Unlock new chapters and exclusive illustrations at https://www.patreon.com/Rayish.
The morning sunlight pierced through the gap in his bedroom window, landing right on Shirou's face. The warm glare forced him to let out a soft groan. "Ngh..." He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again with a jolt. The sun was too high—his chest tightened—he's late.
He sat halfway up with a stiff movement. Srek... His muscles resisted, as if his body was still trapped in the middle of last night's storm. Shirou looked down, checking his arms, chest, and legs. No wounds. No blood. His skin was intact, just... a faint lingering sensation of pain, like invisible bruising. The phantom pain throbbed slowly, throb... throb..., reminding him of a dream that was too real to be just a dream.
"So... just a dream," he murmured, though his tone wasn't entirely convinced.
He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes. His consciousness sank into himself, tracing the paths he knew best—his magic circuits. Come on... respond. He waited for signs of destruction, cracks, or emptiness. Yet all he felt was a soft, painful throb, like muscles fatigued from being overworked. The circuits were there. Intact. Not severed, not shattered.
"Haaah..." A sigh of relief escaped his lips. His shoulders slumped. For the first time since waking, his heartbeat calmed a little.
He opened his eyes again, gazing at the simple bedroom ceiling. The relief came accompanied by another feeling that crept in slowly—guilt. Riveria... His thoughts immediately flew to the quiet warehouse in the morning, to the tall elf figure with a calm gaze who had probably been waiting since dawn to continue their magecraft lesson. I must have made her wait again.
Then another face appeared in his mind. Light brown hair, elf ears that twitched slightly when busy, and the scent of warm bread. Lefiya... She was likely in the kitchen now, preparing breakfast, occasionally glancing towards the door, wondering why he hadn't appeared.
Shirou rubbed his face with both hands, his fingers trembling slightly. "Sorry..." he whispered to the empty room—to both of them, to the morning he had missed.
Shirou headed to the bathroom without another thought. He closed the door, then began to remove his clothes one by one. The fabric felt heavy and damp, soaked with cold sweat that had half-dried on his skin. With a lazy motion, he tossed them into the laundry bag in the corner. Thud. The bag slumped, as if sharing its owner's remaining exhaustion.
He turned the faucet. Ssshhh— Cold water sprayed from the shower, hitting his shoulders harder than he'd expected. Shirou let out a short breath, then stood under the stream. Cold droplets flowed down his back, tracing his spine, washing away the lingering heat and night sweat.
But with it, his memory was dragged back.
Rain.
Not ordinary rain, but the strange rain from his dream—heavy, dense, feeling like thousands of needles falling from the sky. Shirou clenched his fist under the shower. Damn... The water flowing over his skin now felt like that rain. He remembered how each drop stung, slowly eroding his flesh, how the divine wind slashed his body from all directions without mercy.
"Even if it was just a dream..." he muttered softly, his voice drowned by the rush of water, "...the pain was real."
He swallowed. Slashed by Berserker. Stabbed by Lancer. Bones cracked, flesh torn—he'd experienced all that. But last night's suffering was different. There was no single point of pain to focus on. His entire body seemed to be the target, torn apart bit by bit, without a chance to breathe. Even when he screamed, the pain had already swallowed his voice.
Shirou lowered his head, water dripping from his hair. His jaw tightened. "How dare you..." he whispered, his voice laced with sharp annoyance. "If that's your way of playing, Rudra..."
He lifted his face, staring at the plain bathroom wall as if it were the god's face. The water continued to hit his body, but now it felt like a reminder—he was still alive, still whole, and could still retaliate.
"Just try entering my dream again," he said quietly but firmly. "I'll drive you out immediately."
The water kept flowing, shhhhhh, while that resolve settled quietly in his chest, harder than any steel he had ever forged.
Shampoo lather began to fill his hair as Shirou's thoughts drifted wildly. Under the warm stream, he grinned thinly, imagining a scene that was anything but warm.
An image of Rudra appeared in his mind—relaxed, annoying, full of mockery. Krek. In his imagination, golden chains of Enkidu shot from the ground, coiling around the god's body with a force that rejected divinity itself. In Shirou's hand, the sickle-sword Harpe gleamed coldly, its blade radiating a killing intent that even immortality would shrink from.
"One hit..." Shirou murmured while massaging his scalp, "...and you definitely won't be talking so much."
But the smile slowly faded. Shirou's hands stopped for a moment. He sighed, shampoo lather dripping down his forehead. No, he thought. Not now. Using Enkidu and Harpe just to vent about a dream felt wrong. They were trump cards, ultimate weapons—not to be discarded for momentary satisfaction.
"Those weapons are for a real fight," he told himself, his voice steady though quiet. "Not for dreams."
He rinsed his hair again, shaaah, but his face hardened. One thing was clear—he didn't want to be an easy target like last night anymore. Didn't want to just stand there, enduring pain, unable to retaliate.
Amidst the sound of water, another thought surfaced, light yet dangerous. In a dream... I won't run out of prana, right? The corner of his mouth lifted.
"Oh?" Shirou chuckled softly. "In that case..."
He grabbed his toothbrush, squeezed on toothpaste, and began brushing with relaxed motions. Srek, srek. Meanwhile, in his head, the scenery changed drastically. Rudra was running—not gracefully, not relaxed—but in a frantic scramble. From the sky and ground, one by one, Hrunting appeared, then ten, twenty, dozens of those cursed arrows shot forth, chasing the god relentlessly.
"Just spam them," Shirou mumbled with a satisfied grin, toothpaste foam filling the corner of his mouth. "Wherever you run, Hrunting will find you."
He spat into the sink, ptt! Then rinsed his mouth while chuckling to himself. He felt a little satisfied.
"Just try entering my dream again, Rudra," he whispered, his brown eyes glinting. "This time, it's my turn to make you suffer."
***
Shirou turned off the shower, grabbed a towel, and dried his body with movements that still felt somewhat stiff. After ensuring no dampness remained, he put on a clean tunic and trousers, tightening his belt as he took a deep breath. Alright, he thought, new day.
His door opened slowly—click—and he stepped out into the corridor of Twilight Manor, which was beginning to get busy. Morning light streamed through the large windows, reflecting off the cold stone floor. Shirou descended the stairs from the second floor, his steps measured, though his mind occasionally wandered back to last night's dream.
Upon reaching the dining hall, the typical atmosphere of Loki Familia greeted him. The clatter of plates—klink, carefree laughter, and overlapping conversations filled the room. Some members were already seated enjoying breakfast, while others stood in an orderly line—or at least tried to—in front of the serving table.
Shirou stood at the end of the line, waiting for his turn. A strange feeling tickled his chest. Weird... Usually, around this time, he'd just be finishing cooking in the kitchen with Lefiya—chopping ingredients, stirring soup, or just making sure the bread didn't burn. He was almost always the first to get breakfast, not standing passively like this.
"Hmm..." he mumbled softly, glancing reflexively towards the kitchen. Lefiya must have been busy earlier. The thought made him smile slightly, mixed with a faint sense of guilt.
A member in front of him glanced back briefly. "Morning, Shirou."
"Morning," Shirou replied lightly, nodding politely. He turned his gaze back to the approaching food table, trying to shake off the odd feeling. Being on the receiving end once in a while isn't bad, he told himself, though he knew old habits wouldn't disappear so easily.
The line moved forward until Shirou was right in front of the serving table. He picked up a tray, ladled some warm soup, took a piece of bread, and some simple side dishes with an appetizing aroma. Klink. The cutlery clinked softly as he arranged everything neatly, a small, almost reflexive habit.
Tray in hand, Shirou looked around for an empty seat. His gaze swept the dining hall—then stopped.
At one of the tables, Riveria sat elegantly facing two young elves: Alicia with her friendly smile and wavy blonde hair, and Lefiya holding a spoon. Riveria's green eyes narrowed slightly when she caught sight of Shirou. There was a fine line on her forehead, her cheeks looked a little tight—clearly not a happy expression.
Uh-oh... Shirou swallowed slightly.
He walked over, stopping beside Riveria. "Excuse me," he said politely. "May I sit here?"
Riveria didn't answer immediately, only glancing at him from the corner of her eye. After a short pause, she nodded slowly. Shirou quickly sat beside her, placing the tray—tap—and trying to act as calm as possible.
"Oh, morning, Shirou," Alicia greeted cheerfully. "Rare to see you come for breakfast this late."
Lefiya also turned, eyebrows raised. "Yeah. You're usually in the kitchen by now. This is unusual," she said curiously.
Shirou scratched his cheek lightly. "I... was tired," he answered briefly. "That's why I woke up a bit late."
No additional explanation. No story about bandits, caves, or divine light piercing the night sky.
Riveria, who initially looked displeased, immediately changed her expression. Her eyebrows relaxed, her sharp gaze shifting to one of concern. She leaned in slightly, her voice low but firm. "Tired? Shirou, you must take better care of yourself. If your body gives you a sign, listen. Don't push yourself."
"That's right," Alicia chimed in. "You're not the only one who can do everything."
Lefiya nodded strongly. "If you're tired, just say so. We can help."
Shirou smiled more genuinely this time. "Thank you. I'll rest after this."
Riveria stared at him a few seconds longer, as if weighing whether the answer was sufficient. Finally, she let out a small sigh. "Make sure you keep that promise."
Shirou nodded. I'll try, he thought—though he knew that for him, promises to himself were often the hardest to keep.
Shirou slowly spooned the soup and let it touch his tongue. Instantly, his eyebrows rose slightly. There was a different taste—not bad, rather... fresh. The broth felt lighter, the spices bolder, and the bread he bit into was crispy outside yet soft inside. Oh? He chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. "The taste... is unique," he murmured honestly, unconsciously staring at his bowl longer than necessary.
Lefiya let out a small, proud laugh. "That's because I got help," she said, puffing out her chest a little. "This morning was the Fairy Squad's turn to handle the kitchen."
Alicia nodded quickly, her golden hair swaying. "Yeah! Since you overslept, we took over. Don't underestimate us, we can cook too." Her tone was slightly defensive, as if challenging Shirou to protest.
"Is that so?" Shirou replied with a faint smile. "Thank you. It's good, really."
Riveria, who had been quietly observing, narrowed her emerald green eyes. A mischievous glint flashed there. She set her cup down with a soft tick, then said casually, "Hm, so you were really sound asleep, huh..." Her lips curved slightly. "Seems you know nothing about what happened last night."
Shirou's spoon stopped mid-air for a split second—then he continued eating as if nothing happened. "Oh?" he pretended to be curious, turning to Riveria. "What happened last night?"
Lefiya immediately grew enthusiastic, leaning forward. "There was a huge light in the sky!" she said quickly. "A divine glow. The sign of a god returning to Tenkai. It was clearly visible from the western mountains."
Alicia added, her tone calmer but serious. "Aiz and Bete headed there immediately. Ganesha Familia also got involved." She shrugged. "But strangely, they couldn't confirm which god died. Which Familia is unclear, either. As if... the traces were deliberately erased."
"Hmmm," Shirou nodded slowly, his face showing just enough surprise, like someone hearing big news for the first time. "I see. No wonder everyone's been restless since morning." He continued sipping his soup calmly, as if the story about a god perishing in the western mountains had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Lefiya raised a hand slightly, her expression serious even though her cheeks were still flushed from her excitement. "Lady Riveria... in your opinion, who is that mysterious Familia really?" she asked innocently, but clearly full of curiosity.
Riveria set her spoon down, then leaned her elbows on the table. She blinked one eye—a small habit that always appeared when she started analyzing something. "Let's list the facts," she said calmly, her voice flowing like cool, clear water. "Their base is in a remote mountain, far from common routes. There's no official record of Familia's members at the Guild. And it happened late at night, when surveillance is most lax."
She paused briefly, looking at Lefiya and Alicia alternately. "With all that," she continued, her tone slightly pressing, "what do you think... is this a Familia that walks in the light, or one that hides in the shadows?"
"Evilus," Alicia and Lefiya answered almost simultaneously.
Lefiya was even a bit startled to hear her own voice overlapping with Alicia's. "I-It's... yes. It definitely sounds like them," she added quickly.
Riveria nodded slowly, as if she had expected that answer from the start. "Right. Most likely, the god who returned to Tenkai last night was from the Evilus faction." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "And if so, what happened wasn't a tragedy... but a consequence."
Shirou swallowed unconsciously. Glek. A chill crept down his neck. Riveria's sharp analysis always gave him chills, as if one more step and she could point directly to the real culprit. He cleared his throat softly before asking, pretending to be relaxed, "So then... who do you think did it, Riveria?"
"Hmmm..." Riveria leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping lightly on the table. Tap... tap. "There are two big possibilities," she said slowly. "First, internal conflict. A civil war among Evilus members. That's not new—they often betray each other."
She then raised another finger. "Or second," she continued, "there's another Familia in Orario—with their god—quietly moving to clean up the 'trash', without wanting their name recorded."
Shirou nodded a little, as if digesting the analysis with full attention. Inside, he breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness... he thought. No one imagined the perpetrators were just two mortals... and without divine intervention.
He went back to eating his breakfast, trying to calm his momentarily spiking heartbeat, while in front of him, the discussion about a god's death continued as if it were just a regular breakfast topic at Loki Familia's table.
The dining hall's atmosphere, previously filled with the sounds of spoons and light conversation, was suddenly broken when the door to Twilight Manor's dining room opened. Kreeek—
Raul appeared in the doorway, stepping aside slightly to allow a short-haired, blue-haired woman to enter. Her posture was upright, her gaze sharp yet controlled—clearly someone used to leading.
"Miss Shakti," Raul said politely, bowing his head slightly. "My apologies, it seems Loki hasn't woken up for breakfast yet."
Several heads turned. Shirou, who was chewing on bread, almost choked. Shakti... The name immediately connected to last night's conversation with Ryuu—the captain of Ganesha Familia, the figure leading Orario's security apparatus. His heart beat a little faster, though his face remained flat.
"It's fine," Shakti replied in a calm, professional voice. She took a few steps inside, her gaze sweeping the room without seeming intimidating, yet enough to make the atmosphere more orderly. "I just need to confirm one thing. Could you please call Lady Loki? This is related to official business."
Raul nodded quickly. "Of course!" Without delay, he immediately turned and ran towards the stairs. Tap-tap-tap! His footsteps echoed as he went upstairs.
Shirou lowered his head a bit, pretending to focus on his food, though his ears were sharp, catching every word. Checking on all the gods... he thought. So the impact is that far-reaching.
At the table, Lefiya leaned closer to Riveria, her voice lowered to almost a whisper. "Lady Riveria... didn't you say it's likely the god who returned to Tenkai was from Evilus? Then why... does Miss Shakti need to check all the gods and goddesses in Orario?"
Riveria sipped her tea calmly, not at all surprised by the question. She slowly set her cup down before answering, also in a low but clear voice. "Because Shakti's job isn't to guess, Lefiya. Her job is to confirm."
She glanced towards the door where Raul had disappeared. "As a security apparatus, Ganesha Familia must work based on one hundred percent facts, not assumptions, no matter how logical. All gods must be verified—who is still in Orario, who is not—then everything is compiled into an official report."
Alicia nodded slightly. "If even one is missed, it could become a big problem."
"Right," Riveria agreed. "Any mistake, no matter how small, in a case involving a god's death could trigger chaos. Especially in times like these."
Not long after, heavy footsteps were heard from the stairs. Thump... Thump... Raul reappeared, this time with a slightly tense face, supporting a clearly half-asleep Loki. The goddess's red hair was disheveled, her eyes half-closed, and the faint—yet distinct—scent of alcohol wafted with her every step.
"Hoaaam... why the noisy morning..." mumbled Loki, almost dragging her feet. Raul had to hold her shoulder to keep her from swaying and crashing into the wall.
"Miss Shakti," Raul said quickly once they reached the dining hall, "I've brought Loki."
Shakti turned, her expression remaining professional even though the corner of her eye twitched slightly, seeing Loki's condition. "Thank you very much, Raul." She immediately opened a small folder in her hand, pen ready. "I just need to confirm Lady Loki's presence and record it in the report."
But before she could write, Loki grinned widely, her eyes narrowing mischievously. "Oooh~ Shakti-chan~ coming to see me first thing in the morning. Miss me?" She even tried to rest her chin on Raul's shoulder. "If you want to go drinking together, just say so~."
Raul stiffened. "L-Loki, please stand properly..."
Shakti didn't react at all. Her face remained flat, as if immune to such antics. She just made a note on her paper. "Thank you for the confirmation. As part of the procedure, I also need to ask Lady Loki's opinion regarding last night's incident of a god returning to Tenkai."
"Huh?" Loki yawned widely, patting her own mouth. "Ah~ that?" She waved her hand carelessly. "How foolish. I want to relax right now. Not in the mood to deal with other gods. Let them die on their own."
A few Familia members glanced at each other. Shirou lowered his head a little, his spoon stopping mid-air.
Shakti nodded slowly, making another note without protest. "I understand. Thank you for your time, Lady Loki." She neatly closed her folder. "Then, I'll take my leave to continue checking other Familias."
"Yeah~ yeah~ take care on the road~" Loki yawned again, then almost fell if Raul hadn't been quick to support her.
Shakti gave a brief salute, then turned and stepped out with firm steps. Tap... tap... The door closed again, leaving the dining hall in an atmosphere that slowly returned to normal.
Shirou drew a slow breath. In his chest, there was something he had momentarily wanted to say—the story about the dream, about Rudra, about a threat that felt too real to be called mere sleep. But Loki's words just now extinguished that small intention.
If I tell it now... it will only add to her burden, he thought. He clenched a fist under the table, then relaxed it again. Maybe later. At a more appropriate time.
He lifted his spoon again, pretending to be absorbed in breakfast, while the image of Rudra and the divine wind remained clearly etched in his mind.
Their breakfast for four finally came to a true end. Plates that were once full now only held crumbs and sauce stains, spoons and forks clinked softly with sounds of ting... klak... as they were set down. Shirou leaned back a little, breathing a sigh of relief. The scent of warm soup and toasted bread still hung in the air of the dining hall, which was gradually emptying.
Lefiya, who had looked restless for a while, fiddled with the edge of her own cape. Her shoulders were slightly raised, her ears twitching subtly—a very clear sign of nervousness. In an almost trembling voice, she turned to Riveria.
"L-Lady Riveria... um... today's magic training... will it continue all day like yesterday?" she asked cautiously, as if afraid the answer would crush her hopes.
Riveria lifted her teacup, sipping slowly before answering. Her expression was calm, even too calm. "No," she said lightly. "We're taking a break from intensive training this week."
It took a split second for the words to truly sink into Lefiya's brain. Then—
"EH?!" Lefiya exclaimed loudly, half-rising from her chair. "R-Really?!"
Riveria smiled faintly, a rare but warm smile. "Really. Besides," she continued, looking at Lefiya with sharp yet proud green eyes, "your control when using double cannon is much more stable. The synchronization of your chant and mind release has improved significantly."
Lefiya's face immediately flushed red. "R-Really?!"
The next second, she gave a small jump. "YESSSS—!"
That shout became the trigger. The other Elf girls from the Fairy Squad sitting nearby quickly gathered, their faces beaming.
"A break?!"
"Seriously, Lady Riveria said a break?!"
"Finally, we can go out together!"
The dining hall suddenly became lively with overlapping laughter and chatter. They began discussing plans—going to the lake, shopping, and some even mentioned wanting to visit the public baths. Lefiya was immersed in the crowd, laughing freely, a far cry from the clumsy, often nervous elf during training.
But Shirou noticed something else. Amidst the commotion, Riveria wore a small smirk—very faint, almost invisible. Shirou tilted his head closer, lowering his voice.
"There's another reason, isn't there?" he whispered.
Riveria glanced at him briefly, then leaned in slightly. "Aina," she said quietly, "just received another batch of ancient books from our homeland. Old manuscripts, full of ancient elf magic theory." There was a flash of enthusiasm in her eyes. "I intend to stay at her place for a few days to study them."
"Oh?" Shirou raised an eyebrow. His tone was half-teasing. "Heh, so you're taking a break from learning Magecraft with me, too?"
Riveria let out a small chuckle, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "Yup." She looked at Shirou with a light but mischievous smile. "So I'll take my leave for now, okay... sensei."
Shirou clicked his tongue softly while letting out a short sigh. "You're too sly, Riveria."
Riveria just smiled wider, then stood up gracefully, leaving Shirou shaking his head slightly—while the laughter of the elves still echoed around them.