Shirou, sitting beside Saber, watched the big sister next to him swiftly yet elegantly polish off the food on her plate, his eyes full of admiration.
Even Sakura looked at Saber's still-flat stomach with a hint of curiosity.
At last, with everyone watching, Saber swept all the food from the table.
"About seventy or eighty percent full."
Saber checked how she felt, then said to Irisviel beside her.
"In that case, let's just pay the bill."
Irisviel, who had finished eating long ago, took out the credit card Kiritsugu had given her and handed it to the waiter.
The black card made the approaching waiter's eyes swim.
As the customers left, the once-bustling restaurant gradually quieted down.
After hurriedly clearing the tables, the staff practically fled to the back. There was no help for it; the pressure in the restaurant was simply too much right now...
With the tables cleared, Saber sat opposite Wang Xiaoming, her expression solemn.
"Thank you for earlier."
Once the waiter had brought their food, Saber understood what Wang Xiaoming had meant earlier. After all, she knew full well just how much she could eat.
"It's nothing. I just happened to lend a hand." Wang Xiaoming hadn't given it much thought. He remembered the running gag about Saber being a glutton quite well.
But Irisviel voiced her confusion.
"I just can't understand why you invited us, Caster's Master..."
"Since we happened to meet somewhere outside the battlefield, you could say it was fate. We're both out relaxing, so it's only natural to lend a hand when I can."
Wang Xiaoming waved his hand and offered the explanation he'd already prepared.
Was he supposed to say that his Servant had some strange feelings for their Saber?
"Then I thank you for your kindness, but I won't hold back in battle because of it."
Saber's expression remained solemn. Her upright posture and near-perfect manners almost made Wang Xiaoming think that the knight sitting before him couldn't possibly be the same person who had just swept the table clean.
"That's fine. We're still enemies on the battlefield. I know the difference."
Saber gave a slight nod of approval.
"In that case, we'll be on our way."
Irisviel and Saber rose and bid Wang Xiaoming and the others goodbye.
Wang Xiaoming glanced at Medea beside him. Seeing that she still showed no reaction, he could only get up.
"Then I won't see you out."
Before leaving, Irisviel couldn't resist ruffling Sakura's short purple hair. She seemed to have an unusually strong affection for the girl.
After sitting back down, Wang Xiaoming let out a long breath. The pressure of facing a top-tier Servant was no joke.
"Why does Saber dress like that? Men's clothes and cold armor completely hide her charm..."
Once Saber and Irisviel had left the dessert shop, a soft voice suddenly sounded in Wang Xiaoming's ear.
The words carried a jumble of emotions, including confusion and anticipation.
"..."
They had only stopped at the dessert shop for a short rest, and running into Saber's group had been unexpected. So, not long after Saber and the others left, Wang Xiaoming's group got up and left as well.
"Let's play a little longer."
As they left the dessert shop, Wang Xiaoming looked up at the still-bright sky and spoke to Shirou and Sakura.
"Okay!"
Shirou had no objections, and even Sakura gave a slight nod.
As for Medea—
Seeing that her expression had returned to normal, Wang Xiaoming tactfully refrained from bringing up what had happened earlier.
It was better to quietly keep embarrassing memories to oneself.
Time seemed to pass twice as fast when they were having fun.
They'd spent long enough at the amusement park, and the setting sun cast a lazy glow over everything. Seeing that Shirou, who had been running around all day, could barely keep going, Wang Xiaoming decided it was time to head back.
"Let's take a picture, then go home."
After spotting a photographer taking pictures of people around the amusement park, Wang Xiaoming made the suggestion.
"Sure..."
Exhausted from playing, Shirou answered listlessly. Wang Xiaoming couldn't help smiling at his sluggish appearance.
After calling the photographer over, the four of them stood together, with Wang Xiaoming and Medea behind the two children, Shirou and Sakura.
Click—
After arranging a time to pick up the photo with the photographer, Wang Xiaoming's group set off for home.
"Caster and her Master...?"
On the roof of a distant building, a figure in a black robe and a white skull mask watched Wang Xiaoming and the others as they left the amusement park.
It was Assassin, who had faked his death during the opening battle.
"This information should interest my Master."
In the blink of an eye, Assassin vanished from where he stood, as if he had never been there.
Chapter 39: Spear and Sword Clash Again!
"What did you say?!"
After returning to their base, Wang Xiaoming got Shirou, who was exhausted, settled in, then took Sakura back to Kariya. It was there that he heard some shocking news.
Kayneth had taken Lancer straight to the Einzbern Family's base!
Just thinking about it gave Wang Xiaoming a headache. The man really had no patience. He'd stormed your home on the first day, and now he was coming to settle the score on the second.
Wait—
Nothing would go wrong this time, right? After all, he'd already told Kiritsugu about Kayneth's trump card.
After spending long enough in the city, Irisviel and Saber set out for Einzbern Castle near Fuyuki. It was the Einzbern Family's base near the city, and the roads there offered far more room to maneuver than the city streets.
Their route took them along a highway near Fuyuki. At that moment, the white sports car drifted through a bend in a graceful arc before speeding off again.
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL had a sleek, elegant body that was as stately as a noblewoman, while the roar of its inline-six engine was as powerful as a beast's.
It was hard to imagine that the person driving this white "beast" was a noble lady.
"Yah-hoo!"
The lady at the wheel was completely absorbed in the thrill of the race. Fortunately, there were very few cars on the highway in the evening.
"How is it, Saber? Isn't it great?"
Irisviel, in the driver's seat, looked a little smug. The usually composed woman had transformed, excitement gleaming in her eyes like a street racer.
"Since it was one of the toys Kiritsugu gave me, this is my favorite." The woman behind the wheel wore a blissful expression, completely at odds with what she was doing.
"I couldn't really let loose in the courtyard. This really is the best way to play."
"A toy...?"
Saber did her best to humor Irisviel. Even as a Heroic Spirit, she could tell that Irisviel's gear shifting was clumsy, nowhere near as practiced as a professional driver's.
"...How much farther is it to the Einzbern Villa around here?"
"Supposedly, it's only an hour's drive. We should be able to see it when we get there."
At that moment, Saber just wanted this dangerous journey to end as soon as possible. The winding highway was still very dangerous for a car moving at high speed. Her blood was filled with the tension of an impending battle. As a Servant, she had superhuman reflexes and strength, so if anything went wrong, she could quickly scoop Irisviel up and escape the car.
"...We should've hired a driver."
Saber spoke up suddenly.
"That wouldn't do. It's not that hiring a driver would be pointless; it would be too dangerous. Once we entered Fuyuki City, we could be attacked by another Master at any moment. Saber wouldn't want to drag an innocent person into this, would she?"
"I suppose not...!"
Suddenly sensing something amiss, Saber slammed on the brakes before Irisviel could react.
Fortunately, they'd been driving in a straight line before the sudden stop, so the car didn't spin violently.
The Mercedes' tires skidded along the asphalt, sending up a cloud of white smoke. As the car slid forward from the force of its momentum, Saber again sought the source of the presence she'd sensed.
At the far end of the road, in the area illuminated by the Mercedes' headlights, Lancer stood in the middle of the otherwise empty highway, holding his two spears, his eyes blazing with the will to fight.
"By my lord's command, I will take your head this time! Saber!"
Lancer raised the Magic Spear in his hand and pointed it at Saber in the passenger seat, his provocation unmistakable.
"...Saber?"
Irisviel turned to the knight beside her.
"Iris, stay in the car and watch what happens."
After briefly assessing the situation, Saber cautioned Irisviel, then opened the door and got out alone.
This was getting troublesome—
With her left hand currently sealed, if she really had to fight Lancer to the death this time...
—the odds were grim.
"Lancer, my Master is a defenseless, frail woman. Could you keep our battle from reaching her?"
Looking at Lancer before her, Saber suddenly asked.
"Of course. I would never harm the old, the weak, or women and children. That is my code as a knight."
Seeing the resolve in Lancer's eyes as he held his two spears, Saber felt slightly relieved. Confident, she turned her back to the enemy. "Iris, go."
"Saber..." Irisviel looked worried.
"It's all right."
Saber shook her head, then gestured with her eyes for Irisviel to head toward Einzbern Castle.
"Then... I'll leave this to you."
Irisviel immediately understood Saber's signal.
In this situation, it seemed the only one who could turn things around was Saber's true Master.
Emiya Kiritsugu was at Einzbern Castle, so Irisviel had to hurry there and tell him what was happening.
"Now you can fight without worry, Saber."
After Irisviel had driven out of sight, Lancer reminded Saber to focus on him.
"Of course."
The mana around Saber surged. Her black suit was replaced by silver-white armor, which covered her body.
Holding the invisible Holy Sword, Saber regarded Lancer with a solemn, resolute gaze. But sharp-eyed Lancer still noticed that her left hand wasn't moving freely.
Before you continue