Late at night.
Inside a certain room in Chaldea.
Ian was recalling the many things he had discussed with Da Vinci earlier.
From her words, the man gradually understood the fact that the Noble Phantasm "Omnipotent Man" wasn't as "omnipotent" as he had imagined.
Its essence was more like a "machine" that could continuously convert the magical power in the Holy Grail into formulas that could be used to repair Chaldea.
So——
Without the Holy Grail, even if "Omnipotent Man" was powerful, it would just be a decoration.
And so far, the only way to obtain the Holy Grail was to throw himself into the various Singularities and dig out the Holy Grails that that bastard Lev had buried, one by one.
This point reached an astonishing consistency with the formal restoration of human history.
Once things were dealt with, he would have to set off immediately.
Ian made this resolution.
Knock knock knock—— A knock came from the door.
Ian subconsciously asked, "Who is it?"
"Abe-san, it's this concubine." Tamamo-no-Mae's gentle voice replied from outside the door.
"..." Knowing it was Tamamo-no-Mae's voice, Ian directly gave the next response.
"Come in, the door's unlocked."
Click. The door opened, then quickly closed again.
The Tamamo-no-Mae who walked in made Ian pause in surprise.
"You... why did you put on the wedding dress?" Ian asked, his eyes widening slightly.
Just as Ian was amazed, Tamamo-no-Mae at this moment had already changed into a beautiful wedding dress.
Clad in pure white, she was so eye-catching in this quiet night.
"Abe-san." Tamamo-no-Mae looked at Ian with affectionate eyes, her gaze filled with overflowing love.
"You... don't you like this concubine dressed like this?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked softly, her golden eyes looking at him intently.
"..." Ian was silent for a moment, and after sorting out his thoughts, he continued,
"Tama-chan, of course I like you dressed like this." Ian said gently, his dark eyes looking at her.
"I think you look really beautiful like this, the kind of existence that I will remember forever after just one glance."
"However——" Ian's gaze fell on the fox spirit before him, a hint of guilt appearing in his eyes.
"I think I should have told you... that now isn't the time to do this kind of thing, right?"
"And this wedding dress you're wearing——" Ian didn't continue speaking—he felt that it would hurt Tamamo-no-Mae's feelings.
However, the clever fox spirit had already guessed the entire sentence.
"And this wedding dress you're wearing—could it be your Noble Phantasm?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked softly, her golden eyes looking at him.
Thinking of this, Tamamo-no-Mae silently took a few steps forward and finally sat down on the edge of Ian's bed.
She spoke in a sorrowful tone,
"Abe-san." Tamamo-no-Mae said gently, her golden eyes filled with a hint of sadness.
"In your heart... is this concubine such an untrustworthy person?"
"That's not what I meant." Ian took Tamamo-no-Mae's hand.
"I'm just afraid... that you will become the target of everyone's accusations." Ian said softly, his dark eyes filled with concern.
Hearing this, the fox spirit's two fluffy ears twitched slightly.
"Then——" Tamamo-no-Mae looked up at Ian, her golden eyes sparkling.
"Abe-san, if this concubine tells you... that no one will object to this concubine's wedding with you."
"You... shouldn't be afraid anymore, right?"
"..." Ian was about to speak, but then he saw the cunning look in Tamamo-no-Mae's eyes.
He immediately realized that this fox spirit wasn't making some kind of assumption with him, but rather reporting to him a fact that had yet to be unveiled.
"Tama-chan, you... what did you do?" Ian asked, his dark eyes filled with curiosity.
"Nothing much." Tamamo-no-Mae, wearing the wedding dress, nestled against Ian's shoulder and said with a hint of pride,
"This concubine merely got Abe-san's girlfriends to agree to the wedding request, that's all."
"Girlfriends?" Ian's brain flashed with countless sparks—he completely understood.
"You told Mash and the others about the wedding?" Ian asked, his dark eyes widening slightly.
"Yes." Tamamo-no-Mae nodded, her golden eyes filled with affection for the man beside her.
"This concubine very honestly reported to them her wish to marry Abe-san."
"And then——" Tamamo-no-Mae smiled gently.
"I received unanimous agreement."
"Abe-san, they really love you." Tamamo-no-Mae said softly, her golden eyes filled with tenderness.
"Oh right, this concubine didn't say anything that Abe-san didn't want to reveal, so please rest assured about that."
Ian was a little surprised by the fox spirit's decisiveness.
But——
He wasn't very angry either.
After all, in a sense, the man really wanted to give this fox spirit, who had come to his side after experiencing so much hardship, a beautiful and perfect wedding.
But Ian quickly realized something else.
Wait a minute!
They???
"Tama-chan... according to what you said, does that mean Mordred also agreed to you doing this?" Ian asked, his dark eyes filled with surprise.
"Yes." Tamamo-no-Mae replied without hesitation. "She... confessed your relationship to this concubine."
"Confessed?" Ian looked at Tamamo-no-Mae before him, the guilt in his heart deepening.
"Then Tama-chan, you know that she..."
"Hmm~" The fox spirit nodded. "She's Abe-san's child with another woman, right?"
"Please don't worry about that." Tamamo-no-Mae said gently, her golden eyes looking at him with reassurance.
"This concubine promises you... I will definitely take care of her as my own child."
"This concubine will absolutely not let her suffer even the slightest grievance."
"In addition——" Tamamo-no-Mae pointed to the wedding dress she was wearing.
"What this concubine is wearing at the moment is also not a Noble Phantasm... but a magical outfit woven by Da Vinci according to this concubine's needs."
"Abe-san, this concubine doesn't want to mess up your life because of my own selfish desires."
"So this is a wedding that has received absolute approval... please believe this concubine!"
"However, under the current circumstances, we can probably only complete the wedding ceremony here."
"..." Just like how he had arranged everything for Tamamo-no-Mae back then.
Now, in order to achieve her own goal of marriage, she had also arranged everything.
In that case——
What else was there to worry about?
"I understand." Ian said softly, his dark eyes looking at her with affection.
"Then——" Ian took a deep breath.
"Tama-chan... let's get married."
Saying the most simple promise, Ian lowered his head and kissed Tamamo-no-Mae, who had wanted to marry him from the past until now.
He tasted her lips again—a faint fragrance like cherry blossoms.
This time, he no longer resisted, and his kiss became even more passionate.
The bond formed in the Heian period now blossomed into the most beautiful flower in Chaldea.
The passionate kiss tightly connected the two until they separated when they both felt breathless.
"Abe-san~" The usually gentle and refined Tamamo-no-Mae could no longer control her emotions at this moment.
She sat on the man's lap and looked at him with teary eyes.
"This concubine... can finally marry you." Tamamo-no-Mae said softly, her voice trembling with emotion.
"I'm sorry." Ian reached out and gently stroked Tamamo-no-Mae's incredibly soft cherry blossom pink hair.
"For making you wait so long."
"It's nothing." The fox spirit nestled against the man's chest. "As long as I can marry Abe-san... no matter how long I have to wait, this concubine will willingly do so."
"Is that so?" Ian held Tamamo-no-Mae in his arms.
"Then... you won't have to wait anymore." Ian said softly, his dark eyes filled with affection.
"Hmm~" The fox spirit responded with a hint of tears in her voice.
Then, she raised her head and looked at the man before her with a rather shy expression.
"Abe-san." Tamamo-no-Mae said softly, her golden eyes looking at him with a hint of shyness.
"Actually... this concubine has also specially prepared some things for today's wedding."
"Prepared things?" Ian looked at his beloved wife Tamamo-no-Mae in his arms, his eyes showing a hint of confusion.
"What things?"
"Hmm..." Tamamo-no-Mae's cheeks became even redder, looking very embarrassed.
But she still said,
"Abe-san." Tamamo-no-Mae looked up at him, her golden eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.
"Do you still remember when you taught this concubine how to make tea in Heian-kyo?"
"Now——" Tamamo-no-Mae smiled shyly.
"This concubine has brewed a pot of the finest tea, just waiting for you to enjoy it."
"Tea?" Ian knew that Chaldea did have a reserve of tea leaves.
But at this moment, besides Tamamo-no-Mae in her wedding dress, where else would there be a place to hold tea?
Eh, wait a minute!
The man looked at the fox spirit before him, whose face was completely flushed, and asked softly,
"Tama-chan." Ian said hesitantly.
"You... you wouldn't still be making tea that way, would you?"
"Abe-san, you really do remember!" Tamamo-no-Mae's tail under her wedding dress began to sway.
"Yes." Tamamo-no-Mae said softly, her golden eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.
"This concubine... has never forgotten Abe-san's teachings, and now there's finally an occasion to use them!"
"..." Ian didn't respond to Tamamo-no-Mae, but instead verified it himself.
Soon, the man felt the towel.
Because all the towels used in Chaldea were of the same standard design, he would never mistake this feel.
Feeling the same method of insertion as a long time ago, Ian's eyes trembled slightly as he looked at Tamamo-no-Mae.
"Tama-chan, you..."
"Abe-san." Tamamo-no-Mae's voice trembled so much from shyness that it was a little difficult to recognize.
"In those nights when I couldn't see you."
"This concubine spent those lonely times in this way... until this moment, when I was able to meet Abe-san again."
"Although I know it might not be good to say this."
"But——" Tamamo-no-Mae leaned completely against Ian's body, leaving only charm.
"Could I please ask Abe-san... to temporarily forget everything and enjoy the tea brewed by this concubine in the most appropriate way?"
"..." "I see."
Under Tamamo-no-Mae's loving gaze, Ian slowly pulled out the towel that was acting as the teapot lid.
He held the fox spirit's cheeks, which were flushed red with shyness, and made her open her mouth slightly, forming a cute "O" shape. Then, little by little, he gently inserted the towel, which was filled with the fragrance of cherry blossoms and clear tea, back into its storage place.
"Then——" Ian said softly, his dark eyes filled with affection.
"I will have to properly enjoy the tea that Tama-chan has spent so long brewing."
"Umm~" Tamamo-no-Mae nodded, then her hand stopped at the hem of her wedding dress.
Everything was silent, only the tea recalling the past remained.
Facts proved.
After Ian left, Tamamo-no-Mae had indeed studied the art of tea ceremony diligently.
Especially in terms of tea temperature.
She perfectly achieved warmth without being scalding, and heat without burning.
Feeling the clear tea brewed by her, Ian only felt his whole body relax, his nerves stretching out from bottom to top.
His whole being felt as if he had arrived in a lush green tea garden.
In addition, Tamamo-no-Mae's tea serving posture was so elegant and so perfectly timed.
The man could only repeatedly utter praises of excellence, finally bestowing the highest honor of white upon this fox spirit's tea.
Taking the towel back from between Tamamo-no-Mae's lips, Ian slowly put it back into the fox's treasure, allowing it to continue to serve as a teapot lid.
He held the fox spirit's hands in his arms and gently kissed her forehead.
"Tama-chan, you've worked hard." Ian said softly, his dark eyes filled with affection.
"It's nothing." Tamamo-no-Mae shook her head, her face completely flushed. "Being able to serve Abe-san properly... is this concubine's greatest happiness."
"Therefore——" Tamamo-no-Mae looked up at him, her golden eyes filled with sincerity.
"Please also don't regard this kind of thing as a burden for this concubine."
"That... would be this concubine's greatest burden."
"Is that so?" Ian smiled slightly. "I understand."
"However——" Ian's dark eyes looked at her with a hint of apology.
"Even though Tama-chan, you were so looking forward to getting married... but now it's being done so shabbily, I'm really sorry."
"It's nothing." Tamamo-no-Mae rubbed her head against Ian's chest gently, like a spoiled child.
"Abe-san." Tamamo-no-Mae looked up at him, her golden eyes filled with affection.
"This is actually already the best treatment this concubine could possibly enjoy at a time like this."
"How could this be the best treatment?" Ian's eyes showed a hint of guilt, and his voice trembled slightly.
This situation couldn't even compare to when his sister Jeanne got married.
"Everything needed for the wedding hasn't been prepared at all... how can you say it's the best treatment?"
"Tama-chan, I know you're very considerate, but you don't need to deliberately coax me to be happy."
"This concubine is not deliberately coaxing you to be happy." Tamamo-no-Mae replied to Ian in a very serious tone.
"But the situation really is like this."
"Abe-san, everyone has been trying their best to help this concubine."
"Trying their best to help?" Ian asked, a little puzzled.
"Yes." Tamamo-no-Mae nodded.
"The tea that this concubine is using now was brewed by Miss Mash."
"And the towel was provided by that child Mordred."
"As for the wedding dress, it was Miss Olga Marie who spoke up for me."
"Miss Fujimaru Ritsuka, who couldn't provide these things, is willing to help this concubine pour tea... although it's a little inaccurate."
"Everyone has been helping this concubine plan this wedding properly, wanting to give Abe-san a perfect experience."
"Therefore——" Tamamo-no-Mae looked up at him, her golden eyes filled with sincerity.
"This concubine feels that being able to be like this now is already the best situation!"
"..." Ian completely understood Tamamo-no-Mae's thoughts at this moment.
Having borne so many accusations and been despised by others, this was the first time she had experienced this kind of collaborative effort, so she would naturally feel it was quite perfect.
In that case——
There was no need for him to play the villain.
This was the best wedding for her!
"I understand." Ian hugged Tamamo-no-Mae in his arms even tighter.
"If you like it, then that's good." Ian said softly, his dark eyes filled with affection.
"Hmm." Tamamo-no-Mae enjoyed the man's embrace with eyes full of happiness.
"This is the wedding this concubine has been looking forward to."
"But then again——" Tamamo-no-Mae tilted her head back and looked at Ian.
"This concubine actually has something she hasn't mentioned all along."
"Oh? What is it?" Ian asked, his dark eyes filled with curiosity.
"It's——" Tamamo-no-Mae looked at the two extremely restless hands that had climbed onto her chest, her face filled with happiness.
"Abe-san." Tamamo-no-Mae said softly, her golden eyes looking at him with a hint of curiosity.
"This concubine... feels like there's a 'dragon' kind of creature's aura on you."
"What?!" Ian exclaimed, his dark eyes widening in surprise.