Who Wouldn't Want Plot Armor? (New Book, Please Support!)

"Um, Sakura, shouldn't you at least put some clothes on? You'll catch a cold."

Sakura shook her head, clearly unwilling to let go.

For Sakura, perhaps she still could not properly tell whether this reality was a dream or not. Given the life she had always lived, this probably felt more like a dream.

Yet even if it was a dream, she did not want to miss a single detail—a girl so painfully humble...

As though he had seen through the girl's thoughts, Shinji set the notebook aside and leaned back against the sofa.

After a long silence, he finally organized his words and spoke slowly.

"Sakura, without a doubt, this is reality. You are completely free now. Also, although the Imprint Worms have been removed, the Mage Circuits they opened up have not disappeared. They will coexist with your original Mage Circuits.

"Perhaps you haven't noticed it yet, but now that you possess both Water and Utsuro attributes, your talent as a mage will gradually return and reveal itself. At last, you can finally choose your own life.

"Whether you become an ordinary person or a mage, it is your freedom. No one will ever bind your thoughts again. The pain, helplessness, loneliness, and sorrow of the past were not meaningless either.

"At the very least, they will let you cherish every little thing in the future more deeply. Lastly, I'm sorry. Your brother seems to have been too slow.

"It took me a full ten years too long to complete my task—to completely end the Matou Family's history as a family of mages. And because of that, I made you wait another ten years in helplessness and pain."

"Brother, do you hate Magecraft?" Sakura suddenly asked.

"Mm... I suppose I do."

"Suppose?" Sakura did not understand. Just moments ago, in front of Grandfather, this brother had stated with absolute certainty that he hated Magecraft.

Shinji smiled but did not answer directly. Instead, he changed the subject. "In any case, based on what I know of most mages, they are—

"A bunch of people whose hands, raised high in pursuit of what they consider lofty ideals, have long since rotted away along with the bones, endlessly giving off a sickly stench they mistake for sweetness."

Hearing Shinji's words, Rider could not help but think even more highly of her Master's brother, especially that final line—an extraordinarily simple yet piercing assessment of mages.

Though she did not quite understand, Sakura still gave it some thought before offering her answer.

"Then I won't become a mage. I want to become someone like you, Brother."

"Huh?"

Shinji froze. Why was his little sister not following the script?

I just rambled on and on because I wanted you to live a simple, happy life as an ordinary person.

What does becoming someone like me even mean?

"Sakura, while gender reassignment surgery is indeed quite advanced in some countries, your brother advises you to think it over carefully before making a decision."

Seeing Shinji propping up his chin with a dead-serious expression, Sakura burst out laughing again—and this time, it came from the bottom of her heart.

The brother she had admired for who knew how long had finally stopped treating her differently from everyone else.

Although she already knew that his attitude toward her over the past ten years had all been an act, and that he had quietly cared for her from the shadows, this feeling made her happier than anything else.

It was as though she had finally obtained something she had always longed for.

That boy, half a head taller than her, had remembered his promise all along.

"By the way, Sakura, there's something else you need to know."

"What is it?"

"Do you remember Uncle Kariya?"

"Mm..."

"Actually, back then, he was the one who wanted to save you the most. But because he lacked the strength, he failed. The last time I saw him..."

Shinji gradually recalled that scene. The man who could be called the only person in the Matou Family with any conscience left—his hair completely white, his right eye utterly lifeless, barely clinging to life—had endured pain that seemed to pierce his soul as he bent down and stroked Shinji's hair.

"Shinji, promise Uncle... don't bully your sister in the future..."

In truth, Shinji did not dislike those hot-blooded fools, like manga protagonists, who would throw everything away without regard for the consequences for the sake of what they cared about.

They never endured in silence. Whenever they faced injustice, they were always the first to resist and fight with their lives on the line. Even when the difference in strength was overwhelming, they felt no fear.

Shinji did not dislike fools like that.

As for Kariya, Shinji remembered that opinions about him in his previous life had been mixed. But from Shinji's perspective, he was worthy of respect.

After all, he had sincerely wanted to save that little girl. That alone was enough.

But Kariya was not a protagonist, nor did he have the kind of plot armor that let him recklessly court death without ever dying. He even had his own selfish calculations, so in the end, he met a bleak end.

Therefore, ever since regaining his memories, Shinji had found his own way of doing things and his place in the world.

Unlike protagonists who possessed plot armor, could recklessly court death however they pleased, and always emerged looking glorious, he was different. Not to mention that in the Type-Moon world, even protagonists usually did not end well.

So he...

Had no choice but to lie low!

Unless everything was fully prepared and the east wind was blowing at force eight!

Slowly pulling his thoughts back, Shinji looked at Sakura, whose expression had become somewhat complicated as though she had remembered something, and said softly, "All right, time to sleep. And tomorrow, your brother can handle the funeral alone. Good night."

With that, Shinji slowly pulled his arm free from something soft and stood up.

Creak—click!

PFFT!!

The moment he closed the door, Shinji spat out a mouthful of blood!

At the same time, he nearly collapsed to the floor.

Clutching his chest, Shinji endured the agony of his organs rupturing and shifting out of place as he cursed inwardly.

You never said the trial card had side effects like this!

You never asked.

Give me a refund! Is this how you treat my sixty thousand points?! Fuck you! Give me a refund!

Don't get so worked up. It's only a little backlash.

Is this how you repay my trust in you? Give me a refund!

Half?

Get lost.

Late that night, Shinji endured the pain as he confirmed completion of the main quest. Before he could even take a proper look at the reward, he fell into a deep sleep.

At three in the morning, Rider, excessively curious about Shinji, silently stood by his bed and watched him sleep. The blood at the corner of his mouth had not been wiped clean.

Rider knew that the pool of blood on the floor and the blood at Shinji's lips were likely the price of borrowing power from the future. But she had no intention of telling Sakura about it, since Shinji himself did not wish to speak of it.

The Dreamless, so unnatural, this man covered in mysteries—this was what interested Rider the most.

He could not dream, but what if she guided him into one?

Rider licked her lips...

Morning.

The moment Shinji opened his eyes, he felt utterly refreshed. But before he could inspect the System interface, he suddenly sensed that something was off.

Looking at Rider, who was kneeling on the floor beside the bed, slumped over the bedside and barely alive, Shinji began to ponder in silence. Not only could she no longer maintain her clothes, even her body had become translucent.

What did I do while I was asleep?

And was I really that good at... that?

She looks completely drained!

She's half-transparent—doesn't that mean she's totally drained?!

"Sakura's mana supply was cut off, and my own mana was drained dry..." Rider finally said weakly.

Oh! I get it! At a time like this, I should...

With that thought, Shinji took off his shirt.

No helping it. Who told me to be such a good person? Replenishing mana, right? I get it, I get it. I'm mentally prepared for this too.

"Give me some blood..."

Hearing that, Shinji lay back down, burrowed deeper beneath the blanket, and turned away.

Go play by yourself!