"But you'd best bring Saber with you."
Kisaragi Rin said, "Do you remember the Lion King I mentioned to you before in the Fate World?"
"I remember, the one who stabbed Esdeath to death."
Being too familiar with Kisaragi Rin, Yukinoshita Yukino already understood the meaning behind his sudden mention of this figure.
"Do you think Saber and I will encounter that entity in the Fate World?"
As soon as Yukinoshita Yukino asked the question.
Saber sat up straight and cast a serious, investigative look toward Kisaragi Rin.
"I can only say it's highly probable."
Kisaragi Rin's impression of the Round Table Knights mainly came from the movie "Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot," after all, the Round Table Knights in it were simply too handsome, and the Lion King also appeared in that film.
Now that Yukinoshita Yukino wants to take up the Occupation of King Arthur's Round Table Knight, Kisaragi Rin feels she will likely be thrown onto this world line by the Paradise.
Hmm... This was Kisaragi Rin's premonition.
"The combat power limit of this world is quite high. If you really enter, I think only Saber can cut a path to victory through the thorns."
"But for Saber to enter the game with me, she must first become a Follower, and Saber, having become a Follower, will be hindered by my strength, making it difficult for her to exert her true power."
Yukinoshita Yukino said, frowning.
Yes, the Player's own strength limits the display of their Follower's power.
But this is how it should be.
A normal Player needs two conditions to bring a game character out as a Follower: first, raise the friendship to 90 and complete the Mandate Mission; second, pay a sum of Paradise Coins determined by the Follower's value.
If the Follower's strength wasn't restricted, couldn't a Player just find a way to save up some Paradise Coins, bring out a game character whose combat power vastly exceeds their own, make them a Follower, and then retire?
There would be too many opportunities like that.
For instance, going to the Ultraman world to save children, allowing a certain Light to choose them as the Human Host... Just as the Paradise restricts the power of Kisaragi Rin's [Divine Warrior Body] guardian spirit from significantly exceeding his own.
Naturally, the Player's Followers cannot escape the Paradise's sanctions.
If a Follower's strength exceeds the Player's by too much, a portion of that strength will be directly suppressed.
"Who said Saber needs to fight?"
Kisaragi Rin pointed at the ahoge on Saber's head, "This is the symbol of King Arthur. As long as Saber is present, a group of Round Table Knights will come to follow her."
"Borrowing the power of the locals from that world..."
Yukinoshita Yukino's eyes grew brighter.
Game characters, plot characters, locals... all these terms can refer to native entities from other worlds.
In the Paradise's games, knowing how to leverage the power of the locals is a major assignment for Players.
Although she didn't know where Kisaragi Rin got his detailed information about other worlds, Yukinoshita Yukino already trusted his words implicitly.
"If you truly enter that world line, by leveraging Saber's identity as the legitimate King Arthur, perhaps you can aim for an S-rank evaluation."
Kisaragi Rin continued.
Since he couldn't be certain that Yukinoshita Yukino would definitely be thrown onto that world line by the Paradise.
Moreover, that world line might not match the plot in his memory.
Hmm... The Fate World line Kisaragi Rin had just experienced was completely ruined by Players.
So Kisaragi Rin could only give a general direction.
The specific details after entering that world still needed to be figured out by Yukinoshita Yukino herself.
Yukinoshita Yukino understood this point as well.
However, she wasn't useless; she was the uniquely intelligent Demoiselle Yukinoshita Yukino.
This information was enough; Yukinoshita Yukino had plenty of confidence in herself.
"Thank you."
"Go pour me a cup of Black Tea. I still feel Yui's tea-making skills are slightly lacking."
Kisaragi Rin yawned and handed the empty teacup to Yukinoshita Yukino.
She stood up to take it, turned, fetched the Black Tea from a nearby cabinet, and smoothly and carefully placed a fresh cup of Black Tea in front of Kisaragi Rin.
To be honest, unless the difference was huge, someone unfamiliar with tea couldn't tell the superiority or inferiority.
Kisaragi Rin truly couldn't see the difference, but his sense of taste could distinguish the subtle variations.
Yuigahama Yui might have added too many tea leaves when brewing, making the taste slightly bitter, whereas Yukinoshita Yukino had already memorized his preferred flavor.
"Saber, speaking of which, what kind of Transcendent Cuisine did Yukinoshita Yukino make for you?"
"It was Radiant Cuisine."
"Sure enough, she didn't buy Shokugeki Cuisine either."
"So Kisaragi also bought Radiant Cuisine? Actually, I really like Shokugeki Cuisine..."
Listening to the conversation between Kisaragi Rin and Saber, Yukinoshita Yukino suddenly realized that he had already teamed up with her for two Paradise Games. Unconsciously, he had changed from a former stranger to a comrade with whom she could communicate through glances, and in the next game, they would temporarily part ways.
It was also possible that she would never meet such an acquaintance again after entering future games.
Taking a deep breath, Yukinoshita Yukino regained her composure and stopped looking into Kisaragi Rin's black eyes.
She subconsciously twirled a strand of hair near her ear, only to realize her hairstyle today was tied into twin tails.
After a moment of hesitation, Yukinoshita Yukino suddenly said, "My sister wants to meet you."
"Huh?"
Kisaragi Rin retorted, "Do you want to repay kindness with enmity?"
"..."
Yukinoshita Yukino didn't want to talk.
Because Kisaragi Rin had consistently shown he was reluctant to meet Yukinoshita Haruno, she had tried her best to stop her sister from trying to meet Kisaragi Rin privately.
Then, Yukinoshita Haruno began collaborating with their Mother to issue an ultimatum: Yukinoshita Yukino must find a way to arrange a meeting between the two of them.
For various reasons, Yukinoshita Yukino didn't know how to refuse.
"My sister said she wants to give you a thank-you gift."
Yukinoshita Yukino attempted to tempt him.
"Then why don't you just bring it to me tomorrow?"
Kisaragi Rin countered, and Saber also nodded, agreeing with Kisaragi Rin's decision not to meet Yukinoshita Haruno.
She said, "Yukinoshita Yukino's sister has a very scheming personality, a bit like my Royal Sister. Kisaragi Rin, you shouldn't provoke such a person."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "..."
Her own Servant was thoughtfully considering an outsider right in front of her.
Forget about getting an S in the next game.
If she couldn't raise Saber's friendship to 90, she wouldn't even be able to bring Saber into the next world as her Follower.
"Never mind..."
Yukinoshita Yukino was already used to it. Her worries were momentarily dispelled, and she calmly asked, "So, Kisaragi, what Occupation do you plan to take?"
Just like when they first met in Demon Slayer, talking about their respective Trial Worlds on the first night.
Both she and Hachiman Hikigaya had said theirs; it would be too impolite for Kisaragi Rin not to say anything.
Kisaragi Rin: "Captain."
Round Table Knight · Yukinoshita Yukino: "???"
Kamen Rider · Hachiman Hikigaya: "???"
If Kisaragi Rin had announced some niu pi, heaven-shattering Occupation, neither of them would have been surprised. Instead, hearing such an ordinary Occupation come from Kisaragi Rin's mouth, both Yukinoshita Yukino and Hachiman Hikigaya suspected they had misheard.
"Although the name is simple, the actual bonuses are quite powerful."
Kisaragi Rin's face tightened. Sure enough, his feeling back then that this Occupation didn't sound imposing enough was correct.