Beta read by Shigiya, Gamercrusher55 and Fluffy Slayer
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{Break}
(An hour later)
After that fiasco with Maia, where she'd clearly had a bit too much fun tormenting her informant, Archer resumed his search through the town for any useful information. The Princess Knight had even reached out to all her informants for leads, but in the end, they returned empty-handed.
'The more I learn about this, the more certain I become... this has nothing to do with Olga.'
Even setting aside the issue of timing, Olga, despite being a genius in magic, had never been skilled at staying hidden, especially from so many eyes. Even with magical aid, he doubted she could have evaded detection for this long. At best, she may have passed through the town and already moved on, which made their decision to leave even more likely.
"Hm?" He paused mid-step, glancing over his shoulder at the bustling night streets. That strange sensation from before crept back into his awareness.
'Someone's watching me.'
A faint sensation started the moment he left the shop. Making him question if Lan perhaps became a bit too bold and was attempting to try something unwise. With so many people out and about, it was impossible to tell. Whoever it was, they were extremely cautious and deliberate not to reveal themselves. His eyes swept the crowded street one last time before he turned and entered the tavern.
Inside, the Inn owner approached, holding a small folded note.
"Excuse me, sir. The lady in a cloak who was with you earlier asked me to give this to you as soon as you returned."
He accepted the note, instantly thinking of Maia, but quickly dismissed the idea. She wasn't the type to use such roundabout methods. If she had something to say, she'd do it face-to-face. That only left one possibility. Opening the paper and scanning its contents, he let out a weary sigh.
"Alright then."
…
(A few minutes later)
Despite the place being closed off, some areas like the plantation fields where farmers cultivated were still very much a large open area where he was allowed to go. Finding a hill in the distant edge away from sight, a single tree grew on top, where, under the moonlight, a person awaited him.
"The night is very beautiful," the person before him commented, his eyes going to the cloak at the foot of the tree, leaving the woman standing there without anything hiding her figure. Soft and vibrant blonde hair swaying with the cold wind gracing her figure.
With her ribbons of white cloth, caught in the whispering breeze like strands of living silk.
At such moments, despite everything that happened between them, it was at such moments he would momentarily recall that despite all of her flaws, the woman could easily be considered one of the most beautiful in Eostia, and why plenty of people worshiped her. A trait shared by her sister as well, both blondes embody what many in this world consider perfection.
"The Moon looks exactly like the one from my vision of you as a child."
The man headed near the tree and leaned against it without pulling down his hood and crossing his arms. Neither surprised by what she said nor angry, for he already knew she had seen plenty of things related to him through Divination somehow.
"Maybe," Strange how even in a different world, the celestial body in the sky was somehow identical to the one from his own world.
"You… remember those moments?"
"Bits and pieces, sure." He answered honestly, no reason to keep any secret at this point. "What about it?"
Celestine turned her attention to him, or rather, she was staring at someone else entirely. While they were one and the same, he was here present, while he existed in the past. "When I first got these visions back then, I was very confused and fearful at what I saw. I did not understand their purpose or the meaning behind it. All of it focused on a young redheaded boy who did not seem like he was from the Seven Kingdoms. Despite the tragedy of the fire, I could not look away and grieved for the young boy."
Archer huffed lightly.
"I appreciate the sentiment. Even if it is an invasion of my privacy." His answer was neither too thankful nor did it sound like a sarcastic response—mostly at least.
Just a simple response without much emotion or intent behind it. He slid down and sat on the grass, looking at the stars.
"I saw many things and I know you may not approve that I witnessed so many different moments about you… But I do not regret them. I am grateful to have seen the life of such a pure-hearted child who, despite all tragedies, kept trying to help people around him."
"That was a long time ago."
"I know." Surprisingly, she did not argue. "But if you don't mind me asking, in one of my visions, that man who you once called your father. What kind of person was he?"
"Why are you curious about him?" He asked, genuinely puzzled by her sudden interest in Kiritsugu. Yet surprisingly, the answer he received was laced with unmistakable venom.
"Because I want to understand the kind of person who could curse a child to walk such a cruel and lonely path through life."
He was taken aback. Never had he expected such raw emotion from a woman who had never even met the man in question. All she knew of him came through the eyes of a broken child who idolized him, and yet somehow, she had drawn an entirely different conclusion. For a moment, he wasn't even sure if answering her question was necessary at all..
For it held no purpose.
Still, he chose to entertain the notion, if only for a moment. A part of him clung to hope that, perhaps, it would help her finally understand what he had been trying to say all along.
"Not much to say really, Kiritsugu was… a deeply flawed man. Weighed down by regrets from his past, with guilt that shaped every decision he made. He tried to give meaning to the tragedies he witnessed, to make them count for something. But over time, his ideals wore thin. His views became jaded, and his methods… more extreme. In the end, he was just human—like me, like everyone else here.e."
"…"
"Humans are flawed. He just believed in flawed methods and imperfect solutions. But that doesn't mean he meant harm—he is the very reason why that young boy survived in the first place."
The boy idolized him. Perhaps seeing him under a similar light like the people in this world saw Celestine.
He closed his eyes, despite the passing of countless years, he still recalled that man's smile and his passing on that night. Celestine saw clearly.
Each second.
Each word.
All of it forever burned to his core, impossible to forget.
Celestine's hands clenched. "He had no right to do such a thing. You are suffering eternally with no rest, with no reward. Don't you wish you'd never heard his words?"
Again, he shrugged.
"It wouldn't have mattered; that boy was already walking down that path." For it was not that conversation that was the source of Shirou Emiya's ideal. It merely served to further focus what was already taking shape inside. "I think the moment he was saved from the fire, everything had already been set into stone. Kiritsugu just gave the boy's ideals a name, a Hero of Justice."
"If you now see the flaws in his words, then why continue being a hero to people undeserving of it?" Her voice shook; he felt they had already had this conversation before… no, they definitely did.
But she wasn't able to accept his answer. She couldn't.
He chuckled, "You speak as if I have a choice here. In the end, whether I want to continue being a hero to you or anyone else doesn't really matter anymore. I cannot ignore my duties. You already know the truth of my situation. I do not know why you keep being so stubborn about it."
"..."
At that moment, a faint smile crossed his face when he remembered a certain twin-tailed girl's face.
"This is my life now, I've decided to accept it. I promised someone that I'd do my best and will try with all my might to live according to what I believe to be right, along with my duties. If I do that, then maybe this existence won't be so bad."
Seeing the quiet that had come over, she decided to take a seat next to him, unbothered by the dirt on the ground and the rough texture of the tree bark pressing against her back. Her shoulders were slightly leaning against him as she felt his warmth.
Archer decided it was best to steer away from this topic. He knew all too well that his words wouldn't change her mind so easily, so instead, he made a simple comment.
"Have you ever considered wearing something a bit more… conservative? Standing out here in this weather, you'll catch a cold. Or perhaps being a goddess makes you immune to such trivial mortal concerns?" He shifted the subject with a dry remark, clearly responding to something she'd said moments before.d.
Celestine giggled, shaking her head with a faint, weak smile, visibly affected by the prior conversation. "A goddess… huh, can I even be called one?"
"Aren't you the reincarnation of one?"
"I am," a sigh escaped her lips. "Yet I do not possess the memory of the Goddess Larentina, I merely wield but a mere fraction of what she had, but I cannot create life with just a wave of my hand. I do not control it, at best I can guide it."
She turned, her emerald green eyes gazing at him with the ever-present amount of love within that had never diminished once—but this time carrying a hint of sadness. "Tell me, what is a god to you?"
It was an unexpected question, he had to admit—one not easily answered, especially given the rules and realities of both worlds. If he were to give a simplified answer, then yes, any Divine Spirit born from the collective thoughts of humankind, embodying a certain concept, and worshiped to the point of gaining power through accumulated faith, could indeed be consdiered a god.
Were he to simplify it even further, then just possessing Divinity alone would give credence to one holding the title of a god.
"Is a god not supposed to be a being of absolute power capable of shaping the world as they wish?" Celestine continued. "One who holds both omnipotence, where nothing is impossible for them, including keeping people who worship them safe? To grant their prayers, to save them from harm, to bless the innocent and punish the wicked? One who can save anyone and everyone?"
Archer did not immediately answer, rubbing his chin with several thoughts crossing his mind. He felt her body shift, moving closer until the woman sat in front of him on his knees. Unaffected by the cold, with her eyes filled with something different this time, not sadness like that previous moment.
"Do you see me as a Goddess, just like the rest?" She asked.
Archer sighed, "Yes, I do."
Regardless of what he may feel towards her, by this world's system, she was a Goddess or the closest thing to one. Being a god did not mean having a certain temperament, a certain set of powers, or even following a duty to protect mortals. He had seen and interacted with Divine Spirits in the past and would never have had such intentions—yet they were still worshiped.
Now, whether he worshipped her or not, that was another matter entirely. It was clear she wasn't the God. And after everything he'd been through, he didn't exactly feel like the devout type. His thoughts drifted back to the priest who lived in his town for a decade and the things that man had done.
He shook his head to banish those thoughts.
"Look, I can tell that you care about your people, and your past actions in keeping humanity safe from Olga's fury are something not every god would even consider. If it helps you, then consider that as an achievement to show that you have done more than enough to earn the recognition as a god. Just continue doing what you have been doing before my arrival, and everything will be alright… just don't blindly trust a band of mercenaries with the fate of the world next time."
Rather than be satisfied by his answer, a different emotion rose on her face. Leaning forward till she was practically leaning onto his chest, "But if the safety of people is no longer my goal, will you still call me a Goddess?"
Archer chuckled, not a reaction she expected.
"Some would say that this fits the description of a god. Where I come from, many of them were pretty selfish. Willing to do anything to get what they wanted, even if it meant endangering the very people who worshiped them. In the end, gods often aren't so different from humans." Then he lowered his gaze, looking at her. "I cannot replace them, Celestine. And you shouldn't go to such lengths just because you feel responsible for saving someone… who's already gone."
Listening to his words, her fingers glided over his arm, going downwards and taking his hand into her own. He raised his eyebrow when the blonde brought them to her chest, making his palm press against her chest with the fabric covering them being pushed off. Yet she did not appear embarrassed or even ashamed.
"Do you feel that? Can you feel my heart beating? And it's all because I'm with you. What I felt before was not just pity, but also admiration. I am not trying to save you because I feel pity or because I am compelled by some responsibility as a Goddess. I want to be next to you, just like Maia and the others have been lately. I see them smiling around you, even Olga and Chloe, who were once your enemies, I see them smiling around you. But they… they do it not because they love you, but because they want something in return."
With little movement, she removed the other ribbon on her chest, fully exposing it to Archer with a prominent flush on her face.
"I want to give you love, not to take or ask anything in return." Her hands caressed his face, her breathing turning deeper as she leaned in with her face nestled against his neck. Lips touching his skin, leaving several delicate kisses. "It hurts seeing you with them, every time I can't help myself but find the world starting to lose its colour."
A shiver ran across the woman's body as his scent reached her, her heart fluttering with a warm, intoxicating delight. She could not stop, both mind and body craving more… Silently hoping that he might sense the depth of her feelings for him.
"Unlike them, you can take me. Ravish me, hurt me, use me in any way you want to… and I will never ask anything in return. I will love it, more than anyone else… for even if I have yet to acquire the power to break your chains—then at least I can use my body to make it more bearable for you. I just want you to feel loved, to relieve you of these responsibilities, and lessen your burdens. You are tired, I can see that." Her soft voice next to his ears was as enticing as a succubus's call. Though inexperienced, Celestine found herself moving at the whims of her instincts.
At one point, she had dreams or maybe even saw a vision of a "what-if" realm where the Kuroinu had won. She saw herself being put on display in front of her people, defiled on the spot by Vault before he threw her to the crowd, who proceeded to continue the act.
Those scenes mortified Celestine every time she remembered them.
What horrified her the most was understanding why 'that Celestine' had made such a decision. For she wanted to save her people, to shoulder their fear, and to bring a form of peace during such a defeat. Even if it meant using her body to satisfy their lust, as she could not bear to see her people suffer.
If faced with a similar situation, would she take a similar path? The answer had been clear the day Beardsley instigated an assault on Feoh through his schemes and plunged the place into chaos. Had she been like her previous self, then that version of Celestine would have offered her body to get rid of the effects of the aphrodisiac, if there had been no other way.
But back then, she gazed at those affected getting trampled by the horde as they tried to reach her and the other Princess Knights. She saw blood flow and life flickering away without so much as a twitch on her face. She felt neither grief, anger, nor even sadness — just emptiness.
For their suffering was nothing compared to his. Why would she offer any help when he needed her the most?
Yet now, in this position, she did not mind if he used her the same way as Vault did in her dreams. She did not feel any disgust or revulsion at the idea, even craving it to some degree, for it meant he wanted her. That her body made a difference, even if a small one. That she could help him.
"I love you…"
She opened her heart, eyes hazy with love as they focused on his lips. Feeling a warmth spread downwards at his touch, wanting to be taken under the moonlight and make herself his alone. To give him comfort that others could never actually give, for they did not understand him like she did.
Slowly, her lips drew closer to his.
"I love you, Shirou."
"—!"
Her lips hovered a breath away when his palm pressed against her mouth, stopping her. She blinked in surprise, finding his face completely devoid of emotion—that familiar mask he wore when shutting someone out. She'd seen it before, and the sight of it now sent a sharp pain through her chest. His eyes held nothing—no desire, no anger, not even pity. Just emptiness. That hurt more than any rejection could.
"Why…" she asked with a hint of silent desperation. "Do you think I'm not telling the truth? Am I not good enough?"
Archer sighed.
"I know you're not lying."
She could not understand.
"Then why…?"
The blonde needed an answer, her every effort being met with resistance on his end, yet others could freely get close to him. Why couldn't she?
Unlike them, all she wanted was to save him.
"You do not love me," he replied, shocking her as the answer made no sense. He added more, noticing her reaction. "You do not love me, nor do you love the Shirou Emiya I once was, for that matter."
"That's not true," Celestine said with a shuddering tone. "I love you more than anyone does! I want you to be happy more than anything! To give you a life you deserve!"
Again, he shook his head and instead showed a smile that resembled more pity than anything else. "I do not know why your divination powers worked in such a way to show you my past, even though you are not my Master and I am no Servant. It has shown you many things you did not understand, putting a veil over your eyes whenever you saw the life of the boy who followed a path completely devoid of you or your involvement in the matter."
His hand rested on her shoulders, gently pushing her away.
"You fell in love with the idea of the Shirou Emiya you created in your mind. Of what he symbolized, what he meant for you, and what you wanted to see in him. It was neither I nor the real Shirou Emiya who once was alive."
She shook her head, eyes wide open with denial and frustration.
"You're wrong… you're wrong!" Her voice echoed across the empty clearing. "Let me show you then, I-I can show you that my love for you is genuine in any way you want!"
"If I took advantage of you while you're in this state, then how am I any different from Vault?" He added, "It's not like I am against the idea of you loving me, even though I find that to be a terrible decision in itself. Like I said to Maia, I won't be here forever, and growing too attached would only hurt you."
"..."
"But you do not love me in the first place, and until you do not get rid of the version of Shirou you have created in your mind, I am no different from a stranger to you. You cannot 'fix' me because you are mistaken about what to 'fix' in the first place. You cannot save me in any way since you refuse to even acknowledge who I am, and not who I once was. You aren't taking into consideration what I need."
He got up, leaving Celestine on the ground, hesitating for a second before projecting a blanket around her body. Archer understood that seeing his earlier life went against everything Celestine stood for, compelling her to prevent what had already happened to such a point, to repair it, that it warped her understanding of Shirou Emiya.
"I do not hate you, Celestine. I just wish for you to see things as they are rather than how they should be." With his part said, with neither anger in his tone but instead patience this time. He hoped his words would get through to her and decided to give her time to process them. "We'll leave tomorrow or the next day at dawn, best not to waste time finding Olga and Chloe."
"Does Olga know you then?" She whispered, her hands clenching the grass beneath. "Same for Maia, Radomira, Alicia, Prim, and anyone else? They'll betray you, just like back then, after you gave everything… they will."
He stopped in his tracks, giving her a side glance. "They have no idea of who Shirou Emiya used to be, so in their eyes, I will always be and remain no one else but Archer. Even if they betray me, well, I wouldn't fault them for that — I can be a jerk at times. As long as I complete the goal I set out here to accomplish, then I know that both sides will eventually be alright."
He did not know if this was enough to make her understand; he did not want to continue this conversation longer than it should take, and his heart still had not completely calmed down yet.
But just as he was about to leave, his eyes narrowed in the distant building, noticing a shadow retreating as soon as he turned his attention to it. 'I should not take any risk.'
Walking over to Celestine, he extended his hand. "Let's go, please don't stay here all alone. It's dangerous."
Even after what happened between them, she accepted and held onto his hand without meeting his gaze.
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Both arriving back at the Inn, he noted how the sensation of being watched had disappeared once more. He did not dismiss the idea of it being Lan or even someone else, but they were leaving tomorrow, and he would deal with the person if they continued to follow them past the town.
With these thoughts in mind, inside the building, he found Maia and Radomira sitting at the empty dining hall having dinner. Both women, still having cloaks hiding their features, waved at him excitedly and called him over.
"Where have you been, Archer?" Maia asked, looking at Celestine walking upstairs holding onto a blanket around her body. Several alarms rang inside her mind. "Did something happen between you two?"
He shook his head, patting Radomira's head. "Nothing, we just had a… talk."
"A talk, really?"
"Believe it or not, two people can just spend a night talking without having sex." He turned attention to the Tiefling who had behaved appropriately today without attracting any attention. Guess she was worried about Olga too, even if she tried to look cheerful.
"Everything is going to be alright, we will find her."
Radomira paused, then smiled. "Right. Next time, I'll help you look for her in the city."
"I don't think that's a good idea. If there's a chance they spotted your wings, horns, or tail, then what, huh? It's late now, so go to bed." Under the hood, he saw the girl pout. But in her current form, it looked quite different from what he was used to seeing.
"Let's go together then."
"We're not sleeping together," he told her immediately, especially given how narrow the beds here were. And again, in her current form, sleeping together was a bad idea, for Radomira moved a lot in her sleep and was pretty grabby at times. "You're a grown woman now."
"That's not fair! It's just my body, not like I've changed!"
"So you're admitting that I should continue treating you like a brat?"
"Ah," Radomira froze on the spot, realizing her mistake, especially when lately she kept wanting him to treat her differently from before.
Maia grinned, more amused than anything. "Forget about it, you may be sexy as hell now, but you still have a lot catching up to do to me."
"Shut up, bitch."
"What did you call me!?"
"Radomira…" Archer said while giving her a pointed look, wondering where she learned that word, she immediately pointed at Maia, causing Archer to look at the one in question, who was looking away, sweating.
"I'm i-innocent." Said Maia meekly, looking far too guilty than innocent.
"Pffft," That stopped both the girls as they slowly went to look at Archer's face, all while seeing the erratic rise of his chest.
Was he… laughing?
The two were stumped until he patted Radomira's head once more, much to the latter's dismay at not being able to say anything in return. "I won't be joining you for dinner, unfortunately, I'm gonna head to bed early. Don't stay up too late, and Maia, don't you dare hand Radomira any alcohol."
With those words, he parted ways and headed upstairs. His eyes went to Celestine's room, where he couldn't help but release a sigh after recalling what happened. She may have been hurt from what he said, but she needed to accept the truth.
"Fuuu…"
Inside his room, the man landed on his bed with a loud huff, staring at the ceiling for a couple of seconds while thinking about what had occurred earlier. He did not want to admit it, but for a brief moment, he had indeed gotten too immersed in the atmosphere with Celestine back there.
No wonder Olga warned him about her beauty. She had her own charm as the Goddess Reborn without even needing the help of an aphrodisiac to cause certain thoughts to enter the minds of men and women alike.
"Hah, guess I am also tired myself." He chided himself for almost making a terrible mistake that would have just worsened Celestine's state had things gotten out of hand.
After that, his eyes closed, and the man slowly fell into a deep sleep for the first time in a long while. Knowing full well that tomorrow would require all of his energy if things didn't go as planned, as they usually tended to be.
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Hours passed, the other girls returned to their rooms, and the Inn turned silent with everyone now fully asleep. The doors to the establishment opened quietly with a figure walking in, faint rings of bangles ringing with each step. Heading upstairs and then proceeding to stand in front of a room where sensitive pointed ears could hear faint sounds of breathing coming from within.
The people here… they were searching for Olga, who had apparently managed to escape.
They seemed to know where she was heading.
"I'm so close, just wait for me, sister."
She'd made all the preparations; she took a bath, brushed her hair until it gleamed, tinted her lips with care, and adorned herself in the subtle allure of carefully chosen scents.
One of them was a man… this made things easier for her to achieve her goals.
(AN: Check Paragraph Comment for image)
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.