CHAPTER 5 True Intentions Once humans obtained lighting from electricity, they no longer slept immediately when the sun went down. The night was no longer a time of lurking shadows when everything would forever be ruled by peace and quiet. But of course, when the dead of night came, the town would be fast asleep. It was already that time when most of the building lights would extinguish, the place would be deserted, and the streets would be devoid of cars. “…Ha-ha-ha… Heh-heh-heh…” In the slumbering stillness of the shadows, Luna grinned as she walked. Her shoulders trembled as though she couldn’t help herself. Whatever it was she was thinking of was just that hilarious… That was the mood she was in. “…L-Luna…?” From behind her, Sir Kay tried to say something, but…she didn’t know what to do and stopped at muttering Luna’s name. “W-w-wait, Sir Kay… Is Luna okay?” “Y-yeah! Sh-she’s been seeming weird since earlier!” From a bit farther behind, Felicia and Sir Gawain were walking on eggshells around Luna and glancing at her back as they spoke to each other. “I-it couldn’t be…because of the shock from being ditched by Rintarou…?” When Felicia pointed that out, a pained look crossed Sir Kay’s face as she glanced at Luna from the side. It really…might be from the shock… Sir Kay knew that Rintarou Magami held a special place in Luna’s heart. At her core, Luna acted like a genius who didn’t need the strength of others. People idolized her, but she could be very aloof and independent. There was one person who she was stubborn around, that she had her way with, that she depended on as far as Sir Kay knew. And that person was Rintarou. Sir Kay had no idea why Luna was so insistent when it came to Rintarou Magami…but even if it wasn’t much, she knew that Rintarou was someone who Luna trusted with her heart. Regardless of that… Luna had been abandoned. She had been betrayed. Of course, even Luna couldn’t have helped the profound mental shock that would come from that. Sir Kay sighed… “Heh-heh-heh… Seriously. What is with that Rintarou…? You knew it all along… Oh, c’mon… That guy, I swear… Ah-ha… Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Suddenly, Luna burst into cryptic laughter in front of Felicia and Sir Gawain, whose faces spasmed as they shied away. “Uh, um…Luna…?” Sir Kay cautiously asked Luna. “Wh-what’s gotten into you? You’ve been acting very strangely…” “Ah-ha-ha-ha! What? Oh, no! Sorry! Sorry! I was thinking I really am the only one who’s qualified to be Rintarou’s master! That’s just what was on my mind!” Luna replied as she laughed, as though something were incredibly funny. This is no good. She’s seriously depressed…, they all thought. In that moment, Sir Kay, Felicia, and Sir Gawain each held their heads in their hands. Their minds were fully in sync with one another. “Sniff… Luna… I can’t believe you had these feelings for Mr. Magami all along…? I won’t forgive him… I can’t ever forgive Mr. Magami…for treating my friend in this manner…!” Felicia was indignant as she held back tears in frustration. “A knight! Nay! A man who would lead along a lady is a disgrace! I—man among men—shall vow to slay Rintarou Magami, Lady Luna!” Sir Gawain promised on his sword, righteous and indignant. “Ugh. Urk. L-Lunaaaaa! Hiccup! It must have been so hard for you, and you must be so dejected after your abandonment by Rintarou… It’s okay! It will all be fine! You’ve got me by your side! You’ve got your own older sister here with you! Sniff!” Sir Kay wailed and held Luna. “You must hurry and forget that terrible heretic! I’m sure there is a more suitable, handsome gentleman out there for you, Luna! As your sisterly figure, I will start a search for suitors to be your husband and—Ow?!” Luna gripped Sir Kay’s skull with her open hand when the knight came clinging to her. Hiss! Luna sneered like a threatening cat. “Hey! I swear you all are imagining the absolute worst for me! Are you pitying me?! Hey?!” “Well…but…” “I mean…” “Right there! You ragtag master-servant duo! Don’t exchange those looks out in the open! Don’t you dare sigh! You know what? It’s not like I’m a sick stalker who can’t forget a guy from my past! For starters, Rintarou didn’t betray me! It’s not like he’d ever betray me!” “Luna…that’s what a stalker would say.” “…She’s really sick. She must have really been traumatized.” “AAAAAAH! UUUUGH!” Luna rapidly charged at Felicia and Sir Gawain and sent them flying with a dropkick when they looked at her in considerable pity. “Anyway! I think the situation will work in our favor…starting now!” “Ow! Yow-ow… You’ve gotten my nice clothes dirty… What do you mean?” Felicia blinked at Luna’s sudden declaration. “The situation will work in our favor? What…do you mean?” “I’ll explain later! Felicia, I have something I need to ask of you!” Without knowing what Luna meant, Felicia was just in a stupor as Luna gave her a set of orders. As for the contents of those instructions— It had been a while since they had parted from Luna and the rest of the group. “Well, I’m going to patrol the area around the hideout. You take it from here, Rintarou Magami… Oh, Emma, if anything happens, summon me immediately, all right?” Sir Lamorak left them suddenly and disappeared into the night alone. “Hey! Hey! I know you can call her in an instant, but is it really wise to leave you with a past enemy? I mean, it’s hardly been a day! Normally…” Rintarou trailed off, exasperated as he watched her back when she left. “I’m sure…she was trying to be considerate for my sake.” “Hmm? What was that?” “N-n-nothing! Well, i-it’s over here!” Even in that darkness, he could tell that Emma’s face had reddened as she guided him, and they walked down the twilit streets together. Eventually, the two made their way to Area Three on Avalonia and the seventh block in the City of Halos. In the suburban area, homes were sparse, and skyscrapers were unheard of. On a lot littered with abandoned houses was a church that Emma was using as her base of operations. “You live in a pretty weird place, huh?” “…This is a property that we own—and by we, I mean the Religious Order of Saint Joan. It might look all creepy, but it has a magical perimeter around it. In terms of defense, it’s really amazing.” Emma smiled at Rintarou, who looked up at the church from the middle of the front garden. “…But it looks like no one is here,” Rintarou muttered after he’d searched the inside of the church for presences with his supernatural senses. “Yes, Sir Lamorak and I are the only ones living in the church right now.” “…What? They don’t think commoners would be useful for this battle or something…? Well, the Religious Order of Saint Joan, that was your first mistake.” “It’s fine. Our Lord, who art in heaven, conferred me with this test—a trial I must overcome for myself. It’s because becoming a King…and saving the world is my role.” Emma grinned and smiled without worry. “……” “Now, master, please come inside. We’ve had so much happen today that I’m sure you must be tired. Let’s rest at the very least,” she urged. Rintarou silently stepped foot into the church. An area of worship was immediately at the front entrance. The back of it continued into the residential area. She led Rintarou along straight into the back, passing by a particular room. “This is my room, master.” “Oh?” “It’s already late, but…would you mind talking with me for a little longer?” “…Yeah, if that’s what you want, I don’t mind.” “Hee-hee, thank you… Oh… I guess I’ll get some tea ready?” Emma flashed him a smile and left the room. “……” Rintarou looked around the room, not concerned if he was being rude. He recognized the room. There weren’t any iron bars, but…it bore a strong resemblance to the room in Emma’s netherworld that they had first encountered. He could see the deep darkness of night outside the window. The dim lights of the distant city only registered as spots. Then, Rintarou looked outside the window for a while without a word. “Sorry for the wait.” Emma came back with a tray in her hands. The tray had two teacups and a prepared teapot that was letting off warm steam. They started their late-night tea party together. Emma sat on her desk chair, and Rintarou plunked down on the bed. The two of them sipped at their teacups and enjoyed trivial topics for a while. Emma took the initiative for most of the conversation, switching from one topic to the next. She talked about the previous year, back when Rintarou and Emma first met. They talked about how Rintarou had ended up beating the priests who were training Emma to a pulp and staying at the Religious Order for a while to help with Emma’s training. Eventually, they veered into a conversation about the events that had happened when Rintarou had left Emma… Emma continued to talk to Rintarou. She confessed all the things she had secretly kept locked in her chest. It was as though she was trying to fill the time that Rintarou had been absent. “Heh… You seem to be enjoying yourself, Emma,” Rintarou commented as he listened to her. A smile played across her lips. “What? Oh… Yes… Um, I’m just so happy that you’re here with me, master.” Emma’s smile was as warm as sunshine. However, in the next moment, Emma’s expression seemed to cloud as though she had suddenly come back to herself. “…I feel like… I’ve done something terrible to Luna…” “……” The room instantaneously went from a happy atmosphere to a heavy and suffocating one. “Luna tried to sell you to protect herself. There was something about that I couldn’t forgive. But I still stole you from her…” “……” “I’m sorry, master… I’ll need to become the King to save the world… I need to become a saint, but…I’m such an incredibly bad and unpleasant girl…but I still… I still want to be with you, master—” As though Emma was overcome by emotion, she tried to desperately appeal to Rintarou. “…Don’t worry about it.” Rintarou looked straight at Emma. “I told you, right? I said I’ll save you.’” “M-master…?” “There’s no need for you to suffer alone anymore. There’s no need for you to carry that burden. You tried your best… You worked for so long… It’s about time you were rewarded.” Then, with slightly dewy eyes, Emma looked at Rintarou…and said it. “Thank you so much…master… I love you.” “……” “Ever since we met, this whole time… This whole entire time, I’ve cared about you… I thought you were stronger and freer than anyone… I believed that if there was anyone who could free me…it was you…” Emma stood from her seat and stepped toward the bed where Rintarou sat…and joined him. She moved next to him, inching toward his shoulder to lean on it. “So don’t leave me… Please stay with me forever…” “……Emma.” For a while, Emma entrusted the weight of her body to Rintarou. Then…eventually, she didn’t know what he was thinking, but he made a move. “…Master…? …Uh…” Rintarou gently grabbed Emma by the shoulders… Thump. He slowly pushed Emma’s slender body onto the bed. Her dainty limbs splayed out. Rintarou pinned her and looked down. When Rintarou snapped his fingers, the lights in the room disappeared of their own accord until only moonlight illuminated the inside of the room, and the space was filled with shadows. “Wait—mas…ter…?!” Emma’s heart beat rapidly at that unexpected situation. Emma wasn’t so naive that she didn’t understand this situation. “…Wha…? What…?!” At the same time, Emma’s face became hot as though she were burning up, and her body went limp. The sound of her beating heart became terribly loud. It was almost unnecessary. Next, her breath started to heat up like fire. The inside of her head went white, and it was almost as though her mind were melting into mush from being exposed to the delirious heat. She didn’t feel like she could string together a coherent thought. “…Emma.” Rintarou was looking at Emma so closely that they could feel the warmth of each other’s breaths. His eyes were sincere and serious…alluring and captivating. His gaze pierced through her. Her heart and body felt as though they were being bound by something…that she was held captive by Rintarou. “…We…we…c-can’t…do…this…,” Emma muttered softly over her breathy sighs, which never seemed to stop, even though it felt like she had exhaled all the sighs in the world. As though it were her final act of resistance, Emma stirred and tried to get back up, but… “…Can I?” Rintarou whispered with a gentle smile. His sweet words obliterated the last bits of resistance that Emma had clung onto. Rintarou gently pushed her body with his hand, causing her to sink deep into the soft bed. “…Ah…ah… Ah…” Eventually, Rintarou used his right hand to grip both of Emma’s wrists and brought them above her head… He pushed her wrists into the top of the pillow. With both hands restricted, Emma could no longer move. Well, if she wanted to resist, she could have. However, there was no strength anywhere in her body anymore to hold out against him. “……Ah…ah…” Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. But she knew those weren’t tears from pain. “Master…master… Rintarou…!” With rough breaths, she looked straight at Rintarou, who was holding her down… Emma had earnestly called his name. Continuing to hold her hands hostage, he undid the ribbon on Emma’s chest with his steady left hand…graciously opening one button on her blouse at a time. “…Hah… Ah… Aaah…” Eventually, Emma’s skin was bare as her clothes audibly slipped to the ground. The light of the moon filtered through the window, making her immaculate bra glow faintly white. As anyone would imagine from her petite frame, Emma’s body drew a trim and gentle curve. It wasn’t seductive or bewitching. It was as pure as fresh snow. On the flip side, it felt absurdly holy and sacred. At that point, Rintarou stopped for a while and stared down at her as though she was precious. “…Uh… Um… Master…? Maaaaster…,” she muttered, straining her words together. Overcome by bashfulness and passion, Emma was half-conscious. “…Th-this…is…my first time…so, um…,” she said in a delicate, quiet voice. “…Will…you…please…take…it slow…?” She couldn’t even finish that last sentence. However, it seemed that everything had been communicated to Emma’s beloved master. “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it… Leave everything up to me,” he whispered. And the last barrier in Emma’s heart dissolved. Her body was no longer tense. When he saw this, Rintarou slowly reached his hand out to Emma’s chest. “…Master…” She was in a state of euphoria and felt as though everything in her body were being melted away by the heat. In that moment, she abandoned her whole self over to Rintarou and quietly closed her eyes. From the corners of her eyes, beautiful tears went down her cheeks. Shrrk. Something uprooted and dispelled Emma’s euphoria. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain running through her chest, coursing through her nerves like lightning. “…Ow?!” Emma automatically snapped open her eyes…and an unbelievable scene came to her vision. On her chest…in the vicinity of her heart, Rintarou had carved letters in blood with his left finger. “M-master?! What in the world are you doing?!” “The Blood Sorcery of Fomorians… It’s a Carved Seal for Control.” “Wh-what…?! B-but doesn’t that take away a person’s freedom and allow you to use them according to your will…?” “Don’t worry. I don’t want to make you my slave or anything. I’m using this seal to have you do something in particular for me. Right—” There was something cold and somewhat pitying in his face. Rintarou spoke dispassionately. “I’m asking for the destruction of your Excalibur and Round Fragment. In other words, I’m having you decline the King Arthur Succession Battle… That’s all.” “Wha…?” Emma was at a loss for words. Even as they spoke, Rintarou continued to plug away at his work, carving the insignia dispassionately into Emma. The magic must have already taken some effect, because Emma’s body started to feel like stone, and she couldn’t move. “Why…are you…doing this…?” “I told you, didn’t I? I said ‘I’ll save you.’ This is the only way to save you now,” Rintarou said coldly. “You understood it a long time ago, right? It’s impossible for you.” Shrrk. Pain seemed to carve its way deep into the bottom of Emma’s heart, jolting her entire body. “It’s impossible for you.” This sentence…had history, back when Rintarou had been training Emma. “I’m going to save the world…,” Emma had told him with glee. But that had been how he’d responded… They had been the last words he had told her to end their relationship as teacher and student when he had been training her. “I need to apologize to you… I’m sorry. This all happened because I had a lapse in judgment.” It was unusual for Rintarou to give a laudable apology. “Back then, I didn’t know that you were forcing yourself down such a cruel path. I didn’t know about the King Arthur Succession Battle, either. “That’s why when I saw those infuriating priests picking on you, I wanted you to get revenge. I wanted to see those assholes in tears when they realized they couldn’t use you. That was the only reason I taught you how to fight in the legendary era. It was partially for fun. I ended up opening up those abilities in you.” “……” “Because of me, you couldn’t turn back. You got caught up in this fight… This right now—I’m just taking responsibility.” “Please stop!” Emma shrieked. “Please don’t steal my role as savior from me! I don’t have anything else! If I lose even that…how will I be able to live?!” “I’m sure you’ll come up with something. You ended up in this mess because you lived the way others told you to and didn’t think for yourself. I’m scum, too, but you reap what you sow.” “No! No! No, no, no! I’m going to save the world! That’s what I wish from the bottom of my heart! Even if you’re my master, I won’t forgive you for robbing me of that! I’m going to become King! I’ll become King, the savior, and then this world will—” Emma desperately begged him. “You…were smiling,” Rintarou mercilessly told her. “…Huh?” A ragged voice escaped Emma’s throat, and she tilted her head. “That netherworld was a projection of your heart. When I was killing the people begging you to save them…you saw that and smiled…from the bottom of your heart.” “…Oh.” As though she had been hit by something, Emma’s eyes opened wide. “You can’t lie to yourself in a netherworld. That’s a reflection of you. I mean, of course you can’t lie. It’s a mirror reflecting your own heart. You were smiling. You get it, right? You don’t care what the hell happens to the world or the people or anything. If anything, you detest them. “Because that was the role given to you…because you got it in your head that this was the only thing that made you valuable… That was why you were just only acting like a King, a savior, a saint. Has there ever been a King as empty as you? What’s the final destination of a King without self-confidence, without ideals? …The answer is destruction. Without exception. I mean, look at all the centuries and places in the world. “A person who doesn’t love people, like you, who saves the people and the world out of obligation, will always be unhappy. “Eventually, you’ll lament the world, lament yourself, and when all hope is lost, you’ll curse the planet and everything in it. You’ll resent it, miserably, pitifully, and die alone. That’s your fate.” “Ah… Aaah… Ah…” “On that point, Luna…and her capacity as a King…are overwhelmingly greater than you as a savior. During that showdown…there was a clear victor. She…actually fought against that image of the world’s death and destruction of her own will.” “O-of her own will…?” “That’s right. That world was your world. What brought about the destruction was your own heart. That was why you’re the only one who could have won against the mirage. But you didn’t try to fight it…and Luna was the one to face it…of her own will. “Do you get how amazing that actually is? She proved herself. Even if this world is on the verge of destruction, even if she’s shaking with fear, she’d face it willingly… Now that’s strength. Sometimes, I think she’s just a stupid girl and all mouth, but…she really is my King.” “But, master?! I willingly defeated the destruction, too…,” she started to say, but Emma got caught on her words. What had she done back then? She certainly had let Rintarou take the chains connecting her neck…and let him pull her… In other words, did that really count as her fighting of her own will? “You get it, right, Emma? You can’t do it… It’s impossible for you. You got a slight knack for fighting…but otherwise, you’re just a normal girl.” “……” “You’re different from Luna, Felicia, or Kujou. They have their own clear will and their own way of achieving their goal to be King. You’re not like the ‘strong’ ones… You’re weak.” “……” “Turn back. You still have time. You don’t need to be on this side,” Rintarou coldly spat, continuing with his indifferent work of carving the seal. “…No…,” Emma entreated him with her last bit of resistance. “No… No… Please stop…! Don’t steal this kingly position from me…!” “I can’t hear you.” “Nooo!” Emma cried and yelled at Rintarou like a child, as he dragged his fingers across her skin. “Sir Lamorak?! Help me! Please help! My Aura, guide my knight. The fourth seat of the Round Table—” “That’s useless. I’ve already secretly isolated this place with a boundary. Sir Lamorak can’t answer your call.” “No! No, no, no! If I can’t be King…if I’m not the savior anymore, then how will I live?! What am I supposed to do now?!” “You’ll have plenty of time to mull it over… Don’t worry. I’m in the same position as you. We can think about it together…” “Liar! You’re unbelievable! There’s no other way of life for me! Everyone told me that! They said that was the reason I was born! That’s why my only option is to become the King of salvation! If I don’t, I have no value! Spare me! Please don’t take away my reason to live! I don’t want to be whipped anymore! I can’t stand to be sealed away in a dark dungeon anymore! I will die if I’m shoved back in that strange iron cage, strung up to prevent me from moving! I don’t want to be deprived of food until I’m on the verge of starvation or prodded awake for days to read the Bible! P-please, master! I’m begging you!” Emma cried out. Rintarou was aghast. “…Are you serious…? That’s what the Religious Order of Saint Joan put you through…? Those bastards! I should have killed them all back then!” They had completely brainwashed her—a “curse” binding Emma, the pitiful and weak girl. The Religious Order of Saint Joan had ensnared the blood of King Arthur and touted world salvation as their dogma… How had they indoctrinated Emma? It made Rintarou, who was already heretical and self-aware of his broken code of ethics, enraged. He was nauseated. “…You…really need saving. You need to be released. Even a villain like me believes that at the bottom of his heart.” “You traitor… I’ll never forgive you…Rintarou Magami… I can promise you that…! If you take away my role… I’ll never…ever…!” Emma cursed with resentment. But Rintarou was unperturbed. Of course, he was convinced that this was the only way to save Emma from the spell binding her. Rintarou tried to complete the seal on Emma’s skin— Suddenly, the room tore in half lengthwise. The top half blasted away.
Chapter 26
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