypes of all Noble Phantasms—all were casually stored within this vault.
"'Seeing as you have made this King laugh heartily, accept this reward with incomparable gratitude.'"
In Lilianna's eyes, this King whom she adored, served loyally, and admired, slowly drew forth from within [the Gate] a wine flagon forged from gold.
The instant the flagon appeared, her gaze was captivated by it.
It wasn't that she particularly adored gold, but the pure fragrance wafting from the flagon involuntarily intoxicated her.
Seeing the enchantment in the girl's eyes, Gilgamesh couldn't help but reveal an extremely proud expression.
No one could refuse the treasures within his vault—he had always firmly believed this and took pride in it.
Thus, this hero among heroes gently tossed the flagon to the silver-haired female knight.
"'Drink your fill freely! This is fine wine this King has prepared for a valiant knight!'"