Chapter 60

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Feeling the warmth and closeness of the moment, Ryuu said, "Now, it's my turn to ask you something, Shirou." Her voice was gentle, but there was a clear curiosity in her eyes.

Shirou smiled casually. "So, it's like we're exchanging secrets, huh?" he replied, looking at Ryuu attentively.

Ryuu nodded in agreement, and after thinking for a moment, they made a pact to keep each other's secrets. "Let's keep these secrets safe, alright?" Ryuu said seriously, and Shirou nodded in agreement.

With the agreement settled, Shirou jokingly winked. "So, what's your question? Because I have plenty of secrets that could interest you," he teased.

Ryuu took a deep breath, then finally asked with a serious tone, "I'm just curious… why are you so kind? What's your real intention, Shirou?" Her eyes held a sincerity that left Shirou momentarily speechless.

Shirou tilted his head, feeling puzzled. "What do you mean? I don't see myself as particularly kind. I'm just doing what comes naturally."

Unsatisfied with his answer, Ryuu narrowed her eyes and began listing all the things she'd noticed about him. "You always work hard at the Hostess of Fertility without being asked. You never complain about the work, and you're always ready to help when needed." She paused for a moment, then continued, "I also know that Syr often takes advantage of your kindness to lighten her workload, and yet you never refuse."

Hearing this, Shirou blushed slightly and cleared his throat to distract her. "Syr helped me out a lot when I first arrived in Orario. I'm just trying to repay her kindness."

Ryuu nodded slowly, accepting his explanation, though still curious. "But then, why do you help out with cooking at the Hostess of Fertility? You don't even get paid for it."

Shirou fell silent for a moment, thinking. He realized that Ryuu had indeed been watching him closely.

Around them, the soft sound of the fountain filled the quiet as Shirou considered his words. But before he could answer, Ryuu suddenly looked at him with a playful smile. "Could it be that the reason you work unpaid at the Hostess of Fertility is because you have your eye on one of the waitresses?" she teased, holding back a laugh.

Shirou was startled by the question, and he quickly waved his hands in a panic. "No, of course not!" he replied hastily, his face turning red.

Seeing Shirou's flustered reaction, Ryuu smiled, enjoying his awkwardness. "Then, what's the reason?" she asked again, this time with a more serious expression.

Shirou took a deep breath, then looked at Ryuu calmly. "Honestly, I just enjoy cooking and cleaning. But that's not the main reason," he answered with sincerity. "Everything I do, including the things you mentioned, is to reach my dream."

Ryuu raised her eyebrows, both confused and curious. "Your dream?" she asked, not entirely understanding Shirou's meaning.

Shirou lifted his gaze and looked directly at Ryuu, his eyes filled with strong determination. "Yes, my dream is to become a Defender of Justice, a Seigi no Mikata," he said with conviction, his voice deep and meaningful.

Shirou waited for Ryuu's reaction, ready for the possibility that she might laugh at what sounded like a childish dream. However, to his surprise, Ryuu remained silent. Her expression turned serious, and she simply gazed at Shirou in awe, captivated by the sincerity and courage in his words.

Hearing the term "Defender of Justice" from Shirou, Ryuu was instantly taken back to memories long buried in her heart. Her thoughts drifted to precious friends from her past in the Astraea Familia, comrades who had fought together, dedicated to bringing justice to Orario—even knowing they might never fully understand what justice (Seigi) truly meant. Under the blessing of the Goddess Astraea, the Goddess of Justice, they fought for a high and elusive ideal.

Looking at Shirou, Ryuu felt that the man in front of her held the same resolve as her former Astraea Familia companions. She even considered that Shirou would have been a perfect fit for that Familia if they had accepted men. There was a similarity in the idealism and sincerity that Shirou shared with her departed friends.

Noticing Ryuu staring at him in silence, Shirou felt a bit awkward with the quiet between them. Finally, he decided to break it. "It seems like you've been asking me a lot, Ryuu. Now it's my turn," he said lightly, trying to steer the conversation back.

Ryuu snapped out of her thoughts, and a gentle smile appeared on her face. "Alright, Shirou," she replied, nodding slightly. "Ask whatever you want to know."

Shirou continued his postponed question, this time more seriously. "So, Ryuu… why do you hide your identity to the point of dyeing your hair? Is there a specific reason?" he asked quietly, yet full of curiosity.

Knowing this was a sensitive topic, Ryuu still felt a sense of trust in Shirou. After a brief silence, she decided to be honest. "The reason… is because I'm actually a fugitive," Ryuu admitted without hesitation, though she knew the weight of her words.

Shirou was shocked by her answer. He had never expected that someone as calm and disciplined as Ryuu harbored a dark past. Still surprised, he braved himself to ask, "What exactly did you do to become a fugitive?"

Ryuu gave a bitter smile, recalling a past filled with anger and revenge. "I… was an assassin," she replied, her tone somber. "I did it to avenge my friends who had been killed. So, tell me, Shirou, would you arrest me as a Defender of Justice? Maybe report me to the Guild?" she challenged, her voice low, as if prepared to accept any answer Shirou might give.

Shirou shook his head firmly, showing his confidence. "I don't see it that way, Ryuu. Everyone, even a criminal, always has the chance to change," he answered with conviction. "And I believe you didn't do it for personal gain. The people you killed… they must have been evil, right?"

Hearing what might sound naive, Ryuu could only give a small smile. So typical of Shirou, she thought. However, she felt there was no need to hold back further details. "My victims were members of the Rudra Familia. They were part of a dark faction, Evilus," Ryuu explained, her voice cold as she recalled ending the lives of those who had killed her friends in the Astraea Familia.

Shirou felt a deep sense of relief hearing Ryuu's confession. So, what she had done was vigilante justice—a justice carried out in her own way. In fact, Shirou felt proud, remembering that he, too, had once fought some members of Evilus in the past, though few people knew about his actions.

"That's why I truly believe in your choices, Ryuu. You are indeed pursuing justice in your own way," Shirou said, looking at her with pride.

Ryuu could only shake her head, feeling that Shirou was as trusting and sincere as ever. It gave her a sense of calm in this moment of openness.

Ryuu glanced at her watch, realizing the time they had set had come. She commented calmly, "It seems like Syr, Anya, Chloe, and Lunoire will be running late today."

Shirou gave a light smile, not minding the wait. "In that case, how about we continue our question game? It's your turn to ask, Ryuu," he offered, trying to fill the time with their conversation.

After a moment's thought, Ryuu decided to probe deeper into Shirou. She wanted to test the resolve and the meaning of justice that Shirou held so tightly. "Alright then, Shirou, what exactly do you mean by becoming a Defender of Justice?" she asked seriously.

Shirou leaned back in his chair, gazing at the fountain before them. As his thoughts drifted to the past, he remembered the person who meant the most to him—Kiritsugu. The image of Kiritsugu's face and gentle smile, so peaceful as he saved Shirou from the fire, appeared again in his mind. To Shirou, that smile symbolized the beauty of someone who sacrificed everything for the good of others.

After a moment of silent nostalgia, Shirou opened his eyes and looked at Ryuu, his gaze filled with determination. "My dream is to become a hero who can save everyone," he said firmly. "That's what Seigi no Mikata means to me."

Ryuu watched Shirou closely, and for a moment, it felt as though she were looking at her younger self. She, too, once had a similar determination to uphold justice, though her resolve had been clouded with doubt and uncertainty. However, unlike her past self, Shirou answered with complete conviction, without a hint of hesitation in his words.

To Ryuu, Shirou's resolve felt so pure and strong—something she wished she still held within herself.

Captivated by Shirou's unwavering spirit, Ryuu felt compelled to further test the young man's beliefs. She recalled the words once spoken by her friend Kaguya—words filled with realism and skepticism. "A friend of mine once said that the dream of saving everyone is nothing more than an impossible and naive fantasy," Ryuu said, echoing the sentiment she herself had once believed.

Without hesitation, Shirou looked at her and responded confidently, "Even if it's impossible, there's no harm in chasing a beautiful dream like that. It's a dream that gives my life meaning."

Ryuu nodded slightly, but the smile on her lips seemed challenging. "Then what will you do, Shirou," she asked quietly, "if one day you face a choice where you have to decide who will be saved?"

Shirou was undaunted by the question. "I'll find a way to save everyone," he replied with unwavering confidence, as if that were the only option.

Still intrigued, Ryuu posed a more difficult question. She recalled a dilemma once presented to her by the god Erebus—a situation she herself couldn't answer at the time. "Suppose you are faced with a trolley speeding down a track," Ryuu began cautiously. "You could pull a lever to redirect the trolley and save a group of people on another track, but that would mean someone else on the other track would be hit. Would you pull the lever or not?" she asked, her gaze intense.

Without hesitation, Shirou replied, "I would pull the lever."

Ryuu gave a bitter smile at his answer. "So, you would let one innocent person on that track die, hit by the trolley," she said, her tone filled with skepticism, as though challenging Shirou to consider his decision more deeply.

Shirou, undaunted, answered with even stronger resolve. "In that case, I would run to untie the person before the trolley hits them."

Ryuu, smiling slightly and surprised by Shirou's courage, continued her questioning, "What if you don't have enough time to untie them? What would you do?"

Once again, Shirou looked at her with unwavering determination. "Then I would stop the trolley with my own body or find another way. I won't give up until I've tried everything to save everyone," he replied, his voice steady and full of conviction.

Ryuu looked at Shirou with genuine admiration, captivated by such strong determination and belief. Shirou's answer might sound unrealistic, but his sheer resolve made Ryuu believe he was truly prepared to do anything to protect the helpless.

Ryuu watched Shirou for a moment before commenting, "Right now, you're still Level 1, and that dream... it seems so big. Are you sure it's alright to pursue a dream that large?"

Shirou paused, feeling a slight sense of guilt for hiding the fact that he had actually reached Level 4. However, he still answered honestly about his goal. "That's why I joined the Loki Familia and explore the Dungeon. I want to grow stronger so I can save more people," he said, looking at Ryuu with conviction.

Ryuu smiled, hearing Shirou's powerful resolve. Wanting to help, she offered, "Then I'll train you. I can take night shifts at the Hostess of Fertility so we can train together in the mornings," she said sincerely.

Shirou was initially going to decline, considering his actual level. But when he saw the sincerity in Ryuu's enthusiastic eyes, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. "Alright, if you're willing to train me, I'd be very grateful," he finally replied.

Ryuu stood up, pleased with Shirou's answer, and asked, "How about we start tomorrow morning? Are you free?"

Shirou stood in front of her and shook his head apologetically. "Tomorrow, I already have plans to go to the Dungeon with Riveria. Maybe another day?" he said, a bit regretfully.

Hearing this, Ryuu was instantly surprised and quickly grabbed Shirou's tunic collar, her eyes wide. "Are you kidding? You're really going alone with Lady Riveria?" she asked, incredulous.

Shirou, completely unprepared for such a big reaction, just nodded slowly and said, "Yes, I'm serious."

Ryuu looked at him, her gaze full of shock and disbelief. "You're incredibly lucky to be getting direct lessons from Lady Riveria!" she said, still unable to hide her astonishment.

Shirou, who was actually the one teaching Riveria about Magecraft, could only smile sarcastically to himself. However, he still asked with curiosity, "But why such an intense reaction, Ryuu?"

Seeing Shirou's curiosity, Ryuu let go of his tunic and placed her hands on his shoulders. With a respectful tone, she explained, "Lady Riveria is the princess of the Elven forest, a high-ranking noble of the High Elves. Elves hold her in high esteem, and for a human to be alone with her is extremely special. You might be the target of some envy among the Elves if they find out."

Shirou could only nod slowly, just now realizing the special position he held with Riveria.

Shirou fell silent, contemplating Ryuu's words. Until now, he hadn't realized this. No Elf members in the Loki Familia had ever questioned his training sessions with Riveria, and the two of them always had free access to use the storeroom for their Magecraft lessons.

As Shirou was deep in thought, suddenly he heard Anya's voice from behind the bushes in the garden, singing playfully, "Shirou and Ryuu…"

Chloe appeared beside her and continued the lyrics with a mischievous grin, "sitting under a tree."

They both laughed before finishing together, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Ryuu, hearing this, blushed instantly and let go of Shirou's shoulders. "It's not like that! You've misunderstood!" she said in a panic, trying to explain.

Shirou could only scratch his head, smiling sheepishly at the humorous situation.

Shortly after, Syr appeared from the same direction, chuckling at Ryuu's reaction. She enjoyed the moment, as if joining in on the little tease between them.

Lunoire also came over and sighed seeing her friends' behavior.

Ryuu, already pouting, complained to Syr, Anya, Lunoire and Chloe, "You should have just joined us. Why did you decide to eavesdrop from behind the bushes?" she said in an annoyed tone.

Anya laughed and innocently replied, "Chloe and I came just in time, but it was actually Syr's idea. She told us to eavesdrop." She pointed toward Syr, who smiled calmly.

Ryuu turned to Syr with a slightly annoyed look, but before she could protest further, Syr gently took her hand. "Come on, let's start shopping," she invited with a smile, as if trying to brush off her earlier mischief.

Along the way, Shirou walked beside Syr and lightly teased her. "Syr, your habit of eavesdropping is really not good, you know," he said playfully, though curiosity made him ask, "So, how much did you hear?"

Syr gave a mysterious smile and replied, "Not much, but enough to know a little of your secret, Seigi no Mikata," she added with a mischievous grin, calling Shirou by the title he aspired to.

Shirou could only sigh in resignation at the nickname, though he felt a bit of pride and amusement deep down.