"…So, you're here," the enemy Servant said in a surprisingly bored expression. I didn't lower my guard, however, not fooled by his overweight appearance. When it came to Servants, one of the worst things one could do, Master or Servant, is to dismiss a hostile one on just looks. "I was growing tired of waiting. Just how long did you intend to keep me waiting?" I blinked in surprise at his tone, and the others seemed to be just as equally caught off-guard by his mannerisms.
"Still though," the Servant continued, looking at us now with a sparkle of excitement in his green eyes, a shade only a little darker than the ones of Nero, though still lighter than Mordred's, "it looks like this will prove to have been worth a little boredom! Those beauties of yours—" he gestured at Nero, Mordred, and Mash. "Such beauties. Beautiful. Truly beautiful, each one of you. Your beauty is fitting for the world's greatest treasure—Rome!"
Uh-oh…
"That's it, your dead meat now!" Mordred roared besides me, activating her Mana Burst ability. Somehow, the soon-to-be brutalized speaker had guessed Mordred's gender. Spies that had infiltrated the camp and reported on our arrival, no doubt, are responsible for this. Just as I had expected, the man's implications had set off Mordred's disgust at being referred to by her gender. I gripped her shoulder firmly, shaking my head slightly.
"Not yet," I whispered, noticing out of the corner of my eye how the man reacted with a mere laugh at the ire being directed towards him by the Knight of Rebellion, before focusing on Nero. With a huff, my first Servant deactivated her ability, though she gripped the hilt of Clarent tightly. "Let's just see what he has to say. Perhaps we can find out some useful information from him first," I whispered, and Mordred reluctantly nodded in understanding just as our opponent continued speaking.
"Heir to our beloved Rome," he said, pointing his sword lazily towards Nero, "What is your name?" The Emperor of Roses didn't reply at first, looking to the side. The general tutted in disapproval. "Don't fall silent. Even if it's on the field of battle, be eloquent. Do you intend to fight without giving me your name? Is that the way of the current Roman Emperor" he asked the blonde Roman in a tone that could be described as being simultaneously chiding and mocking. Still Nero kept quiet, looking uncertain.
"Then why don't you start us off? Who are you?" Ritsuka interjected warily. The man let out a brief bark of laughter.
"Oh-ho, there seems to be some fire in you, young man. Very well. You may call me Caesar, a reluctant member of the Saber class. As much as it is a bother for me, don't underestimate my skills. "Now then, speak. Who are the ones who would force me to take up arms? What are your names?"
"Nero," the Emperor of Roses finally spoke. "I am the fifth Emperor of the Roman Empire, Nero Claudius." Her voice sounded firm, and her posture displaying her more typical self-confidence. "I will take you out, pretender to the throne!"
Caesar laughed loudly, nodding in approval. "I like you to announce yourself. Otherwise, it would all be so dull. But you're not the only one whose name I demand to here. You, guest commanders! I thank you and your Servants for coming from a distant land. Tell me your names as well.
"I am Jacob Aronson. Forty-ninth Master Candidate of Chaldea," I said, fighting down the instinct to draw my own sword. A Servant named Caesar, who was fighting alongside the Mad Emperor Caligula…though he hadn't confirmed it, I felt that I knew who the Servant was.
"Ritsuka Fujimaru," my fellow Master said next, a hesitant expression on his face. "Um…you're kind of plump, aren't you?" We all stared at the Japanese Master in a mixture of shock, horror, and disappointment. Mash shook her head forlornly, while I waged a mental way over whether I should face palm or deliver a light smack to the back of Ritsuka's head. Deciding to do neither, at least for now, I instead look towards Caesar, preparing to deliver an apologetic statement on the behalf of my friend. After all, while this is a fight to the death, there's still no reason for keeping this at least somewhat civilized, in my opinion.
To my surprise however, the portly Saber was beaming at us, looking the complete opposite of offended. "Of course! Remember, Rome is the pinnacle of civilization, and that begins with gourmet food! Ergo, plumpness is power," he declared proudly.
…Were all of the Roman emperors we were to encounter during our time here going to be eccentric in some manner?
"Take the fifth Emperor here," Caesar continues speaking, gesturing at Neo with his empty hand. "She's plump in all the right places. Although, my dear, I must admit that even your bosom is inferior to my woman, the Queen of the Desert and the Nile, but that's fine," the Father of the Roman Empire said, with what was a flirty wink.
"At least he isn't lacking in self-confidence," Ritsuka remarked dryly. I nodded numbly, my mind still processing the turn of events we were witnessing while behind us thousands of men were fighting and dying.
Nero's face flushed crimson, and she looked away with a flustered smile, her sabaton/heel-clad feet fidgeting in place. "Umu, as befits the man who in life single-handedly subdued Gaul. You soften a woman's heart as naturally as you breathe…" Nero said absently before shaking her head furiously, looking sternly at the unashamed Caesar, pointing her own sword at her predecessor. "But I am not a woman like my mother! I am an emperor and a young maiden!"
"Isn't that the same thing?" Mordred muttered softly, and I grunted in response. Eh, it's Nero, enough said.
"Oddly-rotund man, your words fail to strike a true chord in my heart!"
"Is that so…?" Caesar clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"Ahem," Doctor Roman, who had been listening to this…performance…silently finally jumped in with a polite cough. "Can we get down to business?" He asked somewhat awkwardly, though I nodded eagerly.
"Actually, one moment, Doctor," Mash said, stepping forward and looking at the 'oddly-rotund man'. "I wish to ask you something, about the United Empire and the Holy Grail." Caesar sighed, gesturing lazily at Ritsuka.
"Oh? Then, um, the what's-your-name over there…"
"Ritsuka," the aforementioned magus interjected with a weary sigh of his own.
"I'm afraid I shan't answer any more questions. It is a pain, but you are Servants, and therefore my enemies that I must crush," Caesar sighed dramatically once more, a sound I was growing incredibly weary of, as he raised his sword in a saluting manner. "Let me reward you all for coming this far. I will let you witness the power of my golden sword, Crocea Mors."
"Don't say that!" Nero shouted as she stomped one foot down furiously. "Gold is my color! MINE! The one who built the Golden Theater!"
"That's the spirit," the enemy Saber said with a chuckle. "Servants, and you, young Demi-Servant, protect her well. Fight well, and perhaps I will tell you where to find the item you seek. Now then, come forth. The die has been cast once more!"
Nero shot forward, nearly as fast as Mordred…nearly. My breath got caught in the back of my throat, eyes widening. Shit, she doesn't realize either who she is fighting, nor that he is a Servant, and therefore in an entirely different league, fat though he may be!
Then Emperor of Roses lashed out with her sword, the metal becoming almost a blur of red. With a heft grunt, the stout Servant slammed his sword into hers, the action appearing almost clumsy. Is it a feint, perhaps? Or has the Saber been summoned improperly, or something along the lines of that?
Regardless of which one was the answer, either option left me feeling on edge. I frantically turn to look at my own Saber, seeing out of the corner of my eye Ritsuka doing the same for Mash.
"Mordred!" I shouted hoarsely. The shorter blonde nodded, leaping forward. I suspected that, much like Caster Chulainn and Singularity F, fixing this distortion of the timeline hinged on Nero's survival until we get the Grail. Not an easy task considering how reckless the petite yet busty blonde seemed to behave.
As Nero and Caesar exchanged some more blows in rapid succession, each one sending showers of sparks into the air, Mordred and Mash closed the distance. I saw Caesar's face scrunch up in distaste, and he tried to duck and dodge the sword and shield being swung at him, ducking under the former, but getting rammed by the latter. The enemy Servant doesn't fall, however, but merely leaps backwards, though he isn't given a moment's rest. Nero jumped towards him, swinging her sword down, and using the momentum of her fall to add extra strength to her attack.
At the last moment Caesar blocked the attack with his own sword, falling briefly to one knee before leaning forward slightly, pushing Nero backwards, and upsetting her guard. Grinning slightly, the rotund man charged forward, intent on impaling the blonde with his own sword.
"Nero!" I called out as Mordred growled loudly under her helmet. The Knight of Rebellion swung her sword at him, only for the Saber to block Clarent, the swords locked against one another as Mordred tried to apply more force to break through the deadlock, while Nero stepped backwards, panting slightly.
"Now!" Ritsuka suddenly shouted, startling me. Not nearly as much as the sudden appearance of an arrow slamming into the enemy Saber's shoulder, however, as he stumbled backwards with a startled yet furious cry of alarm. Ritsuka must have been in communication with Chiron, because only a Servant could fire an arrow like that from seemingly nowhere. Unfortunately, it wasn't a mortal wound that the Greek Archer had dealt to the former Roman dictator.
Damn it! So close, and yet so far…
"Tch! What a bother!" Caesar growled, stepping back and raising his sword defensively, ready to react to another arrow, now that he knew to be wary of this latest threat against him. Our own Servants, as well as Nero, stepped back, and an uneasy lull replaced the earlier fighting.
"Hmm, you certainly are strong," Caesar said, wincing slightly as he yanked Chiron's arrow from out of his shoulder. "Though, this is a bit ridiculous," he added with a grumble, watching us warily. "Who would even place a fine general like me on the front lines in the first place. Can't call this 'best man for the job' type nonsense." As Roman's vision of Marie crumbled back at La Charité, so was mine of Caesar. This was the man that conquered the various Celtic tribes of Gaul? The man who led the initial invasion and conquest of Britannia? Who had installed himself as the Dictator of Rome, and whose death had been the death blow to the flagging Roman Republic?
To his credit, though, he did have more than a decent amount of skill with his weapon, and the strength to utilize it fully, even if Clarent was in my opinion a far more devastating sword. Therefore, it was unsurprising for Mash to shoot the pudgy man an incredulous look over her shield.
"Welding such a devastating sword," Mash said in disbelief. "How can you even say that?"
"I thought that a pretender such as yourself would be a fake. Instead, you're proving to be a monster," an equally-stunned Nero admitted. The only one who didn't understand either who he really was, or just how much power a Servant had, especially, it seems, the Saber class. Caesar tutted in disappointment, pointing Crocea Mors, 'Yellow Death', towards his fellow emperor.
"No, you're quite wrong about that, Nero Claudius. I'm still the emperor, though no such title existed in my time. In response to your beauty and courage, I shall tell you my full name. Listen well, for I tell no lie. I am Caesar. Gaius Julius Caesar," he said with a smug smile, which only grew as a horrified expression appeared on the elegant features of Nero.
"Wh-What? That's…that's the name of the man who had adopted Augustus, the first emperor…but…" Nero stared hard, her face screwed up slightly in anguish as she tried to process this ground-shaking revelation. No, for her, this had to be world-shattering. "You're dead," Nero finally said weakly. "How can this be?"
"I've heard word that you have already encountered Caligula. If that is true, then you should already know," Caesar replied dismissively. "We're 'genuine', myself and…him," he added, sounding disgusted at the mention of the Berserker. Nero snarled at him. "Now, now, do try to relax. You are beautiful, truly beautiful. Your beauty can match almost any other treasure in the world. You, Demi-Servant, you too are beautiful. Very nice indeed," he mused, his eyes focusing uncomfortably long on Mash's chest.
I hissed angrily as Mash gasped in discomfort, hiding herself behind her shield, and away from the Saber's hungry gaze. Beside her, Mordred's body tensed, and I could feel her rage growing stronger. Despite why it was happening, it felt nice to see that Mordred was at least somewhat protective of the young girl, though perhaps it was also the blonde following the knightly codes she had strived to maintain until the fall of Camelot.
"I admire your courage, strength, and beauty. Therefore, I shall tell you one thing. You asked for the location of the Holy Grail, yes? The Grail is located in a castle at the heart of the United Empire's capital. More precisely, in the hands of our Court Mage," Caesar revealed, once more ignoring the reaction to his words.
"A Mage?" I said softly.
"Can you tell us their name, at least?" Ritsuka said. Caesar shook his head, and I noticed that the shoulder wound and the other minor cuts and scrapes he had acquired from the trio had vanished.
"I can't. Your rewards ends there, for I have no reason to tell you more. Now, Emperor Nero, your hardship is not something I wish for, but I have my own reasons to fight. I want the Grail for myself, for I have a wish, in order to fulfill a promise I had made long ago. Therefore, I've decided that it's time for me to be serious."
"Well, that doesn't sound sinister," Amadeus said sarcastically from behind.
"It's been a while, so I needed exercise. The poor golden sword also needs occasional use," Caesar remarked before suddenly being enveloped in a bright white light.
"His magical energy level is rising? No, he really must have been holding back, and is now unleashing it! Give him everything you got!" Doctor Roman reported as the light faded away. The same Saber stood opposite us, but yet he wasn't quite. His leafy crown had been replaced by one of gold. His left arm had somehow been enveloped in marble, resulting in an oversized appendage.
"I came, I saw. Now, I conquer!"
"Gah…for Rome!" Nero roared in return, charging froward once more before any of us could stop her, as her predecessor did the same thing.
"Tch, Amadeus!" I said rapidly, spinning around on my heels to stare at the composer. "Is there anything you can do? Maybe deafen him?" I asked. The Caster reluctantly shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. Unless, that is, you desire to have our comrades also be affected," he replied. I wanted to curse, but didn't. It's not his fault.
"Understood. Can you at least keep an eye out for either an opportunity to target him with your Noble Phantasm, or ensure that no one hostile to us is sneaking up?" I requested, as the sounds of steel slamming against steel filled the air behind me once more.
"With pleasure."
Well, that'll have to be enough for now. I look back to see Nero skidding backwards, her metal heels kicking up a cloud of dust as Caesar retracted his stone-covered arm, his fingers curled into a fist. Suddenly, they open up, and he reaches forward, grabbing the shaft of Chiron's second arrow mid-flight.
"How does that modern phrase go? 'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me'?" Caesar shouted mockingly, snapping the arrow shaft while Mash charged at him from the side. Laughing happily, the Saber moved with surprising grace, showing that his earlier clumsiness was indeed a ploy as he first sidestepped the shield charge, and then stepped into Mash's guard.
Mash released a startled yep as the pommel of Crocea Mors slammed into her exposed midriff, and I could see a thin stream of spittle flying from her lips as she stumbled backwards. Caesar didn't give the Demi-Servant a chance to recover, however. He lunged forward, this time aiming the tip of his longsword at Mash's exposed and unprotected naval, while Ritsuka called out her name in desperate fear. Mordred was trying to slam herself into him, but it didn't look like she would make it in time.
Thankfully, there was someone else who did.
Nero's lightning bolt-shaped blade deflected Caesar's thrust at the last second, her red and white clothes lightly stained with dirt and dust, but a determined fire burning in her eyes.
"I don't think so," she hissed, eliciting a laugh from the Conqueror of Gaul. As Nero prepared a fresh barrage of attacks, however, Caesar somehow managed to kick her in the midriff, sending her skidding backwards once more, though Mordred quickly took her place, exchanging her ferocious and powerful strikes against Caesar's more elegant and composed parries and counterstrikes.
Swiftly, recovering, Nero was about to throw herself into the fray for the thrice time when I gripped her shoulder, heedless of any possible risks from boldly grasping an emperor. "Your Majesty, I beg you to please stay back. I mean no insult, but this foe is beyond you, as skilled you are. Please, allow your viceroy and I deal with him," I said rapidly and pleadingly.
For a moment, I feared my words would fall on deaf ears as the blonde diva (for a lack of better words) glared ferociously at me, but I held my ground. I had faced off against a dragon, so it would be hard to be cowed by anything less, I felt. Thankfully, the intensity her green orbs held dimmed slightly, and her body relaxed.
"Very well, Praetor. I expect nothing less than victory, though," she added warningly. I idly nodded my head, focusing once more on Mordred as she continued dueling with her fellow Saber. Mash was out of the fight, still recovering from being stunned, while neither Amadeus nor Chiron were able to launch any of their ranged attacks without possibly injuring their teammate, leaving Mordred on her own.
However, I had faith in both her combat prowess and in the plucky Saber herself.
Said Servant appeared to be enjoying herself, shouting out at times, laughing at others, as a furious display of swordsman ship was displayed by both combatants. A mighty swing of Clarent that would have cleaved the pudgy Roman in half was deflected to the side by Crocea Mors. A follow-up thrust of the thinner sword was in turn halted by the flat of Mordred's oversized blade, gripped horizontally before the knight in one hand while the other swung in, backhanding Caesar.
"Gah!" The Saber sputtered, before slamming his marble-clad hand into Mordred's stomach in retaliation, though Mordred seemed to ignore the powerful strike, and I winced for her. I made a mental note to check on the Knight of Rebellion's injuries when we return to camp, once more refusing to accept the remote possibility of her being defeated.
The two Sabers finally took a few steps back from one another, eyeing the other warily as the rest of us watched on, bodies tense.
"Time to finish this," Caesar rumbled, and I could hear Mordred's dismissive scoff.
"Couldn't agree more!" She roared, before suddenly activating her Mana Burst ability once more, zipping forward and catching Caesar off-guard as she thrusted her sword forward with all her might and a savage battle cry.
The familiar sound of metal being torn asunder filled the air, along with a muffled cry of shock from Caesar as Mordred twisted the hilt of Clarent slightly, widening the wound she had inflicted by impaling the dangerous Saber. To his credit, the Servant raised his sword overhead, but before he could strike, Mordred pushed him backwards with a strong kick that also served as a means of forcing Clarent out of his large gut, revealing the massive, gaping hole.
"Mm, mmm…" Nero hummed nervously, looking over the shoulders of Mordred and Mash. "Did we…get him?"
"Yes, I can detect that his readings are getting weaker. You've won. Congratulations," Doctor Roman explained in a matter-of-fact manner, though more for Nero's benefit than for us. After all, with the gaping wound courtesy of Clarent still weeping blood, it would be pretty difficult for a Servant to recover, especially without any Command Seals being used. Mordred scoffed, and flicked Clarent to the side, walking away defiantly from the mortally wounded Saber, while Mash cautiously approached the rotund man.
"Your sword was very powerful, but as long as I have Ritsuka Senpai's instructions, I can block it," she addressed Caesar in an apologetic manner. Polite as ever, even to a blatant womanizer. Caesar merely chuckled weakly, Crocea Mors disappearing in a cloud of golden light.
"Hmm…being taken out by such beautiful women isn't so bad. Much more preferable than a horde of envious men with daggers," he said before pausing, a look of disgust on his face, though it seemed to have not been aimed towards us, surprisingly. "It's not feasible for me to act like a mere soldier, anyway. Seriously, I was helpless against his weirdness."
"His—?" Nero asked, as I looked at the dying Servant with an arched eyebrow. Caesar nodded glumly, his massive stone hand starting to dissolve next, leaving the defeated Saber looking as he was when we first ran into him, with the addition of a torn-open breastplate, that is.
"That's right, the true emperor of this era. He is surely waiting for your arrival in the capital. While I'm not exactly an emperor, I can assure you that none of the past 'emperors' can stand up against him. When you see that person's name and face, I wonder how'll you react?" He mused, sounding a bit cruel.
"Why wonder when you could tell us know?" I said, though not expecting the idea to be considered by the man. Regardless, his remaining time was nearly at an end, his form growing more transparent as a golden light began gleaming dully.
"Now where is the fun in that?" Caesar retorted with a knowing smirk as his body continued to dissolve. The last thing we saw was that very smirk.
"He's gone…" Nero said, sounding confused once more. "What's this…Is this some sort of magecraft…or…" Ah, what to say?
"He's left this world," I said vaguely. While it wasn't a lie, it wasn't the full truth, either. However, the blonde already had a lost expression on her features, and I had a sinking suspicion that she wouldn't handle the full revelation of Servants very well. Her eyes locked on me, a fire kindling in them.
"What do you mean?" She asked, demanded, really. Thankfully, Mash took a step forward, and Nero shifted her gaze to the Demi-Servant.
"What Jacob Senpai means is, that Servant is gone from this world. A Servant disappears when facing death, their temporary body dissipating while their experience is sent back to the Throne of Heroes," Mash paused, seeing that she hadn't been able to provide clarity to the Emperor of Roses, either. "If you wish, we can discuss this back at the camp?" She offered.
"Umu, that is a fine suggestion. Come, let's share the good news with the others," Nero said, her composure restored as she strutted towards the entrance. The sounds of fighting, muted as they had been during our battle against Caesar, had truly faded away, with cries of victory and relief replacing them. So, the battle outside had concluded just as victoriously for our own side, it seems, for now soldiers wearing the markings of the United Empire were rushing towards us. Overhead, I could see a half dozen vultures already circling over the battlefield, as we turned back towards our own camp in relative silence.
Still, as I followed her along with the others, my mind was racing. Just who exactly was the person who apparently shared control over the Holy Grail?
A muscular hand slammed into the arm of the gilded throne. The two other occupants stared impassively at a tall, muscular man with bronze-colored skin. He had watched the scene of his subordinate's duel thanks to his Master's use of familiars. "So," he finally said, keeping his rumbling voice level despite his earlier outburst of frustration, "Caesar was defeated."
Lev Lainur stepped forward, his head bowed slightly. As outlandish a name he bore, and as garish as he found the 'man's' outfit to be, he had proven quite useful. "Yes, it seems that way," he responded with a smooth, almost oily tone. "I only used him because he had a wish for the Grail. This shouldn't cause many issues, however," he added reassuringly. Not that he needed to hear such trivial matters from Lev. "I can summon as many new Servants as I want. If there's an issue, however, it's this foolish Berserker," Lev scoffed, gesturing dismissively at one of the other occupants, who growled softly at his insulter. "Isn't it obvious that Berserkers are fool?" Lev commented, unaffected by Caligula's anger.
"Silence, Caligula," the leader of the United Empires commanded his admittedly-troublesome subordinate, and the golden-armored Berserker reluctantly did so. He could understand his fellow Servant's frustration, but it was pointless. Roma demanded sacrifices to be made, even from him, and so he would submit to the wishes of the mage present.
"I was surprised he would defy my orders. Is blood thicker than water? What a joke," Lev said, continuing his disparaging remarks.
"For my destiny…My beloved niece Nero…is irrelevant," Caligula responded in his forced, halting manner of speech. "Beautiful child…Nero, you will be loved, loved, so loved…Therefore…in my destiny…"
Lev rolled his eyes, scoffing dismissively. The true emperor of Rome chaffed at Lev's lack of respect towards his fellow emperor, but the bronze-skinned man held his tongue. Whether he liked it or not, he had agreed to work with the mage when he was summoned.
"I regret not having any Command Spells, though I do have a different spell of sorts ready for you. You will kill your niece with your own hands. Then, drowning in regret, you will destroy everything else in this era," the purple-haired man said, though he looked more demonic than human as he smiled viciously at the fuming Caligula. He then sighed dramatically, before resuming his little 'speech'.
"That said, I highly doubt that you have enough intellect to feel regret. My, my, Servants truly are inconvenient beings. No matter how 'legendary' you are, or how much superhuman strength you possess, in the end you are little more than mere familiars. You all have the power to change the world at will, yet that freedom is not allowed. How ironic. Wouldn't you agree?" Lev asked the seated Servant.
He had heard enough from Lev. "Be careful what you say," he said, having settled on a simple warning. His 'Master' Lev may be, but he, Romulus, wouldn't take any insults, veiled or direct, in silence. To insult him was to insult Roma, after all.
And to insult Roma was for the one responsible to forfeit their lives.
"Oh, excuse me," Lev said in an apologetic tone dripping with insincerity. "Come to think of it, you are a Servant, too. That's why you too must obey me. If there is anything remotely close to that thing you call destiny, I am it. We have orders from our king, and now it is time to replenish our losses, and then finish incinerating this blasted era," Lev said, waving a hand and chanting words unfamiliar to the Lancer, before a flash of light engulfed the room, and the Founder of Rome sensed the presence of another Servant even as the light faded away.
Another bronze-skinned man was now standing before both he and Lev, bare-chested, and with Greek arms and armors, with a crest made out of fire. The newcomer bent down to one knee, bowing his head at his Master's feet in submission.
"…Servant, Lancer. True Name, Leonidas. I will serve you from here on," he said in a brusque manner, refusing to mince words. Lev laughed wickedly. "Oh, the Hero of Thermopylae. Not bad, not bad at all. Use your full powers to eliminate Nero Claudius…"
As Romulus tuned out the words of the eccentric figure, he felt a faint twinge of pity for his fellow emperor, the one he must kill. But it must be done, for the glory of Roma.
A/N notes: And done! Did you guys enjoy the fight scene? Sorry if the fight is short compared to the dialogue, but hopefully it is still a worthy Servant fight :) I had forgotten just how much of a playboy Caesar was in the game, so that made Mordred's reactions to some of his comments enjoyable to write. Also, sorry if that last scene felt off, but I wanted to try covering Romulus's perspective. Did I pull it off at least decently?
As always, thank you guys and gals for taking the time to read, leave comments and kudos, and other non-verbal forms of feedback. Really does make my day in the dullness caused by Covid-19, so thanks once again. I eagerly await y'alls comments, thoughts, and daily question answers, and I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Have a wonderful evening, and see you in the next chapter