Golden Flash! Mapo Tofu

"They are..."

Before the two across from them could even go on guard, Artoria was already on alert. Little Mo, who had just entered, saw her father's wary posture and also turned to look at the pair.

"What's up, what's up? Are they enemies?" Little Mo walked over, asking eagerly.

Yu Feng didn't answer, instead fixing his gaze on the two men. "That depends on them."

"It's been a long time, King of Knights. And you, Yu Feng." Kirei Kotomine took a bite of mapo tofu, wiping the sweat from his cheeks caused by the spice, and spoke slowly.

"How amusing. To think we'd run into you two here." The golden-haired man across from Kirei Kotomine looked at Yu Feng and Artoria as he spoke.

"I have no intention of fighting right now, and I believe the King of Heroes feels the same. How about a truce for now?" Kirei Kotomine said.

After all, in Kirei's view, his own amusement came first—he had to finish his mapo tofu no matter what.

Yu Feng patted Artoria on the shoulder.

"Lily, let's find a seat first. Those two really don't seem like they want a fight." At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief.

If there was anyone Yu Feng least wanted to run into during the Fourth and Fifth Holy Grail Wars, it was Golden Flash and Father Matou. Both were a pain to deal with—Golden Flash, for his part, couldn't win an argument but still had a venomous tongue, and when he couldn't talk his way out, he'd just throw a punch. No sense of gentlemanly conduct at all.

Of course, Yu Feng was talking about Chuunibyou Gil. If it were Wise King Gil or Child Gil, he'd take it all back.

In the end, the three of them sat down at the table next to Golden Flash and Kirei Kotomine.

Artoria looked at Golden Flash, seeming to notice something, and asked, "You weren't summoned for the Fifth Holy Grail War, were you? Weren't you recalled to the Throne of Heroes before?!"

"Wait... you've been incarnated?" Artoria stared at Golden Flash as if she'd seen something astonishing, speaking in disbelief.

"Hmph, what's so strange about that? This King returns when I wish and goes where I please. That Holy Grail alone couldn't force me back to the Throne of Heroes. If I'm to go back, my consent must be asked first!" Golden Flash declared arrogantly.

Great. This guy really was Chuunibyou Gil. Chuunibyou Gil had his good points, but he was far too arrogant and cringe—nothing pleased him, and he wanted everything for himself. Otherwise, Yu Feng might have had a shred of goodwill toward him.

Kirei Kotomine focused solely on his mapo tofu, not bothering to chat with Yu Feng and the others.

Gilgamesh sat across from Kirei Kotomine without ordering anything, apparently under some misunderstanding about the restaurant because of Kirei, assuming all the dishes were as spicy as the mapo tofu in his bowl.

Beside them, Artoria was still finding it hard to believe that Gilgamesh had been incarnated, but she quickly composed herself. While it was shocking, it wasn't impossible.

"Hey, order that and see what it's like." Little Mo tugged at Yu Feng's sleeve, pointing at the mapo tofu in Kirei's bowl.

Yu Feng looked at the mapo tofu in Kirei's bowl, his expression turning odd.

He double-checked: "Little Mo, are you sure you want that? You might not be able to handle it."

Little Mo didn't think much of his warning and nodded directly. "Yeah, order me one of those. It looks pretty good."

Yu Feng had no choice but to order a serving of mapo tofu for her.

When Kirei Kotomine heard that Little Mo wanted mapo tofu, a pleased smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and his gaze toward her took on a hint of strange interest.

Yu Feng ordered a few more dishes: Kung Pao Chicken, Potato Stewed Meat, Green Pepper Shredded Pork, Sweet and Sour Cucumber Strips, Radish Soup, and so on.

He ordered two portions of each. Yu Feng didn't believe those two would be full on just the food they'd already had—ordering extra was a safe bet.

He glanced at Kirei Kotomine and Gilgamesh. Running into them here... well, it was normal, but also not.

Yu Feng hadn't expected that during the Holy Grail War, these two would have the leisure to come here and eat.

Should he really be surprised? Father Matou, always chasing pleasure above all, right?

Gilgamesh was probably just tagging along with Kirei.

Before long, Yu Feng's dishes arrived, including the mapo tofu.

Yu Feng didn't start eating right away, instead watching Little Mo as she prepared to dig in.

Artoria looked at Little Mo, seemed about to say something, but ultimately held back.

Little Mo clumsily tried to pick up chopsticks, but how could she learn that so quickly?

After a few attempts, she gave up entirely, grabbed the spoon next to the chopsticks, and eagerly started eating.

Kirei Kotomine's gaze shifted over, and Gilgamesh also watched Little Mo with interest.

Little Mo scooped up a piece of tofu and swallowed it without hesitation.

A moment later, a flush quickly spread across her cheeks.

It wasn't embarrassment—it was from the spice, the mapo tofu's heat.

Artoria turned her head away, hiding her urge to laugh. Clearly, she knew all about mapo tofu.

Kirei Kotomine let out a delighted laugh at the sight. He'd been waiting for this moment for a long time.

A smile also tugged at Gilgamesh's lips.

Little Mo immediately grabbed the water cup beside her and downed it, drinking two or three cups before the flush slowly faded.

"How can this food be so spicy!?"

"And you didn't warn me!?"

First came her shock at such a spicy dish, then her displeasure at Yu Feng.

Yu Feng shrugged innocently. "I did warn you. You just didn't listen."

With that, he pulled the mapo tofu in front of himself, picked up the spoon, and took a bite.

Mmm~

This feeling, this familiar taste.

A burst of spiciness surged into his mouth, stimulating Yu Feng's taste buds.

"You...?" Little Mo looked at Yu Feng suspiciously.

Yu Feng took another bite. "Can't waste food, right?"

Gilgamesh and Kirei Kotomine beside him showed no surprise at Yu Feng eating the Mapo Tofu, as if they had known all along.

Little Mo watched Yu Feng eating the Mapo Tofu without changing his expression, pursed her lips, and said nothing.

Artoria and Little Mo began to get down to business, while Yu Feng slowly started eating the Mapo Tofu—if he ate too fast, even he couldn't handle the spiciness.

At that moment, Kirei Kotomine also wiped his mouth, glanced at Yu Feng, and said, "I'll take my leave first. Just let Bazett stay with you for now."

Yu Feng's heart tightened. It seemed Kirei Kotomine had long known about his earlier visit to the Twin Mansions.

That made sense—since Kirei Kotomine had left Bazett to die in the Twin Mansions, he must have set up contingencies; otherwise, he wouldn't have left so assuredly.

But from Kirei Kotomine's tone, he no longer seemed so concerned about Bazett's affairs. It appeared that after obtaining Sasaki Kojirou's Command Spells, Kirei Kotomine had washed his hands of Bazett's fate.

Gilgamesh glanced at Artoria and Yu Feng, said nothing, and also walked out.