Mordred: Just Wait Till My Mum Gets Here... Then You'll Know You're Wrong

Ian certainly wanted to meet the person called Akuta Hinako.

However, he hadn't expected the opportunity to arise so quickly—and that it would be Mordred who brought it up.

What was going on?

"Mordred, did you get in touch with Akuta Hinako-san?" Ian asked, his brow furrowed in slight confusion.

"It wasn't her, it was me!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka interjected at this moment.

After this period of recuperation, she had almost fully recovered.

Although in a way it was still quite unbelievable—but this was in line with the terrifying resilience she herself had mentioned, the kind that would allow her to "survive even ten thousand years ago."

"You?" Ian looked at her, surprised.

"Yup, yup!" Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded enthusiastically.

"Actually, to be precise, it wasn't me who contacted Akuta Hinako-san, but rather she who contacted me."

"She contacted you?" Ian was a bit taken aback.

"Yes," Fujimaru Ritsuka took out her phone.

"As soon as I joined the group chat, she immediately sent me a private message, hoping to meet me alone!"

"But, well—" Fujimaru Ritsuka rubbed her arm, where some scars were still visible.

"Back then, even moving hurt like hell, so I could only postpone it a bit."

"Now that I've recovered quite a bit, I figured I'd go and meet her."

"Wait a minute," Ian held up his hand, stopping Fujimaru Ritsuka.

"If I heard correctly—" he began, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Akuta Hinako-san sent you a private message as soon as she joined the group chat, and even hoped to meet you alone?"

"That's right!" Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded.

"Then aren't you afraid she's the one who wants to kill you?" Ian asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Eh?"

Fujimaru Ritsuka blinked, then cupped her face with her hands.

"Oh, right!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in realization.

"I hadn't thought of that possibility."

"..."

Ian didn't know how to react for a moment.

"Ritsuka, you're too trusting."

"I just didn't think that much about it!" Fujimaru Ritsuka shook her head. "After all, you're in that group chat too, so I figured it should be pretty safe."

"..."

Ian was once again speechless.

Mordred, however, smoothed things over at this moment—though she herself might not have had that intention.

"It's alright!" she declared, puffing out her chest.

"With me around, all those sneaky bad guys who only know how to assassinate people with magic will be sent flying!"

As she spoke, she struck a pose, looking eager to fight, her fists clenched as if she really wanted to pick a fight with someone.

Ian stopped her directly.

"Alright, what happened before doesn't matter anymore."

"Since we know now, let's go meet her together—I also happen to want to know why she wanted to join us."

"If there really is a problem, we'll go to the Director."

After saying these words, Ian quite naturally called out towards the inside of the room.

"Mashu, come out."

"We're going to meet that person called Akuta Hinako-san."

"C-coming!"

Responding to Ian's call, Mashu, who had concealed all traces of their earlier activities under her clothes, appeared in everyone's sight.

Mordred was the first to go ballistic.

"Mashu?!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief and a hint of anger.

"Why are you in my dad's... the Master's room that I just barely managed to enter?!"

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Shouted at by Mordred like this, Mashu, who already felt a bit guilty, immediately lowered her head, stammering and unable to say a word for a long time.

Almost simultaneously, Ian directly shielded her behind him and gently tapped Mordred's head.

"Mordred, you can't be so rude."

"But—" Mordred clutched her head.

Whether it was because of the Master or because of the father-daughter relationship, she couldn't be too unreasonable in her retaliation against the man before her, and could only grumble with a wronged expression.

"Coming out of a man's room so early in the morning, what kind of impression does that give people!"

"Master, this will give others a very bad impression of you!"

"Bad is bad then," Ian replied without hesitation.

"I don't care."

"However—" Ian turned slightly to face Mordred more directly.

"Mordred, I still want to emphasize to you that Mashu came to my place to avoid the person targeting the Masters."

"I will protect her properly."

"This point will not change no matter what."

"..."

Mashu's eyes cleared up a bit.

And Mordred didn't respond any further.

However, judging from her expression, she clearly didn't quite believe Ian's words.

But the man didn't care.

He simply waved his hand.

"Alright, let's end the discussion here and hurry up and leave."

A few minutes later, in the corridor of Chaldea.

Mordred had completely lost her earlier displeasure and was now chattering away to Ian.

After all, they had been apart for a while.

At this time, she had many things she wanted to tell Ian.

Of course, what she wanted to say were just trivial experiences.

Like how she could use modern instant drinks now, or how she had barely managed to understand how to use a phone with Fujimaru Ritsuka's help.

And Ian listened to her patiently.

After all—

Mordred's happy appearance was one of the things he hoped to see.

Behind them.

Mashu and Fujimaru Ritsuka walked side by side.

To be fair, the two of them weren't very close yet.

Their only common ground was Ian.

"Ian and Mordred are really close," Fujimaru Ritsuka said, looking at the scene in front of her, unable to help but sigh in admiration.

"Say, Mashu."

"Do all Masters get along this well with their Servants?"

"Eh, that?"

Although she wasn't very close to Fujimaru Ritsuka yet, Mashu wasn't the kind of person to be impolite.

She thought for a moment and replied,

"No, that's not the case."

"Although once summoned, a Servant and Master form an indelible contract."

"But not all Servants will necessarily get along well with their Masters—it seems there have even been cases where Masters were killed on the spot right after being summoned."

"Ah? That..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka's throat moved slightly.

"Then doesn't summoning become a very dangerous thing?"

"Please rest assured about that!" Mashu smiled slightly. "Our Chaldea will provide as safe a summoning environment as possible for the Masters."

"After all—"

"We don't want to see any harm come to the Master candidates."

"Oh..." Fujimaru Ritsuka breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good then."

"By the way!" She looked at Mashu beside her.

"Mashu, can I ask you a few questions?"

"Yes... if I am able to answer them."

"You definitely can!" Fujimaru Ritsuka said with a smile. "I just want to know if what Ian said is true."

"You moved into his room just to ensure your safety?"

Mashu realized this was a question concerning Ian's reputation.

She quickly nodded.

"Yes, that's right."

"Senpai hasn't done anything strange on his own, he taught me many things and showed me many positions."

"He's a very good person."

"I see..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't doubt what Mashu said at all.

"Then—" she continued, her voice a little hesitant.

"You shouldn't have any intimate relationship with him, right?"

"Oh... I mean that kind of romantic relationship!"

"Eh?!"

Mashu's face flushed slightly, and she shook her head.

"No, we don't."

"Senpai and I are not in a romantic relationship."

"Oh—!"

Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes brightened a bit.

"Then since you've moved in."

"Ian is probably still single, right?"

"..."

Mashu didn't know how to answer for a moment.

After all, she had seen the lewd photos Ophelia had sent to Ian.

However—

He had said that the two of them were not in a romantic relationship.

But rather a transaction.

He learned magic from her;

And she received emotional support from him.

Thinking about it this way—

This wasn't a romantic relationship.

"No," Mashu looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka before her and said,

"Senpai is single."

"He doesn't have a single girlfriend in Chaldea."

"Oh~"

Fujimaru Ritsuka seemed to have gotten the answer she wanted and smiled happily.

"I understand!"

"Thank you, Mashu~"

Without waiting for Mashu to respond, Fujimaru Ritsuka quite naturally moved closer to Ian and Mordred, chatting and laughing with them.

And Mashu, walking alone at the very back, looked at this scene and suddenly realized that something seemed a bit off.

Did she have feelings for him?

Following Fujimaru Ritsuka's and Akuta Hinako-san's arrangement.

The group arrived at the Chaldea cafeteria.

It was breakfast time, and there were quite a few people here.

The place Akuta Hinako-san had chosen was a relatively secluded spot—a square table with a tablecloth, flanked by long, high-backed sofa chairs.

Fujimaru Ritsuka was the first to sit down inside, then patted the seat beside her and called out to Ian with a cheerful voice.

"Sit over here!"

"..."

Although he didn't particularly like the feeling of being assigned a seat, since Fujimaru Ritsuka had said so, Ian certainly wouldn't refuse her.

"Alright."

The man sat down next to Fujimaru Ritsuka.

Seeing this, Mordred followed suit.

"If that's the case—"

"Then I'll sit..."

Before she could finish speaking, Mashu had already sat down beside Ian.

"Senpai, is it alright if I sit here?"

"Of course," Ian smiled slightly. "Mashu, you can sit wherever you like."

"No, what about me?!" Mordred pointed at herself with her finger.

"Master, one of them is sitting on your left, and the other is sitting on your right, where do I sit?"

"Mordred," Ian raised an eyebrow towards the other side of the table.

"Why don't you sit across from us?"

"Eh?!"

Mordred looked very reluctant.

"I always sit next to you."

"Well, this time, why don't you just try a different seat? Maybe you'll like it even more," Ian said with a slight smile, explaining his suggestion.

"..."

Although very unwilling, since her father had already put it this way, Mordred could only obediently sit on the other side.

She poked the ice cubes in the drink that had just been brought to her with a straw, muttering softly.

"A bunch of bad women trying to seduce my dad."

"Just wait till my mum gets here... then you'll know you're wrong."

As it turned out, Mordred's thoughts were indeed correct.

There was still a little while before the agreed meeting time.

Mashu nervously watched Fujimaru Ritsuka's actions.

She regretted saying earlier that Ian was single.

Because—

Fujimaru Ritsuka clearly looked like she was eyeing him intently now.

"Ian, the things here are really delicious!" Fujimaru Ritsuka exclaimed, taking another sip of her drink.

"Yeah, they are," Ian nodded in agreement. "Ritsuka, if you like it, have some more."

"It's on me."

Chaldea was very generous to the Master candidates.

And people like Ian, who were favored by the Director, were even more comfortable—his spending limit was even higher than Mashu's.

"Okay, I won't be polite then~" Fujimaru Ritsuka said with a smile.

"However—" The girl's gaze fell on the drink in front of Ian.

"Ian, can I try some of what's in your cup?"

"Ah, try mine?" Ian frowned slightly.

"But I've already drunk from it... wouldn't that be a bit unhygienic? I'll order you a new one."

"No need!" Fujimaru Ritsuka shook her head. "Anyway, I just want to try a sip."

"Drinking yours is just right."

"...Alright then."

With Ian's permission, Fujimaru Ritsuka directly picked up his cup.

Whether it was by chance or intentionally.

Fujimaru Ritsuka's lips just so happened to touch the exact spot where Ian had just taken a sip.

An exclamation of admiration rang out: "It's really delicious too!"

After saying these words, the red-haired girl offered her own cup to Ian.

"Ian, you should try mine too!"

"Mine is also very good!"

"..."

Ian knew that Fujimaru Ritsuka was most likely not trying to be cunning, but simply wanted to do this.

This girl was probably touched by his actions of leaving Mordred to take care of her.

So this time, she wanted to do something in return.

After hesitating for a moment, the man took Fujimaru Ritsuka's cup and took a small sip.

"Yeah, it's very delicious."

"Ehehe, I told you so."

All of this was seen by Mashu—she realized that she couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

The pink-haired girl raised her own cup with a trembling hand.

"Senpai, please try mine too!"

"..."

In this situation, he naturally couldn't favor one over the other.

"Yeah, it's very delicious."

Fujimaru Ritsuka leaned forward, looking at Mashu, who was blushing but also looked very happy.

She realized that the other girl didn't seem to be without feelings for Ian, but simply hadn't achieved any results yet.

Their eyes met, seemingly forming an invisible battlefield.

One sip.

Two sips.

Three sips.

Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mashu offered what they had drunk to Ian like a military competition.

From the other side of the table came the sound of Mordred's teeth chattering.

Ian knew that if this continued, the situation would become very bad.

However—

He had already thought of a solution.

Almost simultaneously.

Both girls shuddered slightly.

They saw Ian's hands, hidden under the tablecloth, reach out to their respective thighs, gently caressing them.

Faced with this scene.

The introverted Mashu lowered her head and slightly parted her legs, allowing the man to freely touch more areas.

And Fujimaru Ritsuka placed her own hand on his, as if implying "you touch me, I touch you."

Finally, it was quiet.

Ian breathed a sigh of relief.

But just at this moment.

A black-haired literary girl with black twin tails, holding a book, arrived at the entrance of the cafeteria.

And the moment Ian noticed her, he felt his body suddenly tremble.

The memories of Heian-kyō flooded his mind, simultaneously revealing a shocking truth.

She... wasn't human?