Tiamat, I'm going to find a girlfriend!

"A new king is about to appear."

5. King Cheng's Prophecy

"prophecy?"

"What prophecy?"

Artoria tilted her head slightly.

"I have absolutely no idea."

"That's because the news hasn't reached this village yet."

Kai, dressed in casual clothes, gripped the sword at his waist.

"King Uther is getting old, and the selection of a successor has been put on the agenda."

"The incarnation of the red dragon will become the new king, and he will gather all the Knights of the Round Table to restore Britain's glory."

"The White Dragon will be defeated then—"

"The Crimson Dragon will eventually stand tall on the earth."

"But before that, the King's Sword will break through the earth to welcome its master."

The song-like words aroused Ian's curiosity.

The descendants born from the Sea of ​​Life have never heard of such a thing.

I really want to understand what that means.

"What does it mean?"

The boy asked this question.

"Ok?"

Kai then noticed that there was another person standing next to his adopted sister.

"who are you?"

"How come I've never seen you before?"

The thing I worried about still happened.

How should Ian's identity be explained?

You can't exactly tell Kai that he fell from the sky, bit off a piece of your chest, and almost did it to you, can you?

"are friends."

"Ok?"

Before Artoria could figure out how to answer, Ian had already given his answer.

He pointed to himself.

"injured."

"Artoria, please help."

"she's fine."

"..."

Kay's gaze quickly fell upon the firewood that Ian was carrying.

Suddenly, he had the "answer".

"You got injured while chopping wood, and then you met Artoria, right—"

"Yes, yes, that's it!"

Realizing that this was a good answer, Artoria quickly went along with it.

"Because of my injury, I am temporarily staying at your home."

"Brother Kai, I haven't had a chance to tell you yet."

"..."

Kai glanced at Ian, then at Artoria, and nodded.

"I see."

"Then, rest assured."

Kay patted Ian on the shoulder.

"Just tell me if you need anything."

"Thank you."

"That's really polite."

Kai smiled.

"Alright, I need to go help Dad unload the goods—he brought back quite a lot from the city this time, and he can't handle it all by himself."

"Okay, Kai, you go ahead."

Finally, a major problem was solved. Watching Kai's departing figure, Artoria breathed a sigh of relief.

She looked at him beside her and gave him a thumbs up.

"You're not completely clueless, are you?"

"At least the identity of 'friend' was used very well!"

"..."

What is a 'friend'?

Ian's sudden question startled Artoria.

"Don't you know what it means?"

"Ah."

"Then why did you say that just now...?"

"because--"

Ian stared directly at Artoria.

"I wanted to help you, so I suddenly thought of it."

"Eh?"

The reason is very simple.

But it is also very convincing.

"Cough cough."

Artoria cleared her throat.

"So, the so-called 'friends' are those who help each other out!"

"us……"

"It seems to fit this kind of relationship quite well?"

"..."

"What's that look in your eyes?"

"My first friend."

"Artoria, you are my first friend."

"Eh?"

Artoria felt a little embarrassed when Ian suddenly gave her such a title.

"is it?"

"That's wonderful."

The girl said this, and then noticed Ian's moving throat.

"What are you doing!"

"Thinking about that kind of thing again?!"

"No."

"Really do not have?"

"Really do not have."

"That……"

Artoria took half of the firewood from Ian.

"Go home first."

"Talking about these things on the street...it just feels weird."

"Well, go home."

Walking along the village road, Ian looked at both sides of the road.

Groups of three or five people are gathering in various places, discussing something.

In the dim light, one could still discern things related to the prophecy from earlier.

"Artoria."

"Ok?"

The girl turned around.

"what happened?"

"Why is everyone so concerned about what Kai just said?"

"Is it... important?"

"Of course it's important!"

Artoria said with a serious expression.

"The king is the one who rules over all of Britain!"

"If we let a stupid person be king, wouldn't that be the end of the world?"

"Um……"

Ian nodded.

"Then, how can we determine who is the most suitable to become king?"

"This one……"

Artoria shook her head.

"I don't quite understand either."

"but--"

"There must be a way!"

"Didn't they already have such prophecies?"

"But that's just a so-called prophecy, so why doesn't anyone doubt whether it's true or not?"

"that is because--"

Artoria was about to explain when she realized she had no reason at all.

Oh right...why?

Ian is right.

Why is it that everyone's first reaction is to believe such a prophecy instead of doubting it?