Ch. 102 - Progress
"I had thought you required my services, and here you are laying about once more. I hope you realize my workshop is not meant to be some sort of lounge?"
"Yet here you are, chilling out with me. Sounds like you enjoy it yourself."
"Be silent, Amamiya."
Ren chuckled as he reclined back on his cushion. Olga was also lying beside him, watching the stars above. Despite the number of times he had done so at this point, stargazing in the Velvet Room never really got old. Tokyo had so much light pollution that it was basically impossible to see anything, and even back in his hometown the most he could catch were faint glimmers. The planetarium was the best he had and even then, it paled in comparison.
Here, staring up at the infinite void where the stars and planets shone like gems, he felt… tiny. Every glimmer was something far greater than he was, and the spaces in between a distance he'd never traverse if he spent a lifetime walking. The stars, constellations, and planets all had their own stories to tell and learn from, if one had the eyes to read them. He idly wondered what would happen if he travelled to each one. What would he find or experience? What would it be like to live among the stars?
In a way, it was soothing. His troubles faded away as he imagined the fantastical journeys he would have. Funny how seeing things on different scales entirely worked.
"So you've shown Mash your inner world," Olga murmured. "What did she think of it?"
Ren glanced over. "She liked it," he answered honestly. "I think she was overwhelmed by everything in there so I'll take my time showing her around. It's not the outside world but it should suffice. She deserves that and more, after all."
He paused. "And… I haven't relayed your apology to Mash yet," he admitted. "Sorry about that. I've honestly forgotten."
Olga sighed tiredly, still staring up at the stars. "It's fine, Amamiya," she muttered. "You've had much on your mind and you've been busy. It's not a big deal, anyway."
The Phantom Thief briefly considered, then asked, "What's the apology about, anyway?"
"It's…" the former director began, then fell silent. Ren waited for her to continue as he went back to staring up at the stars above. There was much he was curious about, but he wasn't about to push Olga if she didn't wish to speak about it. He could already infer from her silence that it wasn't something pleasant. Still, he wanted to hear it if she was willing to discuss it.
"The world of magi is a quagmire," she whispered. "As we say among ourselves, 'To walk the path of magi is to walk the path of death.' Many things of questionable ethics have been done to advance our research, both to ourselves and to others. Mash is… one of those acts of questionable ethics."
Ren froze, then slowly turned toward Olga. "Did you-" he began asking, trepidation and alarm creeping into his voice.
"No," Olga denied flatly. "I've never done anything of the sort to her, nor would I if it were my decision." She paused as she considered heavily what to say, then once more sighed.
"It was my father's plan," she quietly admitted. "There was… much he did to create Chaldea and all its resources. Much of it I knew, and most likely even more I didn't. That's why I wanted the first mission to be a success: So that everything he had done, both good and horrible, at least meant something, so it was all worth it."
The former director smiled, half wistfully and half bitterly. "In a way, I suppose it did," she muttered. "Though no thanks to me. Chaldea is running and fulfilling its intended purpose – breaking god-knows-how-many protocols while it's at it – and Mash is finding her own way despite everything. I have you to thank for that, Ren Amamiya. You and everyone else."
The Phantom Thief glanced over at her. "Maybe, but you set a lot of the backbone to keep Chaldea going," he pointed out. "I think Roman's still using a bunch of your templates and documents as guides for his paperwork, and the organizational structure is still holding up with only a few changes in staffing, last I checked. Honestly, I gotta thank you in turn for helping keep things running smoothly overall. I'm not sure we could've done anything if it was any worse."
Olga's eyes widened in surprise, then rested back down. "Does…" she hesitantly asked. "Does anyone talk about me in Chaldea? Good or bad?"
Ren racked through his memory, trying to remember. "Not that I can tell," he murmured. "But then, we've all been busy as of late. Do you want me to ask?"
The Attendant rapidly shook her head. "I-it was an idle curiosity and nothing more," she rapidly responded. "That will not be necessary, Amamiya." She desperately racked her brains for a new topic. "So, what do you plan to do now? Your schedule seems to be getting more and more packed."
The Phantom Thief raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh, are you worried I won't have time for you?" he asked in mock concern. "Not to worry, Olga. I'll always make time. A visit to you always leaves stars in my eyes, after all."
He could barely hold back from bursting in laughter as the former director made a sound somewhere between a strangled duck and manic screeching, her face a shade of red comparable to a tomato. It was always amusing to poke fun at Olga and every time he did, she seemed to relax a bit more. She most likely knew it too, or her objections would be far more strenuous. As if to prove the point, the Attendant simply collapsed back among the pillows with a huff.
They laid in silence for a moment, watching the stars above. "I was thinking about Mash," he eventually replied, ignoring Olga stiffening slightly in alarm. "She seems to be trying to find her own way forward toward her own goal – I think it's so she can better watch my back? She's already doing a great job so far, but I don't think she's content with that.'
He heaved a tired breath. "I'd like to help her along, but I'm kinda stuck," he grumbled. "I've said all I could, I think, but there's something… more I can do. Or maybe give, but for someone like Mash, I'm not sure what to give her. A new tool or weapon, maybe, but what she already has beats anything I can make or give. Maybe something from the Velvet Room, but there's only enough charge for one go and I'd rather not chance it…"
"Perhaps I might be of assistance, my Trickster?"
Both of them immediately turned to see Lavenza quietly walking towards them with a small smile. "Pardon my intrusion," she apologized. "I simply wished to see why my Trickster frequents the Workshop so often if not for your services, Olga. But I should have guessed it would be stargazing."
She looked up at the stars above and smiled. "Gazing the heavens has been an oft-celebrated and time-honored tradition of humanity, after all. Small wonder my Trickster would enjoy it as well."
Ren chuckled. "You don't get to see stars in the big city," he confessed. "So I thought I'd take the opportunity whenever I could. It's kind of relaxing, to be honest. But you said you had something that might help?"
Lavenza nodded. "That is correct, my Trickster," she confirmed. "Mash Kyrielight is a unique identity among all of your bonds, even those you have made thus far in Chaldea. It is understandable you may have trouble assisting her. However…" A small smile spread across the Attendant's face. "You do have a wish granter, do you not? One that's rather close by?"
The Phantom Thief frowned slightly in confusion. "A wish grant-" he began saying, then his eyes widened as realization hit him like an avalanche of bricks. "Would that work?" he asked. He hadn't even considered such a thing but considering all the changes wrought in the Den, then it certainly would be in the cards.
The Attendant's smile grew. "I believe I shall leave that to your judgement," she simply replied. "However, I must remind you that raw materials are still required if we are to proceed with the process. I believe you know what that is?"
Ren nodded in response, falling back to pondering. Back in Tokyo, he used various items to create things. They were usually some plain item with nothing worthwhile about them – small, traditional knives, a model gun, a nondescript robe, and even just a particular rock. After executing a persona of his, they were combined with said item to create a powerful cognitive object: Weapons and armor with the power of gods and accessories housing persona skills or might.
For a moment, he thought back to what Jose told him, about how he overwrote the 'rules' of objects and allowed them to function in reality like they would in the Metaverse. This was most likely a similar concept: Overwriting the concept of a blank item with the essence of a persona. It was like writing or drawing on a blank piece of paper – a comparison Yusuke would definitely appreciate. The question is, where would he get such a thing?
He remembered his Chaldean Arms and smiled to himself. He knew just who to ask. But in the meantime…
"Judging from your smile, I believe you have already found your solution," Lavenza commented with a smile. "I expected no less from my Trickster."
"Only because of your advice, Lavenza," Ren easily retorted with a grin. "I think I need to reward you for your help this time, as thanks. Is there something you'd like?"
Lavenza blinked in surprise, not expecting the offer. She frowned in thought for a moment before noticing the cushions and carpet laid out for Ren and Olga to lie on. "Then… would you allow me to join you for stargazing?" she asked. "I admit, I have been curious for some time what it is like."
The Phantom Thief grinned. "I was actually just about to invite you to join us," he replied as he patted the carpet. "Get over here – it's a lot more relaxing than you'd expect."
The Attendant smiled and bowed slightly in acknowledgement. "Then I shall take you up on your offer," she accepted. Stepping forward, she quietly slipped out of her shoes before stepping onto the carpet. She looked around for a moment, deciding where she would lay down, then nodded as she found an acceptable spot.
Walking over, she laid herself down – right next to Ren, snuggling up against him as she did so. "Hm, you are correct," she commented. "This is indeed quite relaxing."
"Wh-" Olga, who had been quietly listening to their discussion without comment, shot up with her eyes wide in shock. "Wha- isn't there s-some sort of protocol against fraternization in the Velvet Room?" she spluttered. "Or physical contact? At any rate, why are you stargazing while snuggling Amamiya?"
Lavenza simply tilted her head in question. "My Trickster had said that stargazing is enjoyable," she explained. "I simply believe my enjoyment would be compounded if it was by his side like this. As for a protocol against fraternization, my master has made no mention of one since I've been here." She looked up at Ren. "Has he mentioned one to you, my Trickster?" she asked out of curiosity.
Ren thought back to all the times in his Velvet Room. Even during the time with the false Igor, he heard nothing of the sort. Justine and Caroline at the time seemed more concerned about not properly fulfilling their duties than fraternization. "None that I can remember," he answered, shaking his head. "I don't think Igor honestly minds."
"Yes, I believe that as well," the veteran Attendant agreed. "Bonds are how a Wild Card gains their strength, after all, and such a policy would be detrimental." She looked back over at Olga. "Would you like to try?" she asked the former director. "It is quite relaxing here, and I believe it may prove beneficial for your bond with the Trickster as well."
Olga immediately started spluttering again. "But – I can't – you -!" she tried to stammer out.
"You heard her, Olga," the Phantom Thief remarked with a broad grin on his face. "Bonds are a Wild Card's strength, after all. And if we want the mission to be a success, we have to take every advantage we can get, right? My other side's open if you wanna try it."
The former director glared at Ren, who simply grinned more broadly in response. Lavenza was still looking up at her in innocent inquiry. She could back down here but then, she would most likely never hear the end of it. Instead, she threw up her hands in resignation. "Okay, fine!" she snapped. "This is to increase the bond, alright? Don't get any wild ideas, Amamiya!"
"Wouldn't dream of it," Ren easily replied, his smug grin never leaving his face.
Olga huffed as she got up, stepped over to his other side, and laid down. Lavenza looked up from her spot to see where her colleague had situated herself. "You are rather distant from the Trickster, Olga," she pointed out. The novice Attendant bit back a curse or retort and sidled up closer to Ren until they were touching before turning back over to gaze at the stars.
Unfortunately, her attention was focused on Ren instead. He was surprisingly powerfully built, and warm. For some reason, she felt far more comfortable than she expected with his presence. He was keeping his hands at his sides, which she respected and appreciated. Still, she couldn't help but wonder how it would feel if they were around her for a bit, and she could feel that warmth around her instead-
She immediately shoved the thoughts from her mind before they could go further. Damn Amamiya. Damn Lavenza.
"Well?" Lavenza asked from the other side of Ren. "Would you not agree this is more comfortable than stargazing alone?"
Olga let out huff. As Ren turned to face her, she turned to look away. The last thing she needed to see was his smug look. "I reserve my right to silence," she muttered, her face scalding hot. She heard Ren chuckle in amusement and her face became even hotter.
Damn Ren Amamiya.
The door to Da Vinci's workshop hissed closed shut behind Ren as he stretched. He had just placed his order with the genius for what he needed. While the request drew an odd but amused look from her, she went to work and asked him to check with her after half an hour or so. He had absolutely no doubt that she would pull through regardless. And it wasn't like he was asking much of her compared to his other orders.
With that done, he made his way to the simulator where El-Melloi II awaited him. They had more plans to experiment and explore with Ren's persona magecraft. The Caster had more questions and experiments to run, and the Phantom Thief was happy to indulge him. Running through different tests with him, it felt like he was going through clinical trials again with Takemi. Even though he passed out from time to time then, it was still an experience he wouldn't trade for the world.
That being said, only she had the right to call him a guinea pig. If anyone else tried, Ren would have a serious talk with them.
"Your prana consumption costs are rather high."
Ren looked over at El-Melloi who had been looking at some readings through a magecraft interface. The Thief himself was currently standing in a circle the Caster had drawn – one made for analysis as he had explained. It allowed him to track the movement of prana throughout Ren's body, including through the crest, and gauge the quantity of it as he utilized his magecraft. A similar circle had been drawn around a target dummy where Ren once more had been pelting it with persona spells.
"Is there a problem with that?" Ren called over as Hecatoncheires faded away. His circuits were rather warm from the number of times he had called upon personas and had them cast spells, but it wasn't nearly as bad as when he first used them. He still remembered nearly passing out for having Cu Chulainn out for longer than a minute or two to spar with his Servant self, much to said Servant's disappointment.
Come to think of it, he should invite the Lancer to do so again now that he could manage his personas better. He would more than appreciate a rematch.
El-Melloi frowned in response. "Calling forth your personas uses up a large amount of your prana," he explained. "And utilizing their spells afterward uses even more. You have a large number of high-quality circuits from what you've told me but even then, the cost and upkeep are almost ruinously high. I'm surprised that you haven't suffered more from circuit overuse or mana deprivation."
"It was touch and go earlier on," the Phantom Thief admitted with a shrug. "It's been getting easier on me to use them, but it's a bit of a crapshoot. I still drain myself quickly if I use them left and right without care, so I try to be more careful." Emphasis on 'try' considering the battles he had been in recently. He didn't have the luxury of being conservative with his persona usage.
"That so," the Caster muttered, puffing on his cigarette without bothering to look up. The tone of sarcasm was so evident that Ren had to grin at it. The lord had gone through the mission reports and recordings to try and collect more information – and promptly went back to the bottle after seeing the feats Ren had achieved. At least he seemed to recover quickly enough to try and figure things out, bolstered by Ren's willingness to assist in turn.
The man looked over at Ren, then the dummy, pondering something. "Refresh my memory," he spoke up. "You said your personas were parts or aspects of you, are they not?"
"Yes and no," the Phantom Thief replied. "It's more like my shadow has donned a mask and is acting out the part of the persona. Because I recognize that 'persona' as a part of who I am, my shadow can perfectly take on its form, powers, personality, and knowledge. In short, the personas are who I am, and I'm also them in turn." 'I am thou, and thou art I' was the eternal creed of personas for a reason.
"Right, right," the Caster muttered as he thought. There were a few working theories he had currently for Ren's magecraft: Projection or familiars. It would normally be outright impossible to pull off even a tenth of what Ren could do with projection unless he had a blueprint – and as part of 'Ren Amamiya', said blueprints for the personas were right there. It would still be immensely difficult if he didn't comprehend and understand the blueprint to the tiniest minutiae, but he had a feeling that hadn't been a problem for his Master.
There was also considering the equally feasible method of treating the personas as familiars. The personas served as the vessel while being imbued with a part of Ren's soul. Being fueled by magical energy, it served as the karmic bond with Ren, allowing him control over its actions as he wished. The sentience in the personas was not a huge matter either – more elaborate, powerful familiars often developed their own ego and personalities, though they were still unfailingly loyal to their creator.
That left him puzzling over what Ren's magecraft ultimately was. Both projection and familiars were equally viable explanations as to what it was. He'd have to further dissect his magecraft to see know for sure, but that would be far more intrusive than what either of them would be comfortable with. He wasn't about to jeopardize his Master's trust or humanity's future just to sate his curiosity. No, that would be unnecessary and incredibly wasteful.
Then there was a distinct third – or technically fourth – possibility: That it was neither of the methods he had been thinking of, or it was both at once – which still technically meant it wasn't either of the two. Or at least, it operated under different rules than either one that they would have to figure out. Still, it was clear they weren't making any progress like this.
"Perhaps it is better we start once more from the beginning," the Caster mused, dispelling the interface with a wave of his hand. He walked back over to a nearby table where he had pored through his notes. "Elaborate step by step the process of your magecraft's activation," he stated as he grabbed a bottle of water from a cooler and tossed it to Ren.
Ren nodded as he easily caught the bottle. "So first off, I switch my masks in my head – my personas," he began. "That's basically my shadow taking on the form that I've identified as a reflection of myself. It's a quick process – I barely even think about it before it's switched over. Maybe less than a second at most."
El-Melloi nodded as he looked over his notes, taking out a pen and scribbling a few more details in. Right, so first Ren commanded his shadow to take on a different form based on what he believes to be 'him' – and he had the self-consciousness and discipline to realize different identities to different aspects of himself at an instinctual level. Already that made him far different than many magi he had encountered. Self-awareness of that level would mentally tear many magi to shreds if they even tried.
He had to hold back a bitter chuckle. No need to worry about diluting the mystery of this particular magecraft – very few magi would even have the necessary mental fortitude for it.
"After that," the Phantom Thief continued. "I focus on bringing my persona out. My shadow responds in turn by projecting itself into reality." For emphasis, he switched masks in his mind and tore it off. "Pixie," he called out. The diminutive persona burst into being in a tiny flash of blue flame. The Caster looked up, observing as it fluttered about before sitting down on his water bottle, giggling while cupping its head in its palms.
He recollected the technical details of what Olga and Lavenza taught him. "Normally, I shape magnitites into the persona," Ren explained as he unscrewed the cap of his water bottle. "At least, that's how it worked when I was in the Metaverse. However, here I'm using my magic crest to manipulate the magnitites in reality - my shadow basically converts my prana into magnitites to use. That allows me to project the persona whereas normally, I wouldn't be able to do so except in the Metaverse."
He took a sip of water to soothe his parched throat as El-Melloi continued to jot down notes. "It's not a 1-for-1 conversion though," the Phantom Thief admitted. "While my personas are a lot more solid in reality than they are in the Metaverse, they're also lot weaker and I also don't get a lot of their aspects that I usually do when I use them – strengths, weaknesses, resilience, or immunities, for example. But it's allowed me to ride around on Cerberus, so mixed blessing."
El-Melloi frowned slightly as he continued writing and musing over what his Master told him. They had gone through the information here before but in considerably less detail. There wasn't an easy way to measure the conversion rate of Ren's crest – not without intrusive procedures – but it seemed that was the bottleneck of what the Phantom Thief could achieve. But they were trying to cut down on the cost, not increase it.
That would mean two methods: Either figure out a way to improve the conversion process so Ren's shadow had more magnitites to work with, or see if there was a way to further improve the manipulation of magnitites so they could get more results for the same cost. But that would be difficult – for all this talk about magnitites, what exactly are they?
"Can you tell me precisely what these magnitites are, Amamiya?" he asked as he flipped over to a blank piece of paper to write it down.
Ren frowned slightly as he did his best to remember his lectures. "Magnitites are the fundamental building blocks of reality," he explained. "Everything from the material like the ground we walk on to the immaterial such as thoughts, concepts, and emotions, are made of them. Persona magic is all about manipulating magnitites and- did you realize something, El-Melloi?"
As the Phantom Thief gave his definition, the Caster's pen moved slower and slower as his eyes grew wider and wider. Realization trickled into his head before it turned into a flood of understanding. At Ren's question, he looked up in surprise. "What you're describing, these magnitites," he breathed out. "We know what they are. To think, you're using something so basic yet fundamental to this universe…"
"Wait, so what are they?" Ren asked, frowning in curiosity as Pixie vanished.
"You may call them magnitites," El-Melloi elaborated. "But for magi, we call them spiritrons. If what you're telling me is true, then…" He looked back at his notes, then collected them. "I need to find some material," he muttered as he did so. "Spiritrons are not a very studied field, but perhaps there may be something I can work with. It might lead to a breakthrough neither you nor other magi have considered before."
"Need me to come along?" Ren asked as he watched the Caster bundle his notes up. "In case you have any more questions?"
El-Melloi paused as he considered, then nodded. "That would be greatly appreciated, Amamiya," he accepted. "Come. We have much work to do." Ren nodded. Together, they left the simulator while behind them, the drawn circles vanished as the training grounds reset itself for a new occupant.
Half an hour later, they were in the library. El-Melloi sat down at the table with another book to add to the stacks that lay next to him as he pored over his notes. Ren was sitting nearby with a stack of his own, going over his own notes in turn. The only other person in the library was Medusa, sitting on a couch in a corner, quietly reading with her new glasses. Aside from a quick glance as they entered, she hadn't acknowledged them, nor did they disturb her in turn.
In the meantime, they had gone through all the outright literature on spiritrons – which wasn't much – and had to turn to more indirect sources that reference it in magecraft. Unfortunately, the details were fairly vague and the texts barely covered more than what they already knew.
Ren sighed heavily as he set his current book down, rubbing his eyes. He had been an excellent student in Shujin but here, it was like he was trying to learn a different language entirely. There were words like thaumaturgy or formalcraft as well as many other terms that he could perhaps guess the meaning of but wasn't entirely sure. Then there were the equations and charts that left his mind spinning as he tried to make heads or tails of them. It was all enough to give him a headache.
"Been a while since you studied?"
The Phantom Thief glanced up at the question and chuckled ruefully. "I'm supposed to be on vacation, after all," he admitted. "I'm guessing that turfed all the study habits out of my head – I'm honestly just lost about all this."
El-Melloi nodded pensively. "Let me take a look," he stated, raising a hand. Ren passed him over the book he had been looking over and simply sat back with a sigh, massaging his temples. The Caster frowned a bit as he skimmed through the pages. "Tell me, Amamiya," he muttered. "How much magecraft have you learned or trained in?"
Ren hesitated for a moment, deciding what to tell him, then shrugged. "None at all," he replied bluntly. "My persona magecraft is all I really know how to use, and even the ins and outs are specifically for it rather than anything else." He wasn't about to reveal the circumstances of how he got the persona magecraft, however. Revealing the presence of the Velvet Room was not something he was comfortable with right now.
The Caster glanced up in surprise at the revelation, then frowned as he tapped the table in contemplation. "I see," he mused. "Then perhaps another approach might prove to be more fruitful."
"What have you got in mind?" the Phantom Thief asked.
"The fundamentals," El-Melloi answered. "If you're going to be using magecraft, then it would be best to teach you how to properly utilize it as opposed to simply being a 'master of one'. It might even lead you to some sort of breakthrough for using your personas – revisiting the fundamentals often has a way of doing that. Especially if it's concerning spiritrons. Theoretically, what possibilities you have may very well be endless."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Is it that amazing?" he asked, genuinely curious.
The Caster frowned as he crossed his arms, looking up at the ceiling in contemplation. "It is and it isn't," he stated bluntly. "It is like manipulating molecules in the air: It sounds amazing, but most can't do much with it. I could wave my hand to manipulate the molecules to fan myself, for instance - hardly impressive nor the breadth one could achieve with said molecules. Since there hasn't been any specific way of molding or utilizing spiritrons, it isn't a very researched field – it's a theoretical one at most among the ranks in the Clock Tower."
He glanced back over at Ren. "You, however, have the perfect terminal to interact with spiritrons, or 'magnitites' as you call them," El-Melloi continued. "Your personas are the first magecraft I have seen that can interact with them directly and as such, there may be far more that can be done with them that neither of us have considered. Having a foundational base of knowledge to work off of will allow for more flexibility, both for your personas as well as for general use."
The Phantom Thief nodded, slowly understanding. He wasn't wrong – he knew nothing about magecraft, and knowing more about it may lead to some inspiration that he could use. However… "What about you?" he asked. "I get the sense you're not doing this simply out of the goodness of your heart. What are you aiming for here?"
El-Melloi froze momentarily in surprise, then breathed out an amused huff. "I guess I let that one slip," he admitted. "And here I thought my poker face had been improving."
"My friends hate playing cards with me for the same reason," Ren replied with a grin.
"Remind me never to play against you in poker then," the lord replied, matching the Thief's grin in turn. "But to answer your question, it is for research. As I stated before, directly interfacing and manipulating spiritrons is an unexplored field of study because of its high resource to result ratio. Your magecraft, however, changes that entirely and may broaden the subject far beyond its scope. I am helping you as the Last Master of humanity, yes, but I see no reason why the teacher can't learn from the student in turn."
The Caster leaned back in his chair with a small smile. "You learn about magecraft from me, and I learn about your magecraft and what it can do in turn," he concluded. "I would say that is mutually beneficial, wouldn't you agree?"
Ren smirked. "Heh, you got me," he replied, easily admitting defeat. "You're right, it is mutually beneficial. In that case, I look forward to your lessons, sensei. Go easy on me though – I'm supposed to be on vacation, after all."
El-Melloi scoffed in good humor. "Sorry, Amamiya, but for my students, I have little regard for date or titles," he shot back. "I hope you're prepared."
As Ren nodded in response, he could feel the familiar warmth once more of another arcana forming: Counselor. He watched the bespeckled Caster as he began looking over some other notes, glancing at the open book, then grumbling as he crossed out a line. Ren could only chuckle to himself. He more temperamental than Maruki, that was for sure.
And as the Phantom Thief and the Caster spoke, Medusa had long since looked up from her book. Her gaze, unbeknownst to all but herself, were trained on Ren as a flicker of concern passed through her eyes.
The day had been calm enough. The usual breakfast and lunch rushes, the occasional Servant or staff poking in for a snack, and taking the usual inventory of their food stocks. Thankfully they weren't in danger of running out of food anytime soon – the stores were meant to feed several hundred people for at least a year, after all. With the staff numbers considerably reduced, they would last a very long while.
At least, that was what the numbers displayed as he looked over his clipboard. It was fortunate Flauros hadn't thought of placing bombs here and as such, all their foodstuffs were pristine. The backup generators had kicked in before any of them had even gone bad as well. The bombing that had wiped out much of Chaldea's staff was a tragedy, and yet here it was proving to be a boon in terms of logistics.
It was an irony he had seen many times before – not that it made it any easier to deal with.
"Good work today, Archer."
The red-mantled hero looked up to see Boudica smiling at him. He gave a small smile in return and nodded. "You as well," he replied. "Heading out?"
Boudica nodded. "I wanted to see these hydroponic farms Ritsu talked about," she replied. "I might get some inspiration for some new dishes tonight. I'm starting to get a feel for the kitchen now and I'm already brimming with ideas."
Archer grinned. "You learned quickly," he commended. "I look forward to working with you more back here – as mighty as a Servant is, it can be difficult at times even for me."
The Rider scoffed. "Please, you underestimate yourself, Archer," she chided lightly with a warm smile. "Everyone is more than well fed thanks to you and Ren. I simply wanted to help how I could. But enough about that, I'll leave you be. See you at dinner!"
The red-mantled hero simply raised a hand in farewell as the queen of Iceni left. He breathed a sigh as he prepared to head out too. Between the two of them and the cafeteria robot, the kitchen was basically spotless. Everything had also been neatly organized in the stockroom too, which made inventorying an incredibly simply matter. Walking to the back, he hung up the clipboard next to the storeroom door. "Jeeves, you're in charge until dinner," he casually called out to the robot.
"As you wish, Mr. Archer," the robot named Jeeves complied. It was a nickname the staff gave to the robot and it stuck ever since. It was at least a good way to address the robot without fumbling for words – calling it 'robot' didn't roll off the tongue very well, after all, especially during a rush.
As he turned around to leave, the cafeteria door suddenly opened, catching Archer by surprise. Looking over, he caught the sight of Ren walking towards the counter, nose buried in a rather thick book. While he knew his Master was peculiar, he certainly hadn't expected that. He idly wondered what Ren was so engrossed in that he would be reading about it while walking. "Good book catch your eye?" he called over as he moved once more to the counter.
Ren glanced up for a second, blinking, before he grinned ruefully. "You could say that," he admitted. "It's been a while since I studied, and it's on a topic I'm not exactly familiar about. I don't suppose 'spiritrons' ring a bell, Archer?"
The red-mantled hero frowned as he tried to recall the term – and came up blank. That wasn't surprising. His magecraft was self-taught with nothing in terms of formal education, and it seemed the Counter Force hadn't seen fit to furnish him with such information either. "Can't say I do," he confessed. "But perhaps I can make you something to help fuel your studies?"
The Phantom Thief nodded with a grin. "That'd be great," he replied. "Could I get a Salisbury steak? And some Sprite too, if we have any."
"Not going to ask for curry and coffee?" Archer asked with a wry smile.
Ren glanced up with a raised eyebrow. "What, do you think I solely subsist on curry and coffee?" he asked pointedly, though his tone was still light. "Do you think I'm some sort of goblin?"
"Do you want the honest answer, or do you want me to lie?" the Servant retorted.
They both stared one another down, then fell to laughing. "Fine, fine," Archer relented. "One Salisbury steak and a Sprite, coming up."
The Phantom Thief grinned appreciatively, then went back to reading. The terms were still puzzling but he was starting to get the hang of it after a few lessons from El-Melloi. Taking out a small notepad, he began scribbling even more questions he needed to ask him when he had the opportunity. From what he could gather, spiritrons could be ridiculously flexible as evidenced by his personas and their manipulation of magnitites. However, how could he use it directly?
He tapped the notepad with his pen with a frown before writing more questions, this time for the Velvet Room. Both Olga and Lavenza were the ones who taught him precisely how his personas and his crest worked, and so they may be able to help him figure out how to more directly utilize spiritrons/magnitites. Granted, they might not answer as the Velvet Room usually did its best to keep hands-off so its guests could progress and learn as naturally as they could, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. At worst they'd tell him no and give some sort of hint he could work with.
Going back to his book, Ren pondered what kind of magecraft El-Melloi would teach him. The man had said he would teach him the fundamentals tomorrow, but what would that entail? Whenever he thought about 'fundamentals', he pictured in his mind something like why one plus one is two in math, vocabulary and grammar in Japanese and English, shapes in art, and others. But for such an esoteric field, he had absolutely no clue what it might be in turn. Maybe how to properly use his circuits? Figuring out the details of his crest? Simple spells?
'Yer a wizard, Ren,' he thought to himself, quoting a rather popular book series he read a long time ago, and inwardly chuckling at the thought. He couldn't deny he was interested. The fundamentals were probably boring – they usually were – but he certainly wasn't about to skip them. And if El-Melloi thought it would be a good way to perhaps further his usage of personas, then he would trust him. At the very least, he was far more knowledgeable than he was about the field.
"I appreciate you being such a diligent student, but your food is getting cold."
Ren looked up in surprise at the slightly admonishing tone of Archer before peering over his book to see his food and drink placed in front of him. He grinned apologetically to the red-mantled hero. "Sorry about that," he replied. "I got a bit distracted." Putting down the book, he exchanged its place with the Salisbury steak and began digging in while reading at the same time. He made sure not to get anything on the book as he ate – he had a feeling neither El-Melloi or Medusa would appreciate the mess.
Archer meanwhile observed his Master. Normally, Ren was incredibly attentive. He always seemed to notice when food was ready or when a person was nearby. Admittedly he had never witnessed him studying before, but still it felt out of the ordinary. At first glance his Master seemed fine, but something was niggling at him. "Have you been sleeping well?" he asked suddenly.
The Phantom Thief looked up in surprise with a mouthful of food. He swallowed to prevent himself from choking, then shrugged. "It's been a bit hit or miss," Ren replied. "Maybe I need a new mattress or pillows. Why, do I seem that tired?" Admittedly, his 'sleep' consisted of him remodeling and experimenting with the Thieves Den while also attending lectures from Olga and Lavenza. While his body was able to rest up, he was left feeling more mentally drained than he'd like. It was a rather disorienting feeling.
The red-mantled hero frowned slightly and shook his head. "No, you don't," he answered. "It's merely a feeling I had. Perhaps I was mistaken. How's the food at any rate?"
Ren looked down at the Salibury steak and smiled faintly. "Tastes like home," he murmured quietly. He remembered ordering this dish back in the diner back in Tokyo as well. It was one of his favorite dishes when he was a kid and having it reminded him of simpler times. At the thought of Tokyo, he felt the ever-present, familiar pang in his heart of homesickness. To regain his home and everything entailed was why he fought. He just simply had more reasons to fight now as his journey continued.
Which meant he needed to work even harder, but not at the risk of neglecting his bonds. "I tried making this myself before," the Phantom Thief commented as he tore off another bit of the steak. "But I could never really get the flavor just right. I think I'm missing something."
"Have you tried adding onions to it to it?" Archer asked, crossing his arms. "If you dice up onions and add them to the meat, it tenderizes it and makes it far easier to take apart. Not to mention, it adds that small crunch and variance in flavor that tends to resonate with people."
The Phantom Thief's mouth dropped slightly before he smacked himself in the head. "Of course!" he cried. "I can't believe I forgot something that simple! Wow, how did I miss that?"
The red-mantled hero chuckled. "The devil's in the details, as they say," he replied with good humor. "If you want, I can show you how to properly make it? While it's a simple enough of a recipe, there's a few tricks that make it even better, in my opinion. But you'll have to teach me how to make coffee in return – I'm a good enough of a cook, but you can hear for yourself the number of people that want your brews for work."
That, Ren couldn't deny. While they had nothing but praises for Archer's cooking, the reactions to his coffee were lukewarm in comparison. It wasn't his fault either – coffee-making was a rather specialized art, and Ren had been trained by Sojiro, a coffee expert and connoisseur. His skills now matched that of Sojiro's nowadays (or just ever so slightly behind him, but he would only admit that on pain of death) so it was no surprise people liked his coffee in turn.
The Phantom Thief grinned. "Sounds like a fair trade to me," he agreed. "I say it's a deal, then."
Archer grinned back in return, and in Ren's heart he felt the warmth once again – a Hierophant arcana. The Phantom Thief had to hold back from laughing. It was both the most and least surprising arcana he expected.
"We can talk more about this later," Archer concluded. "For now, again, your food's getting cold."
Ren nodded as he went back to his food and studies. He made more progress today – more than he expected. And that was good enough for him for now.
Meanwhile, the red-mantled hero glanced up from Ren sat to an empty corner of the cafeteria – or rather, empty for anyone who wasn't a Servant. Him and the spectator silently gazed at one another for a moment, then the former quietly broke off to head back into the kitchen. No words had been exchanged either verbally or mentally, but the communication was clear.
Keep an eye on Ren.
A loud thud echoed in Ren's room as the Phantom Thief placed a stack of books on his desk for further study, followed by a softer slap as he placed his notepad down beside them. Countless notes and questions had been written in from top to bottom, page to page. Even Makoto would be impressed with how much he had been studying here. He started to put something together, but it wasn't enough. He felt like he was missing all the connecting pieces. El-Melloi was probably right: he needed to learn the fundamentals.
With a heavy sigh, Ren leaned against his chair, massaging his eyes once more. It had been a very productive day overall. Two arcana bonds, something to study and work on, and perhaps a way to develop his powers even further. He would have to also continue working on the Thieves Den as well – there were some interesting things he had noticed while he had been experimenting with it and wanted to explore them a bit further. Maybe Jose would be there as well. Some more supplies couldn't hurt.
However, there was still other things he needed to take care of. He still needed a crafting table. He should've asked Da Vinci for one when he was grabbing his order from her. There was also the fact that he hadn't been properly training either, either with his knifework, his gunmanship, or his personas. He'd get rusty at this rate. There should be some time to work on that. At least he hadn't neglected his morning training, but that was only good at maintaining what he had. Perhaps there were some exercises with an emphasis on stamina and speed? Those were always a priority.
Ren quietly switched masks in his mind. "Pixie," he murmured. The tiny persona appeared once more and as she waved her hand, a green light lit up around the Phantom Thief. A cool feeling washed over his tired body, soothing his aches and relieving him of his tired eyes and mind. It wasn't a complete restoration – he could still feel fatigue dragging on the fringes of his mind and limbs – but it was far better than nothing.
"You are pushing yourself."
He jumped a bit as Medusa materialized behind him in a corner. "Heh, not that much," he denied as he tried to calm his wildly beating heart. "It's a pretty normal workload for me back when I was in Tokyo." He caught himself as he thought about it a bit more, then shrugged. "Okay, maybe a slight bit more," he admitted. "But it's nothing I can't handle."
"To the point you are using your personas to restore your own energy?" the Rider pointed out quietly. "And that you were unaware of my presence despite your usual attentiveness?"
The Phantom Thief said nothing, then ran a hand through his eternally messy hair. "I guess I'm really out of it," he admitted. Shambling over, he sat down on the bed with a huff. "There's just a lot I need to do these days," he admitted. "And considering how the next singularity can spring on us any moment, I'm not sure how much time I have either. I have a lot to catch up and work on, so it's better to get the ball rolling now to make it easier on myself and everyone else later on. It's fine – I've done this before."
"And how long have you been doing this?" Medusa pressed.
Ren hesitated for a moment. "… more than I probably should," he admitted. "Not the greatest of ideas, I'll admit, but like I said, there's a lot to do. Not to worry though. I've been eating and sleeping properly. Morgana makes sure of that last one." He lost count of how many times his best friend advised him to head to bed at a decent time. It had become something of a running joke between them.
The irony that Morgana himself was having trouble sleeping wasn't lost on either of them, however.
He glanced up at Medusa and gave a rueful smile. "Do you mind not telling anyone about this?" he asked. "Everyone's busy with their own work and progress right now and I'd rather not have them distracted, especially for a matter that's really not a big deal."
The fact he even asked her to hide it from others indicated otherwise but the Rider nodded, nevertheless. "As you wish, Master," she replied quietly. "On one condition."
"Oh?" Ren asked, curious as to what someone like Medusa would ask of him. He tried reading her gaze – she had incredibly beautiful eyes – and body language but they told him nothing. But if it was within his power, he would do so.
"It is unbecoming for a Master to be exhausted, especially when they may be called to the battlefield at any time," she answered. "Therefore, if there is a way to help with your exhaustion and fatigue, I request that you ask me for it so that you may properly work in the days to come. Are you agreed on this?"
The Phantom Thief hadn't expected that. Medusa normally wasn't particularly forward about matters – she herself insisted on being a mere 'tool' for her Masters, much to their displeasure. Yet here she was, insisting that she would help him. It was a pleasant change, to put it mildly.
He held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, sounds good with me," he agreed. Then an idea registered in his head. "Actually, there's a way you could help me with my exhaustion and fatigue right now, if you're available."
Medusa raised an eyebrow, and the corner of her lips lifted ever so slightly in amusement. "The usual, Master?" she asked
Ren couldn't help but laugh. "Yep, the usual," he confirmed. "It's definitely been a while and I think I've told you before, but you're really good at it."
The Rider nodded almost imperceptibly. "You have," she acknowledged. The last time she had massaged him was back in the Roman singularity when they had that disastrous conversation about the 'paradise'. Since then, she had neither offered it nor had Ren asked for it, most likely in consideration for her. It had certainly been some time. Now everything was resolved – and it was clear that Ren would bear the burden of his choices, for good or ill.
As Ren began climbing on his bed, Medusa spoke up. "It would be easier for me to work on your muscles without your shirt," she pointed out.
The Phantom Thief glanced over in surprise, then nodded. "Alright then," he replied. Reaching up, he took off the jacket of his Master uniform, followed by his black t-shirt. Medusa observed impassively. Her Master was of a surprisingly muscular, yet still lean build. No scars either despite the numerous battles he had participated in. It reminded her of the many 'heroes' that tried to claim her life in the past.
She kept that thought to herself. She highly doubted her Master would appreciate such a comment.
Once Ren laid face down on the bed, the Rider stepped forward and straddled his back. As soon as she placed her hands on his back and began applying pressure, a long sigh emerged from the Thief's lips. "I almost forgot how good this feels," he mumbled.
"I'm glad to hear that, Master," Medusa replied quietly as she continued to work, moderating her strength as necessary to the optimal level. Her dexterous fingers worked up his back, feeling all the tension and knots that lurked underneath Ren's skin. It seemed he had been far more stressed out than he had been letting on – and as miraculous as his personas seemed to be, it seemed they had their limits.
Whenever she increased the pressure a bit to work them out, there was almost always an inadvertent hiss or grunt from her Master in response. At times he even seemed to writhe a bit from her ministrations. And each time he did, she could feel a small tingle crawling up her spine. He never asked her to lighten up or that it was too painful, and so she continued. In a way, it was rather mutually beneficial.
For a long while, it was quiet. The Rider quietly continued massaging Ren, who simply relaxed under her touch save for the occasional sound of pain. The room felt larger and emptier than usual as they occupied only small part of it. Seconds went by like minutes, yet minutes felt like seconds in turn. It was an odd, yet not unwelcome, sensation.
In a sense, it felt like the world had shrunk down until it was only the two of them in this room. Some might find such a sensation claustrophobic but for Medusa, it was a form of comfort in its own right. It wasn't often she had moments like this around others. It was usually when she was enjoying a good book in a corner of the library. She certainly didn't get much of it whenever her sisters were around in life.
Still, she would have traded every moment of quiet solitude in the world for just a bit more time with them.
"I hear you got to meet with your sister," Ren grunted out underneath her, bringing Medusa out of her thoughts. "How'd that go?"
The question caught the Rider off guard. Right, Morgana would have told them all about it as a report. Not even that – she knew that the catlike being and Ren were close friends. There was no doubt they would have spoken about it. "It was… eventful," she responded quietly. "I believe Morgana has reported the details to you, has he not?"
"He – erk! – did," the Phantom Thief replied. "But I want to hear about it from you." There was a strange note in his tone that she couldn't exactly place. Was it curiosity? Sympathy? Or was it something else entirely?
Medusa was silent for a moment, kneading his muscles. "It has been… a very long time since we had last spoken," she quietly admitted. "And even when we met again, we were not able to speak much. We had to focus on the mission and campaign. Circumstances occurred that prevented us from speaking more to one another."
"I see," Ren murmured. Morgana had ranted a lot about Stheno, about how she could've gotten Medusa killed because of the chimera and somehow it had been his fault because he went for the treasure. And while he knew how prickly his best friend could be, there was a difference between frustration and genuine anger – and Stheno had invoked the latter from him. "Do you think we should've brought her along?"
"No," Medusa immediately replied, her nails digging slightly into Ren's back and causing him to wince. "She would not have taken well to the soldiers, or of the war. It would've been… difficult for her. And it would have been difficult for you and the other Masters as well. Morgana made the right choice leaving my sister on the island instead of bringing her with us."
"… but?" Ren prodded.
The Rider paused. "But… what?" she asked warily.
"That's what would have been good for the campaign and for us, sure," the Phantom Thief acknowledged. "But what about you? What did you want?"
Medusa was silent once more. Her hands were no longer working on his back, leaving her simply straddled there as she quietly considered. "I…" she hesitantly answered. "I… would have liked to speak with her more. It has been a long time and… there were words between us that have gone unspoken. Even now, she is still my sister."
Ren was quiet as the Rider began working on his back again, wincing slightly as she worked out another knot in his back. He considered how distant he and his parents were. Was there anything he wanted to say to them, or vice versa? No, there was nothing to say. Whatever words they had for each other had evaporated that day when he had been arrested. "You truly love her, don't you," he murmured.
The Rider heard another strange tone in her Master's words and gulped slightly. "… yes," she whispered. "Yes, I do. I miss them." The Phantom Thief said nothing further, and neither did Medusa. The latter resumed her work, and silence fell between them once again.
Their only company now were memories of their families that, in one way or another, were gone forever.