He Who Walks the Grave

Kazuya stared at the girl before him, his heart hammering in his chest. The way the sunlight filtered through the trees cast a soft glow around her, making her crimson eyes seem even more piercing. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, swaying slightly in the breeze. She looked eerily similar to the silver-haired girl in chains from his summoning, yet there were clear differences.

Her presence was commanding in a way that unsettled him. Where the chained girl had been lifeless and empty, this girl radiated confidence, curiosity, and something else—something sharp and unpredictable.

She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. "You're just going to gawk at me all day, or are you going to say something?" Her voice had a teasing lilt to it, but there was something probing beneath the surface.

Kazuya swallowed hard. "Who… who are you?" His voice was hoarse from exhaustion and the countless death he had endured.

"Interesting question, but let's start with yours first." She crouched down beside him, resting her chin in her hand. "You're quite the mess, aren't you? I've seen a lot of desperate people in this kingdom, but you look like you've been through hell." Her crimson eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, Kazuya felt like she could see right through him.

He exhaled sharply, trying to compose himself. "You have no idea..."

She smirked. "Try me."

Kazuya hesitated. If she was from this world, would she even believe him? Would anyone? Even if she did, what could she do about it? But something about her made him want to talk. Maybe it was the way she was looking at him—not with pity, but genuine curiosity.

"I've died," he admitted. "Over and over again. Every time I mess up, I just wake up right here. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, I always end up back at the start."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Dying over and over again, huh?" She studied his face for a moment before chuckling. "That sounds like something straight out of a fairy tale. Or a nightmare."

"Yeah, well, it's my nightmare," Kazuya muttered bitterly.

The girl straightened up, stretching her arms above her head. "Alright then, let's say for a moment I believe you. What exactly keeps killing you?"

He sighed, recounting the many ways he'd died—execution, starvation, trampling, mistaken identity, and outright bad luck. With every new explanation, the girl's amused smirk widened, though her eyes remained sharp, absorbing every detail.

When he finished, she let out a low whistle. "Well, you certainly have talent—for dying, that is."

Kazuya scowled. "Not funny."

She laughed. "Oh, it's a little funny." Then, her expression turned serious. "So, what now? Gonna keep playing this game of trial and error until something changes?"

"What choice do I have?" He looked down at his hands, clenched into fists. "If I don't figure something out, I'll be stuck in this loop forever."

She tapped a finger against her lips, considering something. "Then maybe it's time to change the rules."

Kazuya frowned. "What do you mean?"

She held out a hand, as if expecting him to take it. "I mean, maybe you need a guide. Someone who actually knows how this world works. Someone who isn't going to just stand there and watch you die like a fool."

Kazuya hesitated. "And that someone is you?"

She grinned. "Bingo."

He narrowed his eyes. "And why would you help me?"

"Because you're interesting," she said simply. "And because you remind me of something... something I haven't seen in a long time. Besides, watching you flounder around is painful even for me."

He studied her face, trying to determine if she was mocking him or being sincere. It was hard to tell. There was something about her that made it difficult to gauge her true intentions.

"Fine," he said at last, taking her hand. "If you're serious, then I'll take all the help I can get."

She pulled him up effortlessly, stronger than she looked. "Good. First lesson—don't steal from the marketplace unless you know what you're doing."

Kazuya grimaced. "Yeah, I learned that the hard way."

She smirked. "Kinda pathetic,"

He blinked. "Wait, what?"

She waved a hand dismissively. "Relax, Relax, a joke-a joke."

Kazuya groaned. "Great. My humiliation has an audience." 

She chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you... much. But now that I'm here, you're going to do things properly."

He looked around at the bustling town in the distance. "So… where do we start?"

She crossed her arms, considering. "You need food, a place to sleep, and—most importantly—you need to stop looking like some lost, hopeless street rat."

"Gee, thanks."

"Just stating the facts. But before that—" she tapped her fingers against her arm, "—I should probably introduce myself."

Kazuya raised an eyebrow. "You mean you weren't planning to?"

She smirked. "Would've been fun to keep you guessing. But since you're officially my little project now…" She placed a hand on her hip, tilting her head slightly. "Call me Lilith."

"Lilith?" Kazuya repeated. The name felt oddly fitting for her. "Alright… Lilith."

She nodded approvingly. "And you? Do you have a name, or should I just keep calling you 'Hopeless'?"

He sighed. "Kazuya. Kazuya Shirou."

Lilith grinned. "Well then, Kazuya, welcome to Eldora. If you want to survive, you'd better keep up."

He didn't know whether to feel relieved or terrified. But for the first time since this nightmare began, he wasn't alone.

And maybe—just maybe—that meant there was a way out of this hell after all.