LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 51: Chapter 51
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When Shirou arrived at Twilight Manor, the night had grown late. The atmosphere inside the mansion was silent, a sign that all the members of Loki Familia were already asleep. Shirou carefully walked through the dark hallway, intending to head to his room for some rest. However, just as he was about to reach his destination, the door of the room next to his slowly opened. Lefiya stepped out of her room, and upon seeing Shirou, she stopped in her tracks, wondering why he had returned so late.
Curious, Lefiya asked, "Shirou, why are you coming back so late at night?"
Not wanting to worry Lefiya, Shirou smiled and tried to remain calm. "I just worked late, helping out at the Hostess of Fertility," he replied briefly, hoping that would suffice as an explanation.
However, Lefiya's sharp eyes noticed something was wrong. She saw Shirou's trembling hand, which appeared injured. Her blue eyes widened with concern. "Don't lie!" she exclaimed, quickly approaching Shirou. Without asking for permission, she grabbed his hand and inspected it closely. Shirou was startled when he realized that his hand was indeed injured and bleeding from the fight he had earlier that night with the Elf from Freya Familia.
Touched by Lefiya's concern, Shirou could only stay silent. He hadn't expected Lefiya to notice his condition so closely. "Lefiya, I—" Shirou began to speak, but Lefiya quickly cut him off.
"You're not going anywhere!" Lefiya said firmly before turning around and rushing back to her room. Moments later, she returned with a bottle of healing potion in her hand. She gently took Shirou's hand and made him sit on a nearby bench. Without saying much, Lefiya opened the potion bottle and carefully applied the healing liquid to Shirou's wounded hand. Lefiya's gentle hands and caring touch made Shirou feel at ease, even though the sting of the injury still lingered.
For several minutes, the atmosphere was quiet. Only the soft sound of their breathing could be heard as Lefiya focused on her task, and Shirou, though usually accustomed to enduring pain, felt grateful for Lefiya's care. As the healing potion began to work, his wounds slowly healed, the bleeding stopped, and the trembling in his hand subsided.
Shirou finally spoke softly, "Thank you, Lefiya. I didn't mean to make you worry."
Lefiya looked at him with a soft gaze, though there was a hint of anger in her voice. "Shirou, you need to be more careful. Don't hide things like this. I don't want to see you get hurt like this again."
Shirou gave a small smile, relieved by Lefiya's concern, though inside, he felt guilty for not being entirely truthful.
But Lefiya wasn't satisfied with just healing Shirou's hand. She looked at him with a worried expression, and before Shirou could stand up, Lefiya began to interrogate him. "So, what really happened? Don't try to tell me you got injured from a broken plate while working at the Hostess of Fertility. I know how strong you are, Shirou," she said firmly, her large, caring eyes staring directly at him, unwilling to be deceived.
Shirou fell silent for a moment, feeling uncomfortable because he had been trying to hide the truth. With a slightly embarrassed expression, he finally answered, "It's a long story, Lefiya..."
But before Shirou could continue, Lefiya quickly took his hand and led him toward a secluded and quiet balcony. "Then tell me everything. I'm listening," she insisted, urging Shirou to sit beside her. The atmosphere on the balcony was cold with a gentle night breeze, but the warmth of Lefiya's concern made Shirou feel a bit more at ease.
They sat side by side, Lefiya drawing closer, eager to hear the full story. Seeing the sincerity in Lefiya's expression, Shirou could only give a wry smile, realizing he couldn't avoid her questions.
"Alright," Shirou began softly, as he gazed up at the star-filled night sky. "It all started when I heard that Lily, Bell's friend, was missing from the Soma Familia's headquarters. I knew Bell would have trouble with the War Game, so I decided to find out what had happened to Lily. I infiltrated their headquarters using my ability to hide..."
Lefiya, sitting beside him, leaned in closer, listening attentively to every detail. Her expression showed how worried and anxious she felt hearing about the risks Shirou had taken.
"When I got there," Shirou continued, "I found Lily locked up in a dungeon. There were guards, but I managed to incapacitate them without making any noise. After freeing Lily, I took her upstairs to meet with Soma."
Hearing the name Soma, Lefiya looked surprised. "Soma? What happened after that?" she asked, worried.
Shirou smiled slightly and replied, "Lily wanted to leave Soma Familia and join Hestia Familia. Soma, though not very talkative, granted Lily's request after she managed to resist the influence of Soma's powerful wine. After that, I took her out, but... there was one problem."
Lefiya straightened up, her anxiety growing. "What problem?" she asked urgently.
Shirou took a deep breath before continuing, "Outside the headquarters, I encountered an Elf from Freya Familia. He detected my presence, even though I was using my abilities to hide my identity. We almost ended up fighting... and that's why my hand was injured."
Lefiya was shocked to hear this. "An Elf from Freya Familia? How did you escape from him?" she asked, clearly concerned.
Shirou just smiled. "I managed to evade him, but he was strong. Very strong. I couldn't fight him directly, so I had to flee and use Raikiri to cut through the lightning he sent at me. That's why my hand was shaking—an effect of his lightning attack."
Lefiya looked at Shirou with a mix of worry and admiration. "You're really reckless, Shirou," she said softly, "You always take unnecessary risks."
Shirou chuckled lightly, "I just wanted to help. Besides, I couldn't let Bell and Lily fight alone."
Lefiya let out a long sigh, still worried. However, behind her anxiety, there was a growing sense of pride and admiration in her heart. "You're really unstoppable," she whispered, "But... I just want you to be careful. Don't get hurt again."
Shirou nodded slowly, touched by Lefiya's concern. "I'll be more careful," he promised sincerely.
Lefiya smiled faintly, feeling somewhat relieved after hearing Shirou's full story.
Lefiya looked at Shirou with a serious expression, then in a quiet but firm tone, she said, "The Elf who attacked you earlier... that was Hedin, one of the core members of Freya Familia. He's already reached level 6, one of the strongest adventurers in Orario."
Hearing this, Shirou smiled modestly as he usually did. "I was just lucky to escape from him," he responded lightly, trying to ease Lefiya's worries.
However, Lefiya only gazed at him with sparkling eyes, clearly not fooled by Shirou's humility. "Lucky?" she said with a small laugh. "Shirou, you managed to injure Revis when you were still level 1, and now you're already level 4. I'm sure with your skills, you could defeat Hedin if the situation called for it."
Shirou blushed slightly at Lefiya's sincere praise. He scratched his head awkwardly and replied, "I just hope I can live up to your expectations, Lefiya."
Lefiya smiled gently, seeing the sincerity behind Shirou's humility. However, her curiosity began to fill her mind. She recalled Shirou's story about how he cut through the lightning sent by Hedin. "Shirou," Lefiya said slowly, "what about the Raikiri you used earlier? I'm curious. Could you show it to me?"
Shirou nodded and, without hesitation, projected Raikiri into his hand. The weapon appeared with a dazzling glow of prana, its blade shining bright blue and radiating a strong electric aura. Raikiri was one of his Noble Phantasms, and its beauty was striking in the quiet of the night.
Lefiya was amazed. "Raikiri..." she whispered in awe, her eyes tracing every detail of the blade. "It's truly beautiful... and it feels so powerful." Her hand slowly reached towards the blade, but she hesitated to touch it.
Seeing Lefiya's admiring gaze, Shirou said softly, "It's okay. You can touch it."
Carefully, Lefiya touched the sword. She could feel the power flowing from Raikiri, though her body didn't experience the same tremor Shirou had when he used it to cut through the lightning. "How do you possess such a beautiful and powerful weapon?" she asked, still in awe.
Shirou smiled and calmly explained, "This isn't just any sword. It's a Noble Phantasm, a relic of legendary heroes. I can project it thanks to a special technique I've learned, though I can only summon it temporarily."
Lefiya still couldn't hide her amazement. "A Noble Phantasm... You're truly incredible, Shirou." Her voice was full of admiration, but there was also a note of pride—not just for Shirou's strength but because she knew and was close to someone as powerful as Shirou.
Hearing the praise, Shirou could only smile awkwardly. "I'm still learning, Lefiya. There's a lot I need to improve, but I'll always do my best."
Lefiya returned Raikiri to Shirou, who then dissipated it back into prana. However, Lefiya's admiration for Shirou didn't fade. She looked deeper into herself and realized how precious the person beside her was—not just as a powerful adventurer, but also as a friend who was always genuine and humble.
"Shirou..." Lefiya called gently, "you're amazing, not because of your swords, but because of your heart."
Hearing those words, Shirou felt warmth in his heart, and for a moment, they both fell silent, enjoying the closeness between them on the quiet balcony, with the soft night breeze brushing their faces.
Lefiya glanced at Shirou's hand, still trembling despite the healing potion he had used. Her face revealed the worry she couldn't hide. "Your hand is still shaking, Shirou... It seems the healing potion wasn't enough."
Shirou smiled softly, trying to reassure Lefiya. "It'll be healed by tomorrow, Lefiya. Don't worry," he said. In his heart, he knew that Avalon within him would completely heal his injuries in a short time. However, he didn't want to explain that to Lefiya.
Nevertheless, Lefiya wasn't satisfied with Shirou's answer. She shook her head gently, showing her determination. "No, Shirou. I can't let you stay injured like this," she said seriously.
Without waiting for Shirou's further approval, Lefiya closed her eyes and began to chant the Elf Ring incantation. A soft light enveloped her, connecting her to the magic power possessed by other elves.
Shirou, who had initially just smiled, became astonished seeing Lefiya so focused as she chanted her spell. Soon, Lefiya completed the Elf Ring incantation and cast Luna Aldis, the healing magic of Riveria, renowned for its power to heal serious wounds.
The gentle moonlight bathed Shirou's hand, spreading warmth from the point of injury. Shirou could feel how powerful the magic was—not just healing his physical body but seemingly restoring him to the deepest roots of his injury. The trembling in his hand gradually subsided, and the pain he had been ignoring began to disappear completely.
After the spell was finished, Lefiya opened her eyes, looking at Shirou with slight exhaustion but clearly happy. "How is it now?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with hope.
Shirou looked at his hand, now fully healed. The tremor had completely disappeared. He smiled broadly, full of admiration for Lefiya. "Lefiya... your abilities are amazing," he said sincerely. "You truly live up to your title, Thousand Elf."
Lefiya blushed at Shirou's compliment. "I... I can only mimic the magic of other elves, that's all," she replied, trying to be modest. "And I haven't even reached a thousand yet..."
Shirou chuckled softly at her response, feeling pleased to see Lefiya so humble. "But seeing what you just did, I'm confident that one day, you'll master a thousand different magics," he said, his gaze full of conviction.
Lefiya felt her heart race faster at his words. Her face, still red, flushed even more, and she could only gaze at the night sky to avoid Shirou's gaze. "Thank you, Shirou..." she whispered softly, a smile etched on her bright face.
The two of them sat in comfortable silence on the balcony, enjoying the night, while Lefiya secretly felt happy that she had been able to help Shirou, even though she still harbored many feelings she didn't fully understand.
Shirou smiled softly while looking at Lefiya, who still seemed relieved after successfully healing his injury. "Actually, our abilities are more similar than you might think, Lefiya," he said.
Lefiya turned her head, confused by his statement. "Eh? But your power is summoning swords and weapons, while I can only mimic the spells of other elves. How could that be similar?" she asked, her face full of curiosity.
Shirou smiled wider, seeing Lefiya's innocent yet inquisitive expression. "You know, I can actually only project weapons I've seen before. Just like you, who can use other elves' magic through Elf Ring. Essentially, we're both imitators," Shirou explained, his tone calm and friendly.
Lefiya was momentarily surprised by that and her eyes began to shine. In her heart, she felt warm and giddy knowing that there was a similarity between herself and Shirou—something she had never considered before. "So... we're both imitators, huh?" Lefiya said with a broad smile, her voice playful.
Shirou chuckled lightly, happy to see Lefiya feeling better. "Yeah, that's right," he replied. "In fact, there was once a very powerful opponent I faced named Gilgamesh. He often mocked me with the nickname 'Faker' because I could only imitate his original weapons."
Hearing that, Lefiya couldn't hold back her laughter. She imagined the usually composed Shirou being teased with the title of "Faker," and envisioned Shirou continuing to fight despite such taunts. "Then... I'm Faker number two!" Lefiya laughed even harder, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle the growing laughter.
Shirou laughed along with her, and the night grew warmer and more familiar on the balcony. "It seems like we make a good 'Faker' team," he said playfully, joining in the lighthearted mood Lefiya had created.
Lefiya, usually cheerful, felt increasingly comfortable being near Shirou. Their laughter echoed in the quiet night air, erasing the worries that had previously filled their minds. In her heart, Lefiya felt happy to share a moment like this with Shirou—something she cherished deeply.
Lefiya, still curious, recalled Shirou's earlier story about a Servant Archer named Gilgamesh. She looked at Shirou with sparkling eyes. "You've told me about Gilgamesh before, right? Is he the Servant Archer you faced? You managed to defeat him, right?" she asked eagerly.
Shirou smiled softly, remembering his fierce battle with Gilgamesh. "Yes, he was very strong. Gilgamesh possessed a power called the Gate of Babylon," he replied. "With that power, he could summon various incredibly powerful weapons from his personal treasury."
Lefiya's eyes shone even brighter as she listened to the story. "So... you copied the weapons he summoned from the Gate of Babylon to fight him, right?" Lefiya guessed excitedly.
Shirou nodded slowly, smiling widely as he recalled the strategy he had used. "Exactly. Every weapon he summoned, I imitated with my own power," Shirou said, imagining the swords he had used in the battle. Then, as if transported back to the battlefield, Shirou drew an imaginary sword from the air with his right hand and said, "There's no rule that says a copy can't surpass the original."
After saying that, Shirou realized how dramatic and somewhat "cringey" his statement sounded, making him feel a bit embarrassed. However, when he glanced at Lefiya, he saw her expression full of wonder, captivated by everything Shirou had just told her.
Lefiya smiled broadly, and then, without thinking, she mimicked Shirou's stance. She raised her hand as if holding a magic staff. "There's no rule that says imitation magic can't surpass the original magic," she said with enthusiasm, looking full of newfound confidence.
Hearing that, Shirou couldn't help but laugh. They both laughed together, a warm and happy laughter that marked their growing friendship and connection.
"Lefiya, I'm glad you've come to understand this," Shirou said with a gentle smile, feeling connected to Lefiya in a way he had never imagined before. Lefiya returned the smile, feeling more confident and appreciated after their conversation.
Lefiya looked at Shirou with a bright smile on her face. "Those words are really cool, Shirou," she said enthusiastically. "They seem like they would make a great motto for Team Faker."
Shirou couldn't help but chuckle softly. The old insult from Gilgamesh that once sought to belittle him now sounded so light and funny coming from Lefiya, as if the nickname had become something special. "Team Faker, huh?" Shirou shook his head with an amused smile. "Who would've thought an insult could sound like a superhero name?"
Lefiya laughed lightly but then began to yawn, a sign that sleepiness was starting to overwhelm her. Seeing this, Shirou smiled gently. "It seems like you're getting sleepy. It's time for us to head back to our rooms and rest," he said, pointing toward their rooms.
Lefiya nodded in agreement, and they walked together down the hallway of Twilight Manor, the atmosphere calm and peaceful. Their footsteps echoed in the quiet corridors, accompanied only by the soft sound of the night wind blowing through the windows.
When they arrived at her door, Lefiya paused for a moment, then turned and smiled sweetly at Shirou. "Sweet dreams, Faker," she said softly, her tone full of affection and warmth, turning what was once a derogatory term into something meaningful.
Shirou stood silent for a moment, absorbing the warmth in Lefiya's voice. The word "Faker," which had once been filled with derision from his enemy, now felt so sweet and full of kindness. Shirou smiled again, feeling lucky to have a friend like Lefiya. "You too, Faker number two," he replied with a wide grin.
Lefiya giggled softly before finally stepping into her room. Shirou stood in front of her door for a moment, still smiling, before he too walked toward his own room with a lighter heart. That night, the title that had once made Shirou feel inferior now felt like a symbol of friendship and trust.