[You and Mordred used the guests as weapons.
Beni-enma found out and severely reprimanded both of you.
But you still got your salary as desired, and even kept the job.]
[Because when Ivan the Terrible and Old Man of the Mountain woke up, they found their entire bodies stretched and relaxed.
This was presumably because being used as weapons and engaging in physical collisions with other high-spec Servants actually polished them up even better.]
[After this farce, you gained a new understanding of “A Knight Does Not Die with Empty Hands.”]
[Your “A Knight Does Not Die with Empty Hands C” has been upgraded to “Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed EX.” Anything in your hands can be used as a weapon, and it will perform even better.]
[Congratulations, you have earned a daily wage of 300 QP.]
[You enjoyed the employee benefits of Enma-tei, soaking comfortably in a hot spring.
All the day’s fatigue and exhaustion vanished.
The negative effects of staying up late last night were cleared, and all your attributes were restored.]
[You gained a temporary “Magic Resistance” bonus.]
The calendar of life simulation turned again, advancing to that evening.
After a comfortable hot bath, with 300 QP in their pockets, Eikou and Mordred walked out of the Enma-tei’s main gate, looking thoroughly satisfied.
“Phew, finally feeling refreshed…”
Mordred, who had also soaked in the hot spring, changed into cool casual clothes, stretching her slender and graceful waist with a look of contentment.
“This boss isn’t bad at all.
She actually invited me to bathe and had someone bring me a change of clothes.
The service is too good, I love it!”
“Hahaha…”
Eikou just chuckled.
Although Mordred wasn’t an employee here, Boss Benienma still let her use the hot spring.
On one hand, it was out of kindness, and on the other, it was for the sake of the company’s image.
If a young girl walked out covered in lubricant, people might mistakenly think it was a strange kind of establishment.
“I thought it would be a tough job, but it turned out to be quite enjoyable in the end!” Mordred grinned.
“Tough job?
Weren’t you having a blast, kid?
What good did you do besides causing me trouble?
I hired you as a bodyguard, and in the end, I almost died by your hands.” Sir Eikou couldn’t help but complain.
“Hehe, sorry about that, but you touched my chest first, okay?”
“Forget it, it’s still more pleasant than that time we worked with Tristan and the others,” he grumbled.
…This time there’s no jail time, no need to piece the teacher’s body parts back together, and not even a trip to the police station for a statement.
It’s simply too peaceful.
“What exactly did you three go through before…?” Mordred was shocked.
He didn’t answer, but carefully put the 300 QP packaging into his pocket for safekeeping, not forgetting to look around warily, as if afraid someone might be eyeing the money.
After two stints of part-time work, giving Babbage a makeover, and massaging Grand Servants, he finally saw real money after all that trouble.
“This 300 QP…
in some more backward Third World countries, someone might already be tempted to kill me for it.”
“This money is only enough for us to have one barbecue meal, okay?”
“Nonsense, that’s more than half a single payment!”
Mordred thought to herself that using a gacha game’s single payment (518 or 648) as a unit of currency must be some kind of illness.
The two walked towards Chaldea Academy.
As they passed a convenience store, he couldn’t help but stop, suddenly remembering that one promise had not yet been fulfilled.
He still owed Mordred a pack of cigarettes.
“Speaking of which, Mordred, what kind of cigarettes do you want?”
“Ah, ‘Smoke Dragon’ will do.”
“‘Smoke Dragon,'” Eikou mumbled, “Your taste is really unique.
That brand of cigarettes is usually smoked by middle-aged uncles.”
“Alright, alright, just buy them for me quickly.”
A minute later, Eikou emerged from the convenience store carrying a bag, having bought two bottles of soda and two packs of Smoke Dragon brand cigarettes.
He took one bottle for himself, then gave the remaining drink and cigarettes to Mordred.
“Here.”
“Why did you buy me an extra pack of cigarettes?”
Eikou scratched his hair, looking a bit conflicted, “Consider it an apology for accidentally touching your body.”
“You…” Mordred suddenly blushed a little, “You’re still thinking about it.
This makes it really easy for people to misunderstand.
It makes me feel like I did something inappropriate to get this pack of cigarettes…”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Eikou scratched his hair.
“Hey, hey, just take it as the subtle, awkward, and clueless good intentions of an emotionally stunted virgin.
I try to be a gentleman around girls, but I always mess it up.
If you understand it that way, you’ll get it.
Because I’m a virgin, this is the only way I can express myself.”
…Although I know your mouth is venomous, you seem even more merciless towards yourself.
“Self-deprecation can solve many problems.
Using myself as a negative example won’t offend anyone.”
Eikou twisted open the soda bottle cap and gulped down a big mouthful, the icy carbonated drink stimulating his throat.
“Speaking of which, is it really okay for you to buy me cigarettes?” Mordred weighed the two packs of cigarettes in her hand, a conflicted look in her eyes.
“At this point, what are you talking about…?”
“Gawain or the others from the Round Table might think I’ve led you astray if they knew you bought me cigarettes.”
Eikou was stunned.
He thought to himself, kid, you seem so carefree, but I didn’t expect you to be quite sensitive, and in such unnecessary places.
“It doesn’t matter.
Ultimately, this is my payment to you.
If they know, they know.
It has nothing to do with me.”
“Tch, you sound so cold.”
Mordred pouted her cherry lips and began to fumble for the cigarette pack.
“In the end, I’m just a trouble recommended by Gawain.”
…
Eikou thought to himself, what do you want?
You want people not to care about you smoking, but you also don’t want people to truly not care about you.
“I just don’t like to interfere with other people’s private lives.
Everyone has their own path.
As long as it doesn’t hinder anyone, then no one has the right to judge anyone.
Whatever you want to do, as long as you can accept the outcome, that’s fine.”
…
“Did I say something strange?”
“No, but I think I’m starting to understand a little why guys like Gawain like to hang out with you.”
“Why?”
Mordred lit a cigarette for herself and said casually:
“Being around you is quite comfortable.”
[You felt goodwill from Mordred.
Your relationship became noticeably closer.]
[Through spending time with Mordred, you learned some of her unique traits.]
[Cigarette Lion C]
[Temporarily causes neural excitation and refreshment, but may affect sleep quality that day.]