Chapter 291: Teaching BB and Interests
After everyone had eaten their fill and satisfied their appetites, the Hikigaya parents returned home. Since they had worked overtime, they had already eaten dinner out and were simply returning to rest.
"Welcome back, Dad, Mom," Komachi called out, going to greet them. "Welcome back," Shirou added.
"Oh... we're back... wait, is this really our house?" Mr. Hikigaya asked. "It certainly is our house, but it feels quite surreal," Mrs. Hikigaya nodded.
It felt as though even the New Year's Kohaku Uta Gassen would struggle to capture so many high-quality beauties in a single frame. Aside from Shirou, the house was filled with lovely, distinct young women: from the exotic British and French beauties to the newly arrived Chinese-style loli and maiden. There were the three girls from Shirou's school, and the playful purple-haired girl dressed like a magician standing close to Shirou.
The Hikigaya couple felt a sense of illusory "isekai" displacement. Had they not seen the familiar furniture and their own son and daughter, they would have turned around and left, never believing this was the house they were paying off a mortgage for.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Uncle, Auntie," Yukinoshita Yukino, Yuigahama, and the others stepped forward to offer greetings.
"Hello, nice to meet you. This is spring tea picked this year in China; please accept this small token of respect." Zhou Meimei gave a look, and her attendants, Lingyue and Wan'er, instantly understood, pulling gifts from their bags and presenting them.
"Ara ara, how thoughtful of you. Thank you, what lovely girls." Regarding girls who followed etiquette and showed proper manners, Mom was very satisfied.
"This is BB, who came from America. She's planning to live here as well. Is that okay?" Shirou asked his parents. "Hello Mom and Dad, I'm BB-chan," the purple-haired girl chirped. "That's fine!" Mrs. Hikigaya nodded.
"Eh? EHHH!" Even Shirou and Komachi cried out in surprise. Since she was essentially scouting potential brides for her son, she had agreed after less than three seconds of thought. "As expected of Mom!" Komachi praised.
"Hey, Shirou, come here for a second." The usually quiet pillar of the family beckoned his son toward the veranda. "Hmm? What is it?" Shirou walked over. "Nothing much. Let's just have a talk between men."
Standing on the veranda, looking out over the garden, the dark exterior revealed lights from neighboring houses and stars peeking through gaps in the clouds. The taciturn office worker wasn't the "strict father" type; he usually let his children be somewhat willful without much
comment, preferring to support them silently. However, he wanted a man-to-man talk with his son.
He pulled out a cheap disposable lighter from a convenience store, lit a cigarette, placed a hand on Shirou's shoulder, and spoke earnestly. "I know you are a very upright child, so I'm not trying to criticize you. I just want to ask about your attitude toward love. Do you have... intentions toward any of the girls inside?"
Shirou paused, then said, "Naturally, I want everyone to be happy. However, I don't currently have the ability to respond to all their feelings and take care of everyone without hurting them. Therefore, being single-minded is the best attitude. It's just that I don't have plans for romance right now. If I ever do decide, I will probably stay by that person's side forever." Shirou spoke with certainty. In his heart, until he settled things with the "White God" Emiya Shirou, he felt he had no right to think of such things.
"Is that so? If you think that way, I'm relieved. Shirou, your mother and I have had a happy and complete family for many years. This wasn't determined as 'good' or 'bad' from the start; it's something family members have to build up bit by bit. Whether it's marriage or raising children, it requires a vast amount of time and heart to organize properly. It isn't simple. There's a saying: the longevity of a marriage requires forbearance, understanding, and balance; whereas hitting and scolding children is just laziness in education."
"Yes. Thank you for worrying about me." Shirou smiled to put his father at ease.
Dad took a deep drag, quickly finishing most of the cigarette, exhaled a long plume of smoke into the sky, then pulled out a portable ashtray to extinguish the butt. "Since you understand, I won't say more. Anyway, it's really a good thing you've practiced Kendo and Kyudo since you were little." Dad reached out with a rough, powerful hand, patted his son's shoulder, and turned to walk back inside alone.
"Mhm?" Shirou watched his father's back, lingering there for a while before returning to the room.
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After that, Wu Zetian's group returned to their hotel, and Yukinoshita and the others went home. The parents, who had to work early the next morning, also went to their room to rest. After seeing the girls to their car, Shirou finally returned to the house.
Now, only the resident girls and the newly arrived BB remained. As the start of school approached, Shirou had to get everyone ready. First was BB. Unlike the Servant BB at Chaldea, she had obtained a physical body. Since she was to live as a human in this world, attending school was a necessary step.
"Great! That way Komachi will have a classmate to be with!" Komachi hugged the girl happily.
"Although BB-chan is everyone's kouhai, I'd rather stay with Shirou-senpai. Besides, regarding high school, BB has memories of being a school nurse..." the purple-haired girl said, pouting.
"No, things are quite different here. Besides, there are activities outside of school. For you, BB, starting from the first year is a good chance to understand humans. Since you finally have a body, you should follow the steps from beginning to end," Shirou advised after some thought.
"Mmm... since Senpai says so," BB-chan nodded obediently. "That's the spirit! With Komachi around, I'll never let you be lonely or bored," Komachi said, taking her hand. "Is... is that so? Then BB-chan will look forward to it a little," the purple-haired girl said. Deep down, she truly yearned for a human life.
"Artoria, you're in the second year, right?" Shirou asked. "Yes, Shirou. A promise is a promise. I will be responsible for taking care of Mashiro, so I'll be in the same class as her. 'Assault Woman,' you come with me too." The blonde girl nodded.
"Eh? I'd rather be with Shirou," Jeanne refused. Artoria sneered, "Stupid girl. With your current grades, even if we let you into the third year, you'd only drag Shirou down and cause trouble for others." "What?! Stupid... stupid girl? I may be from the countryside, but I'm not stupid at all!" Jeanne retorted. "Well, I admit you've been working hard at your studies, but with your current grades, can you really survive there?" "Ugh... fine! If I have to be with you, so be it!" Jeanne had no comeback and could only agree through gritted teeth.
"I see. Then next is the matter of BB's tuition. I'll talk to Da Vinci-chan later," Shirou said.
"No need to worry about that! Money is just a number. As long as I hack into the bank system, I can have as much as I want. With the computer security of this world, it's really nothing. Other than not being able to manifest things instantly, BB-chan being here isn't much different from being in the digital world," BB said proudly, arms akimbo.
"No!" Shirou vetoed. "Eh? It's not a crime if you don't get caught! BB-chan is just altering some digits. Senpai, you're too stubborn," the purple-haired girl complained.
"All such behavior is strictly forbidden. Tuition and living expenses will be handled by Chaldea. As for monthly pocket money... mhm, I'll give it to you," Shirou said in a tone that allowed no argument.
"Eh? Senpai is giving pocket money to the active high-schooler BB-chan?! Is Senpai BB-chan's... that? Kyaa~!" The purple-haired girl's eyes widened and she squealed with excitement, then cupped her face shyly. "Though if it's Senpai, BB-chan wouldn't mind giving you pocket money."
"Why are you talking like that? Am I some host from Shinjuku Kabukicho?" Shirou gave her a light chop to the head. "Attracting a bunch of women and not responding to their feelings... in a way, that's not technically wrong..." Komachi muttered from the side. "Mhm?" Shirou looked
at his sister, not having heard her clearly. Komachi waved him off. "Nothing, nothing. Just keep being yourself, Brother.
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The next morning, Shirou set out to teach BB the rules of human conduct, which included human interests.
"What? Senpai, is this a night raid? Is Senpai's interest 'night raiding'?" BB-chan asked from under her covers, sounding pleasantly surprised. "It's not! It's already light out. How was your sleep?" Shirou asked.
BB-chan smiled mysteriously. "It was great. Having a physical body makes everything feel fresh. BB-chan even had a dream last night. Is Senpai interested in hearing it?"
"No need! I'm interested in something better than that." Shirou pulled back the duvet. The purple-haired girl, who slept in her usual outfit, rolled off the bed toward the wall.
"Waaa! Eh... what is that?" BB sat on the floor, rubbing her sore bottom, looking up at the boy in confusion.
"Mhm. My interests used to be forging and repairs, but now I've added another: this!" Shirou knew they were in a private room and wasn't afraid of being seen, so he directly summoned his guns, holding them in his hands and smiling at her.
"Good morning... Brother, BB-chan." Komachi had just woken up and walked in, yawning behind her hand. She saw the boy holding the black and white bladed pistols with an excited expression. "Brother! What are you doing? You're holding something super dangerous!" Komachi deadpanned.
"No, they're just handguns. In a way, firearms are like legendary blades—weapons refined to the extreme. They are monsters born of the perfect fusion of steel and gunpowder, a rational and direct aesthetic of violence. Even outside the context of weapons of war, most boys have dreamed of owning one. Just as an object to handle, or as an artistic piece of craftsmanship, they possess sufficient charm."
Like a swordsman at the Forbidden City, or a cowboy standing back-to-back for a ten-pace duel. Though they are killing tools, they represent the pursuit of heroic glory. In short, they are a man's romance. Whether it is a sword or a gun, because they are born for combat, the initial pursuit is sharpness, hardness, and power, alongside stability and durability. But for the sake of these simple goals, they are polished to possess an indescribable allure. A sharp blade reflecting moonlight produces a layer of chill; a gun makes a crisp sound when drawn. The cleaner and more concise the construction, the more the weapon generates its own unique beauty beyond mere performance.
No one expects you to change anyway."
While a taste for gold and silver doesn't apply to every man, a golden AK-47 is something most can at least understand as a desirable object.
"Mhm... after using them in the digital world, I accidentally fell in love with them," Shirou said. "So, Brother, have you become a gun otaku?" Komachi blinked and tilted her head. "How did you reach that conclusion?! This is perfectly normal, isn't it?!" Shirou argued excitedly. "Fine, fine. Go make breakfast," Komachi teased.
"It's all Senpai's fault, pulling out his 'gun' so early in the morning and pointing it at my face," BB-chan said coyly. "Waaaah—!" Shirou, who was currently flipping a tamagoyaki in the pan, nearly sent the eggs flying. "Sorry... ehe~!" The purple-haired girl stuck out her tongue cutely.
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After breakfast, Artoria and Jeanne were in the garden, each holding a wooden sword and sparring. Daily practice ensured their new physical bodies wouldn't grow sluggish.
In the room upstairs, Mashiro was doing her daily practice. To change her mood, she wasn't using her digital tablet but had pulled out an easel. She sat by the ventilated window, preparing to paint an oil painting—a skill she had studied since childhood. It served as a refresh for her brain, which had grown stiff from drawing manga daily.
As Mashiro painted, her expression was the same as usual, but her eyes were incredibly focused, like stars shining in the night sky. She was a pinnacle in her field; no one could question her. Shirou marveled at her, feeling that a girl in her "serious mode" was truly cool.
"Shirou, can you help me?" Mashiro said plainly, eyes fixed on the painting. "Of course," Shirou agreed readily. "Please help me mix some of this orange-red." Mashiro handed over the palette, pointing to a color in a semi-circular well.
"Understood. First, some orange-red... it's too deep, so I'll add some white." Shirou took the white paint, squeezed it like toothpaste onto the palette, and mixed it. The bright red softened.
"It needs to be lighter. Like a fire that has just started burning—it looks like it might go out at any moment, yet it has the momentum to set the entire sky ablaze," Mashiro prompted.
"Mhm, I'll try again," Shirou replied. Though he couldn't quite follow the description, he figured this was just how artists were.
While he worked, Mashiro sketched a few strokes on the canvas. Her eyes remained dazzlingly bright. Shirou once again thought, Ah, a serious girl really is cool.
"The paint is ready, Shirou. So..." Mashiro nodded with satisfaction, then looked at the boy again, seemingly waiting for the next step of help.
"Oh... mhm?" Shirou looked at the girl staring directly at him.
Mashiro scrolled through some photos on her tablet, then looked up and said to him with total seriousness:
"Take them off!"
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