The villagers stood frozen, their previous confidence shaken by Kyle's sharp words.
They had expected an easy mark—a naive noble who would hand over coins with a few well-placed sob stories.
Instead, they found themselves staring at someone dangerous, someone who was not only unimpressed by their tricks but completely uninterested in playing along.
'T-This is not good. We cannot go against an angry noble. S-Should we try and back down now?'
Some of the villagers exchanged nervous glances, clearly trying to figure out how to salvage the situation.
A few of the more desperate ones opened their mouths, perhaps to shift blame or plead innocence, but before they could utter a word—
Clank.
The heavy sound of metal boots against dirt rang out as the Head Knight appeared.
Clad in full armor, her imposing presence silenced the crowd instantly.
The moment the villagers recognized her, their expressions turned from nervous to downright fearful.
