Fourteen thousand years.
This is a timescale no one can imagine.
The mere two thousand four hundred years Naoki spent here were already difficult for Ritsuka and the others to imagine, and fourteen thousand years... Such a long time is enough to completely change a person, making them forget everything in the past.
This is the price to pay to save a world.
Naoki must return to the past alone, living alone for fourteen thousand years in a new world.
"Not alone."
Morgan spoke up.
"I'll go with Naoki—"
[No, you cannot.]
Merry rejected Morgan's idea.
[Regardless of us who are from Proper Human History, you who are from the Lostbelt, it's impossible for you to accompany Naoki. Because the moment Naoki returns to the past and changes history from the beginning, all of you will disappear.]
Yes, disappear.
This is the result that changing history will bring. This Lostbelt, which has gone down the wrong path, will disappear. Traces of its existence will be lost forever—including the people living in this Lostbelt.
Of course, people from Proper Human History cannot go either. That is no longer a zone that Rayshift can interfere with. There is simply not enough Mana.
"Wait a minute, isn't that reversed then?" Artoria frowned. "Master wants to save this world to fulfill Morgan's wish. But if the price for saving the world is Morgan's disappearance... what's the point of this?"
There is no point at all.
At least for Naoki, that was the case.
What he was doing could indeed change the entire world, saving it from the path of destruction, but the person who pushed him to start saving the world would never be able to see that newly born world.
Morgan would not be able to see the future of a saved Britain.
"How can this be..."
"This..."
"Then it's better to maintain the status quo."
Everyone couldn't help but look at Naoki and Morgan, then Gray couldn't help but say: "It's better to... cancel it, big brother. Don't care about this world anymore, and come back to Proper Human History with us."
"Of course, not just big brother, Miss Morgan, Caster, and the Fairy Knights too, everyone can come to Proper Human History, because this Lostbelt was originally—"
"I'll go alone."
Naoki cut Gray off.
Everyone fell silent in place.
Morgan shook her head slightly: "No, Naoki, you don't need to—"
"Giving up here... would give me a feeling of futility, Morgan." Naoki said with a smile. "The hope you expressed to me two thousand four hundred years ago, now finally has a chance to come true. I cannot disappoint you."
"I will return to fourteen thousand years ago, defeat Sefar, and save this island from its roots."
Saying that, Naoki went to Ritsuka, took the ten rings one by one from her fingers, and put them on his own fingers.
"Besides, I'm not going back alone; Goetia will be with me. I also won't let you all disappear. There's a way to avoid it—Merry, before history changes, can you take them all to Proper Human History via Rayshift, and then through your and Merlin's illusions, can they all be protected?"
[In theory, it should be possible. Even if not, there are still unconventional methods, such as making them all Heroic Spirits, then summoning them back via Servant summoning. The point is, there must be a way.]
"Hmm, that's good then. Then I'll leave their affairs to you. Once you reach Proper Human History, please take care of them as you used to take care of me. But remember not to overdo it; not everyone is like I was then, who would indulge you in everything."
[Of course I know—but, is this really alright?]
"What do you mean?"
[Considering the time flow difference between Proper Human History and the Lostbelt, fourteen thousand years in the Lostbelt is roughly equivalent to six years on our side. During these six years, we definitely won't forget you, but after you've passed fourteen thousand years, will you still remember us?]
Merry asked what everyone wanted to ask.
Would Naoki still remember them.
Actually, six years alone is enough to make a person forget many things. For example, high school students will forget the names of their elementary school teachers, will forget the names of their elementary school classmates... If they keep communicating, it's not a problem, but if they don't communicate or reminisce for a long time, six years can truly make many things forgotten.
Furthermore, Naoki will pass fourteen thousand years.
It's not just a matter of whether he will remember them. After fourteen thousand years, will Naoki truly return from that world to the world where they are?
He will surely meet new people, make new friends, even meet new lovers in the new world—after having a new life, will he still return to those who are the past?
Naoki remembered what Shiki, the Root of the World, said when he met her before.
He remembered it after defeating Goetia, right? He met her after reaching the Root again. At that time, she said—
[For us, the next meeting will happen in a very distant future. I hope that by then, you still remember me.]
For her who was connected to the Root, perhaps at that time, she had already seen this situation.
Seeing Naoki returning to fourteen thousand years ago to change history.
"Then... in short, all of you, please give me one slash."
Naoki suddenly laughed.
"I will control my power well, not let the wounds you inflict on me heal, and I will mark each wound with a name—that way, no matter how much time passes, I will not forget you."
"...."
"...."
Everyone fell silent.
Everyone was silent for a very long time.
Then.
*BAM!*
Aoko stepped forward, and first punched Naoki hard in the face, sending his entire body flying far away with a single blow!
"I'm not using weapons, just my fists, so this is enough for me. Remember well, I'm the one who punched your face, Aozaki Aoko—if six years later I don't see you back, I will immediately forget you and announce to the whole world that I am single. Thinking I liked a foolish man like you before was just because I misjudged."
"We sisters indeed have bad taste in men." Touko smiled bitterly. She took off her cigarette, and pressed the cigarette butt hard on Naoki's collarbone. "It hurts a bit, but you're an Elemental Spirit, so it's fine. My mark is like this—remember to come back, kid."
The two oldest completed their farewells first.
After taking a deep breath, the others also came forward one by one.
Atalanta's arrows, Artoria and the others' sword blades, Ciel and the others' Magecraft... Everyone left their marks on Naoki's body in their own ways, completing farewells that suited their personalities.
Except for Gray.
"Big brother."
Seeing Naoki, who looked messy and covered in wounds, before her, Gray sighed slightly. She stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, touched his lips, and bit them until they bled slightly.
This was the first time she had acted so actively.
"We will wait for you back in London, Big brother. Please be sure to come back, be sure, be sure, be sure to come back."
"Gray... I will come back."
Naoki nodded gently.
[I don't need to.]
Merry's voice sounded with a slight smile.
[If you forget me, then I can also easily forget you, then look for a new fun little kid.]
"Don't worry, I won't forget you at all. After all, a woman like you who makes me half-dead with worry, there's only one throughout history. I wouldn't be able to forget her even if I wanted to."
[Good—then our side's farewell ends here. Next, I will start performing Reverse Rayshift for everyone, bringing everyone back to Proper Human History, and starting to perform a directed summoning of King Solomon or King Gilgamesh.]
[Once everything is ready, we will officially begin the action of changing history—and the time before that, belongs to you all in the Lostbelt.]