The holy man of the church creek

The trials part 3

Someone ended up swallowing.

It wasn't that the sound was loud, but rather, in the befuddled silence, it became fairly obvious. The person in question seemed to realize this as a flush began to creep its way up his neck, yet no one took notice.

What took precedence in the current moment was the visibly repenting youth at the center of all attention. His figure was in no way straight, but rather seemed to be at an eternal ninety bent at the waist. At least the white cloak he wore ended up covering his head when he bowed in apology, otherwise they would have been able to make out his flustered expression.

This youth was naturally Shirou Emiya.

It really hadn't been that long since he'd stepped out from the gate and gave his answer, but somehow, he had the urge to step back and commit himself to more torment than endure this embarrassment. He was never good at being the center of attention, yet fate would have him withstand the same ordeal time and time again. Matters only became worse when he remembered he couldn't even turn back because he destroyed yet another precious object of the church.

A wave of reluctant depression set in, much like when he saw the food bill composed from just Saber's and Fujimura Taiga's eating habits alone.

Still, how could he ever repay that which he'd broken?

Things weren't like home where he held a job to pay the bills. In fact, he had no source of income where he was now, and even then, how much would be required to pay off something Xenovia had discreetly whispered to him as priceless?

"If you believe, there will always be a way," The voice in the necklace spoke.

He didn't respond back and just grunted. As if believing would help him at this point.

Not surprisingly, the first to compose herself in the crowd was Griselda. She had a contemplative gleam in her eyes, but she masked it away as she stepped forward.

"You truly saved them both?" She asked.

He stared up at her, and nodded as there was no way to take back his previous words.

"Impossible," the Head Priest spoke as he stepped up besides Griselda. "There has never been a way to have the option of both choices. This was a trail of integrity and righteousness."

And yet he saved them both.

Was the thought that travelled across people's minds.

Griselda stared at the empty space where the gate used to be at, "perhaps that's why the gate broke down?" She speculated.

None refuted her. It was like an old computer that could not comprehend the action taken, and subsequently malfunctioned.

It was a plausible explanation as most of the factions modeled inventions off of what the humans had made and discovered. In fact, there was intelligence up in Heaven's Investigative Forces about a prominent young heiress of the Seventy-Two Pillars heavily affected by an industry the humans called 'Anime.' Some even hypothesized that it was the sole reason why a High-Class Devil would attend instruction in the human world.

The Head Priest was stunned for a moment before coughing into his hand, a look of trepidation flashing across his face. "Sister Griselda, a word if you would," the priest insisted.