Please Play Fate/Go With Me

After that, Yuihama, to fulfill her promise with Ibaraki Doji, bought a huge pile of sweets. Besides what she got from the street vendor, she made a special trip to the convenience store and bought all sorts of candies, so many that one would worry if all her teeth would rot.

After walking out of the store, Yuihama started handing out candies to everyone.

"Mash, you worked hard today. This is a reward for you." Yuihama handed Mash a marshmallow.

"Thank you, Yuihama-senpai. I'll treasure it as I eat it." Mash smiled happily, seeing the wrapper with Fou's picture on it.

"This is for Komachi! I know you love bananas the most!" This time, Yuihama handed over a chocolate-covered banana.

"Thanks, Yuihama-senpai! You really know me so well!" Komachi took the banana and smiled happily. She felt that if she could use a banana as a medium to summon a certain high school girl known as a god, she would be strong enough.

"Asuna, here you go!" Yuihama handed Asuna a piece of candy, then stuck out her tongue and, for a moment, it seemed like sharp demon horns popped out on her head as she quickly ran away.

"Huh? Durian candy?" Asuna looked at her palm and wondered, 'Did I get special treatment?'

"Shirou! Here." Yuihama directly shoved a candied hawthorn into the boy's mouth.

"Thanks... By the way, aren't you afraid of getting a toothache buying so much candy?" Shirou, holding the candied hawthorn in his mouth, looked at the girl and said.

"Shirou, you're so annoying. It's fine, I won't eat it all in one day, and I brush my teeth twice a day! Hold this for me!" Yuihama casually shoved the large bags of goodies into Shirou's hands and ran ahead to hug Yukino.

"Yukino, I'll share half of this sugar with you." Yuihama offered her half-eaten apple.

"No, thank you. I can't eat too many sweets." Yukino, who was being hugged, turned her head away.

"Huh? Didn't you say desserts were delicious when we went out before, Yukino?" Yuihama asked, confused.

"Because they're delicious, I can't eat too much. I'm more of an indoor person; if I eat too much, my weight will increase alarmingly. Especially with dinner that Shirou makes later, I might accidentally eat too much..." As Yukino spoke, her mood seemed to dip a little.

"Huh? I completely forgot! What should I do?" Yuihama said with a look of horror.

"No, Yuihama's fat only goes to certain places, so it's completely fine..." Yukino seemed even more dejected.

"That's not true, Yukino. I exercise every day. I'm the one who takes Sabre for walks," Yuihama retorted unhappily.

Everyone returned to the Higashiya family's home for a dinner party to celebrate Komachi's admission to International High School.

By the time they got home, it was almost 7:30 PM. Shirou, as the head chef, had to quickly get busy in the kitchen.

"I'll help," Yukino Yukinoshita said as she walked in. The girl tied her long hair back. Seeing the large and small aprons hanging on the back of the door, she picked up the larger one for herself. The smaller one was a playful pink that a little girl would like, while the larger one was as plain as someone else's.

"Thank you. Then I'll leave the salad to you," Shirou said.

In addition to the Chinese cuisine prepared earlier, such as steamed radish balls, thick-skinned dumplings, and thin-skinned shumai, the main featured dishes for today at the Higashiya house were Ancient Roman-style cuisine.

As the only two ancient empires that served to connect the East and West of the world, their common characteristic was inclusiveness and circulation. At its peak, Ancient Rome's territory extended west to Spain and the island nation of Britain, east to Mesopotamia, south to North Africa, and north to the Danube River, spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa, making the Mediterranean its inner sea.

Ancient Roman nobles wore Chinese silk and porcelain, adorned themselves with various gold ornaments, favored bright red, and loved the Colosseum, sports, and opera.

When it came to food, they were not picky about meat or vegetables. They had a famous dish where they stuffed dormice with pork, herbs, pine nuts, and chili peppers before roasting them. Today, perhaps only Cantonese people could compare to them.

The Devil Chicken and roast beef that Shirou served were made using genuine Ancient Roman recipes, combined with modern kitchenware. The finished products were more suited to modern tastes than Ancient Roman dishes, yet retained some tradition compared to Roman cuisine in Italy.

It was a shame that obtaining raw peacock meat was troublesome in Japan. Otherwise, they could have tried roast peacock. As for roast parrot and flamingo tongues, those were already impossible.

The last time Shirou visited Chaldea, he promised to guest-cook again. Caesar said that once Chaldea's Spiritron Transfer stabilized, he would find someone to hunt a few and bring them back. Although it was another world, if Shirou went to Chaldea again, he wasn't without ways to bring creatures back.

"Brother, use these to hold the drinks~!" At this moment, Komachi excitedly brought over a pile of tall wine glasses.

Well, since they were all minors, wine was out of the question. Shirou, like a professional bartender, poured Komachi a glass of grape juice. Although there was non-alcoholic red wine, for children who wanted to drink from wine glasses, juice was probably more suitable.

The pizza from the oven was ready: roasted eggplant, fresh cheese, ham, and salmon filling. Each slice had a different flavor.

Yukino, wearing an apron, served the vegetable salad.

Shirou took out the ordered cake. Once all the dishes were served, and with Yuihama's earlier shenanigans, the post-meal dessert was skipped. The young boys and girls gathered around the table together.

Komachi cleared her throat theatrically and began her speech: "Um... thank you all for coming to my celebration party today. Please continue to get along well with Komachi and my unworthy brother, Shirou."

"Who do you think you are? The student council president of a university?" Shirou couldn't help but retort.

"Nyah nyah, can we eat now~!" Yuihama urged, drooling. Both she and Ibaraki Doji inside her were at their limit.

"..." Mash also stared intently at the food, swallowing. Ever since she met Shirou-senpai, she seemed to have become increasingly gluttonous.

"Then... Cheers~!" Komachi raised her drink and shouted.

"Cheers~!" Everyone else raised their drinks and clinked glasses.

That night, at the Higashiya house, the girls' bell-like laughter echoed continuously, and they ate heartily.

Here was a gluttonous girl possessed by an Oni, Komachi, who claimed to have another stomach for sweets, and the Knights of the Round Table.

It was said that the members of the Knights of the Round Table were quite capable of eating. They would sit around a campfire, roast dragons, demonic boars, sphinxes, and alien creatures, cut them open with their swords, and share them all.

Therefore, even a table full of dishes was completely devoured by the young boys and girls.

"Wow, I can't eat another bite." Komachi rubbed her bulging stomach and leaned back in her chair, exclaiming with satisfaction.

"Shirou, it's all your fault! Why did you make it so delicious!" Yuihama also complained, holding her stomach.

The other girls also looked at the boy.

'I'm telling you... don't blame me...' Shirou muttered, looking away.

Chapter 71 Branch Campuses Abroad

International High School is a large-scale, globalized private educational institution. In addition to the Chiba Branch, it also has branches in Okinawa, Yanjing, Xuzhou, Jiujiang, London, Orleans, and more.

The main campus is a top-tier private international university that gathers elite students from various countries. It has no national boundaries, dedicating itself solely to cultivating the most outstanding talents for all of humanity. Graduates from this school are found in every field worldwide. Legend has it that those who drop out to pursue IT here can even make it onto the list of the world's wealthiest individuals.

The advantage of attending an international branch campus is that it allows for admission to this university with less stringent requirements than external candidates.

Therefore, when selecting principals for these branch campuses, individuals with a more international outlook are chosen.

The Qin clan, like the Liu clan, is an influential immigrant group in Japan. They fled the chaos of war in China after the fall of the Qin Dynasty, eventually settling in Japan. Relying on their expertise in agriculture and military strategy, they quickly gained status and established a firm foothold. Principal Qin is a descendant of this lineage. After years of hard work, he was promoted to the position of principal at the Chiba branch campus, a position that rivals that of a regular university president.

The duty of a principal is, naturally, to discover and nurture excellent seeds for the main campus, sparing no one, whether they be politicians, wealthy merchants, scientists, or artists.

As the winter break approaches, the international high school's branch campuses have a tradition. Besides exchanging several students with different branches each academic year, they hold a multi-week event during the long school holidays.

This year, it's the Chiba branch campus's turn to send an exchange team. The school needs to select outstanding students to form a team, which, under the guidance of teachers, will travel to sister schools abroad for cultural exchange.

Previously, at the international kyudo competition, the International High School not only achieved great success but also produced a "Genius with the Eyes of an Eagle," significantly boosting its presence.

Furthermore, the legendary duel between a young girl and a young man, showcasing unparalleled archery skills, was uploaded online and became a hot topic among the public. The organizers even called to express their gratitude, making Principal Qin feel incredibly proud.

"So, since you've nurtured such outstanding talent for the school, how can we not show them off to other branches? Don't you agree, Teacher Hiratsuka?" Principal Qin, wearing round-framed sunglasses, asked with a smile, resting his chin on his clasped hands on the desk.

"..."

And so, at noon, on his way to the Service Club, Shirou was caught by Shizuka Hiratsuka and summoned to her office. Since it was lunchtime, the other teachers were also out for their meals, leaving just the two of them in the office.

Shizuka Hiratsuka explained the situation to Shirou.

"Why? Do I have to agree to go on an overseas trip with you?" Shirou asked Teacher Hiratsuka, confused.

"This is to bring honor to the school, you'll get extra credits, and there's a bonus! It's a great thing. On a larger scale, it's even an activity promoting world peace! Though it is quite troublesome..." Shizuka Hiratsuka said, not even believing herself, pouting and lowering her voice.

"You just said it's troublesome yourself!" Shirou retorted.

"Please, I bragged to the principal this time. I guaranteed that Shirou is my most outstanding student, my most proud disciple, and that he would definitely agree." Shizuka Hiratsuka pleaded, grabbing Shirou's coat hem.

"You definitely got praised a few words by the principal and got carried away, didn't you?" Shirou brushed her hand away.

"Please! Shirou, I'm going with you, aren't I? I originally wanted to save my first overseas trip with a man for the person I'd be honeymooning with! Please~!" Shizuka Hiratsuka once again grabbed the young man's hand, begging with a pitiful look.

Since there are no other teachers around, is she throwing all dignity away?

"I must refuse. Honestly, I really don't have the free time. And this acting cute doesn't suit you at all..." Shirou said, pulling his hand away again. He had to find a way to clear out the monsters during this holiday.

"Is that so... Shirou, as your teacher, I've already made such a big concession, please help me. Don't push your luck! If you don't agree today, you're not leaving this room!" Shizuka Hiratsuka grabbed the young man's shoulder with one hand, the other ready to twist the student's neck. The Iron Fist Teacher finally revealed her true nature.

To be, or not to be, that is the question.

"Shirou, agree to it." At that moment, his phone vibrated violently, and Da Vinci's voice suddenly came from his ear. It seemed she used a special method, as Shizuka Hiratsuka showed no sign of noticing anything unusual.

"...Alright then, but once we get there, you can't arrange activities for me on your own like last time. Otherwise, even I will get angry." Shirou warned. Although he didn't fully understand Da Vinci's intentions, Shirou temporarily agreed to Shizuka Hiratsuka's request.

"Hahaha! I knew you'd agree. As a thank you, I'll treat you to local delicacies once we get there!" Shizuka Hiratsuka said, patting the young man's back with a hearty laugh.

"That proposal isn't bad. I'll be going then." Shirou nodded.

After leaving the office, Shirou found a secluded spot and opened his phone.

Da Vinci connected directly through his phone and opened a video call.

"Da Vinci-chan, what's the deal with you asking me to agree to participate in this overseas exchange?" Shirou asked.

"This trip is a perfect opportunity to clear out some of the monsters in foreign otherworlds. More importantly, several powerful magical energy reactions have been detected. Two of them are in China, one in Britain, and one in France. They are suspected to be blackened Heroic Spirits like Perseus," Da Vinci explained.

"Then we must act. But if we go with the school, we won't be able to move freely, let alone explore these places?" Shirou said.

"No, actually, TYPE-MOON Company is one of the sponsors for this event, so don't worry about the travel arrangements. Besides the mission, I'll also arrange a pleasant trip for you," Da Vinci said with her signature smile.

"But if a group of students are there and get caught up in it, what if they encounter danger? It would still be more convenient for me to act alone," Shirou said with some concern.

"With the world's protection and Chaldea's support, you'll be fine! Moreover, group action makes it easier for me to arrange for helpers to assist you. Don't even think about acting recklessly on your own. Last time, it was only thanks to the Holy Grail and your unique constitution that we managed to transfer the damage from your Spiritron Dress collapse to a pseudo Spiritron Dress."

"We need thorough planning to deal with those blackened Heroic Spirits," Da Vinci warned, seeing through Shirou's thoughts.

"I know, but if I have to fight blackened Heroic Spirits, without powerful helpers, they'll just be a burden. For example, suddenly pulling in someone without combat experience as support, I suggest we don't do that," Shirou advised.

"Shirou, you really are a good person. You don't need to worry about that. In fact, this world changed after Perseus broke the defense wall, and now I can do many more things. Chaldea has also lifted the crisis of being attacked, so we can mobilize more resources to help you. Just look forward to it. The genius me will definitely arrange suitable assistants for you," Da Vinci said with a mysterious smile.

Chapter 72: Departing for Shinjuku

Da Vinci smiled mysteriously, and it felt like even if he asked her, he'd just get brushed off.

"Is that so? I understand," Shirou frowned and could only nod in agreement.

After the call ended, Shirou went to the Service Club and told his companions about the matter.

"Eh? So you're really going abroad, Shirou?" Yuibihama exclaimed.

"Well, we're going during winter break and will be back before the semester starts," Shirou explained.

"I see, so we can still hang out before school starts. That's good then," Yuibihama muttered, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I understand, Shirou-senpai! I will act by your side." Mash stood up, indicating that she had plenty of money and could afford to pay for her own trip abroad without any problem.

"Unfortunately, Mash, you have other tasks and must stay behind." At this moment, Da Vinci's holographic projection appeared directly in the classroom.

"It appeared!" Yuibihama exclaimed in surprise.

"Honestly, Da Vinci-chan, don't just appear out of nowhere like that, it's scary," Asuna complained.

"My apologies, but the appearance of a genius usually requires a bit of impact, doesn't it?" Da Vinci said with a smile.

"That wasn't a shock, that was a scare," Yukino quipped.

"Da Vinci, what's my mission?" Mash asked, looking over at Da Vinci.

"Mash, actually, Gudako has made some progress, so we might need you to return to Chaldea to assist her. Therefore, leave the matters in other countries to Shirou. For now, we'll need you all to clear out the monsters in this country. Of course, Chaldea will cover the travel expenses," Da Vinci said.

"Gudako-senpai! Is she doing alright recently?" Mash asked nervously upon hearing news of her senpai.

"Ah... rather, she's been having too much fun, to the point where I'm feeling jealous. Anyway, I'll let you know when the time comes," Da Vinci said, sounding a bit annoyed.

"I understand! I'll await your summons anytime!" Mash agreed readily.

"Eh? Can we go traveling too? That sounds great! Let's go to Okinawa! Or maybe Guam! We could go swimming there, but that's already abroad, isn't it?" Yuihama said with a giggle.

"Yuihama, we're not going on a sightseeing trip," Yukino reminded her.

"It's okay to have a little fun on the side, right? Come on, Yukino, please?" Yuihama said, hugging the black-haired girl and acting cute.

"Hmm... if we just play for an afternoon..." Yukino couldn't refuse Yuihama and could only agree.

"This is awesome! Then we absolutely have to go buy some travel clothes! Asuna, let's go shopping after school!" Yuihama said, smiling happily.

"Sure, Mash can come too, right? I'll help you pick out some nice clothes," Asuna said with a smile.

"Yeah, Mash is so cute, she definitely needs to be dressed up properly," Yuihama chimed in.

"Indeed, I think Mash would look great with cat ears, like a long-eared, fluffy white cat," Yukino added, leaning in with interest.

"Is that so? I think Mash would suit being a dog person better. Look how obedient and well-behaved she is," Yuihama discussed.

"Why don't we just try everything on?" Asuna said, also interested.

"Eh? Eh?" Mash felt like she was being treated like a toy, but at the same time, she felt a little bit excited.

"Oh, right, Shirou, what kind of clothes are you planning to buy for going abroad?" Yuihama asked the boy, turning to him.