Warning, the story will be up to date with the events of Fate: Grand Order, so there will be spoilers, although nothing too heavy in terms of amount of text, nor will I demand that someone read all of Fate to understand what happens, facts or characters from singularities, lostbelts, events and interludes may be mentioned.
The copyrights of Fate: Grand Order and Re:zero belong to Typemoon and Tappei Nagatsuki respectively.
Thank you for your time and I hope you like it.
"... Aruji... sama?"
He was there. Without any injuries, his voice reaching out to her with concern.
Relief almost brought tears to Ranmaru's eyes.
"What's wrong? Ranmaru, you spaced out of nowhere."
Before he could insist further, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shirt. As if trying to make sure he was there.
"... Ranmaru?"
Ritsuka found himself very confused by the situation. But the simple fact that she was hugging him so tightly filled him with more worry.
What was going on here?
"Hey, if you guys are going to get intimate let it not be in front of my post, if you're going to act weird I don't want anyone to associate me with you."
Hearing a vaguely familiar voice, Ranmaru looked up from his lord's jacket, finally noticing his surroundings and where he was.
Stone streets and buildings with a clear ancient design, a population that wore ancient dress and clothing with people who had hair colors ranging from brown and blonde, to colors like blue and green.
Clearly non-human features and characteristics of various people, such as cat ears, scaly skin, among other things.
Wooden carts covered with cloth roofs to keep out the sun pulled by creatures that looked like giant lizards.
It was daytime. She was in a street full of stalls selling different objects. Next to her and her lord, there was one particular stall where there was a burly man with a scar on his face and a displeased expression.
She remembered him, he was the vendor and father of the girl her lord helped. And just like the first time they said goodbye to him, he looked grumpy in her and her lord's presence.
As she watched her lord walk away from her to speak to the stall owner, she caught a glimpse of the back of her lord's right hand.
Why was her lord uninjured and with all his command spells in his hand?
Why was her contract with him broken once again?
Why were she and lord back in this place?
With those questions and the situation before her, Ranmaru couldn't help but come to a logical conclusion, even if that conclusion was inconceivable.
But, first, she had to put it to the test.
"I'm sorry, but could you please-"
"Aruji-sama!"
Upon being called out by the Avenger-class servant, Ritsuka turned to her, immediately noticing how her expression, instead of the almost tearful one like a moment ago, was quite serious.
"We need to talk in private."
Ritsuka looked quizzically for a moment at Ranmaru, before nodding and turning to the stall owner once more.
"I'm sorry for the trouble caused."
The man at the apology only snorted and folded his arms.
"Do whatever you want, but don't do it around here."
With that, Ritsuka looked around before finding an alley not too far the way they had come.
"Let's go that way."
"Understood, Aruji-sama."
They walked through the people and bustle until they reached the entrance to the alley. Once they entered the alley, Ranmaru could tell it wasn't the same one she' d been in before. That reminded her of something that caused her another doubt to consider, but that would have to wait.
"Is this okay?"
"Yes, this is enough, Aruji-sama."
They had already moved far enough away from the noise and bustle of the main street to not be heard. Her lord looked very worried about her.
"Okay, now tell me, what's wrong, why are you acting so strange?"
"Aruji-sama... Your contract with other servants in Novum Chaldea, your contract with me... are broken, right?"
Ranmaru immediately noticed the surprise on her lord's face at the mention of the contracts, not hers, but of the rest of Heroic spirits in Chaldea, since there should be no way she should have guessed.
"... How?"
"Please... Answer me."
At her request, Ritsuka changed her confused expression to a more serious one and answered.
"... Yes, ever since we showed up here."
"In your pockets do you have six gems, one of them blue, and a pair of glasses?"
"... Yes."
"Last question."
"Aruji-sama... do you know a girl with silver hair and violet eyes around here?"
Ranmaru assessed his lord's every move to see his reaction as soon as he mentioned the girl.
The only thing he physically expressed was confusion.
"... No."
"... I see."
Talking to her lord, Ranmaru knew that her theory was not wrong, at least not entirely.
She had somehow returned to the past, or her memories had returned to the past, one could not know exactly, but it was a fact that she remembered things that had not yet happened.
But, why had such a thing happened? What could have caused such an event to happen?
"Ranmaru..."
When she turned to look at her lord, she beheld how once again his face was filled with concern, looking at her assertively.
"... How do you know all this, and who is this girl you told me about?"
"I don't know why... but I remember it clearly."
At that question, all she could do for her lord, was to tell him what she knew.
"After talking to the stall owner, we went into an alley to talk privately. It was you who told me about your contracts."
"Me?"
Her lord's confusion expressed in her words only further confirmed the fact that he remembered no such thing.
And that he probably didn't remember what came after that either.
"Yes, after that, they tried to mug us, a blonde girl ran through the alley in a hurry. After that we met the silver-haired girl with a white cloak."
Ranmaru noticed how her lord now only paid attention to what she was telling, he no longer looked surprised or confused, he was just attentive to everything she said.
"There was a confusion, and she thought it was us trying to steal, after clearing up the misunderstanding it turned out that she had been robbed, probably by the blonde girl who had passed by earlier."
She was trying to tell that which was most relevant, passing on the details.
"Aruji-sama decided to help the girl get back what had been stolen, and Ranmaru agreed. We spent the rest of the day looking for hints from the thief until we went to the slums... to the Stolen Goods Warehouse..."
Ritsuka noticed how she pronounced said place, as if she had a hard time talking about it.
"Aruji-sama asked Ranmaru to go first and guard the place... When Aruji-sama and the girl arrived, they both entered the place... and after a while Aruji-sama called Ranmaru with a Command spell."
She noticed how her lord tightly clenched his right hand, where his Command spells were, as if anticipating what she might say.
"... When I entered, there was a corpse that had been there for a while already, the girl Aruji-sama tried to help had died..."
She tried to finish speaking, what such a memory, that the image of her lord on the verge of death would not be etched in her sight and make her lose her temper.
Taking a breath of air, she looked her lord in the eyes and tried to speak.
"... And Aruji-sama-"
She could not.
A great discomfort came over her. Before she could even realize it, everything was silent. Absolute silence, both her words, her movements, the bustle of the main street.
Followed were the movements, every movement of her and everything around her, from her lord to the cat at the back of the alley. The whole world began to slow down to the point where nothing was capable of even the slightest movement.
The world, time itself had stopped, along with her lord, who was like a statue that would never move. Just like her.
Unable to blink, unable to try to help her lord, and barely able to process what was happening, Ranmaru became aware of a disturbing fact.
A black cloud began to cover Ranmaru's field of vision.
Breaking the image of a world unable to move, that black cloud moved, twisting, shaping its mass with the centimeter that approached it.
Until finally the mass reached a shape recognizable to Ranmaru.
A hand, with five perfectly humanoid fingers, an exterminated one that extended to the forearm where it connected with the rest of the formless black cloud.
As the hand began to move towards her, she began to fret greatly, more so when the hand finally stood before her destination...
Ranmaru shuddered as she felt the hand penetrate her chest. The feeling of the fingers moving against her internal organs, touching her rib cage...
The pain in discomfort was great, but not as great as the sharp pain Ranmaru went through after that.
Having her heart squeezed mercilessly, she felt as if her very soul was being crushed.
Ranmaru was sure that if that hand exerted a little more force, her Sainth Graph could be destroyed, and with it her very existence.
She could not scream, nor call for help, only wait as her existence lay in the palm of the black hand...
"Ranmaru."
"..."
A voice of endearment broke the silence of the world and called out to her.
She could barely regain her senses when she noticed the warmth surrounding her. Her lord was embracing her gently, with great care and firmness at the same time.
"Aruji-sama... I-"
"It's okay... it's okay."
"... Aruji-sama?"
"You don't have to force yourself to say it."
Only when she closed her eyes and took a deep breath could she finally understand what had happened...
She couldn't say it... she couldn't tell her lord about her death at the hands of that woman in black... no, any more than she couldn't, something prevented it, threatening her very existence...
And somehow... her lord had understood.
Not the event that had just happened, but what she had tried to say. He probably deduced it from what she had said earlier, and interpreted her behavior and silence as inability to say it in the face of the horror of that memory.
But there was something important she had to know.
"Aruji-sama... you-"
"Hey, you two lovebirds!"
A voice called out to the two from the entrance of the alley, causing them to separate.
"Spread out slowly, Just give us everything you have and no one will get hurt."
"Ranmaru, is this...?"
"Yes, but there's something wrong."
They were the same three thugs from the previous occasion, their clothes and smug expressions were the same. But that wasn't what was most relevant.
She knew that the alley they were in was not the same as the previous occasion from the instant they started walking down it, they were in opposite directions from where they went before, she had even confirmed as they entered through the alley that it was not the same.
So there was only one possible way for this encounter to happen again.
"You guys... have you been following us?"
Ranmaru noticed the slight movement of their bodies denoting their surprise at being noticed.
Sure enough, before the second thug, the one who should be carrying a knife with him, pulled himself together and trying to look intimidating again, with the others following suit.
"So what, if that's the case, there's no way you guys are getting out of this."
"Yeah, there's three of us, and you're just an outsider and a delicate girl."
"Right, you'd better give up."
"I see, that makes such an offense worse than I imagined."
The second thug couldn't react, the moment Ranmaru kicked him right in the stomach, pushing him to the ground as he almost vomited from the pain.
"You-you!-"
The smaller one took a direct blow to the face that pushed him into the alley wall, ending up lying on the wall almost unconscious, dazed from the blow and with a bloody nose.
"Damn!"
The biggest and beefiest of the thugs pulled out of tried to grab the girl the moment she turned her back on him.
However, Ranmaru, with a quick move, dodged his lunge and grabbed his head, using the same force of his lunge to slam her head into the ground. If she had applied her own force she would have surely broken her skull when she hit the ground.
Just like the previous time, the outcome of the encounter had been decided in an instant, being completely one-sided.
The thugs were barely able to defend themselves and were now lying on the ground
"This Ranmaru's appearance is solely for the sake of Ranmaru's Aruji-sama, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't mention it so casually..."
Standing over the large thug, she noticed that in one of his hands he was reaching for a crude hand axe. She didn't remember any of them having that axe with them before, they probably wouldn't have a chance to try to use it.
"... At the same time as Ranmaru's swords."
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The thug let out a cry of pain that echoed throughout the alley as Ranmaru crushed his palm, employing his Fudou Yukimitsu Saber within its sheath to exert pressure, though not enough to break his hand.
"I'm sorry, please mercy!"
The smaller thug had started begging for mercy for them as he tried to stop his nose from bleeding further.
But to Ranmaru it was an unnecessary act. This only happened as a means of getting them to back off and get the hell out, she would not let her feelings get in the way and do anything more to them than they deserved.
Thus, she moved her holstered Tanto away from the thug's hand on the ground and placed it on her hip, as she would normally do.
"Aruji-sama wouldn't be happy if I did something to you, so I'll let you go."
"Really!?"
With that, Ranmaru started walking back towards her lord, away from the thugs.
While the bloody-nosed thug was happy about this, there was someone who wasn't.
"Like I'm going to leave him like this!"
The thug that Ranmaru had kicked in the stomach had stood up and pulled out his knife, impaling it in the direction of the avenger-class servant.
"Do you still intend to fight?"
Ranmaru didn't mind continuing, if it was self-defense, her lord would understand if she knocked the thug unconscious.
The little thug got up from his place, walking away from the wall, trying to talk to the knife wielding thug.
"Hey, leave it!, we don't need any more trouble!"
"I refuse!, not until I make beg that bitch!"
Ranmaru watched as the thug was almost shaking from anger, and maybe a little from the pain from the kick in the stomach. He was so irate that he didn't even want to contemplate losing to her, even if his little friend with the bloody nose warned him.
Also, the thug who was on the ground earlier began to get up while holding his sore hand.
At the clear tension in the alley, she simply placed her hand on the grip of her Tanto, ready to end this situation once and for all.
"That's enough."
A voice with a gallant and unhesitating tone suddenly broke the tension in the alley. Everyone present turned their attention to the entrance of the alley. In front of them stood a young man.
He was thin and tall, with flaming red hair and bright blue eyes. He was wearing well-made black clothing, around his waist he also carried a knight's sword, which endowed him with an inordinately intimidating air.
"No matter what the circumstances, I will not allow such violence to be perpetrated on either side."
The faces of the thugs turned pale, and with quivering lips they pointed to the young man.
"That red hair and blue eyes!"
"A sword sheath with dragon claw engraving... it can't be!"
"You are... Master Swordsman Reinhard!?"
Neither Ranmaru, nor Ritsuka knew such a name, but they could understand that he must be someone of great prominence around here to cause such disbelief in the thugs.
"Well, I guess I don't have to waste time introducing myself... though I have no affection for that title everyone gives me. It's still too heavy for me."
The man named Reinhard muttered, with a tinge of self-deprecation in his voice. But the light in his eyes was unwavering.
"I can imagine the reason for this situation."
Saying that, he gave a glance towards Ranmaru and Ritsuka at the back of the alley, before looking back towards the thugs.
The thugs were clearly tense at the young man's presence. They looked at each other as if trying to determine the best time to escape.
"I'll let you know if you plan to escape, I'll let you go this time. Just head for the main street. However, if you plan to be foolish, you'll have to face me."
Reinhard put his hand on the hilt of his sword, facing the three thugs.
Their reaction was immediate.
Forgetting to even conceal their weapons, they ran outward toward the main street, running past the red-haired boy and then trying to put as much distance as possible between him and them. Unlike the previous time, neither of them hurled any insults as they ran.
As the tension of the previous situation faded, Ranmaru released her tanto's grip and noticed that her lord had approached to speak to the young swordsman.
"Thank you for intervening, you helped us a lot with that."
"You give me too much credit."
The young man shook his head, rejecting Ritsuka's words, released the grip of his sword and gallantly faced Ranmaru and Ritsuka.
"You guys already had the situation almost under control, I only made you lose your numerical advantage, which made you very unsure of yourselves. It would have been different if it had been nothing else but me."
Listening to him speak with such modesty, Ritsuka was honest with what he thought of the situation.
"From the way they reacted, it didn't seem to be the case."
"Yes, Aruji-sama is right. Your presence had a very strong effect on them."
"In any case, thank you for everything... Reinhard?"
"Yes, and your names are?"
"I am Fujimaru Ritsuka, and she is Mysterious Ranmaru X, though you may call her Ranmaru."
"It's a pleasure, Ritsuka, Ranmaru."
Reinhard bowed in a graceful or gentlemanly manner, almost as if he were a servant class saber, like several of those she met in Chaldea in Ranmaru's eyes.
But there was something that bothered her a bit.
"Isn't it a bit disrespectful to speak so familiarly to my Aruji-sama?"
Reinhard looked a little surprised by the girl's reaction to him.
"You think, maybe, I should address you differently?"
"Don't worry about that Ranmaru, I'm not much for formalities either. You can call me Ritsuka, and I can call you Reinhard. "
Ritsuka, on the other hand, rejected the apology and looked at Reinhard with a smile, extending her hand. Which Reinhard shook.
"I'm glad for that, Ritsuka."
Ranmaru, however, sighed at this.
"That's how Aruji-sama is."
She understood how her lord behaved, but she wanted him to be given the respect he deserved.
"On another topic, Ritsuka, Ranmaru. While you handled the situation well, the right thing to do would have been to call the guards. I came because of the scream I heard, but if they had called the guards, I would have come anyway."
Ritsuka laughed a little at being slightly reprimanded for what happened, however, there was something that struck him from Reinhard's words.
"Reinhard, are you a guard?"
Reinhard smiled at the question.
"I understand your confusion, after all I'm not on duty today, so I'm not wearing my uniform. Even I know I lack the sternness of an authority figure."
"Don't worry about it, besides, you came to help on your day off, sorry for the inconvenience."
Ranmaru also had a question for the red haired young man, it was a doubt she'd had for a while now.
"Reinhard-sama, they called you master swordsman, what does that title mean?"
"You see, my family's position is quite special, so you could say it's the expectations on my shoulders. Every day is a battle."
Reinhard smiled, shrugging his shoulders. Before speaking again.
"By the way, your appearance and names are quite unusual, where are you from and what brings you by Lugunica?"
Ritsuka looked for a moment at Ranmaru before answering.
"Well... that's a bit of a tricky question to answer... but you could say that we're here just passing through, and a bit by chance."
His answer was quite similar to the one he had given earlier, from what Ranmaru remembered, vague and without saying anything too critical that would put them in a complicated situation.
Reinhard, on the other hand, put his hand to his chin, probably pondering Ritsuka's response.
"Well, it seems to be true that you are not from the capital. However, you have a reason to be in the capital, right?. Right now it's not a peaceful place as usual. Regardless of why they're here, I'd like to help."
"Aruji-sama?"
Ranmaru noticed how her lord seemed to ponder for a moment as well. He gave Ranmaru one more glance before turning to Reinhard.
"Reinhard, could I ask you a question?"
Ranmaru upon hearing that, thought that his lord would probably try to have him gather information, since on this occasion he was unable to do so with the owner of that stall.
"Sure, I'm not a very knowledgeable individual, but, as long as it's within my knowledge, I will answer honestly."
"Thank you, have you seen a silver-haired girl with a white cloak?"
At the mere mention of such a person, Ranmaru could not hide the surprise on his face.
"A white cloak and silver hair?..."
"Aruji-sama... that-"
"What do you plan to do upon finding her?"
Ranmaru watched his lord's face, trying to decipher his intentions. He only smiled before speaking.
"As far as I know, she had something taken from her, so I plan to help her get it back. Right, Ranmaru?"
"Y-yes, Aruji-sama."
Reinhard narrowed his eyes at their response, then thought for a moment before answering.
"Unfortunately, I can't say I've seen her, anyway, I wouldn't mind helping you find her."
"Relax, you don't have to go that far for me on your day off... But if you could do me a favor?"
"What's that?"
"If you were to find her, could you tell her to be careful if she goes to the slums..., especially The Stolen Goods Warehouse, I hear over there it's a pretty dangerous place."
"The Stolen Goods Warehouse... Understood, I'll deliver the message if I find her."
"Well, let's go, Ranmaru."
"A-Aruji-sama."
"You're leaving already?"
"Yes, thank you for helping my Aruji-sama."
"We owe you a big favor Reinhard, is there any way we can repay you later?"
"You give me too much credit, but, you can ask the other guards for me, they will surely be of help to you. I would like to see them again."
"Take care of yourself, Reinhard."
Thus, Ritsuka walked out of the alley towards the main street, with Ranmaru following in his footsteps.
"... Aruji-sama! Wait!"
"Yes, Ranmaru?"
They had walked just a few minutes through the streets since they had walked away from that alley. Neither had spoken until now, either due to finding it difficult to do so or that there were too many people around.
That was why Ranmaru accosted her lord in this particular area, a street not too busy, with few people around.
She had to know.
"... Why do you wish to go to The Stolen Goods Warehouse?..."
... A dangerous place.
"... Why do you wish to help the silver-haired girl?..."
... A dangerous mission.
"... Why do you believe Ranmaru's words?... words about a day that Aruji-sama has not lived..."
... Dubious information... even she couldn't say she would believe her words if she wasn't the one who remembered that day.
Her lord looked at her for a moment before sighing and sitting down under a tree by the side of the road. She sat down next to him without his asking, waiting patiently for his response.
"Ranmaru, how much do you know about Chaldea?"
Ranmaru was curious about the question, but from her lord's serious tone, she took the question seriously and answered.
"It is an organization that aims to watch over and preserve the human order, as well as its future and Proper human History."
"And what do you know about the cases Chaldea has dealt with so far?"
"This Ranmaru could only read the files about the Grand Order that Da Vinci-sama gave access to, and hear stories from other servants like Nobunaga-sama, Aruji-sama."
"Well, you've only been with us for a few weeks, it's reasonable that you don't know about that."
"Know about what, Aruji-sama?
"You asked me why I believe in you... truth be told, something similar has already happened to me."
"Something... Similar?"
At her confusion, he turned to look at her with a slightly nostalgic smile.
"There was, on one occasion, a certain pseudo-singularity that I was sent to solve. It all started with a strange call for help from an outside facility but related to Chaldea. So, a Rayshift was prepared, and I headed there with three servants. But... it all went wrong from the start."
Ranmaru listened attentively to her lord's story, at the same time trying to visualize the situation he had been in.
"The Rayshift was manipulated externally, I was separated from the others and arrived in what was a cybernetic space that simulated a great war for the holy grail. There I encountered Suzuka Gozen, a heroic saber-class spirit who immediately tried to kill me. Obviously, alone and without a servant, I should have died there... But, suddenly someone appeared to help me..."
The smile on Ritsuka's face changed from wistful to one full of affection.
"An elegant that girl, who used only her legs to fight beautifully... come to think of it, she looked like a swan even back then. She stood in front of me and offered for us to make a temporary contract."
He let out a soft laugh as if that situation had been something comical to laugh about, even though he didn't mention it. Or perhaps, it was just to make it easier to talk about it, Ranmaru couldn't say for sure.
"Despite forming a contract at the time and trusting her, there was one question I kept with me ever since I met her. As we gathered allies, as we discovered more truths about the place, as we rested, as we advanced further... I never stopped wondering, Why did she decide to help me..., despite wanting to avoid humans... despite it not being her responsibility..."
Ranmaru noticed the melancholy in her lord's words.
"It wasn't until later that I learned the truth. She was from the future."
Ritsuka smiled at her surprised face.
"I was supposed to die within a couple of days after arriving at the place, but she managed to return to the past within that cybernetic space, until the day we would meet... She tried to save me... to be by my side, even if her arms were broken... even if her sainth graph was severely damaged... even if every second she lost her strength... All just to see me once more..."
She could only think of those words... the story of a doll falling in love with a human.
"Aruji-sama... What happened to her?..."
"She saved my life and thanks to her the singularity was solved-"
"That's not what I mean, Aruji-sama! What happened to her!?"
"... Due to the damage she had, there was no way to help her. She died and allowed herself to be registered in the Throne of heroes to be summoned later, though she would not keep her memories."
"... And you're okay with that?... Aruji-sama."
"... It's okay, I'm very grateful to her for what happened, but I wasn't the one she did all that for."
Seeing the confusion on Ranmaru's face, he went on to explain.
"Even if she helped me by doing it, she was just chasing after a ghost she loved deeply... Someone her heart was connected to all that time, even if they parted ways long ago..."
Despite the melancholy that her lord's words carried, Ranmaru at no time heard sadness in his words. Even with all that had happened, he had managed not only to accept the reality of that situation, but also that of his own position within that story as a third party, even if they were the same person.
For Ranmaru, it was too bittersweet an ending for such a story, not only for her lord, but also for that girl.
"But we digressed from the point, as you can see, I'm not entirely skeptical of that kind of possibility, although the situation is quite different, and we need to find the reason why that happened. Besides..."
"Uh?"
"Even without all that, if you tell me someone might die I don't think I can ignore it."
Saying that with a smile, Ranmaru let a smile grow as well. She could tell that she deeply loved her lord's kindness... but it was that very kindness that had put him in that situation.
"But..."
Ritsuka noticing the doubt on Ranmaru's face, stood up from the ground and removed the gauntlet from his right hand.
"If you think it could be dangerous, then be sure to protect me."
As he finished speaking, he extended his ungloved hand towards her, which she reciprocated by shaking it and standing up.
"I'm counting on you, Ranmaru."
"Yes, Aruji-sama, this Ranmaru will protect you, no matter what."
With a smile on both of their faces, their contract as master and servant had been reinstated.
"Okay, how about you tell me more about what happened as we go to the Stolen Goods Warehouse?"
Putting back on his gauntlet, Ritsuka took the initiative to talk about that day he didn't live through.
"Yes, Ranmaru will tell you everything in great detail."
Thus, with Ranmaru leading the way, she and her lord headed for the slums.
"So the spirit, Puck, accompanying the girl was only able to be with her until not long after dark?"
"Yes, it seems that spirits take more effort to materialize in this world than in ours, however, it may be more due to their contract and the terms of it with the girl."
"Umm, we will need more information to be able to make a general comparison."
"Yes."
They had spent about an hour and a half walking on the way to the warehouse. They could have done it in less time, but between the fact that Ranmaru didn't remember the way perfectly and that they were walking with little haste, so they could talk, that was the pace they were moving at. It was still supposed to be about an hour before sunset, so it didn't seem to be a bad pace.
"By the way, Ranmaru, I noticed something while you were telling me the story."
"What thing? Aruji-sama."
"You never told me the girl's name."
Truth be told, Ranmaru couldn't say she didn't expect her lord to notice that, in fact she anticipated it. After all, it was a topic that her lord and herself had left for later, as it seemed to be a delicate thing.
"You told me several things about her, like her silver hair, that she was half elf, but you didn't tell me her name. She didn't tell us?"
"... She said her name was Satella."
"Satella?"
"Yes, but... there was something very out of place with how she said that name, like it was a great burden to her."
"... I see."
It seemed that her lord could understand that it was a difficult matter to inquire into and there was no information for it, so he left it there.
"In any case, it seems our only options are to negotiate with the warehouse master or this girl, Felt, or fight to get that badge back."
"Yes, they seem to have their system well-structured on these matters."
"Indeed."
Watching his lord go through his pockets, Ranmaru remembered something he had been very curious about for a while now.
"Aruji-sama, I've been thinking about it for a while."
"Yes?
"But, why do you have gems and glasses with you if you came from a Rayshift mission?"
"Do you remember the goddess Ishtar?
"Space Ishtar-sama?"
Ranmaru wondered why her lord mentioned a goddess of such caliber from Ranmaru's universe on this matter.
"No, the Ishtar of my world."
It took Ranmaru a moment, but then she managed to remember the Sumerian goddess.
"Yes, I remembered her."
"Well, the gems were a gift from her, but not only that."
Ritsuka pulled a red gem from his pocket, showing it to Ranmaru in his hand.
"She taught me a type of thaumaturgy, jewel spell casting."
Ranmaru watched as the gem began to glow in his lord's hand, only to have it slowly lose its glow.
"However, I can only store a little magical energy in them or make them explode, small explosions. I can't cast complex or simple spells with them, or use them as mystic codes, but they can be useful if I have an enemy in proximity or need a small amount of emergency magical energy. Besides, they're like a good luck charm."
"But, Aruji-sama, wouldn't it be more feasible to learn spells for fighting?"
"For other people maybe, but that's not my case, it's not something I can do. "
Ritsuka put the gem back in his pocket and continued speaking.
"With my magic circuits I can't do anything very big, even with a lot of preparation, it would take too many years to put something like that to use, and even then, it would be almost impossible to face something on the level of a heroic spirit or worse. Besides... someone once told me."
Ranmaru watched as her lord let out a smile filled with nostalgia and affection.
"When you have a weapon in hand, people forget the option to run away, especially people like me... There have been a lot of time when I would have liked to have some strength to help, so I wouldn't have to abandon someone... but if I had stayed I would have surely died. That's why these gems are not for fighting, they are for escaping and protecting me in case I need it."
After listening to the explanation, she fixed her attention on the gems in her lord's other hand.
"Aruji-sama, and what function does the glasses have?"
"The glasses were also a gift, but from the hero Sigurd."
Ritsuka put on the glasses before continuing the explanation. To Ranmaru, her lord looked pretty good with glasses, she knew he had a mystic code that included glasses, but she hasn't seen him put them on yet.
"These glasses assist the wearer in various tasks, for example hiding or suppressing things that may be harmful to the eyes or should not be seen. They also help with eye fatigue and improve concentration, so they are very good for studying. I carry them with me in case there's an emergency that warrants using them, although I admit I don't get many opportunities for that."
Surrounded by so many servants on missions, it was understandable that they would not be needed on many occasions.
"Do you plan to employ them to negotiate?"
"We don't know the value of the badge, or how money works around here. But, if it's necessary to avoid an unnecessary fight, I'll put everything on the table."
After that, Ritsuka took off his glasses and put them in his pockets.
"If it comes to it, I will apologize to Sigurd properly. Though I know he won't be upset about it."
"Aruji-sama, do you have many such gifts...made by servants?"
"Quite a few actually, some are simple, but others are more... Unique."
"Like what, Aruji-sama?"
"Well, I have several stuffed animals, mini Cú Chulainn, Viy and Apollo-sama."
Ranmaru had seen the three stuffed animals on his lord's bed, and sometimes she would see her lord put stuffing inside them using needle and thread or wiping them with a towel. The thought of her lord sleeping with the stuffed animals always brought a smile to Ranmaru's face, she found that side of her lord very cute.
"I also have the arrow that killed Hero Karna."
At that moment, Ranmaru stopped walking from shock.
"Aruji-sama, is it okay for you to have something like that!?"
Having an item that was supposed to kill a demigod was not something to say so casually, even for her lord.
"Don't worry, Arjuna gave it to me because he thought it was for the best."
Ritsuka, on the other hand, just kept walking, as if it was no big deal.
"Besides, I also have things like the possible elixir of immortality, so I don't think there won't be much of a problem, although it could also be one of the deadliest poisons in the world."
"... Aruji-sama."
"Yes, Ranmaru?"
"... Never drink that elixir, okay? This Ranmaru will never allow it."
Ritsuka was quite surprised by the dark tone and seriousness with which she spoke to him.
"O-Ok, I won't... though I wasn't planning on it either."
He had received that warning many times before, so it wasn't something that was among his plans going forward.
"Aruji-sama... about the woman I told you about."
"Yes, I understand."
She told him about the woman she met in the warehouse. They didn't know her reasons for her presence there, or if she was already there, so they would try to be the most careful from the start.
"Ranmaru, if you see her stay alert, let's wait for the first move."
"Understood, Aruji-sama."
Without needing to discuss the matter further, they continued walking until they reached their destination.
"Is this the place?"
"Yes, Aruji-sama, the main entrance to be the only way in."
In front of them was the large building, just as Ranmaru remembered it, the only difference was that it was still about an hour before sunset.
"In that case, let's go say hello."
As soon as her lord approached the door, Ranmaru placed her hand on the grip of her Fudou Yukimitsu Saber, squeezing it firmly, ready to attack at the first instant. She noticed that her lord was tense as well, ready to retreat at any moment.
"Is anyone there?"
Calling inside the place, Ritsuka knocked on the door and raised his voice. The muffled sound rang out, but there was no answer. With silence as his only response, Ritsuka again knocked louder on the door repeatedly.
In the absence of a response, the tension grew louder in tandem with Ranmaru's anticipation, until...
"Stop it, if you don't know the password, then don't hit the door too fucking hard! Are you trying to blow a hole in it!?"
The door was suddenly opened with a great force, and Ritsuka, who had been in front of this one, was almost pushed but for the fact that he moved away from the door.
In front of Ritsuka and Ranmaru stood a bald old man with a face red with anger. The man wore tattered clothes that covered his muscular body, and the sunlight shone on his bald head. His height was well above them, passing six feet with no problem.
"Who are you, boy? I haven't seen you around here before, who told you about this place?"
The old man questioned them, while his body matched the tension of the sword-wielding girl in the face of a possible fight, all the while keeping one eye on the other boy.
Ranmaru did not separate her hand from the grip of her Tanto, however, she relaxed her stance a bit upon receiving a nod from her lord.
The older man, noticing this, paid more attention to the black haired boy before him.
"I am Fujimaru Ritsuka, this is Ranmaru. We came to talk about an object you may have."
The man looked at the two of them for a moment, analyzing them before speaking.
"Come in, but she'd better keep that sword tucked away."
"Understood, Ranmaru."
She nodded to her lord, agreeing to the terms, but keeping her Tanto materialized in case she needed it immediately.
The old man half turned and entered the warehouse with them following behind.
Upon entering the place and seeing all the stolen items scattered around the room, Ranmaru could confirm that there was not a single trace of the tragedy she witnessed.
The old man walked to stand behind the counter in front of the main door. Taking a bottle that appeared to be a bottle of liquor that sat on the counter.
"Have a seat."
"Thank you."
Ritsuka sat down on a stationary chair made for visitors from the ones in front of the counter. There were splinters sticking out of the seat, but it didn't seem to bother her.
Ranmaru didn't sit down and preferred to stand near the counter and her lord.
"I am Rom, and I was interrupted when I was about to start my drinking time. I hope you have a good reason for coming here. If not, that's just terrible."
Opening the bottle, he took a glass where he poured the liquor and proceeded to drink it.
"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?"
It was still a while before nightfall, so Ranmaru found that a bit odd.
"I guess it depends on taste, there are those who can wake up with a bottle in hand for breakfast."
Rom flashed a smile for the first time before them as he heard Ritsuka's answer to Ranmaru's question, as he poured himself another swig of liquor in his dirty glass
"You seem to know people who do know how to enjoy life, would you like a drink?"
The old man started looking for a glass for Ritsuka, until Ritsuka denied him by waving his hand.
"No, thanks, I'd get in trouble where I come from if they find out about me accepting your drink."
"What, you can't? From what I see you're more than old enough to drink, are you too spoiled a child for that?"
"No, it's rather the opposite."
"The opposite?"
"Yes, there would be many people upset that I would accept your drink first before theirs."
Hearing that, the old Rom burst out laughing.
"What kind of people do you know, I wish you would introduce them to me and invite me to drink! Ha ha ha ha!"
But, Ranmaru wasn't interested in overhearing a conversation about alcohol or being tried to buy her lord a drink without her consent right now.
"Aruji-sama!"
Her lord responded immediately, understanding her urgency.
"Y-yes, about what we came here for."
"Of course, if you came here, there can only be two reasons."
Rom set his glass down on the table, before continuing to speak.
"First, either you're bringing something you stole, or you have some issue with the stolen items themselves. And from what you said, it's the latter."
Rom's face gave off an air of seriousness, clearly waiting for them to speak, which Ritsuka did.
"We're looking for a jewel-encrusted badge."
Ranmaru had told her lord about what they were looking for, she only remembered the description the girl had given her and her lord about the badge, so that was all they had of information about what that girl was looking for, besides the name of the thief and this place.
When they talked about it on the way to the warehouse, they had come to the conclusion that it was something they also had to try to solve, even if the priority was to avoid the possible murders to come.
Rom made a difficult expression on his face before answering.
"A badge...with a jewel embedded in it?... I don't think I have anything like that."
"Really?"
"If I can't remember when I'm at my best with liquor running through me, then I really have to say; I don't know. However..."
Rom gave a sly grin before continuing to speak.
"Someone made plans with me to deliver something to me today. I was also told that it's something valuable, so it might be about the thing you're looking for."
At the mention of that, Ranmaru interjected into the conversation.
"A girl named Felt?"
"What, you actually know the name of the thief who stole it?"
"We heard that name on the way here."
It wasn't a lie, Ranmaru had first heard that name from his lord in an alley in the slums, after his lord heard it from a local man.
"Well, but let me warn you that you have no guarantee that you will be able to purchase the item, even if she brings it here. If it has a jewel embedded in it, it's going to fetch a high price."
"Well, we don't bring money, but we have this."
After saying that, Ritsuka rummaged through her pockets before pulling something out and placing it on top of the counter.
"Is that-!?"
"Yes, they're gems."
On the counter, lay five of the six gems her lord had, each of a different color. Rom took them, examining each one.
"The size is good... and they are in perfect condition... Boy, all this for just a decorative piece... unless it's a very rare and particular object, I don't think it's worth more than this."
With that comment, Rom handed the gems to Ritsuka and Ritsuka put them back in his pockets.
"I guess that's a good thing for us, right?"
"Yes. But we should value that badge and get Felt's opinion on this, she's the one who stole it, so you should negotiate it with her."
"I see, in that case we'll wait here."
"If that's your decision, Aruji-sama."
Ranmaru noticed that Rom was giving his lord a deep look before the old man spoke.
"Boy... Are you even a nobleman?"
"No, what gave you the impression?"
"The girl treating you like royalty itself and the jewels you pulled out of your pockets."
Ranmaru was having déjà vu in a way, as his lord laughed a little at the comment.
"Ha ha ha ha, and what happened next?"
"After everyone started singing drunkenly, some monkeys got into the room of the inn and started fighting with the monkeys, so they wouldn't steal the alcohol."
"Ha, ha, ha, ha boy you must introduce me to those friends of yours, I must definitely try those rare liquors you mentioned!"
As her lord and the old man laughed, Ranmaru let out another sigh.
For the last half hour or so, her lord and Rom began to talk about various anecdotes and stories to pass the time while they waited. Though obviously her lord wouldn't reveal place names or critical information in the middle of the conversation.
Between the stories and the three bottles of liquor on the counter, they seemed like friends catching up after being separated for a long time. Though her lord hadn't had a drop of alcohol, and Rom seemed to be in pretty good shape, considering he was on his third bottle.
"Huh? It's over."
Just as Rom pointed out as he tried to pour another glass, he had already run out of the third bottle.
"I'm going to check to see if I have another bottle left in the back, don't touch anything while I'm gone!"
"We won't."
"You'd be better, I'll kick you out if you do."
Just like that, the giant old man left the counter until he reached a door leading to what might be a room or something, in search of more alcohol.
Being alone, Ranmaru took advantage of the moment, so she could speak to her lord.
"Aruji-sama."
"Yes, Ranmaru?"
"Is it right for you to act so relaxed...that old man, Rom, hasn't let his guard down at any point."
Just as she said, no matter how much Rom drank, he never failed to be so alert before them, just like herself. And she was sure her lord had noticed.
Ritsuka, on the other hand, looked towards her with a smile.
"It's okay, he's only alert because we're here. It's understandable that Rom doesn't quite trust us."
"Aruji-sama, he's someone who sells stolen things and lives off crime, he might have hidden intentions trying to keep us here!"
"Certainly, it's a possibility, but I don't think that's the case."
"Aruji-sama..."
"The fact that he leads that kind of life is not something I can judge him for, I don't have any right to do that. I'm not saying it's right or correct, but all things considered, he doesn't seem like a bad person, and he hasn't given me any reason to distrust him."
Ranmaru already expected that kind of response from her lord, so she didn't even bother to sigh.
"Anyway, Ranmaru, is he the person you saw here?"
"Yes, no doubt about it."
"I see. But... Why him?"
There was no doubt that Rom had been the corpse Ranmaru saw in this place. And just as his lord mentioned, that raises the question of why he was killed, debts?, a robbery?, the motive was unknown, especially since they still couldn't find the reason for that woman's presence here.
"Good thing I keep one under that shelf, no one wants a glass?"
Rom returned with one more bottle, already opened.
"I'm fine like this."
"My Aruji-sama already explained the situation, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't insist."
"Tch, you're still so uptight."
Everyone fell silent the moment they heard a knock on the door. It was already quite late and sunset was approaching.
Rom slightly moved his giant body towards the door. After silently putting an ear against it, Rom whispered.
"To the giant rats...?"
"We give poison."
"To the great white whale...?"
"We lend a fishing hook."
"To our most honorable great dragon...?"
"We say, Burn in hell!"
After listening to each answer that came to his questions, Rom opened the door.
"Forgive me for being late, Elder Rom. I had someone really persistent behind me and it took me a long time to lose them."
With a friendly tone in her voice, a young woman walked past Rom, bragging about her exploits.
The girl was just as Ranmaru remembered her, from her small height to her blonde hair and red eyes.
The girl immediately wiped the smile from her face as she noticed her and her lord's presence.
"Who are these? Hey, Rom. I told you I was bringing something big, so I don't want anyone to be here, right?"
"I understand how you feel, but they have some business to deal with you, Felt, and it has to do with that 'big thing' you said you'd bring."
Ranmaru and Ritsuka noticed how Rom's response only made Felt feel more suspicious.
"What's with these guys? You didn't sell me out, did you, Rom, and why does the one over there look like a guard?"
"How long do you think we've been working together? I would never do something like that. The only reason they're here is that I think they have an offer that isn't bad, and you might listen. Besides, you know that's not the uniform of the guards."
Ranmaru didn't like them talking about her Ranmaru Suit so vulgarly. And her lord noticed that.
"Ranmaru."
"I know, Aruji-sama, Ranmaru won't do anything wrong."
There was no point in starting fights in their current situation. Felt walked towards them while keeping her guard up.
"Hey you guys, look, I don't know what you're up to, but I'm not interested in anything you have to say, unless I'm sure it means more money for me. So let's go ahead and get right to the point."
"Ok, I get it, I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka, as you must imagine by now, we're here for the badge you stole."
The girl raised her eyebrows along with her level of caution at the mention of the stolen item.
"Don't worry, we come to negotiate, we don't want to fight. We'll pay for the badge, you win, and we win."
Felt looked at Ritsuka and then Ranmaru with great caution, before speaking and pointing to a table at the side of the room.
"At the table over there, if you're just going to talk then you sit down, she stays next to old Rom."
"Aruji-sama..."
"Understood. Ranmaru, please."
Ranmaru nodded at her lord's request, staying near the counter. Her lord walked next to Felt to the table she pointed to, and they sat down.
Rom pulled out a bottle and a couple of glasses, pouring milk for both of them on the table and set them in front of them.
"I'll give you this seat and this milk, but you're on your own when it comes to negotiations."
"Thank you for everything so far."
Ritsuka accepted the milk gladly. Felt, on the other hand, had already started drinking her milk, twisted her face.
"Hey, Rom. You didn't put water in this milk, did you, it tastes terrible!"
"What's the matter with the drinks I buy everyone! I'm showing you some kindness...!"
Rom said that before taking his giant hand and stroking Felt's hair, who grimaced until she noticed the smile on Ritsuka's face.
"What's with that face all smiley?"
"Nothing, I just thought you guys get along really well. You seem pretty close."
"Don't say something corny like that when you make that face, it's creepy, you remind me of this old man when he talks about centuries past."
"Come on, I don't think Rom has that much time on him... maybe only a century or two."
Ranmaru as a vein in Rom's bald head began to throb upon hearing that, at the same time he let out a sigh.
"Now if you turn out to be a brat? And here I thought you were too mature for your age... at least this way you do look more Felt's age."
"...Rom, please, I know what you think you're helping, but I'll ask you to stop saying such embarrassing things."
Ranmaru saw her lord chuckle a little at Rom's discussion and comment. Felt looked to be hovering around fourteen years of age, while her lord was nineteen, so certainly the age difference was considerable. Though surely that wasn't what Rom was referring to.
"What do you think is going to happen if you keep up this 'lone wolf' attitude of yours? Sooner or later, I'll be too old to be able to take care of you. Do you really think you can make it on your own?"
"How many times have you told me that already? Isn't it a sign of old age to say the same thing over and over again? But besides, it'll be a long time before you're too old for anything and before that happens I'm going to..."
Felt suddenly fell silent, looking back at Ritsuka and Ranmaru, as if she didn't want them to hear her. She snorted and looked at Ritsuka.
"Let's continue."
"...Understood. Do you have the badge?"
"...Yes, I do."
Ritsuka asked about the item she stole, and in response, Felt answered honestly. Reaching into her breast pocket, Felt pulled something out and quietly placed it on the table.
The was about the size that could easily fit in the palm of a hand. It was hard to tell what material it was made of just by looking at it, the winged dragon design was complex, and in the dragon's open mouth was a red jewel that made it look very unique.
"Now it's your turn to show me what you have. As you can see, this is no ordinary badge and I went through a lot of trouble to get it. If you can show me something worth as much as the emblem and my efforts, we can both be happy, right?"
"Well, this is what I have."
In response, Ritsuka placed the five gems on the table. Each was a different color and larger than the badge gem, being more comparable in size to the badge itself.
Felt gave the gems a glance, a small glint in her eye, before turning to Rom.
"Rom, how much could this be worth?"
"An exact value is tricky to give, but I know that those all those gems are obviously worth more than that badge. At least a little more than twice as much as the badge should be worth. In other words, I think you have quite a bit to gain by making this trade, Felt. That's what I think."
"I see. If that's the case, then why not?"
"In that case-"
Ritsuka was about to call it quits on the negotiation, where it not for Felt interrupting him with a sly smile on his face
"Wait. Our cards have been played, but that doesn't mean I won't try to sweeten the deal."
"In what way?"
"Don't worry, Rom himself said so. What you're offering is worth more than what I'm offering, However, I doubt you don't have more cards to play."
Ranmaru noticed that Felt was sizing them up, both her lord and her.
"So, what do you mean by sweetening the deal?"
Seeing Ritsuka serious, Felt clasped her hands together and smiled, feeling pleased with his reaction.
"It's simple. It just means you're not the only person I'm negotiating with. First of all, the reason I stole the badge was because someone asked me to do it in exchange for... ten blessed gold coins."
"...Ten gold coins... Blessed?"
Ritsuka glanced at Rom, who took the hint and nodded.
"If it were me, I might be able to sell this badge for four coins, at best in five gold coins. There's also a chance I'd end up dropping it for three. With your gems, on the other hand, I can assure you that the least I'd get is ten gold coins, but that's barely half of those ten blessed gold coins."
"So I'm at a disadvantage, huh?"
"True, but isn't this the time for you to play another hand? Although, if you don't have it, that's too bad, but we'll have to leave it here."
After rejoicing, with a haughty smile, she reached out her hand to pick up the badge.
"Wait a second!"
Ritsuka stopped her, then gave a deep sigh.
"It's okay, I understand... you're pretty greedy, you know?"
Felt only replied with a sly smile, leaning back comfortably against the back of the chair.
Ranmaru watched her lord search through his pockets, and lay on the table his last card.
"What's that?, it looks like two monocles joined together."
Both Felt and Rom looked curiously at the object Ritsuka had placed on the table.
"This is called glasses."
"Glasses?"
"Yes, it is a magic object that hides everything the wearer should not see and they suppress everything that could be harmful to the eye, such as intense light or pollen. They also help tired eyes recover and are activated when the wearer needs to concentrate, such as during study sessions."
Old Rom was the first to react.
"That...!"
"Old Rom, check it out."
Felt, on the other hand, was rather curt with her reaction.
"Ahh! How do you want me to do that?"
"What do I know, go outside and look at the sun with your senile eyes?"
"But the sun has already set! Brat!"
"Then find a way!"
"Tch, how these things don't work..."
With that, Rom took the glasses and stepped through the door that led to the place where he got his last bottle of Alcohol.
A few minutes passed with no one in the room speaking, before anyone could get too impatient, Rom returned with the glasses in hand.
"So..."
"I was able to check, it is true that this Metia blocks several things without affecting vision, I was able to see straight into the light of several lamps at once without any discomfort or fatigue, and I tried lifting dust and other things in the back, it didn't bother me at all. I couldn't check the last part, but assuming it's true, it adds good value to it."
Ranmaru and her lord were struck by Rom calling the glasses Metia, but they wouldn't ask about it now.
"Ok, it's genuine, how much can it be worth?"
Felt only cared if it could be turned into money or not. Rom proceeded to answer the question as he placed the returned glasses on the table.
"With this Metia, even in the worst case scenario you can easily get twenty blessed gold coins for it or more. Plus, it's likely that collectors out there would pay even more. Fuck, this deal is no longer comparable in any way."
"Th-That wouldn't that already be about twenty-five blessed gold coins for everything?"
Apparently, Felt only reacted to the large amount of money on the table.
"Yeah, you sure you want to go through with this?, boy."
Rom turned to look at Ritsuka, who looked at him with a smile.
"It's okay, if it's necessary, then it's no problem."
Rom looked intently at Ritsuka before looking towards Ranmaru, who took the hint and nodded, confirming to the older man that she agreed with her lord's decision and there was no disagreement.
With that, Rom turned to look at Felt, who had a wicked, triumphant grin on her face.
"Felt."
"What?, old Rom."
"Refuse the gems."
Felt wasn't the only one who was taken aback by that order. Everyone in the room looked at Rom, who had a serious expression on his face.
Felt quickly snapped out of her stupor and confronted Rom.
"Ahh, why would I do that?, he's the one who put it on the table."
"You know it yourself, if you keep this up you're really going to end up in trouble!"
The two looked at each other with great intensity, trying to impose their will over the other. Ritsuka and Ranmaru looked worriedly at the scene before them, until Felt suddenly buried her head in a table, giving herself a thump, though probably not too hard.
"... Okay! You!"
"Y-yes."
Ritsuka was slightly startled at being pointed out so suddenly.
"The metia for the gems!... that's the change in the deal. But if they offer more, they'll come back to the table!"
"I-I understand."
Ranmaru felt somewhat sorry for the look on the thief's face as she watched her lord pick up the gems from the table, leaving only the glasses.
"... Fuck, I could have gotten more money out of this."
"You've got enough, this is almost a steal. And here I thought this brat was smarter."
Hearing the target of his insult chuckle, Rom turned to look at Ritsuka.
"What's so funny?, this deal has you at a disadvantage."
"Well, isn't this a win-win situation?, she gets what she wants, and I get what I want, I think that's enough."
"Aruji-sama, you should be more careful with money when negotiating."
"I promise to do that. Hey Felt."
"Yes?"
"When do you plan to meet with this person who commissioned you to steal the badge? I assume you'll let me sit down to negotiate, right?"
"Of course, if I put you at too much of a disadvantage, I might end up losing some money I already made. But don't worry about the location, we'll meet here."
Before speaking further, Felt looked at Rom.
"As long as there's the old Rom around, most people will forget about using violence as an option. Just the thought of having to fight this old man sends shivers down your spine, don't you think. Besides, you've got that girl over there too."
Felt looked at Ritsuka, checking to see if he agreed with that, to which he nodded.
Ranmaru didn't like how Felt mentioned her. Rom, on the other hand, didn't seem to be bothered by being singled out as someone who could easily beat someone up.
"You really can't do anything without me, can you, Felt? I care about you, would you like another glass of milk? I also have some other things that are a little sweeter."
Rom had begun to sound like a grandfather, spoiling his granddaughter. Rom looked delighted as he poured Felt another glass of milk. A rather charming and curious scene from what Ranmaru his lord could tell, especially considering Rom's size.
"Felt, what time is that person coming?"
Felt turned to Ritsuka to answer.
"I said I was going to finish the job at sunset, so we agreed to meet here after sunset... Since the sun is already hidden, they should be here any time now, I think?"
The four people around the table looked at each other as soon as they heard a sharp knock on the door.
"Did you tell them about the special knock?"
"Ah... No, I didn't. It's probably for me, so I'm going to go check it out."
Felt stuck her tongue out at Rom and jumped out of the chair and walked over to the door. Ranmaru looked at Rom before asking him a question.
"Is it okay for her to act like this?"
"Well, it's not like I just met her. We've known each other for a long time... I guess I can let her depend on me from time to time."
Ranmaru thought that he indeed looked very happy to be indispensable to someone, as the old man went to the back of the warehouse and returned with a large club.
The club was the length of a sword, and appeared to be made of wood. At the tip and protruding in several places were sharp points, and it looked as if with just one clean blow it would easily leave a fatal wound.
It was not a weapon of Ranmaru's particular liking.
"What's with that club? Isn't there something better to use?"
"What about it?, who do you think you have to thank for not being bankrupted by a single deal?"
"No, don't get confused. This Ranmaru is very grateful for your help to my Aruji-sama. I'm just pointing out that that's a weapon that doesn't seem to be very optimal."
"I'm on her side, except for the last part."
Ritsuka joined the conversation by rising from her chair, at the same time putting the glasses away again, Felt had done the same with the badge after all.
"Thanks for everything, Rom."
"You guys came over here and negotiated at that table. I haven't done anything worthy to deserve many thanks."
Despite being rebuffed, Ritsuka didn't lose the smile on his face.
"You know that's not true, you've done more than you should have. Surely you knew Felt already had a deal with someone else, and yet you still let me meet her. That's why I thank you."
Ranmaru watched as Rom's expression grew complicated at her lord's thanks.
"I wouldn't say the way I feel about this is thanked you, but... if either of us has to say thank you, then it should be me, instead of you."
Ritsuka and Ranmaru looked at Rom in confusion, while the old man's wrinkles deepened as he made a smile.
"The metia, the jewelry, this girl here. Then there's your clothes and your looks... you come from a pretty wealthy family, don't you?"
"No, I told you that..."
"You don't have to hide it, I also thought about you being able to work for a nobleman, but it doesn't quite add up. I bet you can't go public with the fact that Felt stole that badge. If there's one thing I should be very thankful for, it's the fact that you're trying to resolve this peacefully."
It seemed Rom had formed his own conclusions about Ritsuka and Ranmaru's situation.
"Felt and I... we've been together for a long time, ever since she was a little girl. In a place like this, everyone ends up struggling to survive. In that kind of environment, young people tend to establish gangs with others just like them, but... Felt isn't suited for that."
"... She's very confrontational with others."
Ranmaru could understand that being the result. From her posture, to the way she spoke, she was haughty and greedy, such characteristics would not be very accepted by others.
She herself was envied and hated by others on planet Ranmaru for her achievements in the Ranmaru war and her natural talent, and would be more so if she returned to her planet alongside her lord, the dream of every Ranmaru on the planet.
"But at least she has you, that's a good thing, isn't it?"
His lord spoke with a fond smile, surely at the prospect of Rom taking care of Felt, even though they were most likely not blood kin. But that didn't erase Rom's complicated expression.
"... I wondered if it was a good thing."
The silence that followed those words was short-lived.
"Hey stop mumbling, it's weird, so stop doing that."
Felt said, annoyed, as she walked back. Behind Felt, who was doing a terrible job at making a fake smile, was another person.
As soon as Ranmaru saw that person she began to clench her fist very tightly behind her trying to hide her anger.
"You were right, it was for me. We're over here, would you mind taking a seat?"
Felt walked over to the bargaining table and turned to look at the person behind her while trying to be polite.
The person Felt had brought with her was that woman.
As tall as she remembered her, her almost sickly white skin stood out more on this occasion. Her black coat, with the bare front and her black clothes underneath, tightly pressed to her skin. Black hair in braids and her black eyes, full of calm and tranquility, with a soft erotic air about her.
Ranmaru did his best not to make a grimace or try in impaling the woman, who in the presence of her and her lord seemed a bit confused.
"I get the feeling there are a great many people unrelated to any of this."
Everything seemed to indicate that she was Felt's buyer. That had been a possibility Ranmaru and her lord had considered as soon as they heard there was someone else interested in the badge.
So finding it made them tense up, but Ranmaru noted that her lord was able to disguise it quite well, probably because despite her warnings, it was his first encounter with the woman for him.
"I can't put myself in the position to reduce the price, you know. It's the wisdom of the weak. Anyway, Ritsuka, go get us some drinks."
Felt waved her hand at the boy, as if he were her servant, but he just stood there looking at her.
"Why should I do it?"
"Aruji-sama, I'll do it."
Ranmaru needed something to do, to avoid reflexively taking her Tanto. While she was pouring the drinks, everyone was already seated at the table.
"Thank you."
Ranmaru did her best to smile as she received the woman's thanks, after placing the drinks on the table, then standing behind her lord.
"I understand the old man is here, but who are these?"
"This guy is your rival. He has also come to negotiate. The girl comes with him."
Felt smiled her wicked grin as she began to sweeten the deal.
"Fujimaru Ritsuka."
"Elsa."
They both introduced themselves cordially, neither too polite, nor too serious.
"I see. I understand what's going on."
The woman said before taking a sip from her glass and licking the milk left on her lips.
Felt spoke again, initiating the negotiation.
"That's the way things stand, so now let's start the bidding. I really don't care who gets to keep this badge, so it will go to the person who can make the best offer."
At Felt's initiative, Elsa smiled.
"You have a good attitude. I can't say I don't like it... So, how much do you say that guy over there can pay?"
Elsa looked at Ritsuka, as he once again pulled out his glasses.
"My offer is this Metia. According to Rom, its value is a minimum of twenty blessed gold coins."
"A Metia..."
Elsa looked somewhat curiously at the glasses' lenses, she had surely understood how the exchange was to be made with that.
She took a small leather pouch from her pocket and placed it on the table. In the bag was probably the payment she had prepared for the badge, if the metallic sound coming from inside the bag indicated anything.
Felt watching the bag with her curious cat-like eyes as Rom silently reprimanded her. Elsa placed her white fingers on the bag she had left on the table.
"The truth is, the person who hired me gave me a little more, in case you start to doubt about the price, so I have a little more to offer."
Ritsuka looked at her, somewhat curious about what she said.
"So, you're just doing the work for someone else?"
"That's right. The one who wants that badge is not me, but my employer... Are you by any chance involved in the same kind of work as mine?"
Ranmaru heard her lord laugh, probably amused at that idea. He did a lot of favors in Chaldea for servants and staff members, but he didn't charge for that sort of thing.
"No, it's not my kind of work."
"So, this guy is saying he's going to pay a much higher price than what you're offering. How much is your master willing to pay?"
Felt asked, challenging Elsa.
Elsa silently opened the bag and turned it over. What came out were several shiny coins of blessed gold. Felt's eyes sparkled when he saw one coin on top of another, and even Rom made a sound with his throat.
Ranmaru managed to count the coins with a single glance, being-
"Twenty coins, exactly. This is all my employer has given me. This is what it was decided would be enough to pay for the badge, but... Am I wrong in thinking that his estimates might have been a bit off?"
Elsa asked, directing her question to Rom, rather than Felt.
"The metia may reach a value greater than the twenty coins. The way I see it, the negotiations are tilted in the boy's favor. No offense to your employer, but it looks like you're going to have to give him his money back."
After saying that, Rom pushed the coins back toward Elsa.
Felt raised her hands in the air to indicate that she didn't have a problem with the decision and Elsa shrugged, but it didn't look like she was upset or annoyed by it.
Ritsuka looked at Elsa as he scratched his cheek, unsure of what to say after winning.
"I guess I won. I'm sorry, Elsa. I imagine your employer might be upset."
"It can't be helped, it was the obvious outcome. It would be different if I failed because I was the only one who made a mistake, but in this case, it's my employer's fault for thinking they'd be able to get away with paying so little for the badge."
"But when you plan to pay up to twenty blessed gold coins, and it turns out that's not enough, that's got to be tough."
Ritsuka had to agree with Rom's comment.
"I guess plans always go out the window, no matter where you're from."
"Well, I guess this only means my luck is in full swing! Does it mean my time of greatness has finally arrived... I could have won more, though."
Felt was in her own little world celebrating.
"Well, since the negotiations are not going in my favor, I think I'll now retire."
Elsa stood up and swallowed the last sip of milk. Once again, she used her tongue in an erotic manner to lick up the last drops of milk, before looking at Ritsuka.
"But first I wish to know, what do you plan to do with that badge?"
Elsa asked her in a somewhat cold and shallow voice. Ritsuka answered as best he could.
"Well, I know of someone who might be interested."
At that answer, Elsa seemed to ponder for a second before speaking again.
"Mmm... I see, and who is this someone?"
Her tone of voice and her gaze upon her lord began to unsettle Ranmaru. As her lord answered the question with another.
"... Does it matter much?"
"I don't know, it depends on the answer... like for example..."
Ranmaru watched as Elsa slowly raised her gaze to meet hers.
"Where does that girl's hostility towards me come from?, Fufufu... Those are very interesting answers... Don't you think so, boy?"
Well, I managed to do this chapter in January, I could have done it earlier, but between exams and visits to my family I couldn't.
I apologize for the confusion around the previous chapter about the return by death and Ritsuka's death, it's probably due to the narrative, I hope to improve that in the future. Maybe I'll rewrite the chapter in the future to express what I want in a better way, but for now I'll try to advance in the story.
And well, speaking quickly about some things, I hope I have expressed what I wanted to in this chapter.
RoyalSlayerGamer: glad you liked it, about 5, what I want to try to capture is Ritsuka's experience in dealing with people, he's traveled a lot, so I want him to have a gentle charisma and some sharpness in understanding others. About 7, it's funny to talk about that, because a lot of scenarios where Ranmaru dies is probably an assured death for Ritsuka, the world of re zero is pretty cruel.
And in general about a possible What if is something that would lead me first to develop in extension the main story I have in mind. I have an ending planned, but I still have to outline the way there. After all, we are in arc 7 and there are still many mysteries to be solved, besides the main plot. So I will work with what I have today, or at least what I know while I catch up.
But, it would certainly be very interesting a what if from this story, even I wouldn't have any problem with someone else interested in doing it. This is to have fun and have a good time, so I would really like to read other people's ideas, you could even make a what if from the first arc if you want to be radical with the changes.
I hope you like it, and if anyone has any questions, criticisms (with respect, of course) or suggestions I would gladly accept them, without further words, thank you for your time. have a nice day.