[FMMISM] Chapter 74: Who is Zealot?

The next day, at 8:30 in the morning with the sun high in the sky.

When Ragna opened his eyes, he felt a pang of disappointment upon discovering that Artoria, who had spent the entire night beside him, was gone.

A knight among knights like her, who was so strict with herself, wouldn’t naturally still be sleeping at this hour. She had already left the room three hours earlier to practice and meditate in the courtyard.

Truly deserving of her title as the King of Knights, she was a diligent and hard-working king!

Of course, there was also the possibility that Artoria had been woken up by hunger in the morning.

Ragna yawned and looked at Irisviel, who was still sleeping lazily half a meter away.

At this moment, her face, bathed in the morning light, was as delicate as a baby's, with silver hair as beautiful as silk.

Her nightgown's straps hung loosely, revealing her alluring shoulders, and her full, proud chest rose and fell rhythmically with her breathing.

'Well, since I need to hug someone anyway, might as well hug you, Iri.'

With a cheerful smile, Ragna lunged toward Irisviel's soft and plump body.

Two seconds later, Irisviel's scream filled the room.

===

When Ragna and Irisviel arrived in the dining room, the Pendragon sisters, who had been intensely arguing at the table, fell silent.

'Well, well… I must really be the master of this place in their eyes...'

Ragna thought with such an unrealistic belief as he saw the women's behavior.

He took his seat at the head of the table and looked over the sumptuous breakfast laid out before him.

Fried eggs, instant konbu, pickled salmon, pickles, tofu, miso soup, and a bowl of white rice—a standard Japanese breakfast for middle-aged and elderly people.

It was only after living in Japan for years that Ragna discovered that the breakfast sets like natto and miso soup that often appear in anime were actually quite rare. Most young people just have sandwiches, rice balls, or bread for breakfast.

And so, after Ragna sat in his seat, Artoria and Morgan continued their argument, which seemed to be about the breakfast dishes.

"Lancer, why didn't you get any bread when you ordered takeout?" Morgan said with an irritated tone, clearly in a bad mood.

"Caster, you should have rice for breakfast!"

Artoria, who had been 'poisoned' by Eastern cuisine these days, answered firmly.

Meanwhile, ignoring their argument, Ragna casually cracked an egg into the white rice, added some soy sauce, and began to mix it.

"About today's activity schedule... during the day, Caster and I will patrol the streets, and in the evening, Lancer will team up with me. Is that alright with you two?" Ragna said without looking up.

"...Hmm."

"...Yeah."

Artoria and Morgan nodded while eating.

Ragna took a bite of his rice and explained, "Today's focus is on the Tohsaka family and the church. We need to find clues about Zealot. As time goes by, I have a bad feeling."

"..."

Artoria, Morgan, and Irisviel all looked up, first glancing at Ragna and then at each other.

"Also, I was thinking we should take advantage of the current peace in the castle and boost our defenses." Ragna continued.

"What's the purpose of increasing the defenses?" Irisviel asked confusedly.

"We might soon be targeted by the remaining groups. After all, on paper, we have the most overwhelming strength."

Morgan answered in Ragna's stead.

"If it were me, I'd definitely form alliances with other Masters and prioritize taking us out."

"Exactly. Just the names of King Arthur and the Fairy Queen are enough to scare those Masters half to death, let alone we have Zealot as a strategic weapon." Ragna nodded calmly.

"..."

Upon hearing his words, the three women paused again, looking at each other.

At this moment, Artoria and Morgan showed a hint of confusion on their faces.

"So, I was thinking, rather than waiting for someone to ambush us, we might as well let them attack the castle while we stay on the defensive. After we rescue Zealot, we'll declare war on the remaining groups."

Ragna voiced the plan he had thought up the night before.

It was too troublesome to deal with the remaining groups one by one, so it was better to eliminate them all in one decisive battle.

At this moment, Irisviel, as if summoning her courage, timidly spoke up.

"Um... Lord Ragna..."

"Hmm? What's wrong, Iri?" Ragna raised his eyebrows.

"Who exactly is this 'Zealot' you've been talking about since just now?"

"...Huh?"

Ragna paused for a moment, then made a confused face.

'Did all of Iri's intelligence go to her breasts?'

As Ragna gave Irisviel a look as if she were an idiot, he received a look of surprise from her in return.

Irisviel tilted her head and asked, "So, who exactly is this person called 'Zealot'? Is she an external aid you brought in for the Holy Grail War?"

"Yo, that joke isn't funny at all, y'know. Didn't I already talk about her to you before I went out to investigate yesterday?" Ragna frowned. "…Well, never mind."

He glanced at Artoria and Morgan, realizing that their reactions were exactly the same as Irisviel's.

Clearly, he could see their brows were slightly furrowed and their eyes filled with questions.

Ragna realized that they were definitely not pretending to be dumb or making a joke but were all seriously troubled by the question—Who is Zealot?

"…What's the matter, Master?"

Morgan asked and showed a worried expression as she saw Ragna's emotionless expression.

It was the first time she had seen him looking like this.

"…"

Ragna silently put his bowl on the table, took a deep breath, and then shook his head.

"No, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. Iri was just too much last night… left me groggy this morning, still half-asleep."

"…Ehh?! Wh-What? Lord Ragna, please don't accuse me of such things!"

In an instant, Irisviel's face turned bright red.

At the same time, Morgan gave Irisviel a cold, murderous glare.

'Ohh… who would have thought that beneath your pure appearance, you have such a wild side, Miss Einzbern.'