That afternoon, after half a day of training, Guinevere went to the King of Knights' dining hall as arranged.
With the Round Table not yet in formal use, the King of Knights' table was still long and rectangular, laid out with bread, stew, and a pre-carved roast chicken.
As a monarch, the King of Knights possessed a lavish palace and exquisite attire—all essential expenditures that her subjects would never allow her to skimp on, even if she wished to.
The only area where the King could economize was on food. She didn't care for delicacies; she simply needed ample portions to fill her up.
"No matter how many times I see it, I still find it unbelievable," Guinevere remarked.
Compared to the knights, Guinevere had a decent appetite herself, but she was utterly dwarfed by the King's prodigious consumption.
Despite the King's small mouth and regal dining manners, the plates before her piled up with astonishing speed.
Not only that, but her stomach remained remarkably flat even after devouring an enormous amount of food.
"The legendary King's Stomach truly lives up to its name," Guinevere mused.
At the long dining table, the King of Knights and Guinevere sat opposite each other, close enough that Guinevere could reach across and brush a stray crumb of bread from the King's lips.
And so, Guinevere did just that, gently placing the crumb into her own mouth and deliberately licking her fingertip with feigned lingering satisfaction.
"Lia, if you want to hit me, you don't have to hold back!" Guinevere teased.
The serving maids had left after setting out the food and lighting the candles, leaving the King of Knights and Guinevere alone together.
The King of Knights' decision to arrange this private dinner had, of course, been Agravain's suggestion.
However, Agravain had been even busier lately and hadn't found time for a proper meeting with Guinevere. He remained unaware that the King of Knights didn't need to "grind" Guinevere's favor at all—her affection for the King had been at max level since her previous life.
Having witnessed it firsthand in this life, Guinevere's affection remained at maximum, showing no signs of diminishing.
"Guinevere, I heard my Sister visited you. If she upset you, I apologize on her behalf."
Artoria wasn't bothered by the her teasing, nor was she embarrassed by her remark about her eating crumbs. What truly concerned her was whether Guinevere and Morgan were getting along.
Guinevere's smile faltered. She cherished these rare moments of solitude and had no desire to hear anyone else's name.
"Lia, it feels like just yesterday, and now we're really getting married."
"Yes, only three days until the ceremony."
The King of Knights brushed aside Guinevere's change of subject, and Guinevere similarly ignored the King's attempt to steer the conversation.
As they sat silently watching the candlelight flicker in the twilight, Guinevere suddenly burst into a giggle.
"I'm sorry," she said, "I've been a bit too eager to make you like me."
Guinevere had indeed grown impatient, even knowing full well that the King of Knights was as dense as wood.
After laughing and composing herself, Guinevere no longer felt so anxious. At least she could see that the King of Knights also wanted to deepen their relationship.
"Lia, try this."
The King of Knights was dressed in casual men's attire, her ahoge standing straight up, unhidden by her crown.
When Guinevere speared a piece from the stew and stood up to offer it to the King of Knights' lips, the King's body remained still, but her ahoge twitched upward again and again, betraying her inner turmoil.
"Guinevere, sit down. I can feed myself."
"Mm-hmm, just this one bite!"
Guinevere agreed, but stubbornly maintained her feeding posture. Seeing the bright smile on Guinevere's face, the King of Knights realized that refusing would only prolong this awkward situation. With a small sigh, she opened her mouth and bit the food off the fork.
Chew, chew, swallow slowly.
Then, the King of Knights saw Guinevere covering her mouth, staring at her with a silly grin.
"Lia, you're so adorable! I really want to take... no, I mean, draw you."
The King of Knights was initially puzzled, but the warmth spreading through her earlobes at being called "adorable" by Guinevere soon clarified her confusion.
She chewed on the stew she had just forked into her mouth, watching Guinevere settle down and prop her chin in her hands, staring foolishly as she ate.
If this makes Guinevere happy, then perhaps it's not so bad.
But the King of Knights possessed the dignity of a monarch. She would no longer accept being fed.
"Guinevere, don't give me that pitiful look. You said yourself—just one bite."
"Waaah! I lied! Just one more bite, please?"
"You're a knight! Knights must be honest!"
"But before I was a knight, I was a girl! And the cuter the girl, the more likely she is to lie!"
"What kind of ridiculous logic is that?!"
"It's from a novel in my homeland!"
"There's no way the Kingdom of Cameliard would have novels like that."
Unable to resist Guinevere's persistence, the more familiar they became, the more stubbornly the Princess of Cameliard would wheedle and pester her.
After being half-willingly fed another bite, the King of Knights watched Guinevere settle back into her seat, chin propped in her hands, staring foolishly at her as if her [Charm] skill had been maxed out.
"Guinevere, what exactly do you like about me? You don't even mind that I'm a girl."
"Lia, I like everything about you! And haven't I told you countless times? It's precisely because you're a girl that I love you. Also, if you truly trust me, please relax a little around me.
I want you to be more than just the dignified King of Knights when you're with me—I want you to be that incredibly cute girl who doesn't have to force herself to be strong."
"Guinevere, do you see my resolve as mere pretense?"
"I'm sorry, I phrased that poorly. What I meant was, if you ever face setbacks in the future, you can let your guard down and be vulnerable with me."
The King of Knights wasn't oblivious to Guinevere's feelings, but ever since she drew her sword at fifteen, she had resolved to dedicate her life to her destiny as the destined King of Great Britain.
To that end, she would never show any vulnerability, not even before her most trusted mentor, Merlin.
"I'm sorry, Guinevere."
Just like Guinevere, the King of Knights also apologized. She couldn't reciprocate those feelings.
"Is that so? Then I can only conclude that I haven't yet earned your complete trust."
Unbeknownst to them, the sunset had faded completely, and the dining hall was now bathed solely in the candlelight of Guinevere and the King of Knights' intimate dinner.
In the flickering candlelight, Guinevere unexpectedly found herself captivated by the inherent romance of the moment.
Her gaze remained fixed on the King of Knights' face as she watched her dine with graceful composure. As the candlelight danced across her features, casting shifting shadows and highlights, Guinevere perceived ever-new facets of the King of Knights' unique beauty.
"Lia, when it's just the two of us, would you consider wearing women's clothes sometimes? This is my formal request. You must have worn them before becoming King, right?"
Though the King of Knights had a prodigious appetite, she had nearly finished her meal after nearly an hour. After considering Guinevere's earnest request, she recalled her past journeys through Great Britain with Merlin and Kay.
The pure white armor-like dress she had worn then could certainly be considered women's clothing, couldn't it?
"Guinevere, on our wedding night, I'll wear it for you in our bridal chamber."
The King of Knights agreed. She felt deeply indebted to Guinevere, and if she only had to wear it in front of her, this small request seemed hardly unreasonable.