Daytime has arrived.
Romania is exceptionally sunny today; the sky is so blue it looks like it's been repainted with watercolors, and you can't find a single decent cloud.
In the corridor of the Millennia Fortress, Mukuro Hoshimiya, dressed in her Astral Dress, walked to the door of Caules's room.
She knocked on the door.
" Master, lend me some money."
The door opened a crack, Caules's face peeked out from the gap; his hair was still messy, indicating he had just gotten up.
Money? What do you need money for?
"Shopping and eating. I'm tired of the bread in the castle; I want to go to town to find something good to eat."
Caules blinked.
His Servant, Archer, who possesses Noble Phantasm named after Michael and can throw the Hanging Gardens of Babylon into outer space.
I'm asking him for pocket money.
Caules pulled a stack of Romania lei from the drawer and handed it over.
Is that enough?
"That's enough, that's enough."
Mukuro Hoshimiya took the money, turned around, and left.
Half an hour later, a blonde girl wearing a white hoodie and a dark blue pleated skirt walked out of the main gate of the Millennia Fortress.
She wore a pair of off-white flat shoes, and her long golden hair was casually draped over her shoulders, not tied up.
From her appearance, she was just an ordinary, slightly lazy girl.
Mukuro Hoshimiya walked along the country road for about twenty minutes and entered the town of Trifas.
A typical Romania town. Cobblestone streets lined with low houses of various colors, ivy climbing the walls, and small potted plants on the windowsills.
Occasionally, one or two cats would jump down from the rooftops, swishing their tails as they disappeared into the alley.
There were quite a few people on the street. There were young mothers pushing strollers, elderly people sitting on benches basking in the sun, and students hurrying by with their books.
It was so peaceful that it didn't seem like a place where the Great Holy Grail War was taking place.
Mukuro Hoshimiya had her hands in her hoodie pockets and was wandering aimlessly.
bakery.
A general store.
Souvenir shop.
She didn't come to shop; she came to find something to eat.
After walking for about ten minutes, Mukuro Hoshimiya stopped.
My gaze fell upon a restaurant on the street corner.
This is a rather nice-looking family restaurant. Wooden door frames, warm yellow light shining through, and a small blackboard at the entrance displaying today's recommended menu in chalk.
Mukuro Hoshimiya leaned closer to the shop window to look inside.
The room was already quite full. A family of three was eating some kind of soup around Round Table, two middle-aged men were sitting opposite each other drinking beer, and a backpacker who looked like a traveler was looking through the menu.
Most importantly, you can see the food in front of several tables of guests through the glass.
A bowl of thick soup with golden oil floating on top, served with thick slices of bread.
A plate of neatly arranged kebab rolls, crispy on the outside, with the rice and spices inside visible through the cut surface.
There was also a thin pancake covered with white cream and jam, folded into a triangle and placed on a white porcelain plate.
Mukuro Hoshimiya's lips twitched.
It looks a hundred times better than the bread in the castle.
She pushed open the restaurant door.
The bell on the door rang out with a clear, crisp sound.
The warm air, carrying the aroma of food, wafts towards you. The caramelized meat, the rich soup, and the wheaty bread blend together to create an irresistible flavor.
Mukuro Hoshimiya looked around, intending to find a spot in a less crowded corner.
Then her gaze stopped.
Two people were sitting at the table by the window.
A young man with green hair was resting his chin on his hand, idly poking at the salad on his plate with a fork.
The other one is...
Mukuro Hoshimiya stared at the figure with its back to her for two seconds.
It has long, light green hair and two fluffy, sharp ears standing upright on its head.
The shape and angle of that ear are so distinctive.
" Atalanta-nyan?"
Those two words just slipped out.
The two people at the table by the window turned their heads at the same time.
Atalanta.
Achilles.
Atalanta's ears suddenly stood up.
"Who is Atalanta-nyan?!"
Achilles ' reaction was completely different. After seeing Mukuro Hoshimiya's face clearly, his green eyes lit up and a big smile bloomed on his face.
"Yo!"
The three people looked at each other in bewilderment.
The air was silent for about two seconds.
During the Holy Grail War, battles are not allowed during the day.
This is an unwritten but universally accepted rule among Servant.
Human society during the day is a world of ordinary people; the Servant ' battles can only take place at night.
The three people made the same judgment almost simultaneously.
No.
This tacit understanding doesn't even need any words to confirm it.
Achilles beckoned directly to Mukuro Hoshimiya.
"What a coincidence! Want to come and eat together?"
Atalanta frowned, but did not object. She simply gave Achilles a look that said, "Are you serious?"
Achilles completely ignored that look.
Mukuro Hoshimiya didn't seem to mind eating together.
She walked around several tables and went to a seat by the window, sitting down opposite Atalanta and Achilles.
I pressed the order bell on the table.
A young waitress came over and asked her what she wanted to order.
Mukuro Hoshimiya glanced at the handwritten menu and pointed to the three most prominent items: thick soup, grilled meat rolls, and the thin pancake that looked delicious.
The waiter made a note of it and left.
"So," Achilles poked at the salad leaves on his plate with his fork, "You're out for some fresh air too?"
"Hmm. I'm tired of the bread from the castle."
"Haha, I understand."
Achilles shrugged and spoke in a tone of empathy.
"It's even worse where we are; we don't even have a decent kitchen."
My older sister couldn't hold it in any longer and came out today. As for me, I was just killing time anyway, so I came along."
Atalanta sat beside Achilles, with a half-finished cup of hot tea in front of her.
She stared at Mukuro Hoshimiya for a while.
What did you just call me?
"Ah, Atalanta-nyan."
Atalanta's ears were flattened to the sides.
"These are lion ears, not cat ears. I am a hunter protected by Artemis, not some cat."
"But they look a lot like cat ears."
"Doesn't look like it!"
Atalanta's ear twitched, the tips turning slightly red.
"Don't call me Atalanta-nyan."
Achilles almost burst out laughing, but Atalanta glared at him fiercely, and he quickly suppressed his laughter.
The food arrived quickly.
The broth is made by simmering beef bones and vegetables for a long time; it has a deep, rich color and a layer of fine oil floating on the surface.
It was served with two thick slices of country bread, completely different from the dry bread in the castle; the crust was crispy but the inside was soft.
The outer layer of the meat roll was pan-fried until golden brown and crispy. Inside, it contained minced meat marinated in seasoning mixed with rice, and a subtle hint of thyme.
The crepe is topped with a thick layer of sour cream, and garnished with a few blueberries and a small spoonful of apricot jam in the corner.
Mukuro Hoshimiya scooped a spoonful of the thick soup and put it in her mouth.
Their eyes lit up.
tasty.
It tasted so much better than the bread in the castle.
She started eating seriously, taking one bite after another almost without stopping.
Achilles found it quite amusing to watch her eat.
"By the way, what's your real name? We've always called you 'Archer of the Black Faction,' it just feels a bit strange."
Mukuro Hoshimiya took a bite of the grilled meat roll and gave a vague answer.
" Mukuro Hoshimiya."
" Mukuro Hoshimiya?"
Achilles repeated it, frowning.
"Never heard of it. Absolutely not. I thought you were Michael."
"I am not Michael. It's just that the true name of my Noble Phantasm happens to be pronounced the same as his."
"Oh--"
Achilles drawled, seemingly skeptical of the answer.
"So who exactly are you? Being able to open those spatial portals and throw the Hanging Gardens of Babylon into space—that kind of ability isn't something an ordinary Heroic Spirit could possess."
You wouldn't know even if I told you.
Mukuro Hoshimiya scooped up another spoonful of the thick soup.