While Emiya Kiritsugu was racking his brains over the tangled battlefield situation in a dark underground hideout…
On the other side of Fuyuki, the Tohsaka residence had fallen into a completely different, even oddly "everyday" kind of atmosphere.
The Tohsaka estate.
This building, a blend of Japanese and Western styles, looked tranquil and peaceful under the night sky and the protection of its bounded fields.
However—
What it currently contained inside far exceeded what any ordinary mage's workshop should reasonably be able to handle.
In the bathroom.
Steam billowed.
The warm, humid air carried a pleasant fragrance.
Inside the space lined with high-end tiles, two girls who looked extremely similar yet had very different auras were enjoying the conveniences of modern civilization.
In the bathtub.
Hot water rose over pale skin.
A girl with her trademark "333" twin-tails (though right now, the wet hair was plastered down her back) let out a satisfied sigh.
The arrogance and lively energy befitting the goddess of Venus gave away her identity—Ishtar.
"Phew… I have to admit, mortals in this era really put a lot of effort into enjoying themselves in this department."
Ishtar lazily stirred the hot water, savoring the feel of it flowing over her skin.
"Compared to drawing water with clay jars back in Uruk, this is so much more comfortable."
Under the showerhead,
Another girl was standing with her eyes closed, quietly enjoying the water cascading down on her.
Her aura was colder, more introverted, with a faint trace of melancholy and authority between her brows.
She was Ereshkigal.
"Mm…"
Ereshkigal answered softly, her voice sounding a little hazy beneath the shower.
"It really is warm."
"The Underworld is always cold and silent. Moments like this… where you can actually relax… are rare."
She didn't seem used to expressing her feelings so directly.
But the warm water clearly pleased her.
Two goddesses.
One symbolizing prosperity and vitality.
The other ruling over death and stillness.
Yet here they were, sharing this small bathroom and, for once, reaching a rare agreement thanks to the comforts of modern bathing.
However, that peace and comfort was unreasonably shattered in the very next second.
In the middle of the bathroom, the air suddenly twisted and swirled without any warning, like an invisible mirror had just been smashed.
A long, narrow crack appeared out of thin air, its edges shimmering with a strange, chaotic glow.
It was a "world passage" that didn't belong to the rules of this world at all.
A moment later, a figure stepped calmly out of the passage.
Rei Ao had crossed worlds to arrive.
He steadied himself, seemed to confirm the coordinates of his teleportation, and let his gaze casually sweep around to take in his surroundings.
Then he froze.
Before his eyes, steam filled the room, outlining two slender, youthful figures in soft blur.
One was soaking in the tub.
Hot water rose to her chest; her wide eyes were full of shock.
The other stood under the shower.
Water flowed down her silver hair and smooth skin; she stood perfectly still, as if someone had cast a binding spell on her.
Time seemed to freeze for an instant.
"Ah—!!"
"Kyah—!!"
Two ear-splitting screams exploded at almost the same time, shaking with shock, shame, fury, and a hint of divinity slipping out of control.
The sound was loud enough that it felt like even the tiles in the bathroom were buzzing.
Ishtar suddenly ducked down into the water, leaving only her head exposed.
Her cheeks were burning red—whether from anger or embarrassment was anyone's guess.
Ereshkigal, meanwhile, instinctively grabbed the towel at her side (thankfully within reach) and hastily wrapped it around herself.
Her usually pale cheeks flushed in an instant.
Her eyes were full of flustered panic and mortified anger from being caught completely off guard.
Rei Ao blinked.
Faced with this sudden, beautiful scene and the sonic assault that followed, a flicker of surprise crossed his face—so brief it was almost invisible.
Then he calmly returned to his usual "nothing happened" expression.
He even had the leisure to shrug and, in a tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather, say:
"Mm. My bad. Carry on."
With that, he ignored the almost tangible killing intent and embarrassment burning into his back and unhurriedly turned around, pushed open the bathroom door, and walked out.
He even closed the door behind him on the way.
The moment the bathroom door shut,
Ishtar's furious roar came crashing through it.
"Rei—Ao—!!"
"You rude, barbaric, shameless jerk!!!"
"I'm gonna blast you into the sky!!!"
And Ereshkigal's trembling yet equally frosty murmur followed…
"The shackles of the Underworld might suit him…"
Rei Ao pretended not to hear the threats from behind the door.
He straightened his—not at all messy—clothes and stepped into the Tohsaka living room.
The scene in the living room was a sharp contrast to the "storm" in the bathroom.
Under the warm lighting, Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Tohsaka were sprawled on the carpet, fiddling with something.
Irisviel, looking like a delicate doll, was watching them with a gentle smile, a cup of black tea in her hand.
When Rei Ao suddenly appeared in the living room, the three of them reacted in different ways.
Sakura lifted her head, saw him, and her eyes lit up at once.
She dashed over on her short legs, face full of pure, unclouded joy.
"Rei Ao-nii! You're back!"
Rin also shyly looked up.
When her gaze met Rei Ao's, a bashful yet happy smile appeared on her face.
Irisviel's eyes widened slightly in brief surprise, then softened into a warm smile.
"Welcome home, dear."
Almost at the same time, spirit particles gathered in the corner of the room.
Artoria, in her silver-and-blue armor, and Medusa, in her purple skintight outfit with an eyemask, both materialized.
Both Servants appeared with clear wariness.
…but once she saw it was Rei Ao, Artoria's tense expression relaxed a little.
Medusa, on the other hand, kept her usual unreadable, indifferent look.
Just then, Aoi Tohsaka peeked out from an inner room, having heard the noise.
She saw Rei Ao.
Then glanced around the living room at everyone—especially the two Servants who had just appeared.
A knowing, gentle smile touched her face.
She didn't ask any questions.
She simply gave Rei Ao a warm, polite nod, then quietly withdrew back into the bedroom—
Leaving the living room to these decidedly "unconventional" residents.