"Delicious! This is it! This is what I live for! Seconds, please!"
"Hey, brat. Are you just going to ignore Takeda? He's already kicked the bucket, you know."
"No one fights on a full stomach."
"Hah! Precisely! There is no greater joy than a sated belly! You understand well, Artoria Uesugi!"
"Tota-san is such a cheat, seriously."
『...Gil, that's Uesugi. She's not Artoria, remember?』
"I am aware. I am not that Archer-version of myself; I have no intention of huffing and puffing with obsession. Besides..."
『Oh?』
"Our parting at the edge of the heavens is settled. The meeting and the farewell between that Saber and me ended long ago. The Saber I once sought has departed for a place far beyond my reach."
『Gil...』
"Hmph. That doesn't mean I'll treat her poorly, however. This is an informal gathering; I might as well enjoy a new encounter. So, stop pouting. Your value remains unchanged. Don't slack off on the controls of the Maarduk."
『I know! ...Hehe, I know!』
—They're such good friends! Fou!
(So this is Mysterious Heroine X...)
"Is the talking finished? I'd like another refill."
"—So this is what Saber becomes in a gag story..."
Gudaguda: Sincerity Out of Spite!
Having united to successfully crush the Takeda Cavalry, the Gudaguda gang was on a roll.
"Talk about an unstoppable momentum! This is true Tenka Fubu! Taking over the country is even more of a 'scrub-tier' cakewalk than when I was alive! The Sengoku period is such an easy-mode game, lol lmao!"
Riding high on their own hype, the Oda clan marched until they reached a certain coastline. The sound of crashing waves and the vast blue sky greeted the weary travelers.
"Hmm. Let's take a break here. We may be in enemy territory, but if one stays wound too tight, the string is liable to snap at the crucial moment. Moderate rest and appropriate labor—that is the mark of a healthy society."
"White! I knew the King who ruled that 'Battle City' Uruk was built different!"
No one objected to the King's decree. By unanimous vote, the group halted for a rest, each spending their time as they pleased.
"Mash-san! Catch anything? I don't usually indulge in fishing, so I'm a complete amateur at this..."
Mash and Okita decided to try their hand at sea fishing. It was the result of a sudden whim to try something they were bad at. (They chose to ignore the whispered plan of: "We need to increase the number of ships/pairings besides just Nobbu! Yes!")
"Me neither... It looks simple, but it's actually quite de—ah! It's shaking! Something's coming! It's biting!"
"Really?! The net! The net! Leave the retrieval to me!"
"Alright! Pulling it up... Mash-style!!"
The two girls frolicked with the innocence of youth.
"NOBBU—!!!"
"A human-faced Nobbu-fish—?! Why are the creatures in this place always like this? Noooo—!!"
"Can we eat it for dinner...?"
"That'll definitely wreck your stomach, goffu!?"
"Okita-san!?"
The "Gudaguda particles" had even infested the fishing, turning the scene into a chaotic mess. Meanwhile, in stark contrast...
"Ho. So you're trying to increase your 'Girl Power,' are you? Or rather, I'm surprised you had enough left to actually recover, Rikka-senpai."
"Gnuuu...! I-I have some! Probably!"
"Uhahaha! No matter! Do as you wish! It's not about 'Girl Power' or whatever; challenging new things is a virtue in itself! Listen, Rikka: a human life is but fifty years! While you're young, you can do anything! Don't be a picky eater, don't give up before you try—that is the secret to enjoying life!"
"...Yeah! Thanks, Nobbu!"
"Think nothing of it! I love talented people! It's only natural I'd look after an exceptionally capable Master. I'm looking forward to the moment I grant you the Holy Grail! Though, Rikka-senpai, I don't think 'going toe-to-toe with an Evil of Humanity' means that literally!"
Rikka and Nobu sat together, performing a tea ceremony and sharing a drink. Nobu had taken a total liking to the brilliant and capable Rikka, laughing alongside her.
"Hmm, I recall a 'Guda' from another time who was a relatable protagonist doing good despite being a hopeless nerd... but I don't think they were as unhinged as Rikka-senpai."
"Me from another timeline, huh... I bet they're all being normal Masters... (stares into the distance)"
"At the very least, you're probably the only one who is an Evil of Humanity! A civilian who can go 'Giga-Chad' mode against Servants and Goddesses? That's terrifying."
"You think? I guess that's why I'm Fujimaru 'Rikka'!"
And so, the group enjoyed their moment of respite. As for our King...
"Give this to the Princess."
Hijikata presented the King with a barrel stuffed with takuan (pickled radish). A notorious takuan junkie, Hijikata had loved the stuff since his previous life, to the point of hoarding it by the barrel.
"An offering? Very well, I shall accept it."
"Appreciate it. Also, I thought up a poem for the Princess."
"...Beg pardon?"
Hijikata cleared his throat and scribbled a haiku onto a piece of paper.
"'Heroic Princess / Radiating brilliance / Of White and Gold.' How's that? Pretty good, right? It's missing a seasonal word, so I guess it's technically a senryu."
"..."
"The Princess looked like quite the 'betpin' (beauty) while she was commanding us. Personally, I'm just disappointed I didn't get to strike up a conversation."
In contrast to the speechless King, the Vice-Commander let out a confident, dashing smirk.
Though known as the "Demon Vice-Commander" who enforced strict regulations and the Shinsengumi Code, Hijikata was not merely cold-blooded. History remembers him as a composed and surprisingly kind man.
Being remarkably handsome, he was incredibly popular with women—even writing letters home complaining about how "it's tough being this popular." Under the pen name Toyotama, he was a cultured man with a deep hobby for poetry.
As for the quality of said poetry... it was, to put it bluntly, incredibly "straight." No metaphors, no frills, just a literal description of the scene. It earned him a posthumous reputation as a "hapless enthusiast."
"...Y-yes. I'm sure she will be pleased. I have received it."
The Hero King stashed the offering for the "Princess" away, visibly bewildered by the man's sheer bluntness.
—Yay! Thank you! What a straightforward and lovely senryu! And takuan! I got takuan too!
(And the senryu!)
—By the way, Fou, what does 'betpin' mean?
(It means someone who is breathtakingly beautiful.)
At Fou's words, Ea puffed out her chest with pride. To her, it was only a natural assessment.
—Of course! I am the greatest work of art in the world! The supreme physical form crafted by God and Man! It is only natural to be beautiful! After all, I am the female body of the Hero King! Hmph! Even the 'Me' in my soul is feeling proud! Thank you!
Humming happily, she began to playfully poke at Fou. The King watched the scene, his eyes softening.
"Indeed, a soul that remains eternally distant from arrogance. That nature is precisely why I granted you that vessel... Though, I didn't realize Japanese poetry was quite so... unrefined."
(No, no, Hijikata is just special.)
—I should try writing one too! 'The King and Fou / The sounds of their names / Are somewhat alike'! How's that?!
(That was refreshingly blunt. Or rather, it was just an observation!)
"Aside from the syllable count being off, it's not bad. They do sound similar. Hmm. You have a knack for this."
(You really are soft on Ea, aren't you?!)
—As Gilgameshia, the woman of culture, I might actually have a shot at this!
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