Finishing the Rayshift, they slowly open their eyes.
"Ah, welcome back, everyone!"
Marie rushes over and embraces Master and Mashu.
"So glad, so glad you're safe... From a situation like that, I'm so glad you all returned safely...! I'm truly relieved...!"
She offers words of comfort to the two, even shedding tears. She must have been incredibly worried.
"It's fine, it's fine! I'm humanity's last Ultra Master, you know? Gil, Mashu, Marie, and Roman are all here for me. There's no defeat for me! Because I can't just die, can I? My life isn't just my own anymore."
Clap! She clenches her fist.
"'My life belongs to everyone who wishes for the future!' I can't just carelessly squander it, can I! So I won't lose! Not until we reclaim the world! Right, Mashu?"
Wink, she winks at Mashu.
"Senpai...!"
And Master takes Marie's hand.
"Hey, Marie! Someday, let's all see it together! That scenery in your heart, Marie! All of us!"
"Rikka..."
"I won't let some Grand Caster interfere! Let's all reclaim the future where we live, our future alone!!"
...The staff members gaze at Rikka.
They were anxious. That she might succumb to the unreason.
They felt apologetic. For sending her to the front lines.
...They wondered if the girl, who scarcely knew a mother's love, might break.
But humanity's last Master dispelled all their anxieties simply by her existence.
『What must I do, for you to love me?』
Not knowing even a parent's love.
Unable to acquire even the strengths of a proper girl, a sorrowful half-life.
Yet, harboring an abyss that even Demon Gods would go mad for, she says with an unrestrained smile:
『My life belongs to everyone who wishes for the future.』
『Come, let's go to the future we desire!』
『I'm glad I was born.』
There is no shadow in her being. Her steps attract all.
Therefore, she continues to advance.
Embracing hardship, pain, anguish, and despair. Towards a brilliant future.
"—"
—From the bottom of my heart, gratitude and respect for her.
The King and I alone could never have birthed this journey.
"—Hmph. Those lumps of flesh would have held a different impression had they witnessed the Master sooner."
She is that brilliant. She is that dazzling.
(If you are precious, she is dazzling, truly. She shines so brightly it could blind, yet there is a proper darkness to obscure it. That's why she is so brilliant.)
—Once again, my respect to Master Rikka.
Knowing despair, knowing agony. Not knowing love.
Valuing friendship, never neglecting effort, embracing victory.
Heartfelt blessings upon that soul that embraces both light and shadow.
Still, to her who fights to grasp the future—
—For us to have come to you was an irreplaceable miracle.
Truly—
"—Hmph, it seems you were, after all, worthy of being my Master."
He ruffles Rikka's hair.
"Eh!? You acknowledge me as Gil's Master!?"
"To witness a Grand and still display such tenacity. That astonishing sturdiness must be commended. Truly...—this journey has been nothing but overturns of my predictions."
—Thank you, Rikka. I won't forget your kindness.
『Someone who wished for it might just wipe them out.』
Your kindness at that time.
『This is my—my resolve as a Masterrr!!!』
Your strength at that time.
I will never forget them.
—May this journey she leads continue to be a good one.
And... may the future these three walk towards be connected to a world full of blessings and hope—
"————Ya"
"Hm?"
"Yesss—!! Gil acknowledged meee!! Does this mean I've graduated from being a half-pint!? Is it a half-pint graduation, Gil!?"
"Hmph. It is growth akin to a chick shedding its shell. Is that not a great leap forward! You should be proud! You have become a splendid chick! Fuhahahahahahahaha!!"
"Yesss—!! Mashu! Marie! Roman! Da Vinci-chan! Staff and Heroes, all the club members! —Gil!!"
She jumps up and down in joy.
"Thank you for accepting me!! Coming to this Chaldea was truly wonderful—!!"
That was, precisely,
...the image of a child overjoyed at being praised by their 'father'—
"Don't overdo it! It was battle after battle, so get a vital check and counseling!"
"The Director too. Your face is beyond pale, it's stark white."
At Mashu's remark, she looks at Marie.
"It cannot be helped. You maintained a Reality Marble until you exhausted your true power, protecting the world. The world's correction, the acceptance of my glory. Without the Holy Grail, you would have shattered long ago."
"That's... fine. It was my decision, and what I wanted to do."
She looks up at Gil.
"On behalf of Chaldea, my utmost gratitude to you. Heroic King Gilgamesh. Because you were here, we were able to fight. And from now on, too..."
"I permit it. Entertain me, revere me, respect me, and advance unwaveringly. Then, under the name of Gorgeous, I shall continue to protect you, my treasures."
—Yeah. So,
Please continue to take care of me. Hardworking Director.
"Y-Yes..."
Perhaps her guard dropped, she collapses onto Mashu.
"Director!!"
"Mental exhaustion, is it? Though she escaped the shackles of the body, soul and spirit are connected by a tail. As long as one is human, they cannot escape it."
"...Thank you... Gil... for calling me human..."
"Senpai!"
"Yeah! Gil! I'll go guide Fran and transport Marie!"
"You too, rest. This is where we disband for now. It was quite a fierce battle. Rest well in paradise. If necessary, I will provide my treasury's capsule 'I'm Sorry'."
"Then let's go! Fran! Mashu! Yoikes!"
She carries Marie in a princess carry.
"W-Wait a minute..."
"Thank you always, Marie. The reason I'm alive is thanks to you, Marie. It's okay to return that favor, right?"
"—I-I understand... It's embarrassing, so hurry..."
"Yeah! Alriiight, transport tiiime—!!!"
"Definitely slowly—!!!"
"Well then, Heroic King, until next time!"
The hopes of humanity rush past in a flurry.
"You all make yourselves at home too! I'm planning a party with everyone participating in a few hours! Let's drink, sing, and make merry with the abundant materials procured from the club members!"
—Of course. We must not forget.
The precious crew members who move this ship called Chaldea.
"You all performed admirably! Never forget! Even if you did not fight side-by-side, every single one of you is my treasure!"
"""""""Hmph!!!"""""""
"You all have the right to enjoy this paradise! Eat well, live well, rest well!! Understand that your rest is connected to our future!!"
—Thank you so, so much, always.
I am truly impressed by and respect everyone's efforts.—
"That's all!! Dismissed!!"
"""""""King Gilgamesh! Banzai—!!!"""""""
~The staff exit, praising King Gilgamesh.
And then, three remained. Da Vinci, Roman. And himself.
—Alright. Back to my room for the King's rest...
It was then.
"—Ea. Allow me to speak for a moment."
An absolute voice echoes from deep within the vessel.
—Heroic King!?
"Did I surprise you? My apologies. But there is something I must do."
—Yes!
Without a moment's hesitation, he entrusts the vessel's ownership.
"A dear one, you are. To not hesitate even a speck. As expected of my paramount treasure."
The vessel chuckles.
—Ah, I see.
The Heroic King was watching over me like this...
"W-What's wrong, Gil?"
"Nothing, just talk. —Now then."
From the golden ripples, he pulls out a 'golden clay tablet' and begins to write something.
"A contract renewal. Here, take it, Da Vinci."
"Whoa!?"
He finishes writing in an instant and tosses it over.
"W-What kind of renewal!?"
"It is known. The contract that 'I shall remain in Chaldea even after the Human Order is restored.' I have also transferred the contract from Chaldea to this clay tablet. Even if Chaldea is occupied, I shall not withdraw."
—That means—
"Does that mean... 'naturalized in Chaldea and residing permanently,' Gil-kun?"
"Indeed. My work, it seems, lies beyond the incineration of humanity. I merely concluded that this was merely a prelude. —For entrusting my Uruk, you two alone are far too unreliable."
—!!
...Even after the Human Order is restored... he'll be here...
"How is it? Do you intend to keep me in Chaldea?"
—Even after the Human Order is restored... with everyone... with Fou...
—I can be with Gil...!?
"Hmph, unable to suppress your joy, are you? To call me 'Gil' so intimately."
—Ah! Th-That! Um, p-pardon my rudeness...!
"It is fine. I shall forgive you in deference to yourself. To carelessly call my name is charming beyond measure. Truly, one who understands the points of moe."
—U-Ugh... My undoing...
"Yahoo!! We did it, Romani! This solves the 'What happens after Gil leaves?' problem that's been racking my brain! Now the Association, the Clock Tower, and the UN aren't scary anymore! Because the 'King' has come to us, after all!"
"Yeah!! Thank you... thank you...! For you to say something like that...!"
"Was it unexpected? "Solomon""
――――
――――Eh?
"――――――"
"I have decided to protect you all. I shall look after you until you complete your unseemly lives. —In return."
The vessel grins.
"Oops, so he found out after all."
Da Vinci holds her head with a tahaa sound.
"...Yeah. I never thought I could keep it hidden from you forever."
Roman laughs as if resigned.
"I shall take your secret. It doesn't have to be now. —As soon as the next summoning ritual is over, you shall confess everything."
—Roman is, Solomon...?
Amidst swirling laughter, certainty, and confusion.
—The Fourth Singularity, closed its curtain.—
-------------------------------
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