Orario's afternoon sunlight lay lazily across the stone-paved streets.
After finishing a morning Dungeon run—only down to Floor 5, strictly so Lili could get used to working with him—Shirou Emiya walked toward West Main Street with Lili at his side.
"Lord Emiya… are we really going to eat lunch at a high-class tavern?"
Lili tugged anxiously at his sleeve, even though her backpack was empty—still huge, still habitual.
"Street-stall potato balls are already great. Going to The Hostess of Fertility is… too expensive…"
For someone who'd only just climbed out of poverty, a place where one meal could cost thousands of valis felt like stepping into a furnace made of money.
"Don't worry about the money," Shirou said, smiling as he patted the bulging coin purse at his waist. "And I also want to thank a certain young lady there. That grimoire she helped me with last time was a big help."
Just then, a familiar golden figure appeared ahead.
Ais Wallenstein was standing at a fried potato ball stall, her normally placid golden eyes locked onto the sizzling, oil-spitting potato balls on the griddle with frightening intensity.
She patted her pocket. No small change.
Her face… visibly fell.
(Still a calm expression, technically—but her little ahoge drooped.)
"Ais?" Shirou approached.
"…Emiya?" Ais turned, looked at him, then at Lili beside him, and tilted her head slightly. "Date?"
"It's not a date! It's team building! Team building!" Lili snapped like she'd been stepped on—face flushing anyway.
"We're on the way to lunch," Shirou said. He pulled out a few coins, bought two fresh potato balls, and handed them to Ais. "Haven't eaten yet, right? Want to come with us?"
Ais took one, bit delicately… and her eyes narrowed in pure bliss.
"Mm. Together."
And just like that, a two-person outing became a three-person party.
…
"Welcome~! Oh! It's Mr. Emiya!"
The moment they pushed open the doors of The Hostess of Fertility, Syr's bright voice rang out.
The gray-haired poster girl looked unusually cheerful today. The instant she saw Shirou, she abandoned other customers and fluttered over like a light, lively butterfly.
"I knew you'd come today!"
Syr naturally hooked herself onto Shirou's arm—completely ignoring Lili's murderously sharp stare—and smiled sweetly.
"How was that book? Did it help?"
"It helped a lot," Shirou answered.
Without changing expression, he noted the soft warmth pressing into his arm… and, more troublingly, the faint divine presence that made his heart tighten.
"Thanks to you, Miss Syr, I learned a spell that suits me very well."
"Oh? That's wonderful~"
Syr blinked, leaned close to his ear, and breathed softly—fragrant, teasing.
"Then… how do you plan to repay me?"
"Ahem."
A cool, crisp cough cut Syr's momentum cleanly.
Ryuu Lion, in her green waitress uniform, stood at the table with a blank face—yet the tray in her hands was being squeezed hard enough to creak.
"Syr. Don't harass the customers. And bring the menus."
"Aww, Ryuu, you're so old-fashioned," Syr said, sticking out her tongue as she released Shirou and went to fetch the menus.
Shirou exhaled in relief and gave Ryuu a grateful look.
"Thanks, Miss Ryuu."
"…No need." Ryuu avoided his eyes, the tips of her ears faintly red.
"And… the sandwiches last time… were good."
Then she turned and hurried away, leaving behind a flustered back view.
"That elf… actually blushed?" Lili stared like she'd discovered a new continent. "Lord Emiya, what did you do to her?"
"I just treated her to breakfast," Shirou said, raising both hands innocently.
…
After ordering, they sat by the window.
Ais focused entirely on annihilating a plate of pasta. Lili was beside Shirou doing budgeting calculations like her life depended on it.
That was when Syr returned, carrying a cloth-wrapped box, her cheeks tinged with a shy (and faintly mischievous) blush.
"Um… Mr. Emiya."
She set the box down on the table.
"I heard your cooking is amazing—so good you even conquered Loki Familia's stomachs… So I tried making a bento. Would you… give me some pointers?"
"A bento?" Shirou blinked.
A bento made by the Goddess of Beauty's avatar?
Lili, not understanding the implications, leaned in with sparkling curiosity.
"Wow! You look really excited!"
Syr slowly opened the box.
"… … …"
The table fell into a dead, suffocating silence.
Inside was a nameless abomination.
It was purple.
It was releasing ominous black smoke.
And there was… something that looked disturbingly like a tentacle wriggling.
"W-what is that…?" Lili went pale and stepped back half a pace. "Is it a new kind of Dungeon monster?"
"It's stew~" Syr said, smiling brightly. "The appearance is only a tiny bit off, but I put a lot of effort into it. Mr. Emiya… you'll taste it, won't you?"
It was the whisper of a demon.
Shirou stared at the mass.
His Structural Analysis activated automatically.
Components: unknown carbonized matter; gel suspected to be slime; a toxic herb (likely mistaken for seasoning); and… an extremely concentrated dose of affection (a curse)
Conclusion: Lethal dose. Any adventurer below Lv.2 dies on the spot after one bite.
"Miss Syr…" Shirou's forehead began to sweat.
His pride as a cook refused to accept this as "food."
His survival instinct screamed that he must not refuse outright.
"W-what's wrong? You don't want it?" Syr's eyes instantly filled with tears—pitiful enough to shatter any man's resolve.
"N-no, I—"
Just as Shirou was cornered—
"I'm not picky."
Ais suddenly put down her fork. Her golden eyes gazed at the lunchbox with honest curiosity.
"I want to try."
The naturally airheaded Sword Princess didn't understand human malice. She just thought the color resembled a rare magic stone—maybe the flavor was "special."
"No! Ais!"
Shirou panicked and slammed a hand down on Ais's wrist right before she reached the Gates of Hell.
"That… is still too early for you."
"Too early?" Ais tilted her head. "Is it adult food?"
"No," Shirou said gravely. "It's… a trial for heroes."
He inhaled like he'd made a life-or-death decision.
He picked up a spoon. Under Syr's sparkling anticipation, Lili's horror, Ais's curiosity, and Ryuu's concern—
he scooped up a tiny spoonful of the purple substance.
"Since it's Miss Syr's heartfelt effort…"
Shirou shut his eyes and swallowed it whole.
"Gulp."
One second.
Two seconds.
Shirou's complexion changed from red to white, then to green, then froze in a bizarre shade of purple.
"Steel is my body…"
He reflexively activated defensive magic—trying to use a steel stomach to withstand the catastrophic taste.
It was sour, bitter, spicy, numbing—plus a direct spiritual impact that shot straight into the skull.
"S-so… how is it?" Syr asked, nervous.
Shirou slowly opened his eyes.
A single, crystalline tear slid down the corner of one eye.
"…It's very unique," he said in a trembling voice.
"It's like detonating a magical bomb that doesn't even exist on this floor… Miss Syr… your talent in cooking is genuinely—at the level of a god of destruction."
"Huh? Are you praising me?" Syr clapped happily.
"Idiot! That's obviously a cry for help!" Ryuu snapped.
She couldn't watch anymore. She hurried over with a cup of extra-strong detox fruit juice (Mama Mia's special) and forced it into Shirou's mouth.
"Syr! Haven't I told you the kitchen is off-limits for you?! Are you trying to kill all the customers?!"
Syr pouted and whined.
The farce ended under Ryuu's scolding and Syr's shameless cuteness.
Shirou slumped in his chair, feeling like he'd taken a round trip to the afterlife.
"Emiya… are you okay?" Ais gently poked Shirou's cheek, genuine worry in her eyes.
"I'm fine… probably," Shirou wheezed, catching her finger lightly.
"Promise me, Ais. If anyone ever gives you something that color again—don't eat it."
"Mm. I'll listen to you," Ais nodded seriously.
Watching their intimate little exchange, Lili puffed her cheeks.
And Syr—still being scolded—narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Looks like there are more rivals than I thought…"
Syr licked her lips, staring at Shirou—still suffering, still kind—and her possessiveness only grew stronger.
"And… you ate that and didn't faint… Mr. Emiya, your body really is impressive."
The afternoon sunlight remained warm.
But inside The Hostess of Fertility, the love-battle vortex surrounding Shirou Emiya had only just begun to spin.
-------
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