102 Phantom Demon Alliance
"Hmph…," Artoria looked at the boy and finally spoke, "Shirou, then I'll have a serving too."
Shirou agreed, went into the kitchen, and served a bowl of porridge to the girl, handing it over with both hands.
"Here, it's very hot, be careful."
"Mm." The blonde girl reached out and took the steaming porridge from Shirou's hands.
When her hand touched his—warmer than usual because of cooking—she inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity, and a warmth like being at home blossomed in her heart.
The girl looked up at Shirou, her eyes shining with a different kind of light.
Shirou, feeling the girl's gaze, sensed something stir within himself. In that instant, he recalled a memory from long ago when he had done the exact same thing.
Back then, it had been at a small wooden table on a tatami mat, whereas now it was over the counter at a hamburger shop.
It was in that Japanese-style house, on the table connected to the kitchen, that every mealtime he would serve the blonde girl a bowl overflowing with rice, and hand it to her.
Could the girl have memories from that time? Shirou pondered, then smiled faintly and shook his head, dismissing the thought. After all, they were from different worlds—was the Saber he had known in his previous life really this girl in front of him?
"Good morning, Shirou-senpai, everyone… it smells so good!" Gudako came up at that moment.
"Ah… good morning. Sit down first, I'll bring it to you." Shirou said.
"Okay! Shirou-mama is the best!" Gudako said cheerfully as she found a comfortable spot.
"Why do I have a daughter like you?" Shirou muttered, tapping her lightly on the head.
"Oh ho, young man, you're incredible. Can you make one for me too, uncle?" Moriarty walked over at this point.
"Of course! Do you want some too?" Shirou replied, looking at the man with the pipe.
"East-Asian-style mushroom porridge, then I'll have a serving. Thank you, Shirou." Holmes said.
Moriarty sipped the hot porridge and sighed, "Ah, after turning fifty, having something hot like this in the morning is salvation. But why am I the old man while Holmes appears in his youthful image? This is the difference between protagonist and supporting role, isn't it? So unfair!"
"Don't worry, Moriarty. You've been active along the way too." Gudako comforted him.
"Master! You truly are a friend of my soul!" Moriarty said, moved.
"Although he's helped us a lot, he really is still the villainous old man type," Gudako said with a laugh.
"Ugh… my heart hurts," Moriarty flopped onto the table.
"Gudako, that's a real blow!" Holmes said with a smile.
Everyone laughed lightly.
After breakfast, energized, the group set out directly toward the northern tower.
This time, the team consisted of top-class Servants Artoria and Jeanne, along with Holmes and Moriarty.
Shirou, possessing the Grail-imbued Heroic Spirit, was as formidable as any other Servant. Together, they were now clearly the strongest force in all of Shinjuku.
With no Servants remaining as leaders, the monsters and hired mercenaries blocking their path—while strong—were easily defeated by the combined efforts of the five Servants.
Even the thuggish street gangs, seeing this, gave way and didn't dare interfere.
Thus, Shirou's group entered the tower smoothly.
Inside, the central area of the tower was empty, with minimal furnishings. In the corners were narrow, winding staircases leading to the upper floors.
On reaching the second floor, the staircase to the third was on the opposite side. Floor guards were already stationed there, waiting.
King Lear, modified palace guardians, the enhanced Chimera, and the dark-shadow Servant Macbeth? Only by dealing with these guards could they reach the top of the tower. At that moment, a shadowy Servant appeared before them.
"I am Macbeth. I am invincible, yet I fell under the wheels of fate."
"Macbeth?" Gudako asked, puzzled, looking at the dark figure.
"Is this guy saying he's Macbeth? Has he lost his mind?" Da Vinci laughed.
"Doesn't he look like that Indian king whose wife looks exactly like him, yet he can't find his wife?" Mash commented sarcastically.
"Though I don't know who you're talking about, this voice seems familiar… Anyway, let's give her a good lesson!" Artoria said, drawing her holy sword.
"I am invincible!" the shadow Saber shouted, raising her weapon.
The five of them charged simultaneously. Minutes later, Macbeth vanished from this world.
Mash and Da Vinci, standing aside, commented.
"Claims to be invincible, yet she only blocked ten or so attacks."
"Artoria-san is terrifying; each strike was ruthless, over ten times directly to the head, all while sneering."
"This is clearly a shoddy, rushed version of Shakespeare," Da Vinci added.
"Defeated! After King Lear, Romeo, and Juliet, we've now seen Macbeth too."
"One more to complete the four great tragedies. Such a boring trick," Jeanne remarked.
"Whoa… you, illiterate one, now even know Shakespeare's plays?" Artoria glanced at the silver-haired girl with a sly smile.
Jeanne crossed her arms and turned her head, "Hmph. I studied properly, of course. Math is just my natural weakness, don't blame me!" She had only looked at them briefly to confirm evidence related to burning the great playwright.
"Jeanne, you're mistaken. Although Romeo and Juliet are famous, Shakespeare's four great tragedies are Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello," Mash corrected earnestly.
"Eh? Really!?" Gudako exclaimed.
"Ugh…" Jeanne pouted.
"Hmph." Artoria smiled.
"It's fine. Most people wouldn't deliberately study such old works anyway." Shirou comforted.
"Gudako-senpai, so you didn't know either! The one gifted Shakespeare's Sonnet 155 would be sad to hear that," Mash lamented.