"..."
After a moment, Mélusine, having confirmed she hadn't misheard Barghest's words, spoke in a daze.
"Are you... kidding me?"
"I'm not kidding!"
Barghest glared at Mélusine.
Her eyes, just like Ian's, were filled with seriousness.
"So powerful—"
"So beautiful—"
"Can't you feel it?!"
"..."
Mélusine wanted to say something to refute the Barghest before her.
But...
She had such an overwhelming presence.
Her tall figure alone, just standing there, was enough to make one feel dizzy.
"Please marry me!"
Seeing that Mélusine was speechless, Barghest immediately launched another marriage proposal offensive at Ian.
"I will definitely make you happy!"
"I swear it on my name!"
Barghest kowtowed, striking her head directly on the ground.
"I beg of you!"
Thud. A dent appeared in the ground.
A few drops of cold sweat appeared on Mélusine's forehead.
Seriously.
Why is everyone around Ian a crazy woman?
Morgan is, Artoria isn't normal either, and now this Barghest who proposes the moment she appears.
They're sick.
All of them are sick.
Something's wrong with this Camelot!
But—
Faced with Barghest's proposal, Ian's expression became incredibly serious.
He put away his Excalibur Morgan and then shouted sternly:
"Stand up!"
"Face me!"
"A knight cannot lower their head so easily!"
"Eh?!"
These were originally words of scolding for Barghest, but to the ears of this monstrously strong woman, they sounded like celestial music.
"Yes, sir!"
Thud.
Barghest stood up and stood ramrod straight in front of Ian.
"I will never lower my head again!"
"Not enough spirit!"
"I WILL NEVER LOWER MY HEAD AGAIN!!!!"
The voice was several times louder than before. All the knights present, except for Ian, covered their ears.
Mélusine, who was too close, felt her head spin.
Barghest, on the other hand, grew more and more excited.
In her eyes, Ian at this moment was like an angel descended to earth, with a pure white halo shimmering behind him, looking sacred and great.
"So—"
"Can you accept my proposal now?"
"I will offer you all my loyalty!"
"..."
Mélusine now felt some regret.
She regretted that this duel between Barghest and Ian had ever taken place.
What kind of girl proposes in the middle of a fight!
But—
That guy Ian, he wouldn't agree, would he?
After all, he, Morgan, and Artoria have already...
"No problem."
"Huh?"
Mélusine turned to look at Ian, who had answered Barghest's proposal almost without hesitation.
"Wait, what did you say?"
"No problem."
Ian quickly answered again.
"Is there anything wrong with that?"
"It's just a marriage proposal, isn't it?"
"What do you mean, 'just a marriage proposal'?!"
Mélusine stomped her foot.
"Snap out of it, you idiot!"
"Do you not even know what a marriage proposal means?!"
Not long after Mélusine said this, she felt her feet leave the ground.
It was a feeling as if she were flying.
Of course.
This definitely wasn't because Mélusine had spread her wings.
Instead—
Barghest had lifted her up.
The monstrously strong woman's eyes turned crimson, and hot breath like that of a vicious dog emanated from her mouth.
"You seem to have a big problem with me, little one."
"Did I do something to offend you?"
"Eh, no..."
Feeling the aura emanating from Barghest, which was almost identical to Ian's, Mélusine started to panic a little.
After all, this person could crush the ground like that just by walking.
"But that's exactly how you're acting right now, little one."
"Getting in the way of someone's pursuit of love is a crime punishable by death."
"..."
"I-is that so..."
Mélusine felt that disaster was upon her.
But just at that moment—
"Barghest, stop it!"
From within the crowd, an elegant figure emerged.
It was Morgan.
She was glaring at Barghest, looking rather angry.
"Doing something like this in broad daylight, have you no decency!"
"Eh, but..."
"You dare to talk back?!"
"Put Sir Lancelot down at once, and apologize!"
"..."
Barghest, who had been so menacing just a moment ago, immediately softened upon seeing Morgan.
As requested, Barghest put Mélusine down and immediately apologized.
"I'm sorry, I won't dare do it again."
"This..."
Mélusine was even more confused now.
Why is she suddenly so obedient?
But Morgan, as if she had already known what Mélusine was thinking, quickly explained.
"This is a knight I have chosen for the King."
"The match just now was enough to prove that my judgment is sound."
"You can call her Barghest, or you can call her Gawain."
"..."
Mélusine said nothing.
Knowing full well the irreconcilable conflict between Morgan and Artoria, she had a feeling that the Barghest before her was not so simple.
However, the princess of Britain seemed completely unconcerned with what Mélusine was thinking.
She walked up to Ian and said softly:
"My apologies."
"Barghest was a little impulsive. Sir Ian, please just pretend you didn't hear the proposal just now."
"No, that was..."
"Hm?"
Morgan turned her head and glared at Barghest.
Her expression became incredibly dark, as if she would summon a black cloud in the sky the very next second.
"Don't tell me you were serious?"
"Answer me—"
"..."
Barghest froze as if Morgan's glare had a special, debilitating effect on her, unable to say a single word.
Finally, she turned her face away and shook her head.
"N-no, I wasn't serious."
"It was just a joke."
"That's more like it."
Morgan's expression changed from cloudy to clear.
She seemed to have returned to being that gentle princess.
"How can knights do such things amongst themselves?"
"That would be disrespectful to the King—"
"Oh, right."
Morgan turned back to look at Ian and Mélusine.
"Since Barghest's strength has been acknowledged by Sir Ian, can we now introduce her to the King?"
"I think the King will be very pleased to have such a new Knight of the Round Table, don't you?"
"..."
"..."
Ian and Mélusine exchanged a look.
The former quickly nodded.
"Mm."
"Let's go see her now—"
And so, Ian and Mélusine acted as guides.
While Morgan and Barghest walked behind them.
"Um..."
Barghest muttered in a low voice.
She looked at Morgan beside her, her eyes looking somewhat dejected.
"Mother, why are you so angry? Didn't you say... I could do whatever I wanted?"
"Then, proposing to someone I like is normal, isn't it?"
"But that's because you—"
Morgan stopped mid-sentence.
She turned her face away, clutching her chest and gasping for breath.
"In any case, absolutely not!"
"If you dare mention it again, don't call me Mother anymore!"
"Eh, but you can't do that!"