[FGO]: 190

Suddenly, countless streams of steam burst from the gaps beside the serving dish.

Ryou wore an enigmatic smile.

"The moment to witness a miracle has arrived."

He lifted the lid in one swift motion.

Accompanied by a dazzling golden light, a dragon seemed to awaken, slowly raising its head.

The rising steam transformed into clouds, swirling around the dragon, recreating a scene from mythology.

Everyone immediately felt a powerful pressure surge crashing down on them like a tidal wave.

The dragon, which had originally been confined to the serving dish, seemed to grow to towering proportions, looming over them from a great height.

Such a miraculous scene left them all standing there, dumbfounded, their eyes locked on the slowly ascending dragon head.

Even Saber, the notorious foodie, paused mid-bite, half a piece of Victoria sponge cake still in her mouth, frozen in place.

However, a hint of nostalgia flashed across Artoria's face, as if she had witnessed a similar scene before.

Ryou, oblivious to her reaction, continued.

"Behold the Rising Dragon Treacle tart! Please, enjoy!"

With a gracious gesture, he invited them to partake.

Steaming the lobster allowed its freshness, fragrance, tenderness, and smoothness to be retained to the fullest.

Meanwhile, the rich aroma of milk and butter slowly infused into the lobster meat through the enveloping steam.

Ryou had made exactly six Rising Dragon Treacle tarts—one for each person at the table.

Except for Artoria and Waver, everyone either used their hands or a fork to eat.

Soon, only Medb's tart remained uneaten on the table.

After devouring one tart, Saber's eyes gleamed with an unprecedented light.

Saber was not someone who indulged in pleasure; she simply had a larger appetite than most.

However, compared to the food Merlin had once prepared for her, this dish was like comparing a caveman's work to a modern five-star chef's masterpiece.

This delicacy was practically addictive!

Fortunately, Merlin's cooking skills were mediocre, and there were few good chefs in Britain during her reign.

If someone like Ryou had appeared back then, she might have been corrupted into a king who cared only for the pleasures of food!

Then Britain would have been doomed!

Just thinking about it made Saber shudder in fear.

For her, a talented chef was now equivalent to a strategic weapon.

Although reason told her to put down her fork, her hand moved on its own, lifting the utensil once more.

Conveniently, the last tart was still untouched on the table.

"Wasting food is shameful!"

Saber found herself a just and noble excuse, then decisively aimed her fork at the last tart, stabbing toward it.

Clang!

Before her fork could reach the tart, it was knocked away by a whip.

"Saber! Don't push your luck!"

Medb stood there, whip in hand, glaring at Saber with an angry expression.

Saber immediately stood up, her Invisible Air-shrouded sword pointing directly at Medb.

"Queen of Connacht, do you wish to declare war? As you wish!"

Interrupted mid-meal, Saber's fury could no longer be contained.

"That last tart is mine!"

"Hah? Who was it that said, 'I'd rather starve than eat' earlier?"

Medb's expression turned slightly awkward.

But Medb was not someone who cared about others' opinions. If she did, she wouldn't have had so many physical relationships with various kings and heroes.

She lifted her chin proudly, like a haughty swan.

"This is a tribute to me, the queen! Seeing how hard he worked, I'll graciously taste it. Do I need your permission?"

"I've never seen someone so shameless in my life!"

"I should be saying that! A Celt who only knows how to steal from others!"

"You Irish ruffian!"

"Celtic bandit!"

Sparks began flying between the two queens.

Meanwhile, Lantoria calmly sipped her tea, savoring its rich aroma.

At another table, three onlookers perfectly embodied the spirit of spectators with snacks, swiftly finishing off the remaining tea snacks while quietly observing the escalating conflict between the two queens.

In the end, since the plate was right in front of Medb, she claimed victory.

With a smug smile, Medb stabbed the last tart with her fork and popped it into her mouth.

Saber, now frustrated, turned her attention to the remaining snacks, attacking them with such ferocity that it seemed as though she were taking her anger out on them—or perhaps imagining the snacks as Medb herself. Saber's eating speed suddenly tripled.

However, Medb was already lost in the culinary world Ryou had crafted, completely oblivious to Saber's vengeful actions.

As Medb bit into the tart, the springy lobster meat bounced against her teeth, followed by the rich flavors of milk and butter exploding across her palate.

Suddenly, the scene around her shifted. The pavilion, the stone table, and the guests all vanished.

Beneath her feet was a sea of clouds, thick and creamy, a mixture of milk and butter.

Medb stood atop the viscous, white clouds, slowly sinking.

Just as panic began to set in, she felt solid ground beneath her feet, and the land began to ascend.

Then, a giant dragon emerged from the sea of clouds, bursting forth and carrying Medb high into the sky.

This new experience was unlike anything Medb had ever encountered.

"Ah~~ how could there be such delicious food in the world? I'm practically melting~"

When Medb opened her eyes, her face flushed, her moist almond-shaped eyes fixated on Ryou.

In a voice as sweet as honey, she spoke to him.

"Hey~ you, wouldn't you like to become my possession? I'll let you experience the greatest pleasures this world has to offer~"

"Thank you for the offer, but I must respectfully decline."

Ryou, maintaining a polite yet distant smile, refused her outright.

He wasn't against being with women who weren't virgins but there was one thing he cared deeply about.

Once someone followed him, they could not desire another man.

As the infamous queen of promiscuity, Medb was incapable of such commitment.

Her invitation was driven purely by a desire to possess talented individuals, nothing more.

Ryou had no desire to be cuckolded, so he decisively turned her down.

Ryou's rejection caused Medb's expression to grow uncomfortable.

After all, with Medb's charm, aside from Cú Chulainn, no man had ever dared to reject her face-to-face.

Even if it was just for a physical relationship or a one-night stand, countless warriors would have gladly accepted.

Ding!

The crisp sound of porcelain clinking echoed through the air.

Medb instinctively glanced over, only to find Lantoria calmly gazing at her.

Yet, despite the calm expression, it made Medb swallow nervously.

The aura of supreme authority emanating from Lantoria was utterly terrifying.

It was as if a dragon soaring in the sky was looking down upon an insignificant being below.

Despite Medb being a legendary queen in her own right, she found herself trembling under Lantoria's calm gaze, her mouth slightly open, unable to utter a word.

It's only in comparison that one feels the sting of inadequacy.

The ancient Connacht Kingdom of Ireland, though called a kingdom, only covered about one-sixth of Ireland.

Lantoria, on the other hand, was the Divine Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, which spanned the entire continents of Europe and Africa, along with parts of Asia. Its territory covered nearly half of the world's landmass.

Ruling over such a vast super-empire, with countless lives in her hands, the aura she exuded was incomparable to that of a small queen like Medb.

In Lantoria's presence, Medb was effortlessly crushed by her aura, unable to muster a single harsh word.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Saber looked enviously at the self who understands people.

By now, she was almost certain that the person before her was her parallel counterpart.

After all, Lantoria made no effort to hide her identity.

Two golden swords and the Holy Lance, among other things, were more than enough to confirm Saber's suspicions.

Because of this, for Saber—who sought to use the Holy Grail to return to the past and prevent the destruction of Britain—Lantoria seemed to represent the correct path, the hope for saving Britain!

The aura of a ruler doesn't lie. When Saber sensed the overwhelming presence Lantoria exuded, far surpassing that of ordinary kings, her heart itched with curiosity.

Saber desperately wanted to ask her parallel self right then and there how to avoid the destruction of Britain and lead it to prosperity.

Oppressed by Lantoria's aura, Medb quietly sat down, directing her frustration toward the snacks.

However, her restless nature soon got the better of her.

"Hey~ just sitting around eating and drinking doesn't feel like much of a tea party~ How about we chat?"

Medb suggested.

Lantoria continued sipping her tea elegantly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Medb's proposal.

Saber initially wanted to refuse—after all, chatting couldn't compare to enjoying snacks.

But then she realized that a conversation might give her the chance to bring up her questions to her parallel self. After a brief hesitation, Saber surprisingly agreed to Medb's suggestion.

"So, what should we talk about?"

Medb was momentarily stunned. She had only brought it up to break the silence and lighten the mood. She hadn't expected Saber to take it so seriously and ask her back, leaving her momentarily at a loss.

Playing with a lock of hair by her temple, she thought for a moment and then her eyes lit up.

"I've got it! Since this is a Holy Grail War, why don't we talk about our wishes?"

Good job!

Saber mentally gave Medb a thumbs-up.

She had been worried about how to steer the conversation in that direction, but Medb had handed her the perfect opportunity.

Medb's cooperation earned her Saber's reluctant forgiveness for stealing the earlier snack.

"Since I brought it up, I'll go first!"

Medb declared with pride, patting her chest as if ready to give a grand speech.

"First of all, just participating in this Holy Grail War has already fulfilled my wish!"

Medb's words immediately raised eyebrows.

Even Lantoria, who had maintained a calm demeanor, put down her teacup, casting a curious glance at Medb.

"Meeting heroes and kings from different eras, falling in love, and ultimately giving birth to even stronger offspring—that is my goal!"

Medb lifted her head high, boldly voicing her declaration without a hint of shame or pretense.

"Wow, how bold~"

Even a married woman like Irisviel, who had already given birth to a daughter, couldn't help but feel flustered by Medb's reverse harem declaration. She covered her flushed cheeks with her hands in shock.

At the same time, Waver looked increasingly troubled. Why were all the Heroic Spirits he summoned so eccentric and self-centered?

Could it be that he, Waver (Kongming), was destined to live a life of hard work?

Waver was starting to question his life choices.

Meanwhile, Medea glared at Medb with a wary expression. She had heard clearly—this shameless woman was eyeing her Master!

These despicable vixens all needed to be poisoned!

"Shameless!"

Saber slammed her knife and fork on the table, her face flushed with anger.

In Saber's mind, a ruler should be noble, kind, and virtuous—a model for the people, an example for knights and nobles alike.

Medb's statement, in her opinion, was the epitome of a degenerate ruler.

Surprisingly, Medb wasn't offended. Instead, she sized up Saber with a playful expression.

"Saber, could it be… you're still a virgin?"

"So what if I am?"

Saber's face flushed even more, but she stood her ground.

"How pitiful~ Don't you know that the ecstasy between a man and a woman is the ultimate pleasure in life? It's a hundred times better than eating food~"

Medb looked down at Saber with pity in her eyes.

Her gaze made Saber incredibly uncomfortable.

"I have dedicated my entire life to my country. I don't have time to think about personal matters. Compared to personal enjoyment, I prefer this kind of life!"

At the mention of her country, Saber radiated with a holy light.

There was no doubt—this was her most genuine belief.

Unexpectedly, the pity on Medb's face deepened.

"I originally thought you'd just never experienced love, but it turns out you're a slave to your country. What a pitiful life.

Listen carefully—the kingdom exists to serve me, the queen! The entire Connacht Kingdom revolves around me, Queen Medb!"

Medb proudly puffed out her chest, causing her ample bosom to bounce with the motion.

"You—you're nothing but a tyrant!"

Saber's eyes widened in shock.

Medb snorted coldly.

"Tyrant, degenerate—call me what you will. I, Medb, Queen of Connacht, couldn't care less about what others think."

Medb's words shook Saber deeply.

To Saber, a ruler should devote themselves wholeheartedly to their country.

"Lancer, what do you think about this?"

Unable to contain herself, Saber turned her searching gaze toward Lantoria, the only one who had yet to speak.