Chapter 1031: Only for You Alone
"You... have you become disillusioned with me?"
Cernunnos turned her head.
She showed Eiji an empty smile.
Though she was an immensely powerful person, certainly no weaker than Eiji.
Yet that smile of hers was so heartbreaking.
Had he become disillusioned with her?
Eiji searched his heart.
To be honest, from the very beginning, he truly believed Cernunnos fought for the peace of Britain, genuinely striving for the happiness of the fairies.
But now, he was told the truth wasn't like that.
Cernunnos fought for herself.
The fairies were merely tools to achieve her ideals.
"Cernunnos, I've grown much stronger up till now."
Eiji pondered for a moment before giving a serious reply.
"This strength was also obtained by making use of many people, so there's a boundary to such utilization. Even if you used the fairies for your own ideals, the fact that you repeatedly brought peace to them is undeniable. That is definitely not a stain."
Judge by actions, not intentions; if judged by intentions, no one is perfect.
From the results, Cernunnos had saved the fairies many times, and that achievement could never be erased.
"As for whether I've become disillusioned... you've misunderstood something very important."
"Misunderstood?"
Cernunnos showed a puzzled expression.
"What do you think I stayed in this era for?"
Eiji's gaze sharpened as he countered Cernunnos.
"To change the future of fairies and humans? To alter the tragedy of the Londinium coronation ceremony?"
"Isn't that so?"
Cernunnos was instead surprised.
"Of course not!"
Eiji resolutely denied Cernunnos's assumption.
"I did all this for you!"
"Ugh...!"
Cernunnos clutched her chest.
As if hit by an ultimate move, she couldn't help but retreat several steps.
"Don't say things like that at a time like this...!"
"This is my true feeling. What's wrong with saying it?"
Eiji glared at Cernunnos with clear dissatisfaction.
"Listen, ultimately, I don't care about the survival of the fairies at all. They were fated to die anyway—what does their life or death have to do with me? No matter which clan, no matter why they die, I won't interfere!"
"But I don't want to see that face of yours crumbling in despair. That's why I stayed in this era, why I told you about the future—all to change that future, to let you receive the reward commensurate with your efforts!"
Those who work hard should not receive their due rewards—Eiji detested nothing more in this life than that!
Watching Cernunnos despair and break down because of the Londinium coronation ceremony, becoming indifferent and unfeeling toward everything—Eiji absolutely could not accept that!
Ultimately, Eiji was from Proper Human History.
Everything in the Lostbelt was his natural enemy. He had no reason to save anything; watching them die in calamities, perish with the disappearance of the Lostbelt, was what he should be doing!
But he still intervened.
Not only did he help Norwich overcome its crisis to the greatest extent possible, but he also stayed in this era for half a year!
I stayed to make you happy!
Eiji could pound his chest and declare this.
In the end.
He and Cernunnos were the same kind of people.
They didn't care about fairies or anything like that.
What they cared about were only their own thoughts, and that unshakable, unparalleled obsession to realize their ideals—so firm that not even ten Albions could pull them back!
"Are you still going to ask if I'd become disillusioned because of this?"
"I get it, I get it! You don't need to say anymore—I understand your feelings!"
Cern hurriedly stopped Eiji, who seemed intent on continuing to speak his mind candidly.
Even in the darkness of night, a visible blush rose on her cheeks.
If he kept going, she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't make some embarrassing expression.
A long moment later.
Cern finally suppressed the corners of her mouth that kept twitching upward.
She hesitated for a moment, then gently tugged on Eiji's sleeve.
Slowly, a bit awkwardly, she leaned into his embrace.
Her head rested against his chest, her ears filled with the sound of his strong heartbeat, her cheeks feeling the scorching warmth, and her nose surrounded by a wonderfully pleasant fragrance.
Her heart settled into an incredible calm.
"Can you make a promise with me?"
"What promise?"
"No matter what happens in the future, you must stand by my side!"
"…"
Eiji suddenly fell silent.
Could he really agree to such a promise?
No, when it came down to it, could he actually do such a thing?
"…"
The grip on his sleeve gradually tightened.
The girl in his arms trembled lightly.
"I promise you!"
Eiji took a deep breath.
He resolutely raised his arms, wrapped them around Cern's shoulders, and held her close.
"No matter what happens in the future, no matter what situations we face, I will always stand by your side!"
"Mhm, thank you!"
Cern lifted her head, the shadow in her eyes slowly fading as she showed Eiji a genuinely happy smile.
"I can't give up now either! Regarding the coronation ceremony, I have a few ideas too. You can avoid the world's interference, right? In that case, let's discuss it together—I want to make the plan even more perfect!"
Cern regained her fighting spirit.
She carefully shared the plan she had been refining for half a year with Eiji.
Then, Eiji offered several points for improvement.
It took them half an hour to finally settle on a scheme.
This method could be called perfect—the product of their half-year of brewing, something that could even deceive the world itself!
After reviewing the plan and finding no flaws anywhere, Cern's confidence finally returned.
"Let's go back."
Beaming, Cern called out to Eiji as they walked toward the bonfire.
"Yay! Cern's ceremonial dress is finished! We finally did it!"
"Congratulations, Miss Habenyan!"
"That's all thanks to you teaching me to keep a diary, Mash!"
Watching Cern's retreating figure.
Eiji remained silent for a long time.
No matter what, I'll stand by your side.
In the end, he had given that promise, making a vow with Cern.
However.
"Cern... does this Britain truly deserve your exhaustive efforts to protect?"
A different doubt arose in Eiji's heart.
The lament of the land beneath his feet.
Hadn't ceased for a single moment since he became the Fourth True Ancestor over five months ago.
Eiji understood.
He had gained the favor of the Counter Force.
Become able to directly read information from the world itself.
Just like Arcueid.
If Arcueid is the favored daughter of the Counter Force, then Eiji is its adopted son.
Precisely because of this.
Eiji understood just how much sin had gathered in this Britain beneath his feet!
"It's like a terminally ill patient in the ICU, continuously wailing as death approaches—wanting to die yet forcibly kept alive, almost wishing to strangle their own throat..."
Yes.
No matter what happens, I will stand by your side.
To achieve that.
Cernunnos.
"I will defeat you."