Shirou Is Killed / Time Rewinds to the First Day

Until that scream rang out.

Shirou rushed out of the guest room. Since it was already night, all the lights outside had been turned off, and the surroundings were dim. The already large space now felt like the gaping maw of a man-eating monster, making it unpredictable and unfathomable.

Shirou could only run towards the dining room by the moonlight shining through the window. There he saw Eriri standing at the door, her face pale with shock and her whole body tense.

"Brother... over there..." A trembling hand pointed into the darkness.

"What's wrong, guests!" Just then, the twin sisters, carrying elven lanterns that looked like lit candles, came rushing over from the other side.

"We just got here too, I didn't know!" Eriri said urgently.

"Rem, go and turn on the lights," the pink-haired girl ordered.

"Yes, sister." The blue-haired girl carried a lantern and walked around. They were maids who took care of this huge castle and were very familiar with every corner, so the dining room gradually lit up.

The hall gradually lit up, and under the light, a figure could be seen lying on the floor. The figure had long black hair, with two oval buns on top of its head, and was wearing a black and purple dress. It was eerily quiet.

"Kyoko?!" Shirou recognized Fujiwara Kagako, who had said she wanted to study that morning, and walked up to her to ask.

However, Kyoko lay motionless on the ground. Shirou squatted down and nudged her, only to feel her lifeless hardness and low temperature. He stepped on the floor next to her and felt a sticky pool of liquid. A bad feeling immediately arose in his heart.

At that moment, Rem and Ram turned on all the lights in the room, and there she was, lying in a pool of blood, with Shirou's feet and pants soaked.

Kyoko had been stabbed in the back and, due to excessive blood loss, collapsed to the ground, already dead. Her body temperature was below normal, indicating she had clearly been dead for some time.

At this moment, the other girls also heard the noise and rushed over.

"What's wrong? What's wrong! Can't a person get some sleep at this hour?!"

"What is going on?"

"Oh, Kouko-san... is she dead?"

"What an unfortunate child..." Saori said sadly, looking at Kyoko lying on the ground.

"Yes, the body temperature has cooled down. It was probably killed a few hours ago," Shirou nodded heavily in agreement.

"Victim? Who is the murderer?" Hime no Toki Xingbu hugged herself tightly and asked fearfully.

"No..." Shirou shook his head. Although he lay in a pool of blood, the murder weapon was nowhere to be found.

"Roswaal... where's Uncle?" Shirou asked, looking at the two maids.

Rem said, "Lord Roswaal received an urgent military notification at nine o'clock tonight and is now on his way to the capital for a secret meeting."

"What a coincidence..." Shirou's heart sank. Just then, Roswaal, the person in charge, left.

"Wait, so that wasn't Kyoko's scream just now. Then whose scream was that before?!" Kirino asked in surprise, her gaze sweeping suspiciously over everyone in the room. Although she didn't say anything, she seemed to regard the others as the murderer.

"Was that Eriri- san who screamed? Didn't you see anything?" Ayase asked, looking at Eriri.

"When I got here, Kouko-san was already lying on the ground," Eriri quickly retorted.

"So... there are no witnesses who can prove what you did before?" the Kuro Neko asked, staring intently at Eriri.

"Are you doubting me?! No, it's not me. You can prove I'm innocent, right, Shirou?!" Eriri grabbed Shirou's shoulder excitedly and shouted.

"Eriri, calm down. Nobody's talking about you. They just want to get things sorted out. Don't worry, as long as you're innocent, no one can wrong you. I'll find a way to investigate and find out the truth," Shirou said, comforting Eriri.

"Hmph, I'm not just suspecting you, I'm suspecting everyone! Everyone here is a suspect right now," Kirino said bluntly.

The Kuro Neko sneered and looked at Kirino, saying, "Heh, if you ask me, isn't you the most suspicious one? Haven't you always wanted to become a socialite in the aristocratic circles? If you could inherit your father's title, wouldn't your wish come true in an instant? Of course, you want all of us who are dividing the inheritance to die, don't you?"

Kirino glared at the Kuro Neko and said, "What! If you ask me, it's you, a gloomy woman who always keeps to yourself, who's the most suspicious! I've been with Ayase the whole time, but what have you been doing these past few hours? Has anyone seen you?"

The Kuro Neko chuckled sarcastically, retorting, "Heh, you really dare to say that. If what the accomplice says can be used as evidence, then... But Kouko-san is probably the oldest person here besides my brother, right? With her strength, do we, with our physiques, have the power to kill her by ourselves?"

"What!" Ayase was now angry too, and said to the Kuro Neko, "What's wrong with you? Are you trying to frame us as murderers?! This is utterly absurd! Apologize to me and Kirino right now!"

"Alright, alright, we're all sisters, let's not fight. Kyoko is dead now, this isn't the time for bickering, right, brother?" Saori tried to calm the girls down, then looked to Shirou for help.

Shirou knew that the girls wouldn't be at ease unless he stepped forward. He nodded to Saori, then looked at his sister and said, "Yes, I believe it couldn't have been done by anyone from here. We don't have enough evidence right now, so there's no need to overthink it. If it were thieves or something, they would have run away by now."

This castle may not be as dangerous as we think, but it's too dangerous to do it now that it's so late at night. So let's discuss this together tomorrow morning.

However, just in case, please make sure you do everything together, and it's best to sleep in the same room so you can look after each other.

"Yes, we understand, brother."

"If that's the case, then that would be great."

Hearing Shirou's words, the girl's tense mind finally relaxed a little.

Chapter 706 Shirou is killed

"Yes, perhaps that's really the case."

"After all, this is the Earl. Even if thieves and robbers break in, it's still Roswaal who's in charge. No matter how bold a thief is, he'll have to run away after stealing something."

"Brother, thank you, I can finally feel relieved."

Shirou tried to reassure the other girls by focusing on the positive aspects of their relationship, which finally put their minds at ease. This was actually the first time they had all gathered together today, and for some, it was the first time they had met in person. Their half-sister relationship was being revealed to them for the first time in this situation.

In reality, everyone's relationship was very distant because they wanted to divide the family property. Rather than being relatives meeting for the first time, they were more like enemies vying for interests.

The girls' reactions after seeing Kyoko's death revealed a sense of alienation and indifference. Sadness was only a minor part of their emotions; the majority was driven by fear for their own safety and a desire for possessions.

Eriri, however, felt neglected. Despite what had happened, Shirou wasn't there to comfort her; instead, he was talking to his other sisters. "I guess it's true... sisters can't handle this..."

"Calm down... How can I calm down when something like this happens... As expected... Even Shirou, you don't believe me?" Eriri muttered to herself, her expression somewhat dazed.

The girl with twin tails was devastated, and she hung her head in dejection... She felt very lost, and what hurt her even more was that when she was suspected, Shirou did not immediately stand up for her and express his absolute trust in her.

"Eriri? Are you alright? Why don't you go back to your room and rest for a bit? Leave things here to me, don't worry," Shirou said, patting the blonde girl's shoulder.

"Yes..." Eriri replied in a low voice, and silently returned to her room.

"Hime no Toki, would you please keep Eriri for a while?" Shirou instructed.

"Yes! Brother. Wait for me, Eriri- chan~!" Hime no Toki quickly replied. In this story's setting, she seemed to have become a timid and fearful character. At this moment, she didn't dare to be alone, so upon hearing Shirou's words, she quickly chased after Eriri.

"Hmph! Well, we're going back too. Everyone, make sure to lock the doors properly, lest someone gets killed for no reason." Kirino glanced at the Kuro Neko and said with a snort.

"Hehehe, a vicious woman like you would be better off dead. I will curse you," the Kuro Neko said with a sneer.

"I'll keep watch for you all, so you can rest easy. Just shout if you hear any noise, and I'll be there right away," Shirou said, feeling a headache coming on, trying to reassure the girls.

"Hmph, you'd better worry about yourself. If it's a fight over the inheritance, you might be their first target," Kirino said bluntly.

"Thank you, brother. Kirino said that because she was worried about you. Please be careful." Ayase nodded to Shirou before leaving with the girls.

The sisters had all left, leaving only Shirou, two maids, and the body lying on the ground. Shirou couldn't bear to see Kyoko lying there like that, so he took off his coat, wrapped it around Kyoko, knelt down, and carried her out to give her a proper burial.

"Leave this to us, sir." At this moment, the two maids called out to Shirou.

Rem and Ram bowed and said something. Shirou wanted to help, but seeing how easily they lifted the dead Kyoko, demonstrating their amazing strength, he didn't say anything more.

There were no clues left in the living room—no footprints, no fallen hair, no murder weapon. It was as if Kyoko had been pierced from the inside out, and no murderer had ever come close.

Finally, Shirou returned to the hallway leading to the room, having promised to keep watch for his sister. Since all the guest rooms were on the same side, Shirou could reach them immediately if he heard a sound, even if he entered a room.

To avoid alerting the girls, Shirou returned to his room, sat on the edge of his bed, closed his eyes to rest, and listened attentively to the sounds around him, keeping watch over the girls through the night.

Around four in the morning, the mountain air, mingled with the dew, became even colder, and a chill swept into every room of the castle. The fog here was black, seemingly carrying a special influence.

As Shirou breathed softly, he involuntarily inhaled the mist in the air, and for a moment he felt drowsy, his brain shutting down uncontrollably, and he lay down on the bed.

"Waaah..." Someone was crying outside in the corridor.

Shirou tried to open his eyes, but found his eyelids were glued shut, making it difficult to open them. He tried to sit up, but found his body was as heavy as if it were being crushed by a stone, and he couldn't move at all. Shirou sensed something was wrong, but his body couldn't react, and he couldn't even use the magic within him. It seemed that he was restricted by the plot of the fantasy world, and at this moment, he was unable to resist in any way.

They could only watch helplessly as the door opened, revealing a young girl's Black Shadow weeping and holding a knife, slowly walking towards them.

The knife plunged straight into Shirou's heart. Shirou felt a sharp pain, his whole body went limp, his pupils dilated, but his vision became blurry, blood gushed from his mouth, and he could no longer speak clearly.

"Why...?"

These were Shirou's thoughts in his final moments before he died.

But then everything froze, the blood stopped flowing, and everything fell silent, both for Shirou lying down and for the killer.

Tick-tock! Tick-tock!

A bell rang in Shirou's mind, and his pierced heart pounded in unison.

Thump, thump!

Thump, thump...

Only when Shirou could perceive it did the clock's hands spin rapidly in the opposite direction, faster and faster. Forgotten memories were being channeled into Shirou's brain.

"Aaaaaah!!!" Shirou let out a painful groan, suddenly sitting up in bed, panting heavily, covered in cold sweat, feeling a dull ache in his chest and a chill still running down his back.

However, Shirou clutched his chest and found no blood. The girl who had appeared at his bedside was nowhere to be seen. Relying on his countless experiences of being on the verge of death, Shirou forced himself to calm his breathing. He opened his hand that was clutching his chest, unbuttoned his pajamas, and found that the skin on his chest was completely intact.

But it wasn't a nightmare; Shirou was certain that he had truly almost been killed.

With a click, the white wooden door was pushed open.

Chapter 707 Time Reversal, Back to Day 1

"Guest, you're awake, Rem."

"Guest, you're awake, sister."

The pink-haired girl and the blue-haired girl, who had just entered, happened to see Shirou touching his chest.

"The guest seems to be doing something embarrassing, Rem."

"The guest has unbuttoned his shirt and is doing something embarrassing, sister."

The twin girls seemed to have seen something dangerous or disgusting, and they both took two steps back.

"Wait, Ram, Rem, is something wrong with you?" Shirou asked.

The twin maid girls looked at Shirou with puzzled expressions, then exchanged glances and said:

"Ah? The guest even knows Ram's name, Rem."

"Oh dear, the guest called Rem's name, big sister."

"This isn't the time to watch you fool around. Answer my question first," Shirou urged. Not only had a murder occurred, but he himself had also been killed, leaving him with no time for anything else.

The twin maid sisters exchanged a glance and replied:

"Hmm? Nothing seems amiss, Rem?"

"Yes, just like always, sister."

"Ah, yes, how are my sisters?" Shirou asked.

"Little sister? Which guest are you referring to?" Rem tilted her head and asked.

"By the way, Kyoko, what's wrong with Kyoko?" Shirou asked tentatively.

"Kouko-san, Kouko-san is already seated in the restaurant. My sister even poured her Darjeeling tea," Rem said.

"Is that so..." Shirou nodded, thinking, 'Time really did reverse; he's back to the moment he woke up this morning.'

At that moment, Shirou had a sudden realization, remembering the Black Shadow that had come to his room and killed him.

Shirou spoke again, asking, "By the way, what about Eriri? How have you guys been doing these past few days? Has she been having a good time?"

"Oh dear, I didn't expect the guest to ask about this younger sister. But Eriri is your childhood friend, isn't she? No one knows her better than you."

Bang!

"Nii-chan, it's time to get up! Everyone's waiting for you!"

At that moment, a girl with golden twin tails burst in; it was Eriri.

A thunderbolt flashed through Shirou's mind, as if he had been struck by lightning, and he recalled some fragments. Yes, about the past of 'him' and 'Eriri' in the story; they were childhood friends.

This world is similar to a European country in the 17th or 18th century. Although it lacks electricity and steam, it has True Magic and elves, and other fantastical elements.

As the illegitimate sons of the deceased Earl, he and Eriri lived with their mother in the same neighborhood, walked the same streets, ate bread from the same noodle shop, and attended the same private school. However, because they were unaware of each other's identities, they spent their entire childhood together.

At the same time, Shirou also recalled his previous memories. In that dark night, he was restricted and unable to move. Then, a woman's Black Shadow broke in and stabbed him in the heart.

In the moment before his death, Shirou caught a glimpse of his killer's face in a fleeting flash of light. The killer had beautiful blonde hair and azure eyes—it was Eriri.

But... why?

Shirou recalled the memories the protagonist of the story had related to Eriri. Both the protagonist and Eriri were ordinary girls from the city, living with their mothers. Because their fathers were often away, they were even closer.

They were childhood sweethearts, like siblings, playing and growing up together.

Why would she kill herself (the protagonist)? Shirou looked at Eriri, who had just entered the room, with a question in his mind.