Tiamat, I'm going to find a girlfriend!

"Ah."

"You, don't like it?"

"..."

"It's alright—"

Morgan turned her head slightly, but her hand caught the flower even faster than Artoria's.

"However, it's not that we can't accept it."

"So it's a 'see-it-all' system."

Artoria looked at the words in her hand.

"I thought you were..."

"What is it?"

"It's nothing!" Artoria blushed.

"move!"

The situation seemed to have subtly changed at that moment.

Morgan discovered that this was the first time he had ever received flowers.

Although they are wildflowers by the roadside...

But it didn't feel cheap at all.

This guy may not understand beauty very well, but he's not completely ignorant either.

but--

Happy to be happy.

Morgan hadn't forgotten why he'd come along on this trip.

By making the relationship between Artoria and Ian complicated, it would be logical to make her sister, who usurped the throne, Tiamat's enemy.

And the reason is...

"The wicked woman who seduced your son."

Such opportunities will definitely not be few and far between.

Morgan could sense that neither the way Ian looked at Artoria nor the way Artoria looked at Ian was as innocent as she had imagined.

It was just a little short.

All I need to do is make that final push.

Thinking of this, Morgan looked at the flower in her hand and, although she felt a little regretful, she still hid it in her clothes and didn't look at it again.

More important than so-called admiration is the Britain beneath my feet.

They remained silent for the rest of the journey.

There were occasional exchanges between Artoria and Ian, but they ended quickly.

Following the map on the parchment, the group arrived at a village at sunset.

only……

Looking at the scene before her, Artoria couldn't help but gasp.

Although it was a village, it was barren and there was nothing to be seen that could be called food.

Everywhere you look, you can see villagers lying by the roadside waiting to die because they are starving.

They seemed to have lost even the strength to raise their hands, and could only let them hang limply.

The air seemed to be filled with an atmosphere of despair.

"how so……"

The smile on Artoria's face vanished in an instant.

She never expected that the first stop on her journey would be such a tragic situation.

The girlish thoughts that she had previously wanted to argue with Ian about those petty gains and losses had now vanished.

All that remained was the heartbeat that had become intense with worry about such things.

That's right.

This is not a fun trip.

But -

Teach her to recognize the bitterness of the current situation in Britain.

"Ian!"

"Come over here quickly!"

==========

Three updates today

Waaaaah, please give me the votes! Otherwise, I feel like nobody's watching! TAT

28. Artoria, you are stupid (2/3)

"Have something to eat—"

That evening, by the campfire, Morgan handed rations to his knight sister.

"If you don't eat anything all day, you'll faint sooner or later."

"..."

Looking at what Morgan was holding out to her, Artoria hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

"Leave it to them."

"I... can still hold back."

"..."

Morgan knew, of course, that the "they" Artoria referred to were the villagers she had seen.

However, the more she understood this, the more obvious her dissatisfaction became.

"so--"

"Artoria, are you planning to solve their problem by not eating anything yourself?"

"Your Majesty, don't you think this is foolish?"

"The food we brought will eventually run out, while their problems remain. It's just wishful thinking on our part."

"I……"

Artoria couldn't refute Morgan's words.

It took her a long time to respond.

"That should at least save one person temporarily."

"It's not like we did nothing for them."

"So, in the end, you're just trying to relieve your own inner anxiety, right?"

Morgan gave a cold laugh.

"If that's the case, isn't it a form of hypocrisy?"

"Your Majesty, do you really think this is right?"

"..."

"..."

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.

On the very first day of their travels, things had already reached this point.

This was something I could never have imagined before setting off.

"came back--"

A voice broke the silence.

Ian returned to Morgan and Artoria's side from a short distance away.

However, he soon realized that something was wrong.

"what happened?"

Why aren't you all saying anything?

"..."

Morgan was genuinely dissatisfied with Artoria's performance, but due to his status and Ian's presence, he couldn't bring himself to express his thoughts.

"nothing."

"It's just that I was overreacting."

With that, the British princess walked into the shadows.

That was a corner that no one else would notice.

She stroked the necklace with the blood-red crystal around her neck and sighed.

Tiamat—

"Morgan!"

Tiamat's roar soon reached us.

It was a voice that remained crystal clear even across time and space, making it hard to ignore.

However, Morgan had found a way to do so without revealing his presence: he would use a little of his magic when the two were talking.

Tiamat wouldn't notice this.

"Have you confirmed it?" Tiamat asked anxiously.

"not yet."

Morgan told a lie.

“However, we’re already very close, Tiamat, if you could offer a little more help—”

"I think we should be able to confirm it soon."

"help?"

What kind of help do you need?

Hearing Tiamat's unwavering voice, Morgan knew his plan had succeeded.

She looked at the village, which exuded an aura of despair in the darkness, and the image of Artoria's timid and submissive demeanor from just moments before flashed before her eyes.

How could such a simple-minded person become the King of Britain?

And why should she have that strange knight who cares so much about her?

Simply sacrificing oneself in the name of salvation will not change anything at all.

There is an even more correct approach than that.

"Lend me some magic, Tiamat."

"I guarantee you will get the reward you want."

As the princess of Britain spoke these words, she ventured alone into the unfathomable darkness.

the other side.

With Morgan gone, Artoria and Ian once again had time and space to be alone.

"that--"