Type-Moon: The Human Love Simulator [147] [DDD!]

Last December Double Drop!

---

"Golden King, in the name of Alaya, I solemnly invite you to participate in a Holy Grail War that will determine the mark of the Grand Throne!"

"And yet, I have heard of the Golden King's great power. To ensure fairness in this duel for the Holy Grail, may I request that you and your Master refrain from intervening in the war?"

In the midst of the Golden Dreamscape, Su Kai sat upright with a dignified expression. He had just finished attending the developer's conference when an esteemed guest arrived in his domain.

It was none other than the collective consciousness of humanity—Alaya.

The little girl before him, with black hair and black eyes, wore a stern yet adorably serious expression. She looked at Su Kai and spoke:

"Golden King, what say you?"

"Nothing much," Su Kai replied with a shake of his head. "Alaya, though you've taken on a human form, I know you're not truly one. If you had the ability to subjugate me, you would have done so already."

"Since you've chosen negotiation and assimilation over outright conflict, doesn't that suggest that in your mind, the cost of fighting me far outweighs the benefits of recruiting me?"

"Even if I refuse your request, won't you still have to grant me the mark of the Grand Rider?"

In truth, Su Kai wasn't particularly difficult to work with. He was even willing to accept Alaya's commands to hunt down the Evils of Humanity!

You detestable Beasts, here I come...

But then again, if he were too agreeable, Alaya—who was devoid of courtesy, honor, or trustworthiness—would undoubtedly press her advantage, probing for Su Kai's limits at every turn.

Rather than let Alaya get under his skin, Su Kai decided it was better to give the little girl a hard time from the outset.

This way, even though Su Kai was actually quite accommodating, his feigned reluctance would force Alaya to weigh the pros and cons, leading her to back down.

After all, beings like her operated purely on the basis of value—whether something was worth the risk or not.

"..."

Alaya fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

"Golden King, without assurance of your stability or your ability to safeguard human history, I cannot risk leaving the Grand Rider's seat vacant."

Gone was Alaya's peculiar verbal tic. Su Kai knew it was time to demonstrate his loyalty.

"Of course. I love humanity and have successfully vanquished an Evil Beast. I believe I'm a defender of human history."

"Enough of this pointless probing," Alaya replied coldly. "State your terms, Golden King."

"Simple. My demands are neither too high nor too low—merely equal and fair."

Su Kai's tone was calm.

"If you forbid me from intervening in the Holy Grail War, then I demand that you refrain from deploying Grand Servants."

"Denied. Grand Servants are the final line of defense for human history and the pinnacle of Servant strength. Only they can contend with gods."

After a brief pause, Alaya added, "However, I won't grant them the mark of the Grand Throne."

Su Kai remained unfazed. The mark of the Grand Throne wasn't something freely handed out—it was a temporary designation, bestowed only when an Evil Beast needed to be hunted.

Not just any Servant could adapt to the Grand Class container, and even Alaya couldn't hand out Grand marks indefinitely.

"Then I insist that only female Servants be summoned," Su Kai said with a slight smile, forcing Alaya into a dilemma.

It was an undeniable fact that male Servants were generally stronger than their female counterparts. Top-tier Servants, first-class heroes, and most Grand Servants were male. From a strategic perspective, both Alaya and Su Kai sought to limit the other's power.

If Alaya demanded that Su Kai abstain from the conflict, it was only natural for Su Kai to minimize Alaya's combat potential in return.

After all, if Su Kai had to face a lineup of Gilgamesh, Romulus, Karna, and Arjuna, the Servants he summoned might truly struggle to compete.

After deliberating for a moment, Alaya reluctantly agreed.

"Very well, Golden King. The wager is set."

"If you lose, you will relinquish Suren's spiritual foundation and become a cornerstone of human history."

"If you win, the mark of the Grand Rider will forever belong to you. I will cede this power to you permanently."

In simpler terms, if Su Kai lost, he would sacrifice part of his essence to Alaya. If Alaya lost, she would transfer some of her power to Su Kai.

A victory for Su Kai would grant him a permanent Grand mark rather than a temporary one.

"Then the wager is sealed," Su Kai declared. "And Alaya, even if I win, I'm still willing to help you hunt down other Beasts."

With the conditions settled, Su Kai decided to exude an aura of goodwill. Perhaps a display of humanistic affection would disrupt Alaya's calculus of gains and losses.

---

Greece, an uncharted island in the Aegean Sea.

A wild yet alluring green-haired, cat-eared girl was leisurely flipping through a tome of magic from the Age of Gods.

"This discipline is so abstruse and difficult. I truly lack the talent for magic. Even with the blessings of the gods, these spells remain impractical."

This was none other than Atalanta. Once, she had beseeched Aphrodite for a wish, but by then, the era Su Kai had created was already on the brink of collapse.

When the gods retreated, they noticed Atalanta's infatuation with Su Kai. Seeing an opportunity, the gods granted her divine power and authority, helping her transition from the Greek Lostbelt into Proper Human History.

A stowaway, essentially. Atalanta had no sense of belonging to this world, but the gods had assured her that Su Kai would one day return.

"But it's been four thousand years..." Atalanta murmured. "Suren, where are you?"

She whispered to herself,

"Suren, I believe you've never truly disappeared, because my summons have never succeeded."

Over the past four millennia, Atalanta hadn't been idle. The modern summoning methods for ancient heroes were derived from her research manuscripts, which had been obtained and developed by magi.

Initially, she had intended to summon Su Kai, but the attempt failed. For others, even resurrection seemed possible, but not for him.

The only answer?

The gods were right—Su Kai wasn't dead but merely slumbering somewhere unknown.

She had even obtained divine relics capable of summoning gods themselves, yet she still couldn't summon the "spirit" of the Golden King, Su Kai.

This confirmed it: Su Kai wasn't a Heroic Spirit. He was truly alive.

"Wait... the aura of the Golden Age..." Atalanta's green cat ears twitched. The sharp hunter had detected a faint trace of something otherworldly.

"The Far East... Perhaps I should investigate."

---

Japan, Fuyuki City.

Standing before a detached house in Fuyuki, Atalanta wore a complicated expression.

"Artemis-sama… you want to possess me?"

Sighing, she continued, "Alright, alright. Naturally, I'll obey your orders…"

As one of the Twelve Olympians' anchor points in this world, Atalanta's body allowed any of the main gods to descend and temporarily grant her god-level strength.

However, for centuries, Atalanta had rarely been able to contact the Twelve Olympians. Yet now, Su Kai's presence had such an overwhelming pull that Artemis herself had appeared.

The moment Artemis descended, Su Kai opened the door to his house.

The first thing he noticed were the green cat ears, and his face turned into an expression of resignation.

"Tanyan, why are you doing this to yourself… Hm?"

He blinked, catching sight of the distinct aura enveloping her.

"Artemis?"

Quickly closing the distance between them, he addressed the goddess with a hint of concern.

"Artemis, how have you been?"

"How have I been?" Artemis's face remained icy as she pushed Su Kai aside and strode into the house.

"Su Kai, your life seems to be going quite well~"

"..."

Su Kai hesitated, his thoughts racing. He suddenly realized what might be happening here.

Merlin—Succubus, a magical creature that gods in the Age of Gods often dispatched heroes to slay.

Morgan le Fay—Fairy. While fairies were considered close to divine beings, they were essentially servants to gods. The Greeks even referred to them as nymphs.

Artoria—Red Dragon. Not exactly a noble origin. Dragons in Greek mythology often tended to divine gardens, and their most famous dragon-serpent, Typhon, was a monster king.

If these were passable at best, then Nero was a completely different story—she was the Beast of 666, the Beast of Lust, a creature whose unchecked desires could bring ruin to humanity. She was fundamentally incompatible with divine beings.

Su Kai's unease grew as he ventured, "Artemis, is this how you've been staying in the human world all this time?"

"And what about Atalanta? How did she survive across four millennia?"

"..."

Artemis sighed, her golden amber eyes glinting as she gave him a look of mild exasperation.

"Enough, Su Kai. I already know what's going through that little mind of yours."

"You don't need to keep hiding it. Even though you've tried to clean things up…"

She leaned in slightly, sniffing the air.

"That stench of beasts and monstrosities is so strong I can smell it halfway across the planet."

Artemis waved dismissively, her tone almost casual. Yet her piercing gaze locked onto Su Kai's.

"Su Kai, as long as it's you, as long as you remain yourself, I will never truly blame you. Do you understand?"

Because she loved him.

Because she had no choice but to forgive him.

Though Artemis wasn't particularly thrilled about the presence of Nero and the others, she simply couldn't resist him. She had been utterly captivated by Su Kai long ago.

Even now, in his current state, she found herself unable to go against him.

After all, aside from becoming more human and grounded, he was still the Golden King. That much, Artemis had recognized the moment she laid eyes on him again.

"I didn't really hide anything..." Su Kai shrugged, trying to defuse the situation.

"They're just… unconscious. They won't be getting up anytime soon."

"...?"

Artemis tilted her head, her ears perking slightly in confusion.

"Why are they unconscious?"

"Uh…" Su Kai averted his gaze, coughing awkwardly.

"Maybe you should ask Aphrodite about that!"

---

Atalanta's centuries-long accumulation of wealth was truly staggering.

Upon learning that Su Kai resided in Fuyuki City, Artemis had directly purchased half of the city's properties and real estate. It was fair to call it her "cat-half-kingdom."

However, neither Atalanta nor Artemis had any intention of settling there permanently. Artemis preferred Greece and frequently invited Su Kai to visit the Aegean Sea and tour her territory.

Well, since Atalanta was her retainer, Atalanta's territory was hers by extension.

As a renowned tourist destination, the Aegean Sea indeed boasted many attractions. After reviewing some travel guides, Su Kai couldn't help but ask:

"Artemis, accumulating all this wealth must not have been easy for Atalanta, right?"

"Even if others didn't know she was from the Age of Gods, they'd at least know she was immortal, wouldn't they?"

Who could resist the temptation of immortality?

Just look at Zouken Matou. A mere five hundred years of extended life had twisted him into a grotesque shadow of humanity, losing all semblance of human nature and becoming a vile, warped insect.

Then there were the many magi who willingly transformed into vampiric Dead Apostles just to prolong their existence—all proving that immortality was humanity's ultimate desire.

Even though Atalanta lived discreetly, it would've been impossible to entirely erase her traces from the mystical community. It was highly likely that some magus families had recorded her existence.

Artemis interjected, "Suren, Atalanta is one of the anchor points we, the Twelve Olympians, placed in this world. Should she encounter any trouble, she can request our aid!"

"Even though the power of divine possession is far weaker than it was in the Age of Gods, it is still more than sufficient to handle most of this world's problems."

Artemis added, "There have been magi who sought immortality, but they are all dead now. Even though our remaining divine power is limited, it is still more than enough to protect our few remaining followers."

At that moment, Atalanta suddenly appeared and said, "Artemis-sama, Suren, there is something that might require your attention. The Jewel Wizard, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, visited me a few days ago."

"He claimed to be an agent of the Counter Force, just a mere messenger. He even went so far as to say he takes no responsibility for his words since it was the Counter Force that made him say them."

"The Second Magician? The one who manipulates and observes parallel dimensions?" Su Kai pondered aloud. "The disciple of King Solomon, the one who drove off Crimson Moon… But isn't he from another world?"

Indeed, the Fate timeline had its own version of the Jewel Wizard, but that Zelretch had been killed by Crimson Moon.

No, wait…

The defining trait of magic is that it represents miracles unattainable by humanity—feats so impossible that even in the Age of Gods, which was infinitely conducive to magic, parallel dimension manipulation was an ability of absurd magnitude.

The Type-Moon multiverse might have numerous parallel timelines, but there was only one Zelretch.

That old man was truly unique.

Which meant that apart from the Zelretch of the Tsukihime timeline, the other versions across the multiverse were all dead.

"Exactly. He said he's a semi-retired observer, but his connection to the Counter Force seems incredibly close."

The Counter Force itself is unique as well. Across all parallel worlds in the Type-Moon multiverse, there is only one entity serving as the Counter Force. However, unlike Zelretch's consolidated singularity—where all parallel selves are dead—the Counter Force operates like an infinitely stacked set of boxes, with each world having its own "instance" that is still governed by a single consciousness.

Atalanta frowned thoughtfully.

"I suspect he wasn't entirely truthful. More likely, he's a full-fledged enforcer of the Counter Force. Otherwise, his absurd position and magical capabilities wouldn't make sense."

"Interesting. I think I have a rough understanding of Zelretch's identity now," Su Kai mused, falling into thought. After a long pause, he raised his head.

"So, what did he say to you?"

Zelretch was, in fact, the shared errand boy of both Gaia and Alaya. Gaia called on him for dirty work, and Alaya summoned him to deliver messages.

Even the concept of "human history" could be observed, diversified, and stabilized through Zelretch's efforts. His observations proved that the world retained room for different outcomes.

"He seemed intent on advancing your Holy Grail War with Alaya. To that end, he even mentioned that your anti-Second Magic is flawed and offered to provide the real Second Magic for your research."

The Five True Magics in the Type-Moon universe lead directly to the Root. Any magus who masters one of these magics gains access to the Root. However, not all magi who have accessed the Root can complete a magic.

The Five True Magics are unique, and the Second Magic cannot be mastered by anyone else while Zelretch is alive.

Even if it were leaked, normal people wouldn't understand it. Despite Atalanta's thousands of years of research, even she found Zelretch's magical texts abstruse, to the point of inducing splitting headaches.

"It seems Gaia is just as eager as Alaya to push me into this wager. But what does Gaia stand to gain?"

Su Kai sank into thought but quickly shook his head, abandoning the notion.

"There's too little information. I'll deal with it as it comes."

Suddenly, Su Kai's eyes lit up.

"This all sounds amusing, but we're missing one thing—our side doesn't have enough Masters!"

Nero, Artoria, Morgan, Merlin, Su Kai, and Atalanta made six in total.

Unlike Alaya, who could freely draw top-tier Servants from human history, Su Kai's side could only summon Servants connected to him through bonds or compatibility.

"If only we could bring in Ritsuka Fujimaru to help out. The chances of winning would skyrocket…"

He dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand. Ritsuka Fujimaru hadn't even been born yet. Even if they were, who's to say which side they would support?

"Oh, that's no problem." Atalanta spoke casually. "You and I can both summon an additional class. If Merlin's skills are sufficient, we can even summon a rogue Servant outside the rules."

"..."

Su Kai facepalmed. As the Golden King, he was so accustomed to upholding order that he nearly forgot this wasn't his set of supreme laws—it was Alaya's rules.

Since the rules weren't to his advantage and weren't ones he agreed to, why follow them?

"You're right, Atalanta. There's no need for us to play by Alaya's Holy Grail War rules."

Su Kai nodded firmly.

"When the Command Spells manifest, it'll mark the start of this farcical war. That's when we'll summon our Servants."

Just as he spoke, Su Kai felt a searing pain on the back of his hand. Glancing down, he saw the unmistakable blood-red patterns of a Command Spell forming.

He sighed, "Well there goes that plan."

Every Master chosen by Su Kai received their Command Spells. However, there was also a randomly (and secretly) selected seventh Master.

It wasn't as though the system would forgo appointing a seventh just because someone suggested bending the rules to allow one person to summon two Servants.

"I, Alaya, am fair!"

Su Kai called everyone together, intending to discuss how to identify the seventh Master. But as he glanced around the room, he suddenly fell silent.

Initially, the plan was to brainstorm about finding the mysterious seventh Master. Yet now, it seemed unnecessary to even bother.

Su Kai sighed deeply.

"Never mind. I think I finally understand Alaya… Turns out the one who's been cheating this whole time… is me."

At this moment, he even felt a little sorry for Alaya.

How many top-tier SSRs would it take to match this team of Masters who were arguably stronger than their Servants, forming a lineup that completely broke the game's balance?

Even summoning seven versions of Artoria wouldn't be enough to level the playing field!

Look at this squad: not just Beasts or heroes from the Age of Gods, but a master illusionist capable of deceiving even Beasts, an actual goddess from the Age of Gods, and the Golden King, who ruled over both gods and humans alike. Most crucially, all of them were alive, not Heroic Spirits bound to Servant bodies.

While modern Heroic Spirits grew stronger posthumously through the enhancement of legends, heroes from the Age of Gods weakened drastically after losing their physical forms. Figures like Heracles and Gilgamesh could never fully unleash their true power as Heroic Spirits, even with a Grand-class vessel.

"All right, let's take it easy for now." Su Kai spoke nonchalantly.

"We'll summon at the optimal summoning window later tonight."

He leaned back in his chair with an air of amusement.

"If Alaya wants me to humiliate her in front of everyone with her own little gambit, how could I refuse such a heartfelt request?"

"Yay!" Nero clapped her hands excitedly.

"Then I'll summon another Nero too! I want to see if my other self lives up to the hype you've been giving her!"

Universal self-indulgence, huh?

Not just indulgence—it was indulgence inflicted upon oneself!

Su Kai couldn't help but glare at Nero. Sensing his gaze, Nero turned her head with a mischievous grin, then darted into his arms, playfully looping her arms around his neck.

"Kai," she cooed, "when I host the first silver party, you're the VIP guest!"

---

Unfortunately for Su Kai, he never got to witness Nero's grand "Double Emperor Nero Silver Party."

Before the festivities could begin, a new visitor arrived—the adjudicator of this Grand Holy Grail War.

---

"First rule: absolutely no acting on personal grudges!"

"Second rule: absolutely no overlooking any wrongdoing!"

"Third rule: absolutely maintain fairness and style!"

"Adjudicator Ruler, reporting for duty!"

A fiery-haired young woman stood at attention, her demeanor brimming with professionalism.

"Kai, I will be presiding over this Grand Holy Grail War between Alaya and yourself!"

"...Ritsuka?" Su Kai blinked in mild confusion.

"Given the scale of this Holy Grail War, having an adjudicator makes sense. Accidental destruction of a country or two would be bad PR."

"But why is it you? Where's Jeanne d'Arc, our typical 'Fair Jeanne'?"

It wasn't unusual for a Holy Grail War of this magnitude to feature a Ruler-class Servant. Not only could such a role subtly tilt the scales, but it also established clear rules to prevent catastrophic outcomes.

Su Kai had assumed the Ruler would be Jeanne d'Arc. He'd even prepared to dismiss her as a minor inconvenience, mentally dubbing her "Fair Jeanne" and relegating her to handling artificial human matters on the sidelines.

Instead, Jeanne never even had the chance to show up. And standing in her place?

Ritsuka Fujimaru herself.

"Aren't you supposed to be saving humanity?" Su Kai quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"How did Alaya rope you into playing referee?"

"I am saving humanity," Ruler Ritsuka replied earnestly, nodding.

"But acting as Alaya's adjudicator doesn't conflict with that. After all, both jobs are just working for the Counter Force."

"Alaya convinced me…" Ritsuka sighed, propping her chin on her hand with a conflicted expression.

"She said your actions would cause significant trouble for human history. Winning here might grant humanity a crucial edge in the future."

"As for Jeanne d'Arc…" Ritsuka explained further.

"While she does qualify for the Ruler class, Alaya doesn't trust her. Something about, 'The fun of a biased referee is blowing against the opposition, not in my favor.'"

Ritsuka quickly added, "Don't get the wrong idea, Kai! I won't be blowing your biased calls!"

"...Biased referee, huh? Noted."

Su Kai motioned to Merlin, who had appeared quietly beside him.

"Merlin, play scribe for a moment: 'In the year of the horse, month six, Ruler Ritsuka Fujimaru threatened to blow biased calls. Record it.'"

Artemis stepped forward with a wide grin and gently patted Ritsuka's head.

"I like this one. She's got a certain something, don't you think, Kai? It almost feels like she carries traces of you…"

Ritsuka squirmed under Artemis's affectionate touch, while Su Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Well, she does carry a part of me," he admitted casually.

The "gift" he had passed on to Ritsuka—a fragment of his Savior essence—was a piece of himself that had once defeated and subdued the Beast of 666. It was undeniably powerful, a weapon capable of turning the tides of battle.

If Su Kai still held onto this power, Ritsuka wouldn't pose nearly as significant a threat to him. But he had made his choice long ago, during his time in Holy Britannia.

Even knowing he would one day become a Beast himself, an adversary to Chaldea, he had entrusted this gift to Ritsuka.

Perhaps, Ritsuka represented the last vestige of Su Kai's humanity—his reason, his compassion, and his moral tether to society.

"Nothing special, really," Ritsuka replied honestly, her tone light and disarming.

"My Noble Phantasm is just a little EX-rank trinket. The rest of my abilities aren't even worth mentioning."

She scratched her head sheepishly before continuing,

"As for my inherent skills, well… I can command any Servant. Oh, and I can end any battle at will."

"Hold on a second!"

Su Kai raised a hand in a halting gesture, his face shifting to one of disbelief.

He opened his Servant interface and scrolled through it meticulously. After a moment, he looked up with furrowed brows.

"Wait a minute… I think I can do that too."

[Geis of Universal Love: Immune to Command Spells, capable of seizing control of enemy Masters' Servants.]

"That's precisely why you're forbidden from participating, Kai."

Ruler Ritsuka spoke with unwavering authority, fulfilling her duty as a biased referee to the letter.

"Alaya has explicitly barred you and all Masters on your side from intervening. This is a contest strictly between Servants."

"Alright, alright," Su Kai shrugged with a smirk.

"But let's be real here—Alaya isn't exactly known for playing fair. I've already prepared for her to break the rules first."

"Don't worry about that." Ritsuka shook her head, her tone unusually serious.

"To keep your side's power in check, Alaya won't be the one to break the agreement. In fact, she even mentioned an additional condition, one she asked me to relay to you personally."

"Oh?" Su Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Go ahead, then. Let's hear it."

Ritsuka hesitated, glancing around the room before asking awkwardly,

"Do I really have to say it in front of everyone?"

"What's there to hide?" Su Kai gestured magnanimously.

"These are my closest friends, my most trusted allies. Nothing here is off-limits."

"Well…" Ritsuka's face turned an unmistakable shade of red as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Alaya said that since you insisted only female Servants could participate, she's decided on a corresponding clause: any defeated female Servants are prohibited from refusing any of your requests."

The room fell silent.

"?"

"?"

"?"

Everyone present—including Su Kai, who prided himself on his unparalleled intellect—reacted with a collective, incredulous question mark.

What in the world? I'm not some kind of harem-king bulldozer!

All Su Kai wanted was the Grand Rider's mark, nothing more. He had no interest in these added... "perks."

The women, who moments ago had been united in camaraderie, silently shifted away from Su Kai.

One by one, they moved to sit near Ritsuka, their eyes filled with unspoken judgment as they watched him warily.

Under this barrage of accusing stares—even from his devoted admirer, Ritsuka—Su Kai, whose mental fortitude was normally unshakable, felt his composure slipping.

Flustered, he slammed his palm onto the table and shouted, "That's absurd! Alaya's framing me!"

"This is all Alaya's doing!"

"Kai," Ritsuka said, her tone serious now as she retracted her earlier skepticism.

"No one could possibly deceive you."

She hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

"Alaya even mentioned that during your negotiation for the Grand Rider's mark, you carried yourself like someone who had just emerged victorious from such a... situation. She figured you wouldn't refuse this condition."

"That wasn't me! At least, not the me of now!" Su Kai declared, frantically attempting to distance himself from his alleged past actions.

Eager to change the subject, he waved a hand dismissively.

"Enough about that. Let's talk strategy—when does this war officially begin?"

"The moment all Servants on your side are summoned," Ritsuka explained smoothly.

"From then on, the rules and conditions will apply in full. Do you have any other questions?"

"Nope, I've got it," Su Kai replied with an easy grin, his earlier embarrassment fading.

"Now, off you go, Ritsuka. Shoo!"

Ritsuka rose to leave, but Su Kai suddenly called out, "Wait, Ritsuka! One more thing…"

"No!" Ritsuka crossed her arms in an X before her chest.

"I am not attending your developer's conference!"

"Who said anything about that?"

Ignoring her protests, Su Kai ruffled her hair playfully.

"Orange Locks, one last question. Can the opposing Masters intervene in the war?"

Ritsuka froze, her eyes widening slightly before she regained her composure.

"Nothing gets past you, does it, Kai?" she remarked, a trace of admiration in her voice.

"You're as sharp as ever. Even buried beneath layers of intricate wording, you managed to spot the loophole."

Her demeanor shifted, the bashful girl vanishing, replaced by the poised and authoritative Ruler.

Every earlier blush of embarrassment, every playful exchange—it had all been calculated misdirection.

Her intent had been to distract Su Kai, drawing his attention away from the one significant imbalance in Alaya's proposed rules.

The ban on Su Kai's intervention extended to his entire side. But the opposing Masters? Unrestricted.

After all, some Masters could rival Servants in power.

"What's your answer, Ruler?" Su Kai asked with a knowing smile, locking eyes with Ritsuka—the one he had personally chosen and mentored, the inheritor of his will.

"This Holy Grail War," Ritsuka began, her voice steady. "prohibits all Masters from both sides from direct combat. Servants are similarly forbidden from attacking Masters. Any violation of these rules will result in disqualification. If one side's Servants are entirely eliminated, that side loses."

"How unfair," Su Kai remarked with a theatrical sigh.

"Every rule is designed to constrain me."

"What's your response, then, Kai?" Ritsuka countered, her smile unwavering.

"I accept," Su Kai replied with a shrug, his demeanor lighthearted.

"But it's just a game, after all."

He paused, a rare note of sincerity slipping into his voice.

"Ritsuka, you've grown into a fine savior of humanity."

"That's thanks to your guidance, Kai," Ritsuka said softly, her expression fond.

Despite their differences in allegiance, there was genuine camaraderie between the two. Both understood, however, that friendship only extended so far. When push came to shove, neither would yield.

As Ritsuka left the room, Atalanta frowned, her cat-like green eyes reflecting deep thought.

"Suren, this Ruler, Fujimaru Ritsuka… you didn't discuss imposing restrictions on her."

"Because there's no need to." Su Kai leaned back in his chair with an air of nonchalance.

"She'll definitely act against us—that's precisely why Alaya chose her as Ruler, isn't it?"

Ritsuka's role as a biased referee was no accident. If "Fair Jeanne" wasn't up to the task, then "Fair Orange" would take her place.

"I trust her completely," Su Kai continued, his tone shifting to one of ironic amusement.

"Even if I laid down a hundred ironclad rules to contain her, Ritsuka would still find a way to slip through them all. When we finally let our guard down, she'll deliver the decisive blow."

"So, instead of focusing on restricting her, I want all of you to remain vigilant." His sharp gaze swept over his allies.

"She's not just a savior—she's someone who's saved humanity multiple times over."

Nero, ever confident, puffed out her chest and declared, "Rest assured, Kai! This time, the greatest Emperor of Rome will protect you!"

Su Kai ruffled Nero's hair affectionately.

"You're awfully confident. But have you looked at your Servant form?"

Rider Nero, standing to the side, looked away awkwardly, her expression tinged with embarrassment.

"...Don't remind me. Is this… really what I become in the future?"

"It's one possibility," Su Kai said, his tone tinged with respect.

"Just think of her as someone who happens to share your name and face. No need to take it personally."

"Well then!" The Rider Nero suddenly raised her voice with imperial authority.

"I, the Emperor of Rome, command myself to attend this developer's conference. I shall… drum up enthusiasm!"

Before Su Kai could respond, the other Nero—this one clad in elegant modern attire—chimed in with a mischievous smirk.

"Now, now, Rider. Have you forgotten that I, too, am Nero? Don't worry, Kai, I'll have a little talk with her. I promise you, by the time the 'Nero Party' happens, everything will be perfect!"

"Honestly, I don't even want to attend this so-called Nero Party," Su Kai muttered, exasperated.

"Is this for me, or just for your own amusement?"

Su Kai wasn't one to indulge in earthly desires for their own sake. If he chose to surround himself with others, it was often a response to their unwavering devotion to him.

He wasn't the type to hesitate or agonize over reciprocating their feelings. If someone didn't want to stay by his side, he would let them leave. But if their love for him was so profound that they could suppress even their own possessiveness, then how could he not respond in kind?

---

"If you love me," Su Kai thought, "then I will love you in return."

---

T/N: 5K words... I feel bad about only posting one chapter, so when we reach 150 I'll go back to 5 chapters even if the we are about to catch up to the updates. (SHUT UPPPP)

Spotted any mistakes or awkward wording? Let me know—I'm always looking to improve!

Also, quick reminder: take a moment to check your posture and sip some water. Stay comfy while you read!

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Every bit helps me keep doing what I love. Thank you!