Please play Fate/Go with me.

"What's wrong, Tamamo-neko?" Shirou had already projected an apron onto himself and was taking stock of the ingredients in the castle.

"Master! Cooking is a cat's job!" Tamamo Cat pounced on the boy and said very seriously.

"No, it'll be faster if two people do it. Anyway, I'll be the head chef, and you can make a few of your best dishes, okay?" Shirou said, looking at the cat.

"Then it should be Master who helps me, Meow! Meow has undergone cruel training in a maid café, Woof~!" Tamamo Neko said, looking conflicted.

The young man could not back down in this area; his soul as a chef was burning.

Shirou looked at the cat and said, "I don't think my cooking skills could possibly be inferior to yours."

Tamamo Cat is the only one she cannot tolerate, the only thing she cannot give up, whether as the strongest and most perfect pet or as a virtuous wife.

"Meow? Master! Then I have to make you understand that cooking is a pet's way of showing love. Master, you just need to be responsible for making money and then sit quietly and receive service when you get home."

“I think pets only need to be cute, after all, letting pets into the kitchen violates restaurant hygiene laws. Why don’t you just sit down and accept our kindness?” Shirou projected the Ganjiang pot, held it in his hand, and looked at the cat.

"Meow! Even if you praise me for being cute, Master, I won't back down!" Tamamo Cat seemed to have been hit hard by the boy's words. Her face turned red, and she wanted to laugh out loud, but she stubbornly held back.

Normally, faced with such a handsome owner, she would probably be lying on the ground, showing her belly and surrendering by now. But this is the one thing she can't back down from.

Tamamo Cat gripped the frying pan with both hands, shaking her head violently until the bell around her neck jingled. She finally calmed down. If she had to hand over even the kitchen, her battlefield as a devoted wife, to someone else, wouldn't her only remaining value be warming the bed?

"Huh? Why? Why are the two of them suddenly fighting?" Joan of Arc asked in confusion.

"Is that so? I understand!" Shirou nodded, understanding Tamamo Neko's determination.

"It's wonderful that you understand, Master!" Tamamo-no-Neko said with a smile.

"Let's decide things in the kitchen the way we do it! Let's have a cooking showdown!" the boy and the catgirl said in unison.

"So! Why did you two start a fire on your own?" Joan of Arc exclaimed in surprise.

More than an hour passed after that.

Shirou sent a servant to summon the ministers and generals, while he himself went to another building to find the emperor and others who had already rested. He invited them to sit down for a meal in the banquet hall in the center of the castle, and arranged for the servants and soldiers to have their meals delivered by the servants.

In the spacious banquet hall, crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling like waterfalls, and on the floor, a long rectangular table covered with a white cloth sat on a golden candlestick with a soft, glowing candlelight.

One by one, the servants brought out silver platters covered with semi-circular silver lids that shimmered in the light.

The maid brought out special slender wine glasses and poured champagne for the guests as an aperitif.

This time, the client wasn't British teenagers and burly teachers, but the French emperor, if this Louis the emperor was, as he guessed, the same 'Louis'.

During the era in which he grew up, the culinary culture of France had already taken shape, with even royal cooking competitions. The court nobles considered tasting delicious food to be one of the greatest pleasures in life, and ordinary dishes could not satisfy the emperor and his ministers.

If we're talking about pure deliciousness, then stinky tofu is delicious, houttuynia cordata is delicious, and the Inuit dish 'kiviak,' made by sewing dead sea swallows into the bodies of seals and burying them in the ice to ferment for three years, is also an exquisite delicacy. Canned herring is also an exquisite delicacy.

However, these dishes certainly wouldn't be suitable for state banquets. French court cuisine requires no unpleasant odors, no loud noises, and must not stain the elegant gowns or lack of etiquette. The real test for the young men is how to ensure that the dining experience is elegant and beautiful while adhering to the rules of the aristocracy and royalty, and also allow them to enjoy the most delicious food.

In this remote countryside, there aren't many special ingredients. Forget about caviar and abalone. But the only advantage is that there are farms everywhere, where you can get freshly picked, the freshest, and highest quality vegetables, flour made from polished rice, and livestock raised in the fields eating grass, earthworms, and without pesticides.

Shiro chose a creamy mushroom and chicken puff pastry box as his appetizer. The golden-brown round pastry was filled with puff pastry and chicken, and brushed with layers of egg wash, resulting in a crispy and crunchy pastry.

The soup is a sweet and fresh vegetable broth. You place a spoon in the center, scoop up the broth, and then slowly sip it from the side of the spoon without making a sound. The warm vegetable soup, the moment it touches your lips, brings a refreshing feeling of enjoying natural scenery and being caressed by a gentle breeze.

The appetizer was brandy-braised snails, served with a foie gras salad; its strength lay in the freshness of the ingredients.

The main course is roasted lamb chops, slow-roasted to medium-rare, paired with cherry wine made from wild cherries picked by local farmers, and a sauce made from simmered cherries. The result is tender, juicy, and free of any gamey taste, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

The emperor and his entourage ate with smiles on their faces, thoroughly enjoying their meal. They chatted as they ate. If there was any shortcoming, it might be the lack of violin or piano music, but the delicious food made up for it perfectly.

"This is truly delicious! The preparation of the ingredients is impeccable. Shirou, where did you hire this chef? I'm delighted to have such a skilled royal chef in the palace," Emperor Louis asked curiously.

"Well... this situation is a bit special, and it's a long story. Actually, my chef isn't anything special, but he has mastered quite a few new dishes. I can have him give all the recipes to your personal chef. With the recipes, I believe that with more study and practice, he will be able to make the same dishes."

Shirou chuckled dryly. Since he wasn't sure whether a nobleman's fondness for cooking was a plus or a minus in this place, Shirou chose to keep it a secret.

"Is that so? Well then, thank you, Shirou." Emperor Louis nodded in satisfaction.

At this moment, in the kitchen, Tamamo Neko, dressed in a maid outfit and wearing a long apron, knelt down on the ground with her hands on the ground.

"I lost, woof. This cat is a homeless cat now. It actually lost to its master in cooking. Is it because it didn't train enough at the maid café? Meow is going to run away from home and come back to find its master after it has trained properly. Meow is no longer qualified to take a nap with its master, woof."

Tamamo Cat wiped away her tears, pulled out a stick from somewhere, tied a cloth around its back, and headed towards the door.

"Hey, don't go! Your cooking is actually quite delicious. How should I put it? It has a girlish feel to it, different from Shirou's delicate style, and it also has a wild, free-spirited feel to it," Jeanne said, tasting the omelet rice made by Tamamo Cat.

"Meow, I won't be happy if I'm not praised by my owner, woof." Tamamo Cat smiled through her tears and said with a bright smile, "But if you like to eat it, then eat it all, woof."

"Who praised you? I just don't want you to leave, otherwise there will be no one to rush in as cannon fodder. Besides, if Shirou feels that he caused you to leave, his troublesome personality will cause him a lot of trouble. Otherwise, who cares about a stray cat's feelings! But if I finish all the food you made, you can stay." Jeanne said awkwardly, then buried her head and started eating fried rice in big mouthfuls.

"Meow~" Tamamo-no-Mae smiled and stopped talking, but walked over and rubbed her head against Jeanne's chest.

In the banquet hall, King Louis, along with the blonde woman in the long Western hat, and his accompanying ministers and generals, enjoyed a series of exquisite dishes and glasses of wine.

We savored the last dessert: a white mousse cake sprinkled with pretty rose petal flakes that turned into red granules, and an egg honey milk tea made with fresh raw eggs, milk tea, and wild honey.

With the help of servants, the plates and cutlery were cleared away, and a corner of a napkin was used to gently wipe away the grease from the mouth and hands.

From the king to the ministers and generals, everyone wore expressions of utter satisfaction. Even the woman who had half-covered her face had a blissful smile on her lips, clearly enjoying the delicious meal.

"By the way, Shirou, I actually have a suggestion," the emperor said, looking at the boy.

“Please speak,” Shirou replied.

"Actually, I'm looking for a suitable son-in-law. Alright! There's a limit to shyness. You're a princess, this is too rude. How long are you going to keep wearing that hat?" Emperor Louis reached out and snatched the blonde woman's hat away.

"Your Majesty! Wait!" The blonde woman, whose hat had been removed, let out a tinkling cry. She finally revealed her true face: long, straight, golden hair that shimmered under the light of the crystal chandelier and candlelight.

Her azure eyes were like jewels, her face was pretty and dignified, and her eyes and brows exuded a heroic spirit, showing that she was a lady with the demeanor of an upright knight.

Emperor Louis looked at his daughter with affection and praised the beautiful woman without reservation, saying, "Shirou, my beloved daughter, the princess of the French Red Heart Kingdom, you have seen her now, haven't you? The treasure of the nation, the apple of my eye, a rare woman of both beauty and talent in the world."

"Huh?!" Shirou looked at the beautiful princess with long golden hair who was so shy she looked like she was about to burst into flames and had lowered her head. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of unease about her.

This feeling is subtle, much like the famous Mona Lisa, which is arguably the most famous painting in the world. Its mystery has led to various interpretations, including by the painter, mystery novelists, film directors, and all sorts of other people.

Firstly, there's the mystery of the most famous Mona Lisa's smile. From a distance, the whole painting appears to be smiling, but when you focus your gaze on the mouth, you'll find there's no curve there, making it seem like the person in the painting isn't smiling. However, if you shift your gaze and look at the painting again, you'll find that the person is indeed smiling.

Secondly, the mystery of the Mona Lisa's gender: although the general consensus in academia is that the Mona Lisa was modeled after a noblewoman, some scholars have proposed that she was modeled after Leonardo da Vinci's lover and student, Salai, a man.

Another theory is that the left half of Mona Lisa's body is male, while the right half is female. This is reflected in the face, and upon closer inspection, one can see that the left hand in the painting is relatively slender, like a male hand, while the right hand is soft and plump, like a female hand.

Therefore, Mona Lisa is also considered a masterpiece that encompasses beauty in both men and women.

The blonde princess opposite him gave him this conflicting feeling. Was she a girl with long blonde hair wearing a light blue princess dress? Or a boy who looked like a princess?

The employees in Chaldea, who were spying on the boy through the surveillance cameras, were whispering among themselves, some even chuckling. Several male employees were biting their handkerchiefs in frustration, pounding their fists on the table, and glaring at the boy with jealousy.

He, or rather she, was a French dragon knight, a legendary multi-spy who honed his swordsmanship to perfection. Even after his death, his true gender remained a mystery. Although there were rumors that someone verified his true identity as male after his death, there was no real and valid evidence.

Yes, he/she is...

"D'Eon!" Gudako and Mash from Chaldea exclaimed in surprise. Wasn't this the Servant who had disappeared from Chaldea?

"Uh... why are there so many familiar faces?" Jeanne Alter said unhappily as she watched the live stream through the 3D image of Chaldea in the kitchen.

"Meow? Princess? Is this an enemy? Woof?" Tamamo Cat squinted, revealing its wild, vertical pupils.

"Well, Shirou, now that you're unmarried and have elders in your family, you can make your own decisions. I won't tell you to make a decision right now, but you could try talking to my princess. We accepted your hospitality today, so now I invite you to my palace. You young people can get to know each other better," Emperor Louis said with a smile.

"Excellent! Infiltrate the enemy directly! Shirou, quickly agree to the Emperor's request!" Da Vinci shouted into the ear of the boy who was still in the dark. She was trying her best to force a smile and pounding the table.

Shirou nodded and said to Emperor Louis, "I understand. Please allow me to pay my respects at your palace."

"Hahaha, that's exactly how it should be! Excellent, this couldn't be better. I can introduce you to my family later." The emperor stroked his beard with satisfaction and laughed heartily.

"Haha, I'll be right back. You young people should have a good chat together." Emperor Louis said this, then walked out the door with his ministers and generals, chatting and laughing.

In the vast banquet hall, only the young man and the princess, who wore a light blue dress and had long, flowing golden hair, remained.

Chapter 175 The Princess's Name is Dion

Shirou and the princess stood on opposite sides of the long table in the banquet hall, their amber and azure eyes meeting, each wary of the other.

This person, with an angelic and pure appearance yet displaying masculine courage, is suspected to be a princess who is half male and half female.

"Now that there's no one else around, it's perfect timing, I've been wanting to talk to you for a while." Shirou looked at the person in front of him and asked, "You're a Servant, right? Why are you with the emperor here? Do you know what this dream world is all about?"

"And who are you! And what is your purpose? I will never allow you to approach His Majesty the Emperor!" The princess drew a long sword from under her skirt and pointed it at the boy, asking.

"Yo! D'Eon~! Long time no see~!" Chaldea's projection screen appeared directly in front of the princess, and Gudako waved in their direction.

"Huh? Gudako, Mashu? So you're actually one of Chaldea's people?" D'Eon also realized the newcomer's identity.

"Dion? You've become a princess here?" Gudako asked in surprise.

Wearing a dress, Dion said shyly, "Master... I didn't want to be a princess here either, but it's the Queen's order, and I have no choice. I should be a dragon knight protecting the royal family."

"Dion? That famous French spy?" Shirou said in surprise.

Déjà vu, the dragon knight of the white lily, a symbol of France, and the swordsman of Europe. He, or rather she, as a spy, traveled between Russia and England, carrying out various shady and secret tasks for the French emperor, facilitating diplomacy between nations. After many ups and downs and exile, she never abandoned her love for her country, ultimately witnessing the destruction of the nation she served.

"So, this isn't actually your castle, young man? And you're not a marquis?" Dion asked.

Tamamo Cat then jumped in from the doorway and retorted, "No, no, this is the castle I stole for my master!"

"That's not right, this has nothing to do with you, stray cat. This is my castle! Shirou's castle!" The silver-haired girl said as she walked in with her arms crossed.

“You are the witch who tried to destroy France…” Dion frowned as he saw Joan of Arc dressed in black, his hand involuntarily resting on the hilt of his sword. She recalled terrible memories; she had once been a person who deeply loved her country, but had become the enemy of the respected Queen due to being driven mad.

"What? Want to fight?" Joan of Arc summoned her banner and glared back. If the other side showed any intention of fighting, she would simply set it on fire.

Tamamo Cat shook its head, looking like it couldn't do anything with you. "The Demon King is such an insincere and unpopular child, completely unfit to be a pet. According to the script, the Demon King should have turned into a carrot and then been eaten by the cat."

But the cat's owner is just too handsome, and to be honest, that really bothers the cat. Unexpectedly, the Demon King surrendered before the fight even started, willingly becoming the master's prisoner and offering up the castle along with himself. The Demon King is such a clingy child!

"Whoa! What... what are you saying, you wild cat?!" Joan of Arc cried out, her face flushed.

"Meow haha, the Demon King is angry! Master, save me, woof~!" Tamamo Cat laughed, raised her hands, and ran behind Shirou.

"Don't run! You wildcat!" Joan of Arc pounced on him angrily.

The boy and the cat circled around him, chasing each other, but Tamamo Cat always managed to dodge Jeanne's grabbing hand with its agile and wild skills.

Shirou felt two colors, black and white, spinning before his eyes. Finally, he couldn't resist and grabbed the silver-haired girl's shoulder.

"Jeanne, calm down, calm down. You don't need to get so angry with Tamamo Neko, do you? She's just like a child."

"What? Shirou, are you on the side of the wildcats?" Jeanne asked the boy angrily.

“No, Jeanne, I’m very grateful for your help and for entrusting this castle to me, but I knew from the beginning that you would do this,” Shirou said with a light laugh to the silver-haired girl.

Although he is stubborn and blunt, and speaks harshly, he is not a bad person at heart.

Actually, she has a very simple mind, a straightforward personality, and takes everything she does very seriously. She trusts those she believes in unconditionally. Having such a good friend is truly a blessing in life.

"What?!" Joan of Arc felt her heart pounding, but she forced herself to calm down and stole a glance at the boy's profile, asking, "What do you mean?"

"Because you came into this world to help me in the first place, right?" Shirou said gratefully to the silver-haired girl. "So after things are over here, as promised, I'll take good care of you! I'll take you to eat delicious food and have fun, and then... um, you like to dance, so let's go to a ball together."

"Hmph... Good that you remember!" Joan of Arc turned her head away, crossing her arms, but from the boy's perspective, a blush appeared on her cheeks. All the anger she had felt earlier had vanished.

"..." Seeing this, Dion also sheathed his sword, feeling that this woman, who was so easy to deal with, was indeed a different person from the Dragon Witch from before.

"Princess, do you understand now?" Tamamo Cat ran up to Dion and asked.

"What?" D'Eon asked, looking at the cat-like servant in front of him with a puzzled expression.

Tamamo Neko smiled brightly and said, "So! This castle belongs to the master! The master's things are meow's things! Meow also belongs to the master! So! The master also belongs to meow, woof~!"

"Ha, I understand your loyalty to some extent now." D'Eon nodded. Although he couldn't keep up with the thoughts of this beast-like Servant, he could sense the same sincere affection and loyalty for his master in Tamamo Cat.

"Is that so? That's good, Princess~!" Tamamo Cat smiled, turned around and jumped onto the boy's back, saying, "Master, I want to go back to my home in the outside world with you too."

“Is that so… But I already have a dog at home,” Shirou said.

"Master, even a cat can guard the house! Every day I prepare a meal and wait for you to come home. You and your pet are practically like a married couple," Tamamo-neko said with a smile, her pretty red face cupped in her hands.

“Hey, wildcat, going to that world isn’t so easy. First, you need the Holy Grail as energy, and then there needs to be a human there with enough compatibility to summon you,” Jeanne explained to Tamamo-no-Mae.

"Although I don't really like those inedible golden cat food cans, I'll find them and bring them back one or two so I can live with my owner!" Tamamo Cat said confidently.

In the holographic image of Chaldea, Gudako was steadily approaching the Dragon Knight, resting her chin on her hand and staring at D'Eon's chest. "By the way... D'Eon, aren't you wearing a princess dress right now?"

'Everyone says it's not what I wanted to wear... Oh well.' Dion lowered his head in despair.

"This loose style of clothing shouldn't make the clothes bulge out, right? Then... what's with the bulge on D'Eon's chest? Mashu, what do you think?" Gudako asked, stroking his non-existent beard and squinting.

"Reporting to senior, there must be something fishy about this, but it has indeed bulged up, and according to observation, it is probably A-!" Mash, who was working on the machine, reported seriously.

Puff puff puff.