Type-Moon's Problem Child from Collapse

"What difference does knowing the intelligence make or not for Archer! Rider, even if you tore through every legend about him, would you ever guess he had a Reality Marble! Berserker, the legendary weapons you can dig up—he barely uses them, just scrapes by stealing other people's Noble Phantasms all day."

"As for personality,"

"Archer's childhood, adulthood, and middle age—I wouldn't dare say they're the same person? Mongrel(?) And as for his trump card, Fu Yuan feels the Ea he's revealed isn't actually a threat."

"Rider—a guy who had Red Beauty Boy A in his childhood, then got uglier as he grew up, can you believe it! A burly brute of a Rider, whose biggest ace is a Reality Marble, can you believe it!"

"Berserker, if you can dig up his childhood, you're impressive. As for the rest—there's just one honest man who betrayed after an affair, and now he's completely twisted, a distorted mess full of contradictions. If you could really analyze him from those epics, you'd be something!"

"Saber, don't underestimate the importance of intelligence!" Kiritsugu looked at Fu Yuan, who seemed unimpressed, his face suddenly turning serious as he lectured him sternly.

Fu Yuan: ... "You, you're right, Master."

Kiritsugu suddenly wanted to see other forms of Saber—no matter what, they'd have to be more reliable than this!

Fu Yuan, seeing that Kiritsugu seemed about to keep lecturing, felt a bit of a headache coming on.

"Irisviel, it's getting late. We don't have much time to play."

"Ah! Right!"

"Kiritsugu, we'll talk when we get back." Irisviel grabbed Little Illya and headed out—if she let Kiritsugu keep lecturing, they wouldn't make it out this morning.

It wasn't irresponsibility. For a Heroic Spirit, this kind of thing was meaningless, because they'd long since established their own code of conduct through their lives—a set of principles built from all the human experience they'd weathered.

A normal person's principles don't change easily, let alone a Heroic Spirit's! Right or wrong aside, it's a matter of habit, so there's no rush.

"My King, where are you going?" Tokiomi Tohsaka suddenly noticed Archer heading toward the door and spoke up.

"Are you questioning me?!" Archer's form froze, then dissolved into a golden particle of light, reappearing before Tokiomi Tohsaka, looking down at his so-called Master with those crimson eyes.

"I wouldn't dare! I only hope my King will be mindful—after all, the Holy Grail War has begun." Tokiomi Tohsaka put on a very fearful expression and spoke with utmost deference.

"My King acts as he pleases, with no need to consider others." Archer felt thoroughly annoyed, then completely spiritized and vanished from the room.

At the same time, he began to think about how to deal with such an unruly fellow.

'What a boring man, daring to question the King's actions.'

In a dim hall, Kariya Matou found Sakura staring blankly into space and gently patted her head.

"What is it, Uncle Kariya?" A hint of confusion flickered in Sakura's hollow eyes, but she didn't dislike the gesture.

Kariya Matou suddenly felt a pang of pain. He had never appeared as a savior—because he knew he wasn't worthy—so he kept struggling, using his own life to make up for what he lacked, what he couldn't match in them.

But such heavy matters had nothing to do with the present. Today, on a whim, he just wanted to take Sakura out to play.

"Sakura, you haven't been shopping in a long time, have you? How about going out with your uncle today?"

Sakura suddenly heard words she thought she'd never hear again in her life. She stood there dazed for a moment, but seeing Uncle Kariya's half-working face struggling to form a smile, she nodded anyway.

Kariya Matou looked at Sakura's empty eyes, and sorrow welled up in his heart again. He couldn't help thinking—if he couldn't win, these seven days would be the last happy moments of Sakura's life.

So he would win this war, no matter the cost. And Tokiomi Tohsaka—he had to die!

In the Grand Cathedral of Fuyuki City, a priest dressed with severe formality pushed open the doors.

The old priest behind him watched his son, who was immaculately dressed even just to go out for a meal, and felt a touch of relief, while also missing the little granddaughter left at headquarters—after all, when you're old, you always think of the children.

Meanwhile, the expressionless priest Kirei Kotomine was pondering whether today's Mapo Tofu should be super-super spicy, or super-super-super spicy.

It was one of the few things in his life that could still spark his interest, and even after all this time, it remained the same.

In a civilian house on the outskirts of Fuyuki City, a very thin young man was venting his dissatisfaction at a burly-looking man lying on the bed.

"Why did you spend the last of our money on buying games! Rider!"

Waver stared at Rider, who was absorbed in gaming, and suddenly lost all hope for the future.

"Haha! Money's something you'll always find. If worst comes to worst, we'll just rob another team!"

"Think bigger, little Master."

Rider, who had once possessed Red Beauty Boy A, said it carelessly, while using the last of his in-game currency to buy a shirt online.

"What misfortune!"

In a dark sewer, Ryunosuke Uryu, who thought he had summoned a demon, had been ecstatic lately. On the man he called Lord Aosuth, he had found a long-lost sense of pleasure.

"Lord Aosuth, should we keep grabbing these children to test our art next?"

As he spoke, Ryunosuke Uryu finished carving his last piece of art for the day, while pondering the simplest way to find new materials.

The man called Lord Aosuth, Caster, put on a very benevolent expression, like a gentle priest.

"Of course! To summon the great Evil God, we must naturally prepare ample offerings."

"Lord Evil God! Hahaha! Suddenly I'm full of energy again."

For a moment, the sewer echoed with wave after wave of hearty laughter, reverberating endlessly.

In the luxurious Presidential Suite, Kaineth stared at Lancer kneeling before him, his brow tightly furrowed.

He wasn't dissatisfied with yesterday's defeat—after all, even someone as clever as him hadn't anticipated such an attack method, and Lancer had come to apologize immediately after recovering from his injuries.

As for why he was so displeased now...

"Sola, mind your image!"

Watching his fiancée fawning over Lancer like crazy, completely forgetting their battle loss, Kaineth felt a headache coming on. He already regretted participating in this Holy Grail War.

"Can't you see Diarmuid was hurt? Where's your sense of humanity?!" Sola, completely ignoring that Lancer's injuries were fully healed, instead turned the tables and scolded him.

Left in an extremely awkward position, Lancer honestly felt nothing for his mistress—even some disgust—but bound by knightly etiquette, he didn't voice it, merely keeping his distance from Sola as best he could.

Chapter 14: Mage of the Mapo Tofu?

Floating Cloud Temple

Su Mei suddenly remembered there was still plenty to do back at her own Wu Shuang Sect. Though reluctant, she went to pay her respects to her master.

"..." Fu Hua watched her in silence, a hint of helplessness in his heart. You're something else!

"Xiao Yuan should face difficulties on his own now."

Su Mei: ?

"What does Junior Disciple Brother going south have to do with me!" Question marks gradually surfaced in Su Mei's mind.

"Oh, go ahead then." Fu Hua could tell she genuinely didn't know Fu Yuan had gone out to train, so he went through the motions as usual—after all, many disciples had already founded their own sects or found companions.

Su Mei walked out the door looking utterly confused, then gazed up at the overcast sky. As always, she packed her things.

Then headed down the mountain, found Junior Disciple Brother, and returned to the sect!

Today, Fu Yuan, Irisviel, and Illya had a sudden whim to wear matching family outfits, which naturally drew far more lecherous stares than yesterday.

Fu Yuan didn't mind much—he was used to it by now.

What occupied his thoughts was why Kiritsugu couldn't come along. They had all the intel, the reconnaissance was done... so was he planning something unsavory? And with Maiya too? Tsk, better not think about it!

"A Yuan, what are you thinking about?" Irisviel watched Fu Yuan's expression shift constantly, puzzled.

"Irisviel, don't cry! Don't cry!" Fu Yuan suddenly stood on tiptoe, putting on a gentle look as he patted her head.

Irisviel: ???

Illya: ???

"...Haha! Where should we go play?" Fu Yuan snapped back to reality and casually withdrew his hand. What was I doing?! That was so embarrassing!

Fu Yuan felt this Spirit Core was affecting him too much—even his brain wasn't working properly anymore.

Su Mei, who had already finished her research: ???

At noon, under Illya's guidance (and random wandering), the group gradually made their way to Food Street.

On Fu Yuan's suggestion, with Irisviel's approval, they stepped into a Chinese restaurant—Authentic Sichuan Cuisine.

"What's wrong, A Yuan?" Irisviel noticed Fu Yuan's expression suddenly turn strange.

"Nothing, just thought of an interesting guy." Fu Yuan suddenly smiled—the "Mage of the Mapo Tofu" meme had been pretty popular in his past life.

Illya blinked at Big Brother, who had suddenly started "laughing to himself," feeling like he wasn't very reliable.

"Wow! So many people!" But Illya quickly dismissed that thought, frowning at the nearly full restaurant.

Watching Illya so lively, Fu Yuan couldn't help thinking: I need to remember to buy her homework today.

The restaurant's popularity genuinely surprised Fu Yuan—Chinese Sichuan cuisine had been heavily adapted in Japan, and normally business was just so-so.

He suddenly looked forward to today's lunch. As for seating, sharing a table with strangers was no big deal.

"Excuse me, may we sit here, Father?"

Kirei Kotomine ordered his usual meal as always and walked to his regular seat. As a longtime customer, this was his privilege—though if the place got crowded, someone else might sit there.

Then he watched the Saber group his teacher had specifically told him to keep an eye on come bouncing in, and the most ridiculous part was they were wearing matching family outfits.

Daytime combat was forbidden in the Holy Grail War, so Kirei didn't pay it much mind, just eating a little faster.

Then he felt someone sit down beside him and politely ask.

"Excuse me, may we sit here, Father?"

You're already sitting down! Under normal circumstances, an ordinary person might have quipped back. But he wasn't ordinary.

"Help yourself."

It wasn't that he was born lacking normal emotions, but having spent years in a state of confusion, most things didn't provoke much of a reaction from him.

"A Yuan!" Irisviel had some understanding of the intelligence—at the very least, she knew the priest before her was a Master, and one who had been eliminated at that. (Don't complain; that's how it was in the Original Work.)

Fu Yuan was already seated at the table looking at the menu. As for Assassin, as long as it wasn't the old man, he was nothing to fear.

"Don't worry, Irisviel. Look, Little Illya's already sat down." He finished by pointing at Illya, who had already taken a seat across from him.

'Can you compare yourself to Illya?!' Irisviel barely suppressed the urge to retort, then sat down gracefully beside Illya.

Since A Yuan wasn't worried, that meant there was no problem. Still, what could a Master without a Heroic Spirit even do?

"Sorry for the intrusion, Father."

Kirei Kotomine didn't really want to respond to such meaningless topics, but since he had to maintain the facade of a normal person, he had no choice but to answer.

"It's fine." Kirei Kotomine's desire to find meaning in his own existence grew a little stronger.

Irisviel and Illya had already ordered their meals, then fixed their gazes on Fu Yuan, who was still hesitating, waiting for him to finish choosing so they could talk together.

Fu Yuan hesitated for just a moment, then poked Kirei Kotomine beside him and spoke with a very embarrassed tone.

"Um, Mapo... Father, where on the menu is this flavor of Mapo Tofu you're having? I want one too."

Because he often ate with Durandal, Fu Yuan's tastes had grown heavier, and he no longer preferred light food. There was no helping it—when you're amnesiac, the eating habits of someone you get along with really well tend to rub off on you.

Though Kirei Kotomine was somewhat shocked that someone else shared his taste, he still kindly advised, "My palate is quite strong. Most people probably can't handle this."

Fu Yuan blinked, then grabbed a spoon from the side, naturally scooped a spoonful from Kotomine's bowl, and—ignoring the priest's stunned expression—downed it in one bite.

"Mm! This is the flavor!" After eating, he nodded excitedly.

Irisviel really wanted to turn her head and say she didn't know this guy.

How embarrassing was that!

Kirei Kotomine felt an unusual stir in his heart for once. He truly hadn't expected this. 'How should I put it? This... it's just so sudden.'

Still, adhering to his usual code of conduct, Kirei Kotomine replied politely, "I'm glad you like it. But I hope you won't be so sudden next time."

Irisviel saw that Fu Yuan seemed about to say something else, so she quickly called the waiter over and placed their order.