Shirou felt a pair of hands gently cradle the back of his head and pull him into a soft embrace.
"You too..."
"You've been fighting too... Fighting and fighting, all alone, for so long. It must have been incredibly hard."
"So at least for now... get some rest."
One month later.
At dawn, Shirou slowly opened his eyes.
Several rays of light streamed through the curtains, illuminating the dim Japanese-style room.
Shirou threw off the covers and checked the time. It was six-thirty in the morning, and a new day had begun.
Shirou quietly opened the sliding door to the next room.
Jeanne was curled up on the futon like a cat, still fast asleep.
After all, the three of them had played TRPGs until midnight last night...
Shirou stretched and went to the living room, only to see someone he hadn't expected.
Miss Metatron, who normally never got up before ten in the morning, was busy in the kitchen.
"Good morning," Shirou said in surprise. "Why are you up so early?"
Metatron didn't even look up. "I'm making breakfast today."
"Oh, right. I forgot. My internal clock has been a mess lately... Need any help?"
Metatron chased Shirou out of the kitchen.
"No. It's almost ready, so don't even think about stealing the credit. Go wake Jeanne up."
"Oh, okay..."
Shirou had just been about to return to the Japanese-style room when he saw Jeanne enter the living room in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes.
"You're awake, Jeanne."
"Did Shirou just come into my room?" she asked sleepily.
Shirou awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Sorry, did I wake you?"
"I thought I was going to be attacked."
"I'd never do something like that!"
"Hmm~"
Jeanne toyed with a golden lock of hair, then staggered over and sat down beside the