C373

"Brother, who are they...?"

"They're children from a friend's family who will be staying with us for a while."

"Ojama shimasu," Miyu gracefully greeted Sakura with a bow, her demeanor exuding impeccable manners. Her expression remained calm and composed, akin to tranquil water, making it difficult to understand her true emotions.

Gray panicked for a moment and clumsily imitated Miyu, whispering, "Um... Ojama shimasu."

Although she was five years older than Miyu, Gray lacked the same confidence when it came to interacting with people.

"Friends of my brother? You're not a bother at all. Please, come on in," Sakura said with a smiling expression, inviting the two inside.

She stole a quick glance at Miyu, but her eyes lingered on the older Gray for a few seconds.

Gray, at fifteen years old, was the same age as Sakura.

They were nearly identical in both age and height, but when they stood side by side, they looked more like a girl and her mother.

The dining table was adorned with an array of beautifully arranged dishes, each one emanating a tantalizing aroma.

They sparkled and were undoubtedly the kind of food that would make anyone's mouth water!

In the shadow where no one could see, Artoria let out a mournful cry.

While everyone's attention was focused on the delicious food on the table, Gray quietly walked to a corner and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, what's wrong? Do you want to taste that food?"

Gray had spent a considerable amount of time with Artoria and had come to notice something intriguing about the King of Knights.

She possessed quite the appetite. Unlike Gray herself, who didn't pay much attention to food, Artoria was undeniably a foodie through and through. Therefore, during their meal times, Gray always made room for Her Highness. And each time, she would indulge in her love for food, consuming platefuls until her stomach became bloated.

Fortunately, thanks to the effects of her reincarnation ritual, she had acquired dragon-like traits and a special heart capable of converting food into magical energy, which she could store within her body. Without these abilities, her stomach would have burst long ago.

However, it seemed that Her Highness had calculated this and deliberately increased her food consumption, right?

And now, Her Highness let out a mournful cry. Was it because she couldn't enjoy the food that was in front of her?

Gray paused for a moment, deep in thought, before speaking up. "Your Highness, if you'd like to taste the food..."

"It's not about the food. It's... I... I've lost!"

"Lost?" Gray was taken aback.

Here? Was there even a battle taking place, to begin with?

Furthermore, Her Highness hadn't engaged in combat with anyone, so how could there be winners or losers?

Little did Gray know that perhaps it was instinctual, but when Artoria laid eyes on Sakura for the first time, an unexplainable desire to fight welled up within her.

And now...

Seeing this table filled with delicious food, her appetite surged, but she also felt a strong sense of defeat.

Yes, defeat!

The defeat of a woman who only knew how to make fruit puree and roast meat!

"Shirou, come and join us!" Arcueid beckoned from her seat, thoroughly enjoying the food. With each bite, she seemed to emit an air of comfort, as if this place belonged to her.

"You really make yourself at home here, Arcueid."

To this, she showed a mischievous smile.

When she arrived at Shirou's house, if the Fujimaru couple were still present, she would try to hold back a little. But if they weren't around, she would let herself loose, behaving like a playful child.

No wonder she and Sakura clicked so well.

Sakura looked at the lovely heart-shaped dishes she had painstakingly prepared, especially the carefully arranged plating that Arcueid had already ruined. The perfect smile on her beautiful face couldn't be maintained anymore.

She cast a quick glance at Arcueid with a gentle smile on her face. "Arcueid, would you mind waiting for us to sit before you start eating?"

Arcueid chuckled, "Why does it matter? We'll all be eating anyway~!"

Beneath her heart-shaped apron, Sakura's hand clenched tightly, but her face still maintained its flawless smile.

Just then, Shirou's phone buzzed.

He retrieved his phone and checked the incoming text message, discovering it was from Kariya. The message read, "Keep her occupied!"

Putting his phone away, he turned his gaze toward the audacious golden-haired ancestor, with inner cold laughter filling his heart. He wondered if this woman would maintain her audacity once her editor arrived.

"Sakura, it's fine. Could you please call Ritsuka down for dinner?" He waved his hand dismissively as he spoke.

"Sure thing," she nodded and headed upstairs to fetch Ritsuka, bringing her down to join the others for the meal.

He took a moment to introduce Gray and Miyu to Sakura and Ritsuka, explaining that they were the children of some friends who would be staying with them for some time.

Once the introductions were made, everyone settled around the dining table to enjoy their meal.

Miyu maintained her composed expression, seemingly unfazed, while Gray appeared slightly reserved.

Surprisingly, Artoria didn't possess Gray this time; she took a seat at the table on her own.

Arcueid, on the other hand, appeared completely at ease and familiar in the surroundings. It was no surprise considering she had been a regular guest at Shirou's house, joining them for meals and drinks for over a year, not just on rare occasions.

Furthermore, his mother had developed a fondness for this golden retriever. However, for Sakura, she was more akin to a tyrannical cockroach.

At that very moment, Shirou's phone buzzed again, alerting him to another message from Kariya: "We have arrived!"

Shortly after, the doorbell rang, emitting a familiar "ding-dong" sound.

"Huh? Shirou, is there another guest?" Arcueid asked curiously.

"It seems like it," he nodded slightly, "Would you mind checking who's at the door?"

"Sure!"

With a cheerful expression, she eagerly rose from her seat and made her way towards the door. She turned the doorknob, and with a soft "click," she swung it open.

But what awaited her on the other side shattered her joy in an instant, and her face turned into one of extreme terror, as if she had encountered a demon. She instinctively tried to close the door, but a hand wearing black gloves stopped her.

"Oh my, oh my! Isn't this our beloved author, the illustrious True Ancestor herself, Arcueid Brunestud? Are you thrilled to see your beloved editor?" he smiled, forcefully pushing the door open to reveal a group of people dressed in ominous black suit.

Overwhelmed by panic, she stumbled backward, her delicate face glistening with beads of cold sweat. "No... this can't be happening! How... how did you find me? It's impossible! It shouldn't..."

A sudden realization struck her, and she turned her head to gaze at Shirou, her eyes brimming with disbelief. With a voice that carried a mix of sorrow and anger, she said, "Shirou! You've betrayed me!"

He replied, "Being a lazybones won't do you any good. Get back to your writing, oh legendary True Ancestor, the invincible legend!"

Kariya snapped his fingers. "Go!"

The female editor behind him rushed forward and effortlessly lifted Arcueid off the ground, causing her to tremble and dare not resist.

This scene shocked Miyu, Gray, and even Artoria, all of whom had been oppressed by Arcueid.

Who was this person? How could they effortlessly subdue Arcueid?

Kariya clapped his hands and turned to him. "Thanks for the clue, Shirou. If you have any information about Kiritsugu, please share it with me, and we'll leave immediately to capture him."

Emiya Kiritsugu!

Artoria's gaze sharpened. She couldn't possibly be indifferent to that name. But according to this person in black, were they planning to capture Kiritsugu?

They had been able to capture Arcueid so easily, and now they wanted Kiritsugu...

Since when had such a sinister force appeared in Fuyuki City? Moreover, who was this person? She had never seen them before!

He simply replied, "Got it."

Kariya nodded and ordered, "Retreat!"

Arcueid shouted with a face full of sorrow and anger, "Shirou! Shirou! You heartless guy! I trusted you so much, and you betrayed me! I curse you! I curse you to choke on a fishbone every time you eat fish!"

With a miserable look, she was carried away.

Sakura and the others had grown accustomed to such situations, but Miyu, Gray, and Artoria were left in a state of shock, unable to regain their composure for quite some time.

Shirou started eating and said, "Don't just stand there, let's eat."

The others resumed eating with their chopsticks and bowls. With Arcueid gone, Sakura's smile once again became genuinely warm.