Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

It's unclear who suggested playing a game, but Matsumoto Rangiku immediately raised her hand in agreement, Violet smiled and nodded, and Robin said, "That sounds interesting."

Artoria said, "What's so fun about games?"

But his body had already moved further towards Bai Yu.

Unohana Retsu took out a card from the room; the December pattern looked antique and elegant in the candlelight.

What to play?

How about the King's Game?

Matsumoto Rangiku's eyes lit up.

"It's most fun when there are lots of people!"

"King's Game?"

Artoria frowned.

"what is that?"

"It's basically a lottery to decide who will be king, and then the king can order anyone to do anything—"

Matsumoto Rangiku explained it casually, as if it were something perfectly normal.

"anything?"

Artoria's brow furrowed even more.

"Yes, anything—"

Matsumoto Rangiku winked at her.

"Won't the Knight King be afraid now?"

"I...I'm not afraid at all!"

Artoria straightened her back.

“Let’s play!”

Before Shiraha could speak, Matsumoto Rangiku had conjured up six sticks from nowhere, one of which had a red tip.

"The one who draws the red lot is the king—"

She held the skewer in her hand, only the neat top end showing.

"Here, everyone take one without using Observation Haki."

Bai Yu reached out and pulled one out, turning it over to look—it was white, not the King.

Who is the king?

Matsumoto Rangiku looked around.

"It's me—"

Violet held up the skewer in her hand, the vermilion tip of which stood out vividly in the candlelight.

Her expression remained calm, but the slight upturn at the corners of her mouth betrayed her.

"Then, I will give the order—"

Her gaze slowly moved across everyone's faces, finally settling on Bai Yu.

"Bai Yujun, please sit in the middle."

"……middle?"

Yes, this is it—

Violet patted the carpet in front of her.

"Then, let's have our Saber say something from the heart to Bai Yu, and look him in the eye."

Rangiku Matsumoto was the first to applaud.

"This order is great! I like it!"

Artoria's body stiffened visibly for a moment, but she quickly forced herself to relax.

Bai Yu smiled helplessly, got up and sat in the middle seat.

He sat cross-legged, facing the gazes of five women, some direct, some subtle, some smiling, and some with some indescribable emotion.

When Artoria stood up, her movements were somewhat stiff, as if two forces were pulling each other within her body, one pushing her forward and the other pulling her backward.

She walked up to Bai Yu, sat down, and looked at him.

Then there was a long silence.

Her lips opened and closed, closed and opened again, the color of her cheeks changed from pink to crimson, from crimson to deep red, and finally to a red that was almost dripping with blood.

"Bai Yu-jun, I..."

Her voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between her teeth.

"I……"

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, as if making a final charge on the battlefield.

Then she suddenly opened her eyes and grabbed Bai Yu's hand.

"I like you!"

Her voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the entire area.

“I…I like you! I’ve liked you since the first time I saw you! I feel unhappy when I see you with other girls! I feel uncomfortable when I see you surrounded by Rangiku and the others! I want to sit next to you! I want to put my hand on your shoulder! I want to…I want to…”

Her voice grew softer and softer, the last few words almost a whisper.

"I also want to be an important person to you..."

After she finished speaking, she felt as if all her strength had been drained away. She was still holding Bai Yu's hand, but she didn't have the strength to let go.

Bai Yu could feel her palms sweating, warm and damp, like a heart that had been squeezed too tightly.

"……I see."

Bai Yu said softly, and took her hand in his.

"Thank you for telling me that I also like Saber. You are all my wings!"

I don't know when it started, but the distance disappeared.

Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, perhaps it was the lingering feeling of relaxation after the hot springs, or perhaps it was the game that made everyone let down their guard.

In short, when Bai Yu came to his senses, he could no longer tell who was sitting where.

He only felt warmth.

A soft, warm, wine-scented aroma wafted in from all directions.

Someone leaned on his shoulder, their hair brushing against his neck, their breathing even and deep.

Someone rested their head on his lap, long golden hair cascading down his knees like a wheat field bathed in moonlight.

Someone wrapped their arms around his waist from behind, their cheek pressed against his back, and he could feel the warmth of their cheek through his bathrobe.

Someone held his hand, their fingers intertwined, and their thumb unconsciously drew circles on the back of his hand.

Someone was lying beside him, breathing so softly it was like a whisper in a dream.

The wine cup overturned, and the remaining wine seeped into the carpet, emitting a faint aroma of rice.

Flower cards were scattered all over the ground.

The stone lantern in the courtyard burned out its last drop of oil, the candlelight flickered twice, and then went out.

Only the moonlight remained, thinly spreading across the sandy ground, casting long, long shadows of the bamboo.

Someone whispered something, but Bai Yu didn't hear it.

The sound seemed to come from a very far place, or it seemed to be coming from one's own chest.

He wanted to respond, but his lips moved without making a sound.

It's not that I don't want to speak, but rather that words seem superfluous at this moment.

Sometimes, words are unnecessary.

Just as the moon doesn't need to explain why it shines, petals don't need to explain why they fall, and water doesn't need to prove why it flows.

Some things just happen naturally.

Under the influence of alcohol, under the gaze of moonlight, and with the tacit consent of everyone.

Bai Yu felt a fingertip gently tracing across his back, as if drawing a map that only she could see.

He felt someone's breath behind his ear, warm and moist, carrying the scent of alcohol.

He felt someone's lips touch the corner of his jaw, as lightly as a petal falling on the water.

He felt someone's fingers running through his hair, the fingertips gently pressing on his scalp with a gentle pressure that made him want to close his eyes.

He didn't know who was touching him.

Perhaps it was Rangiku, but her hands were always the most direct.

Perhaps it was Violet; her touch always carried a kind of passion.

Perhaps it was Robin; her fingers were always so light, as if she were turning the pages of a precious book.

Perhaps it was Artoria; her touch was always hesitant and clumsy, as if she were exploring an unknown territory.

Perhaps it's because of Retsu Unohana, but her movements are always calm and composed, as if she's performing a healing ritual.

Perhaps it's everyone at the same time.

Perhaps it's impossible to tell who's who, nor is it necessary to tell.

Bai Yu felt his body become very light, as if he were soaking in warm water, or as if he were floating on clouds.

Those hands roamed over his body, with different temperatures and pressures, different rhythms and cadences, like different instruments playing the same piece at the same time.

He was both the listener and the instrument in that piece of music.

Moonlight seeped in through the gaps on the side, drawing a silvery-white band of light on the floor.