"Let's eat while the food's still hot."
Everyone swallowed, said a quick "I'm starting," and dropped their reservations.
The Fujimura Group usually ate Japanese-style meals, while the Matou family leaned more toward Western cuisine.
Taking their different habits into account, Shirou had prepared a dinner that was half Japanese and half Western.
Taiga Fujimura started with a sip of miso soup.
The fragrance of the broth filled her nose, and the rich miso flavor spread across her tongue, perfectly matching the aroma.
"Wow… this is amazing! So good! It's been ages since I've had miso soup this delicious, Shirou!"
Shirou narrowed his eyes in quiet relief. "Thanks. Hearing you say that makes me really happy, Fuji-nee."
Before long, the Matou siblings gave their own opinions.
"It's way better than what our house staff makes."
A bit blunt, but for a cook, that was high praise coming from Shinji Matou.
"It's really, really good…"
A simple, honest compliment from Sakura Matou.
After that, the three of them turned into nonstop praise machines.
They ate heartily while showering Shirou with compliments, and the cheerful mood carried on until the meal was over.
"I'm full."
"Me too."
"I can't eat another bite."
Every dish on the table had been completely wiped out, and all three wore deeply satisfied expressions.
Seeing how much they enjoyed the meal made Shirou happy as well.
A dinner that was a little noisy, but full of warmth and joy…
Maybe this was exactly why he had chosen to move here.
After the meal, Shirou was about to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen, but Fuji-nee pressed him back into his seat.
"Leave the rest to us."
Taiga Fujimura smiled. "It's about time I showed what an adult can do. I can't keep getting looked down on by grade schoolers."
"Alright."
Shirou agreed, but the moment he did, he regretted it.
It was already too late. The sound of plates shattering hit the floor from the kitchen.
Right after that came a girl's scream and a boy's crying.
"This house really can't function without me…"
Shirou let out a sigh and got up, heading toward the kitchen.
...
...
By the time the Matou siblings left, it was already close to nine at night.
Still a bit concerned, Shirou called the Matou household, and in the end, Kariya Matou came to pick them up.
"Fuji-nee, you should probably head home too. Want me to call the Fujimura Group for you?"
"What are you talking about, Shirou?"
Taiga Fujimura lounged there like a zoo tiger that had long since lost its wild instincts, resting her chin on one hand as she watched TV.
"This is my home."
"Hello, is this the Fujimura Group? This is—"
"No calling! Aaaaah!"
Taiga Fujimura rushed over and slammed the phone down.
Shirou sighed and returned the receiver to its place. "Fuji-nee, are you really planning to stay here?"
"Starting today, I'm Shirou's guardian."
She declared it solemnly again, then puffed out her cheeks and looked at him with pleading eyes. "...Is that not okay?"
Shirou let out another sigh. "Alright, I get it."
Once Fuji-nee made up her mind, there was no point resisting. He gave up immediately.
"Yay!!!"
Taiga Fujimura threw her hands up in celebration.
After the excitement settled, the ponytailed girl placed her hands on Shirou's shoulders.
"Alright, time for a bath."
As she spoke, she pushed him toward the bathroom.
"Hey, don't push me."
"Shirou, the bathwater's ready, right?"
"Yeah, I heated it up before dinner."
"Good."
Shirou was shoved into the bathroom, and then Taiga Fujimura suddenly started undressing.
"Huh…?"
Shirou blinked, completely thrown off by what he was seeing.
As always, Taiga Fujimura moved incredibly fast, stripping off her shirt and uniform skirt in no time.
Her well-trained, healthy body, without a trace of excess fat, was laid bare in the open air.
"…Wait."
Shirou's face flushed instantly. His mouth opened, but no words came out.
To be honest, he had never really thought of Fuji-nee as a woman before, but now…
A slender waist you could wrap one hand around, long and graceful limbs, a firm, rounded figure, and just beginning to take shape…
It wasn't the allure of a fully mature woman, but a body brimming with youthful energy, like a flower just about to bloom.
Shirou's heart pounded as he stared, unable to look away.
Come to think of it, Fuji-nee was actually very pretty. Even with her personality, she was quite popular at school.
"The water's just right… hmm?"
With her back to him, leaning over to test the bathwater, Taiga Fujimura noticed his gaze.
"What's wrong, Shirou… huh? Why aren't you undressed yet!? Go rinse off first, or the bath will get cold."
"It's not that…"
Shirou took a step back.
Only then did he remember that, in other people's eyes, he was just an elementary schooler.
No… even so, would a middle school girl normally bathe with a boy?
That's right, I forgot…
Fuji-nee isn't normal at all!
"Do you want me to help you undress? Honestly, what am I going to do with you."
Wearing only her underwear, the ponytailed girl stepped toward him without the slightest hesitation, her long legs swaying with each step.
"I—I'll step out first…! Fuji-nee, you go ahead! Call me when you're done!"
Shirou tried to make a run for it.
But just as he reached the doorway, right as he was about to escape, a strong hand landed on his shoulder.
"Fuji… Fuji-nee…?"
"Hehe, Shirou, what's the matter? Are you embarrassed?"
Taiga Fujimura covered her mouth and laughed mischievously. "Well, I can't blame you. After all, your big sister here is a super charming, drop-dead gorgeous beauty~"
"L-let go of me! Fuji-nee! Let me out!"
"No escaping!"
"Ugh… ah!"
Taiga Fujimura used some kind of grappling move she'd probably learned from a TV variety show, pinning Shirou to the floor with her body weight so he couldn't move at all.
His clothes were forcibly stripped off.
He was dragged under the shower to rinse off.
With a lifeless expression, Shirou was then pulled into the bath together with Taiga Fujimura.
...
...
Shirou Amamiya swore on his honor that his sleepless night had absolutely nothing to do with Taiga Fujimura's body.
Being pressed tightly together with a lively, healthy middle school girl in a cramped bathtub was certainly intense, but not enough to shake his strong will.
The real reason he couldn't sleep was the futon.
Back at the Matou household, he had slept on a soft, luxurious Western-style bed.
Now he was lying on a traditional futon spread over tatami mats, so it just took some getting used to.
"That's right. That's all it is."
Having convinced himself, Shirou got ready to get up.
He lifted the covers, and then—
He saw something shocking.
Not a wet dream… what are you even thinking?
And definitely not morning wood!
On the back of his right hand, the red-haired boy saw a deep crimson mark.
This… was likely the legendary Command Spell.
Shirou Amamiya had been chosen by the Holy Grail as a Master in the Fourth Holy Grail War.