I had finally returned to Strawberry Studio, only to be greeted by an unexpected sight: my employees gathered around a table, intently watching Sora and Ari play chess.
Ari was clearly struggling to defend her pawns—a predictable outcome against Sora, a true grandmaster. Paired with his sister Shiro, the two would likely surpass even that elite rank and claim a title of their own. But there was no need for such theatrics. Sora alone was more than enough to dominate the board.
He was holding back, deliberately prolonging the match when he could have ended it long ago. Ari knew it too, which explained the sharp glare she kept directing at him. Her friends, however, seemed oblivious, believing the players were evenly matched. Those with real chess knowledge could only cringe at how thoroughly Ari was being outplayed.
Finally losing her patience, Ari snapped. "You! Why are you deliberately letting me capture your pawns when it's obvious you hold an absolute advantage?"
Unlike his usual reserved demeanor, Sora's confidence surged the moment games were involved. Without a hint of shame, he replied, "Because I don't want the game to end so quickly."
Ari couldn't fathom his reasoning. From her perspective, he could have delivered checkmate in the opening moves. He wasn't even trying to conceal his superiority—yet every time victory drew near, he would sacrifice a winning piece just to extend the match. As they played, she gradually realized he was trying to teach her. Still, knowing her opponent was intentionally handicapping himself remained incredibly frustrating.
Eventually, the board reached a stalemate. The game ended in a draw.
Ari felt no satisfaction. She knew the tie had only occurred because Sora had willed it. Yet her irritation slowly gave way to genuine admiration. Though she wasn't a master, she had competed in middle school tournaments and secured several victories. She was far from an amateur—her skill stood just a step below professional level.
For someone her age to toy with her so effortlessly meant his ability was at least grandmaster tier. In truth, Sora had transcended that level long ago, though he and Shiro remained anonymous. The reclusive siblings had little interest in fame. Their earlier poverty stemmed not from lack of talent, but from extreme introversion and fear of stepping into the world.
Now genuinely intrigued, Ari wanted to know more about this boy named Sora—not merely because he was the boss's friend, but because of his fascinating nature. Despite his prodigious talent, he displayed none of the arrogance typical of geniuses. Instead, he was almost painfully shy, only revealing his true self when immersed in competition. The striking contrast left a strong impression. With a small smile, she decided she wanted to understand him better, driven purely by curiosity.
---
"Did you have fun?" I asked my friend once we left the studio.
"Are you kidding? I had a blast!" Sora admitted shamelessly.
"Those girls were incredible—beautiful, just as you'd expect from idols. Still, they don't quite compare to some of the girls in our class."
I couldn't help rolling my eyes. Of course they wouldn't. One was literally a goddess, another the heiress of an ancient magus clan. Few could match their genetics—except maybe D, though I suspected she operated on entirely different terms.
"So, did you manage to get any of their numbers?" I asked.
Sora perked up immediately. "Yep! Ari gave me hers."
That was surprising. I had expected Nino or Kyun to show interest, but Ari was the one who reached out. Still, it was excellent news—he wasn't going home empty-handed. I was curious to see how things would develop between them. Would it remain a fleeting curiosity or blossom into something deeper?
Whatever the outcome, I would support my friend fully. And if it didn't work out, there were always more opportunities. If he couldn't find someone in this world, there were always other worlds. As long as I was his friend, he would never be short of options.
---
"Husband, would you mind explaining who this girl is?" Morgan's stunning face turned directly toward Ai, who met her gaze with clear hostility.
I had nearly forgotten about this complication. Distracted by the day's events, I had pushed the "wife" issue to the back of my mind—only for it to come back and bite me.
"Alex… who is this woman, and why is she claiming to be your wife?" Ai's voice sharpened, laced with unmistakable hurt.
Even my children were staring at me as if I were trash. I admit I wasn't perfect, but did they really hold such a low opinion of me?
Not wanting to complicate matters further, I explained as clearly as possible. "Ai, it's not what you think. She's not my wife—that's just a title she's used since I summoned her. I have no romantic feelings for her whatsoever. We literally met yesterday."
Morgan looked somewhat displeased by my blunt words, but I ignored it. That was simply the truth. If she believed I would choose her over Ai, she was mistaken. Though Morgan surpassed Ai in beauty, power, and charisma, our relationship remained strictly that of master and servant. My bond with Ai ran far deeper—she was the mother of my children.
Ai and the children blinked in surprise, looking utterly adorable in their confusion.
"Summon…?" Ai echoed.
"Yeah. I assume my sister or brother-in-law mentioned the Holy Grail and Servants?" I hoped they had, otherwise I'd have to explain everything.
Thankfully, she understood right away. "So she's a Servant?"
"That's right."
"Is there going to be a Holy Grail War?" I could hear the panic in her voice. From what Shirou had told her, the war was anything but pleasant, and she didn't want me involved in anything so dangerous.
I shook my head. "No, there won't be a war. She's a special case."
(A/N: Almost want to add Fate/strange Fake right here and now. 'Almost' Gil seeing his gender-bent counterpart would be hilarious.)
"Oh, that's a relief." Ai's tense shoulders finally relaxed.
Morgan's cold voice cut through the room. "Are you ignoring me?"
I snapped back to attention. "No, I was just distracted. And to answer your question, this 'girl' is the mother of my children."
Morgan furrowed her brows. "Is this the monarch you mentioned? I don't sense it on her."
My heart skipped a beat. 'Oh no—I haven't told Ai about Gilgamesh yet.'
"How strange," Morgan continued. "You said the monarch was still carrying your child. Perhaps this is a different woman." Her piercing gaze met mine. "You're more adventurous than I thought, husband."
"Alex… what is she talking about…?" Ai looked at me with disbelief and a hint of betrayal.
'Damn it. Why is my life so complicated?'
---
Meanwhile, at the shop,
A short, pink-haired girl with adorable horse ears and a pink ribbon tied to one of them burst through the door.
"I'm BACK! KING HALO-CHAN!"
Her dramatic entrance startled the trainee staff member, Ymir.
Archer stared at the lively "creature" and immediately sensed the 'great wisdom'—and future headaches—hidden behind those bright eyes.
"Eeeh?! This isn't my room! Where am I?! Oh, hello! I'm Haru Urara! Do you know where this is?!" She greeted Ymir cheerfully without missing a beat.
And that was how the pink pony began her journey to becoming a world-class Uma Musume.
---
A/N: That's my daughter, bruh!