"After all, Saber really is the best..." Holding Saber's arm, Irisviel in that moment didn't look like a mother with her child at all but more like a little girl who had received something precious...
Ryougi Raku watched quietly without interrupting until they had finished. Then he smiled and said, "Ah, there's no danger! Although some people in this country can be quite perverted, they wouldn't openly harass respectable women on the street..."
"..." Saber and Irisviel fell silent. Hey kid, is it really okay for you to say that about your own countrymen?
Of course, neither of them knew that Ryougi Raku wasn't exactly from this country.
"Oh, by the way, this person is called... Miss Saber? What a strange name..." Ryougi Raku said with a curious tone.
"No, this isn't a name. It's just a code name. I'm used to it. Just call me Saber..." Saber answered Ryougi Raku's question formally, though she didn't reveal her real name. After all, that would be quite dangerous...
"Is that so?"
Ryougi Raku didn't pay much attention to Saber's words. After all, calling her "Saber" was quite convenient.
"Then let's hurry! Otherwise there won't be any seats left... Don't worry, it's my treat! I'm very hospitable!"
"We can pay for ourselves. Little brother, we should be thanking you for taking us out to eat..."
Ryougi Raku led Saber and Irisviel toward the snack street while saying, "No, no! Don't judge me by my age—I'm actually quite wealthy... Besides, as a man, isn't it natural to treat ladies to a meal..."
"Hehe..." Seeing Ryougi Raku insist on treating them and boasting about his masculinity, Irisviel and Saber couldn't help but smile. Perhaps in their eyes, this was just like a child showing off his toys...
However, Ryougi Raku did have money, though none of it was actually his...
...
Although Fuyuki City wasn't large, the snack street was very lively at night. Students after school and office workers after clocking out would come here for snacks and relaxation after a tiring day.
Wherever Ryougi Raku and Saber's group went, they attracted attention like dazzling stars. Along the way, they were surrounded by crowds...
However, Saber and Irisviel didn't mind, and Ryougi Raku had long grown accustomed to it...
"Ah, Mom, look, that big sister is so beautiful..." A little girl tugged at her mother's sleeve, pointing at Irisviel with envy, "I wonder if I can grow up to be as beautiful as her..."
"Of course you can. My baby is the most beautiful..." The mother patted her daughter's head with a smile and assured her.
Hearing this, Irisviel tilted her head slightly and smiled at the little girl, who shyly hid away.
"Ahhh!! What a beautiful boy! I want her to be the protagonist of my novel!! Ahhh!! What a cute boy! I want to take him home and keep him!" A girl wearing large glasses was shouting exaggeratedly by the roadside. Then she seemed lost in some indecent fantasy, giggling foolishly. No matter how you looked at it, she had to be a fujoshi...
Hearing this woman's words, Ryougi Raku and Saber instinctively quickened their pace...
"Is this how fujoshi are born? You're not planning to write BL novels or draw BL manga, are you?!"
Putting aside these incidents along the way, Ryougi Raku soon brought Saber and Irisviel to a small shop that served not only various snacks but also proper meals.
"Boss, bring all your snacks, and this, this, and this..."
"Okay, please wait a moment..."
The owner warmly greeted this trio—the handsome men and beautiful women could attract many customers...
"...You didn't need to order so much, did you?" Irisviel whispered.
"It's fine, ma'am. I can eat a lot!" Ryougi Raku boasted.
Hearing Ryougi Raku's change in address, Irisviel exclaimed in surprise, "How did you know I'm married?"
"It's a secret..." Ryougi Raku wagged his finger with an expression that seemed to invite a beating...
Irisviel covered her mouth with her hand and giggled, but didn't press further. In her heart, Ryougi Raku was a very good person, a very good... child...
Ryougi Raku of course didn't know that Irisviel's impression of him was that of a child. If he had known, he wouldn't have minded. But when the Holy Grail War began, all these perceptions would change...
Soon, various snacks and dishes were served, all traditional delicacies of this island nation. The aroma wafted through the air, making mouths water.
"Don't stand on ceremony, eat while it's hot..." After saying this, Ryougi Raku started eating first.
As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Seeing the "host" begin eating, Irisviel and Saber also started their meal.
Irisviel ate with aristocratic etiquette. Every movement was precise and graceful. She took small bites like a proper lady, fitting her status.
Saber, true to her character, ate with formal seriousness. Though polite and elegant, she ate very quickly. Perhaps this was the instinct of a warrior tempered in battle!
Ryougi Raku ate bite by bite. His main purpose was to get closer to Saber and the others—eating was secondary...
Both Saber and Irisviel were so-called aristocrats, and combined with Western dining etiquette, the table was silent except for the sounds of eating. This made Ryougi Raku quite uncomfortable. Wasn't chatting during meals the best way to liven things up?!
From this perspective, he preferred the atmosphere of toasting and chatting during meals.
Soon, all the food and snacks on the table were finished. Ryougi Raku hadn't eaten much, and Irisviel had a small appetite to begin with, so most of it had gone into Saber's stomach...
"The snacks here are truly delicious..." Irisviel took out a silk handkerchief and gently dabbed the corners of her mouth, very satisfied with these snacks that differed from traditional meals.
"We're done eating. Would you two like anything else?" Ryougi Raku asked with a polite smile.
"No, I'm full..."
"Well, maybe a little more!!"
"..."
The scene fell silent for a moment. Ryougi Raku and Irisviel stared blankly at Saber. After all, most of the food on the table had been eaten by her!
Under their gaze, even Saber's face reddened slightly. She averted her eyes and said, "This... let's not. I've already eaten plenty..." However, no matter how you looked at it, her words didn't match her true feelings.
"Boss, please bring another serving of these snacks..." After calling to the owner, Ryougi Raku turned back with a smile, "Actually, I wasn't full earlier. Didn't I say I can eat a lot..."
Saber gave Ryougi Raku a grateful look... then sat upright in her chair, waiting for the food to be served as if completely unbothered by the earlier embarrassment.
"How much of a grudge does she have against food? Speaking of which, wasn't Saber's large appetite in the Fifth Holy Grail War due to her Master's incompetence leading to insufficient mana? This time, her Master doesn't seem to be lacking in mana at all..." Ryougi Raku was puzzled, but didn't dwell on it. Instead, he felt somewhat pleased. So it seemed Saber still had her adorable side...
Actually, Ryougi Raku didn't particularly like Saber, mainly because of her somewhat stubborn and persistent personality. Perhaps because Ryougi Raku himself had such traits, it was natural he wouldn't care for someone equally stubborn...
However, unlike Saber, although both were obsessed with certain things, Ryougi Raku would praise any scheme or trick as long as it wasn't particularly despicable. To some extent, he was also someone who would use any means to achieve his goals... But Saber gave him the impression of being too upright. He often wondered how she had become a king... But perhaps it was precisely this quality that made her appealing?
The food on the table was quickly devoured by Saber. Ryougi Raku also ate a little and took the initiative to pay the bill. The three of them left the restaurant.
They walked quietly without speaking. Soon, they came to a crossroads...
"I had so much fun today. Thank you so much, little brother!" Irisviel said happily, "But I still don't know your name, little brother?"