IBHJ 1091

"I..." Artoria looked down. She was usually the stronger one, the elder one, but with Mordred she could never maintain that strength. A hint of vulnerability always slipped through.

And Mordred had a point. Could she really let things continue as they were?

"B-But what can I do? After everything that happened..." Artoria's voice trailed off.

Mordred's lips curved into a sly smile. Got her.

"It's simple. Father hasn't pushed you away, and like you, he never mentions the Crimson Moon incident. That means he hasn't rejected you. I'll keep everyone else busy while you seduce him."

"S-seduce?" Artoria's cheeks flushed.

"Exactly! Men are simple." Mordred leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Show a little skin, get close enough to touch, and he'll be yours. Once you've caught his attention, let him get a bit handsy, and by then he won't be able to escape. Hehehe..."

Artoria's head spun. Was she really discussing seduction tactics in broad daylight? With her daughter? About the daughter's father? The whole thing was ridiculous.

"You can do it, right, Mother?" Mordred's smile was friendly enough, but her eyes weren't playing along. "After all, you did use your charm to assassinate Altera."

"P-Please spare me... I can't." Artoria took a step back from her daughter's predatory smile. She felt like a sheep facing a wolf that had broken into the pen.

"You can do it." She moved closer, not letting her mother back away. "You will do it, won't you?"

Artoria looked down at the floor and nodded slightly.

She gave up and bowed her head in defeat.

...

"What are you doing, Artie?" Shirou asked flatly, staring at Artoria perched on the bed in a loose white nightgown that left little to imagination.

He'd just returned from checking with Illya about the progress in contacting Chaldea when he found her there, fingers twisting the fabric of her gown.

Her heart jumped at his words. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to hide, to pretend this had never happened. But she couldn't.

If she fled now, she'd crush that child's hopes.

—Even I want a complete family!

That was Mordred's true wish, wasn't it? And hadn't Artoria herself longed for this—to be closer to Shirou, to break down these walls between them... even if Mordred's approach was a bit too much.

Her thoughts swirled as she forced herself to meet his gaze. Her blue eyes shimmered with embarrassment as she fought back her shame. "Welcome home, Shirou." She swallowed hard. "Would you like dinner first... or a bath... or..." Her voice grew softer. "...me?"

This is too much! Mordred is asking the impossible! Artoria's face burned hot enough to steam.

He stared at her for a long moment, then sighed and sat beside her on the bed.

It... it's working? Artoria's heart fluttered with a mix of fear and anticipation.

"What's Mordred up to this time?" He asked wearily.

Just like that, reality crashed back in. Artoria snapped out of her daze.

"No, this isn't Mordred's—" She jerked her head up, waving her hands frantically.

"It's fine. You'd never try something like this on your own." He ran a hand through his hair. "This kind of tasteless prank has Mordred written all over it. Is she getting back at us for that joke we played on her? Why couldn't she inherit my easy-going nature instead?"

"Besides, her approach is too obvious." He glanced at Artoria and clicked his tongue. "Amateur work."

Of course he saw through our daughter's plan immediately. Artoria made a mental note to warn Mordred about trying to outmaneuver her father.

Well, that's that. She stood up from the bed. "I'll leave you to rest, my King."

"Mm." He nodded.

She was nearly at the door when his voice stopped her.

"Artie."

"Yes, my King?" She turned to face him.

"Tell Mordred something when you see her." He smiled. "If she tries this again, she should let you be yourself. The confident, graceful Artoria I know is much more appealing than this shy act."

Artoria: "..."

She went very still. Her lips pressed into a line before she lifted her chin. "Shirou, I have some questions."

"Uh... sure, ask away. No need to be so formal with me."

Though he said this casually enough, a thought nagged at him: Wait, she's not calling me King anymore?

"Have you ever been attracted to women?" The question came out blunt.

"What kind of question is that?" He let out a surprised laugh. "Of course I am. In any sense of the word."

"Then who have you had feelings for? Romantically!"

"What's gotten into you, Artie?" He frowned, studying her face.

She held his gaze, waiting.

"Sca-Scathach..." His eyes slid away from hers.

"I thought so." A small smile played on her lips. "You always did like playing with her hair." She gestured to herself. "What about me? If the Crimson Moon incident hadn't happened, would you have had feelings for me?"

He finally realized what was off about Artoria today. "Well—"

A rustle came from behind the door.

"Eh? Shirou likes Scathach?"

"Tch! So that's why he was always messing with her hair!"

"Scathach... she's the Queen of the Land of Shadows from Irish legend, right?"

"Yes, and a Knight of the Round in the Eternal Kingdom, though I never met her." Mordred's voice turned calculating. "So Mother's true rival is Scathach? Interesting."

"Should we really be eavesdropping like this?"

"Yet here you are, Ayaka."

Shirou's expression darkened. He'd been so focused on Artoria that he'd completely missed the audience at his door.

Before he could move, Artoria strode to the door and yanked it open.

Thud!

"Ow ow ow... can't breathe!"

A tangle of limbs spilled into the room. Mordred emerged gasping for air, having nearly suffocated between Kiara's massive peaks.

She hadn't taken two breaths when a shadow fell over her. Looking up, she met her mother's eyes and felt her blood run cold.

"Mo-Mother..."

"What are you doing here, Mordred?" Artoria's face was unnaturally calm. "You shouldn't be here."

"Well..." Mordred's forehead glistened with sweat. She'd only meant to check on her mother's progress, but when Arcueid suggested eavesdropping, she couldn't help herself.

"Did you think I'd let your schemes slide forever because I owe you? Did you enjoy watching me make a fool of myself?" Artoria smiled. "I think it's time we had a good talk, just the two of us."

That smile sent chills down Mordred's spine.

She's terrifying...

Cold sweat trickled down Mordred's neck. She'd forgotten something crucial - although Artoria always acted weak and vulnerable in front of her and Shirou, this was actually Britain's God of Death, a warrior who had conquered countless battlefields. Even the white-haired Hun Emperor beside her had fallen to Artoria's blade.

What do I do?

Mordred trembled in fear.

While Mordred faced her mother's terrifying smile, Arcueid bounced over to Shirou, completely oblivious to the atmosphere. She leaned in, red eyes sparkling with interest. "Oh? So Shirou has feelings for Scathach!"

"Is that a problem?" His voice was flat. These eavesdroppers had gone too far.

"Then I'll play matchmaker next time I see her!" Arcueid clapped her hands together with a wink.

He choked. "Listen—"

"If she refuses, I'll just tie her to your bed." She beamed at him. "No need to thank me. That's what friends do! We're friends, right?"

Shirou: "..."

'I may not be an expert on friendship, but that's definitely not how it works.' He stared at her, dumbfounded.

The chaotic scene eventually settled after Shirou gave them a mild scolding, telling them not to pry into his personal matters in the future. One by one, they filtered out of the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Later that night, he lay in bed, but sleep wouldn't come. Artoria's words kept playing in his mind.

If the Crimson Moon incident hadn't happened, would you have had feelings for me?

Isn't it obvious? He turned restlessly in his bed. Of course I would have liked you. He'd wanted to say it then, but Mordred and the others had burst in at exactly the wrong moment.

Unable to find peace, Shirou pushed himself up from the bed. He walked to the window, where the blood moon hung like a crimson eye in the night sky.

"Crimson Moon," he whispered. "Would I have still met Artie without you? What could we have become, if things had been different?"