IBHJ Chapter 808

After a few moments, the others finally reacted, earnestly advising, "Yes, my king, please summon her."

Hearing this, Shirou started tapping his finger on the armrest. After a moment of silence, he said, "It's not that I don't want to summon her, but she's already been summoned, so she can't respond to multiple summons."

In the corner, Chloe leaned close to Illya's ear and whispered, "Hey, Illya, who's this 'her' they're talking about?"

Illya quietly replied, "It's Artoria."

"Wait, what? The King of Knights?"

"Yes," she nodded, her expression serious. "In this situation, having Artoria lead the army is definitely the best option."

"What? Munch-toria commanding an army? You're kidding, right? Isn't she only good at stuffing her face?" As soon as the words left Chloe's mouth, everyone turned their heads in unison, their gazes landing on her.

Seeing everyone staring, Chloe swallowed nervously and asked, "Um, did I say something wrong?"

Illya thought for a moment and nodded. "I see, this could actually work."

"Huh?" Chloe was totally lost.

"Dummy! Let's have Morrigan go tell the King of Knights!" Illya said, exasperated. Geez, when would Chloe be able to keep up with her? Maybe the Grail gave all the brains to Illya and left Chloe with the scraps.

"I feel like you're thinking something really mean, Illya," Chloe pouted.

"I'm not!" The two started bickering as everyone watched them, but no one noticed that Skadi had taken a couple more steps away from Shirou.

...

After following Shirou's order to retreat with the rest of the army, Lancelot sat cross-legged on the ground, feeling frustrated. "That kid is really embarrassing me!" he grumbled. "Getting beaten like that, it's so unmanly and humiliating! Next time we meet, I'll definitely teach him a lesson."

"Come on, Lancelot. If the other side was able to do that much, it can't be helped," Gawain said.

"Hmph! Losing is losing! There's no such thing as 'it can't be helped.' This isn't some petty squable, it's a war that affects our history! That damn brat, how could he not be more careful? It pisses me off!" Lancelot ranted, exasperated.

Gawain glanced helplessly at Lancelot, then turned his head to look at Tristan, who was plucking the strings of his bow while humming. As if seeking help, Gawain's expression basically said, "Come on, say something, or I'll rip out your bowstrings myself."

Tristan looked at Gawain helplessly, then put away his precious bow and said to Lancelot, "You're being pretty harsh, but deep down, you actually want to avenge Galahad, don't you?"

"Of course! Anyone who bullies my good-for-nothing kid, I'll definitely make them pay for it! There's a giant among them called Surtr, right? I've got my eyes set on his head!" Lancelot declared.

Hearing this, Gawain quickly patted his chest and assured, "Don't worry, I won't steal your kill."

Cough, cough Lancelot nearly choked on Gawain's words. Tristan, who was watching from the side, laughed and said, "Gawain, this guy is just putting on a show. Let's be real, he wants us to help him chop off some heads. He can't bring himself to ask us directly, so he's acting like this, hoping we'll offer our help on our own." He smiled mischievously at Lancelot, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Lancelot's face turned a deep shade of red, embarrassed at being called out so bluntly. He sputtered, trying to find the right words to defend himself, but ultimately fell silent. He knew Tristan was right, but admitting it out loud was a blow to his pride.

Gawain stared at Lancelot in disbelief, his mouth hanging open as he processed his friend's words. After a moment of stunned silence, he shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. "You thick-browed, big-eyed idiot, if you've got something to say, just say it straight. Why beat around the bush? We've been through hell and back together, and you still can't be honest with us?"

Lancelot rubbed his hands together nervously, a sheepish smile spreading across his face. "Sorry, sorry, my bad," he chuckled, his eyes darting between Gawain and Tristan. "But this time, the giants are a bit tough to handle. We've been brothers for so many years, you guys..."

Tristan looked at Lancelot mischievously, "I thought you didn't like Galahad?"

Lancelot's eyes widened in surprise, caught off guard by Tristan's question. "Who said I don't like him? When he was just born, he was just a tiny little thing that could barely fit in the palm of my hand. I watched him grow up with my own eyes. How could I possibly not like him?"

He paused for a moment, his expression softening as he thought about his son. "But as a father, I have to be strict. If the father isn't strict, who else will be? Besides, that brat can only be scolded by me. Those giants actually killed him... I will never forgive them!" His voice trembled with emotion, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

Tristan and Gawain exchanged a knowing look, both trying to suppress their smiles. They had known Lancelot for years, but it was rare to see him so openly vulnerable. "If Galahad knew how you really felt, he probably wouldn't dislike you as much," Gawain said gently, placing a hand on Lancelot's shoulder.

Lancelot scoffed, shrugging off Gawain's hand. "That brat doesn't know anything. He's too busy running around with his friends and causing trouble. But that's not the point. The point is, we need to make those giants pay for what they did to him."

Tristan nodded in agreement, his expression turning serious. "You're right. We can't let them get away with this. Galahad was one of us, and we owe it to him to avenge his death."

Lancelot was touched by his friends' support, "Thanks, you two. I couldn't ask for better brothers-in-arms."

"Don't mention it, but seriously, I remember when I first met you, Lancelot, you were very gentlemanly. But after hanging out with the others, you've become so crude, always speaking rudely," Gawain said, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

Tristan nodded, "Those guys were indeed bad influences. I'm more or less the same, I clearly wanted to be a wandering bard, but somehow one thing after another happened and I ended up as one of the king's knights. I wanted to retire, but then Attila's invasion happened, and I was controlled by the Grail and killed by Mordred. It's so frustrating..." He paused for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Suddenly, his eyes widened as a realization struck him. "Wait, I remember! It seems like I've been having bad luck ever since I heard the king's singing!" he exclaimed, his face turning gloomy at the memory.

Gawain's ears perked up at the mention of the king's singing. He turned to Tristan, his eyes shining with envy. "You're one to talk! You've heard the king's singing, it must have been really beautiful, right?"

Tristan, caught off guard by Gawain's question, shuddered at the memory. His face turned pale as he recalled the experience, and for a moment, he looked as though he might be sick. But then, suddenly his eyes lit up with an idea. He nodded slowly, a forced smile on his face. "It was... it was beautiful..."

Gawain and Lancelot's eyes widened in amazement, their envy growing by the second. They looked at Tristan with jealousy, wishing they could have been there to hear the King's legendary singing for themselves.

Seeing Gawain and Lancelot's envious expressions, Tristan touched his chest, feeling his conscience hurt. For a moment, he felt bad, but then he thought it wasn't fair that he was the only one who had to suffer through that torturous singing. After shaking his head, Tristan looked at Gawain and Lancelot, "Let's all take a break before Artoria gets here."

Gawain and Lancelot both nodded. Then, Lancelot turned to Gawain, curious, and asked, "Oh, right, Gawain. Why was the king especially angry with you, Kay, and Agravain last time?"

"Ah! About that..." Gawain stammered. This was the stain of his life. If he had known, he wouldn't have cooperated with Kay and Agravain.