Does a Doll Deserve to Live a Happy Life?

Chapter 16: Knights and Promises

Following Day

With the excitement of the previous evening now behind us, we headed to bed to rest for the upcoming battle against Archer—and possibly Saber, too. You can never really know what Kiritsugu might do when desperate.

Upon waking up, I felt two figures nestled against me for the second time now. Tamamo was already expected—she was snuggled into the crook of my neck, her cute fox ears twitching and tickling my face slightly.

The other, surprisingly, was Sakura. She had curled up against my opposite side, using my arm as a pillow and clutching my shirt with an impressively tight grip.

‘I thought she’d be too embarrassed to sneak into my bed again after all but declaring she wanted to marry me when she grows up... but I guess I was mistaken.’ I thought silently.

Her confession, while surprising, had been easy enough to rationalize. A child’s crush—a temporary infatuation, like idolizing an older sibling—was bound to fade as she grew up.

Tamamo, on the other hand, wasn’t convinced in the slightest. She’d ranted nonstop about Sakura’s bold declaration, possessively clinging to me until she eventually passed out.

Taking advantage of the peaceful morning, I carefully pulled out my Company Phone and began checking for potential purchases I could make once the credits from Kariya’s and Berserker’s capture were processed.

Unfortunately, Kirei’s Stamp hadn’t fully matured yet—it would still take four days before any credits from him were deposited—so I shelved that thought for now.

The first perk I looked up was Double Dragon, an upgrade to my Dragon Scale perk. It would allow me to embody another elemental aspect. I already knew which one I wanted: Infinity—the spatial embodiment of the universe. It was a monstrously powerful element, though one that would take me centuries—possibly even millions of years—to truly master.

More importantly, with Double Dragon, I would gain two free copies of Fatality Defense and one of Corruption Defense.

Fatality Defense would let me cling to life even if my body was completely destroyed—buying time for a new vessel to be made. With Irisviel, a homunculus, here with us, crafting a new body wouldn’t be difficult in the worst-case scenario.

The extra Corruption Defense would also be invaluable, making me—and those linked to me—completely immune to corruption, such as the tainted mud that might spill from the Grail.

Now that we had another Servant under our banner, I also needed to pick up an extra copy of the Command Seals perk. That would allow Kariya to regenerate his Command Spells—one set every 24 hours.

Since I wanted to acquire enough credits to purchase the Inexhaustible perk—which would basically make me an infinite mana generator, only way better—it was at the top of my priority list. With it, I’d never again run out of any kind of inner mystical energy, whether it be vital, magical, psychic, or soul-based.

The implications were huge. I could spam attacks to my heart’s content and never worry about exhausting myself or risking my life through overuse. For someone like me—who always loved the idea of using both sword and sorcery—it was nothing short of perfection. So yes, I was definitely saving the rest of my credits for later.

My strategizing, however, was interrupted when I heard Tamamo murmur my name in her sleep, snuggling even closer. She nuzzled my neck, sniffing softly like a sleepy kitten.

“Mmmn… Sieg-kun~ Don’t worry~ Your Tamamo will use the power of love to bring you back to full health… huhuhu~” she giggled, the sound growing slightly too suggestive before she suddenly kissed my neck.

I shivered.

‘W-What kind of dream is she having!?’ I thought, my face heating up. Her giggles were only getting worse… and Sakura was still in the room.

“T-Tamamo, wake up,” I muttered under my breath, trying to nudge her awake before this turned into something spicier.

“Mmnaa~ Not so rough, Sieg-kun~ Though I guess I don’t really mind if it’s you~” Tamamo moaned sleepily, sounding way too pleased with herself as her giggling escalated.

‘T-This perverted fox,’ I groaned inwardly, my eyebrow twitching as my blush intensified.

Deciding enough was enough, I shook her shoulder more firmly. I let out a sigh of relief when her eyelashes began to flutter, signaling that she was finally waking up.

“Hmmm… yawn... Oh! Good morning, Sieg-kun~” Tamamo stretched lazily, then blinked open her eyes with a mischievous glint. “Hihihi… don’t tell me you were planning to do pervy things to this poor, defenseless fox while she was asleep?” She playfully covered her breasts with her hands.

“O-Of course not! I would never do that!” I exclaimed, flustered. My eyebrow twitched violently—especially considering she had been the one doing all the pervy things to me in her sleep.

“Hmm? Are you sure~?” Tamamo teased, her voice practically dripping with amusement. “Then why do you sound so flustered, hmm?” Her grin widened, sly and foxy in the truest sense.

Oh no you don’t. I knew better than to admit what had actually happened—she’d never let me live it down. Time to change the subject.

“It’s just your imagination,” I muttered, letting out a long-suffering sigh and closing my eyes.

But peace is fleeting.

A moment later, I felt a soft finger poke my cheek.

Opening one eye cautiously, I saw Tamamo leaning in toward me, her expression suddenly gentle and sincere—none of her earlier mischief remained.

“T-Tamamo?” I asked, blinking.

She didn’t answer. Her gaze was focused entirely on me—more specifically, on my lips. My blush returned with a vengeance.

She raised her hand to my face, cradling my cheek with a tenderness that caught me completely off guard, then slowly leaned in, her lips drawing closer to mine.

I froze. My heartbeat thundered in my ears as I closed my eyes and braced for it.

But instead of soft lips meeting mine, I felt… a hand?

“No doing ecchi things to Sieg-san. It’s forbidden,” a young voice said firmly.

Blinking in surprise, I opened my eyes—and there she was. Sakura. Her small hand had wedged itself between our faces at the very last moment.

“Hm?” Tamamo blinked too, confused—until her eyes met Sakura’s narrowed purple ones. Her pout was fierce. Her glare? Lethal.

“W-What are you doing here, you brat!?” Tamamo exclaimed, sitting up in disbelief as the moment shattered.

“I wanted to make sure Tamamo-san didn’t take advantage of Sieg-san, so I snuck in,” Sakura replied calmly, her voice tinged with smug satisfaction. “And it seems I was right to do so.”

“W-Why you little—!”

=====

Hours Later

After Tamamo and Sakura finally calmed down from hurling (mostly) playful insults at each other—I think it was playful—we finally made our way downstairs to make breakfast, with both of them insisting on helping.

Wanting to give Kariya a little support for handling Berserker more effectively, I decided to prepare something… special. For breakfast, I made smoothies for everyone—his, in particular, containing a small infusion of my blood.

Thanks to my Dragon Blood perk, my blood wasn’t just red goo sloshing around in veins—it was literal power, an elixir of life that could enhance regular humans depending on the dose. In Kariya’s case, already having a very weak body a modest 120mL dose was enough to toughen him up a bit and sharpen his magical ability.

It wasn’t a permanent solution, of course—until the Stamp fully activated this evening and Body Tune-Up repaired him completely—but it was a good start.

I’d actually been doing the same for Sakura and Aoi for a while now. A few drops here and there in their food. I just… hadn’t told them. Not because I was hiding it, necessarily. But I figured there was no need to freak them out over what amounted to magical vitamin juice.

It would take a massive, staggering amount of my blood to cause any serious side effects—like accidentally turning them into dragons or something equally mythological—so these microdoses were just a mild power-up.

During breakfast, we all gathered around the table—Kariya looking better than I’d ever seen him—and began discussing plans for the battles ahead. Specifically: Archer and possibly Saber, depending on Kiritsugu’s next move.

The plan for Archer was brutally simple: rush him. All-out offense, leaving him no room to breathe. The goal was to keep him occupied enough that he wouldn’t be able to activate Ea and turn us all into mystic confetti and one of us getting lucky enough to land a finishing blow.

Plan B, if that failed? Kill Tokiomi or Kirei if he had already switched Masters.

With no Master feeding him mana, Archer would be left on magical life support. The fight would become one of attrition—and I had more stamina than anyone else on the board.

As for Saber... that one was trickier. If it did come down to a fight, it would be the exact opposite of our strategy for Archer. Killing Kiritsugu might remove her magical tether, but it would also make convincing her to join us a steep uphill battle. Saber was fiercely loyal, and killing her Master might cause her to dig in her heels out of sheer principle.

But if—if—we could get her to listen... there was a chance. A small one. That she’d turn her blade against Archer and help us end this war once and for all.

The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully by the beach, at Kiara’s suggestion. According to her, stressing over what we couldn’t control was useless—we’d be better off facing battle with relaxed minds and well-rested bodies.

I’d caught glimpses of Kariya speaking with Aoi and Sakura here and there. Their conversations were always brief, though. Polite. Cordial. But there was a distance, and Aoi or Sakura always found an excuse to step away after a minute or two. Kariya never said anything about it, but I could see the melancholy smile he wore each time they walked away.

Still, at least he didn’t seem to blame me. Small miracles, I guess.

=====

That Evening

It was time.

The moment the Stamp’s effects would fully activate was almost here. Everyone but Aoi had gathered in the portal room, prepping for our return to Fuyuki. Oddly, Aoi had been busy with… something all day. I wasn’t sure what, but I figured she’d tell me when she was ready.

“Will this really work?” Kariya asked, turning his hands over and inspecting them with a doubtful eye. “It’s almost time, and I don’t feel anything.”

“It’ll be instant,” I reassured him, standing between Tamamo and Kiara with Sakura quietly in front of me. Irisviel stood just off to Tamamo’s right, watching curiously. “The second the timer hits zero, you’ll know.”

He nodded slowly, still skeptical—but waiting.

And then the timer hit 0.

Kariya gasped as golden light erupted from within, his body glowing for a moment before the change took hold. The frail, worn-down man from before was gone. In his place stood a healthy, muscled figure—someone with the build of a trained athlete. More importantly, the worms that had once hollowed him out were gone. But their magical enhancements remained, leaving him stronger than ever and capable of using magecraft unaided.

“Whoa,” Kariya muttered, awe creeping into his voice as he looked down at his hands. “This is… unreal.”

A shimmer in the air drew our attention.

Berserker appeared beside him, silent and imposing—but different. He didn’t radiate madness the way he used to. There was still fury in him, yes, but it was controlled. Focused.

And then, slowly, almost reverently, he raised his hands to his helmet and removed it—revealing the haunted yet calm face of Lancelot du Lac.

His eyes, once wild with madness, now glinted with clarity—thanks to the Stress Defense perk, which allowed him to think rationally even under immense strain. A small step for sanity, a giant leap for Berserker-kind.

Lancelot approached.

Tamamo tensed beside me, tails bristling, but I raised a hand to reassure her.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, the Black Knight knelt before me.

“You have my heartfelt thanks for returning most of my sanity, young warrior,” he said, voice gravelly with disuse. “If there is anything you require of me, I shall do my utmost to assist you.”

I stepped forward, giving Kiara and Tamamo a glance to keep them calm. “Your thanks are appreciated, Lancelot du Lac. In fact, there is something I need.”

I looked him in the eye. “I need your help subduing and capturing Archer. Or, if that proves impossible—killing him.”

Without hesitation, Lancelot nodded. “Of course. My blade is yours.”

“But there’s something else.” I paused, noting how his shoulders tensed. “Something that concerns your King.”

He stiffened further, eyes narrowing.

“Relax. I don’t mean her any harm,” I said, gently. “If anything, I want to save her.”

His tension eased, if only slightly.

“I want your help convincing your King to join us,” I continued. “Let me explain what’s really going on here.”

And so I told him. About the corrupted Grail. About the danger it posed to Fuyuki. About the false hope of wishes. About the risk of a city drowning in cursed mud. And when I finished, silence fell again.

Lancelot stared at the floor for a long moment.

“I will try,” he finally said, his voice heavy with shame. “But I don’t know if my words will reach her. If you know my story, then you know I am the last knight she would trust.”

I shook my head. “Actually, that’s exactly why you’re the right one.”

He blinked.

“Do you know what your King intends to wish for?” I asked.

He hesitated. “...No.”

I nodded grimly. “She plans to use the power of the Grail to undo her own rule. To erase her time on the throne and let someone more ‘worthy’ take her place. All to give Britain a peaceful end.” Once more I was reminded of Jeanne and her own ideals, sad yet incredibly beautiful.

“W-What?” Lancelot’s head snapped up in shock at my words. He stood abruptly, causing Tamamo to tense again, her tails twitching in preparation for a fight.

“That’s right,” I said, my tone firm and serious. “Saber needs someone to call her out—to challenge her misguided ideals. And who better to do that than one of her own Knights?”

“I... I understand.” Lancelot lowered his head slightly, a new fire lighting in his eyes. “I will do my best.”

“Great. Now let’s move,” I said, shifting my gaze to the HUD. “Rider and Archer are about to clash, and we should take advantage of that chaos.”

As the atmosphere shifted, both Sakura and Kiara stepped closer, their worry visible on their faces. Without a word, they each pulled me into a quick hug. Sakura turned to Tamamo, and though Tamamo clearly wasn’t thrilled about the shared closeness, she didn’t object this time.

“Tamamo-san, please take care of Sieg-san,” Sakura said softly, her voice filled with quiet urgency.

“Hmph, of course I will. Who do you take me for, you little twirp?” Tamamo huffed, folding her arms across her chest. “I won’t let anything happen to my Sieg-kun.” Despite her tone, she took the words seriously.

“S-Sieg-san?” came another voice.

I turned toward Irisviel, who was fidgeting nervously with the hem of her skirt. She took a deep breath, then looked at me with rare seriousness.

“I want to help too,” she said firmly. “When the time comes to confront Saber… please let me come. I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I want to try. You’ve already promised to help my daughter, and I haven’t done anything yet to contribute. So… please.”

Blinking at her heartfelt plea, I gave her a soft smile and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Very well, Irisviel. When the time comes, I’ll be counting on you.”

“Hm~ yes! Leave it to me.” Irisviel nodded with renewed determination, her old cheer returning to her face.

“Alright, we’ve lingered long enough,” I said, stepping back and glancing at those coming with me. Each gave a nod in turn.

“We’ll be back soon, everyone,” I added with a wave. “Hopefully with good news.”

And with that, I stepped through the portal, leading us back to Fuyuki—toward the final battles.

=====

Saber’s POV

Sensing the auras of Rider and Archer clashing in the distance, Saber turned to face her Master, who was seated on the stone steps leading up to Ryuudou Temple. A strange gun rested in his hand, his gaze focused on nothing in particular. Beside him sat Maiya, cradling her own weapon, equally still.

“Master, Archer and Rider are about to engage. Should I intervene?” Saber asked, her tone calm but with a hint of urgency.

She didn’t even know if he would bother answering.

Ever since Irisviel had been kidnapped—a word Saber now questioned after her brief encounter with the boy named Sieg—Kiritsugu had barely spoken to her. When orders did come, they were usually filtered through Maiya. It felt less like a partnership and more like being treated as a disposable weapon.

As if she hadn’t spoken at all, Kiritsugu continued staring downward for a few moments before finally leaning toward Maiya and whispering something in her ear. The woman nodded silently and walked off without a word.

Confused and increasingly frustrated, Saber bit back the bitter retort threatening to escape her lips. She tried again.

“Master? Your orders?”

“We wait.”

That was all he said.

Silence settled again, heavier than before.

Knowing she wouldn’t get anything more from him, Saber turned her gaze back toward the distant magical flares where Archer and Rider were about to collide. The wind tugged at her hair and cape, the only movement in an otherwise still moment.

Her grip tightened on her invisible blade.

‘At least this war is coming to an end soon…’ she thought, her expression unreadable.

‘Will I finally get my wish granted this time?’