Reconnaissance? Two People! Dessert Shop? Shibari!

So today, Kaineth had come out to clear his head. Lancer still faithfully guarded his side, while his fiancée, as always, clung to Lancer.

In the eyes of passersby, those two were probably the couple instead.

Kaineth looked at Lancer's frank gaze and recalled what Lancer had done in history, growing even more irritated.

He was not an idiot. Since birth, he had carried the title of genius, and he had not squandered his talent either. With just a little effort, he could accomplish in a moment what took others years.

Although he had been praised as a prodigy since childhood and had never suffered any setbacks, he had not entirely lost his humanity like other Magi. It was simply that his pride prevented him from caring for others as ordinary people did.

For example, that queen. If that treasonous declaration had not passed through his hands, her fate would not have been any better than Copernicus's. No, perhaps it would have been even worse.

That was getting off topic. In short, he was not an idiot; he had merely been blinded by love. But people always had moments of clarity. Yesterday, after Lancer had been suddenly defeated, he had used a Command Spell to save Lancer.

Perhaps from that moment onward, the halo of genius had begun to crack. Kaineth had started taking everything seriously.

For instance, Kaineth was now reflecting on Sola's previous behavior and reluctantly admitting that she had acted like a shameless slut!

After sorting through it all, Kaineth discovered that although he felt some disappointment, what he felt even more was relief. It was as if he had put down some heavy burden.

Heh! He would just consider himself blind before.

What was so good about women? Women would only hinder his drive to reach the Root. Kaineth decided to devote all his energy to magecraft!

Once he had completely worked it out, Kaineth found that the Grand rank that had trapped him for so long seemed much closer.

"Heh heh!" Kaineth suddenly gave a cold laugh, though no one knew what he was mocking.

"Master, what's wrong?" Although Diarmuid did not know what had happened, Kaineth's strange tone made him quickly step in front of him. Even though Lancer knew fighting was forbidden during the day.

A long while passed. Aside from the changed expressions of passersby surprised by Diarmuid's cry of "Master," no Heroic Spirits came attacking or anything of the sort happened.

"What are you doing, Kaineth?" Sola came back to her senses, saw Diarmuid dart in front of him, and scolded Kaineth in displeasure.

"What are you dissatisfied with? Lancer's attitude?" After hearing that, Kaineth finally understood completely. The last trace of self-deception in his heart vanished.

Sola had also been born into a famous magecraft family. How could she possibly be unable to resist Lancer's curse? Kaineth suddenly closed his eyes and thought of everything he had given her. Without him, how could someone of Sola's standing have behaved so spoiledly at the Clock Tower?

Kaineth also knew that Lancer had not been that sort of person in history. Yet before, he had blamed every mistake on him and completely ignored Sola's actions.

In other words, in this relationship, he had been the one constantly giving. He had even foolishly believed she was doing the same.

"Let's go back, Lancer. I'm tired." Kaineth suddenly opened his eyes, ignored Sola's surprised expression, and gave the order.

"Kaineth! Can't you go back by yourself?" Sola stepped forward, trying to grab Diarmuid's arm as she glared furiously at Kaineth.

Kaineth watched Lancer swiftly dodge aside, then watched Sola lose her temper at him. He said nothing, simply turned around, and headed for the hotel, completely ignoring her behind him.

Diarmuid silently followed. His sole wish in answering the summons as a Heroic Spirit was to serve his Monarch well, even at the cost of his life.

And now, his intuition told him that his wish might be about to come true.

"Little Master, what do you think about robbing him?" Rider, who had come out for a stroll, suddenly patted Waver, who was about to hide, and excitedly pointed at Kaineth, who had just entered the hotel.

"Are you insane? He's my instructor!" Waver clutched the shoulder Rider had just slapped painfully and replied through gritted teeth.

Although Kaineth had harshly disparaged his research at the Clock Tower, had he not stolen the Holy Relic Kaineth had prepared for so long? The resentment Waver had felt over that matter had already faded.

Besides, his purpose in entering the Holy Grail War was to prove to that arrogant Lemon Head that he was right—not to fight him to the death.

"Hahahaha, doesn't that make it even more interesting?" Rider laughed without a care. Just thinking about it seemed entertaining.

"No!" Waver bristled. What if robbing Lemon Head caused him to fail to graduate in the coming years because he stepped into the classroom with his left foot first?

"Hey, Lancer, interested in joining my ranks?" Seeing how resolute his Little Master was, the King of Conquerors stopped thinking about robbing Kaineth and instead greeted Lancer, who had noticed him from behind Kaineth.

No way! Waver stiffly turned his head and saw Lancer standing watchfully at the hotel entrance. He suddenly let out a breath of relief.

"Huh, isn't that Lemon Head's fiancée?" Relaxing, Waver suddenly noticed that the woman surrounding Lancer seemed to be his instructor's wife. It felt as though he had uncovered some huge secret.

He knew Sola. After all, "spoiled Sola" was no secret at the Clock Tower. Of course, the main reason Waver remembered her was that she was the only person capable of making that arrogant Lemon Head yield.

Rider rubbed his chin and said uncertainly, "Is this cheating?"

"Looks like it." Waver nodded with difficulty. He had never expected Lemon Head to be cuckolded.

Just then, Waver suddenly realized that discovering this might spell trouble for him. Given Lemon Head's henpecked nature, combined with Sola whispering in his ear, his grades might be stuck at fifty-nine forever.

No, I need to find a way to let Lemon Head know about this. He could not let something so ridiculous affect his future!

"Sakura, is there anything you want to buy?" Kariya Matou held Sakura's hand as they walked down the street. The noisy surroundings made him uncomfortable, but seeing the expectation still lingering in Sakura's eyes quickly dispelled that discomfort.

Kariya Matou was completely wrapped in a large cloak. From the outside, only his face hidden in shadow could be seen. Otherwise, someone would probably call the police the moment he stepped outside in his current condition.

Sakura did not immediately answer. She merely looked timidly around at the pedestrians and the many shops, silently taking in all the bustle, as if she too belonged among them.

As though he had noticed her little thoughts, Kariya Matou simply stood there quietly and waited for Sakura's response.

"Lord Aosuth, what do you think of that little girl?" Ryunosuke Uryu, hidden in the shadows, had also noticed the strangely dressed pair. After observing them for a while, he spoke excitedly to Caster beside him, who was likewise concealed beneath a large cloak.

"A strange scent. But since she possesses magical energy, I believe the Evil God will certainly like her." Aosuth had also been observing the two. However, his magecraft skills were so poor that he only noticed they possessed magical energy; he had not seen anything more than the magecraft novice Ryunosuke Uryu had.

"Then we'll make our move when there are fewer people. I can hardly wait!" Ryunosuke Uryu had already imagined what would happen afterward. Suppressing the excitement in his heart, he silently waited for the right opportunity.

Because something strange had entered this Holy Grail War, while one ahoge had gone missing, Caster still acted according to the usual course of events.

Because Kariya Matou wanted to conceal his condition, he wore a large cloak. This also hid his Command Spells, and without that obvious sign, Caster did not realize he was also a Master.

Reconnaissance? Two People! Dessert Shop? Cleaver!

Fu Yuan curled himself into a tiny ball and tightly covered his ears, hoping the thunder outside the window would disappear soon.

"Dad, Mom, A Yuan misses you so much."

Memories of Floating Cloud Temple gradually passed through his mind. The light slowly faded from his eyes, but they did not become lifeless. Instead, an aura of "nothingness" gradually seeped from his body, making him seem increasingly out of place in this world.

Bang!

"Don't scream!" Soaked to the bone by rain, Su Mei violently pushed open the door and immediately spoke to keep her Junior Disciple Brother from crying out.

Fu Yuan looked woodenly toward the door. His transformation into "nothingness" abruptly stopped as well. Looking at his Senior Sister, who had suddenly burst in, Fu Yuan was stunned for a long time before calling out in confusion.

"...S-Senior Sister?"

Su Mei entered the room and shut the door behind her. Feeling rainwater still dripping from her clothes, she tossed them aside in disgust, then used her Honkai energy to dry herself and some of her underclothes.

Without answering Fu Yuan, who looked rather foolish at the moment, she slipped under the covers, naturally pulled him into her embrace, and tucked the blanket tighter around them.

"Senior Sister?!" Fu Yuan clearly had not expected this. The Stigma on his body split back into its original three parts, and he returned to his usual blank, dazed state.

"Tomorrow, dry all my other clothes." Feeling the trembling little body in her arms, Su Mei rested her chin on his head and suddenly spoke.

Honkai energy could do anything, but only if one possessed extremely precise control. In truth, even with her control, drying underclothes was difficult. Drying clothes was not as simple as controlling the temperature.

But there was no helping it. She could not exactly take off even her underclothes. Feeling the garments that were already somewhat damaged, Su Mei nearly wanted to cry.

"O-Okay." Fu Yuan nodded somewhat blankly. Faced with this situation, he was obviously nervous and did not know what to say.

Su Mei temporarily suppressed the discomfort in her heart and hugged the little person in her arms tighter. Their bodies pressed fully together. Feeling him still tremble in her embrace, she said very gently.

"It's okay now, it's okay! Senior Sister is here."

The aura of "nothingness" around him suddenly dissipated. Fu Yuan's eyes abruptly grew moist. He wanted to cry, but this time, A Yuan was not crying from fear.

Fu Yuan then hugged his Senior Sister tightly, holding back the tears that wanted to spill from his eyes. A smile suddenly appeared on his face as he said earnestly.

"Mhm. Senior Sister is here. A Yuan isn't afraid."

Perhaps it was only an illusion, but Fu Yuan felt the thunder outside did not seem so frightening anymore. It was as though it were gradually fading away, and the thunder that followed no longer seemed directed at him.

Within a strange dimensional space stood a tree bearing countless worlds. From time to time, one or two rotten leaves fell from it into the sea below.

The most eye-catching was one of the largest leaves on the entire tree, covered in crackling lightning.

After a long time, an emotionless voice rang out. Its judgment-laden sound filled the entire space, seeming to come from everywhere.

"Rootless duckweed, begone!"

As those words fell, the lightning on that leaf gradually vanished. Then the sea below rolled up a wave, as though it had swallowed something.

"Father, I want to bring Kallen back." Kirei Kotomine pushed open the church doors and voiced the conclusion he had reached after thinking about it all the way back. All things considered, it was a possibility worth trying.

"You've decided to... What did you say?!"

"Bring Kallen back. Good! Good! I'll contact church headquarters immediately." The old priest's words were muddled with excitement, but he was happy now.

This was the happiest he had been in years. When people grew old, they always missed their children. But his son was intelligent and had his own ideas, so he did not want to trouble him. Thus, he had never brought up bringing Kallen back.

Besides, was church headquarters even a place fit for people to stay? He did not mean any disrespect toward the church, of course. Well... he simply thought that place was unfit to raise children.

"Uh, shouldn't we wait until the Holy Grail War is over?" Kirei Kotomine did not understand his father's loss of composure, but seeing his reaction gave him one or two parts confidence in what Saber had said.

"With me here, who could hurt Kallen?" Upon hearing that, Risei Kotomine suddenly straightened and looked serious. Then he patted his chest like a child, ruining the impression entirely.

"...Understood, Father." Kirei Kotomine had no intention of stopping him. On the contrary, he was looking forward to what surprises Kallen, whom he had not seen for nearly six years, might bring him.

"Who is—King?" Tokiomi Tohsaka was doing his utmost to complete a project his family had worked on for years when he saw a domineering woman enter the basement—domineering in every sense of the word.

What truly terrified him was that the alert magecraft he had painstakingly set up gave no warning whatsoever.

A high-quality gemstone in his hand instantly shattered, turning into magical energy that gathered in his hand. Then he froze in place. The reason he did not attack was because his Command Spells had reacted?

"Tokiomi, were you about to attack me?" Gilgamesh sensed the flow of magical energy in the air and revealed a dangerous smile.

"I would not dare!" Tokiomi Tohsaka immediately lowered his head upon hearing that. Command Spells did not lie; the domineering woman before him was clearly Archer, who had gone out that morning.

As for why she had turned into a woman, he did not care. So long as her strength had not declined and his plans were unaffected, that was enough.

"How boring!" Gilgamesh was disappointed by Tokiomi Tohsaka's instantly respectful attitude. Still, until she found a more suitable candidate, she would let this fellow keep hopping around for a few more days.

As usual, she sat directly in the spot reserved for her in the basement, leaned back in the chair, and began considering how she could devour Saber.

Especially when she thought about how this trip had not only failed to achieve her goal but had also gotten herself involved instead—how interesting! The corners of her mouth unconsciously lifted. This performance was becoming more and more entertaining.

Fu Yuan silently rubbed his lips by himself. He had not felt anything just after it ended, but now they were a little swollen, and his sense of grievance suddenly rose again.

Irisviel naturally noticed A Yuan rubbing his lips. She understood this condition perfectly well; when she had first married, she had often been like that too.

But this situation was clearly different from hers! And the most absurd thing was that no matter how she looked at it, A Yuan seemed to be the one taking advantage.

Seeing this, Illya felt a little afraid. So eating until you're full makes your lips hurt so much? So scary! Illya will definitely eat properly from now on.

Senior Sister?

Senior Sister?

Senior Sister?

After calling several times without any response, Fu Yuan finally realized that Su Mei was angry. But they were out on the street now, and he had to remain on guard against those dishonorable people at all times. No matter how he looked at it, this was not a good time to apologize!

Hah, I'll talk to her tonight. Fu Yuan ultimately decided to leave it until the evening, though the time needed to apologize might increase from one hour to two.

"Mm~ This is difficult!" After fully accepting reality, Fu Yuan's little face was filled with gloom. He really should have checked the almanac before going out today!

Irisviel fell silent again. She truly did not know how to bring up this situation. Ah! This is difficult!

"Huh! Is that Papa?" Illya suddenly spoke, breaking the strange atmosphere.

Fu Yuan looked at the two people entering the dessert shop, his mouth falling open as he temporarily forgot his own problems. He was a prophet?

Irisviel's expression suddenly darkened, and she clenched her fists before walking straight toward the dessert shop ahead. At the same time, she muttered some strange words.

"Gathering intelligence, dessert shop, two people, ...cleaver..."

Upon hearing that strange word, Fu Yuan completely forgot his earlier unhappiness and stared in shock at Irisviel, who had entered battle mode.

He silently offered three sticks of incense for Kiritsugu in his heart. Master, take care! I'll look after Irisviel... and, um... Illya too.

"Is that Maiya beside Papa?" Little Illya still did not know how to read the room, and instead noticed something else she had missed earlier.

Fu Yuan: Gasp! Is this what a biological daughter is like?!

Wait, Maiya?