Orario mornings always began with Babel Tower catching the first sunlight—
—and the sound of something heavy falling.
Twilight Manor. Shirou Emiya's "private room" (and temporary refuge).
"Ugh… sleep paralysis…?"
Half-asleep, Shirou felt something like a granite slab pressing down on his chest. Breathing was hard. His ribs were protesting.
Aftereffects from last night's mana overdraw?Or Loki pulling some garbage again?
He forced his eyes open—
…and instead of the familiar ceiling, he saw a blazing red blur.
Then a face.
A face far too close. Far too cheerful.
"Yo! Morning, Shirou!"
The voice was crisp like a summer wind chime—
—which did not change the fact that the speaker was currently lying on top of him like a koala.
"A—Alise?!" Shirou nearly launched himself out of bed, except Alise held him down with terrifyingly casual strength. "Why are you in here?! This is Loki Familia's male quarters! Astraea Familia's base is in West District—!"
"So what?" Alise grinned shamelessly, rubbing her cheek against his chest like she owned the place. In this new worldline she was alive, thriving, and had even climbed to Level 5—and apparently her sense of personal boundaries had climbed with her. "We're comrades who've traded lives, you know?"
"And I want breakfast!" she declared. "I've been craving your—your… what was it called…"
"HAMBURG STEAK! I've wanted it for seven years!"
"That's not an excuse for illegal entry!" Shirou snapped. "And for you guys it's basically just—"
"Shut up, Alise."
A cold voice came from the windowsill.
Kaguya stood there, arms folded, her treasured blade Gokou resting against her shoulder—expression flat, tongue sharp.
"You heat-rutted red-haired dog, get off him."
Her eyes flicked, once, toward Shirou's open collar from sleep.Then flicked away.Then flicked back.
"If you don't, I'll cut you for public indecency."
"Kaguya?!" Shirou's headache began immediately. "Why are you also—"
It got worse.
From under the bed came a quiet rustling, followed by a small head popping out.
Laila.
Holding Shirou's snack stash.
"Morning, Emiya." She spoke like a civil servant doing an audit. "Ignore me. I'm just here to inspect your future kitchen stockpile."
"That's not inspection," Shirou said hoarsely. "That's burglary."
And then—
In the corner of the room, sitting straight-backed like she was in a courtroom, a green-haired elf calmly worked a whetstone along a blade.
Ryuu Lion.
She was polishing Shirou's projected Kanshou like it was a sacred relic. When Shirou met her eyes, the tips of her ears turned faintly red—but her posture stayed disciplined.
"Good morning, Emiya." Ryuu's tone was very official. "I'm here to provide security."
"…Security?"
"Yes," Ryuu said, dead serious. "To prevent certain shameless people—(Alise)—from conducting a nocturnal assault."
Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose.
No. I think the person who needs security right now is me.
So this was the price of changing the worldline.
In the old timeline, Shirou's morning routine would've been Aiz and maybe Lili.
Now?
One wrong word and he'd trigger a Blood Ending.
Astraea Familia's survival didn't just rewrite history.
It rewrote Shirou's difficulty setting.
Breakfast had the atmosphere of a hostage negotiation.
The long table felt cramped—not from chairs, but from pressure.
Left side: Loki Familia—Finn, Riveria, Gareth, Aiz, Bete, the twins.Right side: Astraea Familia—Alise, Kaguya, Laila, Ryuu.
And sitting at the "judgment seat" like two gods presiding over a trial:
Loki and Astraea.
As for Shirou?
He was in the kitchen, wearing an apron, sweating like a man trying to prevent Ragnarok using nothing but omelets and willpower.
Loki narrowed her eyes, fork scraping her plate with a sound that made weak adventurers flinch.
"Oi, Astraea. Alliance doesn't mean you can treat my place like a free buffet."
She jabbed the fork toward Alise.
"That red-haired brat has eaten five bowls already! That's Emiya's special mana rice! It's expensive!"
Astraea smiled gently—graceful, composed—
—and used the moment to smoothly steal the last piece of fried chicken.
"Oh, don't be so stingy, Loki. Children are growing."(Alise was Level 5.)"And we must replenish stamina for the 'joint operation,' after all."
Then Astraea glanced toward the kitchen.
"Besides… he doesn't seem to dislike it."
"He looks like he's about to die of overwork," Loki deadpanned.
Clink.
Aiz set her chopsticks down.
Her plate was empty. That did not mean she was satisfied.
Her golden eyes fixed on the opposite side—on Ryuu's plate.
There sat a small dish: Shirou's special lemon-honey marinade, tailored for Ryuu's mental recovery.
"…That," Aiz said.
Ryuu blinked. Then immediately shielded her plate like a warrior protecting a banner.
"This is for Emiya's recovery protocol," Ryuu said calmly. "If Sword Princess is hungry, there is rice porridge in the pot."
"No." Aiz stood up. The air around her stirred—Wind Spirit's blessing reacting to her mood. "I want that."
"Lemon," she specified, as if naming a target.
Alise swallowed her food like she'd just been challenged to a duel.
"Oh?" Alise's presence flared. "You want to fight? That's Ryuu's dish. Nobody touches it."
Bete slammed a boot onto his chair, fangs bared.
"Tch. You freeloaders come here, eat our food, and start barking?" He pointed at Alise. "Want me to throw you out?"
The dining hall turned into a battlefield without a single blade drawn.
Level 5 and Level 6 pressure collided. Lower-tier members shrank into their seats, unable to even breathe properly.
So this is "high-level table manners."
Then—
"STOP."
Shirou walked out with two huge platters—thick rolled omelet and tempura—then slammed them on the table.
His face was black like a burned pan. A literal vein twitched on his forehead.
"Anyone who releases killing intent during breakfast loses dinner."
His voice dropped colder.
"Dry rations only."
The room froze.
"Also," Shirou continued, pointing with chopsticks like a judge, "Aiz, that lemon is for Ryuu's mental recovery. Your portion is here."
He placed down a plate.
"Extra-large cheese croquettes."
Aiz's aura instantly calmed.
"…Okay."
"Alise," Shirou snapped, "stop stealing Kaguya's food."
"Bete," he added, "put your foot down."
Under the Chef King's authority, top-tier adventurers became obedient children.
"…Sorry," the entire table said in unison, and sat properly.
Shirou exhaled.
Managing these problem kids was harder than fighting a Floor Boss.
Finn sat at the head, calm and sharp again—thumb tapping slightly, the sign he was excited.
"Now," he said, "we discuss the Knossos operation."
With the Daedalus Eye key Shirou brought back and Haruhime's intel, Loki Familia had mapped most entrances.
But it wasn't enough.
Knossos was vast and labyrinthine. Dark Faction remnants still nested inside, along with mutated monsters—
—and a hidden mastermind who still hadn't shown himself.
"Loki Familia alone can force it," Finn said, pointing at multiple red marks on the map, "but we can't guarantee total annihilation."
"We need simultaneous strikes, multiple breach points, and supply-line severance."
"So," Finn looked to Astraea, "we need allies."
Astraea smiled.
"That's why we're here. Justice will not allow evil to fester underground."
"And," her gaze sharpened slightly, "we still have a debt from seven years ago."
In this worldline, Astraea Familia wasn't wiped out—thanks to Shirou's interference—but the Dark Age still scarred Orario.
Finn evaluated the Astraea side.
After seven years of growth and "worldline correction," they were a different beast:
Alise Lovell — Lv.5 (upper tier)
Ryuu Lion — Lv.5 (vice-captain)
Kaguya — Lv.5
Laila — Lv.4 (trap/bomb specialist with terrifying creativity)
That was effectively half of Loki Familia's top layer.
With them, the success rate approached certainty.
Finn smiled.
"Operation codename: Funeral of the End.Loki Familia: frontal assault and aggro control.Astraea Familia: flanking breach and purification."
Then Finn's eyes shifted to Shirou.
"And Emiya—your special squad will locate and destroy Knossos' 'core.' The likely 'spirit' nucleus."
"…Me?" Shirou blinked. "Leading?"
"Yes." Finn nodded. "You have Eye of the Mind. Unlimited Blade Works for adaptability."
And, Finn glanced at Aiz and Haruhime with the faintest hint of calculation—
"…your team composition matters."
He spoke with the merciless calm of a commander who absolutely understood he was adding fuel to a fire.
"Squad members: Aiz, Ryuu, Haruhime, Lefiya. You command."
"Pff—!" Lefiya sprayed water like a broken fountain. "M-Me?! In a squad full of… of…!"
She glanced at Aiz, then at Ryuu, then at Haruhime.
"…My stomach is going to perforate!"
"Objection rejected," Finn said blandly. "This is a trial, Lefiya."
"If you survive this squad mentally, you'll become a true 'Thousand Elf.'"
Lefiya's soul left her body.
The backyard, normally a clothes-drying space, had become a weapon-maintenance bay.
Shirou held Gokou in both hands, calmly performing structural reinforcement. Even in this worldline it hadn't snapped, but years of combat had left microscopic fractures.
"Trace… analyze… fill… reinforce…"
Mana ran through the blade. The edge regained a clean, cold sheen.
"Done," Shirou said, handing it back. "Test it."
Kaguya drew.
Shing.
A single casual flourish split the air with a crisp note.
"…Not bad." Kaguya's tone was flat, but her eyes softened in a way she'd deny under oath. "Your craftsmanship is better than seven years ago."
Shirou smiled. "I grew up."
Kaguya stepped closer—too close.
"If you're back," she said quietly, "why didn't you come find us immediately? Why make us meet you in a tavern?"
"…I just woke up," Shirou said. "I got dragged into chaos."
"Excuses." Kaguya huffed—then grabbed his collar and yanked him forward.
Their breathing overlapped.
"This time," she said, voice sharp enough to cut steel, "don't disappear."
"If you vanish again… I'll chase you to hell and cut you into three pieces."
"Understood?""…U-Understood," Shirou said, sweating.
Then—
"Let him go, Kaguya."
A blade's presence sliced the air between them.
Aiz stood there, expression blank.
"Training time."
"Emiya is my… sparring partner."
Kaguya released Shirou, turning with a swordsman's smile.
"So you're the strongest female swordsman in Orario."
"Good timing. My blade's fresh."
Aiz's eyes sharpened.
"Fine."
A "spar" began.
It was not a spar.
It was war disguised as etiquette.
And then—
"EMIYA-SAMA! BAD NEWS!"
Lili sprinted in, followed by a frantic Haruhime.
"Alise and Bete are fighting in the training field! They're comparing whose flames are hotter!"
"And Tiona and Laila are playing bomb catch!"
"At this rate Twilight Manor will be dismantled!"
Shirou looked at the chaos: sword-light, explosions, shouting.
This wasn't pre-war preparation.
This was a daycare for walking disasters.
And yet—
He laughed.
Because their faces were alive.
No death. No despair.
Loud. Troublesome. Exhausting.
And exactly the kind of future he wanted to protect.
Shirou inhaled, then roared with the authority of an absolute tyrant:
"EVERYONE STOP."
"If you don't stop right now…"
"…Tonight's dinner is canceled."
"Compressed biscuits only."
Instant silence.
Every combatant froze like they'd been hit with a paralysis spell.
Even Aiz's sword lowered a centimeter.
"…Tch," Aiz muttered, putting her blade away with obvious reluctance.
Kaguya sheathed hers, clicking her tongue.
Shirou clapped his hands.
"Good. Since you all have so much energy…"
His eyes hardened.
"Three days until the assault."
"We're destroying Knossos completely."
"From now on—special training."
"I'm your opponent. I'll tune your equipment, coordination, and tactics to peak condition."
He raised a hand.
Dozens of projected blades blossomed in the air like an iron storm.
"Unlimited Blade Works—activate."
Shirou stood at the center of the sword array like a commander.
"Come at me."
"This time…"
"We're going to win."
"Win beautifully."
Under the sunset, the shadows of the boy and the girls stretched long across the yard—
and the countdown to the Knossos operation began.
....
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