"Yukino, look. They really can't see it." Shirou waved toward them.
The other person's gaze remained fixed on the destroyed academy wall, completely failing to notice the bizarrely dressed person waving at them.
"Phew... In that case, let's go somewhere less conspicuous first." Yukino had finally calmed down a little. She stood up, grabbed Shirou's sleeve, and pulled him toward the small grove within the campus.
Mash hurried after them. Once they reached the grove, Yukino stopped and looked at the pink-haired girl.
"Then, Mash, please explain yourself properly! Given the circumstances, I won't pursue the matter of you summoning me here without permission. But since I've been dragged into this, I have the right to get a clear answer about everything. Wouldn't you agree?" Yukino Yukinoshita said reasonably.
"I understand, senpai." Mash obediently agreed.
Shirou also tried to smooth things over. "Mash only did this to protect everyone. We couldn't just ignore a monster like that. Don't be angry, Yukino. Let's all sit down and talk this through."
"Those who don't understand the situation should shut up! A twisted goody-two-shoes like you would definitely charge in on your own even if you knew it was dangerous, without caring about your own safety! And this time, you're the one who dragged me into it! Are you aware of that, Shirou?" Yukino seemed even angrier as she gave the Youth an ice-cold smile.
"Yes, I'm sorry." The Youth had no response and honestly lowered his head to admit his guilt.
Hadn't she just said she wouldn't pursue it? She was a little scary. Where had that cute girl who had been blushing earlier gone?
If he had known this friend was Yukino, he definitely would have chosen someone else. He hadn't expected that summoning Support would summon not just a Servant, but an entire person.
But then again, if the person who jumped out of his phone had been some burly old man in Ushiwakamaru's outfit, Shirou covered his face in grief.
With respect in his heart, the Youth thought, Although I'm terribly sorry, Lady Yukino, please take care of me from now on. Let's consider this an extension of the Service Club's work.
Seeing Hachiman lower his head and apologize, Yukino's anger finally faded somewhat. She knew how serious the situation was and could not possibly turn a blind eye to it, but before that, there was one question concerning life and death that she had to clarify.
"First question, Mash. After I fulfill the Servant's wish, what will happen to me? Will I remain here, or return to my original world?"
"Since Yukino-senpai appeared as friend Support, you'll be sent back to where you originally were," Mash explained.
"I see. That's good." Having received Mash's assurance, Yukino breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense expression finally softened.
"Then, Yukino-senpai, please fulfill the wish first. We can discuss everything else afterward. If a Servant's wish goes unanswered for too long, there may be punishment. If you encounter a Servant with a terrible personality, the consequences could be frightening. Like Marshal C, Gabrielle, Kiyohime, and the like..." Mash began trembling uncontrollably just imagining it.
"Ah... So it really is like that. The consequences sound terrifying." Shirou communicated with Saint George's will within his soul. Fortunately, the request Saint George had made was not difficult to fulfill.
As expected, even Servants from a mobile game were still Servants. They were all terrifying beings.
"Yukino, hurry up and tell us what the Servant wants." Shirou urged her, but she looked hesitant and bashful.
"I want..." Noticing Shirou's gaze, Yukino lowered her head and spoke quickly in a tiny voice. Her current outfit was humiliating enough, but the wish she had to fulfill was humiliating in another way.
"What? You were too quiet. I couldn't hear you. If you don't explain, Yukino, I won't know how to help you." Shirou asked in confusion.
"Urgh! I want someone like Brother to gently pat my head and praise me!" Yukino shouted in surrender, her face turning bright red.
"Ah... okay." Shirou froze upon hearing Yukino's words. He had never expected Yukino, known as the ice beauty, to show such an expression, much less make such a cute request...
His mind began wandering on its own. He imagined what it would be like to have a younger sister like Yukino and live together with her. Then he thought about what it would be like if she were not his younger sister, and suddenly felt embarrassed himself.
"Shirou! Are you going to do it or not?!" Yukino angrily glared at the Youth, who had started blushing on his own. She was the one who should have been embarrassed.
"Mm! Leave it to me! I'm pretty good at head pats." Shirou dared not hesitate any longer. He nodded and agreed, after all, he had a younger sister at home who loved acting cute and asking for affection.
The Youth reached out and placed his hand on the girl's head. Feeling the smooth texture of her hair, he gently stroked it back and forth and said softly, "There, there. Good girl. You did great. Thanks to your help, we were able to protect the academy."
"Ugh... This is so humiliating..." As Yukino lowered her head and felt the warmth on top of it, her already flushed face turned so red that even her ears seemed about to burn. At that moment, white light began shining from her body. It seemed the Servant was satisfied.
"Forget everything that happened today!" the girl threatened the Youth from within the glow.
"Sure, but remember to contact me after you get back. See you, Mr. Aipan's Snow Cat~!" the Youth agreed with a mischievous grin.
The glow around the girl grew brighter and brighter until she finally turned into particles and vanished into the air, leaving only that school uniform jacket on the ground.
The Youth walked over and picked up the clothes. He could still feel the lingering warmth and fragrance left behind from the girl clutching them tightly.
A moment later, his phone chimed with a new message.
When he opened it, it was a private message.
"Stay right where you are! I'll be there immediately! And... forget what happened earlier! All of it!"
"You're telling me to forget, but those shocking images just keep replaying in my mind instead," the Youth said helplessly.
Everything the girl had done earlier—her fair skin, her slender, smooth back—surfaced in his mind. The memories were incomparably vivid. Sometimes, having eyesight that was too good was not a good thing.
The Youth hesitated for a moment, then typed three words and sent them back.
Visiting Yukino's Home
At that very moment, in a room within a high-rise apartment building, a pale yellow lamp illuminated the living room. The empty sofa, the television with its dark screen, and the spacious interior made the place seem especially quiet, until a sudden sound came from within.
"Pfft!" Accompanied by the splashing sound of water being stirred, a girl's laughter rang out from inside and lingered for a long time with the echo.
After quite a while, the door inside opened, and the black-haired girl emerged. Her cheeks were flushed from soaking in the bath too long, her pretty face rosy and glowing, with faint steam rising from her body.
Looking at the words "Who am I?" on the phone inside its waterproof pouch, the black-haired girl pictured the Youth pretending to have amnesia. Remembering the scene of him patting her head, the corners of her lips could not help but curl into a lovely smile. Somehow, her mood had improved too.
Her previous experience had been embarrassing, but when she thought that the person who had seen it was him, she did not know why, despite being so ashamed, she also felt a little happy. What was this strange feeling? At this time, Yukino Yukinoshita still did not understand.
Inside the room the girl had just left, the thick mist had yet to dissipate. Water droplets fell from the faucet, splashing against the floor with soft drips.
The surface of the hot bathtub, which had only just returned to calm, was stirred into ripples once more.
After thinking for a moment, the girl sent another message and turned toward the bedroom.
The girl lightly brushed her long hair aside. Her black hair swayed through the air, carrying the sweet-and-sour scent of fruity shampoo.
Meanwhile, back at the academy.
"All right, Shirou-senpai, stop playing with your phone. You should hurry up and end the Servant possession too." Mash, the pink-haired underclassman, complained as she looked at Shirou.
"You're right. Then come over here for a moment, Mash." Shirou beckoned for the girl to come closer.
"What?" Mash walked up in confusion.
"Mm, make a V-sign like this," Shirou said.
"Like this?" Following her upperclassman's instructions, Mash raised both hands, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"That's it. Say cheese~!" Shirou stretched out an arm and put it around Mash's shoulder, pulling her close. He raised his phone with his other hand and pressed the shutter! The Youth and girl appeared on the phone screen.
Thus, Teacher Qiao's wish of wanting a photograph was fulfilled. The armor on Shirou's body turned into fluorescent light, and he changed back into his original school uniform.
What the Youth did not know was that, at the very instant the photo was taken, golden light surged through the transparent compatibility bar beneath the icon of another silver-haired man in white robes in his mobile game. It rose from less than one percent to ten percent.
"Thanks, Mash." Back in his ordinary human form, Shirou smiled at his underclassman.
"It was nothing..." Mash's face reddened as his arm remained around her shoulder. She thought that she would never tell her upperclassman that she too wanted to raise their compatibility. When Archer Shirou returned and Saber Shirou was added to the summoning pool, that would be the day she would defy fate with a single multi-roll. From then on, she too would become a lucky person with a max-NP gold-card man!
"Mail, mail!" The phone vibrated as another message from the girl arrived: Let's meet at my home.
"There really isn't anywhere suitable to talk around here." After reading the message, Shirou said to the pink-haired girl, "Looks like we'll have to go to Yukino's place. Let's go."
"Huh? Oh..." Mash blinked in confusion and followed behind Shirou as they left the school gates.
After leaving the alternate space, the trees outside the school gate that had been burned by fire were all still perfectly intact. Only the gate wall that had once been heavily damaged by the Chimera had been smashed apart in one section.
After that, Shirou took Mash on the subway and arrived beneath the upscale apartment building where Yukino lived.
"Senpai? Where is this?" Mash asked in confusion.
"This is where Yukino lives." Shirou walked into the apartment building as he spoke. The girl lived here alone, without outsiders to disturb them, so it was indeed more suitable for discussing such private matters.
Shirou walked up to the intercom beside the apartment security door and pressed the room number. It connected quickly, and the girl's somewhat cool, quiet voice came from within. "Yes?"
"Yo, Yukino. We're here," Shirou greeted the camera.
"Come in." The girl hung up immediately after speaking.
The tightly shut security doors parted to either side, and Shirou gestured for Mash to follow him.
The elevator happened to be waiting on the first floor. Shirou led Mash straight inside and, without even looking, pressed the floor number. The green digits above the elevator doors steadily rose until they stopped at fifteen, and the doors opened.
Yukino lived in Room 7 on the fifteenth floor. After leaving the elevator, they only had to walk several dozen steps to the right.
"Wait! Shirou-senpai, why are you so familiar with this place?" Mash asked with a face full of shock and suspicion. He was as familiar with it as if it were his own home. What was going on?
"No, I only came here once during the last school festival because of something," Shirou said as he stepped forward and pressed the doorbell.
How could he remain so calm when visiting a girl's home? How many times had he done this? Twice, three times... or more than ten times?
The image Mash had of Shirou-senpai collapsed and was rewritten once again!
The door opened quickly, revealing Yukino Yukinoshita in casual homewear. Her fluffy off-white long-sleeved top exposed her snow-white neck and delicate collarbones...
"Come in, Mash. And that guy with the stupid look on his face too." Yukino opened the door and invited them inside.
"Yes, Yukino-senpai. Excuse us." Mash obediently replied and entered the apartment.
"Oh..." Shirou followed her inside, only then noticing that a black ribbon tied like a bow was fastened around Yukino's lower back. Looking more closely, he realized it was a cat-patterned apron. Her thick, jet-black hair gleamed like black pearls fresh from the water, and several damp strands seemed as though they would sparkle beneath the lights.
Her hair's still wet. Don't tell me she just came out of the bathroom? That means I summoned Yukino while she was bathing earlier... Wait... Did I do something incredibly awful? Shirou's eyes widened, and he was troubled once more by his sharp eyesight.
"You two sit down for a while and watch television. I'll make dinner first." Yukino smiled as she headed toward the kitchen and pulled a kitchen knife from the rack, its blade gleaming coldly under the lights.
Shirou's expression changed. He rushed forward in a single stride, snatched the knife from the girl's hand, and smiled. "I'll help!"
"..." Yukino glanced at the Youth as if he were an idiot, then said, "Then I'll leave washing and chopping the vegetables to you."
"Okay! Leave it all to me!" Shirou readily agreed. To save this life of his, even if he had to cook here for the rest of his life, it would be worth it.
Yukino took out broccoli from the refrigerator and handed it to him.
Shirou took it, placed it on the cutting board, and brought the knife down along the stem, cutting away the tougher section first. Then several flashes of steel passed by as he sliced the broccoli into small pieces, cleanly and efficiently, without leaving a single scrap. The broccoli separated into evenly sized pieces, like tiny green trees.
At that moment, Yukino handed him a bowl. Her timing was perfect.
Shirou accepted it, swept the broccoli into the bowl with his knife, turned on the tap, and rinsed it clean for later use.
When the Youth picked up the knife again, Yukino placed the beef on the cutting board.
With the blade tilted slightly, he sliced the beef into glistening pieces.
With the two working together in perfect coordination, the preparations before cooking were completed smoothly, practically in one seamless motion.
"Wait! Senpai, why can you help cook so naturally at a girl's house?" Mash, who had been staring in a daze at how seamlessly the two worked together, finally came to her senses and asked in astonishment.
"Huh? Helping make breakfast or dinner at the home of a classmate in the same year or an underclassman from the same club is pretty normal, isn't it?" Shirou looked at Yukino in confusion and asked. Since he did not have many friends, he had always thought this was quite ordinary.
"What caused your brain cells to mistakenly believe I could answer that question? Still, cooking with friends should be fairly normal, shouldn't it?" Yukino looked at Shirou disdainfully and replied with a question. She did not have many friends either, so she had no experience in that regard, but she had enjoyed teaching Yuihama how to bake sweets before.
"No! That's not normal at all!" Mash strongly objected. What was wrong with these two? Their lack of common sense was even perfectly in sync! Even an artificial human knew that much, so why did these two not know?
Da Vinci Arrives
Inside the luxurious upscale apartment, the range hood hummed while the Youth tossed a wok over the flames, preparing that evening's dinner.
At first, Shirou had only been helping out, but as they cooked and chatted, he merely complimented the girl by saying that she was a good cook. Somehow, that stirred Yukino's competitive spirit.
She insisted on pulling the Youth into a cooking contest. The boy and girl stood on opposite sides of the stove, each preparing a dish.
Hot oil sizzled, and cooking smoke rose. A little over ten minutes later, the dishes were placed onto cat-patterned plates and brought to the table in the living room.
Shirou had made Chinese-style stir-fried beef with radish, while Yukino had made broccoli with pan-seared steak. In the pot was tofu miso soup with bonito flakes and kelp, giving off the fragrance of soy products. It was not only delicious but nutritious as well.
"Judge, please enjoy." Shirou handed Mash a bowl and chopsticks.
Yukino also fixed her eyes on Mash, waiting for her verdict.
"I understand. The tasting will now begin." Mash seemed to have been swept up in the atmosphere. She solemnly took off her glasses and put them away, looked at both upperclassmen, and nodded.
Her chopsticks first reached toward the sliced steak. The reddish-black steak was crisp outside and tender within. As she bit into it, the juices burst into her mouth, combining the rich tenderness of beef with the deeply flavored juices and fully satisfying the part of humanity that craved meat.
Then she picked up a piece of green broccoli, dipped it in the steak sauce, and put it into her mouth. It was fresh and smooth.
It was as though she were riding a cow through a green mountain meadow, its hooves treading through flower fields and drawing butterflies to flutter after it.
Mash's appetite was thoroughly awakened. She ate the steak together with the broccoli, clearing every last bit of food from the plate.
"Yukino-senpai's cooking is delicious! Even professional chefs probably couldn't surpass this," Mash praised in satisfaction.
"Thank you for the compliment." Yukino smiled, then shot the Youth a smug glance. Ever since Shirou had proven even more skilled than her when she taught Yuihama to cook before, she had secretly practiced, swearing that she would win next time.
"Next is Shirou-senpai's dish." Mash looked toward the other plate of stir-fry. It too gave off an enticing fragrance. The jade-white radish was crystal-clear, layered together with slices of beef, and looked beautiful.
But the previous dish had already completely satisfied both her craving for meat and vegetables. Even though its deliciousness still lingered in her mouth, could she truly savor the next dish properly now?
With that doubt in mind, Mash picked up a slice of radish, wrapped it around a piece of beef, and took a bite. In an instant, all of the girl's doubts vanished.
It was incomparably delicious. The fresh sweetness of the radish and the savory tenderness of the beef flooded her mouth, like a sudden clear stream washing away the fullness of the steak, the crisp fragrance of the broccoli, and that rich, heavy flavor from her mind.
It was a flavor the girl remembered fondly. She had eaten similar dishes in Chaldea before, but Emiya's cooking was flawless, the very pinnacle of home cooking. Yet this dish seemed to add, beyond that pinnacle, a trace of something called "happiness."
Before you continue