Mooched Meal

"Such a boring banquet, simple and tasteless," Gilgamesh said as he stood up, walking away toward the distance. Halfway through, he stopped, turned his head, and smirked at Kaguya, saying, "But with your presence, it wasn't a total waste. I had planned to take you with me today, but since you've exhausted a lot of energy, a fight between us now—even if I win—would tarnish my reputation. So, tidy yourself up, for the next time we meet, I'll officially come to claim you."

Amid a burst of wild laughter, Gilgamesh turned into golden particles and disappeared into the air.

Kaguya furrowed her brows. This guy was getting more and more arrogant. If not for the fact that she had used too much energy today, she would have beaten him so hard he'd be searching for his teeth.

"Um, thank you for earlier."

A pleasant voice suddenly rang out beside her, and Kaguya turned to see it was Saber.

"What?" Kaguya turned around, looking curious. "Do you need something?"

"Thank you for agreeing with my point of view earlier," Saber said sincerely as she approached.

"Actually, I think the Conqueror King's words were quite right," Kaguya said with a smile as she looked at the beautiful girl before her.

"Huh?"

Saber was taken aback by this, not quite understanding what Kaguya meant.

"As a king, you don't need to care about others' opinions. You just need to stick to your own path," Kaguya looked into her light green eyes and said earnestly. "Don't let others' views sway your will. That is what matters most. Sometimes, you don't need to care too much about what others think. Their opinions aren't always entirely correct. What you need is determination and the ability to lead."

"I see." Saber lowered her head, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, she looked up, her expression brightening as if a weight had been lifted. "I understand now. Your words will stay with me, and I'll make sure to live up to them."

"Let's hope so," Kaguya suddenly smiled mischievously. "Since I helped you out, shouldn't you show some gratitude?"

"Gratitude?" Saber asked, puzzled.

"Something like offering yourself to me," Kaguya teased.

"What?!" Saber exclaimed in shock.

"Oh, my bad, I meant—could you get me something to eat? I'm starving."

"..."

Kaguya was devouring the exquisite dishes on the table, and more than half of the food had already been swept away by her ravenous appetite. No one knew where all that food went; her abdomen remained smooth and flat with no sign of bulging. Was her stomach connected to another dimension?

Even Saber and Irisviel stood there wide-eyed, astonished as they watched the stunning silver-haired girl stuff her face without a care for her image.

As Kaguya indulged in the feast, she felt something unusual. It might have been her imagination, but after killing Assassin, it felt like something had entered her body. The sensation was odd, though it quickly disappeared without a trace. No matter how much she tried to sense it, she couldn't find anything again, as if it had never existed.

But it felt so dirty...

There was no denying that Irisviel's cooking skills were impressive—comparable to Aoi Tohsaka's. No wonder they were the two ideal housewives in Fate/Zero, practically the definition of virtuous women.

Kaguya continued devouring the delicious food with great enthusiasm. Now wasn't the time to worry about appearances—she had expended most of her energy earlier, and if she didn't replenish it in time, she'd be in trouble when facing an enemy.

Thus, the hall was filled only with the sound of Kaguya eating.

Suddenly, Kaguya seemed to sense something. She looked up, blinked, and curiously asked, "What's wrong? You're not eating?"

"No, we've already eaten," Irisviel quickly waved her hand, smiling as she replied.

"Mm." Saber nodded in agreement.

Although Saber was grateful to Kaguya for recognizing her concept of kingship earlier, she still couldn't shake off the grudge from losing their previous battle. She hadn't relaxed her guard around Kaguya and was particularly concerned that Kaguya might target the unarmed Irisviel, her best friend in this world. Saber naturally wanted to stay by her side to protect her.

Kaguya took a sip of juice and, slightly dissatisfied, said, "It's all the Conqueror King's fault. What kind of king's banquet has only wine and no food? That's just pathetic. But, Irisviel, your cooking is amazing."

"Really? I'm glad you like it," Irisviel said, placing her hands on her chest with a gentle smile.

As Kaguya continued her meal, an unnoticed figure appeared in the shadowy corner of the upper floor. A pair of eyes locked onto Kaguya below. The figure silently moved to the wall, holding a peculiar, old-fashioned single-shot pistol. The barrel was cautiously extended, aiming directly at Kaguya's head. One pull of the trigger, and the silver-haired girl's head would explode instantly.

But, after a moment of hesitation, the figure slowly retracted the gun without firing.

"Wise choice," Kaguya suddenly turned her head and smiled sweetly at the person upstairs. "If I were you, I'd make the same decision."

"What?!"

The figure's face changed instantly, and they quickly drew the gun, pointing it at Kaguya below. He hadn't expected to be discovered so soon, especially after using magic to conceal his presence and slow his heartbeat to its lowest rate. He never thought he would still be detected.

"Your Origin Bullet won't work on me, so don't bother," Kaguya said casually, as if reading his thoughts. She then picked up a juicy steak with her fork and took a big bite, chewing it with relish. "But don't worry, I'm not here to fight."

However, Kiritsugu didn't waver. He kept the pistol trained on Kaguya while pulling an SMG from his coat.

"Even though things like that are meaningless to me, having a gun pointed at me is still unpleasant."

Kaguya shot him a glance, and with lightning speed, she waved her delicate arm. But Kiritsugu seemed prepared, quickly retreating and avoiding Kaguya's strike.

Bang!

A slender, clear handprint appeared on the pristine white wall.

Kaguya was surprised. She had intended to knock the gun from his hand but hadn't expected him to dodge.

"Not bad," Kaguya smiled. "I really underestimated you."

At that moment, a young voice suddenly echoed through the hall.

"Daddy, is that you?" A small figure came running out.

"Illya, stay back!" Kiritsugu's pupils contracted.