About a week after Saber arrived, Shichen brought everyone back to Fuyuki City.
No need for Irisviel to drive, no need for ID checks or boarding a plane—just a quick two-and-a-half-second space teleport, and they were there.
"Wow… we're already here?"
Saber blinked in surprise. One second, they were at home, the next, right in the heart of the city. Through the windows, towering buildings came into view, giving the whole area a fresh, modern vibe. She couldn't help but be impressed.
They stayed at the same hotel as last time, just booked a much bigger room this time.
Money wasn't a problem—after all, Irisviel had more than enough of it. Shichen didn't even have to think about it. Sure, it felt a little like he was living off her, but he didn't mind. As the Master of the Einzbern family, getting this kind of support was just part of the job.
"Pretty cool, right? Even though I've done it a few times already, it still blows my mind how amazing Shichen is," Irisviel said proudly.
"Shichen, seriously—what kind of power is that?" Saber asked, her curiosity piqued.
After spending a week together, she'd started calling him by name. Shichen had asked her to—he just couldn't get used to being called "Master."
"Even if I explained it, you wouldn't believe me. So why bother?" he said with a shrug.
In this world, magecraft was king. "Magic," in the truest sense, was something far beyond human reach—something that touched the very root of existence. Magecraft was just reproducing real-world phenomena with spells and mana. Magic, though, was miraculous—like time travel or jumping between dimensions—things technology could never replicate.
So yeah, in this world, magic was basically divine.
And in other worlds? Even small "spells" could pull off miracles.
People here all knew who the five True Magicians were. Shichen obviously wasn't one of them, and even if he told them what he was really capable of, it's not like they'd believe him right away.
Better to show them when the time came.
"Oh come on, how do you know we won't believe you if you never even try?" Irisviel pouted, puffing up her cheeks in frustration.
It was kind of adorable, honestly. Her teenage-style outfit and that grumpy face made Shichen glance at her a couple more times than usual.
Saber, too, had ditched her usual blue armor. Today she wore a cozy sweater, slim pants, and a white winter coat. Her long blond hair was tied in a neat ponytail. She blended right in with the modern city crowd.
Originally, Irisviel had wanted her to wear a men's suit—said it would match her vibe. But Shichen vetoed that immediately.
No way. Saber in a suit? No chance it'd beat her in girls' clothes.
And Saber didn't really get to choose her outfits anyway—since she couldn't go spirit-form like most Servants, they had to dress her like a normal person.
Irisviel didn't know why and never pressed the issue—probably worried it'd bring up bad memories. But Shichen knew exactly why.
Saber hadn't truly died.
She'd been summoned in a near-death state, not yet a full Heroic Spirit. Shichen had pulled her from a past timeline, right before her actual death.
She had once made a contract with the world, Araya, offering up eternal reincarnation in exchange for one wish: to return to the day she was fated to fall.
That's how she ended up in this Holy Grail War.
The sad part? That wish would never be fulfilled now.
But that was okay. Shichen planned to help her let go of the past and start fresh—even if that would be a long journey.
"Shichen, I want a Coke!" Frieren shouted as she finished unpacking.
The room had two guest bedrooms. Frieren got one to herself, the other went to Saber.
"Daddy! I want a burger!"
"Me too!" Illya and Sakura chimed in.
"Already hungry, huh?" Shichen chuckled, ruffling their hair.
"It's almost lunchtime. If we leave now, we'll get there just in time," Illya said.
"Fair enough. Let's go eat."
"What's a burger?" Saber asked, blinking. For some reason, her mouth was starting to water.
"Something delicious. You'll love it," Shichen said with a grin.
"I never said I wanted one…"
"Yeah? You think I don't know you by now?"
Saber pursed her lips, clearly embarrassed.
Even though her appetite had already been exposed this past week, she still refused to admit it.
They all left the hotel together.
As they walked, Irisviel was enthusiastically pointing out nearby buildings to Saber. The city hadn't changed much in the past year.
"Iri… why are you so excited?" Saber finally asked, blinking at how much Irisviel was chatting.
"Hehe~ am I?" Irisviel laughed awkwardly, placing a hand on her cheek.
"Yeah. You definitely are."
"Well… getting to go out like this, it makes me really happy," Irisviel said, gazing ahead at Shichen.
Saber followed her line of sight.
"Go out…?"
"Before Shichen came, I'd never left that castle. Now I get to go out all the time... thanks to him."
Her smile was soft and sweet as she looked at Shichen's back.
"I see," Saber nodded, quietly understanding.
So far, she was actually really happy with her current Master. He was kind, good with kids, gentle, trustworthy—and most importantly, a great cook.
Too bad he still treated her like a kid and refused to tell her what he was really capable of.
"If Master and Servant don't trust each other, how are we supposed to fight together?"
She'd told him her wish. He hadn't told her his. He just kept saying he'd give it his all in this Grail War.
With no other choice, she let it go—for now.
They reached the burger shop, and Shichen told the others to grab a table while he went to order.
He already knew everyone's preferences, and with Saber included, it just meant ordering a lot more food.
Once the order was placed, he turned around—only to spot a familiar problem.
Three guys, clearly trouble, were trying to hit on Irisviel and the others.
So much for a quiet meal…
"Hey, ladies, no boyfriends with you?"
"Wanna hang out with us?"
"We could go sing karaoke after this~"
Irisviel and the others didn't even bother looking at them.
"Daddy!" Illya called out, noticing Shichen. "These guys are annoying!"
"Don't worry, I've got it."
"Huh?"
The three men turned to face him.
"You with them, pretty boy?"
"Obviously. And don't call me that."
"Then what should we call you, huh?"
"Here's an idea: give us a chance and let us join you."
"Don't be a buzzkill."
One of them reached out to put a hand on Shichen's shoulder.
He casually brushed it away, sighing. This wasn't the heroic "saving the damsels" moment people dream about. Honestly, Irisviel and the others didn't even need saving.
He quietly activated a barrier that blocked the attention of outsiders, then looked at them calmly.
"You've got three seconds to walk away. Three…"
"What the hell are you even—"
"You think you're tough or something?"
"Pfft, what are you gonna—"
CRACK.
The guy who touched Shichen didn't finish his sentence before Shichen twisted his arm and slammed him into the ground with one smooth move.
"You little—!"
"You're dead!"
The other two tried to throw punches—slow and clumsy. Shichen sidestepped both and countered with a swift kick to each of their guts.
"Urgh—!"
They dropped to their knees, retching, and Shichen didn't want their whining to ruin the vibe, so he quietly tossed all three into the river nearby.
Whether they swam or not... wasn't his problem.
"All done. Peace and quiet."
"Daddy, that was awesome!" Illya beamed.
"Of course it was," he grinned.
He picked up both Illya and Sakura, sat down, and settled them on his lap.
Saber watched the scene, her eyes glowing faintly.
~~~
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