"Takatsuki, Takatsuki..."
Gentle calls echoed from the darkness.
"Who?"
Takatsuki opened his eyes, and a beautiful face entered his field of vision.
Looking at the blonde figure, Takatsuki's eyes were momentarily dazed, and it took a while for them to refocus.
"What's wrong, dear? Still sleepy?"
Durandal gently touched Takatsuki's forehead: "Alright, hurry and get up. Breakfast is ready. Ai is already up, earlier than you, her father. Really, you can't be so lax even on a day off."
After speaking, Durandal got up and left the room.
Sitting up from the bed, Takatsuki rubbed his slightly throbbing temples.
"A hangover?"
His dormant memories were awakened, and Takatsuki remembered that he seemed to have gone to a celebration party last night because his work sold well, which led to him drinking too much.
Although he didn't black out, the after-effects were here, making him even forget his wife.
"This is the first time since I stopped being a mercenary."
Recalling his experiences as a mercenary a few years ago, Takatsuki couldn't help but chuckle. Although it wasn't a pleasant memory, it was because of that experience that he met this princess in the castle.
After that, he retired and became a manga artist.
After changing his clothes, Takatsuki walked out of his room. Durandal was busy in the kitchen.
At the dining table in the dining room connected to the living room sat a delicate little girl with long black hair.
Ai, five years old, was the crystallization of his and Durandal's love.
"Daddy is so old and still lazy in bed, you big lazy bum."
Seeing Takatsuki come out, Ai made a face at him.
"Daddy was just too tired from work yesterday."
Pulling out a chair opposite Ai and sitting down, Takatsuki explained his actions.
"Too tired? Isn't Daddy's job just drawing little figures at home every day and going out to play?"
"Ahem, that's not playing, that's called going out for research."
But perhaps because this excuse had been used too many times, Ai was already a bit unconvinced.
"It's clearly playing. Daddy went out to play with Uncle Welt yesterday and didn't take me. I also want to see Arahato."
Arahato was Welt's work. Takatsuki remembered watching the animated movie based on this manga in the cinema.
"Ai can also read Daddy's manga."
"No way."
His daughter didn't give him any face: "Daddy's manga is weird. Those people's muscles are too exaggerated, and they always strike strange poses."
Ai bent and raised her arms, striking a muscle-flexing pose, which instead made her look very cute.
"Takatsuki, I told you Ai doesn't like your works."
Durandal came out of the kitchen with a plate and sat down next to them.
"Your manga isn't very suitable for children."
"I'm not a child anymore!"
Durandal stroked Ai's head and smiled gently: "Alright, alright, Ai is not a child anymore."
"I think so too. Fate/Zero has ended. I originally planned to draw a new story set ten years later, but looking at it this way, why not take this opportunity to start a new one? As for Jojo, that'll be a long time."
"You just follow your own pace. I'm off today, so let's take Ai out to play today. Last week she was pestering me to go to the amusement park."
Unlike Takatsuki, who drew manga, Durandal had a job that required her to clock in and out.
She was a personal trainer at a gym and held high-level certifications.
Although she only took one student at a time, her income was much higher than that of other ordinary trainers.
No wonder, who could resist such an excellent wife?
Takatsuki still remembered when he went to Durandal's workplace to pick her up after work and was mistaken for a persistent suitor, even getting into a fight with other suitors.
However, those ordinary people who mostly just exercised at the gym were no match for Takatsuki.
Takatsuki had no reason to refuse. Although he was almost always at home and Durandal's work wasn't very busy, who could refuse the chance to go out with his cute daughter and beautiful wife?
He wasn't Kotomine Kirei.
Hmm?
Who was Kotomine Kirei?
A name suddenly popped into Takatsuki's mind, but no matter how he thought, he had never heard that name.
"What's wrong? Is there something else? If the magazine editorial is pressing, it's better to finish your work first."
Durandal asked, looking strangely at Takatsuki, who was spacing out.
"Ah, no, I'm fine. Nothing can stop me from accompanying my wife and child. Let the magazine editorial go to hell."
Takatsuki quickly denied, snapping back to attention.
"What nonsense are you saying? Don't talk about death or life in front of children. You're punished to wash the dishes today."
Durandal playfully chided, and Takatsuki quickly agreed repeatedly.
However, washing dishes was already his chore, so there was no real punishment involved.
After the family finished breakfast, and after Takatsuki washed the dishes, the mother and daughter were already tidied up and dressed in their going-out clothes.
Because Ai was still a child, she only changed into a new dress and hair clip.
Durandal, however, had many things to pay attention to. Although she was naturally beautiful, she still needed maintenance.
Although she only applied simple, light makeup, it was clear that Durandal had put thought into it.
Takatsuki remembered that when he first met Durandal, she couldn't cook or do makeup. Now, she was skilled at both cooking and makeup.
"What's wrong? Why are you always spacing out today?"
Durandal's voice brought Takatsuki back to reality: "That's because my wife is too beautiful, I was mesmerized. Come, let your husband give you a hug."
"Go on, go on, your hands are still wet."
"Then... a kiss?"
Although they had been married for several years and had a child, being an old married couple for a long time, Durandal still acted like a girl newly in love. As soon as Takatsuki leaned in, she pushed him back with her fair hand.
"The child is still here."
"Then…"
Just as Takatsuki was about to say something, his daughter interrupted him: "Mom and Dad, hurry up, if we're any later, the amusement park will close."
"The amusement park won't close that fast…"
Just as Takatsuki was about to retort, Durandal interrupted him.
She quickly kissed Takatsuki on the cheek: "Alright, hurry up."
After speaking, she quickly ran towards Ai.
He touched his cheek; the warm, moist feeling had not yet dissipated, feeling somewhat familiar yet strange.
Looking at Durandal, whose ears were flushed as she turned her back to him, Takatsuki's heart fluttered.
"Is she shy?"