Caelus did not bother the System to guide him. His own Master was safe for now, no one knew his Master's identity, and he did not need a Master to provide magical energy. Even if his Master were killed, he could still participate in the Holy Grail War, so there was no rush to return.
Perhaps because recording stories and watching epic chapters had caused a part of his humanity to grow, he somewhat childishly found a wooden stick nearby. He tossed the stick into the air, intending to walk in whichever direction the pointed end indicated.
The stick spun in the air and fell to the ground under Caelus's gaze. After rolling a few times, the tip pointed back toward the direction he had come from.
Without hesitation, Caelus turned and walked back the way he came. Perhaps this method of "divine guidance" had sparked a playful streak in him, for whenever he encountered more than two paths, he would find something nearby to toss into the air and follow wherever it pointed.
Through this random sequence, Caelus eventually found himself beneath the Fuyuki City Bridge. Looking at the soft, lush green grass by the riverbank, he lay down without hesitation.
Caelus lay on his back on the grass with his hands behind his head. He looked up at the moon. There were no stars tonight.
It was now three in the morning. At this hour, even most night owls had gone to sleep. Caelus lay on the grass, feeling the night breeze brush against his body. He closed his eyes, not feeling tired at all, as his current body did not require sleep.
He was simply maintaining this posture to pretend he was sleeping, while in reality he was just spacing out with an empty mind.
Time passed quickly. The moon gradually faded, and the sun began to rise, bringing light and warmth to the dark earth.
Caelus felt the light shining upon him. He opened his eyes to watch the rising sun. This was the so called sunrise.
On a whim, Caelus took out his notebook again and drew the sunrise before him. When he finished his drawing and looked up, he saw Gilgamesh standing beside him, wearing a black leather jacket and slim fitting black trousers.
The other was quietly observing him paint.
"Why draw it?"
Only after seeing Caelus look at him did Gilgamesh speak.
"Because I felt the scenery before me was nice, so I drew it."
"No other meaning?"
"None. Simply because I wanted to."
"Hahaha!" Not knowing what exactly amused him, Gilgamesh folded his arms across his chest and laughed heartily for a while before saying to Caelus with satisfaction, "Not bad! Even if something is meaningless, as long as I want to do it, I will. You have filled some of the void within your heart. Excellent! Only in this way can the battle between us be interactive and full of passion. Otherwise, this King might as well find a wooden stake to strike for more enjoyment."
"Originally, this King came to hold you accountable. After all, I wanted to see what kind of expression that little girl who calls herself King would make when she realized her subject was merely a puppet wearing human skin. But you went and ruined it. However, since you now have the desire to do something, it proves that fighting you will no longer be boring. This King now wants to see what kind of interesting expression you will make when our battle reaches its peak."
"Now, ask whatever questions you have quickly. Tonight, we shall resolve the matters with those other two insignificant supporting characters, and then it will be the clash and death struggle between this King and you."
Speaking of this, Gilgamesh could not help but reveal another smile.
This could be considered the fastest ending Holy Grail War. Looking across so many parallel worlds, a Holy Grail War that ends in two days is quite rare.
Indeed, Gilgamesh had set aside his usual arrogance of looking down on others. He used a potion that could adjust age to bring his current physical and mental age to middle age.
His goal was to use a Servant state as close to his peak as possible to complete a hearty battle with Caelus.
"Why are you so keen on fighting?"
Caelus did not quite understand. Why was Gilgamesh so enthusiastic about fighting him, and why did he seem so expectant?
"Brat, verbal communication is accompanied by deception, concealment, and manipulation. A struggle between life and death, however, makes it easy for two strangers to understand each other. The various techniques you reveal in battle and the means you are accustomed to using will allow your opponent to see clearly what kind of person you are in a very short time. As a saying from that ancient country next door goes, 'No discord, no concord.'"
"And your appearance of not caring about anything, with such weak emotions in your heart, is very much like an old friend of this King. Back then, my old friend and I understood each other through battle, constantly communicating and passing our own shadows to one another."
"This King is very curious. After you have fought me, what kind of person will you grow into?"
"Just for that?"
"Hahahaha! Brat, do you remember the question I asked you just now?"
"The question about why I was drawing this picture?"
"And what was your answer?"
"Just because I wanted to."
"Exactly. Just because this King wants to."
Caelus looked at King Gilgamesh, who was laughing with his arms crossed, and nodded. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Many times, instead of wondering whether something is meaningful or if it will bring benefits, trapping oneself in internal friction and hesitation, it is better to follow one's heart, choose the lifestyle one wants, and do what one wishes to do."
"Correct. Those who think everything must have a meaning will only fall into internal friction and nothingness. And as for that so called nothingness, I believe you know what it looks like."
"Thank you."
"Hmph, this King looks forward to tonight's battle. After you have dealt with the remaining two insignificant fellows, we shall meet again here."
"Alright, King Gilgamesh."
As Gilgamesh's figure walked away, Caelus used his quill to begin writing Gilgamesh's story in his notebook.
He was a tyrant, yet also a wise ruler. He was arrogant, yet also approachable. He was contradictory, yet also pure.
He was a man who lived according to his own will.
Caelus felt as if he had learned something new again. He left the grassy riverbank, looked at a breakfast shop that had just opened, and after a thought, stepped inside.
Even though he could not actually taste anything, he still wanted to eat.
It had no meaning. Food would not bring him more energy, nor would he grow weak or die from not eating. Therefore, his act of eating was simply because he wanted to do so.
This was the "self".
(To be continued.)