Year: 2018
Location: Chang-an Village, Level 4
“Hold on.”
I promptly step in front of Assassin to wedge myself into the conversation. The two Servants look at me curiously.
“You are?” The female Saber asks, clearly surprised at my interjection.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m her… partner. We’re a team.” I explain cautiously. “If you have something to discuss with her, I’d like to hear it as well.”
This is a troublesome situation, so I tread carefully. Two knight-class Servants… they overpower us way too much, even if Rider were with us. If I don’t play my cards right, we could be taken out instantly.
“Hm? Is that so?” Saber tilts her head a little, but still walks up towards us with an earnest expression. “Very well, then, could we go somewhere private? There’s something important we’d like to discuss with you two.”
I carefully consider the situation as I observe Saber’s mannerisms. She has a serious, dignified tone to her voice, but I sense a sort of youthful energy to her movements. Though it’s the wrong culture, she reminds me of my image of a female knight from one of those fantasy novels. At the same time, though, I notice the male Lancer Servant glaring at us from behind. He hasn’t said anything yet, but I can feel the sharpness of his gaze. Together, they make an interesting pair.
Before I answer, I take the moment to glance back at Assassin. Quickly noticing, she gives me a simple nod, a sign of her trust in my decision. It seems it’s up to me, then. In that case…
“We don’t really mind but… we actually have a prior engagement we must attend to. Would it be okay if we talk at a later chance?” I ask carefully. I have a few tactical reasons for me to delay this conversation, but it is also true that we promised to visit Yingying’s home first.
“Oh, that’s a bit…” Saber scratches her head a little. “It’d be preferable if we could…”
“That’s fine.” Lancer suddenly interjects, before Saber could even finish responding. It’s the first time he spoke, but I can feel a commanding tone to his voice.
“Eh? Are you sure?” Saber questions as she hesitatingly looks back at her companion.
“There should be no problems with talking later.” He confirms sagely, before turning to me. “Will your engagement take long?”
“... It should only take a few hours.” I answer after some thought. “If there’s somewhere you’d like to meet us, we could do so in say… 5 hours?”
“That won’t be necessary. We’ll find you.” He declares and then, with no care for the rest of the conversation, leaps away into the sky.
“Ah, wait, wait.” Saber exclaims as her companion departs suddenly. “Sheesh, he’s always like this.”
Putting her hands on her hips in complaint, she looks at her companions escaping back before swiftly turning back to us.
“Sorry about this. We’ll see you later tonight, I guess. Ciao!” She gives her farewells before jumping after Lancer.
“…ok.” I’m left speechless at their hasty departure. Those two seem like a very strange pair.
Well, then, this is certainly a troublesome situation. I still don’t know what those two want, but I can tell it’s nothing good. At the same time, though, I can’t get the feeling that they’re bad people…
“Um… is everything alright?” Yingying asks from behind, after witnessing that whole weird exchange. “Do you know those two?”
“Uhh… no. They’re just some… troublesome associates.” I answer, myself not really knowing what to make of them. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. More importantly, let’s keep going. Your house isn’t too much further, is it?”
“Ah, right. It’s this way.” She nods, her worries assuaged, and goes back to leading us forward.
She moves ahead and I slowly follow. I still feel anxious, but now not towards the thought of Yingying’s family. I’m worried about what to do with those two Servants.
“Master…” Assassin speaks with concern, trailing behind me.
“Yeah, I know…” She doesn’t need to say anything for me to understand that she’s worried as well. “… I’ll keep going to Yingying’s house, so could you run and contact Rider quickly? If things go badly, we’ll need her help.”
“Roger.” She confirms before vanishing from view.
Well then… these are gonna be a couple of nerve-wracking hours in more ways than one.
Year: 2018
Location: Cui Household, Level 4
“Hm? Where’d Assassin go?” Yingying asks as she notices the disappearance of the familiar Servant.
“Oh, she just had some business to take care of. She’ll be joining us a bit later.” I answer casually, as we head up the steps.
After a bit more walking, we had arrived at Yingying’s family’s home, an apartment within a gigantic housing complex. As you’d expect from this world, the building was a huge block, cramming numerous residences into one space. It was such a place that you could only describe it as efficient. I don’t know why I was looking forward to some sort of rural, happy home filled with colorful memories when I already knew what this world was like…
Yingying’s family’s place was on the 18th floor so we were in for a tough climb. Yingying cheerfully leaps up the steps while I drag my couch-potato body up heavily. With each level up, I feel the burn in my legs intensify and curse that this world hasn’t invented elevators yet. My arms are already down for the count, but at this rate, I might not be able to walk tomorrow.
After what felt like the climb out of hell, we make it to our destination, an utterly indistinct door among a row of precisely identical entrances. At the top of the door is a number and a nameplate with the word “Cui” written on. I guess that must’ve been Yingying’s family name before she was adopted.
“So this is where you grew up, huh…” I say, trying to hide my lack of enthusiasm at how unimpressive it seems.
“Hm? Oh no, it’s not.” She suddenly shakes her head.
“… huh?” I’m left bewildered at her answer.
“Well, after I became princess and moved to the capital, our family didn’t need as much space so they were relocated to a more appropriate lodging.” She explains as a matter of fact. “I was notified of the address in a letter, but I’ve never actually been here before.”
“Oh… huh.” I nod along, somewhat caught off guard. So, there isn’t anything sentimental about this location after all? That’s… a little bit of a shame, I think.
“Still, to be honest, I’m a little nervous.” Yingying casually admits as we stand before the door. “It’s been two years since I’ve seen them after all… So much has happened.”
“… don’t know what to say?” I ask uncharacteristically solemn.
“No, that’s not it. It’s just… nevermind.” She shakes her worries away, but I can tell she seems a little uncertain about something.
Looking at her trepidation, I’m reminded of the times I would visit my dad and how I would stand outside the door for so long, just trying to think of how to talk to him. I doubt it’s to that degree, but perhaps she also has a reason to hesitate in seeing her family?
“Hmm… then, shall I cast a magic spell on you?” I offer after some thought.
“Huh? Magic?”
Before she can pull back, I swiftly draw close. I planned to place my hand on her forehead but quickly remember I’m crippled, so I instead touch my forehead with hers, before closing my eyes.
A delicate sensation.
Breath mingling with breath. Skin brushing against skin.
Our heads connect. I feel the Yingying’s heat closely as I fire up my own body.
“Ehhh…” I hear her quiet voice shiver at the sudden physical contact.
“Don’t worry. It’s just a little charm… to give you the courage to make your wishes come true.” I explain nonchalantly and begin.
Lightly, weakly. Aptly, quickly. Tick-tock, tick-tock, hurry, hurry.
Flying, swimming, running, leaping. Tick-tock, tick-tock, blow the whistle.
The stars shine in the northern sky, always and forever.
The energy circles through me and flows into her. I feel a response and confirm the success.
“Phew. Alright, that should work.” I sigh in relief and open my eyes. “That should help ease your anxiety a bit.”
That was my signature spell, Wish. It’s elementary suggestion that can do simple things like calm a person down or get them motivated. In this case, I used it to make Yingying less nervous. Well, I call it my signature spell, but it’s actually just the only thing I can do half-decently. Figures this would be the only type of magecraft I have some talent for.
As I open my eyes, I expect to find Yingying having calmed down a lot, but instead am greeted with the sight of her red-faced and seemingly excited.
“Huh? What’s wrong?” I ask with worry.
I hope I didn’t accidently give her a fever by failing the spell or something. Instead of seeming sick, however, Yingying turns her head slightly as if not to face me and responds,
“T-that kind of direct attack is unfair…”
Hm? I don’t get what she’s talking about. Direct attack… oh, she means directly using my magecraft on her. Ahh, I guess it was rather rude to just use it without asking first. How dumb of me.
“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable…” I try to apologize, feeling bad about my eternal lack of delicacy.
“No, no, it’s fine.” She waves off my apology, as always, and manages to gain her composure. “I know you don’t mean to do these kind of things…”
She takes a little breath and all the nerves in her body seem to instantly relax. That must be the spell kicking in at last.
“Okay… I think I do feel a little better now.” She calms down and pushes past her nervousness. “Right. Nothing will happen if I just worry. I’ll just have to ring the bell.”
With just a little help from me, she summons up some courage and reaches for the string by the door. From the looks of it, it seems like there’s some bell mechanism inside the houses with an attached string that goes outside. So, if a visitor comes, they can tug on the string and it’ll ring the bell within. That’s rather nice for an archaic system. I wonder if actual old doorbells were something like this in my world.
“Who is it?” A voice calls out from within, drowning out the sound of the ringing bell. Moments later, the door opens, and a middle-aged looking woman steps out.
“Hello…” Yingying quietly greets the woman. In turn, the woman stares blankly at us as if observing us carefully.
“How may I help you?” For some reason, the woman asks cautiously. That’s a weird response…
“Mom… it’s me.” Yingying simply answers.
For a moment, you can see the woman process those words before a sudden strike of realization flashes across her face.
“Yingying?” She asks with rising hope in her voice.
In response, Yingying merely nods and an instant later she’s hugged viciously by the woman.
“Oh my gosh. I almost didn’t recognize you. You’ve grown up so much.” Her mother exclaims as she embraces her daughter tightly.
“Geez, Mom. What are you talking about? It’s only been 2 years.” Yingying says such with a strained smile.
After what seems like an eternity of warmth, the two finally let go of each other.
“What are you doing here? You weren’t fired, were you?” Her mother asks with both expectation and concern.
“I don’t think you can be fired from being a princess…” Yingying giggles. “That’s not it. I just came to visit. Don’t tell me I’m not welcome anymore.”
“Of course not. Oh, it’s so good to see you. Your father’s out right now, but he’ll be back shortly. Come in, come in.” Her mom says energetically, before suddenly seeing me. “Oh? And who is this gentleman?”
“Well, Mom.” Yingying responds with a smile as she introduces me. “This… is my husband.”
“H-hi.” I meekly greet, unsure of what to say after that intro.
“…”
The mother freezes. Her expression becomes one of blank wonder, unable to process the meaning of those words. It seems as if the entire world froze along with her.
And the next moment, she falls over like a computer crashing.
“MOM!?” Yingying cries and out and rushes to her fainted mother.
I, however, can only look at the scene with worry. I hope my mother-in-law is prone to fainting spells, or I’ll feel really concerned about my ability to make grown women collapse at the mere knowledge that I’m married to their daughters…
I am now really not looking forward to meeting the father.
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