Chapter 14: Ushiwakamaru's Hospitality
"Damn it... to think that the Master who is supposed to be saving the world is being sent to do odd jobs...!"
Exiting the Ziggurat, Gudako puffed out her cheeks in complaint. At that moment, Siduri, who had followed them out, spoke up with a smile.
"Please rest assured, I will ensure your current living conditions."
"Um... you are the aide to that King from earlier, right?" Gudako looked at her.
"Apologies for failing to introduce myself earlier. My name is Siduri, and I am the person in charge of the ritual grounds." Siduri smiled and introduced herself to the group. "Please, follow me. I have arranged a place for you to stay." Saying this, Siduri walked ahead.
The group immediately followed. Walking through the bustling marketplace, the sounds of buying and selling rang out everywhere. Children chased each other on the roadside, and men and women exchanged loving glances in the dim alleys.
"The city is completely different from the outside..." Seeing this scene, Shirou couldn't help but feel moved.
"That is because the soldiers are on the front lines resisting the invasion of the Demonic Beasts; that is why this place remains as it is." Siduri added, "Although this is merely my personal opinion, if you wish for the King to listen to your reasoning, I believe establishing merits is the best approach."
"Merits? Does that mean going to fight on the Demonic Front?" Mash quickly asked.
"Rather than that, why don't you try various jobs within Uruk first?" Siduri smiled. "I will introduce some work to you."
"Looking for work within Uruk..." Mash looked around.
"Since the King has commanded me to look after you, I will do my utmost to provide assistance. That King rarely goes as far as he did for you." As she spoke, Siduri stopped in front of a bungalow.
"Is this... our base?" Gudako followed Siduri into the room, curious. Mash and Shirou, who followed behind, looked around as well.
"Yes, this is the dormitory provided for you all. Though it is a bit old, the space is quite ample."
"Thank you very much, Miss Siduri." Gudako expressed her gratitude.
"So this is Chaldea's embassy, Master!" Mash said happily. "I never thought we'd be able to establish a base so quickly!"
"Although I have my own room in the Ziggurat, this side seems more interesting now," Merlin found a stool and sat down. "Ana, you should take a look around, too."
"No need, it doesn't matter to me." Ana kept her eyes hidden in her hood, leaning against the wall and staying by herself.
Mash walked to the door to take a look. "It seems we need a curtain for the entrance."
"Then let's start making preparations," Gudako said immediately.
Next, Mash took out her cross shield and placed it on the ground. "Round Table... activate!" Points of light lit up on the shield, rotating to construct a magic circle. "Spiritron coordinate, anchor cast!"
The next moment, the projection of a face appeared in everyone's line of sight.
"Um... is the image clear enough?"
"Of course, even the Doctor's nostrils are incredibly clear!" Gudako said.
"...No, no, where are you looking??" Roman immediately moved his face back a bit and sat in his chair. "Anyway, it's good. Because the existence of Uruk is easy to verify, we are able to have this face-to-face conversation."
At this point, Da Vinci's face also appeared in the projection.
"Still, I never imagined we'd encounter the Goddess Alliance. I originally thought we wouldn't run into a 'living' god this time... Goddess Ishtar seems to possess a 'Spirit Origin' infinitely close to her 'true body'," Da Vinci noted, resting her chin on her hand.
"A god's authority is a mystery that transcends any magecraft; one could even say it is an omniscient and omnipotent discovery."
As soon as Da Vinci's deduction came out, Shirou shook his head. "No, authority is something specific. To call it omniscient and omnipotent is going too far."
"Eh?" Da Vinci paused, not understanding why Shirou was so certain.
"Although it is still unclear what the origin of the 'enemy' of this era is, we can at least be certain that the goddess is a hostile force," Roman interjected. "Now, regarding future operations..."
Before Roman could finish his sentence, two men and a woman suddenly burst into the house.
"My~ what an interesting technique this is."
"Are you... Heroic Spirits?" Mash looked at the three in surprise.
"Hello there~" The woman in the lead smiled and waved her hand.
.
.
.
Night had fallen, and the attendants served dishes to the dining table.
"Cheers!"
Merlin held up his cup, and after taking a sip, he sighed with satisfaction: "I practically live for this glass of wine!"
"Speaking of which..." Mash held her wine glass and looked at them. "I never thought King Gilgamesh would have already summoned Servants. They are truly reliable partners."
"That's right~" After taking a sip of wine, Gudako's cheeks turned slightly red. "By the way, Merlin, were you also summoned by King Gilgamesh?"
"Yes, I did mention before that 'I was summoned by a powerful summoner'," Merlin replied with a smile.
At this moment, Ushiwakamaru sat down beside Shirou. "A chance meeting is also fate, Mr. Orihara. Let's have another drink," Ushiwakamaru said, her cheeks slightly flushed, raising her cup.
Shirou also picked up his cup and clinked it against hers. The clothing the young girl wore was, in a sense, ridiculously revealing; Shirou felt that if a slightly strong wind blew, it probably wouldn't be able to cover much. Of course, perhaps her outfit was like Karna's "Armor of the Sun," clinging tightly to her skin.
"In any case, to everyone from Chaldea, we will help you to the best of our ability!" Ushiwakamaru said, patting her chest. The little fabric she wore nearly suffered a wardrobe malfunction with her movement.
"Thank you!" Gudako expressed her gratitude.
At this moment, Musashibo Benkei, sitting on the other side, spoke up: "Lady Ushiwakamaru, you should drink a little less."
Merlin, however, chimed in: "What does it matter~ Leonidas, you have some too. The ale in this country is really great; it's fine to drink a little~"
"No need, I only need to replenish nutrients," Leonidas I raised a hand in refusal. "I think it would be better to wait until all the Demonic Beasts have been annihilated before enjoying fine wine."
The dining table felt quite noisy, filled with a lively atmosphere. Siduri placed the dishes on the table in front of Gudako and Mash.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Wow~" Seeing the food placed on the table, Gudako and Mash's eyes lit up. "The cuisine from 2600 B.C. really exceeds my imagination."
"It smells so good," Mash said excitedly.
Gudako took a bite of the lamb chop and immediately revealed a blissful expression. "Mmm~ succulent and juicy, with a lingering fragrance!"
Hearing their praise, Siduri simply maintained a polite smile. "How is it? Is the cuisine of Uruk to your liking?"
"Yes! It tastes wonderful!" Gudako and Mash said in unison.
"That is good." Siduri felt relieved. "In Uruk, ale and sheep are the staple foods we rely on for survival; combined with the smiles of the people, it makes us even more satisfied. This is the kind of country this is."
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