Chapter 148: The Banquet

“Hey, hey! Why is this guy here when a few of us familiar faces and the master are having a drinking party?” Lanser was half-leaning against Tolia, who didn’t object at all, though her cheeks were tinged with a faint blush, whether due to the alcohol or something else.

“Hey, hey! Do we really need ‘familiar faces’ just to drink? Hmm! Drinking is all about having fun!” a fierce-looking dog-like man said to Lanser, clearly tipsy as he raised his glass high while speaking.

“Tch! You have a point, but how did you find this place?”

“Nothing special. My master called me over to help, but when I arrived, you guys had already taken down that guy. Seriously, how could you be so ruthless to such a fine prey? I’d have loved to have a duel with him!” He sighed at the end.

“Lancer! Remember, we are not just warriors but also heroes. It’s perfectly acceptable to deal with scoundrels who bully ladies by any means necessary,” Medusa, who had been sitting beside Sakura feeding her, retorted.

“Sasa~ you’re really adorable!” Suddenly, an extremely discordant voice rang out, causing everyone to nearly spit out their drinks. All eyes turned oddly toward Sakura, whose face had turned bright red.

“Ah! What a blunder! Looks like Yanye will be complaining to me again when we get back,” Lanser said, sitting up to see a wineglass placed in front of Sakura, then helplessly covering his head.

“Big-boobed Moe! I remember your former master was a decent man. Don’t sweat the small stuff!” The master, the Great Emperor, who was struggling with the alcohol, tried to comfort Lanser.

“Tch, who knows? You’re well aware that guy was a total daughter-doting maniac. He even made me sign a pact to sell my soul because of it. Honestly, daughter-doting men are the scariest—men who could even slay gods.”

“A truly exemplary father,” Cú Chulainn, who had been guzzling his drink like water, suddenly said with a trace of melancholy.

“Tch, you’re only saying that because you’ve never been hunted down by a daughter-doter. Since we’re drinking, how about a contest? Our masters are practically asleep anyway,” Lanser deliberately shifted the topic, showing respect for this man whose life revolved around battle.

“I’m easy either way, but is this a challenge?”

“Of course! This is a challenge between heroes~”

Lanser glanced at the drunkenly cuddling pairs of Sakura and Rin, and Ayako and Shiko with a sigh. As for Weber, who had long ceased to be a boy and become a grown man, Lanser felt he was beyond his jurisdiction.

“Haha! Since it’s a challenge, I, the Conqueror King, accept!”

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

“Ugh… what happened last night? I remember at the end…” Lanser groggily sat up under the harsh sunlight, his mind still foggy. The last thing he recalled was watching Medusa, or rather Sasa as she was now called, Tolia, the Great Emperor, and Cú Chulainn chugging drinks in competition.

“No wonder, a bunch of beings with divine or draconic natures—when it comes to drinking, I’m definitely outmatched.” Lanser finally took in his surroundings.

But…

“What the hell is going on…” The only thing Lanser could do now was calm himself.

He was lying on a bed with a distinctly Japanese style, or at least a floor mattress by his standards. That wasn’t the main issue. The real question was why both the King and the low-blood-pressure demon were beside him.

“Though sharing a futon with the King is my dream, doing so before our relationship is confirmed would definitely earn a swift cut from the scythe-wielding girl. But…” Lanser glanced around and confirmed no one else was present. His best option was to quietly slip away.

Just as he was about to get up, an unexpected event occurred.

“Yo! Lanser! How’s the sleep?” The door was knocked so hard it shook the whole room, and the Great Emperor’s rough, penetrating voice instantly woke the two beside Lanser.

“That bastard disturbed my sleep! We don’t even have school today!” Though his voice was low, Lanser could clearly sense the black aura swirling behind the speaker.

“Ah, ah~ what a lapse! As a knight, I’m only just waking up now. Today’s morning…” Tolia began but then froze, staring blankly at Lanser propped up halfway out of bed.

“Ah…!” “Ah…!”

In an instant, everyone at the Emiya residence gathered outside Lanser’s door. The Great Emperor arrived first and spoke, “Ahem, everyone, this isn’t something we should interfere in. Though I admire Lanser, a man must bear the consequences of his actions. Let’s watch quietly.”

After speaking, the Great Emperor noticed something amiss behind him. Lancer wore a spectator’s smirk, his master appeared deep in thought, Caster looked indifferent, Ayako was still dazed from sleep, and Sakura and Shiko, busy with breakfast preparations, remained faceless but exuded a faint black aura sensed by the Emperor.

“What a mess—” The Great Emperor gave a final summation and dispersed the crowd. As he closed the door, a rare smile devoid of his usual boldness appeared.

“This is truly amusing, though something’s missing~ Ah! Yes, that little girl who could rival King Arthur and the Heroic Spirit King as well. Next time, for sure…” he muttered to himself, plotting in a voice only he could hear.

“My King, Master, please allow me to explain!” Once everyone left, Lanser decisively jumped out from under the covers and prostrated himself.

“Speak. What explanation do you have?” Rin, still wearing last night’s clothes, checked herself, the only change being the cup beside her. Saber, dressed in her previous long gown, remained silent but scrutinized Lanser intently.

“My King, you should understand. Last night, after everyone else passed out, I was the first of the Heroic Spirits to fall drunk. That means I have no knowledge of what happened after I collapsed,” Lanser offered the only evidence supporting his innocence, though it was clearly insufficient alone.