prologue: "o'loving-sorrow"

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Bloodied and exhausted, Roland collapsed to his knees, his breath ragged and labored. With a voice trembling between anger and despair, he looked at Angela, the one who had shared his journey, and muttered, "Dimwitted egoists, both of us. Our vision clouded by selfishness, chasing after fleeting victories like fools. We were destined to fall by our own hand, unable to see the bigger picture. If we had truly cared for ourselves, we wouldn't have made such choices. Selfishness isn't just about protecting oneself; it's about understanding the world around you and carving it into your very being."

His gaze darkened as he continued, "End this, Angela

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His gaze darkened as he continued, "End this, Angela. Take the human life you've yearned for so long, and kill me. Hesitating now will only get you killed in this unforgiving City. So, make your choice: either finish me and grasp your perfect book, or let me live, and free yourself from this endless grief."

But Roland couldn't understand Angela's decision to let go of her desire to become human, not after everything she had endured

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But Roland couldn't understand Angela's decision to let go of her desire to become human, not after everything she had endured. His own trauma boiled over, driving him forward in a desperate rush. "You can't just decide it's over!" he screamed, charging at her. "You can't end it all on your own terms!" With a swift and unyielding strike, he severed her head from her body as her guard dropped. As her lifeless form fell, he whispered to the silence, "This... this was the last kindness I could offer you, Angela. A painless end, rather than the torment I once intended. Consider it my final act as your friend."

Standing alone in the crumbling remains of the Library, Roland called out to the void, "Angelica

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Standing alone in the crumbling remains of the Library, Roland called out to the void, "Angelica..." He had finally avenged her, but the victory tasted of ashes. As the Library dissolved into nothingness, its contents fading like a dream, Roland turned away, sinking back into the shadows of the City.

Word of his return spread quickly, reaching the ears of the Fixers at Charles' Office. Ogier, Naimon, and Renaud were all shocked, each reacting in their own way. Naimon suspected that Roland had simply died quietly somewhere, while Renaud believed he had made too many enemies to survive much longer. When asked what Roland had been doing, Ogier responded with sorrow, "He's lost himself, drowning in drugs and alcohol, taking on filthy jobs as if possessed."

"He's changed too much," Renaud added, shaking his head. "There's no point in seeking him out. No one remains unchanged forever. Even we aren't the same anymore."

The scene shifts, the passage of time fast-forwarded as if in a dream. Roland's lifeless body drifts down a gutter, pierced by weapons-each a testament to the enemies he had made: a club from a stranger, a limb from a nemesis, a dagger from a colleague, a lance from a friend. These were the physical manifestations of his karma. As his corpse sank into the black silence, Astolfo's voice echoed, lamenting Roland's tragic fate-a man consumed by sorrow and vengeance.

"I know that in the day of my final agony, you will be there, lying on my sheets, O sorrow, so that you might once again attempt to enter my heart

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"I know that in the day of my final agony, you will be there, lying on my sheets, O sorrow, so that you might once again attempt to enter my heart."

"I have nothing but my sorrow and I want nothing more. It has been, it still is, faithful to me. Why should I begrudge it, since during the hours when my soul crushed the depths of my heart, it was seated there beside me? O sorrow, I have ended, you see, by respecting you, because I am certain you will never leave me. Ah! I realize it: your beauty lies in the force of your being. You are like those who never left the sad fireside corner of my poor black heart. O my sorrow, you are better than a well-beloved: because I know that on the day of my final agony, you will be there, lying in my sheets, O sorrow, so that you might once again attempt to enter my heart."

"And with that, the man known as Roland faded into oblivion-in black silence."

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Shido Itsuka shivered suddenly, a cold chill running down his spine. He couldn't explain why, but something deep within him stirred-a nagging sense of foreboding, as if the world itself was holding its breath. His intuition whispered that something was about to happen, something that would change everything. He clenched his fists, trying to shake off the unease, but the feeling lingered, gnawing at the edges of his thoughts.

Little did he know, this was only the beginning.

Chapter 1 "date a loving sorrow" begins...

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Author-kun's Corner:

Hey there, fellow readers! Author-kun here, and today I've got something wild for you! We're diving into this crazy crossover where Roland-kun might just stop sulking... or not. Who knows? (Not me, that's for sure!) Anyway, I need your help to decide where the story should go next!

Poll time!

Here's what I've got in mind:

1. Shido should be a girl?!🌸

- Imagine all the chaos and confusion if our kind-hearted Shido suddenly switched genders! What would the spirits think? And how would Roland react?

2. Roland will be resurrected in the body of his wife, Angelica?! 💀❤️

- Tragedy meets a bizarre twist! Roland's back, but in Angelica's body? How would this affect his revenge and redemption arc?

3. a Yaoi story?... nevermind. 😳

- Yeah, let's just skip that one. But hey, it's all in your hands, dear readers! What do you think? (Kurumi, stop giggling back there! You're making me second-guess this whole fanfic!)

So cast your votes, readers-san! The fate of this weird (and hopefully not too cringy) fanfic lies with you! And remember, whatever happens next, it's all your fault! 😆

*Oh no, Kurumi's giggling even more... I think I might have unleashed something!*

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