I, Ritsuka, Siscon Grand Hero

"It's more like an existence akin to an elf or a divine incarnation." Kiritsugu turned his head to look at Ritsuka, who was looking at the record book. "Your description is accurate. Although I'm not sure if that power is what I'm looking for, and I can't even be sure if the Tsukishiro family possesses such power, it's worth a try."

Unwilling to give up? To just abandon it like this...

Ritsuka didn't look at Kiritsugu's expression, but understood that Kiritsugu wouldn't give up on this last possibility. He would only decide whether to retire after investigating.

"What are you smiling at?"

Kiritsugu looked at Ritsuka, who had a strange smile on her face, and felt a bit puzzled. He subconsciously touched his own face and his steps faltered slightly.

Ignoring Kiritsugu, who was like a stubborn old child, Ritsuka crossed the road to the other side. Then, holding the closed record book to her chest, she turned back to look at Kiritsugu.

"Nothing, I just remembered something happy."

"Wow~ Is this going to be our home from now on?"

Ritsuka exclaimed excitedly, standing in front of the yard. She was overjoyed, as the Emiya family's conditions were indeed quite good.

It was a detached traditional Japanese house with a decent-sized yard. The entire house was divided into two parts, and facilities like a warehouse and dojo were all complete. It was simply the super comfortable living environment she had always dreamed of.

The girl, who was lively yet loved quiet, felt immense satisfaction in an environment without noisy neighbors. She almost fainted from happiness right then and there.

Kiritsugu sighed. Ritsuka's exaggerated expression seemed to mock him. He used to have a residence of this caliber but insisted on wandering around the world.

'How irresponsible. You have no right to be a father.'

He mocked himself internally. To be honest, he felt quite guilty for making a child suffer by his side.

After some thought, he reached out his free hand and patted Ritsuka's head. "Yes, this is our home from now on. Let's go inside and take a look."

"Hooray!"

The gate to the yard opened, and Kiritsugu, carrying the luggage, strode in first. Ritsuka followed behind, also closing the gate.

Walking along the path at the edge of the yard and entering the inner courtyard residence, Ritsuka followed Kiritsugu in changing her shoes. Then, upon entering the house, her face immediately showed surprise.

After all, it was incredible that a house that hadn't been lived in for several years could still be kept so clean.

"Don't worry. I have a friendly relationship with the local influential Fujimura family. They often send people to clean this house."

"That's good."

Ritsuka clutched her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

It was a somewhat amusing scene. Ritsuka's worried expression brought a hint of a smile to the usually stern Kiritsugu. He pushed open the door closest to the entrance in the hallway, and a home-like living room appeared in their view.

With furniture, appliances, and an open kitchen, this place was clearly the center of the home. After all, it was likely where they would cook, eat, and relax.

Kiritsugu scanned the room and then said to Ritsuka, "I'll go put away the luggage. Could I ask you to make something to eat?"

"Of course."

Ritsuka replied with a cheerful grin.

Kiritsugu's figure gradually disappeared at the end of the hallway. Ritsuka, watching him leave, withdrew her gaze and began to familiarize herself with the situation inside the house, heading towards the kitchen.

It's worth mentioning that although Ritsuka was only around ten years old, her cooking skills were incredibly talented due to her 'Expert Housekeeping EX' ability. Even Kiritsugu felt a sense of defeat after witnessing it; he wasn't even as good as a child.

Opening the refrigerator, there weren't many ingredients inside. The few ready-to-eat items were likely left by the Fujimura family.

Perhaps Kiritsugu had made arrangements in advance?

"Looks like I'll have to make do."

Even the most skilled housekeeper would be helpless without ingredients. With no rice or flour, even Ritsuka, who was quite proficient in housework, felt a bit at a loss. Fortunately, there were some canned goods she could work with.

She picked them up and carefully read the instructions. There was canned beef that could serve as a main course, canned fruit that could be a snack, and most importantly, a vacuum-packed can of luncheon meat...

Ritsuka had an idea.

Section 6 Chapter 6: Peaceful Fuyuki City

About forty minutes later, the two sat at the dining table, having solved their breakfast problem. The sudden peace made Ritsuka feel quite happy.

She felt even more motivated to cook and do chores.

"Thank you very much."

After finishing the meal, Kiritsugu clasped his hands together and let out a sigh of relief.

He had been starving all morning while tidying up the house. Even someone as aloof as him couldn't help but feel his stomach rumbling. Being able to eat a warm meal was truly something to be thankful for.

As she cleared away the plates with a few food scraps, Ritsuka smiled and shook her head. "You're welcome."

Being able to cook was a happy thing, at least for Ritsuka. Not having to endure Kiritsugu's inexplicably proud 'dark cuisine' was something to be thankful for to heaven for bestowing her with housekeeping talent.

So, was this talent obtained from the Crystal Dice, or was it something she inherently possessed?

Ritsuka fell into thought.

If she didn't have this ability, truthfully, during her nearly five years of wandering, she might have starved to death one day.

Of course, they were eating this meal at almost ten o'clock. The main reason was that she had cleaned the kitchen before cooking. The kitchen was not used often, so it was inevitably a bit messy. Therefore, she directly tidied it up from start to finish according to her own habits.

Kiritsugu put on his coat and looked at Ritsuka, who was busy in the kitchen. "I have something to do and need to go see Mr. Fujimura. You can go wander around the streets, but be back early."

"Okay, be careful on your way."

The sound of footsteps gradually faded, and cool water flowed through Ritsuka's fingers, washing the greasy plates. The room suddenly fell silent.

"Truly, it's a bit unbelievable."

Closing their eyes, then slowly opening them, Ritsuka spoke with a hint of emotion.

It was so good to not be wandering anymore. Although adventuring with Kiritsugu had been fun, constantly living on the road wasn't pleasant at all, and the fringes of battle were definitely not good places to be.

Blood and wreckage everywhere, desolation and cold...

Quickly shaking their head, Ritsuka thoroughly cleaned their hands and put everything back in its place, finishing the cleanup after what was essentially a combined breakfast and lunch.

Leaving the open-plan kitchen, Ritsuka walked through the hallways of the Emiya residence, finding no other areas that needed cleaning. It was surprisingly spotless; Fujimura really managed to keep things to this extent.

"Suddenly, I have nothing to do. It's so nice, peaceful Fuyuki City."

Compared to the Middle East, which was constantly engulfed in war, this place was unbelievably good. Still, Ritsuka felt they should go out and see it, after all, it was the city they had lived in for five years.

Reaching the door at the end of the hallway, Ritsuka casually picked up the keys and money Kiritsugu had left behind. They put on their clothes and shoes and left the house.

Locking the main door, Ritsuka dropped the keys into their pocket. The gentle midday sun warmed their face, causing the young girl to squint contentedly before she set off towards the department store.

The house would need a large quantity of ingredients, and necessities like soy sauce and vinegar were also essential. Ritsuka mentally listed the items they needed.

They had arrived in Fuyuki City around four or five in the afternoon and had already memorized the important locations along their route. These would surely be useful in the future, such as the fresh market, department store, and general goods retailers.

"Hmm~ It should be this way."

It hadn't been open too early, but now that it was the time when most households were preparing lunch, it would be truly unacceptable if it still wasn't open.

"Welcome."

Fortunately, the department store, where they could buy some ingredients, seasonings, and even daily necessities and tools, was open. Ritsuka walked straight in and headed directly for the food section.

The seafood area was the first thing that caught their eye. Fish of excellent quality lay piled on ice, making Ritsuka's eyes gleam. "It looks amazing."

Although Ritsuka disliked eating fish themselves, they were extremely interested in fish and seafood dishes. The girl was captivated by the Kichiji fish, which looked superb.

Its vibrant red markings resembled rubies from the deep sea. Ritsuka lightly tapped it with a finger. Having only heard of this type of fish, Ritsuka fell into thought.

They didn't seem to have ever cooked this kind of fish before...

Hesitating in front of the Kichiji fish, Ritsuka's petite frame and delicate features drew the attention of the auntie in charge of that section.

"Is something troubling you?"

The auntie asked, following Ritsuka's gaze to the Kichiji fish. In an instant, she imagined many scenarios.

A small, cute girl meticulously selecting ingredients here, with no adults in sight. Was she being intentionally trained, or was she simply lazy and neglectful?

Thinking of her own son, who was already an adult but quite useless, the auntie's heart sank.

Hearing the question, Ritsuka, who had been biting their finger, pointed at the Kichiji fish and turned to look at the auntie beside them. In that instant, the saleswoman's expression shifted from somber to cheerful, filled with maternal affection.

"I want to buy some of this, but I've never cooked it before. If I fail, it would be a waste."

Ritsuka furrowed their beautiful brows, their serious demeanor contrasting with their small stature. This instantly melted the auntie, who even began to wonder if her future granddaughter would be this cute.

Thinking of this, and then recalling her own troublesome son, the auntie's expression turned somber again.

"Well, you can give it a try. I can recommend some suitable cooking methods. It's great whether you sauce it, grill it, braise it, or serve it as sashimi."

The auntie said with a smile.

For the next short while, the auntie verbally shared all her experience cooking Kichiji fish. "There's also a book here with various recipes for Kichiji fish. I'll go find it for you."

"Thank you, Auntie."

After being patted on the head and watching the auntie temporarily leave, Ritsuka happily picked up the plastic bag. Inside was the Kichiji fish the auntie had helped select, said to be the best in terms of quality and size.

"I should buy some..."

The delicious Kichiji fish was well worth the purchase. Although Ritsuka had never cooked it before, they figured that man would be happy to taste it.

Ritsuka thought this, completely unconcerned about Uncle Kiritsugu's fate.

After a short wait, the auntie, who was also the store manager and moonlighted as a fish seller, returned and handed Ritsuka a book. "Here you go, dear. Consider it a gift from me."

"Oh, no, that won't do. You've already helped me so much. I must pay for this, otherwise Kiritsugu would be unhappy too."

"Kiritsugu, is it? Your father... You're such a filial child. Go on then."

"Yes, goodbye, Auntie."

Waving goodbye, Ritsuka, carrying the fish, turned and ran towards the seasoning section. Without the right accompanying ingredients, even the best fish wouldn't taste good.

Standing in front of the shelves, Ritsuka searched. The auntie watched the small figure from a distance. Unable to reach the top shelf, Ritsuka fetched a stool from next door, and couldn't help but inwardly scorn someone.

"Making such a small child responsible for housework, what an irresponsible father. Kiritsugu, huh? Probably a scoundrel too."

"Kichiji fish. Let's make something extravagant today, as a housewarming celebration?"

Kichiji fish was quite expensive, making it a suitable dish for a housewarming. Ritsuka, who didn't particularly like eating raw fish like sashimi, decided to use a sauced preparation method.

Opening the recipe book recommended by the auntie, Ritsuka, walking along the street under the cherry blossom trees, suddenly closed their eyes slightly. A car sped past, kicking up a gust of wind that swirled many irritating cherry blossom petals. While beautiful, they were uncomfortable for the eyes.

Looking back, the car had already disappeared. Not intending to stage an accident, Ritsuka didn't dwell on it. Perhaps the driver was in a hurry.

Ritsuka returned the way she came, carrying several shopping bags. She was laden with goods and in a slightly cheerful mood, humming a tune involuntarily.

The cherry blossom season was beautiful, and Ritsuka's mind wandered as her thoughts drifted.

A quiet street, crisp footsteps, and a hurrying girl—

As she rounded a corner, the distracted Ritsuka collided head-on with a figure rushing along. The person on the other side reacted, but it was too late to dodge, and they could only close their eyes in fear.

"Ah!"

The unexpected collision and scream made Ritsuka sway, but she didn't fall or react as one normally would. The person she bumped into was very light.

Because she held on tightly, her belongings didn't fall to the ground. The figure she had run into, however, landed squarely on their backside.

"Oof~ Sorry, are you okay?"

Having accidentally bumped into someone, Ritsuka quickly put down her shopping bags and reached out to help the other person up. She took hold of a delicate, boneless hand. The girl was surprisingly light, a purple-haired little girl, smaller and thinner than Ritsuka, kept her head down, looking at her toes.

"Oof! It hurts..."

Ritsuka reached out and gently plucked a cherry blossom petal from the edge of the girl's short purple hair. "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I-I'm fine..."

Her eyes darted away, her slightly longer bangs obscuring her beautiful amethyst-like eyes. She replied dismissively, pulling her hand away.

"I'm truly very sorry. I was lost in thought just now and wasn't watching where I was going. I accidentally bumped into you."

"If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, please tell me. I'll pay for you to go to the hospital."

Ritsuka clasped her hands together and bowed deeply. Her attitude stunned the girl, as if no one had ever treated her like this before.

Almost instinctively, she leaned back, avoiding further contact with Ritsuka's hand.

This was a girl with a story. She was very young and small, but surprisingly afraid of contact with others. She was a timid little girl, Ritsuka concluded.