Daily Fate

Another week went by, and I had not seen the hide or hair of the Masters of Red. It's still chaos in my home, but much more subdued after getting everyone settled. Rin, Ishtar, Tamamo, and Shuten joined the Drama Faction with Irisveil, Skadi, and the homunculus trio introduced to the world of TV drama. Frankenstein joined the Anime Faction with Illyasviel presenting the artificial human Servant with the current best anime in Japan. Medusa started the Reading Faction with Sakura, and Gray joined in. They can usually be found in the library of the house or underground complex.

Artoria and Scáthach have come to enjoy the serenity of the dojo out back and can usually be found there relaxing or sparring. As for me, I am enjoying the sun on the porch as I surf the net on my smartphone to find anything interesting to kill time. So far, my day has been fairly peaceful, and Maiya came up to me to say out of nowhere.

" It's been six years..."

I quickly searched my memories, and I recalled that today was the day Kiritsugu died somewhere, as I could no longer use Dark To Darkness to reach him since then. Well, he either died or became a Counter Guardian like Shirou. Still, I kept that to myself as Irisveil and Maiya would not know how to react to the Magus Killer being in a constant state of assassination and genocide at the orders of Gaia and Alaya. To them, and I personally hope, Kiritsugu is dead and six feet under. Maiya had a rare look of melancholy on her face as she asked me.

" Do you think he is happy?"

" We can only hope so, Maiya. Kiritsugu decided to pursue his ideal above all else and carry the burden alone."

" It still doesn't feel real at times, this relatively peaceful life."

The Magus Killer's assistant had to adjust to this way of life, and it wasn't easy for her. Maiya had the habit of always carrying a gun and knife on or near her, but that sort of thing would not be tolerated in Japan, so I gave her a substitute. Skadi created a Mystic Code that looked no different than cloth but could change into a sharp knife and a ring that made casting Gaudr easy. As a comfortable silence descended on us, it was disrupted by some shouting from Skadi.

" YOU THINK I AM GOING TO TOLERATE THAT REMARK, SHUTEN DOUJI!"

I sighed and got up to play peacemaker once again. I found my wife staring down the drunken oni. Shuten then said with a carefree attitude.

" Surely a nibble wouldn't hurt Master; after all, his bones seem more than hard enough to make an excellent wine once melted down."

" I don't know why Silva summoned you, but if you dare harm him, I will freeze your body and shatter it to dust, then scatter it to the four winds!"

" Ohya, how scary."

The drunken oni said with an easy-going smile, and I stopped things from escalating.

" Shuten, if you try to take a bite out of me, I will take a bite of you in return. Skadi, while I appreciate your concern, you know I can more than handle myself."

" Oh? Master, you certainly are a bold one to dare take a bite out of an oni. It makes me want to try and see what happens."

" Silva, I know you are strong, but she is Assassin! And she uses poison!"

I sigh as I try to assure Skadi I can manage Shuten, and after settling the dispute, I decided to check on Rin and Ishtar. They should be in one of the workshops underground. As I entered the underground complex, I went to the workshop area but saw the treasury open. I entered to investigate and saw the twin-tail divine spirit gathering the treasure like a magpie. While it amused me, I called out to the goddess before she became a thief.

" Ishtar, if you want shiny stuff, you could just ask me, you know."

Ishtar stopped trying to pile the treasure together and then looked at me like a deer caught in headlights. As I walked over to the divine spirit, she hid the small golden statue behind her as she tried to explain herself.

" Well, you see, I, um..."

" It's fine, Ishtar; if you want some valuables for yourself, it can be arranged."

" Like gems? Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds."

I grabbed the small golden statue behind her and put it back in its rightful place, then told the magpie goddess.

" Make a list of gems you want, and I will see what I can get for you."

With Transmutation, I can easily create any precious stone I want as long as I have the necessary materials. However, I refrain from doing it too often as it would disrupt the market if I made too much. Ishtar cleared her throat and said.

" Good, excellent; continue to serve me as you should."

" Careful, Ishtar, or I might just deny you the rarest gems, as I am not your servant but am only providing you with one set of gems to keep you from pilfering my treasury. If you want more than that, you will have to earn it."

" But I am a goddess!?"

" You are not my goddess."

The magpie goddess opened and closed her mouth but could not retort to my reply. I left the treasury and told her.

" And please put back where you found everything, Ishtar; I like to keep things organized."

Hearing the divine spirit grumble but comply, I went to find Rin. She was in her temporary workshop and was stockpiling her Jewel Mystic Codes. After infusing a ruby with mana, she sighed in relief, and I called out to her.

" Busy Rin?"

" I just finished, Silva."

I noticed the pile of gems the tsundere had been working on and asked.

" I said you could borrow from the armory, Rin."

" I know, but I don't want to be in your debt."

" It's less about you owing me for supplies but more about ensuring your well-being for Sakura's sake, as she would be sad and worried if anything happened to you, Rin."

Rin looked surprised at me, telling her I was looking out for her because of Sakura, and she said out of the blue.

" Thanks."

" For?"

" For caring for Sakura after the Matou Family was wiped out."

She smiled at me in gratitude, and I replied.

" With me, I make a choice when it comes to kindness, whether to go all in and give everything I got or be indifferent. Because otherwise, it would seem half a*sed to try to do good for others with some kind of middle ground. You give someone a fish and feed them for a day, or you teach them to fish and feed them for a lifetime. This is an idiom that I follow when it comes to treating others with kindness. It might be extreme in some cases, but I live with my choices."

" I am not sure to respect you or call you a fool."

I shrugged at the tsundere's reply, then left her alone to see how everyone else was doing. I found Frankenstein outside looking at some flowers that Irisveil grew as a hobby and went to see how the artificial human was doing. I recalled that she did not like to be referred to by her given name, so I went with a nickname.

" Hey, Fran, what are you doing?"

" Fran..?"

Frankenstein tilted her head in confusion at the nickname, and I replied.

" Yes, you. I heard that you do not like to be called by your true name, but addressing you by your Class seems impersonal, so Fran. Is it fine to call you that?"

She grunted in reply with a nod, then went back to looking at the flowers, and I went to see how everyone else is doing as Berserker seemed done with the conversation. I went to the dojo and saw Artoria and Scáthach sparring with wooden weapons. I leaned against the entrance and watched them. They were holding back in order to avoid damaging the dojo, so it was more a show of technique than strength. The Witch of Dún Scáith had better reach and far greater experience. However, the King of Knights was no slouch either.

After they kept on clashing, they called it a day and stopped after several minutes. Scáthach remarked with a light smile.

" Shame you never came to the Land of Shadows during your time. You would've made an excellent student."

" It would've been my honor to seek your tutelage, but I never considered as I was from Britain rather than Ireland, so I never paid any attention to legends from there during my time."

" Maybe so, but regardless the past is the past. Would you mind indulging my curiosity?"

The knight looked at the witch with curiosity and asked.

" What would you like to know?"

" Why did Silva refer to Merlin as a d*ck wizard?"

I snickered as I recalled that I was cursing Merlin one time after getting a decent buzz one night when chatting with Shuten. Artoria blushed and looked away as she had already figured out why, which only drew Scáthach's interest.

" Oh? For you to look so flustered, there must be quite the story for that title for the Mage of Flowers."

" I rather not talk about it..."

I grinned as I was not about to pass up teasing the knight. I walked up to them, and they noticed my presence.

" I can tell you if you want, Scáthach."

" Do enlighten me, Silva."

" Well, you see, since Artoria is a girl, despite being a king, she had certain obligations and-."

Artoria ran up to me and covered my mouth with her hands by jumping onto my back to stop me from telling that particular story and demanded.

" How do you know that?!"

I removed her hands from my mouth to answer her.

" I can put two and two together, Artoria. After I found out King Arthus was a girl, I reviewed your legend and made some conclusions that seemed likely."

" Come now, Silva, do tell me what Artoria is so adamant about keeping secret."

I quickly told the witch the jist of the story before the knight could stop me.

" Artoria had to produce an heir as a king!"

Scáthach furrowed her brows in confusion, then put two and two together after a few moments and broke out in a chuckle.

" I see now—no wonder you call the Mage of Flowers a d*ck wizard."

" Merlin is a fine mage and good friend despite his... Faults. Plus, you should know that in the old eras, women had no place outside of the bed chamber, so I had to assume a male identity.

Artoria was quick to defend herself and Merlin. The witch assured the knight.

" It's fine. While humorous, it's not the most ridiculous story I know."

That drew my attention, and I asked.

" What is the most ridiculous story you know, Scáthach?"

" Hmm... I suppose I can tell you. Back when Cú Chulainn under my tuteluge he was a bit too honest in his desire to bed me so I gave him a chance, an impossible chance. I told him if he could bring me the milk of a rock, the flesh of a specter, and a speck of pure sunlight I would make him a concoction to grant him vast vigour to bed me for days if not weeks. Needless to say, he ran off to collect the ingredients immediately and I waited for him to figure out that none of those ingredients exist.

Cú Chulainn did come back after a few months but he had the bright idea to try and trick me so he presented me with fake ingredients. I knew right away what he was up to so I mixed the ingredients together in a way to ensure that it would not poison him. He was so eager he forgot he needed to drink the concoction I made for him first and I forced down his throat and waited to see what would happen. The next moment he is climbing my castle to the tallest spire and humped the top while howling like a dog in heat.

This continued for a few days until he passes out then woke up with his little spear almost broken from over use."

I was cracking up and sincerely hoping Cú Chulainn gets summoned so I could see his reaction to that story. Artoria was smiling in relief that she was not the only Heroic Spirit with an embarrassing story after getting off my back. Not a bad day so far.