As the laws governing the Great Temple of Time finally collapsed, Steve masterfully maneuvered the Shadow Border, steering it in a graceful arc through the wild turbulence of the unraveling space. Scenes outside the car window twisted into storms of bizarre data and splintered shards of the world itself, and with each violent jolt, everyone inside trembled in terror. Yet, Steve sat at the driver's seat as if he had complete control.
For someone who, in life, had even driven enormous wooden automobiles, handling an ordinary car was child's play for him—his driving skills rivaled or even exceeded that chubby director's. At this moment, he even had the leisure to switch on the car stereo, playing oddly out-of-place jazz, as though this wasn't a desperate escape, but a thrilling interstellar road trip.
At last, with a resounding impact and a blinding flash of white light, the Shadow Border broke through the final barrier of spatial layers. In an instant, the chaotic sea of numbers beyond the windows melted away, replaced by the tranquil cityscape of a nighttime metropolis. Familiar neon signs came into view, along with the sweeping curve of a bridge stretching to the horizon and wet asphalt under the pale glow of street lamps.
They had returned to where it all began—an ordinary street near Fuyuki City's Shinto Public Stadium, just as it was before the battle began.
The car doors popped open, and a cool night breeze, tinged with the earthy scent of rain-soaked soil, swept in, instantly refreshing everyone's spirits. Steve leapt out first, waved his hand, and an invisible magic force lifted the unconscious Marisbury—who floated behind Steve like a bizarre balloon. One by one, the Chaldea members and Saber exited the vehicle as well.
The moment their feet touched solid asphalt, a surreal sense washed over them—as though they had just survived a catastrophe. Ignoring Lev's indifference, Ritsuka and Mash both nearly twisted their ankles at the same time and had to lean awkwardly against the car to stay upright. Olga Marie, meanwhile, was practically gasping for the fresh air, as if driving out the heavy atmosphere of the temple. Romani, newly reborn, turned pale from his first fast vehicle experience and began to retch against a wall.
All around was quiet: only their own breathing and the distant whir of the occasional car could be heard. This common, even mundane scene was in sharp contrast to the earthshaking clash of gods from just a few minutes earlier, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.
"Welcome home, everyone," Steve finally broke the silence, leaning against the car door. Looking over the group who, despite the dust, had eyes shining with a mixture of excitement and exhaustion, he announced in a calm tone, "First of all, congratulations on perfectly completing your mission."
"But before we start the celebrations, there's something I need to remind you all," he said, glancing pointedly at Ritsuka, Mash, and Olga Marie. "Remember the Potion of Youth I gave you? It's got a time limit. By around noon today, it'll wear off."
"By then, you'll have reverted to being those adorable lolis and shota kids from before."
"Wha—?!" Olga Marie immediately sprang up, her face twisted with fear and defiance. "Who would ever want to be a child again?! I am the Director of Chaldea! Heir of the Animusphere family!"
"But... you're still only 11 years old, aren't you?" Steve replied, utterly merciless.
"Hmph…" Olga Marie was speechless; her cheeks flushed red. All she could do was look to her companions for help. But Ritsuka and Mash could only offer weary smiles—they were every bit as troubled by the thought of becoming children again.
"Ahem, anyway!" Steve clapped to refocus everyone's attention. "Go on—head home to find your mothers. …Oh wait, seems like except for Ritsuka, none of you can find your moms."
"Uh... that's kind of weird…" Ritsuka muttered. "Anyway, before we split up, let's figure out where everyone's heading next."
"After all, from now on, you're the new Chaldea."
At the word "split up," Saber strolled over. After glancing at Steve and the still-confused Chaldeas, she declared, "Mission complete. Tonight's battle has been utterly exhausting—I must rest at home."
Her logic was simple yet reasonable. As a pragmatic knight, Saber never indulged in unnecessary socializing after a fight.
"Absolutely. Good work, Saber. Take care on your way." Steve nodded to her with a smile.
Saber offered a knightly salute to everyone, then turned and departed without another word. Her silver armor quickly blended into the nighttime city, and she vanished from view at the end of the street.
Her departure seemed to signal the rest of the Chaldea members to face their first real post-war question: where should we go now?
"Uh... as acting director of Chaldea, I think we need to quickly draft 'Emergency Plan One: Post-War Reconstruction and Personnel Resettlement!'" Olga Marie straightened her posture, doing her best to broadcast authority. Yet her trembling voice and panicked gaze betrayed her anxiety. "First priority is securing a safe temporary base!"
"And… making sure everyone has enough food and water—especially hot water and clean clothes! Good hygiene and a bath come first!"
Her so-called "emergency plan" basically came down to just the most fundamental day-to-day needs.
Ritsuka gave a rueful smile, gently comforting the anxious girl, before turning to the group's only real adult—Steve—and asked, serious-faced, "Big Brother Steve, what do we do next…?"
"Me?" Steve feigned surprise, pointing to himself. "I'm just a Caster—technical support, that's all. Shouldn't the Director decide on Chaldea's internal affairs?"
He kicked the ball right back to Olga Marie.
At that moment, Romani finally recovered enough to weakly raise his hand. "Um… I used to be king, but now I'm just an ordinary person. I don't even have ID… If we need money, I could get a job at a convenience store—Ah!"
Before he could finish, Olga Marie stomped his foot hard.
"Shut up, you dunce! Now is the time to reflect on your mistakes!" she said sternly, though everyone knew this was just her way of venting anxiety.
"Hmph, lost sheep and useless trash." Arms folded, leaning against a wall, Goetia finally couldn't suppress his trademark sardonic laugh. "Still talking about baths and work? Utter nonsense."
"If it were up to me, the most efficient course would be to toss the culprit into Tokyo Bay as fish food, and dismiss the party right here." He shot a glance of contempt at Marisbury, still floating beside Steve like cargo.
But no one bothered to pay him any mind. After all, everyone understood that even this apparently cold-blooded King of Demon God was now, just like them, a purposeless wanderer without anywhere to go.
And so, a grand battle that had decided the fate of the world ended with a group with an average age below ten, a newborn just learning about life, and a sarcastic ex-Demon King, gathered on a deserted city corner discussing, in comical yet oddly realistic fashion, where they would spend the night.
…