The comments are flooded with Fou-kun—hilarious!
Holy Grail-kun, Fou-kun: beauty is right here.
Feeling down in the rain? Let us bring you a moment of joy.
Brought to you by Gilgamesh fans.
Definition
"Phew…"
Arriving at La Charité, Gilgamesh parked the bike at the town's entrance.
"I'll wait here," he said. "Gather useful intel. Earn it with your feet. Got it?"
"Yes!" Mash and Rikka replied in unison.
"I'll stay too," Jeanne said. "…Right now, I'd only cause confusion."
"Got it! Wait for us!" Rikka said.
"Leave the Master's protection to me, King of Heroes," Mash added.
"Hm. Go, then," Gilgamesh said. "Call me if something happens."
The Master grabbed Mash's hand, and they dashed into the town.
They looked like sisters, a heartwarming sight.
"Hmph," Gilgamesh mused. "Even in a battle for humanity's survival, one mustn't forget joy. Smiles matter."
He let out a breath and gazed at the sky.
A vast expanse—white clouds drifting in an endless azure.
Comforting.
The scent of earth, the firmness beneath his feet.
Nostalgic.
A world stretching infinitely, landscapes trodden and beheld by his own will.
Leaning against the bike, he narrowed his eyes.
"Familiar scenery, yet it feels… different."
The world enveloped him, a sensation that stirred his soul.
The breeze ruffling his hair, the smell of straw, the town's bustle.
The cries of beasts, the chirping of birds, the murmur of rivers, the rustle of forests.
All of it seeped into his soul, accumulating as precious experience.
He savored it quietly, as if he could reach out and grasp it.
The first sight after my reincarnation was a burning town. A journey begun in confusion.
But seeing this… Reincarnation doesn't seem so bad.
"You're a traveler too, aren't you?" Jeanne said beside him.
Gilgamesh listened without turning, her words catching his attention.
"You're the King of Heroes," she continued. "Yet somehow, your presence feels… fresh."
"Fresh, you say?" He leaned deeper against the bike, pulling a bottle of wine from his treasury. "Never thought I'd be babysitting. Hah, what a troublesome lot."
"Babysitting?" Jeanne asked.
"Indeed," he said, taking a swig. "I am humanity's arbiter."
The wine was bitter, sweet, its rich aroma stirring his soul.
"My role is to safeguard this star," he said. "I meant to stay an observer, not to interfere—"
He offered Jeanne a drink, but she politely declined.
"My guardianship isn't gentle," he continued. "It's a storm to shake and admonish humans. They're creatures who show no worth without trials, lazy unless prodded."
"After 4,600 years, humanity's still steeped in indolence, failing to prove its value. The time of judgment hasn't come."
He swirled his glass, gazing skyward.
"They lack worth yet create things of value," he said. "Watching their paths, their woven tapestries—that's my pleasure."
To whom were those words spoken?
"But someone burned it all from the sidelines," he said, his grip tightening on the glass.
"You've heard, haven't you? Humanity was incinerated by some mongrel."
"…Yes," Jeanne said. "Only Chaldea's personnel remain."
"Exactly," Gilgamesh said, his grip cracking the glass. "And I find it unacceptable."
"I don't care what end humanity meets. Prosperity? Fine. Extinction? So be it."
"But being extinguished—that I won't allow. No one but me judges what walks this earth."
"Not even if the root of their destruction is 'love.'"
Love?
Love destroying humanity?
"Yes," he said. "It's not malice that threatens humanity. Hatred harms only individuals."
"What destroys humanity is the desire to 'make it better.'"
Love.
A feeling absent in his past life, un sought.
Could caring for someone destroy the world?
"…You look confused," Gilgamesh said, laughing. "Good. No one can fathom what I see."
His eyes narrowed, as if piercing the distant horizon.
"In truth, I lend my strength to punish those who ravage my garden," he said. "Simple, no?"
He drained his glass and tossed it aside with a clink.
"Fortunately, Chaldea's lot is undeniably 'worthy,'" he said. "That mongrel Lief spared me the trouble of culling the chaff."
"Only those fit to save the world, to be ruled by me, survived hell. The rest were swept away. That's all."
"…You think highly of the Master, Mash, and Chaldea, don't you?" Jeanne said.
"They're still fledglings," he said, smirking. "I watch them because I'm 'in a good mood.'"
A rare chance, never to come again.
"Their struggle is captivating," he said. "Whether it's a journey for humanity or self-discovery."
"I spare no expense for my amusement. As long as they entertain me, I'll invest without restraint."
Gilgamesh reclined on the bike, grinning with delight.
It clicked.
He watched humanity, judged it, sometimes protected it.
Believing in a radiant future.
This arrogant, unyielding king…
Loved humanity. In his own obtuse way.
His soul felt taught, once again, by this vessel.
"To save humanity for your own amusement," Jeanne said. "You truly stand at unreachable heights."
"Disillusioned?" he asked. "Realizing your archetype is less than human?"
"No," she said. "Just that you're not very honest."
"…Too complex for a country girl," he said. "A woman who never loved, waving flags with B-rank strength."
"What—!" Jeanne's face flushed crimson.
A soliloquy, yet…
It felt like he'd taught her something.
The essence of her soul, her purpose.
First, define yourself.
Everything follows from that.
That's what it felt like he'd said.
"Enough idle chatter," Gilgamesh said, gesturing with his chin.
"Uninvited guests."
"There!" Jeanne gasped.
Wyverns filled the sky.
Five shadows led the flock.
At their center—a dark Saint stood.
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