Kinoko Town was neatly divided by its shopping street: the east side was a sprawl of low residential houses, while the west rose with modern high-rises. TYPE-MOON Academy stood in the northern suburbs, nestled halfway up a hillside, its surroundings dotted with rivers and rolling hills.
The "acquaintance" that Ryoji's mother, Minamoto no Yorimitsu, mentioned lived in one of those towering apartments in the city center.
"Why would someone like that be friends with Mom?"
"She comes to our shop often, so over time we got to know each other. Later, we both joined the Kinoko Town Women's Association. We're very close now."
On the way to the city, Ryoji chatted idly with Yorimitsu.
"This little town even has a Women's Association?" he asked, more curious than mocking. "How many members? And who are they?"
"Oh, just a few dozen or so. There's me, Mother Tomoe, Boudica, the lady who runs the sweets shop, along with that acquaintance I just mentioned. We're all members."
'Can I join too?' The thought sprang up in Ryoji's mind, making his heart race.
'No, no, don't get the wrong idea, it was pure curiosity.'
'He absolutely had no intention of becoming popular with housewives.'
Of course not.
That was something he'd never dare say aloud in front of Yorimitsu. Otherwise, she might think her son had gone strange, and then… probably burst into tears.
They passed straight through the shopping street, and the road ahead blossomed into a bustling cityscape.
Accessory shops, restaurants, and boutiques lined both sides of the street. A massive shopping mall stood proudly on one corner, and waves of pedestrians crowded the crosswalks, giving the place the lively pulse of a major city.
Following the directions, the two arrived at the base of a tall apartment complex.
At the security desk, Yorimitsu made a quick phone call to her acquaintance before they were allowed in.
That voice… it sounded familiar, Ryoji thought, stepping into the elevator with his mother. The lift rose steadily before stopping on the top floor, the twentieth.
Ding, boom!
Yorimitsu pressed the doorbell.
Not long after, with a crisp kacha, the apartment door opened. A breathtakingly beautiful married woman stepped out to greet them.
"Minamoto San, welcome."
She moved gracefully aside to invite them in. Her gaze swept over Yorimitsu, then landed on the young man behind her. The dignified smile on her lips faltered ever so slightly.
"…And this is?"
"My proud son."
"I see… please, do come in."
The lady's expression was tinged with surprise as she ushered them into the home.
Ryoji felt a strange tension coil in his chest. The woman had an elegant mane of golden hair, gathered and styled into a noble updo. Her emerald eyes shimmered with gentle warmth, her posture regal, like a princess of some long-lost royal family.
She wore a white, corset-fitted dress that outlined her tall, refined figure, graceful and poised in every way.
And yet… something about her looked oddly familiar.
There was a faint resemblance to Souji, Nero, Jeanne, and even Artoria, but she was their fully matured counterpart, with the refined charm of a dignified, graceful woman. Exactly Ryoji's type.
"Please have a seat. I'll prepare some tea."
"Oh, no need to trouble yourself. Let me help you."
"Aiya, how could I let a guest, "
The two women exchanged polite refusals before disappearing together into the kitchen, leaving Ryoji alone in the spacious living room.
Not a bad place, he thought, glancing around.
The apartment occupied the very top of the tower and stretched across two floors. Even the lower level alone, living room, kitchen, and all, spanned over two hundred square meters. A wooden staircase coiled up from the corner, giving the whole place an air of elegance and grandeur.
"Mom, do we have guests?" The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the house.
A fresh, radiant girl in soft cotton slippers descended from the second floor, stepping into Ryoji's line of sight.
The moment their eyes met, both of them froze.
The girl coming down the stairs had the same silky golden hair as her mother, tied simply into a ponytail with a blue ribbon. Unlike the school uniform he was used to seeing her in, today she wore casual clothes, giving off a comfortable, homey aura.
Ryoji's face was the very picture of "Of course it's her."
"Ryoji-kouhai? What are you doing here?" Artoria stared at him in shock, finding him seated casually on the sofa.
"My mom brought me along." Ryoji pointed toward the kitchen.
"Oh? You two know each other?"
Just then, the two ladies returned, each carrying a tray with steaming black tea and neatly arranged sweets.
Artoria's mother glanced at her daughter, then at Ryoji, confusion flickering across her face.
"Come to think of it, you both attend the same school. Not impossible that you'd know each other."
"Really? What a coincidence!"
Minamoto chuckled softly. Though, she mused, plans of arranging her daughter's future fiancé might not pan out so neatly.
"Mom… don't tell me the kendo teacher you mentioned is…?"
Artoria stepped fully into the living room, her expression caught between exasperation and disbelief.
"That's right," Ria's mother answered with an elegant smile. "Lady Minamoto said her son's swordsmanship is exceptional. I heard you've been searching for a skilled kendo mentor, so I invited them over to take a look."
"…This is complicated."
Artoria pressed a hand to her face, clearly at her wit's end. "I want to say thank you… but the whole reason I've been looking for a teacher is because Ryoji-kouhai beat me at school. I wanted to train harder to make up for that loss!"
"Eh!?"
"Ma!"
Both mothers gasped in perfect unison, covering their mouths in shock.
Ryoji just spread his hands, wordlessly confirming that her words were true, sending the two ladies into even deeper surprise.
"This is more than coincidence, it's fate!"
Yorimitsu looked positively amused now.
"What are the odds? The world really is small. But this… isn't a bad arrangement at all."
After her initial shock, Ria's mother seemed to agree. "Since he's the one who defeated you, doesn't that make him the most suitable person to guide your training?"
"That… actually makes sense."
Artoria nodded in dawning realization.
"What do you think, Li?" Yorimitsu asked warmly, turning to Ryoji with a knowing smile.
"Hmm…"
Ryoji glanced at Artoria.
Her face was bright with anticipation, and in her eyes gleamed that fierce, unyielding spirit of hers. If he really agreed to train her, he knew he'd be hounded endlessly in the future.
To be honest, he wanted nothing to do with such troublesome affairs.
And yet, He turned his gaze back toward Ria's mother.
"Um… how should I address you, Auntie?"
"Oh my, how rude of me. I never introduced myself."
Ria's mother blinked in realization, a faint blush rising to her cheeks before she smiled gracefully. "I'm Artoria Lancer. You can just call me Auntie Lancer."
What a ridiculously straightforward name…
"Understood, Auntie Lartoria."
"…?"
"I've always been a young man who loves helping others! Leave Artoria-senpai's swordsmanship lessons to me!"
Ryoji patted his chest with all the earnest determination of a boy signing his name in blood.
His resolve was absolute, almost like he was about to draft a written contract.
(End of Chapter)
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