Draco, true to her reputation as the brilliant emperor, remained an exceptional cook even in this alternate future.
With Sakatsuki and Draco working closely together, a continuous stream of dishes blending Eastern and Western cuisines was served one after another. The Holy Grail War had ended, and soon they would reconnect with Ritsuka and the Servants at Chaldea. The atmosphere was so relaxed that they even jokingly held an eating contest, with the winner earning the right to choose the menu at Chaldea for an entire week.
—Needless to say, a certain saber and a certain rebellious knight were far ahead. Fortunately, there was no need to worry about food supplies on the final day, and with the enthusiastic efforts of Sakatsuki and Draco, the much-anticipated competition came to a close.
Result: A tie.
Food consumed: 250 kilograms… (scratched out)
After the eating contest, the restless Servants, egged on by Ritsuka, began playing various games—hopscotch, board games, tag…
Childish for elementary schoolers, but just right for Servants.
"Heroes are forged through blood and bones, their names shining brightly because of it."
"Without impenetrable darkness, why would people call for the light?"
"So, don't envy the heroes for their fame. For them, the games of ordinary people are far more interesting than slaying dragons."
The courtyard was bathed in silver moonlight. Just by glancing outside, one could see Tamamo-no-Mae and Kiyohime lazily basking in the moon's glow, while Ritsuka and Mash worked together to splash water at Cú Chulainn on the beach.
With no werewolf game to force them to sleep, the Servants had no intention of going to bed tonight. Instead, they unanimously chose to stay outside, enjoying the rare island night.
As for the two chefs who had prepared dinner, once their work was done, Sakatsuki—taking advantage of the children's distraction—finally brought out the fine wine he had brewed and sat with Draco at the entrance, quietly admiring everything they had built.
Silver light spilled across the ground. Tamamo-no-Mae had used magecraft to grow a cherry blossom tree by the door, and as the cool night breeze swept through, pink petals fluttered down like a dazzling, colorful rain. The white-haired, golden-eyed young man rested his chin on his hand, smiling as he filled the cups with wine.
"Wine. I want some too."
A slender hand extended a cup toward him. Before Sakatsuki could speak, Draco warned,
"If you dare say something boring like 'children shouldn't drink,' I'll bite you."
"...Ahem. Understood, Your Majesty."
His little trick exposed, Sakatsuki chuckled awkwardly and poured her a cup as well.
The amber-hued wine swirled slightly in the cup before settling into a clarity so pristine it seemed a shame to drink.
Holding the cup with both hands, Draco peered through the glass, her curious eyes reflected in the gem-like liquid.
"This wine... is beautiful."
"Thank you for the compliment." Sakatsuki smiled modestly. "Then please, enjoy, Your Majesty."
"Mmm." Draco lifted the cup, took a delicate sniff, then a small sip. After savoring it slowly, she drank it all in one go, the warmth spreading from her chest to the crown of her head.
At first, it was just a sense of ease, but after a cup of wine, Draco's face grew flushed. She swayed slightly, her drunken eyes hazy as she gazed at the young man before her.
"Sakatsuki."
"Hmm?"
"Thou..."
"What is it?"
"Governor~~"
Draco's voice was soft, like a kitten lightly pawing at a ball of yarn. Sakatsuki's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly raised his cup to drink, masking his reaction.
Calm down, calm down. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Lolicon is absolutely unacceptable... At least not until the third Saint Graph!
"Well, well, I followed the scent all the way here. Seems the head chef has been hiding something good without sharing."
Carrying the legendary Monohoshizao, his long, deep-blue ponytail swaying, dressed in a kimono and exuding an air of classical elegance as if stepping out of an ancient painting, Kojirou appeared before Sakatsuki. Though he smiled, his eyes were fixed on the fragrant cup of wine.
"Drinking under the moonlight, accompanied by beauty... Truly, Sakatsuki-dono is a man of refined taste."
"Beautiful scenery, fine wine, and a lovely companion." Sakatsuki raised his cup, a smirk playing on his lips. "Care to join?"
"Ha, I'd be content with just one of those." Kojirou chuckled lightly, lifting the hem of his robe as he gracefully took a seat.
"Drinking beneath the moon—ah, what a delight."
He watched as the wine poured into his cup, unable to suppress his joy. "A shame you're not in Chaldea, Sakatsuki-dono. That red Archer is far too rigid—finding a drinking companion like you is no easy feat."
"Oh, you've already noticed? As expected of a peerless swordsman." Sakatsuki remained unfazed, smiling warmly. "No matter. Even just tonight is enough for us to finish this newly brewed wine."
No sooner had he spoken than someone tugged at his sleeve. Turning, he saw Draco, who had somehow left her seat and now stood beside him. Her wine-red eyes shimmered, as if brimming with countless unspoken words.
"Governor, hug."
Without waiting for a reply, the girl in the red dress spread her arms and nestled into his embrace like a fledgling bird returning to its nest. The mingled scents of wine and perfume overwhelmed Sakatsuki, leaving him momentarily dazed.
"Hahaha... It seems Sakatsuki-dono is quite the lucky man." Kojirou raised his cup in toast. "A cause for celebration."
Extricating an arm from the warm, fragrant embrace, Sakatsuki clinked his cup against Kojirou's. "Indeed. I've always considered myself fortunate."
Coming to this world, meeting people worth loving and being loved by, a future full of anticipation...
Even after so long, Sakatsuki still believed himself the luckiest man alive.
Kojirou watched Sakatsuki's smile with a hint of envy, shaking his head in admiration.
"You truly are a man of great charm..."
Sakatsuki accepted the praise with a smile, and their cups met once more as they drank together.
Draco had already closed her eyes, quietly drifting off to sleep. Sakatsuki and Kojirou continued drinking, exchanging idle chatter, so immersed in the moment that they lost track of time.
The moon climbed to its zenith, the breeze carried lingering fragrance, and the drinkers grew pleasantly intoxicated.
After several rounds, Kojirou suddenly asked, "The Holy Grail on the island—you took it, didn't you?"
"Oh?" Sakatsuki grinned. "What makes you say that?"
"After all, I am someone who has experienced the Holy Grail War, even if it was just a hazy dream." The gatekeeper had no intention of making accusations. He took a sip of wine and smiled, "When I first met you, I sensed that familiar aura on that excessively large demon boar."
"Not just me, the Master must have noticed it too, but she seems to have given up on reclaiming it."
"Ritsuka, huh..." Sakatsuki set down his empty cup, savoring the aftertaste.
The homemade wine was indeed strong. Even controlling the amount, his head felt a bit dizzy.
"She's a good girl, but to shoulder such a heavy burden, she had no choice but to armor herself."
Sakatsuki looked down the slope where Ritsuka was enjoying Mash's lap pillow, with Tamamo-no-Mae and Kiyohime massaging her shoulders... The sight made the young man envious for a moment before he glanced down at Draco's sleeping face and reluctantly gave up.
So far, he had met two Masters from Chaldea—one male, one female.
Compared to Gudao, Gudako's personality was clearly much more cheerful. But beneath that cheerful exterior, she shared the same nature as Gudao: caution and testing when faced with the unfamiliar.
Not that her cheerfulness was fake—but to protect Human Order, she had no choice but to force herself to question and verify before extending trust.
She had no room for error. One failure meant the destruction of Human Order.
"So, Sakatsuki, have you considered coming to Chaldea? You must have noticed that Ritsuka already sees you as a good friend, right?"
Kojirou straightened his back, eyes gleaming.
Without hesitation, Sakatsuki shook his head with a smile. "Not yet. But you can give this to her."
With a snap of his fingers, a silver necklace appeared on the table. Kojirou picked it up and saw a drop of platinum-colored blood encased in the transparent gem.
"This is..."
"Consider it a homemade mystic code. It contains a drop of my concentrated magical energy—enough to support her in one Holy Grail summoning."
Smiling, Sakatsuki stood up, holding Draco in his arms.
"Leaving already?" Kojirou pocketed the necklace and rose as well. "Let me see you off."
"No need." Sakatsuki waved his hand. "I see Illya and the others are already tired from playing. After saying goodbye to Ritsuka, we'll return to our original world—honestly, I still have to explain things to Irisviel and Luviagelita."
"The Holy Grail has already been taken by me. Once midnight passes, Chaldea's communications will be restored."
With that, Sakatsuki walked down the slope without looking back. "Thanks, Kojirou. Drinking with you tonight was enjoyable."
Watching the young man leave, the man sent by the Master remained silent, merely raising his cup to finish the last of his wine.
What a... carefree young man.
Arriving at the beach, Ritsuka seemed to sense something and stood up, meeting Sakatsuki's gaze.
"Leaving already?"
"Yeah. Take care from now on."
"Don't make it sound like a final farewell... Well then, take care, Sakatsuki!"
Neither of them was the type for drawn-out goodbyes. Sakatsuki turned with a smile, exchanging a silent nod with Artoria in the distance.
They had already said all they needed to say. No further words were necessary.
"Sakatsuki, big brother!" Illya ran over with her two friends in tow. "Are we leaving now?"
"Mm, it's about time. If we don't head back soon, we'll be late for school."
"Ah!" Illya suddenly remembered she hadn't finished her homework yet. "This is bad... Hey, Miyu, have you done your homework..."
Hearing this, Miyu silently shifted her gaze away from Draco in Sakatsuki's arms. "I have, but I won't let you copy, Illya."
"Eh, how could you—!" Illya and Kuro cried out in unison.
"But I can help you and Kuro with it."
"Hehe, I knew Miyu was the best~~"
"Alright, girls." Seeing the timing was right, Sakatsuki called out, "Let's go!"
And so, amidst the farewells from Chaldea's staff, Sakatsuki bowed gracefully before disappearing from view.
Thus concluded their island adventure.
***
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