Help Call (1)

Help Call (1) … What the hell? Why is this happening all of a sudden? I stared at Arthur, who was tightly hugging me, with a bewildered expression. 'This guy… is this really the Arthur I know?' It made sense. The Arthur I knew would never do something so undignified as jumping out of a transport plane that hadn't even landed, unless it was an emergency. Normally, she might look at me with eyes full of heated desire, but she wouldn't suddenly embrace me like a long-distance lover finally reunited. And her usual appearance had that androgynous, somewhat masculine vibe…

Soft.

The gentle sensation pressing against my chest was different now. The faint scent of dahlia that used to linger around her had become much stronger. She no longer looked like a man at all. She had become the perfect image of a woman. '…It's definitely Arthur, though.' That clear, refreshing aura was unmistakably hers.

The description shown under Appraisal (A). Sniff, sniff. And the way she was pressing her nose against my neck while hugging me, that perverted behavior confirmed it was definitely Arthur.

[If you're that curious, why not just ask her directly?]

'…Yeah, I should.'

At Terra's perfect answer, I immediately took action. First, I dispelled Astra's mimicry since Arthur could get hurt. It was a shame I couldn't test Gáe Bolg, but since the mimicry was random, the odds of it turning back into Gáe Bolg were extremely low anyway. That regret only lasted a moment. 'Well, I'll get to throw it someday.' What I had really wanted to check wasn't Gáe Bolg's effect, but Astra's mimicry ability. So there was no need to overthink the side effects. I stored Astra in my inventory with an optimistic mindset. Only after confirming that [Astra (Bound)][1] had appeared in my inventory did I speak.

"Arthur, could you stop burying your nose in my neck and sniffing me?"

"……Ah."

I pushed Arthur away from my embrace.

"…Ahem, ahem! Lee Yoo-jin, my apologies. I showed quite the unsightly display."

So she knew. I looked at Arthur, whose face had turned red, with cold eyes. Under my gaze, Arthur fidgeted with her fingers in embarrassment and slightly turned her head away. Yet, contrary to her averted gaze, her body slowly, like a magnet, drew closer to me again. When she clung to me just like before, I couldn't help ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but let out a dry laugh.

"…Hey, Arthur. Your skinship has increased quite a bit… no, a lot, hasn't it?"

Arthur, who used to get excited just from holding hands—though I had gripped her pretty hard—now this? My question carried that meaning. Arthur tilted her head, her skin color already back to its usual pale tone, and looked at me as if she didn't understand.

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

I let out a short sigh and peeled her body off mine. Then, crossing my arms to prevent her from clinging again, I asked, "Arthur, did something change in your feelings? Taking off your male disguise and all this skinship now… You've changed way too much."

At my question, Arthur made a thoughtful sound and touched the sword at her waist. Soon, she gripped Excalibur's hilt and met my eyes with her blue ones, shining brightly like a lake holding warm sunlight. I instinctively looked away, then remembered my Strong Spirit (A) and increased mental stats. 'At my current level, she probably can't read all my thoughts.' Besides, it didn't matter if she read them now. I had been wary of her fairy eyes because of Excalibur's location, known only to the Knights of the Round Table. I hadn't wanted an outsider like me to be discovered knowing it. So now that our favorability was high, it should be fine even if she read my thoughts. As I looked into Arthur's eyes with that in mind, she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nodded.

"As expected, you knew I possessed Excalibur."

"Yeah, I've known since a long time ago."

More precisely, from the very first moment I saw her.

"Hmm… So that's why you kept avoiding my gaze."

Arthur nodded as if she finally understood my past behavior, then approached me. She took my hand with the one holding Excalibur and said, "Well, what does it matter now?" Arthur smiled brightly. "Lee ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Yoo-jin, you asked if something had changed in my feelings, right?" I nodded. Arthur slowly caressed my hand and continued, "Yes, it has. Quite recently, in fact." Her calloused yet soft fingers slid between mine. Our fingers interlocked as she took a step closer. "When I saw the countless Corrupted Ones made of black waves, I thought—"

Lee Yoo-jin, I wish you had been here.

"As I cut down the Corrupted Ones, I thought—"

Lee Yoo-jin, I wish you had fought alongside me.

"Remembering my old friend, I thought—"

Lee Yoo-jin, I wish you had been by my side.

"And beneath the massive golden apple tree, I realized—"

Ah, I need you.

Arthur took another step closer. The moment her gentle hand caressed my cheek—

Arthur's countless talents began confessing in an embarrassing manner. As I stared at her blankly—