[You arrived back at the knights' resting place a step ahead of Arthur.]
[He didn't notice anything unusual and greeted you as usual.]
"Sir Rei!"
"Oh… Arthur, you're back?" Rei responded casually, as if nothing had happened.
"How did it go? Your brother didn't scold you, did he?"
"Well..." Arthur showed a slightly awkward expression. "Not at all. My brother is a good person; he wouldn't just scold someone for no reason."
Although he had just had a minor disagreement with Kay, in front of others, Arthur still defended his family.
Rei completely understood this—just as King Uther refused to let Morgan inherit the throne, yet still preserved her dignity in front of his soldiers.
A banished princess and a princess overseeing Camelot were two entirely different things.
But—
Rei subtly scanned his surroundings and soon noticed Kay hiding nearby.
Just as he suspected.
Even after arguing with Arthur, Kay was still watching over him.
With him lurking around, it wouldn't be easy to ask Arthur anything directly—getting rid of Kay was the priority.
After a brief moment of thought, Rei came up with an idea.
"Well, true. Your brother may seem a little impatient, but he definitely cares about you."
"Even now, he's keeping watch over you."
Arthur wasn't slow-witted.
As soon as Rei said this, he immediately realized something.
Following Rei's gaze, he turned around—and spotted Kay not far away.
"Sir Rei, please wait a moment."
[Arthur stood up.]
[Along with him, that stubborn strand of hair on his head, no matter how much one tried to press it down, still stuck up proudly.]
[You watched as he walked up to Kay, hands on his hips, arguing with his brother.]
[Kay seemed to realize he was in the wrong, and in the end, could only leave begrudgingly.]
[Arthur returned to your side once again.]
"He left?" Rei asked knowingly.
"He's not upset, is he?"
"No." Arthur calmed himself slightly. "He had unfinished business to attend to, so he just went back to take care of it."
"I see…"
Rei smiled slightly.
"By the way, you looked really assertive back there."
"I hadn't seen that side of you before."
"That—!" Arthur's face flushed red. "Sir Rei, I wasn't deliberately hiding that side of myself from you!"
"No need to be nervous."
Rei patted Arthur's head.
"I didn't say you were hiding it on purpose."
"I just think… that kind of attitude suits you better."
"It suits me?" Arthur seemed puzzled.
"Yeah." Rei nodded. "Anyone who practices swordsmanship should have a bit of toughness to them."
"Is that so?"
Arthur didn't deny Rei's words.
It was clear that he agreed with them, at least a little.
However, just as Rei was about to continue speaking, he felt that familiar gaze upon him once again.
[Kay had returned.]
[However, this time, he had gotten a bit smarter—using casual conversations as a cover.]
[But to you, such a disguise was utterly meaningless.]
[At the same time, you realized that simply having Arthur scold his brother wouldn't make him leave—this wouldn't work.]
[You knew you had to take matters into your own hands.]
"Arthur."
"W-What is it, Sir Rei?"
"Would you like to try riding a horse?"
"Riding a horse?"
"Yes." Rei nodded. "I rode out on horseback this time."
A spark of excitement lit up in Arthur's emerald eyes.
"Really? I can?"
"Of course."
"Then, Sir Rei, please teach me!"
"Alright, follow me."
[You had found a legitimate excuse.]
[Taking Arthur's hand, you led him outside.]
[As expected, Kay continued to follow from behind.]
[But you didn't mind.]
[You brought Arthur before your warhorse.]
"Sir Rei," Arthur looked astonished. "Is this your horse?"
Rei nodded. "Yes."
"This horse has been raised exceptionally well!" Arthur marveled, admiring its mane.
"Its coat is top-quality, its limbs are strong, and even its freshly fitted horseshoes are flawless!"
"Sir Rei, it must feel incredibly lucky to be your warhorse!"
Now it was Rei's turn to be surprised.
"Arthur, you know this much about horses?"
Arthur's slightly raised eyebrows showed his pride.
"Yes, Sir Rei. This is something every knight must understand, so I have studied it to some degree."
"Your warhorse truly is outstanding."
"..."
Rei glanced discreetly at Kay, who was still lurking in the shadows, then back at Arthur, who was brimming with excitement over something he was knowledgeable about.
After a brief pause, Rei spoke:
"Then how about this, Arthur?"
"I'll give this horse to you."
"Huh?"
Arthur froze for a moment, then suddenly processed what was said.
"No, no, no!" He waved his hands frantically. "Sir Rei, how could I possibly take your horse?"
"If I do, then you'll have no horse left!"
"That's not a problem." Rei remained calm. "I can just find any horse in the village to ride back."
"Once I return to Camelot, I can simply get another one."
Camelot was certainly not lacking in warhorses.
After all, both Rei and Morgan were highly attentive to such matters.
"But…"
Seeing Arthur still hesitant, Rei continued.
"Arthur, every knight should have a steed of their own."
"Since you understand it so well, I think the horse will be happy to receive such appreciation."
"Sir Rei…"
"Alright." Rei gently patted Arthur's shoulder.
"Go on and mount it. You have to take that first step sometime."
"Mhm! I understand!"
After helping Arthur mount the horse, Rei stole a glance at Kay, who was watching from the shadows.
The older brother's expression had noticeably softened.
Which was expected—anyone could see the value of this horse.
This would make things much easier.
However, Rei hadn't anticipated that the situation would take an unexpected turn.
As soon as Arthur settled into the saddle, he looked down at Rei, his face slightly flushed.
Then, cautiously, he spoke:
"Sir Rei…"
"Would you… like to ride as well?"