"So these are the plans to upgrade Mash, huh...? Concept: 'Grand Shielder'?"
"Indeed. Defense in human form, integrating every concept of protection throughout all time and space—that is the direction of her reinforcement. Once this is brought to fruition, it will also serve as a massive step forward toward achieving his wish."
"Materials are abundant, and the funding is solid. No issues on the order itself, but it's going to take time. A month at the shortest, half a year at the longest. Is that acceptable?"
"I care not. Build something perfect... no, build something absolute. She is a Demi-Servant. How long she can continue to fight alongside us as an equal remains an unknown. Prepare for every contingency; this also serves as our insurance should she ever be taken off the front lines."
"Right, right~ My, aren't you a protective one?"
—Since an official request was submitted, I am forwarding it. Adding an auto-regeneration feature to heal damage would surely lighten Mash-chan's burden as well.
"Hmm. A new fabrication, then. How shall we handle the casting design? Do you have an idea?"
—Well, let's see... how about 'Kizunall'?
"Kizunall...? A straight-laced name without a shred of subtlety. ...Wait, is that a pun on 'all of our bonds'...?"
—?
"Ah, whatever. ...Where is Roman? I do not see him."
"Oh, Romani? He's, well...—"
An Ordinary Day
"Hm-hm-hmmm♪ Hm-hm-hmmm♪"
In Chaldea, a paradise cradled by distant mountains. In a corner of the second Uruk that had manifested within that hidden realm, a man sat humming a lighthearted tune as he busied himself with meticulous handiwork. Devouring sweets in the cafeteria, his hands moved feverishly.
"...And, done~! I call it: Count Romani Archaman! Mmm, even if I do say so myself, this came out great. Ever since I specialized in contracts, my Item Construction took a hit, but I should at least be able to manage this much!"
The man's name was Romani Archaman. A man who had once wished upon the Holy Grail to "become human"—a man who, in the far-flung past, had been nothing more than a King, but whose wish had been granted just as it should be.
And what was this grand figure doing all by himself in solitary solitude? Sewing. Utilizing a single-user Solomon Sewing Kit, he had battled his way through the ordeal to finally piece together his very own costume set.
Why was he doing such a thing? With the moon viewing behind them, autumn was deepening. He was preparing in anticipation of the next event on the horizon.
"The Director gave me the OK, too, so if we're doing this, we have to enjoy it to the fullest! Alright, I'm going to do my best! I'll give everyone a good shock with my usual gap appeal!"
Holding up the finished outfit with pride, Roman radiated genuine, heartfelt delight. He had never done even the simplest sewing before.
Because he had seen a future of destruction, and because he had done everything in his power to prevent it—because of that hellish freedom, like running an endless marathon, a tunnel with no end in sight—a decade of time had finally come to a close.
"—I really can't thank them enough..."
Looking up at the ceiling, an involuntary smile spilled over Roman's lips. He had never imagined he would exist in this future. Because if the adversary was Solomon, then he, too, possessed an ultimate trump card.
—'The Time of Parting Hath Come. He Who Relinquishes All (Ars Nova).'
Solomon's sole human-like myth reenacted. Returning the ring bestowed by God back to the heavens, a poem of farewell that erased his existence from every realm. Its effect: the death of King Solomon. By extension, the complete collapse and annihilation of the 72 Demons of Solomon. A safety mechanism prepared by Solomon himself for the day magecraft turned its fangs against humanity.
With that effect alone, he could have driven Goetia into a fatal collapse. At the very last moment, he could have provided the spark for their victory.
...However, that meant the absolute erasure of King Solomon. It meant Solomon would vanish from every world—erased not only as Romani Archaman, but wiped clean even from the Throne of Heroes. A finality of absolute nonexistence, a void that no living thing could ever reach.
"Well, logically speaking, that just means fulfilling every single trial imposed on a living being, so it's not that scary... but still, being the only one left alone is scary, yeah..."
Achieving every task given to life—it sounded nice on paper, but if asked whether he actively wanted to reach that end, the answer was an absolute no. He'd go so far as to say he hated the thought of it.
Dying. Never seeing everyone again, never eating sweets, never talking, never watching Magi☆Mari again... and above all, I would be sad.
In those ten years, he had accumulated far too many treasures—more than he deserved. Time to do things alone. Opportunities to face challenges alone. The freedom to accomplish something on his own. It was the first time he had ever been granted such chances, such license to act.
He had never possessed the freedom of a human being. Demanded to be a king, acting as one, expanding his nation, and keeping it prosperous.
He even bore the epithet 'The King of Much Love.' The King of Love who cherished thousands. That was true, yet not true at all. What he was never permitted was the freedom to refuse what was asked of him.
That was why... this freedom was irreplaceable to him. Even if all he did was prepare and plan, the very act of choosing something for himself was precious, vital, an incomparable treasure.
And that was why... he was helplessly terrified, unable to make up his mind until the very last second. He was terrified, down to his core, of the resolve it took to throw it all away.
And yet... that King had blown away all his anxieties. No, not just the King. The 'Heroic Princess' who stayed by his side, residing within him.
"..."
—'Death is not a severance, but a ritual of entrusting hope and the future to the next life.'
He had only been able to pick up the audio. Yet the meaning of those words, the trembling truth of that affirmation, had undeniably reached him.
A noble soul who surrendered her Grand Saint Graph to Goetia, brought an end to omnipotence, and felled the Beast with her own answer. A treasure recognized by the King himself. Humanity's newest Heroic Princess. Because she was there, he was alive right now. Because of her, he could sing the praises of freedom.
"...Thank you, truly."
Afraid of showing his weakness face-to-face, he voiced his gratitude alone, where no one could hear.
With that single soul, she had accepted the nature of Goetia—the Evil of Humanity—and defeated it. She had preserved the 'Flawless Conclusion' held high by the King without letting a single smudge taint it. And so, he could enjoy his life as himself, as a human being.
As long as she remained by the King's side, that King would remain delightful forever. As our invincible, greatest companion, he would keep on smiling for a long, long time to come.
He swore to cherish and enjoy the future and freedom they had guided him to. He resolved to live out his life to the absolute fullest, in his own way. In the future everyone had reached, he would live with all his heart.
To that end, he first had to ensure the safety and unwavering peace of mind of the staff and everyone else. There was still so much he could do.
~
"You're finally free. Wouldn't it be fun to go on a journey around the world with Sheba-nyan? My favorite disciple and I can run Chaldea just fine, and no one would complain, you know?"
~
Leonardo had said that, but naturally, Roman had shaken his head. Sheba-nyan had given the exact same answer.
They couldn't just throw everything away yet. Freedom and life were important, yes, but that was entirely separate from abandoning responsibility.
Olga Marie had been forced to shoulder Chaldea all on her own, and he still wanted to support and help her. Lately, she had been acquiring the dignity and composure of a final boss at an alarming speed—he was equally thrilled and terrified—so he had to support her properly. No matter how capable she became, she was still at an age where she could be called a young girl.
"Though lately, I think she's been drinking way too much coffee. I really wish she'd be careful, or she's going to get caffeine addiction."
And as for Mash, even though her lifespan issue had been resolved, everything was just beginning. Even if her life functions were around seventeen or eighteen years, it had only been half a year since she truly began living a human life. ...Wait, we saved the world in half a year?! Isn't that way too fast?!
"The returned Team A is going to look so bad at this rate... I feel a little guilty about that. Kadoc-kun is going to be so frustrated... well, it couldn't be helped, and there was nothing we could do about it."
Rikka Fujimaru. —In truth, she was the child who needed to be supported most of all.
An Evil of Humanity. A Beast that could have been. One could easily be led astray by her strength and personality, but the karma she bore was heavier than anyone else's. A girl who saved the world without ever receiving her fill of familial warmth or human touch.
Fame, glory, power... while possessing almost all of it, she was a girl so distorted that she didn't even know the bare minimum of human happiness.
She couldn't be left alone. She couldn't be turned into a mere figurehead to save the world. She couldn't be made into a hero deprived of free will.
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