It was impossible to tell how much time had passed before the rain of light finally ceased.
The ceaseless trembling of his brain sent waves of agony through him, his chaotic thoughts slowly regaining clarity.
Though it had lasted less than a minute, it felt as though an entire century had flashed by in an instant.
The golden radiance faded from the sky.
A thick, gray fog spread around the barrier, dense with dust as if they stood in the middle of a sandstorm—so thick that one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face.
Inside the barrier…
Roy stood unharmed.
Okita Alter guarded him, not a single scratch on her, not even the slightest cut from a blade.
And before them both—
Jeanne stood, her fleur-de-lis banner raised high, her entire body emitting a faint golden glow. Countless particles peeled away from her form, her figure growing transparent, like an illusion.
"It seems… we managed to block it…"
Only when she could no longer feel even the slightest impact did Jeanne finally let out a sigh of relief.
She turned to look back at them, forcing a weak smile.
Then—
Her body swayed.
She collapsed backwards.
Roy stepped forward, catching her feather-light form in his arms. The moment he felt her weight, his expression darkened. Slowly, he lowered her, cradling her against his chest.
"...Make a contract with me. I'll supply you with mana."
Jeanne shook her head.
Leaning against Roy's chest, gazing at the restrained sorrow on his face, she smiled—a fragile, wistful smile, as though it might vanish at any moment.
"I… really wish I could stay by your side. But… that's impossible now. My Spirit Origin… has already burned away entirely."
That was right.
Jeanne, who had lost her Master, had only been able to remain manifested thanks to the residual mana from her Command Spells.
Had Roy formed a contract with her earlier and supplied her with mana, he might have been able to keep her in this world.
But just now, against Gilgamesh's full barrage—
Even though Jeanne had activated her Noble Phantasm in time, her own mana alone had been far from enough to withstand the thousands of Noble Phantasms raining down upon them.
Moreover, her Noble Phantasm, Luminosité Eternelle, was a defensive ability that accumulated damage—unbreakable until it reached its limit, but once that limit was surpassed, no amount of resistance could change the outcome.
Faced with that onslaught, Jeanne had exhausted every last drop of her mana—then, in desperation, burned her very Spirit Origin to its core, just to defend against that single, full-powered volley from Gilgamesh.
Now, her Spirit Origin was riddled with holes, scorched beyond repair.
"In the end… this was my Master's sin to bear. Now, I've simply repaid that debt."
Jeanne let out a quiet sigh.
Her form grew fainter, as though she might vanish at any moment.
Both Roy and Uemon Ji had been victims of fate's cruelty. They never needed to hurt each other, yet they had despised one another to this extent.
Such was the unpredictability of the world.
Roy clenched his teeth, his eyes brimming with frustration—something he had never shown before.
Even when facing Blackened Saber's relentless assault, even when death had stared him in the face without warning, he had met it all without fear. He had been ready to die without hesitation.
But now—
For the first time, he loathed his own weakness. His own powerlessness.
"I already lost you once… Are you going to make me lose you a second time?"
Suddenly, Jeanne felt something wet against her cheek.
Dazed, she looked up—and saw Roy's face, so close to hers.
This boy, who had never once shown vulnerability, was now shedding tears in front of her.
The same Roy who had endured Angra Mainyu's curses without so much as a whimper—now laid bare the most fragile part of his soul.
"Don't… make that face…"
She tried to raise her hand, to wipe away his tears—but her arm felt as heavy as lead.
"Roy… Last time, I broke my promise to you. Normally… I shouldn't dare to make a second one. But… Roy, it's strange—right now, I want nothing more than to promise you again."
"Someday… I will return to you. I will come back to fulfill our first promise. I swear it. One day, I will find you again—and then… I'll stay by your side. Always."
"So… until that day comes… you have to live."
Jeanne's voice was solemn, her words an earnest plea.
"Will you… make this promise with me?"
She took a deep breath, struggling to lift her hand—but it refused to move.
Just as her arm was about to fall—
Roy caught it.
"Yes. I promise. I'll live. And I'll find you. Even if you refuse… I'll force you to keep your word!"
"Mm… I swear… I'll let you find me…"
A gentle, tender smile curled Jeanne's lips—radiant with joy, like a maiden experiencing love for the first time.
With his vow returned, her own oath fulfilled—
Her Spirit Origin finally dissipated entirely, dissolving into motes of pure mana.
And from Roy's arms…
She vanished.
Roy remained kneeling on the ground, staring at his now-empty hands, unable to move for a long time.
Unnoticed, the defensive barrier around them faded away.
The dust outside had settled.
The land looked as though it had been bombarded by missiles—pockmarked with craters of varying depths. Not just the open space they stood in, but even the ruined castle behind them had been reduced to nothing more than a field of rubble.
Okita Alter stood beside Roy, her expression lost.
She had forgotten so much. Her Spirit Origin had eroded too far—she couldn't even remember who this person was to her anymore.
But seeing him kneeling there, so vulnerable—
Her heart ached.
"You…"
She opened her mouth, but didn't know how to call out to him.
"I'm fine."
Roy finally seemed to snap back to reality, wiping away his tears.
When he stood, all traces of fragility were gone—replaced once more by the unshakable resolve that had carried him through every hardship.
He took his glasses from his pocket and put them on.
Seeing him return to himself, Okita Alter let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"Ngh—!"
Suddenly, a searing pain tore through her chest, forcing a pained gasp from her lips.
"Ah—ahhh… AAAAAAAH—!"
"Saber?!"
Roy's eyes sharpened, confusion flashing across his face.
There were no enemies around—why was she in such agony?
Then—
A golden Holy Grail burst forth from her body, as though tearing through her chest.
The moment the small Grail left her, Okita Alter's consciousness vanished. She collapsed to the ground, unconscious—and in that instant, her presence diminished drastically.
Her form, her attire, her weapon—all of it shimmered, reverting to its original state.
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹