Words Count: 5357
A/N: Sorry for the delay, a reader kept asking me to continue Einar's Bizarre Diary so I did. This is as fast as I can go, but fret not! I won't be uploading that fic too often. It's free to read on so if you guys want to check it out… Or don't, I'm not the boss of you. To be honest, it's good for me to alternate between stories every once in a while. Only after I began writing Einar's Diary did I realize how burnout I was with DML and False Sovereignty, lol. Anyway, enjoy.
Here's my usual spiel:
You can start reading up to Episode 40 of the Sequel – Fate: False Sovereignty in advanced. The Tier starts from as low as 1USD, check it out!
p(a) tr. eon(/) LiamThePoor
(On average, I lost my life at least once every year for the past seven years… I remembered each death as clear as day,
I remembered being stabbed, burnt, sliced and diced like chopped vegetables, though none was ever as memorable as choking- drowning really- on my own blood due to the collapse of my lungs.
It was the third year of those seven I spent away from the girls, I had been pursuing another name on Lorelei's list and contrary to the prior Hits, for once things were going in the right direction. Unlike the others, Anne-Marie had known precisely where he was and I- being the inexperienced Enforcer I was then- had charged blindly into his Supervillain Lair, believing I was powerful enough to ignore and push past all of his carefully-laid traps.
And why wouldn't I think so?
Practically every enemy I had faced up to that point had been one major disappointment after another. In less than a week, I had located the Apostle, yet when the fight came, I fumbled it… Wait-No, that was wrong, more like the Apostle had been unexpectedly powerful.
Though his Bounded Fields were simple- Rudimentary at best,
His sheer physical attributes were more than able to make up for his lacking Magecraft.
I remembered entering his Workshop,
I remembered encountering no Ghoul, which was surprising enough,
Then blackness.
The Apostle had speed-blitzed me,
Its fist- nearly as big as my torso- had landed with such strength that my ribcages completely shattered after a single hit. Before I knew it, I was on the floor- bleeding, wheezing, choking and– Well, you get the idea.
Point's: I was somehow utterly outclassed in every Stats,
And was thus forced to play dead, yet even then the Apostle hadn't stopped. It kept beating my strewn-about corpse, causing normally irreversible damages until my bones became powders and my organs mush. It didn't take long for [Second Wind] to kick in, even less for the Skill to revert my injuries… Still, it could mend my wounds, heal my bones, regenerate decapitated limbs,
But, it couldn't fix my hurt ego, nor could it fix my fragmenting psyche.
Although I had fought people whose physical capabilities outmatched mine, I was always able to put up a fight and was never… Truly outclassed, not so thoroughly at least. I did not believe I was invincible, I wasn't stupid enough to think that, yet I had thought I'd be able to escape- flee should the need ever arise. As if to make it worst, his name was David– Just David, no known surname either.
The instance [Second Wind] was activated, I teleported away in search of someone- anyone to kill. Unfortunately, there was something else the Skill couldn't fix: The overflowing blood that flooded my lungs… Coupled with how dazed I was after the beating, I could only crawl forth, hoping to encounter a criminal.
I had scouted this place for that exact reason- its overwhelmingly high rate of crime- a sort of backup plan should I find myself ever needing to satisfy [Second Wind]'s sole condition. Yet, in spite of that, I found no one- not one criminal was anywhere in sight.
Even if there was, what difference would it make? The resurrection didn't seem to drain the fluid sloshing around in my lungs, I'd die regardless, hence why I stopped, summoning Invictus to hands and… Stabbing into my own chest.
My quick thinking proved effective in the end. This did indeed relieve the tension in my lungs, preventing the blood from choking me out, but it also killed me for the second time that day.
I had never been able to forget the sensation since,
That's when it started, I think?
That's when I began to feel truly afraid and understand what it felt like to be in the shoes of my enemies.
Once upon a time, I used to think, 'This can't be it, right? Go to school, get a job you don't even like- forced to deal with boss and coo-workers whom you despise- get married to a woman you barely tolerate, reproduce and die… This can't possibly be all there is to Life, is it? Where's the fun? Where's the promised gift of adventure?'
Now I'd have relished such a life if given the opportunity.
Dealing with a 9-to-5 and a bitchy boss couldn't be worse than this.
I tried to regain it- that edge I had, the sadism which puppeteered my actions in every fight, which gave me the courage to not wince after every attack, but it was for naught…
For once the floodgate had been broken through, there was no stopping it.
Worse yet, I was very poorly equipped to deal with such abrupt internal turmoil, thus the pressure was left to build up and up and up,
Until I could no longer feel anything beside the blood trying to suffocate me inside out…
First came the small, innocent things really: A nightmare here, a bad dream there,
I couldn't even remember what they were about.
Then it escalated,
And before I realized it, the line between Reality and Imagination was beginning to blur.
Now, here I was–)
.
.
.
– Falling to one knee, gasping for breaths as droplets of blood poured from my sleeves, but those weren't actual blood, were they? They're mere figments of my imagination, caused by the decade of endless warring and killings I had suffered through. Fist clended, I felt a burning sensation as fingernails dug into the palm of my hand.
It hurt, though thankfully not nearly as much as the phantom pressure hammering at my ribcages. "It's not real, Leonis… It's just in your head. It's not real."
I repeated over and over again like a mantra, and soon, it's gone, taking the stuffiness in my chest along with it.
Still, I was sweating profusely, holding a hand to my chest. "Damn is that annoying to deal with…"
The other was propping me up from falling, grasping at the marbled-floor of my Castle. I could stand up, but I had a feeling I was gonna fall over immediately if I did judging from how shaky and weak my legs were. 'I keep telling to take it slow, you wouldn't listen and now look how you are. Stubborn dumbass.'
I sighed, glancing at the astralized Daemon while my heartbeats slowly began to stabilize. "Can you not right now? I'm really not in the mood to hear your 'I told you so' speech. I get it. Stupid, reckless, unnecessarily stubborn, I'm all the above. I admit it, are you happy?"
My words sounded far more defeated than I intended, hence why I decided to add after a brief pause. "It's not like I haven't heard those before…"
Contrary to my expectations, instead of insulting me like usual, the Daemon was uncharacteristically silent. He must think I was being overdramatic. In comparison to his sufferings as a boy and a man- tortured, flayed and hurt by the very people who're supposed to love and care for him- mine was downright family-friendly. Hell, most of it was actually me bringing harms unto others, not the other way around.
The thought succeeded in eliciting a self-deprecating snort from me as I rose, no longer having a breakdown.
I thought that's the end of this conversation… Apparently not. 'Suffering is suffering, greater or lesser, it makes no difference. Just because I have been subjected to violence and cruelty beyond your comprehension does not mean you should belittle your own experience, Leo-tan.'
Turned out, Angra could be quite wholesome when he wanted to. Speechless, I could only stutter, "I- Well, I guess?"
'As long as you understand.' He said gently. 'Now, I believe you have a Castle to fix up?'
"Y- Yeah…" Having someone to talk to did not resolve my problem, but it did make things somewhat more bearable, I supposed? "Thank you, Angra."
'No problem. It does feel nice to be kind for once.' He tried to sound nonchalant, though through our shared telepathic connection, I could accurately sense his feelings- Angra's a sweetheart, who would've guessed, right? Call it a hunch, but I believed this was his original self- this was the man who died tied up on the stake, cursed and tortured and abused by his fellow men.
Angra didn't show it much, though every once in a while, that last vestige of Humanity did seep past all the pains and resentments he had built-up over his existence. "… It's too big."
'That's what she–'
"Don't ruin the moment, Angra." I rudely cut in, scolding before turning to look at the gigantic, medieval Castle- Nay, Castle wasn't the right term, Fortress was better- standing tall in front of us. "As I was saying… I'm not going to finish this all on my own. I'm gonna need workers to help carve in the Matrix."
Question was: Where'd I get those–?! "Wait, am I actually that stupid?"
'You are, it's good to know you've finally acknowledged it.' The Daemon taunted jokingly while he floated about, swimming in the air. Having matured a lot, obviously I responded with a, "Eat shit, Angra."
Then made to inject Mana into my Gem. "Alice, you listening?"
For a second, I couldn't help but contemplate why I hadn't given the Elites one of these, only to remember how zealous they were. Each and every one of them was obsessed with me in one form or another. To make matters worse they had no concept of boundary whatsoever, I had even sic Zolgen on them to see if there'd be any behavioral change… As you might have guessed, it didn't work. "– What's the matter, my Liege?"
"Where are the Elites? Have they set off yet?"
"– I don't think so, if I want to, I can give them a call in your stead?"
Even though we weren't talking face-to-face, but through the phones, I still reflexively nodded. "Do so and give me a heads up as soon as you're done. I have works for them."
Probably not what they expected, but people often underestimated the power of fame or I guessed infamy in my case and a fuck-load of money. "– Just give a minute, I'll give him a call."
I hung up, teleporting to the basement where I had set the Matrix Stone. In truth, carving Runes really wasn't that hard if you're even the least bit decent with [Alteration], but to cover a place of this size alone was going to take time- time which's better spent elsewhere. Ready to resume my work, I stopped when the Gem started to flash, "Alice, that's quite fast…"
"– I'll let you talk to him." The woman replied, sounding more exhausted than ever. Moments later, a second voice entered our conversation- male and clearly excited. "– Lord Magnum! I'm truly blessed to hear your voice again on this fine day!"
Alice must have slapped the Gem to her phone…
"Urgh–" I groaned. Something about how he said 'fine' just rubbed me the wrong way. "Good afternoon, Lucas. How's your daughter?"
"– She's splendid, thank you for asking!" Okay, I know how that came out… But, I did in fact save the guy's daughter some years ago. We were both hunting the same Apostle, I arrived just in time to stop the Vampire from sacrificing her to its Ritual. This forties year old man and his daughter had been fascinated with me ever since.
Now, some might argue getting a loyal subordinate out of the whole ordeal was a bargain, but the guy's- Well, he's pretty much a walking Reddit shitpost.
I swore I had seen a shrine of me in his room before. "– I heard you have need of us Bois?!"
Yes, your sight did not trick you. That's 'boys' with an I and a capital B.
It's the name my fans- Ehem, I meant my subordinates called themselves. Don't ask me where he got the word from either, I had no clue.
"Right…" I drawled. "So I need a Fortress cleaned up and warded, you fellas up for the job?"
"– Say less! Where's it? We'll be right there."
"Don't, just group near my main stall, I'll pick you guys up."
"– OH! Will finally we get to experience the infamous Magnum's Teleportation?!" Good gracious, the secondhand embarrassment was real. "Yes, you'll get to experience. You have thirty minutes to gather everyone, but leave the sleeper-agents out of it. They don't need to be included."
I should be able to handle teleporting thirties people if I took short breaks in between. Gaia's gonna be a pain though.
"– Roger that!"
"Alright, see you then." I hurriedly hung up, feeling utterly drained of energy. Looking at the Matrix, I didn't even feel like working on it anymore. "Fuck it, let's clean the bedrooms so the girls can move in."
— [Fate: DML] —
Surrounded by maids whose color seemed bleached, Illya chanted.
She had prepared all her life for this.
"Thou who serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos.
Thou, bound in the cage of madness. I am she who command those chains." This was it,
There was no going back once she finished the incantation. "Here is my oath:
I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead,
I am the one who lays out all the evils of the world of the dead.
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"
Red light consumed the Einzbern Ritual Room as someone- someone huge and tall- someone whose silhouette alone looked like it'd tower over all in size started to take shape,
And alongside it, a small, inconspicuous object.
"Why hasn't it–" The rest of that sentence never left the homunculus' lips as the blob of Mana exploded all of a sudden, accompanied by a loud, earth-shattering roar. From within the resulting smoke came a giant of a man… His skin was black with a slight sheen to it, and his piercing eyes were flaming, molten golds which must've been handcrafted by the Gods themselves given how beautiful they looked.
Animalistic rage and surprising gentleness all mixed together, it entranced Illya, call to her with a softness she had only experienced while being held by her mother and fath- Kiritsugu.
The half-homunculus expected him to charge at her, controlled by his madness, but no… Instead, the Giant knelt by her side, offering Illya his hand. Since the Hero's speech was severely impaired by [Madness Enhancement], he could not speak, though that didn't stop the Servant from showing his wish to protect her through his actions. "Illya, is this thing really the Greek Hero Herakles?"
Hearing her grandfather asked in an emotionless voice, the young woman stuck in the guise of a little girl nodded absentmindedly. She could end him here, a word and her Herakles would smash this monster to a bloody paste, but what's the point? Her death was already assured, Illya's sole Wish now was to make her father suffer, and because the man had had the audacity to perish before she could get her hands on him, she'd have to make due with his adopted daughter instead.
As for her grandfather, surprisingly enough, she held no hatred or resentment towards him.
She had never, not even once, considered him her actual grandfather. The man's just a thing doing its best to support the failing Family it served.
Jubstacheit von Einzbern was long gone, all that's left was a robot trying to imitate the real article, too obsessed with an unattainable Wish for its own good. "A across the board…"
Illya muttered in amazement, yet she's snapped out of her thoughts quite rudely when a dispassionate gasp reached her ear. There, next to her Berserker laid a gleaming card, its design was a hooded knight riding a chariot, tugging at an unseen creature pulling it. Her personal maid Sella walked towards the card, seemingly hypnotized.
"Sella?" Illya called, yet the homunculus did not seem to hear it, the back of her hand flashing bright red. Only then did she realize what was happening as her eyes widened. "Sella is a Master?"
But that wasn't right, why was hers a card- albeit an impressive-looking one- instead of a Servant?
The homunculus' hand touched the card and pretty soon, Illya's doubt was answered.
No longer dressed in her maid gown, Sella stood in a skimpy white outfit with gold accents. In the spot where her mobcap was originally now sat a beautiful crown, even her ears which had never been pierced, at least not to Illya's knowledge, had earrings. The homunculus clenched her fist and smiled- an act Illya had never thought Sella was capable of.
"W- What just happened?"
"Is that the theorized Class Card?!" That's the first time Illya had heard so much emotions conveyed through Jubstacheit's voice. Idly, she couldn't help wondering how he'd sound beaten, tortured and begging for his life. Oh-Well, it's not like she'd find out with her limited lifespan anyway.
— [Fate: DML] —
"Have you remembered to bring all of your luggage with you?" For the twelfth time that day, Caren answered. "Yes, how could I forget my essentials? The Lord would not want his herd to wallow in filths after all. Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary, sister."
The other nun's nose scrunched up in slight annoyance- a behavior Caren Hortensia had noticed a lot of people would adopt while talking to her. "We- Well, while you're over there, remember to listen to father Francesco, alright? "
The younger Exorcist bobbed her head unenthusiastically, yawning in disinterest as she gathered her stuffs. "I understand, but do note that I reserve the right to refuse if he tries to take advantage of a poor, young woman forced to live with him for the coming weeks."
"I- I don't think that will happen, young Caren."
Caren remarked with a seemingly nonchalant, "Let's both hope so."
Though those who were more familiar with her would realize how much fun she's having, watching everyone fuss over her crassness. It's not like she hadn't tried to fix it either, but as people would say, 'A leopard can't change its spots.'
The young Exorcist had found bottling up the rude remarks, which came so natural to her, often caused her intense discomfort. "May I ask who father Francesco is?"
"Caren, did you not read the files sent to your room yesterday?"
To that, the Exorcist tilted her head cutely. "What files?"
"The ones whose Titles were printed in bright red, left right at the foot of your bed?!" Obviously, Caren had long realized this, but she did enjoy playing innocent once in a while. "Oh! Those…"
Pretending to sound shocked, the Exorcist covered her mouth. "I said I'd read them, but I forgot?"
Then, jokingly, she boinked her own head and stuck out her tongue. "Tee-hee?"
"DON'T TEE-HEE ME! YOU'RE–" No matter how ridiculously devoted and forgiving she was, the older nun's patience was not without its limit. Angered by the lack of preparation and callousness shown by the young woman whom the Holy Church had taken in nine years ago, the nun couldn't help raising her voice. "– You were supposed to read that… An Overseer's job is not simple, it requires a certain finesse, both to dissuade the heretics from committing untoward acts to the population and to ensure the Ritual does not threaten Mankind!"
Running a hand down her face, the nun finished her rant. "You can't hope to be an one unprepared! Even if you're only a substitute Overseer."
She had hoped the speech would be carved into Caren's mind, and it was, to a certain extent. After a while, the young Exorcist just zoned everything out. "Fine. I'll tell you about father Francesco."
"Thank you, I was beginning to think you'd never stop." The nun's lips twitched at the disrespect, though after a loud, exasperated sigh, she relented, knowing there's no point scolding the young woman in front of her. Caren wasn't stupid by any mean, and she had always accomplished tasks assigned to her wonderfully, coupled with that Spiritualist Constitution of hers, the Exorcist was simply too valuable to the Holy Church for someone of the nun's station to risk driving her away.
Left with no other option, she could only ignore Caren in favor of telling the Exorcist about her partner. "Father Francesco is a member of the Assembly of the Eighth Sacrament, I assume you already know about them?"
"Nope." The Exorcist popped.
"… They're a group of special clerics charged with the research, recovery and management of Holy Relics scattered across the globe. Well, I say group, but they aren't an official Branch of the Holy Church, just a bunch of likeminded–"
"Sister Anna, I appreciate the history lessons, but is now really the time? I must enter the plane in… Five minutes."
"I- You-" The nun clutched her chest, feeling her blood pressure rising with each passing moment spent near the apprentice Exorcist. "Haaa… Father Francesco is a high-ranking member of that group. He's quite powerful and has been through modifications several times."
On the surface, the Holy Church and the Mages' Association were equals, but that could not be further from the truth. While Magi were busy clinging to old traditions and lost Magics, the Church had developed cutting-edge tech and Mystery. There were members whose true nature was less human and more robotic due to the disgusting amount of cybernetic Mystic Codes they implanted in themselves.
It seemed father Francesco was one of those. "He specializes in close-quarter combat, and will be responsible for your protection while the Ritual commences."
Unlike Magi, the Church disliked the Ritual, refusing to call it by its official Title: The Holy Grail War, yet they understood its potential, just as they understood how destructive such a device could be in the wrong hands, even if its ability to grant wishes had been greatly exaggerated. "Do what he asks of you, he's more experienced and better equipped to deal with this."
"Then why send me at all?" Caren asked, genuinely confused by the higher-ups' decision. "That's for the Cardinals to know. We merely do, but from what I've heard, it seems you're sent there to check if the Ritual is working as intended. There have been… Unpleasant rumors regarding the device- something about it being cursed."
"Ah-I see." The Exorcist bobbed her head in understanding, before turning to grab her luggage. "I guess this is goodbye?"
Caren was a sadistic person, though her sadism mostly concentrated in her cutting words and biting remarks. In truth, she's a little distant, but overall a good person. Usually, she's not one to be emotional, yet how could she not be when she's leaving the person who had practically raised her. Seeing that, Anna's gaze softened as she pulled the younger woman in her embrace. "It doesn't have to be if you don't want to.
You can always visit, and with the current technology, it's only a matter of time before we can converse face to face while being entire continents away from one another."
Caren did not respond, tightening her embrace. "I'm going to miss you."
"I'm going to miss you too." She stiffened, feeling a hand rub her head. "Be safe, Caren."
"I'll be fine, this is just another test God has given me." Resolutely, the Exorcist walked towards the line ahead with no hesitation in her steps. Her father- Kotomine Kirei might have lost his life in Fuyuki, but Caren would not. "O'God, I asketh thou to grant thee servant protection."
Whether the Lord had heard her prayer or not, Caren knew not, though at least she's feeling more confident now.
— [Fate: DML] —
"Wow! It's an actual Castle! And the place is huge!"
"I know right?" I smirked cockily at the girls, specifically Taiga. "We'll rest in the West Wing. It's the only area that has been cleaned and fixed by my subordinates. It will suffice for now, but once the East Wing is done, we'll move there. It's much safer, and I'm pretty sure there are hidden tunnels leading to the lake."
The Shogun who built this must have been paranoid as fuck. The layout of the Fortress, from what I had seen, possessed at least twenty different tunnels spread all over the East Wing, which was believed to have housed the man himself. "You guys can sit there, someone will bring out snacks and drinks soon."
I took a seat. "Now, let's talk."
"What else is there? I thought you've already said everything you need?" Almost as though she's scared, Rin asked cautiously. "~ Well, this news is… It's quite bad, which's why I want to give you guys time to prepare yourself. Archer, do you remember all the Servants in your War?"
The older, male version of Shiro ran a tongue over his teeth and spoke. "I do… Kinda? It's a bunch of Timelines all mixed together, so I'm not sure how accurate it is, but the Servants of the Fifth War consist of Rider: Medusa under Sakura, Archer which is me, Saber: Artoria 'Arthur' Pendragon as Shirou Emiya's Servant, one of the Hassans or Sasaki Kojiro as Assassin, the 'Bitch of Ireland' as Lancer. Medea of Colchis as Caster and Herakles as Berserker."
I watched as Shiro shudder at the name,
Apparently after waking up and being told of Archer's real identity, she's not happy. "As you can see, the War has changed a lot… Which means a lot of our foreknowledge isn't going to apply. Sakura's not a Master here, and Shiro hasn't received her Command Seals yet–"
Angra had assured me Shiro would get hers soon, though I wasn't sure if I could believe him. Friend or not, the Daemon hadn't exactly proven himself trustworthy, either because of his negligence or just lack of common sense. "If that isn't bad enough, I have reasons to believe two Factions have been granted suspect Seals, meaning instead of four other Servants, we'll have to deal with eleven. Not to worry though, this place is built to withstand siege, and once my people are done with it, it'll be able to survive a nuke."
"Wait, it's possible for fourteen Masters to be chosen?!"
"Yes." I nodded, remembering the atrocity that was Apocrypha. A real shame too, the animation's quite good, sadly none of the Servant or their Master was ever given enough screen time.
I hurriedly added to preserve their morale. "… Why don't we just destroy the Grail? It can be done, right?"
Shiro asked innocently.
"We can't, that's the problem. The Grail has stored up a frankly unholy amount of Mana throughout the years- Mana which has been tainted by All the World's Evils–" No offense, Angra. 'None taken, Leo-tan.'
"– If we destroy its physical manifestation, we'll only delay the inevitable and the result could be catastrophic, similar to the Great Fire ten years ago." At the mention of the Fire, Shiro visibly paled several shades. "Plus, I need the Wish. I've made a deal with the Entity living inside the Grail, which would hopefully prevent them from annihilating Humanity."
"What?! Leo, you're making a Deal with the literal Devil!"
"Eh." I shrugged. "His evilness has been greatly exaggerated over the years. He's actually a pretty cool guy."
Relish in my compliments Angra, 'cause this was the first and last time I'd ever say it out loud. The Daemon echoed smugly. 'You can think it too, I'm not picky.'
"Now, any other question. And please raise your hand before you start!" I clapped and pointed at Sakura who, surprisingly enough, was the one to lead the 'charge'. "You said I should possess Command Seals, but I don't. Since that's the case, is there anything I can do to help?"
Probably not. You should sit safely on the side and look pretty!
Obviously, I didn't say that. "Well, you can provide us with warm meals and moral support while Rin and I scout the City for enemies and advantageous spots? Shiro can join once she has summoned her Servant."
The younger Tohsaka looked down, crestfallen at the revelation. Sadly, there was nothing to be done. The Grail had several criteria for Masters, the most important of which's a deep desire for a Wish, which she simply didn't possess. And since Sakura was no longer a Matou, we couldn't abuse the Founding Families rule either.
Honestly, if it's possible, I'd have tied the girls up until this whole thing blew over, but a Servant needed to be close to their Master due to complications during Mana-Transfer. The longer the distance between the two, the weaker the Servant and Emiya, Enkidu and Artoria were resources too valuable to waste.
"What about me?"
"Taiga-nee, please have the Fujimura Group watch out for any oddity. Avoid Servant if you encounter one, pretend you're a normal person so to not draw their attention and find a safe place to contact us afterwards. Unfortunately, no concrete plan can be made based on our faulty foreknowledge, not until the new Overseer has been appointed and we receive more information about the opposing Masters at least. I say we try to convince them to our cause, but if that doesn't work…"
I trailed off.
"Any other-other question?"
Shiro raised her hand. "What about school?"
Wordlessly, I grabbed her shoulders. "Shiro, we're saving the World here, fuck school. It's where dreams go to die and are meant for the average people, not us Supernatural."
The redhead didn't look convinced, though she didn't protest either.
It's in this awkward atmosphere that Illaoi walked in, a maid who belonged to an enemy of mine once, now she served me faithfully to repay my 'kindness'- or so she claimed. My guest was she realized how shitty the Moonlit World was without a powerful backer, and being a former druggie with tons of mental-health issues, she had nobody to turn to except me.
"Milord–" She bowed, "– Ladies."
Was that jealousy I sensed? "Here's your refreshments. I'm also happy to report progress in the East Wing is going well. It should be habitable first thing tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, Illaoi." I sent her a gentle smile. She had been with me for seven whole years, it's only natural I had grown somewhat fond of her. "If that's all, you're dismissed."
"… By your leave, Milord."
The moment she exited the room, the tense atmosphere resumed. "Does anyone have another question? Let's get this over with, I just teleported over thirty people from London to Fuyuki, I need my beauty-sleep."
No one said a thing, thus I clapped, signifying the end of the meeting. "Good, now please leave, I'm tired. Illaoi will take you guys to your respective room, there will be an upgraded of our usual Gems left on your bed. It allows us to communicate much more efficiently utilizing a telepathic link similar to the one Master and Servant have."
I yawned, feeling Mana exhaustion creeping up on me. "If there's any other news, I'll notify you as soon as I can."
The door to my room was telekinetically pulled open, and with another wave, I threw everyone out.
Might seem rude, but as one of our heavier hitter, my mental state could be compromised, but not my physical state. "WAIT LEO-SENPAI, I STILL–"
'Too late.' The door slammed close, leaving Illaoi to deal with the girls as I jumped and dropped on the bed.
'Angra, I'll have to trouble you to keep me updated while the Bounded Fields are being set up.' While the Fortress had been fortified, I didn't feel safe at all without a magical defense. Practically every Servant could sneak in and kill us in our sleep right now.
'Don't worry, if a stranger goes near your room, I'll call you up.'
"Thanks." I muttered sleepily, pulling the blanket to my neck. "See you soon."
'Rest well, you need it.'
