Chapter 56

CHAPTER 5 Luna’s Resolution — “!” Rintarou realized he was in the lounge of Logres Manor—somewhere familiar. “Oh, huh? Why am I here…?” He took in his surroundings, confused. He recognized that table, the sofa, the usual furnishings. “Hey, Rintarou! Why do you keep spacing out?!” And there was Luna, as peppy as usual. “He must be exhausted because you kept dragging him around campus.” Sir Kay was there, sighing. “Hee-hee-hee. Good work, Rintarou. I’ve made some tea. Please help yourself.” Emma was in her maid outfit, smiling gently and pouring him a cup. “Seriously, Rintarou… It might not seem like it, but we’re in the middle of war, here. Don’t you think you’re a bit too relaxed?” Felicia sipped from her teacup, sounding annoyed at him. “That’s unusual… I can’t believe Merlin would doze off so defenselessly in front of others.” Next to Felicia, Gawain was prodding at a cake. “…What’s wrong, Rintarou?” Nayuki was peering at his face from next to him. “…” Upon witnessing this undisturbed scene…the corners of Rintarou’s eyes started to moisten. “…? Your eyes are wet? …Were you crying?” “Nah. It’s nothing.” Rintarou wiped his eyes and raised his face. He looked around as his friends blinked back at him, wondering what was going on. “It’s fine. This is a dream. I know. I’m fine.” “…Rintarou?” “That’s right. As long as I just have the Holy Grail…I can save this. I can make it reality. I know that… I do…” Nayuki talked to him with a cheerful smile. “…Yes, that’s right. The Holy Grail can make any wish come true. ‘Ask and ye shall receive’… It’s the ultimate treasure that can make that happen…” “Yeah, of course. That’s why I need it.” “Keep it up, Rintarou… It’s right there… Try your best, okay?” “…Yeah, just wait, Nayuki. I’ll…” … Wince. “Ow?!” Pain shot up Sir Kay’s right palm…causing her to jump up and clutch her hand. “Ow. Ow, ow, ow… What’s happening…?” It was hard for her to figure out what was going on, since it was the middle of the night. She was in the depths of a forest—a makeshift campground, since they were in the middle of their search for the Holy Grail. Her right palm felt lukewarm and slippery, as though it was wet. When she held it in the light of the remaining embers… “…I knew it.” There was a bloody gash running through her palm. This wound was particularly deep. It’s like I’d gripped firmly onto a naked blade… Sir Kay had pieced together the reason for the wound that opened on her hand time and time again. I’m sure this is a warning…though I don’t know who is trying to look out for me or what they’re trying to keep me away from… She realized her heart was pounding. The depth of the wound marked the gravity of the danger coming to attack them. …I think…this is the turning point. After this, we can’t go back… We’re standing at a crossroads… Sir Kay was thinking over the urgency and unusualness of her wound… “So you’re awake, Sir Kay.” She heard a voice come from next to her. “Perfect timing. I was about to wake you.” Luna was up, staring at something with a somewhat sheepish expression. She was looking at an old hawthorn Celtic cross. It didn’t seem like the same one Luna had given to Rintarou as a present in the past. “…Did something happen?” Luna jerked her chin in one direction. “…Rintarou?” She pointed in the direction of his spot, which was unoccupied. His travel blanket was empty. When she focused her eyes…she could see flashes of a golden light in the back of the woods. It was a light that Luna and Sir Kay recognized all too well. “I-is that…?!” “I think…I finally understand…where the Holy Grail is.” Luna gave the hawthorn cross a good squeeze. “Sir Kay, get ready to battle.” Then, she picked up her own Excalibur, getting to her feet. “We’ve reached the turning point…of this long search for the Holy Grail.” Swsh, swsh, swsh… Luna and Sir Kay progressed into the forest. They aimed for the golden light shining between the trees, walking slowly. “You know, there were a lot of hints…,” Luna said from up ahead. “In ancient times, a line of strong knights and even King Arthur himself hadn’t been able to obtain it. Sir Galahad was the only one who succeeded… Why?” “…” “At every pit stop, we’re given some miraculous favor of the Holy Grail. Why did that happen?” “…” “We saw more miracles than we could count, wherever we went. Even though we got so close, we never actually could get to it… Why not?” “…” “And lastly, Dindrane—our guide who led Sir Galahad on the path of the Holy Grail… What was the last thing she said?” “I will wait for you at this boat…” “I think I’ve gotten to know the true nature of the Holy Grail. It’s something the knights of the legendary era and King Arthur wouldn’t have been able to obtain. And—” Luna pulled something out from her shirt—the hawthorn Celtic cross. That was the only evidence of her bond with her beloved retainer. Luna wistfully looked at it…choking out her words. “As he is now, Rintarou won’t be able to secure the Holy Grail. Well, maybe it’s more accurate to say we can’t get to it specifically because Rintarou is here. The only person capable of success is someone as pure as a child…” Fwsh! Parting the dense forest, Luna and Sir Kay came into an open area. It was a deserted lakeshore in the middle of a conifer thicket. Under the moonlight, this scenic view spread out before them… “Luna?” Rintarou was standing there, seeming somewhat off. Next to him was… “…Oh, sorry. So you came for me… Sorry I left without saying anything.” “…Rintarou.” “I wasn’t trying to hide it. But you don’t have any memory of her, right?” “…” “I’ll introduce you. This used to be our friend, Nayuki Fuyuse.” “Ha-ha-ha, it’s been so long, Luna… Well, I guess you don’t know who I am. Nice to meet you…I suppose…?” “Don’t look so sad. Once we bring you back in the real world, it’ll all come back. They’ll regain their memories.” “Th-that’s true, but…it’s just…well…” “…” Luna was speechless, grimly staring at the thing next to Rintarou. “We’re deep in the netherworld. Nayuki is part of the Dame du Lac…a human close to the Illusory World. At night…for a short time…he says she can come back to this world…but she’s like a ghost. I was scared at first, too.” “Hey! How could you call me that?” “I mean, right now, you look like a ghost. You’re see-through, too.” “Hmph. You need to read up on how to treat a girl with respect. Keep it up, and Luna will eventually shun you.” “Wh-why’re you mentioning her…?” Rintarou continued his conversation… “L-Luna…?” Sir Kay looked nervously between Rintarou and Luna, blood draining from her face. “…………” Luna closed her eyes tightly, just once. “Hey, Rintarou…” She sounded determined to get through to him. “What is that thing…next to you?” “…Huh? What…?” Rintarou looked beside him. “Like I said, that’s Nayuki Fuyuse. It’s Nayuki. I get why you’re so cautious, since she looks like a ghost, and you haven’t got any memories of her, but…” “…Gh!” Luna ground her teeth as she glared at it. Rintarou had just pointed to the Holy Grail, glittering gold. “So…you’ve been influenced by it for a while…” “Influenced…by what?” Why hadn’t she noticed even though it had been right there in front of her? When she looked really closely, Rintarou’s eyes were empty. Though he looked sane…he had long since lost his sanity. How could this have happened…? This is sick…! Luna scowled, detesting the culprit. Of course the Holy Grail would always appear right in front of them as though it was a step ahead. That was because it had always been right there with them from the start. Informing us that the treasure is hidden somewhere on this island? Well, you’re not wrong! Telling us that she’ll wait for us at the boat? Of course she would! Because it was already there! Luna howled at him. “Rintarou! Open your eyes! And listen to the true nature of the Holy Grail!” “Why are you talking about that…?” “The Holy Grail is a treasure that embodies miracles! But you can’t get the Holy Grail for selfish reasons! That’s always been the rule!” “Huh? Says who…?” “Think back on it! The knights of the legendary era were seeking the Holy Grail for fortune or prestige. It was all for their own reputations and glory! That’s why they couldn’t obtain it! But those blessings bestowed on the villagers? Those happened because we were wishing for a miracle for other people! It was because we were trying to open the path with our own abilities! That’s why the Holy Grail would appear and grant us miracles!” “…………” “It won’t work any other way, Rintarou… We’ve already wished for the Holy Grail ourselves. Well, I never had any use for that stupid cup, and Sir Kay tagged along to protect me. But you’ve always wanted the Holy Grail…for yourself!” “…N-no, you’re wrong, Luna…” Right then, Rintarou clutched his head as though he was in immense pain, staggering back one step, then two. “I didn’t want the Holy Grail for myself, either… I just wanted it to save Nayuki… I wanted it for someone other than myself…!” “…No, no, Rintarou…” She looked at him with pity and pulled something out from her pocket. It was the hawthorn Celtic cross. “I wonder if it’s because we’re deep in a netherworld. I got a glimpse of the dream that you’ve been having… I think it’s through our matching charms.” “…Huh?!” “Sorry, Rintarou. I peeked into your past. I’m sorry… You put yourself through the wringer because of me… I’m really sorry…” “Huh? Because of you? What are you talking about…?” Without minding his bewilderment, Luna continued, “You’ve been suffering all this time, jaded about the world… You suffered so long you don’t even remember the original memory that caused it in the first place… You finally secured a place where you belonged…which might crumble in on itself.” “…” “I imagine you must have felt indescribably uneasy when you lost Nayuki in a place beyond your reach… Maybe you started to think your place of belonging was fragile, shattering under a single touch if you didn’t expend your full powers to protect it. Maybe you’ve started to wonder if your abilities even amount to anything… After Nayuki’s death, your sense of self started to crumble, making you anxious… Right? “So you want to do anything to protect it—which could be accomplished by the absolute power of the Holy Grail. You would be able to bring Nayuki back to life. You would even be able to make me king. Naturally, you could protect everyone and your place in the world… That was why you craved it, desperately.” “…” “Of course, you started this quest to save her. But at some point, you were captivated by the power of the Holy Grail. Or a small part of you in the bottom of your heart might have felt that way from the beginning. You wanted it to save your sense of belonging. Hence, you wanted the Holy Grail for yourself… Am I wrong?” “…………” When Luna pointed that out, Rintarou ended up silent. That was a more eloquent confirmation than any other. “Hey, Rintarou… Let’s give up on the Holy Grail. You can’t succeed the way you are right now.” That drove into Rintarou like a knife. “H-hey… What are you talking about…? You’ve got to be joking… Are you telling me to give up on Nayuki…?” He seemed to seethe with anger. “Please, Rintarou, wake up. There’s some sort of unknown spite in the Holy Grail. What you seek for yourself will never be obtainable… That makes it just a Zen riddle in a cup. I’m sure there’s something in the Holy Grail that we shouldn’t touch. I don’t know if it’s always been this way…or maybe it changed over time. But either way, a holy cup is just absurd. I’m sure it’s evil. Sir Galahad didn’t take it back to King Arthur but took it to heaven… Now that I think of it…” “What’s your basis for saying this stuff…?!” “What is that thing you’re talking to?!” With eyes filled with enmity, Luna jabbed a finger at the space next to Rintarou. The Holy Grail was right there. Though its golden color had been beautiful in every other encounter, it looked like an ominous glow now. “I’ve told you over and over…! This is Nayuki Fuyuse…” “That’s a doppelgänger! As if I could stand by when there’s a holy cup prodding the weak spots of a person’s heart! You’ve been completely influenced by the netherworld created by the chalice! You seemed full of yourself when you told me that phrase: ‘When you look into the abyss, it looks back into you’!” “No! I haven’t been manipulated! I’m in my right mind! I’m just about to get the Holy Grail! Nayuki agrees with me! As if I can give up now that I’ve gotten all the way here! I…I’m going to save Nayuki… I’m going to protect you guys…! I won’t let you be taken away again!” At that moment, as if reacting to his wishes…the Holy Grail glittered even more and changed form. Upon closer inspection, the light seemed strange. Though its radiance was blinding, there was something dark about it. A girl slipped out from the golden light—someone with fluttering, glowing blue hair. She was the one Luna and the others had once called “Nayuki.” However, her originally blue irises had been stained bloodred, and clinging to her body was a jet-black wedding dress. It was Dark Nayuki. Appearing in front of them, she could only be described in that way. “That’s right, Rintarou… Don’t let them trick you. They’re demons…” She hugged Rintarou from the side and smiled beguilingly as she whispered. “That explains it…” “Don’t you know? The most common cause of death on this quest in the ancient era was friendly fire… They destroyed themselves, tricked by the demons that appeared at their locations…” Rintarou held his head and groaned painfully. “Yeah…I’m fine…like I’d let anything trick me…” “You’re not fine at all! You’re being fooled!” “Don’t lend an ear to the demons. If you keep this up, Rintarou, your friends will be taken from you… You need to help Luna and the others. Take a close look at that disgusting form…” They had no idea what Rintarou was seeing. As he watched Luna and Sir Kay, his eyes were colored by disgust, storming from the inside. “…Dammit! Shit! I see! That’s how it’s been all along…! Where did Luna go…?!” Shing. Rintarou pulled out his swords and readied them. It didn’t take long for him to express his murderous intent. The tension was palpable. …This is no good… Luna sighed at the development she’d had a slight premonition of. I can’t believe Rintarou, of all people, would be duped so easily… If she rephrased it… …He must have been that worried deep in his heart… That was probably Rintarou Magami’s singular weakness. After a tough solitary life, he wanted to protect and get back the sense of belonging he’d finally obtained. The fear of losing that…was the Achilles’ heel in Rintarou’s heart. The Holy Grail had prodded it with malice. “…Luna? What should we do…?” Sir Kay had drawn her sword, feeling a turbulent sense of foreboding as she quietly asked Luna. “…” Luna thought about their options. She glanced at Dark Nayuki. The figure was still hugging Rintarou, laughing through her bewitching smile. Her eyes seemed to pierce through Luna as though mocking her. There’s no way something that repulsive could be the Nayuki Rintarou wanted to protect… There’s definitely something wrong with the Holy Grail… No. The power of the Holy Grail itself was real…which means it must have been possessed by some unknown evil…