Chapter four

"..." Wordlessly I walked down the concrete footpath leading towards the outskirts of town. My senses was still heightened from my battle with Emiya, and although I emerged victorious it still raised lots of questions that needed answers, but for now they would have to wait.

"What do you want Freed?" I asked the person standing before me, he was a handsome young man with short white hair and red eyes. Freed was dressed in his usual priest clothing a dark cassock with a golden cross hanging from his chest. He gave me his usual maniacal smile before answering my question.

"Hey is that how you greet a friend? As a fellow human that hunts down filthy devils should we not unite with one another?" He responded with a grin on his face as he casually wiped off the blood from his sword handle with a part of his cassock, no doubt he had just finished his duty as an exorcist hunting down devils and the like.

"... Freed get to the point it's late and I need to return home." I didn't have the patience within me to play games with this fake priest, he reminded me a bit of Kirei Kotomine with the way he acts and dresses, but the comparison ends there I don't feel the same level of intelligence nor strength from him. But then again Kirei was an anomaly much like myself so I shouldn't be using him as a template to judge other members of the church, especially one from another world.

"Come on we're best buds aren't we, no? Fine then have it your way I would just be on my way then." Freed sulked as he proceeded to turn around and walk off in an exaggerated motion.

"... " I had just finished a tough battle and now I had to deal with this, if only Asia was here it would have become much more bearable. Sighing to myself, to think I once considered inviting him to become a member for Moonlight, well I still do but that idea sounds more and more unlikely by the minute.

"Fine I will bite what so important Freed."

"I knew you would come round bud." I was very tempted to leave right then and there, this must have shown on my face as he quickly changed tact, from his usual creepy smile to a serious look.

"The fallen angels are moving, I don't know what they are up to but they are mobilising so you should be careful from now on. I'm telling you this as a friend and to repay the debt I owe you, after all we humans have work together to slay those filthy beasts and it would be a shame if the hero was caught unaware."

"... Interesting thanks for the tip Freed consider your debt paid, and here's a bonus." I reached deep within my clothes as if to search for something but in actuality I was projecting a pendant in the shape of a moon with a sword .

"Here catch Freed." I threw the pendant over to Freed who caught it midair in one clean motion. He looked confused as he didn't know what to make of the gift I gave him.

"That won't last long it has a timer on it, about a couple of weeks give or take. This pendant would allow you access to my mansion without getting attacked by the guards, but be warned you have to wear it for it take effect and it would only allow you through the entrance and not inside." I paused for a moment to catch my breath before continuing on in a steely voice.

"You could consider it an invitation from me but once you enter you cannot back out, you have to join or die."

"... What could I say I'm touched but sorry I'm with the fallen angels." Freed replied back as he rejected the gift with his usual flair.

"..." He really needs to read between the lines, I'm offering him a way out in case there would be no more fallen angels within the vicinity or they discover the information leakage, after all the fallen angels would be slain by my hand if they dare to cause any trouble to Miyu and I really didn't want to kill my own friend.

"Just keep it anyway you might find a use for it in the future. Oh before I forget tell Asia I said hi besides you could always give it to her instead if you don't want it."

Finished with my speech I waved him goodbye before continuing onwards to my home, it was late I needed to return to Miyu and Angelica for dinner, not only that I had to organise a meeting between the members of Moonlight to deal with the upcoming threat and the class cards. So many things to do but too little time nevertheless I will protect this small share of happiness no matter the cost.

"... I wish I met you earlier Shirou, you were the only one to understand my pains after all I could see it within your eyes that you once were like me." Freed said as he watched his only friend leave in the distance, before looking down at the pendant he received. Making up his mind he removed the cross from the usual place and replaced it with the pendant.

"I guess the night is still young I should probably go and kill some more filthy devils and those who would fall into corruption by dealing with such filthy beings." Licking his sword of light Freed walked off cheerfully as his blood lust rose, no longer was he Freed Sellzen the friend of Shirou he was now Freed Sellzen the insane stray exorcist searching for prey.

"... I'm finally here." I stopped just before a bounded field surrounding my home. "It really is crude, but I guess that's the best I could do." I thought to myself as I surveyed my handiwork, a simple detection and deterrence bounded field that would alert the personnel inside of the mansion of intruders, it would also deter normal people from entering the mansion.

But that was it, anyone versed in magecraft would claim that it was third-rate as the bounded field itself could be easily sensed but I was never a proper magus to begin with rather I was a specialist.

"..." I reached into my pockets and took out my keys, inserting them into the lock I opened the main gate and stepped through. I could feel multiple eyes locking onto me the moment I stepped past the front gate but they soon left as they recognised who I was or rather the power that I emanated. After all appearances could be easily faked but my magecraft less so as it is unique to only one person Shirou Emiya.

"..." I could sense the hidden wraiths and dolls on guard duty ignoring my presence as they continued their jobs. Their orders was fairly simple to allow anyone through the front gate that was a member of Moonlight or had a projected pass on them, otherwise destroy the intruders with full force no exceptions.

As long as they were on guard duty they must take it seriously unless an officer instructed them otherwise, and even then unless the order was from sufficient rank their duty as a guard takes priority.

Nearing the entrance to the mansion one of the dolls wearing a white mask and dressed in a black suit approached me, his artificial joints creaking with every step. I could sense the wraith inside of the doll, controlling it from within by using Angelica's magecraft. Giving me a deep bow he greeted me before handing over a small note with impeccable handwriting.

"Welcome back Lord Shirou, Sir Hideo told me to give this to you once you arrived." The doll waited patiently for my response as I quickly scanned the note given to me.

"... Thanks for the message you may leave." Letting out a small smile I dismissed the doll. Finally some good news, it appeared that we will be having some new members joining us soon just in time for the upcoming conflict.

Inserting one of the keys I opened the door to my home. "I wonder if I made it in time for dinner or did they eat before me?" It was a rough day today, I had to deal with Archer along with the implications of the class cards not only that I had to deal with the potential issue of the fallen angels too.

"I guess I could cook something up." Changing my shoes for indoors shoes I walked towards the kitchen, I needed to blow off some steam by cooking. Come to think of it when was it the last time I actually cooked something without Miyu helping me.

"..." I felt a mixture of happiness and disappointment to find my fiance cooking together with my little sister in the kitchen.

"Older sister your putting too much force into it, all you need to do is gently stir the vegetables together like this." Miyu said with a proud expression on her face, as she started to show Angelica how to cook. With practised skill Miyu carefully stirred the potatoes, carrots and celery over a medium flame before handing it over to Angelica.

"Is this how you do it ... Miyu." She paused for a second before saying her name as she asked for confirmation. Thump I could feel my heart beating violently as I watched Angelica from afar. She still had the same stoic look of a doll but the emotions within her eyes told me otherwise, this was the Angelica I knew from back then with her gentle eyes and loving look, this was the one that I fell in love with.

Yet she wouldn't show those eyes to me, she would only show it to those she considered family. I felt a sudden constriction around my heart at that sudden realisation, so she never forgave me of course why should she after all I've done to her and even now had I acted as a proper fiance?

We lived in the same room but always in separate beds, I had left her all alone leaving her behind in the mansion when she needed me most while I went off to focus on Miyu, most of our time together was about the organisation Moonlight and business rather one of lovers. Had I even treated her as my destined partner one of equals or did I just presumed that this was what she wanted and acted on my own interests.

To make matters worse I never truly moved on from Sakura, she was always on my mind as one of my biggest regrets a phantasm of the past, the night star that I never noticed until it was too late. As I started to reflect on my actions I realised that I didn't change all to much from the faker I once was, I was still as blind as ever to my surroundings. But unlike last time it wasn't too late, I could still reach out to the bright shooting star and be her night sky that will protect her.

"..." I took out the archer card still wrapped in the checkered scarf this was all that remained from my past, the snowy oath that I had once sworn and fulfilled. In the end Archer saved me again, he allowed me to move on from my past and realise my mistakes. So this time I will save him, I will show him the difference between a faker and someone real, I shall show him the happiness he wanted to see his entire life. I will show him my warm, small share of happiness.

"... I'm home Angelica, Miyu."