"Miss Artoria, welcome," Sella stood at the living room doorway, smiling politely and warmly.
"Madam has already told me about your matter."
She stepped aside gently and ushered the blonde girl into the living room.
"'Madam'? You mean Mama?", Illya asked.
"Mm," Sella answered calmly, "Miss Artoria is a relative of Madam's from Europe."
Irisviel von Einzbern, Emiya and Illya's mother.
From the surname alone you could tell: the Einzberns are a family from Europe, the German regions. Now, Alicefiel mainly operates over there, while Illya and the others live in Fuyuki City.
"Ah, Mama's from Europe," Illya blinked her ruby-like eyes and looked suddenly enlightened.
Shirou Emiya chuckled, a little helpless in his tone, "Illya, are you only realizing that now?"
"Of course I knew!", Illya protested, "It's just, living here all the time, it doesn't really feel real."
Indeed, although Illya's appearance and name are typically European, she had lived in Fuyuki City for as long as she could remember.
Never mind complicated German, even her English was halting; getting by on exams was already lucky.
"For the time being, Miss Artoria will be staying here temporarily," Sella said.
Artoria bowed her head slightly and gave a proper salute to everyone, "Sorry for the trouble."
Since it was Madam's decision, naturally no one objected.
Although the Emiya residence couldn't be called a luxurious villa, there were a few spare rooms; accommodating one lodger was no problem.
From the brief interactions so far, Miss Artoria seemed easy to get along with, proper in speech and conduct, and with her doll-like, exquisitely cute appearance, it was hard to feel any hostility toward her.
Illya blinked and cheerfully reached out her hand, voice bright and lively, "Welcome~"
Artoria was slightly taken aback, then nodded lightly and raised her right hand to shake Illya's, "Thank you."
"Then today I'll be the one to cook, let's have a welcome meal for Miss Artoria," Shirou said. At his words, Illya and Liz's eyes brightened and eager expressions appeared on their faces.
Although Shirou had always been the family's cook, his cooking recently seemed to have improved again.
The stoic Liz showed an unusually rare flicker of emotion, "Expecting a feast by Shirou."
Illya threw up her hands and cheered, "Yay!"
It felt a little unfair to Sella, but the fact was the maid-in-chief's cooking had been completely outclassed.
Sella watched the two with a slightly complicated expression. As head maid, to be completely surpassed in cooking skills was a bitter pill.
Of course, the happiest of all was Artoria.
Though the girl hadn't spoken or made any obvious moves, her eyes completely betrayed her feelings.
Her emerald eyes glittered slightly, and even the small ahoge on her head swayed faintly with joy.
———
"Ah! So full, so full, satisfied~"
Illya collapsed onto the sofa like a little cat full of happiness, patting her slightly rounded belly contentedly, her face written with comfort and enjoyment.
Not long ago, Shirou had happened to buy an excellent iron wok in Fuyuki's Chinatown, so his recent dishes were all full-flavored Chinese-style stir-fries.
Sweet-and-spicy Kung Pao Chicken, tender and juicy braised Lion's Head meatballs, perfectly cooked dry-pot fatty beef, and golden, crispy scallion pancakes... every dish whetted the appetite; even the pickiest eater couldn't help taking another bite.
The result: Illya and Liz had completely entered "collapsed mode."
In stark contrast, Artoria sat properly on the other side of the sofa.
Her posture remained very proper, back straight, composed and effortless.
Illya, lying on the sofa, stole a glance at Artoria and thought silently, "Miss Artoria, you really can't judge a book by its cover."
She looked like a small, cute girl, but Artoria's appetite was enormous.
Though she moved with elegance, from start to finish she ate at least five times as much as Illya!
And she ate incredibly fast.
Her chopsticks seemed to carry some exquisite sword technique. Each pick precise and swift, her eating movements flowing like water.
Illya marveled most that after eating so much, Artoria showed no sign of being stuffed.
From now on the Emiya household's monthly grocery bill would probably shoot up.
"Brother cooked twice the usual amount today, he was being foresighted," Illya lay back and thought to herself.
Amid this warm atmosphere, suddenly a sharp scream exploded from the bathroom.
"YAAAHHHHHHH!"
The voice was full of fear, shock, despair, as if the end of the world had arrived early.
A few seconds later Illya and Liz poked their heads out and asked, "What's wrong, Sella?"
Sella's voice trembled: "I, I gained a full three kilograms!"
"Shirou, it's all your fault!"
The bathroom door was flung open and a figure overflowing with presence burst out.
Tears in her eyes, Sella swung tiny fists and pounded Shirou's shoulder.
"Ow, that hurts...", Shirou feigned pain.
"I've always managed my figure! I relaxed for a few days and handed over the cooking to you, and look what happened."
Because of Shirou's wishes and Illya and Liz's strong requests, Shirou had been cooking more frequently lately.
Of course not every meal was as extravagant as today's, but whenever Shirou cooked, the taste and portions were above usual.
Compared to Sella's "nutritionally balanced, strictly portion-controlled" cooking, Shirou cared more about flavor.
This led to an inevitable result: the food was so delicious and plentiful that people unconsciously ate more.
Naturally, some people inevitably faced a weight crisis in these days, this was the "trap of delicious food."
"...My dishes are strictly calorie-calculated; they won't make you fat."
"You! Smuggler who snuck fat into me!" [T/N: 😏]
Shirou: "But, well, didn't everyone eat the same thing?"
Sella looked toward Illya and Liz.
"I'm still growing, so I don't gain weight easily," Illya said confidently.
"I have storage of 'this' for nurturing," Liz stuck out her chest and said nonchalantly.
Shirou: "Normally, my exercise volume is high."
Not only was he the captain of the archery club, he trained archery daily; besides that, he regularly did high jump, long jump, long-distance runs, comprehensive physical training.
Moreover, Shirou was at an age where his body needed a lot of energy intake.
So despite eating the same food, only Sella gained weight.
Sella muttered to herself, "Exercise... is that the problem?"
As head maid of the Emiya household she worked tirelessly on chores from cleaning to laundry to cooking; it was laborious work, but she had to admit. The calorie consumption wasn't as high as she imagined.
In contrast, Shirou's daily rigorous training, archery, jumping, running, meant his school exercise load was far above that of an ordinary student; big appetite but still lean and fit was perfectly reasonable.
Actually, Sella exercised secretly sometimes.
She would carry Shirou and Illya on her back and occasionally practice "magecraft."
Shirou and Illya weren't of the mysterious type, Sella thought, so it was better they didn't know about this.
However, she practiced magic very infrequently, and that activity itself hardly consumed calories.
She merely briefly opened her mana circuits, practiced simple magic operations, and most of the time was just meditative concentration.
It couldn't really count as "exercise," and it certainly couldn't offset the calories she'd taken in thanks to Shirou's cooking these days.
"Although Shirou's dishes are high in calories," Liz, still lying on the sofa watching TV, said, "If Sella shows self-control and doesn't eat too much each time, and trains properly, she should be fine, right?"
Sella's mouth twitched, "Of all people, don't say that to someone who eats and then immediately lies down..."
"So, huh, time to start training," Sella sighed.
At that moment, a pleasant voice sounded in the living room.
"Speaking of training, would you like to practice swordsmanship with me?", Artoria said.
She had been quietly sitting in a corner of the sofa and only now spoke.
Sella was slightly taken aback and turned to look at her, "Sword practice?"
The blonde girl nodded slightly, "Yes, sword practice is great exercise... and swordsmanship is something I'm somewhat good at."
Sella fell silent for a moment, considering the proposal.
From a pure "exercise" perspective, swordsmanship was indeed a full-body workout; it could increase stamina, agility, and combative awareness.
Sella thought about other matters as well. After all, she wasn't an ordinary maid.
Although Fuyuki looked calm on the surface and was a safe town far from conflict, who could say something wouldn't happen in the future?
If trouble appeared, say, a family enemy found this place, Shirou and Illya would still need her protection.
And her own magecraft practice had indeed become a bit lax.
Thinking that, learning swordsmanship seemed like a good option.
It would not only strengthen her physique to make up for long-term lack of exercise, but she could combine it with her "reinforcement magecraft" to use magic in close combat and increase her fighting ability.
And the most direct benefit, losing weight.
Sella's gaze flicked to Liz.
Compared to Sella, Liz's "body performance" was much stronger; she was born with a constitution beyond ordinary people, and in raw strength could even rival a Servant.
Sella: "Liz, from today on, you'll practice swordsmanship with me!"
"Eh?", Liz protested.
"This is an order," As elder sister, Sella forcibly decided it.
Shirou spoke, "If you're willing, you can also practice archery with me."
"Though I'm not a professional teacher, I can teach the basics."
———
"Hello, I'm Luviagelita, who just moved in across the street, I specially came to pay my respects...", Luviagelita stood elegantly at the door, posture proper, a perfect social smile on her face.
However—
The next second she saw the blonde girl standing in the doorway and inhaled sharply; her expression froze.
"Is something wrong?"
At that moment a familiar voice came from behind, and a black-haired girl in a maid outfit stuck her head out, looking puzzled.
She also inhaled sharply.
The girl's reaction was identical to Luviagelita's.
Tohsaka Rin, because she had expended too many jewels in fierce clashes with Luviagelita and in missions to reclaim class cards, was now completely broke.
Fighting powerful opponents had forced her to use large-scale magecraft multiple times; such lavish consumption had emptied the Tohsaka household's coffers in a short time.
Rin had reached the point where she couldn't even replenish basic jewels. Her finances were so dire she had to consider how to earn living expenses.
The best job she could find was to swallow her pride and become Luviagelita's maid.
At least, that was better than borrowing money from Luviagelita directly.
Of course, Rin was very displeased, but reality was stronger than her feelings.
Today, she came as a maid with Luviagelita to visit the neighbor Emiya household, only to encounter some surprises.
It wasn't Shirou who opened the door, but a blonde girl.
She stood in the entrance, her shining blonde hair glinting softly in the sunlight, her aqua eyes clear as a lake; her whole aura was dignified and noble, like someone stepped out of a medieval oil painting.
Just standing there she radiated an overwhelming presence that unconsciously put one on edge.
"Strange, although I've never met her, why do I feel fear and panic the moment I see her?", Luviagelita and Rin thought nervously.
"Hello, I'm Artoria, temporarily staying at the Emiya household," The blonde took the gift from Luviagelita's hand, moving with natural ease like a lady of the house.
Luviagelita shook her head gently, clearing the odd thoughts from her mind.
"Um, is Shirou—"
"Shirou went out to buy groceries," Artoria answered, tilting her head slightly, a hint of puzzlement in her eyes, "Do you know Shirou?"
"We're classmates."
Luviagelita quickly restored her social smile, "Since Shirou isn't here, we won't disturb you for now. Please look after us in the future."
"Mm, please take care of us."
At that moment the sound of bicycle tires rolling came from a distance; a black bicycle smoothly arrived and stopped in front of the Emiya house.
"Rin? Luviagelita? What are you doing here?", Shirou balanced on one foot to park his bicycle, the basket holding the ingredients he'd just bought; he looked puzzled at the two standing at the door.
"E-Emiya-kun!", Rin's body stiffened slightly, her tone carrying an awkward panic.
"Shirou~", Luviagelita stepped forward elegantly, her voice sweet and imbued with a certain aristocratic grace.
Their addresses differed, but both instinctively drew closer to Shirou.
Artoria standing in the doorway raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Shirou, I just bought a house. I didn't expect it to be right across from yours, what a coincidence."
She covered her mouth with her hand and laughed lightly, "Oh ho ho, it's almost like fate."
Rin, standing behind her, had a twitch at the corner of her mouth, thinking, 'Totally deliberate, isn't it?'
'This is not "fate" at all! She must have specifically chosen it!'
She probably got Shirou's address, then paid far more than normal to forcibly buy the house across the street.
Shirou smiled, "Is that so? That's great."
"Ah, Tohsaka, Luviagelita."
A sweet, gentle voice sounded, freezing Rin and Luviagelita's expressions.
A pink bicycle pulled up neatly beside Shirou.
The rider was a charming, cute girl.
Bright sunlight washed over her smooth pink hair giving it a dreamlike sheen; her eyes narrowed slightly, rose-red irises hidden in a gentle smile, giving off a nearly healing warmth.
Her figure was extremely well-developed; even in an ordinary school uniform her curves were striking. She dismounted slowly and stood beside Shirou, pushing her bike.
Moriyama Nanami, Shirou, Tohsaka Rin, and Luviagelita's classmate. Before Rin and Luviagelita transferred to Homurahara Academy, Nanami had been a popular school beauty.
After the two transferred in, some attention shifted, but Nanami didn't seem to mind.
Rin: "Is she Nakamori? Or Moriyama... what was it..."
Rin and Luviagelita hadn't remembered her name at all.
"Nanami is also a bit interested in kendo," Shirou said, "I actually think Nanami has talent, so I wanted her to try it."
In truth Nanami hadn't been particularly interested in kendo before. But if she had an excuse to visit Shirou's home to "practice swordsmanship," she was willing to try.
The sweet smile on the girl's face fell into Rin and Luviagelita's sight, making the corners of both their mouths curl into faint, dark smiles.
As before, from beginning to end, those two magi never met Illya.