Abnormal Type Moon

Chapter 12: Toosaka Rin and Hayasaka Ai

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Morning.

Kasumigaoka Utaha opened her eyes.

What she saw was not the familiar ceiling of her own home but an unfamiliar one.

"How disappointing," she sighed, muttering to herself. With a resigned expression, she got dressed and stood up.

As she left the bedroom and entered the living room, the aroma of food wafted in from the kitchen nearby.

"You're awake. Breakfast is almost ready. Go wash up and come eat," Roy's calm voice came from the kitchen.

Hearing her footsteps, he peeked out from the doorway, smiling gently at her.

He was dressed as simply as the day before—a plain outfit with black-framed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. His smile was faint but kind, giving him an approachable and easygoing demeanor.

Kasumigaoka nodded silently and walked into the bathroom.

She felt a twinge of embarrassment. As a servant, she had woken up later than her master and, worse yet, allowed him to prepare breakfast.

---

"Master, is this girl your girlfriend?"

Okita's voice suddenly echoed in Roy's mind.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's just that I feel like Master treats her differently. You're so cold when talking to me, but you're so gentle with her. Ah, but I'm definitely not envious or jealous or anything like that!"

Her tone betrayed a faint trace of resentment, and Roy could practically visualize Okita pouting with indignation in his mind.

"Saber."

"Yes, Master?"

"I didn't use any holy relics when summoning you."

"Eh? Why are we talking about this now? Um... does that mean…?"

"Yes," Roy replied with calm certainty. "I summoned you entirely based on our affinity."

"How daring of you, Master," Okita murmured, a mixture of surprise and admiration in her tone.

---

There are countless Heroic Spirits in Valhalla, spanning the breadth of history.

To secure victory in the Holy Grail War, most Masters seek to summon powerful, legendary Heroic Spirits.

This is where holy relics come in—items associated with specific Heroic Spirits. These relics, which might be weapons, garments, or even fragments of their possessions, allow a summoner to pinpoint and call forth a specific Heroic Spirit of their choice.

Using a holy relic is the safest way to ensure the summoning of a historically renowned Heroic Spirit capable of guaranteeing an advantage in the war.

Summoning without a relic, however, relies solely on compatibility between the Master and the Heroic Spirit. In such cases, the Holy Grail determines which Heroic Spirit is best suited to the summoner.

But this method is risky. Without the control provided by a relic, there's no guarantee of summoning a strong Heroic Spirit—it might even result in a weak one.

After all, history is filled with countless minor or insignificant Heroic Spirits, vastly outnumbering the famous, powerful ones.

For this reason, summoning based purely on compatibility is often criticized, with most dismissing it as reckless or hopeless.

"You don't even want to win, do you?" is the typical response to such a strategy.

The idea that a Heroic Spirit summoned purely by affinity could defeat a carefully chosen legendary Heroic Spirit is almost laughable.

Those serious about winning the Holy Grail War know they must seek out a holy relic to summon a Heroic Spirit of great renown. This is the established consensus among Masters.

---

"I care more about compatibility between myself and my Servant than the Servant's raw strength. What I value most is the quality of our bond. Do you understand?" Roy's voice was calm yet resolute.

"Oh, I see! That makes sense!" Okita exclaimed in realization.

"So, all I ask of you is to be open with me."

"I understand, Master!"

Okita's voice was cheerful, her tone brimming with joy and newfound resolve.

"Oh, to be honest, I also want to cooperate with a Master like you! I, Okita Souji, swear to you by the honor of the Shinsengumi that I will remain loyal to you. If I break this oath, may I… uh, may I be hacked to death by every member of the Shinsengumi!"

Summoning a Servant based on affinity not only ensures the Master gets a Servant who resonates with them, but it also guarantees the Servant gets a Master who aligns with their personality and ideals.

This shared connection implies there must be common interests, similar goals, or comparable experiences between the two, making it far easier to establish a strong bond than it would be with a Servant summoned through a relic.

If the partnership doesn't work under these conditions, the problem likely lies with the Master.

Satisfied with Roy's answer, Okita fell silent.

Seeing that she had finally calmed down, Roy smiled faintly.

Indeed, while Okita's strength was important, Roy valued compatibility with her more. In this regard, his words contained no falsehood.

After finishing her morning routine, Kasumigaoka went to the kitchen and sat down for breakfast. As expected, her meal consisted of Chinese porridge with side dishes.

In Japan, porridge was typically something people ate when sick or recovering. But given that she was a servant and her Master had cooked the meal, she wasn't in any position to complain.

"And it's delicious," Kasumigaoka thought, surprised by her own assessment.

It was no easy feat to make such simple porridge taste so flavorful.

Recalling the dinner from the previous night, Kasumigaoka began to understand.

Roy's cooking skills were exceptional. His authentic cuisine surpassed anything she had tasted in restaurants before. Such mastery wasn't something that could be achieved in a few months; it was clearly the result of years of dedication and training.

"Is Lord Roy the only one in this household?"

"There's also a pair of sisters, but they're always away. I have no idea when they'll be back," Roy replied casually.

"Aren't there a lot of dangerous monsters in the wild?"

"If those two are out there, the only danger will be for the monsters," Roy said with a smirk.

Kasumigaoka paused for a moment, then suddenly understood.

In other words, the most powerful members of the Aozaki family were the two sisters traveling outside.

She also remembered the young dark-skinned man at the refugee shelter, who had seemed more concerned about Roy's family than Roy himself. So, despite Roy being the youngest son, his special status likely stemmed from the strength of his two sisters.

---

"Knock knock."

Breakfast had barely ended, and the dishes hadn't been cleared when there was a rhythmic knock on the door.

The knock was gentle and graceful, unhurried yet deliberate.

Seeing this, Kasumigaoka stood up and began clearing the table while Roy walked to the entrance hall to open the gate.

"Good morning, Mr. Roy," came a soft, clear voice.

Standing at the door was a strikingly beautiful girl with long, smooth black hair tied into twin ponytails with ribbons.

She looked to be around sixteen or seventeen years old and wore a bright red windbreaker. Her demeanor was calm and composed, radiating an air of dignity. Her elegance and poise were unmistakable—this was clearly someone from an extraordinary family.

As soon as she saw Roy open the door, the girl offered him a perfect smile.

"Good morning, Mayor Tohsaka," Roy replied with a warm smile, as if he had been expecting her.

Roy's tone was familiar, and he greeted the twin-ponytailed girl as though they were well-acquainted.

"Who is this?"

Roy's gaze shifted past Mayor Tohsaka.

Behind her stood another girl, this one with blonde hair, dressed in a traditional servant's outfit.

The girl's beauty was on par with Miss Tohsaka's. Her long, golden hair, tied into a ponytail, made her even more striking. However, she stood respectfully behind Miss Tohsaka, exuding the demeanor of a loyal servant who had deliberately subdued her own brilliance.

She was dressed in a traditional and impeccably tailored maid outfit, adding to her composed appearance.

"Is this the first time you've met her, Mr. Roy? She's the attendant I chose," Tohsaka Rin said, glancing at the blonde girl behind her and signaling with her eyes.

"Good morning, Lord Roy."

The blonde maid acknowledged the signal, stepping forward and bowing respectfully. Her bow was precise, performed at the perfect angle, without a single flaw.

"My name is Hayasaka Ai," she introduced herself, her tone measured and professional. "I am currently serving Rin-sama."