"You said they didn't deserve to die, didn't you?"
In the park, Artoria stared at the smoking crater before her, momentarily stunned.
It was not that she felt any sympathy for these scum who had harbored ill intent. Under the laws of ancient Britain, she had more than enough reason to kill them herself for offending a monarch, let alone when they had tried to attack her.
But since she had been summoned into this era, she ought to follow its Rules, lest she bring unnecessary trouble to her Master before the war had even begun.
"According to mundane law, that's true."
Hearing Artoria's question, the ancient serpent smiled and nodded. Then he spread his hands, looking utterly innocent.
"But I'm a magus. As you saw, they attacked first."
Yeah, right!
Artoria gradually caught on. She could not help casting a contemptuous glance at a certain someone who was "objectively" stating the facts. She snorted irritably, though a trace of concern surfaced in her eyes.
"Aren't you afraid the Council will come after you?"
"I'm a law-abiding citizen. Every action I took strictly followed the principles of the mysterious world. I was only forced to take the necessary 'self-defense' measures when my life was threatened."
Samael blinked and answered with a perfectly serious expression. His eyes showed little reaction to the several lives newly added to his tally.
Animal abuse was not why they had died. Their attempt to prey upon a lone woman was.
If they had not encountered Artoria tonight, but some victim incapable of resisting, they might have dragged her into the woods and gang-raped her long ago.
And judging by how smoothly they had blocked the road before and behind her before immediately laying hands on her, they had probably done this more than once.
Even