Two birds with one stone!
"An ordinary family, huh?"
Artoria hesitated slightly.
Given her unique status, she couldn't just casually visit someone's home.
She shook her head. "No… it's better if I don't go."
"Aww, what a pity."
Kirina smacked her lips in disappointment.
She had been hoping to give her resident shut-in the surprise of a lifetime—clearly, that plan had fallen through.
If she really brought King Arthur home, he'd definitely go wild with excitement and probably reward her handsomely!
Then suddenly, Artoria asked, "Do you have someone you like?"
"Y-Yeah, I do!" Kirina's cheeks flushed red.
Talking about this in front of such a bold and dignified queen made her feel extra shy.
After all, she was just a sweet little angel.
Artoria's voice was soft. "When you love someone… you want all of them. You want to be with them forever."
"Mm, that's true! You don't want to share them with anyone!" Kirina nodded firmly.
Liking someone naturally meant wanting to have them all to yourself. Sharing? No way.
She started to feel a little sorry for Artoria.
Falling for someone as incredible as Nameless… meant dealing with way too many rivals.
"Exactly. Not even the closest of family should get to share them." Artoria let out a sigh. "I owe that person so much. Just wanting to have him all to myself already feels like a selfish delusion."
When she pulled the Sword from the Stone, he'd tried again and again to talk her out of it.
At the Battle of Camlann, she'd accidentally injured him.
In the singularity, she'd nearly killed him with her overwhelming force.
She wanted to make up for it. She'd even given up her throne, passed it to Mordred, and offered herself to him.
Yet the Emperor had unhesitatingly rejected the proposal.
"You'll make it happen!" Kirina encouraged her quickly.
The flames of gossip were burning wildly in her heart now, warming her more than any heater could.
Fight! Fight!
Nothing she loved more than women fighting over a man!
"Thanks." Artoria's mood clearly lightened. "You should hurry home. That person's probably waiting for you."
"Yeah, see you~!"
Kirina waved goodbye with a barely-contained grin.
She bounced away joyfully, practically skipping, feeling like she was on cloud nine.
After she left…
Artoria's gaze followed her small figure as she made her way into an apartment building.
One window upstairs was lit up.
On the balcony, two figures stood side by side.
The young boy who lived with Kirina—Sanjiro—stood beside a tall, elegant figure.
But the two looked… very odd together.
The boy, still just a high schooler on the surface, gave off an aura of someone who had seen all the sorrows of the world.
And the tall adult beside him slightly bent down—allowing the boy to gently pat his head, expression full of warmth.
But when Artoria looked at that adult…
She didn't see a mere man.
She saw a heroic spirit concealed in a disguise.
Artoria stood frozen in the snow as flakes fell silently on her shoulders.
"So… you really did find him after all."
Everything instantly became clear.
Originally, Artoria thought the firm rejection of the political marriage proposal was purely strategic.
And the First Emperor even declared, in an overbearing fashion—
"If anyone dares to suggest sacrificing my teacher's future happiness, or forcing him to dedicate himself—I shall exterminate their entire family!"
The people had come to understand just how much that nameless Heroic Spirit had walked the path of humanity's protection—and the entire world.
He was a savior, a guardian of humanity, the First Emperor's teacher...
So many titles that it was clear: his contributions were truly beyond measure.
Countless people had become fanatical followers because of it.
The First Emperor's decree was seen as coming from deep concern—a wish to let him rest and enjoy an ordinary life.
The common folk, already aware of the hardships he'd endured in countless brutal battles, naturally supported this wholeheartedly.
Artoria initially thought the First Emperor was just showing affection for his teacher, while also using it to pressure Britain into making more concessions.
If the marriage proposal was rejected, then Britain would have to yield high-tech resources, or even open its domestic market.
That was how it worked.
Between nations, there was no such thing as romantic sentiment—only cold, hard interests.
Interests were the only eternal ally.
But now, Artoria finally understood everything.
"So all that talk about caring for his teacher, doing it for the good of the Empire—that was all a lie."
Artoria sighed deeply.
That heroic spirit standing at the peak of the Empire—who had claimed he could easily locate Nameless—had actually done it.
And perfectly, too. He'd hidden and protected his teacher without a trace.
To him, that teacher was his greatest reverse scale—something he would never allow anyone else to touch.
She thought back to when she first arrived in Fuyuki City.
Academy City had held a grand welcome ceremony.
Student representatives had been assigned to escort Heroic Spirits around the school. The one who'd guided her and Jeanne was the very boy she had just seen on the balcony upstairs—
A seemingly average seventeen-year-old high school student.
His records were nothing special.
Mediocre grades. Average athletic ability. Trash-tier magical talent…
He looked completely unremarkable, walking around as if he didn't care about anything in the world—showing zero ambition.
A total slacker, through and through.
His only redeeming quality?
He liked helping people.
Rin, Julian, Illyasviel—various geniuses had all been helped by him in some way.
That's why, when Tamamo-no-Mae, the principal of the academy, asked for a normal student to serve as a representative… everyone recommended him.
Oh, and he was also a top-tier cook.
His dishes had earned endless praise. People were constantly trying to persuade him to open a restaurant.
Fixing computers, heaters, changing light bulbs—he could do it all with ease.
Academically useless, but a domestic god.
Everyone said he was the perfect househusband—he had no business being in school. He should be living with a rich woman instead.
See? Such an ordinary background.
So ordinary that even after Artoria realized he was close with Kirina, she still couldn't connect the dots.
The gap was just too vast.
Nameless, in her eyes, was an awe-inspiring hero.
Someone who was miracles and strength itself.
And this boy? A master of slacking off.
How could the two possibly be the same person?
"Back then… I even used you to tease Jeanne… And now I realize—the clown was me all along?"
Artoria smiled bitterly.
Back then, she'd mockingly made Jeanne her apprentice knight and told her to kneel and kiss her hand—all to mess with her a little.
Jeanne had traveled all the way from France, after all, just to help her find Nameless. At the time, Nameless probably felt nothing but disappointment in her.
Maybe that's why he'd refused to acknowledge her.
Just then, nearby, someone was playing music—
"Snowflakes drifting, cold wind wailing, the world a bleak expanse…"
"A plum blossom stands proud in the snow, releasing fragrance only for the one it loves…"
"To love whom I love, without regret… This feeling shall remain in my heart forever…"
…
As the melancholic music echoed, snow began to fall in thick, heavy flakes.
It was like that snow long ago after the Battle of Camlann—
The snow that had buried so many corpses and rivers of blood.
As Artoria listened to the mournful song, only one word filled her mind—
Regret.
True, deep, bitter regret.
She had found him first.
So why had the First Emperor snatched him away?
That man, standing at the window earlier, deliberately emanating pressure—
He was clearly showing off!
—
Inside the living room…
"Teacher, it's cold out here. Let's go back inside." Shikotei casually closed the curtains.
The foreign queen can just wallow in regret—best if she leaves quietly!
Yes, Shikotei had noticed her presence from the very beginning. How could he not, with a top-tier Heroic Spirit standing nearby?
But this was his territory—
His domain!
"Fuyuki City has no central heating. That's a bit inconvenient."
Sanjiro nodded, no longer paying attention to the fireworks blooming outside the window.
Fuyuki City didn't have a centralized heating system.
Everyone relied on kotatsu or air conditioners to keep warm. But those ate up electricity, so many simply braved the winter with nothing but sheer willpower.
"Teacher, I still remember—back in winter, when I sought the elixir of immortality, you once told me…"
Shikotei repeated those words with a hint of nostalgia:
"After you, there will be others to guard this land. Even a thousand or ten thousand years from now, humanity will still thrive—and they'll remember your name. Even if all turns to ash, even if every trace of my bloodline vanishes, people will still remember you—enshrining you in history forever."
Everyone dies.
Shikotei once sought the elixir of life—but it was Sanjiro who had pointed this out to him.
He gave up that pursuit.
And then, ironically, the elixir was delivered right to his lips by that fox, Tamamo-no-Mae.
Teacher, was this within your calculations too?
"You still remember all that…" Sanjiro scratched his nose, tempted to say—
"So why the hell did you still turn into such a tyrant afterward?"
But now wasn't the time.
Better not say anything that would throw the mood off.
After that whole Holy Round Table Domain video, Artoria had grown even more forceful than before.
If Shikotei saw any of the later videos, he might really start acting strange.
Shikotei's crimson eyes gazed at him:
"Teacher, what happened afterward?"
"Just something I tried out. You'll find out when it's revealed later. Come, I'll teach you how to cook."
Sanjiro laughed awkwardly and changed the topic without hesitation.
No way am I telling you myself. Not a chance!
Shikotei didn't press the issue and smiled.
"Alright then. I humbly accept. I've never set foot in a kitchen before."
Even when he was held hostage as a child, his mother came from a prestigious clan—naturally, she never let him live in hardship.
"Then it's time to learn. I'll teach you a lesson fit not for an emperor, but a homemaker."
Sanjiro grinned proudly.
The kitchen was his domain.
Having walked through 6,000 years of history—from Uruk to Egypt, Britain to France, the Mauryan Empire to Greece...
His cooking had long since become a fusion of humanity's culinary pinnacle. And in retirement, it had become his true passion—rightfully earning the title:
EX-Rank [Cooking]!
With a mortal body, he had reached divine levels!
Click.
Kirina opened the door and casually swapped into cotton slippers.
"I'm back with the soy sauce."
"Bring it over here," a voice called from the kitchen.
She walked in, nearly frozen to death just going out to run errands.
But it was worth it.
She'd run into King Arthur herself!
Now if only she could bump into the Dark Saint, the Golden King, or even the First Emperor—whom she ranked just below Nameless in her Heroic Spirit tier list, and stood on par with the Golden King—but the King had fall out her favor due to the recent videos.
Kirina's mind raced.
What if I run into Nameless one day? I'm definitely getting a signed photo!
Happily daydreaming, she handed the soy sauce to the tall, elegant "Tei-sensei" in the kitchen.
That cold yet clear voice spoke:
"Just give it to me."
"Oh, okay." Kirina blinked.
But something suddenly nagged at her.
Wait... is it Mr. Tei or Ms. Tei? Could this be another cross-dresser like Artoria?
She stared at the figure closely.
Damn it—no Adam's apple, but no noticeable chest either. Just like Enkidu, the divine weapon—completely androgynous.
Is your gender… just "you"!?
Too many thoughts. Too many.
There's no way my lazy shut-in knows people like that.
Kirina dove under the kotatsu.
Much better.
Later, during dinner…
Kirina couldn't hold back. While Sanjiro was washing the dishes, she tiptoed over and whispered into his ear:
"I've got a huge surprise to tell you!"
"Eh? What surprise?"
Sanjiro felt a ticklish sensation and asked casually.
The little gremlin smirked mysteriously:
"Guess who I ran into at the neighborhood market?"
"The big dog who sells fish?" he said instinctively.
That market was famous for a certain Celtic Heroic Spirit—the Child of Light, Cú Chulainn.
And his terrifying teacher was none other than Scáthach, the god-slaying Queen of the Land of Shadows.
Had she shown up? Had she discovered something strange about Kirina?
"What dog?" Kirina blinked.
Then she glanced over at the figure seated calmly in the living room and lowered her voice even further:
"You won't believe this—but I ran into King Arthur!"
Clang!
A plate slipped from Sanjiro's hand and hit the sink—almost shattering.
"Why was King Arthur at the market?" he asked, completely stunned.
Shit!
Kirina hadn't been wearing that green hat—
Wait, no—she hadn't worn the Cap of Hades!
Had Artoria sensed something?
"Probably got moody after the First Emperor rejected the marriage proposal, so she went for a walk."
Kirina shrugged and added proudly:
"She seemed to really like me! Said she wanted to raise me like a daughter!"
"...Yeah, that is pretty impressive," Sanjiro muttered, trying to stay calm.
Girl, are you aware that every character on your merch shelves also wants to "raise you like a daughter"?
This was bad.
If she wanted to adopt Kirina, then Artoria had probably noticed something.
He took a deep breath and asked, calmly:
"And then?"
Stay calm. Don't panic. Keep your cool…
"I invited her to come over," Kirina said.
WHAT!?
Sanjiro almost lost it.
Kid, are you trying to screw me over again!? I've been hiding for so long—and now you're INVITING HER OVER!? That's it, I'm defecting to Alaya. It's either you or me. One of us has to go!
"But she declined," Kirina said with a hint of regret.
"Ah, that's… such a shame," Sanjiro said, nearly laughing in relief.
As expected—she hadn't noticed.
With her personality infused by the divine Lion King's will, if she had noticed something…
She would've kicked down the door already.
Safe!
Everything is still under control!
Now, with Shikotei guarding him, he could live in peace in Fuyuki City.
"Alright, wash up and eat," he said, having cleaned up the kitchen.
He always liked to tidy up before eating—a habit that Kirina often mocked as "mom-like."
But he couldn't stand the chaos of a dirty kitchen.
After everything, he even hummed a little tune:
"What a beautiful day, when all your wishes come true…"
As long as no one disturbed him, life was perfect.
Ding-dong~
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"Huh? Is it Miyu or Illya?" Kirina asked, puzzled, as she walked over to open the door.
However—
Standing outside was a completely unfamiliar girl, around fifteen or sixteen years old.
She had long golden hair and vivid green eyes. Atop her head stood a familiar ahoge swaying stubbornly.
"Who are you?"
Kirina furrowed her brow, staring at her.
She looked vaguely familiar… but utterly unrecognizable at the same time.
"I'm Sanjiro's classmate, Lily. I believe we've run into each other before," the girl said with a gentle smile.
"Oh… Lily…"
Kirina looked more and more suspicious.
Must be a mixed-blood. No wonder she was so pretty.
Still… how the hell did that useless shut-in otaku have a female classmate show up at the door!?
But it wasn't right to leave her standing out in the cold, so she stepped aside:
"Sanjiro, a classmate named Lily is here for you!"
"Lily?"
Sanjiro dried his hands.
He searched his memories—he definitely didn't know anyone by that name.
Was he getting early-onset dementia?
And then—
As he walked to the door and laid eyes on her, he froze on the spot. She smiled, her expression gentle and composed:
"Long time no see."
Her hair was pinned up elegantly, giving her a graceful and refined air.
And that unmistakable ahoge stood proud and tall.
It was exactly how she looked when he first met Artoria!
That ahoge—symbol of the honor of the King of Britain—could not be touched by anyone else.
If only we could've stayed at that very first meeting…
Sanjiro's feelings were a mess.
"Long time… no see," he replied solemnly.
She had taken on the form of her fifteen-year-old self—the one from when they first met—and showed up at his house.
So…
She really did figure it out after all!
In the Holy Grail War, he'd been lucky enough to summon her. It was under her protection that he had time to grow stronger.
Later, Fuyuki City was destroyed in his battle against Gilgamesh.
To save everyone, Sanjiro made a contract with Alaya.
In exchange for working for them, he restored everything back to normal.
After that, he traveled to Britain during the end of the Age of Gods and began protecting the young girl who would become King Arthur.
He witnessed her rise to become the fabled King Arthur…
And even awakened her again in the singularity as the Lion King's incarnation, Artoria Lancer.
So…
Where the hell is your shame!? You still came here in disguise!?
Artoria smiled warmly:
"I was just passing by and thought I'd check on you. Mind if I grab a bite?"
"Of course… you're welcome," Sanjiro said, emotions twisting inside him.
In that moment, it felt like he was back in the past.
Back then, she was just as sweet and adorable—always waiting for him to cook meals.
Kirina glanced between the two of them.
For some reason, she suddenly felt like a third wheel.
Damn it. What happened between these two before!?
Artoria looked at the little girl and asked gently:
"Is this your child?"
"Cough! I'm only seventeen. How could I possibly have a child this old?" Sanjiro coughed dryly.
"What's the relationship between you two?" Kirina stepped in, wrapping her arm around Sanjiro's shoulder, staring down Artoria with open hostility.
These two were suspicious!
Something definitely happened between them in the past!
Sanjiro patted her head.
"Nothing complicated. We just studied together before—we've known each other for a long time."
He ruffled her hair, nearly doing a full-blown "headpat finisher."
You little gremlin… you really did screw me over again!
"..."
Artoria's mood instantly soured.
As expected… he's still mad at me.
Her heart ached with frustration.
I never should have worn that crown back then…
"Come on, let's eat," Sanjiro called out.
He'd been afraid there wouldn't be enough food today, so he'd made extra just in case.
"I don't eat much. Just a little is fine." Artoria gave a shy smile.
Even though he clearly didn't want to see her, she had still shown up uninvited—she felt a little awkward about it.
But knowing where he was and not visiting?
That would've haunted her for the rest of her life.
Shikotei glanced at her with a frown.
This woman again!? How is she still shameless enough to come here!?
His earlier warnings and intimidation had no effect!?
"Hello, Mr. Tei." Artoria greeted politely.
She'd heard Kirina mention two people earlier—"Mr. Tei" and "Mr. Gold."
Clearly, "Mr. Tei" was the First Emperor.
And "Mr. Gold" could only refer to the King of Heroes.
That made her heart twist with even more discomfort.
I met him first… yet I still lost to those two. How embarrassing!
But then the smell of the familiar food wafted into her nose.
It brought back memories so vivid—
Delicious!
It had been so long since she'd tasted his cooking.
Still just as amazing.
Artoria blushed slightly.
"Could I have another bowl?"
"Sure thing…"
Sanjiro expertly scooped another bowl of rice, adding a large heaping spoonful on top.
And yet—
It didn't stop there.
"Um… may I have another?" she asked again shyly.
"..."
Kirina stared at her in stunned silence.
At that moment, everything clicked.
So this is why Sanjiro looked so weird when he saw her!
She said she'd only eat one bowl…
But was that one bowl… actually one hundred?
Good lord!
Her appetite was bigger than all three of them combined—who could even afford to feed her!?
If they ate together every day, she'd eat Sanjiro into poverty!
"Thanks for the meal." Artoria wiped her mouth elegantly, like a proper noble lady.
That is, if you ignored the massive amount she just ate.
"No need to be polite. If you liked it, next time don't… actually, don't come again," Kirina muttered automatically, trying to shoo her away.
Judging by her expression, it was obvious she still wasn't full!
Too dangerous!
If she really let herself go, she could probably eat an entire week's worth of groceries in one sitting!
And the worst part? She eats this much, but hasn't gained a single pound!
Kirina glanced at her completely flat chest and felt an unexpected wave of comfort.
See? It's not me—it's the world that's wrong!
Shikotei also frowned at her.
Is this… a power move?
That seemed highly likely.
He'd once heard that what chefs enjoyed most was seeing people devour their food.
Hmph! Then I'll have to eat more from now on too—can't let her outdo me!
Meanwhile, Sanjiro stayed completely calm.
This was just the tip of the iceberg of the King of Britain's legendary bottomless stomach.
He'd gotten used to it long ago.
He had to.
Even Gawain could eat six servings of unseasoned mashed potatoes—let alone the gourmet meals Sanjiro made.
With that in mind, he picked up the dishes and headed to the sink to wash them.
In the living room sat two titans: one the First Emperor, the other the King of Knights.
No pressure.
Sigh… I'm such an idiot. I should've known Alaya and that damn kid wouldn't let me rest. Why did I ever think I could live a peaceful, ordinary life?
The living room fell into an eerie silence.
Kirina glanced back and forth between the two adults.
Suddenly, she had a strange realization:
Wait a second… why do these two seem hostile toward each other? Could it be… Mr. Tei is mad because she ate too much? Or could it be.... beacuse they are both rival?!
Just as the awkward silence continued—
Kirina suddenly noticed a pop-up alert on her phone:
[Your specially followed uploader just posted a new video—come check it out!]
"Ah! A new video just dropped!"
Kirina instantly perked up and hurried to turn on the TV.
Watching Alaya's videos was always the highlight of her day.
Because every single time, Alaya would drop juicy drama bombs—more than anyone could ever digest in one sitting!
The preview for this one hinted it would continue from the aftermath of "The Oldest King"—
Which meant—it would involve the King of Heroes.
Shikotei looked at the screen and smiled:
"Miss, would you be interested in a little bet?"
"Oh? What's the bet?" Artoria asked calmly, completely unfazed.
"Simple. If this video exposes the King of Heroes' dark past, you leave Fuyuki City. If not, you're allowed to stay."
He made no effort to hide his distaste.
You foreign Heroic Spirits keep trying to steal my teacher—what, you think I won't do anything!?
"Alright. I accept." Artoria nodded indifferently.
Kirina stared at the two of them in shock.
What the hell is happening here? Are they enemies or something!? This smells like a major scandal's coming…
She gulped.
"Then I'm playing it now, okay?"
Getting nods from both, she hit Play.
The title of the new upload appeared—
[Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia]