[Emiya Residence, Storage]

"So, you're my aunt?"

Dong!

A very ominous sound rang on Bell's head.

"Watch out or I'll hit you, okay?", the silver-haired witch said.

"You already hit me!", the girl pressed her palm to her head and cried out.

A truly deserved "Godspeed Fist", you can't see the opponent's punch at all, only the result of "being beaten" remains.

Don't talk about guarding or dodging, you can't even perceive it. Between Bell (Lv.1 rookie adventurer) and Alfia (Caster), the difference is this clear.

Tearful, Bell's vision erupted with countless sparks; she struggled in pain like a rabbit slipping on snow and slammed her head against the wall.

"From now on, call me Mother Alfia," the white-haired witch said.

Bell: "..."

"What are you thinking?", Alfia asked.

"N-nothing."

Alfia parted her lips lightly, "Speak!"

Bell: "You're obviously just a suspicious kidnapper old lady... eek?"

'Why does the things in my head suddenly come out?'

Bang!

Bell received a forehead smack like the end of the world.

Everything went black before the girl's eyes; she nearly passed out.

At that moment the storage door opened and Emiya came in. Seeing the scene, he scratched his cheek.

"So you brought her back so fast," Emiya said to Alfia with some helplessness, then he looked at Bell.

"Miss Bell, sorry. Because of meeting you, Alfia may have gotten a little too excited."

'Lord [Grand Saber]?', Seeing Emiya, Bell's brain went blank.

'Oh no, there's no saving this now,' The girl, who thought she somewhat understood Emiya's "personality" and "influence," thought to herself.

Emiya looked to Alfia, "So, it really is her?"

"Mm, no mistake. Seeing those aggravating red eyes I knew. That bastard rabbit's kid..."

That terrifying "old woman" seemed to have a deep grudge against those eyes. Realizing this, Bell wailed, "Don't dig out my eyes."

"Um... don't worry, Miss Bell, Alfia won't hurt you," Emiya said.

"She already did!", Bell clutched her reddened forehead and said with teary eyes.

Alfia showed no shame, reached out and ruffled the girl's hair, "This is a mother's affection, affection."

"Ugh," The girl reacted like a little white rabbit pinned down by a tiger, making one wonder if she'd faint from fear.

"All right, let's explain the situation first," Emiya said, "Alfia, don't scare her."

"Hmph!", Alfia casually mussed the girl's hair, then finally let go.

With Emiya's patient explanation, Bell finally learned what was going on.

"So then, this sis… this sister really is my aunt?"

"Mm, I don't like the term 'aunt,' but your mother, Meteria, is indeed my younger sister," Alfia looked at Bell and said in a voice full of resentment, "Why didn't she keep her hair long?"

Meteria's hair was silver-white and long, while Bell's father's hair was white and short.

It was one thing that the girl inherited the hair color of the man who'd deceived her sister, but to also copy his haircut, and to have the same colored eyes besides made Bell resemble that Zeus familia bastard even more than Meteria did, which infuriated Alfia.

"I used to keep it down to my waist," Bell said, "But because I wanted to become an adventurer, I cut it..."

'Waist-length hair? Just like Meteria, he actually cut it off...', Alfia nearly vomited blood, "Guh, from today, you are forbidden to cut your hair again."

Bell: "Umm..."

'This aunt is so domineering,' the girl thought inwardly, but didn't dare to say it aloud.

After a while Bell quietly asked, "Um, aunt—"

"Call me Mother Alfia."

"...Mother Alfia."

"Mm, good," Alfia smiled rarely and reached to pat Bell's cheek.

Feeling the warmth of those fingers, something began to stir in Bell's heart.

'So, I do have family...', the girl thought.

"Mother Alfia, are you also an adventurer?", Bell asked.

"I used to be," Alfia answered, "Roughly a first-tier, I suppose."

"F-first tier?", Bell opened her mouth in surprise.

But seeing her standing with the Grand Saber, it seemed reasonable.

"So, are you Lv.5?"

Alfia: "The highest record on the Throne of Heroic Spirits is Lv.10."

"Pfft...", the girl almost spat.

'Lv.10... haha, obvious joke, aunt has a sense of humor...'

Bell: "You said 'used to'? Are you retired?"

Alfia: "No. I, in this world, am dead."

"Huh?", Bell froze, "D-dead?"

"Yes. The current me is summoned as Shirou's Servant into this world," Alfia said calmly, "Like that summoning magic the elf girl used."

The difference was that Ryu's [Astraea Summon] had a time limit, but as long as Emiya supplied mana, Alfia could remain indefinitely.

When not fighting or using magic, Alfia's mana consumption is negligible, and she can replenish mana by eating food, so Emiya can support her long-term activity.

However, Caster·Alfia's abilities are still limited by Emiya's stats; right now she can only perform up to Lv.8 level.

Bell, whose worldview was shaken, gaped stupidly at the girl's appearance. Emiya thought of Ais after Riveria knocked her on the head.

"Adventurer...", mentioning those words, Alfia frowned, "You are an adventurer now?"

"Y-yes, I'm currently the leader of the Hestia familia," Bell said.

But Hestia Familia has only her, so the title of leader is meaningless.

Hearing that, Alfia's face turned completely dark.

"Withdraw," she said coldly.

Bell: "What?"

Alfia spoke slowly, in an unquestionable tone, "I order you to leave that familia. Don't be an adventurer."

———

"I won't care about you!", Alfia said with a cold face.

"I don't want you to care!", Bell, eyes red, pushed open the door and ran out.

'They had a big fight,' Emiya sighed softly and stopped Alfia from pursuing the girl.

"Even if you catch her and beat her up, it won't help," Emiya said, "You can't break her limbs just to stop her from being an adventurer."

"Isn't that allowed?", Alfia said viciously, "If it's absolutely necessary, return that goddess who lured Bell away..."

"Don't do that," Emiya patted her back, "She'll hate you forever."

Because Alfia demanded two things, stop being an adventurer and quit the Hestia familia, Bell and her domineering aunt had a terrible fight.

Alfia's logic actually made sense.

First, in Alfia's view, neither Bell's mother nor father had much talent for being adventurers, and Bell's talent seemed even poorer.

At thirteen, she'd only just become a Lv.1 rookie; Ais was Lv.5 at that age.

And the so-called Sword Maiden was, to Alfia, only slightly gifted.

"She didn't develop any traits while growing, she didn't lay a proper foundation. After gaining [Falna] she hasn't activated a single magic or skill, and the magic slots are only one," the silver-haired witch evaluated bluntly.

Alfia herself has three magic slots, rare among non-elf races. Note that even a [Sage] has only two.

"My magic slots are only one...", Emiya said, and Alfia glanced at him lightly.

"You, with that exclusive magic that's strong like cheating, how many more do you want?", the hymn witch, often mocked by familia members for magic so strong it seemed like cheating, jabbed.

"When I first received [Falna] I had two magics and two skills," Alfia asked, "And you?"

Emiya thought, "One magic, two skills."

"That little show-off also had skills and magic from the moment he got [Falna]," Alfia said, "And that elf granny, she probably had three magics from the start."

Talent rarely remains hidden, especially in the eyes of gods.

When Hera first saw Alfia she predicted she'd be an outstanding adventurer; Hephaestus did too, and upon seeing Emiya immediately thought the kid would be a big deal.

Bell having been rejected by the gods already suggests she lacks talent. As for the possibility that all gods were wrong, Alfia thought it unlikely.

"I actually feel that child might be suited to be an adventurer," Emiya said.

Alfia: "Reason?"

Emiya: "Intuition."

"I don't think so... want to bet?", Alfia asked.

"Bet what?", Emiya asked.

"Position," Alfia glanced aside and said.

"...I have no problem."

"Hmph!", Alfia snorted and turned her head, "Even if she becomes an adventurer, she shouldn't join such a trash familia."

Emiya: "Ah, well..."

He couldn't really argue with Alfia's words. When he chose his familia, Mia's mother had said, "Ignore familias without even Lv.4, they're trash, not worth attention."

If Alfia knew she might say, "Familias under Lv.7 are all trash."

In the current labyrinth city, only three and a half familias met Alfia's approval: the Freya and Loki familias (with an Lv.8 and multiple Lv.7s), and the Hephaestus familia, which despite showing Lv.6 on paper actually has strength exceeding its numbers because of Emiya as the city's strongest.

Under the three major powers, the Asteria familia is passable. Though small and its goddess not present in Orario, it has Lv.7 [Gale] Ryuu Lion, one person enough to hold a top force.

"Or, if she joined the Dian Cecht familia, I could accept that," Alfia imagined Bell with long hair in a sexy doctor's outfit or a cute nurse uniform and smiled lightly.

That's parental mentality: if Alfia were desperately ill and without Emiya, she might wish Meteria's child to be a world-supporting hero.

But now, frankly, the world could fall and with aunt and uncle there, wouldn't it be fine to be a little shop girl or a nurse?

"What a fool. I don't remember Meteria being such an infuriating brat, it must be genetic from that Zeus familia bastard...", Alfia bit her teeth.

"And that Hestia familia... hehe...", saying that familia's name made Alfia laugh with anger.

Lv.1 Bell joins and becomes leader immediately, enters the dungeon alone on her first time with no senior guide.

Even that clumsy god didn't even know how to seal ability stats, so Bell's stats were exposed. Of course, the girl's magic and skills are blank and her five base stats aren't worth looking at.

"No, if you leave her to act recklessly, she'll die in the dungeon," Alfia said, "I must stop her."

"...Try not to use forceful measures if possible," Emiya said.

He has no prejudice against the adventurer profession; as long as Bell can live well, whether she's an adventurer or not is fine.

"Show her the gap," Alfia said, looking at Emiya, "Near the harbor there's a [Cetus] lair."

The ancient monster [Cetus], one of the sea beasts that became active after Alfia killed the ocean sovereign [Leviathan], with presumed potential around upper Lv.8.

"How far are you from leveling up?", Alfia asked.

Emiya: "Great deeds are sufficient, but ability stats haven't reached the limit."

After reaching Lv.6 he had slain lake monster Lochness, the Gulgagana, the ice dragon Hyperboria, and took on a [King] in between.

Several of his stats have already passed S999 and reached four digits, but he lacks an SSS, so he hasn't been in a hurry to level.

"Perfect, then we'll go slaughter [Cetus]," Alfia said, "Bring Bell and let her see the gap between herself and true strength."

"Make her give up those silly thoughts early!"

———

「Root of blessing, bane of birth, hunger that devours half a form is my original sin.」

「Cannot purge, cannot cleanse, cannot redeem; the sound that fills the sky is my sin.」

「Gods' trumpets, elves' lyres, melodies of light, these are the brand of sin.」

「My fate beloved by the man-made heavens. Shatter into ash, I loathe you so, the price here; carry the proof of sin and destroy all things.」

「Yet, even if the seal breaks, love remains inexhaustible.」

「Inheriting the wish of the half body, though the weeping does not stop, spirit remains unbroken; turn this pain into the dawn before daybreak.」

"Ring forth, holy bell tower"

"[Genos Angelus]"

Emiya and Alfia's speed was almost teleportation; in a single day the two left the city and found the cliff by the sea where [Cetus] hid.

Although a sea-dwelling monster by nature, [Cetus] is actually a dolphin, a mammal that cannot breathe underwater.

This monster seemed to know the dangers of light under a lamp; its lair was right near the harbor, the place where [Leviathan] was buried.

"Back then we fought Leviathan near that island. Thanks to the mountains on the island shielding the waves, Poseidon Familia's [Sea Fortress] wasn't utterly overturned, though in the end it almost sank," Alfia said.

The place where [Leviathan] fell still radiates an aura that ordinary monsters fear; almost no creatures approach it, but [Cetus] used that very fact to make a safe harbor for itself.

Only much later did the city discover the abnormal shipwreck rate in nearby waters and find it.

The crescent-shaped lake formed by the battle between Hera Familia and [Leviathan] is [Cetus]'s lair.

It ultimately became its burial ground.

This ancient monster, pursued by [Leviathan] almost its whole life, upon seeing Emiya and Alfia dove deep into the sea to escape. But Emiya and Alfia gave it no chance.

Emiya projected the [Sword of Promised Victory (Excalibur)] and sliced through the sea, and Alfia finished it with magic of top-class Noble Phantasm power.

A blow that would've taken most of Leviathan's life, let alone mere [Cetus], and Alfia's magic delivered the killing blow.

Bell, forcibly brought along by Alfia, watched the two fight and was completely stunned.

But instead of feeling despair and giving up becoming an adventurer as Alfia expected, the girl thought, 'I want to become a hero like them.'

On the contrary, that desire arose in her heart.

———

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

[Emiya Shirou]

[Lv.6→Lv.7]

Strength: SSS1301→I0

Endurance: SS1098→I0

Dexterity: SSS1529→I0

Agility: SS1202→I0

Mana: SSS1593→I0

—: Developmental Abilities :—

[Mystery] D-C, [Forge] D-C, [Dominion] E-D, [Fate] G-E, [Martial Refinement] I-G, [Luck] I

—: Magic :—

[Unlimited Blade Works]

—: Skills :—

[Oath under the Snow]

[Knight of Goddess]

[Roadless Valhalla]

[End of Anything]

[Mind's Eye · True]

[Golden Physique]

[Enuma Elish]

[Hawkeye] → [Clairvoyance]

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

This time Emiya's level-up granted the developmental ability [Luck].

By the literal meaning, the effect should be to receive "good fortune" favor in battles and other scenes, possibly also increasing drop rates for loot.

In magic and skill changes, the original [Hawkeye] evolved into [Clairvoyance].

[Clairvoyance: An ultimate field of vision, perhaps able to transcend the constraints of a timeline and look to past or future. It integrates all the effects of [Hawkeye].]

Hephaestus bowed her head, examining Emiya's stats, but this time the goddess unusually showed no joy.

"Shirou, why are you so anxious?", the goddess asked softly.

Emiya paused while getting dressed, then smiled, "I'm not anxious. This time the leveling took much longer than before."

"I never said you were anxious," the goddess said softly; Emiya realized he'd let something slip.

Others might not notice, but how could Hephaestus, who always watches Emiya, not sense it? The goddess had noticed early that after reaching Lv.6 his actions had a clear urgency.

Three sorties in half a year hunting ancient monsters, each with plausible reasons, but the goddess still felt something odd.

"Do you want to hide it from me? I am a goddess, and even if I weren't, I wouldn't misread your feelings," Hephaestus said gently.

"Shirou, tell me. Before the level-up, what did your intuition tell you, and now, what did your 'Clairvoyance' see?", the goddess looked at him seriously.

"I am your goddess, so please trust me," Hephaestus' eyes were a little wet. The goddess clearly felt the extreme sadness in the instant when Emiya opened his eyes before.

After a long silence, Emiya spoke, "I saw..."

"Before you answer," sensing the boy's suppressed emotion, the goddess softly said, "Shirou, hold me."

———

Emiya residence, Tiamat was tidying Emiya's bedding.

"That child probably won't come back tonight," the goddess suddenly had that premonition.

Tiamat smiled lightly, "Such a good child, working so hard."

She turned and looked at the somewhat lonely room.

"Though it's a little... lonely."

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