Recognition, Rewards, Summoning

The system gave no notification indicating that Sakura had yet to acknowledge me, but I wasn't in a hurry. There was probably still one or two years left. I believed I could definitely earn Sakura's recognition.

After dinner, Fujino and Sakura made up the bedding together. There was no need to think about it—we would definitely all sleep together. Fujino wanted to establish her position in the household, while Sakura was too young for us to feel at ease letting her sleep alone, so we simply slept together.

Thirteen-year-old Fujino had an outrageously mature figure, which meant I could take things further, but having received a proper education, I really couldn't bring myself to make a move.

Fujino often teased me without meaning to. Fortunately, I had good self-control and held the line. I was truly afraid that one day things might get out of hand. Now that Sakura had been added to the mix, I had no idea whether I would be able to sleep properly in the future. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

Once the room had been tidied up, Fujino took Sakura to bathe while I continued training. There wasn't much time left. If I didn't work hard now, I would lose even the chance to work hard.

It suddenly felt like desperately cramming before an exam. Even though it probably wouldn't change much, I still instinctively had to do it.

After a while, Fujino called out that I could go take a bath. At the Minamoto Residence, the bathrooms were large stone-built rooms where one could soak in a bath. This was a Western-style house, so there was only a bathtub, barely large enough to lie down in.

It was too cramped to be comfortable, so I simply took a quick shower. When I returned to the room, I found Sakura and Fujino chatting.

The moment Sakura saw me return, she immediately burrowed under the covers. Before she did, I caught sight of her flushed cheeks. I had no idea what secret whispers Fujino had shared with her.

There were beds in the Western-style house as well, but Fujino still chose a large room and laid out bedding on the floor, because she knew that if we slept in beds, she would have to sleep separately from me.

So no matter where we were, she chose to sleep on the floor. Before, it had been out of fear; now, it was because she didn't want to be apart from me. The three floor beds were lined up tightly side by side, and I helplessly rubbed my forehead.

The instant I lay down, Fujino eagerly wrapped her arms around my left arm. To my surprise, a pair of small hands also hugged my right arm.

I really couldn't imagine what ideas Fujino had instilled in Sakura to make the shy girl do something like this.

However, Sakura still kept her head hidden under the covers, and I was too embarrassed to expose her. We would leave it at that for today. I would ask her properly tomorrow.

Early the next morning, Fujino on my left had already gotten up ahead of me to make breakfast. Meanwhile, the little hands around my right arm kept trembling. There was no need to think about it—I knew Sakura was already awake.

But she was too embarrassed to let go. I would bet that if I lifted Sakura's covers right now, I would find a face as red as a steam engine.

But I didn't do that. Instead, I naturally pulled my hand free as if I had just woken up, got up, and headed outside. The moment I stepped through the door, I heard the sound of covers being thrown back.

When I arrived in the hall, I saw Fujino busy in the kitchen. Whether it was talent or practice making perfect, Fujino's cooking was quite delicious. Standing outside the kitchen, I curiously asked what she had secretly said to Sakura last night to make her change so much.

Without even turning her head, she said, "Of course, I gave her a wife's talk. Fujino was clearly here first, yet Fujino still has to come after her." As she spoke, she even pretended to wipe away tears that did not exist.

I was stunned. My Fujino couldn't possibly be this mischievous. What had happened while I wasn't looking? Before leaving home, Fujino had secretly asked some older girls how to get closer to someone. They had taught her all this.

Before long, breakfast was ready. Sakura came into the hall neatly dressed, and the three of us began eating together. It felt a little like a family of three, except our positions were somewhat off.

The days passed one by one. In just three months, Sakura fully acknowledged me, and the system notification appeared. A new member had been added to the Lineage: fiancée. As a gift, you have been awarded 5 draws.

Your fiancée possesses 70 Magic Circuits, excellent magecraft aptitude, and talent in Imaginary Numbers Magecraft. The host gains 1 additional Magic Circuit and unlocks Imaginary Numbers Magecraft talent at E- rank.

Further improvements can be made through draws involving household members and descendants, or by investing skill points. (It cannot be improved through conventional training.) Please keep up the good work.

With the rewards in hand, I was so delighted that I wanted to laugh out loud, but I was afraid of being assigned to the Delight Club, so I held it in. "Twelve draws. One ten-pull, then two single pulls." With that said, I pressed the button.

There was no big gold reward. I got one A-rank magecraft and one A-rank item. Nothing extraordinary, but both would be a great help in battle.

A-rank magecraft: Projection. Duplicate draws can upgrade it; there is no other way to upgrade it. It consumes mana to project weapons that have genuinely been seen before. Greater mana consumption increases the weapon's power, but it cannot exceed A-rank weaponry. Weapon durability is fixed at 1, making it extremely easy to break.

A-rank one-use item: Teleportation Coordinates. Divided into A and B. Use A to designate the coordinates; after using B, teleportation will occur after four seconds, ignoring all obstacles as long as it is within the same space. Maximum teleportation distance: 50 kilometers. (It can be interrupted; if interrupted, the item is considered used.)

The days went by, until I suddenly received a message from Tokiomi Tohsaka. It contained only two simple words: Summon.

I went down to the basement, placed Dojigiri Yasutsuna in the center of the ritual array, and began the ceremony. Now it was a matter of whether the summon would go wrong. I recited the incantation: "Fill, fill, fill, fill.

"Let it repeat five times, and when each is filled, let it be broken. I proclaim: let your body heed my command, and let my fate be bound to your sword. Answer the call of the Holy Grail.

"If you submit to this will, to this reason, then answer. I swear here that I shall accomplish all good in this world. I swear that I shall eradicate all evil in this world. I am the one who holds its chains. You are the one wrapped in the seven heavens of the three great words of power.

"From the Wheel of Restraint, guardian of the Scales—yet you shall blind your eyes with chaos and serve my body. You are the one imprisoned within the gates of madness."

Then a dazzling light burst from the array. When it faded, a woman's voice emerged. "Hello, adorable mage. Servant, Saber... oh? Strange? I'm not Saber... oh dear.

"Um... my name is Minamoto no Raikou. As a great general, I may not be quite qualified, but please take care of me, okay?"

A woman's voice, familiar lines. It seemed the summon had not gone wrong. This was the best possible result. I immediately replied, "Hello, Ancestor. I am Yuan Shikai. Technically speaking, I am one of your descendants who has received your acknowledgment!"

The woman slowly emerged from the darkness. She was slightly shorter than me. At nineteen, Yuan Shikai stood one meter eighty tall, while she was probably around one meter seventy-five.

Once I saw her face clearly, she was indeed Berserker Minamoto no Raikou from Fate/Grand Order. What I had not expected was for her to suddenly pull me into her arms and hug me tightly.

Then she said, "I never expected you to be my descendant. That means you are my child. As your mother, I will definitely help make your wishes come true."

It was that familiar feeling—her way of speaking and acting. I barely managed to pull myself free before suffocating and gulped down fresh air. Taking the opportunity, I said, "Then I'll call you Mother." Minamoto no Raikou became even happier and tried to hug me again, but I decisively dodged and said we should discuss serious matters first.

I asked, "Mother, what is your wish?"

Minamoto no Raikou said, "None. Or rather, it has already been fulfilled. Helping my child fulfill his wishes is my wish. Your wish is my wish." As she spoke, she tried to hug me again.

I dodged, then dodged again. I had let my guard down—my skill was on cooldown. Fortunately, this time she only gently hugged me from behind and pulled me into her arms. At least I would not suffocate, though it still felt incredibly embarrassing.