I let out a long yawn as I navigated the dark streets of Tokyo.
A child's body finds sleep far too easily; it was a constant struggle against my own physiology.
"Master. Are you even listening?"
Walking beside me, a fox who was as seductive as she was cute let the corners of her eyes droop.
She seemed genuinely concerned.
'She really has changed a lot.'
Originally, this woman—Koyanskaya—wasn't the type to show this side of herself.
In the beginning, she was an enemy. Even after she became the type of ally who joined the fold, she remained suspicious.
It wasn't that I expected a betrayal, per se. It was just that her personality was inherently twisted.
But now?
Even at Bond Level 15—the absolute maximum—the concern she was showing now was something she'd usually hesitate to reveal. And yet, here she was, looking almost desperate.
"I'm listening. Thanks for worrying about me."
"It's not 'thanks,' I'm telling you to fix your recklessness."
"Because I trusted you, Yaskaya."
"Urk...!"
Look at that. Even when I use the nickname only Nikitich is supposed to use, she doesn't complain. In fact, she's actually blushing.
Is this really Koyanskaya?
If the people back at my old home in Chaldea saw this, they'd be making an absolute scene.
—This, this is a highly advanced deception tactic! We must dissect her brain immediately!
—A fox is simply being a fox. We just need to respond calmly.
—Now, now. Yaskaya was always cute. She's just finally being honest with herself.
I didn't even have to close my eyes to hear their voices. Even though several years had passed, the memories were vivid. Our time together was carved into me as deeply as a scar.
"Anyway, the medicine should work, right?"
"The medicine? Of course it will. It's a refined elixir made from the Divine Blood of Lady Ibuki-douji herself."
Ibuki-douji. Explaining the minutiae would take forever, but she's an incredibly powerful Divine Spirit. If they're alive, they're a God; if the God dies and the soul is summoned back, they're a Divine Spirit. That's how I categorize them, though I'm not sure if it's technically accurate.
Regardless, Ibuki-douji is a famous Japanese deity. In terms of sheer scale, she's powerful enough to make even a Special Grade Cursed Spirit look like a joke.
'It's honestly absurd.'
First, I was thrust into the world of a game called Fate/Grand Order. After dying there, I ended up in the world of the manga Jujutsu Kaisen. Currently, I'm in a state of consecutive possession and reincarnation across two different universes.
"Yaskaya. Carry me. I'm tired and I want to sleep soon."
"Oh my. Well, in that case, we should hurry back to our room so you can rest. Come here, let me hold you."
"Thanks."
I leaned into Koyanskaya's arms as she knelt down. Her chest was so ample that my head felt like it was sinking into a plush pillow.
'Ah, this is the life.'
Whoosh.
While basking in that warmth, I felt the sudden sensation of floating. It wasn't an illusion. I looked up and saw the sky getting closer, while the ground drifted far into the distance.
A Servant—especially one of Koyanskaya's caliber—is capable of leaps that are practically flight. To me, this view was nothing out of the ordinary.
"It's quite peaceful."
"Indeed. It's a world without Incineration or Pruning. There isn't even proper Magecraft here, is there?"
"There is Jujutsu, though."
We made small talk while soaring through the sky. The cold autumn wind hitting my face woke me up a bit.
"Oh dear."
Koyanskaya paused in the middle of a smooth descent, looking flustered. She seemed to have stepped on something soft and squishy. Don't tell me...?
"Did you step in dog poop?"
"No. It's not dung. It's a yokai... no, they call them Cursed Spirits here, right? I seem to have landed on one."
"Ah, a Curse?"
I leaned out to get a look. Because her chest was so large, just looking down meant I only saw her curves.
'There's nothing there.'
Beneath us was nothing but clean pavement. Even the traces of black dust that usually linger after a Curse dies had vanished completely.
"It was completely annihilated."
"Yes. It had limbs attached to a melting, half-formed body. Its rank must have been low. Perhaps a Grade 3?"
So basically, it looked like a Grimer from Pokémon? Perfectly understood.
"Ah. That makes sense."
I nodded and buried my face back into her chest. It was a bit hard to breathe, but the warm, sweet scent made me feel good.
"I was startled for a moment, but let's head out again."
Koyanskaya pushed off the ground once more. In the dark of the night, a Servant—whether she was a rabbit or a fox, I couldn't be sure—flew through the sky.
Memories of the past surfaced. Back when I was just a person who enjoyed games, I had blacked out during a subway accident. After that, I possessed a character in Fate/Grand Order and supported the protagonist.
The game was a bit tedious, but reality was different. It was terrifying enough to make my hands and feet shake. I was ordinary, while the protagonist was extraordinary. That brilliance often made me feel small.
But I didn't resent them, nor did I feel inferior. I was grateful. Because the protagonist existed, I was able to endure and find courage. I grew as a human being because of them—enough to make the kind of sacrifice my old self never could: the sacrifice of staying behind alone.
"Ugh..."
When I opened my eyes, I saw only darkness. I was certain we'd arrived at the hotel at dawn, so why was it night again?
"Master, are you awake?"
A cheerful yet mature female voice drifted from behind me. It was Koyanskaya.
"Is it dawn already?"
I turned around and met her eyes. As expected, she was lying right next to me.
"It is night," the well-endowed woman replied with a soft smile.
Seriously, she's tempting in so many ways.
"Really? How long did I sleep?"
"I'd have to count, but you've been asleep for nearly twenty hours. Summoning Ibuki-douji alongside me must have been exhausting."
"I suspect you're right."
I rubbed my eyes and sat up. With such a massive chest right in front of my face, my eyes naturally drifted toward it. Luckily, I was still drowsy enough that my hormones weren't kicking in yet... though that might change once I'm fully awake.
"Do you know what time it is?"
"It's 9:30 PM. It will be time for your appointment soon. You're likely still tired, but shall we depart?"
"Please."
Koyanskaya picked me up and stood from the bed. I wasn't being carried like a princess, but like a baby, which was surprisingly comfortable. My physical age right now is five. Perhaps because I'm so young, managing multiple Servants is difficult.
In one game, a student. In another, a God. Each game had different classifications for their characters, and Fate was no different. In the game, you could form a party of up to six Servants by managing their individual 'Cost.'
And now, in this reality, the maximum number of Servants I can handle comfortably is one. Summoning anything beyond that puts a massive strain on my body. That's likely why summoning both Koyanskaya and Ibuki together caused such overwhelming fatigue. This long sleep was the consequence.
"We're leaving."
Koyanskaya opened the sliding window and jumped straight down. We were on the 12th floor of the hotel—a staggering height. Yet, her landing was elegant and composed. Not even a sound escaped as we hit the pavement. Like a fluctuating line graph, she surged up and plummeted down repeatedly through the city skyline. Before I knew it, we had arrived behind a glowing convenience store.
Speed is certainly a luxury.
"We've arrived."
Koyanskaya set me down and scanned our surroundings. No CCTV, no people.
"Thanks. I think sleeping that much finally cleared my head."
I walked forward with a lazy yawn. We were supposed to meet in front of the convenience store, not behind it, so I needed to move.
"If you're tired, shall we postpone the meeting? I'm sure I could manage that easily enough."
"Thanks, but that'll just be more of a hassle later. I'll just see him now."
I smiled as I took her hand. We looked just like a brother and sister.
"A cup of coffee would help right about now."
"Drinking coffee in a child's body is bad for you. Please wait until you've grown a bit more."
"Hmph."
She was right, so I just acted like a pouting kid. This made Koyanskaya's cheeks flush slightly.
"It's a bit weird since I'm a grown man on the inside, isn't it?"
"N-No. Actually, it was quite natural, so I didn't mind. Yes. I didn't mind at all."
Koyanskaya muttered the same thing twice as she looked away. She seemed oddly embarrassed.
"Is that so? Then it's fine."
"If you're disappointed, shall I buy you some milk? Or perhaps another beverage?"
"Strawberry milk, then."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
Koyanskaya walked straight into the convenience store. Through the glass window, I saw the clerk's eyes go wide. It made sense. She was wearing a white jacket over her bare skin, leaving her chest largely exposed, and her skirt was incredibly short. Both pieces of clothing looked like they were on the verge of bursting. Combine that with her beauty and her unique aura, and it was basically an unshakeable Charm effect for any normal person.
"You're early."
While Koyanskaya was carefully selecting the milk, a man approached. It was Zenin Toji, wearing a tight, short-sleeved shirt.
'Ah. Not Fushiguro, but Zenin, right?'
I shook my head slightly to focus. Because I'm in a time period earlier than the original story, the details keep tripping me up.
"Yes. You're here?"
I looked up to meet Toji's eyes. Looking up at him was starting to make my neck ache.
"Just like you said, I've confirmed my wife is fully recovered. Even after a checkup, there's nothing wrong with her."
"That's good to hear. Congratulations."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Toji thanked me quite readily and leaned down. I didn't expect a rough guy like him to match his eye level with mine.
"Since your word held true, I'll keep my promise. Use me however you like."
"I appreciate that."
"It's only natural. But... why is that thing inside the convenience store? Do Cursed Spirits buy food now?"
Toji asked, nodding toward the window. Koyanskaya was currently picking out the milk with great concentration.
"A Cursed Spirit? You mean Koyanskaya?"
"What else? That thing clearly isn't human. Put simply, it's a monster. Or do you not know the term 'Cursed Spirit'?"
"I know it. But Koyanskaya isn't a Cursed Spirit."
"Not a Cursed Spirit? Then what the hell is...?"
Toji trailed off, falling silent. Just then, Koyanskaya pulled out a wallet to pay for the milk.
"A Cursed Spirit... paying for something?"
"She's not a Cursed Spirit."
I shook my head, repeating the same thing. Now, how on earth was I supposed to explain this to him?