3. Shattered Future

Matou Mansion (Morning):

Servants.Beings of immeasurable power. There was no such man or magus exist who should confront servants. A lost dream, shattered hope, betrayal, and treachery. That is how a servant's end is. Unmovable fools strong enough to ruin the world but chained by its own past. Ainz has never met a servant before but the information from the grail gave him all he should know.

Alas, ainz was no savior he was no pariah but a simple destroyer who to protect his family would take on the world. But even then, he sometimes contemplates what would his fate be if not his core bound to the undead . Would he have a family or be embroiled in wars losing all he holds precious to himself. The notion may be absurd but for ainz, his greatest companion might be his undead self.

Even though he took the form of the man he feels incomplete he simply feels empty. The ideals hopes and wishes of the undead overlord or the emotional wreak which is his previous self. In the end, what would his guardians want? What would his friends want?....what would sakura want.

He knows what he can be but it remains to be seen what destiny would portray him to be.

A cruel and emotionless killer or a bumbling idiot.

As Ainz was thinking about such stuff. He felt that his new master wake up. Sakura left her bedroom and was making her way towards him in the kitchen. She was an utterly unremarkable individual or what other magus say mediocrity at its finest. Without strict rules and regulations of a magus, she was but a simple woman with high mana.

Ainz was now in his skeletal form. But when sakura neared the undead she looked not with disgust not with contempt but with love and hope. Ainz was surprised. He a monster of legend was known to all by many derogatory names and titles. Never has he been looked by someone with such love and adoration.

He corrected his bearing "Good Morning Sakura"

"Good morning o-oniichan"

"Oniichan?" now that was a surprise but ainz accepted nevertheless.

He decided to get serious and ask sakura "Do you know of the grail?"

Her silence was the indication for ainz to guide her with his knowledge.

After providing his information he asked if she would participate. But then she became uneasy. Dark feelings festered within her. She felt fear. fear of Ainz leaving her for the grail and never returning. Ainz knowing what was going through the young magus mind simply reassured

"Just know no matter your answer your life belongs with mine as mine with yours. I have taken an oath an oath to protect you. So know this, no matter what path you take what tribulations you face you will always have an ally in me. So.....trust-me"

The devotion within caster's eyes shocked her even though he was undead even though others may know him as a monster for her in the past present and future will always be someone close. Suddenly she felt butterflies flying in her stomach thinking of a future not filled with pain but happiness a future where she was never lonely a future with Ainz.

She knew her to answer no matter how caster tries to dissuade her from her path she knows what she would do. She would rather die than let caster face, other servants, alone. She would learn and would do anything if its to help Ainz.

She then looked at Ainz with the gravest expression she made in her life.

"I will join the grail war"

Ainz was surprised the expression she now had was not of a frail child who would hide in her world to escape her reality but of a warrior striving to protect her beloved. Ainz was confused with what brought such change but decided to focus on other important matters.

"You will die. The war is not something which even a normal magus survive what gives you the notion of your own existence after the war"

Even though he said so in a cold tone to dissuade her from the given path she simply would not budge.

"I am sure. Even though I am not certain of many things I know one for a fact that this decision is the one that I would not regret."

That's it even if death embraces her as she is now would only embrace it back.

Ainz was about to use her own feelings against but decided not to and gave up.

"You win"

Sakura smiled in happiness. For now, she could do something after all even if she falters and her path betrayed by the world she knows there would be one waiting for her at the end of her path.

Ainz stopped pursuing the topic anymore and urged her to finish her breakfast.

He would simply let happen what would happen but if a thing vile enough happens to her beloved master then he knew there would be a price to pay.

After having breakfast sakura urged him to go outside with her to leave the mansion. Ainz complied and tried to dematerialize himself. But before he could do so sakura asked him to stay in his physical form. After much back and forth ainz complied with her request and took his human form. A form forgot to him. It was a form that represented his weakness his vulnerability but even though ainz tried to reject her the look on her face was all ainz needed to know what he should do. What is but a form in front of the tears of a lonely girl?

Sakura POV :

Happiness was not something she could ever hope for. Even since being born, she knew not of the family but of solitude. Trying to cope with the situation and failing completely. Uncle zouken threw her to the basement and locked her. She cried and screamed but no such salvation came to her as such she thought "Does a failure like me even deserve it" and she gave up.

Day after day being consumed broke her entirely. Hope was not a reward she deserved. She believed her family but they were not there for her she believed Kariya but even he left her alone. She must really be a bad omen for her family. She lost all hope and accepted her destiny but-but the..n he came and changed everything. She was prepared to be a tool for her family but now he gave her the desire to want to be more selfish.

Hope was not something she deserved but in front of her broken self, he simply embraced. Not acknowledging her flaws but adore her for who she was. So as if a challenge to herself she wanted to go outside to make her own decision for the first time. She was scared if uncle zouken comes back and takes ainz away from her eyes so she urged him to help walk her path. Some part of her was scared to be left behind but even then he never refused.

We walked aimlessly around town watching many new wonders creating our own theories regarding the mysteries of a magus. Time simply flew by making me forget my past and create a new future.

We were about to go home when Ainz expression became serious.

"Master. There is a servant nearby. It seems that a fight broke out. should we join?"

As much as a part of herself would not want to see caster hurt but she knew what was expected of her. After all, caster is a servant, a servant of the grail. The day the war ends caster will disappear.

Just knowing he will leave her made her break down. She will not have that. If caster could reject fate himself and save her than she would do the same for him. She not let him leave. The grail is said to be a holy wish-granting device. If her happiness means the death of others then she would not hesitate.

She would return what ainz and Kariya did for her.

She would fight not for some noble goal or herself but to save Ainz.