"Why are you sleeping here? I want an explanation."
As soon as Melusine poked her head out from under the blanket, Nono grabbed her off the bed and dragged her aside for questioning.
Nono distinctly remembered telling Melusine to shift into spirit form earlier, and then she hadn't paid much attention after that.
She had learned that spiritualization meant transforming a Servant from a mana-filled physical form into an unobservable ghost-like state. This not only prevented ordinary people from discovering the Servant but also made them immune to physical interference while conserving mana.
Nono, upon hearing this, had practically wanted Melusine to remain in spirit form 24/7 during peaceful times... but that didn't mean she could let her sleep in the bed!
Melusine rubbed her eyes groggily and let out a silent yawn. "To… observe… observe the effects of the dragon blood bathing ritual on Emiya…"
"And you observed so thoroughly that you ended up in bed?"
Nono righteously interrogated her, catching the obvious logic flaw in her excuse. But the "accused" Melusine didn't even flinch. Her counterargument was completely unpredictable and absurd:
"Because I got sleepy!"
Melusine answered with utmost clarity. "I was tired, so I decided to take a nap."
Then, realizing she might be overstepping, she added sheepishly, "Human beds are so comfortable. Way better than sleeping on the ground. I couldn't resist…"
"???"
Nono had tried to hold back, but she couldn't anymore. What kind of dragon had she summoned? A lazy, gluttonous dragon who couldn't resist a comfy bed?
"Melusine, remember — I'm your Master!"
"Ahem!"
Emiya's cough cut through their argument. He had already changed into a new set of clothes, although the shirt was a bit loose and clearly didn't fit quite right... because it was Old Tang's. Emiya didn't even need to ask — the flashy style gave it away immediately.
Earlier, Emiya had considered stocking up on more clothes in case of battle damage. While pondering that, he'd taken a sip of the porridge Nono had made and...
Cough cough — there's definitely room for improvement!
"Nono, actually… humans aren't perfect. Everyone has their strengths. The most important thing is to have the right mindset. Don't force yourself to excel in areas you're not good at. When it's time to be grounded, be grounded…"
"Pfft! Alright, alright, I get it! Master Chef Emiya's skills are peerless. My little bit of cooking can't compete," Nono raised both hands in surrender and collapsed lazily onto the sofa.
"I'm never doing this again. Pots, pans, bowls — they're just not for me. Becoming a legendary chef is not my dream!"
Though she complained aloud, deep inside, she thought smugly: A genius like me, unable to master cooking? Impossible! Forget it. She wouldn't stoop to the level of arguing with her disobedient kitchen tools. Besides, they didn't need two culinary masters under one roof, right?
After some idle banter, Emiya finally asked about the dragon blood ritual.
"So instead of shouting, could someone please just tell me what happened to me while I was unconscious?"
"Dragon blood baptism," Nono replied flatly.
"Huh?"
"It's like in the Siegfried legend. Slay a dragon, bathe in its blood, and gain power. According to Melusine, it's a similar process."
"Indeed," Melusine nodded. "The ritual involves channeling the bloodline of a pureblood dragon into a human as a blessing. 'Blood' is merely the medium for transferring this power. Back in the ocean depths, I used the dragon's power to trigger your evolution."
Emiya was stunned. "So… now I'm a dragon?"
Wait, no — probably not. At best, he was someone with a 'dragon factor,' like Siegfried or Artoria in their lifetimes.
"Have you noticed anything different? Like being invulnerable or having some special abilities?" Nono asked with curiosity.
These days, it wasn't rare to meet mixed-bloods claiming dragon ancestry. But a dragon blood baptism like the old legends? That was a first for her.
With Magecraft, Servants, and now legendary rituals — Nono felt like the world had way too many secrets. Ever since leaving the Chen family, her worldview kept getting updated on a regular basis.
"My physical strength has definitely improved, but I'm not invulnerable." Emiya projected a small knife and tested it. Nope — no Siegfried-level defense here.
"Wait — I do have a new ability!"
Gripping the knife, a fierce orange flame suddenly erupted from Emiya's hand, streaking across the air like a blazing comet. It dissipated right before it could scorch the ceiling.
What was that? Fire? But the dragon he killed had water and ice powers, right? Why did he get fire?
"Eh? Your knife looks different now!" Nono noticed.
"This knife?" Emiya examined it. The blade now glowed faintly from the heat, with intricate patterns and a refined sheen. But more than that...
It had a mysterious aura. A trace of spiritual essence — like a miniature version of a Noble Phantasm!
Yes, while on a small scale, this knife had everything a Noble Phantasm should possess. Unlike the Dragon-Slaying Platform he previously reconstructed using known data, this knife was entirely his own creation.
In short, this new flame ability wasn't just offensive — it also let him forge Noble Phantasms with ease!
"I get it now!"
Emiya slapped his thigh.
This was like Muramasa's skill: "Homura" (Flame)!
No wonder — he was on the Muramasa skill tree! Would he end up mass-producing divine weapons like the Kusanagi Sword?
———
The next day, Emiya and Nono headed back into town. Melusine followed in spirit form.
Emiya had two goals: buy more clothes and find a remote spot to test his new "Noble Phantasm Creation" ability.
But let's be real — shopping with a purpose only works when guys go alone. Add a girl, and it becomes a marathon time sink.
And unfortunately, girls seem to love killing time this way — an unshakable truth of the modern world.
"How about this one?"
On the 23rd time Nono asked him the same question, Emiya blankly glanced at the hoodie she held. Dual zippers, casual style. He nodded. "It's fine."
"Fine?! You didn't even look! This one's for Melusine!"
Nono pouted and waved the hanger in protest.
She was now dressed in a fashionable outfit — a long white coat over black form-fitting shorts and top, showing off her legs. But Emiya, lost in thought, didn't even react.
"Ah?" Emiya finally snapped out of it and looked at the hoodie. It was child-sized, of course — Melusine was under 150cm tall. Adult sizes wouldn't work.
Still, wasn't this design a bit too trendy? Imagining Melusine, usually armored like a knight, in a fashion-forward hoodie... the contrast was intense.
"…A bold choice, but worth trying."
Then Emiya grew curious. Hadn't Nono and Melusine been bickering just yesterday? He thought their Master-Servant bond was rocky.
"Hey! Don't get the wrong idea! That was all a misunderstanding!" Nono defended herself immediately.
In truth, she thought Melusine, while appearing naive, was quite tricky. If force didn't work, she'd play it soft. So Nono decided to go all-out: win her over through charm and strategy.
"By the way," Nono suddenly pulled Emiya into a changing room and whispered, "Do you know anything about Melusine's past?"
"Huh?" Emiya blinked. "You're her Master. Shouldn't you ask her?"
"She said her memory is incomplete. The name 'Fairy Melusine of France' was given to her. She claims her original self was an ugly monster, and she was reborn by a great being. Is that normal?"
"It could be due to an irregular summoning," Emiya said, recalling the Fairy Lostbelt. "If she doesn't remember, maybe it's for the best."
Aurora was a terrible person — she wrecked the entire Lostbelt for her own desires while pretending to be a saint.
"If you must tell her something, let her read about the French knight 'Lancelot.' She might find it interesting."
"Lancelot? From the Arthurian legends?"
Nono made a face. Back in the Chen household, she'd read a lot of those books — and she especially remembered the spicy romance between Lancelot and Guinevere…
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]