Chapter 24: The Lady in a Suit (Patreon)

Looking at Bazett lying on the bed, her injuries given simple emergency treatment by him, her entire body wrapped in bandages, Shinji sat quite comfortably at the nearby desk, crossing his legs and sipping the black tea he had just found and brewed.

Truly worthy of being called the "Lady in a Suit." Perfect in every way.

Shinji praised inwardly. Due to her training, Bazett's body had not an ounce of excess fat—except for those rather unscientific... ahem—and was full of aesthetic appeal.

Of course, this was merely an appreciative gaze.

Bazett. One of the few women in the Fate world who could tear Servants apart with her bare hands. The current strongest Enforcer in the Mage's Association. The woman tricked by Kirei Kotomine who didn't even make an appearance in the Fifth Holy Grail War. And...

A "Carrier of an Inheritance." She was completely different from his own "Carrier" mother—the one Zōken had dismissed as a third-rate magus picked up from the roadside—who died giving birth to him. Or rather, she was the truly powerful kind of existence.

How to use this woman... The moment Shinji saw Bazett, he had several ideas, or rather, he had already thought of them before even seeing her.

First, for this Holy Grail War, the grudge between her and the Tax Evader, Kirei Kotomine, could probably draw a lot of attention away from himself, who planned to do something in the shadows.

For Shinji, in this Grail War, the others didn't matter. The only one he needed to guard against was Okonomiyaki, because he had that Golden Shining guy who could end the Grail War in one night.

Then there was... Shinji felt that once his power was exposed in the future, he would eventually be listed for a "Sealing Designation" by the Clock Tower (Mage's Association). So, having a contact within the Mage's Association wouldn't be a bad idea.

But, what if this woman didn't act according to his plans?

[A man who cannot even subdue a woman is unworthy of ascending to the throne of Emperor.]

"Shut up."

After saying that, Shinji crossed his legs, propped his chin on his hand, and frowned in thought.

To be honest, Shinji had quite a few methods to make "Bazett-nee" obey him dutifully. However, in Shinji's view, those methods weren't very... humane, and he didn't particularly like them himself. Things like a Heart-Devouring Curse (Shinshoku Noroi), for example.

Although taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable state was something Shinji was absolutely capable of doing... she was, after all, a woman he had "played with" (in the game).

If possible, Shinji still hoped to use strategy to manipulate this woman, whose essence was somewhat contradictory, a bit like Shirou's.

Also, the moment he saw Bazett, Shinji was a little surprised.

Because the time when Bazett had her Command Spells taken seemed to be many days earlier than in the original story.

If he remembered correctly, in the original, Bazett should have just summoned Lancer around this time. But it didn't seem to be the case now. Some traces of life in the room indicated that Bazett had lived here for at least three days.

This meant Bazett had arrived in Fuyuki City a while earlier than in the original story, but he just hadn't noticed.

...

Morning.

A groggy consciousness gradually cleared. Before even opening her eyes, Bazett sensed the light and the fresh morning air.

The sensations covering her entire body were slowly coming back online.

Pain. Pain all over her body, especially the nearly unbearable pain in her left arm, so intense it was suffocating. However... it was also good news. Being able to feel pain meant she was still alive.

Coupled with the somewhat glaring light and the fresh air, everything unequivocally declared that she was still alive.

"It hurts..." Bazett murmured softly and slowly opened her eyes.

Looking at the familiar ceiling of the room, Bazett knew she was still in the Twin Mansions.

Had she managed to hold on yesterday? Bazett wondered, thinking of the blue-haired youth she saw just before losing consciousness yesterday.

Was that a dream? Did she manage to save herself at the last moment?

"You're awake."

Hearing the sound of the door opening and a man's voice, Bazett gritted her teeth, mustering all her strength to turn her head towards the bedroom door. What she saw was the blue-haired youth holding a tray, a gentle smile on his face.

So it wasn't a dream after all. Bazett frowned slightly as she looked at Shinji, confirming that this unfamiliar youth had rescued her at the last moment yesterday.

"Q-Quickly... leave this place. It's dangerous here." Bazett managed to force out these words. Having lost a large amount of blood, she was so weak that even speaking was difficult.

From the first moment she saw Shinji, Bazett had noticed: this youth was not a magus. He didn't have a trace of Magical energy on him.

Kotomine Kirei, who had stolen her Command Spells and Servant, might return here. In her current state, she couldn't even lift an arm, let alone fight. If he were to come at a time like this...

Watching the youth who didn't answer, instead walking over slowly, pulling up a chair, and sitting by the bed, Bazett was about to say something more when a spoon held to her lips stopped her words.

"You should eat something first. After losing so much blood, if you don't replenish some energy properly, it's absolutely impossible for you to recover in a short time."

"Listen to me! I am truly grateful you saved me, but this place is danger—"

Bazett's tone intensified, but before she could finish, a full spoonful of seafood porridge was stuffed into her mouth.

"How is it? Does it taste good?" Shinji asked, his eyes curved in a smile, then showing a hint of pride. "Although it's my first time making it, I thought it tasted pretty good when I tried it. I just don't know if it suits your taste."

After swallowing the not-too-hot porridge with a gulp, Bazett spoke again, "I'm serious, this place is danger—"

But once again, she was cut off by another spoonful of seafood porridge.

"I think it's you, big sister, who isn't listening. I was asking how the porridge tasted," Shinji said, his face still wearing a thoroughly kind smile.

Looking at Shinji's face, full of a gentle smile, Bazett was momentarily at a loss for how to respond, simply frozen for a moment. It was then that Shinji, while scooping another spoonful of porridge from the small bowl, continued very naturally.

"Although I don't have Magic Circuits, I am, after all, the eldest son born into a magus family. So, I do know a few minor tricks. That is to say, this house is safe for the time being."

"You're a magus too?" Bazett's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of vigilance appearing between her eyebrows. She even refused the porridge offered to her lips once again.

"Calm down, big sister. I'm just an ordinary person born into a declining magus family. Didn't I say? I don't have a single Magic Circuit. My name is Matou Shinji."

"Matou..." Bazett suddenly thought of something. "One of the three founding families, the Makiri..."

Taking advantage of this gap, Shinji delivered the porridge into Bazett's mouth and continued, "Yes, that's right. But even though that's what they say, it's completely fallen into decline, especially in my generation. We don't even have the most basic requirement to become a magus—Magic Circuits."

"I see..."

"So, big sister, you don't need to be so wary of me. I'm no threat to you. Speaking of which, saving you only to be met with this attitude is really quite disheartening."

"S-Sorry." Bazett showed a hint of apology.

Huh? She believes it just like that? Shinji was slightly surprised inwardly. Did this woman completely trust him so easily?

"Ahem, of course. There's another important reason for saving you, big sister." Shinji continued feeding Bazett porridge while speaking, his eyes curved, revealing a very pleasant smile. "Actually, my mother was also a 'Carrier,' though she didn't have any powerful abilities, nothing compared to a truly strong inheritance carrier like you."

"You can tell my identity?"

A trace of vigilance returned to Bazett's expression. But Shinji seemed completely unfazed, casually delivering another full spoonful of porridge to Bazett's mouth.

"Ah, yes. Maybe it's the only ability my mother passed down to me. A useless ability, except for being able to recognize others of the same kind. Of course, it's also possible we share actual blood ties from long, long ago. If that's really the case, then there's no way I could stand by and watch you die."

Looking at the extended spoon and Shinji's once again beautifully, sincerely smiling face, Bazett found herself staring, lost in thought once more...