Lovers?
Aesc knew the meaning of that word from Morgan's knowledge. A few hundred years ago, during the war against the Wing Clan, she had also seen fairies who became lovers, even husbands and wives, with humans.
Although she herself had never had a lover, she possessed knowledge related to it.
But what was she hearing now?
Naoki and this little girl named Melusine were lovers? Even lovers who loved each other?
"Naoki..."
Aesc seemed to have become the Queen at that moment, unaware that her voice had turned cold, and she stepped closer to Naoki step by step.
"You—"
"Cold. Don't come closer."
Even before Aesc could finish speaking, Melusine, who was hanging from Naoki's arm, suddenly jumped down. She displayed a very clear and strong rejection, staring at Aesc with full hostility.
"I don't like cold. You are very cold, so don't come closer."
"...."
Aesc seemed to completely disregard Melusine's hostility and exclusive attitude. Although she stopped, her eyes remained fixed on Naoki, as if asking: "What is all this?"
Patting Melusine's head, Naoki said: "Don't be like that, Melusine. Aesc is my friend, and will be your friend too. Don't start fighting right away. Give a proper greeting."
"Friend?"
Hearing Naoki say that, Melusine immediately dropped her hostility and showed a very bright smile: "I see~~~ Nice to meet you, Aesc. Although we were introduced earlier, I'll introduce myself again."
"I am Melusine, Naoki's lover. I look forward to your guidance in the future."
"...."
Ignoring Melusine, Aesc approached Naoki. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear: "Explain, Naoki. What exactly does this 'lover' mean? What happened in the few minutes you went to Albion's side?"
"Ahaha, about that...."
Naoki smiled awkwardly, then explained to Aesc the conclusions he had drawn from his previous conversation with Melusine.
After listening to that explanation, Aesc frowned slightly: "So, when Morgan performed the Rayshift three thousand six hundred years ago, it caused Melusine to also witness part of the scene related to you?"
"Yes. More precisely, the light of the Holy Sword."
The essence of Rayshift is to break down the body of a qualified subject into Spiritual Particles (Reishi), then reassemble them at the target location. Originally, this was a technique requiring extremely precise equipment and Magecraft to complete, but Morgan accomplished it alone.
However, the Rayshift she performed individually had a slight flaw. When she performed the Rayshift towards three thousand six hundred years ago, a small portion should have remained in Albion the Dragon's remains.
As a result, through that portion, Melusine, who at the time had no reason whatsoever, witnessed the light of the Holy Sword in Morgan's memory. From that, she gained reason, and developed longing for the Holy Sword and Naoki.
"In conclusion, she's really clingy towards me.... The situation is similar to how a newborn child would be very clingy to the first person they see. I think after her mind matures later, she won't be like this anymore."
"I see, that's a relief."
Aesc let out a slight sigh of relief.
To be honest, she personally didn't care too much about the affairs between Naoki and Melusine. But considering they had to return to Londinium, if these two kept clinging to each other without any shame, it was worrying that it would cause major chaos.
For the stability of the human organization, Aesc needed to control the interactions between Melusine and Naoki within reasonable limits.
"Hey... How long are you two going to be intimate?"
Suddenly, Melusine's somewhat dissatisfied voice was heard between them.
As if wanting to separate them, Melusine, who had slipped between them, grabbed Naoki's hand and pulled him away from Aesc: "Naoki is my lover. Don't take him away from me, or I'll get lonely. Because I'm a dragon."
Melusine is a dragon who fears loneliness.
Since her original form is something discarded alone, what was born from it naturally is also something discarded. The position of being someone unneeded makes her extremely afraid of loneliness.
And the starlight she witnessed three thousand six hundred years ago could be said to be her only spiritual anchor.
"I won't be taken from you." Naoki gently stroked Melusine's hair, "Aesc won't take me from you, Melusine. If anything, it should be the opposite."
"The opposite?" Melusine frowned, "Does that mean Aesc came to join us?"
*SNAP!*
Aesc felt something snap in her head.
Naoki also immediately realized his mistake in speaking: "No, no, not exactly the opposite...."
"Does Aesc also like Naoki?"
Melusine asked again, then smiled cheerfully and innocently like a child: "I can understand. After all, Naoki is like the sun. It makes people unconsciously want to get close and be attracted to him, right? I also like Naoki (Light) in that way."
"But the lover position, no. That's a position that belongs only to me. If Aesc wants to join, please find another place."
Completely unaware Melusine kept dropping bombs, and seeing Aesc lowering her head further, Naoki hurriedly covered Melusine's mouth: "Melusine, don't speak for now—Aesc, you shouldn't take it too seriously either. This child doesn't understand and is just joking. She hasn't even been born for half an hour. Please understand, be patient. Later I'll make some delicious food for you."
"Are you treating me like a pet that needs to be fed?" Aesc glanced coldly at Naoki, "I'm not angry. It's just a child's joke, not worth me taking seriously. Besides, I don't have any romantic feelings towards you, so of course I won't compete with Melusine."
"Eh? Aesc doesn't like Naoki?"
Melusine, who had somehow slipped out from Naoki's hand, tilted her head in confusion, then grabbed Naoki's arm, jumped up, and kissed Naoki's lips firmly.
"I like Naoki, you know. Does Aesc also want to touch Naoki like this? It feels very comfortable."
Naoki: "...."
Aesc: "...."
Listening to Melusine's overly straightforward and childish words, these two mature adults fell silent for a long time.
(This dragon... maybe I should just throw her back into the swamp.)