Chapter 2
Her cheeks were slightly wet. Ritsuka, who had been sleeping soundly on a pile of straw, trembled slightly. The next moment, her tightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open, filled with a trace of panic.
Ritsuka sat up abruptly from the ground, gasping deeply, struggling to force a sound from her throat.
Cold sweat drenched her body. Ritsuka quickly tightened her clothes to avoid catching a cold from the chilly wind blowing through the dilapidated church.
She rubbed her hands together in front of her for warmth. Moonlight spilled across the floor through the broken windows.
It seemed she had another nightmare.
A few years ago, a massive fire in Fuyuki caused by unknown reasons killed Ritsuka's entire family. She had been buried in the ruins, her body scorched by the flames.
The shadow of death had always haunted her. Having nightmares wasn't a rare occurrence, but they never had anything new, making them rather boring.
Back then, because it was autumn and the weather was turning cold, she was wearing thick clothes. Her lower body, which had been pinned down, wasn't severely injured thanks to timely treatment. However, the scar on her left forearm couldn't be healed; it was hideous, and every time she saw it, Ritsuka felt a pang in her heart.
It was terrible... Fortunately, Kiritsugu had saved her in time. Otherwise, in her state back then, she would have certainly died in that fire.
The current crystal dice, which were far from enough, couldn't have saved her back then. Even now, she hadn't fully figured this thing out.
Wiping the cold sweat from her forehead, Ritsuka lifted the blanket off her and held it in her arms. She turned and walked toward the outside of the church. Kiritsugu seemed to have gotten up during the night and wasn't there.
Rounding the corner, the hall was crowded with many people sleeping in various sprawled positions. Ritsuka carefully stepped over them, not wanting to disturb anyone's dreams.
This church had many kind-hearted clergy members who took in refugees who had lost their homes due to the war. The priest here was a rare, genuine good man. She and Kiritsugu were currently helping out here, their goal having shifted from searching for mystery to rescuing people.
Of course, it wasn't realistic for just two people to end the war, so they simply did their best to save people and waited for the war to end, helplessly choosing to be bystanders.
Stepping out of the church, Ritsuka saw a familiar figure at the corner. "Kiritsugu."
Under the bright moonlight were the steps in front of the church. Kiritsugu, with a cigarette in his mouth, suddenly froze.
Subconsciously, he spat out the cigarette directly, caught it in his palm, and crushed the lit end with his bare hand. Amidst the sizzling sound, a drop of cold sweat slid down his cheek.
So hot!
Taking a deep breath, Kiritsugu's expression returned to its usual indifference. He looked back slightly at Ritsuka, who was holding her blanket. "It's not dawn yet. Why not rest a bit longer?"
The moon hung in the pitch-black night sky, with stars dotted like a river. It was clearly still the middle of the night.
Ritsuka, who hadn't woken up naturally, had a look of slight fatigue on her face. After all, she had been forced awake by a nightmare. Still young and lacking sleep, Ritsuka narrowed her eyes.
"I'm okay. I just don't really want to sleep anymore."
Ritsuka sat down on the edge of the steps next to Kiritsugu. Her nose twitched slightly. The pungent smell of smoke made her eyes narrow as she stared silently at Kiritsugu.
Ding—!
Kiritsugu silently averted his gaze.
Sighing, Ritsuka took a pack of chocolate biscuit sticks out of her pocket. This was her favorite snack—Pocky.
She put one in her mouth and chewed it with relish, then casually pulled another one out and handed it to Kiritsugu. "Want one?"
Thinking of something, Ritsuka smiled radiantly. Before Kiritsugu could answer, she suddenly reached out and shoved the biscuit stick into his mouth.
Kiritsugu's gaze swept over Ritsuka's face, his dull eyes showing a hint of helplessness. As if knowing he couldn't win against her, he finally opened his mouth and slowly held the biscuit stick between his lips.
In the past, Ritsuka, who didn't want him to smoke, would always do this—making him use biscuit sticks as a substitute for cigarettes, saying that smoking was harmful to his health. To this, Kiritsugu only wanted to brush her off with foolish words like, 'If it's harmful to health, why doesn't the world ban tobacco production?'
Where there is profit, there will be action. This world is ultimately driven by the word 'profit'; no person or nation can escape it.
However, in the face of that pure and bright smile, he couldn't bring himself to say those cynical words. Ultimately, the smile was too precious. Of course, he wasn't being creepy; he was just feeling gratified in his role as a Father.
"The war is about to end."
Crunching and swallowing the biscuit stick, Kiritsugu sighed, his voice full of helplessness.
The two of them had come here to search for the mystery rumored to be in this place, and to save the world.
For this, they had stayed here for nearly half a year, until war broke out recently. The giants of capitalist nations found an excuse to launch an invasion, and tragedies unfolded before them.
Ritsuka understood what Kiritsugu meant. They hadn't been able to do anything in this war. Individual strength ultimately couldn't influence a nation, let alone the world. They could only pray for a miracle, and they hadn't found a miracle either.
Carrying the wish to save others and the world, Kiritsugu had set out again with old wounds in his heart. For him, this was perhaps a different kind of blow.
Ritsuka wore her usual smile. "Then what do you plan to do, Kiritsugu?"
"Let's go back. Back to Fuyuki. Perhaps my personal journey ends here."
hero of justice—this phrase that had always existed in Kiritsugu's heart finally flickered out at this moment. His hands trembled.
Section 3, Chapter 3: Training and Accident
Before dawn, Kiritsugu returned to the church to rest, while Ritsuka went to a high point of the church, sitting there to enjoy the night view.
Since she woke up early from the dream, she had no desire to go back to sleep. It was better to use this time to train herself. After all, running around with Kiritsugu left her little time to get stronger, and she always had to find her own time to practice.
Pulling a Pocky out of the box, blue lines extended across it as Ritsuka narrowed her eyes.
Reinforcement Magic. This was the magic she had used once before meeting Kiritsugu, and it was the first magic she mastered under Kiritsugu's guidance.
The technical requirement wasn't low, but its practicality wasn't high because the operational details were very troublesome. Unless one was highly talented, it was easy for the magical energy output to go out of control, leading to physical problems.
Therefore, Kiritsugu had initially suggested she only learn the basics.
After all, she was a first-generation Magician. None of her elders had ever come into contact with mystery. It was understandable that Kiritsugu thought her talent wasn't anything special.
Taking a light bite of the Pocky in her hand, the hard sensation made Ritsuka's eyes widen.
My teeth hurt... Ritsuka casually canceled the Reinforcement Magic and swallowed the biscuit stick in small bites, then clenched her hand.
A faint crystalline glow seeped through the gaps in her fingers. Opening her palm, Ritsuka watched a small crystal die float up. She gripped this thing she called the 'crystal dice'... [Emiya Shirou (Archer)]
[synchronization value (16%)]
...The strange value was at 16%. Its specific function was unknown, but she speculated that the higher the value, the more comprehensive the abilities of the corresponding character in the 'crystal dice' would be.
At her current stage, the only abilities she could use were Reinforcement Magic, a half-baked Projection Magic, a skill called 'Minds Eye (True)', and an extremely special talent for housework.
Whether it was cooking a meal or cleaning, she could quickly master all sorts of household chores and reach a very high level. In terms of cooking, at only ten years old, she could already defeat Kiritsugu.
It was practically magical.
She didn't know the specific abilities of the 'Emiya Shirou' corresponding to the card.
Maybe the synchronization value wasn't high enough, or perhaps there was some other reason. All she knew was the information provided by the crystal dice; she knew almost nothing else.
Calling it a cheat felt a bit too shabby.
Having only read some web novels in her previous life and then spending her time working everywhere once she got older, Ritsuka was somewhat speechless. Other people's systems could be lolis or mature women, and could even destroy heaven and earth at a whim. Hers didn't even come with an instruction manual.
If she couldn't figure it out, even if she were given a transformation item, she still wouldn't be able to use it.
Looking at the moon above, Ritsuka pursed her lips and began her daily magical energy cultivation. She still couldn't completely master the method of opening her Mage Circuits.
The ability to activate magic anytime and anywhere, like breathing, was something she currently lacked.
Mage Circuits, open!
As for how to train magical energy, using magic was the simplest and most direct method. Ritsuka clenched her fist, and lines appeared on the back of her hand.
"Haa... haa..."
While adjusting her breathing rhythm, she worked hard to drive the magical energy bursting within her body. Her clenched fingers slowly relaxed as the night wind blew her hair.
———
———
Some people in the hall had already woken up. Led by the priest, the clergy in the church were distributing water and food, and everyone expressed their gratitude.
Ritsuka quietly bypassed them and walked into a small room in the side hall.
Pushing the door open, Ritsuka found that Kiritsugu was already up. His expression was somewhat solemn as he wiped his Mystic Code—a handgun—with a cloth.
With a "heave-ho," she hopped over to Kiritsugu's side and sat down to rest. "Kiritsugu, you're already awake."
"Didn't you go back to sleep? Traveling later will be very tiring."
He finished the cigarette in his hand with a series of puffs and tucked the handgun Mystic Code into his pocket. Kiritsugu glanced at Ritsuka, then, defeated by her intense stare, he silently turned his head away.
Ritsuka sighed. Quitting smoking was hard; she felt like she couldn't even nag him into it anymore. "I'm not very sleepy. I was mainly thinking about how to get back. We probably can't take a plane at this stage."
Although the U.S. military said they were preparing to withdraw from the battlefield, they were still surrounding several nearby cities. It wasn't realistic to try to leave by plane, and the only airport in the area had already been destroyed in the war.
And even if they returned to Fuyuki City, the two of them would likely have nothing to do. She was still young and had no special skills, while Kiritsugu, as a 'hero of justice', probably didn't know how to do anything except kill people. To be honest, Ritsuka felt this fact was quite ironic.
"Then we'll take a boat. I spoke with the priest earlier; he'll arrange a cargo ship to take us and the refugees away together."
Kiritsugu felt the remaining bullets in his pocket. With these things called 'Origin Bullets', he had ended countless Magicians. This was his most effective tool against Magicians.
He turned his head and looked at the quiet Ritsuka, remaining silent.
Sometimes he also wondered, what if there were no miracle in the world sufficient to save it? When should he let everything go and return to a normal life?
Maybe being an ordinary office worker wouldn't be bad.
Provided that any company would be willing to hire a Magus Killer like him... Boom—!!
Suddenly, like a meteor streaking across the sky, a piercing whistle appeared outside the church and pierced their ears, followed by a violent explosion.
Ritsuka's brow furrowed immediately, while Kiritsugu's expression changed drastically.
Decisively, this man who hadn't yet retired from his post as a 'hero of justice' pulled out his Calico submachine gun. He pressed his body against the wall to observe the movement outside, as the thunderous sound of explosions continued incessantly.
Lying prone on the ground, with the roof above trembling and shaking, Ritsuka also pressed her body against the wall and looked outside through a crack.
A group of soldiers in camouflage were launching a raid on a ruin. It was only one or two hundred meters away—the base of a local armed organization.
Essentially, this organization was formed by locals to resist the invasion, but it seemed they had been discovered and were being nipped in the bud.
However, logically speaking, these soldiers should have already begun withdrawing from the battlefield. The national level had already declared the end of the war. This raid was unimaginable; those guys even used heavy-duty, high-lethality weapons to storm the ruins.
"Kiritsugu, what should we do?"
Ritsuka's expression didn't look good.
Given the United States' past behavior, going back on their word wasn't a surprise, but the sight of flesh and blood flying was still a bit too intense.
Should they find a way to save people?
Emiya Kiritsugu fell into silence. The enemies were too numerous and their weapons advanced. He didn't know any large-scale destructive magic, so even if he went, he would be turned into a sieve.
Emiya Kiritsugu, the 'Magus Killer' who excelled at using modern weapons to make up for his lack of combat power and whose fighting style pushed craftiness to the extreme, couldn't help but feel a headache now. He was a Spellcaster, but not an all-powerful Doraemon. There weren't many means he could use when suddenly facing an army.
In fact, there was almost nothing he could do.
After a moment's hesitation, Kiritsugu did not take any rescue action. Instead, he pulled Ritsuka up to leave and headed for the confession room inside the church.
Because of the battle nearby, the entire church was now in a state of panic. Fear had spread among the crowd. If the army discovered this place, they could carry out a massacre at any time.
Decisively finding the priest, Kiritsugu made a suggestion—
"Father, please mobilize the clergy immediately and lead everyone to evacuate."
Section 4, Chapter 4: Different Justices in Everyone's Heart
The secret passage inside the church opened, and dozens of people began to evacuate in an orderly fashion. The priest's prestige managed to suppress everyone's fear at this moment.
The building became empty. Ritsuka followed Kiritsugu through the long, narrow passage. When they emerged from the exit, it was a spot hidden by weeds, already several kilometers away from the church.
After discussing with the priest, Kiritsugu took Ritsuka and left the main group, saying they would scout the situation and then meet at the location where the cargo ship was docked. Thus, only the two of them were currently walking through the woods, and the surroundings were excessively quiet.
After running for a few minutes, Kiritsugu found his hidden off-road vehicle in the wilderness. He started the engine in one go and casually took off his dirty coat and threw it aside.
Ritsuka climbed into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. Kiritsugu drove the off-road vehicle around the ruins, speeding across the wilderness.
They had stayed in this city for about a month and a half. During that time, except for the initial large-scale warfare and bombing, the subsequent time had been much more peaceful. Coupled with the national-level ceasefire declaration, he had thought it was a precursor to the withdrawal of troops.