loop2: Thanks for the head-up, already fixed the typo.

Chapter 67: The Guilt

Both Da Vinci and Sherlock were still racking their minds of the possible solution to Ritsuka's condition. The problem is that they have one viable option available but the downside is after that.

"How about-" Sherlock started.

"Denied!" Da Vinci crossed her arms with a frustrated expression. Sherlock was just saddened.

"Why don't you just listen to me for a moment?"

"I know what you are trying to imply, Holmes but can we still consider the other options… maybe, with your fantastic deduction, maybe we could have already one!" Argued the small Caster.

What's more is that this is their nth time argument and they still haven't reached a conclusion. The closest one that they both totally agreed was to recapture the Spirit 'Phantom' but the problem is where they should start. Alter Ego's stunt was just oddly successful but they doubt she will do it the second time let alone how she just callously sacrificed the ethic for the sake of Ritsuka...no, she would totally do it in a heartbeat if Ritsuka agreed.

"I'm sorry… I'm just so stressed right now." Da Vinci said as she hugged herself out of exhaustion.

"I know that you wanted to believe that there is still another way for Ritsuka to resolve this but we both knew that for a path to walk through, one must sacrifice something in order to increase their chances and the one we are probably thinking would be the best way right at the moment."

Da Vinci just sighed, as if on the verge from giving up. "I do believe you Holmes and honestly, it seemed that would be the only way Ritsuka would suffer less."

Sherlock just smiled. "I do believe that Ritsuka can do it."

"Yes, we knew that Ritsuka could do it." Da Vinci parroted. "The problem is how she would cope after that."

Sherlock then sighed once more and then brought up a piece of paper in order to read something. "If this were true… no, Itsuka Shidou really has the ability to seal or absorb the powers of Spirits through … kissing." Sherlock almost chuckled at the implication but Da Vinci just rolled her eyes.

"I have this gut feeling that it was not just as simple as lips on contact." Da Vinci furrowed her eyebrows as she bit her lips. "if… uhm, how a love dating sim operates, courtesy of Blackbeard and Osakabe Hime productions..." Da Vinci was blushing. "This certainly involves emotions; affection, trust, closeness and intimacy."

Sherlock raised his eyebrow. "So what's your point?"

"I just don't want Ritsuka to fall in love with that suspicious boy!" Da Vinci exclaimed, stomping on the floor for emphasis. It doesn't help that she was in a body of a child

Sherlock just chuckled. "Oh, you are really such a mother to her, don't you think?"

Da Vinci pouted in annoyance. "So this is what we call a pot calling the kettle black?"

"Guilty as charged as well… Although I could see the long term effect affecting our dear Ritsuka." Sherlock then hummed. "Speaking of which, our Director has missed the transmission once again..."

It's Da Vinci's turn to sighed this time. "Missed once or twice we might have forgiven him for his negligence but amazingly, he missed it five times in a row. To be frank, what was he thinking?!" She argued.

Sherlock was just thinking to himself and then gritted his teeth in frustration. "What an embarrassment..." he huffed once more and then a renewed vigor.

Da Vinci suddenly has a grim expression. "Who? Goredolf-san?"

"No, not our Director, us."

Da Vinci was confused. "huh?"

"We have been boggling our minds of what was happening to our dear Ritsuka that we have missed what was happening right here."

"Oh, speaking of which, Sion-san was just resting after a day's worth of performing maintenance throughout the system thrice..." Da Vinci said. "Honestly, I just want to confront her that she needs to ease down sometimes."

"Maybe, we ought to confront our Director's unreasonable behavior at the moment." Sherlock suggested and Da Vinci looked up at him with a smug grin. It seemed that the Detective had some ideas.

Goredolf, the plump Director of the Novum Chaldea was eating a sponge cake courtesy of some of the Heroic Spirit's cooking. He was still inside his office and was about to put the piece inside his mouth when the door opened, which made him terrified that it almost fell off from his fork.

"What is the root's name…!" Goredolf attempted to grumble, if not for Da Vinci's shadowed eyes accompanied with an innocent grin.

"O Director~" Da Vinci cooed. It was obvious that she was the one who kicked the door in. Accompanied by her was Sherlock, who looked solemn.

Nevertheless, Goredolf maintained his cool attitude and calmly placed the plate on the table.

He hurriedly fixed his collar. "What business do we have today? If this does involve Ritsuka, then please give her my regards." he said as he fiddled his gloved hands.

"Ooopsie, Director-san, I think I forgot." Da Vinci admitted. Honestly, she forgot to tell Ritsuka due to rampant worries.

Goredolf fumbled from his own chair upon hearing it and before he could piss off, Da Vinci was already in front of him on the table, emanating an aura of hatred. It was so much that he forgot to get angry.

"So let's get straight to the point; why skip Ritsuka's transmission!?" Da Vinci interrogated her while her index finger kept on jabbing at his healthy tummy. Sherlock couldn't even fathom what the Inventor was doing. Director or not, it was a big deal that everyone must attend Ritsuka's transmission whether he would like it or not. The Director was sputtering, half-assed reasons forming in his mind until he gave up.

Goredolf was obviously stressed and panicked. "O-okay! Okay I gave up, sheesh… I do intend to do it… sooner or later… maybe?" He really looked down as he spoke those last words. Da Vinci was somewhat satisfied and stepped down on the floor.

"Goredolf-kun, I know you are also worried for Ritsuka's safety too but something tells us that you are hiding something from us, it doesn't help that you seem to be purposely avoiding her." Da Vinci explained.

"..."

"Please?" Da Vinci is turning up the dial of her cuteness, in order to make Goredolf surrender. One look at her is enough to make him give up.

"O-ok..."

"Yes… then do tell."

Goredolf sighed as he looked down at the floor. "I think that this whole situation was my own fault."

Both Da Vinci and Holmes were promptly surprised and then looked at each other. Goredolf really needs to explain why.

Natsume threw a wild spell at the Queen Witch. Circe simply batted it away harmlessly. Natsume once again tried to retaliate with another batch of spells but the Caster just simply evaded it as easily as she could.

Natsume was really frustrated at this point, still teary eyed. It is as if that damn onee-san can read her moves. Justified, since she didn't make this much effort since the day she was granted these awesome powers. She gritted her teeth and her curled fist were trembling with fury.

"Why you! Why you!" She exclaimed with such resentment and all Circe can say is a careless giggle.

"You are so cute when you are angry!" Circe added, despite the obvious anger of the kid Spirit. Natsume simply stomped in defiance. Then she summoned her broomstick, her Angel persay and began shooting her with light beams that emanate from her broom's bristles. Circe easily evades them as she breathes.

Natsume was freaking out! How could such a Spirit dodge them?!

"You are out of your mind!" Natsume cried before she tried running away from Circe using her broom. If she can't take down that damn onee-san, then all she could do was to run away and formulate another plan to make that onee-san's life a living hell.

Surely, she can't beat her in terms of flight. Right?

Right?

Too bad. Even if Circe isn't a Lancer or a Rider, who are somewhat infamous for their speed, Caster is still fast enough, and with the addition of her spells, she should have no problem catching up…

Well, before Natsume could even take pace, Circe already clasped her collar, preventing her imminent escape. Well a combination of her sabotage magic and enhancement spells made it nearly impossible for [Witch] to escape as easily as she thinks.

"Let me go! You freak!" Natsume was trying to break away from Circe's steel-like grasp as Caster maintained her hold and hovered her in front of her like a cat. Natsume failed spectacularly and just gave up.

"F-Fine! You can do what you want! I give up! You're just goddamned too powerful for me!" Natsume sounded defeated, eyes threatened to tears.

Circe just tilted her head in confusion and admiration. She admitted that she's not that powerful per se but the better explanation would be that Natsume was very much naive and did not explore that much with her own powers other than appearance hax and shapeshifting.

For the Queen Witch, she found it very poor and insulting if they were back in the Age of Gods.

Circe tried to look at Natsume's teary eyes and she just looked away in shame. "I've never encountered anyone who was fully conscious of their appearance that much until now..." she remarked.

"So what? Go on, laugh at me, onee-san! I'm so ugly after all!" Natsume bite back.

"What's with this fiery attitude that is sorely wasted? I did not even comment on what you look like… In fact, you are just as beautiful as the others." Circe honestly stated.

"..."

Natsume did not even utter any words anymore. Eventually, Circe lowered her down to the ground and Natsume stumbled a little but held her ground.

Still, Natsume wouldn't look at Circe and definitely she didn't even bother thinking about escaping from her. Why bother escaping from someone who is superior in wielding their Spirit abilities?

Circe then looked at Natsume with a curious expression, she could feel the loathing that was emanating from this child, moreso directed at her own self. If Berserker was here instead of her, she would have diagnosed it as a sickness and must have suggested opening up her head literally.

Circe just shocked her head, perishing those stupid thoughts. Of course, Nightingale's method wouldn't escalate from those gruesome procedures with any ounce of reason.

But on the other hand, she's a Berserker and naturally insane.

Natsume, on the other hand, was in a plethora of emotions; stubbornly believed herself that she's more ugly than usual in this form, Seething because apparently she lost on some kind of stand off with Circe and self-doubt because of Circe's last words.

"Just curious… Where do you live?" Circe once again asked.

"..." It took a full minute of scoffing, rolling eyes and defeated sighs before Natsume answered. Thankfully, Circe was someone who had sufficient patience.

"Anywhere." She promptly said, unsure hints in her voice. Circe just blinked twice and thought for a moment.

Then she offered a hand toward the girl. Natsume just looked at her arm and then up to her face with confusion. "What's with the hand?" She asked carefully with scrunched eyebrows. As try-hard as Natsume to make herself look distasteful, Circe ignored all of it.

"Why not come over to our house?"

"Huh?" Disbelief was written all over Natsume's face.

"Maybe you will like it… I think." Circe assured her.

Natsume scratched her head in exasperation. The thought that someone would actually invite someone worthless to their own house was something she didn't expect, let alone one of the first things that something positive happened to her even though she is not using glamour. She felt her head was going to explode.

Before she could contemplate any further, Circe already dragged her to somewhere while Natsume was still overthinking and exhausting her own mind literally.

Even though Natsume knew Circe just recently, she found herself grasping for Circe's clothes behind as she pushed herself into the Caster further, intriguing the latter. Why? Because they have already arrived at the mansion where Ritsuka now lived.

The Last of Master of Humanity just blinked as she saw Circe having a visitor, Mashu too joined at the side of Ritsuka with Fou in her arms being carried as she wondered who is the child that Caster has brought. As if it is not enough, Jack was also looking intently at Natsume as if she was some kind of competition. It also did not help that Scathach was looking at the girl intently, but for poor Natsume, even deliberately ignoring the Lancer's gaze, she could feel her glare shooting straight to her own soul.

All of these were enough reasons to make Natsume frightened enough to rely on a single individual whom she barely interacted with in the beginning. She felt crying again but knew that she needed to face these new individuals without relying on her disguise.

Honestly, she just felt stupid reacting like this but she can't help it. She believed she's so pathetic after all that they would be totally disgusted with her behavior. In her self-loathing she didn't notice that Ritsuka already creeped up beside her, observing her with her intense sight.

"Hueee?!" Natsume was promptly shocked by her sneakiness, to the point she stumbled away. Is Ritsuka's face scary enough for her? Quick as a fox, she reoriented herself and latched upon Circe's legs once more.

"She sure is very shy..." Ritsuka remarked and then she softened her facial expression. She tilted her head as she examined Natsume's terrified face. Trying to make herself friendly enough, Ritsuka challenged herself to poke the cute girl's cheeks.

But Alas, Natsume was just a bit too shy and scared that she reactively stretched her arm toward the Last Master of Chaldea and released a beam of instinct. It did not help that both of them were in a point blank range.

There was a bright light that surrounded them then a couple of gasps and unbelief.

Natsume felt her blood run cold at the scene she just caused. She morphed Ritsuka into a literal child by accident! Surely, they would kill her on the spot. The only thing that was stopping her from escaping was that her legs refused to move due to being terrified of everything. She only kept closing her eyes and could only mutter desperate apologies to herself. She wondered why no one had laid a hand on her yet at this moment.

Meanwhile, Ritsuka was just as surprised as the rest of the Servants, seeing herself in a diminutive form and her clothes scattered below and she herself barely clothed right now. Mashu, being the one who panicked at the first sight, quickly threw her coat toward child-Ritsuka. All of them weren't able to act on the spot due to how fast it just happened and now there was only a series of confusing adoration.

Ritsuka herself wasn't affected as much, and only confirmed that she was turned into a child because her clothes became too big and her hands were now small. "Interesting… I think?" Was all the Last Master of Chaldea managed to utter with her now a child voice.

Then a holler of cheers erupted around them. Natsume was just too dumbfounded to realize the situation, as she expected that they were to inflict heavy hands upon her ass.

Just why? Why can't she predict their behavior?

The next thing she knew was she was now inside their house sitting on the sofa, contemplating everything to the point she forgot the reason why she was now inside the house in the first place and when she looked up Ritsuka turned back to normal already.

Smirking as if she can read her mind, Ritsuka began explaining. "Magic Resistance… and also dear Caster dispelled it for me." she said as she pointed at Circe who happily made her presence known by flaring her pair of wings.

Natsume could only gawk at them.

*crunch* *crunch*

Natsume looked at her side and saw Jackie happily munching on some chips, while maintaining a creepy eye contact with her. She was not blinking since Natsume noticed her beside her. Jackie ceased gnashing her snack and offered the chips.

"hmm…?" Jackie tilted her head in curiosity while Natsume turned down the snacks, not that it prevented her from having chips clasped in her hand without her knowledge. What is tarnation…

"Hey… this is perfect! Mashu just recently prepared lasagna for our meal!" Ritsuka pointed out with a bright smile.

Naturally, Mashu was embarrassed being the center of the shoutout. "S-Senpai!" Her cheeks were now red as beet. Ritsuka only gave her a giggle as Mashu confronted her.

This is the first time Mashu baked a lasagna for Ritsuka as well as for everyone and she hasn't the confidence in its taste, even though she took some pointers back from Chaldea with EMIYA, Boudica and Cat.

Nevertheless, Mashu was happy deep inside that Ritsuka acknowledged her no nonsense cooking. Natsume could only gawk in wonder, seeing how it became too random right now and having no sense. Can she still act here like a regular human being?

Then she felt disappointment, she bet that whether she refused or not, Circe would gladly urge her to join them eating together, seeing that the lasagna that Mashu cooked is enough for all of them… not that she hates this unexpectation.

It was now midnight and the mansion was quieter than usual. Despite the Servants needing no sleep, a good ol' rest doesn't hurt anyone. It seemed that Natsume forgot the passage of time while she was in the mansion.

She really did forget the time when she was actually enjoying it to the point she felt a little guilty after. Did she deserve all of this? Right now, she was on the roof, looking up at the sky and counting the stars for some reason. She was now wearing sleepwear borrowed from Jackie, who happily obliged and was firmly insistent. Also, her unkempt hair were fixed into braids courtesy of Mashu and Ritsuka; not even satisfied, they put her hair assortments of flowers and accessories.

She knew that she could freely get out of the mansion as much as she wanted to but something made her hesitant. She just sighed as she kept on contemplating trivial feelings in her chest.

"Couldn't sleep?" A familiar voice piqued her attention and knew it was Circe. Caster then floated toward her and sat beside her as she was carrying two mugs of hot cocoa. "Or should I say you don't need it now since your powers provide the sustenance you need..."

Natsume just looked at her with a confused expression and then continued looking up at the sky. "Shouldn't you already know what we are? I mean we're the same Spirits after all…" She assumed.

Circe just scoffed at her retort as she placed one of the mugs to Natsume, which she gladly accepted. Then Caster placed then looked up at the sky and wondered too.

"What if I told you that we are not of this world?" Circe started. There's a minute of silence before Natsume stared at her face with a smug grin.

"Of course, duh… we can literally travel from a different dimension… so of course, we could say we are 'not' from this world." She retorted as she sipped a little from her mug as she cupped it.

Circe then scratched her head for a moment then started an explanation, contemplating whether explaining it to Natsume would be worth it or not. Ritsuka already greenlighted her decision in a heartbeat in telling the truth.

"So they can travel between dimensions huh?" She whispered to herself, another fact attributed to these Spirits. Maybe, travelling between dimensions causes a spacequake after all.

Natsume just gave her a stink eye. "What did you say?" She suspected that Circe had been mumbling to herself.

"Oh it's nothing..." Circe waved her off as she also sipped on her mug and continued looking above the sky. It was interesting at least.

After several minutes of sky-gazing, Natsume then glanced toward Circe several times, up to the night sky and then to her face, trying to poke her attention once more. It was strange because Natsume was being shy this time.

Circe just sighed, as if she figured something out of the Spirit. "You know you can leave anytime you want… I didn't say anything about keeping you in the mansion."

Natsume was just as shocked as she was. "R-Really? I thought-"

"You can return as much as you want to, we would always welcome you anytime anywhere..." She cut her off, relieving her of the worries Natsume thought of.

Natsume didn't utter any word anymore and then just looked at her mug, and she immediately dipped it into her mouth, finishing it before returning her gaze back to Circe. Natsume gently placed the empty mug on the roof before she gently floated down the ground.

Circe only looked at her with amusement as they both stared at each other.

"Guess this would be a goodbye then..." Natsume said to herself, enough for Circe to hear it. Caster meanwhile just waved her goodbye.

"Don't worry, I'll tell them that you are leaving tonight... Circe assured her, which made Natsume smile genuinely.

Eventually, Natsume left on her own, disappearing as she reached the gate and erasing her existence as well. Circe was sure of that as she checked the surroundings.

She just smiled to herself. Deep down, that Spirit was deep in trouble, mentally and spiritually speaking to the point acquaintances might be enough to suffice her loneliness. As a Caster who was used to trickery and exploiting, it was unusual for her to act like this but nevertheless, she learned many things at their personal encounter, one that could possibly help her Master. She frowned this time as she was deep in thoughts.

That dreadful [Phantom] targets these troubled individuals for a chance of power. She knew this because of her Master's experience being given a Spirit core as what she dubbed. She was sure of it, as if [Phantom] was acting as a Demon of the crossroads but an exchange for what? There is no doubt that Natsume, as well as all of the Former Spirits that Shidou captured, were former humans. True enough, this is still a proven hypothesis in a field of enigma. All in all, that still would lead her to a single question.

What was [Phantom]'s endgame? What was she trying to achieve?

Her face scrunched in disgust and then slowly turned into a sadistic grin as she approached a container hidden beneath the island, which she had arrived just recently. The name of the company doesn't matter for her anymore as she slew the one who guards this place left and right.

The blood on her hands doesn't matter as long as she can achieve her vengeance, The end justifies the means… or whatever that quote is. What mattered is that she is now in the possession of one of the fortified secrets of the DEM.

Her blood soaked finger stained its metal plating as she mockingly drew onto it and then occasionally tapped on it as if she was expecting that thing to wake up that easily.

…

…

Wakey-wakey or not, comatosed or pretending to sleep, it doesn't matter for her anymore. Wescott might have used this thing selfishly one way or another in order to benefit him but for her it will serve her another purpose.

She was cackling in madness to herself as she tried to hold herself from shutting it down...No! The pleasure it will deliver as it inflicts misery onto her enemies was a greater boon... not this meaningless slaughter… Oh, the hypocrisy she has told to herself.

…

She believed that the power that was given to her wasn't enough! She must make sure that she could leave them in desolation whether she lived through it or not..

…

…

'My beloved Wescott, wait for me any longer as I will give them the torment they deserved!'

Kurumi landed just that recently on the island that her information referred to. She felt the uneasiness as her boots touched the ground. She immediately readied her flintlock and musket in instinct. Something must have happened here before she could arrive as the destruction was beheld before her.

Not one Wizard or Bandersnatched greeted her but instead dead bodies and wreckage welcomed her senses in full. Their base was an absolute wreck and she was certain this would head into international news one way or another.

Her aim here right now was to search for the location of the second Spirit, which pointed her right here in this island and now she wasn't sure if she managed to escape, died or a combination of both. Nevertheless, she must absolutely make sure if she can find something-

~!

She was suddenly assaulted with dread as she felt goosebumps all over the body. She looked around, trying to tie the location of that worst feeling. This is no doubt an aura of a Spirit, maybe a worse one. Kurumi's eyebrow scrunched in frustration. What was happening? That intense bloodlust can make everyone faint within a radius. Thankfully, she was considered an eccentric Spirit, enough to withstood it fullblast.

Is it the Second Spirit she was searching for? She doesn't know for sure. She now felt uneasiness as the time ticked every second. Kurumi was fully prepared by the notion that the Second Spirit might be hostile and that the destruction was her proof of awakening.

~!

Another wave and then she felt the thrill of the moment as she swirled around toward the concentrated location, her dress flaring in enthusiasm. Without any hesitation, she fired immediately.

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

God forbid that she might miss her shot. Kurumi could only gritted in frustration as her bullets wrung empty.

*-SLASH-*

Kurumi could sense the whole world rotate before her and her sense of touch abandoned her at that deafening wave. Then her head bumps down the ground, glancing toward a headless body, her own body still using the weapon which was aimed at the presumed suspect of this madness. Immediately, her separated body fell down with a thud.

That's the time that the realization hits her… but it doesn't matter for Kurumi. She smiled, she just goddamned grinned at her own creeping death, with her teeth stained with her own blood. She felt the whole word slowed down as life was rapidly taken from her.

One last turn from the momentum before the void could swallow her, Kurumi has the chance to see the perpetrator, the face of the murderer that would be etched into her dying mind.

Would she have the chance to see this malevolent Spirit? Could it be the Second Spirit? No one knows.

Her dancing iris was set toward a certain individual, reeked of the aura of a Spirit, only that it was a sickening one.

A maddening grin greeted her dying wake and she immediately recognized who it was.

Ellen Mira Mathers, the self-proclaimed world's strongest wizard, who vowed to slay the source of the spacequakes, that is Spirits, was now one of the Spirits, a rather horrible combination. That damn Wizard-Spirit observed her being absorbed into the ground with a maddening scrutiny.

All Kurumi could do now in her dying state was to laugh at this developing misery as she finally laid to rest within the heart of the void, only that she had now strength to move her muscles at all.

Finally, all that was left of Kurumi were being absorbed into the darkness. Ellen could have done something about [Nightmare] but nevertheless, what's done was now already done… She has more important duties to attend to, rather than meaninglessly chasing that impossible Spirit that could easily slip into shadows.

Kurumi was not pleased as she was assaulted by one of her clone's memories. Sure, she might have experienced a thousand deaths that could possibly chip away her sanity completely but this one takes the cake. Whether she likes it or not, this is also one of the ways to gather information.

She had failed locating the Second Spirit and by the looks of it, Ellen was definitely not the one.

She was concerned about what that Wizard was doing. DEM was no doubt already collapsed during Wescott's fall already and she doesn't know whether the Ratatoskr got the news or not.

…

…

…

She was now obligated to warn Ritsuka, whether she likes it or not. She could feel that this could be a developing disaster that would involve her as well as the Ratatoskr organization itself.