"Master Zuomura, it seems that your investigation has encountered some obstacles."
Samura and his party saw Himiko who seemed to have been waiting here for a long time at the entrance at the back of the shrine.
"It seems Himiko-sama should know something... about that."
There was a smile on Takasugi Shinsaku's face.
Behind him, at the end of the mountain road, was the howling wind wrapping around the entire top of the mountain.
"I know."
Himihu nodded.
"But I don't know exactly how."
"Please enter the palace, but only...Miss Fujimaru Ritsuka."
"There is someone waiting for you in front of the emperor."
Himiko looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka with a gentle smile on his face.
"...Master?"
The white Yukina's eyes looked a little worried.
"It's okay, I'll just go and see you."
Fujimaru Ritsuka said that he had never seen anything.
...
Fujimaru Ritsuka took off her shoes and entered the palace.
What is waiting for her here is...
"Miss Soina? No, that's not right..."
"Could it be that... the mountain god?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at the back figure for a moment, feeling a bit familiar, but when the man turned his head, she found...
Ms. Soina, it seems that she would never encounter such an expression.
"...don't call me God."
"Zhenna" said, with a hint of coldness in her voice, an icy coldness that seemed to repel people thousands of miles away.
"...But please sit down."
"I want to ask you some questions."
Under the huge cherry blossom tree in the shrine, "Souna" sat down gently in front of the stone table. Her appearance and demeanor were impeccable.
Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't know why she felt a little panicked, but after taking a deep breath, she still sat on the opposite side of the stone table.
There are two cups of tea placed on the stone table. Two cherry blossom petals are floating on the surface of the tea. The smell is refreshing.
"Did you know that there are actually no cherry blossom trees on Kurokawa Mountain?"
Picking up the tea cup with both hands, "Zhenna" raised her head and looked at the cherry blossom tree with scattered cherry blossoms. The expression on her face was unpredictable.
"...Did you create this singularity?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka chose a straight shot to ask the question.
"...Maybe, maybe not."
"Eshina" lowered his head, looked into Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes, and sighed.
"However, Master of Chaldea, I want to explain to you - this is not a special point."
"......What?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka opened her eyes slightly.
I obviously came here through spiritual son transfer, but this place...isn't a singularity?
"Sorry, for some reasons, I can't tell you anything about me. I summoned you here through the body of a witch, and the purpose is not to answer your questions."
"I am the one who asked the question."
"Eshina" lifted up the quilt and took a sip of tea that was fragrant with cherry blossoms.
"...What is it you want to ask?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka also picked up the tea and took a sip as expected.
It's sweet and tastes really good.
"What do you think of the servants who have gone through so much with you?"
"I know you are a philanthropic guy, and I know you are an extremely gentle guy. You have saved the world and countless people, but you have always loved the people who have been by your side...
What do you think?"
"Souna" put down the tea cup and raised her head in a calm tone.
"Just like this cherry blossom tree, if it weren't for my intervention, it would never have appeared in Kurokawa Mountain, right?"
"If you continue your life, those followers will not appear by your side."
"But - even if this cherry blossom tree does not appear on Kurokawa Mountain, it will grow in other places and shed its petals in other places. Servants also exist during their lifetime."
"I know."
Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded with a serious expression.
"I know this."
"Every follower and every heroic spirit has its own life and legend. Behind a simple name, there may be unparalleled beauty and legend hidden behind it."
"I know everything, so - Lord Mountain God, what is it you want to ask?"
"Eshina" looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka quietly.
"yes......"
"You...know, but what I want to ask...isn't this part."
"I just wanted to ask... the part that's not legendary, you know?"
"The non-legendary... part?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka frowned with a puzzled expression.
"Rina" closed her eyes.
call--
A breeze blew gently in front of the emperor, and Fujimaru Ritsuka subconsciously closed his eyes.
And when she opened her eyes again.
This is where?
Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes flashed with confusion.
It's a deserted place.
It seems like someone is standing in the distance.
Looks like more than one person.
They stood there, seeming to be walking, seemed to be... walking.
Fujimaru Ritsuka felt a little panic and alert for some reason.
She instinctively didn't want to let those people leave.
She chose to chase him out.
but--
Can't get close.
No matter how close you are, you can't get close.
The distance between her and those shadows that exist in this time and space seems to be always maintained at a constant distance.
She takes a step forward, and the shadow takes a step forward.
She took a step back, and the shadow took a step back.
Distance can never be changed.
She can see the other person, but the other person is always out of reach.
——Why!?
She felt as if she were entering another person's perspective.
Sadness, helplessness, struggle.
The endless negative emotions overwhelmed her and made her sober up.
"You have chosen to walk the path of the savior."
She could only hear a voice ringing in her ears.
"But the greater the road, the more you will lose."
"This is destined, this is inevitable."
Buzz——
After a moment of trance, Fujimaru Ritsuka opened his eyes.
Opposite him was Souna Samura, who was lying on the stone table and seemed to have fallen asleep.
"...Ms. Souna?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka blinked and gently poked Souna's shoulder with his hand.
"Um...huh? Ah...ah?"
Enchanted, sleepy-eyed, she got up unsteadily and looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka in confusion.
"Are you...Miss Fujimaru Ritsuka?"
"Huh? Why are you here? I remember you weren't...?"
Ezuna looked a little confused.
"It's Miss Soina..."
Fujimaru Ritsuka breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems that the unknown guy has left Miss Souna's body.
But...who is she?
What was her purpose in showing those things to herself?
What is the meaning of the questions she asked?
Also...
This is not a singularity - what does that mean?
Countless questions lingered in Fujimaru Ritsuka's heart.