Chapter 21 : Comparison

"Uh...Ah..."

He stifles a loud yawn and stretches.

7am.

Yesterday, or technically today, everyone was up almost until the crack of dawn, but it seemed the others were already up. They were full of energy.

I have no choice but to get up too.

I was in pain all over from the physical strengthening and really just wanted to get a good night's sleep, but the landlord was awake so I couldn't stay asleep forever.

First of all, I cross the living room to go to the bathroom.

"Oh, good morning."

"good morning"

I exchanged morning greetings with a woman in her early twenties who was watching TV in the living room. Um, where is the bathroom?

I staggered over to the front door, and the door opened at the right time.

"good morning……?"

When I opened the front door, a girl in a uniform with long light-colored hair and a ribbon on her head looked confused. Oh no, she just woke up. But she was still wearing her normal clothes yesterday, so it's not that strange. No, maybe it's worse?

I bowed my head and said, "Thank you." The girl also bowed her head back. Now, where is the toilet?

"Sakura, good morning. Ah."

When Emiya appeared, he looked at me with an expression like, "Damn it!"

"Good morning, senpai. Umm, who is this person...?"

Tch, I couldn't fool him.

This girl is Sakura. I don't know her last name, but she's someone I've seen a few times during surveillance, and it seems she's a regular wife of Emiya.

While I was trying to think of a way to cover it up, I heard noisy voices coming from the living room.

"Shirou, Shirou, Shirou! What's going on?! After Tohsaka-san and Saber-chan, there's another new girl!"

"Um, please, don't pull me...!"

"Fu... Fuji-nee, you're here already?!"

"He'd already been here! What's going on?! You need to explain this to your sister... and even to a boy?! That's not okay! My sister won't tolerate guys being together!"

The woman I had seen in the living room earlier appeared noisily, holding Medea's hand.

This was Fujimura Taiga, an old friend of Emiya's who was supposed to be a regular hangout at the Emiya residence.

I believe she was a teacher at Homurahara, the school Emiya and Tohsaka attended, and the daughter of the Fujimura family, who were Emiya's guardians.

We only have information about Sakura from conversations picked up by a microphone, but we know a certain amount about Fujimura-sensei when Yukinoshita had a detective agency look into him. Well, both of them have no connection to the Holy Grail War.

Well, it's too much hassle to persuade him normally. So I'll just do what I decided beforehand.

(Media, please)

(I've got it)

The media approaches Professor Fujimura.

"rude"

"What? I'm talking to Shirou right now, so wait a sec...?"

When the media looked into Professor Fujimura's eyes, he suddenly became quiet after having been yelling so much.

"Huh, Fuji-nee?"

"Fujimura-sensei?"

Emiya and Sakura (it's weird to call a girl by her first name, even if it's just in your head) are shocked by the change in Fujimura-sensei's behavior. Eh, is it really that unusual for this guy to be so quiet?

When the media continues to look into Sakura's eyes in the same way, she also becomes quiet.

Medea snapped her fingers and they both stumbled out the front door.

Suddenly, Emiya grabbed him by the collar.

"You! What did you do to Sakura and Fuji-nee?!"

"Please calm down, Shirou-sama. It's just hypnotic suggestion."

"...A hint?"

Medea brushes him off and Emiya's grip loosens slightly. Taking this opportunity, he removes Emiya's hand and explains while adjusting his collar.

"I tried to stay away from this house for about ten days. I knew that if I came here I'd end up involved with those two. I can't let them get involved in the Holy Grail War, can I?"

"Ah... I see. Sorry. By the way, how come you know about Fuji-nee and Sakura?"

"I told you I was watching."

Didn't she think about getting the people around her involved? That's very Non Non Biyori.

(Yahata)

Suddenly, a telepathic message arrives from Medea.

(what up?)

(The suggestion was much less effective than Sakura-sama and Taiga-sama earlier, so I'm just letting you know to be sure.)

(...didn't it work?)

(That's fine.)

Hmm...?

If the suggestion worked then I think it'll be fine, but I should at least listen to what Emiya has to say.

"Hey Emiya, can I ask you about what happened to those two earlier?"

"...Why?"

"Just to be on the safe side. There's a chance that they'll get involved just because they're related to you. Even if it's information that's better than nothing, it might be useful to know if something were to happen."

If that was the case, Emiya reluctantly began to speak.

"I've known Fuji-nee since we were kids. My dad and Fuji-nee's grandfather knew each other, and Fuji-nee was very fond of my dad and would often hang out at our family dojo."

So that's the connection. I was wondering why a Yakuza member was acting as a guardian.

"Sakura is my friend's sister. Look, Shinji... the sister of the Rider's master I told you about yesterday."

Aren't you someone who is closely related to this?

"When I first met Sakura, she was very shy, but her family told her to get used to people, so they introduced me to Shinji. Then I started teaching her how to cook. She was scared of me at first, too, but she gradually opened up to me. Now she's even surpassed me in cooking skills."

Emiya spoke with a somewhat happy tone.

According to the media, magicians seem to place great importance on bloodlines, but it seems that only one person can inherit magic, and other siblings are usually not even allowed to touch it.

Apparently, if there are multiple successors, their power will be weakened accordingly. What kind of logic is that?

So, well, if the older brother is the master, the younger sister probably doesn't need to be wary. Maybe the reason the suggestion didn't work was simply because of their lineage.

Anyway.

"Hey, Emiya."

"What?"

"Break."

"Really what?!"

"I don't want to. A beautiful older childhood friend and a junior colleague who is the wife of another. On top of that he's living under the same roof as the school's Madonna (lol) and a beautiful blonde girl. If you see someone like that, it's normal to want them to die."

"How normal?!"

No, I think this is normal. Seriously.

"I mean, if you say that, then Hikigaya isn't all that different, is he?!"

………Huh? What is he talking about?

"I heard from Tohsaka. Apparently you're in the same club as some really beautiful girls. Two of them, in fact. And you were living with Caster too, right?"

…I guess we were being investigated here too.

"Well, it's true that we're in the same club. But mine isn't like that. We're in the same club, and that's it. There's nothing sexy going on between me and Caster."

"That's the same for me too."

Ugh. What a stubborn guy.

But it's true that there are problems with connecting that kind of story just because there are women around. If that's the case, then I'd be popular too, if I ignored the relationships. Shall I compare it a bit...?

A showdown between cool beautiful girls!

A sharp-tongued woman with big boobs vs a violent woman with big boobs!

As long as she doesn't get injured, Yukinoshita wins!

A showdown of expanding dreams and hopes!

Charcoal master vs. his uninvited wife!

There's no need to compare! Matou Sakura wins!

Servant showdown!

The sly snake woman vs the muscle-brained boar woman!

draw!

A showdown of older beauties!

A violent teacher in his 30s vs. a violent weirdo teacher!

ForcesageFujimura Taiga wins by margin!

Angel showdown!

Totsuka wins by default!

Sister showdown!

Komachi wins by default!

Yep! We barely won!

Whew... It would have been dangerous if Emiya had a sister.

Hmm? What's wrong, Emiya?"

"Well... I just thought it was brave."

"teeth?"

Emiya's gaze was directed behind me.

I turned around and saw Medea, and before I knew it, Saber and Tohsaka were standing next to each other.

All three of them were smiling. And they were really smiling.

If I had to put it into words, it would be... a killer smile?

"...A poisonous snake? That's a very interesting analogy."

"I feel like I get along well with Yukinoshita-san. Could you introduce me to her sometime?"

I grumbled and turned towards Emiya.

"...Um, did you happen to say it out loud?"

"With all my might... I see, it was unconscious after all."

Emiya shook his head with a gloomy expression and practically pronounced a death sentence.

I felt someone grab me by the back of my collar. It was Saber.

"...I'm going to train like a muscle-brained person. Hachiman, will you join me?"

"No, I have a disease that will kill me if I enter the dojo."

"I'll help you too, Saber. I'll just keep blasting you with Gund from the side, okay?"

"I don't want to do it, so I'm forcing myself. Bullying is not good."

"If you get injured, I'll treat you. Please do your best."

"Even death is not permitted?! Hey, Emiya! Help me!?"

When I pleaded, Emiya lowered his eyes sadly.

"...I'm sorry, die in peace."

You abandoned me, you bastard?!

He struggled, but there was no way he could match Saber's strength. Just as he thought he would be dragged along, Saber suddenly turned around and spoke.

"What are you doing? Let's go, Shirou."

"…………picture?"

Emiya was shocked.

"No, wait a minute, this has nothing to do with me."

"What are you talking about? Early morning training was originally meant for Emiya-kun, right?"

"Yes, that's certainly true! H-Hikigaya, please say something!"

"Hahahaha! This is the punishment for trying to abandon someone! Let's be miserable together!"

"You Hikigaya?!"

"You're not good at giving up! We share our misfortunes and crush each other's happiness! That's what men's friendship is all about!"

"I'll hate you, Hikigayaaaa!?"

"Whatever it is, just hurry up, you two."

"Nooooooooo?!"

By midday the screams had stopped.