MMMS 67

The next day at 8:30 a.m., bright sunlight streamed through the windows as Ryuuto blinked awake. A faint emptiness settled over him when he realized Artoria, who'd spent the night beside him, was already gone.

The King of Knights never slept this late—she was too much of a stickler for routine. She'd left three hours earlier to train and meditate in the courtyard. Though knowing her appetite, she might have just gotten hungry and wandered off for breakfast.

He yawned and turned to look at Irisviel, still fast asleep barely an arm's length away. Morning light washed over her face, making her skin look as soft as a baby's, her silver hair gleaming like raw silk. The straps of her nightgown had slipped down, showing off her smooth shoulders. Her chest rose and fell with each deep breath, the curves clearly visible beneath the thin fabric.

Might as well cuddle up with her!

He cracked a mischievous smile and pounced on her soft, curvy body.

Two seconds later, Irisviel's shriek filled the entire room.

...

When Ryuuto and Irisviel walked into the dining room, the Pendragon sisters, who'd been bickering loudly at the table, suddenly went quiet.

‘Wow... I really am like the head of this family,’ he thought to himself, the idea seeming both ridiculous and strangely satisfying.

He took his seat at the head of the table, looking over the generous breakfast spread. Fried eggs, instant kombu, pickled salmon, various pickles, tofu, miso soup, and steaming white rice—basically what any middle-aged Japanese person would eat.

Having spent time in Japan, he knew those natto and miso soup breakfasts always shown in anime were actually pretty rare. Most younger people just grabbed sandwiches, rice balls, or bread in the morning.

It looked like Morgan and Artoria had been fighting about the breakfast menu, with Morgan clearly annoyed. "Lancer, why didn't you get bread when you picked up takeout?"

"Caster, everyone knows you're supposed to eat rice in the morning!" replied the King of Britain, who'd clearly fallen in love with Eastern cuisine over the past few days, her voice full of conviction.

Ryuuto cracked a raw egg into his rice, drizzled soy sauce over it, and mixed everything together.

"So for today's plan—during daylight hours, I'll patrol the city with Caster. After dark, Lancer, you'll team up with me. Any problems with that?"

"...Mm."

"...Fine."

Both girls nodded as they picked up their chopsticks.

He scooped up a mouthful of rice and spoke through his chewing, "We're focusing on the Tohsaka family and the Church today. Finding clues about Fanatic is absolutely essential. The longer we wait, the worse this feeling in my gut gets."

"..."

Artoria, Morgan, and Irisviel looked up in perfect synchrony. Their gazes landed on him first, then drifted to each other, exchanging silent messages.

"Also, I've been thinking," he continued, swallowing his food, "we should make the most of these peaceful days to strengthen the Castle's defenses."

"Why do we need to do that?" Irisviel tilted her head slightly.

Morgan answered before he could, "Because the remaining magi will likely target us next. On paper, our strength looks overwhelming."

"If I were in their position, I'd form an alliance with the other magi and make taking down this place my top priority," she added with a knowing smile.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking," he nodded eagerly. "Just the legendary names of King Arthur and Morgan are enough to make those magi tremble in fear, not to mention we also have Fanatic in our corner."

"..."

Again, the three women paused with chopsticks halfway to their mouths, exchanging glances. Neither Artoria nor Morgan seemed pleased by his compliments; instead, a flicker of confusion passed between the sisters.

"So here's my plan," he leaned forward, excitement dancing in his eyes. "Instead of waiting for an ambush, why don't we let them come to us? We'll fortify the Castle, retrieve Fanatic, and then declare all-out war on the remaining four teams." His voice carried the enthusiasm of someone who'd stayed up all night perfecting this plan.

Taking down the remaining teams one by one would be too much hassle. A single, decisive battle to wipe them all out made much more sense.

Just then, Irisviel seemed to gather her courage and spoke with a hint of hesitation in her voice. "Um... Lord Ryuuto."

"What's up, Iri?"

"Who exactly is this Fanatic you keep mentioning?"

"Huh?"

Iri, did all your brain nutrients go straight to your chest? His expression conveyed this thought perfectly, but all he got in return was a genuinely confused look.

She cocked her head to the side and asked, "So who is this person called Fanatic? Did you bring in some outside help for the Holy Grail War?"

"That's not even remotely funny. Didn't I introduce her to everyone before we went investigating yesterday...?" Ryuuto's voice trailed off as realization dawned. "Wait, seriously?" He glanced at Artoria and Morgan, finding their reactions identical to Irisviel's—delicate eyebrows slightly creased, eyes filled with genuine confusion.

They were all sincerely puzzled by the same question: "Who is Fanatic?"

"...Is something wrong, Master?" Morgan asked, concern crossing her face as she noticed his expression change in a way she hadn't seen before.

"..."

Silently, he placed his rice bowl on the table, drew in a deep breath, and shook his head. "No, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. Iri just... wore me out last night. I barely slept, so I'm still a bit groggy this morning and not fully awake yet."

"...Huh!? Wore you out how? Lord Ryuuto, please don't say things that could cause misunderstandings!" In a flash, Irisviel's face burned bright red.

Morgan shot her a bone-chilling glare that could freeze hell itself. "My, my... Such an innocent face hiding such a wild nature underneath. Who would have thought the Einzbern heiress was such a little vixen?"

…

Night wrapped around the Einzbern forest like a dark blanket. Ryuuto had shut himself in his room right after breakfast, claiming he wasn't feeling well, and hadn't emerged all day.

After dropping off his dinner tray, Irisviel lingered in the hallway, her gaze drifting across the endless sea of trees beyond the window. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she wondered what shape the Holy Grail War would take from here. Most likely, it would end in Ryuuto's complete victory. No matter how powerful the remaining Servants might be, they stood little chance against the legendary King Arthur and Morgan working together.

Irisviel had pored over secret records of past Holy Grail Wars, and she firmly believed that Ryuuto was without question the most formidable Master in the War's entire history. His existence seemed to stretch beyond what it meant to be a magus—something even Artoria herself had acknowledged.

In Irisviel's mind, his victory was all but guaranteed.

"When Ryuuto gets his hands on the Greater Grail... what will he do with me?" Having accepted her fate, Irisviel's only lingering question was: What did that boy truly wish for?

Without warning, a thunderous boom crashed through her thoughts. The deafening roar tore through the night and sent a jolt of pain through her magical circuits. Dizziness swept over Irisviel, nearly sending her crumpling to the floor right there in the hallway.

A massive wave of magical energy crashed through the air, signaling that someone was attacking the barrier surrounding the forest outside the castle.