MMMS 95

Ryuuto liked to think of himself as a man of pure love. No, seriously, he meant that.

He'd been with plenty of women before, but he'd never made any of them unhappy. When it came to winning girls over, he never relied on hypnotism or mind-control spells or anything that would mess with their free will.

What was the point of cheating your way through the game? That's why, when Maiya suddenly showed up with a tied-up Iri, he was...

...completely unable to say no.

Because of her earlier wound treatment, Iri now wore only a thin dress shirt. The rough hemp rope pressed against the expensive fabric, leaving faint red marks on her pale skin.

The contrast hit him hard. Something so pure and dignified, now bound and vulnerable. It only made her more beautiful.

Silver hair spilled over her shoulders, framing a face bright red with anger and embarrassment.

"Can we... can we really do this?" Ryuuto's voice came out rougher than he intended.

"Of course not!" Iri's eyes went wide with panic. "Maiya, what are you thinking?! Untie me right now! Lord Ryuuto and I aren't... we're not..."

The words died in her throat.

They'd started as enemies in the Holy Grail War. He'd humiliated her in front of everyone, defeated Kiritsugu, taken her Command Seals, their base, even her.

Friends? Lovers? Master and servant? None of those labels fit. But one thing was obvious—they were drawn to each other like magnets.

"This is for your own good, my lady." Maiya's voice stayed completely flat as she explained everything Black Iri had told her.

"Just seven nights," Maiya said, like she was discussing the weather. "That's all it takes to make your body resist the Grail's corruption."

"Seven nights?!" Iri's blush spread down her neck, painting her ears bright red. Yes, she liked Ryuuto. A lot. Lately she'd even caught herself getting jealous when he got too close to other women.

But this? This was way too sudden!

"Lord Ryuuto, say something!" Iri puffed out her cheeks like an angry chipmunk. "You're against this too, right?!"

"Against it? Hmm..." He scratched his jaw, thinking back over recent events. "Let me see..."

Last night, Iri had been barely hanging on. But after just one kiss, she'd bounced back completely, staying energetic all day. Even when Gawain returned to the Grail, she didn't weaken. Only after she and Lancer went their separate ways, when Avalon's protection faded, did she start looking tired again.

So Maiya wasn't bluffing. And if this really could stabilize Iri's condition... she'd become a perfect Grail vessel, immune to the system trying to reject her. Just like the Winter Maiden, Justeaze.

But where the hell had Maiya gotten this information? Just as he opened his mouth to ask, Iri shot up from the floor and made a desperate hop toward the door, still tied up.

"Please bear with this, my lady. Your life depends on it." Maiya caught her easily, pulling her back with surprising gentleness. "Think about Illyasviel. She's still waiting for you at the castle. Don't you want to see her again?"

“B-B-But! Uuh, just stop talking already! There’s no way we can bother Lord Ryuuto with something like that! And stop dragging Illya into this!”

“Oh, I really don’t mind,” Ryuuto cracked his knuckles like he was warming up for a workout.

“Lord Ryuuto, please be quiet!”

"Yes, ma'am."

"If you won't cooperate," Maiya said, getting to her feet with that same calm tone, "then I'll handle this my own way."

“W-Wait, Maiya, what are you even saying? You’re not seriously thinking of letting Lord Ryuuto actually…”

Maiya's hand moved to her waist. "I'll help you understand how you really feel."

She slipped off her own belt.

"What—what are you doing?!" Iri's voice shot up in panic.

Maiya didn't answer. She moved with the same smooth confidence she showed in combat, peeling off her outer clothes in a single flowing movement. Her black uniform slipped to the tatami without a sound.

"...Huh?"

Both Iri and Ryuuto stared, completely stunned. Maiya didn't have Iri's noble grace or the refined curves of a mature woman, but she had her own understated appeal. Her arms and legs were lean and strong, her slender back carved with subtle lines that spoke of years of training.

She walked over to Ryuuto slowly. Sliding an arm around his neck like a snake, she gently pulled him down onto the futon next to Iri.

"Since she won't cooperate," she whispered, her face inches from his, "I'll take care of it instead."

This close, she could really see his face. For a split second, she understood why Iri had fallen so hard. This boy would definitely grow into the kind of man who could make any woman weak in the knees. Even now, with that boyish edge still softening his features, he had the kind of looks that could stop traffic. Even Maiya, who never cared about appearances, couldn't look away.

A soft blush colored her usually blank expression. This was fine. It was all for Iri's sake. Really. No hidden agenda whatsoever. Her cold, dark eyes warmed as she spoke in a soft voice. "Lord Ryuuto... if you don't mind... let me take her place tonight."

"Mmh." He wasn't the type to turn down a girl who offered herself to him.

Slender build, sharp features, that jet-black bob cut—Maiya might not fit the usual beauty standards, but she had this balanced, striking look. Women like her were pretty rare in anime world. That alone was enough to get his attention.

Warmth spread through his chest as he gently pulled her closer.

"...!" She tensed when his hand touched her bare back.

"What's wrong?" He could feel her trembling through her skin.

"It's just..." she said quietly, "it's been over ten years since I let a man touch me like this. I'm not used to it anymore. Don't worry about it."

"...?" He blinked. Wait, weren't you and Kiritsugu...? But she wasn't lying. Her face said everything. She had no reason to make something like that up.

Now that he thought about it, a guy carrying the weight of saving the world probably didn't have time for stuff like this. Come on, Kiritsugu. No matter how busy you are, you should still take care of the women who trust you. Damn, Japanese men really are hopeless. Guess it's up to me—just some carefree gentleman with no big dreams—to do what the so-called savior couldn't. Time to heal Maiya's heart.

He brushed his nose against her soft cheek and whispered, "You're beautiful tonight, Maiya. Let me see more of this side of you."

"...Mmh." Maybe no man had ever called her that before, or maybe it was just the way he said it, but for the first time ever, color bloomed across Maiya's usually blank face.

She didn't know what to say. Her whole life, she'd been a weapon, a tool for fighting. So instead, she just held him tighter. Her heart was a mess of confusion, guilt, and something she'd almost forgotten—shyness.

She felt terrible about Iri. She had always been nothing but kind to her, and here she was, doing this right in front of her just to make her jealous.

Even if it was supposed to help Iri...