Chapter 53: The Noble's Proposal and Altria's Resolve (rewrite)

The Noble's Proposal and Altria's Resolve

As Altria practised her swordsmanship in her modest home, she was approached by a group of Camelot nobles. Earlier, after losing two meat buns to Merlin, she had returned to the kitchen and enjoyed making a drawer full of Xiaolongbao. Satisfied with her cooking, Altria had focused on her training with the sword in the stone, aiming to honour the trust and high expectations of His Royal Highness Morgan.

The nobles, observing the simplicity of Altria's living conditions, saw an opportunity. They believed that such a person, living in relative poverty, would be easy to win over with the right incentives. They approached Altria with a sense of calculated confidence.

"Knight Altria, hello. We're here on behalf of the nobles of Camelot," one of them said.

Altria, wary of their intentions, asked, "What do you want?"

The noble, noting the simplicity of her home, began, "We've come to discuss a possible cooperation. If you work with us, we can offer you honour and status beyond what you could achieve under His Royal Highness Morgan. We can also ensure you will never have to worry about money again. If you desire, you can choose any noble daughter to marry."

He continued, "We can provide what Morgan offers and even more."

Altria, understanding their offer, felt an urge to laugh. The idea of betraying His Royal Highness Morgan for such rewards was inconceivable to her. She had always valued her role as a knight and the principles it entailed more than any material gain.

"Meow meow meow?" Altria thought, bemused. Do they want to use beauty and power to tempt me? I'm not interested in betraying His Royal Highness Morgan.

Three seconds later, Altria responded firmly, "I will never do this kind of thing."

The nobleman was stunned. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Altria said resolutely. "I won't betray my principles or my allegiance."

The nobleman, visibly frustrated, stood up and pointed at Altria, trembling with anger. "How dare you!"

Altria met his gaze with calm and clear eyes. "Humph."

Without another word, the nobleman and his companions left. Altria watched them go, feeling relieved. She knew she needed to inform Morgan about this encounter and the nobles' attempts.

When Altria reported the incident to Morgan, the latter was pleased with her steadfastness. Morgan, drying her hair after a bath, smiled with satisfaction. "You did well. This was a test of your loyalty, and you passed it without hesitation."

Altria, observing Morgan's bath and feeling a bit confused, thought about the reason behind it. She noted that Morgan, like Lott, had her habits and preferences.

Lott, commenting on the situation, said, "If you had agreed to the nobles' offer, it would have been a tactical advantage. But if you had turned on them when they were most proud, it would have been a strategic move."

Morgan agreed, adding, "Yes, it's always best to deal with enemies by using their pride and confidence against them."

Altria, though initially taken aback by this approach, understood the necessity of such tactics in dealing with adversaries. She acknowledged that, despite her principles, strategic cunning was sometimes required.

Feeling her heart a bit wounded by the experience, Altria decided to soothe herself with some food. She picked up the box of gold coins the nobles had offered and presented it to Morgan.

"His Royal Highness, these are the gold coins given to me by the nobles. I will hand them over to you," Altria said.

Morgan, however, waved her off. "No, keep the coins. Consider them as pocket money for yourself."

Altria insisted, "No, I can't accept them. These are gifts from the nobles, and I don't want them."

Morgan smiled, understanding Altria's sense of duty and integrity. "It's fine. You can keep them if you want. You deserve it."

Altria, though initially reluctant, accepted the coins as a gesture of appreciation. She knew her principles were strong, but the support and trust from Morgan and Lott were what truly mattered.