Fate: Nameless Hero

Why did things turn out like this when she just went out to buy something?

Illya stood at the doorway, eyes wide in disbelief.

It was snowing outside.

Countless snowflakes drifted down, blanketing the world in a field of white. Her heart now felt as cold as the winter wind blowing outside the window.

I was here first, so why did it turn out like this?

Illya looked at the two of them, falling into an existential crisis.

She had only been gone for half an hour, and this happened?

If she'd taken any longer, would they have created life already?

Sanjiro turned his head and greeted her. "Oh, Illya, you're back too?"

The atmosphere was slightly, just slightly, awkward.

Both of these little girls were related to him in some way. One could be considered his sister in name, the other, his sister in another name.

Hmm, from his perspective, they were basically good sisters too.

"Why do you two look so practiced? Just how many times have you done this behind my back?"

Illya couldn't hold it in and asked.

The moment she said that—

Sanjiro was dumbfounded. "What are you even talking about?"

How did her mind go to that?

Meanwhile, another figure standing in the doorway quietly took out a phone.

"Hello, is this 110? There's a man here who just brought a young elementary school girl home…"

Oh good lord, do you really want me thrown in jail!?

Sanjiro rushed over and snatched the phone he had given the brat earlier that morning.

"Let go of me, you pervert!" Kirina reached out, trying to take it back.

Seriously, she just went out for a bit, and this is what she returns to?

Could it be… it's that White Album season again, and she's now just the third wheel?

"What nonsense are you spouting!? If I really were that kind of guy, do you think you'd still be safe and sound here?"

Sanjiro tugged her ear.

Come on, if he were really into little girls, would he have spared the brat who's been by his side all this time?

"You bastard! So you do have your eyes on me!"

Kirina pointed a trembling finger at him.

"..."

Sanjiro felt a headache coming on.

Damn brat really needed a lesson.

Once the others leave, you just wait!

"Um, I was just helping him fix his clothes earlier. I don't like seeing people looking sloppy, especially since we'll be receiving the First Emperor later." Miyu fidgeted with the hem of her clothes, looking a little shy.

Then—

She scurried to the side like a startled bunny.

"..."

Sanjiro's temples throbbed violently.

Just now she was acting like a gentle, caring wife, and in the blink of an eye she was treating him like a creep?

Seriously, are elementary schoolers all drama queens now?

"Oh, meeting the First Emperor?"

Kirina's eyes sparkled immediately. "It's been so long since I last saw the First Emperor. I wonder if I'll get a chance to meet him up close!"

This time, the Heroic Spirits had all gathered in the Fuyuki Academy City.

And she, as if blessed by fortune itself, had seen Artoria and the Jeanne up close. She even hit it off with Mordred and became close friends!

The last two days felt like a dream she couldn't wake up from.

"Keep dreaming. Maybe in your sleep you'll meet him."

Sanjiro gave her a sideways glance.

This damn brat really thought he'd let her go meet the First Emperor? Later, he'd talk to Goldie and figure out some fun stuff to distract her.

"Tch!"

Kirina clicked her tongue.

Of course, she knew that with her status, hoping to meet the First Emperor was pure fantasy.

Lunchtime began.

The table was filled with a variety of homemade dishes.

Miyu smiled sweetly. "You just sit and eat, no need to help. Let me handle it."

"Uh… okay."

Sanjiro paused for a moment, washed his hands, and sat down to eat.

Looking at everyone around the table, a sudden feeling of dreamlike warmth washed over him.

It had been a long, long time since he'd experienced such peaceful daily life.

Illya, chewing on a soft, pressure-cooked potato, was deep in thought.

From Miyu's earlier behavior, it seemed she hadn't recognized that this otaku was actually the Steel-Willed Savior from the video?

Illya felt conflicted.

In the previous video "Vow Beneath the Snow," Miyu and Shirou were like real siblings. If she truly recognized Sanjiro as Shirou, she would've surely leapt into his arms and never let go.

But now—

Miyu remained calm from start to finish, treating him like a friend's older brother.

Wait, did I misread the situation?

But if she did misread it…

Then why had the sight of them earlier made her feel so uneasy and anxious, to the point she almost jumped in between them?

"There's more in the pot. I'll serve you some more once you're done." Miyu smiled warmly at everyone enjoying the food.

Especially seeing Kirina happily stuffing herself, Miyu gave her several extra glances, her smile growing even softer.

This was a child adopted by her brother—so naturally, she considered her a younger family member too.

Looking at Kirina, Miyu's gaze became more accepting.

A little mischievous, sure, but very adorable.

After learning more, Miyu understood her brother had lived a fairly ordinary life in this world.

Average grades, average physical ability—he was a completely normal person, but living happily.

No desperate struggle, no exhausting battles, no need to sacrifice everything… just a peaceful, quiet life.

Perhaps that was the life he subconsciously chose.

In his previous life, he burned himself for others, becoming a legend admired by the world.

In this life, he was content with simplicity.

He had fought for so long—once everything quieted down, he deserved some rest.

Miyu looked at him, sensing his hidden anxiety and unease—so alone.

Her brother, who had always silently fought for humanity… the world he protected had finally found peace.

It's okay now. Let me protect your peaceful life.

No one will disturb you.

Not even Illya!

"Miyu, your cooking is so good! Can you teach me sometime?"

Kirina looked at her with admiration, belly round from all the delicious food.

They were about the same age, so why was she so talented, while all Kirina could cook was nuclear wastes?

Also, her cooking tasted similar to Sanjiro's—it had that… how to say?

That "mom's cooking" flavor?

Do all good cooks naturally reach the same destination?

Looks like when Sanjiro gets too lazy to cook, she can just drop by Miyu's place for free meals…

"Sure. I'll come over often. We can take cooking classes together too." Miyu gently wiped the sauce from Kirina's mouth with a napkin.

Such a sweet little girl. And now I've got the perfect excuse to keep visiting—what a godsend!

Sitting across from the two of them, Sanjiro watched their interaction in complete confusion.

So… can someone please explain this "young mother and child bonding" dynamic going on right now?

My dear little sister, if you keep this up, you're seriously going to spoil me rotten…

Sanjiro sighed deeply in his heart.

With such a gentle, caring, and sweet Miyu around him every day, it was only a matter of time before he turned into a hopeless shut-in.

When the time comes…

The Steel-Willed Savior, who countless people thought was cool, will gradually become a 200-pound fat otaku!

A lunch filled with sisterly respect, familial affection, and fatherly kindness ended perfectly.

After the meal, Illya and Kirina were in charge of washing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen.

Sanjiro felt a bit empty.

After being a househusband for so long, not having to do anything actually felt strange.

Damn it, he really was raised into this exhausting lifestyle by Alaya!

"You should head back soon too."

Sanjiro put on his coat, preparing to go to the welcoming site.

"I'll go back a bit later," Miyu nodded.

Suddenly, she stepped forward again, reaching out to tidy up his collar and slightly messy hair.

"..."

Sanjiro fell silent and didn't reject her.

In that moment, he once again felt a rare warmth.

What a gentle and adorable little sister…

Compared to that—

All the other Heroic Spirits constantly disturbed his daily life and brought him endless trouble.

Alright then, time to welcome the First Emperor.

This time… surely, nothing will go wrong… right?

Fuyuki Academy City Central Plaza.

Tamamo-no-Mae, already dressed in a pitch-black military uniform, calmly observed the crowd nervously preparing.

The descent of the First Emperor was an event far more grand than the arrival of three Heroic Spirits.

That emperor had been in seclusion behind the scenes for a long time.

This time, if not for the gathering of the top three Heroic Spirits in Fuyuki City, he wouldn't have been disturbed to appear.

"All of you, stand firm! There must be absolutely no mistakes this time!"

Abe no Seimei paced back and forth.

This was a rare opportunity for the ruling body of an entire Empire. How often does a chance like this come?

"Yes!"

Everyone responded with utmost seriousness.

Tens of thousands of police and soldiers gathered in the plaza to maintain order.

Even after filtering out the majority, the fanatical crowd still filled the entire plaza like a sea of dark heads.

At this time, there were still three hours until the First Emperor's arrival.

Everyone waited nervously and excitedly.

Sanjiro looked at the crowd's fanatical expressions, as if seeing a mass of crazed idol fans.

Ding~

As the second hand pointed to 12, a mysterious surge of energy suddenly descended.

Everyone simultaneously looked up to the sky.

A massive shadow appeared above the plaza, covering it entirely.

It was a palace.

A palace floating in the sky.

Crossing thousands of kilometers from Xianyang, it had arrived in Fuyuki City.

Its luxurious and resplendent appearance mesmerized the crowd.

Yes, that palace was the legendary Epang Palace.

After the First Emperor manifested as a Heroic Spirit, it too materialized—capable of changing size—becoming a mobile palace.

Among all Noble Phantasms in the world, its fame ranked among the top, its opulence beyond imagination.

Even though it was already 8:00 PM, at this moment, dazzling brilliance lit up the entire plaza as if it were daytime.

Hundreds of thousands of people all looked up.

Their previous anxious waiting instantly turned into celebration.

The First Emperor had descended.

Amid countless cheers, the colossal palace slowly descended.

Then—

A golden staircase extended from the palace, like a heavenly ladder descending from the heavens.

A figure appeared at the top of the stairs, his voice instantly echoing through the entire plaza:

"Good evening, everyone."

The crowd, which had quieted down, immediately erupted again:

"Long live the First Emperor!"

"Long live the First Emperor!"

"Long live the First Emperor!"

...

The deafening cheers shook the entire plaza.

"Impressive indeed."

Sanjiro looked up, fixedly staring at the figure.

This one was completely different from any other Heroic Spirit.

Gilgamesh was a wise ruler who died working for his people, yet unbearably proud.

Artoria was the ideal monarch, perfect in every way.

Conqueror King Iskandar was a world-dominating tyrant who sought to conquer everything.

But this First Emperor, Shikotei, embodied the continuous brilliance of thousands of years of an entire civilization—radiating an innate sovereignty.

A heritage shaped by five millennia of history.

The once-decaying feudal dynasty, ravaged by foreign invasion, had rotted beyond saving.

After his appearance, he swept across the land with unstoppable force, ushering in a golden age of peace.

Once everything stabilized, he willingly relinquished power and nearly retired, leaving the internal affairs of the empire to the strategist Shokatsu Kōmei.

Sanjiro stared blankly, letting out a light sigh.

"Shikotei, once again… you've shouldered the weight of an era."

In his mind, scenes from their time together surfaced uncontrollably.

That poor hostage boy, abandoned by his father, had now become the guardian god of two billion people.

And that was only the part the general public knew.

There was so much more that ordinary people could never imagine…

As the emperor descended the steps—

One by one, other illustrious Heroic Spirits followed.

The most eye-catching of all was the man in scholar's robes, radiating an aura of wisdom:

Shokatsu Kōmei.

Ever since the First Emperor handed over power, this Prime Minister, just like in his previous life, had "worked tirelessly until death."

Relentlessly handling political matters, he was no less hardworking than the overworked-to-death Gilgamesh.

At the same time—

Mordred, who was waiting for a meeting, watching the live broadcast, "As expected of a monarch…"

Her father, Artoria, felt more like a self-sacrificing saint than a ruler.

By contrast—

This man was a true sovereign.

Once, the sun never set on Britain, and it too wielded such overwhelming power.

Sadly, all that glory had long since faded.

Modern Britain could no longer stand equal with the Empire or America; it now sat just below them.

But that's okay.

To restore the glory of Britain—this is our sacred duty.

She would be the one to bring a brilliant future back to Britain!

"So… are you ready to face Shokatsu Kōmei?" asked Gawain quietly beside her.

"..."

Mordred's soaring ambition was instantly popped like a balloon.

Damn potato knight! Always ruining my mood!

In front of someone like Shokatsu Kōmei—a true genius of statecraft—she was just a noob prime minister.

She had to be careful not to get sold off and still help count the money!

At the center of the plaza—

The First Emperor and his entourage arrived before those who had been waiting.

"Greetings to His Majesty the First Emperor!"

Tamamo-no-Mae, Xu Fu, Abe no Seimei, and others all stepped forward and bowed.

"No need for excessive formalities. I've long since abolished such meaningless rituals."

Shikotei replied calmly, his gaze lingering slightly on the nine-tailed fox.

At that moment—

Tamamo-no-Mae suddenly felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon her, as if the entire world was suppressing her.

She lowered her head, forcibly resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"I'm just a little fox, how could I possibly have any ill intentions?"

Was all this really necessary just to target me?

(T/N: Well duh bruh, if you just gather all your tails, you can whoop his ass to kingdom come.... wait, is that how it spelled, 'kingdom come' or kingdomcom', better yet, 'kingdom cum'....)

Tamamo-no-Mae carefully thought back—she had been remarkably well-behaved lately.

Every day, she stayed holed up in Academy City, not taking a single step outside.

She hadn't lifted a hand against anyone.

She even cared about the physical and mental well-being of the regular students, personally choosing an ordinary person as the representative to welcome the Heroic Spirits.

See? I'm definitely a qualified headmistress!

Adaptation isn't distortion, dramatization isn't nonsense! If people keep slandering me like this, I might throw hands someday!

As Tamamo-no-Mae waited—

The overwhelming pressure vanished in an instant. No one else around sensed anything at all, and everything returned to normal.

Shikotei, surrounded by the crowd, proceeded to the administrative district of Academy City to formally receive the visiting Heroic Spirits.

This meeting would determine the future relationship between the Empire and Britain.

"Finally, it's over."

Sanjiro, who had been watching the entire time, let out a sigh of relief.

Shikotei had arrived smoothly and completed the welcoming ceremony without incident.

Everything proceeded just as expected.

In fact—

With so many Heroic Spirits and strategists managing the situation, it was nearly impossible for anything major to go wrong.

From here on out, it had absolutely nothing to do with him.

An international-level Heroic Spirit conference didn't need a student representative to get involved—he'd only embarrass himself up there.

Alright, time to go home and enjoy a nice nap.

Back at his place, Sanjiro happily began preparing hot pot.

These past few days had been one wave after another, with no time to rest at all. Now, he could finally take a proper break—bliss.

Ding dong~

Just as he was busy prepping, he suddenly heard a notification from his phone.

Sanjiro set down his spoon and chopsticks, reached out, and unlocked his phone with his fingerprint—

[Your followed content creator has just uploaded a new video! Come check it out!]

Hah? Another update?

What kind of exposé video would it be this time?

Sanjiro took a deep breath, like he was opening a mystery box, and with trembling hands tapped to open the video.

The title read—

[The Eternal Emperor]

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Alright, start the arc of the first emperor—meaning, it contains lot of chinese history. 

All I can say is just enjoy the arc as I will lessen all the stereotype glazing and all. 

Only 7 chappies and all, and it was kinda 'fun' reading it.(I'm cooked for real. !!T-T!!)