Artoria wants to read people's hearts

After handing over the meal tray in front of her to the restaurant staff, she left the cafeteria and walked into the sea of ​​people.

For Academy City, this city always wakes up too early.

Perhaps it was because most of the people living here were young people, so before the dust from last night had settled down completely, the students had already started waiting for the bus in twos and threes on the street in the early morning.

Misaka Mikoto is also one of them, even if she just saved the city a few days ago, she still has to wait obediently at this moment.

In fact, with regard to the missile incident a few days ago, because it was related to the dark side of the academy city, under the intentional or unintentional concealment by everyone, not many innocent passers-by knew the truth.

This is also good, because this kind of light and easy daily life is what they want to protect.

After waiting quietly for a few minutes, the bus wobbled to the stop.

Line up, get on the bus, and swipe your card.

With the sound of "beep", the door was closed tightly, and the bus carried the unknown girl hero gradually away until it completely disappeared in the distant street.

Cars whizzed away one after another, and the people in them might be slightly affluent people in this city, but they were still exhausted from running around every day.

Misaka Mikoto rested her chin with her hands, and looked at the scene outside the window boredly. She didn't care what kind of people were sitting in the cars passing by on the street, and she didn't care where they were going.

As the bus moved forward, it passed mothers holding their children, small company employees who were running like crazy and afraid of being late, and students wearing different school uniforms walking on the sidewalk.

The western-style breakfast on the roadside, or the bakery is always overcrowded, and everyone is always queuing, waiting quietly for their turn.

Fortunately, the boss has already developed a skill that practice makes perfect. As one product after another is handed out, the line is also shrinking in length in an orderly manner.

About 15 minutes later, Misaka Mikoto got off the bus at a stop.

She glanced back at the bus that had put herself down and drove to the distance again at this time, and then stretched gently.

The morning sun shone on her pretty face, and at this moment she actually looked a little bit hazy.

She casually glanced left and right on the bustling street twice, and after aiming in the right direction, she turned and left lightly under her feet.

After walking for a long time, she came to the door of an exquisite and stylish coffee shop, and then directly reached out and pushed the door to enter.

In the early morning of summer, the cool breeze swept gently, and the sunlight came in through the glass windows of the store, silently, slightly warming everything in the world.

"Here, Mikoto."

Raising her arm and beckoning to the other party, Artoria opened her mouth to attract the brown-haired girl's attention.

"You came so early."

Going forward, Mikoto sighed and sat down opposite her.

Hearing the girl's emotion, Arturia couldn't help but smiled slightly.

There seemed to be a morning breeze blowing in the emerald green eyes, and the crystal clear dewdrops slid down the green into Mikoto's heart.

"The day's plan is in the morning. I'm used to getting up early, so I came earlier. Please don't mind it."

As she spoke, she lightly tapped the menu in front of her, and then pushed it in front of Mikoto.

"You must be thirsty all the way here. The owner of this shop has a very good craftsmanship. Maybe you can give it a try."

At the end, she winked at Miqin slyly, and added, "Please don't be too polite, I'm treating you today."

"!!!"

After all, she is also a servant of her own family, and she still knows some of the other party's financial situation more or less.So this rare treat surprised the girl a little.

She frowned, and looked at the other party suspiciously. She really didn't know what kind of medicine Arturia was selling in her gourd.

"Don't look at me like that."

The blond girl sighed helplessly, and stretched out her hand to scratch her cheek.

"Before, I was very cash-strapped, so I had to save a little money for everything, but it's different now."

"............no the same?"

Subconsciously repeating the other party's words, Meiqin tilted her head, and a trace of confusion appeared in her eyes, "Why is it different? Did you win the lottery?"

"Of course not." Artoria couldn't help laughing out loud at her guess, "Why did you think of that?"

She smiled and shook her head slightly.

"I'll tell you why in a moment, but for now—"

"—Let's order quickly." She elongated her tone, then pointed to the menu, "I recommend his red velvet cake, it tastes very good."

The guarantee from Foodie King is very convincing no matter when and where.

"In that case." Nodding, Misaka Mikoto followed the other party's intention and said, "Then let me have a red velvet cake first, and then a colorful passion fruit."

Nodding, she stretched out her hand to call for the waiter. Artoria told Misaka Mikoto what she wanted, and ordered a chocolate cake and Earl Gray tea for herself.

After the waiter left to process their orders, she turned her head and looked at Mikoto with her lake-colored eyes.

"I called you out this time because I actually have something to tell you."

The expression was exceptionally gentle, but with a trace of helplessness.

The forest met Amber, and the brown-haired girl involuntarily straightened her sitting posture, and a bad premonition flashed in her heart.

My servant called me to this place early in the morning, it must be because I have nothing to do, there must be something important to say to me, Mikoto thinks so.

"I..........."

He opened his mouth, but he couldn't speak when he reached the edge of his mouth. After a pause, Artoria finally said, "I think I should leave this world soon."

Her voice was light and faint, as if she was talking to Mikoto about what to eat tomorrow.

In the most flat tone, Wang said his farewell words.

"........."

In an instant, after saying these words, the smile on Mikoto's face froze.

Silence spread, and the originally relaxed atmosphere between them seemed a bit dignified.

"...Did you call me here just to talk about this?"

Gently lowering her eyes, Mikoto's hair fell down to cover her eyes, so that King Arthur, who was opposite her, could not see her expression clearly.

But there is no need to see clearly, because the slightly trembling voice of the tea-haired girl already explained everything.

She was sad and sad for the sudden parting.

"You..." Don't be sad.

Artoria wanted to comfort her, but she didn't know how to do it.

After hesitating for a moment, she slowly put her hand on Misaka Mikoto's soft brown hair and rubbed it lightly.

"...I'm sorry." She just apologized dryly.

"No, it's me who should apologize."

Miqin's heart was tight, her nose was sore, uncontrollable, crystal clear tears wanted to flow from her eyes.

"...I know, it's all my fault, right? It's because I ran out of Command Seals, right?"

As she spoke, she wiped her red eye circles with her hands.

——It should have been thought of long ago.

Arturia came into this world because of herself, and the connection between him and her is based on the three red Command Seals.

Once the command spell is used up, the contract with Liya will be broken, isn't it a matter of course that will happen.

In fact, she has always had such a premonition during this time, but the fact is too heavy, and Miqin is not willing to think deeply about that.

So today's farewell, everything came so suddenly and naturally.

In fact, she has always been clear about the fact that the king who does not belong to this era will leave her one day.

only............

In the previous relationship, she always thought that there was still a lot of time, and that everything was still too late.

But at this moment, Arturia's words made her suddenly wake up. It turns out that the relationship between people is so fragile, so fragile that it cannot be easily broken.

"...I thought that one day we would be separated, but I didn't expect this day to come so soon."

She wanted to cry, her voice was choked, and Misaka Mikoto tried hard to suppress her sadness, not wanting to show herself so ugly in front of Liya.

But how could she live in hiding?

A sigh escaped from the corner of her mouth, and the reflection in Arturia's eyes was the girl's slightly trembling body.

Standing up, she sat down next to Mikoto from the opposite side, and leaned her shoulders against hers.

"Miqin, although I have left, I will still exist somewhere. This is not the end, nor is it a farewell."

She opened her mouth shallowly, speaking words that even she felt vague.

"...the universe is big, life is bigger, maybe we will meet each other at some point in the future."

Her voice was very soft and light, her eyes were like glazed glass, and she had a faint smile on her face, "Each of us is going to go to our own life after all. During this journey of life, we will always meet different people. It's going to be different, I mean  …"

"...Let's meet in a better future."

I'm sorry, my lovely Master, I regret that I can no longer be with you. In the days to come, I will be absent in your life.

"...You mean we'll see each other again, don't you?"

Misaka Mikoto raised her eyes, stretched out her hand and tugged at the other party's sleeve, her voice was soft.

Hearing her asking herself this question, Artoria took Misaka Mikoto's hands and placed them flat on her chest.

"As long as there is hope, I believe we will meet again."

Her expression was serious, and her tone was full of solemnity.

She said this not only to comfort Misaka Mikoto, but also to comfort herself.

Looking at Artoria like this, what else can Misaka Koto say?

Opening her mouth, she finally smiled at the other party.

Miqin knew it, knowing that the possibility of seeing each other again was really slim.

but..........

Even if it was deception, even if it was self-deception, she was willing to believe every word Arturia just said.

"Well, I believe you."

The brown-haired girl's eyes and eyebrows are full of conviction, but there is a sense of fragility in places where the light cannot reach, "This is not the end, we will definitely see you again."

The conversation between the two came to an abrupt end after the waiter arrived.

Eating his own red velvet cake with a fork, the originally sweet and delicious cake seemed a bit bitter when he put it in his mouth.

It's not an exaggeration to put this sentence here.

'It's almost like a lie, it doesn't taste good at all. '

Swallowing mechanically, Misaka Mikoto swallowed all the food she ordered.

"When will you leave?"

After swallowing the last bite of cake, Mikoto pretended to be nonchalant and asked.

Hearing the question, Artoria closed her eyes, carefully felt the burnt magic power in her body, and then said her answer.

"Probably, probably this evening."

"lb!"

The fork made a crisp sound when it touched the edge of the plate, and Mikoto looked at the knife and fork in her hand in a daze, only feeling a slight colic in her heart.

"...Isn't this fast?"

Pursing her lips tightly, she looked at Artoria opposite her, her expression was a little pale.

Meiqin originally thought it was a reprieve, but she didn't expect to be executed immediately.

——This gap is really too big.

"so........"

The blond girl king bowed slightly, and asked softly, "Miqin, can you spend it with me from today until the end?"

Trembling, Misaka Mikoto straightened herself up, and she forced a smile on the corner of her mouth.