Inside the tavern.
Watching the people outside cleaning up the dragon remains, just as they had last time, Mélusine's expression grew complicated.
"Do you think the King is serious?"
"Is Camelot really going to become a kingdom of dragons?"
"If she says so, then she means it—"
Across the table, Barghest downed a cup of wine.
"What's there to doubt?"
"No, what I mean is..."
Mélusine's gaze returned to Ian and Barghest.
"Do you think this is a good thing?"
"Making everyone into dragons or something... wouldn't that be a bit strange?"
"Strange?"
Barghest stopped drinking.
With her strong physique, she was now already slightly tipsy.
"I don't think it's strange."
"Wouldn't it be great to become a dragon?"
"You can fly, you're powerful, and..."
Barghest glanced at Ian beside her and laughed.
"You can be as powerful as him."
"Wouldn't that be great!"
"That may be true, but..."
Mélusine frowned slightly.
"So, what do you think?"
Ian spoke up at this moment.
"Mélusine, tell us."
"Yeah! If you have something to say, just tell us!" Barghest chimed in.
"Aren't we all Knights of the Round Table?!"
"There's nothing to worry about!"
"..."
Mélusine glanced from side to side, and only after confirming that no one else was looking at her did she continue:
"I don't think everyone will be willing to become a dragon."
"The King is acting on her own, isn't she?"
Unlike Barghest, who didn't know the full story, Mélusine understood Artoria's ultimate goal—to create a kingdom where Ian's identity as a 'dragon' could be accepted.
Now, this was the first step in realizing that blueprint.
"A-are there really people who wouldn't want to become dragons?"
Barghest looked at her own hands.
The one who had leaped into the air and struck down those dragons on sheer physical ability alone now spoke with a tone full of regret.
"I can't wait to become like that."
"That way, I'd be just like him..."
Barghest stopped mid-sentence.
She realized she had probably said a little too much.
"Anyway, I think you're worrying too much, shorty!"
"Call me shorty one more time and I'll lose it."
Mélusine glared at Barghest irritably, then looked back at Ian.
In a way, this guy was the true culprit.
But—
She couldn't bring herself to blame him at all.
"Open your mouth."
While Mélusine was still thinking, Ian suddenly picked up a cup full of wine and held it to her lips.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
Mélusine became a little nervous.
"I can drink by myself."
"Open your mouth."
Ian repeated himself.
"..."
Knowing that Ian was the type who would never give up until he got his way, Mélusine had no choice but to obediently open her mouth.
However, his actions were surprisingly gentle.
It was less like he was feeding her wine and more like a servant waiting on her.
Mélusine's slender throat moved slightly.
After she had drunk half the cup, Ian finally stopped.
He said softly:
"If you can't figure it out, then stop making things hard for yourself."
"Mélusine, isn't it nice to just enjoy the wine?"
"..."
Mélusine's face flushed slightly.
She didn't know if it was because she had drunk too much, or for some other reason.
She felt warm all over.
Barghest didn't notice the change in her colleague's eyes.
She only cared about one thing:
He had fed her wine!
"I want some too!"
"I want to drink like that too!"
Barghest clamored, looking just like a big puppy.
"Can't you do something about her..."
Mélusine muttered.
"If everyone starts looking over here—"
"Things will get troublesome."
"..."
Ian patted Barghest's head.
She, who was so imposing in front of everyone else, was as docile as a child only in front of Ian.
"You want to drink too?"
"I do!"
"Then, come on—"
Gulp, gulp.
In complete contrast to Mélusine's extremely restrained manner, Barghest didn't want to waste a single second when being fed by Ian.
Her lips seemed glued to the cup, her tongue greedily lapping up the liquid inside.
Her sturdy body gradually began to radiate heat.
It was a restlessness visible to the naked eye.
Mélusine had a bad feeling.
And that feeling instantly became reality.
Barghest snatched the cup, turned the tables, and began to pour it for Ian.
"You don't get to just feed others!"
"You drink too!"
"Hey, no, you!"
Realizing this was not good, Mélusine tried to stop Barghest.
But Ian held out a hand and waved it at her.
Their eyes met, and Mélusine understood his meaning—"Don't worry, just let her continue."
"This..."
Although she felt it wasn't right, it was ultimately Ian's wish, so Mélusine said nothing more.
Barghest, meanwhile, grew more and more excited.
After the cup was completely empty, she shouted.
"Another one!"
Thump—
Barghest picked up another cup from the table.
"Hehe~"
"This way—"
Under Mélusine's watchful gaze, Barghest lifted her head and left a wine-scented kiss on Ian's cheek.
Puffs of hot air escaped from between her lips.
"This is even more fun than that time in the alley."
"..."
Barghest's unrestrained behavior made Mélusine's expression incredibly complicated.
She clutched her chest.
If Artoria was a king she could not defy, the Barghest before her hadn't reached that level yet!
"Th-that's about enough!"
Mélusine tried to stop Barghest.
"You're going way too far!"
"Isn't this normal?"
The corners of the drunken Barghest's mouth turned up.
She even threw an arm around Ian's shoulder, pulled him over, and kissed him again.
"Kissing each other is just normal etiquette for knights, isn't it?"
"You... can do it too, you know."
"You, I..."
Mélusine was speechless.
But at that moment, she also saw Ian's lips moving slightly.
There was no sound.
Only the shape of his mouth.
But Mélusine found that she understood his meaning completely.
"It's alright... just wait until she's completely drunk... it'll be fine."
"We... can spend some time... alone later."
Eh?
He wants to meet with me alone?