Hiro returned to his hotel room with Rider. Yukiko was in the kitchen preparing food. The girl's gothic clothes had been placed on the bed, Yukiko wore more homely clothes with an apron. When the girl saw Hiro entering the kitchen she asked him:
« Where have you been the night? »« Around. » He replied.
« All night? »
« Does it seem strange to you? »
She turned to him with an intrigued grin and asked, again:
« Why do you avoid answering my questions? »
« Because like you told me this is my war, not yours. So what I do is none of your business. »
« I like the answer. Make yourself comfortable, I'm preparing fish. »
« I'm not hungry. »
Hiro left the kitchen and settled himself comfortably on the sofa. He turned on the television to watch some movies. Hiro didn't feel like talking to Yukiko.
Rider's criticisms had made him understand that he was too good, too kind as a Master. He couldn't deny that it was true. However, despite the veracity of Rider's words, Hiro felt bad about being so immature, so inexperienced.
Yukiko, meanwhile, placed a plate of fried fish on the table in front of Hiro, then went to the bedroom to change clothes. Hiro completely ignored the meal and kept his eyes glued to the TV. Rider came and took the plate, sat down next to Hiro and began to eat the fish. Her satisfied face immediately made the boy realize that Rider's favorite food was fried fish. "So it wasn't for me," Hiro thought. Was Yukiko aware of Rider's favorite dish? Or was it just a coincidence that Rider really liked fried fish?
Yukiko knew too much, of this Hiro was aware of it. But he knew that she worked for some sort of secret organization, but he didn't know anything about it: he didn't know the name, he didn't know the venue and he didn't even know its purpose in the Holy Grail War.
Hiro turned and saw Yukiko leaving the room in her usual white gothic dress. The girl smiled at Hiro and asked him:« Do you like me so much that you can't stop looking at me? »
« What ...? No! No! You misunderstood! I didn't want to stare at you ... I swear! It's just that … »
« I'm kidding, relax! » She exclaimed, laughing.
« Sorry, it's ... I have so many things on my mind. »
Yukiko approached Hiro and leaned against the sofa and asked curiously:
« Have you got so many things on your mind? What kind of things? »« I know there are many things you haven't told me. »
« Because there are so many things you don't need to know, Hiro. »
« This doesn't help me at all! I need to have at least someone I can trust! It almost seems to me that everyone wants my bad! » Exclaimed Hiro, nervous.
« What did you expect from a war? Did you expect to be surrounded by friends who love you and pamper you? »
« No, but I want to know who my friends are and who my enemies are. Right now I can't understand it and it bothers me. »
« This is because you lack experience, as I told you last time. You lack experience and therefore you cannot understand that nothing is well defined in war. Whoever is your friend can become your enemy, whoever is your enemy can become your friend. You can't know. Do you know who you have to trust, Hiro? Rider. Although now it seems to me that you are not going along very well. Can I know why? »
« We have ... divergences. »Hiro then asked Yukiko:
« Why did you say the first time we met that I was the perfect magus to win the war? I doubt you're not a magus, you should have noticed that I'm not that strong. »
« What makes you believe you're weak? »
« I was defeated by a certain Murakawa Tetsuya. An asshole magus that compared to me looked like a goddamn god who came down to Earth to kick my ass. Against him my powers were useless. Does this look normal? »
« Do you think I lied just to convince you to participate in the Holy Grail War? You really are paranoid, sweet Hiro. »
« You're insulting my intelligence, Yukiko, I don't like that. Don't make fun of me, I know you're plotting something. Maybe you're using me to reach an end that I don't know yet,
but I'm not stupid. »
Yukiko saw the look of Rider, who was approving Hiro's attitude; sighing, the girl walked away from Hiro and left the hotel room, knowing she would never be able to win that argument.
When Yukiko left the room, Rider complimented Hiro:
« You did well, Master, to face that girl. »
« Thank you, Rider. I'm glad to know that I have your approval. »
« You don't have to do it for my approval, but for your own good. »
Hiro got up from the couch and headed for the front door. He locked it and told Rider:
« I want to see that tome. »
« What tome? » Asked Rider, perplexed.
« The one that Yukiko didn't want me to read. She must have left it here somewhere. »
Hiro started searching among Yukiko's things but couldn't find the book. He needed answers, he wanted to know what was happening and what Yukiko was planning in reality.
He glimpsed a plastic card inside a notebook. He picked it up. The card was green and there was a photo of Yukiko with her name, her age, her date of birth, her rank and then there was also a sort of code. Hiro read:
« Name: Yukiko. Surname: Kumahira. Age: 25 years. Date of birth: August 8, 1996. Rank: Priestess. Identification Code: 819YK96. »Hiro turned the card over and saw the symbol of a tree surrounded by nine circles. Below read:
« Order of ... Nidhoggr ...? What is this stuff? Who the hell is this girl? »
« Not a friend of yours. »
It was Yukiko's voice. Hiro turned and saw the girl standing with a gun pointed at him. Rider arrived immediately, ready to attack Yukiko, but the latter stopped her saying:
« I don't recommend it, Rider, unless you want to leave this war early. I don't want to hurt you, not yet, I knew perfectly well that it was useless to keep hiding from you my true identity, but it doesn't matter now if I keep pretending or not. I was hoping to carry out a normal collaboration with you, but apparently I will have to force you to work with me. »
« What are you talking about? You can't do that! »
« Sluta. »
Hiro felt paralyzed. He couldn't even move his head and his neck hurt. Rider, who was behind the boy, immediately noticed that there was like a mark, a strange symbol, in the neck of his Master. The symbol was glowing red.
Rider, shocked, asked Yukiko:
« What did you do to my Master ?! »
« Nothing special. Let's just say that it is an original and functional way to tame him. I need Hiro to fight by my side, whether he wants it or not. Do you understand where I want to go, Rider? Now you can no longer do anything to me because your Master is in my hands. If he dies, you have lost. »
« You're a damn bastard! »
« I know. But I'm not done with Hiro yet. »« You're a damn bastard! »
« What else do you want to do to him ?! » Screamed Rider.
« Slaven Lyda Mig! » Exclaimed Yukiko.
Hiro screamed in pain and then fell to the ground, unconscious. Yukiko sat on the chair behind her and put the gun on the bedside table, then told Rider:
« Observe: Hiro, get up. »
Hiro stood up. Rider exclaimed, furious:
« Stop it, damn you! »
« No, no, wait. It's not over yet. »
Yukiko undid one of her boots and then took off her silk stocking and, holding out her bare foot in front of Hiro, ordered:
« Hiro, kiss my foot. »
Hiro obeyed and kissed her foot without hesitation. Rider was shocked by the force of that spell. Hiro had become Yukiko's domesticated dog.
The girl laughed and pushed Hiro to the ground, who did not react. He lay on the ground, as if he were lobotomized. Yukiko slipped on the stocking again; she put on her boot then, heading towards Rider, he said:« You were right not to trust me. »
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