In a small booth at a yakiniku restaurant in Fuyuki City, Aozaki Aoko and Kuonji Ariadne sat side-by-side, while Lin Luo sat opposite them, looking utterly miserable.

Aoko was quite the tomboy; although she could occasionally utter philosophical remarks like a sage, or wield an undeniable authority like a big sister figure, and sometimes even display a touch of naive cuteness, these traits couldn't change her fundamentally wild nature.

When the server brought the grilled meat, she dove in like a hungry ghost, eating without restraint, entirely devoid of any ladylike demeanor. Of course, she wasn't a lady; as a tomboy, this behavior was perfectly appropriate... That being said, her eating style wasn't exactly unsightly. While far from pleasing to the eye, it perfectly expressed her unrestrained, straightforward personality.

No one found it off-putting; it was utterly natural.

One plate, two plates, three plates... after finishing a full seven plates of yakiniku, she still showed no signs of stopping.

Aozaki Aoko was not only stunningly beautiful but also possessed a superb figure—a slender waist, ample bust, and truly long legs. She was perfectly proportioned, neither too much nor too little, looking as if she had undergone countless maintenance routines, yet in reality, it was all natural. Aside from simple grooming, she performed no actual upkeep, and yet, she was a bottomless pit of an eater... The record she and her sister once set for the Great Yakiniku Eating Contest remained unbroken to this day.

Beside her, Kuonji Ariadne was a true lady. She ate slowly and meticulously, making virtually no sound, so elegant and composed—the complete opposite extreme to Aoko.

Watching these two beauties eat, Lin Luo felt no discomfort; rather, he found it pleasing to the eye. His distress, however, lay in the fact that one of them couldn't get full, and the other couldn't finish; how long would he have to wait before they could even talk? His time was tight!

Lin Luo was inclined to remind them, but constrained by his current role, he couldn't be the first to speak. He could only wait. Fortunately, Aoko wasn't a bottomless pit like Yuyuko. After consuming several plates, her voracious appetite finally subsided a bit. She glanced at Lin Luo and began, "Alright, explain yourself properly now. Ten years have passed, why haven't you grown up at all, but instead become smaller?"

Lin Luo wore an expression of someone holding back words. "This... can I not say it?"

A woman's curiosity is potent. The more Lin Luo seemed unwilling to speak, the more Aoko wanted to know. She immediately brought out her authoritative side. "If you don't tell me, I'll hit you with my fists."

Watching Aoko's small, fair, delicate fist waving in front of him, Lin Luo felt genuinely no fear. However, he needed to feign fright now. He wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead and sighed, "Fine. Since I've been caught by misfortune, it seems I must speak..."

Hearing Lin Luo agree, Aoko listened intently, and even Ariadne perked up her ears... In truth, maintaining youth is quite common for magi. Never mind others, both she and Aoko were already in their mid-twenties, yet they still looked like sixteen-year-old girls. In another ten or twenty years, there probably wouldn't be much change. This was due to their strength reaching a certain level, causing subtle changes in their bodies, allowing them to preserve their appearance.

But Lin Luo's situation was different. He gave off no discernible magical energy, essentially indistinguishable from an ordinary person. Over ten years, he hadn't aged; instead, he looked younger. This was undeniably strange.

"Actually, this is how it happened. Ten years ago, shortly after we parted ways..."

"Wait a minute, the way you speak is odd. What do you mean 'parted ways'? When did we ever date?" Before Lin Luo had even finished two sentences, Aoko frowned and interjected.

"Fine, 'separated' then, alright?" Lin Luo shot her a look, annoyed by her sharp awareness. "After we separated, about half a year later, I came to Fuyuki City and was unexpectedly chosen by the Holy Grail War, forced to participate in that world-shaking battle... You should know, as a champion of justice, I couldn't allow the Grail to fall into the hands of evil people."

As Lin Luo spoke, Aoko wore an expression on the verge of vomiting, which he pretended not to notice. He continued, "To ensure the Grail's power was used for righteousness, with the resolve of 'If I don't descend into hell, who will?', I fearlessly challenged the wicked magi. Unfortunately, my strength was too weak back then. Although I struck down several evil magi, two fists are no match for four hands. I ultimately lost by a narrow margin. In the final battle, the Grail was successfully summoned by the evil magus—and it was a Black Grail brimming with malice."

"You absolutely don't know what that malice was, do you? I'll tell you: it was the All the World's Evils, a concentration of ill will gathering the negative emotions of all humanity. Once something like this emerges, the entire world could be destroyed... As an envoy of justice, I naturally couldn't stand by. So, dragging my heavily wounded body, I launched a suicidal attack. Finally, perhaps my sincerity moved the heavens; the All the World's Evils were finally crushed, but I myself was swallowed by the Black Grail. In the nick of time, the Heroic Spirit I summoned saved me."

"However, although I narrowly survived, all my magic vanished, and even my Magic Circuits were completely destroyed. Then, for some unknown reason, I became like this, unchanged for ten years... Sigh."

After finishing, Lin Luo sighed heavily.

Aoko exchanged a glance with Ariadne, then stated, "So, you failed in the last Holy Grail War, were swallowed by the Black Grail, and not only lost your power as a magus but also, for some unknown reason, turned into a perpetually young boy form, correct?"

"Well, I don't mind if you deliberately erase the life-saving debt you owe me. Heroes are never remembered anyway," Lin Luo said with a show of deep sadness.

"Tap!" Faced with Lin Luo's wronged expression, like a bullied little wife, Aoko didn't hesitate and tapped him on the head with her chopsticks. "Cut the act. No matter how much you beautify yourself, you can't cover up the fact that you were a loser in the last Holy Grail War. That’s right. It would be strange if someone with your sloppy skills could win a Holy Grail War. But come to think of it, you're much cuter now than before... Don't worry, since we've met, stick with Big Sister Aoko from now on. I won't let anyone bully you again."

A total shota-con.

Lin Luo inwardly sighed, though outwardly he maintained an extremely reluctant look. "Hey, I'm still a dignified seven-foot man; you expect me to rely on the protection of a mere woman..."

"Seven feet? Where are the seven feet?" Before Lin Luo could finish, Aoko's contemptuous gaze swept over him.

"...Actually, the other two feet are usually invisible. Besides, I'm older than you, age-wise," Lin Luo seemed determined to argue his point.

Aoko frowned, then beckoned the passing server over from the aisle. She smiled sweetly, "Miss server, tell us, who is older between him and me?"

The server glanced at Aoko, then at Lin Luo, instantly understanding the situation. She said to Aoko, "Miss, your younger brother is a very cute boy."

Hey! Even if you say that, I'm not giving you a tip!

Lin Luo winced, glaring fiercely at the server. But in his current form, without actively emitting killing intent, he commanded almost no authority, just like a spoiled young lady. The server wasn't scared at all; instead, she chuckled.

Meanwhile, Aoko was laughing so hard she nearly cried.

Only Kuonji Ariadne seemed completely detached from the surrounding events, sitting calmly as ever, unshaken.

"Speaking of which, ten years have already passed. Aoko, you must be twenty-five now, time flies so fast," Lin Luo remarked, as if lamenting.

Thump!

Hearing this, Aoko’s eyebrows shot up, and she unceremoniously tapped Lin Luo on the head, asserting seriously, "This young lady is eternally sixteen!"

A moment later, the eternally sixteen-year-old Magus paid the bill and led the two away from the restaurant to continue her tour. Shopping centers and amusement parks were among her favorites.

Although Aoko's trip to Fuyuki was ostensibly for the Holy Grail War, she appeared more like she was on vacation. At least while everyone else was busy with the War, she showed no concern for it. Perhaps, to her, this Holy Grail War was no different from a usual brawl.

Of course, given her status, she could indeed ignore the dangers of the Holy Grail War.

At the amusement park, Lin Luo initially played along to give her opportunities to 'conquer' him, but gradually realized Aoko didn't seem to intend to pursue him—or perhaps she knew he wasn't truly a boy. Either way, no wonderfully delightful opportunities arose.

Lin Luo sensed the time wasn't right, and moreover, Aoko was incredibly energetic; even he couldn't keep up. He found an excuse to rest nearby, after all, the role he was currently playing was that of an ordinary man who had lost his power.

After escaping Aoko's clutches, Lin Luo quickly found Kuonji Ariadne in a quiet pavilion, reading a book while sipping coffee... Although she was a witch living in modern times, Ariadne never liked crowded, bustling places, and certainly disliked noisy games. However, Aoko’s willpower was too strong, forcing her to come along.

"Miss Ariadne, what brings you to Fuyuki City this time?" Lin Luo sat down before the witch, offering a greeting first, then asking quite gentlemanly. Although he already knew the reason—in fact, he had arranged it—it was a good way to open a conversation with a sanmu girl.

"Nothing much, just wandering around," Kuonji Ariadne replied flatly, showing little interest in conversation.

Lin Luo could clearly see she didn't want to talk, but he showed no self-awareness and continued, "In recent years, I've heard a lot about Aoko's exploits. The legendary Fourth Magus... I can hardly imagine it being the same naive girl from before. Since you are so close to Aoko, Miss Ariadne, you must be a very powerful magus as well, right?"

"Average," Kuonji Ariadne stated without looking up.

"By the way, Miss Ariadne, how old are you this year?"

"..." Even the usually composed Kuonji Ariadne couldn't help but look at Lin Luo when asked this question. Asking a girl's age so brazenly seemed rather inappropriate, didn't it?

Although she lacked social interaction, she knew such a question was taboo.

Lin Luo scratched his head, realizing his sudden bluntness. He immediately said shyly, "I'm so sorry. I’m not very good at talking. Actually, I didn't need to ask; since Aoko is sixteen, Miss Ariadne must be around the same age."

"..." Kuonji Ariadne remained silent. She just felt the statement was profoundly ironic.

"But speaking of which, Miss Ariadne, you are so beautiful, with such a good figure and a princess-like aura. You must have many admirers, right? I wonder if you have a boyfriend currently?"

What is he doing? What is he trying to do?!

Kuonji Ariadne’s composure instantly shattered. She couldn't fathom the mental workings of the boy before her. Not only was his train of thought erratic, but his words were increasingly absurd with every sentence.

Before Kuonji Ariadne could reply, Lin Luo spoke again, "Actually, putting other things aside, I think I am quite excellent in the aspect of being a male. If Miss Ariadne hasn't found a suitable person yet, you could consider me. What do you think?"

Kuonji Ariadne slapped her book shut and quickly stood up to leave. "Excuse me, I need to walk around outside."

She couldn't listen anymore.

"Hey, Miss Ariadne, wait for me, I..."

Seeing her about to leave, Lin Luo immediately stuck to her like sticky candy. However, before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt himself lift off the ground. Instinctively, he turned his head and found Aoko appearing behind him at some point, gripping his collar and hoisting him into mid-air.

"I say, you are seriously overstepping your boundaries! Hitting on me earlier was one thing, but now you won't even spare Ariadne? Are you tired of living?" Aoko glared at Lin Luo with fierce intent.

Lin Luo gave a sheepish smile. "What nonsense are you talking about? Love for beauty is universal. I'm just pursuing beautiful things normally."

"What normal pursuit involves confessing less than half a day after meeting?!"

"Well, here’s one example," Lin Luo declared shamelessly, pointing at himself with absolute justification.

"..." Even Aoko was momentarily speechless. She suddenly recalled that ten years ago, he was the same way, sneaking a feel of her chest while feigning an innocent expression. Truly a scoundrel!

"Not cute at all, hmph!"

Aoko snorted heavily and flung Lin Luo onto the ground.

Why should a man be cute? I’m not a Magical Girl... Lin Luo grumbled internally and hurried to catch up.

To be honest, he was playing the role of a boy poorly. He lacked the required cuteness and purity of a shota; instead, he acted like a notorious playboy, flirting everywhere. But for him, there was nothing wrong with that. Aoko was perfectly aware of his character from ten years ago; if he suddenly acted pure now, that would truly be discordant.

As the saying goes... one should always be true to oneself!

As the Master, Aoko would certainly be his in the end, although securing her would be a little troublesome. And Ariadne, as Aoko's close friend (hime-tomo)... he was an honest man; how could he commit the wicked act of breaking up a loving couple? Thus, the best approach was to package Ariadne along with her.

So, the strategy was to strike two birds with one stone: flirt with Aoko while seizing the opportunity to court Ariadne.

Lin Luo followed behind the two beauties, thinking to himself, his gaze instinctively drifting between the two figures.

"What are you looking at?" While walking, Aoko keenly sensed Lin Luo's gaze occasionally landing on her. She couldn't help but turn and frown.

"Hmm..." Lin Luo stroked his chin, adopting the pose of a scholar pondering. He said seriously, "After careful, accidental observation, I’ve finally discovered slight differences between you two. How should I put it... Aoko, your dimensions are just right, fitting the childbearing type. As for Ariadne, giving birth might be difficult."

BOOM!

This sentence descended like a massive thunderclap, instantly petrifying both beauties.

That night, the fourth night of the Holy Grail War.

Deep within the forest on the outskirts of Fuyuki City stood a castle belonging to the Einzbern family, established specifically for the Holy Grail War. Currently, the mistress of this castle was Illyasviel.

Since her brief battle with Tohsaka Sakura two days prior, Illya had remained within the castle. However, now she was fully geared up and ready to move.

"Let's go, Berserker!" Sitting on the giant’s shoulder, the girl issued a crisp command. The giant then strode forward... The target didn't matter; Illya didn't care. She simply wanted a fight today.

Crash!

But before the giant could even leave the castle, the tightly shut main doors suddenly exploded as if hit by cannon fire, shattering with a violent roar.

"What..." Illya froze. Before she could react, a dazzling golden light streamed in from beyond the broken entrance. Then, accompanied by approaching footsteps, a girl clad head-to-toe in golden armor appeared before her.

"Heroic Spirit! You are..." Illya's heart tightened; she instinctively sensed danger.

The girl crossed her arms over her chest, wearing an expression of supreme self-regard. Facing Berserker's colossal form, she showed not a shred of fear, but rather disdain, seemingly not taking him seriously at all, letting out a cold snort: "Hmph, mongrel!"

PS: Well, the main plot can begin. (To be continued.)