Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

"—'As expected of the doctor…it's Romani Archmann, and the consultant…it's Novia, the chosen ones.'"

After sighing, Ritsuka continued.

Finally, there's South America.

"The enemy we are facing... can no longer be called an enemy. It is the ORT."

"In the face of it, everything we do is not a 'battle,' but a hopeless 'struggle' before the world is completely 'eaten up' by it."

“Our last remaining companions were almost all gone. Even Chaldea was shot down by it. That was the first time in my life that I was truly in a ‘desperate’ situation.”

Ritsuka picked up the already empty teacup and looked at the bottom of it.

"Even now, I still can't understand how we won. Maybe it was just 'luck'. It was the last 'sun' born in that world, and Ort from another world, it was everyone's self-sacrifice... it was all of them working together to create a one-time miracle."

At this point, Ritsuka picked up the kettle and refilled her own cup, as well as Shirano and Hibiki's.

It was as if this gesture was a way of putting a period to the heavy topic we had just discussed.

The girl has moved on from the past. These memories are part of her life, but they can no longer bind her.

Therefore, when Ritsuka saw Hibiki, who was about to cry after hearing what she said, she instantly felt nostalgic.

"Ah...right...before the new primate, Hibiki was much more reckless than she is now. She got lost as soon as she was summoned, dragging Chika around the corridor, and was eventually led here by the aroma from the kitchen."

"Waaah! Senior, please don't say that! It's so embarrassing!"

Xiang's face flushed red, and her energetic demeanor turned somewhat flustered.

As Zabi watched their interaction, the faint smile on her lips deepened.

Then, she slowly walked around the counter, stood behind Hibiki who was blushing, and with an extremely natural movement, extended her hands—

"Wow!"

—It was placed accurately on Hibiki's shoulder, and then gently pressed down, making a preparatory move similar to an attack.

Hibiki jumped up in fright, looking at Zabiko with a panicked expression:

"Zabi Senior?!"

"Let's check on her growth." Zabi withdrew her hand without changing her expression, looking at Hibiki with the eyes of someone examining a work of art. "Hmm, as a continuation of life information, all parameters are developing well. As expected of Novia's daughter, her base values ​​are very high."

"Don't use that 'inspecting parts from the factory' tone!" Ritsuka finally couldn't hold back and lightly tapped Hakuno on the head with a chop. "And another thing, no touching your juniors! You perverted old man! I was just telling you my past stories!"

"This is just me showing my care for my juniors." Zabiko accepted the teasing and the hand chop with a calm expression. "Speaking of which, Ritsuka, after hearing so much and what I've researched..."

Zabizi paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

“My ‘sword’ only needs to be sharp and silent. But your ‘him’ needs to save the world, needs to become the cornerstone of humanity, needs to shine on countless battlefields, right?”

Ritsuka stopped moving.

“You didn’t tie him to your side like I did, making him your possession. You let him go, or rather, you embraced the whole world with him. You let him become the light for everyone.”

"So, Ritsuka."

Shirano approached Ritsuka, so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.

She reached out, but instead of attacking, she gently brushed aside a strand of hair that was falling beside Ritsuka's cheek.

"To make Novia willingly burn everything for you, and to make him feel 'this is exactly what I expect'... You, the most top-tier 'Master,' the most greedy woman."

After saying that, Shirono revealed a clear, mischievous smile.

The entire bakery fell silent for a few seconds.

He opened his mouth wide, looked at Ritsuka, then at Shirano, feeling as if he had heard some incredible secret.

After her initial surprise, Ritsuka's usually energetic face slowly flushed red.

But instead of shyly dodging, she looked directly into Shirano's eyes.

Then, he burst out laughing.

"...Shirano, you..."

Ritsuka shook her head helplessly, her blue eyes filled with understanding and cunning.

She knew perfectly well that Zabi meant 'we are all winners,' but winners?

No, there were far too many winners, a fact that Ritsuka understood all too well.

"Well said."

Ritsuka reached out and pinched Shirano's perpetually expressionless cheek.

"But there were only the two of us in this shop, and he wasn't even around. How can that be considered greedy, right?"

......

Night, like melting obsidian, gently enveloped the entire neighborhood.

The bustling streets of the day have long since fallen silent, leaving only the streetlights casting lonely halos of light on the sidewalks.

Inside the bakery "La Repos," the final touches are nearing completion.

Ritsuka had just finished wiping the last tray and neatly placed it on the shelf.

The girl turned off most of the lights in the store, leaving only a warm spotlight above the counter, preserving the warmth of "home" in this small space.

She walked to the glass door and skillfully flipped over the wooden sign that read "Open for Business," revealing the words "Closed" on the back.

Ritsuka did not go upstairs immediately, but stood quietly by the door, her gaze falling on the shop name that she had designed herself.

La Repos — a place for rest.

Why was this name chosen?

Ritsuka's thoughts drifted away involuntarily.

Because she needed a place to rest.

This has always been her dream, and it's a place that belongs to Fujimaru Ritsuka, since her parents are very happy about it.

At the same time, I hope that this place can become a resting place for all those weary souls who have fought side by side.

Those who were summoned from Chaldea and returned to the Throne of Heroes.

If they occasionally have a moment of leisure, they might be willing to come here and sit for a while, to taste the sweetness of the wheat nurtured by the principles they and the people they have protected.

Beneath these two reasons lies a secret that Ritsuka has never told anyone.

Hopefully, this will become a "coordinate".

A lighthouse that Novia can find by following the aroma of bread, no matter what time or space he is in or what stories he is experiencing, whenever he wants to "rest".

Honestly, I haven't improved at all.

Ritsuka smiled self-deprecatingly to herself.

at this time.

A voice rang out in the quiet shop.

"Ritsuka, have a piece of bread."

Ritsuka's body stiffened for a moment.

But that stiffness quickly turned into a long sigh.

She didn't even turn around; she simply used her free hand to touch her forehead.

"...Zabi, you're doing this again, aren't you?"

His tone was full of amusement and exasperation towards Zabizi.

Ever since Shirano discovered that imitating Novia's voice could have an effect on him, this kind of prank has become a regular occurrence.

"If you're hungry, there's a sandwich left for you in the fridge. Stop playing and come down to eat and go to sleep."

Ritsuka said without turning her head.

"...A sandwich?" The voice seemed slightly confused. "Can't we just have freshly baked bread?"

"Still acting?" Ritsuka finally couldn't hold back any longer. She turned around, put her hands on her hips, and struck a pose of "shop manager" authority. "I'll count to three. If you don't get down now, I'm going to take away all your hidden games..."

Her words came to an abrupt end.

Because someone had quietly appeared by the counter without anyone noticing.

That's Kishinami Hakuno, who should be sleeping upstairs.

……wrong.

Ritsuka suddenly remembered.

Zabi didn't eat dinner tonight and went to sleep on the second floor. I went up to check on her just now, and she was sleeping soundly.

So……

Who is this person in front of me...?

Ritsuka's breathing stopped.

His pupils contracted sharply.

Slowly raise your head.

Standing there was a young man who was all too familiar.

Ritsuka's mind went completely blank for a moment.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

It's him.

Novia.

“…Long time no see, Ritsuka.” Novia smiled, breaking the frozen silence first. “Your bakery looks great.”

“You…” Ritsuka finally found her voice, but it was so dry and hoarse, “…Why…”

“I smelled something nice,” he replied matter-of-factly, “so I came over.”

Ritsuka could no longer speak.

Just as Ritsuka was about to take that step, that step that was far too late—

call out!

A piercing howl, seemingly tearing the night sky apart, descended from the heavens.

Then,

A blinding blue light, like a meteorite, plummeted from the pitch-black night sky, accompanied by a teeth-grinding "crunch" as metal scraped against the ground. Something landed in a suicidal manner at the entrance of the bakery.

It was a girl riding a single-person flying machine that looked futuristic and was currently crackling with electricity and emitting black smoke.

The girl had bright blonde hair and wore a blue and white outfit.

She seemed to completely ignore the soon-to-be-wrecked vehicle, tumbling and crawling into the store, and then, with the ferocity of a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, grabbed Novia's leg.

"Boss—! So many years! I've finally found you—!!"

The girl's cries were so piercing that they could trigger a collective stress response in stray cats within a hundred miles.

"Quick! Come back with me! The police station is really out of money! If they don't pay salaries soon, I'm going to switch jobs and become a food delivery driver for First Express!"

Novia's face showed that headache-ridden expression that Ritsuka knew all too well.

He tried to pry the girl off his lap, but she held on tightly.

"And another thing! And all those messy girlfriends of yours are causing trouble in different universes again! One's saying she's going to collect all Saber faces, and the other's announcing she's going to form the universe's number one idol group! I'm really in a bad situation right now! Boss! Ouch, that hurts, my back! I think I strained it when we landed! No, no, no~! Ah~, please, help me, boss, I'll do anything for you!!"

The mysterious girl, who called herself XX, was wailing and incoherently reporting her troubles.

For a moment, Ritsuka was at a loss for how to react.

However, she is, after all, Fujimaru Ritsuka.

He is the last Master of Chaldea who formed contracts with over a hundred unique Heroic Spirits and quelled countless Singularities and Lostbelts.

After a ten-second freeze, she slowly revealed a helpless yet knowing smile.

She walked over to Novia, who seemed to have given up struggling, and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow, gently but with undeniable force.

"Should we go and clean up those messes?"