Crane—or Miss Crane.
Due to some highly coincidental factors outside the Holy Grail War, she was summoned as a Servant. Her Master wasn't a Magus but an ordinary fashion designer. Perhaps they had some latent magical talent, but during their lifetime, they knew nothing of Magecraft.
"Crane's Master passed away recently. Normally, a Servant would return to the Throne of Heroes after losing their Master, but Crane is a Caster. By minimizing her Mana consumption, she can significantly extend her time in this world."
"It's because I haven't repaid my debt of gratitude." Miss Crane explained with a smile. "My Master was a fashion designer. Though not famous, their talent was extraordinary. There are many inspirations in that sketchbook I don't want to let fade away. So, after my Master's passing, I've continued releasing new fashion designs under their name."
"The clothes on the cover of this fashion magazine are actually Crane's work." Roman said, picking up a magazine from the table and showing it to them. "Well, if it were just this, there'd be no issue. Crane hasn't done anything to expose the mysteries. She hardly ever appears in public."
"But, Natsukawa, you know how it is—no matter how well it's hidden, the world of mysteries is only so big. Sooner or later, it attracts people with bad intentions. Some time ago, Crane was still discovered by a certain organization, and after her identity was exposed, she's been hunted."
"The Clock Tower, right?" Naoki gave a wry smile. "If you're talking about an organization with too much free time, it's always the Clock Tower. Seriously, every time there's trouble, they're the most active, but they're also the first to fall flat on their faces. They never learn."
In both parallel worlds and this one, Naoki had seen the Clock Tower's trouble-seeking behavior far too many times.
"I only met Crane about a week ago. I saw her being chased by Clock Tower people, so I helped her hide. But now I have to start working at Chaldea, and Crane probably can't come along. That's why I thought of you, Natsukawa. With you, there's no need to worry about her being found, right?"
The Guardian of World Control, the King of Britain's Knights, the Princess of the Empire connected to the Root, the incubus candidate for Grand Caster, the Half-Fairy Holy Sword User… It wouldn't be wrong to say the Natsukawa family was the safest place in the world. Add to that Naoki's connections scattered across the globe, and Crane's safety was practically guaranteed.
"Sure, I'm fine with it. I think Merry and the others will welcome Miss Crane too." Naoki nodded. "The question is, is Miss Crane willing to come with me?"
"I'd be delighted, Mr. Natsukawa. Since you're someone recommended by Doctor Roman, you must be trustworthy, and…" Crane's gaze shifted to Gray. As if spotting an extraordinary model, her entire demeanor turned predatory, and she pounced toward Gray. "This girl is so adorable! Even in plain casual clothes, her charm still draws attention! Little one, are you interested in becoming an idol? If you wore beautiful outfits, I'm sure you'd be a super, super, super top-tier idol!"
"Eh… Eh? An idol? I-I'm not really interested…" Crane's sudden enthusiasm startled Gray, who instinctively hid closer to Naoki.
"No idol, no problem! A girl this cute would look like an angel in any outfit! May I know your fashion style? What kind of clothes do you usually wear? Favorite colors? Can you handle a bit of boldness? Oh, and please let me take your measurements!"
"Wait, wait! Crane, calm down! Don't scare Miss Gray!" Roman hurriedly pulled her back, seeing her old habits resurface. "Sorry, Miss Gray, this is Crane's bad habit. She gets overly excited when she sees a cute girl."
"As expected." Naoki said with a hint of nostalgia, watching Crane switch to her DD (Daisuki Daitenshi / Idol Superfan) mode. After all, she was the type to go wild waving lightsticks at idol events, so Gray's reaction wasn't surprising.
Patting Gray's hair to calm her, Naoki chuckled. "Alright, it's settled, Miss Crane. I'll call home now. If we're quick, you might be able to get to my place tonight. I'm sorry, but I have some matters to attend to, so I can't accompany you back."
"Other business, Natsukawa?" Roman asked.
"Just personal matters. It's been a while since I've been back to Japan, so I want to check on Atalanta."
Atalanta—after the Holy Grail War ended two years ago, she didn't follow Naoki and the others to England. Instead, she went to Mifune City, where Ryougi Shiki was, and worked as a teacher at an elementary school. She loved children, so Naoki let her be.
Mordred and Morgan were the same. According to Merry, "Too many people in one house makes it cramped, and scheduling gets tricky. To allocate the King's time properly, it's better if we live separately in a few places."
Following Merry's suggestion, they ended up with some people spread across two locations: England and Japan. Besides regular letters and calls, Naoki often made time to visit those in other places.
This time, it was Atalanta and Shiki's turn. Unfortunately, Touko had left Mifune City half a year ago, and no one knew where she'd gone now.
Hearing Naoki's explanation, Roman instinctively patted his shoulder, speaking like a seasoned veteran. "You've got it rough, managing time like that. Keep it up."
"Then give me some advice, 'senior,' who, according to history, had countless wives and lovers and, in his old age, indulged in luxury and women. I'd love to know how you managed your time so brilliantly."
"What are you talking about? I don't understand." Roman said, smoothly playing dumb. He wasn't Solomon anymore—just an ordinary guy—so he had no idea what Naoki was talking about.
"Just wait. I recall the Destiny System is almost complete, right? I'll bring the Queen of Sheba's Holy Relic to Chaldea and see if we can summon her. Or maybe summon King David to discipline his beloved son."
At those words, Roman's face instantly paled!
(You devil…)