To say the train ride to the countryside was interesting would be the ultimate understatement. Along the road, someone had accidentally stumbled into the servant carriage. Lucky for the servants there, it was a child. Edmond quickly escorted the little spawnling out of the carriage however and Y/n swore he saw about seven women faint after looking at him.
Tiamat was under constant medical surveillance due to her broken horn. Chaldea doctors were working with her to make sure she was okay.
Ishtar used the overhead luggage compartment as a makeshift bed. She just floated up and put a blanket down for her to lie on.
Jack and Abby were both playing video games at Tomoe's recommendation. Asterios watched as they hopped around on the screen.
Y/n was in a different situation though. He and Artemis had teamed up to take on Okita and Ereshkigal in a game of warhammer 40k.
Y/n and Artemis were both playing Orks and Okita and Eresh were both playing T'au.
RNG was not kind to the Orks though. Thankfully, if there's one thing Orks almost always have. It's numbers.
Edmond walked back into the carriage with a glass of wine in hand.
Edmond: "I managed to get the child back to their parent. It took a while though, so many people kept fainting."
Okita: "I've heard that the Irish hero Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (Diarmid O'Dyna) also has that issue, though his is more to do with the mole on his face."
Y/n: "He was the Lancer ten years ago, yeah?"
Edmond: "According to the Chaldea library, yes. I wonder if he'll still hold a grudge against Kiritsugu Emiya."
Y/n: "Doubt it."
Okita: "If he is summoned, it'll be alongside Fionn mac Cumhail (Finn MacCool), so his grudge will not be noticeable."
Y/n laughed as he took out another of Ereshkigal's T'au squads with the overwhelming force of his and Artemis' WAAGHH!
After about an hour, the group finally arrived at their stop and everyone got off. Tiamat had to shrink her horns and Y/n had to carry Ishtar over his shoulder because she was a heavy sleeper. They then walked out of the station and found themselves in a very peaceful looking village. It wasn't very populated and everybody knew each other. That included Y/n since he used to visit so often when he was younger.
A few people recognised him and waved with warm smiles. Which he reciprocated to the best of his ability with a literal goddess asleep over his shoulder
Eventually the group found themselves at their destination. Y/n handed Ishtar to Asterios before knocking the door.
???: "Coming, I'll just be a sec!"
Y/n chuckled as he heard someone rushing to the door. When it was opened the group was met by a young woman with shoulder length brown hair and a white dress.
Y/n: "Hey, Charlotte. Long time no see."
Jack: "Papa!"
Y/n: "What's up, Jack?"
Okita: "She's a servant."
Y/n froze for a second before turning back to Charlotte.
Y/n: "...They're jokin' right?"
Charlotte shook her head in response.
Charlotte: "I tried to hide it from you when you were younger, but now that you've got your own servants I see there's no need anymore. Come inside, I'll get some tea ready."
Y/n and the others entered and took a seat in the living room.
Charlotte: "Your grandparents are both out for a walk around the park. They shouldn't be too long."
Y/n: "So...who are you really, Charlotte?"
Charlotte: "I'm an assassin servant. My true name is Charlotte Corday."
Ereshkigal: "Ah, I know of you. You were the woman that killed Jean-Paul Marat."
Charlotte: "Mhm. That's right. L'ange de l'assassinat, that's what people used to call me."
Edmond: "Angel of assassination. Yes, I remember such a name being mentioned."
Charlotte: "You and I are from two separate centuries, monsieur Dantès."
Edmond chuckled to himself. It must've been comforting for him to be with someone from his home country. He hadn't been able to talk with Jeanne much since she was constantly helping the Chaldea staff.
Y/n: "So, when were you summoned, Charlotte? Because I've known you ever since I was a baby."
Charlotte: "That's a very good question, Y/n. Well, your grandfather's ninety two and your grandmother's ninety. I must've been summoned...seventy years ago now. Your grandmother was the one that summoned me as a bit of a joke, she never intended to actually summon a servant. But when I manifested, it was instantly that I knew we'd be together for a very long time."
Y/n: "Yeah. And you haven't aged whatsoever in that time."
Charlotte: "I am a servant after all."
Asterios: "How have...you stayed...mani-...manife-..."
Y/n: "Manifested?"
Asterios: "That word."
Charlotte: "Well, I was summoned just after the third grail war ended...Mizuki kept her mana output low to accommodate me. But when Miyama came home from the war for the last time, he took my contract and I was his servant for a few years before Mizuki took the contract back."
Y/n: "So they've been swapping your contract around every few years?"
Charlotte: "Yes. Now that I've been incarnated though, I no longer need to drain their mana."
Just as Charlotte finished speaking, the door opened.
Miyama: "Charlotte, we're home!"
Charlotte: "Excellent, Y/n and his servants just got here too so I have some tea brewing."
Miyama: "Thank you, Charlotte."
The door to the living room opened and an elderly woman walked in with a smile as bright as the sun.
Mizuki: "Y/n!"
Y/n smiled before getting up and hugging his grandmother. Mizuki was a pretty short woman, standing at about five foot four, with short curly hair. She was a mage like Miyama, but her magecraft was based around healing.
Mizuki: "Look at you, you're so much taller than before!"
Miyama: "He gets that from our son!"
Y/n laughed as Miyama walked in and joined in on the hug. Miyama was slightly taller than his wife standing at five foot eight, one of his legs was prosthetic after having lost it in the war.
He then saw the group of servants and chuckled.
Miyama: "Heheh. Well don't just stand there, introduce us to your servants!"
Y/n: "Ah, right. Grandma, Grandpa. These are just a few of my servants. Caster over there's Edmond Dantès."
Edmond: "Bonjour."
Mizuki: "Ooh, another French person. Charlotte must be thrilled."
Edmond couldn't help but chuckle at the reaction.
Y/n: "The kids are Assassin, Jack the ripper and Foreigner, Abigail Williams."
Jack: "Hello!"
Abby: "It's nice to finally meet you both."
Mizuki was instantly in love with the two kids. Abby for her pure honesty and good manners and Jack because...well...it's Jack. She's fuckin' adorable.
Y/n: "Big boy over there's Berserker. Asterios."
Miyama: "The Minotaur of the labyrinth himself. It's an honour."
Asterios: "Honour is...mine."
Y/n: "Alter Ego here's Okita Souji. Same rule as Gremlins, don't feed her after midnight."
Okita pouted before pinching her master's elbow, causing his grandparents to laugh.
Y/n: "Anyway, the bear plushie is actually Orion, believe it or not. Archer class. Though Artemis there's the one that does the shooting."
With that name dropped, Miyama had to take a step back.
Miyama: "Artemis? As in the greek goddess!?"
Artemis: "It's my honour to meet you both. Your grandson's an excellent master."
Mizuki: "O-Oh, the honour is all ours, lady Artemis."
Y/n: "She's not the only goddess here by the way."
Miyama: "Are these other three goddesses too?"
Y/n: "Yup. Quiet and blonde over there's Ereshkigal. The queen of Kur in Sumerian myth. Lancer servant."
Ereshkigal: "H-Hello."
Y/n: "Sleepy head over there's her sister, Ishtar. Another Archer."
Ishtar: "Zzz..."
Y/n: "Someone hold her nose, see what happens."
Ereshkigal: "She'll use Maana."
Y/n: "Damn."
Mizuki: "So, who's this?"
She referred to Tiamat, who had part of her head bandaged up.
Y/n: "Ah, I guess calling her a servant isn't accurate here. This is Beast II, the primordial mother, Tiamat."
Tiamat: "Aaaaah~"
Miyama: "D'you know what she just said, kiddo?"
Y/n: "She just said hello."
Edmond: "To those that don't have the ability to hear Tiamat's words, she simply sounds like she is singing a melancholy melody."
Charlotte then walked in with a tray of tea and cakes.
Charlotte: "Be that as it may, her voice is still rather beautiful."
Tiamat smiled before leaning her head on Y/n's shoulder.
Miyama: "What happened to her head?"
Y/n: "That's...kind of a long story."
Y/n then proceeded to tell the story of the fifth heaven's feel to his grandparents, with Okita cutting in every once in a while for factual accuracy.
Miyama and Mizuki both listened intently while Charlotte tried to keep up with Jack and Abby's sweet tooth. They laughed at some of the shenanigans Y/n had gotten himself into. Miyama almost busted his hip from laughter when Y/n told them about the situation with Anne and Mary.
Miyama: "Ha! So the lancer from Ireland was stuck between a bitch and his teacher! Haha!"
Y/n: "Yup. Lancers luck strikes again I guess."
Ereshkigal: "I think that only applies to the men in the lancer class. I'd like to think I've been pretty lucky so far."
Mizuki: "I'd think any servant would be lucky to have Y/n as their master."
Miyama: "Ha! Certainly seems that way."
After a bit more explaining and a lot of drinking with his grandfather, Y/n decided to step into the garden.
He looked around at the very neatly arranged flower beds and vegetable patches before being joined by Ereshkigal.
Ereshkigal: "It's rather beautiful out here."
Y/n: "This your first time seeing flowers?"
Ereshkigal: "Not my first time seeing them. But my first time being so close to them without them dying."
Y/n: "Must be lonely in the underworld."
Ereshkigal: "Yes...it is. It's so cold and there's only the Gallû spirits to talk to."
Y/n: "I suppose that's the curse of being a goddess of the dead."
Ereshkigal: "Yes, that's right."
???: "Now now, I wouldn't say that."
The two turned and saw Mizuki walking out with a tray of freshly baked cookies.
Mizuki: "Mind if I sit with you?"
Ereshkigal: "Go ahead."
Y/n: "Grab a seat."
Mizuki smiled and sat next to Ereshkigal.
Mizuki: "I wouldn't say death is something to be considered a curse. It's more like...when someone dies, we go to the afterlife so we can live again under the care of death."
Ereshkigal: "You clearly haven't been to Kur. It's a cold expanse below the earth itself."
Mizuki: "Death is cold, yes. Which is why I'm looking forward to being in your care."
Ereshkigal: "My...care?"
Mizuki: "When my time comes, I look forward to being placed in your care. Because no matter how cold Kur may be, you're still warm, Lady Ereshkigal."
Y/n smiled as his grandmother spoke. She had always been an optimistic person, always seeing the good in people and focusing on positive outcomes. Y/n had his grandparents to thank for continuing to raise him after the other members of his family were killed.
The very concept of sadness was non-existent to them. They allowed him time to mourn as they did, however they never once let his thoughts lead him astray. When he thought of harming himself, Mizuki would always talk him down. Whenever he wanted to end it all, Miyama would be there to stop him.
Ereshkigal couldn't help but begin to tear up at Mizuki's honesty. She had never once encountered a human that wasn't a warrior and unafraid of death.
Mizuki: "Well. I think we should go back inside. Charlotte's just put out some more tea."
Y/n smiled and stood up before helping his grandmother up. He then extended his hand to Ereshkigal. The goddess was confused, but slowly and gently took his hand before he pulled her to her feet.
The group spent the night at Y/n's grandparents that night after Mizuki made dinner which nobody could stop eating. Even Tiamat got to a point where she physically couldn't eat any more.
Such was the duty of a grandmother. To make sure her grandson and his friends/daughters were all well fed.
That morning, as everyone got ready to head back to Fuyuki, Miyama walked over to Y/n with something.
Miyama: "Y/n. I want you to take this."
Y/n took the item from his grandfather before unwrapping it. It was a shard of a katana.
Y/n: "A summoning catalyst?"
Miyama: "It's the one my father wanted to use. I'm sure you'll put it to good use."
Y/n smiled before hugging his grandfather. He then gave his grandmother a hug as well before doing the same for Charlotte.
The three saw the group off as they got on the train back to Fuyuki.
Mizuki had given them a few containers of soup for the road as well as a cake because why the hell not?
Y/n then noticed the smile on Ereshkigal's face as she watched the world pass by through the window.
Upon their return to Fuyuki, they were met by a familiar face, but at the same time, very different as well as a new face.
Y/n: "...So, can someone explain when the fuck Saber grew a pair of tits?"
End of Chapter.
Next Time: Round Table Riot.