The Novel's Extra- Returned Hero

Ritsuka's POV

"Sigh… I'm getting angry at my own incompetence," Aoko muttered, voice low and frustrated.

"What's this? I came here thinking I'd play the part of the mature senpai, show my face like I'm some cool upperclassman... but before I knew it, you had become more grown-up than I expected."

She glanced away, biting her lip.

"If I'd known this would happen... I would've finished my work faster. I would've come to see you sooner. Maybe you wouldn't have had to spend your childhood alone in this world."

"…I was already an adult before I was reborn in this world, Aoko." I looked at her calmly, correcting her gently.

Did she forget? I was a Servant before this life. Someone who carried humanity on his shoulders.

But even with that, Aoko still felt far more like an adult than I did. She was the senpai, after all. The grown-up. The Aozaki Aoko—savior, sorceress, teacher, destroyer, and protector.

"…Come to think of it," I tilted my head playfully, "Speaking of adults… how old are you, Aoko-san?"

Aoko blinked.

"Fujimaru-kun."

"Yes?"

"You still have that habit of casually stepping on landmines, don't you? Asking a girl her age? Really now? That's a bit insensitive, isn't it?"

Her voice was calm. Her smile, brighter than ever. But I knew that look.

And more importantly, I saw it.

The index finger of her right hand was raised—aimed directly at the ceiling like a magic wand ready to blow it off.

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of my face.

"I—I mean, I'm technically way older too, right? I was a Servant before this… I'm practically ancient!"

Aoko just gave me a knowing smile.

'Okay, Ritsuka. You're on the ropes. Time to strike back.'

I smirked and placed my hand gently on my chest like a knight, leaning slightly forward with mock elegance.

"Well then, let me say it properly. You… shine brighter than the stars tonight, Aoko-san."

There. Classic Knight-to-Princess style.

"Huh—wait a minute! You didn't become a flirt in this world too, did you?" Aoko puffed her cheeks, arms on her hips, voice filled with mock accusation. "You better not have turned into some kind of womanizer in this world like in our world!"

"Flirting isn't illegal," I replied, straight-faced. "As long as you don't cross any lines."

Aoko scoffed, but her lips curled into a grin.

"Geez, still sharp with that tongue of yours... You are Truly a womanizer."

She took another sip of her coffee, calming herself, then looked toward the window as the city lights flickered beyond.

"Anyway... I just wanted to see you again. That's why I came. But then the rain hit hard, and the next thing I know, the closest apartment with lights on just happened to be yours. What are the odds, right?"

She laughed faintly.

"You've grown up now, but… you haven't changed. Not where it counts. You're still kind, still you. And I mean that sincerely. No sarcasm."

"I feel the same way, too," I said quietly. "Aoko-san hasn't changed at all… and I'm honestly glad we met again. Seriously."

"Really…?" Her voice dropped a little.

"That… kinda makes me embarrassed."

Aoko looked around, maybe to escape the moment. That's when her eyes lit up.

"Oh! The guitar I gave you—there it is!"

She pointed to the blue electric guitar mounted on the rack against the wall.

"You still kept it, huh? Impressive."

I turned to look at it too. It had collected a little dust, but it was still there—cleaned, maintained, and hung like something important. Because it was.

She'd given it to me as a parting gift at Chaldea. Or rather, she left it behind when she vanished, right before we said goodbye.

I smiled faintly.

"How could I throw that away? It was the first gift you ever gave me." I said, looking at the blue electric guitar. "So… I thought I'd keep it in good condition until then."

Aoko looked down, her cheeks tinted pink.

"Geez... stop being smooth when I'm not ready for it."Aoko murmured in low voice. "Really? Hey, can I touch it?"Then Aoko asked, eyes already sparkling.

"Of course. Please."

It was hers, after all. That guitar—sleek, slightly worn but polished—wasn't just an instrument. It was a fragment of our bond. A souvenir from another life.

Aoko stood, stretched a little, and reached up to gently remove the guitar from the wall rack. Sitting down on the sofa, she crossed one long leg over the other and rested the guitar on her thigh with practiced familiarity.

Her left hand held the neck; her right fingers lightly brushed across the strings.

A moment later, a soft, harmonious chord vibrated through the air.

The sound was warm.

Familiar.

Like home.

"It suits you," I said, voice soft, gaze lingering on her.

"Hehehe, really?" she chuckled. "Even so, it's really well-maintained. Did you practice on it?"

"Could you tell?"

"Sort of. I just touched it casually, but the tone was good. I figured you must've tuned it."

"Well… yeah," I admitted. "It felt wrong to just leave it untouched. At first I only strummed at random, just to pass time. But then… I started remembering the way you played your favorite songs. Watching you learn the chords, how you'd hum while playing—I got hooked."

Aoko blinked, then grinned, genuinely delighted.

"That's great! It's really great! So… can you play something now? I wanna hear it."

"Not now," I said, glancing toward the clock. "It's already late. Wouldn't want to disturb the neighbors."

"Ehh~? Well, fine. But next time you have to promise."

With eyes sparkling, she carefully returned the guitar to its place on the wall rack.

Then, with slower steps and a lingering smile, she returned to the table, where her cup of coffee waited.

"Next time, huh…" I murmured under my breath, watching the last steam trail rise from her mug.

This whole visit had been sudden.

Completely Aoko-like.

It had been years since she left Chaldea. Time passed differently for us but every second without her felt longer.

So the idea of next time made something in my chest ache.

What if that next time was years away?

What if it never came?

I didn't want to let this "now" slip through my fingers.

"Aoko-san…" I called out, breaking the silence between sips.

"Hm?" she replied, gently swaying her mug.

"Well… I was just wondering… how long your vacation will last in this world."

It felt awkward, too direct. But I didn't want to beat around the bush either. So I framed it like small talk something casual. Just asking.

Aoko paused for a moment, staring at the swirling liquid in her cup.

"Ah, vacation… yeah. I haven't really decided yet," she said. "I'll rush in if there's trouble somewhere, someday. But if I take everything on myself, it'll never end. And besides… if I don't do it now, maybe my future self will."

"…???" I tilted my head, a little lost.

She giggled at my confusion.

"In short… it depends on how I feel, I guess."

Aoko took another sip, her gaze not meeting mine directly.

It depends on how she feels.

That answer could mean anything.

Which also meant… this stay—this fragile peace—could end depending on her mood.

"R-Really…?" I muttered, feeling my heart sink just a little.

But then she turned to me again. Her eyes were clearer this time. Honest. Warm.

"Ah, but don't worry," she added quickly. "I'm not going to just vanish on you again. I didn't even get to say goodbye properly when I left Chaldea. I made you wait so long without a word… I regretted it. Deeply. I still regret it."

She set the coffee cup down.

"That's why I wanted to come see you again… even if it was selfish. I know I'm intruding. But if you'll let me… I want to be here for a while."

For a moment, I couldn't say anything.

I just watched her. That confident, radiant, chaotic Aoko… who was suddenly so vulnerable.

"…You're not intruding," I said finally. "I'm glad you came. I really, really am."

Her lips curved into a smile—no teasing, no sarcasm. Just something soft and true.

To be honest, I was more afraid of not knowing when that day would come

the day we'd part again than the parting itself.

That silence… that space where she simply disappeared from my life without goodbye…It stayed with me.

So when I looked at her so close, sipping coffee....I couldn't hold the words back anymore.

"Aoko-san… would you like to come live with me?"

"Eh?" Her eyebrows shot up, the cup frozen at her lips.

"Ah—I mean, for a while," I quickly clarified, flustered. "You don't have a place to stay right now, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't have nearly blown the door off its hinges to get inside."

"Ehh? …You're offering that so casually?"

Her voice was playful, but I could tell she was caught off guard.

"Is that… bad?"

Aoko's expression slowly softened.

To my surprise, her lips curled into a small smile.

"So… I gave a better impression than I thought?" she said, setting her cup down gently.

I scratched the back of my head, slightly embarrassed.

Honestly, I was bracing for her to shoot it down or tease me mercilessly—but…

"But I can't let you stay here completely free…" I added.

"Oh~? Planning to make me work for my rent, Mr. Fujimaru?"

"In a way, yes." I nodded. "Could you help out with my life here? I'm joining an academy in two weeks. Cube Academy, I've been preparing, but… I thought, if you're with me, it might be kind of like a mini-adventure."

She tilted her head.

"An adventure…?"

"Yeah. Just a small one. You could watch how I live here, help out a bit, maybe even join me in fighting off demons."

That got her attention.

"They're lurking in this world, and I've been trying to eliminate them… but they're elusive. I can protect people as a Shielder, but not hunt the way a mage can. If you're here… I wouldn't have to worry about that."

"Hmmm~" she hummed, thinking.

"And I also need a taste tester," I added under my breath.

"…What?"

"For my cakes."

"…CAKES?"

"I'm planning to open a bakery one day… after I settle down."

Aoko blinked. Then she burst into laughter.

"So that's your master plan! You want me to fight demons, spy on academy life, judge your cooking, and live rent-free all while calling it a vacation?!"

I smiled. "Basically, yeah."

She leaned forward, resting her chin in one palm, eyes glinting with amusement.

"Okay! I decided, I'll be your support partner!" she declared, punching the air.

"Support partner…?"

"You, me, one tank and one mage...what a balanced party," she grinned.

I laughed under my breath.

But inside, I was thinking—

I could probably destroy all the demons alone with just my Shield and my shadow servants as I'm one man army…But that's not the point.I don't want to do this alone anymore.

I want to be with you, Aoko.

And I feel somehow… just maybe…

She already knew or it's my imagination.

"Since you're letting me stay, I'll help out with the housework too. Cooking, laundry, cleaning... just give me orders when you're busy with academy stuff. Just like back at Chaldea," Aoko said, arms confidently crossed.

"I feel like that might be a little bad though..."

"It's not bad at all. In fact, it's better when people living together actually live together no freeloading, no awkward guest status. Fujimaru-kun probably wouldn't even mind if I just lazed around, but you being like that just makes me want to do things properly. We fought side by side once, didn't we? Let's live like comrades. Equal footing."

"...Yeah. That sounds nice."

Living with someone you admire....no, someone you have feelings for. It sounded… more than nice.

"By the way," she leaned her head, a slight mischievous glint in her eyes, "you said for a while, right? How long is that okay for me to stay with you?"

"Eh—?"

Damn. I had added for a while to avoid sounding desperate, but now it felt like a misstep.

She caught it right away.

"...If I'm being honest, I'm okay with it being as long as you want," I said quietly.

"Hmm~?"

Her lips curled upward, sly and playful.

"Really? If I say forever, you'll let me stay forever, you know?"

My heart skipped.

She was teasing maybe

but...

"I want you to stay with me forever. I want to be with you, Aoko-san."

"...Wha... No, I see."

Aoko was caught off guard. She blinked, then rested her chin on her palm and stared at me, assessing....no, feeling what I meant.

"Damn... You've grown into a proper man, haven't you? But then you say things like that, all innocent and bold at the same time—do you even realize how dangerous that is for a woman who's weak to this kind of sincerity?"

She was muttering again, half to herself. Her palm covered most of her face, but even so, I noticed the pink blooming on her cheeks.

She stayed quiet for a moment, then let out a long sigh.

"...You haven't said that to anyone else in this world, have you?"

"No! Of course not. I haven't had time...and you know how things are here. Korean girls don't really talk to me because, well... you know the history."

"Right. That makes sense." She leaned back with a tiny huff. "Oh well. I guess there's no helping it."

"???"

"Yeah yeah, it can't be helped, can't be helped," she said again, voice deliberately exaggerated.

Then Aoko gently slumped forward, resting her forehead on the table before lifting her head with a soft, resigned smile—one that carried more warmth than any teasing grin before.

"In that case... I'll take you up on your offer and stay with you. For now."

"For now, huh."

"Yes, for now," she smirked, tapping my forehead. "Though don't be surprised if I end up staying here for long. I'll be joining as another live-in Servant, so…"

She leaned closer and winked.

"Let's get along, my one and only Master ♪"

That was Aoko-san's answer.

Not a confession.

Not a promise.

But an invitation...a future yet unwritten.

And for now... that was more than enough.

Just thinking about what could happen next gave me chills.

But for the first time in a long while, they weren't chills of fear or regret.

They were anticipation.

"...Well, now that we've decided I'll stay here, we need to start getting ready."

Aoko glanced around the room, and her eyes landed on the VR headset resting on the shelf.

"Fujimaru-kun, what's this? Are you watching movies in that?"

"No, it's a VR game. Kinda like a really cheap knockoff of the Chaldea simulations," I explained, chuckling. "It's an online 1v1 fighting game. You pick a weapon, get dropped into a match, and duel it out. I always choose Shield—Tanker type."

Her eyes lit up.

"Let me try. I want to fight you in the game."

"Are you sure?" I raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't have any function to use your real skills. It gives you a basic stat avatar...completely balanced....and you have to win using just the chosen weapon."

She smirked. "Fujimaru-kun... did you forget who you're talking to? I'm your Senpai. Fighting's my thing more than yours."

"...Alright, Aoko. Let's play 1v1 then."

I quickly set up a guest account for her. We both slipped on the VR headsets and entered the game.

Inside the virtual arena, we manifested as our avatars. She immediately chose Gun. I stuck with Shield—my trusty Tanker setup.

Countdown: 3… 2… 1… 0.

"Let me show you the power of the Global #1 Ranked Player," I said confidently as the match began.

Fifty rounds later...

Result: 50-0. I won.

I logged out and took off my headset. Aoko sat there stunned, blinking in disbelief.

"One more game. Just one more, Ritsuka. No more, no less," she said, practically begging.

"...It's already really late," I refused gently.

She pouted, her cheeks puffing slightly.

She was so cute right now...acting more like a girlfriend than a rival.

"It's okay," I assured her. "I still have two weeks before I start at Cube Academy. We'll have plenty of time to play during that."

She brightened immediately. "Okay then... I'll help out around the place too. But—huh—this house is pretty normal, isn't it? Any unused rooms?"

"There's one," I said. "Right now, it's being used for storage. Pretty empty and not very clean yet."

"Then I'll take that one eventually. For tonight, hmm... I'm fine with the sofa."

"What?"

"What do you mean, 'what'? What, do you want to sleep together? Oh my, Fujimaru-kun, you're so bold~" she teased, nudging me with her elbow.

"N-No! That's not what I meant!" I waved my hands in panic. "I meant I'd clean up and lay out the futon for you!"

"It's fine, really. This blanket's enough," she said, already cozying up.

"...But you're the one who said we shouldn't treat each other like guests, right?" I pointed out. "So you should sleep in my room—and I'll take the sofa."

In the end, I insisted, and she agreed.

That night, Aoko ended up sleeping in my bedroom, wrapped up in the blanket I gave her. I laid on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.

"...Well, good night," I called.

"Good night, Fujimaru-kun."

"...?"

"Thank you so much for today. I was... really happy." she said.

Those simple words lingered in the air.

I was happy too.

Happy we met again.

Happy I could help when she was soaking wet and freezing.

Happy I could feed her homemade bread.

Happy I told her I wanted her to stay.

Happy we were together.

I wanted to say something back something clever, something meaningful. But I couldn't think of anything good. So instead, I bowed slightly, cheeks warm, and closed the bedroom door.

Even after curling up on the sofa, I couldn't sleep.

On the other side of that door was Aoko.

The woman I had feelings for.

My heart wouldn't stop pounding.

A quiet fear crept in, too—that she might vanish again without a trace.

And so, I lay awake, clinging to the sound of her voice and the warmth of her presence, hoping the morning would come slowly.

---

The Next Morning

The sun had barely risen when I quietly stepped out of the bedroom.

Inside, Aoko was still fast asleep, her breathing deep and peaceful.

A strange calm settled over me the moment I saw her sleeping face. I placed a hand over my chest, feeling oddly relieved—like I'd finally caught up to something I didn't know I'd been chasing.

With a quiet nod to myself, I moved to the kitchen and began preparing breakfast.

Of course, I made enough for two.

Rice.

Miso soup.

Grilled salmon.

Boiled greens.

And a soft, fluffy rolled omelet.

It wasn't much, but it was warm—and made with care.

I quickly downed my own portion and moved on to my morning errands. I needed to inform the apartment renters of my upcoming departure. Even if it's just a small complex, as the responsible owner, I couldn't just disappear without notice.

I stepped outside. The air was sticky...classic June humidity...and the sky was a soft, hazy gray.

I caught a few of the residents as they were heading to office, school and work.

When I told them I'd be leaving in two weeks to attend Cube Academy, they congratulated me kindly, though with some surprise.

After finishing up, I returned home and instinctively glanced at the sofa only to find the blanket neatly folded, no Aoko in sight.

But I wasn't worried.

Next to the empty breakfast plate was a small note, scrawled in a very Aoko-like way:

``Thank you for breakfast! It was delicious!

I'm off training in that VR game. Next time, I'll definitely beat you!''

I chuckled quietly.

I peeked into my bedroom and there she was...still in casual clothes, sitting cross-legged on the floor, VR headset on, arms twitching slightly as she played. The determined scowl on her face was so intense you'd think she was fighting an actual monster.

"That's Aoko, alright… She really doesn't give up."

I wondered to myself how long it would take her to beat me using just a normal avatar.

I wished her luck both aloud and in my heart.

Stretching, I opened the media app on my phone to scroll through updates.

A trending post immediately caught my attention:

"A blue shooting star parted the clouds?! Anyone else see this?"

The timestamp was from last night.

The comments section wasn't overwhelmed, but a few users chimed in: — "Was it another Gate?"

"Nah, it looked Magical gate!"

"It didn't feel natural at all... Maybe a Magical phenomenon created by nature."

If they knew the truth... they'd probably faint.

Because sometimes, common sense just doesn't apply when it comes to Aoko Aozaki.

And that's because she's not just a magician.She's a Magician...one of the five true wielders of Magic. Even in a world where physics bends and supernatural threats loom, she's more than special.

She's not bound by reason.

She is the unreasonable.

She's Aoko.

---

Note: Okay, this is my first author note in this story. You won't see many author notes in this series. I will say Quickly.

Mc is not dense and understand relationships, love etc. Mc can solve all problems in the story but his methods are INSANE in moral sense. If he gets serious you will see destroyer of worlds instead of Playboy mc.

The heroines are Aoko Aozaki (Main heroine), BB Dubai, Hakuno, Chae Nayun , Yoo Yeonha, Rachel Elizabeth Louise and Jin Sahyuk. (Mc had a thing to make villains to fall in love, especially if they try to kill him).

I'm planning to bring a beast character from FGO but I haven't decided which one. I leave it to future.

I won't hesitate to waste 10 chapters for just romance, relationship development if needed.

The story will change differently from the start. Because Ritsuka isn't like Kim hajin. (I don't hate hajin but he did stupid things and I hated the author for giving bad endings for all his novels. But looking back atleast this novel ending is better than others works of his.)

Mc had a Special Shield but he will use normal magic enchanted shields and uses his powerfull shield skills for now. His shield is too OP to use. He uses his shield for both offence and defence like captain America but with powerful skills.