"Are you serious?"
Mélusine looked at the hand extended towards Ian, a sense of unease growing in her heart.
"You know..."
"That's for your mother..."
"So what?"
A delicate smile appeared on Baobhan Sith's face.
"I'm just—"
"Testing it out on her behalf."
"Or, Mélusine, do you think there's a problem with this?"
"But... even if you do think there's a problem, it's not like your opinion matters, is it?"
"Right?"
Although Baobhan Sith's tone was very polite, even carrying a hint of respect, every word she spoke sounded incredibly sharp to Mélusine's ears.
"It seems you've completely understood. Your opinion is not important."
After thoroughly putting Mélusine in her place, Baobhan Sith turned back to look at Ian.
"How about it?"
"If you're willing to give it a try, I'll give you a chance with my mother."
"I keep my promises, you know~"
Baobhan Sith wagged her finger, looking utterly confident.
"No problem."
"We'll do as you say."
"..."
The corners of Baobhan Sith's mouth curved slightly upwards.
She looked just like a villainess whose scheme had succeeded.
"Then let's begin."
"First step—"
"Let me see how you proposed to Artoria."
Click.
The door to Baobhan Sith's room opened and then closed.
As if no one had ever been there.
----
Inside the room.
Mélusine, who was here for the first time, was somewhat surprised.
Baobhan Sith might have a sharp tongue, but her taste was impeccable.
Decorations in the motif of roses were everywhere in her room, and a rich fragrance filled the air.
If she didn't know this was Baobhan Sith's room, Mélusine might have thought she had wandered into a garden.
"What?"
"Stunned?"
Baobhan Sith smiled faintly.
"Surprised by my taste, are you?"
"..."
"A little, I suppose," Mélusine didn't ignore Baobhan Sith's question just because of their earlier exchange. "I thought..."
"You thought what?"
"Nothing."
Mélusine shook her head.
"You... just do what you have to do."
"You sound a little sour."
Baobhan Sith jabbed at Mélusine without changing her expression.
However, seeing little reaction from the other, her own expression quickly became bored.
"Fine, I won't bother with you."
Baobhan Sith said this, then sat down in a chair and looked at Ian.
"Come on."
"Show me how you proposed to Artoria."
"..."
Although she felt Baobhan Sith's methods were unreasonable, Mélusine soon realized she was also curious about the answer to this question.
Artoria, being proposed to by Ian.
She must have been very happy, right?
She must have been!
...Right?
"..."
"Why is there no reaction?"
Seeing Ian remain completely unmoved after her words, Baobhan Sith frowned slightly.
"Was my meaning not clear enough?"
"I just don't understand."
Ian answered Baobhan Sith.
"Propose... what is that?"
"..."
"..."
Baobhan Sith and Mélusine were simultaneously silent.
But they also understood.
Although he had learned a great deal in Camelot, Ian still had an extremely frightening (or perhaps one should say, incorrect) understanding of certain matters.
"Hmm—"
Baobhan Sith pressed a finger to her chin and quickly continued.
"You can think of it like this."
"For example..."
Baobhan Sith extended her other hand.
She lightly used her magic, and something like a ring appeared there.
She gently placed it on her ring finger, then said with a smile,
"Something like this is a form of proposal."
"Generally speaking, any deeply meaningful act for the two of you that you did before the wedding can be considered a form of 'proposal'."
"Now that I've put it that way, you should understand what I mean, right?"
"..."
Ian was silent for a moment, then, as if to confirm something, he asked again.
"Can it really be anything?"
"Mhm."
Baobhan Sith nodded.
"I just want to know if it would be meaningful enough for Mother."
"You... don't need to worry about anything else."
"I understand."
The moment Ian said this, a bad feeling welled up in Mélusine.
Because she saw where Ian's hand was going.
That's right.
Not towards her, not towards Baobhan Sith, but...
...his own waist!
Mélusine wanted to stop him, but it was too late.
With a single, smooth motion...
The supreme object of the dragon appeared before Mélusine and Baobhan Sith.
Although she had just recently enjoyed this fellow's unreasonable side, seeing it still made Mélusine blush uncontrollably.
"No!"
"You!"
Mélusine darted forward, placing herself directly between Baobhan Sith and Ian.
"This doesn't count!"
"How can this possibly count?!"
"..."
"Move, please, Mélusine."
"No." The petite swordswoman shook her head.
"Move."
Baobhan Sith looked at Mélusine.
"Didn't I tell you? Your opinion is not important—"
"What matters is what he can offer. Are you... planning to get in the way?"
"..."
Seeing that Mélusine was still unwilling to yield, Baobhan Sith stood up directly.
She pushed Mélusine slightly to the side, then gazed at the breathtaking sight, an expression of rapture on her face.
"Tell me, why this?"
"Did you... really use this to propose to Artoria and get her to agree?"
"No."
Ian shook his head.
"Artoria never agreed to me."
"She was the one who asked me to marry her."
"But you said to show a memorable thing we did before that, and this is probably it."
"She... was very fond of reaching out to touch it."
"I see."
Baobhan Sith nodded, her gaze never leaving it.
Her breathing grew a little uneven.
"So that means—"
"Artoria couldn't resist even before the wedding, is that it?"
"..."
"I don't know."
"It doesn't matter."
Baobhan Sith looked up, her expression now filled with a keen interest.
Mélusine could feel that she had thought of some other terrible idea.
And indeed, that was the case.
The next words Baobhan Sith spoke were directed at Mélusine.
"This method of proposal is quite suitable—"
"But we'll have to pick a good location."
"A good location?"
"Mhm."
Baobhan Sith nodded.
"I think the King's bedroom would be quite nice."
"If Mother is there—"
"She'll probably accept it properly, don't you think?"