"So do you know exactly why you are here?"
Ritsuka Fujimaru, age seventeen, glanced down at the sheet of paper that sat on the table before him, written in fine print that was almost archaic in design. Kind of like it was from an old English scroll from the middle ages.
Across from him was a dark-haired man dressed in a fine business suit and dark shades that hid his eyes. It was sort of odd, really. He couldn't have looked more out of place, but he certainly made an effort to make himself as shady as possible. Almost as if that would hide the fact that he wasn't a normal person.
He shrugged. "Well, you sort of just dragged me here without my permission," he gestured to the cafe around them, the tables around them empty with only a few being occupied. "Which is entirely illegal, you know. I don't even know you."
The man tensed and Ritsuka could have sworn that a fair tint of pink appeared on his cheeks for a second before disappearing, no doubt remembering his incredibly bold stunt in getting Ritsuka to come with him.
Which just sort of involved appearing out of nowhere on a busy street, grabbing him by the wrist, and gently (forcefully) dragging him away in front of many incredulous witnesses. Of course, in any normal circumstances, the teen would have tried to fight back. However, a single off-putting detail stopped him.
The man held a trace of magic on him. Or more accurately coined as magecraft. How did he know? Because he too was also from the world of miracles.
His family had a long lineage of mystical history, extending from both his Japanese blood and French blood. However, they weren't a particularly famous or wealthy family. In fact, his lineage had been slowly dwindling throughout the years ever since his family converted to Catholicism. He himself barely had any ability to use magic and the best he could perform at was the basics.
To a mage's eyes, he was no different from a normal child. Nothing special whatsoever. So why was it that this man was interacting with him of all people?
"I needed to talk to you because I was ordered to give a job offer to people like you." The man grumbled. "And individuals like you are... rare, to say the least."
Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "People like me? While I appreciate the thought, I doubt I'm what you're looking for. There are plenty of more talented mages than me."
The man shook his head. "It's not about your magecraft or your magical ability. It's about your potential to be a master. Something that can't be gained through magecraft. It's just something you're born with."
"Master?"
Ritsuka echoed that word and he scrunched his face up in thought. He was sure that he heard that term before, but where? He didn't think that the man was talking about a master in the normal sense, like the master of a dojo. It was probably more complicated than that.
Seeing his confusion, the man continued on. "I'm sorry. It's not something I can continue to elaborate on unless you accept my offer. Standard procedure and all that. My boss is a very cautious and secretive man."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver card with a strange insignia engraved onto the back. A fancy looking business card. He put it on the table and slid it forward invitingly.
"My name is Harry Akanezawa Anderson. I represent an organization called Chaldea, which is interested in people like you and wishes to extend an invitation for you to join us. I cannot fully disclose the details regarding it unless you sign the paper." He shrugged apologetically. "Like I said, standard procedure. Nothing I can do about it."
"I'm sorry, but this honestly is a bit shady," Ritsuka said truthfully, eyeing the document in front of him. Actually, calling it a document was very generous. As the man said, it was just a small paragraph about an organization called Chaldea with nothing major sprinkled in. Anyone with half a brain would easily find this suspicious.
"Well, I can't blame you. I thought the same way." Harry shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, I can promise a very good salary and living conditions. You'll be well provided for and given the best of care."
"And what if I were to refuse?" He inquired, earning a sigh from the man.
"You know how mages are like, boy. This entire shindig is just a formality. Trust me when I say that Chaldea wants you bad," The air around him got colder. "So if you really want the truth, your compliance really isn't a factor here. You'll be coming with me whether you want to or not. At least this way you won't get hurt."
The man truly didn't look like his heart was into it, but Ritsuka knew well enough that he'd carry out the threat. A magus didn't just reveal information to you and then just left you to your own devices. Now that he is even aware of this Chaldea, there wasn't an out for him. He'd be hunted down if he tried to run and it wasn't as if he was a particularly powerful mage. Best case scenario, he'd probably be killed in a week.
So there truly was only one course of option available to him here. He was average, but he wasn't dumb.
"Where do I sign?"
"At the bottom. Here."
Harry took out an ink pen and handed it to him. A quick scribble later, he took back the parchment and nodded in satisfaction. His boss would no doubt be happy with his findings, especially since he truly stumbled across an extraordinary goldmine. Even if this boy didn't know it, his boss would pay billions to have him by his side.
After all, who can claim to hold a one hundred percent compatibility as a master?
"Congratulations, Fujimaru Ritsuka. As of here on out, you are now a member of Chaldea. We're glad to have you with us."
A few days later, the report was finalized and sent in to be reviewed by two individuals in the facility known as Chaldea. In a room closed off from the rest of the facility, they disclosed business that would never be heard by the outside world. Not to the masses, and not even to the world governments.
"So you found another one?"
"Indeed. One of our agents in Japan managed to find a person with considerable potential as a master. In fact, it's a clear one-hundred percent if the report is to be believed."
"Eh?! One-hundred percent? Are you sure about that, Lev?!"
The young girl behind the desk, who looked to be no older than seventeen or eighteen, stared at a man dressed in green with a clear look of shock and disbelief. He just chuckled and tipped his hat humorously.
"Of course, Olga. You know I wouldn't lie to you, yes? It was submitted by Harry Anderson and he has always been a trustworthy employee." Lev said with a smirk as he tossed the file onto the table. "Read for yourself."
Without hesitation, Olga quickly opened to the contents and quickly began analyzing the report. Her eyes flickered from one sentence to another, easily picking up the details and committing them to memory. As the director of Chaldea, it was only natural. Age aside, she carried experience on her shoulders that allowed her to run this organization... with help from Lev of course.
It wasn't a position she'd have thought to inherit so soon. Ever since her father abruptly committed suicide, for reasons she couldn't fathom nor understand, he job had been forced on her shoulders as his only living scion. Oh, he had groomed her, but actually doing the job for real was completely different from going through simulated situations.
After a few moments, she finally put the file down and nodded slowly. "Alright... Harry seems to have covered his bases. I don't see anything wrong with it." She frowned. "Still though... this man isn't much as a mage. He's average at best."
"Many of our candidates are the same. Don't be so quick to judge, director." Lev chided. "As for Henry... I believe he deserves a raise. Perhaps a new car?"
"That certainly sounds like a proper reward. Please inform him of his reward and for him to quickly send Mr. Fujimaru to us as soon as possible. I'd like to get him integrated into his new life as soon as possible."
"Hahaha... Eager to meet him, are we?" Lev teased, earning a sharp glare from Olga. "Relax. I'm just kidding. I'll relay the message as soon as possible."
With a final tip of his hat, Lev turned and walked out the room. As soon as he was gone, Olga narrowed her eyes and glanced back down at the file before her, a picture of the young man greeting her.
"No magical talent... but blessed to be a leader..."
How ironic for her. Despite her own prestige, she'd never be able to do the one thing that'd make him special.
She felt her heart drop at that reminder and she sighed, pressing her head onto her hands.
"I need a drink..."
"This wasn't what I was expecting..."
Ritsuka muttered with slight awe as he stared out the window at the scenery on the other side. Or more accurately, lack thereof. A violent snowstorm had blown in, turning everything dark white as far as the eye could see.
No sooner than a day after agreeing to the contract, he had been abruptly forced onto a helicopter by Henry and flown to places unknown. He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to his parents, but the scout had assured him that he'd take care of things with them.
He had no idea where they were going. No general idea of their destination other than the fact that it was going to be cold. The pilots hadn't talked to him nor did it seem as if they were willing to do so. He was just left in the back with no company at all.
They had flown for hours. Three? Four? He couldn't keep track and he didn't have a watch on him. Regardless, he had fallen in and out of sleep several times. Just how long were they going to be in the air for?
Then, as if to answer, the sound of the intercom going off rang through the room.
"We shall be landing soon. ETA is ten minutes. Please procure all necessary valuables and prepare to disembark."
"Geez... Finally."
He didn't bring much in the way of valuables. Before Henry had ushered him out the door, he had only managed to pack just a few sets of clothes and several small snacks. There were even some handheld gaming devices stashed in his backpack for entertainment, though he wondered if that'd be seen as disrespectful at a mage facility.
He grabbed his pack and zipped up his black parka jacket as he stood up, grabbing the rails as they slowly began their descent. Looking out the window a second time, he noticed blinking lights and the shape of a small circular building that was tucked neatly into a rocky structure.
"So a secret base is in the mountains, huh?"
He had heard of such things before. His parents told him of a wandering sea filled with incredibly talented mages that moved every second or so, but he often took that with a grain of salt. Now though, he was faced with a truly astonishing sight. A base in the cold mountains... just how was such a place built? To bring the required resources up here seemed nearly impossible even to a magus.
A few minutes later, the vehicle touched down on the helipad and the doors slid open, buffeting him with wild winds. Grumbling in annoyance, he stepped out to into the open, pulling his hood up and squinting his eyes to prevent the snow from flying into his eyes. One of the pilots crawled out of the cockpit and jumped out beside him, gesturing to him wildly, the sound of the helicopter drowning out any attempts at speech.
Despite that, he understood what he was trying to convey. Nodding to him in thanks, he moved towards what appeared to be the gate. As he approached, the door suddenly opened and a man dressed in green strolled out.
"Ritsuka Fujimaru, I presume?" The man called out as he approached, his voice carrying clearly despite the storm.
"Yeah, that's me." He nodded.
"Your pass, please. Harry must have given one to you."
Ritsuka reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small card that Harry had given him. Handing it to the man, he watched for a moment as the man glanced at it before nodding and handing it back.
"Then everything is complete. Welcome to Chaldea, Mr. Fujimaru." The man tipped his hat in greeting with a smile. "My name is Lev Lainur Flauros. I'm one of the head researchers at Chaldea and I've been sent to get you settled in. You must certainly have many questions, no?"
"Yeah, you could say that. Mr. Anderson didn't really brief me on what this job entailed." Ritsuka admitted sheepishly, earning a chuckle from the man.
"Standard procedure. I truly am sorry about that, but that is why I'm here," He turned and began walking back through the gate. "Follow me. I'll talk while we walk."
So Ritsuka followed the man obediently, silently glad that he wouldn't have to spend more time in the cold. Indeed, the interior of this place was much cozier as it blasted him with a gust of hot air.
He found himself in awe as he followed the man downwards through numerous halls and sliding doors. No matter how you looked at it, this place was the future. It was designed in a way that made it seem as if it had been ripped out of a sci-fi novel. Numerous holograms gave detailed information, small robots drifted around, and even the clothes the people wore made it seem as if this place was another world entirely.
The staff members greeted Lev as they walked by, some even sparing him a glance or two, but everyone seemed to be in a rush or busy with something. It truly felt like a secret organization here instead of just a regular bunch of secretive magi.
"Amazing, no? Chaldea has gathered all manner of talents here in this facility for one single purpose. A purpose that you'll soon find to be one of the utmost importance." Lev chuckled as they passed into another corridor. "As it stands now, we currently have at least five hundred people on hand. Sixty-five percent of them are magi while the other thirty-five are regular scientists and engineers."
Ritsuka blinked in surprise at the last part. "Wait, regular scientists and engineers?"
"Our director isn't prejudiced against the ordinary. In fact, without their help, Chaldea may not be the place it is today. Some problems can't be solved through magecraft alone, after all."
"That's surprisingly progressive coming from a mage."
"Oh, Chaldea has many surprises in store for you as our director will proclaim. But before you meet with her, I'm going to explain a few things. After all, she can be a bit troublesome if you're not on the same page as her."
After the two chatted for a while, Lev dropped him off in front of a door that was more ornate than the rest before retreating down another hallway. He said that he wouldn't be coming with him on account of the director wishing to speak privately, but a part of him believed that the man had been through this song and dance before with his boss.
He had described her as ferocious as a lion, yet as cold as the freezing blizzard outside. Whether or not he was just joking in order to scare him was up in the air though.
...He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little bit nervous from all the tales Lev had seen fit to share with him.
"Well, here goes nothing."
Raising a hand, he knocked on the door with a hollow knock that echoed through the eerily empty hallway. After a few seconds, a female voice spoke up from the other side.
"Come in."
Taking a deep breath, he pushed through the doors and steeled himself for whatever demon that was about to greet-
He froze in surprise as he found himself face to face with a girl. A girl who could not have been a few months older than he was. Her long white hair flowed neatly behind her, with a couple strands tied into a braid over her left side. She wore a black and orange vestment that was buttoned up only at the middle, revealing a white skirt underneath. As he gazed into her orange eyes, it felt like he was truly looking into the eyes of a tiger. It seems as if Lev wasn't kidding about that.
"Welcome, master candidate number twenty-three. My name is Olga Marie Animusphere, the director of Chaldea. Please, have a seat and we can discuss business."
He nodded slowly before silently making his way towards the chair opposite her desk. Sitting down, he took a brief moment to glance around the room in wonder. The office was certainly fancy. There were bookshelves with numerous relics, golden trophies, and even some pictures plastered on the walls. He didn't recognize any of the adults, though a younger miss director was present in some of them.
"First off, has Lev explained what Chaldea is?" Olga asked, still eying him critically.
"It's... a facility of sorts that gathers talent from all fields for the advancement of mankind. He didn't explain why exactly I am here and Harry only mentioned that I had a one-hundred percent compatibility rate as a master... whatever that means."
Olga raised her eyebrows at that. "That's a horribly simple way of explaining things around here," She sighed and shook her head. "Very well. I guess it's my job as director to explain further."
Ritsuka nodded politely, but only continued to receive a glare from her.
"Listen up and pay attention because I'm only going to say this once!" She barked, standing up and slamming her hands on the desk and making him jolt. "Chaldea isn't just some normal facility, but a U.N sanctioned institution backed up by the Clock Tower Association! What we do here is highly classified and top secret, for the goal we strive towards isn't a lofty one! Understand?"
"Y-yes, Miss Director." He stuttered, really starting to feel threatened by the atmosphere she was putting off.
"Chaldea doesn't exist to advance humanity. We exist to protect it. For this sake, we monitor both the past and future respectively in order to be aware of threats in advance. This is all thanks to the brilliance of our previous director of course. Without him, none of this would be possible."
A small twinkle shone in her eyes and Ritsuka scratched his head.
"Monitoring both the past and future? Is... is that really even possible? If you're able to see threats in advance then why am I even here?"
Olga rolled her eyes. "How we monitor the past and future would require at least a three-hour long lecture and that is time I'm not willing to spend. If you really want to know about it, ask Lev later. As for why you're here... well, it's pretty obvious. You need to send to send a soldier to eliminate a threat, after all."
"Eh? Are you serious?" Ritsuka gaped at that. Him? Sent out onto a battlefield for humanity? "Forgive me if I sound rude, but I'm sure there are other people more qualified for that. It's not like I'm a talented mage or-"
"Don't you think we know that? You're hopelessly average and you don't seem to have even a single ounce of combat potential. You'd be slaughtered like a lamb if you had to face any threat to mankind."
Ouch. He inwardly winced at that, but what did he expect from a magus? Despite her young age, she spewed harsh words like a viper.
"Regardless, you're not going to be the one doing most of the fighting. What Harry meant when he mentioned your potential ability as a master is something which will mostly remove you out of the equation." She glanced at him curiously. "Tell me... have you heard of the Holy Grail War before?"
He blinked. "Holy... Grail War? You mean-"
Olga nodded. "Yes. The secret war in Fuyuki city where seven legendary figures are summoned back into the world in order to fight over the wish-granting device. Here at Chaldea, we developed a system that replicated that summoning ritual," She then frowned. "Or at least... we are working on it. As of now, we only have one successful summoning of a heroic spirit. Regardless, your presence here should hopefully help speed things along."
"I-I see..."
He had heard of the Holy Grail War before. How could he not when the event took place only a couple cities over? His parents had always warned him to stay away from Fuyuki, claiming that only beings beyond imagination resided there and that even the most powerful of mages shy away from that place. It was a place where only gloryhounds and fools went.
"Our specialists who are working on it will want to see you later," Olga continued, ignoring his strange look. "As you're not really fit for anything else, I suppose being their guinea pig is the only worthwhile thing you can do."
"Ah... I'm sure you can find some other job for me to do." Ritsuka muttered sheepishly. Honestly, the way she said it made him feel like a freeloader of sorts.
She narrowed her eyes. "Nonsense. You're just a high school student with only the most basic magical aptitude. Many here have already graduated from college or possess skills that eclipse others."
Feeling slightly annoyed at her snarky tone, he voiced his thoughts without thinking.
"But you're not that much older than me."
Instantly, the air grew colder as if someone had opened the window and let the freezing blizzard in. He could have sworn his heart stopped for a second as the director leveled her most vicious glare at him, conveying a barely restrained urge to murder him in cold blood. She'd probably do it, too. Not like anyone could go against her as the director.
Scary...
"I'll have you know that I've already had a college-level education before I was fifteen, Mr. Ritsuka Fujimaru. I aced both the ACT and SAT and could easily get into any school that I wanted. If it wasn't for my father-"
She paused before she finished that sentence. There was some sort of expression on her face that was both parts anger and... sadness? Nevertheless, she took a deep breath and calmed herself down a bit.
"My intelligence and knowledge far exceed yours, so you'd do well to remember it. Do not doubt my ability to act as the director of this facility, understand?"
Wordlessly, he nodded. He didn't trust his mouth to make things better.
Even if this girl was near his age... he couldn't afford to be casual with her. She was still the boss.
"Ah... so you managed to provoke the director, eh?"
"She really is scary... Aren't directors supposed to be more cordial and less... vocal?"
After being handed a room key and pretty much kicked out of the office, Lev had picked him up on time and once again escorted him through the hallways. Apparently, he had to be given a medical examination before he could get settled in.
"A normal director would probably blast you on the spot. Be grateful that she just yelled at you," Lev chuckled with amusement. "Though I can agree that being killed would be a preferable alternative than to listening to her rant. She took after her father in that regard, I believe."
"Her father must have been quite the scary man." Ritsuka muttered.
"Ahaha. Yes, he was. In fact, he was the previous director of Chaldea." Lev said with a smile.
"Really? Did he retire?" Ritsuka asked innocently, earning a snort.
"No one retires from this game, boy. Our former director died and had to pass the place onto his daughter," He scratched his head. "Although, it was quite unusual with him. Instead of being assassinated, he had ultimately committed suicide."
"Suicide?" Ritsuka gaped, surprised that a magus would be so willing to take their own life. "A-are you sure?"
"Hm... Yes, I'm sure. We were quite thorough with the investigation," For a brief moment, there was a small glint in his eye that vanished just as quickly as it came. "Though let us avoid such a sad topic for now. This is supposed to be an exciting day for you. Wouldn't want to bother you with such things, right?"
Ritsuka nodded and the two continued on in silence. Luckily, they didn't have to continue on for long before they arrived at what he presumed to be the medical facility, as there was a large green cross emblemed onto a door. Heading inside, Ritsuka found himself reminded of a normal hospital as a simple desk greeted him with numerous rows of beds visible in the back.
"Woah..."
"Indeed. Don't be too put off by the number of beds. We rarely have more than three filled up at a time," Lev chuckled. "Anyways, I'm going to leave you with my cohort and he'll take care of you from here on out."
He approached the desk in front of them and hit a small silver bell, sending a small ding throughout the room.
"Romani! Are you here?"
There was a small shuffling from the back and a muffled sound as a man stumbled into view. He wore a white doctors uniform that was accented with green in the middle. His hair was strangely orange and fluffy, flowing behind him lusciously. He looked strangely youthful, possibly only in his late twenties and early thirties. A small tag hung from his neck with the name 'Dr. Roman' printed on it with his picture.
"Hey, Lev. Didn't expect to see you here..." He muttered as he glanced at the clock. "You do know I'm technically on break, right?"
"Be that as it may, this is important. You wouldn't wish to disobey a direct order from the director, hm?" Lev chuckled as the man's face turned white. "Oh relax, Romani. This will be quick. I just need you to perform a medical examination on our new master candidate here and get him settled in. I have things to do so I'm counting on you."
He then turned towards Ritsuka and tipped his hat. "I'll see you around, Ritsuka. In the meantime, please make sure to follow the good doctor. If he gives you any trouble, feel free to contact the director and report it."
Lev quickly ducked out of the room, ignoring the man's shouts of complaints. As the door closed behind him, the doctor let out a defeated sigh before turning towards Ritsuka with a smile.
"Ah... Old Lev certainly is quite busy so I guess I can take over this time," He extended his hand in greeting. "I'm Romani Archaman, but feel free to call me Roman. It's what everyone calls me. I'm the head of the medical division here at Chaldea."
"Ritsuka Fujimaru. Nice to meet you."
The two shook hands and Ritsuka couldn't help but feel at ease with the man's presence. He didn't seem to possess the fiery temperament the director had despite his position, making him ok in his book.
"Well then, let us begin. I'm sure you want to get things done as quickly as possible, yes? If that's the case, please sit on the bed and I'll quickly-"
He suddenly paused a beep began to resound throughout the room. Lifting his hand, he tapped on his wrist where a small bracelet lay. Tapping it once, the beeping stopped as a small hologram appeared in the air with the words 'voice only' displayed.
"Woah..." Ritsuka muttered in awe as he stared at the device.
"Romani, we're beginning the summoning test for FATE. We need you to report to the chamber and be on standby to treat any unforeseen consequences. Please report in the next five minutes."
Roman sighed. "Got it. Just give me a minute."
He turned the device off and gave Ritsuka an apologetic look. "Sorry. Looks like you're going to have to wait a little bit longer. I can't disobey a direct order like that."
Ritsuka nodded. "I understand. Should I just wait here for you to come back?"
He didn't exactly know the layout of this place so he had a pretty high chance of getting lost just by wandering around for even a few moments. Romani seemed to consider the thought for a moment before he smiled.
"Well, then how about you come along? Lev told me to keep you in my sights, after all. Besides, you really wouldn't want to be stuck in here with nothing to do, right?"
"Really? They'd allow that?"
"You're a master candidate. You'd need to be familiar with that room eventually."
From that moment, a treasured friendship that'd last a lifetime would blossom as the two left the room, walking and talking with smiles on their faces.
"...And this facility originally was just a small observatory. It was only when the previous director made a breakthrough that he managed to get substantial funding towards this place."
"But how did he build it so far in the middle of nowhere? Wouldn't the climate making construction difficult?"
"Not exactly. Ninety-five percent of this facility is built in the mountains. The tricky part was setting up a source of power for the place, but we had a brilliant set of engineers- Oh, we're here!"
Ritsuka deflated slightly as Roman stopped his explanation. He truly found his place fascinating and was hoping to know more about the schematics. Roman had said that he was one of the senior officials alongside Lev so he had a wealth of knowledge stored up in him. Perhaps they could talk more later...
Taking his nametag, he scanned it against the electronic lock and it opened with a hiss. He beckoned to Ritsuka to follow before heading inside, letting him trail behind.
"Woah..."
Once again he found himself in awe as he stumbled into an incredibly large room. It was as large as a theatre with blue tron lines snaking through the walls and a large glowing circle situated at the room's center. Numerous personnel bustled about, yelling out orders that flew over his head.
"Impressed? This is the FATE system. It's in its developmental phase right now, but it'll be able to consistently summon heroic spirits to contract with masters like you when it's complete," Roman explained. "In fact, it managed to summon one heroic spirit so far. A particularly famous one too."
Ritsuka's eyes widened. "Really? Who?" The thought that any one of these individuals may be a legendary hero really
"It's the famous renaissance man. Da-
"Da Vinci!~"
Ritsuka jumped suddenly as a woman appeared incredibly close to him out of nowhere, invading his personal space. She was incredibly beautiful, possessing a beautiful face and a wonderful figure. She wore a brown and red dress that somehow managed to clash wonderfully against each other. The attire may look odd in the real world, but she truly managed to pull it off.
But what was that about her name again?
"D-da Vinci?" He muttered in bewilderment, looking her up and down. "No... That's impossible... Wasn't the famous artisan of Italy a man?"
"Oh, sweet child of little faith... It is true that I was a man in real life," The woman smirked. "But the Da Vinci you see before you is the incarnation of beauty I strove for in life! Do I not remind you of a certain famous painting of mine?"
He stared at her for a moment, gears turning in his head. "The... Mona Lisa?"
"Bingo! Heroic Spirits are influenced by their deeds and legends. You'd do well to remember that, master candidate. You're certain to meet plenty in the future."
Roman sighed. "Why don't you just say that a bit louder? Tell everyone of our newest recruit before he has a chance to introduce himself..."
"Oh don't be a spoilsport, Roman. He'll get his chance eventually!" She/he winked at Ritsuka, causing him to blush. "After all, perhaps he'll be the key for the summoning of another servant. Who knows what'll happen when someone with a one-hundred percent master compatibility goes to summon a servant? Thanks for bringing him here, Roman!"
"Wait, so you called me here knowing that I'd bring him?" Roman blanched. "That's criminal, Da Vinci! Could you not have waited until after the medical examination?!"
"Nah. A schedule is a schedule and we have to stick with it!" Da Vinci singsonged as she began to skip towards a nearby terminal, shouting to them over her shoulder. "You don't have to do anything, Mr. Fujimaru! Just stand still and be patient!~"
He glanced at Roman with awe, who on the other hand looked like he was having a searing migraine. "How did she know my name?"
"When it comes to her, you don't question. She'll just go on a rant on how much of a genius she is," Roman muttered with a shake of his head. "I should probably head over to help monitor the equipment... lord knows the staff is too tired to keep up with her demands..."
The doctor continued to mutter curses under his breath about the unfairness of it all as he followed after her, causing Ritsuka to laugh in amusement. It seems as if the doctor and Da Vinci really had an interesting relationship.
Speaking of which, what how was he supposed to refer to the inventor? He? She? It was a guy in a woman's body so...
...Damn, this really was confusing. If this was how all heroic spirits were like it could only mean that his future was going to be a lot more interesting from here on out.
"It's best not to think too much about it."
He jumped and spun around once again in surprise, silently wondering if sneaking up on people was just the norm around here. What greeted him was the sight of another woman, this time around his age.
...Was it also custom for beautiful women to be here as well?
She wore the same aristocratic clothing common of those from the clocktower, but he found himself focused on her eyes. Or rather, eye. Her long hazel hair was cut short on her left side to allow her to see. Her right eye was covered by not only her hair but some sort of eyepatch. She didn't give off the authoritative presence that the director had, but she had a certain air around her. Kind of like a secretary.
"Da Vinci is a free soul. She doesn't really mind what you call her," The girl gave a small smile. "She certainly does have her quirks, but you should get along with her. As a fellow master candidate, she'll be our main benefactor."
He blinked. "Ah... I see. Are you also a master candidate?"
The girl nodded and extended her hand. "Ophelia Pharmrsolone. I'm master candidate number eleven. Pleased to meet you."
"Ritsuka Fujimaru. I'm number twenty-three."
The two shook hands and he felt himself falling at ease. Just like Roman, miss Ophelia seemed to be the most normal amongst everyone here.
"Is this summoning process supposed to take long?"
Ophelia shook her head. "Not usually, no. They usually take a second or two, but the results are usually not satisfactory. The project is still in its developmental phase as Roman said so technicians are still trying to raise the probability of summoning a servant. Sadly, the probabilities are still pretty close to zero. I mean, the only reason Da Vinci even got summoned was because there existed a single possibility that I managed to-"
She paused and then shook her head. "In any case, we've still got time. Within the next couple months or so we should be getting better results," she gave him a curious glance. "Do you have any idea on what hero you want to summon?"
"Ah... well, I doubt I could summon a truly exceptional hero," He laughed, finding the thought of summoning a powerful hero like Heracles of maybe even Lancelot impossible to him. "My magic circuits are pretty mediocre, after all. I don't think I can sustain a contract with them for that long."
"Then you're probably better off summoning a Caster class servant. They're the most manageable servant class out of the seven."
"Really? Well, I'm not really familiar with that term-"
He was suddenly cut off as Da Vinci's voice cut through the air.
"Everyone! Please stand back! We're about to begin in 3... 2 ... 1!"
The inventor cheered with delight as the machine suddenly began to hum, the sound reverberating through the room. The circle in the middle of the room began to spin slowly, picking up speed as the seconds ticked by.
"You might want to step back." Ophelia advised as she backed away from the machine. Deciding to take her advice, he fell in line beside her and watched the machine from her designated safe spot.
As the light began to glow and the room began to shake, he suddenly started to feel hot.
"Um... is it supposed to be this bright?" He asked, holding a hand up to block the light.
Ophelia's eye was narrowed and she observed. "This is... unprecedented and unexpected. Is it actually going to work?" she muttered as her hand drifted towards her eyepatch.
"Spiritual readings are skyrocketing! A connection has formed!" Da Vinci exclaimed, a beaming smile on her face before it slowly morphed into a frown. "Wait... Oops. That's unfortunate... I don't think the machine is going to hold out..."
"W-what?!" Roman exclaimed, staring at her with a shocked look. "Are you saying you made a mistake in upgrading FATE? Aren't you supposed to be a genius or something?!"
"I can't do a proper upgrade without substantial data, Romani! I'm the first servant you actually managed to summon so you didn't exactly leave me with a lot!" She barked back at him, making him shrink back like a puppy. She returned her eyes to her console and cursed in Italian. "Everyone! Get down now! FATE won't be able to control such a powerful reaction for-"
The light exploded.
With a thunderous hum, the machine finally collapsed as the gate it was supporting collapsed. Make no mistake, it had summoned something. For a machine that had barely adequate results in the past, it had brought in something truly extraordinary.
And when Ritsuka had felt it, that presence felt him.
Ophelia had been left stunned by the development, seemingly frozen in place before Ritsuka acted. Just before the light could envelop them both, he pushed her to the ground and away from him, leaving him to face the light alone.
"Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea..."
That was his last thought before the light enveloped him and he went weightless.
"You're truly something. To think you'd attempt to save her first before yourself... chivalry still lives on today it seems."
Ritsuka gasped as his vision refocused and he was met with a sea of white, a void of nothingness stretching infinitely as far as his eyes could see.
Was he dead? Had his soul left his body and was on its way to heaven?
"You aren't dead, kid! Far from it. You're just a bit... knocked out at the moment."
Ritsuka blinked as a man materialized in the space in front of him with a shower of golden particles. He was a tall man with a relaxed yet imposing figure. He wore what appeared to be knightly attire, with steel arm guards and knee guards. The rest of his ensemble consisted of a black and white tunic with a white cloak that was shaded blue on the inside.
A golden cross necklace hung from his neck and his messy black hair was tinged with shades of white, giving him an exotic look. It was something that Ritsuka felt drawn to for some reason.
Because...
"Why... do you look like me?"
Ritsuka's question made the man blink before he let out a small chuckle.
"I wouldn't know the answer to that. Just trust me when I say that I'm just as surprised as you," The man said with a casual wave of his hand. "I only answered the summoning ritual expecting a grail war, but it appears as if things are different now. After all... we seemed to have bonded in a way more close than just a simple master and servant relationship."
"What?" Ritsuka blinked. "Wait, are you a heroic spirit?"
"Indeed. I am a heroic spirit summoned and bound to you as a Saber class servant. Here, my legendary deeds as both an emperor and warrior can be fulfilled properly." The man proclaimed with a thumbs up.
So it did work! The system had been a success even if it had ended in such a spectacular fashion. Still, that didn't exactly answer what he had been trying to figure out
"What is this place?"
"Oh. This is your inner mind. Your current body is unconscious since it couldn't handle taking in my soul, but it's adapting astonishingly fast," The man said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's actually pretty unexpected. A normal human body wouldn't be able to survive after absorbing another soul, much less one with such a caliber as I, yet you managed to do so. It's strange. You must have something special about you or... you're just lucky."
"Wait, you mean I could have died?!" Ritsuka choked, suddenly feeling very sick at the prospect of having just nearly died.
"Certainly a very high possibility, but your body seems to be stable. You'll pull through just fine," The man said with a smile. "In fact, you seem to be waking up."
"R-s-ka!"
A far off echo reached his ears and he blinked. "Someone's calling to me..."
The man nodded. "Yeah. Seems as if your body is getting itself back under control. Soon, you'll be back in the world of the living," The man's visage suddenly got serious. "But before that, you must understand what has happened between us. It's most certainly not normal. Not by any means."
He gulped at the man's tone. "What do you mean by that?"
"I'll keep it brief, but the simple fact is that you and I have become one single being. Or rather, a composite being. Our souls have merged, bringing about something that can be called a 'Pseudo Servant'. You essentially have access to all my powers and abilities since you have taken on my legend as your own." The man muttered something about how this situation was uncool but it sort of flew over Ritsuka's head.
"So then... I'm you and you are me?" Ritsuka asked with astonishment, finding it hard to believe that he had just somehow managed to merge with a famous hero.
"Yeah. That's how it is now. Got that down? Good. I don't feel like delving too much into the details. Exposition is such a drag," The man chuckled before the world shook, causing the two of them to stumble. "Oops! Guess I'm out of time! Shame, its barely even been two minutes! Whatever. I'll keep in touch with you bro, but it may take a while before I can get used to this!"
"You're telling me!" Ritsuka complained as he found himself lifted off the ground as the world around him began to crumble. He knew he had to go, but he still had one last question for the man.
"What's your name?" He called out as he lifted higher and higher. The man just smiled and waved before answering.
"I am Charles! Charles The Great! I'll be seeing you soon... Ritsuka Fujimaru!"
Ritsuka slowly opened his eyes and groaned as he once again found his vision flooded with light, this time from the ceiling light that hovered over him. Slowly, he pulled himself together and forced himself to try and sit up.
"Ah... you're awake."
Ophelia Pharmrsolone's face entered his visage, a look of worry etched on her features. How troublesome... did he worry her that much?
He winced as he felt a dull sensation on the back of his head. Reaching up with his hand, he felt the smooth texture of bandage wrapping that was bound around his head.
"You were knocked unconscious when the light hit you and you took a particularly nasty fall," Ophelia explained as she reached over and pulled the bandage back down. "I administered the proper first-aid and helped bring you back to the medical ward. Romani said you were stable, but... are you really okay?"
"Other than this headache? I think I'm good," He chuckled, earning a small smile from her. "What about you? You're not hurt, are you? I did shove you a bit too hard."
"Just a bruise from the fall. Regardless, I am grateful for your action. Still, I'd be more relieved if you made sure to take more precautions for yourself. I was quite worried."
She glared at him with her one eye and he laughed awkwardly.
"Yeah... I suppose you're right," He then frowned. "By the way, I didn't drag you from your work, did I?"
Ophelia blinked. "My... work?" She fell silent for a moment, her eye unfocusing for a second before she shook her head. "Yes... I had to report to the director about the results. Da Vinci wanted me to so she could focus more on her own projects without being pestered by the director, but..."
She trailed off with a troubled look on her face, making Ritsuka nervous.
"I had to bring you in... though that would have interrupted with the prime directive. Anyone else could have done so, so why did I-"
"I'M BACK!"
The two of them jumped as Romani suddenly barged into the room with a wild look in his eyes. He carried a clipboard with him and it looked as if he had just ran three miles.
"You will not believe it, Ophelia! These results are truly spectacular! I'm pretty sure even Da Vinci would be surprised by this-" He paused when he saw the two of them staring at him. "Ah... you're awake! Great. How are you feeling?"
"He's okay, Roman. What has you so worked up?" Ophelia asked curiously, her previous matter forgotten.
"Well, the results just came back from the lab so you can see them for yourself. I was truly shocked when I read them too."
Roman handed her the paper, which she took with a curious look. As she scanned the paper, her eye slowly began to widen with each passing second as she got to the bottom of the page.
She glanced back at Ritsuka before turning back to the doctor. "Are you sure these results are right?"
The doctor nodded. "Positive. I ran through them multiple times. The results were the same every time I went back over it."
"...Is there something wrong with my body?" Ritsuka asked, though he felt as if he already knew. What the soul inside of his body said... if it was true...
"On the contrary. Your body is better than ever!" Roman exclaimed with an excited grin. "Your body has become strengthened way above its physical limits and even your magic circuits have changed drastically! The reason is because-"
"I've merged with a heroic spirit." Ritsuka finished, earning a surprised look from him.
"You know? Wait... are you saying that you-"
"Yeah. He talked to me. Inside my head." Ritsuka clarified, earning a shocked look from the two of them.
"Did... did he mention his identity to you?" Ophelia asked him, leaning forward with a hint of excitement.
He nodded. "Yeah. He said he was Charles the Great. If I remember my history correctly, he's more commonly known as Charlamagne."
The room went silent as the two processed that information. Ophelia looked like she wanted to ask more questions and Roman looked as if he was about to faint from amazement.
"Charlemagne... The great king who was declared the Holy Roman Emperor," Roman muttered as he pulled out a pen and began scribbling something down on his clipboard. "The leader of the twelve paladins and a hero whose excellence parallels even the great King Arthur... to think that you'd be fused with someone like him!"
"But how is that possible? A fusion between such a powerful heroic spirit and a regular human would be fatal!" Ophelia exclaimed.
"Da Vinci will have to review the notes later, but I assume it'd have to do with your high master compatibility," Romani said with a thoughtful look. "Whatever the case, the director will want to hear about it. Ophelia, could you please inform her immediately?"
"Of course. I'll be right back." She gave a goodbye nod to Ritsuka before hastily leaving, eager to do her duties. As soon as she was gone, Ritsuka sent a panicked look towards Roman.
"The director isn't going to be mad, right?" He asked, but only received an apologetic chuckle in response.
"Well, she won't kill you. Just don't expect her to be in a good mood, though. After your little stunt, the FATE system was at least sixty-five percent damaged so there's that."
Ritsuka groaned and put his head into his hands. He could almost feel the migraine getting worse at the prospect of having that spitfire of a director yelling at him.
Class: Saber
True Name: Charles The Great (Charlemagne)
-The Holy King who was crowned as The Holy Roman Emperor. One of the most recognizable figures in the history of Christianity, who played an important role in spreading the faith in Europe.
-In a distant future, the Heroic Spirit known as The Holy Roman Emperor was an abnormality. With one foot both in mystery and reality, the original heroic spirit was split in two. One for the legendary king who appeared in the Song of Roland, and one for the historical version who was known for ruling his empire with Catholicism as the backbone of his kingdom. Here though, he has been summoned in his original state with a complete mixture of both mystery and reality, boosting stats and merging skills.
-As for their surprise merging, it must be because that the man known as Ritsuka Fujimaru was incredibly similar to that of the Holy King in both body and personality. One could only speculate on how this must have happened.
-A man with a strong faith in God, he's someone who embodies the qualities of a true hero and possesses the charisma of a true king.
Parameters:
Strength: A
Endurance: B+
Agility: B
Mana: A
Luck: A
NP: A++
Class Skills:
Riding A
Magic Resistance: A+
Personal Skills:
Holy Knight Emperor: EX
-The skill that symbolizes his authority as the king who led the twelve paladins and nurtured the beginning of a glorious empire. Allows for the true release of his Noble Phantasm and also does bonus damage to those who bear divinity not Christian in origin. It also gives a tremendous charisma that is on the level of brainwashing.
Mana Burst Light: A
-A skill that allows for the explosive use of mana in attacks. In Charles' case, it allows greater damage towards those who are aligned with evil.
Over the Royal Road: B
-Skill that allows for the raising of parameters so long as the user follows his own code of kingship. In Charles' case, doing something cool will raise his stats while doing something uncool will lower them. It even has the effect of granting him other skills for a limited time just like imperial privilege.
Noble Phantasm:
Joyesue Ordre: Exemplify the Holy King, O' Twelve Radiant Swords That Travel The Wide World: A++
-The legendary sword of Charlemagne that changes color more than thirty times a day. It's said to contain a piece of the legendary spear of destiny in its pommel. It's also claimed that the sword once belonged to the war god Mars, making it a legendary artifact that causes damage on a large scale in its released state.
Even if this NP were to be stolen, it cannot be activated without the Holy Knight Emperor skill.
Charles Patricius: A
-The base of Charlemagne. A floating fortress that symbolizes his kingdom and is capable of going anywhere so long as magical energy is given to it. As it is too mana intensive, the manifestation is solely limited to a set of armor that Charles can wear. However, since it's so cumbersome, he prefers not to use it.
"Seriously? My castle as my armor? It'd be so heavy I won't be able to do any of those awesome maneuvers in battle, y'know? I'd be pretty uncool!"
Is what he thinks.