I, Ritsuka, Siscon Grand Hero

Although it was a bit of an exaggeration, it was truly the most delicious fish she had ever eaten, and Tiona was easily defeated.

Ritsuka laughed happily. Even if the world had different languages, food was still something that easily resonated. Opening a small restaurant-like shop wouldn't be bad either.

That's right, without realizing it, she had turned the dessert shop into a small restaurant.

'Thanks to Old Man Matsuzaki for helping with the ordering board.'

Because she couldn't read, Ritsuka had to ask Old Man Matsuzaki next door to help her make a board and sincerely thanked him in her heart.

"This bowl of ramen I have is also good, do you want to try it?"

"My cake is also delicious..."

"Let me try one, Ais's fried potato balls."

"No."

The girls chattered, their energy always full. Ritsuka and Riveria exchanged a smile.

Turning around and returning to the kitchen, Ritsuka took out her treasured, limited quantity of black tea, given to her by Old Man Fujimura Raika.

She immediately brewed a pot and brought it outside.

"This is a special gift, would everyone like to try it?"

Section 67: Announcement Regarding Going on Sale

Tomorrow is the day we go on sale. I've always said I'm a newbie, but in reality, I'm just a failed author who has written one book with decent results.

I really enjoy the feeling of writing books. I've had the idea to write "The Vow Under the Snow" for a long time, but judging by the number of collections, this book is not optimistic. Even though I've poured more effort into it than my previous book, the results are indeed far from it.

In a sense, the situation is not good at all.

When my previous book went on sale, I had just over 2000 collections. Then, after going on sale, it dropped to 1800, and it took a year to reach over 12,000 collections when I stopped. It was considered a decent result, and my monthly royalties were five to six thousand.

I'm an old salt...

And for this book, as I write this announcement, I only have 668 collections. Even the editor advised me to start another book and change my approach...

This is basically not just being shelved, but being cut in half. QAQ

I won't ask for anything specific. I usually ask for recommendation tickets, so I'll just let this book be for now—

If the number of collections reaches 1500 or more by the end of the second volume, I will continue updating. If not, I will cut it in half and start a new book. When I decided to start this book, I conceived quite a few beginnings.

For example, continuing the previous infinite flow genre, optimizing it, and getting rid of the complicated and error-prone large amounts of data.

Or a multi-anime crossover with a Honkai start. The time would be before the Second Honkai in Siberia. I would connect with Fugu Shirin, but there was no specific main storyline outline, so it was abandoned at the time.

There was also a multi-anime crossover with a Fate/type-Moon start. The protagonist would be Mordred, a girl who traveled from another world. That book wouldn't have any flashy elements, just referencing the abilities of the Heroic Spirit Mordred, and an ordinary Golden Finger.

In fact, overall, I am most satisfied with the current one. The outline is the same as the Mordred concept, but because the protagonist is an alternate version of Emiya Shirou, she will reach the Fifth Holy Grail War in a future volume, which I anticipate will be the most explosive part of this book.

After all, Sakura is there...

Having said so much, it's not really complaining. I don't want this book to be cut in half, but I need to make a living. As a university student, I haven't asked my family for money in almost a year.

I have 2000 left. If I don't have this income after the semester starts, I might go down with the book.

I'm in Zhengzhou, just starved to death, signing off.

I don't have much of a backlog, so I won't set up a bounty (the bounty for the previous book was a huge failure, I'm broken). If this book bombs, I will most likely use the Mordred outline.

The main plot of the two books will be roughly the same, the difference being that Ritsuka's will be about healing and going home, while Mordred's will be about rebellion and recognition!

After all, Mordred would definitely love King Arthur the most... (Magic Sword Warning.JPG)

PS: 1. I hope everyone understands. I don't want to abandon this book that I 'think' is quite good, and I don't want to immediately bow to society. If possible, I will continue to work hard.

Oh right, as usual, please vote for me. Recommendation tickets are fine. First subscriptions don't matter, because even if all 668 people subscribe to the first day's chapters, the first subscription count won't be much...

2. Regardless of what happens, I'll write until I'm 30 (laughs).

Section 68: Chapter 61: An Invitation from a Familia

"You want to invite me to join the Loki Familia?"

Ritsuka tilted her head, a hint of confusion in her mind.

In response, Riveria nodded and said seriously, "Yes, by the order of the Sovereign Loki, we are here to invite you to join us."

After the meal, Ritsuka, who was invited to talk by Riveria, blinked in surprise, her mind racing.

She had a rough idea why she was invited. To be precise, she had this premonition when she saw Lefiya, and Riveria stated it was the will of their Sovereign, Loki.

It felt similar to Goddess Freya's intention, but the invitation methods were worlds apart.

Ottar the Brawler wanted to capture her, perhaps due to his confidence in his strength. The Loki Familia, after two chance encounters, had gained some understanding of Ritsuka and naturally wouldn't take any reckless or inappropriate actions.

The only thing puzzling Ritsuka was that she had a general idea of why Loki invited her. What was Freya's situation?

Why was she targeting her?

Ritsuka was a little troubled as she looked at the members of the Loki Familia before her.

Nine Demonesses, Sword Princess, Great Cut, Angry Snake, Thousand Fairies...

It seems the strongest female adventurers in the Loki Familia are all here, and they've come as guests. I have to say, Riveria's decision was a good one.

She couldn't exactly refuse them outright and kick everyone out, could she?

"Loki Familia... I'm sorry, but for personal reasons, I have no intention of becoming an adventurer right now."

Ritsuka shook their head, still opting to refuse.

Their current life was quite good. Even though they now knew their own strength wouldn't have much impact on a 'Blessing', they weren't interested in that kind of power anymore.

Originally, they were practically dead.

"You don't want to become an adventurer?"

"Yes, I'm sorry to have wasted your time, but I no longer need power."

Striving for power wasn't anything new to Ritsuka.

They had already risked their life once, unless they could somehow return to that world... that world on the brink of human extinction.

But how could that be possible? Even the gods of this world couldn't leave it. What right did they have?

The gods of this world were undeniably powerful. Even when Ritsuka first saw that unreliable Hestia, they felt an overwhelming sense of being outmatched.

'In mythology, wasn't Hestia one of the twelve Olympian gods?'

Ritsuka remembered the busty, loli-like goddess.

"Of course, I imagine you're very interested in my power, but you don't need to dwell on it too much."

Projection. The Star Sword materialized in Ritsuka's hand.

It was merely a crude imitation, lacking any inherent concept. Ritsuka didn't even have the interest to modify this projected weapon, simply holding the Sword of Promised Victory.

A blue hilt, a golden guard, a medieval single-handed knight's sword, emitting a faint yet intense radiance.

Lefiya immediately stood up, staring at the sword, which shone just like the one she had received earlier, her eyes wide.

This kind of infinite magic sword, created from nothing?

"This..."

Riveria fell into an eerie silence.

The ability to create an 'infinite magic sword' by consuming a certain amount of magic power out of thin air was terrifying. Such an ability had never appeared in Orario, not even with the development of extremely rare mysteries.

"May I ask, Emiya, have you ever received a 'Blessing' from any Familia before?"

"I'm an Outsider. A small portion of people from my homeland can use magic, and I'm one of the weaker and more unusual ones."

"No Familia?"

"An Outsider? How is that possible? To possess such power without a 'Blessing'? Are you perhaps a hero from a fairytale, one in a million, born to save humanity?"

Lefiya and Tiona exclaimed in disbelief.

A wisp of orange-red light coiled around Ritsuka's fingertips, and they smiled a bit forcedly. "How could that be? I'm at most a villain, hardly a hero."

Ritsuka casually returned the pseudo-Curry Stick to Unlimited Blade Works.

They could replicate Noble Phantasms with Projection Magic, but couldn't use them indefinitely. The 'Eternal Distant Golden Sword' they had given to Lefiya was also an Anti-City Noble Phantasm that could only be used three or four times.

Its power was probably around Rank A.

It was the golden sword wielded by the king, forever imprinted in their heart from their distant past, from their hazy memories of youth.

That was a sword belonging to Emiya Shirou, not Emiya Ritsuka.

"Well, in any case, I won't be joining any Familia. I no longer need power, nor do I need power to protect someone anymore."

"You're welcome to visit again next time."

Whether it was self-indulgence or something else, Ritsuka's mission was complete. Honestly, their heart was weary.

With the implicit dismissal, Riveria sighed and said no more.

Everyone has their own aspirations, and one cannot force them.

Ritsuka walked towards the back kitchen, carefully wrapping the large fried potato ball order placed by Ais in oil paper and handing it to the dazed blonde Sword Princess.

As Ais took the fried potato ball, Ritsuka placed a hand on her head and gently patted it. "Here you go, eat it while it's hot."

The wind chimes jingled as the group of girls opened the door and left. Ritsuka watched them go.

A soft sigh escaped their lips as their gaze casually shifted towards the door.

"Lady Loki, they've all left. Aren't you coming out?"

"Haha, as expected... I've been discovered."

The air by the door distorted, and the red-haired, ponytail-wearing goddess appeared in the shop as if she had materialized from thin air.

Ritsuka narrowed their eyes.

"Lady Loki, if I recall correctly, gods are not allowed to use divine power in the lower world, are they?"

Indeed, Loki was using a terrifying power distinct from magic.

That power distorted space, which was why none of the Loki Familia girls had sensed Loki's arrival, not even Riveria, the strongest among them.

"Don't worry, don't worry, I didn't use any divine power... just pretend nothing happened, okay?"

Loki waved her hand, completely unfazed, observing Ritsuka, who was wearing an apron, with her slit-like, narrowed eyes.

Then, her fingers twitched, and she slowly raised her hands.

Her perverted nature slowly surfaced...

"Um, Lord Loki, if you're planning to do anything out of line, I don't mind a spar with you."

Ritsuka's light golden eyes brightened slightly, and they clenched their fists.

A divine aura rose from their body, centering on their belt. A divine power, distinct from Loki's, manifested, causing Loki to widen her eyes slightly in surprise.

"A divine artifact? And this feeling... Heracles?"

"No, it's Alcides."

The Star Sword was drawn from its sheath, and the divine aura surrounding Ritsuka poured into it all at once.

The holy sword, which had previously been like a mere toy, not particularly special, finally displayed a hint of its true sharpness. An aura equivalent to the 'Eternal Distant Golden Sword' began to awaken.

While Ritsuka couldn't project the true holy sword, they had been in close proximity to the 'Excalibur' and had even possessed Saber's Class Card. Therefore, they could project a replica close to the Star Sword, albeit with a one-tier reduction in power.

It was just a bit draining.

"This sword... it has the feel of a holy sword, and it's opposing a true deity—aren't you afraid of dying?"

Loki smiled faintly, her ruby-like eyes looking at Ritsuka with great interest.

It was utter nonsense that gods from the lower realms were forbidden from using divine power. While it was true they couldn't use it all, there was no problem in releasing some of the restraints and using a portion of it.