"Shirou, we're a contestant team, right?", After the solo challenge ended, Artoria asked with a serious face.
Shirou realized what she was trying to do and reluctantly said, "Y-Yes, that's right."
"Then, since we're a contestant team," Clenching her fist, her fighting spirit blazing like a Saint Seiya bursting out with cosmos, Artoria said, "Shouldn't we scout the enemy in advance?"
"In other words, we should first taste the food ourselves! For example, to see if it's salty or bland."
Probably only Dumb King could talk about eating a meal with the momentum of facing a life-or-death challenge.
She even brought up "scouting the enemy."
'Even if you scout, shouldn't you scout the opponents?'
'What's the point of scouting the food?'
Shirou said helplessly, "I really don't object to doing that. But there's one thing I have to make clear. Saber, do you… have money?"
Artoria's eyes instantly widened, "Even as a contestant, we have to pay for food?"
'Good, looks like she has no money.'
So in the end, it was eating that made her broke.
Sighing, Shirou explained, "Only during the contest do we not have to pay. If we go normally, there's no way they'd give it to us for free."
"Damn it, then we can't scout the enemy!", Artoria's cute little face showed only frustration, not regret.
"Hahahaha…", Nero swaggered over with a flustered Mash in tow, "I thought you had some kind of plan, turns out you don't even have money for food."
Resting her smooth, slender hand on her chest, the girl proudly said, "Then you'll just have to watch as I scout out the situation."
"W-Wait a second," Mash looked dumbfounded, "Shouldn't we save our stomachs for the contest?"
'Isn't a food challenge a contest to see who can eat the most?'
'Why would you say things like "scouting" by eating beforehand?'
"Hmmmm~", Nero stroked her chin in thought, "When you put it that way, you're right."
That made Mash breathe a sigh of relief.
'Good, she is normal after all.'
Then…
"However," Nero put her hands on her hips, generous and self-satisfied, "Since our opponents intend to scout, how could I be outdone?"
"You mean…", Mash's eyes went wide.
"That's right," Nero stretched out a finger, "Not only will I eat, I'll eat everything, and best of all, right in front of them!"
"No way!", Mash clutched her head in shock, "Are you out of your mind?"
"Call this my strategy," Nero's face was intoxicated with delight, "What's more, you heard it too. That fake priest's mapo tofu gives extra points. Even if I can't eat anymore, I can initiate Strategy B, everyone eats a bowl of mapo tofu."
"That'll kill you!!", Mash's head grew bigger as she shouted at Nero in horror.
"No," The Little Emperor's tone was confident, "According to my research, eating spicy on an empty stomach is indeed harder to endure."
"But if you're full, with food in the stomach, as long as you wrap the tongue in a bag, once the chili goes down, it'll only get digested."
Hearing this, Mash was utterly shocked, "So His Majesty really did research strategy."
Nero was displeased, "And what did you think gave me the confidence to accept this challenge?"
"But…", Mash's face went blank, "The enemy also heard you!"
That's right, Shirou and Artoria were standing right beside them.
Shirou praised, "A clever tactic. However…"
Then turned the words, "If you think this is enough to challenge us, you're ten years too early."
He and Dumb King teamed up, how could they lose?
Seriously, how would they even lose?
Finally, Artoria couldn't hold it in, "Damn impostor, how dare you speak such arrogance."
"You're the thief here."
Nero glared angrily at her, "I still haven't gotten my skirt back from you."
"A mere skirt…"
Artoria lifted the hem of the skirt, "I'll return it to you then."
"A skirt worn by a beautiful girl!"
Nero was dazed for a moment, then came back to herself, "I-I don't want a skirt worn by a thief like you…"
But her tone wasn't firm.
Not just unfirm, completely dripping with longing.
"Damn you, you…", Artoria got goosebumps all over.
"Emiya!"
Shirou shuddered.
What the hell, he had clearly put on the mascot suit.
His appearance now wasn't just similar to Black Archer, it was exactly the same.
He had even communicated with Saber beforehand, asking her to call him Archer directly.
But now Roman shouted—
'It is over, completely over!'
As expected, the first to look was Mash. She spoke uncertainly, "You're… E-Emiya-kun?"
"Emiya…?"
Umu-mon thought for a moment, stared carefully, then exclaimed in shock, "You're… the high jump boy!"
"No, I'm not!"
Shirou covered his face in despair.
Meanwhile, in the distance, Miyu said, "Illya, did you hear that, I think I just heard…"
"That's right, I heard it too."
Illya turned back with a smile, "Looks like Shirou has given us a big surprise!"
"Senpai," Sakura had almost taken a step forward, but seeing her sister unmoving, even smiling playfully, she forced herself to lower the foot again.
Uncomfortably, she asked, "You already knew, didn't you, Onee-chan?"
"Knew what, that Shirou was here?"
That intimate way of addressing him made Miyu and Illya frown.
"For real? High jump boy came too?"
Kaede Makidera looked left and right, "Where, why don't I see him?"
"You didn't even pay attention to where the voice came from, how could you possibly see him?"
Himuro Kane said flatly, then pointed at the storming Sella, "Follow them and you'll find him."
"Wouldn't it be rude if we just went straight over?", Yukiko Saegusa asked timidly.
"What's rude about it?", Makidera didn't give her a choice, grabbing her hand, "Didn't you want him to join the track team? Now's your chance."
"Wait—", Yukiko Saegusa's eyes were already spinning in circles.
"Not going, Onee-chan?", Sakura's smile carried no warmth.
"No rush," Rin Tohsaka smiled, even had the leisure to order four milk teas at a tea shop.
"Want ice?"
"No," Sakura answered.
"A little," Ayako Mitsuzuri.
"No," Himuro Kane replied coolly.
Speaking of which, she wasn't close to Rin, not even friends.
After the drinks were done, they took them.
"Thank you, Onee-chan."
Sakura suppressed her inner irritation, biting the straw hard.
Because she couldn't grasp her sister's intentions, she held back for now.
She didn't dare move.
Ayako Mitsuzuri, feeling bad for leaving Sakura behind after calling her out, stayed with her.
Same with Himuro Kane, keeping Rin company out of courtesy.
'Keeping Sakura here is my limit. The rest is up to you, Emiya,' Rin Tohsaka also bit her straw with a sigh.
Although she had said "take them all," it didn't really matter.
'But… isn't this too many?'
'Also, why didn't he ask me to join him, but asked Saber instead?'
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