So, somehow, the boring Saber Wars event has concluded.
And X, who became a salt farm—no, a Chaldea slave, was sent to Ritsuka. Ritsuka is a good kid, so she'll treat her well enough. Actually, abducting Servants during events or Singularities like this is probably more efficient than Chaldea summoning.
And finally, proper rest. After Fuyuki, the Moon Festival, and right after that, France, and then X's trolling...
Finally, proper rest... Alright, moving to glutton meta.
Still gotta eat, though.
"Ahh~ I wonder what's for food today."
Apparently, there are no staff members at Chaldea dedicated to cooking. They're already dead... So the staff members who have some cooking ability band together and take turns making food for the staff, and we Masters ask the Servants since it would be hard on the staff.
In Ritsuka's case, even though Jeanne Alter has almost none of Jeanne's memories from her country girl days, based on the stories Gilles heard, she has a passably ordinary skill level through headcanon. Of course, if forced to rank it, it's lower tier. Not tasteless, but not exactly delicious either.
As for us... Bunyan can make soup and such, so aside from Melusine or Kebab, they're fairly decent. And this time...
"Welcome, Master. What would you like to eat?"
Nemo Baker has appeared.
Nemo can create her clones, like White Mob. It's because the parallel processing ability of Atlas is implanted or something.
The base Marines number 24 total, with 12 usually on standby as full-time and not manifesting.
There's Nemo Nurse, the military doctor; Nemo Engine, the mechanic; Nemo Professor, the operations staff officer; Nemo Baker, the head chef; and Nemo herself, the Captain.
The Marines are voluntarily helping the staff, Professor is helping the Director with piled-up work, Engine is helping Da Vinci inspect Chaldea's systems, and Nurse is also assisting Romani.
And the most important, Baker.
An army's fighting power comes from supply and rations, as Napoleon proved by promoting canned food invention. America knows it well, but Korea still doesn't... Though it'll probably take another 100 years to find out.
Let's put that story aside...
"Hmm, I'm craving something spicy today? What's good... Yeah, I'm craving jjamppong. Make it spicy jjamppong."
"Okay, wait a moment~"
So I decide to wait for the food. Ah, since there's no obsession, it feels a bit comfortable...
Since I asked for some time alone, they all reluctantly give it to me. Of course, there are those like Kebab who leave me alone because she wants to eat as much as she wants, even if alone.
"What, are you alone in the cafeteria?"
"Jeanne Alter?"
"I told you not to call me that... Well, unlike the original, it's like my own title, so it's not bad..."
"Oh, it suits you."
"Really? I see..."
Jeanne Alter wearing a Shinjuku phantom's clothes. I didn't give them to her; she wanted casual clothes, and while looking, Shiki gave them to her. Said she gave them as a gift since she's a kid. Ironically, Jeanne Alter doesn't know she's being treated like a child.
"What are you eating?"
"Jjamppong."
"Jjamppong...? You mean mixed stew?"
"Not just the meaning of mixed. There's such a dish. Korean-style Chinese food, I guess."
"I see... A food I haven't tried. So... Baker, was it? Give me the same."
"Are you sure? It'll be spicy to match the Master's taste."
"Ha! If a human man like you can eat it, how spicy can it be? I know, spiciness is not flavor, it's pain! There's no way a Servant like me can't handle that much?"
Hmm, a flag, is it?
A while later, Baker serves the food. Mmm, this spicy smell and heat. Feels like it'll warm my whole body. The taste is, spicy... As expected, spicy. So I like it even more. Delicious spiciness.
Later, Jeanne Alter's food comes out too... She sweats a little at the heat, but seeing me eat well, she chuckles and takes a bite. And...
As expected, I warned the kid...
Jeanne Alter drinks milk and hangs her head.
"... Can I leave this?"
"That's a bit problematic... But, I'll let it slide just this once. What else do you want to eat?"
"Stew, or something..."
"Got it."
Well, wasting food is bad... but in this case, it can't be helped.
"Only the ignorant can boast about handling spice."
"Are you calling yourself ignorant...?"
"Hmph, it's a battle of fools who enjoy pain."
"I don't get it..."
"It's fine. Enjoying your taste buds and stomach suffering is nothing compared to boiling and eating oden soup over cremated remains. That's the real madness."
"What is that about..."
"There was, a certain person in Japan."
Gurgle...
"Ah, my stomach hurts..."
After eating the stew, likely due to the earlier jjamppong, Jeanne Alter with a stomachache goes to the infirmary. Pitiful.
Having finished the meal, I decided to go to my room and rest. Chaldea has one library, a space for staff leisure. Among the books, there are even light novels. There are a few geeks, you see.
I decide to borrow a light novel from there and read it. Of course...
"Ah damn, it's in English."
It's the English version. Is it only Japanese or English versions... They should have brought them in multiple languages!
Huh? Something is attached to the book cover like a supplement... Isn't that the thing used to lock diaries? I touched it and...
Bzzz~
"Ooh, auto-translate?"
A Mystic Code. A translation Mystic Code, what good performance. By the way, does this damn system not have auto-translate...! I thought auto-interpretation was a rule of this world.
The convenience of subculture. Namekians and Freeza spoke Japanese well too.
Anyway, I leisurely read the light novel... It's a light novel of the usual mass-produced web novel taste. Ah, I can hear time melting away.
Bzzz~
And then, the gluttonous loli dragon from the next room enters my room without knocking.
"What are you doing? Master."
"Cultured reading."
"Reading, huh..."
She then walks over and jumps right onto the bed.
"... It's still lunchtime."
"Is it? Chaldea has no outside anyway~ If you say it's night, it might as well be night, right?"
"That's very Ascalon of you."
To be honest... I'm not turned on at all. No matter how lewdly she comes onto me, it's like... I have affection, but love, not at all... Her body type is just not my taste. Legal or not aside, it's just... yeah.
"I want to be with Master~ I miss Master's love!"
"You know we've only been together for about a day, right? How much do you want to squeeze out of me?"
"That's good too, but there are other pure parts, right? For example... a ti~ght hug!"
"Sigh... Okay, that much is fine."
I spread my arms, and Melusine runs towards me and jumps right into my embrace, but...
Thud!
The, the momentum...
[... This is my mistake.]
"Being too strong is tough too..."
Melusine falls after making a hole in the ceiling with a ringing sound. The ceiling...
"Ahem... Later, someone will fix it."
"Haha."
I hug her as she stays still like that, giving her a light expression of affection.
Though happy about it, Melusine, as if still not satisfied, climbs onto the bed and pats the space beside her.
"Let's take a nap together, Master!"
"Sorry, I'm not sleepy."
"Even so~ Lie down!"
"Ugh!"
Melusine forces me to lie down beside her with her strength. Such a willful little dragon.
"I'm not sleepy... But isn't it nice to be together?"
"Really... Though it's sudden, Melusine, what do you like about me?"
"Huh?"
"I know, it's a sudden question. But... since we're alone, I'm asking. I'm curious. I think I'm a plain, unremarkable man with no charm. So, even with my somewhat confident face, I was a virgin. When I went on MT trips, I couldn't fit in well either. Now my social skills improved after going to the military too... But still, I never had a relationship. A common guy you can find anywhere. Of course, not my face, but... my personality is just an ordinary brat."
"You're worrying about that? Master's charm... Hmm, I don't know."
"That's a bit hurtful..."
"I just like Master. There's no reason. Love doesn't need a reason, right? Just because I like you, even without a reason, that's love. They also call it fate. Liking someone for some reason, whether it's face, strength, wealth—that's not purely liking the person themselves. I too, in the past, didn't like Aurora's foolish aspects. I came to like her because she was my savior. And now I know that love was mistaken. Not for any reason, but just because it's that person, liking them without reason. That's my love."
"Melusine..."
"Because you're the one who understands this unblemished pulse of mine, that's why I like you, Master."
"... I'm happy you say that, but it's too much for me... I'm like a generic mass-produced web novel protagonist with no personality... Weak, with no outstanding traits."
"Hehe... Master."
Melusine leaned against me and gently squeezed my hand.
This love given to me was too big and burdensome. It made me happy, but I thought it was an excessive affection that didn't fit the vessel that is me, a human.
But... that was just my own thinking. Even if I think it doesn't suit my station, they are actually satisfied with me as I am and want me.
I was really being unnecessarily self-deprecating. I didn't need to worry about how to repay this excessive love. Accepting that affection itself would have been repayment to them.
"... Thank you."
I get up from my spot and cover her with the blanket.
"Huh? Are you getting up?"
"I'm really not sleepy, you see. Melusine sleeps a lot, right? So sleep first. I'll stay by your side."
"Really... I won't get sleepy, you know? I only get sleepy if Master sleeps with me!"
"Well...?"
"... Sleep well, Melusine."
Putting her to bed, I sit on the chair and read the light novel again.
Even someone like me is important to someone... That alone gives me a feeling of hope.
But I can't just stay complacent with the present as it is. I should do something too, right?
The Saint Quartz I currently have is 6, no, 7. I'll save one for my friend... Other summoning. I've decided, who to summon.