Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

"Even if the future is not visible in this world, there must be brilliant people shining in order to survive. We must believe that their brilliance can save this world shrouded in the end. No one has the right to destroy a world where there are still people shining."

The promise entrusted to the hearts of all people

Class: EX

Type: Anti-realm Noble Phantasm

Before his death, he ascended to heaven bearing the sins of the world, making him the undisputed savior of mankind.

Those who failed to become spirits abandoned the path that only one person could traverse, and with their last possessions, before passing away, made a covenant with all people, thus existing in the hearts of all people, being with all people, being with humankind, and being with the good that all people should do.

In other words, no matter how terrifying the non-human or extraterrestrial beings are, as long as there is any person in the world whose pursuit of 'good' has not been completely destroyed, that person is 'immortal'. Even if the pain of the body and soul is unparalleled, the belief will still exist, and any attempt to impose the concept of 'death' will have no effect whatsoever.

072: Adaptation is not random rewriting.

The Mediterranean Sea wasn't particularly cold; you could only hear the ebb and flow of the waves until you could no longer hear them.

Then, the silver-haired boy, who seemed to be in an eternal world, opened his eyes again, his pupils as blue as the ocean.

Awakening from his 'slumber', the world he sees is Bucharest, the capital of Romania, in 2014.

Outside the thick car windows stretched the streets of a big city, the sky a hazy gray—a color Novia didn't particularly like—and the sounds of the taxi driver ahead talking on his phone drifted over.

"You're already thirty-seven, are you really not planning to find a partner? Your mother and I are really worried. Your sister's current teacher is one of the top celebrities there, I heard he's quite handsome, and his grades always improve. Why don't you go and meet him?"

"Oh... I almost forgot, you dropped out after only a week..."

"I'm just driving to pass the time. I've been in Romania for so long, and I just want to find you a suitable one. Maybe one day I'll find you the prince charming you've been dreaming of? But a thirty-seven-year-old prince is not common these days. He might be the king, haha."

Is she talking to her child at home? But you can't force that, right? The tone is quite harmonious, so it's probably just teasing or something.

Novia thought to himself that his current feeling of powerlessness might be due to the fact that the mystery of the present world is thinner than it was two thousand years ago, causing his soul to need a certain amount of time to adapt to the rules of the current world, like going from luxury to frugality.

After all, he didn't seem to have any worries about the mystery during the Roman era. Since finding Albion, he has been moving step by step towards a deeper level of mystery. Finally, Yahweh lifted the Texture directly in order to activate the Book of Revelation, allowing the mystery that He allowed to appear.

It was for this reason that Novia was able to obtain authority over all of Rome. However, ultimately, aside from allowing him to directly encounter Yahweh without entering the gates of heaven, he served little purpose, as Yahweh stripped him of his authority during the final battle. This shows that this one and only god was still quite displeased with other pantheons...

"Um, is there a traffic jam?"

He spoke in a hoarse voice, as if he had just woken up, and waved tentatively. Although it wasn't good to interrupt other people's conversations with his family, Novia was also a little confused. After all, when he went to Rome, he was already about halfway there, so theoretically he should have arrived by now.

Seeing Novia's actions in the rearview mirror, the driver's face was etched with deep wrinkles. He took off his headphones, slowly rolled down the window, and turned to look at Novia, who was sweating profusely from her forehead.

"You're finally awake! I thought you were sick and had fainted, so I was planning to take you to the hospital to get checked out."

"Thank you for your concern, but I just took a nap and I'm fine now."

"Alright, just make sure you don't become unresponsive later. This thing has been sitting here for a long time, here, have it." After a few seconds of silence, the man tossed an apple to Novia and then turned his gaze to the front of the car. "Speaking of which, you must be a believer in the church, since only believers would wear a cross pendant, or it was a gift from an elder in your family."

".......Um?"

Novia, having taken a couple of bites of his apple, looked at his chest in confusion. There was indeed a cross pendant, gleaming faintly silver in the light. He was certain that he hadn't possessed it before going to Rome...

Is it some kind of reward? Novia's mind raced, and a system notification popped up before her eyes.

However, there were no prompts at all, and even the option to travel through time was dimmed, unlike before when you could continue to choose it after returning. Perhaps it needed to recharge, or perhaps it hadn't refreshed yet.

“Yes, I am a believer. This was given to me by the headmaster who adopted me.”

Novia didn't reject it, but just made up an excuse to brush it off.

In this world, Novia grew up in an orphanage, and the reason she knew magic was because the orphanage's director saw her potential and taught her...

Thinking about this, Novia couldn't help but have a sudden thought: Could it be that the Dean was actually someone who failed to win the 'name' from the Burial Agency?

"I'm sorry."

The man casually observed the silver-haired boy behind him. He thought about how the boy had unleashed tremendous magical power in the last few seconds of his unconsciousness without concealing it. If it weren't for the magic his eldest daughter had set up in his car to cover it up, the magician family stationed here would have already considered it a provocation.

But the boy seemed genuinely unaware. Could it be that he had some inherited magical mark? In any case, the man found it very intriguing, so he brought up the topic again. He drove because he enjoyed chatting with all sorts of people.

"By the way, that latest movie, if you're a religious person, you probably haven't seen it, but I heard it's quite popular among young people."

"Movie?"

Although the man was clearly trying to start a conversation, Novia went along with it. It was just a chat, and he didn't think it was a big deal. He had become quite talkative during his time in Rome while trying to spread his faith.

"It's the movie that tells the story of how the first Pope Novia and Nero's mother Agrippina the Younger fell in love at first sight, then their love turned into a bitter feud for various reasons, and finally, in despair, she died at the hands of her lover's child, Nero."

“…” Novia closed her eyes, took a breath, and then exhaled. After doing so, her previously somewhat uneasily expression became slightly more serene. “…As long as someone likes it, that’s fine. After all, it’s an adaptation.”

After all, he understood that myths and legends are constantly changing over time.

"Really? None of the believers I've met before were anything but cursing..."

"I understand that feeling perfectly well; it's normal. But I don't think Novia herself would care."

The silver-haired boy shrugged indifferently, and the man laughed, filling the two with a gentle atmosphere.

"I didn't expect you to be so open-minded, unlike those old-fashioned people in the church... Alright, we're here."

After paying and getting out of the car, Novia saw the window slowly roll down again, and the driver waved to him.

"My name is Hiroki Sajou. You seem like a nice person. Let's exchange phone numbers. How about we meet again another day? Remember to come! Oh, by the way, I haven't asked your name yet. What's your name again?"

"...Novia."

073: The Story After That

Upon learning that the driver's name was Hiroki Sajou, Novia, aside from feeling a bit surprised, naturally guessed who the 37-year-old daughter he had called earlier was.

In this modern era, where the Age of Gods has passed and mysteries have faded, there exists a Root Princess, born with the ability to connect to the Root, possessing almost unparalleled talent, and the strongest human Master capable of wielding magic from the Age of Gods—

Sand strip love song.

However, to put it another way, for people living in the modern world, simply passing through Brunhilde is considered a success.

But since he lived to the age of 37 and both of Sajō's parents were still alive, it means that he did not participate in the Holy Grail War and even saved his mother who should have 'died'.

Furthermore, since Ayaka Sajou seems to have become El-Melloi II's apprentice, and her cheap partner Sigma recently said he was going to America to fight in the Cup, it suggests that she is probably just like the Himuro-Tenchi world line's 'harmless slacking off', hoping to meet her ideal prince and leaving a bunch of messes for her sister to clean up, in that kind of pattern.

Novia had a pretty good idea of ​​what Hiroki Sajou was planning. He probably wanted to take her seventeen-year-old self on a blind date with Aika Sajou, who was twenty years older than her. As for whether they would fall in love at first sight...

He wasn't worried about that, because he'd only ever heard of a blond prince on a white horse, never a silver-haired one... Well, there was one who barely fit the bill, who also killed a lot of people, but he went from blond hair to silver hair, from a prince to a king.

Furthermore, Ayaka Sajou absolutely couldn't see through Novia, and he was definitely not the 'Prince Charming' she envisioned. Even Old Saber fell a little short of her aesthetic standards...

If it really were love at first sight, Novia felt she should be able to calm herself down...

But from Novia's current perspective, he thinks that Aika Sajou is a good kid, which is good.

Upon entering the house, it was clear that the landlady, Fiore, was quite diligent, as there was no dust even after Novia had been gone for a long time. However, this must have been done by a hired hand, since she herself was a wheelchair maker, and there was no trace of magic used.

"Let's see how things go from here."

After packing his things into his suitcase and making himself a cup of coffee, Novia decided to see how the Roman Empire would develop after he left. He figured that Nero would probably realize all the plans he had made on the piece of paper he had left behind.

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, commonly known as Nero (December 15, 37 AD – ?), was revered as the Great Roman Emperor for his many achievements. He was also the second pope after Novia, and the only person in history to hold both the imperial and papal titles simultaneously.

Although Novia was somewhat surprised that Nero was able to become pope after him, she thought it was normal. Although many apostles, such as Paul and Peter, were qualified to be the second pope, they did not seek personal glory, but rather the happiness of all people.

Therefore, it is normal for people to agree that Nero, as his well-known disciple at the time, and the saint recorded in the New Testament as "Tius of Rome was the daughter of Martha of Bethany".

However, it's not hard to guess that having both emperor and pope was not a good tradition. Perhaps it was for this reason that later Roman emperors were limited by the rules Nero privately set and his unparalleled influence.

After all, Nero perfectly executed all the plans he left behind, investing heavily in Byzantium, firmly grasping the hearts and minds of the people in the east of the Roman Empire from there, and with the support of the Christian faith that swept the entire Roman Empire, he carried out a top-down, bloody reform through 'violence'.

According to records, Nero's final fate was that she suddenly disappeared one day. Some say she vanished from a fire that rose out of nowhere, while others say she ascended to heaven as she wished.

"But it is said that this emperor..."

Novia saw the last sentence on the document above and hesitated to speak.

That short line of text seemed to float in the world beneath the ever-present, dreamlike scenery of a sky filled with blue, the blue stretching to an unknown distance.

—But it is said that she has been waiting for someone to come, waiting for... "the person who promised to come back."

.........

In a place beyond time, a person sits on a decaying throne, with a landscape of blue and white clouds behind him, and a halo that seems to be forming, hazy and indistinct. Around the steps are half-built pillars covered with moss.

"You've placed several Holy Grails."

A voice suddenly rang out, questioning the man on the throne with an air of superiority. In an instant, the beautiful scenery transformed into a raging, blood-red sea.

“You have no right to know, nor should you speak to me with such arrogant language.” The man stood up, revealing blood-red eyes. “Even if you are that master’s disciple, you, now reduced to this state, are nothing more than allies to me.”

After that, neither of them spoke, and the silence lingered. Rather than saying they had nothing to say, it was more like they were observing the actions of their subordinate.

Seventy-two pillars with countless eyes and a seven-headed dragon-like creature appeared, creating an atmosphere where conflict could erupt at any moment.

"I'll ask you one more time! A Heroic Spirit Summoning System that doesn't have any record of that person is utterly useless!"

"...One year later, once the Holy Grail is in place, the Demon Pillars under my command will use it to cut off the torrent of history, shaking the foundations of human history. At the same time, a portion of the torrent will be drawn here, making the basis of human history fragile. Then, through my gaze, I will ignite the entire history of humanity."

Goetia rubbed the rings on her hands and said meaningfully.

"In the end, whether I establish a completely new celestial body or you create a completely new world where that person exists, can only be determined by our own abilities, Draco."

"Heh, I've granted your permission. It's just a matter of devouring human reason bit by bit." A petite girl appeared on the body of the seven-headed dragon, holding a golden cup, her face stained with blood-red patterns, laughing cruelly, "This corrupt world has been here for two thousand years, and I don't want to stay any longer."

I would do anything, just to see you one more time—

I will do anything to create a world where teachers exist.

074: There are actually 37-year-old beautiful girls in the world!?

"I do not want."

As dusk fell, a blonde girl looked down from the seventh floor of an apartment in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. Her smooth, shiny hair was even more striking in the twilight, and her eyes were pale and clear.

From her perspective, the countless streets looked like a narrow channel, with people coming and going in an endless stream, like insects.

In reality, for her, there was no difference between her and an insect, because the blonde girl's name was Sajō Aika.

At this moment, she is on a video call with her parents, who live in Bucharest but not in the same house. The reason they don't live together in the same courtyard as when they were in Japan is because Aika Sajou claims that she and her sister have grown up and need their own independent space. So the Sajou couple, who love the two of them, agreed.

"I think the young man your father mentioned is quite nice, and he should be able to take care of you, Aige. After all, your father also said that he is dating the young man with marriage in mind."

"Yes, that's what he said. I even showed him your picture and told him that he could take care of you without any problem."

Hiroki Sajou spoke with an air of righteous indignation, as if he were telling the whole truth.

"No, no, I don't want it. It's not that I don't want Prince Charming, but according to you, Father, you only want me because I'm good-looking."

Ai Ge shook her head without any regard for her image, then placed her phone on a stand and crossed her arms in an "X" shape.

"Just hearing this name, that he actually named himself Novia or something, is just too... well, he definitely doesn't have any of the qualities of a Prince Charming. He's obviously a stubborn, die-hard believer. I'll be so annoyed to hear him muttering about some god tomorrow."

Time seems to have left no trace on this 37-year-old 'beautiful girl'. Her appearance is still the same as when she was 14 years old, unchanged in every way, except that her elegance has vanished since she could not find a suitable partner.

"But you're already thirty-seven. Your sister already got your teacher's contact information. He's known as the 'Big Ben, London Star,' and the number one male student in the Clock Tower's popularity rankings..."

On the other end of the video call, Hiroki Sajou couldn't help but interject, then, perhaps worried that his eldest daughter's brain might be deteriorating from staying home for so long, he added...

"I remember you went to that classroom when you went to the Clock Tower."

Sajō Aika once went to study at the Clock Tower, one of the Magic Associations, but dropped out at lightning speed because there was no suitable partner in the entire Clock Tower, so there was no point in going there and not being able to have a sweet campus romance.

After that came traveling the world, and now the journey has brought me to Romania, where my whole family has moved.

"Oh dear, that guy clearly looks unwell, and although he's been popular for a long time, he doesn't have any prince-like qualities at all. I don't know why he's so popular. I went to see him right away, thinking he was the prince charming of my dreams... Okay, I'm hanging up now. I'm definitely not going to see him~"

For some reason, perhaps because she had just discussed the topic of "Prince Charming" with her parents, the girl, though drinking red tea and eating cake, felt a long-lost melancholy. She couldn't help but lie down on the floor, rolling around without caring about her image at all.

The world is boring; she is merely 'living.' The second hand of the clock keeps ticking forward, and today becomes tomorrow. Everything around her is still just a familiar, boring mountain in her eyes, without surprise, joy, or expectation.

Even the journey to find her "Prince Charming" was something she couldn't look forward to, because she couldn't see any possibility of it happening.

Why would a girl perform acts of 'kindness' towards her family and acquaintances in a world that is devoid of warmth for her? Even though everything in the world is devoid of warmth for Aika, she would subconsciously do these things because of a different kind of 'coldness' within her body, unlike any other 'coldness'.

In truth, she could see this 'coldness,' because this 'coldness' was most prevalent among those mystical church members. In other words, it was about helping others. Perhaps it was precisely because of this 'coldness' that she had ended up where she was today.

"Oh no, I forgot to log in to the game Serene recommended. Luckily, I remembered."

Oblivious to the danger, Ai Ge picked up her phone from the ground with one hand, propped her chin up with the other, and swung her legs upside down.

Because this game was enthusiastically recommended by a friend, Aige would casually play it whenever she had free time, unlike Serene who was obsessed with it, having already spent one-tenth of her entire fortune as a magician—