Miracle Summoner

"————"

Upon hearing Artoria [Alter]'s words, the scene fell silent.

Everyone seemed to lose the ability to speak, remaining speechless.

Even Mash was at a loss for words, her expression muted, her eyes filled with complexity.

Never able to return.

Mash knew exactly what those words meant.

In fact, Mash herself had vaguely sensed this possibility for some time now.

Ever since Rozen returned, strange voices and sensations had been surfacing within her, and after entering this Singularity, these emotions surged even more frequently, beyond Mash's ability to suppress them. It had long made her wonder if she would eventually be overtaken by the mysterious consciousness within her, losing her own will forever.

Now, Artoria [Alter] had exposed this matter outright, leaving Mash to lower her head in silence.

But after a moment, Mash looked toward Rozen once more.

"Senpai, you've known about this all along, haven't you?" Mash asked, her voice tinged with disappointment. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Mash wasn't blaming Rozen, of course.

At the very least, she didn't believe Rozen had hidden this from her because he was afraid to admit his involvement in the circumstances that had befallen her.

And she was right.

"If I told you, with your personality, you wouldn't blame me. Instead, you'd just blame yourself, wouldn't you?"

Rozen turned his head to meet Mash's gaze directly, reaching out to brush her bangs aside.

"I know how kind and gentle you are better than anyone. If I told you about this, you wouldn't think I caused the changes in your body. Instead, you'd believe it was your own lack of capability. You'd think, despite my growth and the power I've brought to you, you couldn't make full use of it. You'd feel inadequate, even blaming yourself for falling into this precarious situation, right?"

That was precisely it.

Given Mash's nature, she would undoubtedly feel self-reproach, believing her own inadequacy was to blame rather than Rozen's role in her predicament.

And that was exactly why Rozen had specifically instructed Roman and the others to keep this from her, for the time being.

"If possible, I'd rather you didn't have to fight anymore."

Rozen confessed his true thoughts.

"As you've seen, I've grown. I've grown to the point where even gods hold no fear for me. I'm no longer the novice Master who had to rely on a contracted Servant to fight in Singularities."

"I've become strong enough to handle any Servant, strong enough to face even Solomon without fear."

"I've grown strong enough to protect you properly, to ensure you don't get hurt anymore, rather than letting you stand in front of me with a small body, carrying a heavy shield to block all attacks."

"I just want to be your shield, like you've always been mine, standing before you and shielding you from the wind and rain."

"So, if my growth only causes you to feel guilt, then what's the point of this strength?"

Rozen let out a bitter laugh as he spoke.

"Senpai, I…"

Mash instinctively wanted to say something.

"I know. You want to say that you can do it, that you can be my shield, fighting by my side, and that this has always made you feel fulfilled, right?"

Rozen interrupted Mash, his gaze softening.

"I know that's what you'd say. Back then, we made a promise to always fight side by side. Because of that promise, you've persevered through your fear and dread of battle. How could I possibly betray those feelings of yours?"

"From the day we formed our contract, our destinies have been intertwined."

"No, perhaps even earlier—maybe during that great fire, or even before that, our fates were already tied together."

Rozen spoke with quiet conviction.

"That's why I won't tell you to leave the frontlines and let me fight alone."

"But I also hope you don't blame yourself. You've undoubtedly grown stronger. The reason you haven't fully awakened your power isn't because of any lack of ability—it's simply not the right time yet."

"Now, under my influence, your power is becoming more and more active. You'll undoubtedly awaken it bit by bit."

Rozen's words were filled with certainty, his tone resolute.

"Never able to return?"

"That's the least likely thing of all."

"Believe me, as long as I'm here, no one can take you away."

With those words, Rozen made a solemn promise to Mash.

This was no idle claim.

With his current abilities, Rozen had countless ways to ensure Mash's consciousness wouldn't be overridden.

In fact, even if it were overridden, Rozen could bring Mash back.

He didn't even need to resort to techniques like the Taizan Fukun Ritual, a secret art of soul manipulation. His other spell alone could summon souls back.

If he could summon entire souls, reclaiming someone's will or consciousness would be trivial.

Thus, Rozen had no concern about Mash's spirit being overtaken by the Servant's will within her.

If necessary, Rozen could suppress, expel, or even destroy the Servant within Mash, restoring her to a normal human rather than a Demi-Servant.

The only reason he hadn't done so was because it wasn't what Mash wanted.

Since Mash wished to fight alongside Rozen, he would do everything in his power to fulfill that wish and help her grow stronger.

For now, Mash might feel troubled by the abnormalities in her body, but as her power activated further, she would awaken to her true potential at an even faster rate.

This was the very reason Rozen had been merely observing Mash all along without intervening in her body's changes.

"Senpai…"

Understanding Rozen's intentions, Mash's expression lost its complexity and her mood brightened. Instead, she looked at him with an almost melting gaze, filled with love, devotion, and admiration she herself hadn't realized.

"I'll do my best, Senpai."

Mash couldn't help but grasp Rozen's hand.

"Mm."

Rozen smiled softly, holding her hand firmly in return.

Seeing this, the others couldn't help but smile as well.

"Oh my, oh my…"

"Youth is such a wonderful thing…"

"Hmph…"

Even Da Vinci, Roman, and Olga Marie reacted with chuckles, smiles, or slightly awkward coughs, their eyes softened with warmth.

The deep bond between Rozen and Mash was unmistakably evident.

"Well then, since that's settled, let's head inside."

Artoria [Alter] finally spoke again.

"With over a thousand refugees added to the population, we'll need to properly arrange for them to be distributed across the villages and accelerate food collection efforts. The coming days will be harsh—I hope no one starves."

Artoria [Alter] made her statement and prepared to give orders.

But…

"No, that won't be necessary. Instead, issue a command for all the mountain people from the surrounding villages to gather here immediately."

Rozen spoke up.

"From now on, allow me to improve your situation."

Artoria [Alter] was stunned by these words.