Although resolving the Lostbelt and Humanity's Bleaching was an urgent matter, it was not something that could be rushed to completion. In Shiomi's view, the appearance of Humanity's Wipeout was likely already under the watch of the gods beyond the world.
Among them, Odin had shown the greatest concern, even personally intervening to help Mooncell's chosen one overcome obstacle after obstacle, gifting him treasures such as Gungnir and the barbed spear. Had BB been present, Shiomi might have asked about his true origins—whether he might actually be Odin's illegitimate son or something of that sort.
But when he thought about it again, while the All-Father had his share of legendary romantic affairs, compared to Zeus—who behaved like a stallion in mythology—Odin's conduct could still be considered respectable.
So Shiomi dismissed the idea entirely.
After parting from Romani and Olga Marie near the bridge, he mulled over this half-serious question on his way back to his room. There, he found Morgan alone in the corridor, looking rather bored.
"Uh… why are you out here? Was the room too stuffy?" Shiomi approached and took her hand. "Want me to take you up to the deck for some air?"
"No, that's not the issue." Morgan looked unusually conflicted.
From Shiomi's understanding, whatever troubled her now was significant yet not fatal—something she couldn't ignore, but also couldn't find a proper solution for.
It had led her to choose avoidance, a rare reaction for her.
Or rather, she finally could choose avoidance—stepping out of the room to think… or to stop thinking.
"Don't tell me Master and Artoria have been needling you about the Britannia stuff?" Shiomi joked.
They'd discussed such topics privately plenty of times—both in and out of bed—so it hardly required any serious conversation.
"It's not about them… well, not entirely unrelated." Morgan rubbed her temples. "After all, the problem started because Artoria provoked it, and Scáthach fanned the flames."
"So what exactly is the problem?" Shiomi asked.
Before he could finish, Morgan stepped behind him and pushed him toward the door.
The moment the perfectly soundproof automatic door slid open, Shiomi was greeted by an unusually "heated" scene.
Baobhan Sith and Sakura were locked in an intense standoff—not through Magecraft, but over a towering stack of Jenga blocks on the table.
Most of the blocks had already been removed, leaving the tower unstable and ready to topple at the slightest disturbance.
Sakura's concentration was sharper than ever as she searched for the piece she could pull free without collapsing the entire structure.
And Shiomi, pushed inside by Morgan, arrived at the exact moment she had just touched the ideal block.
A breeze so faint it should have gone unnoticed became the deciding factor.
Before she could react, the tower came crashing down, leaving Sakura frozen in place, still holding a single block.
"Yes! I won! I'm the real big sister!"
Baobhan Sith threw her arms up in joyous celebration.
"What are you doing?" Shiomi could smell trouble already.
He had more or less guessed their antics, but when he tried to turn and flee, Morgan's hand pressed firmly against his back, preventing any escape.
"Ah, Father." Sakura greeted him, her expression unusually subdued. Her recent defeat had clearly stung.
"Father, we were holding a 'Sister Throne Battle'." Baobhan Sith fanned herself proudly. "Thanks to your helpful breeze, I secured victory."
"I'm glad you're having fun," Shiomi said, squinting his eyes into a soft, awkward smile.
He had worried that after leaving the Fairy Kingdom, Baobhan Sith might struggle to adjust to the outside world—but reality proved he had nothing to worry about.
For her, what mattered had never been power or status, but her parents. With Britannia's destruction costing her nothing, she felt no sadness at all.
Perhaps that, too, was part of being a fairy.
Meanwhile, unlike the delighted Baobhan Sith, Sakura collapsed into her cushions, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Focusing so intensely during such a competitive game naturally worked up heat.
"So… that means among the teacher's children, Baobhan Sith is the eldest sister… right?" Gray cautiously offered her conclusion.
Shiomi thought, Just as I expected.
What had likely begun as some tiny, trivial topic had somehow spiraled into a full-blown debate over who counted as the elder sister. In terms of when they'd each joined him, Sakura had been by Shiomi's side earlier—but in terms of actual age, Baobhan Sith had lived over two thousand years in Britannia and was, technically speaking, far older.
Even Morgan hadn't been able to persuade either of them, so before the match even started, she escaped outside to wait for the results.
Simply because she couldn't take either side.
"Is that truly so?" Scáthach cast Shiomi a teasing look. "Had my beloved disciple not barged into the room and disrupted the airflow, altering the tower's balance, the outcome might very well have been different."
Shiomi's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He silently begged Scáthach to stop talking.
Clearly, she had also been teasing them earlier, nudging this whole competition into existence.
"In that case, wouldn't that make the result unfair?" Artoria asked from nearby.
"Honestly… yes…" Artoria Caster admitted as she played chess with the King of Knights.
Caster had learned the rules, but she wasn't remotely a match for her other "self," and she'd become so absorbed in watching the showdown that she had forgotten to continue moving her own pieces.
"Then let them compete again. And it's perfect timing, since both Father and Mother are here." Caren beamed happily.
"With the two of you as witnesses and judges, the result will be even more convincing."
The tension in the room rose again, and Sakura's fighting spirit reignited.
"I hereby renew my challenge for the title of 'Elder Sister.' Baobhan Sith, I challenge you."
Baobhan Sith spun effortlessly, adjusting her glasses as the lens glinted sharply. "Of course. I accept your challenge, Sakura—as many times as needed. Whether as the rightful successor of the Witch of Britain… or as your older sister."
"Hey! It's not decided yet! Don't start calling yourself my sister!" Sakura protested.
Shiomi almost teased her for acting childish at her age—but then remembered Baobhan Sith was technically even older, and every bit as fired up.
"I think I understand why you were hiding outside, my wife," he whispered to Morgan as he was pushed into the spectator's seat. "I'd rather fight the Beast God's remains alone than deal with this…"
"Let us witness it together, my husband!"
To his dismay, Morgan suddenly became just as enthusiastic as everyone else.
Even with the air conditioning blowing cold air throughout the room, Shiomi was soon drenched in sweat.