[8:30 P.M.]
The sea waves suddenly fell silent.
The world seemed to have sunk to the bottom of the sea, becoming quietly soundless.
Until orange-red beams shot into the sky, exploding before the bright full moon.
Only then did the nerves in the ears seem to receive a certain signal, and a series of rumbling explosions followed one after another without pause.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Cluster after cluster, brief fireworks ascended to the sky, and finally exploded.
They ended their brilliant lives in the dark night sky. Even in their most splendid moments, it was only in service of humans.
The sea has tides that rise and fall, the moon has phases of fullness and waning, and people have sorrow and joy, partings and reunions.
Painful separation is for the sake of the next encounter. A promised vow is made to allow the most trusted person to hold expectations.
Likewise, all the fireworks in Fuyuki were launched just for a pure silver-haired girl's first journey far from home.
The purest of hopes was simply to wish her happiness.
Standing by the seaside, Illya unconsciously raised her head and looked up at the countless fireworks. They stole the spotlight from the stars, argued with the moon, the sky was their stage.
One beam of red light after another shone in harmony upon her delicate silver face, greedily kissing her skin.
The wind could blow her hems, lift her silvery-white, moon-like beautiful hair, and could also blow away the traces of a person's existence, but it absolutely could not shake someone with a determined heart.
'If merely giving away a Noble Phantasm can make a girl happy, then I think that must not be wrong.'
'What is the standard that defines a hero?'
'Doing miraculous things?'
'Saving humanity?'
'Or achieving great accomplishments?'
'Yes, but also no.'
'Because what truly forges a hero indispensably, is people's feelings.'
To make one person happy, let a city's fireworks bloom.
Without a doubt, in Medea's eyes, Emiya Shirou was absolutely a hero, a hero belonging only to a girl, a hero who could be seen as omnipotent.
At this moment, she believed, regardless of whether Berserker's past was radiant or dark. The current him, standing in front of the girl, had already surpassed his former myth.
He no longer belonged to anyone else.
He belonged only to that girl.
"Sorry, Illya."
The glow of the fireworks shone on the beach. Boy and girl stood facing each other.
Shirou took the pure silver-haired girl's hand, gazing at her quivering eyelashes and watery eyes.
Even the most insensitive person would realize in this moment what kind of gift the boy had given her.
From the cool palm came an incredible strength.
"Berserker," The delicate body showed its true frailty for the first time.
At this moment, Shirou's emotion finally overwhelmed his absolute reason. His voice was no longer its usual coldness, but was full of gentleness.
"Though it's a bit late, still, let me use this insignificant fireworks display to wish you, happy birthday for the past ten years you missed."
In that instant, a stunning smile blossomed with the rising smoke.
That boy's most pure, most sincere, and most incredible smile.
Just like that, appeared in everyone's eyes.
The wind played with his hair, the firelight of the fireworks outlined his figure.
That was definitely not the most handsome smile.
But it was absolutely the gentlest, most unfathomable smile.
Sajyou Manaka's clear eyes widened suddenly, her heart felt as if it had been struck by a thousand-pound hammer.
She couldn't help but clutch her chest, as if something inside was about to burst out.
"What is this?"
'Why did I... look away?'
'Because it's boring?'
'No!'
This never-before-felt sensation crashed against Sajyou Manaka's heart. Wantonly robbing her of reason. Eyes unstained by dust, for the first time, lit up with blazing flames.
There was no mistake.
She was… jealous. She was jealous of an insignificant woman.
Not because she stole a beloved toy, nor because she developed uncontrollable human affection for the toy. She was simply jealous.
Jealous that the girl received that kind of smile.
And it was only natural. Everyone, everyone, everyone! Everyone who saw it here... Everyone who saw that smile would feel jealous of that woman.
Jealous that the smile wasn't directed at themselves. Jealous that some stranger of a woman could receive such a wonderful blessing.
Jealous to the point of wanting to snatch that smile away and examine it over and over.
If it weren't for the promise made with Berserker…
In the quiet, graceful pupils, were the words from when the promise was made, ("Until the fireworks end, no action. This kind of promise, you can keep it, right?")
Because she had agreed too lightly, she now couldn't go back on it.
'But but!'
'All these fireworks, all of them, were prepared by me!'
'How could you, how could you, use what I prepared to please someone else!'
The crazed jealousy extended from within. It hid Sajyou Manaka's beautiful face entirely into shadow.
Right now, she wanted nothing more than to use Command Spells to have Saber blow up these disgusting fireworks.
'Seriously, so disgusting!'
———
"Berserker," Tears welled in her beautiful eyes. No matter how blurry her vision became, she could never forget the face of the person in front of her.
"It's enough, it's more than enough," She repeated, over and over, tirelessly.
The soreness of her nose couldn't be suppressed at all.
At this moment, just one step forward and she could throw herself into this man's arms.
'As long as it is him, he will never reject. As long as it is him, even without doing these things, I will still...'
"There's no need... to do so much for me," Before her mind could respond, her body was already acting on its own.
Without any awareness. She only realized afterward that tears were slipping down her cheeks. She threw herself into the man's arms, crying endlessly.
Her tears couldn't be stopped, and she didn't want them to stop.
The moment she opened her mouth, it was already crying.
She forgot everything, didn't want to do anything.
The only, only, only words she could still say were, "Berserker!"
"Don't cry," That gentle voice would definitely answer her. Even if he seemed cold, even if he appeared emotionless. But as long as it was him, as long as it was this man, he would absolutely, absolutely respond to her with the gentlest voice.
"If you cry, doesn't it seem like I did something wrong?"
Even troublesome words were spoken so gently.
Illya liked that.
"NO WAY!", She shouted loudly, crying uncontrollably.
"Berserker would never be wrong!"
"Then don't cry anymore. I... I really don't want Illya to cry."
She liked that helpless tone of voice.
She liked the way he gently wiped away her tears.
She liked his expressionless face.
She liked the way he was sharp-tongued with others.
She liked the way he bickered with Sella.
She liked the warm conversations he had with Liz even more.
'Even that detestable vixen, if it is with Berserker, as long as it's Berserker...'
'I only want Berserker. The Holy Grail War doesn't matter anymore.'
'I only want Berserker.'
'Because I—'
"LIKE BERSERKER THE MOST!", She shouted with all her strength, her strongest wish.
For the first time, she truly wanted to live together with him, wanted to win the Holy Grail War.
But just this once, she didn't want to face the fate of the Einzbern family, didn't want to face the destiny of a homunculus, didn't want to be a Little Grail.
She only wanted to be a human being, even if just thirty percent.
And with only that part, the human part, to say, "I like you, Berserker!!!"
"Mm, I like you too, Illya," The boy smiled once more, "Sincerely, truly like you."
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