New Chaldea Headquarters Staff Cafeteria
At 10 a.m., sunlight streaming through the magical windows of the Wandering Sea illuminated the long oak tables in the cafeteria. The aroma of Emiya's specially brewed black tea and freshly baked scones wafted through the air.
For the Chaldeans, who had endured countless fierce battles, this was undoubtedly a rare moment of peace.
However, to some of the "new members," this tranquility felt a little too noisy.
"…Shut up! What the hell is wrong with these Heroic Spirits?!"
Consort Yu—no, more precisely, Yu Meiren—irritably poked at the strawberry cake on her plate with a silver fork, as if the cake were a red Archer.
"From the crack of dawn, there's already a banquet going on, and that woman called Artoria ate breakfast for ten people all by herself! And that blond guy was even using his Noble Phantasm as a streetlamp in the hallway! Is this really an organization for saving humanity? It's more like a Heroic Spirit zoo!"
"Hinako… I mean, Yu, calm down."
Sitting beside her was a tall, handsome black-haired man.
He wore frameless glasses and carried himself with refined, composed elegance. With slender fingers, he gently cut another slice of cake for Consort Yu.
Who could have imagined that this man, who looked like a university professor, was once the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, Xiang Yu, who had terrified countless people on the battlefield?
This was the result of Steve modifying his own Spirit Origin with his miraculous wisdom—Humanoid Mode.
This form sacrificed some of her superhuman strength and mobility, but it was undoubtedly better suited for life inside the cramped confines of Chaldea and aligned with the modest wish hidden in Yu's heart.
"It is noisy here, but at the same time, it is filled with the breath of life."
Xiang Yu brought the sliced cake close to Consort Yu's lips and spoke in a tone so affectionate it could freeze the surrounding air. "Moreover, being able to sunbathe with you like this and taste the crystallization of civilization called dessert is happiness that surpasses any hegemony for me."
"U-um… Lord Xiang Yu…"
Just a few minutes earlier, Consort Yu had looked like a pouting cat, but now her face turned bright red as she obediently opened her mouth and ate the cake. Her attitude had completely softened, as if pink bubbles were floating around her.
The three people sitting across from them—Kadoc, Ophelia, and Mash—simultaneously put on sunglasses.
"…It's wonderful that Akuta-senpai has found happiness, but isn't this flashbang a bit too powerful?"
Mash muttered in a low voice, and the Fou she was holding also agreed with a "Fou."
"You'll get used to it after a while."
Kadoc, with a world-weary expression, skillfully added a third sugar cube to his black coffee. "Ever since that Steve finished modifying Xiang Yu, this couple has been like this nonstop."
"What I'm most worried about right now is that if Pepe gets brought back too, the chaos in this cafeteria will definitely explode."
"Peperoncino-san…"
Ophelia held her teacup, her gaze vaguely directed out the window as if lost in thought. "His style is a bit… unique, but he is truly a kind person. If Steve really…"
She paused for a moment before turning to Kadoc. "Kadoc, do you think Steve-san really intends to recycle everyone in our Group A?"
The moment the topic came up, the atmosphere at the table became slightly awkward.
From Russia's Kadoc to Scandinavia's Ophelia, and now to China's Akuta Hinako.
It was as if Steve was a collector with OCD or a Pokémon GO player, driven by an almost unreasonable yet irresistible impulse to bring former enemies and allies back to his home in Chaldea.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Consort Yu swallowed the cake in her mouth and returned to her haughty expression. "That man… Steve said things like it's convenient or for humanity, but the way he looks at us is clearly like he's seeing blank spaces in an encyclopedia that must be filled!"
"And…"
She narrowed her eyes and spoke in a complicated tone. "He seems to know everything about our past, our desires, and even our weaknesses."
"The feeling of having your every thought completely seen through is really infuriating."
"If it were Pepe, he would probably happily surrender."
Kadoc sighed. "That guy didn't harbor that much hostility toward Chaldea."
"But Beryl… and the Captain…"
The moment the word "Captain" was mentioned, Ophelia's fingertips trembled slightly.
"If it were Steve…"
Mash suddenly spoke up, determination shining in her purple eyes. "If it's Steve, who can save Lostbelts and create impossible miracles… then even Captain Wodime should be able to find a way to talk with him."
After a brief silence, everyone nodded in unison.
Yes.
For that man, the word impossible seemed not to exist in this world.
...
Outdoor Passageway of the New Chaldea Central Simulation Training Area
Meanwhile, the collector who was being gossiped about in secret was in an extremely comfortable state, as if he were toying with death and recklessness.
"Hey, Ritsuka… Is today's training over already?"
Steve leaned against the corridor wall, watching the orange-haired girl who had just emerged from the simulation training room. That characteristic smile, friendly yet somehow hinting at a villainous nature, played on his face.
Fujimaru had just finished an intense simulated battle. Sweat still beaded on her forehead, and a few strands of orange hair stuck to her cheek, which only made her look more adorable.
The moment she heard Steve's voice, her previously tired eyes instantly regained their sparkle.
"Good morning, Steve!"
Like a puppy that had found its owner, the girl skipped and hopped as she rushed over to Steve's side. "What are you doing here? Did you come all the way just to wait for me?"
"I think so."
Steve did not deny it. Instead, he naturally reached out, took a clean white handkerchief from his pocket, and gently wiped the sweat from Ritsuka's forehead. "When I passed by earlier, I sensed a fluctuation in your magical energy."
"You shouldn't work so hard. If you exhaust yourself, everyone in Chaldea will worry about you."
His movements were gentle and meticulous, his fingertips lightly brushing against the girl's warm skin.
This intimate gesture had long surpassed the boundary of a normal Servant and Master (though Ritsuka was not his Master), resembling instead that of long-time lovers.
Ritsuka did not resist; instead, she calmly narrowed her eyes, and two suspicious blushes appeared on her cheeks.
"Hehe… I don't want to drag everyone down."
She scratched her head a little shyly. "Besides, just knowing that Steve is watching over me fills me with strength!"
"Eh? Is that so?"
Steve raised one eyebrow, leaned in slightly, and whispered in a low, charming voice near the girl's ear.
"Since I have such a powerful charge effect, isn't it okay to charge interest?"
"For example… how about taking a walk together in the Xianyang of the New World this weekend? I heard that many new shops have opened in the night market there recently, and His Majesty the First Emperor has reserved the best viewing spot for me."
"Eh?! Really, really?!"
Ritsuka's eyes widened in surprise. "Just the two of us?"
"Indeed."
Steve blinked, then placed his index finger against his lips. "This is… a secret date."
Thump—
Ritsuka felt as if she could hear her own heart pounding violently.
Looking at the handsome, strong, mysterious man before her who was always so gentle to her, she felt her rationality rapidly slipping away.
"…Okay, okay! I'll definitely go!"
The girl's voice trembled slightly with excitement, and tiny stars of anticipation sparkled in her eyes.
...
Inside the Ventilation Duct at the Corner of the Corridor – Simultaneous
"I can't forgive this… I absolutely can't forgive this…"
Less than ten meters above their heads, an extremely faint sound echoed through the narrow duct, carried by the vibrations of the ether optical fiber cables.
The genius alchemist of the Atlas Institute, Sion, was currently lying ungracefully inside the ventilation duct, holding a high-tech reconnaissance device like a periscope and staring fixedly at the scene below.
She gritted her teeth. Her normally rational, purplish-red eyes were now burning hot… with a fierce flame of jealousy intense enough to scorch even steel plates.
"That womanizer… that idiot woman… that shameless woman!"
Sion muttered desperately to herself. "I'm clearly the Master! I summoned him first! I made the contract with him first!"
"Why… why can that man accept having his head patted so naturally? Why can he invite someone on a date so naturally?!"
"That damn bastard Steve is the same! Secret date? 'He's never said those lines to me even once! All he ever says to me is 'Sion, calculate the orbital trajectory,' 'Sion, fix the Gundam,' 'Sion, I'm not coming back tonight!'"
"Damn it… damn it!"
In her anger, she punched the pipe wall, producing a dull thud.
Steve's ears twitched slightly below, as if sensing something.
However, he did not look up. Instead, the smile at the corner of his mouth became even more mischievous.
Ritsuka, immersed in happiness, remained completely unaware of the strange events happening above her head.
"Calm down… Sion, you need to calm down."
Sion took a deep breath of the dusty air and tried to regain her composure. "According to the calculations of Trismegistus II, Fujimaru Ritsuka's Natural Charm attribute is at EX rank. The probability of winning in a direct confrontation is less than 3%."
"We have to outsmart them… yes, outsmart them."
"If they're going on a date to Xianyang… don't blame me if there are technical issues."
Sion pushed up her glasses, a cold light shining in her eyes. "I still have the data interface I received from His Majesty the First Emperor… Hmph, then I'll change all the BGM to the Great Compassion Mantra and see how you manage to create a romantic atmosphere!"
"Just you wait, Steve! You… lovable, hateful bastard!"
The genius alchemist continued her daily surveillance mission—which was actually jealousy—inside the dark ventilation duct with tears in her eyes, while devising an extremely childish sabotage plan in her head.
…
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