The great dragon completely unfurled its body at that moment.
The phosphorescent moonlight shone upon its black skin, casting a twofold, mixed reflection.
With a sweep of its claws, the dragon tossed Artoria directly into the air.
"E-eh-eh—!"
Before she could finish her cry, she was seated securely back on the dragon's back.
It wasn't that she had never seen Ian in this form before, so Artoria was not that panicked.
She just couldn't figure out what Ian was planning to do.
According to what he said before, he couldn't maintain this form for too long.
And speaking of which...
Artoria touched her own lips.
Why did he suddenly kiss me?
These puzzles did not last long.
Because the dragon carrying Artoria soon made a new move.
That massive body was doing something quite out of place.
"You... are hunting?"
Just as Artoria said, although he had revealed his dragon form again, what Ian wanted to do was hunt the wild beasts near the village.
That was something the starving villagers could not possibly do.
Of course.
This was a bit like using a butcher's cleaver to kill a chicken.
But one had to admit, it was very efficient.
Wherever the great dragon dove, heads of wild beasts would run out in fright, and then fall.
Next, crimson flames burned past, and puffs of a charred, fragrant aroma filled the air.
Artoria's throat moved slightly.
But at the same time, she also discovered a problem that could not be ignored.
"Um—"
"Ian, I think you've set the mountain on fire..."
"We're doomed!"
"ROAR—"
The great dragon got busy once again.
After who knows how long of this commotion.
The fire was finally extinguished.
But looking at Ian, who had returned to his human form but was now stark naked, Artoria for a moment didn't know where to put her gaze.
However, the boy had no such hesitation.
Just like that, he tore off a piece of "freshly baked" food and walked over to Artoria.
"You're hungry, right?"
"Have a bite."
Artoria felt her eyes getting a little misty.
But she still nodded:
"Mm, I'll eat right now!"
The taste of the food wasn't that great.
After all, it was something Ian had roasted with a single blast of fire.
But to Artoria, it was now a top-tier delicacy.
"Delicious!"
"Ian, don't you want some?"
As soon as Artoria said this, she felt as if she had inadvertently forgotten something very important.
One must remember that in Ian's eyes, the so-called "food" actually referred to her.
If he were to "have some," wouldn't that be the same as saying...
Ian stood up.
Ian came over.
Ian drew closer.
"Um, I..."
Artoria closed her eyes.
To be honest, if Ian wanted to do that kind of thing now, she would have a hard time refusing him.
After all, this guy had directly burned a nearby small mountain just because she said she was "hungry."
However, it didn't happen—
Ian, who had come closer, did not push Artoria to the ground and do something shameless.
He just symbolically took a bite of the food in Artoria's hand and asked softly:
"Are you feeling better?"
"You shouldn't be... that hungry anymore, right?"
"..."
"Is that all you have to say?"
Artoria looked at him before her.
"Nothing else?"
"..."
"There is."
"I knew it..."
Artoria's heart tensed up once again.
But this time, it was still an unexpected development.
"Artoria, why did you look so sad just now? Did you have a conflict with Morgan?"
"Should I go beat her up?"
"Don't!"
Artoria quickly stopped Ian; she knew that if she didn't stop him, this guy would act immediately.
"It's not a conflict with her."
"It's just..."
Artoria finished the food in her hand.
"I don't know how to help everyone."
"I promised not to let everyone down, but now I can't think of any way to do that."
"I don't want to doubt myself."
"But..."
Artoria drew Caliburn, the Sword of Promised Victory.
Under the moonlight's glow, this golden blade also emitted a faint white aura.
Looking at the blade in her hand, Artoria softly voiced her inner thoughts.
"It seems... I really can't fulfill my original wish."
"So what?" Ian replied.
"So what...?"
Artoria looked at Ian.
"Isn't this a very serious problem?"
"Why is it a serious problem?"
Ian took Artoria's hand.
"Just because you couldn't eat your fill before, does that mean you can't eat your fill now?"
"If I become a dragon, the problem is solved in an instant, isn't it—"
"Artoria, why do you think it's so serious?"
The example Ian used was strange.
But Artoria found that she understood it completely.
"You mean..."
"It's not that I can't do it, but that I just haven't found the right way?"
"Just like... eating!"
"Mm."
Ian nodded.
"If there's nothing to eat, then just go find something to eat."
"If you want to help someone, then just go find a way that can truly help them."
"Artoria smells very fragrant—"
"So, you can definitely do it."
"What a strange way of judging things..."
Artoria couldn't help but retort.
"But, it does make a lot of sense."
"My one loaf of bread can't possibly save them—"
"But..."
The knight-princess looked at the food that Ian had hunted (or rather, barbecued).
Having understood, her earlier struggle was gone.
"There must be a way to let them fill their stomachs."
"The meaning of my existence is to find that path."
"Ian, thank you!"
"Oh, right—"
The embers of the burned trees were still crackling.
Artoria's gaze, however, fell on him undisturbed.
"Come here a moment."
"..."
"Stop looking at me like that! Hurry up and come here!"
Seeing the boy approach, the young woman stood on her tiptoes.
Mwah—
A clean, crisp kiss.
"Don't get the wrong idea!" Artoria clutched her chest.
"This is just... a gift in return for the one from earlier—"
"That way, it's like I've paid you back, which means we never kissed, right?!"
"Yes, it's settled!"
"I..."
Artoria wanted to say more, but she saw the great dragon appear before her once again.
"Eh, why did you turn back into a dragon again?"
"Never mind."
"It's convenient for carrying the food back—"
The young woman said this, but this time she proactively climbed onto his back.
Honestly...
If this keeps up...
I'm definitely going to become inseparable from this idiot dragon, aren't I?