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"I'm glad, Gil... I'm really glad...!"

Though it cannot be said that all is well, they somehow managed to defeat Saber, and everyone shares in the afterglow of victory.

"What's with that face? Did you really think you could lick my territory?"

"I didn't... I mean, I didn't!"

"Then don't shed tears. Here, I'll lend you a handkerchief. Your face is a mess."

"Okay... sniff"

The silk handkerchief reached out into the ripples and was soaked wet with tears and mucus.

"No, that's not it, you idiot..."

"Thank you..."

"No, I changed my mind. Keep it."

"Are you sure?"

At least, I silently convey to return it after washing, and I pat her head.

"...Sorry for worrying you."

"Yeah, I'm the one who should apologize. I lost my composure. As a Master, I must be strong."

"Ah, jeez, you never change. You're the most peculiar one among us as a special case."

"What to say, informing the vassals of one's well-being is the duty of a king... huh?"

Suddenly, i notices that Caster's spirit origin is unraveling from the tip of his feet, turning into particles.

"...Did he get hit by a stray bullet? Could it be that Caster actually died?"

"I'm not dead!—I've finished my role here, so I'm being returned to my seat."

Finished his role—meaning that essentially conquering and erasing this singularity.

If the Singularity disappears, or more accurately, if the cause of creating the Singularity disappears, then the Heroic Spirit connected to the present world will lose their connection to it and exit from the present world.

As winners, unless they wish to manifest in the Holy Grail, their fate as Servants, mere shadows called Servants, is to be uprooted.

"...Even though I haven't lost, I'm going to disappear..."

"Too bad, but that's the limit of being a Servant. The Heroic Spirits summoned by the Holy Grail will disappear once the Holy Grail is retrieved."

"It's a pitiful fate for a rootless grass. Well, I guess it was an appropriate guide and mentor for a dog like you."

"Yeah, right. ...Ah, well."

Meanwhile, Ritsuka stared at the caster while scratching her head with a guilty expression on her face.

"My departure is near, so hurry up and say it."

"Okay, got it... Thanks, Caster! For everything with the others."

"...Well, you guys. It's time for you to do the rest. Do your best."

"Mash, maybe you should say a word too? You relied on him, didn't you?"

"In your absence. Reflect on your actions."

"Sorry!"

"Um, thank you very much, Mr. Cu Chulainn!"

"Do your best, little girl. If you keep fighting, we might meet again and fight side by side."

"And, you, golden one."

"What? Are you finally ready to apologize for all your rudeness?"

...It seems that this vessel has a high opinion of the Heroic Spirit called Cu Chulainn.

The impression i gets is that of a teasing but caring friend, but who knows.

"No way. ...Ah, what was it."

He scratches his head and stammers awkwardly.

"You're leaving soon, so go on and say it."

"Grr, you really are an annoying one to the very end."

With those words and a faint scent of particles remaining,

The guide, Cu Chulainn, returns to the seat of the Heroic Spirits.

"Now then, faithful dog. Get ready for the next one with your spear."

(...I won't waste your teachings. Thank you very much.)

"...Well. With this, the First Order should be complete. Let's go."

"Wait, wait! There should be the Holy Grail, the cause of the Singularity, right there. Are you going to retrieve it?"

"The Holy Grail..."

"...Grand Order... why did that Servant say that word..."

I sees Olga Marie folding her arms and pondering something.

She is, in a sense, the leader of the exploration team. They should follow her instructions.

"Girl, you're the one holding the flag for the group. Stop spacing out and fulfill your duty."

"Huh? Oh, yes... Everyone, good job. There are still some uncertainties, but we'll call it the end of the First Order. Let's retrieve the Holy Grail and return to Chaldea."

"Yay!"

"I'm exhausted... I'm going home."

—At that moment, a voice resounds from the back of the hill.

"Never did I expect it to go this far. It's beyond my plan, and it's testing my patience."

"?"

An electric current runs through their entire body, signaling that they should be on high alert.

"Mash, protect the Master and Olga Marie."

"Huh, w-what...!?"

"It seems what's coming out is not a normal person."

"Refrain from leaving my side, both of you! That person claiming to be Professor Lev is not the one we know!"

Mash's assessment is correct. Although that entity maintains an outward appearance, it's a grotesque and hideous being, far removed from being human, and the vessel can see through it.

I see, so that thing is the ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ dwelling in ⬛⬛⬛. It must be the ⬛⬛⬛ that ⬛⬛⬛⬛ commands.

—The interference is strong, and I couldn't fully read it, but it seems the vessel has seen through its true identity.

...For some reason, it remains undisclosed to the nameless soul. Is something blocking the revelation?

The problem is... when the vessel looks at that thing, there's an emotion that wells up within them.

It's not annoyance. It's not discomfort.

This is... anger, perhaps.

"48th Master. It was my mistake to let an inexperienced girl like you slip through."

"Wait a minute! Is that Professor Lev!? Is Professor Lev there!?"

"That voice is Romani, huh? I told you to come to the infirmary, but it seems you didn't listen—how annoying."

At that moment, the neatly maintained facade crumbles, revealing an ugly true nature, spewing out curses.

"None of you are capable of following orders properly. Just watching you makes me sick."

"Your existence is hardly worth it. You're ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ right?"

"Oh, I see. It's the King of Heroes Gilgamesh. Why would an esteemed Heroic Spirit like you side with these bunch of scum?"

"――Mongrel. You dare to question without my consent."

It's the first time the vessel has seen the vessel express anger to such an extent.

This entity must be someone that can stir up Gilgamesh to this degree. Who is that gentleman?

"Such impudence coming from a mere Servant. It's like you're trying to imitate the hero himself, how amusing."

"Why, you clown. How you wish to apologize for your mistakes to the so-called king?"

"――――"

"Lev..."

"...Hmm? Oh, Olga. So, you're still alive, huh?"

"It's Lev, I knew it."

――I see. He's aware.

No, it's different. Olga Marie lost her physical body because of him.

An explosion occurred at Chaldea, and the Director, along with the 47 others in the Rayshift room, faced a critical situation.

"Why are you here, Lev? No, where have you been until now...?"

"――Ah, Olga. I'm sorry for causing you worry. Come now. Just like always, I'll help you."

"Answer this first! Are you really Lev!? Are you truly that Lev!?"

"Of course, I am."

"Then why! Why do you look at me with eyes full of disgust?"

"That's because you're undeniably trash."

"――Huh?"

"Let me show you. I'll let you witness the dire state of Chaldea that you've been craving to see."

With those words, space cracks open, revealing Chaldea beyond the space.

――The central part is engulfed in a burning crimson.

"That... is Chaldea? This can't be true! Why is it so red?"

That place is the Chaldea Astronomical Observatory, where humanity's continuity is proven...

From Olga Marie's exhausted appearance, it's clear that a significant abnormality has occurred.

"There is not a single trace of the blue color that represents humanity's preservation, only scorched crimson. You humans have burned to ashes and perished."

――With those words...

Simply by the words, they understand.

Humanity's incineration――The end of history. The burned future, the extinction of humanity.

It's something that cannot be prevented, and it has already occurred.

――Is humanity already extinct?

To them... to them...

Has humanity been destroyed――!

"It's regrettable, isn't it, descendant of Animusphere? This is the fate of your actions."

"Chaldea... Chaldea... my Chaldea..."

"It's not yours. Truly... you were a bothersome existence until the end."

In an instant...

"Director!?"

"Ah... No way, it can't be. I'm being pulled towards Chaldea!?"

"If you're so infatuated with Chaldea, then experience it fully with your whole body. You will become the first human to ever touch Chaldea."

"W-wait a minute! Chaldea? Is it a space that overlaps multiple dimensions?"

"Oh yes, no different from a black hole. No, it's more like the sun. It will even break down your remaining thoughts at the molecular level."

"R-remaining thoughts...?"

"What's going on!?"

"Olga is already dead, of course. The explosives were planted at her feet. And she now only her residual thoughts. You have nowhere to return. Since your physical body is gone, there's no way for you to return to Chaldea."

"N-no...! No, no, no! It's a lie, right?! Help me! Mash! Ritsuka! Help me!!"

"Director!!"

"I'm going now, Director!"

"No! Don't go, Director!"

"I don't want to die now! I want to live more and more!"

"Because... I finally received praise! I was praised as someone remarkable! It's the first time I've been praised like that!"

"――"

I see. She was craving for someone to understand her...

"I finally... finally got recognition! I just understood that it makes me happy to be recognized for my efforts!"

The suction continues.

"I made friends! Ritsuka and Mash treated me as equals! They listened to me even if it was silly and tried their best to understand me!"

"I haven't apologized to Mash! I left everything to Ritsuka without giving anything back! There are so many things I want to do! I could do it!"

"Director!!"

"No, no...! Director!"

"I finally felt like I wanted to live! I finally thought I would do my best in my own way! I don't want this kind of ending!"

"If there's regret, then struggle!"

My golden radiance slices through the weight of despair.

"G-Gilgamesh...!"

"Even if your life is filthy, just 'wish,' without confession or curse!"

That's right! This vessel already possesses what will save her!

"Director!"

"Director! Don't go!"

"Mash, Ritsuka...!"

"We became... friends, didn't we!"

"That's right! Let's be together again...! Let's eat candy together!"

"What are you doing! Squeeze it out from the depths of your soul!"

"Your judgment... it's not now!"

Olga Marie puts her whole being into resisting her fate of death.

"I don't want to die... leaving my friends behind!"

"That's right. It's well done."

At that moment, Lev's face twists in surprise.

"...This reaction... how foolish."

In an instant, Olga Marie's body is enveloped in golden radiance.

"Hmm."

"Foolish... the Holy Grail!? Why does Olga Marie possess it!?"

The gaze turns towards us.

"Seems like you picked it up somewhere, huh?"

The golden radiance intensifies, finally breaking free from Chaldea's deathly pull.

It then envelops Mash and Master, preparing for their return to Chaldea.

"Doctor, we're returning to Chaldea."

"Is that... alright!?"

"You should be able to comprehend what happened in Chaldea from the anomaly. If not, I'll provide the necessary explanation."

"There's no need for anyone to stay here anymore. The useless sideshow has also been cancelled."

"Hmph!" I snorted, letting out a disdainful sound from my nose.

――This time, I felt like giving a full-force victory pose to the arrogance of this vessel.

"King of Heroes――you... you...!!"

The transference begins.

With Mash and Ritsuka,

...bringing the girl who escaped the fate of death.

"Well then, Mongrel. Make sure to carefully assess the next spectacle."

――Indeed. At that time, without my forgiveness, insolence will be within my sight.

"You will atone with your life...!!"

The field of view darkens.

The two girls and other returning to the observatory.

――It seems... my wager, went well and was a success

***

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