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In the Cafeteria, Chaldea
It had been three days since Charles I was summoned to Chaldea. The Saber-class Servant was quickly finding his place—or causing chaos, depending on who you asked.
At one of the cafeteria tables, Charles puffed out his cheeks and crossed his arms like a child denied dessert. His glare was fixed on Nero Claudius, who sat across from him, gleefully munching on the last bite of his breakfast.
"Ah, Nero! Why did you take my food?!" he grumbled, his voice brimming with indignant frustration.
Nero, unbothered, puffed out her cheeks in return, her wide green eyes twinkling with playful defiance. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, her golden curls bouncing with the movement.
"Eh?! But it looked so tasty! Why can't I have it? I'm the Emperor, so naturally, it belongs to me. Umu~!" she declared, her tone teasing as if her imperial title justified the theft.
Charles slammed his hands on the table, his brows furrowed in exaggerated anger.
"Thief!" he bellowed, pointing an accusing finger at Nero. "Emperor or not, you shall answer for your crimes! Return my food, or prepare to face justice!"
Nero gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest as though she'd been gravely insulted. Then, with an equally dramatic flourish, she jabbed a finger back at him.
"Hah! A duel, is it? Very well, I accept! But beware, for no one can defeat the great Nero Claudius in combat. Umu~!" Her grin was wide, brimming with mischief.
Charles grinned back, his eyes sparkling with challenge. "Then it's settled! Prepare yourself, Nero! None have bested King Charles I in battle!"
He cracked his knuckles, his posture shifting to an exaggerated combat stance.
Nero mimicked his stance, raising her fists with exaggerated determination. "Let the battle for breakfast begin! Umu~!"
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At the Counter
Behind the counter, Emiya stood with his arms crossed, watching the absurd display unfold. He shook his head and muttered under his breath, "What are these two even doing?"
As Nero lunged forward to make a mock strike and Charles parried with an imaginary shield, Emiya let out a sharp sigh. Taking a step toward the table, he raised a hand like a parent separating squabbling children.
"Alright, that's enough!" he called out, his voice cutting through the cafeteria like a blade. "You're causing a scene over food. Just sit down and share it like normal people."
Charles froze mid-gesture, his face flushing as he glanced around the room. Nero, still holding her imaginary sword, slowly lowered her hands, a sheepish smile creeping onto her face.
"But, Archer, she started it!" Charles grumbled, pointing at Nero.
Nero huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm the Emperor! What's wrong with taking what's rightfully mine? Umu!"
Emiya's deadpan expression didn't waver. "it's just food, why does it look like you're two about to start a Holy Grail War in the cafeteria?"
Both Nero and Charles flinched under his glare, their playful rivalry quickly deflating. Charles rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, muttering, "Ugh… fine. It's just food."
Nero straightened up, puffing out her chest as though to reclaim some dignity. "Perhaps I got a little carried away," she admitted, though a sly grin quickly followed. "But only because it was delicious. Umu~!"
Emiya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just don't let me catch you two turning this place into a battlefield again," he said before returning to his station.
Charles slumped into his seat with a dramatic sigh, poking at the remnants of his meal. "Hmph. Next time, I'm not sharing anything with her," he muttered under his breath.
Nero, seated across from him, crossed her arms with an exaggerated pout. "Hah, as if I'd need your permission! Umu!" she teased, though her blush betrayed a hint of embarrassment.
The two ate in relative silence, the playful tension between them replaced with awkward quiet. From behind the counter, Emiya glanced at them and shook his head, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips.
"Childish," he muttered to himself, returning to his work.
For now, peace had returned to Chaldea's cafeteria—though how long it would last was anyone's guess.
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