"A resort, huh? Guess I'm not needed then. Not exactly drowning in luck, am I?"
"Listen well. The summoning has pointed to your bond."
"No way, you serious?!"
"The stage of humanity's fate, bound by ties—pass through!"
"Seriously, man?!"
"…There, lying on the ground, was a bloodstained ticket marked 'Winner.' Shall we return it?"
"Pass through!"
"Got it."
"Sorry to keep you waiting, folks!! Or rather, I've been the one waiting! The main event gacha, the Three Knights!"
The vessel leapt up with a bam, practically vibrating with excitement. Just how much were they looking forward to this…?
"Gil, you're fired up!"
"Of course! The Three Knights are the prime hunting ground for Sabers! My collector's heart demands it! Three summons—no way we'll strike out! Let those hoping for a flop choke on their sour wine! We're winning this, Master! Victory is ours!"
"Heck yeah!!"
—Wait, there are Sabers in Archer too!? What even is Arthur!?
"Well, I'm praying for your safety…"
"If that cold Knight King from back then shows up, I'm not sure I could stay calm…"
"Well, they'd be a valuable asset, no doubt!"
"Sound the gongs, let's kick this off! Summon them!"
The summoning circle flared to life at the command, spinning, expanding, and filling with radiant light.
"What's a Lancer, you ask? Plain and simple: understated! No flair! And their spears never hit! That's my take!"
"And they've got this vibe of being super unlucky… They say in Holy Grail Wars, they're always offing themselves…"
"Lancers die!?"
"That's downright inhumane!"
"Hahaha! Pretty much spot on! Now, come forth!"
The light faded, revealing—
"Servant! Lancer!! True Name, Leonidas!! Here I stand!!"
"Muscles, you say—!?"
"The Spartan King, Leonidas I! The ruler of the brawny nation, the origin of 'Spartan education'! The Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans held back tens of thousands of Persians, is legendary!"
—Spartan education… I've heard of it. Some harsh training regimen, right?
"Well, not bad. A master of defense—top-notch in that regard. Mash!"
"Y-Yes!"
"Learn defense from him. It'll surely become part of you."
"—Yes! Thank you, King Leonidas!"
"No need for formalities. I'm honored to teach you, shield to shield."
"—By the way, I take you for the Heroic King! I, Leonidas, believe my intellect could manage Chaldea's finances. What say you!?"
"Very well. Put that knowledge and mind to full use."
"Hah! To value my intellect without misunderstanding Sparta—you are truly a fine king."
"Your 'brawny' reputation stems only from results. The thought and effort behind it are meticulously calculated. Without that, your feats would be impossible. In our current dire straits, your sharp mind is perfect for Chaldea."
"Your boundless praise is humbling. I'll meet your expectations, Master!!"
"I AM SPARTA!"
"Senpai!?"
"Next! Spin it, circle, like the wind!"
With a snap of fingers, the summoning circle whirred to life.
"Chaldea's getting lively! Gonna build something else, King?"
"If complaints or inconveniences arise, perhaps. I'm mostly satisfied for now. It depends on outside voices."
"It's gonna grow again!? Sweet!"
"Marie might have something to say… Here it comes!"
The light faded, revealing—
"Yo! Servant Cu Chulainn, answering the—Hound, you—!!"
"Gah—!?"
The vessel hurled a container at Cu Chulainn with all their might.
—What the!? Has the Heroic King lost it!?
"What the hell, man!!"
"How dare you show your face now, you mutt!! Ghosting me when I needed you most!! Do you know the torment I endured because you weren't there, you filthy hound—!!"
"What're you even talking about!! You're the boss here!?"
"If only you—if only you had been there—I wouldn't have suffered that torment (in a mapo tofu sense)… I wouldn't have tasted all the world's spiciness (in a Lucifer-flavored Satan sense)!!"
"…Uh, yeah… sorry 'bout that…"
Let's assume those tears are from lingering spice.
"Don't forget that apology!! I know your versatility! Make yourself useful to us! You're not leaving Chaldea till the very end! Got it? Got it!?"
"Didn't expect you to have faith in me. You've softened up since I last saw you."
"Of course I expect things from you!! (In a scapegoat sense)"
"Leave it to me! I'll show you the Red Branch Knight's finest! (In a combat sense)"
—Why does it feel like they're talking past each other…?
"Blue Tights Bro! Blue Tights Bro! So Lancers wear tights, huh!"
"That's your Master. At least say hi."
"Yeah, sure! Nice to meet ya, kid! Here!"
"Eek!?"
"Hah, total kid, huh? Hahaha!"
"S-Sexual harassment's a no-go, Cu Chulainn!"
"My bad, my bad. Just in a great mood! Let's get along!"
"Oh, and there's a Faker around too."
"No way, you serious!?"
"Last one! Make it fun!"
"Leonidas and Cu Chulainn! Not many Lancers can top this lineup! It's a winning streak! Total victory!"
"Fool! My true prize hasn't even shown its shadow!"
—Expecting a Saber from a Lancer summon… The Nameless Spirit can't keep up with this king's logic…
"Who's next!? Who's it gonna be!?"
"Come forth! Even a mediocre Heroic Spirit will do!"
And there appeared—
"Servant, Lancer. True Name, Karna. Pleased to meet you."
A youthful Lancer, radiant as gold gleaming in the darkness, manifested.
"Karna—!? The unrivaled hero of Indian myth! That's it, the Lancer lineup's complete, isn't it!?"
"Hi! I'm Rikka!"
"Karna. No need to be formal—just be yourself."
"Got it!"
"To think I'd face another sun. Hero of Charity, you're as humble as ever."
"Heroic King… I see. You're worth serving now."
His gaze was unwavering. This hero saw through all deception and pretense—that much was certain.
"Of course. Prove yourself, Karna. Don't forget the words taught by that talking lump of flesh."
"Indeed. I need no protection from you—but I'll trust you. And these Masters too."
"That's fine. The Lancers are in top form! Onward to Archers next!!"
"Archers… huh."
"What's up, Marie?"
"Nothing. It's just… a class I'm fond of."
Olgamally smiled, her gaze fixed on the Heroic King.
"…For now, you're the only Gorgeous one."
"My turn's… still a ways off, huh. Lucky dumb disciple, lucky…"
"Sit and wait. That is the duty of the elder."
"Grr—! Such brazen words—!"
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