By the Bonfire: Sin of Inaction

Chaldea was becoming increasingly crowded.

There was no other way that it could be spoken of.

That came with its own sense of problems, while it could not be denied that the additional Servants gave his summoner a great deal of bodies with which they could throw at their problems, the issue he took with it was many of these individuals were the sort that he most certainly could have done without ever encountering.

Either for the first time or again.

Some of the latest? Far from pleasing for his senses.

Another Saint.

This one with quite the temperament as well, he saw the way she glared at him whenever they spotted him. Caring nothing for learning her name, merely that she was another blind fanatic, utterly devoted to upholding whatever delusional words her deity bequeathed unto her head.

That didn't make the saint sitting opposite him any better, a Saint in the name alone, made only as such by their cultists, in many ways they were just as bad as the Gods. Though not for the same reasons as one would have supposed, merely that they inspired the same level of insipid dedication and devotion, all while pursuing such a narrow existence that focused on their own.

In addition to that, he found their face rather irritable.

He'd never met them when they looked human before, but their personality remained as rotten.

An eyesore.

"You're late." His words were clipped.

The person opposite merely chuckled lightly as if he had said something amusing to them, raising their hands in surrender.

"I was surprised to receive your invitation, Sulyvahn, I wished to look my best for when we met once again after so long apart. Though during the whole of our partnership, you never once gave me the impression that you would be willing to have lunch with me, has Chaldea changed you so greatly?"

Sulyvahn bristled at the implication, but that alone was not what disgusted him.

The mention of 'lunch' in the same sentence as Aldrich brought some rather vile connotations.

"That has not changed in the least." He replied quickly and with a touch of indignation, it should have been obvious enough from the utter lack of food in front of him, though the same could be said for Aldrich as well.

"Ah, it seems as though there have been some rather unsavoury rumours circulating in regards to me." The Saint started to speak, gesturing to the empty spot in front of him where food would normally have gone, if the man had any to begin with. "Apparently more than enough for the woman who runs the kitchens to be hesitant to serve me. A shame, it smelled rather appetising."

Sulyvahn did not care for that in the least.

Aldrich gave an innocent smile and gestured to him. "Then I suppose the feast will merely be the words shared between us, yes? A reformation of our partnership? Or merely reminiscing over old times. Perhaps we could invite Gwyndolin as well?"

He was not even going to comment on the last part.

Taking a breath, he leaned backwards into his seat and tented his arms together, inclining his head to the side. "We have the same immediate goal, so it would be best for us to resume engagements with one another. Especially given the problems and solutions that we could aid one another with."

"Oh?" Aldrich's smile turned more interesting. "So you are coming forth to aid me as the newest member to Chaldea where no others will? That is rather considerate of you, Sulyvahn. Very well then, what wisdom can you bestow upon me that you feel as so pressing that you must call me forth for a meeting not even a full day after my summoning."

It was revolting.

His eyes could see the truth behind.

Aldrich was less concerned over what Sulyvahn had to offer and more what could be offered in general. Once again, he was merely making use of his abilities and nothing else.

But that was fine.

Sulyvahn was going to make use of him too.

Still…perhaps he had underestimated the resolve of the boy.

If they were willing to entertain a contract with this one even after they had formed such a tight bond with Gwyndolin…perhaps they did have some potential after all. It was pleasing at least, beyond the fact their honest stupidity wasn't painful to look at. Not in the traditional sense.

…They were just annoying at times.

Sulyvahn turned his head and glanced across the room for a short moment, then returned his focus to the Saint. "The Servants in Chaldea are somewhat varied when it comes to their uses. Some have better value as attack dogs than anything else…though one or two are perhaps worthy of being called adequate mages. At least enough that they do not get in my way."

"High praise indeed, coming from you." Mused the Saint, then he ran his fingers through his slickened hair and smiled innocently. "But I have noticed them as well, it is quite different from the gatherings I knew of in the past. Royalty, commoners and even entertainers stride amongst knights. A baffling covenant indeed."

Baffling.

It was indeed, yes.

Sulyvahn grunted and nodded his head. "For more than one reason, namely that those who can contribute nothing to the cause are allowed to remain for no other reason than simply charity."

"Ahhh, there it is, your pragmatism." Aldrich clapped his hands together, looking as though he had been waiting for this moment. "I suppose there would doubtless be some who do not meet your high standards for productivity. The sort who you feel could add nothing to the cause and should be disposed of? I make no accusations, of course, merely that you have always been that way."

"...Simply put, I would not have allowed as many Servants as the summoner has." Sulyvahn replied with a slow shake of the head. "Especially with capabilities that swing back and forth like the arm of a pendulum."

Aldrich rolled his lips and closed his eyes in a silent chuckle for a few seconds, when they opened again they offered a lazy smile but said nothing. "As expected of you, so quick to hand out death notices upon those who you could not see the worth in keeping around."

He raised a brow. "You speak as though you did not actively benefit from such notices."

Aldrich smiled but said nothing.

Yes, they relied on him to do all the heavy lifting.

Nothing had changed.

"There's a musician by the name of Mozart, his Noble Phantasm weakens opponents with music. Though in terms of a fighter, they are a composer first and foremost. Their strength is pointless while they have moderate uses. A Noble Phantasm better suited for someone else…I'm sure you can understand why."

Aldrich hummed and nodded his head. "Is that so? I cannot say I expect a musician to be the bravest soul in a castle full of knights and Gods, expecting otherwise would be foolish. But I am certain that such a Noble Phantasm - in the right spot - could be used to devastating effect…someone would just need to know when to use it."

"Lancelot, a Berserker." He continued on with. "One of the rabid sort, perhaps you have seen him through the hallways?"

Tilting his head, the Saint pinched his brows. "I cannot say I have had the pleasure of a meeting, but the Berserker class…yes, the poor souls who are damned to wander as nothing more than hollows. A terrible fate to befall them, but if one could find use for a Berserker, then that is fine…"

Sighing, Aldrich leaned back. "Though I am worried, Berserkers are difficult to control and I am not certain if the abilities of a Servant are worthy of the potential dangers they could inflict on the Summoner or his allies…What are his abilities?"

"His Noble Phantasm allows whatever he grasps to become a Noble Phantasm, so long as it is recognised as a weapon."

The Saint smiled, understanding blossomed on their face. "Ah, so that is why the boy would keep him around. A dangerous skill, given the ingenuity of the human mind. Though should he be a traditional Berserker…I'm not certain of the risk. It would be careless of me to ignore it."

Sulyvahn hummed for a moment, then carried on. "Caffrey, a small Goddess of Fortune. Weak in strength but her authority is based upon the most deciding factor in a battle. If combined with other skills, you could quite well kill your opponent without ever once needing to lay a hand on them."

The amount of divines in this place sickened him.

He'd thought he had enough of them, but they continued to crop up like roaches.

"That is based off your personal dislike, Sulyvahn." Aldrich chided him as if he was a parent scolding a child. "A Goddess, regardless of her authority, still wields great power over the world. Certainly more than I could currently wield as a Lord of Cinder…Unless you feel her personality is troublesome?"

"She is a Goddess." He answered, that was all the reason he needed.

Aldrich sighed. "As cold and ruthless as always, am I to assume that these poor souls are not alone in earning your belief that they need to be put down?"

He had others, naturally.

But he doubted Fujimaru would be amenable to Gwyndolin being put to death.

Those twin Goddesses who walked around with their brute of a Taurus Demon?

…Even including the Taurus Demon as well, a natural strength.

Ultimately it was a cascading effect, one thing would lead to another.

Consuming all these Servants at once was not something that could be done, they would need to do so one at a time over the course of a series of days. Or rather, before the others could realise what was happening. Presenting Aldrich as a force that was too troublesome to kill would be the best way forward, because he was still aware of the nature of Ritsuka all the same.

Their weakness still clung to them, even if they were willing to entertain the presence of other Servants that did not share the more commonly accepted sensibilities.

"Ultimately, the crux of the matter remains Ritsuka." He explained, his unseen eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Aldrich merely hummed in acknowledgement. "As you might realise from the fact they allow you to remain, despite their cordial nature with Gwyndolin, they are currently unwilling to approve of…less civilised methods of maintaining control."

"A diplomat."

"Yes."

"Hmmm. Such a role has its uses, admittedly." Aldrich argued with an even tone. "Though from your words, I assume they are committed to the role of maintaining peace amongst all those who serve under them?"

More than that.

Sulyvahn grunted in response to their words, fighting back what he wanted to say in favour of maintaining a semblance of civility. He was not going to outwardly curse aloud the stupidity of giving space to the likes of Gwynevere and Velka, he wasn't even alone with that argument either.

But the fact they were upset on behalf of the unkindled and not because Gwynevere was a useless existence was beyond him.

"...Suffice to say that you are not the only questionable individual and even after he has been shown evidence of how such Servants would be a greater liability than a boon, he maintains their existence under the guise of fairness…though I would argue he lacks the spine to do what needs to be done."

Aldrich raised a brow, a silent scrutiny on his face for a few seconds, then he spoke. "Is that disappointment in your words?"

Disappointment? What else would he have been feeling in response to that manner of circumstance?

"You expect me to be pleased?"

"No, but I assumed you would have displayed anger."

Anger?

He internally frowned as he debated their words. Would he have experienced anger in the past? Yes, he more than certainly would have done. Though the disappointment was something of a surprise that it trumped his other feelings on the matter.

Was he disappointed that nothing had changed when it came to those who touted the willingness to do whatever was needed to win, or the fact he had expected so much more from Fujimaru?

If the latter had been the case, then what reason would he have for possibly expecting more from one who consorted with the divines on the regular and seemed to see value in their existence? Even speaking with those who actively worshipped them and treating them as people and not the blind slaves they truly were.

No, becoming angered over that would be fruitless.

Fujimaru had not experienced the things he had experienced, so he couldn't expect them to understand the nature of divinities. Or rather, not entirely.

He was sure that Gwyn's attack would have turned him against the divines, but they remained steadfast with their resolve in trusting the other Gods around Chaldea. Even though many of the problems that had recently struck the base had come at the hands of the divine beings themselves. Not simply the ones who came from his own world, but this land as well.

The Artemis fiasco sprung to mind.

While he had not personally been there for that, they spoke often enough of the Goddess stealing all their provisions that they actively kept defences around the pantry just to ensure that there was no repeat incident. One would think that would have been proof not to mingle with the divines.

But then Chaldea just kept whipping themselves by encountering them more and more without any consideration for how much of a burden they would actually be.

Was he disappointed?

…Yes, he was.

Because he was experiencing the same headache that came with dealing with the Gods all over again and this time he couldn't do anything about it. Not truly.

"Does it matter whether I am disappointed or angry?" Asking aloud, he shifted his focus from his mind and towards the Ruler, they gave no immediate response to his blank tone, instead shrugging their shoulders and glancing away from him. Answering his question that they did not truly care in the least.

Drawing in a short breath, he returned to the original point. "But as I said, Fujimaru would likely be the greatest obstacle when it came to such a plan. Though he does not yet strike me as the sort to order executions…though if there were to come a chance in a Singularity where you might encounter a terrible threat…"

He trailed off meaningfully.

Aldrich slowly turned his head back to him, the smile on his lips grew quite wider. Eyes closed and head bobbing up and down in a rather sorrowful way. "Indeed, I've heard those can be such dangerous locations…who knows what manner of accident could befall such a Servant if they aren't careful? Especially with someone such as yourself so callous towards their health. Goodness, Sulyvahn, you haven't changed a bit."

Yes.

Quite.

"You wish us to observe these Servants then?"

Ritsuka nodded his head to Okita, not trusting himself to say anything at the moment. Really, it was something that he should have done immediately, but had taken longer than he would have liked to really justify in his head.

If only because he had been debating within himself about whether doing something like this would end up pushing them into acting in a way that jeopardise the safety of Chaldea.

But it was better that he at least keep an eye on things, it was mainly why he had asked Cursed Arm to watch over Aldrich the second he was summoned, as well as have a couple of Servants just monitor him whenever he was nearby. Nothing demanding or so upfront, but at least so that he wasn't completely blind.

Because Ritsuka…wasn't all that stupid, or he didn't think he was.

Okita glanced towards the side for a moment, Arkon stood with his arms folded and helm facing another direction.

Both Sabers remained quiet, then Okita turned to him and smiled in a manner that was almost comforting. "Not to worry, Master, we'll assign some hands to keep an eye on them. Do you want them to be aware of it or for us to be less obvious?"

"...Keep it subtle for now." He replied after a brief pause.

Because he didn't want them to think he was being utterly unjust.

"But if they do anything dangerous, then you can intervene and inform me at the same time. Though I'm not in the mood for dealing with executions being done in the hall. I would like to be kept informed of whatever is happening."

Okita didn't even hesitate with an answer. "We can do that easily enough. Not to worry, you can rest easy knowing that we have our eyes on it."

He noticed Arkon tense ever so slightly.

Ritsuka knew what the problem would have been, he supposed that Arkon would have been one of those who were an awful lot less willing to keep Aldrich in Chaldea at all. He hadn't had anyone come forward to seek him out yet in regards to that decision, but he supposed it was only a matter of time before it happened.

Turning himself towards the Silver Knight, he watched them for just long enough that Arkon eventually spoke. "Is there some issue?"

"...That's mostly what I wanted to ask."

A twitch from Arkon, the knight unfolded his arms and lowered them down to his side. "Do you wish for my honest opinion on the matter, or would you prefer me to merely keep my concerns private? Because I am not certain you would wish-"

"I'd like to hear them."

Sure enough, he heard them.

"Accepting Aldrich into this place is utterly…carless." The knight replied back, heated words shifting at the very last second. But they said the word careless as if it was meant to be something else entirely. "His past is known to you, he is a fiend of the highest order and even if we could somehow set aside his…desecration of Lord Gwyndolin, there is no ignoring his past actions-"

"His Caster self did that-"

"And what assurances do we have that the Caster and Ruler are one in the same?" Arkon cut him off before he could finish, taking in a short breath. "We have no manner of knowing what differences there are between the two of them. We are left to assume they are different beings, but even that assumption is no comforting blanket. With or without a status as a Caster…Aldrich is dangerous."

"...I never doubted that. But he isn't the only one who-"

"Then why-!?" Arkon took a step forward, raising his voice only for a split second.

The knight stopped himself and then took in a sharp intake, stepping backwards and lowering his voice once more. "...Then why would you accept his aid? It is not something I can condone on any of the cases made. I could barely tolerate it with Sulyvahn and Velka…nor even with the undead who walks the halls. This? This sets an uncomfortable pattern. I cannot understand it, not in the least. Perhaps if you had chained him up but…it has taken you hours to seek us out, it should have been an instant decision."

…They were probably right.

He glanced at Okita and noted that she hadn't said anything, but it hardly looked as though she disagreed with a single word that had been said.

"Your desperation - the desperation of Chaldea as a whole - is known to me, but all the same, my Lord." Arkon took in a breath and shook his head from side to side. "I will, in the strongest possible terms, voice my objection to this course of action. Allowing one like this creature refuge in Chaldea is a decision that can only end poorly."

"...So you'd suggest I get rid of him right now then?"

"Without question."

That was rather fast.

He wasn't surprised though.

"And the others?"

Arkon was silent, then he spoke. "Velka is as she will always be. A swine. The Unkindled is insane and just as quick to strike us down if we were to fall again and that is not to mention the presence of Sulyvahn which…it is by the grace of the Gods that he had done nothing, but it will not remain that way forever."

The Saber exhaled. "You ask me for my words, that is what they are. There is desperation…and then there is this."

A quick look towards Okita. "Would that be your opinion as well?"

The woman said nothing for a few moments, then took in a short breath and nodded her head once. "If we are to speak of the security of Chaldea as a whole, then it is more sensible to remove a threat rather than to monitor it…that being said, in the absence of any crimes being committed since the summoning, I am…more neutral. Though I agree that this is another individual who requires vigilance, if only through reputation alone."

She was a bit more reserved about it, but there was no denying that she was equally critical of his choice.

Ritsuka silently nodded his head and looked between the two of them. "Thank you for your honest words. Aldrich will be around for the time being but, as I've already told Gwyndolin, he is on…very thin ice. Just keep a close eye on him, I'll let you know if we need to switch from subtle to more obvious methods."

Okita nodded once. "In the meantime, I shall issue the orders immediately."

"Thanks…have a…have a good day, you two." He waved his hand, turning to the door and walking back into the hallway.

The smile slipped off his face immediately.

It was the result he expected.

Because it was the natural response, he supposed, when faced with someone like Aldrich.

But here he was, saying that he was content to let the man stay in Chaldea, despite the warnings and the grievances, he had been against them with only middling support from the likes of Romani and Da Vinci…but he wasn't sure whether they were just trying to make him feel as though he wasn't being ganged up on.

That was an unpleasant thought.

Mash trusted his judgement but…he didn't know if he trusted his own judgement.

"Caw!"

He jolted, then turned around and looked about for the noise.

It had been the screech of a crow or raven, already he felt his features sour at the thought of dealing with Velka at the moment. That was the last thing he needed to see, especially when he was trying to come to terms with whether this was the right choice or not. Stepping towards the noise, he glanced around for a second or two.

A sound of fluttering wings and then nothing.

The hallway became utterly silent.

Ritsuka sighed and turned back around-

"Lord Fujimaru-"

"Gah!?" Then shrieked and jumped back as far as he could manage, slamming a hand over his heart as a pale skull loomed directly in his face and a somewhat gravelly voice spoke to him. The large shadow flinched backwards and rose up, being a full head and shoulders above his height.

The skull, for a brief second, looked apologetic.

Ritsuka had half a second to realise who it was. "O-oh, Cursed Arm…sorry, I-"

"No, the fault was mine." The Assassin dismissed with a shake of the head, then lowered it down. "I neglected to provide you with ample warning…it is unusual for an Assassin to announce themselves, after all."

Yeah, it was.

Throwing his breathing back down, Ritsuka slowly slumped forwards and nodded to Hassan before cracking a light smile. "Y-yeah…so…was there something that you needed or?"

Cursed Arm paused for only a single moment, then he opened his mouth and started speaking.

Ritsuka felt his expression drop further and further the longer the Assassin spoke.

Being summoned to his summoner's room within the same hour he met with Aldrich was much too coincidental.

Sulyvahn was no fool, though it all depended on how much Fujimaru knew.

He stepped into the plain room, already standing across from him was the teenager, arms folded over their chest and a blank gaze in those blue eyes. Fujimaru did well to hide his agitation from him, but his eyes could see it beneath the surface. Something happened that made them uneasy.

"Is there something you want to tell me, Sulyvahn?"

Fujimaru knew.

And he knew that Sulyvahn knew as well.

He stepped forwards, then tilted his head. "Given that I have been brought here so swiftly, shall I assume that we are both aware of the reason for my sudden summoning and then leave it at that? A game of words does not hold much interest to me."

Fujimaru rolled his jaw. "I'm talking about the topic of the conversation you had with Aldrich…do you want to tell me what you talked about?"

"You would not display this unease if you did not already know." He pointed out, Fujimaru's expression tightened rather considerably. Clearly they were after him to make a full admission of it. A rather simple demand, all things considered, but wholly suited for the boy. "I consulted Aldrich on what manner of Servants would be suitable fuel to increase his power."

The jaw of Fujimaru tightened immediately, a flash of anger shot through his eyes before it faded away. Replaced with something much cooler. So they were going to avoid raising their voice, were they? Very well.

"Might I ask how you know? Or….have you been spying on me."

Fujimaru made a small noise. "After the fiasco of Aldrich's summoning, I had someone keep an eye on him and Gwyndolin to make sure neither of them tried anything…Or rather, it was to make sure that Aldrich did not try anything."

Sulyvahn made a noise of understanding. "So it was nothing more than poor timing that brought this about? How unfortunate. Though understandable, I cannot fault you for being thorough. Despite that, I am annoyed."

"You don't get to be annoyed." The boy replied in a cold voice. "I want to know why you thought it was acceptable to start deciding which Servants you could sacrifice to Aldrich because you thought they were worthless. That's not your choice to make-"

He scoffed, cutting the boy short. "Of course it is. You clearly won't make it and none of your peers are going to make it for you. Thus, once again, the choice fell into my hands. The only choice that really matters. Entertaining the existence of a musician when the world is in peril? Perhaps you hope that some well constructed hymns shall subdue our enemies, is that it?"

"This isn't about whether Mozart is useful in a fight or not." Fujimaru shot back rather swiftly. "The only reason I'm not as angry as I should be is because you didn't start yet. But I have no reason to doubt that if I hadn't known, you were going to and then put me in the position of either accepting it or putting an end to it."

Sulyvahn tightened his jaw, taking a small step forwards. "Do you understand the potential that Aldrich represents? The uses he would have with his Noble Phantasm? The incorporation of multiple Noble Phantasms and Personal skills into a single being and removing the weak links from your ranks. It should be a simple choice."

"For you, maybe. Not for me. It's not even a choice."

"Because you're blind, Fujimaru." He spat back at them, disgusted by the obstinance. "You should be willing to explore every single avenue. There should be nothing that you are unwilling to try and yet your inability to see that - worse - your acceptance of liabilities into your own organisation!"

Sulyvahn straightened himself out, clenching his jaw and working to keep his voice level. "Do you know what your problem is, Ritsuka? What your ultimate flaw is and why you will keep falling victim to the same ploys over and over again? You are utterly spineless."

"Because I'm not going to kill indiscriminately-"

"Because you're too much of a coward to risk making hard choices and tough calls. Because you fear that, in doing so, you will lose the chance to make friends with the many Servants who cross your line of sight."

Fujimaru froze, staring at him with slightly widened eyes, the only sign they were affected by his words.

"I have seen your type time and time again and in each instance, I have only grown more disgusted with them. You ignore the clear problems because you fear the results of pushing further. I warned out about Gwyndolin, you ignored me and then he proceeded to lose control of himself and threaten Chaldea. You were warned during that fiasco with one of Gwynevere's children and then you refused to act until it was far too late."

He stabbed a finger towards them.

"Let us not forget that Velka is the architect of our misery relating to Gwyn and Seath because of her utter insanity and yet she still skulks these halls like some manner of rodent because…what? You are haunted by the idea of getting some blood on your hands?"

With a scoff, he shook his head from side to side.

"No, Ritsuka. You are akin to Gwynevere, enamoured by the idea that everyone must like you…but she has it easy. With but a wave of her hand, she can sway the minds of whomever crosses her line of sight and then they will fall for her head over heel."

He snapped his fingers to prove his point, then dropped his arm back down.

"But you? No, you are not afforded such powers, so you need to work. Utterly unable to detach yourself from the notion of showing affection, even at the risk it poses, you refuse to do anything to jeopardise those connections because you find the idea of someone hating you to be repellant."

Sulyvahn straightened. "If it was just you, then I would be content to sit back and watch as you rolled on in your pathetic little quest to be loved by everyone, but it is no longer just about you. The moment you fall, you drag everyone else down into the abyss with you, everything in history as well."

He watched Fujimaru's face, the surprise had gradually vanished and was replaced with an utterly blank expression, Fujimaru gave little indication that he was even listening to him, but he knew that they were.

"Well?"

"...I'll accept it. You're right."

He blinked at them and leaned back a little, Fujimaru was so casual with his reply Sulyvahn nearly missed it.

"I cannot reject your words, because you're right. I don't like the idea of stepping on people's toes, I'm a teenager…What the heck gives me the authority to just start throwing out orders to people as if I know what the hell I'm even talking about?"

Bringing up his hand, Ritsuka pointed to the back of it with a frown. "Some funky magic tattoos? As if anyone is going to listen to me if I have to dish out one of these every couple of seconds…But it isn't about that. No. I did let things play out because I didn't want to force the issues."

Fujimaru rolled his jaw from side to side. "I don't push into personal problems because you're right. I'm not comfortable with the idea of people hating me…I can't just block it out like you seemingly can, or just dismiss everyone who disagrees with my words as being stupid or insane."

Giving a simple shrug, Fujimaru rolled his lips inwards. "So yes. I kept myself back when I needed to step up…If that is what you're worried about, then fine. I can be decisive."

His expression turned cold.

"From this moment until I feel that you understand how Chaldea operates, you and Aldrich will be under surveillance from a team of Servants at all times. If you meet with him for any reason that is not authorised, then I will grant orders for someone to separate you immediately by whatever means they deem necessary."

Sulyvahn stared at them blankly.

"I will, at least, permit you the opportunity of keeping your workshop as is. But the only choice beyond this is to have it stripped down and for you to do your work out in the open, with another Caster looking over your shoulder to make sure you're actively working on something worthwhile."

Fujimaru folded his arms behind his back and clenched his jaw. "Consider this your single warning on the matter. I don't like being hated by my Servants…But if it keeps Chaldea safe and secure, then I'm fine with stepping on a couple of toes for that. These conditions will remain until I decide otherwise."

He paused for a second, then angled his head. "Or is that not decisive enough for you?"

…Sulyvahn didn't know whether to be insulted or…

No, he was mostly insulted.

And yet this was precisely what he had just demanded the boy do in all but words.

…Clever little bastard.

It was difficult not to feel a hint of relief that they were capable of enacting such policies, though he would at least ask. "And if Gwyndolin does the same?"

"He will get the same response. I told him when Aldrich was summoned, I am not about to start killing people like that without the chance to prove themselves. I'm still being nice now…I don't need to tell you what Havel would have done if he found out."

No, they didn't.

But he still felt insulted by their words.

He turned on his heel and marched out of the door.

Ritsuka watched Sulyvahn leave, keeping his pose for a couple of seconds.

Then he dropped down onto his bed, raising his hands and placing them upon his face, a long shuddering breath escaped him as he replayed the conversation in his mind again and again.

It felt like his heart was beating at a mile a second.

That was the first time he had ever done something like that.

His hands moved up, fingers laced through his hair as he pushed himself off his bed and onto his feet, clawing through dark locks and pulling his fingers tighter and tighter until he held an uncomfortable grip on his own scalp. He felt his features twist and turn as he paced back and forth across the room.

He could just…

…He knew what people would say if they heard about this - when they heard about this - and he could imagine the looks he would get. The stares that would be thrown his way, especially the face of the Director when it all came up.

He had been told.

He had been told by everyone that these weren't the sort of people that could be trusted and he hadn't truly extended any of that trust towards Aldrich in the least. He had been waiting for them to do something.

Sulyvahn though?

…The Caster hadn't done anything in the entire time that they had been here so Ritsuka assumed - he hoped - that there would never be anything to worry about. That despite all the comments and the complaints from the Caster, that they were satisfied with their current working conditions and that there was no need for him to do anything or to personally intervene.

But they hadn't changed.

Sulyvahn had never changed, he had just been waiting for the right moment and the second Aldrich appeared, it was just handed to him.

All those worries about Aldrich doing something and it was Sulyvahn who made the first move, the only reason that he wasn't currently debating anything more severe with the Saint was because Sulyvahn had been the one to initiate and had never directly agreed with anything the Pontiff said.

Ritsuka wasn't stupid, he figured that Aldrich would have done it if he realised he could get away with it, but he had made no admission so that was that.

Sulyvahn? He hadn't even bothered to hide it because why would he?

It wasn't even that he was doing it to damage Chaldea.

He was doing it because he thought it was the only sensible choice to be made and that he knew better.

Closing his eyes, Ritsuka hissed into his mouth and crouched down to the ground.

Another tug against his hair.

"You'll pull something loose if you keep doing that."

He did not open his eyes, nor did he turn his head.

He didn't need to in order to recognise the voice, his response came out less than a heartbeat later. "I'm not in the mood to talk right now, so can you please just…just leave me alone for a couple of minutes."

No immediate response.

For a split second, he hoped she had listened to him.

A flutter of wings and then the sound of something landing on the bed behind him, his eyelids slowly peeled themselves open, craning his neck and looking over his shoulder towards the sound of the disturbance.

A large raven - the size of a cat - stared right back at him, head tilted to the side.

"And leave you alone when you are in such a state?" The Raven with Velka's voice - or rather, Velka with the face of a Raven - responded to him in a rather amused tone. "That could hardly be seen as a worthy thing for a Goddess such as myself to do."

Ritsuka bristled. "I thought leaving people in pain and turmoil was your whole shtick."

Velka did not reply, the raven hopped on the bed and ruffled its feathers before replying, without even moving the mouth, merely that the voice came from somewhere in the direction of the raven.

"I suppose it would be fair of you to assume that, but you misunderstand my purpose in being here. It would be wrong of me to leave-"

"Don't you-" Ritsuka sharply stood up and glared at the bird for a few seconds, then scoffed and turned away from her, his eyes closed once more. "...Don't start talking to me about what the right or the wrong thing to be done is. We've already had that argument once before and neither of us got anywhere…so just…"

He was tired.

A lethargic wave of the hand was swung in the direction of the raven, moving from the bird and to the door.

Velka sighed. "Then I shall phrase this in another way, I do not believe that it would be good to leave you in the current state that you are in, does that fit with your expectations for me? Or perhaps it would be easier to consider this my thanks for that spot of assistance the other day."

Spot of assistance?

Ritsuka opened his eyes and looked back at her with a blank face. "By the sounds of it, those were the consequences of your own actions coming back for you…I didn't argue on your behalf because I wanted you to owe me. I did it because Gilgamesh would have killed you and torn the entire side of the base apart in the process."

Velka chuckled rather dryly. "All the same, this is a debt I intend to repay by lending an ear."

"Pass."

"It doesn't work like that."

"Does for me." He shrugged and walked to the other side of the room, keeping his back to the bird and then sighing. "Why do you look like that, anyway?"

"Because I have my own little group watching over me…but this is one of my few tricks for avoiding them."

Ritsuka sent a silent look over his shoulder, then turned back around.

"Do you want some words?"

He almost laughed at that. "From you? No."

"You reek of guilt and sin and the Goddess of both is offering you advice." It felt as though the air of the room got thinner in a heartbeat. "It would be wise for you to at least hear what I have to say before you dismiss me out of turn."

His face tightened, he turned around and scowled. "...You have one minute."

The raven rolled its head rather than its eyes, sighing while it did so. "Alright then, what reason do you have to feel guilty?"

Ritsuka frowned. "What? You're the one who says I-"

"I said it was clear you were, I did not say it was clear why." Velka countered before he could finish. "By all accounts, you have done a good deed. A person might have sought to harm your allies and you have acted to stop that before it could occur. I would claim this as a cause for celebration of your abilities and judgement. I personally found the ruling to be rather fair."

His face flattened. "Your approval fills me with great joy…"

Velka exhaled. "Do you know what your greatest sin is, Ritsuka?"

He raised a brow and said nothing.

"Inaction."

He stopped.

"But you admitted as such, did you not? Awareness of sin and moving to correct it is to be lauded. You have a stronger sense of betterment than many of the others who walk in the world, take pride in that-"

"Pride in-" Ritsuka stepped forwards and snarled. "It almost happened again! I nearly let it happen all over again and it keeps happening!"

Velka inclined her head but said nothing.

"Ash has problems with Drake and humanity? Nah! That'll be fine! He just needs a bit of time to think about all of it, I'm sure he'll come around!"

He slapped the front of his forehead.

"Gee! What a great idea Ritsuka, how could that possibly backfire!?"

He paced away, swinging a hand up and finding himself breaking into laughter.

"I was saved by this guy in a freak snowstorm in the middle of London, he claims to have amnesia but it's fine. Because he saved me. Nevermind the fact that virtually no one likes him and that all my Servants are telling me that it's a bad idea to keep him inside my own body!"

Turning his head, he gave an exaggerated shrug of the shoulders.

"Really! What's the worst that could happen!? I'm sure he's just a regular old jerk with a heart of gold!"

He was panting now, another chortle escaped him as he swung an arm out.

"What's what? Gwyndolin is depressed about his father?! I'm sure he needs time to come to terms with things, I don't need to throw myself into something like that! Not like he'll have an emotional meltdown or-"

"You've made your point."

Ritsuka whipped his head around and wheezed. "Made my point? To you, maybe. To me? I'm not so sure, given that it just keeps happening again and again and again. Apparently I haven't made the point to myself, given that I seem to just let all this stuff happen to me and do nothing about it…"

The strength dropped out of his body, his arms slumped by his side and his head hung low.

"...I don't do anything about it…I just let it simmer…let it fester because I don't want to make it worse…because I can see myself saying or doing the wrong thing and…"

He dropped down onto his knees, still staring at the floor and leaning backwards, his arms came to a rest on his thighs as he continued his blank staring contest with the cold metal floor.

"...Because who the hell am I to even talk about trying to fix someone else's problems? What the hell sort of wisdom or spiritual advice do I have? This is nuts…utterly crazy. 'Hey Ritsuka, why are you letting this guy walk around? Why don't you kill him?' yeah, maybe because I'm seventeen!"

He dropped forwards, head thudding into the floor.

"I'm seventeen! I…I just want to go home…I miss my home…I miss my parents…I miss my friends and…I miss the little cobwebs in the corner of my room. Chaldea is so clean that there isn't a single cobweb around here! It's just…I just want to play a video game or go out for a nice meal…I want to think about whether I'm going to spoil myself with a hot shower or not…Not whether I have to kill someone or not…what the hell is that supposed to be!?"

Bringing his hand up, he clenched it into a fist and swung down against the floor.

"What the hell…why am I…even here? Why am I speaking with cannibals or having someone try to cut my head off for just existing wrong? Why am I the only one who gets weird looks when I say that I don't want to kill people…why do they want me to…why do they…it's…"

He still remembered.

He still saw it.

Whenever he closed his eyes, it was still there.

"...Why do they want me to do that again…?"

The redness on his hands.

The warmth that splattered across his face.

He still felt it.

Still saw it.

"...Why do I need to explain myself…?" A sniffle, the vision of the floor blurred as tears dropped to the ground in front of him, his voice cracked. "W-why do I even need to explain that to someone…? I…I get that Singularities are different but th-this…why do I…?"

He stiffened as something touched the back of his head.

Fingers stroked through his scalp, rather gently in a manner that was almost comforting.

"There is no sin in wishing for the life of another." The gentle voice cooed in his ear, he wanted to shake her off and throw her away from him.

…But he was just too tired for that.

"And there is no sin in wanting to protect your friends from harm." The Goddess continued onwards. "Your fear is founded in truth, when you have no knowledge of an infection, you would not rush to treat a wound for fear of doing worse…but sometimes, leaving the wound lets the infection spread and deepen."

Ritsuka clenched his jaw but said nothing.

"Only time shall tell if this treatment of yours has worked but…I believe that it was the right course of action. That sin of inaction you carry…it looks much lighter now to my eyes than it did before. A slow road to change, but for those so inclined, it is one worth travelling."

She continued to run her hands across the top of his head, though he wasn't sure when she changed from a bird to a body.

"So young for one with such pain…A sin it is that you are here now. One that shall be redeemed in time, though for now, listen to my words…whether you accept them or not is your own choice. You have done nothing wrong, Fujimaru. You did the very best that you could."

His jaw clenched as he heard the words.

His hands tightened into fists. "I could have done more-"

"No." She cut him short, her stroking of his head ceased for a brief moment. "You truly could not have. Not as you are…not as the person you were. Change does not come easily, nor does command. To expect perfection…No. Few have foresight, but hindsight is gifted freely to all and it often shows a cruel image."

Something shuffled next to his head. "The choice that faces you now, how much more are you willing to do? How much will you change…and how much will you keep the same?"

Ritsuka didn't have an answer.

Not for a few seconds.

"...I'm not going to kill because I'm asked."

"A fair stance." Came the agreement. "You demand reasons, just as anyone would. Thus chances are offered, those who do not accept mercy…well, that is for you to decide. I shall leave you to your thoughts, as I have stepped beyond our one minute of time."

Ritsuka sniffled, then slowly brought his head back up and stared at the back of Velka as her body shimmered away, the form of the raven returned, waddling across the cold tiles.

"...You…" He took in a breath, then continued. "You…thanks for…for listening…"

A chuckle from the raven, it turned and stared at him. "I listen to all those who would confess. For that is how I find those who truly mean their words, or seek only the comfort that comes with being told of forgiveness. If you truly mean to correct your past mistakes…then we shall see if they blossom again."

The raven froze for a brief moment, then tilted its head.

"And think on this. Acceptance is not the same affection. But it is so easy to confuse the two."

The raven took off a moment later, flapping its wings and vanishing into the air.