Chapter 63: Control

After reading through the stack of parchment papers Chloe had prepared for him, Thomas signed his name using a pen that used the writer's blood as ink. When he was finished, she did the same, causing the document to burst into fire, smoke, and ash that surged toward each of them, sinking into their chests and embedding the mark of the contract on their hearts.

Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Chloe adopted a pointed look as she asked, "Happy now? Now we get to walk around with ash engraved on our hearts until we manage to collect all the Install Cards."

Though he felt a bit of discomfort that compelled him to massage his chest, Thomas retorted, "I would rather endure a bit of discomfort than seal the contract with a kiss..."

Rolling her eyes, Chloe offered a retort of her own, asserting, "You're an idiot, you know that? You didn't even bother checking the contract to see if there was any hidden or invisible text. If I included a clause mandating that you personally replenish my Magical Energy, you would have to suffer the 'indignity' of making out with me for the next 4-5 years..."

Narrowing his eyes, Thomas flatly replied, "Then you will have betrayed my trust, and we would be enemies from that moment onward..."

Waving her hand dismissively, Chloe replied, "Don't be a sourpuss. I'm just pointing out you should be more careful when reading and signing magical contracts. I did include a few hidden provisions, but they were similar to comments within a computer program. I only included them to see if you would do your due diligence."

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Contrasting Thomas's grim countenance, Chloe's resembled the look of a kid that had succeeded in a prank as she revealed, "No need to be upset. It was just a few throwaway lines stating that I wouldn't have to call you Master or perform lewd acts unless I wanted to. Since I expected you to find them, I only included things you would naturally agree to."

Exhaling through his nose, Thomas replied, "It was still a betrayal of my trust. Not exactly the best way to kick off our relationship as Master and Demi-Servant..."

Bringing her finger up to her lips, Chloe turned her eyes up at Thomas in an overtly sensual manner, teasing, "You're free to punish me. If you use a Command Spell, you can even mess with my head a bit..."

Shaking his head, Thomas adopted a serious expression as he muttered, "I don't like controlling other people, so you should stop saying things like that before I make it an order. Then neither of us will be happy..."

Crossing her arms, Chloe exhaled a sign and remarked, "You're way too uptight. But fine, I'll stop teasing you, at least until you mellow out a bit. Just know that if I catch you sneaking a peek at my panties or staring at my ass, I won't simply ignore it. I may even keep track of each incident, compiling them into a journal I can read aloud when you finally give in to your more 'bestial' urges..."

Punctuating her statement with a wink, Chloe took the initiative to depart the study she had invited Thomas into for the contract signing. She was a lot more proactive than Illya and Miyu, so she had a sizeable collection of books related to the world of One Piece, its history, and the many islands populating the Grand Line. She even had a collage of sea charts stitched together like a crime map, implying that she had been preparing to set out long before Thomas's arrival...

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Preempting Illya's emergence from the Emiya residence, Ruby flew out at high speeds wearing a pink pirate cap and a toy-like cutlass on her 'hip' as she exclaimed, "Feast your eyes on the marvelous, magnificent, and most importantly, Magical Pirate Princess - Prism Pink~!"

As the surroundings abruptly darkened, followed by a series of tri-colored spotlights converging on the entrance to the estate, a very embarrassed-looking Illya emerged wearing a frilly, predominately pink pirate outfit. It was the first time Thomas was seeing a pirate-themed Magical Girl, but it suited her surprisingly well.

Unable to contain herself, Astolfo abruptly shouted, "Oh my gosh, Illya! You're so cute~!" before rushing over, picking up the embarrassed-looking girl, and cuddling her like a tiny animal.

As she was pretty used to such reactions, Illya laughed awkwardly and replied, "Thanks..." while enduring Astolfo's overly friendly ministrations. When she was finally released, she fixed her outfit and gave Shirou and Miyu a meaningful look before setting her gaze on Thomas and asserting, "I'm ready." in a resolute tone.

Though he nodded in affirmation, Thomas asked, "Are you sure you'll be okay flying such a distance? According to Astolfo, there are at least ten thousand kilometers between here and Little Garden."

Returning a nod of her own, Illya confidently replied, "We might have to stop somewhere for lunch, but so long as we don't fly too quickly or get caught in a storm, I'll be fine. I'm more concerned about Vivi's home and people. We should free them as soon as possible."

Smiling wryly, Thomas was about to remind Illya that she was supposed to be joining them, not determining their course of action. Fortunately, he didn't have to defend the delay in Alabasta's salvation as Vivi adopted a smile and replied, "I appreciate your concerns, Illya, but Tom and I have already formulated a plan to liberate my people and restore prosperity to my Kingdom. I, too, would like to free my people as soon as possible, but rushing into things could have disastrous consequences..."

Voicing Thomas's thoughts aloud, Shirou calmly reminded, "Don't forget that you're the one accompanying Thomas and his friends, Illya. Being a little willful is fine, but you're not the Captain this time around. I know you want to save as many people as possible, but you should listen to Thomas and respect the will of his Captain..."

Nodding her head, Illya softly replied, "I understand..." before directing her gaze to Thomas and adding, "But if I see people that need my help, I won't just stand by and watch."

Adopting a smile, Thomas replied, "You and me both. Now, unless there's something else, we should be on our way. I don't mind making camp on a random island, but I'd prefer to reach Little Garden before sundown. Meet us outside when you're ready."

Without waiting for Illya's response, Thomas turned around with Astolfo and Viiv, giving the peculiar family unit a bit of privacy as they departed the Bounded Field and prepared for their departure. Chloe emerged less than a minute after them, but Illya took a full ten, emerging with slightly teary but fiercely resolute eyes...

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With Illya's cruising speed being just under 1200km/h, the return trip to Little Garden took around eleven hours. They had to make a few pit stops along the way, but nothing notable happened as they didn't stray too far from their temporary campsites.

As Astolfo guided Griff to land on the Going Merry's deck, Atalanta leaped down from her perch in the crow's nest, nearly being the first to welcome Thomas back. Instead, Benienma appeared out of thin air the moment he slid from Griff's back, cupping her hands together and bowing as she said, "Welcome back, Master."

Before Thomas could respond, Chloe issued an amused, "Hooo~?" as she sized up Benienma. The petite Oni immediately noted the presence of her and Illya but also largely ignored them, focusing most of her attention on Thomas as she asked, "Shall Benienma prepare a meal, dechi...?"

Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "Let's make it a feast," before looking around and asking, "Where is everyone?"

Answering in Benienma's stead, Atalanta explained, "Caenis got into a fight with the two giants inhabiting this island. Afterward, they invited everyone to join them for a celebratory banquet. I remained behind to watch the ship."

Nodding her head, Benienma appended, "I was helping to prepare the food but rushed over when I detected Master's approach. Shall I fetch them for you, dechi~?"

Not wanting to ruin a party already in progress, Thomas shook his head and said, "Nah, leave them be. We can always celebrate tomorrow. For now, you should return and continue what you were doing. If anyone asks, feel free to let them know we've returned."

Though she would have preferred to remain on the Merry and serve her Master, Benienma didn't hesitate to lower her head, responding, "As you will..." before promptly disappearing.

"That one's pretty fast..." remarked Chloe, a thoughtful glimmer in her two-tone eyes.

"No kidding..." responded Thomas, adding, "Atalanta here would win in a foot race, but Beni is the fastest over short distances. She has two plus modifiers to her Agility and A-Rank Presence Concealment, so unless you have incredibly high perception, her movements resemble teleportation..."

With Atalanta having entered his range, Thomas habitually extended his hand, caressing her head as he spoke. She was a little uncomfortable due to the presence of others, but she didn't attempt to avoid him. After a few seconds had passed, she even closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of having the space between her ears caressed.

Witnessing Thomas's actions, Illya eventually asked, "Are those ears and tail real...?"

Preempting Thomas's response, a gleam flashed across Ruby's 'eyes' as she excitedly inquired, "Could it be!? Have you finally realized the marvel of possessing cat ears and a tail!? It's never too late to modify your outfit to have a few more 'charms,' you know!?"

Recalling a series of traumatic incidents, the light promptly faded from Illya's eyes as she grabbed Ruby with both hands, tightening her grip like a vice as she threatened, "Don't you dare..." in a low, monotone voice.

Understanding the reason for Illya's reaction, Chloe's eyes narrowed as she adopted a mischievous grin. Fortunately, at least for the time being, she had no intention of involving Illya in her 'conquest.' If she tried using Ruby's 'beast' transformation at this stage, there was a good chance that Thomas would immediately send them back to Amazon Lily...

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With the intention of surprising Nami and the other girls, Thomas asked Illya and Ruby if they could expand the women's cabin while he focused on preparing dinner. Curiously enough, the EMIYA Card actually included the peculiar Hero's prowess as a chef, prompting Chloe to suggest he use it while she assisted with the ingredients.

Though she could have easily replaced Thomas and prepared everything herself, Chloe complained that it was too much work for very little reward. She also made a few remarks about how girls were only obligated to cook for their spouses and the people they had crushes on, so Thomas didn't press the matter. Instead, he focused most of his attention on observing how his body moved and reacted on its own, almost like he was on auto-pilot despite being in full control of his actions...

Perhaps as a result of Ruby pointing it out, Thomas felt as though he was in a 'very' lucid dream the moment he included the EMIYA Card. He didn't have any of the man's memories, but he felt like everything he was doing was something he had done countless times before. The cooking utensils felt familiar in his hand, and if he wanted to, he could spin and twirl them between his fingers with a finesse he could barely comprehend. His little performance even earned a spontaneous applause from Astolfo and Vivi, causing him to feel inwardly awkward while his expression was a mask of calm and confidence...

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(A/N: Even if it was an important 'lesson,' Chloe is playing with fire...)

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