Due to the recent addition of a new member to the household, Shirou was considering starting a part-time job again to manage the family budget better.
After showing his face briefly at the archery club after school, Shirou handed over the task of buying groceries to Taiga and took the bus straight to Shinto.
...
At 8 PM, Shirou returned home from work, welcomed warmly by two girls who resembled little sisters: Miyu (in black) and Illya (in white).
"Welcome back, Shirou-san."
"Shirou~~"
Miyu, slightly blushing, bowed to Shirou, while Illya cheered and jumped to hug him around the neck.
"Hey, Illya, get down. People are watching."
Shirou felt embarrassed by Illya's actions.
"Oh~"
After being put down, Illya half-closed her eyes, raised her eyebrow, and lightly pressed her finger to her lips. "So, if no one's watching, we can be more intimate~?"
"What?!" Shirou was startled and quickly blushed. "That's not what I meant! I just..."
"Shirou! Hurry up! Dinner's waiting on you!"
Before Shirou could finish, Taiga's loud voice interrupted him.
"Huh? You haven't eaten dinner yet?" Shirou asked, changing his shoes.
Illya smiled and replied, "Nope! Although Miyu made dinner, she said we should wait for you. So I agreed."
"Uh..."
Shirou quickly realized why Taiga and Saber hadn't eaten yet. Seeing the two kids waiting for him, the adults must have decided to wait too.
They were probably already impatient.
Shirou's Dinner
After dinner, Shirou, holding the tea Miyu had made, sat at the table, watching the two girls sitting close together. He couldn't help but feel relieved.
"I was worried you two might not get along, but you seem so close already. Now I don't have to worry."
"Shirou, do you think I'm petty?" Illya pouted, full of emotion. "Shirou, really! Hmph!"
"No, I didn't mean that..." Shirou forced a smile, thinking: I did think that a little.
"Compared to Illya, I prefer Miyu-chan," Taiga interjected. Hearing this, Saber, who couldn't lie due to her knightly code, silently agreed while sipping her tea.
This resulted in Illya's forehead gradually turning dark.
"I don't like Taiga either!" Illya stood up, waving her arms angrily.
Being a grown-up child, Taiga instantly retaliated, "Hmph! Illya, you don't even use honorifics, which is why you're not likable."
"I... I like Illya." At Ruby's prompting, Miyu softly added, her head down.
"Hmph, hmph!" Illya proudly huffed twice upon hearing this.
"What?!" Taiga was shocked. "Miyu-chan, open your eyes! Illya is just a little devil!"
The argument added warmth to the small living room.
...
At 10 PM, Illya, who had spent half a day at Shirou's house, refused Shirou's offer to escort her home out of concern for her safety. After saying goodbye to everyone, she drove off in her custom Mercedes Benz, much to Shirou's surprise.
Illya can drive! And she has a license!
...
Illya didn't go straight home but instead headed to someone's house who might know about Miyu.
"I'm sorry, but my Master instructed that meeting a single unmarried girl this late might harm both parties' reputations. Please leave."
Hearing this from the emotionless maid (Rider), Illya almost ground her teeth in frustration.
Though she wanted to force her way in, she reconsidered and decided to wait until tomorrow.
I'll ambush you on your way back from school! There's no way I won't catch you!
...
In the basement (workshop), Gilgamesh, comfortably sipping wine and lounging in a swivel chair, watched Shinji working.
"Shinji, you've disappointed the king this time."
Gilgamesh picked up the game card of Medusa that Shinji had made, sneering. "You only made something like this."
Hearing this, Shinji rolled his eyes. If you don't like it, why put it in your treasury, Gilgamesh?
Ignoring Shinji's eye roll, Gilgamesh closed his eyes and meditated for about three minutes. Then, he reopened his eyes and retrieved Medusa's card from his treasury.
"I see. It's somewhat interesting, but still a boring toy."
If I make a full set and you don't play with it, then don't say anything! Shinji thought, not bothering to argue. Gilgamesh was always contradictory.
By putting the first game card into his treasury, Gilgamesh had acquired the prototype of the game card set.
Gilgamesh's treasury was a bug-like skill, allowing him to collect any new creations made by human wisdom.
"Several hundred Heroic Spirit cards and equipment cards... It will take at least a month to complete," Shinji sighed, looking at the small stack of game cards he made tonight. Installing the chips to interact with the board was a hassle.
"If you make something that insults the king, I will punish you!"
"I'm not making your card at all."
"Uh..."
Gilgamesh was at a loss, then fell into a dilemma. Not making his card wasn't an insult, but it felt strange if others had cards and he didn't. Finally, he found a reasonable excuse.
"You misunderstood, Shinji. The king's card must be unique, unparalleled! It cannot be compared to those commoners' cards! Understand?!"
So, you want the most powerful, cheat-like card, right? Shinji thought, deciding to make the card set a gacha-style blind box. Ten cards per pack, luck determines the draw! Limited edition high-tier cards, unlimited low-tier cards, a lucrative venture! Gilgamesh's card would be a one-of-a-kind worldwide release.
...
While Shinji was busy making game cards, the new cook at the Emiya household, under Ruby's instigation, sneaked out for so-called magical girl training.
Shirou and Saber quickly noticed but decided to follow Miyu from a distance instead of questioning her secret. They followed her to a deserted forest clearing.
Hiding behind a tree, Shirou watched Miyu transform with her magic wand, still unable to voice his amazement.
Saber, however, was intrigued by the sight of a real magical girl.
Seeing Miyu practice her slashing for an hour, Shirou decided to head back, but Saber stepped out first.
"Miyu, your movements are too inefficient!"
Seeing Saber, hand on hip, scolding her, Shirou was taken aback.
"Saber-san?!"
Miyu, flustered by Saber's stern scolding, stammered, "S-Saber-sama?!"
"Listen, Miyu, training can't be taken lightly! I had to intervene!"
"You've been watching all along?!"
"Ahem..." Shirou, feeling the need to defuse the situation, stepped out, laughing nervously. "M-Miyu."
"Shirou-san too?!"
"Well, everyone has secrets, so Saber and I won't pry. But if you want to train, you don't need to hide. We can help."
"Yes, indeed," Saber nodded. "Miyu, your transformed state has strong magical power, but your efficiency is too low! Those scattered slashes waste a lot of magic. You need to use your magic more efficiently!"
"Just as expected from the best servant, Saber, seeing through it all~" Ruby chimed in, startling Shirou.
"The wand can talk?!"
"Calm down, Shirou-san~ Since we live under the same roof, let me introduce myself..."
Ruby then freed herself from Miyu's hand and introduced herself to Shirou and Saber.
...
"So, you're the wand that contracted with Miyu yesterday? Magical girls really do exist..." Shirou was amazed.
"Exactly! And Ruby-chan found the one-in-a-million talent, Miyu-chan!"
Shirou scratched his head. "I don't fully understand, but you don't seem bad. So, magical girl training is what we saw earlier?"
"Yes! Miyu-chan has great talent. To pull off slashes on the first day is genius-level!"
"No! It's not enough!" Saber, half of Shirou's training, shook her head. "Such casual training is far from sufficient! Training needs strict goals and discipline! Start over!"
Shirou awkwardly smiled. Saber's strictness was something he knew well from the Holy Grail War. But he was a high schooler, and Miyu was just a child...
"Saber, Miyu has worked hard. She trained diligently for an hour."
"That's not enough! As someone living under the same roof, I can't allow such lax training! Miyu, are you already at your limit?!"
Seeing Saber suddenly so fired up, Shirou sighed. Food might not even calm her down now. He was out of options.
Looking at Saber's serious expression, Miyu clutched Ruby, swallowing nervously. "N-No!"
"Good! Then let's start over! From now on, I'll be your opponent!"
"Saber, you mean..." Shirou's jaw dropped, recalling his intense training sessions with Saber, who never held back.
"Do you have any objections, Shirou?"
"I-I don't dare..." Shirou muttered.
So, the magical girl's training for the night was far from over...