To Become a King and a Magician 571-575

Title: The Hundred Years’ War Facing Stars and Baguettes

In the control room.

After hearing the announcement, Ritsuka and Mash rushed over without even touching the lunch Mash had prepared.

Seeing them arrive, Roman and Naoki—who were already in the control room—waved them over.

“Chief, why did you suddenly call me here? Did something happen?”

“You could say that. First, take a look at this.”

Naoki pressed a button on the console in front of him, dimming the lights in the control room and projecting a screen into the air. On it appeared CHALDEAS, now glowing entirely in bright red.

On the surface of CHALDEAS, seven points of light were scattered across various regions.

“Fujimaru, Mash—like I mentioned earlier, King Solomon created seven Singularities in the past, distorting the foundation of human civilization and making the Incineration of Humanity possible. To save civilization, we must correct all of them.”

“Yes, we understand, Chief. So you called us here because of these Singularities?”

Roman nodded. “Although we’ve gathered various information from Natsukawa, as a precaution, we’ve been re-examining the Singularities. Now, we’ve finally identified the one with the weakest distortion wave among the seven.”

After operating the console, Roman zoomed in on the European region of CHALDEAS. Two points of light appeared—one over France and another over England.

“The first Singularity is located in France. The timeframe is confirmed as the year 1431, right in the middle of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France.”

The eras and locations of the Singularities were always periods of immense historical significance. In this case, the Hundred Years’ War between England and France clearly qualified as such. After all, it was this war that allowed France to unify internally, laying the foundation for future expansion across Europe. On the English side, the conflict sparked the rise of nationalism.

If something went wrong with this war, the impact on European history would be profound and far-reaching—and European history itself played a pivotal role in human civilization.

“Fujimaru, Mash—this will be the first Singularity you experience, and Chaldea’s first mission. This isn’t like Fuyuki, where Rei already eliminated nearly all the enemies. So when correcting the Singularity, the first thing you must keep in mind is your own safety. Understood?”

“Well, even so, you two can relax and don’t need to stress too much. After all, if anything goes wrong, we’ll handle it for you. Don’t worry.”

Unlike the serious Roman, Naoki calmly reassured them. “Let’s go over what you need to do in the Singularity. First, investigate the cause of its formation. Why did this Singularity appear? What’s abnormal within it? You must uncover and correct these irregularities. That’s your top priority.”

“And second, retrieve the Holy Grail. The reason the Singularity formed is because King Solomon and the 72 Demon Gods sent the Holy Grail to each of these seven eras, causing anomalies. Only by retrieving the Holy Grail can the Singularity be completely erased.”

Correct the anomalies and retrieve the Holy Grail.

That was the mission when fixing a Singularity. Despite their prior experience in Fuyuki, both Ritsuka and Mash still felt tense.

“So… do we leave right away?” Ritsuka asked.

Roman shook his head. “No, this is just a notification. To ensure the quantum transfer doesn’t fail, Chaldea still needs some preparations. And you two need time to get ready as well. The actual departure will likely be the day after tomorrow.”

“I’ll inform you when it’s time. Until then, make sure you’re in good condition.”

They would depart for the first Singularity in two days.

After leaving the control room and walking down the corridor, Ritsuka still felt slightly tense—like being told the final exam was in two days.

“Fujimaru.”

Naoki’s voice came from behind. Ritsuka turned to see her Chief approaching, holding two cans of drink.

“Chief? Is there something else?”

“No. I just saw you walking off looking uneasy, so I came to talk. Here, have a drink. Then let’s sit down and have a proper chat.”

Seeing Naoki already sitting on a corridor bench, Ritsuka, holding her coffee can, had no choice but to sit beside him.

Naoki opened his coffee can and took a sip before beginning. “Still feeling nervous?”

“Yeah… a little.”

“I thought so. It’s natural to feel nervous when doing something you’ve never done before. But this is only the first Singularity—the one with the weakest distortion. The anomalies inside likely aren’t very strong. With Senior Hinako around, I doubt you’ll face any major danger.”

Hinako would be joining them too.

Hearing Naoki’s implication, Ritsuka felt slightly relieved. “By the way, Akuta-senpai wasn’t summoned this time. Does she already know?”

“More or less. Besides, she doesn’t need mental preparation.”

“R-right…”

Ritsuka recalled how Hinako had fought in Fuyuki. She seemed completely accustomed to battle—definitely not the type to need to mentally prepare like Ritsuka did.

(So I’m the burden here… I need to change that quickly.)

“By the way, how’s your training going?”

“Euh—!”

The sudden question made Ritsuka, who had just started feeling better, immediately slump. “That… training… Well… In terms of results… decent, I guess? Hmm… I think so.”

“Is that so? I was also trained by Merry. I have great faith in her abilities—hopefully it’s effective for you. Though, she does have a rather… unusual sense of humor. It might give you some trouble. If it does, let me know.”

(Don’t say ‘might’—it’s already been incredibly troubling!)

Ritsuka took a deep breath. “Then… can I tell you now? About the difficulties Miss Merry has been giving me?”

“Huh?”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

A few minutes later.

In the training room, Merry—enjoying her masterpiece of the past few days—immediately sensed a giant “DANGER” sign flashing above her head as Naoki stormed in with a murderous glare.

And when she saw Ritsuka following behind him, she instantly understood what had happened.

“T-that… sweetheart, I can explain—wait, wait! Don’t draw Excalibur! If you attack me, the Round Table will definitely agree to execute me! I’m not married to you yet—I don’t want to become a Heroic Spirit right now!”

*THUD!*

Naoki slammed the scabbarded Excalibur against Merry’s head. She instantly passed out. Naoki then grabbed her legs, slung her over his shoulder, and muttered, “What a troublesome woman… Sorry, Fujimaru, let’s talk tonight instead. I need to take her back and teach her a lesson.”

“Tonight, maybe during dinner, come to my room. See you then.”

“O-okay… Huh?! Tonight?!”

Only after Naoki disappeared from sight did Ritsuka finally grasp what he had said.

Go to the Chief’s room at night? Huh? Seriously?

(C-could it be…?)

-

Title: Merry, Occasionally Serious

Inside Naoki’s Room

“Owwww, it hurts~~~”

After being thrown onto the bed the moment she entered the room with Naoki, Merry—who had been unconscious—suddenly woke up. She clutched her head and whined as if seriously injured.

“Sweetheart, you’re too rough. If I weren’t strong, my head would’ve cracked open.”

“But you’ve been blocking it with illusions from the start, haven’t you?” Naoki glared at her angrily. “How dare you do that to Fujimaru when I just entrusted her to you a few days ago?”

“Hehehe~~~ Worried?”

Merry laughed and sat up from the bed. “Well, actually, I’ve been holding back a lot. I stopped exactly at the point where little Ritsuka wouldn’t get truly angry. And afterward, I even apologized to her properly.”

“Apologized? How?”

“By sneaking into her dreams at night and giving her a wet dream!”

Seeing Merry proudly give a thumbs-up, Naoki desperately wanted to hit her head again—but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. Over the years, she’d caused endless trouble and been punished countless times, yet she hadn’t changed one bit. That proved just how impossible it was to alter her true nature.

“Anyway, control yourself in the future. Fujimaru can’t handle your treatment.”

“There won’t be a future. Tomorrow’s her last training day. After that, I’ll be off to deal with something slightly troublesome.”

Hearing that, Naoki frowned. “Deal with what? And you say it’s troublesome… Should I come along?”

“No, no. I can handle it myself. Besides, you still have to take care of little Ritsuka, right? You can’t neglect a new recruit for an old woman like me.”

“What kind of old woman are you? You haven’t changed at all from twenty years ago! To me, you’ve always been beautiful.”

“Hmm, not bad. The King finally saying sweet words on his own. Here’s a flying kiss as a reward—muah~~~”

(Instead of a flying kiss, why not just kiss me for real?)

Naoki thought, feeling slightly greedy.

“But what exactly are you planning to do? At least tell me. Otherwise, I’ll keep thinking you’re secretly planning another big stunt. I’ve suffered enough from that lesson already.”

“This time, I really don’t intend to do anything bad. In fact, I’m thinking of doing it to help lighten your burden.” Merry smiled. “You mentioned that in the seventh Singularity, there will be a Beast—Beast II, the Goddess Tiamat, right?”

Naoki nodded. He had already informed Merry, Roman, and Rei about the seven Singularities, including their details and the enemies they’d face.

Hearing Merry mention the Goddess Tiamat, Naoki immediately understood what she was planning.

“Merry… don’t tell me you’re thinking of…”

“Yes, exactly what you’re thinking. Going there and sealing the Goddess Tiamat within an illusion—”

“Absolutely not!”

Before Merry could finish, Naoki cut her off with a voice almost like a roar—bordering on a command.

Staring at Merry, who sat on the bed with her usual carefree expression, Naoki spoke with deadly seriousness. “You are not allowed to go, Merry. For this matter specifically, I will never allow you to do it.”

“And if I insist—”

*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*

Countless chains suddenly appeared in the room, instantly binding Merry tightly to the bed. Still, Merry could tell these were ordinary chains—no magical effect, only physical restraint, which she could easily break free from.

As if unable to contain herself, Merry giggled. “You say I can’t go, but your method of stopping me lacks conviction. Are you afraid of hurting me?”

“You’re not going.” Naoki repeated firmly. “I’ll find another way to deal with the Goddess Tiamat. You don’t need to go, and you won’t go.”

“Are you afraid something might happen to me?”

“What else could it be?”

What Merry wanted to do was the same thing Naoki knew Merryn should do—trap Tiamat within a dream prison, delaying her awakening as long as possible to buy time in the seventh Singularity.

But back then, Merlin had appeared as a Servant. If the prison broke, he’d simply vanish. But Merry was the original form… No matter how many tricks she had, Naoki didn’t want her taking that risk.

He didn’t want anything to happen to Merry.

Merry fell silent for a moment, then softly laughed. “Of course I know it’s dangerous, but… This is the end of the world. I want to help in my own way. More specifically, help my King, to lighten his burden. Otherwise, what’s the point of me being a Magus of the Palace?”

“That would only add to my burden—making me constantly worry whether something happened to you over there.”

“Eh~~ Do I look that weak, needing you to worry? Naoki, why are you acting like a father?” Merry sighed. “Well, I understand how you feel, but… you know, my feelings are the same as yours, Naoki.”

“Watching someone you love fight to the death while you can only wait at home—that feeling is truly unbearable. It’s not just me—Aoko and the others feel the same. They’ve all been thinking of ways to help in their own ways.”

“Or do you want to get scolded to death by Aoko again? Like back in the parallel world?”

(Well… actually, that’s only 10%… no, 20% of my reason. The remaining 80% is just to see if I can make things more interesting by getting involved.)

“…”

Naoki said nothing. He simply stared into Merry’s eyes. After a while, he stopped projecting the chains and said, “You mustn’t get hurt—promise me that. Only then will I allow you to go.”

Stopping Merry was pointless. Even if she promised now, she’d surely sneak off later. Unless he locked her up here permanently—but Naoki wouldn’t actually do that.

In the end, all he could do was let her go.

Merry rose from the bed, approached Naoki, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek. “Don’t worry. I won’t get hurt. I’m still waiting for the King to kneel and propose to me in front of everyone after everything’s over.”

“And, though I said I’d go there… I actually plan to go as a Servant alongside Merlin. Two of us make it easier—I won’t do such a tiring thing alone. Besides, I’ve already contacted Arcueid. So actually, the three of us will be working together. My original form will stay hidden in Avalon to watch the show… Eh? Naoki, why has your face turned so dark?”

“I’ve been so worried about you, and you’ve already planned everything?” Naoki firmly gripped Merry’s arms around his neck. “So you’ve had escape routes prepared from the start, and I’ve been worrying pointlessly?”

Merry awkwardly looked away. “Hmm… Well, you could say that. But it’s also your fault for rejecting me outright from the beginning, without even listening to my explanation. And you know I always like to have backup plans. You could say you worried too much—but come to think of it, I’m the one who benefits. Your concern for me is so deep. Hmm, I can brag about this to Aoko and the others later.”

“…”

After a brief silence, Naoki suddenly took a deep breath—

“Alright, Merry. Now, lie down on the bed. Right now.”

“Eh? Eh eh eh? Why did it suddenly turn into an adult film? It’s still daytime, it’s noon! And why are your eyes glowing red, ugh—!”

Before she could finish, Merry’s lips were silenced.

(Damn it, tomorrow’s training might have to be canceled.)

That was the only thought in Merry’s mind at that moment.

-

Title: Limited-Time Event • Merry the Little Chef

“Your brother asked you to go to his room at dinner time?”

In Chaldea’s cafeteria.

Hearing Ritsuka, who had suddenly arrived, Gray frowned in confusion.

“Why would Brother say something like that?”

“I don’t know either—that’s why I came to ask you, Miss Gray.” Ritsuka leaned against the kitchen counter in the back of the cafeteria. “Could it be the Chief is planning something bad? Like forcing me to submit using his authority as Chief… or something like that.”

“Brother would never do anything like that, Fujimaru. You’re overthinking it.”

After giving a wry smile at Ritsuka’s overly dramatic imagination, Gray set down the dishes she had just finished drying. “But it is a bit odd. Brother has often unexpectedly attracted women in the past, so for years he’s been extremely careful when interacting with the opposite gender—was there anything unusual before he said that to you?”

“Not really… I only reported because Miss Merry’s training was really strange.”

“Related to Miss Merry? Oh, I see.”

Gray, who had been puzzled a moment ago, suddenly understood. Ritsuka, however, grew even more confused. Why did Gray instantly grasp everything the moment she mentioned Merry’s name?

“Fujimaru… Hmm. I think Brother might not have expressed himself clearly. His mind was probably full of complaints about Miss Merry at the time. I believe what he actually meant was, ‘Come to my room tonight, I’ll apologize to you on Merry’s behalf’—something along those lines.”

“As for why he told you to come during dinner time, I think he simply wants to invite you to dinner.”

Gray knew her brother well. If they met directly in the cafeteria, strange rumors would likely spread through Chaldea that very day—no need to wait until tomorrow.

Hearing Gray’s explanation, Ritsuka nodded. “Hmm… So that’s what he meant. Thank you, Miss Gray. You’re amazing—able to instantly guess the Chief’s thoughts just from his words.”

Amazing?

Gray smiled. “After all, I’ve lived with my brother for nearly twenty years. If I didn’t understand him this well, I wouldn’t deserve to be called his sister.”

“Sister… But Miss Gray and the Chief don’t seem to be related by blood, right? Your hair colors are completely different.”

“Yes, we’re adopted siblings. Brother took me out of the village when I was about six years old.”

Six years old?!

Ritsuka’s face froze in shock. “T-then… Miss Gray, how old are you now?”

“Twenty-five.”

“…”

Twenty-five already?!

Although she called her “Miss.” from her appearance, Ritsuka had assumed they were around the same age… Why did this sibling pair look nothing like their actual ages?!

Ritsuka felt a deep sense of envy. No girl could resist wanting to stay young and beautiful forever.

“But… at six years old… Why were you taken from the village so young?”

“That’s a long story…”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Time passed quickly.

When Naoki opened his eyes in bed, the clock on the nightstand read half-past six in the evening.

(So I spent the entire afternoon satisfying Merry…)

Beside him, Merry—who had woken up from the shared dream with Naoki—looked thoroughly well-rested. Completely unconcerned about being entirely naked, she stretched her body energetically.

“Ugh~~~~~ I’m completely full this time. Even though you said it was punishment, in the end it was just a reward for me. The King really is dishonest with his feelings.”

“None of your business.”

This had become a kind of routine between them. Every time Merry caused trouble and got caught, Naoki initially intended to punish her—but they always ended up in bed together. Sometimes, like today, they even ventured into dream worlds.

Sometimes Merry was the one provoking; sometimes Naoki couldn’t hold back… Their dynamics varied. Perhaps this was also the main reason why Merry always “accepted punishment humbly but never changed.”

Picking her clothes from the floor and dressing, Merry tidied herself in front of the mirror before turning and asking, “By the way, you said earlier you told little Ritsuka to come here at dinner time… Are you finally planning to make a bold move?”

“Hah? What are you thinking? It’s just an apology. You’ve tortured her so badly—don’t I need to compensate on your behalf? Besides, you’ll have to apologize properly to her later.”

“No fun~ Though I was holding back. I didn’t even use half my full potential when training you, you know.”

“If you did use it, it’d be a disaster!”

How had Naoki been trained by Merry when he was her student?

Even if he described it now, it would sound unbelievable. Merry often launched surprise attacks—some even life-threatening. If that were applied to Ritsuka, she’d probably end up on Roman’s operating table within half an hour.

But since this was a direct order from her King—and only to apologize—Merry didn’t mind. “Then, how will you apologize? Should I wrap red ribbons all over your body and tie a bow on your chest?”

“What kind of person do you think I am… I’m just going to cook dinner for Fujimaru.”

Naoki said, clapping his hands. Instantly, the room’s layout shifted, transforming into a kitchen.

“Projecting a ‘shell’ of a kitchen using Imaginary Numbers and layering it over the original space? The King’s skill is improving. Then I’ll join in too.”

With that, Merry spun in place. Her long-worn mage’s robe instantly transformed into a cute little chef’s uniform. She flashed Naoki a peace sign.

“Ta-da~~~ It’s Merry the Little Chef! How is it, darling? Adorable, right?”

“So adorable I want to marry you.”

Naoki praised her sincerely from the heart.

And just then—

“Brother, are you in there? Fujimaru and I have arrived.”

Gray’s voice came from outside.

After quickly adjusting their appearances, Naoki and Merry exchanged glances. Naoki stood up and opened the door. Like a knight, he bowed with utmost grace to the two people standing outside.

“Welcome to Restaurant Camelot, two lovely princesses.”

-

Title: Rei Works Overtime

Ritsuka felt like she was dreaming.

Most girls probably had dreams of becoming princesses, dreaming of meeting a handsome prince on a white horse.

And now, Ritsuka felt as though her princess dream had come true. In fact, the handsome prince standing before her was even more attractive than any she had imagined as a child.

Inside the room transformed into a kitchen through Imaginary Numbers, Ritsuka sat beside the dining table, watching Naoki busily preparing food. A strange sense of nervousness spread through her, making her slightly uneasy.

“Relax, Fujimaru. There’s no need to be so tense.”

Gray patted her shoulder. “Like I said, Brother only invited you here for dinner.”

“I know, it’s just… I feel like I’m in a fancy restaurant, and it’s making me uncomfortable. Should I go back and change into a dress?”

“If so, I can help.”

Merry said with a smile, placing the appetizer she had just made onto the table. “Alright, two lovely princesses, please enjoy this Sun Knight-flavored mashed potatoes.”

“Thank you, Miss Merry.”

“Ah… Thank you, Teacher Merry.”

“You’re very welcome. That said, would you like to try what I offered earlier?” Merry asked. “It’s essentially just changing your outfit’s appearance with illusion—your clothes won’t actually be replaced.”

(Teacher Merry is a master of illusions. She claims even Solomon, the King of Magecraft, couldn’t surpass her in illusion magic.)

After tasting the mashed potatoes, Ritsuka thought for a moment. “Then… please help me, Teacher.”

“Okay~~~~ Then—”

Merry pulled out a large cloth—large enough to cover an entire person—from somewhere, and wrapped it around Ritsuka. After making a few circles above her and snapping her fingers—

*PLAK!*

The cloth vanished instantly. Ritsuka reappeared, her Chaldea uniform gone. In its place, she wore a sleeveless white dress that fit her perfectly.

“All done~~~ Come on, little Ritsuka, take a look in the mirror and see how you look?”

Merry smiled and pushed a mirror forward. Seeing herself in such a beautiful outfit, Ritsuka felt a little shy. It was the first time she had ever worn something so elegant.

At that moment, Naoki, who had just finished preparing a dish and was about to bring it out, turned around and saw Ritsuka in her new attire. “Hmm? Fujimaru, you… Merry, did you change her?”

“Yes. Little Ritsuka asked if the atmosphere would be better if she wore something more elegant, so I helped her. This is our specialty. Even the Knights of the Round Table and Guinevere once asked for my assistance.” Merry proudly patted her chest. “Well then, King, what’s your opinion? Little Ritsuka changed especially for you. What do you think?”

“Especially… Teacher Merry, don’t say such things!”

Ritsuka’s cheeks turned red as she kept glancing shyly at Naoki.

After observing Ritsuka carefully, Naoki smiled and nodded. “Hmm, very beautiful. It suits you perfectly, Fujimaru.”

“R-really?”

“Absolutely. I’m being completely honest—now, let’s eat. It’s been a while since I last cooked; I hope my skills haven’t declined. The soup is still simmering.”

Naoki brought out an authentically British dinner: a medium-rare steak, soft mashed and fried potatoes, golden-brown fried fish, and boiled carrots and broccoli.

Before coming to Chaldea, Naoki had mostly lived in London, returning to Misaki Town only once a month. As a result, he tended to cook British food—it was more time-efficient. Though, in truth, he rarely had to cook for himself; Gray and Rei usually fed him until he couldn’t move.

Actually, he had spent years continuously practicing Chinese cuisine—his cultural roots. But to be honest, the depth of his homeland’s culinary culture was immense. Even today, his studies were still limited to Su-style cooking, and due to time constraints, he couldn’t be called truly skilled. He only possessed modest ability.

Naoki removed his apron and sat down beside Merry. “Alright, let’s eat. But first—Merry.”

“Yes, yes, yes, I know.”

Merry stood up, cleared her throat, and turned to Ritsuka. “I’m sorry, little Ritsuka. During your training these past few days, I got a bit carried away. I suppose I made you suffer… Ehehe, well, anyway, I apologize.”

“At least be serious…” Naoki sighed, rubbing his forehead in resignation. “Well, that’s just how it is. I admit I’m partly at fault too—I momentarily overlooked her nature. I’m sorry, Fujimaru. The main reason I invited you to dinner tonight was for this.”

Seeing both the Chief and her teacher apologize, Ritsuka immediately felt flustered. “There’s no need, Chief and Teacher—please don’t apologize…”

“Fujimaru, just accept their apologies.” Gray interrupted. “If you refuse, Brother will keep apologizing. He’s very stubborn about this, right?”

“I’m not that stubborn…”

Hearing even the Chief’s younger sister say that, Ritsuka paused briefly, then nodded. “Then… I accept the apologies from the Chief and Teacher.”

“Hmm hmm hmm, good. I knew little Ritsuka was big-hearted. Unlike that flat-chested, possessive maid. Come on, let me give you a hug~”

“Eh?!”

“Merry, get back here and sit properly!”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

At the same time, in the control room.

“Achooo!”

Rei, who was operating a console, suddenly sneezed loudly. Roman, standing nearby, asked, “What’s wrong, Rei? Are you catching a cold? Is the air conditioning too cold?”

“No, I just feel offended again… Anyway, Roman, I’ve finished checking this part. What else needs to be reviewed? If possible, I’d like to go back and have dinner with Master. If I don’t return soon, that evil creature will definitely steal his food from behind!”

“I understand how you feel, but sorry. There are still two more sections to check… I think you’ll only need about half an hour more.”

Half an hour before she could go see Master…

Rei sighed in resignation. She could only hope that, during these final thirty minutes, Master wouldn’t be “completely devoured” by that evil creature.

-

Title: Heading to the First Singularity

9:00 AM.

In Chaldea’s control room.

When Naoki entered, he immediately saw Roman, still busy at the main console.

“Morning, Roman… Did you pull an all-nighter?”

“No, just stayed up a bit late.” Roman turned around. “Besides, you’re in no position to talk. Look at your tired face—what were you doing last night?”

“Ah, last night… Nothing special, as usual. Just Rei being a little…”

Thinking about last night—or rather, what happened yesterday—Naoki felt a slight ache in his lower back.

Because Rei had missed dinner two nights ago, and on top of that, Merry had indirectly revealed that Naoki had spent the entire afternoon alone with her—these two incidents had triggered Rei’s jealousy to extreme levels.

Though Rei was usually a very understanding woman, and Merry was technically the first in their household, she couldn’t help but feel furious when she imagined herself working tirelessly in the control room while Merry secretly “flirting” with her Master…

Her jealousy and anger instantly skyrocketed to maximum. Naoki had no choice but to spend the entire night—from late evening until early morning—soothing her. As a result, he now felt completely drained, his body exhausted and his legs weak.

As a “fellow veteran”, Roman looked at Naoki’s condition with a hint of pity. He gave his shoulder a firm pat. “Natsukawa, get a hold of yourself. Doing those things too often is really bad for your health.”

“You don’t need to worry. If it gets serious, I can just explode and regenerate like Senior Hinako.”

As a true fairy, Naoki could technically revive himself, but even he didn’t want to experience his body exploding into countless pieces. He wasn’t a masochist—he didn’t enjoy suffering.

“But I’m genuinely curious—given your family’s capabilities, why haven’t you had any children yet?”

After a wry smile, Roman suddenly changed the subject. “Could there be reproductive isolation among you? Or is it just low fertility?”

Fairies, puppets, succubi, dragon-blooded, humans, Servants… Naoki’s family was a mixed-race blend. It wasn’t impossible that reproductive barriers existed.

Naoki rolled his eyes. “You’re overthinking it. We just haven’t wanted to yet. It’s too early to have kids now—at least until we’ve resolved all these issues.”

“You’re really patient.”

“Later, you’ll have to contribute—around ten people’s worth.”

“You’re robbing me?! And why only ten?” Roman was shocked. “I thought it was already over a dozen…”

“Why do you think I have over a dozen wives?”

(Why do you think I don’t?)

Looking at his longtime friend—whether genuinely clueless or just pretending—Roman sighed. It seemed some of them still hadn’t taken action, or were just waiting? If not, don’t say ten—twenty might even be possible.

Come to think of it, wasn’t there already one here in Chaldea?

“Good morning.”

Just as Roman was pondering this, the voice of that “potential new member” entered the control room. Marie, who had returned from Fuyuki and revived, now looked much better. She entered the control room with full energy.

“Morning, Olga.” Naoki greeted with a smile. “Your physical condition seems to have improved.”

“Hmph~~~ Of course. A member of the Animusphere family wouldn’t give up over some minor physical issues. Ten days is more than enough to recover from any injury, no matter how severe.”

That was so typical of Marie.

Approaching the main console, she glanced at the Chaldeas projection displayed by Sheba. Marie asked, “How’s it looking? Romani, today’s the day for quantum transfer to the first Singularity, right? Are the preparations complete?”

Roman nodded. “Yes, all preparations are finished. Quantum transfer is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM. We’ve got about fifty minutes left. I think Fujimaru, Mash, and Akuta will arrive soon.”

“Good. That’s reassuring.” Marie slightly relaxed her furrowed brow. “This is Chaldea’s first step toward restoring human civilization. There must be no failure or mistakes.”

“Understood!”

The staff in the control room responded in unison, then returned their focus to their duties.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

And not long after, about ten minutes later, the control room door opened again.

Naoki saw three people appear in the doorway. “You’ve arrived. Fujimaru, Mash, Senior Hinako—good morning.”

Mash: “Yes, good morning, Brother.”

Ritsuka: “Good morning, Chief!”

Hinako: “What morning? It’s almost noon.”

Hearing the one dissenting voice, Naoki smiled. “The agreed departure time is 10:00 AM. We can only gather at this time. If you have complaints, take them up with Roman.”

“I’m not interested in bothering a limp shrimp.” Hinako shot Roman a sharp glare.

Roman laughed awkwardly, then cleared his throat. “Alright, since everyone’s here, let’s begin the final briefing before heading to the first Singularity.”

“As explained two days ago, the first Singularity is located in France during the Hundred Years’ War between England and France—specifically, the year 1431…”

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The pre-departure briefing lasted about ten minutes. After listening to Roman explain various details about the first Singularity and the tasks that needed to be addressed there, Ritsuka and the others put on their combat uniforms and entered the transfer pods, just as they had done when going to Fuyuki.

Before entering, Ritsuka turned to look at Naoki, standing a short distance away. “Chief, you’re not coming this time?”

“I’ll arrive a bit later. There are only three pods. Besides, if you all perform well and fix the Singularity without my help, I might not come at all. We’ll see how things go.” Naoki smiled. “But I can guarantee this—I’ll definitely arrive within five minutes of you getting into a desperate situation.”

“Five minutes? Got it!”

“One more thing, Fujimaru—last time I mentioned this.” Naoki stopped Ritsuka just as she was about to enter the pod. “Regarding the enemy you’ll face in the first Singularity, if my guess is correct, it should be Saint Jeanne. After all, the only major event in 1431 was her execution.”

“The Jeanne who was supposed to be burned at the stake suddenly resurrects unnaturally and leads countless dragons to seize France—that’s the event you’ll be facing. Be sure to tell Mash and Hinako.”

“Then, I wish you a safe journey. See you later.”