The next morning, Anna walked down the stairs for breakfast, holding the hand of the green-haired Servant at her side. Once she got sat down at the bar's counter next to Mikoto, the Red King looked at the man. "Ya weren't downstairs this mornin' then I sensed ya bein' in Anna's room. Why'd that happen?"

"She had a nightmare around midnight and wanted me to stay with her for the remainder of the night."

"Oh, that's all?"

"What? Hoping the reason was an enemy attacking where she is or something?"

"Not that, but I thought it was for some other reason."

"Like what?"

"Can't remember now. I think it was somethin' to do with the War, though. It's moot now."

Misaki looked suspiciously at Rider. "You stayed in Anna's room last night? You didn't do anythin'...indecent, right?"

"What?! Just who do you think I am?!"

"Can't rule that out seein' as how you'll rape someone who's already dead."

Rider then rounded on Izumo. "You told him?!"

Izumo took a step back. "Not intentionally. He overheard me jokin' to Mikoto 'bout it. I thought I made it clear it was another timeline's version of you."

"Why are you going through my stuff, Yukari?!" Sukuna demanded. Yukari pulled out a box of Sukuna's things and was inspecting the contents.

"Because we need to keep the place neat and so we should give away anything unnecessary," he replied while looking through a tin of baseball cards. "I wonder how much these would sell for..."

"Ah, then perhaps I should also assist," Assassin said. He had only taken a couple steps in Yukari's direction when Sukuna stopped him.

"Cut it out, both of you! You don't even know what you're looking at! I may still need everything there!"

Now Yukari fished out a sheep doll and Saber looked to perk up a little. "So you still need this?"

"W-well..."

"Yeah, it's getting donated." Yukari put the doll on the couch behind him and continued going through the box. Unknown to him, Saber had begun inching toward the couch.

"You're being unfair, just picking on me! I'm sure you have plenty of things you no longer have a use for!"

"Mr. Iwa did my room last week. Come on, Sukuna. Quit your ugly crying and help me! Some of these things could make someone happy! ...Like a Servant..."

The three males were just quietly staring at Saber, who had reached the doll and was now playing with it. Then she noticed the others and quickly hid the doll behind her back. "Is something the matter?" She was attempting to sound business-like.

"Are you...into cute things..?" Yukari asked.

Saber began blushing. "I-I am unsure of what you mean..." A prerecorded "baa" came from the sheep ant the blush grew more intense.

"Or is it fluffy things? I seem to recal you enjoying the softness of cotton candy," Assassin pointed out with a smirk.

"I-I..!" Saber was too panicked to come up with a retort. Then someone grabbed the doll from behind her.

"Saber? What are you doing with this?" Tenkei spoke behind her. He had returned from his shopping trip. Kotosaka flew in and perched on the back of the couch.

Saber snatched the doll back and hugged it close to her chest. "But this seems like...a good civilization. I shouldn't allow it to end in that case." She continued to be stared at and so she seemed to shrink down in enbarrassment. Another prerecoded "baa" came from her basically squeezing it to herself. So cute...

Then Nagare rolled in, wearing a calm smile. "If you want, Saber, you can keep it."

"B-but..!" Saber began to protest but Sukuna cut her off.

"Hey! It's still mine!"

Yukari sighed. "Stop acting like a kid, Sukuna."

"I am a kid!"

"Just let her have it," Tenkei groaned. "How'd you even get it?"

"I won it at the fair last year, remember? Are you losing your memory already?"

"Don't try changing the subject to my age! I can't believe you kept it this long!"

"At least Saber likes it," Yukari pointed out.

"I-I don't..." Saber trailed off as she stared into the eyes of the doll.

Sukuna sighed in defeat. "Fine, you can have it, Saber. Just take good care of it!"

"Like you were by shoving it into a box and then forgetting about it?" Yukari put in, making Sukuna blush.

If Servants can be compared to weapons, then they also require maintenance, maintenance in the form of mana. Unfortunately, in his state, Reisi can't give his Servant sufficient mana because of last night so another source is needed as well. One of those options just so happens to be sex, this exchange of mana called a mana transfer in the world of magecraft.

Lancer was laying back in the bed, a cigarette held in between his lips. "If Mikoto finds out we had sex, he won't get jealous?"

"Why would he? It's not as if he and I have anything other than this going on," Reisi replied.

"Whatever ya say. Anyway, thanks for the mana. Also, ya get loud durin' it, y'know."

"Yeah, Suoh told me that a few times. And this is to hold you over until a relatively safe leyline is found. I still can't believe the amount of mana you burned."

"Yeah, well I bet Rider's condition ain't any better." The bed gave a small groan as Lancer moved off it. A burst of mana blew through Reisi's hair when the Servant materialized his SCEPTER 4 uniform. It's a work day, after all.

Rider was facedown, face buried in the pillow of Mikoto's bed, the red-haired King holding a fistful of the Servant's hair to keep his head down. Thanks to Servants not needing to breathe, there was no risk of him being smothered to death.

Using a pair of handcuffs Reisi accidentally left last time, the warrior's hand were held behind his sweat-covered back. Mikoto's other hand was on Rider's hip, fingers digging into the skin there, cock pounding into a backside that would've been spanked raw if he were human.

Mikoto's always had a thing for doing this to powerful individuals at least once in bed, like Reisi, but he usually doesn't get this rough. It's because Rider's more powerful than Mikoto. He's not being a jackass about it, but it still feels good to knock him down a peg or two. Given the Servant's low on mana, it seems like the perfect chance to show to him just who's in charge. Plus, Rider did ask for it. Seems he has a thing for being dominated in bed.

While Rider's usually the one doing this to people in bed, sometimes he just wants to feel a sense of helplessness, that his blessing won't bail him out. But he only rarely allowed this when he was alive. Can't let it go around he has this kind of kink or he may start to lose respect. He just claims he was talked into it.

The bedroom door suddenly opened. "Mikoto, what's that noi - AAAHHHHHH!"

Mikoto and Rider looked over just in time to see Anna bolt downstairs. Ten seconds later, there was another scream. "HAVEN'T YA EVER HEARD OF LOCKIN' THE DOOR?!" Anna must have run to Izumo and told him.

"Why didn't you?" Rider asked.

"I thought this mana transfer would be over fast enough. Just shut up and put your face back in the pillow so we can finish. I'm close here."

When Kuroh opened the stone door and entered the workshop Caster made, one of her Dragon Tooth Warriors nearly ran into him. Caster herself was in the middle of this chaos, barking orders.

"You! I said to set the cabinet over there! Are you two done with those glyphs yet?! I thought I said to tidy up those books! Careful with that statue, idiot! Are you just going to stand there all day, boy?!" Kuroh realized the last was directed at him. Narrowed blue eyes burned into him. "Either shut the door and help or leave and shut the door. You're exposing this to the public!"

Kuroh sighed as he slid the door shut. At least the candles provided light. "Fine. What do you need help with?"

"I have some scrolls on that table." She put a couple mana crystals down on it in a huff for Ichigen to practice with. "Look through them and find the one on bounded field creation. It's aparently too big a task for these literal boneheads."

"Can't you do that yourself?"

"Do you not see me working on getting these morons to work on this place?! I believe you volunteered to help, so shut your mouth and do what I said!"

"I think you know what I want to call you right now..." Kuroh muttered quietly enough for Caster to be unable to make out what he said.

The witch held a hand out to him. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Runes fall into two categories. Primordial Runes were created by Odin himself and are the highest level runes can be at. The other is modern runes. It's like magecraft to magic, where these runes are less powerful imitations of Primordial Runes. Since this is Age of Man, you'll learn modern runes."

Lancer was getting to a rune demonstration to stop Reisi constantly reminding him of what he said last night.

"On your uniform, are those runes? They look like symbols so I was wondering."

"It's runic silver molded into the fabric, so technically yes."

"What's it for? Decoration?"

"No. They're enhancements to provide me a bit of help in battle. Things like stamina."

"At least you aren't completely reckless when it comes to combat..." Reisi muttered.

An angry exhale from Lancer. "...And while we're on the subject of enhancements, I think you should learn the basics for defensive runes."

"Why? My aura already provides a strong defense."

Lancer crossed his arms and had the face of someone about to be a smartass. "This is to strengthen it. Remember how shitty I said your defense is last night?"

This made Reisi pinch the bridge of his nose. "Give me a break with that. Everyone slips up sometimes. It just happened to be during those times."

"Yeah, we need to reduce that as much as possible. In this War, a simple slip-up could cost your head."

During his walk outside, a fly went to Zouken, relaying what it had found. It was the one of the few that managed not to get killed by a Servant while trying to spy on a Clan.

"So we finally know who he's with..."

It was afternoon and Rider found Lancer fishing at the pier, what he always does during his lunch break.

The Greek Servant ran a thumb over the small cut on his cheek that was covered by a simple adhesive bandage. Given he's a Servant, a scratch like this would've closed in a second. He was too hopped up on adrenaline during the fight to notice the stinging remained. It wasn't until he got his Master back to Homra that he took note of the oddity. That spear must have the same property Diatrekhōn Astēr Lonkhē would have if Rider were to be summoned as a Lancer. A cursed weapon, the son of a chief god, a war-like and beastly person, and blue skin-tight clothing perhaps suggesting a Celt, he thinks he now knows the True Name of that Servant.

"Hey, Lancer!"

"Rider! Need somethin'?" He was being friendly now.

"I think I figured out your True Name. Can I guess it?"

Lancer looked a little startled. "Huh?"

"Cú Chulainn, isn't it? Just tell me if my guess is right or not."

Lancer gave a frustrated exhale through his nose and was silent for a few seconds, contemplating how he should respond, then sighed. "Yeah. Looks like we're even now."

"In the case of our True Names, being famous sucks."

"Tell me 'bout it."

Reisi was occupied with looking through a produce selection in a grocery store nearby.

"That man is merely your familiar."

The King jolted and turned around to face the source of that bell-like voice that whispered in his ear. But no one was behind him.

"I must still be tired..." he murmured then turned back to the selection. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a crow feather gently descend.