"Judgment: Not Guilty—"
"Um, leaving aside the question of guilty or not!"
Fujimaru Ritsuka pouted.
"You, get off Ian right now!"
Just as the young girl retorted, Metatron had indeed temporarily left her throne, but as a substitute, she was lying directly on Ian's back.
"I refuse."
Poking half her head out from behind Ian, Metatron said very seriously.
"Walking is very tiring. As an 'Archangel', I must maintain elegance."
"So this throne is actually just a mobility aid?!"
"You could indeed understand it that way." Metatron leaned lazily on Ian's shoulder. "So tired... explaining things and all!"
"It's not something that can be settled just by explaining!"
Fujimaru Ritsuka gritted her teeth in anxiety.
"Mash, you go carry her!"
"Se-Senpai!" Mash waved her hands. "I don't want to do that kind of thing!"
"Just help me out!"
"My man is about to be stolen, hey!"
"But that sounds too much like being treated as a tool!"
"Alright, Ritsuka." Ian smiled and stopped the fussing Fujimaru Ritsuka. "Just let this guy lie there for a little while—"
"Coaxing her down from the throne isn't a simple task."
"Then..."
Fujimaru Ritsuka leaned against Ian's side.
"You must compensate me after we get back."
"Otherwise, I'll be very unhappy!"
"Alright, whatever you say."
As Ian said this, he glanced at Mash, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally.
The latter immediately averted her gaze, appearing quite guilty.
"Um, the problem is already resolved, right?"
Jeanne [Alter], who had been silent all along, spoke up at this moment.
She was holding the Grail, deemed "worthless" by Metatron—this Archangel simply didn't need its power.
"Yes!"
Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded.
"Although I've only known you for a short time, the way you were willing to accept judgment in place of everyone at the end was really cool!"
"You really are a Saint after all!"
"That's right—"
Mash's expression became somewhat admiring.
"If I could become as amazing as you, maybe I could accomplish even more things!"
"No, no such thing!"
It was fine without praise, but once praised, Jeanne [Alter] suddenly became shy.
Not to mention, this wasn't actually her merit; Ian had simply attributed everything to the Witch's salvation.
"I just..."
"You just did some things that even 'I' find inconceivable."
Metatron lay on Ian's shoulder, speaking slightly lazily.
"Let's go, Ian—"
"I want to talk to her alone for a while."
"You lazy fellow, are you really an Archangel?"
Ian couldn't help but retort.
However—
He did indeed sense that Jeanne [Alter] had something to say.
"Then Ritsuka, Mash, you guys wait for me here."
"Mhm! / Okay."
A few minutes later, amidst the embers of Orleans City.
Ian, carrying Metatron on his back, met with Jeanne [Alter] here.
Only...
The atmosphere seemed somewhat silent.
"Wua—" Metatron yawned. "The other 'me', if you don't speak soon, I'm going to fall asleep."
"H-How should I know what to say!"
Jeanne [Alter] retorted with a flushed face.
"Clearly, it was you, this sleeping angel, who insisted on dragging me over here, right?"
"Eh?"
Metatron's finger pressed against her chin.
"But I clearly heard your inner heart saying 'this time, no matter what, I must say goodbye properly', didn't I?"
"Hey!"
Jeanne [Alter] covered her chest.
"How did you know?!"
"Seems I guessed correctly." Metatron closed her eyes. "The remaining time... I leave it to you."
"No, wait, you?"
Jeanne [Alter] wanted to say something more, but found Ian's gaze was already approaching.
"Um, I..."
"You can't escape."
Before the young girl could speak, Ian spoke first.
"There is only one Witch I acknowledge, and that is you."
"So—"
The man extended his hand.
"Will you continue to follow me to Chaldea?"
"Eh?"
Although she had received a promise, she had always been worrying whether she would be abandoned.
But now...
There was completely no need to be afraid anymore, right?
Even a weak self like this could continue to follow by his side like this.
It really was... wonderful.
Jeanne [Alter] did not realize that tears were already swirling in her eyes.
"I-I don't want to follow you!"
"But—"
"If I'm not there, you probably won't be able to do anything!"
"No choice, who told me to be so kind?"
Jeanne [Alter] grabbed Ian's hand and held it tight.
"Just treat it as... charity to you!"
Knowing this was just Jeanne [Alter]'s personality, Ian didn't intend to expose her.
"Mn, then I am truly grateful."
"Then what about me?"
Metatron asked with her eyes closed.
"Can I also go to that place called Chaldea?"
"You are welcome to, but you have to walk there yourself—Chaldea doesn't have space to park a mobility aircraft."
"Then forget it."
"I'll just squeeze out the other 'me' when the time comes; the bodies are about the same to use anyway."
"Hey! You angel, that's too wicked!" Jeanne [Alter] shouted.
"Can't help it~"
Metatron said lazily.
"Who told me to have 'Desire' too? However... I might just be too lazy to do it."
After that.
"Transfer coordinates confirmed—"
"Time leap direction locked—"
Under the gaze of Jeanne [Alter] and Metatron, the [Coffins] gradually turned into afterimages.
"Chaldea must be a very happy place, right?"
Jeanne [Alter], in the final moment before disappearing, had such a thought.
The First Singularity was hereby declared repaired.
On the day of return, the surviving personnel of Chaldea held a celebration party for the three who returned.
"Don't worry!"
"Ian and I will definitely continue to work hard!" Fujimaru Ritsuka, who had drunk cocktails until she was muddled, shouted this out.
"Senpai, you're drunk!" Mash supported her good friend with an awkward look.
"I'm not drunk, Ian, don't call me Senpai randomly!"
"Senpai, I am Mash!"
"Zzz—"
The scene fell into mysterious hilarity because of Fujimaru Ritsuka.
But Mash discovered something:
"Eh? Where did he... go?"
"And where is the Director?"
As one of the parties involved, although Ian didn't reject parties or anything.
However, this battle with Metatron had indeed nearly exhausted the magical energy he had managed to store up with great difficulty.
After all—
The opponent this time was an existence releasing a Noble Phantasm at the "Anti-Country" level. Whether it was blocking that strike destroying Orleans City, or the torture flames during the solo, both were quite terrifying.
But compared to this...
"Director, why are you here?"
Looking at Olga Marie, who had arrived at the door of his room at some unknown time, Ian faintly sensed the young girl's shyness.
"I... came to fulfill the promise."
"Promise?"
"Mn?"
Under the man's gaze, Olga Marie tilted her head and gently undid the buttons of her clothes.
Then, what appeared in the field of vision was a body that had clearly been washed and was constantly emitting fragrance.
The young girl pulled her clothes to the left and right, biting her lip tight, her tone full of shyness.
"Um—"
"My 'first time', I can give it to you now..."
________________________________________
Get rewarded for helping with our community goals!
🎯 Reward for all: +1 bonus chapter at 50 Powerstones.
🚀 Tier Reward: Help us reach 20 members for +5 chapters on all stories!
👻 Join the crew by searching Ms. Medusa on (P). You know the spot! 😉