"Honestly, there was no need for you to come out with me. You should have stayed at the base to conserve your energy and wait for nightfall."
Walking along the streets of Shinto in Fuyuki City, Ludwig spoke to Artoria, who was walking beside him.
"But, if a Master and Servant were to ignore the rules of the Holy Grail War and initiate a battle without warning..." Artoria expressed her lingering concern.
"Every Servant in this war has already revealed themselves, including Assassin, who is hiding in the shadows after faking their death," Ludwig noted. "Aside from Gilgamesh, whose Gate of Babylon makes a massive scene whenever he fights, if any other Servant is encountered and doesn't immediately release their Noble Phantasm—"
He paused, a relaxed grin spreading across his face as he looked at her. "Tell me, who do you think would end up dead?"
"...Fair point." Artoria blinked, then nodded with a resigned sigh.
Having not yet fully escaped the traditional mindset of a Holy Grail War, she found herself habitually forgetting that her Master didn't actually need a Servant's protection.
"And even in the most extreme case—say, if I'm being ganged up on by three or five Servants and I'm too busy to counter—I can always use a Command Spell to call you to my side," Ludwig added.
Artoria nodded again. "It seems I have indeed been overthinking things..."
"You can't really put it that way. After seeing two Masters die before your eyes in succession, even the 'Ever-Victorious King of Knights' is bound to have some psychological scars. It's natural to doubt if you can even continue the war," Ludwig said, shaking his head to show he understood her position.
Her worry wasn't baseless; she had simply run into a unique case where her usual logic didn't apply.
"In that case, Lud, please enjoy your leisure time. I shall return to the base first," Artoria said, coming to a halt. "Call for me once night falls, and we shall begin today's operation."
She began to turn away, but Ludwig caught her hand.
He gave a slightly pained laugh. "You can't spiritualize. Coming all this way only to turn back makes it feel like I'm kicking you out. Wandering alone is fine, but wandering together is better. Besides, a crowd makes things livelier, and food always tastes better with company."
"...I understand." Artoria nodded.
Ludwig released her hand and matched his pace to hers as they continued through the streets of Shinto. As he had mentioned, his next destination was indeed a place to find something to eat.
The variety of flavors in this era wasn't significantly more diverse than in the world he came from. With advanced manufacturing technology, Ludwig's era could replicate almost any taste imaginable. If one wanted to cook from scratch, the ingredients and tools were available—though the "ingredients" themselves were almost always manufactured.
By comparison, Ludwig felt that the food of this era possessed something he had never experienced before: something he could only describe as "the vitality of life."
"Lud, are you actually that hungry?"
Inside a buffet restaurant, Artoria looked at the stacks of plates on either side of Ludwig and spoke up.
"You're one to talk," Ludwig replied with an amused expression.
The stack of empty plates on Artoria's side was no smaller than his. Every five minutes or so, the restaurant staff had to come by to clear them away.
Seeing a blonde beauty in a sharp suit sitting with a fashionable white-haired youth was originally a very picturesque sight for the other diners. However, as the two displayed nearly identical, bottomless appetites—coupled with their surprisingly refined table manners—the surrounding diners found their own appetites whetted. Instead of staring, they felt encouraged to eat more themselves.
"I... I only ate this much because the food here is so delicious. If I didn't sample everything, wouldn't it be an insult to the head chef?" Artoria's face flushed as she hurriedly offered a defense.
"Since when does a buffet have a 'head chef'?" Ludwig deadpanned.
To be fair, Artoria did bring back a different type of dish every time she went up. This particular hotel buffet simply offered an immense variety of options. They had been eating for less than an hour and had yet to exhaust the menu.
"Well, if something is good, you should eat more of it—provided you have the room," Ludwig said. "I don't exactly have a small appetite myself."
"You seem to be fond of sweets, Lud," Artoria noted. "Shall I bring some back for you?"
"Sure. As your Master, I order you: bring me the good stuff." Ludwig struck a mock-serious pose.
Artoria smiled. "By your command."
She wasn't someone incapable of humor; she had simply grown accustomed to acting as a King, discarding the leisurely heart of a human.
"Honestly, looking at you is like watching a couple of country bumpkins. This is why people say these Far Eastern islands..." Suddenly, a haughty female voice rang out. "Whether it's the Servants or the Masters, they're all cut from the same cloth."
Ludwig raised an eyebrow and looked to the side.
A woman with long, burgundy hair had arrived at their table, accompanied by Lancer, who was dressed in a suit similar to Saber's.
"Lancer, is this woman your Master?" Artoria asked, looking at him with confusion. She remembered Lancer's Master being a man with a very high opinion of himself. Though she had never met him face-to-face, she could tell from his voice.
This woman seemed to share Kayneth's temperament.
"No, Lady Sola-Ui is my Master's fiancée. I am currently responsible for her temporary protection," Lancer explained.
Since Kayneth preferred to stay on the top floor of the hotel, which he had converted into a workshop, and refused to come down to the restaurant, he had reluctantly agreed to let Lancer accompany Sola-Ui, provided they did not leave the hotel premises.
Sola-Ui, however, was clearly dissatisfied with that introduction. "Lancer, have you forgotten? A portion of the magical energy sustaining your existence is provided by me. I am just as much your Master."
"...Lady Sola-Ui." Lancer clearly didn't know how to respond.
"Quite the lively gathering. Are you planning to start a fight here?" Ludwig retracted his gaze, continuing to eat as he spoke. "I wouldn't recommend it. I'm quite fond of this hotel's buffet. If I don't get to finish my meal because the restaurant gets leveled, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"You only won before because of a surprise attack. Lancer won't lose to a brat like you," Sola-Ui snapped, her annoyance clear.
Artoria couldn't stand by and watch. She issued a warning: "Please retract those words, madam. It is for your own sake. If you anger my Master, I fear the consequences will be more than you can handle."
She intended to fulfill her duty as a Servant and uphold her Master's dignity. However, knowing Ludwig didn't strictly need it, she felt it was more of an act of mercy to offer a warning.
Sola-Ui was about to retort with more harsh words, but Ludwig cut her off.
"Tonight, we are launching an attack on the Tohsaka residence—the Archer faction's stronghold. If you're planning on sticking your nose in, make sure you don't miss it."
"...Such swift action..."
Lancer was slightly taken aback. He was aware of the upheaval at the Matou estate the previous night. According to the intelligence Kayneth had gathered, the Saber and Berserker factions had already joined forces.
Hearing Ludwig's declaration, Lancer immediately led Sola-Ui away as politely as possible. He needed to report this information to Kayneth immediately.
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Type-Moon: The A-Ray Knight's Holy Grail Journey(80 Chapter - Ongoing)
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