In the cold darkness of the insect warehouse, Sakura stared at the body of the man who fell in front of her. The man murmured to himself to the end and died with a satisfied smile on his face.

baffling. Why did this man come back here? Why are you still alive when you are already so miserable?

Although Sakura couldn't understand it, she knew clearly why he was in pain and why he died.

——You can’t disobey grandpa.

Everyone in the Matou family knows this sentence, but why is this person the only one unwilling to abide by it? He is obviously an adult, but he is hopelessly stupid.

Why, why would this person choose such a meaningless death?

After thinking for a moment - ah, that's it. Sakura suddenly realized.

This must be tonight's lesson.

What will happen to those who go against Grandpa's wishes. This person would die here just so Sakura could see it with her own eyes.

Yes, I understand, Grandpa.

The girl nodded obediently, staring motionlessly at the body that was getting smaller and smaller surrounded by bugs, and this scene was deeply imprinted in her mind.

············

——When he came back to his senses, he realized that his eyes were completely black.

A fire started.

The familiar town was in ruins, looking like a battlefield in a movie.

At dawn, the fire gradually weakened.

The originally crazy flames gradually became smaller, and basically all the buildings collapsed.

...It's incredible that I can survive unscathed while I'm in it.

Within the vicinity, the only survivor was himself.

Is it because I am very lucky, or is it because my home was built in a just-right location.

Although I don’t understand why, I am sure that I am the only one who survived.

Since you survived, you must continue to live. I think.

It's too dangerous to stay here, so let's go.

In fact, it’s not that I don’t want to turn into a pile of charcoal like those people on the ground.

…But I don’t think, deep down, I want to be burned to death like that.

I want to live even more strongly.

But even so, I had no hope.

It's incredible that I survived. I didn't think I could be saved.

It is impossible to be saved.

No matter what you do, you can't escape this red world.

Based on a child's understanding, this place is an absolute hell.

So I fell.

I don't know if it's because there's not enough oxygen, or the organs that take in oxygen are no longer functioning.

Anyway I collapsed and stared at the sky that was starting to darken.

There were charred corpses huddled together everywhere around him.

There were dark clouds in the sky and I knew it was going to rain.

...That's good, the fire will be extinguished if it rains.

I took one last deep breath and looked at the dark clouds.

It's so uncomfortable that I can't breathe.

I speak these words candidly on behalf of those who can no longer speak these words.

If you are in pain and suffer while you are alive, then it would be easier to simply die.

In a hazy state of consciousness, I stretched out my hand meaninglessly.

Not asking for help.

I just think it's so naive.

The last thing that came to mind was this thought.

His consciousness was about to disappear, and his raised arm fell to the ground with a slap.

……No.

It should have fallen to the ground.

But a big hand held it.

…I still remember his face.

The man with tears in his eyes, happy from the bottom of his heart that he had found a survivor.

- He looked so happy.

It was as if it was not me who was saved, but himself.

Then.

What moved me, who almost died, was that the man said, "Thank you" to me, as if he was grateful for something.

He said it was great to find you.

He said that I would be very happy even if I could only save one person. Then, as if he was thanking someone, he showed a happy smile. next day

All TV channels were reporting the news of the big fire in Fuyuki Shinto last night.

Today, the breakfast table of the Makaki family was also shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.

The dining table was a bit empty with one person missing. The male guest who has been staying at home these days returned home yesterday due to an emergency. He asked Weber to thank them for taking care of them these days and apologized for not being able to say goodbye to them in a hurry.

"Alex should have returned to England safely..."

Mrs. Martha murmured with a worried look on her face. Weber nodded as if to reassure her.

"He made a phone call from the airport early this morning. Really, he didn't even consider the time difference."

Weber told the big lie without changing his face. But in fact, even he himself was surprised by his shamelessness.

"Did he call? I didn't notice it at all. Haha, but, this seems to be his style."

Smiling softly and nodding, Madam turned her attention back to the TV screen, and her expression darkened again.

"...It's a bit regrettable, but there has been a lot of commotion recently. But maybe this is not entirely a bad thing. At least those insincere tourists may change."

"..."

Looking at the miserable burned-out wilderness on the TV screen, Weber couldn't help but feel ashamed.

The fire that occurred near the Fuyuki Municipal Hall was undoubtedly affected by the Victory Cup War. Although it is still unclear who caused this tragedy among the three groups of Masters and Servants left, if he and Rider had stayed at the scene at the time, it might have been possible to prevent the incident. So he could not suppress his regret.

But there will never be a similar tragedy in the future. Although it ended in the worst way, from now on, the strange incidents that threaten Fuyuki will never appear again. The fourth Victory Cup War, which sacrificed countless innocent people, ended completely last night.

Recalling the tragic situation at that time-he even felt that it was a miracle that he was still alive now.

"Um, Grandpa, Grandma, I have something to discuss with you, okay?"

Hearing Waver's voice that was slightly different from usual, the old couple put down the coffee they were drinking.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, actually... I want to take a break from school for a while. This is a decision I made after discussing it with my father in Toronto. I want to do something else now rather than schoolwork."

"Oh."

"Oh my."

The old couple couldn't help but widen their eyes when they heard their grandson's unexpected statement.

"But why so suddenly... Don't you hate going to school?"

"No. It's just... I haven't been interested in anything other than studying so far, so I feel a little regretful. So... well, I want to travel. I want to see the outside world. In this way, I can learn more about various things before deciding on my own life."

??????????.??????

"Really. Really."

The lady seemed very happy and clasped her hands together and smiled slightly.

"Did you hear that, Gulan? Weber actually said something like Alex."

After hearing such an evaluation, Weber smiled bitterly with a hint of happiness and a little loneliness.

"Anyway, we have to make various preparations first. It is essential to do our homework in advance. Should we start working part-time first? ... But there is a problem here. In Fuyuki, we can't work if we don't speak Japanese, right?"

Hmm... Gulan also crossed his arms and looked thoughtful.

"There are many non-Japanese foreign residents in this town. If I ask my colleagues, maybe I can find a solution for you."

"Then Weber - will you stay in Japan for a while?"

Looking at Masa with a happy face, Weber nodded.

"Well, if it's okay... but won't it cause trouble to you?"

"Of course not."

Mrs. Masa, who was almost jumping for joy, couldn't help clapping her hands. Gulan, who was sitting next to his wife, looked at Weber with a serious look of expectation, and the boy also straightened his back slightly and looked back at him seriously.

Returning to his room alone, Weber re-examined his room bathed in the morning sun.

Eleven days - in such a short time, this room has been stained with the color of someone who once lived here.

Magazines that have been read, pancake bags that have been thrown away after eating. And the empty whiskey bottle that has rolled in the corner.

These are all traces left by another person who once ate, drank and rested in this room. This is a color that does not belong to Weber.

Ghost? Or a familiar? Thinking about these absurd things, Weber fell into a trance. This is not a joke. If it is just a soul, how can it leave such a bright "color"?

But, this room will never be stained with this "color" again.

From now on, only Weber will live here, and it will only be stained with the personality of Weber. The previous color will be gradually erased. This is inevitable.

Although it feels pity and loneliness, one thing that cannot be refuted is that the color to be reapplied must be very bright. Only in this way can the color of the person who is stronger than anyone else be covered up.

Weber sat down on the bed and took out the hardcover "Iliad" from his backpack.

However, in just eleven days, the pages of the book have become a little black due to repeated reading. Looking at this book that he still finds difficult to understand no matter how many times he read it, the face of the man who always smiles appears in front of him again. The man who inspired himself with the adventure of the hero Achilles, challenged himself with it, and finally made his life a legend.

And such a man was once beside him, and lived and fought with him.

The dreamlike scenes he described to me were almost like lies. But in the end, I was still attracted by his happiness——

I can't deny my envy of him. I even thought about going with him.

But in the end, he stayed with Weber. He made such a decision the moment he invited Weber to become his vassal and heard Weber's answer. At that time, was it because of Weber's wrong answer that the man made a wrong decision?

"What nonsense is this about vassal! Aren't we friends? If you want to fight, I will accompany you."

If Weber could say such words in the wind as an equal at that time——

The man would definitely smile knowingly, and maybe he would let Weber ride on his warhorse in the end.

"…But the point is, I didn't express my unwillingness in the end."

Weber couldn't help but sigh. In the end, he was still far from being able to compete with that man. In the end, his weakness was exposed. Regret and pity. Perhaps he just had too much self-esteem.

But in fact, he was not anxious. After all, Weber is not as old as the man was when he started traveling. And the traces of his amazing and exciting adventures are still left in every corner of the world. Weber will go to find all of this. Maybe one day, he can find his footprints somewhere on the other side of the distant sea.

——Suddenly, Weber's eyes stopped on the paper bag next to the TV.

Speaking of which, this is something that the guy bought with great joy. In the end, he left without even opening it.

Weber opened the package and took out the game console and cartridge inside. He also bought a handle on purpose. Suddenly, he felt his eyes getting hot, but Weber endured it.

"...I won't play such boring things."

But he had just made up his mind to try something new. Since he had such a thing in his hand, he might as well give it a try even if it was boring.

But is this thing really interesting?

Weber frowned at the package and began to connect the game console and TV according to the instructions.

Half a year later

"——I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand up on the "

The funeral procession was moving forward lonely in the cold breeding.

The funeral was presided over by a young girl.

There was no sadness or uneasiness on her face, but she just followed the funeral procedures woodenly. This expression made the people who came to pay their respects feel that she was strong, but no one had any sympathy.

This was originally a funeral for the clan. For the elders, children who grew up under strict education should be able to withstand anything. The mourners present had the same idea.

"And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes——I, and not How my heart yearns within me…"

Then the coffin was buried in the ground, and after each of them finished their prayers, the mourners left one by one. In the rain, which was quiet again, only the girl who presided over the funeral and the priest who performed the ceremony were left.

"You have worked hard. Your debut as the new generation of the clan leader is already very outstanding. I believe your father will be proud of you."

In response to the other party's compliments, Rin just nodded in silence. The magic seal of the Tosaka family has been engraved on her left wrist. The body has not yet gotten used to this recently transplanted seal, and the pain is still continuing. But the girl's face did not show a trace of pain, and she persisted until the last moment of the ceremony. This willpower is indeed very inconsistent with her age. ()

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