With the two troublemakers gone, the banquet was quickly reorganized.
Though Fairy Tristan was the queen in name, everyone knew Jiang You was the true authority. So, after he gave the nod, the pre-departure celebration began in earnest.
During the festivities, a half-drunk Ushiwakamaru fixed her gaze on Ibaraki-Doji. This was the rival of her ancestor, and under the influence of alcohol, her desire to claim a head could no longer be suppressed. She drew her blade and challenged Ibaraki to a duel.
As one of the more rational Servants, Benkei attempted to intervene. Unfortunately, given his lack of strength and his low standing in Ushiwakamaru's eyes, his words had no effect whatsoever. To make matters worse, Minamoto no Raikou, standing nearby, gave her enthusiastic approval.
And so, under Tiamat's scrutinizing gaze, the two were shooed outside. Soon, the clang of clashing swords echoed from beyond the window.
Leonidas clutched his head in frustration. He was starting to think all Heroic Spirits had brains made of muscle—even women as petite as these. After a quick word with Jiang You, he decided to head outside and keep an eye on the pair. The last thing they needed was a fatality on their hands.
Upon hearing the news, Taiga Fujimura's eyes lit up. "A fight? Count me in!" She frantically stuffed a mountain of food into her mouth, then shattered the window as she leaped toward Ushiwakamaru and Shuten-dōji. The clang of swords outside was promptly replaced by the thud of bare-knuckle brawling.
As for the Gorgon Sisters, only Ana attended. Stheno and Euryale claimed that combat wasn't their concern and that they didn't know the other Servants well, so they opted to stay in the Annex with their sister rather than attend. Gorgon's presence was even less likely; she had originally been an enemy of the people of Uruk, a foe they would have fought to the death without Jiang You's intervention. Her arrival would have made things incredibly awkward for everyone.
Ana's petite frame quickly caught Tiamat's attention. The Primordial Mother soon approached her, carrying a plate piled high with food.
"Mommy knows what you and your sisters have been through. It must have been so hard for you all this time. The Magical Beasts' influence will vanish once the Singularity is repaired, so you don't need to blame yourself so much. Also, make sure to eat well, or you won't grow big and strong."
"Growing up... I think I'd rather not," Ana replied with a wry smile. If she had the choice, she would prefer to stay this size forever, just like her sisters.
Artoria threw herself wholeheartedly into the feast. To her, every dish was a delicacy, far surpassing even the royal banquets of Camelot. Even the potatoes, which she usually found unpalatable, were something she couldn't bear to pass up.
Now she finally understood: it wasn't the potatoes themselves that were bad, but Sir Gawain's mashed potatoes that were the problem—a very, very big problem.
Merlin, meanwhile, used the excuse that he disliked crowded places and found a quiet corner for himself. Jiang You could see he was trying to avoid this particular Artoria. In fact, aside from her younger self, every version of King Arthur thoroughly despised him, regardless of their gender or Merlin's own.
Medea seized the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Merlin, fascinated by his Paradise Magic.
Gudako sought out Quetzalcoatl. She had barely spoken to her during their journey, but the Noble Phantasm that had evaporated the entire Primordial Sea had left a powerful impression on her.
Mash approached Jiang You, still visibly upset. "Mr. Jiang You, please don't do something like that again, okay?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't promise you that."
Jiang You couldn't guarantee he wouldn't get another strange faction quest in the future. For the rewards, he was willing to abandon old friends.
"Why...? Your goal is the same as ours. Don't put Senpai, yourself, and the future of humanity in danger!"
"It was certainly dangerous," Jiang You admitted.
He didn't deny it. If King Hassan hadn't shown up to provide reinforcements for his Hassan Deck, the Tiamat encounter would have been incredibly difficult. Looking back, the intended game progression probably involved finding King Hassan before the final battle. King Hassan's sudden appearance felt like a game admin had opened a backdoor for him.
"But the rewards were high, weren't they?"
Mash followed Jiang You's gaze. Across the room, Tiamat was feeding Ana. Such a powerful enemy had now become an ally.
"But it was still too dangerous!"
Mash found herself partially convinced. With Tiamat's aid, their combat strength had increased dramatically. The process had been chaotic, but the outcome was perfect.
The rest of the time passed without any major incidents.
The only notable event was Fairy Tristan and Gilgamesh returning to the banquet hall covered in mud and fresh wounds. They had clearly run into each other on their way back and gotten into another fight. Fairy Tristan had lost again, but the look on her face suggested she'd at least gotten her licks in.
"How dare you treat This King this way..."
Gilgamesh was about to erupt upon seeing Tiamat, but he quickly backed down under her stern (???) gaze. He was no match for Tiamat. He could get away with a few taunts normally, but when she looked ready to throw down, it was best to be pragmatic.
"Jiang You! How dare you start the feast without This King's permission! The audacity!"
After the prolonged battle, Gilgamesh, still a living human, hadn't eaten. His mouth was dry and his throat parched. He poured himself a glass of wine to wet his throat, but Tiamat immediately grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
"You think you can eat while you're this filthy? It's completely unhygienic!" the small Tiamat declared in an unquestionable tone.
"Both of you, go take a bath! You refuse? Leonidas! Benkei! Mommy needs you to drag him away and give him a good scrubbing!"
Leonidas and Benkei exchanged a glance. Although they were Heroic Spirits summoned by Gilgamesh, they weren't bound by Command Spells or similar compulsions. After weighing the power gap between Tiamat and Gilgamesh, as well as the potential impact on the Human Order, they nodded in unison. Together, they seized Gilgamesh and began dragging him away.
"You'd have men wash This King's body!?"
Gilgamesh's face paled. He was about to unleash his Noble Phantasms to blast them away, but Tiamat's Star Eyes sealed his magical power.
"This is utter disrespect! Stop at once! This King has his own handmaidens—"
Gilgamesh's voice faded into the distance. When Tiamat turned her gaze to Fairy Tristan, the latter meekly agreed to go bathe.
"The Hassans are still organizing the feast at the temple... Speaking of which, I've talked to everyone here, but I feel like I've forgotten someone. Who could it be?" Jiang You muttered, stroking his chin in frustration.
"If you can't remember, it must not be important. Don't worry about it."
Tiamat stood on her tiptoes and patted Jiang You's head.
"Enjoy the feast. It's a rare and precious thing for friends to gather like this. Cherish it."