21 Aftermath (2/2)
”Tch, old woman, you are really annoying!!” Avenger was incensed upon sensing Rafi's mood seemed to change after hearing her reassurance.
”Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern...it is my pleasure to meet you, though I can't really see you now.” Even if Rafi couldn't saw her in those darkness, but her voice gave away her identity. As the only woman inside the Holy Grail and acting as its core was her.
”...How is it, magus? You can keep purifying these impurities as I keep that particular Master alive now.”
”Why are you hindering me, old woman?! Isn't me also Human's wishes? What's wrong with the Grail to realize Human's desire?!”
”Your existence is only a conceptual wishes. You are not meant to be manifested, Angra Mainyu. Your existence is a hindrance to me and my friends's dreams.” Justeaze replied coldly to him.
”What do I care!! I am only born because of Human's wish to stay pure from these sins carved on my soul! I am only granting them, in return, a salvation from their own suffering by realizing their wishes, but in my own way of course, Heh.” Avenger snickered as he heard her answer.
”You're noisy, Avenger. Well, you've heard her. I can only keep absorbing these energies.” Rafi interrupted Avenger while he kept cultivating. Although it was in a slower speed as he didn't focus on the cultivation.
”Heh, do you think I can't do anything?” After Avenger spoke, Rafi could felt the darkness around his body became denser as the areas further than him began to lighten. As the darkness became denser, streams of chaotic curses and evil wishes started to sound louder in his mind, disrupting him from a focused cultivation.
”While I can't influence you directly, I can keep you here for a long time. I wonder whether you can resist those curses from tainting your mind, magus. Ha Ha Ha!!” Avenger's sound started to faint as the sound of the curses kept being louder.
”Uughh” Rafi was concentrating his mind firmly for not being affected by Avenger's curses. He channeled nearly all his attention to it, while some were used to keep cultivating. Because of Avenger, his speed of cultivation became much slower. If it was compared to a previous one before Avenger's interference, it was like a snail's slow speed to a quick speed of a flying eagle.
”You can only persevere from it, magus. It is regretful I can only help you by maintaining her life. I sincerely hope you can purify the Holy Grail, magus.” Justeaze's voice could be heard softly ringing in his mind amidst countless curses that were assaulting Rafi's mind. After that, only a silence filled the space while Rafi tried to absord the Mana inside it and kept his sanity from crumbling.
... ...
Days passed quietly as usual in outside world. After received the news from Berserker, Sakura and Illyasviel calmed down and began their daily lives, though they were not so lively like when Rafi was still around. In the end, Sakura decided to tell Emiya and Tohsaka that she and Illyasviel believed that Rafi was still alive and would waited patiently for his return. She decided to tell them to lighten their guilts and reassured them that she didn't blame them for what was happening. Emiya and Tohsaka were stunned after hearing her, but then they chose to believe her as Rafi was a demigod in their thoughts, so he would not died easily.
As the only surviving member of Matou family in registry, Sakura received all of Matou family's properties with Taiga as her guardian, like what Emiya Shirou did. Sakura thus moved back to Matou family mansion, accompanied by Illyasviel and a secretly-protecting Berserker. Though, they were also kept playing in Emiya household sometimes while waiting for Rafi's return together.
Illyasviel was still teasing Tohsaka about Tohsaka's relationship with Emiya, much to Tohsaka shame and annoyance. Though, Illyasviel seemed out of sort when Tohsaka, in return of her teasing, teased her for being neglected by Rafi beforehand. Meanwhile, Berserker was still hiding from Emiya and Tohsaka as she protected Sakura and Illyasviel in secrecy.
And thus six month passed silently, as their school life was beginning once again when the strange incidents in Fuyuki City stopped appearing. Emiya and Tohsaka rose to third-grade of highschool while Sakura became a second-grade highschooler.