Chapter 22: Stirring Shadows
Riya woke up with a goofy smile still on his face after the dreamlike night with Atalanta.
Like clockwork, he got up, ready to brush his teeth, shower, and grab a light bite.
That plan, however, was derailed by the unmistakable noises coming from the bathroom.
The shower was in use—and judging by the rhythmic moaning and wet slaps echoing through the walls, Riya groaned, realizing Sieg and Astolfo were at it again.
His morning routine? Officially cancelled.
Meanwhile, far from Riya's frustration, Avicebron stood silently beside a colossal golem—his Noble Phantasm nearly complete.
All that remained was the reactor core.
Originally, Avicebron had planned to kidnap Sieg, do to his new master current status as another ruler it meant that Command Spells from other Rulers couldn't stop him.
But Sieg had three powerful guardians that made this plan impossible.
Seeking help, Avicebron turned to Shirou.
But Shirou had a different plan.
He summoned a homunculus who returned with him—Roche, Avicebron's former master.
The perfect core.
Roche, terrified, He had only ever wanted to create golems, not become one.
Avicebron knew Roche would made the ideal core, but Shirou explained the golem couldn't be completed today anyway: one, because activating it would destroy their base; and two, for a reason Shirou kept to himself.
Avicebron agreed to move the golem away from the castle, setting its awakening for dawn the next day.
Elsewhere, Sieg and Astolfo enjoyed a lovely date—until they were followed.
By who? Riya and Muramasa, of course.
Riya was bored. Jealous and Frustrated.
Five heroic spirits he'd "connected" with, and zero dates. No true relationship.
So, spiteful and annoyed by the lovebirds who kept him awake with their nightly activities, Riya decided to stalked them.
Muramasa also followed only because he had no choice in the matter.
The couple visited shops, laughed together, and had fun.
And just as they were about to kiss again while sharing ice cream, Riya used Atalanta's power to fire an invisible arrow.
It zipped past like a bird swooping in, causing Astolfo to yelp and drop his cone—smearing it all over Sieg's face.
Riya grinned. Success.
Until Astolfo licked the ice cream off Sieg's face and kissed him again, even more passionately.
Muramasa sighed. "Is there any point anymore?"
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Shirou penned a letter—to the Clock Tower.
The letter contained the location and activation time of Avicebron's Noble Phantasm. A betrayal?
Not quite.
Shirou's wish was salvation for humanity.
But there's no point in saving humanity if it's wiped out.
He needed the Ruler's help to stop Avicebron—without sacrificing his final three Servants, whom he needed for the endgame.
He sealed the letter and prayed everything would unfold as planned.
Tomorrow, everything would be decided.