"Quick, tell me what it's like to be a bride…!" It was as if she'd finally found her true nature deep within. Totorot jumped three feet high, rushed up, and bombarded Toneriko with questions.
Although she had inherited Morgan's rather worldly memories, she had no real experience. Now, thanks to Aoko deliberately fanning the flames, every time she saw Artoria's beautiful and gallant face, she couldn't help but recall all the deeds Morgan had done to Artoria—like drugging her while she was drinking, then using special magic rituals while she was unconscious to give birth to Mordred, and so on...
"N-no, stop talking! It's not like that!!"
Totorot, who had been getting more and more worked up, Toneriko clamped her hands tightly over Totorot's mouth. Her face was turning redder and redder, and Aoko felt that her face was so hot you could practically cook an egg on it. Jokes like this were way too much for a several-thousand-year-old maiden.
Since fairies had no concept of childbirth or marriage, having Morgan's human memories made Toneriko unique among all the fairies of Britain. Morgan's wealth of experience had thoroughly filled this kind and strong fairy with all sorts of questionable knowledge. Now, under Aoko's teasing, Toneriko's mind was a complete mess, and she'd lost the composure expected of a savior.
"Mmm, mmph!" With her mouth still covered, Tettrot almost fainted, her eyes rolling back. Even the Black Knight Ector at the side couldn't bear to watch and hurried over to tell Toneriko to calm down—you're going to choke Totorot to death.
Artoria, although also a little flustered, was after all the experienced and battle-hardened Super King Arthur. Her mindset was very mature. Plus, after the previous incident with Gray, she had already reconciled with her sister Morgan, so now, apart from some embarrassment, she was very calm.
Even though, as a paradise fairy, Toneriko was thousands of years old, in Artoria's eyes she was just a young girl with little experience—at best, she was like reading a few books from Morgan's memories. And fairies thought very differently from humans; for the most part, she'd just spent thousands of years dealing with these super-powerful, unruly children. Toneriko had grown, but not to the point of Artoria's deep understanding of people as the Knight King.
Tristan once said, "The king does not understand people's hearts," but did Artoria not understand?
The opposite was true. Artoria understood people's hearts all too well. She had long known the fate that awaited her after pulling the sword from the stone, which is why she maintained an image of absolute fairness and impartiality, and why she issued harsh punishments after Guinevere and Lancelot's affair.
The Artoria of the Fourth Holy Grail War, in the original timeline, was actually a version that captured her most emotional and vulnerable side—the result of a particular choice at a key decision point. That was why she faced all sorts of monsters and demons in an incomplete, immature state, performing poorly and becoming a laughing stock.
However, Artoria summoned by Aoko and Touko had given up the Sword in the Stone early, and after obtaining the Star Sword, she often fought with the Holy Lance. Compared to the youthful Artoria, she was more mature and colder. Although the Age of Gods in Britain still ended in destruction, this Artoria was worthy of being the last sovereign of Britain's Age of Gods.
"Are you calmer now? Sorry, Aoko just likes to make these kinds of jokes…" Artoria approached, Toneriko's face still flushed from embarrassment and now breathing hard from trying to calm herself down. She bent down, her emerald eyes full of concern for the familiar blonde girl before her, radiating her overwhelming King's Charisma.
At this moment, Toneriko's mind went almost completely blank. Artoria was so close that if either of them moved a little, they could kiss. Her beautiful face and her mature, athletic figure were both captivating.
What's more, there seemed to be a faint scent coming from Artoria—not unpleasant, and unlike the natural scents of fairies (which were like flowing water, earthy soil, or rocks with a hint of metal, but never anything "human"). This scent could only be found among the soldiers of the Round Table Allied Forces, yet Artoria's scent was far more acceptable and comforting, making Toneriko feel at ease...
Sitting on a rock, Toneriko leaned back but went too far and started to fall.
"Careful," Artoria reached out and caught her slender, frail back with perfect timing, supporting her without any discomfort.
But this gesture was a bit too ambiguous. Toneriko's face, which had just started to calm down, flushed red again. She hurriedly used her hands to prop herself up, and Artoria let go in turn.
When she felt the warmth from Artoria's hands leave her back, she breathed a sigh of relief, yet also felt a strange sense of loss.
"I-it's already late today. Let's talk about the rest another time!" Like clutching at a lifeline, Toneriko quickly blurted this out.
"Sure, sure!" Aoko said with a smile. "This forest is a great place for camping. Want me to lend you some tents?"
After speaking, Aoko disappeared, fetched several camping tents and sleeping bags from her warehouse in the Castle, and returned to the clearing in the forest.
She handed out two tents—one for Totorot and Toneriko, and one for Ector and Pepe. As for themselves, Aoko and Artoria would share another tent.
After busying themselves for a while, Toneriko finally calmed down. After saying good night to Aoko and the others, she and Totorot crawled into their tent to rest.