Artemis died!
I couldn't confirm it myself, but judging by Shiki's reaction, she definitely killed her.
She was the mastermind, but she isn't exactly evil, is she? Besides, she's a Divine Spirit, and we might have been able to bring her to Chaldea...
That would have been good for Ritsuka too.
But she just killed her... The event was annoying, yes, but I didn't intend to skip it this way.
"Shiki, I'm happy you did it for me... but please show some restraint."
"Restraint, huh..."
Shiki tilted her head slightly, looking somewhat regretful. Here I am, asking the person who could sever my life-line in an instant for a favor. Or rather, perhaps this too is a type of command.
To say such things to 「 」. If others saw this, wouldn't they break out in a cold sweat? As they say.
A weak, ordinary person with nothing special doing that to a munchkin-level powerhouse. It's a common development in Isekai or similar mass-produced fantasy novels.
"Yeah, got it. If Master says so."
"Thanks, Shiki."
And to think I'm doing exactly that right now.
Is it because of the Bond Level, or because I am her Master? The Bond Level probably plays a huge role. However, if that's the case, what about Servants who fall into the lower Bond Level category?
Although I'm an early-game user, having everyone at Bond 10 is impossible. Basically, everyone is at least 5, but since I have no basis for comparison...
I am a little anxious. But calling only high-bond Servants feels like a loser move... It can't be helped.
I am a loser (Ha-nam-ja), aren't I?
I don't want to call a low-bond Servant needlessly and get cursed at... I feel like I'd be ignored. Like those heroes or people with unfavorable jobs in banished-hero stories who suffer endlessly before getting kicked out...!
I'm sorry, I am a total loser. That's why, despite having some confidence in my looks, I'm a motae-solo (single since birth) who has never dated! Looks are important, but the world looks at personality too!
Of course, I'm not confident in my body either. I look skinny, but I don't have abs or anything, you know? I spent my time fangirling instead of exercising...
"What are you thinking about again?"
"Just some trivial self-reflecti——Wait, I told you not to eat it, yet you're eating it!?"
Castoria was munching on the dango. It didn't look like there was anything inside, but she was eating it well...
"I wanted to eat it. It's edible."
"Right... How could I stop you."
Well, considering the amount of dango, even if Castoria eats some, there should be plenty left for everyone. Let's see... Next up is the Dragonslayer Trio? Though one of them is only a Legend of Samurai because of the game system.
But where do we go? Did Artemis guide us in the original story? The event was so boring I'm getting confused.
"Please use your wild instincts once more, Taiga."
"Ah~ Leave it to this big sister."
Before I knew it, Taiga had changed into her 3rd Ascension Yakuza outfit instead of the mascot suit. That look is cooler, though.
Following Taiga, we arrived at a beach. I see the trio sitting in front of a campfire eating dango. Is it just me, or do they look like the "Hopeless Trio"?
Georgios, who says "If it's a dragon, it's a dragon"!
Martha, who is a saint but converts people with her fists!
Kojirou, who is a farmer but refracts dimensions because he wants to cut a swallow!
That's the vibe. Seeing them like this, they really do seem hopeless, don't they? Just a bunch of weirdos.
Maybe they are perverts, as Beni-enma said. They certainly don't seem sane.
"Shall we plunder again?"
"Hmm... No, this time we go with dialogue."
Conversely, let's try non-violence this time. Fighting all the time is a bit... crude. Let's try talking like intellectuals.
"Hello? Lovely evening."
"? Who are you?"
Martha asked.
"Ah, nothing special... If you hand over the dango peacefully, there won't be any bloodshed."
The Gandhi-style Non-violence (Nuclear) method. Ah, even I think it was a conversation that had no choice but to be peaceful.
Crack, crack...!
"So, you're robbing us now?"
"Unbelievable. I tried to have a non-violent conversation to retrieve an item like a civilized person, but was the opponent uncivilized all along?!"
Ah, I am sad...
"Repent for that sin!"
Pang!
Martha's fist flew towards me, but Taiga blocked it with a single finger.
"What?"
"Not a Ruler but a Rider... That level of strength isn't even ticklish, you know?"
"Are you underestimating me?"
Smells a bit like alcohol; she must have had quite a drink...
Pow-pow-pow-pow!
Taiga effortlessly parried the barrage of strikes, which were fast enough to leave afterimages, with one hand and a relaxed smile.
Then, she chopped the back of her neck with a knife-hand strike.
Crunch!
...Wait, didn't that break something?
"Ah, failed to control my strength. The Rider version has a weaker body... She's fine! Not dead."
Hmm... As expected of a Divine Spirit. Truly an affection character fed with Grails.
"Why, why are you all doing this!"
"We were just eating the dango we received, what is this mess..."
"The owner of those dango is us. In that sense, we will be taking them back."
Castoria retrieved the sack of dango with magecraft and handed over the unconscious Martha. Her neck looks a bit bent though...
Pathetic.
We recovered the dango and set off again. The biggest bundle should be with Caesar. We'll defeat that red agitator!
Hmm... the phrasing sounds weird, but in context, it's correct.
"How long until the next one?"
"Hmm... Probably about an hour!"
This is a disaster. Damn it, a Singularity caused by mere dango. Ah, annoying...
"...Master. I see an abandoned house over there. Shall we rest for a bit?"
"Abandoned house? Where... Oh, you're right. An empty house. Looks like it's been abandoned for a while?"
"Don't worry, there is magecraft!"
Versatile indeed. It's tiring to just keep searching for dango, so let's rest.
I hear water nearby, and there's a forest. Good location. Dust fills the air as we enter. Castoria goes in first to clean with magecraft, and we follow.
The furniture is quite old, but the bed and chairs look decent.
Deciding to rest for a bit, I lay down on the bed. Hmm~ A hard bed.
"Haa... What are dango anyway to bring us to a place like this..."
"That is true. It's late, so how about taking a nap?"
"I can sleep after finishing the job."
It's annoying, but work must be done. Just resting for a moment.
"Then I will go find some late-night snacks!"
Taiga went outside with her naginata. What kind of meat will she bring... Shiki is nowhere to be seen either. Where did she go?
I decide to go outside for a moment.
"Where are you going?"
"Just to wash my face."
"If it's that, I can use my magecraft——"
"It's okay~"
It's not good to rely on her too much. Since I heard water, I should wash my face myself.
I walked towards the sound of water around the back, and upon arrival, found a spring. The water was clear, so washing my face should be fine.
But, I sense someone's presence...
────Hmph, I just wait for the decapitation, right?
The spring gently illuminated by the moonlight. Standing there, perhaps intending to bathe, was Shiki, taking off her clothes.
To see the naked body of 「 」. Fufu, as my final moment, I have no regrets.
"...Why are you closing your eyes and smiling?"
"Even I think I looked like a creep just now."
I realized I was being an idiot, so I opened my eyes intending to make an excuse... but she was staring right at me without a single thread on her body.
Umm...
"Do you not have the courage?"
"Y-Yes, eh...?"
"Strange... I definitely said I liked Master. Do you dislike me?"
"Th-That's not it, but isn't this too sudden?"
"Everything is sudden in the first place. Besides, that girl seemed to be aiming for it, so I just decided to join in?"
"...?"
Feeling a presence behind me, I turned around to see Castoria standing there in light clothing.
"Are you dense, or are you avoiding it?"
"What...?"
"If we came to an abandoned house, what else is there but Mana Transfer?"
...Don't bring up Fate traditions here! Is it 'Meat in the Soup'!?
Wait, am I... being courted? Coming on so suddenly like an Isekai protagonist's heroine....
Actually, I like it.
"What, I came back with snacks and it's mating time?"
"P-Please watch your word choice..."
"Master."
"Yeah?"
"Strip."
Rip, rip, rip!
"Aaaah! At least be gentle!"
"Just trust your big sisters, okay? Master...♡"
And so, I was eaten. Ah, look at that moon. It's like...