My family runs an adventurer's guild.

As a criminal, Ryunosuke Uryu is completely, absolutely, and utterly unqualified!

If my old band of thieves had included such a fool who didn't know how to collect loot, he would probably have killed him with his bone wand long ago!

However, in this world, he is her master, and she needs to rely on the magic power he provides to maintain her existence.

Therefore, Quark had to use "Dominate Humanity" to control this madman and take him along.

Well, let's just think of it as a training operation for new recruits back in the day, where we practiced robbery skills with the clumsy newbies who had just joined the gang!

—After arriving in this strange world, Quark decided to take advantage of the fact that before he met that difficult little princess and his own boss, he would first do his old job to the fullest and make a big profit!

Even if you can't bring the wealth back to your original world, at least you can have some fun!

Anyway, this guy named Ryunosuke should at least be able to be used as a guide, right?

"...Quick, tell me! Which family is the richest in this area? What's the wealthiest place? Grandpa Quark is going to get rich, woof!"

However, Ryunosuke Uryu's answer almost made Quark, who was filled with excitement and agitation, fall to the ground on the spot.

"...Ah, I'm sorry, Mr. Monster, I've only just arrived in Fuyuki City and I'm not very familiar with this place..."

"...You bastard! You idiot! You're completely useless, woof!"

"...Well, sir, generally speaking, the place with the most money in the city is definitely the bank. I know that much common sense..."

"...What are we waiting for, woof? Hurry up and lead the way for me, woof?!"

……

So, a few hours later, Tokiomi Tohsaka and Kirei Kotomine, exhausted from roasting over a dozen whole pigs, lambs, and cows, as well as an even larger number of chickens and ducks, finally waited until Miss Silver Dragon had eaten and drunk her fill. Before they could even rest, they received the shocking news that "a magician in the city has brazenly robbed a bank in broad daylight with a monster, suspected to be a participant in the Holy Grail War..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, as the kobold sorcerer Quark, who descended upon Fuyuki City with the Caster class, prepared to resume his old ways of banditry and plunder the city, the final member of the "Type-Moon World Adventure Team," Comrade Firi, also quietly arrived in this troubled city.

In a Western-style farmhouse on the outskirts of Fuyuki City, Weber Velvet sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Why has the situation become like this?

Things shouldn't have turned out this way!

As a second-rate magic apprentice from a humble background, ridiculed by others, he impulsively stole a holy relic and arrived in a strange Eastern island nation to participate in the Holy Grail War. His goal was to summon a powerful Heroic Spirit on this land, defeat his opponents, and return in triumph to gain everyone's recognition and praise, thus changing his long-standing tragic fate of being ignored and despised.

But why did things start to get so strange after that...?

He still can't figure out where things went wrong that caused his plans to be completely overturned.

Looking at Flora, the little fairy who was munching on a cookie on the small round table beside the bed, Waver felt a wave of helplessness wash over him once again.

As a short and thin boy, Webber developed a deep-seated hatred for any large, burly guy, especially those muscular, hulking men, because he was often bullied by taller peers at school.

Instead, Weber preferred small and delicate items, such as handmade models, folding bicycles, miniature motorcycles, and Japanese handheld game consoles and anime figures—and postwar Japan happened to be particularly adept at making all sorts of small gadgets.

Therefore, Weber had a great fondness for modern Japanese popular culture, to the point that he eventually became an otaku for a time.

However, the heroic spirit he summoned this time was really too tiny, wasn't it?

This tiny sprite is only 15 centimeters tall and weighs just over 150 grams, making it even smaller than a chicken!

Well, little fairies that fly around among flowers all day long are indeed mythical creatures, but who would use little fairies to fight a war?!

Holy Grail! Are you playing with me?

Chapter 38, Heroic Spirits Gather, Mounts Summoned! (Part Four)

In fact, when Waver summoned the mini Rider Flore last night, he had held onto a tiny sliver of hope and carefully inquired about Flore's combat abilities and fighting skills after returning to his residence.

However, after Flore triumphantly raised her little hammer and demonstrated her so-called "Little Elf Knight's Warhammer Technique," taking a full quarter of an hour to smash a single cockroach crawling on the ground, and incidentally breaking a vase, four teacups, and a glass mirror, our friend Webber Velvet finally gave up in utter despair:

Sigh, this year's Riders are no good!

Although Flora, this little golden fairy, truly lives up to her nickname "little fairy," with her translucent butterfly wings and a fairytale princess-like beauty with golden hair, blue eyes, and snow-white skin, her face and figure are so exquisitely beautiful that they resemble works of art. Every move she makes is indescribably cute and innocent, enough to make all little girls and some adults with special interests' eyes light up, even drooling and screaming "I want her!"...

But what's happening in Fuyuki City right now is the Holy Grail War, not a war of cuteness!!

In short, in Webber's eyes, his tiny Rider was basically a typical example of something that was good for nothing except being "cute".

Therefore, he felt that his future prospects in this Holy Grail War were bleak and bleak.

I heard that a priest from the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki will act as an arbitrator. Should I apply to withdraw from the competition today?

Wait a minute, it seems like everyone knows about this, right? There might be a magician or familiar lying in wait on the way to the church!

What if I get attacked on my way to the church in Fuyuki City?

Although he was very reluctant to admit it, Webber was somewhat self-aware and knew that his fighting ability was really weak.

His original plan was simply to summon a powerful Heroic Spirit and rely entirely on it to win the Holy Grail War. At most, he would give the Heroic Spirit the opportunity to make a wish to the Holy Grail, and he would just share the glory of victory...

But who knew that it would summon such a thing?

Weber thought to himself dejectedly, feeling increasingly hopeless and frustrated.

However, his fairy servant Flora was completely oblivious to her master's distress, and instead looked forward to the adventure to come.

There's no way around it; this is just the common nature of the little fairies: simple-minded, reckless, and unable to control their curiosity.

As a typical carefree and cheerful silly fairy, Flora doesn't think about too many complicated issues.

If you spend all your time thinking about trivial things, then you're no longer a true purebred fairy.

"...Hey! Master! Your knight Flora is full! Let's go on an adventure together now!"

After finishing the last chocolate chip cookie in the dessert box, Flor smiled and patted her bulging little belly as she flapped her wings and flew over.

"...Flore's hammer is itching to smash all the enemies to pieces! Hey, Master! Why aren't you paying attention to me? You can't look so dejected! Let me cheer you up! Fairy Blessing - Vitality Baptism! Level 1!"

Then, accompanied by the little fairy's sweet shout, a halo appeared above Webber's head, instantly lifting the spirits of the dejected young man.

—In a proper adventurer's party, if there is a fairy, her main role is to buff her teammates with blessings. Whether it is a single-target buff or a group aura, the effect is amazing.

Despite the strict time limit, it is still an incredibly powerful existence, almost like having a cheat code.

However, this time the fairy Flor received the Rider class instead of the Caster class.

Therefore, her buffs were naturally greatly reduced, with none of the effects of increasing strength or replenishing magic power. Right now, they were just like a peppermint essence to refresh her.

However, the energizing effect of this buff was still quite significant. The young Webber, who had been extremely depressed and indifferent just moments before, finally raised his head with dead fish eyes, looked at the petite, golden figure in front of him, and then let out a helpless sigh.

"...Sigh, I say, Flor! Let's not even talk about the fact that according to the rules of the Mage's Association, our actions as mages must be kept secret and not be known by too many mortals. Therefore, the Holy Grail War can only be fought in the dead of night, and it is impossible to fight in the city during the day. Let's not even talk about how, with your pitiful strength, if you were to face any other Heroic Spirit head-on, you would probably only get blown up."

He muttered to himself, "...Even ignoring these issues, do you think you can come back after leaving here looking like this? You'd probably be chased by a bunch of kids with insect nets before you even get into the city! The people here have never seen a little goblin before!"

—According to the information that Waver consulted, the heroic spirits summoned in the Holy Grail War are all formed from condensed magical energy, and should be able to use the method of spiritualization to become invisible when necessary.

However, according to the fairy Flor, since her lifespan has not yet come to an end, she was summoned in this Holy Grail War as a living being rather than a dead one, and therefore could not transform into a spirit to conceal her presence.

In this way, if the little fairy Flora were to fly into Fuyuki City without being able to hide, she would be noticed within minutes, and it would inevitably cause a sensation, with curious children and paparazzi chasing after her!

At that point, not only would his true nature be instantly exposed to the other six participants, but he might also face sanctions from the Holy Church and the Mage's Association for "leaking magical information to the public" before the Holy Grail War even ends.

"...Huh? That makes sense! Looks like I'll have to stay home while you go out and explore! Anyway, I can share my view with Master!"

The little fairy Flor tilted her head and thought for a moment, then nodded and replied, "...If you saw it, it's the same as me seeing it. So hurry up and get out!"

Hearing that the curious little imp had finally stopped insisting on going out shopping, Weber couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

But... the Servants are staying home to guard the place, while the Master goes out to scout and get beaten up? Isn't something reversed here?

However, before Weber could figure out the problem, Flor continued to speak in her melodious, singing voice.

"...Hmm, but it's still too dangerous to let Master go out for a stroll alone! I've got it, let someone else's mount protect you!"

As the little fairy Flor said this, she raised her small hammer high, "...In the name of Rider, I command! My mighty steed! The neighbor's cat! Summon me at once!"

Next, a small six-pointed star teleportation array appeared on the wooden floor at Webber's feet.

Hmm? That's right! The heroic spirit I summoned is a Rider, and since it's called a knight, it must have a mount.

Since this little fairy said she would let her mount protect her, this mount must have some fighting ability, right?

Although its name is something like "The Neighbor's Cat," which doesn't sound very imposing, could it just be a nickname? Or is it actually a very powerful monster?

Thinking about this, Weber couldn't help but feel a little bit of anticipation.

Then, in the next moment, with a flash of white light, a fluffy orange cat appeared at Webber's feet.

— Ordinary size and appearance, unremarkable, no different from the stray cats and house cats that Webber often sees on the street.

This really is "the neighbor's cat"?

That makes sense. What kind of ferocious mount could a mere little demon possibly tame?

If you can catch a cat from your neighbor's house to ride, that's probably the limit, right?

—Weber's little bit of expectation instantly turned into despair, and the huge contrast made his legs tremble uncontrollably.

Weber's mind went completely blank for a moment, and he didn't even notice the little fairy Flor flapping her translucent wings and flying around the orange cat's head while shouting, "...Look! Weber, this is my big cat mount! Isn't it impressive?"

When Webber came to his senses, he saw the orange cat standing on its hind legs, stretching out a front paw as if to shake his hand. "...Meow? Hello meow! My name is Phil, who are you?"

Weber's eyes widened even more immediately.

"...Huh? The cat actually talked?!"

However, the next moment, he felt relieved—he had even summoned a little fairy, so what was a mere talking cat?

Aren't there plenty of talking animals in fairy tales and myths all over the world?

The serpents in the Garden of Eden in the Bible could talk!

"...Hello, my name is Weber Velvet, and as for my status... I'd say I'm your master's master..."

Weber reached out and squeezed the cat's paw, but in his mind, he was wondering whether he should "borrow" a collar from the neighbor's doghouse next door...

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Excitedly watching the overhead lights, the television on the wall, and the cars rumbling past in the distance, Feli the cat was filled with joy.

After enduring five long years in a harsh and backward world of swords and magic, we have finally returned to modern Earth!

—Although this is the 1990s, there is still a distance, neither too long nor too short, between this and the era he lived in.

—Although this is Japan in the Type-Moon universe, it is very different from my own country and hometown.

—Although he was summoned by the fairy Flor as Rider's mount, he wouldn't stay for more than a few days.

—Although he's no longer a human, but a cat, he can't even become a cat-eared boy, let alone turn back into a human…

But in any case, he is finally back on Earth, able to smell the exhaust fumes of internal combustion engines and hear rock music from the radio speakers!

This could at least alleviate his homesickness and ease some of the sorrow of leaving his homeland.

—Well, what can you do? His cat paws can't play video games, and he doesn't have any yen to buy snacks.

(As a cat without human rights, living in the relatively backward 1990s, and having a temporary owner who is not a cat lover, it seems that this is all the convenience of modern urban life I can enjoy... For some reason, I always feel a little sad...)

This tiny gain alone made him almost meow with excitement!

After excitedly pacing around the room, Phil ran to the television, wanting to rewatch some almost forgotten anime series.

—Although Japanese anime hadn't yet reached its peak in this era, and many of the most famous anime characters hadn't yet appeared, even if all you could do was watch "Doraemon" and "Ikkyu-san," it could at least fill the emptiness in your heart...

Hmm, I wonder if Crayon Shin-chan has been released yet?

However, just as his front paws were about to touch the TV switch, he was suddenly grabbed by the scruff of his neck and lifted up.

He was then placed on the table and saw Webber holding a red leather collar, seemingly gesturing at him.

Phil immediately had a bad feeling: "...Meow? Webber, what are you trying to do, meow?"

"...Of course, I'll take you to the city to scout out enemy positions, and maybe walk the cat while I'm at it!"

Young Waver replied matter-of-factly, "...While I can't count on your fighting ability, there are plenty of stray cats in Japanese cities. Cats are pretty good at hiding in cities, so they can at least be used as a familiar to scout out corners that I can't easily access..."

Okay, don't move! Let me put this collar on you. The tag on it has my address and phone number engraved on it, so if you get lost, a kind person can bring you back..."

Meow! Did I hear that right? You little brat, you actually... you actually want to put a collar on me?

This is so shameful! It's an insult to the dignity of cats!

I'm furious! I don't want to wear one! Even the silver dragon lady who signed a pet contract with me has never made me wear a collar!

As the pet collar drew closer, Phili immediately began to struggle violently...

However, at this point he was just an ordinary orange cat. As the saying goes, you can't fight city hall, and even a cat can't fight a human. After a lot of chaos, the leather collar was finally put around Phil's neck.

So, with a look of utter despair on her face, Phil was dragged out for a walk by Webber, who was holding the cat's leash...