On the third night after the Holy Grail War began, only one target remained to be hunted. Ritsuka suddenly didn't feel so rushed.
Because after the magic effects concealing the ruins of Ryudou Temple, Fuyuki Park, and the pier from ordinary people ended, a massive wave of protests surged toward the gas supply company.
People began to worry that if a gas leak occurred near their homes one day, resulting in an explosion or poisoning, they might pass away unknowingly, which was quite unpleasant to think about.
Therefore, the protests were quite loud.
"Young lady, you've caused such a huge commotion. Even though no innocent people were hurt, it's probably not good to just ignore it like this, right?"
In front of the Emiya Residence, by the repaired main gate, the old man she had seen this morning teased her with a smile.
Ritsuka glanced sideways at this. "They're looking for a gas explosion. What does that have to do with me?"
The implication was: it wasn't me who released the gas.
Taking the key from her pocket, Ritsuka opened the gate and returned to her courtyard, while the old man at the gate followed her right in.
Ritsuka's footsteps paused slightly as she turned back to look at the old man with unknown intentions.
"Old man, do you have some business?"
What should she do when a very strong stranger—so strong she couldn't deal with him—wanted to force his way into her home?
Waiting online, it's quite urgent.
Kishua... she didn't remember the full name, but the opponent was definitely an exceptionally strong, exaggeratedly powerful existence. She was currently completely unable to move.
An eerie power bound everything around her, as if freezing all things in place. The entire space of the Emiya Residence had become a completely sealed state, and Ritsuka was firmly locked down.
This man was a monster!
"I don't have any major business, I just came to take a look. After all, the appearance of an otherworldly soul here can't help but pique one's interest."
Kishua laughed heartily, but a drop of cold sweat quietly rolled down Ritsuka's face.
This old man had easily seen through her, seen through the soul from another world within this body. A intense sense of crisis left her back drenched in cold sweat.
She clenched her right hand into a fist, a faint light leaking from within.
"Let's not talk about that."
Kishua clapped his hands, releasing the frozen space. Ritsuka almost knelt on the ground because her body went out of control from the sudden release of force.
"I've been paying attention to you for a long time, but since the counter force didn't do anything, I chose to wait and see." Kishua's eyes held a deep meaning. "I came over this time because I felt a change in you. Now it seems..."
Burning away her self, both spirit and form being extinguished.
Although he had a hunch that this girl wouldn't die so easily, on the surface, she indeed only had a few days left to live.
Having lived for so many years, he still possessed this much insight.
"Making such a decision for someone important is quite admirable. I've heard your cooking is good, Little girl. I wonder if you'd be interested in hosting this strange old man who has come from afar?"
Kishua joked, a trace of regret in his eyes. To be honest, with the talent of the girl before him, she was qualified to be his disciple.
A disciple of a Magus.
Compared to those useless fellows, this Little girl, who could quickly adapt to power that didn't belong to her and wield it to its current limit, was very much to his liking.
At least she wasn't a coward; she had quite the spirit.
"Of course, that's no problem, but I don't have many ingredients here... and it's late now, so I probably won't have much to serve."
He bore no ill will toward her. As long as he wasn't an enemy, Ritsuka breathed a sigh of relief.
If the man before her intended to stop her from saving Miyu, she definitely wouldn't be able to win. That move he just made was enough; she had absolutely no chance of resisting.
Looking at the sky, Ritsuka felt a bit troubled.
"If you don't mind, would you like to try some mapo ramen?"
Kishua nodded, seemingly quite interested in this so-called mapo ramen.
Ritsuka led him into the house, took out the remaining tea snacks, and placed them on the table to host him before heading into the kitchen to put on an apron.
There weren't many usable ingredients in the fridge, only tofu and Father Mapo's special spicy sauce bought to make mapo ramen. That fellow Kirei Kotomine seemed very happy that she could eat his secret mapo ramen.
He had even taught her the secret recipe... "Phew~ exactly two portions' worth, what a coincidence."
Perhaps it would be her last meal. Ritsuka uncharacteristically composed herself and searched for anything usable.
In the end, she only found some relatively fresh meat, which was just enough to turn into minced meat.
Cooking began in the kitchen. Kishua watched for a while and then lost interest. With his status, having a higher-class feast was no problem at all.
He was just acting on a whim, wanting to see alaya's Guardian and exclusive chef, and have a little something to eat while he was at it.
'Speaking of which, in her current state, unless she uses the Holy Grail to make a wish, she wouldn't even have the chance to become a Guardian, right?'
Expressing his view to himself in a certain tone, Kishua suddenly felt an urge to take her as a disciple, but he ultimately suppressed it.
Right now, he had no way to save this child, Emiya Ritsuka.
That method of nearly irreversible self-replacement, burning her own existence, was too inconceivable. It didn't seem like something that existed in this world at all, and he had no good way to save her.
Time passed minute by minute, and finally, before the stars rose, Ritsuka finished making dinner.
"Old man, here is your mapo ramen. Be careful, it's very spicy."
"Oh! How spicy can it be?"
Two bowls of noodles were placed on the table. Seeing Ritsuka already using her chopsticks with a face that didn't change in the slightest, Kishua stroked his beard.
He was a Magus, after all. How could a level of spiciness that didn't even trouble a Little girl be unbearable for him?
It was absolutely impossible.
Picking up the pair of chopsticks laid flat on the bowl, Kishua took a mouthful of noodles and began slurping them down... Thud—!
The next moment, amidst Ritsuka's silence, Kishua face-planted into the ramen bowl, seemingly losing consciousness.
Ritsuka took another bite of noodles. "What is this? Defeating an unbeatable enemy through indirect means?"
Shaking her head speechlessly, Ritsuka rescued Kishua from the spicy hell. After cleaning his face, she placed him on the sofa to rest; his expression was as peaceful as if he had passed away.
Ritsuka was almost completely unaffected by the mapo ramen that could even bring down a Magus. This didn't mean Ritsuka was stronger than a Magus in some sense; it was just that she currently had no feeling for this level of spiciness.
The pain at the soul level had already caused her to lose part of her senses.
Because of Sakura, she had never again used that magecraft capable of suppressing pain, so naturally, she had no other means to alleviate the agony.
Since she was used to it, it didn't matter anymore.
However, seeing that it could make the old man who was strong enough to crush her fall to this spiciness, Ritsuka looked at Kirei Kotomine in a new light. This mapo ramen might even have the power of a top-tier Noble Phantasm.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and Ritsuka looked out the window. A cold warrior's aura made her hands pause.
"..."
It was Saber.
Without a doubt, the class with the highest chance of winning the Holy Grail War had approached the Emiya Residence. As for why they hadn't entered yet, it was unclear.
After clearing the dishes and the sink, Ritsuka placed a blanket over Kishua.
"Goodbye. I'm glad I could have a meal with you, old man, as the end approaches."
"If there's a chance, I'll make you an even better meal."