Breakfast was ready in no time with Gaio and Rin working together.
Steamed buns, fried eggs, and soy milk—a classic Tokyo U-style breakfast. Rin had even wanted to fry some youtiao after hearing Gaio loved them, ditching the store-bought ones to learn how to make them herself.
But Gaio stopped her. After all, they'd made fifty fist-sized buns—more than enough, even for Saber's legendary appetite. (Or did I underestimate my king's stomach?)
At Rin's call, the girls filed into the dining room.
Though everyone but Fubuki had already eaten breakfast, the aroma of the food made their noses twitch.
Artoria and Kanna's eyes sparkled like stars. In a blur too fast to follow, they appeared at the table.
The blonde Saber had already set plates in front of herself and Kanna, gripping her fork with more intensity than she ever did her holy sword.
Kanna floated in midair, her wide, innocent eyes gleaming with cross-shaped sparkles. A cute bib, specially picked by Marin, hung around her neck.
Gaio looked at Saber and Kanna, chuckling wryly. He'd accounted for Saber but forgot about this little glutton.
"Start eating. I'll make more." He tied on an apron and headed back to the kitchen.
As he turned, the girls followed. "We'll help!" Marin said, hopping onto his back.
Gaio steadied her curves with a grin. "No need. You guys can have some soy milk. I added red dates—great for warming you up in winter."
"Hehe, okay! Mwah!" Marin planted a big kiss on his cheek.
As Gaio headed to the kitchen, the girls exchanged glances, their faces blooming with smiles.
"Gaio-kun's so sweet," Kaguya said, setting aside her folding fan to prop her chin in her hands.
"Hold up, Rin-chan, were you cooking with Gaio-kun?" Marin teased, slinging an arm around Rin's shoulders.
"Uh-huh." Rin nodded slightly.
"And? Did anything… happen?" Marin grinned mischievously.
"W-What are you talking about?!" Rin's mind flashed to the kitchen, where Gaio had held her close, gently guiding her hands. Her ears turned crimson. "N-Nothing happened! We just mixed the meat filling!"
Marin wasn't letting up, poking Rin's cheek. "But Rin-chan's face is red as a tomato~ Did Gaio-kun do something in there?"
"Marin-nee!" Rin's voice cracked, flustered, but Sakura giggled and grabbed her arm. "Oh? Sounds like something made our Rin blush~"
Yukino closed her book, lightly tapping Rin's hand with a soft smile. "Marin, ease up. You're embarrassing her so much she'll dig a hole to hide in."
Fubuki, sitting nearby, watched the playful chaos with a warm smile. She got up, tugged Gaio's arm, and said, "I'll help you out."
Gaio nodded, ruffling her hair. "You should eat something first. Last night must've worn you out, huh?"
Fubuki wrinkled her nose. "That's your fault."
"Alright, alright, my bad." Gaio smirked. "Go eat and recharge. I'll tire you out again tonight."
"No way! You should spend tonight with Marin and the others. You just got back and haven't had proper time with them." Fubuki shook her head.
"No worries, my bed's big enough." Gaio waggled his eyebrows.
Fubuki shot him a playful glare, pinching his arm, but he caught her hand and pressed it to his chest. "Does it hurt? Want me to kiss it better?"
"As if!" Fubuki yanked her hand back but wrapped her arms around his waist, her fingers teasing his toned abs. "Hurry up and cook, or Artoria and Kanna will eat everything."
Gaio laughed, letting her mess with him. "Yes, ma'am, Lady Fubuki."
The dining room buzzed with the girls' cheerful chatter, while the kitchen hummed with Gaio's cooking. The scene was warm and cozy.
"Help grab some stuff!" Gaio called from the kitchen.
The girls hopped up, heading to the kitchen to carry out twenty more buns, five bowls of beef noodle soup, and scallion pancakes.
At the table, Artoria was stabbing buns with her fork, cheeks puffed like a hamster's, her eyes crescent-shaped with delight. Clearly, the knight-king approved of the meal.
Kanna floated beside her, the bunny-patterned bib speckled with soy milk. She held half a bun, stuffing it into her mouth with no change in her blank, adorable expression. Spotting Marin, she drifted over, holding up the bun. "Marin, it's got soup inside~"
She showed it off, then chomp—swallowed it whole.
Back when Marin first met Kanna, she'd have panicked. Now, she was used to it.
"Slow down, no one's stealing it." Marin handed her a napkin, wiping the meat juice from her chin.
Kanna tilted her head, letting Marin clean her face, then floated back to the table for another bun.
"Wait, where's Thor?" Marin realized the dragon girl, who'd come with her to the dining room, was gone.
Yukino set down her soy milk, tapping her chin. "She left earlier. Not sure where she went."
Marin nodded, ruffling Kanna's hair. "I'll go find her."
Kanna tilted her head, offering her half-eaten bun. Marin leaned down, taking a small bite. The savory meat, laced with ginger and scallion, was unmistakably Gaio's handiwork.
As Marin left, Gaio stepped out of the kitchen, apron off, frowning slightly. He flashed the girls a smile. "You guys eat. I'm gonna check on Marin."
The girls nodded in unison.
Gaio hurried out, spotting Marin in the corridor calling Thor's name. He slid an arm around her. "I'll look for Thor. You go keep Fubuki company—she's new to our big family, and as the 'head wife,' you've gotta look out for her."
Marin giggled. "Alright~ But you better find Thor. She loves buns too."
Gaio nodded, giving her a playful pat on the rear to send her back.
Marin stuck out her tongue. "Jerk." With a playful huff, she headed to the dining room.
The moment she left, Gaio's smile faded, and his figure vanished.
At the back mountain, Thor stood with a serious expression, facing an elderly man—or rather, someone who didn't quite fit that description. Despite his gray hair and beard, he stood tall, cloaked in a dark red robe.
"Thor, you must return with me. Humans are inferior creatures. You don't belong here," he said.
Thor shook her head. "No, Father. Marin saved me, took me into her home, and cares for me and Kanna. She's my friend."
The man was Thor's father—Emperor Chaos, leader of the dragon clan's chaos faction.
"Silence! Humans aren't worthy of being friends with noble dragons!" Emperor Chaos snapped.
"Don't act like I don't know you have human friends too!" Thor shot back.
His face froze, his beard trembling with anger. "How dare you—"
"Father, please stop being so stubborn! Marin's nothing like the humans you talk about!" Thor raised her voice.
"No! You're coming back with me! There are no dragons in this world! Staying here will draw attention!" His hair and beard bristled, clearly enraged.
"I…" Thor started, but a voice cut her off.
"No. With me here, no one can touch my family. If they notice, they can only watch."
Thor and Emperor Chaos turned toward the voice. Gaio stood nearby, unnoticed until now.
Emperor Chaos narrowed his eyes, his dark red pupils surging with dragon aura. "Human, you dare stand before me and speak so boldly?"
His robe billowed without wind, revealing scales glinting with cold golden light. "Do you know even the gods of this world cower before me?"
Thor stepped in front of Gaio, her dragon horns glowing faint blue, her tail taut, claws digging into the ground. "Father! He's Marin's partner and part of our family! You can't hurt him!"
Gaio gently touched Thor's shoulder, pulling her behind him, feeling her trembling. He gave a faint smile. "Thor, don't worry." Turning to Emperor Chaos, he said, "Gods? Heh, I don't need them."
Emperor Chaos frowned, confused. Was this human a mage? His robe flared like dragon wings.
Seeing his stance, Gaio knew words wouldn't dent this dragon's pride.
With a flick of his wrist, the Yama Blade appeared, his faint smile turning cold.
Emperor Chaos's pupils shrank to slits, a low dragon growl rumbling in his throat.
He raised his right hand, a dark red energy orb forming in his palm, the air growing scorching, the ground beneath cracking. "Human, you dare draw a weapon against me? You're courting death!"
"Father, stop!" Thor screamed, lunging to intervene, but Gaio held her back.
Emperor Chaos fired the energy orb at Gaio.
Thor's horns flickered, ready to cast a spell to help.
But Gaio, gripping the Yama Blade's scabbard, thrust it toward the orb.
To Thor and Emperor Chaos's shock, the blade didn't touch the orb, yet it burst mid-flight, vanishing without even an explosion—like a popped bubble.
"Thor, maybe Marin didn't tell you about my strength." Gaio lowered the blade, tilting his chin at Emperor Chaos.
"I'm pretty strong."
Emperor Chaos's pupils contracted, his dragon aura flooding out, bending nearby trees.
He stared at the Yama Blade. "That sword… what is it?"
Gaio twirled the blade lightly. "You noticed? Not bad for Thor's dad."
"Human, you've piqued my interest. I'll go all—" Emperor Chaos's voice dropped, red pupils narrowing, dragon scales creeping up his face. But before he finished—
Gaio drew the blade, slashing the air swiftly. A flash of silver light streaked by.
The scales on Emperor Chaos's face receded. He felt his connection to his magic severed, even his ability to transform into a dragon cut off.
"This… this is impossible!" He couldn't fathom someone capable of this.
Severing magic, even instincts—no wonder this human said he didn't need gods.
He was a god!
"Are you a god?" Emperor Chaos asked, then shook his head. "No, even the gods of my world couldn't do this."
Gaio sheathed the Yama Blade, his smile warming. "I'm no god. But if I want, I can cut anything—tangible or intangible."
(Looks like those slashes got his attention.)
Thor rushed to support Emperor Chaos's arm, her horns still faintly glowing, her voice urgent. "Father, are you okay? Does it hurt?"
He glared at her but didn't pull away, rubbing his chest. "It doesn't hurt… just feels like my dragon core's been drained."
Gaio stepped forward, offering a thermos of red date soy milk, still steaming.
Emperor Chaos blinked, hesitant, but Gaio pressed it into his hand. "Drink. It'll help."
He stared at the thermos, the sweet scent of red dates tickling his nose.
"You…" Emperor Chaos looked up, his anger fading. "Can you really protect Thor?"
Gaio nodded firmly. "Yes."
He glanced at Thor, smiling. "Besides, Thor's Marin's friend and part of our family. No one messes with my family."
Thor froze at "part of our family," then her face softened with warmth.
(No wonder Marin loves this guy so much.)
Gaio ruffled Thor's hair, his eyes gentle.
Emperor Chaos sighed. His daughter was grown.
Gripping the thermos, he looked at Thor. "If you're so set on staying… fine, I'll allow it for now. But if this human ever mistreats you, burn his house down with dragon breath!"
Thor's eyes lit up, nodding eagerly. "Thank you, Father! You're the best!"
He grunted, not arguing, and turned to leave but paused. Without looking back, he said, "Take care of Thor, human."
"You got it," Gaio replied with a smile. "Thor's family. Don't worry, Emperor Chaos."
Emperor Chaos froze—he hadn't given his name. But then he realized it didn't matter.
What mattered was Gaio's words.
He let out a hearty laugh as his magic surged back, his figure vanishing into the air.
Thor watched him disappear, the glow on her horns fading, her tail perking up. "Phew, I thought he'd drag me back."
Gaio chuckled. "No one's forcing you to do anything you don't want."
Her tail swished, her earlier tension gone. "Hehe, good thing you were here, or I'd be gone for sure."
"Haha," Gaio laughed, looking at the carefree Thor. No wonder she and Marin got along—same hair color, same vibe. "Come on, let's head back. They're probably waiting, and Kanna might've eaten all the buns."
They walked side by side, the scent of food drifting from the dining room. Thor's mood brightened, a smile on her face.
Back at the dining room, Marin stood at the door, looking out. Seeing them, she ran over. "Thor! Where'd you go? We were worried sick!"
She hugged Thor tightly, patting her back. "Did something happen?"
"Nah, I'm fine." Thor grinned, hugging her back, her tail swishing. "My dad showed up, wanted me to go back, but Gaio convinced him to let me stay!"
"Really?!" Marin's eyes sparkled. She jumped, wrapping herself around Gaio and kissing his lips. "Gaio-kun, you're amazing!"
"When am I not?" Gaio kissed her back, making her giggle.
Marin hopped down, about to speak, when a commotion erupted from the dining room.
"Saber! You're not leaving any for Gaio! Put it down! That's the last bun!" Rin shouted.
Inside, Artoria clutched the final bun, her fork stabbed into its fluffy skin. Hearing Rin, she turned slowly, cheeks puffed like round dumplings, eyes twinkling, voice muffled like she had a marshmallow in her mouth. "But… this bun's so good…"
Rin stomped, lunging for it, but Artoria dodged nimbly, nearly dropping the bun. She cradled it with her other hand, guarding it like Excalibur.
"You can't eat them all, no matter how good they are!"
"You ate two yourself!" Artoria backed away, her ahoge bobbing. "Why don't you make more for Master?"
"You—" Rin dove at her, and the two circled the table, chairs creaking, soy milk cups wobbling, nearly spilling.
The dining room filled with the girls' laughter, a joyful chaos.
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