In the end, the elders of the palace… entered hibernation, lying motionless in their coffins.
Yes—hibernation. They didn't die. Like cold-blooded reptiles, they simply entered a deep torpor. According to Wa-zhu, the Nuwa Clan could use this method to fake death and survive for centuries underground. Generations of elders had lived like this. Coupled with their naturally long lifespans, some could probably hibernate through two or three entire centuries. No wonder they were so stubbornly outdated.
Before they "died"—no, slept—the elders and Wa-zhu had a fierce verbal battle. Wa-zhu, of course, was the dominant force, the undisputed main character. She used the fate of the Dragon Severing Platform as leverage to push the old men into surrendering their final authority. They were forced to accept her strategy of "discarding tradition and keeping up with the times."
This included restructuring the Zhou family's industrial base—gradually shifting from outdated traditional industries and unused real estate to emerging technologies such as semiconductor fabrication and CNC smart machinery. The plan was to begin with prioritized investments and eventually move to independent R&D, all while integrating the traditional practices of artifact forging and talisman crafting.
During her speech, Wa-zhu even cited how Western alchemical systems had integrated into their military-industrial sectors and were actively developing AI constructs called NOMA. Naturally, the families of Shenzhou had to modernize as well—blah blah, strategic reform, globalization, the usual.
Emiya watched as Wa-zhu completely left the elders speechless. These relics of a feudal era were clearly overwhelmed by her logic and ideas. With flowery rhetoric and razor-sharp persuasion, she crushed their resistance. As a bonus, she even changed Emiya's status from "live-in son-in-law" to "Chief Historian of the Zhou Residence"—effectively, the personal strategist to the family head.
From the sidelines, Emiya could only blink in quiet shock. One step below the ruler, and above all others…
Wa-zhu, in her usual carefree style, then added, "The position of Chief Historian comes with control over the Artifact Forging Department. You'll be in charge of oversight, guidance, and strategic planning..." In other words, he'd become their Chief Technical Officer. The entire treasury—whether inherited heirlooms or external spoils—would be open to him.
For someone currently researching projection magecraft, Emiya was again stunned. Wait, are you seriously testing me with this? But no—he accepted the position without hesitation.
Then he remembered what Zhou Yuxuan said when they first met: the Zhou family would grant him one request. So he decided to cash that in—and secured a spot for Old Tang as his assistant. A win-win.
And so, Emiya and Wa-zhu spent several hours collaborating deep within the underground palace, a seamless tag-team. When they finally resurfaced, night had already fallen.
"Sorry for dragging you into all that roleplaying," Wa-zhu said cheerfully. "And don't take those old guys seriously. All that talk about marriage and feudal hierarchy… come on, what century do they think we're in? They've been guarding the family their whole lives. Once they cling to something, they never let go. They end up like watchdogs who forgot what they were even guarding."
"It's fine," Emiya replied, glancing at the sky. "If anything, your 'compensation' is way too generous."
"Hehe, compensation?" Wa-zhu chuckled, twirling her folding fan. "That's not compensation. That's… interest alignment!"
"The old fogies wanted to tie you down with marriage. Me? I gave you a title and privileges. It's the same rope, just a modern way of tying the knot. What's the difference?"
"There is a difference. A big one."
The rewards might look similar on the surface, but the status and dignity behind them weren't. Emiya could see the distinction. Wa-zhu might have her schemes, but she was at least the type of leader who knew how to attract talent. She didn't rely on power to dominate—she respected people.
And once again, Emiya carried her on his back during the walk home. Her pointed snake tail swayed at his waist, but he no longer felt awkward about it.
The warm orange lanterns in the distance began to glow clearer. Wa-zhu hummed a cheerful folk tune near his ear, her voice sweet and melodious like a nightingale's trill—full of light teasing, as if to say: You've got taste, after all…
Oh, and then she began mumbling again.
Hehehe, those old relics didn't realize it, but I'm using this transition of power and industry reform to swap out all my stuff for modern tech. No more stupid eight-person sedan chairs—I want to cruise around in a sports car. And no more of these draggy Tang-style skirts. I'm going shopping for brand-name fashion. Chanel, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana—whatever I want. I'm not doing it for status. Just want to have fun. Since those fossils are out of the picture, no one can nag me anymore. This is what you call strategic upgrade through modernization…
Emiya cut in, "That's called building plank roads in the open while crossing the sea in secret." And hey, with the Zhou family's wealth, if you like a brand, you might as well buy the whole store.
"Nice, Shirou. You're getting into character. That's the attitude of a good steward. Makes me feel at ease."
Wa-zhu's little head nodded gently, her eyes drooping as her chin softly bumped his shoulder—like a sleepy little animal curling up for a nap.
A steward, huh...?
Emiya suddenly froze. In another timeline, he had served as a butler for the Finnish noblewoman Luvia. In the UBW route, he even acted as Tohsaka Rin's assistant…
Good grief. Was this the mysterious fate of all worldlines? Did he have some strange magnetic field that only attracted ojou-samas?
By the time they returned, the palace was fully lit. Zhou Yuxuan had recovered enough to walk, and Old Tang, still blowing bubblegum, took one look at Emiya still carrying Wa-zhu and seemed to mentally fill in the blanks. With a cheeky smile, he popped the gum and whistled meaningfully.
Emiya met his gaze with a silent glare before asking Zhou Yuxuan to lead the way. He gently laid the dozing Wa-zhu in her bedroom.
Outside the window, warm lantern light bathed the night with a comforting glow. The girl's room, styled in Tang dynasty elegance, was quiet and serene. Emiya carefully tucked her into bed. Her body was petite, delicate, and bonelessly flexible like a serpent. Her lips murmured faintly—still dreaming of her plans to break the old traditions and try something daring…
In a soft voice, Emiya said, "Alright, alright, you can do it. One day, you'll be the poster child for international modernization of the ancient clans of Shenzhou."
But Wa-zhu whispered, "No, Shirou... There's still one thing left. The boldest thing of all. If I don't do that, it won't be complete."
It was something she had only dared to dream about when she was a child.
Emiya raised an eyebrow. The Zhou family's glorious rise?
Wa-zhu shook her head even in sleep. "The family's the family… but dreams are personal."
So it was a dream of her own?
Emiya ran through possibilities: The Internationale? World peace? Becoming an astronaut? A champion of justice?
Wa-zhu murmured her answer.
"Love."
Emiya stared at her quiet, sleeping form. Her breath was steady. Her chest rose and fell in rhythm. She was fast asleep.
Her smile was faint, yet indescribably beautiful.
(End of Chapter)
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