Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

All he can do is think and speak—that is, the right to defend himself.

"You expect me to watch my own people become extinct, and then put aside my hatred to nurture and protect your so-called new humanity..."

She's such an adorable angel on the outside, but her heart is more wicked than a demon from hell.

"How could you even come up with such a punishment? Do you even have a human heart?"

"I am an angel, there is no such thing."

Metatron lowered his eyes, unmoved by Shirou's curses.

Shirou's eyes widened, feeling both anger and a strange sadness welling up inside him.

The boy immediately realized that the sadness was not his own emotion, but rather the spiritual information released by the archangel before him as he was evaporated by the holy sword.

Perhaps it was the aura binding Shirou that was working, allowing him to decipher the message within the spirit particles.

"Humanity in this world has no future. Barring unforeseen circumstances, they will likely face their end as we enter the next century."

"That was not the scissors of the universe, but the stagnation, self-destruction, and collapse of civilization."

"Humanity will degenerate from courageous lives into hideous beasts, and the process is too long and desperate, so through my hands... at least let all mankind disappear in the happiest sleep."

"Of course, I am also well aware that this is an arbitrary act that even the Book of God should never be subject to dividends, and it is an unforgivable and heinous murder in history."

"Therefore, after witnessing the birth of the next generation of humanity and the end of everything, I will personally go to atone for my sins."

"I will no longer have joy, sorrow, or anger. I will give everything I have and spend all my time from now on praying for the atonement of the old humanity."

"……What are you doing?"

Metatron noticed that Shirou had become unusually quiet.

"Do not make jokes……"

The red-haired boy clenched his molars.

Metatron believed that Shirou possessed the purest heart, which is why he entrusted him with the task of protecting the next generation.

There is no selfishness involved; it is solely driven by a sense of mission as the absolute arbiter.

That's why Shirou was annoyed.

He forced a calm smile: "Perhaps you think you've thought things through very thoroughly, but I'm sorry, things probably won't go as you wish."

Metatron frowned: "?"

Shirou said, "You don't know yet, do you? I'm no longer human—I've already died once in this Holy Grail War."

"I am no longer a human living in the present, but a re-emerged spirit (in the form of a Servant), therefore I cannot become the old human prototype you desire."

Metatron maintained a poker face, which Shirou had expected to at least show some shock.

"Of course I've taken that into consideration as well."

she says.

"It's okay, I'll give you another chance to start over."

"What are you planning to do? Wait, you wouldn't..."

Shirou's face turned pale instantly.

"Stop! Stop right now! You... do you want to become... are you insane!?"

The red-haired boy's figure disappeared—

He was sucked into Metatron's body.

The archangel, who had the appearance of a young girl, calmly said, "If I can witness the birth of the next generation of humanity smoothly, I would not mind becoming Maria (your mother)."

Amamiya Shirou.

The savior of humanity, and also the destroyer of humanity, will reflect on his sins while in Metatron's womb until he is reborn as a human being.

……

……

When he came to his senses, Shirou found himself lying on the tatami mats in his own home.

"This is... Metatron's mental world...?"

Shirou's mental world is a vast iron-forging space, while Metatron's mind, as the highest-ranking angel, is my house!?

No, that's not right... This is not what Metatron dreamed of.

That angel's heart was probably completely empty.

You could also say it's like a mirror.

Therefore, Shirou, who entered her body, saw the space that made him feel most at ease, his refuge.

Calm down and organize the intelligence.

This is inside Metatron's body. Her plan is to bring me back to life... Hmm, this guy's definitely not right in the head.

Regardless of her thoughts, there shouldn't be any external time flow here, right?

It is said that each deity is an independent universe, and Metatron is the King of Angels who possesses the highest rank of chief god.

So there's no need to rush; carefully consider how to escape.

Just then, the shoji door to Shirou's room was opened.

"Ah...it's here."

The blonde girl who appeared at the door spoke with an air of matter-of-fact composure.

"You must be the new owner. Hurry up and prepare lunch for me. What time is it now?"

Shirou's eyes widened: "Metatron? No... not the same person?"

The girl who appeared in the room had the appearance of a saint and the wings of an angel, but her atmosphere was very different from Metatron's, and she exuded a lazy aura.

"Haa... I stayed up all night playing games and I'm so sleepy. I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when lunch is ready..."

The blonde girl yawned and turned to leave.

Volume 5, Chapter 255: The Happy (Lazy) Life of a Family of Three

"What am I doing...?"

In the kitchen, a red-haired boy wearing an apron was chopping vegetables while complaining.

Because he was asked to do something by a girl who looked a lot like Jeanne d'Arc, Shirou, who was absorbed into Metatron's body, temporarily put aside the current situation of the world's destruction and his comrades' death battle, and began to work hard on lunch with great enthusiasm.

Fortunately, the refrigerator was well-stocked with food... Wait! That's not the point!

"……Well."

Shirou peeks at the blonde girl in the living room from the kitchen.

The girl originally planned to go back to her room to catch up on sleep, but Shirou scolded her, "Now that you're up, don't go back to bed! That's really inappropriate!" So she obediently followed him to the living room.

At that moment, she rested her head on the table with a blissful expression and was fast asleep.

I just can't seem to leave it alone...

He couldn't help but prepare a meal for a girl younger than himself after she asked him to cook for her because he was hungry, even though she might be his enemy—

Is my weakness that I can't bear to see others go hungry?

Shirou's face, reflected in the glass of the sideboard, was frowning unhappily.

Although he was very unhappy, he didn't stop wielding the cleaver.

"never mind……"

Shirou made up his mind that he would have a proper talk with her during dinner.

Thirty minutes later.

Shirou prepared two servings of tableware, filled them with the prepared lunch, and then took them to the living room.

"Dinner's ready."

With a "thump," he put down his rice bowl in front of the girl.

The blonde girl rubbed her eyes, yawned, and straightened up.

"Good morning... Hmm? Are you angry? Should I help serve the food?"

"I'm not angry."

Shiro sat down angrily in the head of the household's seat.

"It tastes so good, mmm, mmm, mmm."

The girl ate heartily without any regard for her image, nodding repeatedly, seemingly very satisfied with Shirou's cooking skills.

"Who are you? Why are you in Metatron's mental world?"

Shirou asked, "Are you... Jeanne d'Arc sealed within Metatron?"

Another reason for his complete deference to this girl is that she might be Joan of Arc, whose power had been usurped by the archangel—

"I am not Joan of Arc."

Shirou's fantasy exploded like a balloon.

The girl took a bite of rice and said, "If you're looking for Joan of Arc, she's in the innermost guest room."

Why didn't you say this sooner?!

Shirou rushed out of the living room, followed by the girl's complaint: "You didn't even ask me."

The girl did not deceive Shirou; he did indeed see Jeanne d'Arc in the room, but she was frozen in ice.

The saintess, sealed in an ice coffin like amber, clasped her hands together, revealing an expression of profound sorrow.

"Joan of Arc ——————!!"

Shirou's shout made the saintess in the ice coffin open her eyes.

Upon seeing Shirou's face, she first showed a wavering expression, then smiled wearily.

"Lord Artorius, you've arrived here too... which means..."

"Ugh, I've been sucked into Metatron's body. More importantly, could you please get out of the ice coffin first?"

Joan of Arc shook her head: "Lord Metatron judged me and made me understand my guilt."

As atonement, I have placed myself in this frozen state to receive punishment.

"Huh? What crime have you committed?"

Shirou said with dissatisfaction, "You don't actually think that your attempt to save humanity is wrong, and you're starting to believe that this world should be destroyed, do you?"

"That is……"

Joan of Arc was silent for a moment before speaking: "I don't think Lady Metatron's actions are correct, but I can't bring myself to refute her behavior verbally."

Although that person's proposition was cruel, it was full of persuasiveness.

I could feel her resolve and her determination to dedicate everything to protecting the new humanity.

So I accepted the fate that Metatron had given me, and I will continue to pray here...

As a member of the old humanity, I offer prayers and atonement for my vanished brethren.

Joan of Arc said with a sorrowful expression, "Lord Metatron's sins are also my sins."

"If I can share some of her blame, then my punishment here will be meaningful."

Shirou's expression turned serious: "Don't you feel uncomfortable?"

Joan of Arc forced a smile: "Lord Artorius is such a gentle man, but I don't feel any pain."

Suffering and pain are essential to my survival.

What saddens me most is that I can no longer help you or be your strength.