With a wingman like this, what more could anyone ask for?
Thanks to the combined effects of Observation Haki and Instinct, Leon overheard every word as Irisviel and Artoria's conversation gradually grew more intimate. At the same time, he casually flipped through the morning news covering yesterday's events, sighing inwardly.
"Huh?"
"Th-That... is that really okay?"
Artoria was completely stunned by Irisviel's bold suggestion. The thought had never once crossed her mind.
Or perhaps...
She had worn the mask of King Arthur for so long that she had forgotten what the girl named Artoria had been like before the afternoon she drew Caliburn – Sword in the Stone.
Leon stopped listening after that.
After all, when you're eagerly anticipating a movie or a new series, having the ending spoiled beforehand only ruins the experience.
For the first time, Leon understood Gilgamesh.
Despite possessing the nearly unparalleled ability known as Sha Naqba Imuru (Omniscient Omnipotent Star), the King of Heroes rarely bothered to use it.
Not knowing what the future held could make life much more interesting.
...
When Irisviel and Artoria finally emerged from the bathroom wrapped in towels, Irisviel stood behind Artoria with both hands resting encouragingly on her shoulders.
"Go for it, Artoria! I'm rooting for you!"
Before Artoria could react, Irisviel gave her a gentle push straight into Leon's arms.
Placing both hands against his chest, Artoria had to tilt her head upward because of their considerable height difference.
"U-Um..."
She was so nervous her eyes had practically turned into spirals.
"What is it?"
Leon answered with his usual gentle smile and warm voice.
To Artoria, it felt like Cupid's arrow had struck her squarely in the heart.
"I..."
"Hm?"
"Leon... would you go on a date with me?"
Closing her eyes tightly, Artoria blurted out the entire sentence in one breath.
The moment the words left her mouth, it was as though a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
The petite King of Knights leaned almost her full weight against Leon.
At that very moment—
Perhaps because she had relaxed too completely—
The white bath towel wrapped around her slipped off without warning.
For an instant, the innocence and youthful beauty of the young king were laid bare.
"...!!!"
Artoria instinctively looked down.
Her pupils trembled violently.
Her face flushed scarlet with embarrassment.
She wished she could disappear into the floor on the spot.
Originally, she had never cared much about the differences between men and women.
Even standing before men had never embarrassed her. To her, it had merely been a matter of a slightly different body.
But after spending time with Leon—and under Irisviel's relentless encouragement—the young woman's heart had gradually awakened.
Along with it came the sense of modesty and self-consciousness she had long forgotten.
Now...
She could no longer face Leon with the same indifference as before.
He was no longer simply another comrade.
Unlike Gawain, Lancelot, or the other Knights of the Round Table...
Leon had become someone special.
They always said that a king could never understand the hearts of the people.
Yet the people never truly understood the king's heart either.
There was no stranger more familiar than that.
But in Leon...
Artoria seemed to glimpse a new future.
Even if it were only a fleeting dream...
Even if one day she would inevitably awaken from it...
"Of course."
...
"Boss, one more serving!"
Leon and Irisviel exchanged helpless glances as they looked at the mountain of empty plates stacked beside Artoria.
Moments later, another piping-hot serving of grilled corn cakes was placed before her.
"Your order is ready."
The owner couldn't help but marvel.
The small restaurant was little more than a family-run diner.
He served as both chef and waiter.
Watching the petite blonde girl devour over twenty servings without the slightest sign of a bulging stomach left him utterly speechless.
"One... two... three..."
"You've eaten twenty-five servings."
"You've officially broken our restaurant's record of twenty, which has stood unchallenged for three years!"
His voice trembled slightly.
Not because he feared losing money—
But because he was genuinely worried she might eat herself to death in his shop.
Even Leon and Irisviel hadn't expected this.
Now that Artoria had finally stopped suppressing her true nature, she wasn't dwelling on romance at all.
Instead...
She had awakened her true hidden talent.
Her legendary appetite.
Beyond Invisible Air and Excalibur – Sword of Promised Victory, it was practically her third Noble Phantasm—
The King's Bottomless Appetite .
When a Master's magical energy is insufficient to sustain a Servant, the Servant can replenish a small amount of mana through ordinary eating.
That had been exactly the case during the Fifth Holy Grail War.
Because Shirou Emiya could not adequately support her, Artoria often relied on meals to recover mana.
Of course...
She genuinely loved eating as well.
Otherwise, Servants almost never bothered with food.
Compared to direct Mana Supply, eating was an absurdly inefficient means of restoring magical energy.
Most Heroic Spirits had long since transcended basic mortal desires such as hunger.
They pursued far loftier ideals.
Artoria, however, was the complete opposite.
During her lifetime, she had suppressed every personal desire for the sake of protecting Britain.
She had forced herself to become the perfect king.
The flawless saint.
Only now...
Could she finally be herself again.
Here, she no longer needed to worry about the opinions of the Knights of the Round Table or the people of Britain.
She could live openly as the woman named Artoria and enjoy all the wonderful things the world had to offer.
"Slow down."
"It's only breakfast."
"No one's going to steal your food."
Although Artoria still maintained the refined table manners expected of the King of Knights, her extraordinary Servant parameters meant that even elegant, dainty bites somehow looked like a whirlwind sweeping across the table.
She ate with astonishing speed.
At one point, a small piece of grilled corn flew onto her cheek.
Artoria froze.
Leon immediately reached over, took a napkin, and gently wiped it away.
The instant he finished...
She resumed eating as though nothing had happened.
And so—
The restaurant's all-time eating record continued to climb.
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