Ch. 88 - Risks

The march had been uneventful overall. The URE had sent no interception forces nor had they garrisoned almost any city or town past Massilia. In fact, all of them had been deserted, even the villages. A few scouts and officers noted the presence of local tribes who had no particular love for the Romans, but even they were absent. And it was the same as before in each area: No signs of bloodshed, yet no supplies they could pilfer or utilize.

The silence had been concerning. It did not seem like the URE had given up. Rather, they were simply consolidating their forces: the calm before the great storm. No small number argued it might've been a trap, and yet Archer, Tamamo, Jing Ke, and even Loki could find no hint of anyone or anything even attempting to set an ambush, even in the most ideal locations. Even their supply caravans had been utterly unharried, the lighter carts and soldiers able to catch up to the main forces and constantly refreshed their supplies, leaving them surprisingly fresh for the assault.

Grass gave way to dust and dirt as they marched up a plateau as they approached the capital. There were no outposts, not even a sign of any enemy scouts or lookouts surveying the area. A few of the soldiers even gossiped among themselves, saying that their enemy had given up – before being silenced by their officers to keep marching. The Servants had been extra vigilant as Ren constantly used his Third Eye to scope out their surroundings for any details, but they had found nothing.

Then as they approached, the URE capital spread before their eyes – and everyone stopped in marvel. A wondrous city, almost a near replica of Rome in its full glory, stood proud and tall on the plateau. The buildings were gleaming almost a golden sheen, like a city of the very gods themselves. It was a far greater Rome than even the greatest heyday of the city, enough to move even soldiers who had lived in Rome itself to tears.

Beyond the border of the city were buildings – enough that they ringed around the capital in a city of its own. They were far less glorious, made with stone, clay, and mortar, and yet they resembled much of the normal buildings they had seen in the cities before, and looked recently constructed as well. Even the roads were paved and lined in a similar manner to Rome.

However, what ultimately grabbed their attention was that unlike the cities before, it wasn't deserted. Far from it. There were URE archers posted on almost every single rooftop, with more soldiers garrisoned within so they could easily rush out and surround whatever force decides to invade. The streets themselves were heavily barricaded with rubble, rocks, and wood – barriers that wouldn't be easy to surmount with arrows raining down.

Furthermore, there were walls all around the main city – not so mighty that they couldn't see beyond, but enough that it was clear they wouldn't be able to breach through without a concentrated effort and siege machines, and taller than any of the structures before it. The more keen-eyed among them saw yet more archers and soldiers posted on top of the walls as well. Because of their positioning and postings, it was hard for anyone to garner an estimate of how many soldiers occupied the city. And any count would be rendered moot as the Grail within could simply create more.

In short, it seemed basically impregnable.

"Well… this is something," Ritsu commented, at a minor loss for words.

"Indeed," Nero replied gravely as she stared at the map the scouts had drawn, her command tent filled with the Masters from Chaldea, various Servants, and her commanders as well. They had camped themselves some distance away from the capital, nestled in a nearby quarry. The mood in the camp had dampened considerably compared to the march, with the officers keeping the men busy so they couldn't discuss among themselves and bring morale down even lower. Sentries kept a close eye on the URE capital in case they decided to sally forth but so far, they held their positions.

"Even if we were at full strength, assailing such a city would be a herculean task," Asisculus mused as he stared hard at the enemy positions. "Normally, I would recommend dealing with the surrounding cities and towns first before encircling the capital and sieging them with the aim of starving them to surrender, but…"

"Not an option," Joan growled. She had long since emphasized what kind of resources the Grail could provide the city and as such, a siege wasn't an option. "Do they have any holes in their defenses or any way to sneak in?"

"I already have sent Jing Ke out to scout for that," Nero replied. "And I presume you have sent Loki to do the same, legate Amamiya?"

Ren nodded in answer. "I did," he confirmed. "They're still working their way through the outer edges of the city right now but so far, they haven't found a good way in – and even less a way to easily breach the walls. They seem recently constructed and fortified too, so I'm not sure if there's any structural weaknesses we can take advantage of. I'm no engineer, of course, but I doubt we can get any close enough to check for sure."

Boudica massaged her eyes through closed eyelids. "And we can't just march into the city, not through that meat grinder," she growled. "We'd lose almost all our men before we'd even make it halfway to the main gates."

"That's why we have Lu Bu, Spartacus, and Joan," Ritsu replied seriously, her arms crossed as she stared down the map critically. "No matter how the URE forces are positioned or how many of them there are, they can easily punch a hole right through the outer city. That being said, reaching the gates is the easy part. There's still actually getting in – and here we have nothing to go off of. We don't know the formation and positioning of the soldiers within, where the Grail is being held, what kind of protections are in place both physically and magecraft, and so on and so forth."

"Then we have to wait for Jing Ke and Loki's reports," Morgana stated grimly. "And hope there's some good news from all of this."

They discussed various strategies, debating and arguing the pros and cons with each one, until Jing Ke and Loki both stepped into the tent. "Well, what news?" Nero asked. "I don't suppose either of you have found a secret path into the inner city?"

Jing Ke shook her head. "Unfortunately, it's all about as fortified as you can get," she replied grimly. "There are soldiers positioned all throughout the entire outer city, with barricades and traps to match. We're not getting through it all without a concerted effort."

"And as for the inner city, I dove into the Metaverse and took a look around," Loki added. Their expression surprisingly matched the seriousness of the situation as they crossed their arms with a frown. "It's almost a complete copy of Rome itself, except perhaps even more grand to the point of gaudiness, if you ask me. That, of course…" They glanced toward Nero. "Means there is an Imperial Palace there as well."

"And that's where Romulus is located?" Nero mused.

"And the Grail?" Ritsu added.

Loki shook their head. "I wasn't about to leave the Metaverse if I can't be sure the location is safe in the real world in some way, shape, or form," they groused. "But that would be my closest bet."

Ren took a deep breath. "So, first things first: how do we get in?" he muttered. "Honestly, as Ritsu said, the outer city isn't going to be a huge problem – Lu Bu, Spartacus, and Joan can push right through to the walls and clear a path in the process. The problem is, however, once we get there."

Asisculus nodded. "Once we get to the wall, they can simply collapse around and pincer us," he agreed. Moving the pieces, he placed the lighter ones representing their own forces next to the wall on the map and turned the surrounding darker pieces towards them. Indeed, it was clear that they would be surrounded. "We would have to watch our flanks constantly, especially since there's more gates they can sally out from and reinforce themselves, and they can easily cut off our retreat. It would be a death zone."

"It'd draw a lot of attention though…" Morgana said slowly. The catlike being and Ren looked at each other as the same plan dawned in both of their minds. However, instead of their usual excitement, their countenances became even grimmer.

"Do you and Ren-senpai have an idea?" Mash inquired, looking over at them both.

Ren pressed his lips together. "We do," he replied. "And I'm not gonna lie – it's extremely risky for everyone here. Hopefully, you guys can help iron things out or we can come up with better options."

"Your plans and gambits have yet to lead us astray," Nero noted. Despite the difficult situation, she had to smile as she recollected all the various stunts Ren pulled – and the success that often followed. "What is your plan, Legate Amamiya?"

The Phantom Thief took a deep breath. "The forces here go for a head-on assault here," he explained. You guys make a huge amount of noise and make it seem like you're not about to retreat, grabbing everyone's attention. Meanwhile…" He pointed to the now-empty space where the dark pieces used to occupy, now surrounding the Roman pieces instead. "A small team will go through the empty space here, scale a now deserted part of the wall, and then strike at the Imperial Palace. Once we've taken out Romulus and have the Grail, then everything will be resolved."

Silence loomed over the tent once he finished. Finally, an officer spoke up. "That's it?" he hissed. "That's your plan?! To send us on a suicidal charge while you and your lot infiltrate the inner city, where we don't know the size or positioning of the garrison, basically asking us to pray that you'll all succeed – assuming we don't all die within the first half hour?"

"Mind your words," Nero snapped, shooting a glare at the man. "You are addressing a superior officer. Disrespect will not be tolerated. That being said…" She turned back to Ren, her gaze critical. "We cannot dismiss his words. You are asking much from us, Legate, for merely a chance of success. Let us check for other options first. Jing Ke, Loki. Are you not able to defeat the Servant and retrieve the Grail yourselves?"

"Wouldn't bet on it," Jing Ke shot the idea down. "This is still technically part of the Roman Empire, and Romulus has remodeled the capital to look like Rome, right? Not to mention he's, as you call him, 'the holy progenitor' of the Empire. Servants are granted more strength if they are in their home territory and honestly, I'm not sure there's better territory than if he was in Rome itself at this point. I'm not even sure if the capital right now doesn't count for that."

"And before you ask, my ability to cause a psychotic breakdown requires me to be rather close to the target, as I said before," Loki drawled. "I don't know of Romulus's capabilities, but if he's aware of what I can do or even has a suspicion, then most likely I will be cut down before I can achieve anything of consequence. So in short, no, I don't believe it is possible with just the two of us."

"And I take it we can't just all scale the walls?" Morgana asked.

"Not unless we want to be turned into pincushions," Boudica grumbled. "Those climbing the walls would have no cover, making them easy pickings for the archers in the outer city. And that's presuming the soldiers on the walls simply don't shove off any ladders or cut any ropes. It would also mean further dividing our forces, allowing the URE soldiers to isolate and pick us off more easily."

"And siege engines?" Ritsu asked. "We got a good amount of lumber with us – can't we make a battering ram or catapults to break down the gate, or even make a siege tower to provide cover for those scaling the walls?"

"Constructing siege engines takes time," Archer pointed out. "Which is not on our side. Every minute we stay here is another possibility of them simply moving out and meeting us far from the city, where we have even more distance to fight for. I doubt they would stand idly by while we are constructing something to help breach the walls – and that's IF they can be breached conventionally."

Ritsu blinked. "Wait," she said slowly, almost berating herself for not asking herself this sooner. "Are those gates and walls reinforced? Can you and Tamamo break the gates?"

Archer hesitated as he played the scenario in his mind and glanced over at Tamamo. "Perhaps," he answered carefully. "But even if we don't destroy it, such an action would be tantamount to disturbing a wasp's nest. They will most likely rush out to meet us in combat as a result."

Ritsu nodded fervently. "Right, right," she muttered as she thought furiously. "But if we combine this with Ren's plan… I think… I think we can make it work."

Nero blinked in surprise. "And what is your recourse then, Tribune Fujimaru?" she asked, curious as to her plan now.

The redheaded Master nodded at her idol. "That we go with Ren's plan," she answered. "Instead of charging up to the city, however, we force them to come to us. Once the city is relatively emptied out, Ren and whoever he chooses will infiltrate the city while we hold out here as long as we can. Still not a great plan, but it's a better plan – at least we're not marching straight into the near-literal jaws of death."

Everyone was silent as they considered the plan. "While not nearly as suicidal, we would still be incredibly hard pressed," Asisculus rumbled. "The capital is right there, after all. I have no doubt they have a vast number of reserves to throw at us and simply overrun us before the day is out."

"We have Servants here," Ritsu countered. "Each one worth at least a thousand of those soldiers. Look, we can complain about this all day, but here are the facts: We can't deplete their numbers or their resources. We don't have the time. We don't have much of… well, anything. Honestly, it's a 'Hail Mary' at this point or nothing."

"A 'Hail Mary'?" Morgana asked as several people blinked in confusion.

"It's a figure of speech or slang," Mash informed them. "It means an incredibly risky or audacious play in a sport – synonymous with an 'all-or-nothing' gamble, I believe."

Nero huffed. "It certainly seems to be our only option," the emperor grumbled, massaging her temples to stifle her headache. "Who would you be taking with you for the infiltration then, legate Amamiya?"

Ren considered, looking at everyone gathered within the tent. "Jing Ke and Loki goes without saying," he began. "They're infiltration specialists and can help scout out enemy positions and silently deal with any threats as we proceed. Can I count on you guys?"

Jing Ke grinned. "Entering enemy territory to deal with a ruler?" she asked rhetorically. "Sounds like any other day. Bring some booze and count me in."

Loki chuckled. "Your conditions have made it so I can't exactly decline now, can I?" the Avenger retorted. "However, consider my interest piqued. I'll gladly come along."

The Phantom Thief nodded, glad for their support. Next would be the frontline fighters. Lu Bu and Spartacus frankly weren't cut out for stealth and infiltration, not with their proclivities. That left… "Joan, any fighting that has to be done will be thick and fierce," he continued, looking over at the incarnated Servant. "We're gonna need your skills for that. You in?"

Joan frowned but otherwise nodded. "I'll do what I can," she replied solemnly. Ren had to smile. They both had come a long way since the beginning of the singularity. He didn't think she trusted him overmuch, but she trusted him enough to at least watch each other's backs. For now, that would be good enough.

"You better not be excluding me, Joker," Morgana piped up, shooting a cautioning glare at Ren.

Ren in return grinned back down to his best friend. "Wouldn't dream of it," he replied easily.

"Good!" the catlike being declared with a satisfied nod.

"Before we continue," Nero interjected, drawing everyone's attention. "I must insist on one point. Legate Amamiya, I will be accompanying you for this infiltration."

There was a moment of shocked silence as the emperor's declaration sank in. Then everyone burst into protest all at once.

"Absolutely not, Imperator," Asisculus roared. "This is enemy territory! We would not be able to protect you if anything should go awry! Not that I do not trust legate Amamiya and his legion at this point, but too often the fortunes of war go sour when least expected! I beg you to reconsider!"

"Is this your selfishness at play, Nero?" Boudica snapped. "The United Roman Empire knows you're here and they'll be looking for you! If you decide to go traipsing off, it'll immediately tip them off that there's something else at play here! This isn't the time to go grabbing the spotlight for yourself, not unless you want everything you ever have and worked for to crumble before your eyes!"

"ENOUGH!" Nero cried, her voice carrying over the loud protestations of her allies, silencing them. "I do not doubt you all believe this to be a foolish act, and in many ways, I agree. I should be with my people even unto the bitter end if need be. However, our enemy is the holy progenitor himself! My claim, my prerogative as an emperor cannot yield to him! In order to solidify my rule once more, in order for the future of the empire to be secure, I must face him and prove, once and for all, that I am the rightful ruler of the Roman Empire!"

She took another deep breath. "And if the holy progenitor himself truly does believe that I am unfit to rule," the emperor added faintly. "Then at the very least, I wish to hear that for myself. I refuse to be told so by anyone else but him. Otherwise, I refuse to yield, no matter what words or forces may assail me. Is this my selfishness? Yes. But it is the selfishness of an emperor, and of the Empire. One that I refuse to brook any compromises for."

There was a moment of silence as everyone considered the emperor's words. Nevertheless, it was clear that only a few of them were convinced. Many others were considering their counterarguments and were preparing themselves to launch into debate with the emperor once more, out of loyalty or outrage. It would be the start of an argument that would last a considerable length of time.

Suddenly, Ritsu, who had been staring contemplatively at Nero, abruptly walked toward her. "Stand up for a second," she ordered. The emperor, taken off guard by the brazenness of the redhead, nevertheless stood up at her request, curious as to where this was going. The Master looked her over carefully – she was easily a good half a head taller than her, but that wouldn't matter too much if they were careful about it. The emperor also had somewhat better proportions, but again that wouldn't matter too much in the long run. "Hm, yeah," she murmured. "I think I can make this work…"

"Er, what are you planning, Ritsu?" Morgana asked warily.

Ritsu turned back, her face serious. "I'll take Nero's place as her body double," she stated bluntly. "That way, if the URE are looking for Nero, they won't suspect she left with you guys. I was planning on staying here as boots on the ground for the Servants here anyway, so we'll knock out two birds with one stone."

Once more, another shocked silence. Then again, protestations broke out. "Wha- no! No way! Absolutely not!" Morgana screeched. "Do you realize what the heck you're suggesting?! That's not just putting yourself in harm's way, that's practically tossing yourself in front of a speeding train! We're not allowing you to do that!"

"That is an incredibly reckless plan," Tamamo admonished, shooting a glare at her Master as her tail's movements belied her anxiety. "The body doubles of nobles do not have long life expectancies, and those of emperors even less so, especially in times of war. There are other options available to us, such as Loki's shapeshifting. I may even bear the guise of the emperor myself if necessary or create an illusory double with a shikigami. To undertake such a risk when it's not necessary is folly. I must ask you to reconsider."

"We can't," Ritsu replied flatly, shutting everyone down. "The enemy will be coming at us thick and fast with everything they got. It'll make the sieges at the pass and Massalia look like nothing. There's even a possibility there are more Servants either marching with them or huddling within the capital, waiting for whoever breaks in. We don't know, and frankly, we can't chance it. This kind of situation is an all-hands-on-deck kind of deal. Everyone – especially the Servants – needs to be at their best if we wanna come out of this with any chance of a win."

The Master's arguments once more silenced everyone as they rallied themselves for a counterargument. They couldn't deny her words – they needed every bit of power they could get in order to make sure this battle would be a success. However, there was absolutely no denying still just how much risk Ritsu was placing upon herself. It wasn't a situation anyone in Chaldea was comfortable with.

Before anyone could speak, however, Ren came forward, his unreadable grey eyes staring directly into Ritsuka's amber ones. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, his tone quiet yet it carried throughout the entire tent.

Ritsu blinked, gulped, then steeled her expression as she nodded. "Yes, I am," she stated.

Ren held her gaze for a second longer, watching for any signs of wavering, but found none. Finally, he sighed, looked toward Nero – who had been watching everything play out with a bemused expression – and simply nodded.

"Very well," Nero declared quietly. "If that is your resolution, Tribune Ritsuka Fujimaru, then I shall not deny it. Once more I thank you – all of you – for your bravery and loyalty. Once we have succeeded here, I shall be sure to reward all of you to the absolute best of my ability. But for now, I believe victory, as slim as it is, is within our reach. We will not falter, nor will we lose. For Rome!"

"For Rome!" cried the officers.

With that, they all began discussing again the details of the defenses of the camp and the infiltration. Throughout it all, Ren only stared at Ritsu as Mash worried glanced over at her. The redhead still contributed to the conversation where she could – however, he knew it was nothing more than a front. A mask.

A familiar situation.

The camp was a flurry of activity. There would be no time for rest, not with the plan set in place. Tents were moved and shifted about in tandem with the creation of barriers to create mazes and chokepoints. Layers of palisades were created shored up with piles of dirt, rock, and rubble. Supplies were distributed and created as necessary as engineers put together catapults and scorpions, placed either on the walls or on elevated locations while oils were mixed and rocks were carved out.

Ren walked through the camp, moving aside for a troop of soldiers running by with wheelbarrows full of rubble. They had all been discussing the plan for some time, trying to make it as airtight as possible. Ritsu had excused herself early, saying she needed to contact Da Vinci to prepare for her role, as well as to brief Chaldea on their plan. When she hadn't returned, Mash had also left the meeting to check up on her. Once the meeting was dismissed, Morgana stayed behind to organize the Servants, leaving the Phantom Thief to follow up.

As he approached Ritsu's tent, suddenly, Mash burst out, looking more anxious than usual. She barely managed to stop herself from running to Ren as she looked up, blinking. "Ren-senpai!" she cried in surprise. "Is the meeting over?"

"For now," Ren answered. "What happened? Is Ritsu okay?"

Mash bit her lip anxiously. "Ritsu-senpai is…" she began before pausing. "She… she wanted me to join you for your infiltration."

That news caught him off guard. "What?" he spouted. "Why?"

The Shielder shook her head. "I think it's better to ask Ritsu-senpai yourself, Ren-senpai," she murmured. "I do not believe she is currently doing well at the moment. She is in considerable distress, though she is trying her best not to show it."

Ren frowned as he glanced at Ritsu's tent. "Sounds about right," he muttered. "Thanks for letting me know, Mash. I'll talk to her and see what I can do from here."

"Should I come with you?" Mash asked innocently.

The Phantom Thief pondered for a second, then shook his head. "I think it's better if I handle this one by myself, Mash," he declined. "But thanks for the offer. In the meantime, can you find Morgana and let him know you'll be joining the infiltration as well? We'll need to account for you in how we're gonna go about things."

Mash blinked in surprise, then nodded. "Of course, senpai," she acknowledged. "And… good luck." Turning, she walked off to find the catlike being. Ren silently watched her leave before she turned around a corner and vanished from view. She did her best, he didn't doubt that. But this was where he came in. Hopefully, he would be able to resolve matters.

Taking a deep breath, he mentally prepared himself before knocking on the tent pole. "Ritsu?" he called out. "Mind if I come in?"

"Door's open!" came her voice. With her permission granted, Ren stepped inside.

The tent was barren as usual. Ritsu herself was kneeling next to her sleep roll, seemingly contemplating various pieces of fabric, frowning to herself. Then she immediately grabbed a piece, folded it multiple times, and shoved it down her shirt, grunting as she adjusted it, then looked at the results: an increased bust.

The entire display left Ren slightly nonplussed. "What… are you doing?" Ren asked slowly.

Ritsu glanced over. "Trying to increase my chest size," she replied. "The emperor is a bit more stacked than I am, and though I don't think anyone's really gonna notice this underneath all the armor, it doesn't hurt to make amply sure, just in case. 'Amply'. Heh." She giggled at her own pun, though there was a definite note of unease beneath it. "Too lumpy," she finally grumbled as she pulled the fabric out.

"Anyway," she continued, barely taking a breath as she proceeded to fold up another piece of fabric in a different manner. "I just got off the call with Chaldea. As you expected, they weren't too happy with the plan either. Da Vinci and Artoria both gave me an earful for it. But they both realized that honestly, there's really no better plan or option here, what with the Grail constantly pumping out soldiers and possibly Servants, so they're on board with that. I asked Da Vinci to work on a functional copy of Nero's armor as well as a wig for me to wear. Doesn't need to be perfect but it's Da Vinci we're talking about. She's a genius in everything after all, so I have full confidence she'll have something for me in no time. There's also another little surprise I asked of her, but you'll see it soon enough."

She snapped her fingers. "Ah, right, I'm not sure if Mash told you yet," she continued. "But she'll be joining you for the infiltration instead of sticking around guarding me. It's pretty well known at this point, I think, that she's designated to guard us, the Masters of Chaldea. If she sticks around me when I'm supposed to be emperor Nero, then it's gonna be all too suspicious, so she'll be going with you guys. Mash not being around is also probably gonna be suspicious too, but they'll probably notice it later than if she hung around. At least, that's the plan anyway-"

"Ritsuka," Ren called out, his soft voice cutting through Ritsu's non-stop rambling and explanations. "How are you holding up?"

Ritsu blinked in surprise as her mouth hung open, trying to find an answer. She finally let out a quiet laugh, the sound both sheepish and bitter. "I can't get anything past a great Phantom Thief, can I?" she commented rhetorically. She lifted both of her hands. "Feel them." Blinking at the sudden request, Ren stepped forward and grasped her hands – and they were cold as ice, shaking in his grip.

"I'm scared, Ren," she whispered. "So, so scared. It'll be me on that battlefield, with a target painted on my back. Those soldiers – all of them - will be gunning for me. I won't have anyone protecting me this time. Mash will be going with you. Boudica offered but I told her it would be too suspicious to have her hanging so close to me, so she has to keep her distance as well. There's-there's Nero's bodyguards, but they're loyal to her, not me, so I-I really don't know if they'll actually protect me or not. And Nero's not exactly known for being subtle so it's not l-like I can easily hide…"

"Do you want to stop this?" Ren asked as he gently grasped her hands, mentally willing his warmth into her. "We can still have either Loki or Tamamo-"

"No," Ritsu immediately shut down, shaking her head despite her trembling. "I meant what I said. You'll need everyone and at their best in order to succeed here. No ifs, ands, or buts. And there's really no other method, so I'll bite the bullet and do it. Just… I just need to tough it out until you guys succeed, and then we can all go back to Chaldea. We'll probably have a barrel of laughs at how ridiculous I look after this. Me, an emperor? Especially one as hot and beautiful as Nero? I mean, come on!"

She laughed half-heartedly at the joke before dwindling back into silence. Ren meanwhile said nothing, simply holding her hands a bit tighter. "But still, that doesn't help with just how… terrifying it all is," she continued. "I can't stop shaking. I can barely breathe. And I constantly feel like I'm gonna throw up. It feels like when exams are coming up, only a thousand times worse. And…"

Ritsu took a deep breath. "And… there's a closet," she whispered. "Where they keep the belongings of… of those who didn't make it. I can't stop thinking, imagining, that my stuff will end up there. An entire box – or several boxes full – of my stuff, like an unofficial grave of mine." She gave another half-hearted chuckle. "Heh. At least it's robots packaging it all up. Oh god, imagine if you and Morgana went through my stuff – I guess it'd be a mercy then that I d-… that I d-…"

Ren clasped her hands together before wrapping his own around them tightly, causing the redhead to look up in surprise. "We'll make it through this," he said confidently. "Together. And you'll come back to Chaldea with us, and we'll all laugh about it after. That's what you promised, so that's what will happen. And despite everyone having to keep their distance, you know as well as I they'll rush to your side as soon as you make the call. You're important to them and important to us too. It takes a lot of courage to make the call you did, and even more so to put yourself at such risk. Everyone respects that and will keep you safe."

The redhead blinked in surprise at Ren's words. "Um…" she stammered, unsure what to say, her mind muddling up a bit. "Am… Am I important to you too?"

The question caught Ren slightly off guard, but nevertheless he nodded and answered without a shred of hesitation, "Without a doubt."

Ritsu blinked again, then nodded, her breathing steadying somewhat. "That's… that's good to hear," she murmured. "Thanks for talking to me and, um, s-sorry for the trouble…"

"What trouble?" Ren asked with a small smile. "We all help each other out, don't we? Just know if you ever need help, then I'm always here, one way or another. We have your back, Ritsu. Just like you have ours."

The redhead smiled a bit. "Yeah, th-thanks," she replied quietly. "Um… I know it's a bad time to ask, but could you-"

Ren didn't let her finish her request or even hesitate. He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her. The girl froze in surprise for a moment before hugging back in turn, gripping his jacket tightly. Soon, he could feel her shoulders shaking slightly as her breathing became ragged. Saying nothing, he only held her tighter, letting her release all her stress and fear as she needed.

And before long, the plan would commence.