"Damn it! To uphold Chaldea's honor, we must develop a closer relationship with the Master."
Evening.
Inside Gudako's residence in the city's residential district, a group of Heroic Spirits had gathered.
Jeanne Alter, legs crossed, tapped the table as she spoke.
Including those recruited from previous Singularities and the ones Setsuna and Gudako had summoned while traveling between worlds, there were now just over twenty Heroic Spirits.
"I don't get it. How does this have anything to do with honor?"
A Heroic Spirit dressed in simple white robes sat on the floor, drinking straight from a bottle.
Beside her, Artoria continued eating.
"Think about it—based on race and origin, what groups do we currently have in the base?"
Gudako started counting on her fingers as she explained to Jing Ke.
"The biggest factions are the shipgirls, Spirits, and Heroic Spirits. The remaining humans and dragon girls are too few to form a proper group."
"The shipgirls being here longer than us is one thing. But we t the Commander long before that Spirit of Origin, didn't we? And yet, she just waltzed in and stole the spotlight."
"They've gotten real close to the Commander. Who knows what kind of perks they get from it? I swear, even Mio's house is a little bigger than mine..."
"..."
Artoria paused mid-bite, then set down her food and spoke seriously.
"I don't think the Master is that kind of person. Besides, Mio has a lot of children to take care of. It makes sense for her to have a larger living space."
"I was just giving an example."
Gudako shrugged, then looked around the room.
"Seriously, with all of us here, are you telling not even one of us can catch the Commander's interest? Sothing's got to be wrong!"
"I an, I'm not bad-looking, am I?!"
If this room full of Heroic Spirits and Gudako were compared to ordinary humans, their average appearance would be off the charts.
Sure, maybe they couldn't compete with certain battleship-class and carrier-class figures, but they had to be better than those Spirits next door, right?
"...Hmph."
"Before we get into this, shouldn't we kick you out first?"
"You're a traitor—you already beca a Spirit!"
Jeanne Alter squinted at Gudako, sizing her up like she was about to throw hands.
After her transformation, Gudako did look slightly younger, and her skin seed to have improved...
But her moral integrity? Still non-existent.
"I was born as Chaldea's Master, and I'll die as Chaldea's Master! I will always belong to Chaldea!"
"This is just a fake conversion to Spirit. One day, I'll co back."
Realizing she was about to get thrown out, Gudako desperately defended herself.
"...The hell do you an, 'fake conversion'? You literally called that Spirit your mom."
"Your 'loyalty' to Chaldea is just so inspiring… Almost as touching as my own loyalty to France."
Jeanne Alter rolled her eyes.
"..."
"So? What's the problem? We don't see the Master that often... but you guys are around him every day and still got beaten to the punch?"
Stheno propped her chin up, looking at Jeanne Alter, Jeanne d'Arc, Gudako, and Artoria.
As one of the Gorgon sisters, she had quite the interest in this kind of topic.
"Tch, I can't count on any of you," Jeanne Alter muttered, sitting on the table and shaking her head in disappointnt.
"Artoria just wants to eat all day, spending ti with those eastern shipgirls. Ritsuka either buries herself in magic or runs around in a Gundam—why don't you just marry Barbatos and call it a day?"
"As for the other ... tsk, a countryside bumpkin praying herself into oblivion. Might as well have the Master build you a monastery so you can beco a nun."
Jeanne d'Arc planted her Fleur-de-lis flag into the ground, glaring at her Alter counterpart.
"You're the bumpkin!!!"
"..."
"What about you?"
After the bickering settled down, Gudako turned to the black-clad Avenger.
As one of the few Alter-type Heroic Spirits, Jeanne Alter's aura was completely different from the others—darker, with a tinge of villainy.
But in terms of sheer attraction, she was definitely more provocative than the plain and pure Jeanne d'Arc.
"? Unless the Master kneels before , submits his entire mind and body to my will, and then...*"
Jeanne Alter crossed her arms with a haughty smirk.
Then, she casually pulled off her long boots, stretching her legs out and subtly shaking her feet in black stockings in front of everyone.
"...Yeah, no wonder you're a loser in love."
"..."
A silence fell over the group.
"Uh..."
Gudako suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
"If you want to develop your relationship with him..."
"You could try inviting the Commander to do sothing together? Just like how Belfast did? Who knows, it might actually work?"
"Oh! That makes sense!"
The Heroic Spirits suddenly had a mont of enlightennt.
"Alright, then—fair competition. Whoever the Master chooses, that's that. No fighting."
"Also, whoever succeeds first, you better help the rest of us! Chaldea Heroic Spirits stick together—we can't let the other races hog all the benefits!"
...
The next day.
As Setsuna was working, he suddenly heard a series of firm footsteps approaching.
Looking up, he saw Artoria, dressed in formal attire, with her signature blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Huh?"
Setsuna glanced at the serious-looking Artoria.
"Sothing wrong?"
"Mm..."
Artoria hesitated for a mont before speaking in a tone that sounded more like asking for permission.
"Master, do you have ti at noon? Would you accompany for a al? I'd like to try the Italian shipgirls' cuisine."
"Eating together?"
Setsuna was slightly surprised. Artoria, aside from practicing her swordsmanship, rarely took the initiative to seek him out.
But since she asked, he nodded in agreent.
"Sure. Let's have Richelieu and Taihou join us too. Also, bring Tohka Yatogami along—you two gluttons should have a lot in common."
"Great!"
Artoria left looking rather pleased.
A few minutes later—
"Master, do you have ti tonight? Would you join in prayer?"
Jeanne d'Arc walked in with a hopeful expression.
"I don't believe in God. If you want to discuss theology, go talk to Richelieu or Popess Johanna."
Setsuna gestured toward Richelieu.
"Eh?"
Jeanne d'Arc looked slightly disappointed.
"How about burning a few people with ?"
Jeanne Alter sat on the table, nonchalantly making her suggestion.
"Get lost. There are no enemies in the city, and if you dare burn the little yellow chickens, you'll get beaten up."
Setsuna chopped her on the head.
Then—
"Master, how about drinking with tonight? And when you find the Lostbelt with the First Emperor, rember to take with you…"
"Mm! Perforr, I wish to see a play. Does this capital have a grand theater worthy of Ro?"
"Commander, I want to pilot a new Gundam. Can I try out your Strike Freedom?"
Apart from the more reserved Heroic Spirits, the ones who usually stuck around him—including Gudako—ca one after another, each extending an invitation.
His entire schedule was suddenly packed.
"...?"
"What the hell? Did you all plan this together?"
Feeling sothing was off, Setsuna grabbed Gudako by the collar and pulled her over.
"No way, Commander. You've just been having too much fun with the shipgirls and Spirits lately, completely forgetting your loyal and devoted first wife."
"Don't be so biased~"
Gudako sprawled over the desk, pouting as she spoke.
"?"
Before Setsuna could respond, Taihou was the first to object.
"And just what makes you his 'loyal and devoted first wife'?! Shouldn't we at least talk about who ca first?!"
"You're stuck to the Commander all day, aren't you tired of it? How about switching shifts with for a few days?"
Gudako looked up at Taihou.
She still had a bit of fear toward this armored aircraft carrier, but that didn't stop her from running her mouth.
"You?"
Taihou shot a glance at Gudako, then pinched her arm, her expression turning into one of pity.
"I can understand the other Heroic Spirits, since they're part-Spirit and have magical reinforcent, so their bodies are quite strong… but you?"
"I'm afraid you wouldn't survive the Commander."
"???"
Gudako was completely dumbfounded.
That's the reason?!
"Commander, don't tell … you have so kind of extre kink?! Is that why you spend all your ti with shipgirls and the Spirit of Origin, because only they can handle you?!"
"Just so you know, I'm not into bondage, torture, or any weird roleplay, okay?!?!"
"???"
The room fell into silence as everyone stared at her in shock.
The sheer amount of unfiltered tiger-wolf words she had just spewed out left everyone montarily speechless.
"What exactly do you take for?!"
"I've always been a warrior of pure love, okay?! In every possible way!!"
Setsuna slamd his hand on the desk.
"Take her away. Hand her over to Lucoa for re-education."
He felt like his stress levels were skyrocketing.
When he had gone to recruit the Spirits, he had stayed away for too long, and when he returned, the shipgirls had thrown a fit.
He had barely managed to appease his remaining oath-bound shipgirls and Belfast, and now the Heroic Spirits from Chaldea were feeling lonely?!
"Sigh… building a crystal palace is tough, especially when it's an entire empire-sized one…"
"Looks like I really need to make ti to learn so ti magic… Otherwise, even if I give everyone a full day, I still won't be able to fit them all in. Tsk…"
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