Although Irisviel was dissatisfied, she also knew that staying by Shirou's side would only make her a burden.
She beckoned the boy over, then left a kiss on his forehead.
"Be extra careful, Shirou," Irisviel said.
"Yeah, you too," Shirou replied.
"If possible... No, never mind."
Irisviel shook her head. Shirou guessed what she had wanted to say and spoke first.
"I'll try to bring Saber back. You haven't had time to say goodbye to her yet, have you?"
"Shirou...!"
Irisviel wore a troubled expression as she bit her lip. "Put your own safety first."
"Of course."
Shirou smiled and nodded.
"What is it, Big Sis Assassin?"
"No... I just feel like Shirou has been smiling more lately."
"I see..."
Shirou fell into thought.
"Shirou has been smiling more lately."
That sentence... Someone seemed to have said the same thing to him before.
During the middle and later stages of the pilgrimage, Shirou had become much more cheerful than before, gradually opening his heart to his companions.
But after returning to Pan-Human History, he had once again become the boy who had just been freed from the fairies' enslavement.
In other words—
As Shirou walked up the long stone steps, he thought to himself:
I am gradually returning to my prime.
Shirou suddenly stopped and raised his head.
On the stone steps some distance from the mountain gate stood a lone figure.
Although moonlight was the only source of illumination in these deep mountains, that figure still glittered with golden radiance, as though proclaiming that he was different from the ordinary mortals on this earth. The King's glory was not light bestowed by the sun.
King of Heroes Gilgamesh.
The arrogant King who loved high places more than anyone and was most fond of looking down from above at mongrels