"In just one night—"
"You managed to get this much meat?"
Morgan looked at the villagers who were frantically devouring the hunted prey, her tone filled with uncontainable surprise.
"Mm!"
Artoria nodded.
"This way, everyone can eat their fill, right?"
"..."
Knowing that Artoria was still bothered by yesterday's words, Morgan wasn't surprised at all.
"But this still hasn't solved the problem, has it?"
"The food will be eaten sooner or later."
"Everything will go back to the way it was before, won't it?"
"No, it absolutely won't!"
This time, Artoria was not left speechless by Morgan's words as she had been before.
"Letting everyone eat their fill now is so they have more strength to work."
"We will definitely be able to find a way for them to keep eating their fill in this time!"
"So, it won't be the same as before, absolutely not!"
"..."
In just one night, Artoria's attitude had become completely different from before.
Morgan knew that while she was borrowing magical energy from Tiamat, something must have also happened between Artoria and Ian.
Very good.
This is exactly what I wanted.
The closer Artoria and Ian's relationship became, the more convenient it would be for her to make requests of Tiamat.
"Then what do you plan to do, Artoria?"
"First, let's investigate why the village became like this!"
Artoria gave her answer at once.
"There must be a reason!"
"Mm."
Morgan did not object to Artoria's approach.
"Then let's give it a try."
And so—
The two sisters, whose relationship had been a bit stiff not long ago, now began to cooperate again.
However, their ways of thinking were clearly different, so they soon split up to act on their own.
Artoria chose to ask the villagers, hoping to get answers from them;
Morgan, on the other hand, took a more direct approach, which was to figure out what had happened to this land in her capacity as a magus.
But the latter soon found that something was a bit off.
Ian...
Why is he following me?
Morgan had no desire to become an enemy of Tiamat herself.
"Strange Knight—"
"The King is over there."
"You should be by her side."
"..."
Ian did not answer, but instead drew closer.
Morgan was not as familiar with him as Artoria was; faced with such a situation, she was naturally at a loss.
"What are you doing?"
"Your scent suddenly became very pleasant—"
Ian gave his answer.
Although it sounded a bit nonsensical.
"My scent is pleasant?"
This was the first time Morgan had heard such a comment.
But she soon understood that this was no compliment.
Because Ian's next sentence was:
"Just like my mother's."
"..."
Remembering Tiamat's paranoid-like behavior, Morgan instantly felt like she had been attacked.
Isn't that saying I'm a paranoid too?!
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
That being said, she was also curious about what had happened yesterday.
For the time being...
Perhaps she could accept this reason?
"Is that so?"
"Then your mother must be very important to you—"
"Otherwise you wouldn't be following me."
"Mm, she is indeed very important."
Ian nodded.
Although he had truly left his mother Tiamat's side, this did not mean he had no feelings for his mother.
"I see."
"Then... you can follow me for now."
Morgan logically "took over" Artoria's knight, Ian, and then began her investigation.
But in fact, even before this, Morgan already had a general idea in her heart.
Land does not become barren for no reason;
Rivers do not suddenly yield less.
In the final analysis, the reason behind this was that the environment of Britain was in decline.
This was just... the tip of the iceberg.
It was for this reason that it was even more impossible to hand it over to Artoria.
She could not stop all of this.
Morgan's fingers caressed the soil, her brow already full of worry for this land.
But just at this moment—
She felt a tickling sensation on her neck.
"This spot smells the best."
"Eh!"
Morgan snapped back to reality.
While she was lost in thought, Ian had silently approached her!
"Insolence! You're being too..."
Morgan was about to speak, but Ian covered her mouth with his hand.
He quickly continued:
"Just for a moment."
"Please, don't move."
Of course, Morgan couldn't just listen to Ian.
But she soon found that his physical strength far exceeded her imagination.
It was simply impossible to break free from his hand!
The boy just leaned his head in and sniffed at Morgan's neck for a good while.
Finally, he even took a bite, as if confirming something.
"It's the same, after all."
"It's my mother's scent."
"..."
Morgan quickly realized that it was Tiamat's crystal that had misled Ian.
It's just...
Isn't this guy's method of confirmation a bit too outrageous?
Just coming over and sniffing like this?
But on second thought, it wasn't that unexpected.
After all, the mother herself was already a suffocating presence.
Having such a son, one could only say it was not strange at all.
And if one really wanted to be calculating—
Wasn't this an opportunity?
Feeling Ian's slightly reckless breathing, Morgan suppressed the other emotions in her heart.
"Ian, since that's the case, can I ask you a question?"
"A question?"
Sensing the aura on Morgan that was extremely similar to his mother's, Ian naturally did not have much resistance to her words.
"What question?"
"It's—"
Morgan leaned in close to Ian's ear and asked softly.
"What exactly did you two do last night?"
"We didn't do anything."
Ian answered this way, and then seemed to think of something.
"Perhaps it should be said, we exchanged some things."
"Exchanged some things?"
"Mm." Ian nodded.
"I kissed her once, and she kissed me once, so we don't owe each other anything. Which means nothing happened."
The boy said it so casually.
But Morgan felt her head buzzing.
They've already kissed twice?
Is it really progressing that fast?
A bold plan quietly formed in Morgan's mind.
In order to make Artoria truly an enemy of Tiamat—
Necessary sacrifices were acceptable.
Morgan turned around.
"You said just now that you really like the scent on me, right?"
"Mm."
"Then, as long as you do one thing, I will let you get a little closer."
Morgan tempted Ian in a suggestive, yet subtle, way.
And the boy was clearly intrigued by such a condition.
"What do I have to do?"
"Confess to Artoria."
Morgan said, word by word.