Chapter 351: Alaya the Little Loli
The people at the Lord's mansion spent over ten minutes screaming and dancing in a wild carnival before they finally managed to stop. After all, they were the ones who had defeated the Demon God Toyotomi Hideyoshi—the Demon King who intended to wipe out the entire upper class, sparing not even the Emperor. They had saved all the noble samurai. No! To put it more grandly, they had saved all of Japan, and the whole world!
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to establish a special festival just to commemorate their heroic deeds. With such a massive achievement, how could they not be ecstatic?
Ieyasu was already calculating with his retainers how to use this incident to establish prestige in the hearts of people across the land and begin plotting his great ambition.
"War is about to begin again," Ieyasu said softly. But in the blink of an eye, he smiled. In this era where Toyotomi had been executed and Nobunaga was already dead, who else could possibly be his match?
"Hehe, all those lands Toyotomi's family monopolized... now they must be forced to divide them up," a clan elder, who usually considered himself resourceful, spoke up with a sinister laugh.
"Hmph! Divide? Give way? At the end of the day, they are just descendants of lowly peasants. Once we catch them, we should behead and kill them all!" a general nearby said viciously, his eyes gleaming with a murderous light.
"But regardless, he was the Kanpaku appointed by the Imperial Court. On paper, the Matsudaira family were his subordinates," the elder said hesitantly.
"The moment he tried to kill us, they weren't anymore!" the general spat.
Ieyasu stopped the two of them, saying, "Ahem! The Demon God Toyotomi obtained his position illegitimately. The territories he occupied through violence previously led to misery for the common folk. The Imperial Court was merely temporarily deceived by a lapse in judgment. Since we know the internal truth, we must naturally uphold justice for the people."
The elder nodded and said, "We must settle this matter before the other daimyo have time to react. We have the upper hand now; we should settle this swiftly! Ideally, by the time the rest of the world gets the news, our great army will have already entered Osaka Castle. We must organize our armaments immediately."
The general laughed and agreed, "That sounds wonderful! Though if we're going to war, we'll need top-tier equipment."
Only then did everyone remember the true hero of the battle.
"By the way, where is Mr. Shirou?"
"Right! Someone! Quickly, go invite Mr. Shirou. He is our great benefactor; we must reward him handsomely."
"Yes! Mr. Shirou is not only a forging master but also possesses superb martial arts! I want to recruit him to be a general of our Matsudaira army—even a Supreme General would do! As long as we have the divine weapons he forges and a fierce warrior like the young General Honda, the world will belong to the Matsudaira family!" the Matsudaira patriarch said excitedly.
"The Clan Head is wise!" the surrounding people bowed in admiration.
"I wonder where my daughter ran off to?" General Honda looked toward the hole broken in the wall and spoke, looking around in confusion.
"Eh? What happened? She was just lying there a moment ago. Where is the young General Honda?" the people around asked curiously.
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By this time, Shirou had already left the city. He walked along the road outside the city gates until he reached a fork, choosing a small path to walk down. He had done everything he could.
Once he left this world, the details of this battle would be corrected by the world's consciousness. Toyotomi Hideyoshi would evolve into a regular brutal warlord in the eyes of history, the Warring States period would reach its end, and history would be repaired bit by bit, returning to its proper track.
"Hey, Master~! Wait for me!" A tall girl with a black ponytail came running from behind.
"Hachi, go back. I'm leaving this place," Shirou said, stopping and turning around to look at the girl with a light smile.
The girl looked up at Shirou with a stubborn expression. "Then! I'm going with you, Master!"
"That's not possible. You have parents at home, don't you? Besides, I am a visitor from another world. You can't go to the place I'm headed," Shirou smiled and shook his head.
"Master Shirou... will we meet again?" Hachi looked at Shirou, pursing her lips and fighting back tears, clearly unwilling to let go.
"Good grief, where did that majestic female warrior from before go? Hachi, although the time apart will be long, we will meet again. So until then, become someone you can be proud of. Don't let your hard work go to waste," Shirou patted the girl's head and said with a gentle smile.
He wasn't worried about this disciple's future at all. After all, she was the parallel world counterpart of Honda Tadakatsu, and since she appears as a Heroic Spirit in later generations, she clearly established a legacy. However, if that time with the Witch of the Dense Forest was their only chance to meet again...
Back then, even if he had met Hachi, he wouldn't have recognized the child.
"Hachi! If the gap until our next meeting is truly too long and I don't recognize you, don't be sad. I promise that eventually, I will definitely remember, and when I do, I will come find you," Shirou said with a light smile.
"Mmh! Next time we meet, I will definitely have become stronger—strong enough to scare you, Master Shirou!" Hachi raised her clenched fist and swore.
'Ah... that time I was dragged into the forest by the Witch of the Dense Forest, I really was a bit scared...' Shirou thought to himself.
After bidding farewell to Hachi, Shirou waved his hand and turned to walk forward. Since the matters of this world were successfully resolved, he could finally set off to find his sister and the others so they could go home together.
Just then, the sound of a silver bell rang out. The sound was clear and transparent, traveling through the air directly into Shirou's ears.
Shirou followed the sound. Beneath a large locust tree on the village road ahead stood a little girl who looked about seven or eight years old. She wore a red kimono and had a bob cut. Even though it wasn't raining, she held a small oil-paper umbrella, spinning it by the handle.
"Hmm? That is..." Shirou frowned and walked over.
There was no sign of adults around the locust tree; only the little girl with the bob cut was playing there alone. Looking closer, her red kimono was embroidered with exquisite cloud patterns; she looked like the daughter of a wealthy local family.
Shirou looked around, but there was no manor in sight, not even a village.
"This feeling... even though the human flesh masks a lot of it, there's no mistake. Why are you appearing here?" Shirou scrutinized the girl in the red kimono and asked in surprise. While he didn't know her goal, seeing her usually meant trouble.
"Long time no see, Onii-chan~!" The paper umbrella was moved aside, revealing a cute, smiling face.
Shirou stared, momentarily dazed, because this little girl looked about one-third like Illya, one-third like Miyu, and one-third like Komachi.
"Do you like my current appearance?" the girl asked with a blink of her small eyes, laughing. It was clear she had intentionally changed her form.
Shirou looked at her irritably and said, "Speak. What's this about? Alaya!"
"Can't I come find you to play just because there's nothing wrong, Shirou?" Alaya asked with a giggle.
"At least the original 'you' wouldn't, and I don't know the child you're borrowing," Shirou said flatly. At this moment, Alaya seemed to be possessing a local girl. Perhaps she was being influenced by the physical body and Spirit Foundation, or perhaps she was simulating human emotions herself. For Alaya, the collective unconsciousness of humanity, such a thing was not difficult.
However, as a Counter Force, when facing disasters that could harm humanity, she was also absolutely rational and devoid of emotion. Alaya's distance from humanity was full of contradictions: infinitely close, yet infinitely distant.
Alaya sensed Shirou's impatience and changed her expression. She shifted from a naive little girl to a "business talk" adult mode. She spoke: "Shirou, it is as you say. I have no choice but to entrust a job to you."
"What job?" Shirou asked.
Alaya puffed out her cheeks in annoyance and waved her small hands. "Isn't this the result of the other 'you' messing around after becoming a god! According to the history I possess, this commission should have been entrusted to the version of you in another world who is skilled at forging. He was supposed to lend his body so that Senji Muramasa could possess him and go to Shimousa Province to help Chaldea's Master resolve the problem caused by World Drifters."
"But now, because of that annoying White God, my abilities have been suppressed and greatly discounted. Aside from you, all versions of Emiya Shirou have been absorbed and fused into one by him. My manpower has become very insufficient."
"Excluding the red and black Heroic Spirits, you aren't even planning to spare the ones with living bodies? Just how many of 'me' are being bossed around by you?" Shirou couldn't help but complain.
"Because~! An Ally of Justice who loves all of humanity from the bottom of their heart and wants to save the world is naturally my best partner. I like them the best, you know," Alaya smiled and made a proposal:
"Since you've decided to go deal with the White God, why don't you sign a contract with me now? As long as there is even a sliver of a chance you won't disappear, I will do my absolute best to keep your soul."
"I'll pass. That kind of work isn't exactly pleasant. But speaking of which, this possession-summoning technique... you didn't happen to use Da Vinci-chan's hands to develop the FGO system from the start, did you?" Shirou asked, eyeing Alaya.
Alaya neither confirmed nor denied it, smiling mysteriously. "That person is indeed a genius, but as for who inspired them, it's hard to say. After all, this method has existed for a long time;
I'm not the only one using it. Like those gods, or like Zhuge Liang—to descend to the physical world, he used a human body as a vessel, possessing Lord El-Melloi II."
"Sometimes, in special circumstances and special worlds, I use this method too. Of course, when using this form of descent, one also carries a special mission."
"A special mission?" Shirou asked doubtfully. To be called a "special circumstance" by Alaya, it sounded like things were quite bad.
"Yes, like a sage who doesn't hesitate to sacrifice himself to pave the way for a hero saving the world." As Alaya spoke, she changed her manner again, acting cute and directly opening her arms to hug Shirou, acting spoiled: "Help me out~! Big Brother~!"
"Stop, stop! Let go first! It's actually a bit scary being hugged by you like this." Shirou pressed his hands against the little girl's shoulders, trying to push her away.
But the body channeled by Alaya was very strong; she hugged Shirou and wouldn't let go. Shirou didn't dare use too much force for fear of hurting the child, so he was powerless against Alaya. He could only shift positions, trying to find a way to break free.
Although Shirou's intention was to push her away, to an outsider, it looked like Shirou was shifting his posture to cuddle the little girl.
"...Master?"
Hachi, who had been watching Shirou leave from behind, saw this scene. It was like a bolt from the blue. Looking utterly unable to accept it, she shrieked: "You rejected me... but you actually like little... little...?"
Even though she had been rejected earlier, she felt she had to respect her Master's choice since he had his own ideals to pursue and his own things to do. But immediately after parting with her, he was actually attracted to a little girl by the roadside!
"No! Absolutely not! Master, wait for me! Wait for me!" Hachi yelled, her footsteps thumping loudly against the ground as she sprinted toward them.
"Hachi? I told you to go back, why did you chase after me? Let's talk reasonably," Shirou turned back and asked upon hearing the sound.
Hachi roared furiously, "How could I not! Master! You! You! To actually lay a hand on such a small girl—Master, you pervert! I have to set you straight!"
"Are you misunderstanding something? The thing inside this person isn't a little girl," Shirou explained.
"Waaaah... Big Brother was so scary just now," Alaya began to fake cry.
"How is that possible! What more nonsense are you going to say!" Hachi grabbed Shirou by the collar and shook him violently back and forth, scolding him angrily, "Repent right now! As
long as you truly regret it and cut off the hand you committed the crime with, there's still hope! Here! Let me help you!"
"I get it, I get it, I'll do it. Alaya, hurry up and explain," Shirou, suffering under Hachi's monstrous strength, pleaded with Alaya. He hadn't intended to refuse anyway; he couldn't just stand by knowing people in that world were in danger.
"Okay, contract established!" Alaya giggled and agreed. She then transformed the face of the girl into a wrinkled little old man's face and shouted to Hachi: "Big sister, look over here~!"
Hachi was still glaring at Shirou, but when she turned her head, she saw the new face on the little girl. On the body of a seven or eight-year-old was a face more withered than an eighty-year-old's, wearing a creepy smile.
"Holy crap! It's true!" Hachi let go in fright and hugged Shirou.
"Shirou is truly a man of many sins. 'Female trouble' really is quite amusing," Alaya said, reverting to a naive, innocent expression and blinking her large eyes with a giggle. "Hohoho, big sister, stop hugging each other for a moment. If you're really that unwilling to part and absolutely must go with Shirou, there actually is a way. Conveniently, as long as you sign a contra—"
"Eh?" Hachi's heart leaped with joy when she heard there was a way, and she was about to agree.
"Hachi!" Shirou shouted loudly, directly interrupting Alaya. He reached out and cupped the girl's face with both hands, turning her head so they were eye-to-eye.
"Mmph? Mash-ter, wha-t are you do-ing...?" Hachi mumbled. Being this close, her little heart started thumping wildly. She thought, 'Why did Master suddenly become so proactive? Is he going to kiss me? No! This kind of thing must wait until after marriage!'
Shirou didn't blink, staring straight at the girl. He said very seriously, "Hachi! Go back! Your parents are there; that is your life. Didn't you want to prove yourself and show that your efforts weren't in vain? Also, absolutely do not make any contracts with her—not even a verbal promise!"
"Mmh... I'll listen to you," Hachi agreed softly, looking a bit dazed.
"Tsk... how stingy," Alaya pouted in annoyance nearby. Crossing her arms, she urged, "Shirou! Since you've agreed, let's set off quickly! I'll teleport you there!"
"Right. Hachi! I'm going. Take care of yourself, and if fate allows, we will surely meet again!" Shirou nodded and looked at the girl one last time.
"Waaaah! It's okay even if you forget! Even if you're in another world, Master Shirou, I will definitely! Definitely! find you!" Hachi covered her face and wiped her tears, shouting at the top of her lungs.
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