Chapter 53 : See You Again

After looking at the pistols in his hands, Urien rushed toward the battle where Theresa is fighting the 12th Herrscher.

"Theresa, switch!" Urien shouted, gaining the attention of the principal.

"Switch!" She shouted back and moved backward, making way for Urien to go forward.

Rushing toward the Herrscher, the first thing Urien did was kick its jaw upward. Although the kick doesn't have much strength in it, it made the mouth of the Herrscher closed before breathing out the fire. That action caused the fire to explode inside its mouth.

"Gah! Damn you!" With smoke coming out of its mouth, the Herrscher moved back and cursed at Urien.

"When did you start cursing, Apple Pie?" Urien jokes, making the Herrscher more enraged.

"Don't! Call! Me! That!" the fox shouted and lunged toward Urien. Smiling, Urien also rushed toward the Herrscher while shooting bullets from time to time.

"Uncle Urien! I will cover you from behind!" Theresa shouted as she picked up a lance from the Oath of Judah.

"Wait, Urien?" The fox suddenly pushed its paws backward on the ground, trying to stop the momentum.

"Yes?" Urien also stopped marching forward and stood in front of the fox.

"Urien Gregorios?" The fox asked, trying to make sure it was actually his name.

"As far as I know? Yes, it is," Urien nodded.

"Aniki?" The fox asked again.

"Why do you think I called you 'Apple Pie'?" The reincarnator shook his head. Seeing the strange scene in front of her, Theresa walked near the duo.

"But… but… I saw how they killed you," the fox stuttered, its voice already changed into that of a young girl's.

"You saw it? I thought MEI sealed you in the black box," Urien asked back.

Hearing what Urien and the Herrscher were saying, Theresa muttered, "As I thought, you really are…"

"Un! She still let me see outside as she was persistent to make a Divine Key out of me. So… I also saw them killing you," she replied, sounds of hatred resounded when she mentioned his former comrades.

"No need to hate them, RIN," Urien smiled weakly, patting the head of the fox.

"Why won't you hate them, Aniki?! They killed you! They betrayed you! After sacrificing everything for them, they killed you just because you've turned into the Herrscher!" The fox howled in rage.

Shaking his head weakly, Urien sighed. "I can't hate them if I was the one who told them to kill me, RIN," he calmed her down while caressing her furs.

Beside him, Theresa's eyes went wide after hearing that. And the Herrscher asked what she wanted to ask. "Why?"

Urien's smile turned into sadness while still caressing her furs. "I was left alone… again," he answered. Only that and nothing more. But, the Herrscher gets it and hangs her head down.

"With you nor SAKURA waiting for me back home, I see no reason to continue living," Urien smiled weakly.

As if wanting to make him more depressed, the fox dropped a bomb on Urien. "So… it was not because you knew you lost both Aneki and your child?"

Urien's eyes went wide, "My what?!" And beside him, Theresa also exclaimed, "His what?!"

"So, you really didn't know," the fox sighed and nodded slowly. "Aneki did say that it was supposed to be a secret from you," she added.

"But… why didn't she tell me about it?" Urien asked.

The fox looks at him as if he was joking. "Aniki… she knew," the 12th Herrscher started.

"She knew what?" Urien probed.

"She knew you didn't love her, Aniki. Aneki knew that you only stayed with us because of me," the fox answered, earning an 'Oh' from Urien. Theresa started glaring at Urien.

"So, in order to not burden you anymore, she had decided to keep quiet about it," RIN continued. And the glare from Theresa deepened.

"I see," Urien nodded. He never thought that SAKURA regarded herself as a burden for him. Moreover, his child… he knew he wouldn't bat an eye when someone threatened him with the life of his child in his previous life. So, he can't fault her for not wanting to tell him the news.

"And because of me, both Aneki and your child," the voice of the Herrscher trailed off.

Listening to that, Urien sighed. "It was not your fault," he started. "I was also at fault for agreeing with MEI to keep you locked up," he added. "Your hatred for humanity, it was not unjust," he touched his forehead with the fox's.

"My hatred? I wonder why I hated humanity in the first place. I have trouble remembering when and how it began," she sighed. The Herrscher's body glow in the light and transformed into RIN, the human child, URIEN Gregorios' ray of sunshine.

"So, why are you hating humanity if you can't remember?" Urien asked, patting her head gently.

"Because they killed you," the child mumbled.

"Just because of that?" Urien tilted his head.

"During my stay in the box, I only remembered bits and bits about you," the girl closed her eyes and enjoyed Urien's hand patting her. "And I wanted to take revenge for you," she added.

Kneeling in front of her, Urien embraced the girl. "You have done enough, my Apple Pie," Urien whispered into her ears. "You have done enough. It's time for you to let go," Urien whispered while stroking the back of her head.

"Aniki's warmth," she nuzzles close to him. "How many years has it been?" she muttered. "Was it 500 years ago? 50,000? Even now, your warmth does not change," she continued.

"There, there," Urien kept caressing her head.

"But do you know what truly changed, Aniko?" the girl looked up from Urien's chest.

"Hmm?" Urien tilts his head.

"You smiled," RIN replied. "You smile more often now," she smiled at Urien.

Touching his face with one hand, Urien replied, "Is that so?"

"Un!" The girl nodded like a girl of her age. But right after that, little by little, her body turned into golden particles. "Looks like it's time for me to go," she smiled.

"En," Urien nodded.

"See you again?" This time, it was RIN who patted Urien's head. She knew very well what he is feeling right now.

"En, see you again," Urien replied, not minding RIN's hand on his head.

"Don't worry about me, Aniki" RIN disappeared as soon as she said that.

Just like that, the 12th Herrscher returned to her prison/home to continue her slumber. But this time, hopefully, will be filled with sweet dreams.

The Stigma Space they are staying in has changed. Now, many sakura petals are falling down from the sakura tree. Under the tree, three figures are happily having a picnic.

Looking over the figures, Urien smiled. Beside him, Theresa asked, "Do you want to go and join them?" Not taking his eyes from them, Urien shook his head.

"You can cry if you want, you know? There is no one to make fun of you here," Theresa offered.

Only then did Urien let out everything he had been holding for a while. Tears came out from his eyes like a broken dam. "I was going to become a father," he muttered. "I was so close to having a family of my own," he continued. "If only… if only I realized my mistake sooner," his legs gave out and kneeled on the ground.

"There, there," Theresa embraced him and patted his back.

"I didn't even know I had a child even after over 50,000 years later," Urien cried while hugging Theresa. "And I wasn't able to save my own child," he muttered. "How am I going to save humanity from the Honkai if I can't even save my child," he added.

"There, there. Don't worry. I will be by your side from now on, uncle," Theresa consoled her uncle. The scene of a child patting the adult back while hugging him looks lovely on its own.

After a while, Urien stopped crying and stood up. Cleaning the dust on his leg, he looked toward the exit portal. "Let's go back, Theresa," Urien looks over to the trio's picnic before talking to Theresa.

"Un," Theresa nodded while looking at the picnic scene. For her, this is not a goodbye. She has a hunch that she will be seeing them again, somewhere in the future.

"By the way, Uncle," Theresa said, gaining attention from Urien.

"Yes?"

"I kissed your Okaa-sama," Theresa sent him a smirk.

"Goddammit," Urien just sighed and shook his head.

After going out of the portal, Urien found himself in Theresa's hospital room. Theresa… She is inside a cage, Bronya and Kiana are discussing how to feed her.

Not wanting to deal with that, Urien quietly walked out of the room, leaving the girls to their own devices.

Just like that, a month has passed and Urien was invited to the girls' dorm for the party. Not wanting to miss Mei's cooking, Urien agreed to go.

*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*

After knocking on the door, he waited for someone to open the door. It was Bronya who opened it. "Welcome, Captain," Bronya greeted.

"Thank you for inviting me, Bronya," Urien nodded and walked inside. There, he saw someone he never thought he would see again. The girl was helping out with Himeko… no, she was trying to stop Himeko from getting drunk. She has bluish-purplish hair, pale skin, and blue eyes.

Noticing that someone was staring at her, she looked toward the boy who was looking at her with a strange expression on his face.

After staring at each other for a while, it was the boy who moved first. "Nice to meet you, miss. I am the friend of Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and Kyuushou. My name is Urien Gregorios. It is a pleasuuuu!!!!" Suddenly, the girl grabbed the hand reached out toward her by the boy, and threw him across the room.