To Love a Sword Chapter 32: Island Mischief Part 1 + Bonus Part Finale (Patreon)

Beta read by Paragon of Awesomeness and FabledLifeNext update is Fake Familiar followed by Hound....[Bonus Part Finale]-???-The tournament went on as one would expect, in that for Emiya’s team it largely consisted of a series of one-sided matches with Yui acting as their main damage dealer.Boosted by the consumption of some of his experimental dishes from ingredients he’d stockpiled and Yami’s cheer ability, she managed to easily crush most contenders without them needing to lift a finger. There were only a handful of times Emiya or Yami had to step in to lend her a hand, usually when the other team looked like they might actually give her a run for her money. Otherwise, it was business as usual, and Yui handled the rest.Even without using his Tracing inside this world and being severely limited in combat due to his chef class, his own skills were enough to hand him victory against any opponent, despite the chef's knife only dealing single digits of damage, with enough speed those hits accumulated until his opponent's health points reached zero or they simply gave up. “This is too easy,” even Yami found the entire thing nothing short of a breeze, with her only needing to rely on a few hair attacks to overwhelm the opposing players. “It’s getting boring.” “What do you mean by boring? This has been fun!” Yui had differing opinions, looking more enthusiastic compared to their first match. “How did I do, Emiya-kun? Did you see how I used my technique back there to kick the guy in the head? Wasn't it cool!?” Now the girl kept seeking his approval after all her battles with eyes filled with gleeful anticipation, and his habit of giving her a treat every time only served to make this whole scenario feel oddly like an interaction between an owner and their pets. He wasn't sure if she was even aware of how her behavior looked from the outside, and he feared she was at the edge of getting addicted to his food. “It was… good. Yes, very good. Though I’m pretty sure you inflicted mental trauma on at least one of the students with how you kept bashing their heads in,” he said with a pitiable smile, feeling genuine pity for the boy in question who had since fallen apart into shards of fading light. At least he wasn’t like the last poor bastard that was sliced in half.…From bottom-upEven her fighting style started to shift more and more with each progressing match. What had started out as elegant martial arts that focused on kicks and evasion had turned into a full-on confrontation that utilized pure force to crush the other side as quickly and ruthlessly as possible? “They'll recover! Besides, it's not like this is real life, it’s all just a game! Now give me another one of those tasty meat buns, my buff ran out!” shouted the brunette, earning an incredulous stare from him. Was this really Kotegawa Yui? The very same girl who would vehemently insist that everyone follow all rules and whatever she considered proper procedures without going out of line even outside the school?‘Did I accidentally cook something with psychoactive properties?’ Emiya wondered as he had watched Yui tear into his food like she hadn’t eaten in weeks.If that was the case, then it better to refrain from giving her anymore, but he was weary of the kind of reaction he would get going down that path. The look she was giving him right now already seemed a bit too intense for his liking for him to risk that option.So he came up with another solution. “I'm all out.” he said flatly.That answer instantly got a reaction of disbelief and horror from Yui, who remained frozen in place at the news. So with a sigh, he placed his palm on her head, making clarity return to her face. “You did more than enough for us already, Yui. I'm impressed by your efforts and thankful to have you on our side. But since we are nearing the end, let Yami and I handle the rest of the tournament while you relax for a bit. You’ve earned it” A visible struggle occurred within her, she went a couple of seconds without answering him. “A-Ah… did I really do good?” “Of course you did. I mean, you certainly did far more than either of us.” He pointed to both himself and Golden Darkness. “I must say, it is a bit of a surprise to see the head of the school disciplinary committee being so… intense during a battle. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought you were trying to mentally scar those people for life with how brutal you were being on some of them.” “A-Ah,” shock flashed across her face and she immediately looked away with guilt in her eyes. As if the implications of her own actions had finally started to dawn on her mind. Yui quickly became pale when she looked around and found the large crowd still cheering for her. “Oh no… W-will everyone remember what happened today?”“Why wouldn't they? Lala only blocked us from logging out, I don't think this device has the ability to wipe out memories…” He paused to think about that. ”Actually, hold that thought, I'll have to retract that statement until further notice, given how chaotic and unpredictable her inventions can be… I wouldn't be surprised if they really were capable of altering memories.” The poor girl fell to her knees, all her strength abandoning her such that she could no longer even stand. “I… I can never show my face to the world again!” she cried.“…You are being a bit over-dramatic there,” Emiya said with a raised brow.“It’s true! What kind of disciplinary committee head goes on a rampage in such a fashion!? I am no longer worthy of the title! I acted with utter shamelessness in front of all my peers!”“Hah,” with Yui now completely lost to them, Emiya supposed it was their turn to deal with the remaining opponents as he planned on doing from the beginning. He saw the spot in front of him start to glow, telling him that their next opponents were soon going to show themselves. “I can take care of them.” Golden Darkness offered, looking at him expectantly. Clearly, she was hoping to get one of his pastries, the buff being just a bonus to her mind. “I am not going to give you anything. If Yui is any indication, the last thing I want is for you to go on a rampage just because you were influenced by what I made. So just use your bunny girl abilities on me or something. I’m rather curious as to what kind of buff it gives if I’m being honest.” The blonde obviously did not like this but complied nonetheless.“Stop crying, Kotegawa Yui. It's annoying,” Golden Darkness said coldly to Yui as she went over to where the fighter was. Definitely not the best thing to say as it only made the girl cry out louder, but it was clear that her mood had been worsened by him not giving her a treat. “All right people, the moment you have all been waiting for! The final match between these two awesome teams will finally commence! Let's see if our favorite berserker head of the disciplinary committee will be able to smash more skulls! How the hell does she keep eating so many foods without feeling bloated!? Will she vomit mid-fight? Let's find out!” “My life is ruined!” Risa's excited voice echoed throughout the arena. Since he was not able to spectate the other matches, he started to question how to manage to make their way up until this point. After almost a dozen matches, he thankfully did not encounter his little brother's group or even Saki's. Both certainly guaranteed him an extreme headache to deal with.The ground in front shined brightly, not a minute passed until the group finally showed themselves. And much to his shock, it happened to be the last people he would want to face in a fight. “Nii-san?” Rito's voice reached his ears, filled with doubt and disbelief, the boy along with his little sister and Haruna all looked at him with widened eyes. They definitely had not expected to be facing him of all people. “You gotta be kidding me!”“Ooooh! A family battle!” Mio and Risa shouted in unison from the speakers. “What a twist! Brothers and sisters are now destined to fight one another with the hero on one side. Wait, does that mean Emiya and his team can be considered as the equivalent of the demon king?”“I agree with you, Risa, Emiya has always given me the impression of being the perfect candidate for the Demon King. Have you ever seen him smile? I haven't.” “True, but he’s also kind of a pushover. Unless he’s willing to beat up his little brother and his sweet, priceous and cute little sister, I’m not convinced he’s demon king material.”Emiya rolled his eyes. Just what were these two blabbering about…“Stop being such a scardy cat, Rito!” Mikan snapped, hands on her hips and a fire of determination and excitement in her eyes. She looked more ready to throw down than being scared. “We’ve got Haruna and me—a powerhouse mage—on our side! Just because he can chuck a bunch of chef knives around doesn’t mean he’s built for combat. He’s a *chef*, for crying out loud!”“But what about Yami? She is in his group after all.”“Don't worry, I have an idea,” she smirked and waved her hand to get the blonde's attention. “Yami-chan, can you do me a favor and not participate in this match?”“Roger.” She ended up agreeing immediately, making the Counter Guardian's head snap at her with a clear shock within them. “You're serious?” Never in his life would he imagine her betraying him so easily like this. “Your orders, you told me to keep her safe and not harm her. I'm doing just that.”“Touché. Just make sure you are safe,” he said, not knowing whether to laugh or sigh. Looking at his little sister and the devious method she used, a part of him couldn't help but feel proud for going down that route. “That's not an honorable thing to do, Mikan.”“I am a mage, not a fighter nor a paladin. Honor and pride have no value to me so I will play by using everything to my advantage. Isn't that what you told me before?”“That was just a comment I made about that movie we watched together.” he chuckled once again, not sure whether or not this was a good sign or not. “Also, what is up with her?” Mikan pointed at Yui behind him, the latter still huddled up in the corner with a hollow look in her eyes. “Don't worry, she is just coming to terms with reality,” he said with a wave of his hand, now taking his chef knife from his inventory and preparing for battle. “So a gardener, a mage, and a hero face off against a humble chef. A three against-one fight, how unfair.”“Sorry about this, Emiya. But your brother and sister told me how capable you are as a chef. So, to make it up to you, I'll end this quickly.” Haruna held her sword steady, her expression guilty but resolute. “After we win this, we can finally go back to the real world. I still need to finish my homework. I can't waste too much time—I need to prepare dinner today.”Emiya smirked and lazily twirled the knife chef in the air before catching it. “Hoh? Now what do we have here? A Haruna who procrastinates on her homework? How disappointing, tch tch. I expected better from you.” He wagged his finger mockingly, getting a cute blush from the blue haired paladen.“Don’t you start with me! I’ve already gotten an earful from my sister!” Haruna’s cheeks flushed crimson as she stomped her foot. In an instant, she launched forward with surprising speed, her sword gleaming under the light.“Sorry!” she announced, aiming for a wide slash for his abdomen using both hands.Emiya jumped back and avoided the attack with ease. “Do you have to apologize? While it is cute, you're kind of sending mixed signals here.”He sidestepped, the blade whistling past his ear. A single strand of his avatar's hair fluttered to the ground before disappearing. “You can do better, Akiho is faster with her punches in real life.”"I'm trying! Please stay still, I promise it won't hurt!” Haruna shouted, now slashing at him with more fervor. “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” Each swing was punctuated by her apologies as though it softened the fact that she was trying to cut him in half. This getting more ridiculous the longer it went on, given with every slash she had her eyes shut, while her attacks look oddly familiar…“Are you… are you using tennis moves to use the sword?” “What else am I supposed to use!? I don't practice swordsmanship!” He deftly deflected another one of her strikes with his knife, maintaining his usual nonchalance. She was fast, her level was most likely in the double digits and above his — a hero class… how ironic. Her next swing was a frantic overhead smash — tennis serve meets Excalibur — one that Emiya parried with his knife, steel clashing in a shower of sparks. But the sound of something snapping caught his attention. He glanced down at his hand.[Common Chef's Knife - Broken]“Oh,” he said, lifting what was now half a knife. “Well, that's gone for good.”A common-grade weapon, he did not expect it to last that long against a unique-grade sword. No different from trying to compare a regular sword against a Noble Phantasm in this game's setting equivalent. Even if he used thousands of these, it wouldn’t even chip the large sword. The fact that it did last more than a few hits was no less than a miracle honestly.[Hero’s Ancient Sword Item Lvl 24 (Scaled)Rarity: UniqueA relic was left by the first Hero who vanquished the demon army. Said to be forged by the Gods themselves and sealed until the prophesized hero can unleash its true power. Said to be able to cut apart destinies!

100-150 damage 

50 defence 

30% Critical Chance

Effects 1: Grants immunity against demonic attacks and mind control.Effects 2: Grants 40% Exp gain.Effect 3: Indestructible.Effect 4: Upon meeting requirements, become immune to all debuffs for a short period of time and have all of your stats doubled.Value: Can't be sold (Bound to Class)]What a ridiculous sword, it made him wonder why Haruna of all people landed that class. According to the twins, the game’s class distribution was somewhat based on personalities and the hero class was just absurd. Taking another quick look at the sword's level gave him an understanding of what level Haruna was in the first place. No wonder her speed surpassed Yui for her level turned out to be much higher than most likely every player here. “Don't use such a stance during a fight,” he let her move forward with another slash, twisting his torso just enough to have it miss him again and sneak his leg toward her. Hooking his foot onto her ankle and pushing her out of balance. “Ah!” Haruna let out a loud yelp, falling face-first onto the dirt. “Uuuuuuh…” At the sight of the girl letting out a moan of pain from that fall, he did feel a bit sorry for that move. However, he did not give up, riding back up with a slightly pissed-off face. “Now I'm the one saying sorry, you just shouldn't be using a tennis stance by having your feet spread like that in a horse stance. You can trip easily or be pushed down.” He said after taking out another knife from his inventory.“Y-You’re carrying a second knife?!” Haruna sputtered, stepping back instinctively.“Of course. After all, a good chef is always prepared, and to be perfectly honest these things are pretty cheap.” Without warning, Emiya stepped forward and took the offensive. His movements were fluid, almost dance-like, as he used his blade not just to parry but to guide her attacks aside effortlessly.“Watch your footing,” he said lightly, sweeping her legs out from under her. Haruna yelped as she hit the ground again with a thud.“Don’t grip your sword so tight. You’re wasting energy,” Emiya continued, kicking the weapon out of her hand before she could recover. He spun it in the air and tossed it a few feet behind him. Still, not wanting her to feel bad, he approached Haruna. “If it's too much then let me know, here, take my hand.”“You’re giving advice now?” Haruna growled, but it quickly turned into a smile, “Got you!” However, much to his surprise, rather than take his hands he offered, she got straight back up and slashed her sword upwards. He barely had the time to move away but the tip of the blade managed to leave a cut on the left side of his face. [-20 HP]So much damage from just that small cut? Around ten more of those and he was basically dead or a single stab wound would take his character out immediately. “Oh my God! Someone finally landed a hit on that guy! You owe me a thousand Loveroons, Risa!” “Damn it, oi Emiya, stop being such a softy with Haruna and kick her butt! You know she likes it! Smack that ass! Grab your sword and thrust it into her! Push her to her limits until she can’t take it any more!” “Please stop talking, you two!” Haruna froze for a split second. “Ah! Sorry, I forgot to hold back! Are you hurt? Did I accidentally cut you? Show me your fac—”“Hold on.” Emiya stopped the girl in her step, taking a deep breath to hold back a deep sigh. She was just not made for combat with how quickly her attitude changed during this battle. This one was gleaming and just as unassuming as the last one. “Seriously, if you start to get a panic attack by accidentally cutting my face. Then how will you exactly defeat me right now? In fact, how did you beat the other contestants before us?” “She wasn't worrying about them as much as she's worrying about you.” He got his answer not from Haruna, but from the side. “Fire missiles!” With the familiar name of the spell reaching his ears, Emiya swiftly opened his inventory and retrieved several chef knives, each nestled in between his fingers as if they were claws before being thrown in the air. Just in time to impact several streaks of crimson light, the spell detonates and destroys the various weapons just like he hoped. Bewilderment clearly appeared on Mikan's face, she most likely believed he wouldn't have had enough time to throw knives. “Where the hell did you learn to do that!? That's not a skill from the chef class! Ah forget it, bet you can't do it again!” It was cute seeing her get this frustrated, even more so when she put so much effort into trying to defeat her brother. “Greater Fire Lance!” Her efforts continued, using a more powerful spell this time, taking the shape of a spear twice her size which fired towards him at greater speed. “Now that's a new one,” whispered the Counter Guardian, calmly staring ahead and chucking another set of knives which immediately were destroyed without being able to cancel the spell. Unfortunately for her, it was slower than the previous spell, with a quick burst of speed, he rushed forward at the flaming spear. Ducking till his face and body hovered a hairbreadth away from the ground. Sensing more of the hair on the back of his head burning off along with a certain percentage of his health points. Regardless, he managed to avoid a point-blank hit, the explosion weak enough that it allowed him to survive with still half of his health bar present. Unfortunately, that could not be said for Haruna, who had been present behind him at that moment. “Ah!” Even Mikan was shocked upon discovering the unintended target of her spell, seeing their party's hero get blasted away from the field till her body disappeared. Leaving behind nothing but the sword that, for some reason, he would not touch with a ten-foot pole. “I'm so sorry, Sairenji-san!” Of course, she was not the only one he was keeping his eye on. Clang!Turning around, he parried a trowel that tried to sneak attack him. Two sets of golden brown eyes stared at each other, one of amusement and the other with various emotions. “I am surprised you came at me with a trowel, sorry I didn't give you an opportunity to look good in front of Haruna.” Rito showed a helpless smile, “I don't think that would have been possible with me being a gardener.”“You're talking to a chef, Rito.” “It's different,” he shook his head, clearly wanting to say something but deciding otherwise at the end. “I wasn't able to save her back there, so I will at least make sure she will see me try my best against you.” “That's the spirit.” Genuine praise, bringing the knife up to block another strike. Unlike Haruna’s attack, there was no weight behind it nor any technique whatsoever. But the boy kept trying, throwing several seeds along the way which all sprouted several types of plants which all were cut apart before they became a real problem. Despite the one-sided match, he kept trying again and again. Breathing harshly with sweat dripping down his forehead, Emiya did not say anything the entire time and focused on the next move. For he hoped this stubborn nature of his brother to be seen by everyone present, that regardless of how outmatched he seemed, giving up just never was an option he'd chosen. Strange, never had he imagined growing fond of such a scene. The trowel itself chipped till not much remained of it, it being a common tool after all against an uncommon one. “Hah… Hah… Hah… I think… hah… I think I should practice kendo to have a chance against you, Nii-san.” The boy said in between his breath, tired but still smiling. “You should try it out, but you won't be able to participate in your soccer club as often then.” “Hehehe… hah… cough! I guess that's true.” “Are you giving up?” Emiya asked, seeing the latter's stamina being completely depleted along with most seeds he had saved up in his bag. “Not yet.” “—?” Unexpectedly, rather than attempt another attack, the boy just came over and gave him a hug which he accepted without much of a thought. There was no hostile intention behind it, so he grew confused about that action. “I thought you were embarrassed giving me hugs like you used to as a child.” The same applied to Mikan.“It's the only way I can get close to you and make sure you don't dodge… NOW, MIKAN! THIS IS OUR ONLY CHANCE!” What was most likely the lost seeds left in his pouch were thrown on the ground next to their feet, several large vines sprouted and trapped both of them on the spot. A visible fog encircles them and starts to affect their character's bodies. [Debuff: Hellvine’s spores]Effect: Reduces physical defense by 10% and increases vulnerability to fire damage by 50%.]“What is this!? He is sacrificing himself to win? Way to go, Rito! Oh wait, I still have bets on Emiya! Damn it Rito, why did you have to grow a pair of all times! Where was this confidence when talking to Haruna-chan!?” Risa cried on the microphone, though at this point, both teams stopped paying attention to her. Emiya did not even have the opportunity to applaud the boy's approach; he felt a blazing heat touch his skin and discovered Mikan standing on the other side with her staff pointed at him with the spell ready to be launched. “Ultimate Blazing Pillar!” His head snapped to the side, finding his vision filled with a giant crimson magic circle forming a beam of fire heading towards him from above. A direct hit would definitely reduce his health to zero given the debuff added on top. This game emulated many aspects of real life to a terrifying degree. From not just smell and the sensation of touch, but even the scorching heat licking his skin, threatening to melt it off and him momentarily acting through pure instinct. Raising his arm up with the palm facing the arrow, reasoning managed to crawl its way back and stop him from speaking out loud two words. Realization of what he was about to do crawled into his mind at the last few seconds and he chuckled before lowering his hand back down. Applauding his sibling's effort, “well played.” For Rito to use himself as a sacrifice to give Mikan enough time to prepare a spell like that. He patted Rito's head, finding his action a bit too much for such a realistic game, “Hn, I can't let you get hit by that after all.” So without wasting any time, another dish was taken from his inventory and consumed on the spot, and eyed Haruna's sword on the ground with an ugly expression. [Warning! Incompatible c-c-c-clas-ɲæ›Әı𝈇┍Әϐϐ]…Mikan was this close to just giving up the match. Somehow no matter the situation, her eldest brother always had a way to deal with any problematic situation in the most ridiculous way. Whether it be in real life or even in a game as she found out recently. So from the beginning, she suspected that things would not go according to her plan. Even with Haruna as a hero on their team, she knew something would go wrong somehow. Whether it be because of her brother, Yami, or even Yui. Honestly, it would have been much better if the cause of their defeat was Yami or even Yui, at least then it made sense given their class. But for a chef to give them so much trouble, she could imagine how ridiculous it would sound and look to anyone. Yet just as she was about to give up hope, Rito came along and gave her a window of opportunity. Of course, she hesitated at first and almost did not go through with that action. But seeing how determined he was to win this tournament and perhaps even impress a certain someone in his life, forced herself to push the feeling to the side and launch her strongest spell using all of the mana she had left. ‘We won,’ believed Mikan while watching the crimson pillar descent from the sky onto the duo. Both are trapped in the middle of a vine-like plant with no way of escaping that easily. She was not afraid of facing Yami, drinking a few potions of mana rejuvenation would suffice for her to prepare another attack right after this one. Before the tournament started, the blonde assassin promised her to help out as much as she could, so perhaps there wouldn't even be a fight in the end. Crash!“—!” A brief flash of light caught her attention at the very last second of the explosion. She was certain that for just a moment, she saw her eldest brother hold something else other than his kitchen knives. “Hngh!” The shock wave of the spell spread across the field, and the explosion tore through the virtual battlefield, flames spiraling upward in a fury. Mikan stumbled back, arms raised against the searing heatwave. Dirt and ash stung her eyes as the shockwave rippled outward, flattening the grassland into a smoldering crater. "D-Did we… get him?" she wheezed, squinting through the roiling dust. Her staff trembled in her hands, still glowing with residual magic. Silence. Then… footsteps. Slow. Deliberate. A rhythmic crunch of gravel cut through the smoke. Mikan's breath hitched as a shadow loomed tall which in a brief moment had practically teleported in front of her. His fingers gently tapped her forehead and messed with her hair lovingly. “That was a good attempt, you two,” Emiya said with a smile on his face, she watched him with pure disbelief, and hundreds of questions about how he survived such an attack popped into her mind. In the end, she just decided to accept her fate and fell back to the ground. Not even bothering to consume some of her mana rejuvenation potions. “We give up, you won.” “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!” Saki shouted, her voice paralleled by Mio who was also cheering for them. “Also, what the hell was that last part!? Mio, did you get it on camera? We need to see it again!”“The drone got destroyed by the spell.”“Shit—ah, mic is still on.”...“You almost got defeated there.” Walking back to his group, he was amused to find Yui now completely entangled by Yami’s hair. The latter most likely tried to come to his assistance during the battle but did not hear about how their little assassin ‘betrayed’ them. With the latter now talking to him about his prior battle. “I was, they performed admirably and I honestly won due to pure luck.” Emiya shrugged his shoulders, seeing the crowd around them grow more aesthetic, and despite not being able to hear them, he could easily imagine the commotion outside.“Ah, the Princess.”Both noted a sudden change in their surroundings. Mikan, Rito, and the grassy field started to shift until the world dissolved into a kaleidoscope of pixels, the cratered battlefield warping like a glitched dream. Emiya felt the ground vanish beneath his feet as golden light engulfed his team. When his vision cleared, he stood on a floating platform of polished obsidian, its edges dripping starlight into the abyss below.All three of them hovering above in the sky where the castle was with the crowd audibly cheering for them below.Lala appeared on the balcony of the castle vested in her princess attire. Looking absolutely ecstatic and barely able to hold her energetic self back from the looks of it.“Congratulations on reaching the final stage of the Demonic Super Ultra Battle Royale War Smash, Shirou!”…Did she change the name again? Wait, the final stage? Was the tournament where he fought his sibling's group not the final remaining team? “Hold on a moment, wasn't the prior fight supposed to be the final one? There is no one left to fight, so we should be the winners.” He commented, growing slightly wary at whatever ploy Lala was having here. But much to his dismay, the princess just grinned and shook her head. “I did say that this was supposed to be a battle where the best of the best would fight one another until the strongest emerged victorious at the end! Of course, if you lose then you will be at my mercy and forced to fulfill one of my wishes!” The more he listened, the more suspicious all of this started to sound, especially the last part. He highly doubted that Lala would ask such a thing of another person when they were here instead of him.“What should we do?” Yami asked, with Yui looking far more worried. Rather than give them an answer, he had one more question to ask. “What is this final stage? I’d rather have a look at what I’m going to deal with.” “Hehehe, Glad you asked! Please show yourself, my loyal champion!” At the end of a phrase, several trumpets sang along with the doors leading to the balcony slowly opening. From the darkness, his ears picked up the sound of something heavy walking closer until what appeared to be a tall dark-plated armored knight came out, carrying a ridiculously large sword on his back. His face was hidden, but the pair of shining red eyes were staring right back at him with great fervor and bloodlust leaking out of them.“Zastin?” “…” The figure did not answer, merely crossing his arms and standing right behind Lala. Not once did his gaze leave Emiya, and for some reason, this person felt familiar…No, not Zastin. His entire demeanor felt too different and Yami also felt something off. “He's dangerous.”“Dangerous in the game or dangerous in real life?”“Both.” A knot formed in his stomach as he assessed the situation. What had started as Lala's typical brand of chaos - entertaining but ultimately harmless - had shifted into something else entirely. He'd been content to play along, knowing everyone would walk away unscathed at the end of it all. But this mysterious figure changed everything. The playful atmosphere evaporated, replaced by genuine unease. With Lala's penchant for spontaneous rule changes, there was no telling what she might throw at them next."I don't suppose taking the princess hostage is an option?" he muttered, only half-joking.Yami shook her head, “The Princess has ultimate control over the game system. She must be controlling it through that,” She pointed at the wand in her hand, one that held a significant resemblance to Peke’s swirly design. “Even if I get my hands on it, there is no guarantee that it will work.”“Exactly, it can only be activated and used by the princess.”Emiya frowned, thinking carefully about what to do next and not just blindly following along with whatever Lala was going to say next. He needed some kind of guarantee, something that he could use in the worst-case scenario. “Lala must have chosen this person after we won, she knows what I am capable of and would not have chosen Zastin. Not to mention what would happen if I lose, her purpose is to make me lose and grant her a wish.”“Yes.”Emiya’s mind raced as he stared at the imposing figure of the Black Knight. The red eyes burned with an intensity that felt all too familiar, and the sheer aura of danger radiating from the knight sent a chill through his virtual avatar. He glanced at Yami and Yui, both tense and ready for whatever came next.“Yami,” Emiya said, his voice low but firm. “I need you to do something for me.”Yami tilted her head, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. “What is it?”Emiya opened his inventory, and a holographic menu appeared in front of him. With a few swift motions, he transferred everything—his entire stock of all dishes he ever made onto a large sac he’d made before and throughout the tournament—handing it to Yami who accepted it with a determined expression.“I will finish it all, you can count on me.” “No,” he quickly said, stopping her from eating the entire thing. “Just take it to someone we know and have them hand it out to the spectators. Every last dish, snack, and sweets I ever made. Let them have it.”Yami blinked, momentarily stunned. It took her a few seconds to recall a certain memory and her eyes widened in disbelief. “You… are you sure about this, Yuuki Emiya Shirou?”He hummed, not giving her an immediate answer, “I don't like the idea as much as you, but in case things don't go as planned or Lala gets a bit too carried away — I need to have something prepared.” A glint of worry flashed in his eyes. “Lala is many things, but even she will not allow herself to endanger her friends and family.”“So you are using everyone here as a sort of hostage?” “You make it sound worse than it actually is, but I suppose it can be seen that way. Besides, their main targets will not be Risa, Saki, Momo, or anyone else for that matter.” So it should be fine.” Without another word, she turned and darted toward the edge of the platform, her hair extending to carry her down to the crowd below.“Eh? What's this about, Emiya?” Yui asked, her being completely out of the loop. “You didn't poison your food did you…” “It's not poisoned or drugged… I think.” “You think!?”While Yui was ready to give him an earful of her rants, he saw Yami approach Mikan nearby, the young girl looked bewildered as Yami landed beside her and handed over a massive bundle of food and items. Passing on his orders to his sister, the latter has a similar reaction to the alien assassin prior and looks at him in shock. There was no time or opportunity to explain, so he hoped she would just do it.Yami came back and gave him a nod.As the crowd erupted into cheers and chaos, Emiya turned back to Lala, his expression calm but resolute. “All right, Lala. Let’s finish this.”The pink-haired princess clapped her hands, her princess dress shimmering with excitement. “Yay! I knew you wouldn’t back down! Now, let the final battle begin!”“Woah!” Yui let out a loud yelp as the platform beneath them shook as soon as the armored knight landed on top. His landing made the platform feel like it would shatter at any moment. The giant sword behind his back lazily held on top of his shoulder, his stance making it even more certain that this was not Zastin. The Black Knight stepped forward, his massive sword gleaming ominously. Yui and Mikan, now back on the platform, exchanged both nervous and stoic glances respectively. “Let's get this done quickly, I don't want to be the center of attention anymore.” “It doesn't matter if we get done with this tournament today or tomorrow, everyone has already seen you crush one of the students' helmets with your bear ha—”“Aaaaah! I'm going first!” not willing to listen to his words any longer, the head of the disciplinary committee short forward with a blushing face. Looking as if she was just a moment away from falling unconscious due to sheer embarrassment. “Wait!” He tried to stop her but was far too late, for she had already reached the Black Knight and struck him right in the guts with all her might. Bam! A punch that previously crumpled high-leveled metal armor with ease and even the one-shotted several combatants, regardless of whether or not she consumed his dishes or not, came to a complete halt. “Eh?” The armored individual did not move even an inch, having remained completely still in his spot. Slowly looking down with his red eyes staring holes at Yui. “Yami.” Emiya quickly gave Yami an order which she understood. Her hair shoots forward at great speed and entangles itself around Yui’s limbs to pull her back. But it was already too late, for her strands were grabbed immediately by one of the armored gauntlets. “Hm!”She tried to pull away, even attempting to attack the individual with other parts of her hair, but other than the shower of sparks, nothing happened. It remained standing in the same spot without any damage to the armor in the slightest. And just like that, with a single powerful pull, she was lifted off her feet. Sailing forward and getting struck in the face with great force, a surge of purple lightning exploding from his fists added to the damage, her hair was barely able to block it in time but it still crashed her body against the floor with enough force to make her bounce.The Black Knight went further and slammed its knee to Yui’s abdomen — causing her entire health bar to instantly disappear leaving only a small sliver. Both girls sustained a lot of damage before getting thrown away to the edge of the platform. Recovering from the prior attack, Yami forced herself back up and tried to go back to the fight… only to be stopped by Emiya.“Don’t,” That was definitely not Zastin, he suspected his level to at least be twice that of Haruna if not more. As Lala's champion, she could have just granted him max level for all he knew. The knight turned to face him, his red eyes glowing brighter. Slowly, deliberately, he reached up and removed his helmet. The crowd gasped as the face beneath was revealed—sharp features, black spikey hair, a confident smirk, and an unmistakable aura of power.“Why bother fighting against weaklings?” Surprisingly, their opponent spoke first. His tone is arrogant and extremely haughty. “You had your fun back there with all these humans. But you never even bothered to go all out once, so I'll fulfill that wish of yours just like you will fulfill mine. So don't waste time sending these kids against me.”Seeing the person in front of him, Emiya question how the hell Lala got him here. “... Why are you back on Earth, Gid.” He whispered, thinking that perhaps people from other planets could also join this game. That sounded much better than this destructive man stepping foot on this planet again.“The Emperor?” Yami said out loud, taken aback by what he said. “It's him, no one else sounds this arrogant,” Emiya said with more certainty, for it made sense to be that man out of every individual he met so far. His words were proven correct when the man removed his helmet, showing the face of the Galaxy's Emperor grinning widely. “Hey there brat, it's been a while.” “Not long enough I'm afraid, you look older than last time.” If this game replicated the player's real-life strength or even the Devilukean’s powers then that made this man just as powerful as he was in real life. “Never thought someone like you would take the time to play a game. Don't you have a galactic empire to run?” “Hehehe, that is none of your concern!” The armor around his body disappeared and was replaced with a regal robe, leaving only the greatswords in his hand. “As for my appearance, well, destroying a planet does take a lot of energy. I recovered enough of my energy to return to my old self.” Devilukean's powers were weird, did that mean if Lala were to overexert herself she would temporarily look like a child? He hadn't seen this happen yet, but it was a good addition to keep in mind. “You did not answer my question, why are you here?”“I am the emperor, I can do whatever I want. Just so happened I got to learn about my daughter planning such an event and got interested. Also, you still owe me a fight, brat.”“I owe you nothing, it should be quite the opposite. You almost killed one of my classmates.”The man just scoffed, not showing any guilt for what Emiya mentioned. “So what? She’s still breathing ain’t she? In any case, let's just skip the talking and get started with the fight! I've been waiting for this moment for days!” His excitement was followed by a wave of power exuding from him, all of which engulfed him and Yami. Pushing them backward at the edge of the platform, overwhelming them in every way possible along with a series of debuffs. [Emperor's Might: Decrease mental and physical defense by 20%][Anomalous Devilukean: All stats halved when marked by the Emperor.][Lord of Lightning’s presence: Decrease resistance to Lightning by 40% for the entirety of the fight.][Cursed: You lose 10 HP every second, until death. Incurable.]The list of debuffs continued to pile up, with more and more showing up and Gid most likely getting buffed in the process by several factors. “This is ridiculous, at this point we'll be defeated because of the curse alone.” “Hn!” Even Yami fell onto her knees, getting overwhelmed by the effects and growing weaker by the second. “I-I… I don't think my cheering skill will help.”“Rather unfair, don't you think?”“Very.” Clang!Out of nowhere, a sharp sound came from behind him. Something landed next to his feet and looking downwards, it was none other than Haruna's sword. “...”His eyes twitched along with the urge to curse. Whether it was Lala or the game itself, both were making it clear what they wanted to happen.Not listening to his complaints, the Emperor pushed forward with blinding speed and already closed the distance between them with his sword already raised in the air. “HAHAHAHAHA! Are you fired up, human!? Good! Show me that fighting spirit and tenacity! Let's make this whole world our playground! Show me that you're worthy of being the next heir of the Devilukean Emp—”“I give up, you won.” “—ire! Huh?” Ding!Emiya’s voice sounded clearly on top of the platform. Raising both arms up in a universal gesture of not being willing to engage in this battle anymore. This was further pushed by the sound of cheers coming from the crowd growing louder and the sky filled with fireworks congratulating the Dark Knight for his win. The greatsword ended up cutting through nothing but air with Yami, Emiya, and Yui all disappearing from the platform. Leaving Gid dazed with his prior crazed expression frozen in place for a few seconds until Lala's hologram appeared above. “Wow! Congratulations to my champion who won the tournament! You have fought valiantly and something, something… you get what I'm trying to say! The speech is too long, so I'll make it short, you won papa! Now you can go back with the money, I don't need you anymore! Bye!” As soon as he heard that, the shocked Gid quickly looked at Lala with a furious glare. “LALA! This is not what we agreed on! You promised me a good fight and I don't even have any use for that worthless money!”Instead of answering his question, his daughter just waved at him with an innocent smile. “Bye-bye ~ say hi to Mama for me, she is also watching the show! Since you might be unfamiliar with the game, I'll personally log you out to save you the trouble~” “WHAT!?” That fury was soon replaced with actual fear. “W-Wait, this is unacceptable! You fooled m—” he couldn't even finish his sentence as his figure turned into particles of light. Fully exiting the game without being able to do anything. All of this was witnessed by Emiya who had been teleported on the castle's balcony without the others. Uncertain whether to feel impressed or scared that Lala managed to play one of, if not the strongest being the galaxy like a fiddle. The crowd cheered and more fireworks filled the sky and for a moment, it almost felt like he was the winner instead of Gid. But of course, there was that wish he had to keep Lala from losing. “You were planning on making me lose from the beginning, weren't you.”The pink-haired girl chuckled mischievously. “Actually, I wanted you to win at first but understood that I wouldn't have gotten what I wanted from you. So I twisted the rules a bit in the end, but it was still fun! Wasn't it?” He shrugged, “Depends on what your wish is in the first place. This entire made-up event was brought out of nowhere just for a wish? It can't be something simple, you wouldn't have gotten to such length otherwise. So tell me, what is it?” Several ideas already emerged in his mind, but one idea in particular on what Lala would want stood out the most. There was no need to even say it out loud, for the answer unfolded in front of him with Lala taking out a crown from her inventory. “Let's get married and become king and queen, Shirou!” Lala grabbed her swirly wand and waved it at the castle.The environment changed, from the castle’s overall decor changing into something more befitting a wedding-themed one. Everything happened so quickly that it became clear that the girl could not wait any longer. The visible excitement on her face and certainty that he was going to accept… then again, it was a wish he needed to fulfill according to the rules. “Let's rule the land together and practice how we'll handle Planet Deviluke in the future. It will be fun! We can spend months here and only a few hours will go by in the real world, it's perfect!” Perfect huh, unfortunately, he did not share that sentiment or enthusiasm for that matter. “You’re moving a bit too fast, aren't you? I have never agreed to marry you in the real world, so why do it here?” “It's because this is not the real world that we can do it, it's not real!” She said with a smile, very much set on her decision. Emiya let out a weary sigh and rested against the wall, crossing his arms. "Look, I enjoy this game as much as anyone, but I can't spend weeks living in a virtual world. Even if time moves differently here, I've got responsibilities out there. And this wedding..." He shook his head. "Well, it's not just about what I think. There are quite a few people who might have strong opinions on princess dealing with there current issue at the momen." “Eh?” “Look over there.” He pointed at the entrance of the castle, Lala leaning over to watch in confusion as a mass horde of the NPCs stormed the gates. “What's going on? There is no raid event…” Several guards below tried to obstruct them but were unable to harm the ‘non-hostile’ entities and got overwhelmed quickly. The number of NPCs was in the thousands, some of which he recognized from the first village he went to and others from the town. All of their eyes have the very same crazed stare.Though they were not the only ones. Crash!The gates leading to the floor they were on were destroyed. Leasing the horde of NPCs were none other than Saki and other familiar faces. “This wedding is canceled! What kind of ridiculous rule is this!? You obviously changed it at the very last second and I shall not stand for this! In fact, I am more deserving to be Queen! So hand the crown over, Lala!”“And I didn't get to fight Emiya.” As always, Rin’s priorities were consistent whether it be in a game or in real life. “Come back to the Emerald Inn!” “Don't let the queen hoard the food for herself!” “My youth is back!” The other characters on the other hand were more focused on his meals than anything else. Looking like they were willing to trap him in a basement to force him to cook for them for all eternity. “W-Wait, this is not supposed to happen. Leave, all of you!” Lala tried to teleport the crowd away from her but instead had a message panel appear in front of her with big bold red words displayed on it. “Error? How!? It was working when I summoned everyone here!” “Get her!”“Get him!”“He's mine!” The crowd advanced, the helpless guards doing their best to stop them but unable to do so for long. “S-Shirou, help!” “Sorry, if I am to become the king then I can't in good conscience harm my people. So you're on your own for that.” He said, not moving an inch from his spot and seeing more of these NPCs storm the room with other girls starting to arrive as well. Yami, being part of the mob herself, attacked the guards along with Rin. Making it possible for them to rush closer and closer until he and Lala were backed up in a corner. The girl tried everything, typing several commands on a floating keyboard but all it managed to do was forcefully log out a few people unable to deal with the crowd. “A virus? A bug? Why aren't they behaving normally!?” Getting more and more pressured by the situation, it almost looked like she was ready to cry on the spot. But had to focus on pushing back the crazy crowd as much as possible. And finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She broke. “AHHHHH, I HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! MEANIES!” With an enraged shout, she smacked her wand against the keyboard. A crack formed on the screen that spread across…. Everywhere.“—!” A searing flash of light engulfed everything, blinding him completely. The roar of the crowd, the clatter of footsteps, and the faint crackle of torch flames—all of it vanished in an instant. He felt the ground beneath his feet disappear as though the very world had been ripped away.For a few moments, there was only silence.When Emiya opened his eyes, he found himself adrift in an infinite, featureless expanse of white. No up, no down, no horizon—just a suffocating void that seemed to stretch forever. The eerie stillness was unsettling, as if time itself had frozen.“...”The castle, the horde, the frantic chaos of the battle—it was all gone.Emiya floated weightlessly, his form untethered. There was no sense of gravity or direction, and the stark, sterile white around him threatened to consume his sanity.“Inventory.”Nothing happened.“Status.”Again, nothing. The familiar holographic interface of the game, usually so responsive, was gone, as if erased entirely.“Did Lala delete the world?” he murmured, his voice sounding hollow in the vast emptiness. Or maybe she’d forced a shutdown?Either way, the result was the same. The once-vivid, interactive world had been replaced by an empty void. Emiya drifted aimlessly, his sharp eyes scanning the blank expanse for any sign of something—anything.Thankfully, he didn’t have to search long.In the distance, a faint outline began to take shape. As he drew closer, the hazy figure resolved into a familiar form. Lala sat curled up in the void, hugging her knees. She wore none of her usual flamboyant princess attire—or any fabric, for that matter. Her bare form seemed vulnerable, illuminated softly by the surrounding glow.Her face was hidden, buried against her arms, her posture radiating defeat.“Shirou?”“I’m here,” he said, his tone calm yet firm, grounding her in the weightless stillness.She didn’t look up, her voice small. “I think… I think I went too far.”He floated closer, crossing the invisible expanse between them. “I think so too.”A weak chuckle escaped her lips, though it lacked her usual carefree energy. “I just… I saw you and the others having so much fun together. I wanted to join in too. But… I also wanted to experience what it felt like to be the princess—to have a hero save me and then… live happily ever after.”Emiya let out a slow sigh, his arms crossing over his chest. “Then you should have focused on Haruna. I wasn’t the hero in this story.”For a moment, Lala didn’t respond. Then, another soft laugh bubbled up, tinged with both amusement and sadness. “I actually tried to change your class when I realized that. But… it would’ve reset your levels, and I didn’t want to ruin things for you—or Haruna-chan. She was having so much fun being the hero. It was awesome seeing her play the role of a brave warrior and you being a chef just felt natural in the end.”Her words hung in the air, Emiya watched her quietly, his expression softening.“I’ll admit,” he said after a pause, “I didn’t expect her to get the hero class. I suppose life still finds ways to surprise me.”A silence stretched between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.Then, in a whisper, Lala broke it. “I’m sorry.”“For what?”She hesitated, her voice cracking slightly as she continued. “You must be angry with me. I ruined one of my inventions that you were actually enjoying. Other than the plate and clothes-washing machine…”Her words trailed off.Emiya tilted his head, his tone unexpectedly gentle. “Why would I be mad? I had a lot of fun too.”Lala flinched, her eyes widening slightly as she finally looked up at him. Her face was streaked with tears, a rare sight of uncertainty shining through her usually bright and carefree demeanor.“Other than facing your father again,” he added dryly, “everything else was… tolerable. Seeing Mikan and Rito enjoying themselves like that? It’s been a while since I’ve seen those kinds of smiles. I’m grateful for that.”For a moment, Lala simply stared at him, searching his face for any trace of anger or resentment. Finding none, her lips parted in surprise.“Shirou?” she murmured.“You don’t have to feel bad,” he continued, his voice steady. “Next time, rather than playing the princess, just join us. I kind of miss working at the Inn. That kitchen was twice the size of my living room. Maybe next time you can help me out?”The tension in her shoulders melted away, replaced by a spark of joy that ignited in her eyes. A radiant smile spread across her face as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him. Without hesitation, she pressed her lips to his in a brief but heartfelt kiss.Just like her usual self, having no hesitation whatsoever to wrap herself around him like when she would sleep on his bed.When she pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glittering with happiness. “Of course, I’ll help! I’m so glad you liked it! And I promise—no more princess stuff! It's boring anyways!”Emiya raised an eyebrow, not really angered by her action. “That was bold of you.”“Hehehe,” Lala giggled, grinning mischievously. “We’re still in a virtual space, so this kiss doesn’t count! I’ll give you a real one when we get back!”Emiya rolled his eyes, exhaling in mock exasperation. “Have the others logged out?”“Yup, it’s just us now. Though…” She tilted her head, studying him closely. “You should’ve logged out too. Hmm, that’s weird…”She circled him, her gaze sweeping over him with innocent curiosity. Then, she stopped, her eyes lighting up in realization. “Oh! The system must’ve glitched— since it also changed your appearance!”“Changed my appearance?”“Yeah! Your hair is completely white now, and you look older. Even taller!” She stepped closer, peering up at him with wide eyes. “You look more handsome, Shirou.”He frowned, brushing a hand through his hair, looking down at his arms, and finding himself staring no longer at the hands of his current self but rather having the same appearance as his Counter Guardian self. But before he could process what was happening, Lala seized his arm with an eager grin.“Let’s go back!”And just like that, the void around them shattered—And the world returned.[Bonus Part Finale]...-Sainan-The sensation of the wind on his face coupled with the sound of waves crashing against the shore… It had been a while since he got to enjoy spending free time at a beach. The last time, as far as he could remember, happened to be almost half a decade ago when both Saibai and Ringo brought him and his siblings to a small beach in the countryside. He always had plans to go back there at one point in the future but never got the opportunity when the weather would have been good. Who would have thought that the next moment to enjoy some time at a beach would be on a private island with not just him and his siblings, but a multitude of friends, including several aliens? “It's the sea!” A certain princess of the galaxy ran out on the hot sand wearing a simple red bikini, followed closely by her sisters with Momo garbed in a pink one and Nana with a green bikini. “First one to the water gets to choose what Shirou will cook this evening!” “Ah! Onee-sama, that's not fair, you had a head start!” Momo yelped as she took off after her sister. “W-Wait, don't just leave me carrying all this stuff you two! Don't ignore me, Lala! Momo! Get back here!” shouted Nana, but it was for naught. The three wasted no time getting to enjoy the view and rushing towards the water. Nana, unfortunately, had to deal with carrying a large parasol and a few towels while he and Rito were helping the servants carry the rest. They came here with several students. Though not all of them were able to make it, unfortunately, Risa still hadn't fully recovered so he advised her to rest for the day. She hated the idea but he promised her to once again visit her house and take care of the girl after returning. So to keep her company, Mio stayed behind as well.Saki also went ahead and banned any members of the anti-Emiya alliance from joining… which practically meant he and Rito were the only boys around. This also meant Ren couldn't join, for he somehow got himself involved with that group and tried to explain that it wasn't willingly. “Shirou, be careful with those coolers. One small slip and it'll go tumbling,” Mikan next to him said worriedly, watching him hold two of those coolers filled with iced beverages with little issue. They weren't particularly heavy but required a solid grasp and a good sense of balance. “You should be telling that to Rito, he's at a far greater risk of falling given there are quite a few girls around,” he argued, pointing at the boy whose eyes were glued to a single person the entire time.“Ah!” And of course, staring at Haruna with a red face and love-struck expression, rather than paying attention to where he was going ended up making him trip, the unfortunate victim this time not being Nana funnily enough, but instead someone who’d never before experienced that side of Rito. “You fiend, unhand Aya before I break every bone in your body!” “Aaaaah, I'm sorry! Wah! Did you just try to cut me, Kujo-san!?” At least he was nimble enough to dodge Rin's attack at the last second, which would have left a nasty bruise on his head from the wooden sword she almost always carried. “Hmph, you would have survived. As Shirou’s brother, surviving a few hits even from a real sword should be trivial.” “I'll die!” Now she was just pushing it, her phrase made it sound like he was some kind of machine unable to even get wounded by a sword. Still, she looked happy to be here just like the Devilukean princesses, even if it did not show on her face — he could tell she had been looking forward to this occasion, the excited air around her. After all, she was wearing a blue two-piece swimsuit along with a short open jacket on top. “What are you looking at?”Ah, she noticed his gaze. “It is rare to see you this excited for anything other than a duel or opportunities to help Saki in some way,” he said honestly, his answer making the girl frown for a bit before she firmly shook her head. “Who's to say I'm not doing just that right now? All of you are Saki-sama’s guests, so it is my duty to make sure that everyone is properly accommodated.” Turning her back against him, she grabbed Aya and led the servants to another area of the beach to set up a surprise Saki had planned.“They are planning something nefarious, I can feel it in my bones. Be careful around them, Shirou, that blonde is up to no good.” “You still don't like Saki from the looks of it.” It was strange and a bit funny to see his sister being this wary of the young heiress. Of course, he was aware that the latter was up to something, though he doubted it was anything dangerous. The last time he went to have tea at her house was a disaster, but the fault did not lie on her but instead on the Plantas child sitting on his head nomming on his hair with a pleased expression. “Obviously I do not trust her, did you see how roughly she treated me in front of everyone while all of you just stood there!? I felt like I was being mawled like a chew toy!”“Your overexaggerating. She just hugged you and rubbed your face against hers, I don't think that counts as being abused. You should be happy that she's so fond of you, you can use that to come back to this place in the future.” “My point still stands!” she insisted stubbornly, holding a grudge against him for letting Saki get a hold of her in the first place. “Hah, forget it, I doubt anyone will listen to me. Just hand over Celine, I'll go sit over there while you play around with your harem.”It took a surprising amount of effort to get the young child out of his hair, as she kept holding onto his strands with her teeth and tiny little hands, actually making it painful for him the more tugged on her. Thankfully, tickling her a bit managed to free him from her terrifying clutches.“Oi, Mikan. We talked about this,” he said while rubbing his head, concerned that if she continued to do that he would have a bald spot sooner or later.“Bye~! Yami-chan, follow me, show me that mermaid transformation you spoke about!”“Roger.” “Mau!” Mikan flashed him a cheeky smile before rushing off in another direction with Celine in her grasp and Yami following along. Good to see she had a friend, since she never mentioned anything about her friends at school, he started to worry she had no one there. At least with Yami here, he felt more at ease, even if it was an intergalactic former assassin. "Hah…"Emiya let out a slow breath, choosing to ignore Mikan’s antics for now. If he let himself get caught up in her tricks, he’d be playing right into her hands. Instead, he pushed the thought aside and focused on his current task, making his way toward the two women already gathered ahead.The scene before him was one of leisure and elegance. The scent of salt from the ocean breeze mixed with the faint floral fragrance of exotic oils, carried by the wind from the sunbathing terrace. There, in a secluded area designated specifically for their group—away from the lingering, all-too-lustful stares of certain villa staff—two women lounged in quiet conversation.“—And this sunscreen has the added effect of moisturizing the skin. It even promotes faster cell regeneration, accelerating the fading of scars over time. One of the best-selling products in the southern region of the galaxy. It worked wonders for me, I highly recommend it.”The smooth, refined voice belonged to a woman wearing a dark micro bikini that barely managed to hide much of her private parts — living little to the imagination. Lying on a lounge chair with the curve of her body and large breasts on full display, it was a sight he knew would cause a majority of the boys in his school to turn into savage beasts. Across from her, another woman who possessed a more dangerous kind of allure chuckled softly, twirling a bottle of the mentioned sunscreen between her fingers.“Oh! I received a few of these as gifts during one of my husband’s parades a few months ago,” she mused, a nostalgic smile tugging at her lips. “I never got the chance to use them. I didn’t know they were this good.”Her voice carried that polished warmth, the kind that made it clear she’d seen and done it all but still knew how to enjoy the moment. She lounged with that effortless elegance, like she was born to be right there, in the middle of all this luxury.The veiled woman tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes glinting beneath the shade of her hat. “Well, looking at your complexion and the state of your skin, I’d say you hardly need it. Unlike an old lady like me, you seem naturally protected against the elements. How envious.”The other woman gasped dramatically, placing a delicate hand over her chest as if struck by some profound revelation. Her golden eyes shimmered with exaggerated sorrow.“Ah, truly, what a burden it is to be born with such an impossibly beautiful face! Even my own reflection leaves me breathless, my heart racing whenever I dare glance into a mirror. Can you imagine? To live in a world where even I cannot escape my own allure?”She let out a wistful sigh, her fingertips tracing the smooth curve of her jawline. “Simple tasks become insurmountable. A single imperfection—just one!—would be a mercy. Alas, perfection clings to me so stubbornly.”A single cough from the nurse managed to break Sephie out of her trance. “A-Ah, yes, you are also just as beautiful as many princesses and queens I have met across the galaxy~”A knowing smirk curled Mikado’s lips as she gave an exaggerated sigh. “Ara, ara… being complimented by the most beautiful woman in the galaxy? My, I feel honored. Wish I could be as, um, confident as you when it comes to looks.”Their conversation flowed effortlessly, a playful exchange between two individuals who carried themselves like old friends who hadn't met one another for years. But he was pretty sure this was the first time.Of course, their presence here was an unexpected addition to the trip. It hadn’t been part of the original plan, but after Lala had requested permission, Saki—despite her usual pride—surprisingly agreed to let them accompany the group. However, that confidence soon shattered into pieces when she saw Sephie for the first time. Remaining stunned for the entirety of the trip till they reached the island, the young blonde tried to understand how could that woman be the mother of Lala rather than her sister. He even overheard her muttering a curse when Haruna mentioned that Lala might end up looking just like her someday.Regardless, the issues of her pheromones affecting people were not addressed,The moment they stepped off the boat, it was clear how much of an effect she had on people. The villa staff couldn’t stop stealing glances—some even abandoning their duties entirely just to get a closer look at her. Saki’s orders suddenly took a backseat to their newfound distraction.Only to get handled by Rin of course. It had reached a point where their little section of the estate had to be specifically designated as a restricted area—accessible only to those within their circle.And considering the particular individuals in question, the measure was necessary.While Ryouko basked in the sun with barely any clothing on, Sephie remained veiled and fully clothed, looking like she was not even noticing the heat from the sun. Emiya worried how strong the effect would get if she were to change into a swimsuit of any kind. Furthermore, why didn't Lala just make something that blocked her mother's pheromones?Question for another time, for now, he had the pleasure, or misfortune, of being the one to approach them now.As he stepped closer, a pair of striking eyes immediately turned toward him. Mikado, ever perceptive, smiled brightly as she sat up slightly, doing a stretch that had her breasts popping out. “Oh my, look who it is! A young, strapping man finally brought us our drinks!”Her voice carried a teasing lilt, and from the way her gaze flickered over him, Emiya had a feeling she was about to make things even more troublesome. “I see you're enjoying your time here with Sephie,” he said while dropping the case of boxes on the ground, opening it to retrieve a few bottles of what appeared to be non-alcoholic beverages. “Not gonna lie, I was expecting to find this thing filled with beer.” Mikado smiled, yanking one out,  “You make it sound like I would bring such things near students, I could lose my job for that. Besides, I am not that big of a fan of beer. I came to relax, not suffer a headache the next day.”  “Seems like you're already enjoying your time here. Not even ten minutes have passed since we arrived and already you are lounging here in full bikini.” Emiya handed her a drink and she grabbed it, not taking her eyes away from him as she leaned a bit more on her side.It was hard not to notice the way her breasts pressed against the fabric of her top, their plump softness straining against the material. Even harder not to notice her legs, slender and supple… part of him wondered if she moved like that unconsciously or deliberately to get a reaction out of him.She was a woman who was very aware of her body and knew how to use it, her every move was, intentionally or unintentionally, carefully calculated to draw the attention of practically everyone. “You too, Emiya, already dressed up for the occasion.” She said while pointing at his own swimsuit which just happened to be a black and white shorts along with an opened black hoodie. He shook his head. He didn't need a distraction now. He looked around the area, seeing the others continue having their fun in the water. Whether it be Lala along with her sisters or Mikan. Rito was helping Celine build a castle with Haruna's help, thankfully he didn't want to let his clumsy side win over today and ruin his chance. Yui was running around acting as a lifeguard practically and keeping the students in check as usual.However, he did not fail to notice Momo, in particular, glaring at him from far away, managing to keep her attention on him and play with her sisters at the same time. Guess what happened last night still remained in her mind. She was so focused on them that the girl failed to notice the beach ball coming from behind and smacking her straight in the back of the head and falling into the water. She had the idiotic assumption was that he was going to make a move on her mother or something. No matter how much he tried to say otherwise. Rin along with Aya continued to instruct the butlers moving things around near the forest. "Hey, Emiya-kun!" He turned his attention back to Mikado, only to realize she had gotten closer than he'd anticipated, leaning in until her face was only inches away from his. The playful grin on her lips, for a moment he could've sworn his throat went dry. "Do you mind helping me put some sunscreen on?" she asked, holding the bottle of lotion up between them. “Are you trying to get a reaction out of me?” "Of course not, I know better than anyone that it would not work on you. So I'm just comfortable around you, also It's the least you can do for a lady like me when she asks you politely.” “And I can be a gentleman by politely turning that request down.” "Don't be such a killjoy! It's just sunscreen," Mikado pouted playfully. "I can't exactly ask the Empress here to help - her pheromones might make me do something... well, something I probably wouldn't regret, especially with you around." She winked, her suggestive tone leaving little doubt about her meaning. Sephie's eyes widened at the bold statement, clearly caught between amusement and shock as she watched their exchange like it was prime entertainment. "You know," Mikado added with a mischievous glint in her eye, "I could always ask Rito instead. The poor boy needs practice with girls anyway - might help him stop tripping into compromising positions every five minutes."All right, she was basically baiting him at this moment, and frustratingly enough, he could not ignore that so easily. The boy was having fun with the blue haired girl, calling him over here was just begging for an accident to occur and ruin everything. Besides, it was just a simple sunscreen application. He very much doubted Mikado would be crazy enough to do something explicit in public.…He jinx himself. He could feel it.“Why don't I give you some help~!” Grabbing the bottle, she poured sunscreen on top of her cleavage. Her expression turned sensual, a knowing smirk playing across her lips as she pressed her large mounds together. "I'm so clumsy sometimes, I guess my hand slipped…”Taking the bottle away from her, he did not choose the option to start massaging her front while they were in public, neither would he do it in private for that matter. Applying a few pumps of sunscreen on his hand and giving the woman a stern look. “I am not doing your front, you are more than capable in that area, so I will only focus on your back.”“Aww, you're no fun," she whined playfully. "But I don't really want my bikini top to get stained. I guess I'll have to remove it, so I don't ruin them." She winked at him, and before he could react, Mikado slipped the tiny top off and threw it to the side, letting Emiya get a good, long look at her bare breasts and bright pink nipples. Using nothing but her arm to cover her breasts, slowly turning around and lying on her front. "Go ahead.He hummed. "Fine.”“Oh my!” Even Sephie was stunned by her boldness. “Trying to seduce my son-in-law so brazenly… are you working in cahoots with Momo?”“I am not sure what you are talking about, but Emiya here is not someone who would fall for something as simple as physical seduction. He has been with me for a long time and not once did I sense any lustful urges from him. At some point, I started to question my own beaut—ah~! Mmm~!”Not giving her any time to go on a tangent, he went in and pressed his thumbs firmly on the lower end of her back and forced a sensual moan out of the nurse's mouth. Emiya moved his hands down her back and spread the sunscreen evenly across her. He felt her warm and silky skin underneath his touch… and he had to admit it was a bit nice."Mmm~, Emiya-kun," Mikado moaned softly, closing her eyes at the pleasure of his hands wringing some knots that she had been feeling for a while. "Your hands feel so good. I wouldn't mind you giving me a back massage regularly in my office. Or at my house. It might even help Oshizu get less scared of you.” “Your spirit assistant?” She nodded, “Cute girl and a kind soul like yours, she has an unfortunate past but hasn't turned into a vengeful spirit, that alone is a miracle in itself. You would get along with her perfectly. Unfortunately, she seems to have gotten traumatized by you somehow.” “I wouldn't know why.” He never met her in the past, nor had he used any Noble Phantasm for the ghost to feel particularly frightened by. Unless she witnessed him killing Lacospo, there was not much of a reason for her to be afraid of him. “Say, Emiya, you wouldn't happen to know anything about a wasteland filled with swords, would you?” His hands came to a stop for a brief moment. She… never mentioned anything like this before. “…Why do you ask?” he said carefully, his hands resuming their task.“Hn,” another moan escaped her lips when his palm moved slightly lower as he resumed rubbing the lotion into her. “Just something Oshizu keeps bringing up when talking about you. Since your magic revolves around using swords, I got a bit curious if there is something to that.”Did the ghost manage to somehow enter his Reality Marble? It was an impossible task as far as he was concerned but the fact that she did see it made him feel that this ghost was not simple. “I'll stop by your house, maybe I can talk to her and see what she meant by that.” He wanted to know just how much she saw and possibly prevent another similar incident with other similar entities in the future. “Gladly, as long as you give me another massage~. I haven't felt this relaxed in a long while.”“Thanks, I guess. I would do more but I don't want your voice to grow louder and alert the entire island.” Already as he continued to move his hands up and down, pushing his thumb against her nape, Mikado's reaction kept getting more and more out of control. From small moans and tremors to her entire body now reacting to the slightest touch her back arching as he moved upwards slowly. “Ohh~ AH~! Mmm~ this is amazing. Please don't stop. I need this, I really, really need this! I’m so close~!” She kept repeating, this continuing for a few more minutes until she no longer possessed any strength to make another noise. The alien nurse was left breathing haggardly with her face pressed against the lounge chair, her body twitching every so often.“Come on, don't stop now.” The nurse insisted after he was done with her back, wiggling her butt slightly to draw his attention. “You still haven't done my legs and my butt. Don't worry, I grant you permission to touch any area on my body that you like, especially my breasts.”If this was another person or a different scenario, then he would have done the legs without much of a thought. But with how she was reacting right now, he suspected she would have a much bigger reaction if he did, and that would draw everyone's attention. “You can do that yourself.”Pa!After being done providing the massage and applying the lotion, he swiftly slapped her lower back and heard a loud yelp from the woman.“Kya~!”She fell back onto the lounge chair, unresponsive and with a slight red mark of his handprint on the surface of her lower back. “Incredible… “ Sephie herself was in a daze the entire time, she was unable to take her eyes off of the spectacle and was paying rapt attention to Mikado's every reaction. Clutching the hem of her dress, Lala's mother slowly started to have a change of mind. “Do me next! I want to experience that too!”She exclaimed out loud excitedly, her eagerness and energetic persona making the woman resemble her daughter more so than he’d ever seen before. “No.” Unfortunately for her, he would never risk doing such a ridiculous thing not just to Lala's mother but to Gid's wife of all people. The last thing he wanted was for her husband to misunderstand the scenario and send his fleet to invade the planet as some bizarre over-the-top reaction or just blow up the planet himself.“Please? Just for a bit, it looked amazing! She's still unresponsive!” Her fingers went to point at Mikado who was still resting face first on the lounge chair without showing much sign of energy at the moment. “Think of it as a small favor you are doing for your mother-in-law.”“I'm not married to Lala, so I don't have any obligations as a son-in-law.”“But you're still her fiancé!” “Still no. Have one of your handmaidens or whatever do it for you. As an empress, surely you should have at least a few who are more than happy to do so and who also possess more experience in such things.” With that said, he got up and wiped his hands, but was stopped from leaving by Sephie who remained stubborn and grabbed onto his forearm. A genuine pout was now present on her face that very much resembled Lala. “Hold on, you are not affected by my outstanding beauty, so there should be nothing to worry about, right? Or is it that this entire time you've been lying to me, and secretly your desires have been building up in your loins all along, waiting for the right moment to pounce me and ravage my body like a wild beast, for which my unmatched looks and body played a hand in unleashing?” No, he was no longer affected by anything compared to the first time they met. Though if she were to remove the veil and clothes, perhaps he would notice her pheromones attempting to affect him again but it wouldn't do much. Unfortunately, looking at her face, Sephie seemed pretty certain that he was holding back and hiding his true self or something. “You don't even need sunscreen on, you're still wearing a dress and a veil.”“Ah…” She froze, having overlooked that point most likely. Her behavior mirrored Lala’s more and more in this aspect, which unfortunately meant he almost predicted what she was about to do next. “Don't take off your clothes unless you have a swimsuit beneath.” Sephie froze as her hands grabbed onto the hem of her dress. “…I-I wasn't going to do that.” “Your actions and guilty expression says otherwise.” He looked at her with a frown, his arms crossed and his face taking on a similar expression to what he would have given Lala. Finally, she caved and looked away, “I just want to feel normal, since you and your brother don't seem to have a reaction from my face. While it is a blessing to be born as objectively the most beautiful being in existence, I wouldn't mind being treated like a regular person for once…” she replied with a quiet voice, sounding genuine which for a moment made his resolve falter. He took a deep breath and exhaled. “Fine, but if you make a weird sound or copy Ryouko then I'm stopping right away. And I'll only apply some on your legs.” Her face bloomed with a beautiful smile, “I have the best son-in-law ever!” “I'm not your son-in-law!” She went on ahead to plop onto the lounge chair with an eager face, pulling her dress up just enough for him to see her bare legs. “Please be gentle, it is my first time.” “…” Was Ryouko a bad influence on Sephie by just interacting with her for just a few hours? In any case, he gave her the benefit of the doubt with that comment being unintentional, and grabbed the bottle to pour some of the sunscreen on his hand. And started the application without stalling. “Hn!” Sephie trembled, covering her mouth immediately as her body trembled. “Hehehe… I-It’s a bit cold. Y-You can continue.”His hands kept moving, starting from her feet to her ankles, so far she wasn't making any noise, an expression of bliss showing on her face as her body grew more relaxed. “Oh my… no wonder Ryouko liked it so much, I can feel my worries just melting away…” Her voice grew more and more hazy and after a few minutes, her eyes were closed with a serene face falling into a deep sleep. Well, at least this ended without any disaster thankfully enough. “What is going on here?” Ah, he spoke too soon. Turning around at the source of the voice, he found Momo standing right behind him after having seemingly run over to them at full speed. Her breathing was haggard and her eyes were darting back and forth between him and her mother's serene face and the red palm mark on the nurse's back.It didn't help that Sephie's legs were completely exposed with his hands on them. “You did it again! No wonder I kept hearing those moans, it wasn't my imagination!” “Wait, Momo, you clearly have some misunderstanding—”“I want to have a massage as well! It's not fair you're giving all your attention to Mama and Mikado-san!” Without giving him any time to explain, she plopped onto another lounge chair and untied her swimsuit. “Eh, what are you doing Momo?” Lala came along and asked curiously. Also looking back and forth between him and her mother. “Whatever it is, it looks fun! I want to try it too!” Of course, unlike the others, she just dematerialized her entire bikini on the spot without any hesitation. He shouldn't have accepted Sephie's request after all, her daughters were giving him a headache.“H-How shameless! Have none of you any sense of decency!?” Yui, noticing the commotion, rushed over with a crimson face, staring accusingly at him. {Break}(A few hours later)She let her guard down.Momo couldn't believe just how efficient the guy was. While he convincingly behaved as if he wasn't interested, the moment she averted her eyes, he was touching her mother and giving her an experience she never received before!  It was unfair and worrying, mostly because she could not compete with her mother's natural beauty in any way and also because her mother was the single biggest danger to her harem plan. This entire time, the young princess believed that the biggest obstacle would be to have Emiya change his mind on the matter, but she was confident that if several women willingly agreed to share his love rather than compete for it, they’d be able to convince him. But she did not want one of these women to be her own mother! Not to mention how awkward it would be. Plus her own father would literally destroy the planet if he were to find out.In any case, she planned to resolve this issue tonight with the help of Saki and Rin. “Everyone, we will now start the special event I tirelessly worked on for all of us to enjoy!” The blonde heiress of the Tenjoin family had returned from the mansion when the sun started to set, having been absent for most of the day due to being busy preparing something for the entire group’s entertainment. “Today we will have a challenge, one that will test not only your bravery but also your problem-solving skills and your ability to navigate through a treacherous environment! I present to you, the haunted woods!” “Ooh!” “That sounds scary.” “Sounds fun!” Everyone had different reactions, of course, her eldest sister and mother were pretty excited about the game, while Nana was not exactly fond of such things. “We have prepared specific challenges and tasks, and even have several monsters waiting to ambush you at any given opportunity! So be careful where you're going, or else you might be captured and eaten! O~hohohohoho!” Saki winked at her, both of them when on the boat had made up a plan, and she’d offered to help her out with the monster part. She did so by adding several plants to her collection that were more than capable of scaring a few people without causing any harm. It was weird how Saki never asked how she got her hands on such creatures given that, according to Emiya, she was still in the dark about their origin as aliens. Oh well, as long as it worked in her favor.“The teams will consist of two people each. And they will be chosen randomly by whoever's name you pick up from the box. If you pick your own name or the name of someone already in a group then you get to choose again, obviously. Now all of you, come forward!” The first one to pick a name was Mikan, getting a cheer from everyone as she walked forward and picked up a small piece of paper from the box. Unraveling it, she said the name of the one she got out loud. “Oh, I got lucky. Yami-chan.” The blonde assassin puffed her modest chest, “I'll keep you safe and kill any monsters who try to harm you.”“Please don't harm them!” Momo quickly shouted, not wanting her dear plant friends to be turned into chopped veggies just because they looked a bit scary.“I'll try, but no promises if they threaten Mikan.” Damn it, at least it was better than nothing.The next few people who went ahead all picked the names one by one. Rito who was hoping for Haruna ended up picking Rin of all people, his face went pale when the girl shot him a dangerous glare. Haruna got Mikado, who was happy to help the shy girl out. And Lala picked Nana's name, something which the latter was grateful for, yet also a bit disappointed with at the same time. The other classmates also went ahead to pick names from the box, none of them took out her name or Emiya's, which of course was part of her plan. Kotegawa Yui was perhaps the most disappointed when she got Aya instead of him. This of course left only her and Emiya. It had been hard to negotiate that part, especially when Saki obviously wanted to be the one who teamed up with him. But thankfully enough, Momo had several bargaining chips which happened to be pictures she took of the man without his notice, and those had been enough to sway her. “Ooooh! It's my turn now~!” Unfortunately, the one who went ahead last was not Emiya as she predicted“Mama!?” Momo explained with surprise, starting to panic when she saw the woman skip towards the box with an eager smile. “W-Wait, this is supposed to be an event for our classmates only, and you should be careful going inside the woods. You know how dangerous it can be for you!” She tried to dissuade her but it didn't help. “Fufufu~ You don't have to worry, I am more than capable of taking care of myself, dear daughter. And regardless of who I end up with, I am sure either of you will be able to protect me. Also, Celine also wants to join in on the fun.” She said while holding onto Celine lovingly, treating the girl as if she were one of her own. “Yay! Mama joined!” “I suppose it is only fair.”Her eldest sister wasn't helping at all! Nor was Yui for that matter!Momo watched with a terrified expression as her mother went ahead and grabbed one of the names in the box before Saki could even say anything. Though Momo calmed down when she recalled whose name was left inside, since this turn was intended to be Emiya's turn, then her name would be the one picked u—“Oooh! I got Shirou! Ah, sorry, I meant Emiya-kun!” “Mau!” “Fufufu~ look how eager you are, I can understand that.” Her knees felt weak and Momo crumbled to the ground with despair… which then started to make way for fury. Who the hell put his name inside the box!?Someone else had tampered with the box that she went through all the trouble of rigging!