"Fantastic!"
She never expected such a wonderful surprise.
Aesc closed her magic book with satisfaction, casually slicing through the branches that reached for her from the surroundings.
The perseverance of warriors, the resolve of the weak.
These were always the greatest surprises in any story.
Nodding happily, Aesc glanced at the encroaching branches.
But there was still a hungry child to deal with.
The warriors were resting; now it was the witch's turn.
"Now then..."
The moonlight vanished abruptly.
"Water Mirror, maximum expansion!"
The Water Mirror unfolded above Aesc, steadily eroding the sky.
It engulfed the Mystic Eye Collection Train and the surrounding Children of Einnashe within its expanse, a mirror vast enough to envelop the entire world.
A white light flickered. The magic book dissipated like bubbles, transforming the next moment into a circle of swords that half-enclosed Aesc.
Her body began to rise.
As if sensing the threat, the branch-like tentacles of the Children of Einnashe warmed towards Aesc in mid-air.
Olga Marie, in the midst of preparing a great magecraft, snapped her gaze towards the window.
The once silvery moonlight had been replaced by an azure, watery radiance.
The surrounding forest was gone, supplanted by a bubbling underwater landscape.
"In the name of the Fairy of Paradise, reveal a glorious future!"
Aesc's figure gradually faded into the Water Mirror.
"Noble Phantasm: Vestiges of the Holy Sword's Distant Dream — Memory of Londinium!"
In an instant, brilliance erupted.
Countless weapons fell, shattering the branches extended by the Children of Einnashe one by one.
In moments, only the bare, exposed core of the Child remained on the battlefield.
Then, the fallen weapons dissipated like mist, converging into a single, blazing pillar of light.
At its center, the core of the Child of Einnashe wailed in anguish.
"All safe and sound."
'The train should still be operational; I made sure to avoid it.'
Aesc put away her staff, turning her gaze towards the Mystic Eye Collection train.
There, she spotted a silver-haired girl at the window, mouth agape, staring at her in utter shock.
Waving at her, Aesc turned and stepped back into the Water Mirror. In the next moment, she appeared in Lord El-Melloi II's room.
'Pleasant dreams, you two.'
Looking at the master and apprentice sleeping soundly in bed, Aesc offered a sincere blessing.
After returning to the Clock Tower, the incident was officially recorded as an internal conflict among the Dead Apostles.
A most delightful conclusion.
Gray and Lord El-Melloi II, who had fallen unconscious due to overloading their Magic Circuits, had long since woken up. It was less a coma and more an exhaustion-induced deep sleep.
And now...
"Cape, check! Hat, check! Staff, check! Aesc, moving out!"
Grabbing a hesitant Olga Marie, who was peeking in from outside, Aesc charged into Svin's celebration party for his promotion to Pride.
"Waaah! What are you doing?!" Olga Marie cried out in a fluster.
"Whoa! The new girl's got spirit!" Not to be outdone, Flat enthusiastically pulled others into the fray.
Lord El-Melloi II, for once enjoying a respite from his usual stomach troubles, was sharing a drink with Reines.
"Come on, now, be brave." Pushing the reluctant Olga Marie towards Lord El-Melloi II, Aesc grabbed a drink from Trimmau and took her place beside Gray.
After shooting a fierce glare at Aesc, Olga Marie hesitated, then shyly presented a gift to Lord El-Melloi II. "Thank you... for your help on the train."
After he accepted it, Olga Marie, her face flushed, turned and hurried away, managing a quick "Congratulations" to Svin on her way out.
"Lady Aesc, she is, after all, a daughter of a Lord," Lord El-Melloi II said with a wry smile. "Was it necessary to be quite so... forceful?"
"Stubborn children often need a little push," Aesc replied, taking a sip of her drink before turning her gaze lightly towards Gray.
Feeling Aesc's eyes on her, Gray tugged at her hood.
"Don't forget to give your gift. Being brave can sometimes lead to better outcomes," Aesc whispered.
"I will," Gray murmured, pulling her hood down further and bowing her head. "By the way, Miss Aesc, has your book gotten thicker?"
"Quite observant," Aesc acknowledged with an appreciative smile. "You know my magecraft is somewhat related to memories, yes?"
"Mhmm."
"Well, I've been turning the pleasant memories we've made during this time into new pages for this book." Aesc produced the noticeably thicker volume and gave it a little shake.
"Memories..." Gray repeated the word softly.
A newly summoned Servant wouldn't retain memories from a previous summoning.
So... was that voice I heard at the end... just an illusion?
"And this section holds the memory of Gray trying on new clothes."
Snapping back to reality, Gray glared at Aesc, pouting.
But there was nothing she could do about it. She could hardly force Aesc to forget.
"So," Aesc blinked playfully.
"Be wary of the Rain Witch."
With that, she took out a crystal ball and approached Lord El-Melloi II.
But upon seeing it, he only gave a knowing smile.
"That won't be necessary, my lady," he said, swirling his glass. "One cannot live in dreams forever."
Noting Aesc's slightly surprised expression, he continued, "Also, I've decided to withdraw from the Fifth Holy Grail War."
"While part of me yearns for it, one shouldn't cling too stubbornly to the past." Having said this, Lord El-Melloi II downed the rest of his drink.
"I see," Aesc replied, a light, cheerful smile gracing her lips. "I'm truly happy that this journey has yielded such a wealth of experiences."
"Saying something like that... does it mean you're planning to travel elsewhere?"
"Yes."
"...My lady, is it too late for me to change my mind?"
"No, no! The opportunity has passed!"
"Just a joke."
Lord El-Melloi II smiled sincerely and raised his glass. "I wish you a pleasant journey, Aesc."
"Pleasant journey, Miss Aesc."
"And if you ever come back, my brother is always available for manual labor!"
Gray and Reines also raised their glasses nearby.
Aesc chuckled, raising her own in return, before leaping into the Water Mirror.
The students who had been watching let out gasps of astonishment. Lord El-Melloi II could only sigh and cover his face in resignation.
That night, Gray struggled to support a very drunk Lord El-Melloi II back to his room.
"Um... This... I bought this when I went shopping with Miss Aesc and the others."
Mustering her courage, Gray pulled out the gift and held it out.
Even though looking directly at her teacher still made her shy, she was determined to give it to him.
"Thank you, Gray." Looking at the gift placed before him, Lord El-Melloi II accepted it with a warm smile. He then made a request of the lady before him. "My own strength alone is insufficient. From now on, I hope you will continue to fight by my side."
Gray looked up in surprise, tears welling in her eyes for some reason.
"...As long as you'll have me, Teacher," she replied, her voice choked with emotion.
Outside their window...
As expected, for a proper happy ending, this scene was indispensable.
Watching the two inside the room, Aesc revealed a satisfied smile.
The Rain Witch's book had gained a few more pages.
No, the shining memories she had experienced here would likely form an entirely new volume.
And now, the Rain Witch would truly take her final bow.
A gentle breeze brushed past. Aesc turned and stepped through the illusory door behind her.
[Departure confirmed.]
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.