For the sisters, Maki and Mai, the world outside was an alien landscape.
From the moment they were born until now, they had never once stepped beyond the gates of the Zenin estate.
The journey to this new home had been their very first experience with the outside world.
Zenin Ougi, the girls' father, held a high status within the clan, but in every way that mattered, he was human garbage.
He harbored no love for his children.
His deep-seated misogyny and obsession with jujutsu supremacy only served to fuel his cruelty.
In fact, that was the root of everything.
That he allowed them even a basic education was a mercy of sorts—though a twisted one.
Had it not been a legal requirement, he likely wouldn't have bothered with that, either.
"Whoa..."
Thus, the first shop they entered felt like a dream. The sights they had only ever seen in books felt dizzyingly surreal.
"I suppose we can pick out a few things here?"
When the boy asked, Raiko nodded in agreement.
"Fortunately, the clan sent over a few changes of clothes. If we use those as a base, they won't need an excessive amount."
"They actually sent modern clothes?"
"Yes. Upon inspection, it seems they were quite meticulous. No doubt they were trying to stay in your good graces, Master."
It was strange.
In Maki's eyes, the boy didn't seem particularly powerful.
There was something peculiar about him, but he exerted no pressure; he wasn't frightening in the least.
He was the polar opposite of the women standing beside him.
Yet, he spoke to them with casual familiarity, and these powerful women obeyed him without question.
It was a form of loyalty that felt entirely different from the hierarchy of the Zenin clan.
"I'm sorry. I'd love to buy you every outfit you like, but I'm not exactly made of money."
The boy approached the sisters with a sheepish smile.
It was a humble admission, spoken with blunt honesty.
"So, three sets each—tops and bottoms. Let's start with that. We can always come back for more later."
"Is that... really okay?"
Maki asked, blinking in surprise.
A kind, well-meaning man was a phenomenon she had never encountered before.
"Of course. Raiko, Ibuki—go ahead and help them choose. I'm counting on you both."
"Yes, Master."
"Sure thing. Then Raiko and I will each take one. Shall we go?"
Raiko, dressed in a sleek qipao, and Ibuki-douji, wearing an underboob-style crop top, each took one of the sisters under their wing.
Raiko took Maki.
Ibuki took Mai.
The pairs began to wander through the department store.
The children's clothing section was quite a distance from their home. It was sprawling, filled with a dizzying array of garments and bustling with shoppers.
Teens, adults, and families were everywhere.
This was an outlet mall, a collective of various boutiques, so the sheer variety of styles was overwhelming.
'I never thought I'd find myself in a place like this in this life.'
The boy, left to his own devices, took a seat on a corner bench. It was a waiting area for guests, allowing him to rest his legs while the shopping commenced.
After all, a woman's shopping trip was notoriously long.
"Yaaawn—"
The boy leaned against the wall, letting out a long, lazy yawn.
Raiko was his personal guardian for the day, and Ibuki-douji had joined as the designated Servant on duty. No other backup was present.
Having two Servants should have been more than enough.
Of course, it was impossible to rule out the possibility that others were tailing them in spirit form. Every single one of his Servants had developed an overwhelming level of affection for him.
In Fate/Grand Order, Bond Level 15 was the absolute cap.
Once it reached that peak, it was set in stone; it never wavered or declined.
There was only one way to raise that level.
You had to clear dungeons with that Servant—thousands upon thousands of times.
It was a number that could only be achieved through sheer, grueling repetition.
Some used macros. Others spent every waking hour glued to the screen just to maximize that bond.
The boy had been a veteran player of Grand Order since its early days. He had been consistent, but never obsessed. Most of his Servants were at Bond Level 10.
Only six Servants had reached Level 15—the same six whose fates remained intertwined with his even here.
"Um, Lady Ibuki-douji...?"
While browsing the clothes, Mai stole a glance toward the boy and spoke up.
"Hmm? What is it? And you don't have to be so formal. You can just call me Ibuki."
"Oh, no. I couldn't..."
"Mmm... I see. Well, feel free to change your mind whenever you like. Anyway, what's on your mind?"
"The person sitting over there. You called him 'Master'... what does that mean?"
Oh? Ibuki's eyes twinkled as she crouched down to match Mai's height.
Since she was quite tall, it was the only way to speak face-to-face.
"In simple terms, it means he is our lord and master. Does that make sense?"
"Lord? But you're an adult, and he's just a boy..."
"I'm glad you understand the literal meaning, at least."
Ibuki chuckled and patted Mai's head. Her touch was warm and gentle—very much like the look in the boy's eyes as he watched them from a distance.
"Well, I'll tell you more when you're a bit older. It's not a secret, just a bit complicated to explain right now. All right?"
"Ah, okay."
"Good girl. Now, shall we get back to the clothes? Which one catches your eye?"
Ibuki smiled again, successfully redirecting Mai's attention back to the racks of clothing.
Maki watched them from a few steps away, her heart filled with a mixture of unfamiliarity and lingering fear.
The sudden arrival of this unimaginable daily life left her bewildered.
"Um, Miss Raiko."
Maki called out to Raiko, who was walking beside her. Using honorifics felt incredibly awkward to the young girl.
"Yes? What can I do for you?"
Raiko crouched down with a bright smile. True to her motherly nature, she didn't look down on the child, choosing instead to maintain eye level.
The position emphasized her powerful, thick thighs and the prominent curve of her hips.
"Whoa, Mommy, look! Her butt is huge!"
"Hush! You shouldn't say things like that!"
A child passing by blurted out the observation, and his mother quickly covered his mouth, looking mortified.
'But honestly... it really is massive. How is it even possible? It looks like it could easily be over forty inches...'
As the mother hurried away in awe, Maki spoke up.
"I was just wondering... why do you use polite speech with a child?"
"Are you referring to how I speak to you, Maki?"
"Me, and that boy. Usually, adults just... treat kids like, well, kids."
The vague phrasing carried a heavy weight of experience.
Raiko understood the underlying trauma and offered a bitter smile. It was stifling to realize that being treated like an object was 'normal' to these girls.
"I'll explain that later as well. It's a bit of a difficult topic."
Raiko gave the exact same answer as Ibuki-douji. It was, after all, the truth.
"Right. Okay."
Maki blinked for a moment and then nodded. It was strange and uncomfortable. She found it difficult to adjust to the genuine consideration she had been receiving these past few days.
And yet, it wasn't bad. She felt something warm blooming in her chest.
"Perhaps when you're a bit older? When you enter middle school, maybe? I'll tell you then."
"Got it. I should pick my clothes now, right? I don't want to make him wait too long. It's rude."
"Are you being considerate of the Master? What a good girl."
Raiko patted Maki's head, her voice warm with affection. Maki's cheeks flushed crimson.
Part of her wanted to shyly pull away, but she knew better. She understood that she needed to be on her best behavior when she was being cherished. She wasn't so arrogant as to defy a being of such high standing.
Maki and Mai eventually finished their selection and headed to the checkout. Mai had chosen a combination that featured skirts, while Maki opted for a more practical set with trousers.
"All finished? Let's get some lunch. I'm starving."
After the purchase, the white-haired boy led the way out. Raiko and Maki followed closely, with Ibuki-douji and Mai bringing up the rear.
They settled on a simple ramen shop for lunch. None of them were picky eaters, so there were no complaints. Maki and Mai, in particular, looked on with wide, shimmering eyes.
This was their first time eating ramen.
In the Zenin house, every meal was strictly regimented. Even on New Year's Day, they were only allowed to eat predetermined dishes.
While the meals weren't necessarily poor in quality and were nutritionally balanced, the lack of variety made eating feel more like 'refueling' than enjoyment.
"Big sis, this is delicious."
"Yeah. It is."
Mai openly displayed her joy, while Maki tried to act indifferent despite her obvious delight as they finished their bowls of clear broth ramen.
"If you're still hungry, you can have more."
The boy sitting across from them smiled and ordered a side of gyoza and some drinks—mostly because he wanted some as well. The three of them made quick work of the additional food, leaving only the empty broth bowls behind.
"Um... thank you for the meal."
"Thank you. It was good."
Mai offered a shy thanks first, and Maki followed suit. In moments like these, Mai almost seemed like the elder sister.
"I'm glad you liked it. Let's head back home."
The boy and the girls began the walk back. Since it was just a local neighborhood ramen shop, the distance was manageable. Ibuki-douji and Raiko divided the shopping bags between them.
Though the load was significant for a human, it was light as a feather for a Servant.
"Sorry to ask, but I need you two to handle the rest. I can't exactly go rummaging through a little girl's laundry."
"Of course, Master."
Immediately upon returning home, Raiko and Ibuki-douji set to work. Between caring for the sisters and washing the new clothes to get rid of the 'store smell,' they were kept quite busy.
Normally, they would have used the washing machine, but since that felt like a chore, they simply used magecraft to skip the process.
'We've got the clothes, they have their textbooks, and I know where the school is...'
All that was left was their education. Maki and Mai had been locked away in a 'prestigious' clan and had no idea how to interact with the world like normal people.
To go to school, they needed at least some basic social knowledge.
The boy realized they needed to be prepared for everything—how to react to bullies, how to manage their emotions, and how to carry themselves. Children could be cruel, often just as calculated as the most devious adults.
"Assassin."
"Yes, Master?"
After finalizing his plan, the boy called for Koyanskaya of Light. She was, by far, the most qualified to handle this type of education.
"I'm sorry. I know it's not the most exciting job, but could you teach them some basic social skills? Interpersonal relations and the like?"
"Of course. We all agreed to take those children in. It would be negligent of us to simply sit back and watch."
"Thank you."
The boy took her hand and gave a small bow of gratitude. A faint blush crept up Koyanskaya's cheeks. Since her beloved Master had placed his trust in her, she felt a burning need to execute the task perfectly.
'I'll have to put my back into it.'
A predatory gleam flickered in her eyes, veiled by an enthusiastic smile.
"How should we schedule the sessions?"
"Evenings might be too tiring, so let's aim for the mornings and afternoons. School starts in about fifteen days, right?"
"That will be plenty of time. I will educate them so thoroughly that even an infant could understand the intricacies of human society."
She wore a pleasant smile, but there was something decidedly beast-like and cunning lurking beneath the surface.
The boy simply nodded. Her ruthlessness made her reliable.
"Lord... do you have nothing for me to do? I'm starting to get a little bored just standing around."
Shuten-douji, who had been lingering in the room, slinked toward him. Every step toward the boy, every casual brush of her hand, and the way she leaned her body against him was flawlessly natural.
It was a sight to behold.
The boy looked at Shuten-douji for a moment before shaking his head. It was too soon to involve her.
"Shuten, your turn will come later."
"Is that so? A pity. But I'm sure a chance will arise. Don't be shy about asking if you need my... help."
"Thanks."
He offered a grateful smile, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry. He turned back to Koyanskaya with a final reminder.
"Yaskaya. Take it easy on them, okay? Remember what I said. Don't drive them as hard as you used to drive me back in Chaldea."
"I'm not a woman who lacks discernment, Master... but very well. I will keep that in mind."
Koyanskaya of Light let out a small sigh and nodded. It was slightly wounding to be met with such distrust, but she accepted it as the weight of her own past karma.