After searching for a while longer, Shirou still found no clues.
In the end, when the time came, he could only return empty-handed.
The biggest takeaway from this trip was probably realizing that besides him and Yith, there was another group investigating this matter.
Although Yith did not say who they were, Shirou was certain their status was not low. Otherwise Yith would not have reacted so nervously when encountering them.
Speaking of Yith, Shirou also felt a bit of a headache.
Before, they had not interacted much and he had thought Yith was just someone curious about everything.
But after spending a few hours together today, he realized that Yith simply enjoyed gathering intelligence and then using that information to overwhelm others and laugh at them.
A boss like that, an employee like that and then the members of Texas's team.
Were there really no normal people in Penguin Logistics?
Shirou did not include himself in that assessment.
After all, he knew he was not exactly normal either.
It really was a sad story.
"Do not think too much about it. Expecting useful intel on the first day is already very difficult, especially when you know nothing about the other side."
Yith had some free time now so he started chatting with Shirou.
If he did not take the chance to talk now, he would soon be left alone with his phone again.
Besides, judging from the drone footage, Shirou looked somewhat down. As a veteran in intelligence gathering, Yith felt it was necessary to comfort him.
"I know. I was just being a bit impatient."
Shirou understood that Yith was right. But understanding it did not stop him from feeling frustrated.
Now changed back into his Penguin Logistics jacket, he walked along the empty streets of Lungmen.
In the morning, Lungmen was bustling with people. At night, it was lit by neon lights.
But in the deep of night, aside from a few small shops still open, the streets were mostly empty, dark and quiet.
As for wearing the Penguin Logistics jacket, it was just to give the impression that he was out working for them.
Whether others believed it or not did not matter. Yith would handle the rest.
"…I hope so."
Seeing Shirou like this, Yith felt he needed to bring this up with the boss.
This was too awkward.
He had seen many people who did not value themselves but such people rarely ended well.
There were many interesting things about Shirou and since he was one of their own, Yith did not want to see him head toward that kind of fate.
At first, Yith had thought Shirou was simply a kind-hearted person.
But kindness had limits and Shirou seemed ready to give away everything he had.
The shelter, the office, buying large quantities of suppressants from hospitals…
Most of Shirou's salary from Penguin Logistics was not kept for himself. Whenever he ran short on money, he would not hesitate to take more from Yith to fill the gap.
For months, Shirou had not indulged in any luxury spending like the others. The most expensive thing he had bought was that bicycle and even that was for efficiency.
A pure altruist… the Rat King's evaluation had been incredibly accurate.
Some time ago, the Rat King had approached them for information about Shirou. Under the boss's instructions, Yith had only provided surface-level information.
"Who told our employee to start doing business on someone else's turf? Even if we do not want to take the loss, we have to swallow it."
That was what the boss had said at the time.
Yith had clearly seen him open several more bottles of alcohol afterward, he must have been quite annoyed by the Rat King.
"Remember to charge your earpiece when you get back. Do not let it die in the middle of something, it is troublesome to lose contact."
Thinking back to the boss sulking while he was being forced to "work overtime," Yith suddenly felt much better.
At the same time, he pushed aside his earlier thoughts.
What kind of person Shirou was did not really matter.
The boss did not care. The others at Penguin Logistics did not care.
Right now, he was simply Shirou Shirou of Penguin Logistics, their ally. That was all.
"How do I charge it?"
Walking along the street, Shirou asked.
It was a wireless earpiece and he had never used one before.
The ones he used in the past were wired: plug in and use.
"…I suggest you spend some time learning how to use electronic devices."
Hearing that, Yith was speechless.
How could someone not know how to charge electronics?
Oh right—amnesia. Never mind.
"Ahaha… I just did not have the time to learn it."
Shirou laughed awkwardly to cover his embarrassment.
He remembered how he used to mock Rin for being bad with electronics.
Now the tables had turned.
He really had not expected this.
He would have to learn from Texas later. This could not go on.
As for asking Exusiai or Croissant… better not. If they taught him and something exploded, that would be a disaster.
"Find some time to learn. You will need electronics for missions. And remember do not ruin your health. If you collapse, no one will take care of you."
Hearing Shirou's awkward laugh, Yith felt completely helpless.
"Next time for sure."
Understanding the implication behind Yith's words, Shirou replied in the same perfunctory tone Croissant often used.
It was clearly half-hearted.
"The shop is called Fuyuki Shop, right? If Croissant finds out you opened a shop in the slums and took her business, I wonder what she would do."
"Shirou… you would not want others to find out about this, would you?"
Hearing the perfunctory tone, Yith spoke calmly.
If he could not handle Shirou, then someone else would.
If Croissant did not work, then Exusiai.
And if that still did not work, he would just tell them everything.
"..."
Shirou stopped in his tracks.
Was that really necessary?
Fine. He would listen.
It was not even something harmful and it was just concern for his health.
"Good. If there is nothing else, I will hang up. Contact me again before heading out tomorrow."
Seeing Shirou's resentful expression through the drone feed, Yith felt like he could work another three hours.
He cut the communication and began erasing all traces of hacking into the slum surveillance system.
"Honestly…"
After the ear piece disconnected, Shirou took off the earpiece and slipped it into his pocket.
Wearing it too long made his ears hurt a bit.
As for what Yith said… he did take it to heart.
He definitely did not want Croissant pestering him, it was already annoying just imagining it.
At the same time, he labeled Yith as someone not to be provoked.
That guy knew exactly how to threaten him.
People with "culture" were terrifying.
"He left already?"
Looking around, Shirou did not see the drone that had been following him.
After glancing back toward the slums, he hesitated briefly but then he chose not to return and instead headed toward the dorm.
Meanwhile, the nearby surveillance camera only resumed its usual motion after confirming Shirou had fully left.
Since he had to sneak into the slums, Shirou had not taken his bicycle, bringing it would only slow him down and leave a trail.
By the time he got back to the dorm, it was already past 2 a.m.
At this hour, the Penguin Logistics dorm was completely quiet.
"Phew… I am exhausted."
Slowly opening the door, Shirou looked at the pitch-dark room and let out a sigh of relief.
All the entertainment stuff had been moved here, sometimes the others would sneak down late at night to play.
If he ran into them now, that would have been troublesome.
He could have used the Boss as an excuse…
But he felt bad doing that anymore. The Boss and Yith had already helped him a lot.
After returning, Shirou took a shower and changed clothes.
Instead of training his magecraft like usual, he lay straight down on the bed.
He thought about what Yith had said.
Lately… he had indeed been getting carried away.
The Fuyuki shop was running smoothly, it was becoming self-sufficient and Rhodes Island was helping with treatment.
Everything this past month had drawn him deeper into the ideal he once lived by.
And then Yith's words snapped him back to reality.
Yith was right, he was not alone anymore. He had to consider others.
Penguin Logistics… or rather, the Boss, had helped him a lot.
He could not just ignore that.
And living with the four of them had been comfortable, it helped ease the unease he felt when he first arrived.
"…Is it because of those memories?"
Rubbing his temples, Shirou felt the four fragments of memory had influenced him.
Each version of himself…
Or rather, each "Emiya Shirou" in those memories was someone he admired.
The one who found his soulmate in Avalon.
The one who surpassed his ideals.
The two who understood what they truly wanted to protect.
All four were dazzling.
And without realizing it, he had begun imitating them.
Before regaining those memories, he had already given up on that ideal.
Yet recently… he had started pursuing it again.
"Is it the memories… or is it just that I cannot escape this… curse?"
Lying on the bed, Shirou turned his head toward the window.
Moonlight spilled across the table as his thoughts drifted.
In some night…A red-clad knight smiled and said:
"The ideal of becoming a hero of justice… will keep cursing Shirou, will it not?"
"No… it is Emiya Shirou himself. In the end, he will walk that path… until his body is shattered."
"Shirou will become a hero of justice…? That's not something to laugh about."
The vision cut off.
On the bed, Shirou clutched his head.
Pain, dizziness and overwhelming discomfort surged through him.
"…That was… Archer?"
Recovering slightly, he recalled the scene.
That was not from the memories he had seen before.
Which meant that it was his own memory.
He had definitely participated in a Holy Grail War.
His right hand…
In the previous memory, it had been severed.
And the last image he saw was Archer cutting his arm off.
Replacing a human limb with a Servant's…
There had been such a case before.
Though at that time, it was the left arm and not the right arm.
Thinking of this, Shirou sat up and examined his right hand carefully.
"This is definitely my hand… right?"
No matter how many times he checked, everything matched, the skin tone, size, nerves and even the connection of magic circuits.
"And this cloth… it should be Archer's, not the priest's."
Holding the shroud, Shirou felt more confused than ever.
This was harder than deciphering riddles, at least riddles had someone you could question.
These mysteries… he had to solve alone.
What he knew for sure was that his previous memory was real.
But his severed arm was still here.
The cloth meant to seal Archer's arm was also here.
Maybe something happened afterward…
Something that reset his body to before the Holy Grail War?
When he first arrived, his magic circuits had been unstable.
He thought it was just due to being in another world.
But now… it might be something else entirely.
Why was he here?
How did he cross into this world?
No matter how hard he thought, he could not find an answer.
There was not enough information and there were too many unknowns.
"If only there were someone else who crossed over like me…"
After a long time, Shirou collapsed back onto the bed.
If there were another person like him, at least he could compare notes.
He used to be just a high school student and not a particularly good one.
Now… he was just a housekeeper.
He gave up thinking.
Some questions could not be solved by overthinking.
All he could do was wait…wait until more memories returned.
Maybe then he would find answers.
A curse…
Yes, the ideal of being a hero of justice might truly be a curse on Shirou Shirou.
But even knowing that the path ahead led to a bottomless abyss—
He would still walk forward without hesitation.
Because that was the promise he made to his father.
With that thought lingering, burdened by exhaustion and countless questions, Shirou drifted into sleep.