Lost record II
Seriously… What am I doing?
Olga questioned herself, when everything seemed to fall in the place without her.
Inside her vision, Kyrielight was waking her Master up. For as long as she could remember, that girl had never smiled like right now, a small smile, but a smile nevertheless, as she watched Fujimaru jumping away from her with a comical panicked look, his cheeks burned, realizing where his head had been. It wasn't like Kyrielight wasn't expressive. It was just she barely showed any expression, even before and after the Beryl Gut incident. If not for the older Archaman finding out and driving the other Master away, Kyrielight might have been a broken doll.
Ever since then, both the Archamans always seemed troubled by that girl's impassiveness. While Olga also felt disturbed by Gut's action, as well as why Kyrielight hadn't fought back, she honestly didn't see it as a problem. That girl was "born" [created] to be a tool serving the good of humanity, and a tool didn't [shouldn't] need to have emotions.
[Because it would be less painful, so she thought]
[Also, she made sure that Kyrielight and Gut had not crossed paths ever again outside the simulator]
And that only proved Olga how wrong she had been.
Those emotions, the things she had deemed unnecessary, were what had saved them today.
Pursing her lips, Olga moved her eyes to the other side. The battle over there appeared to be concluded. From this place, she couldn't hear what they were saying but seemed like Watson had done it, all on her own. The way she stood shoulder to shoulder with the Servants, who would have thought that girl was just a novice Master, knowing one only basic spell to save her life?
Actually, no one would have believed this mission was completed by those two Masters alone, seeing them as such clowns outside the battle. One was getting her cheek pinched by her own Servant, the other was still spouting nonsense in his fluttered state to Kyrielight. Olga's hands were fists tightly beside her body without her knowing.
One could almost fight on par with a Servan even with her limited training in magecraft, while the other had come up with most of their plans of action, and was able to conjure a counterplan right on the spot. Olga doubted that not everyone in this world could have pulled off such a feat like them.
Then what about her? What had she ever done since they got to Fuyuki?
"Not a proper Master this", "Not a proper Master that ". Olga kept holding that notion over their heads because that was the one thing she knew better than two of them, when, ironically, she was barely a Master herself…
A bitter taste somehow appeared inside her mouth.
Was she… was she even needed?
Heroes were not made, they were born. And Olga was no hero.
Wherever she went, she was just "Olga the brat ". The nickname the whole Chaldea had lovingly given her.
Of course, Olga was well aware that people hated her(, painfully so). That was why she tried harder than anyone, working harder than anyone, to make up for the estrangement of the staff. "As long as I get the results, they will understand ", she had told herself. It was her duty as Olga Marie Asmleit Animusphere, the head of the noblest magi family, to lead Chaldea. She had to prove to them she wasn't just using her parents' status. They might mock her all they wanted, but they wouldn't be able to deny her achievements. Her personal feelings didn't matter, Olga wouldn't let anyone, even herself, get in the way. Until the day she could reach the "clear future" her father had headed for his whole life, she wouldn't stop.
But alas, the "clear future" that she had struck for suddenly vanished without a trace.
Half of a year ago, the city light shining when seen from space, the light which was proof humanity continued existence, was extinguished at the end of 2016.
Now thinking back about it, wasn't she, in reality, just had a bad personality? Olga thought bitterly.
–Honestly, She was at her limit.
Between all the objections and the staff's confusion, there was no way for her, a little girl, to shoulder the future of humanity while she barely held the trust of a handful of people.
If not for Lev, Olga might have collapsed a long time ago.
He had never spoken ill to her. Lev had even told off any staff that gossiped about her. He had always seemed to know what exactly to say to make her better whenever she was feeling down. When Olga had slipped out that it might have been better if he took on her position since he got this power to gather people during her vulnerable time, Lev had outright shaken his head.
:::::::
"It's just like your father once said: "No matter the circumstance, doing your utmost is the pride of the Animusphere". You've been doing the best you can, following in your father's footsteps. Don't let this discourage you, Mari." The hand on her shoulder was warm. "I'm here right with you. So don't worry."
:::::::
It was his words that had given Olga the strength to continue. True to what he said, Lev had supported however he could. He had always stood by her side, walking her through the darkest time of her life. To Olga, he had been like a breath of fresh air. And not just her, anyone in Chaldea would have said the same.
Her eye sockets heat up. In this world, only Lev had understood her.
And now, he was gone.
She was left all alone–
"Director."
A voice pulled Olga out of the dark abyss she had plunged herself into. She raised her head to see Fujimaru standing before her with a smile on his face. A few steps behind him, Kyrielight was watching them with rapt attention.
"I want to say thank you. Without you, we wouldn't have survived."
.. Huh…? Olga stared at him, not sure if she had heard it right.
"But I... didn't do anything..." She uttered.
Aside from screaming and crying and making a scene, that was.
"What do you mean "didn't do anything"?" Fujimaru blinked back at her in equal confusion. "You did a lot, Director! You healed us just now. You even taught us about Servants and Mystic Code and everything else from scratch! You led us through Fuyuki. If not for you, I don't think we would have made it this far… err...? Director?"
His line trailed off when Olga's head was suddenly hung low. Using her bang, she covered those salted liquids that kept flowing out of her sockets for some reason.
What was this? Why couldn't she stop crying? A leader must not show any signs of weakness—
But… Olga bit her lower lip.
Maybe just once in her life…
She just wanted [wished] someone to acknowledge her.
"Director?! Are you alright!?" Fujimaru fretted as soon as a sob managed to escape from her constricted throat. "Did you hurt somewhere?"
"Shut it, you idiot, I'm alright!" Hastily wiping her face, Olga growled to cover her embarrassment.
"But you are cr—"
"I'm not!" She snapped in the sheer force of reflexes. Immediately, Fujimaru sank away whilst Olga inwardly kicked herself.
You are Chaldea's director, Olga. Act accordingly to your position! Her inner voice hissed as she cleared her throat, trying to recompose her expression. Taking in a deep breath, Olga turned to the raven head Master.
"... too."
"Yes?" Fujimaru tilted his head, failing to catch her voice.
"I said you too. Despite being an incompetent Master, you've done a good job. Both you and Watson." She spoke louder over her sniff. This was embarrassing. The words just rolled a bit awkwardly on Olga's tongue but she pushed on, extending a hand to him. "As the Director of Chaldea, I acknowledge your efforts. You have done well on your part to accomplish this mission."
The young man stared at her, mouth dropped. That ridiculous look of his almost caused her to snap again before a large smile brightened his whole face.
"Thank you, Director!" Taking her hand, Fujimaru shook it with eagerness. Olga admitted. It was a bit cheesy for her taste. Still…
She felt her lips curl up slightly.
This feeling wasn't bad.
To make this clear, I made this chapter not to defend Olga or anything, I just hoped everyone would understand her situation a little bit.
Olga is a controversial character. Honestly, rather than hate, I feel pity for her. She was just a girl, barely matured but she forced herself in a tough position just to protect her father's keepsake. And let's face it, Marisbury Animusphere was an asshole of a father, and Lev was, well, Lev. He was a demon in human's skin so it was expected when he screwed Olga up for his amusement. Meanwhile, Marisbury had no excuse to neglect his own daughter.
