Spoiler Alert: This chapter occurs after the British Lostbelt.
Future events in FGO's story as well as other Fate franchises may also be referenced.
You have been warned.
Chapter 12 – The High Queen's (Potential) Consort
"…Come forth from the circle of restraint, Guardian of the Heavenly Scales!"
As those spell words were weaved, prismatic light filled the entirety of the Summoning Chamber which disappeared as quickly as they manifested. In their place was the vanguard of Chaldea Security Organization's fighting force, a Heroic Spirit.
It was a woman of ephemeral beauty, very much so that it was more appropriate to call her a Queen, a Fairy or even a Goddess. Unironically enough, she happened to be all three at the same time.
She was dressed in a black gown that was accentuated with azure lines, which are the same color as her eyes, and white sleeves. In stark contrast to her dark themed outfit was her porcelain skin and long white hair, both of which looked as radiant as the white walls that surrounded the Ancient Capital of Britain, Camelot. Her apparent beauty however was not the only thing she had going for her as one look from the large black staff that she was effortlessly carrying with one hand is enough to serve as a quick reminder that the most beautiful rose can sometimes have the sharpest thorns.
"So you have summoned me. Berserker, Morgan. I am the Queen of Faerie Britain, who still curses Proper Human History. If that is not an issue, then I will lend you my power as a Servant. The fact remains that I am a Queen so I expect you to serve as my subject," she tilted her head for a few seconds before adding in a little something as an afterthought. "Or would you prefer that I treat you as a husband?"
Berserker Class Servant. True Name: Morgan.
Hachiman Hikigaya clutched his head with both hands after hearing the latter part of her introduction.
"Mash," he turned around to face his personal Servant who was trying her best not to show any obvious change in her expression.
"Yes, senpai," Mash answered with a bright smile. Her true feelings however can be noticed from how the hands holding on to her personal terminal were trembling uncontrollably. "How can I help you?"
The jaded contrarian was prudent enough to not point that out and simply let sleeping dogs lie.
"Please call Da Vinci," he feigned a smile as he pointed to the newest member of Chaldea with his thumb. "Tell her to go get the Counselling Room ready for an emergency session."
…
Lostbelt Kings.
To say that they are a one-of-a-kind existence is an understatement. After all, these are Servants who ruled over their respective time periods by taking advantage of an anomaly in Proper Human History. In a way, they are special beings that can even be likened to a Grand Servant, no, it's exactly because they have an obscene amount of power despite not having the Spirit Origin of a Grand Servant that makes them special.
With Chaldea being constantly short in hands, it became an organization that took the quote today's enemies can be your friends tomorrow in a literal sense. As such, they would always end up adding to their ranks even the very Heroic Spirits that gave them so much trouble in a certain Singularity, Lostbelt, etc.
Aside from a certain Mechanical God, all of the other Lostbelt Kings have joined Chaldea's cause and as Humanity's Last Master, Hachiman Hikigaya is none other than their archenemy in the past.
Having initiated this kind of forced recruitment countless times already, Hachiman Hikigaya could somewhat expect what the new Servant's initial reaction would be and how he, as their Master, should adjust to them.
A majority of the Servants act indifferent as unless special circumstances are in play, most of them don't really remember the series of events that occurred prior to their summoning. Treating them as a different person altogether is the safest and most optimal way.
Disdain doesn't happen too often enough for it to be called frequent but also not uncommon to the point that it could be called rare. The source of their disrespect mainly comes from how much Hachiman is lacking as a Magus but those kinds of tendencies slowly but surely fade away the more said Servant bonded with their Master.
On the completely opposite end of the spectrum is goodwill stemming from their gratitude in being chosen from the countless others waiting to be summoned from the Throne of Heroes. This is showcased in various ways with one of them being none other than…
"My husband, what seems to be the problem?"
…Affection.
While that kind of sentiment was not completely out of the cynic's radar, it is also the most troublesome thing to deal with in more ways than one. Any young man around his age would be in cloud nine if a beautiful woman like Morgan claimed them as their husband but from his experience, the Servants who show fondness for him too early on like this were never really uh… Normal. That being said, her attitude actually falls along the category of tame, at least according to Chaldea's unhinged standards.
It is truly tragic(enviable) to live as Humanity's Last Master.
"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with," he waved off the Morgan's concern with a smile. "By the way, are you okay with me calling you Morgan-san or do you prefer to be addressed as Your Majesty?"
"I am fine with either one," the Queen answered without feeling too bothered by it.
"Understood. I shall go with Your Majesty for the time being then. In my case, please just call me Master. Don't worry, it's nothing more than a formality. This doesn't mean we're equals or I am above you. I will acknowledge your status as a queen and serve as your subject henceforth," Hachiman bowed from his seat. He is already treated as such by some of his Servants who are of royal descent so he had no issues with adding another one to the list. Most Magi would be insulted for having to act subservient to a Servant who is supposed to be their familiar but this Master right here didn't belong to that category. He is aware of how powerless he is without the help of these Heroic Spirits so it is only natural that he caters to their needs as much as he can. "With all that being said, I welcome you to Chaldea, the last bastion of Proper Human History," the impassive look on Morgan made him smile awkwardly. "I apologize for this humble welcome, Your Majesty. Everyone else in this base have their own work that they need to do you see so I humbly ask for your understanding."
Kings, Queens, Emperors, Pharaohs and even the likes of Deities, Chaldea is not short of Heroic Spirits who act as the sovereign in their respective lands. Having offended quite a few of them early on due to his ignorance, Hachiman made sure to brush up on his knowledge about noble etiquette to ensure that something like that never happens again.
From his experience, establishing a good first impression to these types of people was crucial and the most effective way to do that or rather, the bare minimum, is to provide them with a grand welcome… Was the original plan, at least. It just wasn't possible this time around with Chaldea's lack of resources.
The customs of Faerie Britain however are far different from those of the human kingdoms that Chaldea's Master is familiar with. More specifically, Morgan put more emphasis on the essence rather than the physical side of things due to her Fae Eyes which allows her to discern any kind of falsehood whether she wanted to or not.
What she was seeing in front of her was not Humanity's Last Master who played a huge part in the destruction of her Britain but a fragile and powerless human who is burdened with a next-to-impossible task to achieve.
He is wounded.
He is broken.
He is scarred.
The contrast between how tragic he looked on the inside and his stoic exterior was a sight to behold for Morgan. She couldn't take her eyes off of him at all.
One could even go as far and say that she… Fell for him.
Just how many times did he have to pick himself up in the past before he had to reach this point where he triumphed over six Lostbelts? Her only lament was the fact that she couldn't join him sooner.
"What are you talking about, Master?" the High Queen's lips curled into a faint smile but because she was normally expressionless, its firepower was enough to send those with a weak heart to the hospital. "You are the representative of humanity and you personally came to greet me upon my arrival. I can think of no grander welcome than this."
Morgan truly meant everything that she said but for Hachiman who was taught about all kinds of meanings hidden underneath the words spoken out loud by those of nobility, he didn't let his guard down so easily.
The least he could do for this show of consideration is to throw in a little compliment.
"You are as magnanimous as you are beautiful, Your Majesty."
Honey-like words smoothly flowed out of his mouth. It wasn't really the most original line ever but the most dangerous aspect of this statement was how there was not a single trace of falsehood hidden in them, even according to Morgan's Fae Eyes.
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, my husband," she averted her eyes and cleared her throat once in order to hide her embarrassment. "But I will allow you to keep showering me with praise."
Rather than the strange endearment, Hachiman was more confused with the way that Morgan was reacting.
That's cute, adorable even…
But to say something like that given her esteemed status was inappropriate so he kept that to himself.
Wait, isn't she supposed to be used to something like this? Well, no matter.
Just because Hachiman is aware of how the Fae Eyes worked, doesn't automatically mean that he can understand what it feels like to be in possession of them.
Morgan was a Queen who ruled the same land for two thousand years. Her subjects were so fearful of her that they had no other choice but to say things they don't necessarily mean for the sake of their survival. She could barely ever remember the last time she was praised without any other hidden agenda like this.
Every Heroic Spirit in Chaldea has undergone some form of counselling whether it be directly or indirectly at least once. It wasn't exactly determined yet how necessary this session would be for Morgan but Hachiman just didn't want to be stuck in a room with a Mash Kyrielight who did not seem to be in the best of moods.
That being said, it would be a waste not to take advantage of this golden opportunity in front of him. Because of how this entire thing was completely unplanned, Hachiman lacked the time to prepare a set of questions that he can use to steer the direction of this session but it isn't much of an issue however as he already has countless hours of experience in doing this kind of stuff to fall back on.
The best thing to do when he isn't sure what to ask his Servant first…
"Is there something you want to know about this organization in particular?"
…Is to pass the ball towards their side of the court.
The High Queen took a while to ponder before saying anything else but from all the other times that he's had a one-on-one session like this, Hachiman could easily tell that what Morgan was thinking about was not what kind of question to ask but rather which one to ask first?
After contemplating about her options for a while…
"Must I be in good terms with everyone here?"
…Morgan just had to go with something rather controversial right off the bat.
This would have stumped Hachiman if he heard this exact inquiry a few months ago but luckily, she was not the first Servant to ask something along these lines.
"Ideally yes but it's not like anyone here, including me, can force you to do something you don't want, Your Majesty," Hachiman answered frankly before adopting a business smile in the next second. "So long as no actual fights between the Heroic Spirits occur, Chaldea usually takes a hands-off approach in those kinds of matters."
The number of Heroic Spirits has already grown to the point that it was practically impossible to micromanage them anymore. With this many individuals in one place, it is unwise to think that everyone will just magically be on the same wavelength. If things were that easy, Proper Human History would not have been filled with wars of all kinds.
As a loner himself, Hachiman knew just how unpleasant it is to work with someone you have a terrible affinity with.
It is a fate that he wouldn't wish upon his greatest enemy, mostly because that meant that the two will end up forming a pair together.
While the Servants who share similar origins get along really well with each other, their relationship towards the others who are from a different country, culture or even timeline could be best described by the phrase friend of a friend. Needless to say, the common factor being talked about here is none other than their Master himself.
"I assume a certain King of Knights is present here then," Morgan's expression became a little sour as she said that particular title out loud.
"She is indeed here, yes."
Hachiman immediately answered although he did not reveal the entire truth.
There's… Quite a lot of them too, as well as a male variant or are the others supposed to be the female variants instead? I'm not sure anymore.
It was not that he wanted to keep it a secret, it was just something that she'll find out eventually after staying in this base for a while so he didn't see the need to reveal this fact now.
He… Doesn't seem to be lying.
Morgan found it commendable that her Master did not lie to her however she did sense that he wasn't as sincere as he was earlier. While her Fae Eyes is an incredible ability, it wasn't all-powerful as what can be perceived as the truth varies from one person to another.
"I don't have to meet her as well as all those bothersome Knights of the Round Table, right?" the Queen's demeanor was stained with disgust.
While Hachiman felt like the Servant in front of him would reluctantly agree with such an arrangement if he played his cards properly, he is also not one to push his luck so arbitrarily when it was still their first conversation. If it comes to that, he'll leave that headache-inducing problem to his future self.
"Regrettably I am unable to give you any guarantee, Your Majesty," the cynic smiled bitterly, like that of an unfortunate receptionist who was being bombarded by complaints by a client who just happened to be in a sour mood during his shift of all times. "But since both parties are more than capable enough on their own, I doubt that a battle will come where I'll field you along with any of them together."
Although Morgan still didn't show much of an obvious change in her expression, Hachiman is astute enough to notice that the air around her was similar to someone who just swallowed some bitter medicine.
"Master," her eyes locked on to the empty orbs of the cynic. While doing so, she put her right leg on top of her left, inadvertently emanating an even more enthralling presence. "Do you think I'm so weak that I'll need the help of those imbeciles?"
Although the chair that she was sitting on was just a couch, premium quality by modern standards notwithstanding, Morgan's regal presence made it seem like it was the same throne that she sat on back in Camelot.
It was a sign that she is indeed a true Queen.
"Pardon me, Your Majesty. I wouldn't dare to think of such nonsense even in my dreams," Hachiman bowed urgently, only managing to barely maintain some of the elegance he displayed a few minutes prior. "I was simply speaking in a general sense. I apologize if I have offended you in any way."
Morgan switched the leg that she crossed over and let out a faint sigh.
Was I too overbearing? That was not my intention.
She was nowhere near as displeased as Hachiman thought but since things were like this already, she might as well leverage something out of her counterpart's worries.
"Very well, I'll let you off easily for now, my husband," the air around Morgan then changed into one that was harboring curiosity instead of hostility. "By the way, how many other Berserker Servants have you managed to summon to this place?"
The sudden change of topic caught Hachiman off-guard but he made sure to bite the inside of his cheek so his body language does not display his surprise.
"I can't tell you the exact number on the top of my head but there should be quite a lot of them," he answered while keeping his head lowered.
The High Queen's mood immediately came crashing down like a shooting star.
"Get rid of them all, Master," she commanded matter-of-factly as if the said task was as easy to do as making your bed after you woke up.
"Excuse me?"
Caught off-guard for the second time in the span of a little over a minute, Hachiman could only timidly ask back. This time he was unable to keep his composure and ended up unconsciously raising his upper body.
"I said, get rid of them," Morgan crossed both of her arms to her chest. "Now that I'm here they won't be of use to you anymore."
Albeit still in a baffled state, Hachiman has already made up his mind with his response. What delayed him from promptly answering back was how he was going to word it in a way that wouldn't offend Morgan too much.
"…Uh, I'm afraid that I can't do something like that so one-sidedly, Your Majesty," the hesitation slowly disappeared from his tone, gaze and bearing as he went on with his explanation. "I was the one who asked them first to lend me a hand and they agreed to do so. Although if we had a talk now and they have a sudden change of heart however, I do not intend to stop any of them from leaving," in order to end things in a good note even after refusing the Queen's demand, Hachiman had to seal it all with a compliment. "Besides, I wouldn't want to trouble you in having to deal with every single one of my future battles due to a lack of manpower from our side."
The carrot that was laid out after using the stick did not induce the results that Hachiman expected… But by no means was it also unwelcome.
"I do not mind. With me by your side, everything will all be over in an instant, my husband," Morgan proclaimed with neither pride nor arrogance. She simply said such a thing as if it's an established fact, although her true intentions behind her insistence would never be something that Hachiman could guess no matter how hard he tries.
Besides, that means I get to spend more time together with you.
As a side note, although she was the one who gave such a heartless order, Morgan found it admirable that this new Master of hers did not forsake his other Servants because of a few words from the allegedly more powerful Heroic Spirit he just recruited a few minutes ago. After all, if he can cast away the companions that he's fought together with for quite some time now so easily, who's to say that he wouldn't do the same to Morgan somewhere down the line?
As reassuring as it was to hear the High Queen's statement, Hachiman had to prioritize nipping a potential problem in the bud first. It was something he knew would smack him hard in the back if he ignored it for too long.
"Please stop teasing me, Your Majesty. It is obvious that neither the status or ability of this subject of yours is not fitting for someone of your standing."
The words he spoke out of purely good intentions made one of Morgan's brows twitch, slightly distorting her expressionless face.
Subject? Her Majesty?
The Berserker's temper rose slightly.
Incidentally, she remembered a scene that occurred shortly after she was just summoned here. At that time, her Master(presumably) looked like he came down with a headache after she made her introduction but then he suddenly turned behind him and asked for something from the young girl who seems to be his aide.
If I recall correctly, that girl's name was… Mash?
If she wasn't already frowning earlier then she sure as heck was frowning now although it didn't look like she was aware herself.
"I change my mind. You must call me by my name now, my husband."
Hachiman blinked twice in surprise. He didn't know what prompted this sudden change of heart but that doesn't matter. After all, what is a monarch if not fickle? Quelling the displeasure of their ruler, no matter how minor, is something a subject should prioritize above all else. At this point, he might as well be called Humanity's Last Attendant instead of Humanity's Last Master.
"As you wish, Morgan-san," Hachiman stood up and bowed in the same elegant fashion he did a little earlier.
Even though her name was properly called by her behest, the Witch of Camelot was still feeling annoyed.
It still sounds a little distant…
Morgan felt like there was an invisible wall separating her from her Master but at the moment, what bothered her more was Hachiman's prior statement. This was perhaps the first time in her absurdly long life that Morgan ended up being distressed because the truth that is shown to her by her Fae Eyes is consistent with the reality in front of her face.
"You have successfully summoned me despite not having any real connection to Proper Human History, Master. You don't need any other qualification as this by itself is a feat that no other human has done up until this point," she declared matter-of-factly. "Be at ease. If anyone objects, I will swiftly deal with all of them myself."
That's exactly what I'm worried about though!
Was the rebuttal he kept to himself.
Before things began to take a turn for the worse, Hachiman thought that it was imperative for him to regain the initiative in this conversation.
"Let's set those things aside for now," he held himself back from letting out a sigh. "Is it alright if I ask Morgan-san about the qualities she is looking for in a potential spouse?"
Morgan became speechless for a second albeit the inside of her head was as loud as an engine going into overdrive.
Does that mean he's interested? Well, of course he would be. It's only natural.
As genuine curiosity was the only thing she could see even after looking at Hachiman with her eyes, she decided to humor him.
"Hmm let me see," Morgan tilted her head to the side. While she was unsure of the finer details, there is however one aspect that she thought was nonnegotiable. "For starters, they should be capable of beating me."
After hearing that prideful declaration, Hachiman had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling.
"That means I'm out then," he shrugged in resignation but there was not a single glint of disappointment in his eyes.
Unfortunately for Chaldea's Master, Morgan was quite open with her interpretation of the words beat me.
"No need to act so humble, my husband," the edges of her lips curled upwards, forming the vaguest of smiles. "The only possible reason why we're face-to-face like this is because you've defeated the version of me who attempted to destroy this world, right?"
Hachiman Hikigaya was completely stumped with the High Queen's near flawless reasoning but that dazed state of his didn't last too long as he wouldn't be called the Monster of Logic if he backed off so easily in a battle of words.
"With a tremendous amount of luck and help from others, yes."
His retort emphasized the contribution of other factors aside from his own that granted him victory. It was as if he was indirectly saying that anyone else put on his shoes would have gotten the same outcome.
Even without her innate abilities, Morgan could sense that this was more than just modesty or a lack of self-confidence on his part. The problem here was more fundamental. It didn't look like this Master of hers would be convinced of his own excellent qualities even if the entire world called him a Hero.
I need to teach him to love himself more... That should be my first task as his wife.
While her intentions could definitely be classified as good, the part where she insisted on being someone else's life partner without their knowledge made it cross the gray zone.
"Regardless, your results speak for themselves. It isn't too inappropriate for you to act prouder of yourself," the Ruler of Faerie Britain unconsciously commended him like she would if he was her retainer but the thought process of this young was unlike those of her past subjects.
"I really think Morgan-san should treasure herself more. Your interest is wasted on the likes of me," the cynic declared firmly, matching the stubbornness of the woman in front of him.
Something about this entire exchange was slowly but surely ruffling the feathers of this proud Lostbelt King.
For some reason, she saw no issue with the fact that she was the one pursuing her potential other half when she is usually on the side being pursued. What bothered her more was…
I am being pushed away? Me, Morgan?
…How it seemed like her advances were being indirectly rejected.
The very idea made her eyebrows twitch.
It was exactly because Hachiman is trying his best to avoid her that motivates Morgan to keep up the chase, though at this time neither side is quite conscious of this sentiment just yet.
"That is not for you to decide," her brows furrowed in vexation. "Do you dare and question my eye for people?"
Morgan's reaction after getting offended reminded him so much of some of his Servants that he felt more nostalgia rather than anxiety at the moment.
Perhaps I pushed her too much, I need to step back.
He knelt on one knee, put his right hand to the left side of his chest and lowered his head.
"Nonsense, I am simply concerned that the things I lack may cause some problems for you in the future, Morgan-san," he said the entire thing in one breath, making sure not to stutter in-between.
For Hachiman Hikigaya, choosing between his pride or his life was no dilemma. If things came to that, it was obvious which side the scale would tip.
The difference of the sense of values between a modern person burdened with the herculean task of saving the world and a legendary Queen who ruled the land for two thousand years began to show.
"Do you even have the right to do something like that?"
Even though Morgan did not use any magic power at all, there was something mixed into her orders that just compelled anyone to obey, even if that anyone just happened to be Humanity's Last Master.
"None at all. Please pardon my presumptuousness," Hachiman kept his head down and responded solemnly.
Ah… It seems that I made a mistake…
Morgan internally lamented.
She realized it as soon as she heard Hachiman's most recent response that the invisible wall she felt while they were talking was now a tad thicker.
Old habits die hard.
In her efforts to try and correct Hachiman's behavior, she ended up falling back to her usual haughty attitude that she adapted after she took the throne. Furthermore, she couldn't pull back so easily now that it has come to this as her pride for being Queen of Britain for two thousand years will not allow her to do so.
"Hmm, very well," Morgan put a hand to her chin and pretended to think for a couple of seconds even though she already knew exactly what she was going to say next. "I will forgive you if you grant me a favor."
Favor.
An act done out of goodwill rather than for remuneration… But in the context of nobles and royalty, especially when one of the involved parties is in an overwhelmingly superior rank over the other, a favor turns into something along the lines of a demand that you cannot possibly refuse.
"I'm willing to do anything you ask of me, Morgan-san."
Of course, the current situation fell right into that same category so Hachiman literally has no other choice but to concede.
"First, arise," Morgan herself stood up after seeing Hachiman follow her order. She approached him and placed her right hand in the middle of his chest. "Now before we get into talking about the favor that I'll ask from you, I need you to first develop a better sense of self-awareness," she tapped his chest using her index finger. "You should not kneel or lower your head so easily next time. You are this Morgan's Master. That implies that I must bow to the same individuals you bow to," she then went back to her chair and urged Hachiman to sit as well. "And although it is irrelevant, the same thing goes for the other Servants you're contracted to."
Furthermore, you are my husband of all people, such an act is simply unacceptable.
Naturally, she kept this part to herself.
After hearing the words of the High Queen, Hachiman was hit with a brand-new realization.
She's right… This is not just about me anymore…
People can mock him or throw mud at his name for all he cares but if the Heroic Spirits who fought with him were ridiculed because of his servile attitude then that was an entirely different story altogether.
Just imagining his Servants, no, his companions lowering their head to someone else made him unconsciously clench his fists in anger.
"I understand. Thank you very much for your advice, Morgan-san."
That wasn't just lip service and of course, this detail wasn't missed by Morgan's eyes.
"I don't think what I said warrants this much gratitude, no?"
Hachiman shook his head and smiled.
"That's not the case at all. You've taught me something very important today that I've overlooked all this time and I'll be sure to endeavor to keep what you said to me in my mind."
Morgan however took his words differently, too differently, in fact.
Does that mean that he'll keep thinking about me all the time?
Just the idea itself was enough to make her smile.
"Now as for the favor that I'll ask of you," Morgan cleared her throat to conceal her crumbling indifference. "I wish to be toured around the entire base with you as my personal guide," she leaned a little closer and locked eyes with her Master. "Will you accept?"
The favor which was tantamount to a royal decree was so ridiculously easy that Hachiman was a little wary instead.
Is she testing me?
Nobles were individuals who disguised their true intent in their words in order to keep up their appearances. Such tendencies aren't too different from the modern social norms that he's condemned countless of times before. These similarities were the reason how it didn't take Hachiman too long to understand court etiquette.
"No," the cynic resolutely answered. "I'll do that for free. You can keep the favor to ask me for something else that you want, Morgan-san."
That being said, Morgan really isn't using either at the moment. It wouldn't be until much later that Hachiman will realize that everything he learned about etiquette doesn't necessarily apply when it came to interacting with Morgan due to faerie culture only being a plain imitation of what they saw from humans.
"Truly?" Morgan's eyes widened in surprise before reverting back to normal in the next second. "And what if I ask you to do something unpleasant?"
"Are you going to?" the cynic boldly shot back, his lips twisting to a fearless smile.
"That would entirely depend on my mood during then I guess," the Queen replied a little playfully herself.
If she's this delighted, that means I passed her test, right?
With that, Chaldea's Master was finally able to release the breath that he didn't know he was holding in. Of course, this was only paranoia on his part as Morgan's wasn't testing him in the first place.
"I'm hoping you'll go easy on me when the time comes, Morgan-san. For now," Hachiman smiled in a more natural and relaxed manner. "How about we have that promised tour?"
Unexpectedly, the High Queen responded by shaking her head to refuse his offer.
"While that is indeed a tempting offer, Master, I don't really mind just talking with you a little longer in this room like this, no, wait a second," Morgan tried to hold back her shock after coming into a sudden realization. "Now that I think about it more, isn't what we're currently doing sort of a date already?" she then began nodding to herself repeatedly. "Mm, it's a bit lacking but the fact that you brought me here to be alone with you immediately after I was summoned earns you a lot of merit," unlike her earlier smiles, Morgan's delight this time around could be clearly felt from the glimmer of her azure irises and the slight rosy tinge on her porcelain-like complexion. "I am quite pleased with this arrangement, my husband."
It was easy enough for Morgan to imagine the sheer number of other Servants that Chaldea possessed. Among those Heroic Spirits, there were bound to be rivals of some sort so this time was in fact the best opportunity to have Humanity's Last Master to herself. She would like nothing more than to savor this moment for as long as humanly possible.
Needless to say, by no means did Hachiman ever think of a date when he came inside the counselling room alone with Morgan. From experience, he found that most already counselled Servants preferred this kind of 1-on-1 set-up more than when he was assisted with other Heroic Spirits, although some of the more dangerous of the bunch was not allowed this privilege. It was not only a gesture of trust from Chaldea's side but it also made them more likely to share something personal. Then again, some Servants complained that they felt like they were being underestimated but they were few and far in between.
As a side note, in order to give an even better impression to Morgan, Chaldea's Master requested that all recording equipment set up in the Counselling be turned off and to compensate, he'll be writing a detailed report himself.
Hachiman wasn't sure if his counterpart was being deliberate with how she kept switching around the way she addressed him but at the same time, he felt that showing some kind of reaction would only be playing into Morgan's hands so he pretended not to notice anything.
And more than anything else, he couldn't bring himself to act like a wet blanket after seeing how happy this normally stoic woman is.
I guess I'm supposed to play along?
After all, it's not like this was the first time a Servant of his addressed him in such an intimate manner. This was bound to cause some issues sooner rather than later but he'll cross that bridge when he gets there.
"If the two of us are staying here for the time being," Hachiman stood up and lowered his head only slightly. "Would you like it if I serve you some tea, Morgan-san?"
A spark of interest was lit on the Witch of Camelot's eyes.
"Oh my, is Master's skill in brewing tea at a high enough level to present to a Queen?" Morgan teased although from her bearing, she had no intention of letting Hachiman off easily if he backed out from this now.
"That would be difficult for me to say until said Queen bestows upon me the honor to serve her," Hachiman uncharacteristically puffed his chest out with pride. "While I am most certainly lacking, I will go so far and say I have been taught some tips from a lot of avid tea lovers present in Chaldea."
"Hoh, is that so?" Morgan covered her lips with her hand to conceal her excitement. "I'm looking forward to it, my husband."
"Please excuse me then."
"Yes, I'll leave you to it."
The first son of the Hikigaya household went on full butler mode and made his way to the little pantry situated on a corner of the counselling room. Morgan on the other hand, maintained a perfect sitting form as she silently observed Hachiman work on preparing the tea.
During the entire process, she couldn't help but think that she wouldn't mind seeing the same kind of scene every single day.
Not a single word was exchanged until Hachiman came back to the table with a tray in tow.
"How much sugar do you want, Morgan-san?" the raven-haired butler asked while prepping his mistress' portion first.
"I'll leave that decision up to you, Master," with full faith, Morgan answered promptly.
And now we're back to Master again all of a sudden, okay.
Hachiman chose to keep ignoring the discomfort he felt from being addressed in an inconsistent manner.
"Understood," an intense yet soothing fragrance danced in the air as hot water was poured on the tea leaves. Even Morgan's unconsciously relaxed her cold countenance a bit once the aroma tickled her nostrils. "Please enjoy."
Even the way she brought the teacup to her lips was like a painting that was given life. Had they been accompanied with a Servant who had an inclination for the arts, they would excuse themselves at this moment so that they can get to work on what would most likely be their next masterpiece.
"Magnificent," the faerie's golden irises gleamed in satisfaction. "I'm pleasantly surprised, my husband."
Hachiman bowed while internally sighing in relief and clenching the fist he hid behind him.
"It's only natural that I've reached this level after I've practiced so many times."
His instinctual act of modesty backfired however.
Clink.
The sound of a teacup making contact with its saucer could be clearly heard given that there were only two people present in this room.
The perpetrator could only be Morgan as Hachiman was still pouring hot water for his own cup of tea.
For a guest to do such a thing could only mean that they were either ignorant or rude but given how she's conducted herself so far, it was unimaginable that the High Queen would commit such a blunder.
That could only mean one thing.
It was deliberate.
The sarcastic butler was already feeling a sense of dread creeping towards him before he even heard what his mistress was about to say next.
"So you're saying I'm not the first who got to enjoy this privilege, is it?"
Morgan's words were as cold as a blizzard and for a brief moment, Humanity's Last Master was reminded of his faceoff against this woman back in the capital of Faerie Britain, Camelot.
Ah, I messed up.
This was the Lostbelt King who singlehandedly brought the Round Table army on the ropes. If it weren't for the betrayal of her own people, that fight right there could have possibly spelled the end of Chaldea and Humanity as a whole.
The Monster of Logic within him took over the reins in order to quickly come up with a plausible line of reasoning to try and get out of this sticky situation.
"While that is indeed true, you are the first one that I've served after having reached my current level."
The frigid blizzard that the Queen was emanating earlier relaxed into something more akin to an autumn breeze.
"Is that so?"
"Yes," Hachiman then resumed to pouring his own cup of tea now that the atmosphere has become significantly less strained. "You wouldn't believe how much of a mess I was when I tried serving tea for the first time."
The follow-up statement got a chuckle out of Morgan.
"A shame," by this point, the mood around her was now a refreshing wind that temporarily relieved you from the scorching hot temperatures of summer. Morgan picked her teacup again and dropped another comment in a much more lighthearted tone than earlier. "That in itself sounds like it would be quite a spectacle to watch, no?"
"I wouldn't be able to guarantee to consistently deliver a flawless performance so I'm sure there will be some days where I'll make mistakes even as I am now," Hachiman replied before taking a sip from his own cup.
The astringency gave the drink an air of refinement and its mild fruity notes were refreshing but not to the point where it overpowered the base of the tea. The mellow aftertaste that is left behind made you want to drink more to relive the same experience again and again.
The jaded loner immediately understood why someone of Morgan's stature liked the tea although he was sure that a younger version of himself will not appreciate this without a generous helping of sugar and maybe even some honey.
"Shouldn't we have tea together more often then?" Morgan tried her best to sound as natural as possible but her statement still came out as rather forceful. "That should increase the likeliness for that kind of thing to happen, no?"
Twitch.
The Hikigaya ahoge sent its warning but the cynic had no other realistic option at the moment but to respond to his Servant's indirect offer.
"I certainly wouldn't mind doing so if the opportunity presents itself, Morgan-san."
Clink.
Hachiman immediately stopped drinking from his teacup and laid his full attention to Morgan after he heard that distinct sound once again. This time around, it seemed like she only did that in order to get his attention and not because she was displeased.
"Master, would you please indulge my curiosity about a certain matter?" the slightest traces of hesitation were present on Morgan's tone.
At this point, Humanity's Last Master was already so used to hearing the intimate endearment that he just let it go through one ear and out the other.
"Y-Y-Yes?" having learned his lesson, Hachiman braced himself beforehand but that ended up making his inquiry come out a little shaky.
"Once you're done saving all of humanity from their own folly," the Witch of Britain took a short while to properly word out the next part of her statement. "Have you thought about what you're going to do next?"
Morgan's indifferent demeanor remained constant as she asked but that didn't stop Hachiman from suspecting the various hidden meanings that can be picked up from her words.
Saying househusband here is tantamount to suicide so let's give a noncommittal answer for now.
"Hmm," Hachiman scratched his head and pondered for a few seconds. "I've never really thought about it too much as I'm far too occupied with trying to save my world," he then shrugged his shoulders and without being aware of it himself, a wry smile was already plastered on his face. "In the end, it might all come down to how much I'll be rewarded, I guess."
This is technically not a lie because I don't really know what the future holds for me.
To Morgan, the young man in front of her could be best described by one word, aside from husband or Master that is.
Hero.
These individuals were destined to do great things in life and more often than not they don't have full control of their fate so it was understandable that her Master's vision for the future is rather vague.
That part about a reward also sounded like an excuse…
But of course, this is simply a misunderstanding… No. Perhaps, it is more accurate to call it a prophecy since this is a conclusion that was reached by a Magus on the level of Morgan.
"Surely you'd get riches enough for multiple generations of your bloodline to live lavishly after you accomplish such a task," she frowned. "Even human greed should have its limits."
"Oh, you'd be surprised," Hachiman smirked at this wonderful opportunity. If there's one thing he was confident at doing then it was none other than painting society, including himself, in a bad light. "After all, I'm no better."
The glint on Morgan's eyes became sharper and as frightening as this sounds, this was exactly what Hachiman was aiming for.
"Explain yourself, my husband," the Queen demanded like a tyrant. Her poise made it feel like your head will come flying off of your body if you don't follow her demands though her indignation at the moment is directed more towards the rest of humanity instead of the Master in front of her.
Hachiman would be lying if he said he wasn't a little scared but he wasn't afraid enough that he'll pass out on this opportunity to defame himself so that this Servant will hopefully lose some interest in him.
"My greed stems from the fact that I still dared to summon an esteemed individual such as Morgan-san even when I am well aware that I am unworthy," he then bowed, making his upper body be a perfect parallel with the ground. "For that, I am ever so thankful for responding positively to my summon."
This servile display was a deliberate act to either soften the repercussions that Hachiman will incur from his Servant or infuriate her after disobeying what she just told him earlier. Whichever way the coin flips, one thing was bound to happen, at least according to this pessimist's estimations.
This is gonna reduce my stock price for sure…!
In Morgan's eyes however, Hachiman's effort at trying to discourage her in choosing him as a partner only looked like he was wooing her…
I see… So despite admiring me, he's suppressing his feelings because of our difference in status, is it? What a very considerate man.
…And for some mind-boggling reason, it was working. It was working too well, in fact.
"Well, it wasn't that special as far as marriage proposals go," Morgan ran her index finger around the rim of her teacup. "But in the end, I guess I was won over by your sincerity."
Hearing two specific words from his counterpart made Hachiman stiffen on his seat.
"…Excuse me?" his voice came out almost robotic because of his shock and confusion. "What are you talking about, Morgan-san?"
The Witch's cheeks were tinged with a rosy shade as she began to explain.
"You don't have to be so shy about it, Master. I heard exactly what was in your heart when you called out to me," she cleared her throat in order to compose herself. "I'm talking about the Summoning Ceremony of course."
All this time, it appears that Hachiman's premise did not match with the Servant in front of him as from Queen Morgan's perspective, the moment that she stepped foot in Chaldea, she was already united in marriage with Humanity's Last Master… Furthermore, he was actually the one who proposed.
Putting things simply… Hachiman Hikigaya has just been wasting his breath.
"…"
The air of bewilderment that lingered around Hachiman was so thick that even Morgan, who has just been interpreting things up to her own convenience, was suspecting that something was wrong.
"My husband," she took a second to resolve herself to finish her inquiry. It was not that she was having trouble in constructing a question, she was simply trying to steel her heart for the response that she was about to get. By all means, this should have been something that she asked Hachiman first. "Are you perhaps already married?"
Morgan is beautiful.
This was not her boasting or anything, it is simply an objective fact.
The only possible reason that Morgan could think of for her Master to continuously dissuade her to take him in as a lifelong partner is if he's already promised himself to someone else.
This young mage in front of her is someone who has saved the world multiple times against all odds. Morgan thought it wouldn't be too surprising for a man of that caliber to have a wife or even many women waiting after him although she had to admit that just thinking about it was bothering her more than she initially thought.
Even though Hachiman hasn't fully recovered from the realization he just had, the new bomb that this Berserker dropped out of nowhere forced him to quickly regain his bearings.
"…If I say that I am," with an air of apprehension, Humanity's Last Master dared to give an indirect answer. "What are you going to do, Morgan-san?" He even dropped off a question at the end despite knowing that it was rude to do so.
Morgan held back her bubbling discomfort and responded in her usual neutral manner.
"Then I would like to talk with your current wife, if at all possible."
Knowing that this woman is somewhat related to a hotheaded King of Knights, there was no way that it will end with only dialogue so it would be better for him to lean on the side of caution.
"And?" Hachiman unconsciously tilted his head to the as he asked.
"That's it," the Lostbelt King nodded matter-of-factly.
Strangely enough, he was not detecting any sort of hostility, no, not just hostility, he is not sensing any sort of emotion from Morgan at all but that very absence is actually what was making her assertion from earlier even more dangerous.
"That's it, you say," Chaldea's Master massaged his temple preemptively, ready for the headache that was sure to come his way. "No, I am not married," he finally decided to give an unambiguous answer as it didn't look like they were going to move on from this topic unless he did so otherwise.
"Were you planning on doing so in the future?"
The sudden follow-up inquiry made the contrarian blink twice in surprise.
This time around, Hachiman didn't take too long to respond…
"It would be nice if I could..."
…He just let his inner desires do the talking.
Nevertheless, Morgan didn't seem to find such an answer to be unpleasant. In fact, judging from her glimmering eyes, you could even say she was pleased.
"Incidentally," Morgan leaned closer towards Hachiman without so much as a warning and stared deep into his lifeless eyes so that she wouldn't miss even the most minute of reactions from his side, like him blinking for example. "What do you think of me, Master?"
"Pardon?" beads of cold sweat began to form on Hachiman's forehead as he asked for clarification.
"I know you heard me the first time so I won't repeat myself," Morgan then grabbed the loner's face using both hands to prevent him from escaping. "By the way to be very specific, what I really want to know is your thoughts about me not just as a Servant but as a woman."
Twitch.
The Hikigaya ahoge moved ever so slightly to warn the cynic of danger but because of Morgan's preemptive maneuver, he could not get away anymore.
"I'm sure that whatever I'll say are already things you've heard from others. Besides," Hachiman kept his composure and gave his best business smile. "Morgan-san should be aware of all of her good qualities the best."
Despite her Fae Eyes telling her that her counterpart was leaning more towards the side of honesty, Morgan persistently prodded her Master.
"Even so, I would like nothing more but to hear those words come out from your own mouth," she unconsciously traced Hachiman's cheeks with one of her fingers. "There is more value to them because you are the one who said them."
Hachiman tried to avert his gaze but Morgan was quick to drag it back to the middle leaving him no choice but to respond.
"The word beautiful simply does not do you any justice…"
The cynic had to swallow all of his embarrassment the moment those words left his mouth. He would not have been this flustered if he prepared lines like this on a note beforehand. The fact that he was actually able to come up with something after being put on a spot was only making him feel even more ashamed of himself. It just goes to show that even a dimwit who is so utterly inept in romance would pick up a thing or two after working with notorious womanizers(knights) for such a long time.
In contrast to Humanity's Last Master who was quickly turning as red as a tomato…
"…And?"
…Queen Morgan was as cool as a cucumber, on the outside at least.
…!
Underneath her calm exterior, she was simply far too perplexed to react in any other way.
If he was in a less chaotic state of mind then perhaps Hachiman might have seen through his Servant's guise but his head is currently too occupied in fulfilling the Queen's request to notice anything.
As going for her looks once again seemed rather tasteless, he decided to target something else.
"Only a once-in-a-millennium genius like you could possibly analyze a Tree of Emptiness and use it for your own devises so quickly."
Perhaps because it was the second time around that he praised Morgan in an impromptu manner or he wasn't spouting lines straight out of a romance drama but Hachiman wasn't as embarrassed now as he was earlier.
Meanwhile…
"…And?"
…Morgan could barely hold on to her façade. The fact that her Master was more relaxed now was not doing her any favor.
Having regained a good chunk of his composure, Hachiman was now able to think of something that he was a little confident that his demanding Servant hasn't heard yet.
"Regardless of how things turned out in the end, I'm sure that in your own way," he locked eyes with the woman who became that Lostbelt's savior and tyrant at some points in her life. "You loved Britain with all your hea-…!"
Without warning, the Ruler of Faerie Britain released a compelling pressure that forced Hachiman to shut his mouth. And for the first time throughout this entire exchange, Morgan finally let her emotions run wild.
"…Do you even have any idea what kind of atrocities I committed during my reign?" she glared at the man who she has been affectionately addressing as husband since she was summoned.
Amidst all the alarm bells ringing throughout his entire body, including his twitching ahoge, Hachiman feigned calmness.
"Vaguely, yes," the realist nodded solemnly. "But your past choices don't necessarily deny your fondness for Britain," he then shrugged and directed an empathic smile to the woman in front of him. "After all, there's no way you can rule a land for such a long time if you didn't love it at least during one point of your entire reign."
The pressure around Morgan then relaxed. She continued to glare at Hachiman for a while but upon seeing him not budge at all, she ultimately sighed in resignation.
"…I think obsessed is a more appropriate term."
"Obsession is still a kind of love, no?" Chaldea's Master wittily quipped back.
…Then what would you call this emotion I'm feeling now, I wonder?
Unbeknownst to Humanity's Last Master, his self-proclaimed wife was cooking up an absurd idea on her head that was sure to make him faint if he ever heard of it. You could even go as far to say that he just dug his own grave with those words of his.
With an air of reluctance, Morgan gently let go of Hachiman's head, although she still kept her face in very close proximity to his own.
"I almost forgot but there's another thing I'd like to ask from you as reference, Master."
"Sure, you're more than welcome to ask me anything," Hachiman smiled before trying to pick up his teacup, though he suspected that its contents should already be lukewarm by now.
Surely, this Servant in front of him didn't have anything crazy to ask anymore.
From the top of his head, he could easily come up with topics that Morgan would be curious about such as modern civilization, her fellow Heroic Spirits or maybe about something more personal…
"How many children would you like?"
…But apparently, what she had in mind was a little too personal.
"…" the loner was struck speechless for a few seconds but owing to the fact that this was not the first absurd question he's heard this day, heck, this session, he didn't panic that much. He shakily returned his teacup back to its respective saucer before answering. Luckily, he heard Morgan's inquiry just before he drank its remaining contents or he would have spit them all out. "That's not something I can answer when I don't even have a partner in life just yet."
It was a noncommittal statement that embodied the phrase playing safe…
"Personally, I prefer to have at least three."
…But it didn't seem like his words were registered to the faerie's ears. She then cast an expectant glance towards her partner's way, as if she was trying to ask for his input.
Wait, why is she looking at me like that? Don't tell me…!
A typical harem protagonist would have made a dumb look here and ask the other party what's up but unfortunately for Hachiman Hikigaya, he was far too smart for his own good.
"…Three does sound like a realistic number, yes."
The distressed realist quickly turned to look at Morgan's reaction only to see the edges of her lips curled into a smile, indicating that she was happy he read her intentions correctly.
As for the High Queen's own interpretation to her consort's response…
As expected, we really are husband and wife.
…Saying that she was getting ahead of herself would be an understatement. As Hachiman could not read her mind, he was unable to offer a retort but if he heard even half of the things that this woman was thinking, then it was more than likely that he'd rather not be psychic.
"I'd like it if there is at least one boy and one girl…" Morgan raised both her index and middle fingers as she went on with her thoughts.
By this point, it was hard to say whether the two were having a conversation or one of them was just daydreaming.
She's still going on?
Once again, Morgan was staring at her other half's direction with a look of expectation.
Since he was able to somewhat understand her earlier, he had no choice but to continue to fulfill her hopes as he had a sinking feeling that it would be more troublesome for him if he did otherwise.
"Whichever should be fine as those kinds of things are beyond one's control anyways."
In a similar way to how Morgan was only conveniently hearing what she wanted to hear, he decided to act like he was not involved with the scenarios she was coming up in her head.
"But wouldn't having twins also sound kind of nice?"
The Witch of Camelot didn't seem to care about her Master's countermeasure whatsoever and cast the same kind of glance towards him for the third time around.
"Indeed it does…"
Chaldea's Master was starting to feel both his head ache and stomach churn at the same time as he felt the intense weight of his counterpart's feelings.
"A house on a countryside could allow us to be self-sufficient but you also can't easily dismiss the charm of living close to the ocean."
At this point, Hachiman Hikigaya didn't bother resisting anymore.
"Both have their own advantages and disadvantage, yes…"
This kind of one-sided exchange with Morgan went on for a long while. During this entire time, the resigned loner just nodded and chimed in each time he was asked for his own feedback.
As it turns out, even the vast experience of Humanity's Last Master in dealing with Berserkers proved to be useless in the face of the unique insanity possessed by this Heroic Spirit who proclaims herself as his wife.
…
It's finally over…!
Hachiman mentally cheered after putting a dot to today's impromptu counselling session. It took so much time and energy to somehow persuade his counselee to get out of the room.
And by somehow, he meant barely.
The results of their negotiation could easily be seen from the corner of Hachiman's right eye. Pale fingers were entwined on his right hand which carried his Command Spells. Morgan's palms felt much rougher than you would expect from someone who held the title of royalty but only those who are not aware of her origins as being the savior who roamed all over Britain would find this strange.
That's also why Hachiman wasn't too surprised with the powerful force he was feeling on his hand that prevented him from moving even a single finger.
The privilege to escort such a beautiful lady… Actually happens to him quite often but these were one of those things that a man would always be delighted to do no matter how many times they've done it in the past. It is simply an instinct that is engraved into their very being.
In other words, he might as well enjoy it… Was his thought until he saw the large crowd that waited for him when the doors of the counselling room spread wide open.
It was sufficed to say that every Servant with a modicum of romantic interest to their common Master was present at this very moment.
Whether they came from the humblest of backgrounds, literal deities or even beings that were not even supposed to exist in the first place, each and every single one of them felt that they wouldn't lose out to anyone when it came to their feelings for their Master alone.
One look at the expressions they were wearing was enough for Hachiman Hikigaya to know that he wasn't going to defuse this situation using his usual methods.
Hachiman Hikigaya was never dense or rather it is impossible for him to be dense when he is also called the Monster of Self-Consciousness.
It is exactly because he is aware of their interest that he didn't want to treat their feelings so lightly. Then again, maybe that was a mistake too as he wouldn't be under this crisis if he had acted more decisively.
Ah, it's so doomed.
Before Humanity's Last Master could come up with any sort of countermeasure, his partner suddenly made the first move.
"Oh my, I didn't expect that so many people would be present when we were just about to leave for our date," Morgan let go of Hachiman's hand, deftly latched onto his arm using her own and then pulled her body closer to him as if it was the most natural thing in the world for her to do. The entire sequence of events was done so fluidly that it gave the impression that this was not the first time that she's done something like this before. "My husband," she emphasized those last two words while staring passionately at the side profile of her Master.
"…"
Needless to say, the one who received the most damage from that nuclear warhead of a statement was none other than Hachiman himself.
From an outsider's perspective, it really looked like the two were lost in their own world which unironically wasn't too far from the truth. It's just that the worlds in the heads of these two were completely different, one was rosy pink and the other was a bleak gray that was slowly transitioning into a bloody red.
"!"
"!"
"!"
"!"
"!"
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
After those words were uttered from Morgan's mouth, the entire base began to tremble from the mana that was emanating from several Heroic Spirits at once despite the several restrictions imposed upon them.
Even more so than the Incineration of Humanity or the Foreign God, Chaldea was about to face its greatest crisis yet.
The (un)fortunate loner let out a sigh laced out with both irony and bitterness.
It seems that even now My (Teen) Romantic Comedy Is Still Wrong As I Expected… No, in a way, perhaps it might have gotten even worse?
Hachiman Hikigaya immediately chased that terrifying thought away before it started to manifest in reality but anyone could tell that he was already far beyond saving.
Author's Note:
I'm very sorry for the delay. The past few weeks has been unbearably busy for me so I couldn't really write as much as I usually can.
As a change of pace, I've decided not to feature the older generation Servants and head straight for someone trending... Around four months ago or something.
This chapter, despite it's average length and it being a counselling session like usual, is actually deceptively difficult to write.
This is because even though Morgan is quite popular with the fans, I didn't really have external resources to work with aside from what FGO provided me.
As such, I just let my imagination run wild with my iteration of Morgan.
Here's to hoping I didn't butcher her character too much.
We'll be going back to Chiba in the next chapter so please look forward to that when it comes.
As always, if you ever have any suggestions on which Servant/s you want to be featured next, feel free to write them on your review, I'll be sure to take that into consideration for the coming chapters.
Now with that out of the way, time to get on to the reviews from the previous chapter.
MastaofBitches: I'm really glad that my experiment bore some positive fruit. From now on, you can expect this kind of arrangement for the next updates. As for Komachi, she read that her brother was hiding something but had no idea about the specifics.
memoryofvirtual: Yes, Hikigaya does get buff. I base this on how ripped Ritsuka looked when he's using the swimming trunks Mystic Code. I'm pretty sure Chapter 11 didn't disappear or anything, my guy.
guest: Yep, that's Ritsuka. I'm sorry if that offended some of the readers but I had to do because I felt like his existence alongside Hachiman in my fic may create a plothole of sorts. Best to be safe.
Kamalajan: Amen, brother.
uncertainreader: Thank you very much.
The Disquieting One: Hopefully you retained your positive opinion until the more recent chapters. Your support is greatly appreciated.
To everyone else who takes the time to read this fic, a huge thank you to all of you as well.
That's it for this chapter.
I hope we meet again in the next one or in another story of mine.
Reviews, follows and faves are all very much appreciated.
Until next time...
May everyone's good wishes and realities intersect.
Morii Hikikko