Chapter 29: The Aftershock
They had won.
Silence settled over the battlefield, broken only by labored breathing and the crackling remnants of broken spells.
Astolfo, of course, ruined it first.
"Soooo... what now?"
Riya sighed, brushing dust from his coat.
"The Greater Grail opens at midnight.
It's noon now.
We have eight hours give or take."
He then turned to Sieg. "Hey, Sieg Do you want the Grail too?"
There was a pause.
In that moment, Riya's mind raced.
If he says yes... then I might have to kill him.
Sieg finally spoke. "Yes."
Riya tensed.
"At first," Sieg continued, "my wish was simple. I wanted to give the homunculi a choice. Freedom. Emotions."
He looked up, eyes clearer than ever. "But now, I want to go to the Throne of Heroes.
I want to become a Heroic Spirit."
That stunned everyone.
Astolfo blinked.
Muramasa raised an eyebrow.
And Riya just stared.
Sieg smiled faintly. "I want to be someone powerful, like you or Muramasa.
Someone who saves others."
Then his gaze shifted to Astolfo. "And more than anything, I want to be with him.
When this is over, the Servants go back.
Astolfo included."
"I want to follow him... protect him, like he did for me."
Astolfo's face turned redder than his hair.
Meanwhile, Riya's thoughts kept circling.
He's a good guy.
But if I want to go back to my family... I need to fix the timeline.
To fix the timeline, I need Chaldea.
To create Chaldea... I need the Holy Grail.
To get the Holy Grail.
...I need to kill sieg.
Before Riya could speak, Muramasa cut in.
"You might not need the Grail."
Everyone looked at him.
"You helped fix a major anomaly threatening humanity."
"You have a power, that is ties to Siegfried, and that cursed dragon that is still lingering in your soul."
"If you keep doing things that matter... the Throne will recognize you."
"You'll become a Heroic Spirit without needing a wish."
Sieg chuckled. "Guess I don't need the Grail then."
Riya exhaled, tension fading.
He looked to Muramasa, who nodded.
Muramasa knew.
Knew that Riya wasn't a good guy.
He'd killed Shirou.
He killed that magus days ago.
His humor, sarcasm, all of it—just a mask.
He wasn't a hero. But he wasn't a villain either.
He was just a man who wanted to see his family again.
A round of yawns broke the moment.
Everyone was tired.
Deservedly so.
Exhaustion hit them like a crashing wave.
Riya stretched. "I say Let's rest.
We will wake up before midnight."
Of course, he had another reason: he wanted to meet Semiramis again... and "connect" with her.
Muramasa caught on.
"I'll keep watch."
Sieg seemed uncomfortable.
They were deep underground, the cave was cold and hard.
"We're sleeping on the ground?"
Astolfo grinned. "I can be your mattress, blanket, and pillow. All in one so...don't you worry siegy okey?"
He said it while scooting way too close.
Riya grunted. "No funny business."
"Two feet apart. "
"Minimum."
Then everyone fell asleep.
Just like last time, Riya found himself in a luxurious chamber.
The royal throne room.
Semiramis sat on her throne, legs crossed, while a single finger resting seductively on her lips.
She was dangerously beautiful.
Riya could barely speak.
Seeing him stare made her smile.
"Congratulations, dear. You completed my mission. You killed that priest... and did it so beautifully~"
She placed her hand over her chest, mock sincerity dripping from her voice.
She rose, hips swaying as she slowly walked toward him.
"I heard your thoughts you know." she whispered. "About Sieg. About what you might've had to do."
She reached him, pressing her entire body against his, her generous curves melting into him.
"It made me a little... excited." she purred, licking her lips.
Riya blushed violently.
He tried to speak, but Semiramis kissed him before he could utter a word.
Her tongue invaded his mouth as her body pressed harder against him.
Minutes passed.
And they were still at it.
But suddenly, something was wrong.
Riya's limbs felt heavy.
Weaker.
Before he know it, He collapsed.
"W-What did you do?"
Semiramis knelt beside him, a wicked smile playing on her lips. "Just a bit of paralyzing poison. Nothing serious."
"W-Why?"
She leaned in, whispering into his ear.
"Because I want to be the one in control during our... connection~"
Riya gulped at that, heat seems to start coiling around in his chest.
She then lifted him effortlessly onto a floating platform using magic.
Then They soared through a grand, royal castle until they reached a bedroom fit for an empire.
A bed large enough for twelve, draped in crimson and gold.
She laid him down.
Then climbed on top.
"Now," she said, voice low, "let me show you what an Empress can really do~"
She licked her lips and then said. "Ohhh~ I'm going to enjoy this~~~"
And she did.
Riya woke up with a look no one had ever seen on his face.
Last night wasn't just good.
It was the best night of his life.
He glanced sideways.
Sieg and Astolfo were sleeping peacefully.
On his other side...
Muramasa.
"You were talking in your sleep," the old man said without looking.
...
Riya turned red.
...
It seems that today was the day riya died.
Not from the outside.
But from within.
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RIYA RIOT STATS:
Semiramis:
Skills:
Presence Concealment:(C+)
Territory Creation:(EX)
Item Construction:(C)
Divinity:(C)
Familiar (Dove):(D)
Double Summon:(B)
Noble Phantasms:
Sikera Ušum:(A)
Hanging Gardens of Babylon:(EX)
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