Kirei Kotomine, usually unruffled, was shocked at this moment. Mapo Tofu—Mapo Tofu taken to this extent—had not been eaten, much less praised so highly, in a very long time!
Who else could share in the love of Mapo?
At the corner of Kirei Kotomine's eye, a single eyeball blossomed.
"Yanfeng, how much was this meal?" Shirou asked as he wiped his mouth, reaching for his wallet. He would just project ten thousand yen later. That way, he would not have to worry about running out of money.
"It's on the house."
"Huh?" Shirou blinked, and the ten thousand yen he had just projected dissolved into magical energy.
"It's on the house!"
The world was ending! That crooked merchant was giving him a free meal!
Back when he had bought Black Keys, this crooked merchant had fleeced him mercilessly. Nothing he did had helped, yet now the man was telling him it was free?
"This is merely the friendliness of one kind toward another," Kirei Kotomine said with a pleased smile.
"I'm not the same kind as you." Shirou shook his head vigorously. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not. I'm not!
"Oh? Then have you found something to fill your heart?" Kirei Kotomine grew curious instead as he looked at Shirou.
When Shirou had been rescued by Kiritsugu, he truly had been twisted. His personality had become misplaced; he had no wish of his own in his heart, merely receiving from Kiritsugu a direction he needed to pursue. He was like Kirei Kotomine in that regard, but unlike him, he had gained a little sister, someone he loved, and an extra soul that helped correct his distortion.
He was not fighting alone. Unlike Mapo's distortion, which had never been corrected from beginning to end and had ultimately turned him into what he was now.
"Of course!"
Author's Note:
There will be another update today. Recommendations have passed 100, so it's a day worth celebrating too~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But it seems the bookmarks are growing a little slowly... Please bookmark~~~~~~~~ Please recommend~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!
Asking for everything~~~~~~~
Alliance with Blue Lancer
"I found it ages ago. I learned about it in middle school. What fills the heart..." Shirou wiped his mouth. "Cardiac muscle, blood, that sort of thing. Come to think of it, don't you have those?"
"Senpai, Mapo... the ramen shop owner probably meant something spiritual?" Sakura reminded him.
"Then it's great socialism! I will lead the people in overthrowing decayed capitalism, oppose exploitation, support equality! We must fight for truth!"
"Hm?"
"I see. So that isn't the answer you wanted either... Didn't I bring everyone here? Why are you still asking?" Shirou looked at Kirei with utter contempt, conveniently feeding him a serving of dog food.
"Senpai..." Sakura's entire face turned pink, and steam actually rose from her purple hair.
"And there are also the people I have to save. They fill my heart and keep me from becoming twisted. They aren't some 'things' like you said. They're family."
"Is that so? Then I truly envy you for finding something to fill your heart." Kirei smiled pleasantly. "Want another serving? This Mapo Tofu was made by me in my capacity as a priest. I'll help you cheat and replenish your magical energy for free. Rejoice, be grateful, young man!"
Replenish magical energy?
Shirou looked at the tofu before him and felt certain something was wrong with it. Could it be—bodily fluids?
Before you continue