Chapter 37: A Chance Encounter (Bonus Update)
The expensive luxury car skidded to a stop in the amusement park parking lot, leaving a long streak of tire marks behind. The door opened, and a beautiful woman wearing an expensive fur coat stepped out of the driver's seat. Looking at the crowds bustling through the park, her eyes brimmed with excitement and curiosity.
"There are so many people here. It must be fun!"
"Irisviel, please try to stay calm."
Saber, still dressed in a black suit, climbed out of the passenger seat. Watching Irisviel's excitement, Saber looked somewhat helpless. Even now, the wild ride earlier had yet to leave the King of Knights feeling entirely recovered.
"Oh, Saber, don't worry about that~ You should get plenty of rest during the day."
Irisviel was right. Resting during the day would allow them to fight even more fiercely at night. Besides, the daytime was much more relaxed for Servants, and the crowds also meant the area was safe enough.
So when Irisviel suggested going out, Saber had no objections.
"Then... all right."
Saber nodded. With her by Irisviel's side, there was no need to worry about anything going wrong.
"All right, let's go already~"
Irisviel suddenly tugged on Saber's sleeve and led her toward the amusement park entrance.
Their figures gradually disappeared into the distance—
"Eh, we have to buy tickets?"
The silver-haired wife looked utterly bewildered as the amusement park staff stopped her at the entrance.
After entering the amusement park, Shirou was like a colt let loose in a field. But perhaps worried that Sakura might get lost, he held her hand and led the way.
Wang Xiaoming and Medea followed behind them. As long as the two children stayed in sight, there was nothing to worry about.
Besides, with Medea there...
Wang Xiaoming felt his worries were unnecessary.
"Mister! That—"
Shirou, who had already tried quite a few attractions, suddenly led Sakura over to Wang Xiaoming and pointed at a dessert shop nearby.
"..."
Why did I have to pay when this kid was the one trying to impress a girl?
But seeing Shirou's expectant face and the expressionless Sakura beside him, Wang Xiaoming eventually took Medea and the two children into the shop.
You'd better marry Sakura someday, kid. When you're grown up, I'll make you pay me back for this!
After finding a table by the window and sitting down with Medea, Wang Xiaoming watched Shirou stand at the counter with Sakura to order. He thought to himself, "I'll get you for this."
"Why are you getting mad at a child...?"
Medea had seen Wang Xiaoming's expression clearly.
"We're just having fun. You don't have to look so serious all the time."
Wang Xiaoming shrugged.
The warmth from the dessert shop's air conditioning made Wang Xiaoming narrow his eyes in contentment. Medea beside him did the same. The two of them rested and savored a rare moment of peace amid the war.
When Shirou returned with the order, he quietly sat across from Wang Xiaoming with Sakura.
"Here's your food—"
The server's arrival with their food broke the peaceful atmosphere. Looking at the assortment of desserts before him, Wang Xiaoming glanced at Shirou in surprise.
This was clearly more than two children could eat.
"After we ordered, Sakura reminded me that you and Teacher Medea hadn't ordered anything, Mister..." Shirou said, promptly throwing Sakura under the bus as he stuffed his mouth with food.
"Sakura, that was very thoughtful of you."
Wang Xiaoming praised her warmly. Medea, too, looked at Sakura more kindly.
Under Wang Xiaoming's gaze, Sakura shifted uneasily, then gave a little shake of her head and said softly:
"It was the right thing to do..."
This was the first time Wang Xiaoming remembered Sakura speaking. Her voice was still a little hollow and stiff, but—
It was a good sign, at least.
"Eh, there aren't any seats left?"
A disappointed voice came from the entrance. It sounded somewhat familiar, and Wang Xiaoming instinctively glanced toward the door.
"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am!"
The waitress kept apologizing to the customer. She couldn't help it; the woman before her was simply too intimidating.
The expensive fur coat, exquisite features, noble bearing, and innocent expression—was this really not some princess from another country out for a stroll?
"Irisviel, if there aren't any seats, we can go to another shop," Saber advised.
"That's such a shame. I was hoping to try their desserts."
Irisviel's reluctant tone made the waitress feel as though she had committed an unforgivable crime.
"I'm so sorry!"
"Um... would you mind if we shared a table?"
A rather exasperated voice came from inside the shop, reaching the people standing at the entrance.
Saber and Irisviel looked toward the voice. A fairly handsome man came into view.
"That's—"
But Saber and Irisviel's attention was clearly drawn to different things. Saber immediately recognized that the blue-haired woman beside the man was a Servant.
Servants could never hide their presence from one another at such close range.
Saber instinctively stepped in front of Irisviel.
"Don't worry. We mean you no harm."
Using Magecraft, the man sent his voice into Saber and Irisviel's ears. From his tone, however, he seemed even more exasperated.
I didn't want to go looking for trouble, either...
The man grumbled to himself.
The man was, of course, Wang Xiaoming. When he saw the Saber group about to leave, he had quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
But—
Medea's behavior, so obviously different from before, had left Wang Xiaoming helpless.
Hey, you're going to chew that straw to pieces...
And then the scene that had just unfolded happened.
"You're the Caster group who were hiding in the shadows that day, aren't you?"
Once Saber and Irisviel drew closer, Medea's presence became even more obvious, and Saber naturally recognized her.
"That's right."
There was no need to hide it, so Wang Xiaoming nodded in confirmation.
"We don't mean you any harm, either. Otherwise, we wouldn't have gone out of our way to ask to share your table."
Seeing Saber about to ask more questions, Wang Xiaoming cut her off before she could speak.
"Besides, we have children with us."
Wang Xiaoming's words made Irisviel and Saber notice that there were two children at the table as well, a boy and a girl.
"How adorable~"
Irisviel's gaze immediately settled on Sakura, who was quietly eating. Perhaps because they were close in age, Sakura reminded her of her own daughter.
"Are these two both your children?"
Irisviel turned to ask Wang Xiaoming.
"Uh... yes." Wang Xiaoming rubbed his nose as he answered.
After all—
A daughter-in-law counted as his child, too.
Nothing wrong with that.
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Also, the review section won't accept comments complaining about the protagonist's name.
If you haven't even read the book and are just posting opinions, I don't want to accept them.
Well, this chapter counts as a bonus update, used for promoting the group and taking comments.
As for tomorrow's update...
During the day.
Chapter 38: Medea's Strange Trait
"Then, thank you!"
Irisviel, without a hint of suspicion, pulled Saber over and sat down at the table.
"It's no trouble..."
Though he had a general idea of what Irisviel was like, knowing about someone and seeing them in person were two entirely different things.
It was a good thing Saber was with her. Someone this guileless would be in trouble out on her own.
"Then I'll have this, this, and—oh, this one too!"
Looking at the menu the server had brought over, Irisviel cheerfully pointed out the items she wanted.
"What about you, Saber?"
Irisviel turned toward the blond knight beside her and handed her the menu.
"I'll have everything on it..."
After looking it over, Saber closed the menu and looked up at the server with a solemn expression, like a soldier about to set off for battle.
"Could I have one of everything?"
Clatter—
The sound of the server's pen hitting the floor rang out with startling clarity.
Seeing the astonished looks on the server's and Wang Xiaoming's faces, Saber looked confused and a little embarrassed. She didn't understand why the two of them were reacting that way.
The dessert shop did have a few ordinary snacks, but as for the portions...
"Excuse me, do you have things like fried chicken buckets and pizza here?"
Wang Xiaoming suddenly asked the server.
"We do."
"Then bring out a few of those, too."
Considering the possibility that the orders might keep coming, Wang Xiaoming thought that would be too much to watch.
It was better to order some larger meals for Saber instead.
And so—
Before you continue