"Woosh—!"
The wind blew again, lifting the girl's chestnut hair into the air once more.
She was still just as beautiful—perhaps even more beautiful than before.
Because now, her cheeks were flushed red, her eyes filled with unease, yet at the same time, she looked straight at the boy before her with a resolute determination, her hand clenched tightly in front of her chest.
There was no helping it.
"You're going to be a father. I'm going to be a mother. I'm already pregnant—six weeks."
Asuna had completely thrown caution to the wind, finally speaking out the greatest secret she carried, the one truth Rozen had to know.
"Th-This…"
Rozen was thrown into utter chaos—completely shaken.
It could be said that in his more than a hundred years of life, he had never once been so disordered as he was at this moment.
Rozen had experienced all kinds of situations—trivial to apocalyptic. What hadn't he seen in his long years?
With his mind long since tempered, his mentality far steadier than it had ever been, he wasn't without emotional fluctuations now, but to be thrown into such confusion and turmoil—impossible.
At least, not even when he had confronted Beast II, the very embodiment of the Evils of Humanity, had Rozen been this shaken. Not even with Roman's matter—then, he had merely been a little lost. When had he ever been this disoriented?
Yet here and now, Rozen's mind was blank, filled with a storm of emotions he didn't even have the chance to fully recognize.
But he finally understood why Asuna's aura had reacted the way it did—like something was being nurtured within her, carrying a faint trace of his own aura.
It was because a life tied to him was truly being nurtured within Asuna's body.
"Here."
Asuna thrust the report she had been holding straight into Rozen's hands.
He froze for several seconds before finally reacting, hurriedly taking it and reading through.
The result was obvious.
Asuna was, as she had said, indeed pregnant—six whole weeks.
Which meant Rozen really was going to become a father.
And this time, not like Yui—adopted as a daughter for various reasons—but a genuine, undeniable child, the crystallization of love between him and Asuna.
In Asuna's womb now rested a child bound by blood to him.
A real, true child.
"I only confirmed it today myself. At first I was just like you are now—completely lost, uneasy, even terrified, not knowing what to do."
Asuna looked at Rozen's bewildered expression and gave a bitter smile.
"We're only in high school, and something like this has already happened. If it gets out, it'll have a huge impact on our lives."
Their studies would be impossible to continue. Their families would react in all kinds of ways.
The Kirigaya family might be more lenient, but the Yuuki family would be troublesome.
The Yuuki family had high expectations for Asuna's future. For her to end up pregnant in high school, unable to continue her studies—they would be furious. They might even brand her the family's shame and drive her out of the house.
At the very least, they would try to persuade Asuna to abort the child.
Even Asuna herself had thought that this child had come at the worst possible time.
But now she understood.
"This child hasn't come at the wrong time—this child has come at the right time."
She placed a hand on her belly, her expression softening, turning gentle.
"Because he—or she—must come into this world. To tell their father that he—or she—will be here with their mother, waiting for him to return."
Those words entered Rozen's ears and made his very heart tremble.
Never before had his heart shaken like this.
But if not now, then when?
"I've already made up my mind."
Asuna lifted her head, meeting Rozen's eyes with absolute determination.
"This child—I will definitely give birth to him (her)."
Even if she quarreled with her parents, even if she were branded a family disgrace, even if she were driven out of her house—none of it mattered. She would see that her child was born safe and sound.
So…
"You must also come back safe. Don't let me and our child be left all alone, okay?"
Asuna took Rozen's hand, enclosing it between both of hers, smiling at him.
That smile was as gentle as a mother's, as beautiful as a goddess's.
"...!"
Rozen felt completely unable to control himself. By the time he realized it, he was already holding Asuna tightly in his arms, unwilling to ever let go.
Asuna clung to him just as tightly, her eyes beginning to mist.
No words were needed. They felt each other's warmth, their hearts, drawing close, merging.
Asuna could feel Rozen's emotion, as if he were on the verge of weeping with joy.
And Rozen could feel Asuna's overwhelming love and selfless devotion.
They held one another tighter and tighter, as if trying to meld into one being.
In that instant, all of Rozen's confusion, all of his doubts, were swept away.
Because he now truly understood—he was no longer the same as before. He was about to have a child, to pass on his bloodline, to become part of humanity's continuation, to add his stone to the world's foundation.
He was no longer the willful child of Chaldea.
No longer the boy who could crush anything with familiars and strength alone.
Now, he had to shoulder what a man must shoulder.
That thing was called responsibility.
So, whether confusion or doubt, they could no longer remain within him.
His heart had no more space for such meaningless things.
All those problems that had haunted him until now evaporated in this moment.
Unknowingly, Rozen's heart grew firm.
"Don't worry."
He whispered in Asuna's ear.
"I will win. I will come back."
No matter what difficulties or obstacles stood in his way, nothing could stop him.
Feeling Rozen's resolve, Asuna relaxed.
"Mm. I believe in you."
She replied with the gentlest, most unwavering words.
Yes.
No matter what difficulties or obstacles came, nothing could stop them.
For the sake of their child, they would sweep aside every barrier and move straight ahead.