Explosion

Watching Rider, wearing a Grand Strategy T-shirt, disappear into the distance, Wang Xiaoming, who was leading Little Shirou along, suddenly muttered something.

Spirit-form was one of the ways Servants conducted reconnaissance. Compared to appearing in the physical world, a Servant in spirit-form could conceal their presence more easily and used less magical energy.

The only Servant who could be by Wang Xiaoming's side now was Medea, who had been forced into joining them but still refused to show herself.

"Uncle, it seems Teacher Medea doesn't want to talk to you."

As Caster's Master, Shirou hadn't been supplying Medea with magical energy. Still, because of the Command Spell, he could vaguely sense some of her emotions.

"She's probably a little angry."

Wang Xiaoming patted his head and said helplessly.

Come to think of it, Medea hadn't seemed very willing when he invited her earlier, either.

"Uncle, where are we going next?"

Shirou was too young to understand the matter between the two adults. After nodding in confusion, he turned his attention to their plans.

"We're going to—wait!"

Wang Xiaoming glanced at the shops around them, then his eyes suddenly lit up. He led Shirou into a clothing store.

"Welcome~"

When Wang Xiaoming walked in, a saleswoman came over to greet him warmly.

Surrounded by rows of women's clothing, Wang Xiaoming's eyes soon glazed over. He simply asked the saleswoman,

"Excuse me, could you recommend a few outfits suitable for a woman around this height?"

Wang Xiaoming gestured at the height near his shoulder.

That was Medea's height.

"Are you buying a gift for your wife, sir?"

Seeing Little Shirou at Wang Xiaoming's side, the saleswoman smiled knowingly.

"..."

The expression on Wang Xiaoming's face instantly stiffened.

"Sir, are you all right?"

Noticing that Wang Xiaoming looked a little off, the saleswoman asked in puzzlement.

Had something gone wrong between him and his wife?

"It's nothing... nothing..."

Wang Xiaoming quickly waved his hands, coming back to his senses.

That sudden chill behind him just now...

It had to be his imagination, right?

It definitely was.

Either way, he'd better change the subject.

"Do you have anything suitable for a more intellectual sort of woman?"

"We do."

The saleswoman picked up an outfit from nearby and held it out to Wang Xiaoming, explaining,

"This is one of this year's new fall and winter styles. It's a more mature look, so it should suit your wife.

"..."

Should he clear up the misunderstanding?

"Then how about this one, sir?"

Seeing Wang Xiaoming hesitate, the saleswoman assumed he wasn't pleased with the outfit and brought out another.

"This one's a little more fashionable than the last. I think your wife will like it."

It somehow felt even colder than before...

"Never mind. I'll have a look myself."

Wang Xiaoming politely declined the saleswoman's offer. If this kept up, he was afraid he'd freeze to death.

The store wasn't small, and Wang Xiaoming had barely explored half of it after wandering around for quite a while.

A piece of clothing in the corner caught Wang Xiaoming's eye. The bright yellow coat stood out to him.

Just as he reached out to take a closer look, that familiar chill swept over him again.

Wang Xiaoming instinctively pulled his hand back.

The chill immediately faded, as if it had never been there.

Wang Xiaoming thought for a moment, then reached out again.

He pulled his hand back—

Nothing happened.

"..."

Wang Xiaoming felt like he was starting to understand.

What happened next was...

Wang Xiaoming picked out an outfit.

Shiver, shiver, shiver—

Next one.

He picked out an outfit.

Shiver, shiver, shiver—

Next one.

This happened five or six times.

Wang Xiaoming picked up a lake-blue long dress. It had no decorations at all and looked unexpectedly plain.

Yet this dress, which seemed to Wang Xiaoming to have nothing special about it, was suddenly taken from his hands by a slender, jade-like hand reaching out from beside him.

"You have good taste."

After saying that, Medea headed for the changing room, leaving Wang Xiaoming staring blankly at her back.

Swish—

The changing room door slid open. Hearing the sound, Wang Xiaoming, who had been waiting outside, stood up as well.

"Uh..."

The moment he saw Medea step out of the changing room, Wang Xiaoming was struck speechless.

The lake-blue dress accentuated Medea's curves to perfection. Though it had no embellishments at all, it was impossible to look away from it. Its simple style also made Medea's features seem even more delicate and otherworldly.

Her smooth blue hair fell down her back, with a braid tied behind her left ear, adding a hint of playfulness to her otherwise mature look.

"Does it look good?"

Medea walked up to Wang Xiaoming and gazed at him with eyes the same shade of blue as her hair.

"...It looks good."

Wang Xiaoming tried for ages to come up with some lavish words of praise for Medea, but in the end, all he managed was those two words.

"Pfft—"

Seeing him like this, Medea couldn't hold back. A smile touched the corners of her mouth.

That smile only made her fairy-like beauty all the more striking, and Wang Xiaoming was left staring at her in a daze.

Seeing Wang Xiaoming gazing at her absentmindedly, Medea rolled her eyes at him.

"Ahem—I'll go pay."

Only then did Wang Xiaoming realize how foolish he looked. He cleared his throat a few times, then hurried off to the checkout.

"What a fool."

Watching Wang Xiaoming hurry away as though he were running, Medea said with a smile.

Their interaction made Shirou, standing nearby, cover his mouth and giggle.

After paying, Medea led Shirou, while Wang Xiaoming followed behind carrying the clothes. The three of them left the store together, making the saleswoman envious of their "family of three."

"Since we finally got out, why don't we look around for a while?"

Wang Xiaoming suggested after they left the store.

"Sure!" Shirou enthusiastically agreed.

"Mm." Medea considered it, then didn't say anything to spoil the mood.

As for why Medea didn't return to spirit-form, who would bring up such a mood-killing question at a time like this?

The three of them spent the whole afternoon wandering around.

After eating dinner out, Wang Xiaoming returned to the hotel with Shirou, carrying a pile of bags. As they reached the hotel entrance, they saw a group of panicked people rushing out.

Wang Xiaoming and the others were stopped outside the hotel, too.

"Excuse me, are you guests at the hotel, or are you hoping to check in?"

A hotel attendant stopped Wang Xiaoming and the others.

"We're guests."

Wang Xiaoming showed his room card as proof.

"You're Mr. Wang Xiaoming..."

The attendant checked the guest list against the room card and found Wang Xiaoming's name. Then he looked up and said, "The hotel was deliberately set on fire. For the guests' safety, no one is allowed inside right now."

Hearing the attendant, Wang Xiaoming slapped his forehead and groaned inwardly. He'd completely forgotten about that.

Wang Xiaoming then asked the attendant,

"Could I borrow the hotel's phone to make a call?"

Lately, I haven't been feeling great. Orz

And thanks to [Beigao] for the donation.

### Chapter 28: Explosion

The cool night breeze blew through Fuyuki City, but it couldn't dispel the fear in the hearts of the guests at the Hyatt Hotel.

The fire alarm had sent them fleeing from their rooms to the first floor to wait for assistance, and they were still shaken. The hotel staff were doing their best to calm them down.

Guests kept being evacuated through the emergency exit, but one figure dressed in black stood out among the crowd. The people around him seemed to instinctively steer clear, allowing him to reach the hotel entrance with ease.

"Is that him?"

Standing on the roof of the building across from the hotel, Wang Xiaoming and Medea watched the hotel through Magecraft and naturally noticed the man's unusual behavior.

When Medea heard the hotel security staff mention the arson, she followed Wang Xiaoming's suggestion. The group didn't linger and moved straight here.

"That's him, the culprit behind the arson—and Saber's Master."

Looking at the impassive man in a black coat through Magecraft, Wang Xiaoming matched him to his memories and recognized him at once: the Magus Killer, Emiya Kiritsugu.

"But shouldn't Kayneth be stronger than him? Why did you tell Kayneth to give up his territory?"