"Wow… so this is where the Commander usually eats…"
The three Horse Girls followed behind Setsuna, timidly entering a private restaurant decorated in a grand yet minimalist style.
Most of the base's daily meals were prepared by the Angeloids, whose culinary skills had long since surpassed the ordinary chefs once found at Tracen Academy.
As for the Commander's personal chef team, they were like an urban legend to those unfamiliar with them.
All anyone knew was that their dishes could casually send people into rapture—clothes bursting apart on the spot.
After integrating ingredients and culinary techniques from multiple worlds, these former Totsuki students had reached a level that even the top seats of previous generations could only look up to.
"Good day, Commander. A table for four today?"
Erina Nakiri and Rindou Kobayashi looked at the Horse Girls with mild curiosity.
Setsuna often brought different girls here for dates—they were used to it.
"Mm. Order whatever you like."
Setsuna generously pushed the menu forward, leaving Silence Suzuka and Special Week completely flustered.
"E-eh…"
"Why don't you choose for us? We're fine with anything…"
"By the way, do you eat meat? You're not strict herbivores, right?"
Rindou asked with great interest.
"Eh… anything is fine."
"That makes things simple. Just wait."
Before long.
In front of Setsuna and the Horse Girls, the Totsuki chefs unleashed their imagination and presented 108 ways to cook carrots.
All sorts of bizarre carrot dishes were served:
"This is premium carrot hamburger steak, carrot and wood ear mushroom stir-fried chimera meat, carrot-braised Honkai Beast, stir-fried carrots, cold carrot salad, carrot toast…"
"There's also carrot sashimi, charcoal-grilled carrot, carrot rice bowl, carrot stir-fried with white radish… please enjoy."
"???"
Setsuna almost forgot how to read the word carrot. Even the drinks carried a strong carrot aroma.
"Wow—this is amazing!!"
The Horse Girls' eyes sparkled.
Compared to their usual meals, this was on a completely different level.
"As expected of the Commander's personal chefs. Let's dig in!!"
Oguri Cap charged in first, devouring everything voraciously.
Then—
Flash—
A burst of golden light filled the restaurant. Amid subtle moans from the Horse Girls, their clothes split apart one after another.
"Ah…"
Special Week wore a dazed expression, savoring the aftertaste of the food.
When she came back to her senses, she realized she was nearly naked, only a few scraps of cloth hanging from her body.
"H-hey—!"
"Commander, why are you taking off our clothes while we're eating?!"
Special Week looked both embarrassed and indignant.
"Those big sisters said at the very least… at least wait until we get back and turn off the lights!!!"
"?"
"…Which sister taught you that?"
After the meal.
Setsuna brought the Horse Girls sightseeing through the world he had created.
Everything within the Theater of Dominance had been constructed by the authority of the Herrscher of Reason and the divine power of the Suniaster. Its scale was no smaller than the capital or Disboard.
"Oh… it's my first time going shopping with the Commander…"
Setsuna gently slipped an arm around Silence Suzuka.
"Eh?"
The girl startled slightly, then lowered her head, blushing as she quietly tightened her grip on his hand.
Being able to be this close to the Commander of the Starsea Empire—having him accompany her on a date—was something she had never even dared to imagine before.
Throughout the city, various small groups were locked in fierce battles for vouchers. Holographic arenas were projected everywhere.
There were board games, as well as all kinds of team-based competitive PvP games.
Seeing the Horse Girls gathered around Setsuna, quite a few girls felt a bit envious.
"Eh? Is this what they call seizing the day?"
Origami Tobiichi and Kurumi couldn't help but feel a hint of jealousy.
"No, if I win just a little more, I'll be able to make the Commander stay with me alone for several weeks…"
"Ah… how should I use my alone time with the Commander…"
Origami had already begun entertaining some rather unusual thoughts.
"Let's fight! This time we're playing Mahjong Soul. I'm betting ten date vouchers!"
"You'll regret it, nanoda!"
The three Yukikazes accepted the challenge without hesitation.
Five minutes later.
"Double Yakuman—Thirteen Orphans on thirteen waits."
"Yakuman—Nine Gates, three han, pure triple sequence."
"…"
Origami nearly lost even her last shred of dignity to Yukikaze.
Every draw the three little shipgirls made was blessed with incomprehensible luck. Winning hands came almost at will—whatever tiles they wanted, they drew.
Yet no matter what methods were used, no one could detect any cheating. It was simply overwhelming good fortune.
"…Good thing we know our limits."
The Horse Girls sighed in relief.
Rather than being completely cleaned out by experts from all sides, it was better to enjoy life honestly in advance—even if the time was shorter.
...
By evening.
After strolling around the city.
After watching all kinds of bizarre game duels.
Click—
Setsuna returned to the top-floor suite reserved exclusively for the Commander.
"Wow…"
The Horse Girls were stunned.
Looking up, they saw a holographic dome above them displaying the starry sky directly. The surroundings could only be described as pure science fiction.
"Sit."
Setsuna gestured for them to take a seat and had the Angeloids bring over some desserts.
"So? Did you enjoy today?"
"Yes!"
Oguri Cap nodded frantically.
"The food was delicious, and the portions were huge. Ah… it was amazing."
"Is that all you think about—food?!"
Special Week rolled her eyes at her.
"Mm…"
Silence Suzuka sat beside Setsuna, her voice tinged with a hint of regret.
"Thank you, Commander. We rarely get the chance to be alone with you."
"It feels like… there wasn't quite enough time. If only you could stay with us a little longer."
As she spoke, she waved her hands in a flustered gesture.
"Ah… sorry. I know you're usually very busy, and there are many amazing girls by your side…"
"We're just ordinary people, so…"
"That's not true."
Setsuna pulled Silence Suzuka into his arms.
Her chestnut hair, her quiet and gentle demeanor, along with the beast ears atop her head and the tail behind her, gave her a lively charm.
Truth be told, beast-eared girls really hit his preferences.
With a snap of his fingers.
Snap—
The surrounding space-time twisted. Everything outside the window slowed to an extreme crawl.
"You can come play on the Eternal Snowfall anytime. Time, to me, is just something I can manipulate at will."
"A week, a month… from the outside world's perspective, it would only be a single night. If I use it to accompany you, that should be enough, right?"
"Wow—"
Silence Suzuka and Oguri Cap were stunned by the time manipulation.
"I quite like you."
Setsuna gently pinched Silence Suzuka's cheek. Knowing her original fate, he felt a special fondness for this Horse Girl.
"Eh?—"
The beast-eared girl in his arms turned red from head to toe. A pure-hearted Horse Girl had never faced such a direct confession.
Feeling his arm around her waist, she grew even more embarrassed, her body going limp as she leaned against him.
"Commander… what are you saying…"
"If you're unwilling, we can talk about it later?"
"…No."
Summoning her courage, Silence Suzuka made the boldest move of her life. She tilted her head up and pressed her lips against Setsuna's.
Such a rare opportunity—if she missed it, who knew how long she would have to wait.
After a long moment, she spoke in a voice as faint as silk.
"I… I feel the same."
"Commander, please take care of me."
"Huh?!"
Special Week and Oguri Cap were stunned. They never expected the usually quiet Silence Suzuka to be this bold.
"Does this mean the Commander is going to marry Silence Suzuka and have lots of little Horse Girls?!"
Their imaginations immediately ran wild.
"Mm. Why don't you two join as well?"
Setsuna rubbed Oguri Cap's head.
"In here, we have plenty of time."
...
As a civilization that entered the industrial and space age early, Setsuna had never really experienced the transportation methods of the cold-weapon era.
For example, he didn't know how to ride a horse, nor had he ever learned.
But riding a Horse Girl required no lessons. It came naturally.
Under the effects of the time distortion, everything outside slowed to a crawl.
Inside the holographic dome, however, nothing was affected in the slightest.
"Hm?"
Tohru and Elma had originally been wandering aimlessly through the streets when they suddenly sensed that the building in front of them was shrouded in a layer of space-time barrier.
Just like the Eternal Snowfall from before.
The dragon girl swayed her tail, faintly catching some rather discordant sounds coming from within.
"Commander… honestly, the space-time magic I taught you—haven't you used it for improper purposes far more often than for actual combat?!"
Tohru sighed.
"Hm?"
Elma, not fully understanding but still impressed, looked up while stuffing skewers into her mouth.
"Should we go find the Commander and hang out?"
"No. With that clueless look on your face, going in now would just disturb him. Come on, I'll take you for some late-night snacks."
Tohru glanced at Elma, whose mouth was stuffed full of food, and wore a look of disdain.
This one had come here purely to eat, eat, and eat—just like King of Knights.
"Yay!—"
Whoosh—
After several days and nights.
The scenery projected across the holographic dome shifted from an endless starry sky to gentle daylight.
"Mm…"
Silence Suzuka drowsily opened her eyes, her head resting against Setsuna's chest.
She nuzzled against him as if acting spoiled.
"Good morning, Commander."
"Hehe… I never thought I'd have the chance to say that one day."
"Morning."
Setsuna pinched Silence Suzuka's cheek, then casually gave the tail swaying behind her a squeeze.
For some reason, beast-eared girls' ears and tails seemed extremely sensitive, which provided him with no small amount of amusement.
"Ah—Commander, you were pinching it for so long last night! You're going to pull it off!"
Silence Suzuka protested, her ears trembling.
"…When you're driving, you need something to hold onto for steering."
Setsuna cleared his throat.
"???"
Silence Suzuka had the distinct feeling he was saying something strange, but after thinking about it, she decided not to pursue it.
One hand traced small circles on his chest.
"Commander… will you come see me again in the future…"
"I may not be very strong, but…"
She knew her abilities were not outstanding. She couldn't compare to shipgirls, dragon girls, or Spirits. Still, she wanted to muster the courage to ask.
"Of course. When I have time, I'll come watch your training."
Setsuna helped smooth her hair.
"If you want to find me, you can come to the Eternal Snowfall."
"Mm…"
A quiet smile spread across Silence Suzuka's usually calm face.
"Zzz… Zzz…"
After quite a while, Special Week and Oguri Cap finally stirred awake.
The Commander was terrifying.
How could someone replenish so many Horse Girls in one go?
Horse Girls' physical abilities far exceeded ordinary humans, yet before Setsuna, each of them was like a child.
With just a little force, they were sent soaring beyond their limits.
"Ugh… time to get up."
Silence Suzuka sat up and glanced at the sunlight outside, casually pulling a piece of clothing over herself.
Lowering her head, as if remembering something, she placed a hand over her lower abdomen, sensing the lingering warmth from the night before.
"Mm…"
"In the future, I should be able to give birth to the strongest little Horse Girl with the Commander, right?"
"Hm?"
Setsuna laughed.
"The shipgirls want little shipgirls, Tohru wants little dragon girls, and you want little Horse Girls?"
"That's fine."
Watching Silence Suzuka sitting before him, he inexplicably felt a wave of temptation.
Glancing over, he saw that the time-distortion barrier had not fully dissipated yet.
"Ah—Commander…"
"W-wait a moment—"
...
Two hours later.
"Commander, Schwi doesn't understand. They say they love and like you. Does that mean they have hearts as well?"
Schwi looked at the Horse Girls beside Setsuna, countless streams of data flickering in her eyes as she tilted her head and asked.
"Mm. Yes."
Setsuna gently patted Schwi.
"Commander, Schwi also wants a heart."
"Schwi requests to do the same things with Commander."
Schwi opened her coat, staring over with an expressionless face.
"Please. Make Schwi an adult!!"
"Ah… no. Schwi doesn't have that function."
As she spoke, she realized the tragic reality.
The Ex-Machina were mechanical lifeforms. Unlike Grey, she did not possess the ability to freely modify her own body. What she lacked simply did not exist.
Schwi seriously made her request to Setsuna.
"Commander, Schwi requires additional modules. Can you use the Herrscher of Reason's authority to help?"
"???"
Setsuna's face darkened.
"Using the Herrscher of Reason's authority for that? That's not appropriate, is it?"
He coughed lightly.
"Your understanding of 'heart' is still too superficial. Only by understanding it more deeply can you grasp its true meaning."
"Is that so?"
Schwi tilted her head, thinking.
"More deeply? But yesterday, Sister Silence Suzuka kept saying it was too deep? Is that what it means?…"
"Whoa—"
Tokai Teio and Grass Wonder, who had just approached, wore stunned expressions.
"Eh?!"
Silence Suzuka covered her face outright, too embarrassed to speak.
Setsuna had the distinct feeling that if Schwi kept collecting data by his side, she would inevitably be led astray.
After settling the Horse Girls.
He brought Schwi along and continued enjoying the vacation.
Various competitive games were still in full swing.
Throughout the port and along the streets, girls were locked in duels everywhere.
"I wager one night with the Commander!"
"I wager three lunches!!—"
The things they used as stakes left Setsuna feeling rather conflicted.
"Commander! Commander!"
Upon spotting him, another group of girls crowded around, eager to redeem their rewards.
"Me, me! After the Horse Girls, it's my turn today! Commander, can we have dinner together tonight?…"
"Tomorrow—come with me tomorrow!—"
"Mm."
Setsuna accepted the vouchers one by one, agreeing to each request.
Only by following the rules did the game retain its meaning.
In the past, he sometimes had a headache deciding whom to visit each day. This game had conveniently made the choice for him.
"By the way, is there any statistical result? Who has won the most so far?"
He was somewhat curious.
The shipgirl faction had formed a high-luck squad of three Yukikazes. Chaldea had sent out several Heroic Spirits with Luck ranked A or above.
Among the seemingly ordinary girls, Shiro—the true "God of Games"—was no weaker than anyone else.
"Oh right, dear husband, I remember Shiro has been winning nonstop. Even the little shipgirls in the port who are best at games can't beat her."
Kurumi said.
Beep—
Schwi expanded a statistical interface.
"Commander, Schwi has been monitoring all game matches here in real time to compile data."
On the holographic display, a detailed ranking list appeared.
"Oh?!"
A crowd of girls immediately gathered around, eager to see which lucky individual held the most vouchers—so they could band together to challenge her.
"Currently, the highest win rate and the largest number of vouchers belong to Eris."
"Total matches: 51. Wins: 51. Win rate: 100%."
"Second place: the Witch of Vanity, Pandora. Total matches: 66. Wins: 63. Win rate: 95.4%."
"Third place is…"
Schwi analyzed each person in turn.
"Huh?"
Setsuna and the others were surprised. The top two were neither Shiro nor the three Yukikazes. Their records could only be described as absurd.
"Mu… a 100% win rate? Is that real? Who is Eris? I shall go test her myself…"
Nero leaned forward, but before she could finish.
Several little shipgirls and young girls panicked.
"Eris? The goddess Eris from the heavens? Aqua's colleague?!"
"The one who can bless you with three SSR pulls in ten draws without off-banner, guess every exam multiple-choice question correctly, make monsters always drop orange gear, and turn a 1% critical rate into 100%?!"
"Why is she personally participating in this, aaaahhh!!!—"
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