"You've really succeeded, huh." Roman said as he skimmed through the paperwork on his desk.
"It's a product of skills and luck. Though, I never expected to do so within first try."
Right now, Shiro is in the Director's Office in Chaldea. The moment he manifested in the empty control room, he immediately went to Roman's current office.
Sitting in a chair, he asked, "How the heck did you have that many paper works? It's only been the 2nd Singularity..."
"I kind of shot myself in the foot." Roman replied. "Instead of the usual 20 people back then, there's the Heroic Spirits now."
Due to him pre-maturely upgrading Chaldea's Fate Summoning System, they can now summon stronger and more 'complete' Heroic Spirits through Mash's shield.
Though, summoning is really luck based, just as portrayed in the game. After all, they mostly do their summons without any catalysts. Only the Heroic Spirits that they encountered during each Singularity can be specifically summoned since they possess their catalysts.
"What about Altera? Did you..."
"Nope, not yet. It'll take a few more days before Da Vinci and the technical team can further upgrade it. Her Saint Graph is even more ridiculous than Divine Spirits..."
Altera, the incarnation of the White Titan, is actually much stronger than this. If not for the fact that she's a 'Servant', she can draw out her true power, something capable of defeating Amaterasu and any other gods in Earth.
As for the Divine Spirits, Shiro muses that he might be able to defeat them in their Servant form, given the right match-up. If he's in his real body, this chance grows bigger.
"A few days, alright." Shiro thought about it for a while before he added, "You might want to enjoy your time now that there's still no Divine Spirits and the likes yet. The Beasts-classes, too."
Hearing this, Roman could only thank his lucky stars for the Chat Group. If not for it, he wouldn't be able to go through the first few days easily. He didn't sleep at that time since he re-organized the base and guided Ritsuka and Mash from the back.
In the end, he got through seven days with a total of 30 mins of sleep every day.
"You're right... Hah. Looks like I really shot myself in the foot too bad when I decided to create Goetia..." Roman said with a depressed voice.
When he turned into a normal human, he thought that he'll be able to feel those emotions freely. That is, until he saw bits of future detailing humanity's destruction. That's why he doesn't have the leverage to feel happiness despite becoming one.
This changed when the Chat Group appeared. Even for a little bit, he did experience "happiness" when he forgot his problems for a while. Thus, he became more determined to help humanity - he already fulfilled his wish, after all.
"Don't worry too much about it. You agreed to have that once chance, remember?" Shiro said.
"Right. If that doesn't work..." Roman's face turned serious for a moment. "...please let me do my part."
"...You're saying as if I would stop you." Shiro replied to him with a smile.
"I know you quite well."
Hearing this, Shiro wryly smiled and said, "I wouldn't stop you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Sigh. I'll trust you on that one."
Roman's expression went back to normal as he busied himself in work. As for Shiro, he went off to an unexpected place...
*****
Sizzle-! Crackle-!
At this moment, Shiro is cooking with a focused expression. The aroma of different strong spices wafted from it, making one drool with just the smell of it. Since it's past dinner already, no kitchen staff could be seen here; there are no Heroic Spirits either.
After making his finishing touches, he soon topped it on a bowl of white rice. He specifically prepared three bowls for it - one for him and Roman. As for the last one...
The door opened at this exact moment, revealing a familiar Servant.
"This scent... It's perfect. Who-"
"Hello there." Shiro interrupted the dumbfounded Servant with a greeting.
"You... You are that person five days ago!"
"That's right." He replied.
Shiro sported a casual attire right now, a black t-shirt and black pants. He also wore a black apron as he washed the utensils that he used through Rune Magic.
"But how..."
"It no longer told you to kill me?"
"...That's right."
Shrugging, he replied, "Well, I managed to bypass it."
The Servant, EMIYA, could only be confused. That time, Alaya strongly wanted Shiro to disappear. Yet now, it doesn't care anymore?
Though, he suppressed his thoughts for now as he saw Shiro's cooking. Even when he forgot about it, he instinctively shivered at the sight of it.
In fact, he is VERY familiar with it in the past as he almost went to the heaven as he ate it with the fake priest. The latter would only rejoice at its sight, however.
It is none other Kotomine Kirei's favorite dish, Mapo Tofu.
"Want one? There's rice this time, so you shouldn't worry." Shiro said.
Just as he started to cook, he already saw this outcome since cooking is engraved into Archer EMIYA's very being. The latter could even guess the quality of the dish based on the aroma alone!
"This time..?" EMIYA mumbled suspiciously upon hearing this. Due to his memories of his early days being forgotten, he doesn't know that he ate it that one time with the fake priest.
Meanwhile, Shiro took one of the bowls and disappeared after he stepped in to the aurora wall. When he arrived in the director's office, he passed this onto Roman who's still busy working.
As the aroma of the dish spread all throughout the room, Roman said, "You're one heck of a cook!"
"Why, thank you. I'll be continuing the small talk with the other chef, so see you later."
With the aurora curtain, he soon returned to the kitchen. EMIYA, who saw this, became surprised since he's certain that it's not a form of magecraft.
As to how he knew, the aurora curtain not producing any fluctuations is the sign that it's not a magecraft. What's more, this power reminded him of a certain person who wielded something similar to this.
In the end, he followed this mysterious man to the cafeteria - the mapo tofu bowl in his hands. Once they sat down, the two began eating it silently.
The savory sauce, the perfectly fried tofu, the white rice, and the spiciness blended into one and created a harmonious taste. It didn't taste too spicy nor too savory; it has the perfect balance.
While eating, Shiro took a look at its information panel from his system.
[Mapo Tofu]
Description: A savory eastern dish made by a godly chef, the only chef who entered the realm of unthinkable. The white rice provides a certain amount of correction to the spiciness of the mapo tofu, which depends from person to person.
[Effects]: +50% Strength, +50% Health Recovery, +50% Stamina Recovery. Lasts for 1 hour.
'My cooking skill is doing its wonders again...' He thought if the man on the opposite side can notice this change... in which he really did.
"...What kind of cooking is this? Is this your skill?" EMIYA asked as he felt the boosts from it.
"It can be considered as one."
Soon, they finished the entire bowl while satisfied. Shiro looked at the other Shirou and finally asked, "What are you curious about?"
EMIYA wasn't surprised about this and looked at him in the eyes - rather, the blindfold that's covering his eyes.
"Are you a Magician?"
*****
A/N: If anyone forgot, Kirei invited Shirou to eat mapo tofu before, only for him to almost faint with just one bite.
Fact #56: Mapo Tofu is extremely spicy, to the point that eating jalapenos might seem like a heaven. If we factor this and how Kirei ate it WITHOUT rice, thereby letting him experience its full power, we can say that Kotomine Kirei is a monster. That's why Shirou almost collapsing after eating a single bite is not an exaggeration.
"You've really succeeded, huh." Roman said as he skimmed through the paperwork on his desk.
"It's a product of skills and luck. Though, I never expected to do so within first try."
Right now, Shiro is in the Director's Office in Chaldea. The moment he manifested in the empty control room, he immediately went to Roman's current office.
Sitting in a chair, he asked, "How the heck did you have that many paper works? It's only been the 2nd Singularity..."
"I kind of shot myself in the foot." Roman replied. "Instead of the usual 20 people back then, there's the Heroic Spirits now."
Due to him pre-maturely upgrading Chaldea's Fate Summoning System, they can now summon stronger and more 'complete' Heroic Spirits through Mash's shield.
Though, summoning is really luck based, just as portrayed in the game. After all, they mostly do their summons without any catalysts. Only the Heroic Spirits that they encountered during each Singularity can be specifically summoned since they possess their catalysts.
"What about Altera? Did you..."
"Nope, not yet. It'll take a few more days before Da Vinci and the technical team can further upgrade it. Her Saint Graph is even more ridiculous than Divine Spirits..."
Altera, the incarnation of the White Titan, is actually much stronger than this. If not for the fact that she's a 'Servant', she can draw out her true power, something capable of defeating Amaterasu and any other gods in Earth.
As for the Divine Spirits, Shiro muses that he might be able to defeat them in their Servant form, given the right match-up. If he's in his real body, this chance grows bigger.
"A few days, alright." Shiro thought about it for a while before he added, "You might want to enjoy your time now that there's still no Divine Spirits and the likes yet. The Beasts-classes, too."
Hearing this, Roman could only thank his lucky stars for the Chat Group. If not for it, he wouldn't be able to go through the first few days easily. He didn't sleep at that time since he re-organized the base and guided Ritsuka and Mash from the back.
In the end, he got through seven days with a total of 30 mins of sleep every day.
"You're right... Hah. Looks like I really shot myself in the foot too bad when I decided to create Goetia..." Roman said with a depressed voice.
When he turned into a normal human, he thought that he'll be able to feel those emotions freely. That is, until he saw bits of future detailing humanity's destruction. That's why he doesn't have the leverage to feel happiness despite becoming one.
This changed when the Chat Group appeared. Even for a little bit, he did experience "happiness" when he forgot his problems for a while. Thus, he became more determined to help humanity - he already fulfilled his wish, after all.
"Don't worry too much about it. You agreed to have that once chance, remember?" Shiro said.
"Right. If that doesn't work..." Roman's face turned serious for a moment. "...please let me do my part."
"...You're saying as if I would stop you." Shiro replied to him with a smile.
"I know you quite well."
Hearing this, Shiro wryly smiled and said, "I wouldn't stop you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Sigh. I'll trust you on that one."
Roman's expression went back to normal as he busied himself in work. As for Shiro, he went off to an unexpected place...
*****
Sizzle-! Crackle-!
At this moment, Shiro is cooking with a focused expression. The aroma of different strong spices wafted from it, making one drool with just the smell of it. Since it's past dinner already, no kitchen staff could be seen here; there are no Heroic Spirits either.
After making his finishing touches, he soon topped it on a bowl of white rice. He specifically prepared three bowls for it - one for him and Roman. As for the last one...
The door opened at this exact moment, revealing a familiar Servant.
"This scent... It's perfect. Who-"
"Hello there." Shiro interrupted the dumbfounded Servant with a greeting.
"You... You are that person five days ago!"
"That's right." He replied.
Shiro sported a casual attire right now, a black t-shirt and black pants. He also wore a black apron as he washed the utensils that he used through Rune Magic.
"But how..."
"It no longer told you to kill me?"
"...That's right."
Shrugging, he replied, "Well, I managed to bypass it."
The Servant, EMIYA, could only be confused. That time, Alaya strongly wanted Shiro to disappear. Yet now, it doesn't care anymore?
Though, he suppressed his thoughts for now as he saw Shiro's cooking. Even when he forgot about it, he instinctively shivered at the sight of it.
In fact, he is VERY familiar with it in the past as he almost went to the heaven as he ate it with the fake priest. The latter would only rejoice at its sight, however.
It is none other Kotomine Kirei's favorite dish, Mapo Tofu.
"Want one? There's rice this time, so you shouldn't worry." Shiro said.
Just as he started to cook, he already saw this outcome since cooking is engraved into Archer EMIYA's very being. The latter could even guess the quality of the dish based on the aroma alone!
"This time..?" EMIYA mumbled suspiciously upon hearing this. Due to his memories of his early days being forgotten, he doesn't know that he ate it that one time with the fake priest.
Meanwhile, Shiro took one of the bowls and disappeared after he stepped in to the aurora wall. When he arrived in the director's office, he passed this onto Roman who's still busy working.
As the aroma of the dish spread all throughout the room, Roman said, "You're one heck of a cook!"
"Why, thank you. I'll be continuing the small talk with the other chef, so see you later."
With the aurora curtain, he soon returned to the kitchen. EMIYA, who saw this, became surprised since he's certain that it's not a form of magecraft.
As to how he knew, the aurora curtain not producing any fluctuations is the sign that it's not a magecraft. What's more, this power reminded him of a certain person who wielded something similar to this.
In the end, he followed this mysterious man to the cafeteria - the mapo tofu bowl in his hands. Once they sat down, the two began eating it silently.
The savory sauce, the perfectly fried tofu, the white rice, and the spiciness blended into one and created a harmonious taste. It didn't taste too spicy nor too savory; it has the perfect balance.
While eating, Shiro took a look at its information panel from his system.
[Mapo Tofu]
Description: A savory eastern dish made by a godly chef, the only chef who entered the realm of unthinkable. The white rice provides a certain amount of correction to the spiciness of the mapo tofu, which depends from person to person.
[Effects]: +50% Strength, +50% Health Recovery, +50% Stamina Recovery. Lasts for 1 hour.
'My cooking skill is doing its wonders again...' He thought if the man on the opposite side can notice this change... in which he really did.
"...What kind of cooking is this? Is this your skill?" EMIYA asked as he felt the boosts from it.
"It can be considered as one."
Soon, they finished the entire bowl while satisfied. Shiro looked at the other Shirou and finally asked, "What are you curious about?"
EMIYA wasn't surprised about this and looked at him in the eyes - rather, the blindfold that's covering his eyes.
"Are you a Magician?"
*****
A/N: If anyone forgot, Kirei invited Shirou to eat mapo tofu before, only for him to almost faint with just one bite.
Fact #56: Mapo Tofu is extremely spicy, to the point that eating jalapenos might seem like a heaven. If we factor this and how Kirei ate it WITHOUT rice, thereby letting him experience its full power, we can say that Kotomine Kirei is a monster. That's why Shirou almost collapsing after eating a single bite is not an exaggeration.
