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Shirou removed the Class Card from his forehead and gazed at her, a hint of helplessness in his expression, "Arcueid, I'm completely lost here. What exactly do you want? I just don't get it."

"Shirou, I'm telling you, you were insanely powerful when you were a kid! I'm not kidding, try transforming again and see for yourself!"

In truth, what she really wanted for were those sweet words from the younger Shirou.

The mere thought of hearing them again made her heart flutter with anticipation.

Summon him again, and this time, it would be great if he called her "Arcueid-neesan" or something!

Usually, Shirou was a serious individual who preferred to keep his thoughts to himself, seldom sharing them with others. Moreover, he tended to treat her as if she were just a child.

It was clearly wrong, wasn't it? After all, she was the True Ancestor, a being that had existed for thousands of years!

"Insanely powerful?" He shot her a cold glance and retorted, "And who was the one that ambushed me from behind during my childhood and thrust their hand into my abdomen? Can you answer that for me?"

"Who? Who would dare commit such an act!" Arcueid's anger flared up. "Anyone who dares to harm my dear friend will never escape my vengeance! Shirou, tell me, who was it?"

Shirou: "..."

Did this girl not have even the slightest bit of Heracles in her heart?

"Hehe~! Shirou, transform again! Come on—call me Arcueid-neesan~!" she giggled, pointing at herself.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, his face blank of any emotion, and started dialing a number.

"Shirou, who are you calling?"

"Who else could it be?" His expression turned icy, and he spoke with a ruthless tone. "I think it's necessary to let Kariya know where you are. Then he can come and capture you, locking you up in a small, dark room!"

"No, please don't!" she exclaimed in a panicked voice, reaching out desperately to grab his phone.

He held the phone high, skillfully evading her hands.

"Beep..." A busy tone echoed from the other end of the line.

Kariya's voice came through the phone, "Hello! This is the Matou Editing Department. I'm the chief editor, Matou Kariya. May I know who's calling—?"

Shirou retrieved the phone and brought it to his ear, saying, "I'm Fujimaru Shirou, and—"

But before he could finish, a look of sheer panic appeared on Arcueid's face. In a swift motion, she lunged towards him, her hand quickly covering his mouth as she tried to snatch the phone away.

Naturally, he wasn't about to let this girl succeed. He raised the phone even higher while attempting to push her away.

It was then that he truly understood the extent of this girl's strength...

Caught up in her panic, she lost control of her strength, causing both of them to tumble onto the bed.

Arcueid, in a panic, sat on top of him, her slender legs wrapping around his waist. One hand tightly covered his mouth, while the other reached for the phone.

"Hello? Hello? Shirou, is that you? Have you obtained any info? Are you providing any leads regarding that irresponsible author?"

"Do you have any information about Arcueid?"

"Hello? Hello? Say something!"

...

I want to say something!

Shirou's internal frustration erupted in a silent roar.

Confronting the True Ancestor head-on for the first time, he was struck by the sheer magnitude of her terrifying strength.

As she pounced on him, it felt as though a mountain had come crashing down, effortlessly toppling him over. With her hand pressed firmly against his mouth, he was rendered completely speechless.

Pinned down on the bed by Arcueid, he couldn't help but feel small and vulnerable, as if he were a delicate girl about to be ravaged. No matter how much he struggled, it seemed futile, unable to create even the slightest ripple.

It was so embarrassing!

His mouth was being squeezed shut so tight that it was hard for him to catch a breath.

With a sense of reluctance, he had to hang up the phone for the time being.

As the call ended, Arcueid, her face covered in cold sweat, finally let out a relieved sigh. She loosened her grip on his mouth, giving him some much-needed breathing space.

However, she remained firmly seated on top of him, refusing to budge.

"Get off me," he said expressionlessly.

She tried to strike a deal. "Give me the phone!"

"I promise I won't call Kariya, okay? Just get off me already! This position is killing my waist."

"Shirou, you're such a big liar! I won't fall for it!" she scoffed, grabbing both of his wrists and pinning him down on the bed.

The situation couldn't have been more embarrassing!

It's like a budding little girl about to be rap*d.

Unable to bear it any longer, his face twisted with displeasure as he demanded, "Release me!"

Arcueid, however, remained resolute. She exerted force, lifting his hands above his head, planning to use one hand to restrain him while reaching for his phone with the other.

Fortunately, there was no one around to witness it...

...

"Will admitting my mistake actually lead to forgiveness?"

"That's what my teacher told me," Gray replied.

"Ugh... I don't want to beg for forgiveness from my king. If he were to forgive me, I'd feel even worse... I just hope that the king can punish this sinful knight of his..."

Knock, knock, knock...

"Um, excuse me."

Gray and Artoria decided to pay a visit, but after a few knocks, they realized the door was actually open.

Then, to their surprise, they walked in on Arcueid pinning Shirou down on the bed.

"Eep...! Sorry, sorry... We're interrupting, we're interrupting!" Gray blurted out, her face instantly turning crimson. She hastily turned around and sprinted away in embarrassment.

Not only Gray, but Artoria also felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. Her cheeks reddened, and she swiftly turned on her heels, making a hasty exit as well.

Gray hurriedly fled from the hotel, sprinting until she reached a street corner. Leaning against the wall, she pressed her hands against her flushed cheeks, her face burning with embarrassment.

"I... I can't believe I walked in on such an embarrassing scene!" Gray said to herself, her voice muffled by her hands. She squeezed her eyes shut once more, and it felt like steam was rising from her head due to her embarrassment.

"No wonder the king never sought a queen from the kingdom. It seems he has a fondness for Arcueid..." Artoria murmured as she shifted her gaze in the direction of the hotel.

Gray cautiously opened her fingers, peering at Artoria through the gaps. She couldn't help but notice a peculiar expression on the king's face. There was a mix of regret and... relief, accompanied by a subtle touch of blessing. It appeared to be a complex combination of emotions.

"What's the matter, Gray?"

"Oh, it's nothing... I mean, I was just thinking about how abruptly we barged in. Do you think it might disturb Fujimaru-sama?"

Hearing her words, Artoria couldn't help but relive that moment, causing her delicate features to instantly be tinged with a blush.

"What's wrong?" Gray asked.

Artoria hastily waved her hand and replied, "Oh, it's nothing, really. Please, don't worry about it."

From the depths of her pocket, Add erupted into hearty and carefree laughter. "This piggy must be thinking about something shameful! Hahaha!"

Slightly flustered, Gray retrieved Add from her pocket and pleaded, "Add, please refrain from making such offensive remarks."

Add's laughter continued, undeterred. "Oh, but that won't do! In life, you should speak your mind freely. It's the path to happiness!"

Artoria gazed at Add, her eyes fixed on him for a brief moment. A look of realization crossed her face, and she nodded as if a newfound understanding had dawned upon her. "Ah, I see now. The Holy Lance of the King... It simulates the personality of my brother."

She turned her head towards Gray, her expression serious, and posed a question. "Gray, would you mind if I temporarily borrow your body?"

Gray, taken aback but willing, stammered in response. "Uh... of course. Please, don't hesitate."

With her consent, Artoria merged with her, gaining control over her physical form. As she did so, her grip on Add tightened.

Crack, crack, crack...!

Add's sturdy shell emitted a dreadful sound.

"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! You monstrous pig, be gentle! Be gentle! You'll shatter it! It's going to break!" Add shrieked in agony.

"Mocking a lady will surely invite consequences, dear brother."

Add let out a mournful wail. "You dare call yourself a lady! You abominable pig! Release your grip! I may be a mere simulated personality of Kay, but that still makes me your brother, doesn't it? Please, let go!"

Artoria's expression grew darker as she clutched Add firmly between her palms, applying pressure akin to a hydraulic press, as if attempting to flatten Add into a meat patty.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Artoria! Let go! Let go! It's going to break, it's really going to break, aaahhh—!" Add screamed in anguish.

Seeing Add admit its mistake, she finally loosened her grip.

"Goodness, you're so strong... What kind of lady are you!" Add couldn't help but complain.

She cast a quick glance in Add's direction, causing Add to tremble and immediately fall silent.

Although she was currently borrowing Gray's body, Gray could still sense what was happening in the outside world.

She couldn't help but feel surprised as she witnessed Add being defeated again. In all honesty, Add held a special place in her heart as her dearest friend. However, there were times when she found Add's outspoken nature hard to bear, and now the king had effortlessly silenced this bad habit.

'Hmm, I should learn from this!' Gray thought to herself.

"Wow, that's so fun..." Suddenly, a youthful voice resonated in their ears, causing Artoria, Gray, and Add to startle. They turned their heads to find a young blonde girl standing at the entrance of the alley, gazing curiously at them.

The blonde girl eagerly pointed at Add and asked, "Hey, um... neechan, where did you get that awesome toy? It looks super fun!"

Artoria felt a wave of uncertainty wash over her. She had become more resourceful since turning fifteen, but she still struggled with lying.

Add also remained silent. Seldom appearing in public, it naturally had to keep quiet when seen by an ordinary little girl. Otherwise, it would risk exposing its mystery.

In their moment of distress, the blonde girl clapped her hands excitedly and beamed, "Oh! I know! You got it from the department store in the city center, right?"

Artoria hesitated for a moment, feeling a surge of relief, and responded with a nod, saying, "Yes... I suppose so."

With her deep crimson eyes, the blonde girl scrutinized Add intently and smiled, saying, "It looks like such an expensive toy. My mom and dad wouldn't buy me something like that. I'm really jealous. So, big sister, please take good care of it and keep it safe."

Taking a brief pause, the blonde girl handed a small note to Artoria.

"Here, big sister. This is for you."

Curious, she asked, "What's this?"

The blonde girl grinned and replied, "It's a little something from a strange man with a scar on his face. He wanted me to pass it on to you. Well then, bye-bye, neechan."

With that, the blonde girl turned on her heels and merrily skipped away. Artoria watched her leave, feeling a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. She cautiously opened the note, and as her eyes scanned its contents, she was stunned.

"What's wrong, Your Highness?" Gray asked. As she read the cryptic message on the note, she too was stunned.

----Do not show tenderness to those from the past.

"Your Highness, what does this mean?"

She shook her head, her expression mirroring Gray's confusion. "I'm as clueless as you are."

In fact, she had no idea who could have sent such a message or what it meant.

A man with a scar on his face...? 

Did she know someone like that? 

Artoria felt puzzled.

...

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