Dating Caster

Medea's words struck the room like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky, leaving everyone present stunned.

Kayneth looked at Wang Xiaoming, his expression shifting as well.

Heroic Spirits are existences formed from heroes whose great deeds have become legends after death, turning them into objects of worship. The Holy Grail War was originally a slaughter where mages summoned Servants to fight for the Holy Grail—

Although the three previous Holy Grail Wars had all ended in failure, in the hundreds of years that had passed, there had never been any rumors or records of a Master and Servant falling in love.

Yet, this news had come directly from the mouth of Caster herself...

As a Heroic Spirit, she naturally possessed her own pride; no matter how unbelievable it seemed, it was not something an outsider like Kayneth could question.

As for Wang Xiaoming—

Having absolutely no idea what play Medea was putting on, he could only force a calm expression and play along with her performance.

During the subsequent negotiations, an awkward atmosphere lingered in the parlor, prompting both Wang Xiaoming and Kayneth to tacitly speed up the efficiency of their talks.

Aside from a few important matters, everything else was glossed over.

In just ten minutes, the Caster team and the Lancer team reached an alliance agreement for information sharing and mutual assistance.

As for the earlier matter regarding Sola, neither of them brought it up again.

After the negotiations concluded, Wang Xiaoming bid Kayneth farewell.

Upon entering the house, Medea walked straight back to her own room, leaving Wang Xiaoming alone in the living room, dazed.

"Uncle—"

Shirou's voice came from the side.

"What is it?"

Hearing himself being called, Wang Xiaoming turned his head.

"Nothing..."

Shirou looked at Wang Xiaoming with a strange expression; ever since they returned, he seemed to have been grinning foolishly.

"Are you bored, kid?" Wang Xiaoming chuckled and reached out to ruffle Shirou's hair.

"Hahaha, that tickles!"

Shirou didn't back down and started tickling Wang Xiaoming in return.

The two of them, one big and one small, wrestled until someone's stomach let out a protest, forcing them to end the "battle" in a draw.

Glancing at the time, Wang Xiaoming realized it was almost lunchtime.

"Let's go out to eat today."

"Eh? We're going out?"

Shirou looked up at Wang Xiaoming, his eyes filled with a faint sense of anticipation.

Only then did Wang Xiaoming realize that since that incident, he hadn't really taken the boy out; any other child would have probably complained long ago.

He tidied up Shirou's messy hair, patted him on the shoulder, and gave him a thumbs-up:

"Get ready, we're going to have a feast today!"

Watching Little Shirou run into his room, Wang Xiaoming sighed; it seemed he hadn't been paying enough attention to the boy.

I'll think about that after the Holy Grail War ends. Wang Xiaoming stretched his back; the negotiations with Kayneth had consumed quite a few brain cells, so he definitely needed a good meal to make up for it.

Wang Xiaoming's gaze drifted involuntarily toward that tightly shut door.

The midday sun shone down on the streets of Fuyuki City, slightly dispelling the chill brought by the winter air for the passersby.

Unlike the hurried pedestrians, Wang Xiaoming and Shirou strolled leisurely down the street.

"Uncle, where are we going now?"

Shirou asked while munching on oden he had just bought from a street stall.

"Just wandering around, seeing what's good to eat," replied Wang Xiaoming, who was also holding a bowl of oden.

"Oh, okay."

Shirou nodded, constantly looking around as they walked; even though he lived in this area, everything was still quite novel for a child his age.

Before he knew it, he had drifted a few paces ahead of Wang Xiaoming.

Thud—

Not paying attention to where he was going, Shirou felt like he had bumped into a wall; he stumbled back a few steps and landed hard on his bottom.

The oden in his hand spilled all over the ground.

"Kid, you alright?"

A rough voice rang out by Shirou's ear. Little Shirou looked up and instinctively felt as though he were staring at a mountain.

A man like a mountain.

The man standing before Little Shirou had short red hair, red pupils, and a height estimated to be over two meters. His body was knotted with muscle, and his appearance was majestic, towering, and incredibly powerful.

"How about it? Can you get up on your own?"

The red-haired giant extended a hand and placed it in front of Little Shirou.

Little Shirou froze for a moment, then placed his small hand into the giant's palm, which felt like a large fan.

The contrast made the difference even more obvious. In Little Shirou's eyes, the giant before him was like a character out of a fairy tale.

"Heh, good lad!"

Seeing that Little Shirou's gaze held curiosity and wonder, but none of the panic or fear that ordinary children usually showed when seeing him, the giant offered a word of praise and gave a slight tug with his hands—

Pulled upward, Little Shirou felt as if he were riding the clouds.

"Rider! What are you doing again?!"

Back on his feet, Little Shirou heard another question filled with anger, though the voice sounded a bit... weak?

Little Shirou turned his head to see a scrawny boy rushing over in a huff. Upon arriving and seeing Little Shirou, he asked in confusion: "Who is this?"

The ones who had appeared before Little Shirou were none other than Waver Velvet and his Servant, Iskandar.

"This is a warrior of the future!" Rider replied.

"Huh?" Waver couldn't understand his own Servant's words.

"From this child's eyes, this King can assert that he will surely achieve great things in the future," Rider said, then stroked the short beard on his chin and pondered: "I am quite interested in this child. It would be a pity to let him slip by. Why not let him join my army?"

"???"

This was Little Shirou.

"!!!"

This was Waver.

"Rider! What on earth are you thinking!!!"

Waver's protest ended with a flick of the finger from Rider.

"How about it?"

Rider lifted Little Shirou up with both hands and looked at him expectantly:

"How about it, kid? Do you want to join my army and share in my glory?"

"I think I'll pass."

It wasn't Little Shirou who answered Rider, but a voice from the side.

Wang Xiaoming looked at the scene before him with a sense of gloom. How did such a miraculous scene unfold after being separated for only a short while?

"Who are you?"

Waver looked at Wang Xiaoming with a wary expression.

"I am his guardian."

Wang Xiaoming pointed his finger at Little Shirou, who was being held in mid-air.

"..."

Hearing Wang Xiaoming's words, Waver felt awkward for a long time.

"Could you please give the child to me first..." Wang Xiaoming asked Rider.

Little Shirou was still being held in his hand, and Wang Xiaoming was genuinely afraid that he might accidentally drop him.

"Oh, here you go."

Rider walked over and handed Little Shirou into Wang Xiaoming's arms.

"My apologies, I didn't see this lad earlier."

"It's nothing, he wasn't hurt anyway," Wang Xiaoming shook his head, then looked at Rider and said: "Actually, I should be the one apologizing."

"Oh?"

Rider was surprised, not knowing what Wang Xiaoming meant by that.

"The reason I couldn't appear last night was that I was unwell. Caster had to divide her attention to take care of me, so she couldn't pay a visit. I am truly sorry."

"You must be Caster's Master."

Hearing Wang Xiaoming say this, Rider immediately associated him with the Caster who had fled the previous night.

"Yes..."

"Haha, since there was a reason, it is only natural to be understanding. Since you were able to appear before me today to explain the situation, I will take your word for it!"

Rider was a naturally magnanimous person; seeing that Wang Xiaoming had cleared up the situation from last night, the lingering resentment in his heart vanished without a trace.

"I have no issues on my end, but that golden one might..."

Seeing that Rider had only said half of what he meant, Wang Xiaoming understood his implication, shook his head, and said: "As for Archer, I have no desire to communicate with him whatsoever."

"Hahahaha—"

Rider's laughter was hearty and bright, and in his good mood, he once again extended his invitation.

"How about it, kid? Do you want to come and work with me?"

"No thanks, but I still appreciate the offer."

Wang Xiaoming once again rejected the invitation that had never succeeded even once.

"What a pity. Why does no one ever agree... it's truly strange."

Rider scratched his chin in distress; faced with his repeated failures to recruit, he felt it was necessary to try a different approach.

"With the way you invite people, no normal person would ever agree, you know."

Waver retorted from the side.

Watching the strange duo of the brawny man and the weak boy depart, Wang Xiaoming, who was holding Shirou, suddenly remarked:

"Look at Rider, he isn't in spirit form either, is he."

Today's chapter~

Have to go to the hospital this afternoon Orz

Next chapter whenever...

Speaking of which

Why can't you guys figure out that the two of them are just acting...

Chapter 27. Shopping

"Look at Rider, he isn't in spirit form either, is he?"