Chapter 23: 2nd life memories

AN: The rest of the chapter contains heavy material from Fate/Extra World. For those who are still confused, this Fate/Extra world is actually MC's second life, meaning that his current life is actually his third. I will be writing the synopsis of Fate/Extra world mechanic, but for those who want more details, just comment. I will write a separate chapter about it.

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[Fate/Extra World Part 1: Saber Memory]

(3rd person POV)

"Umu! We are finally here! The Holy Grail of Moon Cell!" Nero Claudius, Titus Dusklock's Saber servant, announced her arrival before a large cubic-shaped structure.

It was, as she called it, a Holy Grail, a wish-granting device programmed by the Moon Cell of the Extra World of Nasuverse.

"It looks like it," a teen with dark brown hair and eyes mumbled.

He was Titus Dusklock, the reincarnator and a master in this Moon Cell Holy Grail War. Let's explain a little bit about this reality.

In 1970, a ritual performed in a certain city in England set off the depletion of Earth's Magical Energy. Due to the Great Collapse, the Earth's natural resources ran dry and depleted, resulting in a reduction of industrial production, and many countries went bankrupt and collapsed.

In 1973, the Moon Cell was discovered on the moon. The Moon Cell, also called the Holy Grail, Eye of God, and Divine Automatic Recording Device, is a massive collection of photonic crystals within the Moon that comprise a giant supercomputer of sorts. It was built by an advanced civilization to observe humanity from the moon. It had all the collections of events that happened on Earth.

As everyone tried to take control of such a power source, since resources were so abundant on Earth, the Moon Cell was the only way for humanity to rise again. However, human greed was a great problem.

To fight humanity's greatest wish to take control, the Moon Cell's AI generated a plan to hold a competition called the Holy Grail War, where mages chosen from Earth would fight with the assistance of a servant: Heroic Spirits summoned by the Moon Cell Automaton.

Titus Dusklock was also one of the masters in this war. He didn't know how he got here. Instead of reincarnating on Earth and then participating in this war, he was directly summoned to the Moon Cell as a Master.

Well, since the purpose of this war was to win, Titus just went with the flow. He had memories of this world from his previous life, and with his intelligence to understand Nero, he won the war.

He also didn't face any difficulty handling his servant since he 'came' to this world with an absurd level of Mana Circuits. You could say that Titus wouldn't have any trouble summoning even Divine Spirits.

And thus, here they were, standing before the very trophy they fought for.

"Praetor, Praetor~! Isn't this thing so surreal?" Nero joyfully asked as she danced around Titus. She called him Praetor, a title given to the highest-titled Roman commander.

"Yes, it is, your majesty," Titus answered modestly. Titus also decided to call Nero with an honorary title. It helped him bond with Nero as well as boost her confidence. You might call it a tactic to make Nero work better.

"Hmm, what's wrong, Praetor? Aren't you going to make a wish?" Nero noticed Titus's monotone face and asked.

Titus didn't answer. Instead, he fell silent.

What is his wish? Immortality, getting rich, women, power? No matter how much Titus tried to search for desire, nothing came out.

It was to be expected since Titus was hiding a great secret from Nero.

"I have no wish," Titus answered with a blank, robot-like face.

"What do you mean you don't have a wish?"

"It is because I don't have a soul."

That's right. Even though Titus exists in the fictional world of Fate/Extra, his whole existence is just a projection of his past memories. He noticed this when he tried to question his existence before. After some investigation, he found the fact that he was just an NPC-like existence with only memories of the previous world.

"Didn't I tell you about this world being like a game in my previous life? I was able to win this war because I played you like a character. I am just a projection of that person's memory. I am not even human anymore," Titus explained. He had already explained to Nero about his previous life and that Nero used to be just a game character in that world. He used the term "Honesty" to employ Nero efficiently. If he were a proper human, he would have never told her about his previous life.

"Since this war is over, I will call you by your name. Nero Claudius, please make your wish," Titus completed his statement and went silent.

He knew that he would be disappearing soon, and he was fine with it. He didn't know why the Moon Cell made an NPC like him participate in this war, but he didn't care. Though one part of his humanity was satisfied. It was that Nero Claudius could make a wish. He adored her character in his previous life, so as an NPC, if he could help her, he was fine with it.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING?!" Titus looked around and saw Nero beet red, looking at him with anger.

"I don't care about being a game character and whatnot. And stop saying that you are not human. You may think that you are manipulating me, but I knew within my heart that you are a great person."

"What? You knew?" Titus thought he had her in his palms, but he was wrong.

"Of course, I knew. After all, I was the greatest emperor of Rome. I am Nero Claudius after all, umu~!"

Titus was taken aback by her sudden burst, but he then smiled and shook his head. "I guess there is no running away," Titus said. "Then tell me what I should do."

"Hmm… Since you don't have a soul, why not ask the Grail? Maybe your body is somewhere on earth, and you just don't know?"

"You could be right," Titus nodded. "And what about your wish?"

Nero blushed and rolled her eyes. "…I-I will tell you later…."

"Okay," Titus replied, then directed his attention towards the cube-like structure. "Please return my soul to my body."

[Wish is processing… Error! Error!]

[Wish cannot be granted. 'Titus Dusklock' doesn't exist in this universe. There is no record of this person.]

Just then, several red prompts started roaming around them with an AI voice reading them. [System detects 'Titus Dusklock' as an anomaly. Deletion of this anomaly begins.]

With those words, several black marks began spreading on Titus. It was a way for the Moon Cell to delete masters and servants who die or get defeated in this Grail War. And now, it was Titus's turn.

"See, this. I guess this is the end," Titus shrugged his shoulders and sat on a nearby boulder.

"Idiot! Why are you so okay about it?!" Nero, on the other hand, was scorching with anger. Titus had no idea why she was so angry about it.

"Didn't I tell you? I'm just a memory. Besides, can't you see that we can't do anything?" Nero asked.

"Argh! Why the hell does this only happen to me?!" Nero continued to throw a tantrum like a child while Titus watched her with a smile.

Even though Nero was a piece of trash in his world, this version of Nero was a very cute girl. If Titus were human, he would definitely like to get to know Nero Claudius better, maybe even work under her or something.

"Let me handle this!" Nero said as she stormed towards the Grail, inspecting it and doing something.

Titus had no idea what was going on in her head, but he didn't care. He was going to be deleted soon, so there wasn't much he could do.

However, Titus then noticed that the black spots on his body began to shrink. It was as if he was coming back to life.

"What happened...?" he asked, confused. But he was even more shocked when he saw Nero coming out with similar dark spots on her body. She also looked a little weak, as her bubbly personality was nowhere to be seen. What was more, the structure around him began to crumble.

"Nero, what happened? What did you do?" Titus asked, confused.

"Yawn~. I'm sleepy. You know what to do," Nero yawned instead of answering and asked Titus.

Titus nodded and sat cross-legged on the floor. Even though debris was falling around him, and he could die if a structure collapsed above him, he wasn't worried.

On the other hand, Nero sat on his lap like a baby sleeping and placed her head on his chest. It wasn't the first time Nero had done something like that. Titus didn't know why she used to sit on his lap, but he never questioned it. Maybe Nero found his lap cozier or something.

Titus was still confused, but he didn't ask. He was waiting for Nero's answer. "Praetor, no, I shall call you Titus. Titus, do you know why I am doing this?" Nero opened her lips and asked. In response, Titus shook his head.

Nero smiled and lifted her chin. In the next moment, Titus found his lips being sealed with Nero's. His eyes widened as it was the first time he had experienced a female's delicate lips. Maybe it was just curiosity, but Titus wanted to explore this sensation more.

He also supported Nero's head and assisted her in this adventure. For the next few minutes, they continued to kiss even though the place around them was slowly vanishing into nothingness.

Soon, they distanced themselves with a silver silk hanging between their lips.

"H-how was it?" Nero asked with rosy cheeks.

"I don't know. I don't know why I want, no, I need to experience it again…" Titus replied with confusion. Titus was puzzled as to why he needed that again, even though it had no practical value.

Come to think of it, how could Titus feel Nero's warmth? She had sat on his lap multiple times, but why didn't he notice how smooth her butt was? Why didn't he notice how silky her golden hair was? Why didn't he notice how green her eyes were? Why didn't he notice how beautiful Nero was?

"Umu~, it means there is some humanity in you." Nero smiled and nodded, "But do you know why I kissed you?" "Of course I do." Titus smiled and answered, "You want to have sex with me."

Nero fell completely silent. "…wut?"

"I'm sorry for not taking any hints, but I can understand now. Maybe if you had asked directly, I could have worked on my 'thing' and gotten a bone - ouch!" Midway, Nero smacked Titus's head.

"Idiot! It's not like that!" Nero screamed with a beat-red face, "Cough. I mean… I desire that too, but… what I want to say is that… I love you…"

This time it was Titus's turn to get silent. "…wut?"

"Love! Don't you get it? Jeez, you are so slow…"

"But why? I don't understand the reason."

"Love cannot be understood by reasons. Love is love. That's it. I love you. Be grateful. Hump!" Nero pouted.

Titus shook his head and smiled, "I must say, you have a very bad taste in men. Falling for a piece of cardboard like me… Well, I can't deny that I don't have my charm."

After a brief silence, Nero and Titus laughed. Maybe he was capable of having some emotions, but he just didn't understand them. "Titus… since you don't have a goal, can I give you one?"

"Yes, go ahead."

Nero looked into Titus's eyes and answered, "Become a human. No, come to this universe. Make your existence in this era. Your soul is somewhere there. I just know it. Just become a real Titus."

"I understand," Titus answered without thinking much. He didn't know what was going to happen or what kind of wish Nero made with the Grail, but he could at least comfort the dying woman in his arms.

"Yes… become a human… and maybe fate will allow us to come together again. We may even rule my Rome again…." Tears began to fall from her eyes as she completed those words. "Hey, Titus. I am scared… not because I am dying but because you won't remember me…"

"Is that so…" Titus didn't know how to answer, but he did feel something. Was that regret or a sense of loss? "Then what do you desire for now? How can I comfort you?"

Nero looked at him with her blurred green eyes and smiled, "You know it."

Titus smiled and nodded.

"Very well then," he said before lifting Nero and kissing her. He didn't know how long he remained in that position, but when he opened his eyes, Nero was gone.

He stood up as the Moon Cell began to disappear, and several notifications surrounded him.

[Error! Error!]

[Nero Claudius's wish... Error!]

[System is resetting.]

It was the last window Titus saw before reality changed. He was now standing in a Japanese-style classroom. "Oh, right. I died from a bottle of wine," Titus mumbled, but then he noticed something. "Wait, am I missing something?"

The last thing he remembered was dying when a bottle came crashing down on his head, blacking everything out, but there was still something he should not be forgetting. Then a familiar yet foreign window prompt popped up before his eyes.

=[Welcome to Moon Holy Grail War]=

=[You have been chosen to compete in the Holy Grail War.]=

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(Titus's POV)

"What... was that?" I couldn't help but whine with confusion. "You mean to say that I lived another life but in a parallel world before?!"

[There is some truth in it. You might consider this your third life.]

"Oi, system. You better come out clean! What the hell is happening?!"

I thought it was my second life, and now there was a twist. Apparently, this was my third life, and my memories already had some adventures in my second life in the world of Fate/Extra.

Let's not question how only my memories entered the world and took the shape of a person, but what the hell did Nero wish for? Was me going back in time and fulfilling her wish to be her advisor just a way to pay her back? Did I succeed in the end? What did she wish for, and how did I forget her the second time? Why didn't it reset? Did I summon another servant to win the war?

[Find out in the next episode of Fate/Rolette.]

"You are so useless, system." I gritted my teeth and dismissed all those annoying windows. I had so many questions, but I didn't think I would be getting answers to any of them.

"Sigh. Nero, you idiot…" I looked at the ceiling of my roof and sighed.

Not only did she sacrifice herself in the Extra universe, but she did it in this universe, too, and I just watched her die. I thought she was very selfish, but my real frustration was with myself. I was just too weak to save her.

"Hmm?" It was then I saw another prompt before my eyes.

[Nero Claudius's farewell message is ready. Do you want to read it?]

"Yeah..." With some hesitation, I clicked on the YES tab. In the next blink, I was standing on the balcony of Nero's castle.

It was a bustling place where Nero used to address her people while I stood behind her. However, it was now empty, and I could tell that it was just a projection of a memory. It was then that I heard a feminine voice that froze me in my tracks. It was Nero's voice.

"This is the place where I used to see my beloved Tacitus burn in my nightmare," Nero said.

She did explain that she used to watch me burn in her nightmares, and I remembered how helpless I was back then. Perhaps that was why I didn't dare turn around and face her. I was simply too weak to look her in the eye.

"I know I am selfish, but I would rather die a thousand times than become 'that' thing from my nightmares," Nero continued, referring to herself burning her country.

"Yeah, she used to see herself burning her country," I thought to myself.

"Ah, well, this time, I am not going to apologize. I know you don't want to see my face, but I also know that you are my hopeless lover."

"Shut up. I don't want to hear that from you," I replied, rolling my eyes and chuckling softly. She was right; I was a hopeless lover. Even after everything, I couldn't get her out of my head.

"Hehe," I heard her chuckle, and then she said her last words. "Short farewell, Tacitus. I hope my husband becomes the strongest person in this world."

I widened my eyes but then nodded with a smile. Now, I had a clear reason to get stronger for the upcoming future.

With that, I was back in my bedroom, looking up at the ceiling and sighing.

"Getting stronger, huh? Easier said than done," I thought to myself.

Even though I said that I didn't know what kind of strength I should seek. Pushups, sit-ups? Or maybe learning some new spells?

"Well, for now, I need to take care of some personal matters." It was time to sort out some things and find my own place.

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I was now standing before a huge mansion surrounded by an even wider garden. It was clearly a place where some aristocrats used to live, but now I owned it.

"What do you think, Rin?" I asked the dark-haired woman standing beside me.

"This is huge… is this your place?" Rin asked.

"Yeah, go in and choose a room. You could stay here."

"Really?!" Her eyes beamed with stars, but then she noticed her pride existed. "I-I mean, why should I have to move with you?! Are you thinking of something per-per-"

"I mean, I need a mage, and you could make a good bounded field. I remember you're having a hard time managing your finances, right? So, this is a win-win for both of us."

"Ugh! Don't mention my finances…!" Rin groaned when she heard the word "finance." Yeah, if she was bad with something after technology, it was her finances. Kirei Kotomine had already piled some debt on her, and she had also borrowed money from me. Now, she was barely making ends meet.

"H-humph, you just want a mage for free. And who knows, maybe you have some other purpose too?" Rin flicked her hair and said with rosy cheeks.

"Other purpose?" I was confused. Was she thinking I would be indebting her more? Oh boy, it was so hard to deal with this heroine of the anime. "Well, I could pay double and hire another mage. Or maybe I could ask Miss Edelfelt-"

Before I could finish my sentence, Rin held up a finger in front of my eyes.

"Don't you dare mention her name!" She said sharply before flicking her hair and heading towards the mansion's door. "I'll be taking two rooms."

"Man, she's so difficult to deal with," I muttered, shaking my head.

"Or maybe you're just too dense," Shiro, who had been standing silently behind me, spoke up as he came forward.

"What does that mean?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's nothing,"

Before Rin, I had also convinced Shiro to live with me. I mean, who would take care of me if he wasn't around? With my constant habit of forgetting to eat dinner, I didn't think I would survive without him.

I had wanted to invite Sakura to live with us, but unlike Shiro and Rin, she was good with money. Besides, if Shiro and Sakura started living together, it would only be a matter of time before she would go with a big belly. So, both Shiro and I dismissed that option.

"By the way, Titus, did you know that Rin can change her hair to blonde?" Shiro suddenly asked a strange question.

"…You mean she's a Super Saiyan?" I quipped.

"Forget it," Shiro said and walked out.

I was confused, but I decided to enjoy the rest of the day.

(AN: People will be pissed since I am portraying MC as dense, but justifications will be given later on.)

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I need some reviews and power stones. Power stones will boost my ranking, opting more readers to give this book a try and so encourage me to continue writing. Thanks for reading my selfish request. Hope your life goes well.