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One could only say that whoever first coined the gaming term "feeding" (as in feeding your cute character) was an absolute genius.
As the old saying goes: what's done is done, the die is cast.
Although this wasn't quite the same Artoria that Maverick knew from previous encounters, this overwhelming feeling of having adopted a daughter was genuinely wonderful.
And Artoria was Artoria, regardless of the specific variant.
Especially this current Lily version, who was even more easily distracted and captivated by street food vendors than her adult counterpart.
With Lily glancing back longingly every three steps they walked, her attention magnetically drawn to every food stall they passed...
Even someone as romantically oblivious as Maverick couldn't help but notice the desperate desire radiating from Lily's entire being.
Therefore, under the transparent guise of "combining work with rest and maintaining morale," Maverick encouraged Lily—who kept insisting "We need to scout the terrain for tactical advantages!" while her eyes never left the takoyaki stand—to try every variety of delicious street food available.
And once she started, she absolutely could not stop.
[NoRegrets]: My life, I have no regrets!
[HowCute]: How can such an adorable creature exist in this world?!
[TakeMoney]: TAKE MY MONEY! Charge my card immediately! Buy MORE food for Artoria!
[Best]: Artoria is the best in the entire world, fight me!
[Hamster]: Her cheeks are all puffed up like a little hamster! Just like my niece! And she keeps saying "thank you" so politely! My heart is MELTING!
[PuffedCheeks]: Puffed cheeks... hehe...
[Bonk]: BONK! Straight to horny jail with you!
The chat surged with activity, accompanied by an absolute avalanche of donation notifications.
Although Maverick had experienced plenty of successful streams in his career, receiving 100 rocket donations in a single burst was still an extraordinarily grand scene that made him momentarily speechless.
He quickly recovered and thanked the donor:
"Thank you to 'Maverick_Try_My_Lotus_Root—' for the 100 rockets, thank you so much, incredibly generous patron..."
"Hmm? Master, what is 'Lotus Root Crystal'?" Lily asked innocently, tilting her head.
"..."
A man's silence can happen in a single instant.
And accompanying Maverick's sudden silence were both the recent chat messages and the platform moderators who immediately began taking action in the livestream.
Within seconds, dozens of users were forcibly muted because their usernames violated community standards.
[System]: Multiple users have been timed out for inappropriate usernames.
After a long, awkward pause, Maverick stiffly changed the subject:
"It's almost lunchtime. I'm trying to decide where we should eat. I heard that, uh, crystal-clear lotus root powder is actually quite delicious as a dish. Why don't we try that Chinese restaurant over there for lunch?"
"Yay! Long live Master!" Lily cheered with genuine enthusiasm. "Oh! Master, this taiyaki is so delicious, let me share some with you!"
She paused mid-offer, looking down at the pastry. "No, wait, this one—this is the one I already bit. Here, take this fresh unbitten one instead!"
Ah~ Maverick thought. Too cute indeed.
One could only conclude that Merlin—that degenerate wizard—was truly heinous and unforgivable.
Such an adorable, pure Artoria was forcibly transformed into that emotionally repressed version.
And those unruly rebellious nobles of Britain, the traitorous son Mordred, and that absolute scumbag Sir Lancelot...
Lost in these dark thoughts, Maverick froze in place, staring at the half-eaten taiyaki that Lily had offered him.
The chat, at this precise moment, displayed their classic talent for bitter jealousy:
[DontEat]: Don't eat it, Maverick! That taiyaki isn't even good!
[SendToMe]: Yeah, it's probably terrible! I suggest you mail it to me for proper disposal!
[Wife]: DON'T EAT IT! That's what MY WIFE ate! None of you are allowed to consume it!
[Police]: Officer! Yes, this comment right here!
[Influence]: Maverick, please consider your public image! Don't do anything that damages chat unity!
[Logging]: I'm not watching this stream anymore, I'm logging into Holy Grail War RIGHT NOW to summon my own Lily! This daughter-raising experience is TOO GOOD!
[Warning]: Be careful you don't accidentally summon Alter Artoria instead. That version is a genuine unreasonable Queen of Gluttony!
[EvenBetter]: A dommy mommy? EVEN BETTER!
[Disloyal]: You guys are being kinda disloyal to original Artoria, abandoning her for variants!
[Roadside]: Hmph! The original is just a common roadside version!
[Missed]: Ha! Told you to hesitate! Now you missed your chance!
That's right—as the chat had predicted, Maverick's momentary pause while contemplating the half-eaten taiyaki cost him dearly.
Lily, suddenly becoming self-conscious, naturally wouldn't give away something she'd already partially eaten.
So after hastily devouring it in two or three quick bites, she instead pulled out a fresh honey-flavored taiyaki she hadn't tried yet and offered that to Maverick.
Seeing her expression—simultaneously reluctant to part with the treat yet desperately hopeful he'd accept—Maverick ultimately chose to accept this kind gesture.
And just like escorting an excited child through a shopping district...
As the sun reached its zenith at noon, the pair arrived at the entrance of an authentic Chinese restaurant.
But the very next second, the commotion from inside made both Maverick and Lily freeze at the doorway.
"I'm terribly sorry, dear customer, but this is a Chinese restaurant. We don't serve hummus here. If you're specifically looking for that, there's an excellent Middle Eastern restaurant about 700 meters down the pedestrian street."
"Oh! I see, my sincere apologies—I was being culturally insensitive. In that case, please bring me the mapo tofu."
"Certainly! Would you prefer medium spicy, extra spicy, or our signature devil spicy?"
"Wait, there's no mild option?"
"We do have mild. However, our 'mild spicy' is what most establishments would call medium spicy. So would you like our medium spicy?"
"..."
Oh no.
That's right—it was that unmistakable Master-Servant combination.
Maverick hadn't expected to encounter enemy combatants while simply trying to grab lunch.
How did he recognize them so quickly? Because of Emiya Kiritsugu's absolutely distinctive, universally recognizable facial features.
That appearance was simply too iconic to mistake for anyone else.
Given that identification, the person sitting across from him had to be his summoned Servant.
Though the Servant didn't particularly look strong at first glance—slim-fit casual pants, sleeveless athletic hoodie, radiating distinctly ordinary civilian energy rather than heroic warrior vibes.
However, just as Maverick was internally grumbling about their bad luck, Lily beside him had already tensed every muscle, her combat instincts screaming danger.
Seemingly noticing the attention from Maverick and Lily, the black-haired Servant went silent for a moment—like someone facing an impossible multiple-choice question.
Then he looked up, making direct eye contact with Maverick and Lily standing frozen in the restaurant entrance.
Simultaneously, Emiya Kiritsugu—sitting at the table across from his Servant—also noticed his companion's sudden behavioral shift.
Following his Servant's gaze, a shocked expression appeared on Kiritsugu's face as well.
In an instant, violent confrontation became inevitable.
But before Maverick could even reach for the concealed firearm holstered at his back, the enemy Servant suddenly exploded into motion with absolutely unimaginable speed.
He instantaneously appeared directly in front of Maverick—and while firmly pressing down on Lily's instinctive attempt to draw her sword with his powerful right hand, he smiled apologetically and said:
"You're also a Master participating in this War, correct? I have no objection to combat—but please, let's not fight inside this establishment. Innocent civilians will be harmed. How about we finish our meals first, then relocate to a less populated suburban area for our duel..."
BANG!
From these words and protective actions, it wasn't difficult to deduce that this black-haired Servant was definitely a "Lawful Good" alignment character.
Unfortunately, while the honorable Servant didn't want to endanger innocent bystanders, his Master had completely different priorities.
The very next second, a gunshot rang out. The bullet grazed past the black-haired Servant's hair and shot directly toward Maverick's exposed face.
However, at the precise instant the bullet left the barrel, Lily's lightning-fast raised kick deflected the projectile's trajectory.
Simultaneously, her return-swing kick sent the black-haired Servant flying backward, his body crashing directly into the restaurant's large decorative centerpiece.
The battle had begun!
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