I skidded to an abrupt halt the instant I cleared the tunnel. As always, Mordred stood close by my side, while Drake kept one of her pistols unholstered and at the ready. My own sword was held up before me, though the scene we arrived at made the actions feel rather silly.

Silly, perhaps, but not unnecessary when it came to deal with Servants.

Medea's jagged dagger was deeply embedded in the nape of Jason's neck. The arrogant blonde was no longer excluding a skin-crawling aura, nor did he have that mocking and look of self-superiority in those eyes of his.

"Before you die, I have one question I need answering. Who told you to sacrifice Euryale to the Ark of the Covenant?" I asked. Jason glared hatefully at me, but I continued speaking anyways. "An idiotic choice that would have been. After all, if you had succeeded, the world would have been destroyed."

Jason's hatred slipped off of his face, replaced with visible confusion. "What?" He managed, wiping clean the back of his mouth.

"Jacob Senpai speaks the truth. That artifact over there brings nothing but death. This era is already highly unstable. Sacrificing a Divine Spirit to the Ark would have killed the era." Jason shook his head stubbornly, but I could see the clear panic and unease now filling them green orbs.

"No, ridiculous," Jason said, recoiling slightly. "Lies."

"Who told you?" I repeated my earlier question. The dying Saber didn't immediately answer. "Hector? Medea?" I mouthed a quick apology to my mentor, who nodded curtly, her arms crossed. Looking back, I saw Jason turning to look at his critically injured Caster, who was smiling unnervingly so.

"Medea," Jason started to say, swallowing with great difficulty. "They're lying…aren't they? Sacrificing a Divine Spirit to the Ark would've granted me great powers and invincibility, right?" Medea Lily merely continued smiling detachedly. "I mean, that's what he told me…"

My initial frustration at hearing the return of the damn pronoun game was smothered by the curiosity. 'He'. So, someone gave Jason instructions of a sort, too? If world destruction was the end goal, could it be the same 'king' Lev claimed to have been serving?

I was roused from my musings by the fairy-like voice of young Medea. "It's no lie, my Master. After all, the death of an era brings complete destruction. If the world is destroyed, your enemies will cease to exist. See? That makes you invincible, does it not?" Well, that's a rather construed position on the definition of that word, alright. Jason stared at her, horrified. Taking a half-step away from his 'wife', the Greek Servant began shaking violently.

"Y-You. You people lied to me? That doesn't serve my purpose at all! I was finally going to create an ideal nation! One where everyone respects me! A true utopia, where all are content, and there is no war!" I blinked, surprised at the (relatively) selfless desire Jason was expressing. Though in a way, it made sense. He had been deprived of his rightful throne at birth, after all. "Was this trial not for that purpose? Was it not to give me a second chance?!" Jason finished, animated even as he slowly drew closer and closer to death.

Medea Lily closed her eyes and sighed mournfully, shaking her head as she did so before answering. "That is a dream that can never come true, Lord Jason. It is beyond you. You would never be an ideal king. Even if your heart wished for peace, your soul is hopelessly twisted."

"You cared too much about getting more. About getting what you wished. You never appreciated what you had. What people gave up for you. It was always about you," Medea said, her voice even, though not without a trace of an edge to her words. I understood, as Ritsuka and many of the other Servants, that part of the reason why Medea kept to herself was that Jason had used her, and then in a moment of stupidity (to say the least!) abandoned her in a place with no friends or family of her own. Without a home to return to after cutting up killing her brother to let her lover and new-found husband escape.

Medea Lily opened up her eyes, speaking up once more. "You will only realize your fate the moment you obtain what you truly desire, then crush it with your own hands." Jason's eyes darted back and forth between the two versions of Medea, looking spiteful once more as he bent down and picked up his sword.

"What are you talking about, witch? What does a woman who was holed up in a rural shrine know?! Traitor! That's what you are. Witch of Betrayal, both of you. Traitors!" He howled angrily, blood-mixed spittle flying past his lips as he stumbled forward, clumsily, towards the closer Medea Lily. The diminutive Caster merely shook her head.

"Such a pity. Ever since I was summoned, Lord Jason, I have told you nothing but the truth. I am Princess Medea. Prior to being betrayed, I was a witch who blindly believed the one who summoned me. That is why I have protected you all this time. You were chosen by the king. Everything is real, all of it true. Although," Medea Lily's cheeks glowed softly for a moment in embarrassment, "there may have been a few…misunderstandings. For example, I just said I would protect you, yes?"

The hair on the back of my neck stood straight up. Maybe it was just me being paranoid, but the air around us had just shifted. It felt…mystical. Unnatural. An object suddenly appeared in the enemy Caster's hand, a golden chalice with twin lopping handles.

The Holy Grail that formerly belonged to Mist—damn it, Mash, you almost caused me to start doing it!—Captain Blackbeard. Jason raised his sword over his head as he approached Medea Lily at that moment. "But I didn't say how I would protect you, did I?"

"Stop her!" I shouted, as Is aw the Grail starting to glow. The words and barely finished being uttered when they were drowned out by a pistol being fired nearby. Medea Lily shrieked in pain as the traitor's Grail was torn out of her hands.

Before she could try to defend herself, or resummon the Grail, two more arrows buried themselves into her torso. One in the center of her chest, the other at the base right between her left shoulder and her neck. Looking over my shoulder, I saw both Chiron and Artemis readying another arrow on their bowstring.

Meanwhile, Jason slumped to his knees as a smaller arrow appeared from his back, buried between his shoulder blades. Okay, for someone who seemed to be capable of doing little more beyond shouting, demanding, and complaining, Euryale could be terrifying. The gorgon had a grim look of satisfaction in her eyes, no doubt feeling a sense of completion by speeding up the demise of the last member responsible for Asterios's death. Jason moaned pitifully, reaching out a hand to the very same Servant he was about to strike down.

"Oh…Medea, please, fix me…it hurts…"

"I'm afraid I can't," the Caster replied, actually sounding disappointed despite her earlier actions and words. I hadn't failed to notice that our Medea had moved towards the rear of our group, but held my tongue. "I will be falling apart myself soon. It's a pity, too. Originally, the world would've sunk with you."

"Why, you…" Jason said, shaking off the pity act and revealing his true, angry self once more.

"I did know you, Lord Jason. Even as we speak, the memories of Princess Medea are coming back to me. The memories of my older self, too. I do have this to say: Even if she was betrayed, even if she was cursed at, even if she was deceived from the very start, she truly, truly adored her Lord Jason. You had been given divine power, and yet—"

"You were endlessly innocent," Medea cut in, her voice thick with emotions. Anger, love, grief, bitterness, longing. All these and more dripped from every syllable that she uttered. "Like a child excited over receiving a paltry treasure. You were hopelessly cruel, yet completely innocent. Despite being weak, you did manage to attract others, and inspired their loyalty. That's who you were, Jason."

"Our first love," Medea Lily chimed in, even as I noticed Medea pursing her own lips at the thought. Truly, an ill-fated love it had been. One that she bore the scars o, every day that she kept that cowl of hers pulled over her head. "But you were quick to betray everything. That's the only way that you know how to live. If so, isn't it easier to sink along with the world, so that you won't be betrayed? You were never supposed to return to your land."

Jason fell silent for a few, long seconds. His mouth opened and closed as he stared at the two versions of Medea staring back at him. Finally, as his body began to glow faintly, he regained his tongue. I had thought for a moment that maybe, just maybe, in his last moments, the leader of the Argonauts would express some form of regret or understanding.

I was naive with that thought, as it turned out.

"Damn…witch! Treacherous, damned….witches! Die! Die! Go to hell! All of you! Damn, damn, damn, damnit!" He wailed as he returned to the Throne of Heroes, broken and disgraced once more. At least it was better than dying from the rotten ruins of your own ship a ruined man, like he had in life.

Medea Lily sighed, breaking the momentary silence. We all turned to face her, Masters, Servants, and pirates, ready to face down the last enemy standing. However, the young Caster didn't make another threatening gesture, dismissing her staff. "I'm sorry, Lord Jason. I wanted to protect you from him. I just had no way of doing so," she said, mournfully addressing the blood-stained spot that Jason had occupied only moments earlier.

"Jeanne, retrieve the Grail," I said softly. While the princess didn't seem interested in fighting any longer, she was Medea, meaning that she was extraordinarily resourceful, and thus should never be treated lightly when facing her as a foe. Regardless of whether she was in her 'Lily' state or as an adult. With her EX Rank Magic Resistance stat, any attempt at manipulation on Jeanne would fail, thus making her the most ideal choice to retrieve the Grail and complete our final objective of the Third Singularity.

However, Medea Lily kept her arms lowered, each one of her small hands gripping part of the hem of her dress as the petite Caster curtsied at us. When she straightened back up, she had her sad smile once again. "I don't have much time left…I only wish I could have dreamed a beautiful dream in my final moments," she said forlornly. As if to emphasis her words, Medea Lily's body began to glow a faint gold.

"She's about to vanish," Doctor Roman said, perhaps unnecessarily, but considering the number of times in the past few days, it didn't hurt to have our 'eye in the sky' relay his findings. Even the ones seemingly most obvious. Still, we had some questions, and I wasn't going to let another moment slip by without getting any degree of clarity.

"Who's behind all this? Were you allied with Lev?" I asked briskly. The dying Caster didn't answer immediately, instead closing her eyes. She exhaled softly, and I suspected that the answer I was about to receive was going to give us more questions than answers.

"I regret to say that I'm no longer at liberty to tell you that, since I lost to him as a mage," Medea Lily finally answered, confirming my suspicions, to my displeasure. At least the defeated Servant sounded sincerely apologetic about the fact. I could have also sworn I sensed a familiar hint of bitterness hidden amidst her admission.

Our Medea muttered something in her native tongue, probably a curse or expletive of some nature, while over Mash's commlink, I heard Doctor Roman releasing a strangled squawk of dismay and disbelief. "Princess Medea the mage, not the Servant, was defeated? That must mean—"

"Yes," Medea Lily curtly, cutting off the alarmed ginger. "Please be sure to prepare yourselves, newest and last mages from a distant era. You don't stand a chance against him. As mages, you have no prayer of defeating him." I scowled.

"Lev's dead. We saw him slain before our own eyes by a Servant," I retorted. Medea Lily merely shook her head, a mirthless smile on her lips as the glow around her body began to intensify in brightness. Her extremities began rapidly dissolving as she uttered her final words.

"You'll see. So, go gather stars. Numerous, dazzling stars. Stars that can rise up against the greed and beast hidden within man's heart. Stars that can remain bright even within a storm, and light up the sky."

With those final words of grim encouragement, Medea Lily, the young princess cursed to a future of misfortune, died, returning to the Throne of Heroes with the rest of the defeated Argonauts. At the same moment, I saw Jeanne approaching us, gingerly holding the Grail we had come for. The Ruler offered the artifact to Mash, who accepted it and swiftly placed it in the compartment Da Vinci had shown use to use for storing each Grail when collected. Then, Ritsuka's partner turned towards us.

"Elimination confirmed, and Holy Grail collection has been completed. No enemies left. End of combat actions. Era correction has been completed," the Demi-Servant reported, sounding more machine than human as my friend dismissed her shield. I nodded, masking my discomfort at the display. I wasn't the only one, though the one struggling the most to hide just how badly affected he was being Rits.

Still, while delivered in an unnerving manner, the meaning conveyed by that report of hers was more uplifting. It meant that we would be going home very soon. It also meant that it was time to starting saying good-bye once more to newly-acquired friends.

Next to us, Drake took off her hat with one hand, while the other ran through her wild pink hair as she looked skywards. "The wind has stopped blowing. I guess this is the end. Nothing can be done about that," the pirate captain exhaled with a heavy sigh, shaking her head. I nodded slowly to confirm her statement. "The sea will end soon. At least it won't be anything like that giant whirlpool earlier. Oi, brighten up you lot. This is a good ending for all of us! It's a new birth, our sea coming back to us!" She added, as her followers each began fading away.

"He—ey! It's good-bye to this damn weird sea!" One said, while his friend standing next to him pumped a now-transparent fist into the air in triumph.

"We did it, men! Can't say I won't miss it, though! After all, these waters were full of adventure!" He hollered, before he too vanished. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I found that Bombe was the last of Drake's followers to fade away. Perhaps it was rather fitting, considering his behavior when it came to Drake. The one-eyed pirate shot us an impish wink and a lopsided smirk.

"Hey, we're vanishin', one after another. Guess that's how life works, though. Rank and file exit first! Mash, Ritsuka, Jacob, see ya! Thanks for helpin' the Boss and us! We'll get hanged sooner or later, but you and your friends are all good folk! Let this be a lesson, then. Never keep the company of pirates!"

Then, we were left with Drake, Euryale, Artemis, and Orion. I saw that the rest of our Servants, the ones who had stayed behind on the Golden Hind, had made their way over to use. Good. No need to worry now about complications on the Rayshift home.

Mash's emotionless expression faded, she too looking forlorn as many of us felt. I always hated saying good-bye, personally. It felt final, like the end of everything. I always preferred phrases like 'until next time', or 'see you later'. If there was any silver lining at the present moment, it was that none of our comrades seemed truly upset over this outcome.

"Haaa! Finally we can go home now!" Artemis squealed energetically as she bounced up and down, acting once more like a schoolgirl. I couldn't help but wonder how Atalante had handled fighting and seeing the goddess she had devoted her life and chastity to, acting like this. Probably not well. "Come on, Orion! A new journey of love awaits us!" The Archer added, her arms wrapped around Orion and holding her 'lover' close to her chests. So much so that only his head was poking out between her breasts.

I snickered softly at hearing Orion's long, weary sigh as he shook his head from side to side. "This is supposed to be a nice and touching good-bye scene. Don't you want to look cool for once? Oh, forget it," the plush familiar said with another sigh. "I'm tired. Well, I hope we can all meet again, preferably with me in my proper form! Farewell! Oh, and Mash. How about a kiss good-bye, for good measure?"

Ritsuka's not-so-secret admirer stared flatly at the womanizing plushie for a long, silent minute. Finally, Orion chuckled sheepishly, blinking first. "No? Oh, okay—urk!"

"Darling, how about a 'good-bye' from me?" Artemis asked, having increased her hug into one that would probably break about fifty percent of the bones in an adult male. She was no longer bouncing, and instead was glaring down at the head popping up between her breasts.

"Ack! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Orion wailed as the two vanished. Ah, quiet. Wonderful, sweet quiet. I sighed in relief as Euryale took a half-step forward, looking up at Ritsuka and I with a neutral expression. Her bow was gone, and her hands braced against her hips. Finally, the Archer shook her head.

"And so, our roles have been played out now. Oh, what a terrible time," Euryale said with a dramatic sigh before rolling her eyes as she continued speaking. "Without 'me' or my 'loser sister' around, it's dreadfully boring. Although, I would like to see Asterios again, someday. I'll have to call him by name, and also make fun of that embarrassing confession of love." She smirked rather sinisterly, so much so that Ritsuka and I both gulped in unison.

Then, to my surprise, Euryale gave us a soft smile that appeared to be earnest for once. No ulterior motive, no sarcastic or demeaning undertone. "Safe travels, Jacob, Ritsuka. May your next struggle be as merry as this one." With that…unique…wish, the gorgon disappeared, returning back to the Throne of Heroes and the rest of fellow Greek legends.

"Hopefully one day, you and Asterios will be re-united," I whispered under my breath. Honestly, they were a surprisingly adorable duo. Of course, with her departure, that meant there was just one last exchange of farewells to be made.

Mash, Ritsuka, and I all stepped closer to a contemplative-looking Drake. The pirate captain adopted one of her more upbeat expressions upon noticing our approach. "Ah, it's my turn then, I see?"

I nodded my head slowly. "Unfortunately, it is. Thank you very much for your assistance, Drake. I doubt we would have made it this far without your aid," I said. To my bemusement, Drake displayed her typical candor as she waved off the compliment with a roguish grin on her lips.

"Oh, it was nothing. Sorry I couldn't do much in the end, though. Ahhhh…if I could become one of those Servants myself, I'd be a little flashier."

"Bit of an understatement if you ask me," Mordred said rather dryly, and Drake chuckled in amusement at the jab. Then she sighed again, looking a bit resigned now as she continued speaking to us.

"But I suppose that's an impossible request. A pirate like me could never be treated as a hero."

"That's not true," I said instantly, meaning every word. Of course, I also had the benefit of knowing what the legend of Sir Francis Drake would be. Ritsuka quickly jumped in, a stubborn look of his own in his eyes.

"You're already a fine hero, Captain."

"Really?" Drake asked, scrutinizing us with an intense look in her blue eyes. Finally, she lessened up on her stare, shrugging lazily. "Since it's coming from the two of you, I'll believe about half of it. So, if history is starting to correct itself, I guess I'll be losing my memories of all of you?"

Ritsuka looked away, looking a bit guilty. No doubt at that moment he was thinking of the promise she had extracted from him and Mash to go on a voyage around the world with her at some point. Desiring to give him a few more moments to must back his courage, I grunted softly.

"That's what happens. At least, for those who aren't Servants." I left out the part about how if one was to qualify as a Servant and were summoned, they would remember these events. At least, that seemed to have been the case regarding Nero. Still, it didn't feel right to raise her hopes for something I couldn't guarantee. Hell, we couldn't even guarantee that Ritsuka or I would be able to summon her back at Chaldea.

Though, I sure as hell hope we can. That's for damn certain.

Drake took the grim news as she took most other news of a similar tone: with a rueful grin and a carefree air about her. She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I see," she said, looking up at us without bitterness in her eyes. "Guess I can't sail around the world with you lot after all. A pity, too, if you ask me," she said, not without a trace of regret in her voice.

"As the sea called to you and your crew, Drake, our duty calls to us," I said solemnly, and Drake sobered up briefly. She nodded her head in understanding, a rare solemn look of her own now showing.

"Aye, that you guys and gals do. Besides," she said, returning to her more carefree attitude once again, "Our time together, while short, was quite a merry journey. So, go forth. For seafarers, parting is often abrupt. Blown up by a cannonball, washed away by a wave, or ultimately lose sight of our destination and die. That's why we take those fears, and always brush them off with a laugh. My only regrets are that it has come to an end, and that I won't be able to remember it."

Mash stepped closer, extending a hand towards the pirate. In my opinion, for all of the teasing and whatnot that Drake had given the Demi-Servant, the pirate had helped Mash grow some as a person. Ritsuka's partner felt more…human. An odd-enough sounding sentiment that had its own set of issues for me and Ritsuka to consider.

Drake raised an eyebrow at the unusually expressive display by Mash. Then, she reached out, and gripped the offered hand firmly. "Good-bye, captain who navigates across the seas of freedom. It's too bad indeed that our time together has come to an end. I had hoped to tell you that I had discovered my wish and report it to you, Captain Drake, before this moment came," Mash said sadly as the two fighters broke the handshake.

"You mean what we talked about before? How troublesome I found you to be because you have no wishes?" Drake threw her head back and let out one of her trademark bouts of laughter, grinning wildly at Mash. "It bothered you that much, huh? Don't be silly, Mash. You already have a wish, Mash. You know very well what you want to do."

Mash recoiled slightly, and I frowned as I noticed her eyes widen slightly in either confusion, or in alarm. Next to me, Ritsuka kept silent, a pensive look in his eyes as he continued to watch the two interacting. "Huh? What do you mean, Captain? " Asked the Demi-Servant. Drake wagged a single finger reproachfully at her.

"Saying that you have no wish is wrong. In the first place, no one is without greed. All humans have some kind of a wish. You simply can't live without one. The only real difference is living while knowing what that wish is, or spending your whole life not realizing it. It's kinda the same deal as with that Jason guy. Even he had a dream, scummy though he might have been, to create a 'perfect utopia'. His homeland banished him and didn't save him when he needed help. I don't know if he did all this to prove them wrong but still, he wanted his nation to be a peaceful one. The man was obsessed with the desire to rule, and at the very end, he arrived at his true wish. Not that it absolves him of guilt for what he did and has done," Drake said, perhaps saying that to pacify a grimacing Medea. Ritsuka's Caster gave a slight nod of (grudging) satisfaction, and Drake looked back at Mash once more. The pink-haired girl nodded, a look of understanding now glinting in her eyes.

"Yes. Jason's actions and behavior were truly reprehensible. But surprisingly, he was thinking of his people. Though selfish, it seems that he was trying to protect others."

"Aye," Drake grunted in response, a sage look slipping over her. "Sometimes sinners do saintly deeds, while saints commit sin. That's humans for you. That's us, and that's why everyone has a wish. The only question is whether they realize what it is or not." Mash then hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up once more.

"Captain Drake," she said, purple eyes meeting bright blue. "Which type am I?"

Drake sighed, still holding her hat in one hand as she looked to the side. "You…You're the type that's better off not realizing. You should just stay the way you are. I'm sure you'll know it in the end, but enjoy the journey in the meantime, you got that? Not knowing what happens next is what truly makes life exciting for us. We all die eventually! So, I want to enjoy every single moment of it while I can. Perhaps you should do the same, Mash," Drake remarked cheerfully, before suddenly placing her hat on Mash's head.

The Demi-Servant made a sound of shock, but Drake pressed a single finger to Mash's lips and silenced her forthcoming protests. "Something to remember our time together. Tis rare for one to get something gifted freely to them by a pirate. I don't think you'd want to be rude and turn me down, hm?" Drake asked with a mischievous wink in her eyes.

I couldn't help btu chuckle as Mash nodded in defeat. Even as she continued to help our shy friend out, Drake couldn't resist tweaking the Demi-Servant's nose periodically, it seems. At that same moment, I felt a familiar tugging sensation. Doc was starting up the machinery to bring us all home. We probably only had a few more minutes left.

Perhaps sensing that fact as well, Drake turned towards Ritsuka and I. "Farewell, Jacob, Ritsuka, Mash, Mordred, and the rest of you lot. You too, cowardly scholarly guy! The reward for saving an era…hm…how about, when your journey ends, just remember how much fun you had with me, okay? That'll be enough for me!"

"I'll have to get shitfaced drunk to forget you, Captain," I deadpanned, before giving in and laughing. Drake, Mordred, and numerous others joined in.

"We'll definitely do so, Captain. Bon Voyage!" Ritsuka added.

Our final good-byes given, I closed my eyes, finally giving in to the tugging sensation as we were Rayshifted back to Chaldea…

When I opened my eyes, the evening sky was gone. Instead of warm sunlight, bright artificial light filtered downwards. Gone too was the smell of ocean water, or the gentle caress of the wind. For all the havoc our time on the open ocean had caused us, I was taken aback by how quickly I started missing it. Another small reminder of what we were fighting for, I suppose.

Stepping out of the coffin, I saw Mash handing Da Vinci the newly acquired Grail. She was in her Chaldean outfit, but this time the white jacket, glasses, black shirt, skirt, and red tie were accompanied with a familiar, eye-catching tricorn.

"Welcome home, everyone," Doctor Roman said, smiling warmly at seeing us in person once again. I returned the grin with a lazy salute of sorts with one hand, a crooked smile of my own showing as I stepped out of the Coffin. That wasn't to say I was feeling physical dandy. As the last dregs adrenaline began working their way out of my system, I was hit by a wave of pain and soreness. I gritted my teeth, however, and stubbornly forced my way through it. The initial debriefing still need to be taken care of. Just hang on a few more minutes, Jacob.

"It's good to be back, doc," I said softly. Roman nodded understandingly. He had that excited look in his eyes. Not the one that made him look or act childish, either. One of the rare moments of enthusiasm expecting from the acting-director responsible for directing the salvation for humanity.

"I bet. This makes for three eliminated singularities now. Protecting and restoring human history," the former head of Chaldea's Medical Department sighed, a bit wistfully, before continuing speaking. "That mission is no longer just a pipe dream."

"We've got new problems to deal with, though," Ritsuka added reluctantly, and the celebratory mood that had been permeating in the air was tempered as we all recalled Medea's warning. Whoever it was that defeated her, this 'king' that both she and Lev had referred to, was the mastermind behind this. I already had suspected after Lev's revealment of this fact that they were already dangerous. After all, it would be rather hard to stomach the idea that all of human history had been wiped out by a three-year-old by accident.

However, it seems we hadn't truly considered just how dangerous that person or entity was. Doctor Roman tilted his head forward at Ritsuka, chewing slightly on his lower lip while rubbing the back of his head. "That's right. Odds are that whoever defeated Medea Lily probably pre-dates her era. I'll use Chaldea and Sheba to try and observe the Earth of 1,000 BC. The Age of Gods."

"Are you sure?" Mash inquired. "Sheba's range is the Christian Era. Go back further, and one starts to lose accuracy. Not to mention the fact that doing so would require vast amounts of both electrical and magical energy. Chaldea's current reserves aren't that—" Before she could finish her sentence, however, Doctor Roman raised a hand, a serious and intense look on him.

"With the threat level now being revealed to us, we have no other recourse currently available to us. Just leave that issue to me. I'll take care of it, somehow. Regarding magical energy, though, I might know someone who can help." That last part seemed to have been aimed more to himself than for us, though.

It also piqued my own sense of curiosity. I tilted my head, arching an eyebrow. "I thought we were on our own?"

"Fouu!" Fou chirped, his head popping out from under Mash's collar. Roman blinked, looking at us. He scratched the side of his head.

"Huh? Oh, right. Sorry, must have been thinking on the wrong idea. I'll get by somehow with Da Vinci. Knowing her, she'll love the challenge and the ability to brag over how she overcame it," the ginger man said. I couldn't help but snort in amusement at that.

"Yeah, that sounds like something she'd do," Mordred said dryly, her arms crossed as she watched the debriefing with clear boredom.

"Yeah, so don't worry about that. You need to unwind. We still have four more singularities to resolve, after all. It'll probably be a turnaround point. France, Rome, and the sea. Each time, the number of irregularities and resulting difficulty have been increasing. Maybe with the next singularity, the real target will come," Roman suggested, and a bared my teeth in a grimace as the acting-director continued speaking. "That's why I want you all to go rest. We've got some time until the next Rayshift." I nodded, forcing myself to relax.

While I wouldn't be opposed to finally meeting the bastard responsible for all this, and maybe also slugging him once or twice in the face, Medea Lily's warning was still floating around in my mind. While I wouldn't lay claim to knowing every potential Caster-class Servant, there were probably only a few more powerful than Medea.

Merlin was one, but from what I had learnt from Mordred, and combined with my prior knowledge over his role in Arthurian legend, the idea of it being him was laughable. Not impossible, but extremely unlikely. At present, the only other two candidates that came to my mind were Morgan Le Faye, and Solomon.

The former seemed to have lost interest in humanity after the Battle of Camlann and disappeared from England. Plus, she only seemed to have held a grudge towards Artoria. Morgan apparently enjoyed scheming, but even for her this seemed excessive.

As for the later? While out of the three potential Casters, the scant evidence we had managed to retrieve made the ancient King of Israel the most likely. Granted, it was circumstantial, extremely so, but it was a lead still. I'll have to make time this week to visit Chaldea's library, and see what information I can dig up on demons and Solomon.

But this could all wait for later. My body felt exhausted. My muscles were screaming at me to lay down. I adopted a rueful grin that I flashed at Roman and the others. "I think I can get behind that. If that's the end of the briefing, I'm going to hit the sack," I said, picturing my soft, clean bed. Mordred grunted in agreement. I took a step forward.

Apparently, that was a mistake in hindsight.

I almost fell flat on my face. I would have, in fact, were it not for Mordred's quick reaction. The blonde knight darted to my side, catching me. "Thanks, Mor—" I started to say, but my words morphed into a startled squawk as I felt myself being lifted off of my feet.

The next moment, I found myself being held by my lover, bridal style. Okay, Mordred really was having fun with the whole her being my knight in shining armor and all, it seems. My ears began burning as I heard more than a few onlookers snickering. Some louder than others, such as a certain Ruler whose turquoise eyes gleamed with amusement.

"Um, Mordred, you can let me down now," I said, looking up at the Knight of Rebellion, only to see her signature smirk on her lips. "Mordred?" I softly asked again.

"I'm taking Master to bed, before the idiot can hurt himself. Mind taking care of anything he's supposed to do tonight?" Mordred said, looking at Jeanne. My self-declared older sister smiled affectionately at us, before nodding, the two small ornaments on either end of her headpiece twinkling slightly.

"Leave it to us. Good night, Jacob. Rest well," the Maid of Orléans said warmly, and my other Servants quickly followed suit. Seeing that no one else had anything they wished to say to the two of us, my beloved knight headed out of the room.

While I protested and asked repeatedly to be let down, that I could walk. Secretly though, I rather enjoyed the sense of comfort, affection, and security she was giving me. Even if the others were going to be taking the piss out of me for quite some time.

I wonder if they've started laughing their asses off already, in fact…

Ritsuka watched with a barely-hidden smile as his fellow Master was carried out of the Rayshift Chamber all but kicking and shouting for Mordred to let him down. He wouldn't say it to Jacob's face, but there was something both endearing and adorable about watching the five-foot-eight American being carried like a damsel by the five-foot blonde knight with ease.

After the door closed behind the couple, there was such a silence that if Ritsuka had dropped a pin, it would have sounded like an explosion going off. Finally, and almost in unison, everyone present, including a now-somewhat recovered Lu Bu, started laughing. Astolfo actually slipped down to the floor, rolling on his back slightly as he clutched his sides, face red from a lack of breathing, so hard was he laughing.

After a few minutes, the laughter was slowly but surely brought back under control.

"Well," Roman said with a surprising drawl to his voice, "That's one way to end a meeting, alright. Still, I think Mordred and Jacob had the right idea. It's late, and today was a particularly strenuous one for all of you. Go catch some sleep, relax, and we can talk more in the morning. Once again, good job, everyone!"

With that, the other Servants began breaking up into groups of one, twos, or threes, going off either to their rooms, to see Servants that had been left behind, or other personal reasons. Ritsuka waited until it was just him and Mash by the entrance. He noticed the look in her eyes. The one that indicated she wished to talk some more with him before bed. Just like after Orléans and Rome.

"Good job, Senpai," Mash said, happy sparkle in her eyes, and Drake's hat still fit snugly on her head. Ritsuka knew that if she pressed him, he would find it be extremely hard to not admit he found her extremely adorable right now. More so than normal, in fact. "You did your best as well, Fou," Mash said to her animal companion as she scratched Fou's chin affectionately, who had resumed his typical perch on her right shoulder.

"Kyu, kyuuuuuu!" Fou chirped happily, closing his eyes with a blissful look showing. Ritsuka chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

"You did a fantastic job yourself, Mash," he said, smiling softly at his kouhai's own bright smile in response to his praise, as they left the room and started heading towards their own rooms. It faltered for a moment, as the pink-haired girl adopted a more thoughtful expression.

"By the way, Senpai, I wish to ask you a question," she stated, polite as ever. Ritsuka nodded.

"What's on your mind?"

"Did you want to sail around the world with Drake?" Ritsuka blinked, humming to himself for a second before answering.

"A little, though I would prefer if you were there with us," he confessed, and Mash made a soft sound of understanding. Then, an idea popped into his brain. Something that the more he thought on it, the more appealing it became. "Hey, Mash, let's go after this is over," Ritsuka suggested.

"After this battle is over?" Mash asked, sounding a bit hesitant. She looked away from him, her violet eyes gazing down at the floor, while Fou rubbed his head against her cheek. His partner looked up at him, a gentle smile on her features. Was it just his imagination, or did a sad expression just flicker across her face?

"Yes," Mash said in her typical, soft voice. "Not a trip via Rayshift, but a journey in this era. I want to enjoy a world in which the future isn't decided yet, just like Captain Drake."

"The idea of the unknown can be one of the most exhilarating concepts one can experience," Ritsuka said in agreement. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen to him, Mash, Jacob, Mordred, and all the others he had come to know and care for once humanity had been saved.

He shook his head slightly, temporarily dismissing that train of thought. That was a question whose answer would be sought after they completed their mission. He noticed Mash chewing softly on her lip, and he cocked his head to the side.

"What else is on your mind, Mash?"

"Senpai, I think that this recent search for the Holy Grail was the most special case thus far. The process was solely to head somewhere. It was a battle on a seemingly endless sea. Along the way, I think I learned something," Mash said as they approached their rooms. Ritsuka slowed to a halt, with Mash copying his actions as he turned to look at her.

"What's that?" He asked, intrigued. Mash's pretty, vibrant violet eyes stared up at him.

"Good and bad people alike contribute to the history of humanity. Human diversity and contradictions. Expectations, too." His friend paused as she looked pensive, and he gestured reassuringly for her to continue. Fou joined in on the efforts, licking her cheek a few times and eliciting one of her rare giggles from the girl. Those moments were some of the ones Ritsuka greatly treasured. Mash had a beautiful laugh in his opinion. Still, Mash hesitated for a few seconds before she finally caved in and resumed sharing her latest reflection.

"Humans are brutal creatures. They use wisdom and gain power for their own desires and objectives. That is a truly brutal trait. You could say that humans are the most powerful and barbaric organisms on the planet."

"But?" Ritsuka prompted, having noticed that moment occurring. Mash nodded, her smile from earlier returning as she relaxed her body a bit.

"But there's hope in that brutality. The hope of realizing what couldn't be realized. The power to not let the impossible remain impossible. This power, this hope…Drake taught me that is what makes us human. I don't know if I have such a power," Mash admitted, but this time she didn't falter. "However, I'd like to get as close as I can to it. So that I can keep fighting by your side, Senpai. To become a Servant that you can be proud of someday."

Unable to help himself, Ritsuka reached out and gave her a quick, affectionate hug that lasted for a few seconds. "You already have, Mash. You can only make me prouder. We'll win together. I know it, just you wait and see," Ritsuka said with his own soft smile as he released a now beet-red Mash. She coughed into her fist, visibly fighting to regain her composure. He kept silent, feeling slightly awkward now himself. The hug felt good. He wanted to do it again, embrace her and hold her close to him. It felt natural.

When she had finally regained her composure, Mash cleared her throat softly. "Now then, Senpai, sweet dreams. We're on dry land without having to worry about being attacked for the first time in a long while. That means we also don't have to worry about getting seasick anymore. Please have a nice and long rest."

Ritsuka nodded, barely managing to stifle a yawn at that moment. While nowhere near as drained as Jacob was, Ritsuka was starting to feel sluggish. Plus, as Roman said, they were going to have another break before their next deployment.

"Thanks. You as well, Mash. Good night."

"Good night, Senpai."

"You can't keep denying it, Romani."

Doctor Roman, the man responsible for helping guide humanity's last hope, looked up from the desk full of paperwork and books. Post-mission reports, memos, supply records, things like that. He couldn't help but wonder just how the hell poor Olga Marie had managed even a fraction of all this. Therefore, he gladly welcomed a distraction.

"What do you mean, Leo?" He asked. Even though he welcomed the upcoming distraction, he suspected that he knew what the Caster was going to talk about. After all, out of everyone in Chaldea, she was the only person who knew his secret.

"You know exactly what I mean. While we don't have any solid evidence yet, you and I both know there was only one ancient and powerful mage who controlled powerful demons. Seventy-two, to be precise. I know you're not a traitor, either." Roman sighed, looking firmly into Da Vinci's eyes, refusing to flinch.

"Yes. Which means that something I never thought possible."

"You need to tell the others."

"No. Not yet. Not until I can find out more."

"You're playing with fire, Roman. You're going to get burned eventually."

"Just let me handle it when the time comes."

Original Endnotes: And there we go! Man, what a ride the Third Singularity has been, right? One of my favorite moments has to be when Jacob and Mordred say the L-word to each other, but damn has this been fun! What were your thoughts and feelings reading this big-ass chapter? And just as importantly, a very important date (pun intended) is coming up soon for some of our favorite characters!~

Now, for irl stuff. The next few chapters might be a few days longer to write up, and perhaps shorter, but mainly because I'm fine-tuning the direction I want the in-between moments between Okeanus and Lo0ndon to be other than the date scene, of course. Remember my policy after all: Quality over Quantity. Granted, this is also just a CYA for me as always. I'm sure it'll be fine and it's just another case of me being a worrywort! :P

Now, last but not least, the question(s) of the chapter! First up, who's excited to see Jalter joining the story again, and for the long run too, in the next segment? Second question: which Servants are you expecting/hoping to be summoned now that the Roster has been expanded to include the Servants from the Third Singularity, and who will their Master be?

Once again, thanks for reading, and feel free to leave your thoughts below! I hope you enjoyed this 7K+ word-long chapter, and I can't wait to see what y'all think! Have a wonderful rest of the day, and see you in the next chapter on Monday-Tuesday!