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Within the treasury of the most ancient king, Gilgamesh, the fine wine brewed by the gods ranked among the top treasures.
Although Gil disliked the gods, even detesting those disrespectful beings as mortal enemies, it didn't mean he would unfairly disparage the fine wine in his hands because of it.
This fine wine was brewed by a god specifically dedicated to 'Harvest'. It was precisely these gods, possessing the ability to grant bountiful harvests to their people, who also carried within their divine power a sliver of skill in brewing fine wine.
The taste of that fine wine could intoxicate even the demigods; if Gilgamesh didn't possess a higher divinity, perhaps he too couldn't resist such temptation.
Tossing this fine wine to his knight held not only the intention of a reward but also carried a trace of a test.
After all, a knight pledging loyalty to him couldn't just possess sufficient strength.
Gilgamesh, as the most ancient king among humans, deserved a knight who was naturally a paragon among knights.
Not only must their strength far exceed others, their martial skills crushing those so-called masters, but their character must also be flawless.
Only such an existence was qualified to approach him, the King of Heroes.
And Lilianna, having accepted this reward, forcefully suppressed the craving for this incomparable fine wine welling up in her heart, and bowed her delicate waist respectfully towards Gil.
"Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty."
She spoke thus, word by word. The divine power contained within the fine wine, filled with allure, tempted her incessantly, urging her to quickly drink this peerless vintage.
However, she couldn't.
Although she hadn't guessed this was Gilgamesh's test for her...
Still, as a knight, having resolved years ago to become one, having integrated the knight's code into her very being, she absolutely had to complete the proper etiquette first.
Seeing this girl actually manage to suppress the temptation brought by the gods through her own will, Gil couldn't help but reveal an approving expression.
After all, to follow him meant one must be an enemy of the gods.
If one couldn't even resist this level of temptation, what qualification did they have to stand before him and raise their sword against the gods?
However, the girl could endure no longer.
Possessing fairy-like beauty, her face couldn't help but reveal a dazed expression.
She no longer adhered strictly to ladylike etiquette, directly raising the golden flagon and pouring its contents into her mouth.
That fine wine, almost every drop of which could have been worth a city-state in ancient times, was thus gulped down by the girl.
Not a single drop of the liquid was wasted; the girl, possessing the skill of a knight, cherished this hard-won fine wine.
Then, the liquid within the flagon was completely drunk by her, not a drop remaining outside.
As the wine was thoroughly consumed, the temptation from the divine power, carried on the wine's fragrance in the air, also dissipated.
"Not bad. This King acknowledges you as his knight!"
Gil rose from the sofa, then gently supported the girl, whose body had become slightly weak.
"Then, display your glory to this King! It shall serve as an adornment in this King's epic. Feel honored by this, girl!"
He was still just as arrogant. Although he had accepted her because she satisfied his demanding requirements, showing a slight trace of gentleness...
However, the essence of this king remained just as aloof; that was the king's arrogance, absolutely untouchable by mortals.
But this time, the girl didn't respond to his words.
That girl... was currently struggling against the state known as 'drunk', wasn't she.
Looking at the girl whose face wore a deeply muddled expression, Gilgamesh couldn't help but show a trace of resignation.
He had forgotten that this girl, while having excellent drinking etiquette, had an incredibly low tolerance for alcohol.
This girl, who could arguably be easily drunk after just a few glasses of beer, faced an even more obvious outcome after drinking wine brewed by the gods.
In the original work, that girl named Erica Blandelli, the one with the incredibly resounding title 'Diavolo Rosso' (Red Devil), precisely exploited this weakness—the girl's inability to refuse others' invitations—to get her drunk time and again, taking pleasure in it.
This was likely far from the first time the girl had been drunk, but this time she probably couldn't even utter drunken ramblings.
Gilgamesh, the culprit, couldn't help showing a dissatisfied expression; this girl had presented him with an unexpected situation for the second time.
It had to be said, this was also an extremely novel feeling for him.
"Quite amusing, girl. Seeing as you have made this King laugh heartily, I shall forgive your crime of revealing your drunken state before the King."
A trace of amusement played on his face; his extremely handsome features showed an expression beyond mere arrogance.
However, the drunken girl probably had no chance to appreciate it.
"I originally intended to bestow 'Caliburn' upon you as a reward for your loyalty and adherence to that meaningless knight's code, but seeing you like this, perhaps later."
Gil spoke with a trace of dissatisfaction, feeling the warmth of the girl in his arms.
The delicate girl, even after long tempering, wasn't heavy at all. Neither her fingertips nor her skin bore any inappropriate scars; she perfectly embodied the meaning of the term 'young lady'.
Gil settled this subordinate—who had 'heroically sacrificed' herself right after pledging allegiance—onto the exquisitely crafted sofa.
He looked at this subordinate in name, feeling slightly clicked his tongue.
Judging by her sleeping posture, this girl, filled with naive charm, looked nothing like the cold knight who could take lives at will.
This was perhaps what they meant by 'don't judge a book by its cover'.
Sighing inwardly, Gilgamesh casually covered the girl with an item of clothing lying nearby, while once again retrieving a flagon of god-brewed wine from his 'Gate of Babylon', pouring and drinking by himself.
Don't misunderstand; it wasn't that he had fallen for this girl, merely that he was showing concern for a subordinate.
The more such subordinates offered everything to him, the more he cherished them.
It is precisely because the people yearn for the King, precisely because the subjects revere the King, precisely because the enemies fear the King...
That the King must lead by example, must not disappoint his subjects, must not allow his enemies to lose their fear of him.
Appropriately caring for subordinates—if a king cannot even do this, then he is unworthy of being king.
Gilgamesh, though arrogant, was not conceited, much less disdainful of others.
On the contrary, he was incomparably familiar with the Way of the King, and even used it as his standard for conduct.
Because he was the very manifestation of the concept of 'Kingship'!
The arrogant king set down his wine cup, the slightly upturned corners of his mouth carrying endless aloofness.
But his voice, already deep, now carried an unparalleled killing intent.
"Well then, which god, which damned mongrel, shall be crushed by me first?"