"..."
Mélusine felt as if her already difficult breathing had now just decided to give up completely.
King Arthur, the Artoria standing before her, actually knew everything?
"My King, it's not like that."
"I did not steal your man..."
Clinging to the last shred of hope, Mélusine shook her head.
Things kept falling from her cheeks, only to be quickly replaced by more.
"It has come to this, and you still intend to deceive me?"
Artoria sighed.
"Mélusine, do you think I am easily deceived?"
"Or perhaps—"
"You never considered me the King of Camelot from the very beginning?"
"..."
"I-I'm sorry!"
Feeling an immense pressure, Mélusine began to apologize.
"I truly did not mean for this to happen!"
"My King, please give me one more chance!"
"In the future, I will absolutely never touch Ian again! Not even once!"
"You still think you have a 'future'?"
Artoria's gaze became incredibly cold.
"Do you think I will forgive you, and then continue to let you steal my man behind my back?"
"No, it's not like that!"
Feeling the atmosphere grow heavier, Mélusine once again felt the threat of death.
Wait.
This feeling...
Why was it so familiar?
That's right!
She had felt this way before, when Artoria was retrieving her spear.
Could it be—
Artoria had already sensed it back then?
Mélusine's mind went blank.
She realized she had gravely underestimated the depth of Artoria's shrewdness.
"My King, please listen to me."
Mélusine's voice received no response.
She only felt herself being lifted up.
The next moment, clear water flowed over Mélusine's cheeks, washing away the things that had been suffocating her.
She was able to see the situation clearly.
The one who had lifted her was none other than Ian.
Artoria was watching coldly from a short distance away.
"Feeling better?"
Standing beside Mélusine, he asked with such gentleness.
"Ah, this..."
"Yes." Mélusine hesitated for a moment, but still nodded.
"Much better..."
"So you're that scared of that feeling—"
Ian bent down and picked Mélusine up.
With her petite frame, she was like a pillow in his arms.
If it were any other time—
Mélusine felt her heart would surely be pounding.
But now...
She only felt panic.
No.
Panic was no longer enough to describe it.
It was terror.
"The King is still over there! Ian, let me go!"
The more Mélusine struggled, the tighter he held her.
The feeling was as if he were saying—
"Don't be afraid, I'm here."
The feeling in her heart and the actual words combined.
Mélusine thought she was hallucinating.
But the warmth coming from him could not possibly be fake.
At this moment, however, Artoria had already walked over.
Her gaze was so severe that the moment their eyes met, Mélusine felt she had already been sentenced to death.
Slap.
Mélusine was struck across the face.
But it was only that single slap.
Artoria did not enact any more terrifying retribution.
"You should be thankful, Mélusine."
"Ian wishes to protect you every time."
"Otherwise—"
"You would be nothing but a wandering soul right now."
"..."
Her premonition became reality. Mélusine felt both ashamed and relieved.
"But, my King—"
The petite swordswoman paid no mind to the stinging pain on her face.
Before, she had been afraid of punishment, so she hadn't dared to speak a single word from her heart.
Now that she had been exposed, Mélusine found she had courage instead.
"I really do love him."
"Even if you curse me, drive me away, or even kill me, you cannot change that fact."
"I am not like you, Artoria!"
"I just love him, that's all!"
Mélusine looked directly into Artoria's eyes.
"Not like you!"
"You vile woman who only knows how to use Ian to maintain the royal house of Camelot! You shameless wench! You foul woman!"
"I'm going to steal your man!"
"Because you insist on using him!"
Having said everything in her heart in one breath, Mélusine felt much better.
Even if she were to die, she would die without regret.
The petite woman closed her eyes, preparing to die peacefully in his arms.
However—
"What strange things are you saying, Mélusine."
"What do you mean, I am using Ian to maintain the royal house of Camelot?"
"Huh?"
Hearing the confusion in Artoria's tone, Mélusine opened her eyes.
She stated with great confidence.
"Isn't that your goal?"
"Ian is so powerful. You surely want to have his bloodline to maintain the strength of the royal family, don't you?"
"Your so-called wedding is also built on this foundation, isn't it?"
"..."
"Foolish."
Artoria turned her head to the side.
"If that were really the case, why would I marry him? Wouldn't it be better to just keep him under control? Would there be any need to turn Camelot into a kingdom that welcomes dragons?"
"Eh?"
Mélusine was stunned.
She found she really couldn't refute Artoria's words.
Marrying him was inferior to imprisoning him.
To deliberately emphasize his status like this would inevitably lead people to think, "This is using the dragon's bloodline."
"That's because you can't control him!"
Mélusine thought of a reason and argued forcefully.
"Are you kidding me?"
"Ian, take Mélusine and go bathe with her now."
"Okay."
Splash.
Just like that, Mélusine was carried by Ian and jumped into the bath, which was still filled with a milky fragrance.
The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, without a hint of hesitation.
"..."
Mélusine, her hair now soaked and spread out in the pool, finally believed it.
"You... you really want to marry Ian?"
"What else?"
Artoria also stepped into the pool.
"Who told you that I was using Ian's bloodline?"
"Tell me, Mélusine."
"..."
Mélusine shook her head.
"I can't say."
"Tell me, and I will give you the chance to continue being Ian's lover—"
"Huh?"
Mélusine looked up.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Are you serious?"
"I... can continue to be his lover?"
"What else?"
Artoria wrapped her arms around Ian and gently kissed his cheek.
"He likes you so much. If I were to kill you—"
"Everything would be over, wouldn't it?"
"Mélusine, although I detest your betrayal and am furious that you did not keep your oath to protect me."
"But."
Artoria stroked the object of the dragon's pride, which she had just used to punish Mélusine.
"I love him."
"So even your betrayal, I can forgive for his sake."
"..."
Mélusine felt a tremor in her heart.
She felt a little shallow.
Finally, she spoke.
"Um..."
"It was Morgan who told me."
"Barghest is that illegitimate daughter. Her thoughts right now are probably similar to mine."
"..."
"Is that the truth?" Artoria's brow furrowed.
"It's the truth."
Mélusine hadn't even answered when Ian spoke up first.
"Artoria, I promise you."
"Ian..."
Mélusine lowered her head.
Seeing her like this, Artoria did not press the matter further.
"I understand."
"I... know what must be done."