Chapter 21: Tears
(3rd Person's POV)
A deep exhale escaped the lips of a dark-haired girl as she rapped gently on a door. Rin Tohsaka stood before Titus's room, patiently waiting. After a moment, there was a shuffle of footsteps, and the door creaked open.
"!!!!" Rin gasped in horror. Titus, once a lively British lad, now resembled a gaunt zombie. His hair was disheveled, his skin pallid, and he had shed nearly all his weight, leaving him a mere skeleton cloaked in human flesh.
"What happened...?" The words tumbled out of Rin's mouth, her concern evident.
A week earlier, she had found Titus sitting on a bench, tears streaming down his face. She had learned from Shirou Emiya, Titus's roommate, that he hadn't left his room, emerging only briefly to fetch books from the library, refusing food all the while. The reason for his self-imposed isolation remained a mystery.
"What is it, Rin Tohsaka?" Titus rasped, his voice unfamiliar, devoid of its usual friendliness.
"Professor El-Melloi wants to see you in his office," Rin replied, reverting to her Tsun-Tsun persona after a momentary pause.
"Is that so? Give me a couple of minutes," Titus said, closing the door before Rin could say anything else.
"You...!" Rin clenched her teeth, irritated with Titus. Despite her frustration, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the boy. There was something about him that piqued her curiosity.
"Have I known him in a past life?" A strange familiarity tugged at Rin's thoughts, creating an unexplainable bond between her and Titus.
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(Titus's POV)
After being scouted by Rin, I found myself in the presence of Lord El-Melloi, Waver Velvet, and the Master of Rider in the Fourth Holy Grail War of Fate/Zero. Waver, also my class professor, had a surprisingly ordinary office: a few British Colonial Walnut sofas faced each other, one doubling as his sleeping spot, while his desk bore the marks of age.
Waver, with his wrinkles and healthy dark hair, met my gaze. "Titus Faria Dusklock, why have you missed class for the past week?" His eyes scrutinized my appearance; it was hard to blame him considering my week-long abstinence from food.
"I'm sorry, Professor," I murmured, my voice weak, my head throbbing with pain. Sleep had been elusive, and proper rest a luxury.
"Professor? It's the first time you've used my professional title instead of my name. What's happened to you?" Waver inquired, his lips curved in a slight smile.
"Haha..." I chuckled softly, rubbing my hands, feeling detached from my emotions. "I endured a decade of torment, only to find my hands stained with the blood of my loved ones... I've come to appreciate those with sanity."
"Can you explain?" Waver's gaze bore into mine, demanding an explanation.
I chuckled again. "What if I told you I had a tryst with the gender-bent 5th Roman Emperor just last week?"
"…" Waver's jaw dropped in disbelief. After a sigh, he leaned back, sipping his tea.
"You don't believe me?" I arched an eyebrow. His expression revealed his lack of seriousness.
"Magi often experience abnormalities, but that..." Waver smirked, "It's called a wet dream, kid."
He resumed sipping his tea, signaling my departure. "By the way, how does it feel to bend to the King of Conquerors, Iskandar?"
Waver choked on his tea, clearly not expecting that question.
"Stealing your teacher's relic, participating in the Holy Grail, and summoning a servant—quite a noble way to prove your talent," I said, smiling, scratching my chin.
Waver's composure wavered. The calm facade vanished, replaced by dread.
"Even with the King of Conquerors, you couldn't prevent the deaths of those children or win the Grail War. But I've been meaning to ask, how does it feel to emerge as the sole survivor?"
BAM!
"Stop this instant!" Archibald's acting lord slammed his hands on the table, locking eyes with me. "How do you know about the Grail War?"
I smirked, few believed in the Holy Grail War's existence, all thanks to my fervent wish for its eradication.
"The Grail should disappear as though it never existed."
Those words were my wish for the Holy Grail War. Consequently, the Grail vanished, along with the memories of everyone not directly tied to the ritual, specifically the person before me, Waver Velvet. No one possessed any information on what transpired during the Holy Grail War or if the ritual ever occurred.
Even Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, the overseer of the Holy Grail War system, remained clueless about the Grail's fate. I remained oblivious to the fates of other participants like Illya, Kirei, and Gilgamesh since I had never encountered them. However, Rin, Sakura, and Shirou retained their memories of the Fourth War's context.
"I apologize for my behavior, Professor. But I don't think we trust each other to share our secrets and findings. For the time being, I have nothing to say." I sighed and quietly left his chamber, leaving the long-haired man in his stupor.
You might wonder why I shared this information with him, although I shouldn't have. To be honest, I didn't know. Perhaps I wanted someone to believe my story. I needed to trust that whatever happened was more than just a dream—it was a reality.
Deep in my thoughts, I noticed Rin leaning against the wall at the corner of the office. Leaning close to her ear, I whispered, "Send nudes."
"Wah~!!" Rin, startled, jumped back a step before realizing it was me. "It's not like that! I swear it's not…."
Despite being nearly 19, she acted like her usual tsundere self. Not wanting to trouble her, I chuckled before suggesting a quieter place to talk.
Rin and I settled on a bench in front of a quiet corridor overlooking a beautiful park and a bright sky.
"So, you know…." Breaking the silence, Rin spoke, her cheeks reddening, "The thing with the Roman Emperor… is it true?"
For a moment, I was at a loss for words. I thought she would be more interested in the details of the Fourth Holy Grail War, but I was wrong.
"My, my~! I didn't know Miss Rin was interested in the intimate part~" I grinned.
"What the?! It's not like-"
"So, want to hear the story? It might take some time. Fair warning, it involves tragic drama and could be a bit intense for you." I cut her off before she could interject with her tsundere line.
With a bit of nervousness, Rin nodded. I smiled and began to tell her my story: how I traveled 2000 years back in time to the Roman Empire, my encounters with the gender-bent Fifth Roman Emperor, and the complexities of our relationship. I shared the story of my love, its joys, and its eventual heartbreaking end.
"And that's what happened…." I concluded, my eyes a little sore, though no tears came. The past week of crying had likely left my eyes dry.
I still felt the warmth of Nero's blood on my hand and remembered her dying breath as if it happened just moments ago.
"Sniff!"
Confused, I turned to find Rin in tears.
"Sniff! You didn't deserve that ending…!" Rin said, her face covered in tears and snot.
Seeing her cry like a child made my depression lift, and I laughed. More importantly, I felt a sense of relief. A burden had been lifted from my chest; I felt light and fresh. I chuckled and wiped her face with a handkerchief. She was embarrassed for crying, but I didn't tease her. She had listened to my tragic love story, and for that, I respected her.
"Then about the Fourth Grail War…." Rin changed the topic.
"It was real. The Fourth Grail War truly happened," I answered honestly.
"…And about my father-"
"Yeah, I know how he died and who killed him."
"Then-"
"I'm sorry, Rin, but I can't reveal more than I already have. At least not yet."
If I told her that her father's murderer was also her current guardian, Kirei Kotomine, she would rush back to Japan only to meet her death at his hands. I brought back Shirou and Sakura to protect them from him, to keep them away from his influence.
Rin wanted to protest but decided against it. She must have understood the gravity of her situation.
"Is that why you also came with me to Fuyuki?"
"Yeah… I'm sorry."
"It's fine. People have their own interests too," Rin said, smiling brightly.
"Then, are we still friends?"
"Hm? Hmmm, I suppose we are…." Rin rolled her eyes, answering with rosy cheeks. "And I'm not saying this because I owe you money!"
"You mean the 100,000 pounds you still owe me?"
"Y-yeah, that…."
"And without any interest too."
"Y-yeah… without any interest…."
Rin groaned as if she had been struck by invisible arrows of debt.
You might wonder how I befriended the second main heroine of the anime; well, this is the answer: with money. Rin was struggling with her finances since Kirei managed the Tohsaka property. As a mage, she couldn't let her heritage fall into ruin. So, she accepted some loans from me with relatively easy conditions.
It was the best way to make fast friends. Good work, China!
"Hey, Rin. Thanks for listening to me." I smiled and looked at her affectionately.
"Ha..? Umm…." She looked flustered, but then she smiled and nodded.
On closer inspection, I realized how beautiful Rin was. She had long dark hair, though she rarely tied it in semi-twin tails. She also had a moderate pair of breasts that had grown a bit with time. Overall, she was an attractive woman whose beauty I hadn't noticed for years. If it weren't for the tragedy, I might have fallen for her.
However, her most appealing feature was her perfectly curved thighs. Coupled with her full stockings and short skirt, her thighs were her most alluring asset. For those who knew me, it was no secret that I was a thighs enthusiast—my number one fetish in this world.
"Hey, Rin. Let me borrow your thighs…." With those words, I leaned down, placing my cheek on her thighs.
As soon as I made contact with her skin, I felt an overwhelming rush of pleasure, a sense of belonging where my destination lay. Her legs were lean but had an ideal combination of muscles and softness.
"Whah! Whah! Whah!" I could hear Rin's wavering voice. I thought she would resist, but to my surprise, she didn't.
"Thanks… Rin…." With those words, I nestled my face into her thighs and drifted straight into dreamland. On that day, I probably slept the entire day.
---
(3rd Person's POV)
"Come on, at least ask for my permission first!" Rin exclaimed, but before she could voice her protest, Titus had already fallen asleep on her lap.
It marked the first time a boy had touched her thighs. Just to be clear, she despised people invading her personal space without consent. Under different circumstances, she would have promptly put Titus in his place, but after hearing his heartfelt story, she felt compelled to offer him comfort, a chance to restart his life.
Strangely, it felt oddly familiar, as if Titus had slept on her lap countless times before. Although this was their first close encounter, Rin couldn't shake off the feeling of nostalgia. Without realizing it, she found herself affectionately caressing Titus's hair, a warm smile on her face.
"Hm, hmm~, rest well, darling. I'm here for you," Rin whispered, continuing to stroke Titus's hair.
Meanwhile, in the corridor, Shirou Emiya was searching for Titus. He had heard that Titus had left his room to meet Professor El-Melloi, but what concerned him more was the fact that Titus hadn't eaten anything in a while.
Worried about his friend, Shirou pondered, 'What if Titus collapses due to malnutrition?'
His concerns deepened when he spotted a man sleeping on a woman's lap. It was undoubtedly Titus, his roommate. Recognizing the gaunt figure due to lack of nutrition, Shirou felt a pang of worry. As for the girl...
"Rin?" Shirou questioned internally. It was the first time he had seen Rin smile so affectionately at Titus. She was gently stroking his hair, her expression reminiscent of a woman in love. Shirou was aware of Rin's feelings for Titus, even though Titus seemed oblivious. Still, it was hard to imagine the usually serious and upright Rin smiling in such a manner.
Yet, something puzzled Shirou.
"Since when did Rin dye her hair blond?" he wondered. He couldn't recall when Rin had changed her hair color, or was that even Rin at all? The uncertainty lingered in his mind.
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Sorry I forgot to update the schedule yesterday.