"The Holy Grail War ended just like that; it's really desolate..."
At Mount Enzou, in Ryuudou Temple, Aozaki Touko, who had used a spare puppet body pre-set in Fuyuki for a suicide-style teleport, hurried back to Fuyuki at top speed. Now she crossed her arms, quietly sitting beside Roy, gazing at the sunrise direction.
"Could it be... because I haven't had my fill? So it all feels like a dream."
"Because you barely lifted a finger, always doing behind-the-scenes work: capturing, covering, escaping, transporting... the one taking frontal pressure was me."
Leaning on her, Roy opened his eyes and quipped. "Really, using such a reckless way to hurry back? Didn't I tell you not to return... it was dangerous here before."
"Yes, battles of mythic heroes are dangerous, but no matter how dangerous, it surely wasn't as bad as you, always in the battlefield center, jumping left and right."
"I came back to check if you flipped. If you really died, I'd try to grab your brain and body, then find a chance to piece you back. Thanks to you, through partial Third Magic research, I've gained insights in souls. So, as long as you don't die too thoroughly, I should find a way to save you~"
Aozaki Touko winked, then looked down at Roy beside her, joking with him.
"How's that? Touching, right? A beautiful senpai like me risking for you, this trouble-making kouhai."
"Hehe... too touching; touching enough I want to die once to try, Touko-senpai."
"Hmph, since you expect it so, dying once wouldn't hurt, right?"
Seeing Roy still restless even lying down, with mood to banter, Aozaki Touko lightly poked him with her finger.
"Ei, that tickles, Touko-senpai!!"
"Speaking... has Kayneth-sensei and them been arranged?"
After joking with Aozaki Touko a bit, but thinking of a certain El-Melloi's curse of never surviving the Fourth War, Roy worried about Kayneth and Waver's safety.
'Don't let anything happen... it's the final moment.'
"Rest easy; I confirmed they're fine before coming to you."
Seeing Roy, exhausted, still worrying about his professor and kouhai, Aozaki Touko smiled and answered: "That lemon-head yelling to return woke from coma knowing the Grail War ended. Fearing travel delay, he paid big to delegate me hurry back to check your situation. See if I can aid you."
"Anyway, your professor, kouhai, and adopted daughter are all worried. But they're fine now, staying in a Misaki Town hotel, waiting for you to report safe."
"Is that so..."
Hearing Waver, Kayneth, and Sakura all safe, the big stone on Roy's heart finally fell, his expression visibly relieved.
He sighed inwardly.
All safe is good; everyone safe is enough.
This outcome he really liked.
Sakura gained her life, destined for happy living, perhaps inheriting his mantle? No, probably grabbed by Kayneth-sensei to inherit El-Melloi...
Hm, that's fine too.
As long as she's still family; magecraft system doesn't matter. He wasn't planning to teach The Book of the Law's somewhat mad stuff anyway; if he taught, probably just alchemy and golden system magecraft. Learning basic magecraft with Kayneth-sensei first, plus Volumen Hydrargyrum and jewel magecraft, suits her more.
Now, even Kayneth-sensei survived; with his talent, future Grand rank certain. The El-Melloi school, with Kayneth alive and bountiful harvest, will grow stronger. This world line's Mineralogy won't be seized; instead, other departments must guard against bountiful Kayneth-sensei.
Waver...
He grew a lot, not just Iskandar's teaching; he reconciled with his past and understood Kayneth-sensei. Back home, endless overtime awaits. Not necessarily El-Melloi II, but trained as assistant and lecturer for sure; future inheriting the classroom will be him.
As for... Aozaki Touko.
Her harvest plenty: key Third Magic data, further soul insights, multiple Primordial Runes replacing her revived incomplete ones; strength and magecraft attainment soared, even once unobtainable things now with new clues and understanding.
Everyone I cherish truly gained quite beautiful futures...
"Idiot, don't move around."
Just as Roy, somewhat exhausted from a certain dream demon's disturbance, prepared to sleep right on Ryuudou Temple's floor, he suddenly felt his head lighten, as if lifted by something.
Hearing the scolding laugh, he slowly opened eyes again, seeing blue sky, and Touko's smiling face, dusty from hasty mountain climb but always smiling.
"What's wrong?"
He wanted to speak, then felt his occiput soft, a cushy pillow.
"How's this? More comfortable?"
Aozaki Touko smiled.
"Yes, much better. Opening eyes to find myself on a Grand puppet master's soft lap pillow is quite flattering."
Roy closed eyes again, lips curving in a smile.
He was tired now, really tired...
Hellish three days: first that so-called king's banquet, then intercepting Kotomine Risei's Command Spells, completing final Mystic Code, fighting Gilgamesh a day and night, purifying Angra Mainyu after, then farewell with mentor; finally resting a bit, that dead pervert Mari nearly molested him in dream; only now true rest.
Even if Avalon restores wounds, purifies curses, mental fatigue isn't easy to erase.
Over healing magecraft, Roy now most wanted a good sleep, then farewell to old friends from this Grail War upon waking.
"Exceptionally letting you lie once today; your spirit is visibly overdrawn. This exhausted look hardly matches the spirited magus facing the oldest king at start~" Aozaki Touko showed a bright beautiful smile. "Don't worry about others disturbing; before you wake, I'll sit here guarding till you do. Consider this my little repayment to you."
"Hm, but I'm tired too; this new body was rushed during Fuyuki action with you, some parts unadjusted before use, a bit uncoordinated. But as temporary body, it's enough."
'Body-swapping magecraft...'
Roy wanted to speak, but Aozaki Touko covered his mouth, interrupting.
"Rest well; refuse discussing philosophy topics with you." Aozaki Touko guessed what Roy wanted to ask.
"You just need to know, no matter how I change, I'm Aozaki Touko; to you, always a friend—that's enough."
"Always a friend... that's really reliable."
"Hmph, who do you think I am? Compared to your El-Melloi weirdos, I'm the most reliable." Aozaki Touko smiled, tilted her head, then leaned down seriously looking at Roy's face, extended white palm, soothing his eyes.
"Sleep well... no more talking."
"Yes."
Roy nodded. "Then, good night, Touko-senpai."
"Good night, Crowley-kouhai."
...
...
The day after the Holy Grail War ended.
The whole city awoke dazed from the days-long nightmare.
The dead revived, broken city restored by Heaven's Feel's power, the miracle erasing all sorrow.
Including traces left by those Servants quietly arriving in this world.
Except those who experienced it, or with outstanding magecraft prowess, or certain anti-mana specials, other ordinary people had memories and impressions of this Grail War erased.
Having let go of obsession, or perhaps unsure how to face Matou Kariya, Tohsaka Tokiomi took his wife and daughter abroad for travel after returning home, internally run his company, tossed Fuyuki's leylines management to old friend Kotomine Risei, started enjoying fine vacation, fulfilling promise of happiness to Aoi and Rin.
As for Matou Kariya, even more exaggerated: seeing house restored, he called his always disliked, oppressed by Matou Zouken for their plan. They first erected a tombstone for Matou Zouken in the backyard, then drank heartily before it, celebrating the old worm's death. After amicably splitting assets, they doused with gasoline, torched the Matou bug pit with valuable magecraft inheritance all to ashes, including the backyard tombstone. Then, fearing the damn worm's revival, specially invited temple masters to build a temple atop their ruins for proper exorcism.
This operation could be said to 'filial' Matou Zouken to death in the underworld.
Thus, Japanese magus family, Matou, thoroughly erased from the world.
Kotomine Kirei, after many experiences, truly gained salvation, figured everything, after surgery removing origin bullets and stemming blood, personally confessed lifetime sins to his father, told future plans, then left hospital alone, to do his planned things.
But this time, not alone; added a red-haired boy, Fujimaru Shirou.
He made a pact with this boy who saved him, with justice heart: this salvation grace, he'd repay. When Fujimaru Shirou has time, resolves to become justice ally, determines to contact the other world, can anytime find him near Fuyuki's forest church; he'd teach all, repay kindness and grace, leave his inheritance in this world.
Kotomine Kirei originally wanted to apologize personally to Tohsaka Tokiomi, but upon waking, they had left; door message a severance letter for him, another unknown content for Matou Kariya. But Matou Kariya, after burning Matou house and taking some wealth, left Fuyuki; heard heading to Misaki, to start new as reporter. So he could only return empty, similarly boarding plane to Europe, after years seeking daughter Caren, bringing her to make up for missing fatherly love and past wrongs.
The priest from confusion to fall, finally reborn from mire gaining release; he'd completed his own transformation.
At this moment, Kotomine Kirei never felt so good.
As for trace cover...
Though fooled ordinary people, Clock Tower, even Holy Church stirred; soon each organization would send reps to check what happened here.
And with Tohsaka Tokiomi abroad, Kotomine Kirei to Europe, now just discharged Kotomine Risei looking at desk stacked mountain-high letters, his aged heart suddenly felt some myocardial infarction.
He even suddenly felt, better not wake, comatose in hospital till all ends might be better.
Though such sigh, when Kotomine Risei left study, seeing still intact, in such catastrophe only few irredeemable dangerous elements dead Fuyuki, inwardly relieved.
He looked down at his severed arm; days ago night, that mysterious youth and archangel figure still emerged.
"He is like man yet woman, adult yet child, saint yet sinner, angel yet demon; so what existence is this?"
Kotomine Risei murmured, then stroked his empty right arm, face showing self-mocking smile.
'Archangel, Holy Grail War, and an unfathomable youth; the world truly changed greatly.'
'Fine... since even Tohsaka Tokiomi untied his knot, why hesitate here?'
Thinking so, Kotomine Risei shook head lightly; his heart extraordinarily serene.
Angry for severed arm? Hate for seized Command Spells? No, none; those complex emotions gone...
These matters, leave to Burial Agency bigwigs; shortly before, Kotomine Risei wrote letter to church HQ. As for him...
Due to this dereliction, resigning position; future days, watch son and granddaughter happily grow, inherit position, a family joy, redemption for him too.
As for arm issue?
He won't accept mods, prosthetic or such; let this warn of his mistake.
Anyway...
Glancing back at huge crucifix on wall, Kotomine Risei slowly knelt, softly confessing.
"Thanks to merciful Lord, granting us lost lambs, sinners, redemption, granting us happiness; may Your love eternally shelter the world..."
"—Amen."
With prayer's end, door suddenly knocked.
A group of anxious people, faces with respective confusion; they all had same death dream, felt panic, came seeking priest's counsel as believers.
Seeing this, Kotomine Risei slowly rose, smiling to greet today's visitors, earnestly spreading the Lord's glory.
"Welcome everyone."
The old priest said smiling.
All as usual, peace restored.
...
...
Soon after.
"Hiss... where's that big mana furnace? How suddenly gone?"
At Hyatt Hotel upper floor, Roy thoughtfully looked at room's original mana furnace spot left with big pit, expression pensive.
Indeed... still lost?
Everything restored, but only El-Melloi school's former supreme Mystic Code vanished; other two still there.
"How could a furnace suddenly vanish?!"
On other side, ungracefully hugging one mana furnace drooling Aozaki Touko, seeing central big pit also baffled, vigilantly scanning around.
Since all Grail War destructions restored, Kayneth's barriers still exist. But room shows no external intrusion trace, yet one mana furnace gone; this made her very surprised. And incredulous.
Now this situation, only two special possibilities: first, someone concealed past Kayneth's barriers, and Fionn, Scáthach, Iskandar etc. ancient heroes' senses, hid early in their workshop, undetected all along.
Second, that mana furnace grew legs and escaped the workshop.
Either way, both absurd; she couldn't imagine how the mana furnace vanished? And if thief, surely steal all three; why only one?
But, over Aozaki Touko's puzzled gaze, Roy vaguely understood this state.
He bent to check ground traces, mana aura; indeed only mana furnace's mana, no others came, so...
Still ran away?
In original development, due to Emiya Kiritsugu's high-rise blast, mana furnace bombed to fragments, core causing mana runaway, leading chain events.
But this time, before high-rise blast, Iskandar defended with barrier, transferred furnace to King's Army, so...
What's this trigger?
Pondering carefully, Roy seemed to think of an answer.
'It's Gilgamesh's Enuma Elish...'
'This time, his Noble Phantasm replaced Emiya Kiritsugu's original bombing, destroying mana furnace and triggering runaway; so world line converged again, birthing that special existence?'
'Because she's not human, nor building, also in Grail War, Heaven's Feel's restoration didn't act on her, but on other two, causing item loss...'
Unlike clueless, blank-faced Aozaki Touko beside, Roy vaguely recalled that thing's whereabouts.
But that's far future scene, after Fifth War; stage also Grail War, but that one's scale far bigger than any before, so-called divine cup.
Even this strongest King of Heroes Gilgamesh couldn't be called strongest Servant there; stronger or equal Servants multiple, showing how deep the water. And that lost furnace would go there, become one Master.
So indeed world line convergence; even without Emiya Kiritsugu and subsequent events, that thing still born.
Causality issue? Or Alaya or Gaia meddling?
"Hm... you seem not surprised by this?"
Noticing Roy's current calm, Aozaki Touko somewhat puzzled; she asked curiously.
"You already know where the mana furnace went?"
"Yes, roughly."
"What's the situation? Tell me quick."
Aozaki Touko pressed; she was especially curious about the mana furnace's disappearance.
"Yes..."
Roy organized thoughts, summarizing in very short words: "The mana furnace became sentient."
"..."
"You think you're funny?"
"Not at all; anyway, future chance to meet; shelve this topic for now."
"As for these two remaining mana furnaces, pick one to take, Touko-senpai."
Roy shook head, no longer entangling with Aozaki Touko on the lost mana furnace, but started studying allocation of the two before them.
The lost one was El-Melloi school's former supreme Mystic Code; since it became sentient, he can't find it now, so leave it, wait future to meet.
As for other two mana furnaces, he planned to recover one personally for Kayneth-sensei, the other give to Aozaki Touko as her future workshop mana source.
Otherwise, Roy always felt after he left, sudden no mana source, funds; this spendthrift, carefree, clueless about frugality senpai might fall into initial meeting state: can't afford mana, buy puppet materials poverty. So leaving her a lord-level mana furnace should settle her. At least not let her live as destitute as before.
"Eh?"
Roy's words made originally drooling over mana furnace Aozaki Touko's eyes slightly stun; she swallowed, then with incredulous eyes looked at youth behind, surprised: "You're not joking? Crowley-kouhai, as alchemist, you can't not know these things' value. These two lord-level mana furnaces are Clock Tower standard; their price even I've heard..."
"One hundred million pounds each."
Roy nodded, directly stating the two mana furnaces' price.
Unlike Kayneth's supreme Mystic Code mana furnace, these two's value not as high, merely lord-level furnaces, so he knew the price; labeled one hundred million pounds. But though priced, Clock Tower won't sell, only rent; but besides lord-level figures easily renting these two, others hard to access. After all, for Clock Tower, important assets. So Aozaki Touko eyed greedily but no idea to forcibly claim; Roy beside, taking would equal robbing one hundred million pounds from El-Melloi school.
"Then why still..."
Aozaki Touko showed doubt, wanted to ask reason, but heard Roy calmly: "Value one hundred million pounds and giving to you don't conflict, right?"
Though these two rented from Clock Tower, even lord-level Kayneth must compensate full price for loss.
Though one hundred million pounds indeed painful for El-Melloi. But now Kayneth alive, Mineralogy lord, that magus prodigy still there; this hundred million pounds needn't repay, just sell some new research results. So, no big deal. As long as Kayneth-sensei lives, no problems.
"Rest assured; since I decide to give you, Kayneth-sensei won't mind. And this thing to him, repaid in a year, nothing."
"Moreover, didn't you just save his life? Mere one mana furnace's value, repaying Grand puppet master's life-saving grace, and tying good karma; he won't anger, plus I'm here."
Seeing Touko's worry, Roy shook head, directly soothed her, and arbitrarily gave her one mana furnace.
"You guy..."
Then, Roy didn't idle, but started dismantling Kayneth's magecraft barriers, recovering workshop's precious Mystic Codes no less valuable than mana furnaces. Though gave away a mana furnace, bringing these back can account.
"Sigh, isn't this making me owe more... how to repay so many favors?"
Watching Roy's busy figure, Aozaki Touko released nearby mana furnace, complained, eyes complex.
After such long interaction, now hearing this, suddenly she felt the furnace beside less attractive, instead troubled by owed favors.
Just days, she owed Roy so much; even giving all her valuables hard to offset his help and grace.
"Haha, if don't know how to repay, Touko-senpai, interested in joining my family?"
Not minding Touko's current complex expression much, Roy casual, packing Mystic Codes, head unturned answering her complaint.
"Eh? Crowley-kouhai wants to add my magic circuits to his family bloodline? Hm, though this request sounds troublesome, but if it's you..."
Seeming surprised by Roy's words, Aozaki Touko's expression slightly stunned, then after pondering, gave her answer.
"No, I mean—become Crowley family's external consultant."
"Eh?"
Aozaki Touko's eyelids jumped fiercely, words nearly spoken interrupted by Roy.
She suddenly realized, perhaps she was presumptuous.
Compared to some destitute magi selling seed and fluids, family internal marriages, external alliances common; not just magus world, mundane society countless.
After all, at Clock Tower, many long-inheritance mage families eyed her talent, sent marriage invites, but she beat them off.
So hearing Roy say join Crowley family, she subconsciously thought he wanted marriage with her, further improve bloodline.
But, he actually no interest.
After all, from Aozaki house all wind attribute, destined restless and harder to keep.
This instant, Touko didn't know if happy or lost; anyway quite complex.
"You idiot..."
She murmured.
"What's wrong? Touko-senpai."
After packing all Mystic Codes, Roy stood again, preparing to leave. Seeing behind complex-faced Aozaki Touko, he thought his earlier request troubled her, so no more mention.
"..."
Gazing at this guy, Aozaki Touko's mouth twitched, like enduring some emotion, not letting it erupt.
Deeply looking at his eyes pure as gold, with nothing but exploration, no impurities, Aozaki Touko sighed.
"...Fine, I agree. But I have a condition—no, two: first, help resolve my Sealing Designation; second, I'll tell when time comes."
Then Aozaki Touko called stopping Roy preparing to leave, like deciding something, spoke.
"Yes? Deal."
Roy agreed without hesitation.
Though another condition, but if he couldn't, Aozaki Touko wouldn't propose; proposing means he can; doable things, what to hesitate?
Good; this harvest not just Mystic Codes and magecraft; before return, picked a strong magecraft assistant.
With Aozaki Touko this Grand puppet master and Kayneth-sensei holding fort, even if he wanders again, no worry home issues.
Though external hire, but seems early realized Kayneth-sensei's one school three Grands dream.
Since so...
"Then let's go together, Touko-senpai; first to Misaki Town meet Kayneth-sensei and Waver, then fly home together."
....
[Japan Journey - Complete]
Return to the World's Stage
***
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