After chatting briefly with Ritsuka, Naoki thought there might be more food at the feast, so he pulled her along to descend from the fortress wall.
And just as the two returned to the feast—
"So, should I call you [Mother]?"
Mash's voice came from the crowd, followed by:
*THUD!*
*THUD!*
Two sounds, like heads hitting a table, rang out.
Pushing through the crowd to enter, Naoki saw Mash sitting between two Lancelots, and he immediately understood what was happening.
Raising her head with a slightly awkward expression, Lancelot (female) quickly waved her hands. "Mash… Lady, just call me normally. That way of addressing me is really not good for my heart."
"I-I… feel the same."
Lancelot (male) also covered his face.
The power of Galahad within Mash came from his son. Lancelot had always been unsure how to act toward his son, especially now facing Mash.
If Mash called the female version of himself "Mother"… well, it just felt incredibly strange.
Seeing the similar reactions from both Lancelots, Gawain (female) and Tristan (female) laughed and nudged her.
"Even if you say that, you're secretly happy inside."
"After all, in our world, the relationship between Galahad and his mother was never good. Even giving a gift had to go through several intermediaries."
Speaking of this, Tristan (female) looked at Arthur. "By the way, didn't Galahad once ask His Majesty for help?"
Arthur nodded. "Yes, it so happened that Sir Lancelot had just returned from an expedition. At the time, Sir Galahad asked me to check on the injured Sir Lancelot, but I was busy with official duties, so Merlin went in my place."
(Good job, Merlin!)
(Though I apologized to Sir Galahad for his good intentions, Merlin did an excellent job.)
(That cursed succubus!)
Seeing the three Knights of the Round Table with their varied expressions, Naoki rolled his eyes, then smiled and said, "But, Mash, if you consider Arthur's Lancelot your mother… then who's your father?"
This sudden sentence stunned everyone present, and a few looked at Naoki with a hint of exasperation.
(Have you been corrupted by Merlin, Naoki…?)
(For a moment, it felt like Merlin was speaking.)
"Eh?"
Mash was also a bit startled, and her gaze unconsciously flicked to Lancelot (male)—with an expression full of hope but also a touch of restraint.
Then she glanced at Lancelot (female)—her eyes subtly shifting toward Arthur.
"Um… well, what does Mother think?"
After thinking for a long time, Mash turned the question back to her mother.
The impact of that title made Lancelot (female)'s body tremble slightly, her cheeks flushing. "I told you, don't call me that… Um, if I had to say…"
Her gaze toward Arthur grew more serious.
But at that moment, Gawain (female) and Tristan (female) held her shoulders with friendly yet terrifying smiles.
"Oh, what are you thinking, Sir Lancelot?"
"Your thoughts make me quite sad, Sir Lancelot. In terms of blood relations, you should unhesitatingly say Lady Elaine's name."
"Eh? Elaine? But she…"
Elaine in Arthur's world was a woman. So, that meant two women gave birth to a daughter?
(Magecraft is truly versatile in some ways.)
Hearing this juicy gossip, Naoki sighed, pretending to know nothing and pointing at Arthur. "By the way, I remember Merry once told me Arthur was very popular among the Knights of the Round Table… So, how about Mash calling Arthur once?"
"Cough cough cough—!"
Arthur, who was drinking, immediately spat out his drink, disregarding his image.
"Lord Natsukawa!"
"What are you saying!"
Gawain and Tristan also looked at Naoki nervously. The delicate balance among their Knights of the Round Table had been painstakingly maintained. If it was disrupted now by Lancelot…
Hearing Naoki's words, Mash furrowed her brow. "Call King Arthur Father? What does Mother think?"
"Eh? Uh? I… I think that's very—Ughhh!"
"Sir Lancelot, come with us for a moment."
"I think we need a private conversation."
Before she could finish, Gawain and Tristan forcibly dragged Lancelot, who harbored mischievous intentions, away.
Seeing this scene, Artoria and her Knights of the Round Table looked at Naoki with complex expressions.
(His behavior is exactly like Merlin's.)
(When did you become as bad as Merlin, Master?)
(It should be Father King who was corrupted by Merry.)
Merlin and Merry, far away in the seventh Singularity, had no idea they were once again being blamed for corrupting Naoki.
After wiping his mouth, Arthur approached Naoki and said with some frustration, "What were you even saying, Naoki…"
"No big deal, just trying to lighten the mood. After all, a situation like this is almost impossible." Naoki laughed. "Well, and I felt bad seeing some of your Knights of the Round Table with their unrequited feelings, so even if it's just a joke, at least let them have their wish fulfilled once."
Arthur showed a slightly helpless expression. "You… Should I say it's fitting that you're fond of Merlin? You two have the same sense of humor."
"I'm not as bad as her, don't accuse me."
If Merry's level of mischief was a hundred, Naoki's was only a one.
Smiling wryly, Arthur looked at the bickering lady knights nearby, then asked, "By the way, are you and Merry married? You mentioned it ten years ago. How's your married life now?"
"Huh? That… um, not yet." Naoki was a bit awkward.
"I was planning to get married, but… well, you could say I'm a bit stubborn. The Holy Grail War ten years ago ended in a draw with King Solomon, and in the end, he got the Holy Grail. I felt it didn't count as my victory, so I told Merry we'd get married after I settled things with King Solomon ten years later."
In other words, after this Human Order Incineration ended?
Arthur smiled. "Then I'll congratulate you on your marriage in advance. After all, I won't be able to attend… Though it might be late to say this now, Merry is a very troublesome woman. Even I'm a bit scared of her. You need to be careful."
"Of course I know. Go to Avalon and sleep well."