Summary: It's not everyday the Master of Chaldea gets to meet a Heroic Spirit of their home culture. It's all the sadder when coming to the realization said Spirit is one hero her family never talked about. Loss takes a lot of forms, but that doesn't mark it as "the end."


Note: This chapter has been in the works since the Trưng Sisters/Hai Bà Trưng first debuted in FGO back on the JP side in 2022. It was honestly a surprise to know Vietnamese Servants would be made with FGO's previously established preference for Japanese Servants, and for it to be a hero my family never ever talked about with me when I was growing up…

As a Vietnamese-American trying to relearn Vietnamese to talk more with her parents, it felt right to just go about writing it.

Spoiler warning for up to Section 16 of the Water Monsters Crisis event that the Sisters debut in. Just saying.

The theme for this chapter is Be a flower by Ryokuoushoku Shakai, the first opening to The Apothecary Diaries anime. Because when re-exploring culture, this song worked. Three more alternative choices will be (1) No Man's Dawn by Mayu Maeshima, from the fourth season of Overlord; (2) When Wishes Bloom, the insert song used in the ending of the first season of The Apothecary Diaries; and (3) the track simply titled Nagisa from Clannad.

Here we go.


Day 78: Reconnection & Loss

Vy couldn't fall asleep. All it took was an unconscious jerk of her left arm, and then she was blinking up to the sight of her Command Seals raised towards the wooden roofs of the guest cottage. Nearby, she could hear the gentle lapping of the sea against the bridges connecting the village of Con and the Trưng Sisters, with nothing but soft whoosh noises to accompany it.

"Awake again…" Closing her eyes didn't alleviate the lingering fatigue or the growing swirl of thoughts coming to the forefront of her brain. Turning around in her borrowed blanket wouldn't help either. Too many things had happened for rest to be considered anything outside of needed. "Dr. Roman would be worried by now if he was…" She felt herself trail off from the incoming sadness, shaking her head and burying one cheek into her pillow.

There wasn't any point bringing up his name now. Mash might've cried if she was here. So then…

"I guess I should walk it off..."

Vy knew if the other Grailed were here, they might scold her for getting out of bed. Hell, she could already imagine what the original "Big Three" of the Grailed, being her first Grailed Servants and the only level 120s of her roster, would say if they saw her now. Most likely something along the lines of, Vy, you need sleep, what are you doing awake, but she knew her waking thoughts made her shake the hesitation away.

Sitting up and taking her replica of the No Face May King from the nearby chair to wrap around her shoulders helped ease the sting of guilt stabbing her gut as she sat up. (Neither Da Vincis nor Mash would've probably let her Rayshift without the thing. They were all good eggs.) The wooden floors barely creaked once she left the blankets that made up her bed behind, each footstep just as quiet once she walked through the one doorway that served as the hut's only entrance and exit and peered outside. It might have been a better idea to put on her glasses, maybe even some shoes so that she wouldn't get splinters in her feet from the wooden planks of the village bridges, but she honestly didn't care at that point.

Feeling some pain would be better than being numb to it all. Her brain pointed out sardonically.

"The moon is soooo pretty~!" One of the Con squealed as it skipped past her, giving her a closed-eye smile (and even squeaking a small, "Hi, Vy-Vy!") when running away to who knows where. Despite the cute scene, even mustering a tiny grin in return felt exhausting, a sigh already on the tip of Vy's tongue if not for her blurry vision catching a glimpse of a familiar red elephant sitting on top of a rice hat.

Is that—?

"Haaaaa…" was the best approximation for the noise that had left Trưng Trắc's lips, her figure becoming all the more clear as Vy slowly approached her. Was she… hunching in on herself? It certainly explained the lack of energy in her voice, not to mention how her ponytail sagged against her neck and shoulder. "Will we be able to win…?"

It might've been better to conserve her voice, to save social energy where possible — especially with what appeared to be the final battle for the Con's safety on the horizon with the incoming morning — but Vy felt her lips move anyway.

Because it's the right thing to do.

"Is everything okay, Chị Trắc?"

Maybe it was a mistake to use her parents' language with a legendary hero of their homeland, to even attempt to call one half of the Trưng Sisters "big sister" in Vietnamese, but Trắc was still turning her head in Vy's direction. The surprise in her eyes was obvious even through Vy's own astigmatism, and then Trắc laughed softly. "O-Oh, Vy. Good evening! What are you doing awake?"

"Woke up and couldn't fall back asleep." Vy did her best to shrug when walking closer and sitting down, extending one hem of the No Face May King replica Trắc's way. Trắc didn't have to worry about her right now. "But that doesn't answer my question, Chị. Did something happen?" Worry of her own started pushing away the remaining exhaustion in her mind as she said, "Should I get Chị Nhị for you?"

"Nononono, no, Vy, you don't have to get Nhị." Trắc smiled while shaking her head to the offered makeshift blanket share, but it's thanks to the lack of sitting distance between them that Vy can tell the gesture is half forced. "I was just deep in thought, so I'm okay."

"…Well, I'm awake now and have the energy." Vy looked up towards the moon, leaning back into the warmth of the replica cloak with a tiny sigh. "If you'd like, I can offer an ear to listen to whatever's on your mind. Because, with no offense intended, it doesn't sound like you're okay. So I can listen at least."

It was something Dr. Roman did when he was still alive. Something he always made time for, even when it was in the middle of the night and close to the time Da Vinci and the rest of the Chaldea staff would most likely scold him for staying up too late. Something that made him feel so much like home, even when he never met Mom and Dad.

It was why Vy did her best to shoulder Trắc's shocked stare, offering the best smile she could manage instead. "I've done this before," she said in response to the Saber's unspoken question. "So it's no trouble, Chị."

Trắc stared at her for a few seconds more before ducking her head and frowning. One beat, then two. "…Just stop me if it gets to be too much?" Her voice eventually comes out quiet to contrast the almost loud lapping of the ocean waves against the bridge pillars below, rice hat tipping forward slightly just to shade her eyes. Her hands clench into tight fists against her lap, wrinkling the fabric of her áo dài. "You've been helping me just as much as Nhị and need your rest too, Vy."

Do I? A traitorous part of Vy thought at that moment, but instead of voicing it, Vy outwardly nodded her head. "Of course."

Trắc sighs. One wave comes by to lap at the bridge underneath them, then another. "…I'm sorry in advance for saying this, I'm just… I'm just worried."

Not surprising. "About tomorrow's battle, you mean?"

"That's one part, but…" Trắc glances at Vy past her rice hat, and Vy can't help but notice the honest hesitation emerging in the aquamarine irises of her eyes. "You know, Vy, the rebellion Nhị and I led had failed."

A twinge of hurt echoing through their Master-Servant contract made Vy internally wince, her mind immediately thinking of ba và mẹ as she forced herself to breathe deeply. An apology was already forming on the tip of her tongue, but it didn't feel right to voice it. Instead, she went with a softer, "…Yeah. Lily told me about it. A bit after we first met, actually."

"That makes sense. With what you've told me, Chaldea would have records of us too." Trắc nodded, looking down at her lap. "I… I don't regret rebelling," she said, sighing softly. "All I — all we wanted was to live out our lives in peace. But when China overtook us, all the people that followed me died, Vy. Even Nhị — my beloved sister — died trying to follow my lead. And remembering that makes me wonder if helping the Con this time was the right thing to do."

"…Because you don't want to possibly lead them down what you think is a hopeless road?" It was a sentiment Vy knew painfully well, and she did her best to keep her voice level as a result. "Because you're scared of possibly failing again?"

A wry chuckle leaves Trắc's lips, a confirmation in all but words. "I…I wasn't made to be Queen. All I wanted was just to be happy with Nhị and everyone else in my family. So what made me become a legendary Heroic Spirit forever memorialized in the Throne of Heroes? What made me deserve to be remembered in Proper Human History…?"

Vy blinked slowly, and behind her eyelids, she could think of only green, blue, and orange through all the self-doubt. Those kinds of questions Trắc was having were ones Vy herself still asked every now and then. Why do all the Servants respect me, I was just cannon fodder to fill in the ranks, why did I have to be the last — so many inquiries such as those. Even when no one was around to answer said inquiries. It's why the words come out as naturally as the passing wind as she eventually said, "…If it's alright to say, even if you failed, you were still loved, Chị Trắc."

"Huh…?" Trắc raised her head to look at her, and even with her blurry vision, Vy smiled and reached out with one hand. Trắc's hand was cold against her own once she was able to rest her palm there, but Vy persisted, gently squeezing those tight knuckles.

"Forgive me for being so bold, Chị, but even if you failed, Chị Nhị and all your followers loved you, just like all the Con do now. They believed in your dream of a peaceful life over subjugation, and it's because of that belief you and Chị Nhị were remembered. I highly doubt anyone could forget what you two did, because even if it wasn't permanent, you still saved Vietnam. You proved that our culture was worth living in and protecting. And in my eyes, such an accomplishment would naturally result in everyone writing down your names in Proper Human History, even with humanity's penchant of having the records be written by the victors alone." Vy smiled a bit wider despite the fatigue beginning to nip at the edges of her already blurry vision, because she had to say it.

To the heroes mom and dad never talked about…

"Vy…" Trắc whispered softly.

"Give yourself more credit, Chị. You've done more than you think you have, and if it's alright for me to say my opinion? You should be proud of even trying to fight back. Not many can say the same." Vy slowly withdrew her hand after one-two comforting pats, shame starting to crawl around in her stomach as she inhaled oxygen in exchange for composure that was slowly slipping. "…And if it's worth anything else, I'm the one who has to apologize."

"…Huh? Apologize? For what?" Trắc naturally sounded confused, life starting to surge back into her voice. Vy wasn't surprised to see Trắc's hand come back to hold hers, but she still withheld a flinch at the warm touch. "You've been the one helping me, Vy."

"It's just…" Unpleasant heat was pooling in the back of her neck and ears, making it Vy's turn to duck her head. The chin rest of the No Face May King's replica collar barely helped. After all, she didn't have a rice hat like Trắc to hide her eyes away, nor the power of a Noble Phantasm like Robin's to turn invisible, so all she could do was cover her cheeks with what tangled hair she could grasp with her free palm. "Meeting you and Chị Nhị made me realize Vietnam had heroes too. That… that my parents' homeland had heroes to look up to. And… and I just didn't know about either of you. I can't help but feel guilty about that."

Trắc's hand twitched over her own. "Vy…"

"It's a bit hard to put into words, but…" Vy sighed. Where was she exactly going with this? Her mouth just kept moving to match the words spilling out into the open. "…I've always known I've been Vietnamese, y'know? From my parents taking me to Vietnam when I was 3, seeing the extended family every Lunar New Year, and speaking the language I'm still trying to relearn after years of English and Japanese. But… but after coming to Chaldea, I seriously was starting to think my parents' teachings were just going to fade with the Incineration and the Bleaching after all the Servants I've seen. Barely anyone talked about Vietnam, or really knew about it, from what I remember." Looking past the strands of her hair, Vy peered up at the moon. Memories flashed by with each blink of moonlight.

Archer EMIYA curiously tilting his head at her when she tried asking for bánh xèo one day in the Dining Hall…

Boudica getting confused over the concept of bánh Tết on Lunar New Year another day…

School friends from before Chaldea constantly assuming her to be Chinese instead of Vietnamese…

Passerby even calling her "Asian bitch" on the trolley when on the way to school…

Vy sighed again, closing her eyes to the flashbacks. "Just like how America doesn't like talking about the Vietnam War that forced my parents to leave home behind, I thought there wasn't much left of that home in the eyes of history. That I had to hold it all up as the last Master of Chaldea."

Trắc's thumb was gently rubbing one of Vy's knuckles now. "…Until you met me and Nhị?"

"Aye." Vy doesn't want to look at her — at one of the heroes she should've known about, but didn't — but the urge to do so nonetheless is strong. She presses her mouth against the collar of the replica No Face May King instead, trying to imagine forests, bicycles, storybooks, and home behind her closed eyelids to calm herself. "Ba và mẹ never talked about either of you. Just… just zilch. I might've tried to talk to them, in both English and Vietnamese, to learn more about them, but seeing you and Chị Nhị had me wonder if I truly knew them. If they truly knew of you." She shrinks into herself, curling her legs up into the chest of her nightgown a little. "You two saved Vietnam once upon a time, but I didn't know. And I'm scared of my ignorance possibly spelling out that I'm… I'm not really Vietnamese when I'm still trying to figure out where I am in the world."

Because that was the crux of the issue, wasn't it? Trắc fought for her family and homeland just like Vy was currently for all of Proper Human History, once upon a time. She kept Vietnam's desire for independence alive, and for a Master who had Vietnamese blood to not know about her—

Even if the Trưng Sisters originated from North Vietnam — the region that inevitably took over South Vietnam and subsequently drove ba và mẹ out from the Vietnam War onwards hundreds of years after the sisters died — not knowing their story felt like she had gone about betraying everything.

Just like how Koyanskaya accused me of not caring about the Crypters before the Bleaching started. Not that she had much moral ground to speak of.

How much ignorance is a sin, anyways?

What breaks the self-deprecating silence is a gentle pat to Vy's hand from Trắc, and looking up reveals the Saber giving her a fond stare past her rice hat. "I'm sorry," she said the words softly, almost like a real big sister would've, reaching out with her other hand to start brushing Vy's tangled hair. "I guess we both had our fair share of insecurities, huh?"

"Sure, I guess, but I didn't want this to be all about me, Chị…" Vy still weakly leaned into Trắc's palm, unable to muster a protest to the affection because there was something about it that reminded her of home. Of mom, of dad, of Chị Bo, playing with her hair, once upon a time. Once upon better days. "I just wanted to encourage you, but the words got away from me. I'm sorry."

"And that's okay, con. That's all okay." Vy lurched back at the nickname, just as Trắc got a particularly nasty tangle out of her hair with a warmer smile. "That just means we're both human, right?"

"...Huh. That's true." What Trắc said was such a simple statement, but it was something that still had the shame fly away almost instantly as Vy looked up into Trắc's eyes. "I guess… I guess that means neither of us can be left alone. And I know Chị Nhị will always be there for you, Chị Trắc, so there's that."

"Oh?" All of a sudden, Trắc's smile turns a bit mischievous. Vy blinks once the Saber reaches over to tug at one hem of the No Face May King replica she had previously refused at the beginning of this whole conversation, fingers absently thumbing at the green fabric. "As much as I love Nhị for staying with me, who ever said you're alone, con? Wearing this kind of cloak while talking with me says otherwise. Judging by the feel, it isn't something Chaldea gave you, is it? And I'm not so blind of a person to not notice the ring sitting on your middle finger."

Blinking had ginger hair and a fond green eye staring back at her through the darkness of her closed eyelids, and Vy flushed at the thought, ducking her chin into the collar of the No Face May King replica. The pink flower ring from a certain green rogue felt a bit tight on her hand as she said shakily, "…Fair enough."

"Besides, con, if I could voice something, it looks like we both need each other." Trắc's voice takes on a fonder, sweeter cadence with the conclusion, the hand in Vy's hair gentle even when catching on another tangle. "Nhị and I couldn't have helped the Con this much without your help, just like how I needed everyone in my rebellion to get so far. And from what I can see, you've been trying so hard thanks to the heroes who needed you to support them. And to resolve this Singularity, that's why you've been working with us, right?"

Vy blinked again. "Yeah, but… but Chị Trắc…"

I should've known you before, I should've given you the respect you deserved long before when you helped shape the Vietnam that raised my parents, I should've—

"No buts, con." Trắc beamed back, unintentionally (or maybe intentionally) interrupting the self-deprecating parade raining down on Vy's mind as her fingers finally unraveled the newest tangle. "It's okay that you didn't know about me and Nhị in the end. You've been shouldering all of Humanity up until meeting us, and from what you told me, there've been plenty of attempts to wipe us out before. It's not your fault you didn't know. You trying to learn more and fight with us is good enough."

You're worthy enough to be here. To be Vietnamese. To be our Master.

To be a part of our living legacy.

At least take pride in all that.

A faint gasp echoed in the air and it took Vy a moment too long to realize it came from her. Her vision was already blurry from the distinct lack of her glasses, but once Trắc lowered her hand to cup her cheek, Vy knew she was tearing up. "W-Well," Vy laughed, wiping at her nose with the back of her own palm, "here I was trying not to cry. That definitely didn't work out."

"And it's still okay, con." Trắc's thumb was gently brushing at the edges of Vy's vision, easing the growing blurriness with that same smile as she hummed under her breath. "It's okay. You're still here now, and I'm glad that you are. I'm sure Nhị feels the same. So it'll all be okay."

Vy blinked, and in that moment, she could suddenly recall a coarser, more calloused hand patting the top of her head. Everything will be okay, con. It'll be okay.

Ba… Daddy…

I still miss you, but—

A weak smile of her own formed on Vy's face, even if her cheeks hurt from the effort as she rapidly blinked to keep more of the waterfalls back. "I-I hope so. B-Because I'm glad to have met you both. It means a lot to me when I still have a lot to learn. A-And I at least know something I'm going to ask ba và mẹ when this 'Last Master' business is all over."

"Oh?" Trắc slowly retracts her hand from Vy's cheek once the tears show signs of stopping. "What's that, con?"

"Th-They already know about me gushing about Big Robin since I was little." Since maybe forever too. The green fabric of the replica Noble Phantasm cloaking her shoulders was comforting even through the strong emotion shivers as Vy ducked her chin into it. Finding herself unconsciously clinging to its hems didn't feel so bad either. "I-I can try to ask them about you and Chị Nhị. I'm sure at least some of your legend should've gone down to South Vietnam, even past the poverty."

"Then in exchange, I'll make sure not to worry so much and be the Queen the stories made me out to be at tomorrow's battle." Trắc huffed and thumped a fist against her collarbone, trying to make a show of confidence in puffing out her chest, but all Vy could muster in response was a weak giggle. "For all the Con and you, Vy. Just to match the May King who captured your heart."

"I-It'll take a lot of effort to unseat Big Robin from my heart, Chị," and I would know, what with all the storybooks that kept me from feeling lonely, "but that works." Vy wiped at her eyes again, feeling her wrist come back slightly wet despite her best conscious attempts at ignoring it. "That plan works. Especially since childhood heroes are hard to come by."

Trắc still smiled, lowering her fist to squeeze Vy's hands again. "…You never did tell me before, con."

Past all the warmth, confusion was starting to course through Vy's veins. "About what?"

"Your childhood hero." Trắc's smile at that moment turned wistful — looking like a mix of fond and sad all at once — as the moonlight up above highlighted the aquamarine shine of her irises past her rice hat. "If your parents didn't talk about me or Nhị, how did you find your Archer?"

Vy's answer was immediate, even with the late night and the lingering fatigue. "The public library."

"Huh?"

"It took a simple National Geographic book, if anything. When I was in elementary school, walking around the library with daddy one day after school was over." Speaking of the memory made it feel like the discovery was just yesterday. Walking around full halls of books, peering at every cover and spine, just to find the perfect one. Maybe ba had a pained smile on his face from how tightly she was holding his hand that day. She couldn't remember. But— "It had white covers, small blue birds, and gold-bordered green words spelling out The Tales of Robin Hood. I remember how big it felt in my hands, how his stories were so interesting to me once I started turning the pages."

Trắc had gone silent, barely even nodding towards a passing pair of Con in favor of focusing her attention on Vy.

Another giggle involuntarily left Vy's lips at the memory of ba's fond yet exasperated face when she had begged him for a library card, just to check out the book to read at home as soon as possible. We don't have to keep looking, ba, I know it has to be this one, she could vividly remember squealing, holding up the cover to his eye level while standing on tippy-toes. He's really really cool, daddy! He kinda looks like you!

Not even the memory version of dad lacked the stress lines she knew him for later on, his brown eyes barely twinkling with stars past his glasses once he kneeled to her height. Are you sure, con?

Aye! I wanna read this one, ba!

And once she said that, there was no looking back. She couldn't just forget the Man in Green after meeting him.

Opening her eyes revealed water lapping at Vy's toes and she shrugged off the cold feeling. "That book was technically full of fairy tales, when I look back. Embellished truths and tall tales, really. Telling just a summary of what the person known as Robin Hood could've done, not accounting for how many people took up his name. But to the little child version of me, it didn't matter. Reading about how a rogue was stealing from the rich just to save the poor made her feel real."

"Vy…" Trắc said softly.

"Ba và mẹ always cautioned me to be careful of my money. How it was a precious thing, that I couldn't waste it like the rich." And Robin bridged that gap between social classes, didn't he? With all of his disguises, his peddling antics, even his most devious traps and tricks. All of it was to try to help those less fortunate, even when it didn't help him. The little girl Vy could remember being once upon a time had so many feelings for Robin Hood. Perhaps what was even going on through her mind, trying to become voiced by landing on the tip of her tongue — wasn't truly enough to convey everything. It was why Vy smiled. "Reading about him taking from the rich to kindly help those in need — like ba, mẹ, and me — made me feel like I was important. That even a little girl born to Southern Vietnamese immigrants who knew nothing but the slums for a long while could live too. Could try to be kind too."

A small wave hit her toes from the moon beckoning the water underneath the bridge that served as their shared "seat," making Vy slowly kick at it. She wasn't sure if Trắc was even listening anymore, but she looked up towards the moon nonetheless.

Ba liked the moon too, didn't he?

And even if Robin isn't fully like ba, he's still—

A small beat of silence passes between them, enough for some Con to pass them both by and for more waves to lap at Vy's toes. It takes Trắc whispering along the wind, "…You really love him, don't you?", that Vy considers her answer again.

"…Aye." It was as simple as that. "The May King who comforted me in my storybooks was always so cool. Dashing and handsome, like a knight in his own green armor, constantly smiling at the ladies and playing with the kids. Never giving up on a better future when giving change to those poorer than him. And then meeting him…" Vy closed her eyes and found herself seeing more green. "I couldn't help but love him. So, so much."

Maybe Trắc was smiling. She could hear a vague giggle from her side at least. But Vy just felt herself continue to ramble. Because it was about Robin.

"He's a very stubborn person in real life. He's cool enough to wave away a new wire trap while nursing a cigarette, but thoughtful to put that smoke out once a child comes close. Always reaching out when no one is looking, just patting my head to remind me to rest." Because that's the kind of Robin he's been. The Robin I— "He never fails in calling me 'little sparrow' like I mean something, his 'Maid Marian' when he claims he's never had one like the story books say he did. Even when I'm scared, hyperventilating and wanting to cling onto something, he extends his hand. Even when he used to say he was a 'ghost' who couldn't hold onto anything…" Vy felt the growing blush on her face solidify into a very embarrassing heat on her cheeks, nose, and definitely the tips of her ears, but she didn't regret her smile in the slightest as she said, "He's the most real person I could ever have and I know I could never regret meeting him when he let me meet Mash, Chaldea, and you, Chị."

The last thing Vy notices when opening her eyes in the Saber's direction is how big Trắc's widening aquamarine irises get, because one blink later, her bare feet are no longer dipped into the water below the bridge. A tired "Oh" is all Vy can muster because once her bottom half is no longer sitting against the bridge planks, she knows she's up in the air. And if the faint blue outline against her skin was any indication—

"Vy, you're floating—" Trắc cuts herself off just as quickly as she stands up, her rice hat barely falling off her head once the other Con of the village start crowding around her sandaled feet from curiosity and awe. "Oh."

"Vy-Vy is flying, Vy-Vy is flying!" Vy can vaguely hear the Con call after her excitedly (almost like their own little chorus), just as the bridges from their village start growing smaller to her blurry vision with how high she's being lifted up. If she didn't know any better, it was as if she had been placed onto an impromptu airplane ride for a one-way, single seat-flight, the mana carrying her entire weight not even cold in feel as winds blew through her hair.

"So I am flying…" Vy blinked, the replica Noble Phantasm fluttering around her from the sudden flight. "Who's picking me up this time…?" Whether it was intended or not, the mantle replica obscured her already impaired eyes to the very last moment, not even letting her feel the muscular arms of the culprit slowly closing around the backs of her shoulders and undersides of her legs until she wasn't floating anymore.

Familiar, gentle muscular arms were holding her up now. Bridal style too.

Is this—

"Ro—?" A giggle unintentionally cut her off from saying anymore once the tip of a nose was gently rubbing hers, ginger hair tickling her cheeks along the way. "R-Robin! H-Hey!"

"Don't 'hey' me, you silly little sparrow. The one time I don't accompany you on a Rayshift, you're waking up in the middle of the night and laying it all out there for everyone to hear, huh." It's said less like a question and more of an observation, but looking past the fringe of ginger hair revealed a fond glimmer in Robin's green eye once he had enough of rubbing noses. He even went onto pressing a firm kiss to her forehead before she could open her mouth to respond. Whether it was to hide his own embarrassment or open up their bond to the incoming flood of warm emotion was unclear. Still, another mantle was resting against her cheek — smelling of musky wood and mint and Chaldea — and Vy leaned into it. It was the original No Face May King. It was from Robin. "I didn't want to interrupt the moment, but I got worried and someone decided to act for me."

"And, with all offense intended, Archer," Morgan interrupted suddenly over his shoulder, dispelling her giant halberd staff in favor of hugging a happy, squealing Con to her chest (while apparently ignoring Vy's minute flinch in Robin's arms). When did she get here? Was it with Robin? Did that explain Da Vinci Lily's grumbling about an unauthorized Rayshift? Still, Morgan went on with, albeit in a slightly less cold voice, "It was rather silly to watch you turn red over our Princess speaking her truths about you. I merely cast a spell to bring her to you since you were being too much of a foolish coward to fetch her yourself." For someone who was the former Winter Queen of Faerie Britain, Morgan shook her head a bit too forcefully, white strands of her ponytail nearly beating Robin's arm along the way. "I'm starting to see why Vy requested a treehouse for me to construct in my free time when you are like this."

"Oh for the love of — just shut it, Berserker," Robin hissed, rounding on Morgan with a scowl. Vy did her best to hold onto him with one hand on the protective bundle of the original No Face May King, taking as deep of a breath as she could to not feel sick at the sudden movement. "You try listening to our Master give open praise about you next time, see how I feel. Or, better yet, follow up with your sister in Saber about the cheesy stuff. I'm sure she could be a better teacher than me."

Even with her dark crown and partially open black dress that could possibly give what looked like an incoming Ereshkigal (floating over from her previous corner of the village, spirits in tow) a run for her money, Morgan frowned pointedly. "Do not bring my sister into this, May King."

"I can do what I please, Ice Queen—!"

Okay then…? Everyone's here… I gotta—

"I'm… I'm sorry." Vy interrupted quietly, raising her left hand as best as she could through the growing fatigue to cup Robin's cheek. Even when it felt like a tremendous effort, patting it gently seemed enough to bring all current attention back to her. "For… for worrying both of you. But I… I meant every word I said to Chị Trắc earlier. I… I really love you, Big Robin."

A beat of silence passed, then to Vy's growing surprise and dulled delight from the fatigue, Robin flushed a bright red, his cheek growing warm underneath Vy's palm. For his usual "cool" exterior, his answering smile was shaky at the edges to match his new blush once he leaned down to press his forehead against Vy's own. Whether or not he knew he was blocking out her view of Morgan, Vy couldn't tell. "…I know," he eventually said in a raw voice, sighing quietly while closing his eyes. "And I really love you too, little sparrow. More than anything. Just… just be careful, okay?" One eye opens to look at her half-mast, and the concentrated want in the revealed green iris makes Vy gulp. "If you keep saying things like that, I might not be able to let you sleep tonight. Have to warn you now."

Vy blinked once, then twice, before feeling herself flush hotly too. It hadn't been that long since they had come back from Faerie Britain only to get involved with helping the Con, but she didn't get a chance to ponder it before Robin abruptly pulled his head back. From the looks of it, a new black nail-manicured hand suddenly slapped the back of his shoulder, making him retreat with a wince.

"If you mean to take my little flower now, Archer," Ereshkigal said coldly when revealing herself, tone clipped and very much no nonsense in response to the insinuation of what the rest of the night could bring, "at least be a gentleman in getting her to bed first. A man such as you should've seen how she's barefoot." Spirits swirled around her lance as she grumbled in a more human-like tone, "You should have brought her flowers too, casanova jerk."

"Ow, harsh but fair. I got that much, Lancer, but what'd you mean by barefoot—?" Robin cut himself off.

It didn't take long for Vy to find herself blushing for a completely different reason, because all Servant attention — rogue and Chaldean alike — turned to her just when she could start feeling the painful sting of something stuck up the soles of her feet.

Okay. So. When did that get there?

"…Con," A faraway Trắc starts scoldingly. Vy didn't even need her glasses to know the Saber was wiggling a pointer finger in mock rage, actual worry. "You have splinters."

"I… I didn't notice?" A beat. "I-In my defense, the sea water felt nice against my toes!"

All the Servants looked at each other before letting out a collective sigh. Hell, even Morgan with the Con in her arms joined in too. Vy fidgeted in place in Robin's arms, a thought of, I probably should've put my boots on, barely helping the growing embarrassment.

"…Perhaps I should revise my previous statement, Archer," Morgan said mildly, a tiny wand manifesting itself in her hand to wave at Vy's feet. Tiny splinters of wood — thankfully not caked in blood — immediately dislodged themselves with Morgan's mana guiding them out, looking almost like tiny stakes from their needle shape, and Vy felt herself wince. Ouch. "Because you and our Princess are fools for each other."

"Us being fools aside," Robin's voice hardened for the briefest moment before turning fond in Vy's direction, his arms shifting slightly to hold her up better. "The note's been taken. I'll take Vy to bed." To Trắc, he said in a louder voice, "Hey, Chị Trắc? Where's Vy's cottage?"

Vy wasn't even sure if Trắc gasped, but her response was a tellingly breathy, "A-A few paces down to the left, with a slightly open door!"

Is she… embarrassed? At being called Chị? But I thought Chị Nhị calls her that all the time…

"Roger that. Thanks." With both hands occupied, Robin couldn't exactly salute in greeting like he usually would, but Vy could feel even through the fatigue how tight his grip was once he nodded his head towards the others while leaving.

He won't let me go, huh…

Despite the growing smile on her face at the thought, some of the previous embarrassment was still lingering around enough for her to try saying, "B-Big Robin, I could walk on my own…"

"Once you have shoes on, sure." Robin lifted her up for his cheek to bump the top of her head in a bonk that was clearly made up of part-fond exasperation, part-admonishing, but Vy could feel how warm his skin grew from the touch. "Just let me be selfish in holding you for now. You already got splinters walking out of bed today. Who says you'd not get more?" An involuntary giggle left Vy's lips once he leaned down to bump their foreheads together, but his last whisper felt hotter than usual once he said, "…And besides. Once this event's all over, I'm reserving you for the night if you're up for it. That's a promise."

Despite feeling sleepy, Vy knew Trắc and Nhị were still behind them, not to mention Morgan and Ereshkigal and the other Chaldean Servants who hitched a Rayshift to this unknown island. It was why she did her best to school her blush in favor of raising a hand and patting Robin's cheek reassuringly. "...Just lemme say 'good night' to everybody before then? Can't go without that."

The face Robin gives her is a half smile, half smirk once he walks them through the open doorway of the first cottage Vy can see past the protective bundle of his Noble Phantasm. Of course the May King would have a good sense of direction, even with Trắc's words and the pale moonlight as his only guides. Even his answering chuckle felt like a mix of warmth and bright hot heat for what could come next as he said softly, "Alright."

"Aye…" It's hard to protest once he sets her down to her cot from before, tugging the original No Face May King loose from his neck to drape over her head instead. The look in his eye promised a lot of things — warmth, relief, love — that eventually, all Vy can muster is a mentally soft, Chúc ngủ ngon, Chị Trắc, Chị Nhị, through the temporary bond connecting her to the Hai Bà Trưng as one last saying for the night. Just before Robin pulled her into his arms while resting his head against her pillow.

Once her May King — her Archer — carefully leaned in and kissed her past the moonlight coming in through the one window in the cottage, Vy could've sworn she heard a soft, Chúc ngủ ngon nhé, con, back. It was a comforting thought at least, right before the warmth of the forest eventually took her back to sleep.


Extra note (May 1, 2024): As of this chapter's posting, it's been 3 years since I met Carim/GlyphArchive on AO3, and partialdignity on Tumblr. Same thing with Lunar/The Maw on AO3, also known as lunarimpact on Tumblr.

To Carim and Lunar. Happy 3 year friendversary. Thankie for staying with me.

And since May 1st is May Day — happy May Day to my beloved May King.

To everyone else, I'll see you next time.