Chapter 194: Mochizuki
[And so time passed, until deep into the night.]
Around nearly eleven at night, in front of the academy's library.
The moonlight swayed gently; a pale moon hung high in the night sky, with sparse stars scattered across it. From the roadside planters came the melancholy cries of night cats.
Yu Ji had just stepped out of the library, carrying a pile of reference books in her arms.
She appeared as though nothing was amiss, yet her expression was gloomy and her steps heavy. That beautiful, radiant face of hers was like the bright moon, now shrouded by a dark cloud named sorrow.
Yu Ji lifted her head to glance at the night sky.
The moon hanging overhead was so wondrous and pure, its light seemingly untouched by any of the world's troubles, making her feel that she herself beneath that moonlight was somewhat adrift.
"Haizz…"
She let out a faint sigh.
"Suddenly borrowing such a pile of books from the library, why on earth did I feel the urge to borrow so many—don't even know when I'll finish reading them…"
"Yahallo Jade Beauty over there, would you care to share a drink with me?"
A man's voice suddenly sounded nearby, striking up a conversation.
Hearing the slightly teasing tone, Yu Ji immediately frowned in obvious displeasure and turned her head toward the source of the sound.
It turned out that the one calling her was none other than Mochizuki Eikou.
No—rather, of course it was him, because only this guy would be so rude as to use that form of address.
"You… no, kouhai, so you finally woke up?"
Yu Ji said irritably:
"No, more importantly, what's with you sitting here with beer and talking to me like this, it's really odd, and you reek of alcohol. You just woke up and already plan to play the clown?"
Just discharged from the hospital, Eikou was sitting alone on the steps beside the library.
A simple bandage was wrapped around his head, and in his hand was a large plastic bag full of cold beer, looking like he had just bought it from a convenience store.
Eikou had clearly been drinking there for a while; his face was flushed, the look of someone already drunk.
"Nothing at all," he casually tossed over a can of beer, "senpai, this is yours."
"I never said a single word about wanting to drink with you, why throw it to me like that?"
Yu Ji caught the beer can he had thrown, but her attitude was very cold:
"Kouhai, if you're planning to comfort me, I advise you to stop. Just today alone, no fewer than dozens of classmates came to express concern. Honestly, it's so annoying, because I just want to be alone in peace."
"Haha, don't misunderstand, I have no intention of comforting you at all. I'm just exercising the privilege of someone who saved your life—I demand you drink a can with me!"
He flashed a slightly arrogant grin:
"Don't mind me telling you, I don't care how you feel right now; my mood is what matters most."
"What's with that 'young master' attitude!"
"Anyway, since you survived the Singularity, I don't need to curry favor with you anymore to raise affection. Of course I'll do whatever I want!"
Eikou burped, sounding like the rambling of someone drunk:
"Besides, I don't even know for whom I risked my life before—blocking Noble Phantasms with my body, flirting with married women, racking up a mountain of love debts. And in the end the person I helped won't even drink a can of beer with me. Oh, so the request of a lifesaver is that cheap? I see, my request is too much, huh."
"You…"
Before Yu Ji could say anything, Eikou dejectedly set the beer can in his hand down.
"What am I supposed to do… After all, the one who needs comfort isn't just you. I've just gotten a whole new pile of trouble myself."
He sighed with a face full of distress:
"Those wives have definitely snuck into the rayshift. Maybe tomorrow they'll show up at my room and force me to marry them. I thought it was just a normal cuckold game, so I risked everything grinding to conquer them, and in the end they tell me they can step into reality. What kind of scenario is this, [Re:CREATORS]? Hahaha, ridiculous…"
"..."
Yu Ji was suddenly at a loss for words; she didn't even know what to say.
I thought you came to comfort me, but now it seems you're the one who needs comforting even more! You look even more miserable than I do, when clearly my situation should be the heavier one!
"...Fine, I'll sit with you then."
He had already spoken to this extent—could she really leave this guy sitting here all alone? That would be far too pitiful.
Yu Ji let out a soft sigh, quietly set her pile of books down, and then sat beside him.
She took a can of beer from the plastic bag and popped the tab.
Click!
The area around the library was utterly silent; it seemed even their breathing could be heard clearly.
The crisp sound of the beer can opening echoed among the library's massive columns.
The two said not a word. Eikou lowered his head and drank heavily, as if pondering how to avoid chaotic romantic entanglements in the future.
And she simply sat beside him, silently sipping her beer.
Time passed quietly for quite a while.
Yu Ji seemed unable to endure the awkward silence any longer (a thought rare for her) and casually found a topic to break it:
"Even after returning to reality, I don't know what to do. Nothing feels enjoyable anywhere, so on a whim I borrowed a pile of books from the library."
"Mm, studying, huh. You understand better than I do how to accept sorrow."
Eikou downed a whole can of beer in one go, then said:
"The best cure for sadness is studying—learning how the world works and why it works that way. Only that keeps the mind endlessly engaged, never foreign, never tormenting, with no fear or doubt, and no need to worry about regret."
"Who taught you that line? That illiterate head of yours could never come up with it." Yu Ji lifted her head and took a sip of beer, blurting out.
"Haha, Merlin said it! (Merlin in The Once and Future King)."
Eikou cracked open another beer and continued:
"Of course, besides studying, pouring your heart out to someone is important too. Writing a diary, going for a run, or even having a good cry all work."
"…Kouhai, if you think I'm going to burst into tears right now, you're completely wrong."
Yu Ji lightly brushed her slender fingers over the cold surface of the beer can:
"I've lived so long, I've experienced partings of life and death far too many times. Even with Xiang Yu-sama, parting forever wasn't just once or twice. Pan-Human History, Singularity—I've had it recorded several times at the Throne of Heroes."
She lifted her head toward the distant, pale moonlight.
That gentle, almost icy light slid across her impassive face, as though she wore a flawless yet frozen mask.
"I see."
Eikou looked at the softly sorrowful face and nodded thoughtfully:
"It's fine if you don't cry—actually that's better—because I don't want to waste energy comforting a crying woman on such a beautiful night. I'd rather be the one comforted. Besides, for things I can't truly empathize with, any words of comfort would carry no weight anyway."
"True enough. You've got a bit of sense after all, kouhai." Yu Ji took a sip of the bitter beer that burned her throat. "Then why did you come find me?"
"Told you already, just wanted someone to drink with. I'm really feeling down."
"Stop pretending. If you were truly down, you'd have fired off a whole volley of complaints long ago instead of calmly talking with me like this. After circling around, in the end it's still because you're thinking of me. You're almost too gentle. Are you even human?"
"Because I'm a very idle person," he said with a smile.
Suddenly, he remembered the Servant Mochizuki—another self of his in a parallel world.
That Servant had deeply regretted abandoning Yu Ji back then, leaving her to live or die alone in the Singularity, lingering forever in remorse until he could give the present Eikou a chance to redeem that mistake.
"Yu Ji-senpai, I know that continuing to live might be painful for you. Perhaps you've long wished for release through death, but…"
The bright moonlight shone as the willow branches swayed.
Eikou turned his head, those deep blue eyes serious and steadfast as they looked at her. Across his face bathed in moonlight glowed a gentle strength.
"…But I don't regret saving you, because I want to spend many moments from now on together with you. The annual Gudaguda Event, Elizabeth's Halloween, the Summer Event, school trips, Lunar New Year—so many fun things, I want to invite you to all of them."
Yu Ji's crimson eyes widened slightly, as if reflecting the stars themselves.
"This kindness is something I impose on you, and I'm the one who pulled you out of the Singularity. So from now on, if you have any dissatisfaction or troubles, come find me. I'm happy to provide that aftercare service."
Eikou lifted the bag of beer cans and stood, gently patting her shoulder in reassurance.
"All right, your social tolerance must be near its limit. I'll head off first. Live well, Yu Ji—don't let yourself endure too much."
As he were about to turn and leave, a slender white hand suddenly clutched the hem of his shirt.
He paused slightly.
It felt as if a young girl gently rested her forehead against his back.
Her black hair hung loose, covering her cheeks, hiding her feelings, making it impossible to see the expression on her face at this moment.
"...I've said this much already, so from now on don't blame me for relying on you a lot, okay? Even if I treat you like an errand boy to order around, you won't object, right?"
She leaned against his back, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
It seemed he could hear a trace of choked sobs in her tone.
"...All right." Eikou nodded lightly.
"Really, do you even know how willful your kindness is, kouhai. I still have so many troubles to pour out here, sit down and drink with me a little longer."
"Mm, I will listen to your complaints seriously."
"You said it yourself, kouhai. I'll complain to you until I die."
"Mm, I'll always stay by your side."
[You feel the deep affection and dependence of Assassin Yu Ji,]
[Your skill 「Presence Concealment」 has leveled up to B-rank.]
[...Although it might be a little late now, you really have cleared that dating game.]
[On May 15, you sat with Yu Ji on the steps drinking through the night, sharing long hours, speaking of sad, painful, joyful memories, of unforgettable experiences, the two of you confided together under the moonlight.]
[May 16]
[You saved Yu Ji and thwarted Sesshouin's scheme.]
[You returned to your normal school life.]
[You went back to the idle ordinary days, the noisy lively classroom, and the interesting friends around you.]
...
Morning, Britain classroom.
Spring was ending, early summer had arrived, and you could faintly feel the sunlight growing more dazzling, the breeze through the window carrying a hint of heat.
"You don't look energetic at all today, Sir Tristan?"
Gawain immediately noticed the heavy dark circles lingering at the corner of his desk mate Tristan's eyes.
"You noticed, Sir Gawain. Yesterday was the release day of Love Sleeping 3 Remake, also called Love Sleeping 3 Reload. I accidentally played all night without sleeping."
Tristan took a game cartridge box and a handheld console from the desk drawer, his face full of sincerity as he wanted to recommend them.
"You… how can an age-restricted game have so many sequels, and even a remake. Didn't this series just get released not long ago?"
Gawain complained while shaking his head,
"For stuff like that you should go find Sir Lancelot, my taste is more for younger girls."
"How unfortunate..."
The red-haired knight regretfully shook his head, glancing at the protagonist on the game box cover.
"Speaking of which, the protagonist in this third game really looks a lot like Sir Eikou, I kept feeling turned off while playing."
"Let me see... Oh, you're right. Could it be Sir Eikou just has one of those generic faces?"
"What on earth are you two doing!"
A strict and powerful shout rang out from the door,
"Morning self-study time and you're not reading, that's nothing but a disgrace to me, leader of the Knights of Fianna, the one who defeated Nuada, the protector of Erin! Gawain, Tristan, stand up for me!"
"Sorry, Finn-sensei!"
The two young men hurriedly put the game away and jumped up from their seats.
They looked around, but there was no sign of Finn-sensei anywhere.
Instead, the one who entered the classroom carrying a school bag was Eikou, a mischievous smile on his face.
"Yo, Tristan, Gawain, did I imitate sensei well?" he said proudly.
"You nearly scared us to death..."
Only then did Tristan and Gawain breathe a sigh of relief and sit back down.
"Sir Eikou, don't do that again next time!"
"All right, all right, look how scared you both are," he laughed as he sat down, then turned to talk to the two Knights of the Round Table seated behind him, "So what game were you guys discussing just now, is there a new release?"
"Pretty much, this time it's Love Sleeping 3 Remake," Tristan held out the game cartridge box, "Do you want to give it a try?"
"..."
The moment he heard the words "Love Sleeping," Eikou's face immediately fell.
"Who would even play this pointless thing? I really don't get how this game can keep getting new sequels and even a remake. Just how free is that studio anyway?"
"Don't you want to at least try it? The protagonist in this part looks a lot like you."
"I refuse! I swore a deadly oath never to touch this series again!"
Even as he said that, he still sneaked a glance at the game box cover.
Right after, Eikou frowned slightly and picked up the cartridge to examine it carefully.
Not only did the protagonist on the cover look suspiciously like himself, but the staff credits below were extremely dubious!
It read:
「Special thanks: Servant Mochizuki」
「P/S: This is the 'Disaster With Women' I made for you.」
"…Pff, so it's that guy."
Eikou's eyes widened a little.
Then he burst out laughing.
That smile was gentle and cheerful.
"All right, this installment actually looks interesting. In that case, I'll go buy a copy to play today."
Gawain was startled: "Sir Eikou, what's gotten into you today, did you eat something bad? Just a few days ago you were complaining to us that 'Love Sleeping 2 has turned into a Beast, ahead lies the Lostbelt,' you know."
"Haha, that game was tough because I discovered a strange 'BUG' inside it, and he kept making things difficult for me."
Eikou narrowed his eyes, smiling brightly, and said:
"But thanks to that BUG, I was able to win the Holy Grail War in a way that was dangerous but not fatal. For that BUG's sake, playing one more installment isn't a problem."
Outside the classroom window, waves of hot wind blew in—signals of the approaching summer.
The breeze lightly brushed the boy's bangs, his face glowing like the blue sky as he watched petals drifting toward him.
"All right, this time I'll definitely finish everything perfectly without a trace of regret!"
「Once again it's a full moon night」
「Time flows so fast it's hard to believe」
「I fall into a dream once more」
「Does the road I've walked truly lead to the right direction」
「When the final moment comes, what matters is the mark you leave behind」
「The soul and the flame burning in my heart will never fade」
「Until you see me beyond the stars」
「What kind of path have you walked」
「What kind of path have you walked」
「How long has the journey been」
「Take the time to have fun, cherish every moment」
「Enjoy the adventurous life, burn away the fear in your heart」
...
Note: long chapter...
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