Ch. 105 - Contract

There was never a dull moment in Chaldea if one knew where to look. The interesting habits of the Servants, the proclivities of the staff, the various singularities they had discovered, and even the very technology that kept the facility running. The rayshifting technology, SHEBA, CHALDEAS, and even the accessory technologies needed to monitor and confirm the existences of both the singularities and the ground team who entered them. It was all beyond fascinating.

So much so that for the Uomo Universale, it was yet another font of inspiration that she drew from. Oh, she couldn't wait!

Ah, but for now, duty came first. There was a list of tasks that needed to be done in her mind. Chores some might regard them and in part, she agreed. However, every problem was a challenge, each with myriad solutions. Perhaps there was one tried and true solution, but that didn't automatically make it the best solution. She wouldn't be a genius if she stuck only with such methods after all, would she?

Sitting up from her chair, she took off her magnifying glasses as well as her specially engineered mystic code gloves and stretched luxuriously. On the workbench was the Chaldean uniform for Masters. She had been looking to improve its base functionality. First on the agenda was counteracting poison. The Masters may all have protection from poisons thanks to Mash's demi-Servant classing as well as Ren and Morgana's personas, but it never hurts to have another contingency in mind.

And speaking of keeping things in mind, a pen was jotting down notes on another piece of paper in midair nearby. The genius had countless things always surging through her mind, and one of the few frustrations is losing hold of her inspiration when it came close like a fish escaping the angler. Thus, a familiar enchanted to pen down all those loose thoughts of hers. She reached up to take the paper. It seemed to be another day in Chaldea-

Suddenly, a computer monitor nearby flashed red. The Caster immediately stood up to check. It was a warning notification from the kitchen unit – Jeeves, as it was now called. As she read the details, her eyes widened in alarm. She immediately contacted Roman and found the doctor dozing at his desk in the director's office. "Romani!" she barked, startling the doctor awake. "The ragazzo is passed out in the kitchen. Prepare the medbay."

Closing the display before he could reply, she turned into spirit form to pick up Ren. He was a never-ending source of both intrigue and worry, it seemed.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your company, Beast Candidate Draco?"

The woman – Draco – smiled slightly. "Well, at the very least you have manners," she remarked. "And knowledge. None should know of me but then, I should have expected you to, Igor, Master of the Velvet Room. I commend you. As for why I am here…" She looked over at Ren who was still staring warily at her, and her smile widened. "The boy intrigues me."

"Apparently I have that effect on people," Ren replied with a smirk as his mind worked feverishly. This woman in front of him felt like Mother Harlot, but fundamentally different – like she had taken the face of the persona and used it as a mask. The sheer power and malevolence radiating off her also set him on edge. "But everyone has their own reasons. What's yours, Draco?"

The Beast Candidate chuckled lightly. "Asking a lady outright what her desires are?" she replied. "And I thought you were better with women than that. I had believed you typically indulged them until they wished to share with you what they wished for? It seems we are skipping the foreplay today."

She tilted her head slightly as her eyes observed Ren like how a cat observed a mouse wriggling in its paws. "Though I'll admit there's something quite interesting about someone who just reaches out to grasp what they want," she admitted. "Regardless of their circumstances… or their safety."

"Enough of this," Olga snapped. "You are a Beast Candidate and therefore are a Threat to Humanity. State your intentions clearly or we shall deal with you accordingly."

Draco rolled her eyes at Olga's ultimatum. "Boring," she stated.

"Excuse me?"

"You are boring," Draco repeated dismissively, not even bothering to look at the Attendant. "The type who bury their sins with their sense of duty, honor, or purity, and believe they are all the superior for it. Yet underneath it all, they are left utterly seething and discontent with their whole existence. Your kind are practically everywhere to the point of staleness. No, I have no wish to answer you. There is no reason for me to."

Olga's eyes widened in sheer rage. She opened her mouth to retort when Igor softly cleared his throat, forestalling her rage. "Do forgive her for the outburst," he said. "She is merely doing her duties and is enthusiastic to fulfill them. However…" The atmosphere became far colder as his eyes bore into Draco. "I must insist you answer Olga's question," he murmured. "As well as mine: To what do we owe the pleasure, Beast Candidate Draco?"

The Beast Candidate paused, looking at the assembled company, then smiled at Ren again. "As I said, he intrigues me," she stated.

"How so?" Lavenza sharply prodded. Though she hadn't lashed out like Olga had, she was on the cusp of losing her temper as well.

"To restrain yourself from sin is one matter," she elaborated. "And to drown yourself in it is another. However, it seems my… contractor? Is that the right term? Is quite different in that regard." She crossed her legs and leaned up against the counter, her expression pensive. "To be able to immerse one's self completely in sin, yet not lose themselves to it, is rather rare. So I decided to take a closer look – especially when I was given such a convenient pathway."

"Mother Harlot," Ren guessed.

Draco's smile widened again. "Correct," she confirmed. "The Servant connection with that childish Roman emperor combined with an 'aspect' of me here. It's quite a marvel of coincidences, I must say, but convenient indeed."

"And you have done so – without our guest's permission," Igor replied softly. "What are your intentions now?"

"To observe and to tempt," the Beast Candidate replied bluntly. "As I've stated before, someone who can walk the fine line between indulging in sin and drowning themselves in it is rare. However, those people also tend to live such insignificant lives that pushing them into temptation is nothing more than child's play."

"But this?" The Beast raised her arms and spread them to indicate the entire Den. "Someone with this much life experience, who has borne witness to order and chaos, to good or evil, to be struck with indulgences and temptations both good and evil, and can still accept all of that without losing himself? Now you have my interest. And I wish to see what will become of it all in the end. He is perhaps the most enjoyable human I have ever found."

"Ren Amamiya is not your toy," Lavenza growled.

Draco smiled once more. "I am a Beast Candidate, as you've so aptly called me," she retorted. "All of humanity is my toy."

"Before you guys continue," Ren spoke up, interrupting the argument and drawing everyone's attention. "What exactly is a Beast? Somehow, I don't think you guys mean animals here."

The comment elicited a peal of amused laughter from the Beast Candidate. "Do they not though?" she inquired with amusement. "After all, no matter how humanity thinks of themselves, no matter what tenant they bind themselves to, they are still animals to the end, with all their primal desires and urges! From biology to psychology, can you truly say they are anything beyond animals?"

The Phantom Thief frowned. "And what does humanity have to do with this?" he asked.

"Beasts are Evils of Humanity," Olga explained without taking her eyes off Draco. "Each representing a certain Sin, they were born from humanity's hopes, albeit of the worst kind. They are shaped by and are obstacles to humanity's growth and advancement, and thus must be overcome. As you have surmised, such beings are incredibly powerful, as they are without exception all calamities. Even a Candidate alone must have the strength necessary to bear the title."

"They are the stars of humanity's sins," Igor elaborated, closing his eyes momentarily in recollection. "The poisons of souls produced from attachment, misunderstandings, and growth. Akin to cancer cells that develop within a growing creature, and as malignant as one if not managed or excised. You could say they are distortions of human will manifest."

"Of course, she is not a Beast," he added. "She is the shadow of Nero Claudius Caeser Augustus Germanicus. The embodiment of her worst, most repressed traits - a being you are quite familiar with, my dear guest." He nodded to Ren in acknowledgement. "This shadow, however, has become abnormally powerful, enough to be a Candidate in turn."

The Master of the Velvet Room opened his eyes once more, his gaze hard. "As such, I cannot easily allow you to roam free in our guest's mind," he concluded. "As you have taken on the identity of one of his personas, we may not be able to remove you, but we can contain you at your current might. I apologize for the discourtesy but as an intruder, you must be dealt with."

Draco smirked. "Imprisoning me just for being here?" she remarked. "That's rather rude of all of you. And besides, I have my own counteroffer, to be made to the Trickster here."

Ren tilted his head in curiosity. "And what precisely is this counteroffer?" he cautiously asked.

The Beast Candidate's smirk widened. "All that I am," she answered. "My powers, my perspectives, my knowledge. I am thou, and thou art I. In return, I shall take all that you are: Your own perspectives, memories, and experiences. I wish to see what makes you so remarkable that you can indulge so freely in sin, using it to strengthen you, yet you do not drown yourself in it in turn. I reiterate one last time: You are intriguing, Trickster."

She leaned forward on her leg, resting her head on her hand as she smiled up at the Phantom Thief. "What say you?" she asked softly. "Do we have an accord?"

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Ren and Draco's eyes met, inscrutable to either party. Olga was about to open her mouth to protest when she felt an odd pressure coming to her side. Glancing over, she saw Igor's eyes on her momentarily before turning back to the other two. The message was clear: Don't interfere.

The Attendant could only gulp and watch anxiously. No matter how they looked at it, Ren was negotiating with a Beast Candidate. This was far more dangerous than anything she had accounted for thus far! If he makes so much as one slip-up-

Her thoughts were interrupted as Ren sighed dramatically. "Hm, I have to admit, that does seem like a good offer," he mused. "After all, if you're as strong as everyone makes it out to be, it would be really helpful for this entire mission. But there's a few problems with this deal you're proposing, Draco."

"Oh?" Draco asked questioningly. "And what would be the issue here?"

The Phantom Thief looked over at her. This was a huge gamble, one that that had his already rapidly beating heart hammering against his chest. If this backfired, then his options for dealing with her would be incredibly limited. "Well, let's say for instance… I say, 'Stand up, Mother Harlot.'"

The Beast Candidate blinked in surprise at the sudden command – then her eyes widened as she automatically stood up from the stool without even thinking about it. Before she could react or say anything, Ren spoke again. "Sit down, Mother Harlot," he ordered. And she sat down on the chair once more. Once more, there was silence between the two as the ramifications sank in for everyone.

Draco was the first to break the silence, starting from a quiet chuckle before bursting into laughter. "Well played, truly well played, Trickster!" she declared. "You saw through my ruse almost immediately! I would've been most disappointed if you fell for it!"

Ren forced a smirk. "It's pretty simple when you think about it," he replied, inwardly breathing a long sigh of relief. "Since Mother Harlot was your way in and we can't remove you, it means you replaced the identity of Mother Harlot – the persona within my soul - with yourself. Never had that happen before, I'll admit, but then strange occurrences seem to be the norm at this point for me." He had to be very careful with the phrasing here, since a single slip-up would be disastrous.

"In doing so, you have accepted that you are me, in some way, shape, or form," he continued. "But to me? You're, as everyone said at this point, an uninvited guest. Because of that, the most you can really do is just squat here without influence. However, the moment I accept that declaration, that you are me, your deal would give everything you want and give me nothing."

His smirk widened. "A rather lopsided deal, don't you think?" he finished.

The Beast Candidate laughed again. "It IS lopsided, that is true," she agreed wholeheartedly. "Had you been more naïve or more moral, it might have been easier to make you capitulate. Still…"

She leaned back on the counter again, leaning her head against a hand while still ignoring the Velvet room residents, and smiled temptingly. "The fact you and everyone else here are so guarded against me means at the very least you acknowledge my capabilities. Do not say you are not already pondering how to put it to use – you are far too crafty not to. If you have the cunning and the strength to effectively utilize a resource, then it would be foolish not to."

"True," Ren agreed, his mind working to dissect every word she said. "But a fire meant for cooking can also burn an entire fortress down if I'm not careful. Even more if I'm dealing with a proverbial devil here." He paused for a moment, then turned to the door. "No offense, Lucifer," he called out.

"None taken," the Lightbringer rumbled outside in response.

"But as you said, you can be helpful," the Phantom Thief continued as he turned back to Draco, who was observing with a raised eyebrow and intense curiosity. "So with that in mind, let's get everything laid out on the table first." He moved to stand behind the counter, across from the Beast Candidate. Leaning against the counter in the kitchen to still the tremors he couldn't suppress in his limbs, his sharp grey eyes met her wine-red ones. "What do you want here, Draco?"

Draco smirked in amusement. This was how they were going to play it, were they? How intriguing. "I wish to see how you live your life, how you experience it all," she replied. "How you can so deeply indulge in sin without being engulfed by it – and I wish to push you along that path, to see what would be born when you are finally drowning in it."

Ren nodded slowly in consideration. "Not gonna lie, I'm kind of curious too," he admitted, drawing a shocked glance from Olga as the Beast Candidate's smirk widened. The metaphor about fire was all to apt: He was playing with it, and would be seriously burned if he wasn't careful. "But not curious enough to go with it. And what are you prepared to offer me in turn?"

The Beast Candidate raised an eyebrow. "Did I not already say?" she asked. "I offer you everything that I am: My powers, knowledge, insight. All that I am. It would without a doubt further your cause, whatever you may see fit to do."

The Phantom Thief forced out an amused, bitter smile and shook his head. "Right back where we started, huh?" he remarked, causing both him and Draco to chuckle. "I've a good amount of power already, both within and without. Your knowledge and insights would definitely be helpful though, especially as one who's close to an Evil of Humanity. And in return… you have the freedom to remain here. To explore as you wish, to socially interact with various figures and personas here, including me, and to see the world through my eyes – no more and no less."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to make this boring," she commented.

Ren's raised an eyebrow. "More boring than having the Velvet Room lock you up?" he asked.

"A fair point," Draco acknowledged. "But you are being rather restrictive, are you not? You have my word I will not overpower your mind with brute force or power. I had thought that as one who indulges freely in sin, you would be more courageous than that."

"With brute force or power?" the Phantom Thief echoed, noting her phrasing and raising his guard slightly. "I take it you have other means, then?"

The Beast Candidate chuckled. "A whispered word here, a small nudge there," she replied. "It would be boring to simply force you to fall. I'd rather see you do so from your own will – more entertaining, and the result would be more… spectacular."

"Permit me to interrupt," Lavenza interjected, drawing the attention of both Ren and Draco. "But Beasts also have the power to manifest in reality when they so wish it as well. I do not know if a Candidate like Draco has that ability, but it is not beyond the realm of possibility."

Draco smirked. "Quite perceptive," she cooed. "If it sets you at ease, then I shall restrain myself from manifesting as well. Though outside influences can be amusing, it would be all the more fruitful to cause it all from within."

"You're pretty candid with what you want," the Phantom Thief noted.

"Did you expect otherwise?" Draco shot back with a grin of her own.

Ren forced a chuckle out. "I suppose not," he admitted. "But there's always the possibility you'll go back on your promises and words as soon as it suits you. Am I right?" Of course she would. She was still eyeing him like a cat would a mouse. She wasn't even treating this seriously, just humoring him. Igor, Lavenza, and Olga may be here but even then, he didn't feel fully reassured.

That was a terrifying thought.

"And what makes you say that?" the Beast Candidate asked, her grin widening. "I've been nothing but truthful and forthright with you. I have no particular reason to break my promises, not when you are offering me at least some of what I want."

"I'm pretty sure the best liars are the ones who always tell the truth," Ren countered. "So, I say we set this in stone." He turned around and, as he expected, the cubby held precisely what he wanted. Reaching in, he took the items out and set them on the table.

Draco looked over casually, wondering what amusement he brought out this time – and her smile immediately vanished. "What is this?" she snapped, her tone immediately gaining an edge as she stared daggers on the pen and paper in front of her.

The Phantom Thief smirked. "What any good deal requires," he answered. "A contract. We can talk back and forth about the terms until the end of time, but nothing's confirmed unless it's all put down in black and white, wouldn't you agree? Here's a contract I made in the Thieves Den – my environment. We even have witnesses." He nodded to the Velvet Room residents and Arsene, whose flaming smile seemed to grow in amusement, and leaned forward on the counter.

"I'd say it would be binding even for you," he concluded. "Wouldn't you agree, Mother Harlot?" This was another gamble, but from what he had learned about her, cognition, and the Thieves Den, it was perhaps one of the only methods he could use to actually bind her. At least, that was the hope.

Draco stared hard at the document, reading the terms. Everything they had discussed was present, but it also provided that anything not explicitly stated in the contract were actions she couldn't take as well – which included a few of the loopholes she had thought to exploit for her amusement. "Bandying about with a Beast Candidate?" she hissed. "You are playing a dangerous game, Ren Amamiya."

The sheer rage Ren could feel from her was palpable, enough that he almost broke into a cold sweat as he resisted the urge to clench his ice-cold hands. Instead, his grin widened from adrenaline, looking borderline mad with exhilaration. "It's been that way since day one," he replied. "So, do we have an accord?"

"We do not," the Beast Candidate curtly snapped as an aura of darkness started appearing around her. "You have caught me off guard with this, and that was my mistake. I had grossly underestimated you. But if you wish for me to sign this, then I require more than these childish terms."

"And what makes you think you're in a position to demand more?" the Phantom Thief inquired, trying to suppress a new surge of panic. "Everything you have here right now is mine – especially the identity of the persona you have taken. You don't have a lot of room to negotiate."

"Perhaps so," Draco murmured. "But if that's how you wish to play, then I can very well drag all of you down with me if necessary." Her dark aura became more oppressive, the sheer malevolence of it causing Lavenza to open the Compendium in preparation and Olga to raise her hand, her circuits beginning to glow. Even Arsene had unfurled his wings, ready for combat. Only Igor remained completely unmoved, seemingly unperturbed by the display.

Though Ren had seemingly no reaction, every single persona right outside the LeBlanc exhibit had readied themselves as well. It took a significant effort of will to have them all relax a bit. As much as he wanted to deck Draco followed by having every single persona blast her to oblivion – anything to deal with the fear that flowed through his veins like ice and pierced his heart and gut – he couldn't allow himself to show any weakness to Draco. She would pounce on it as soon as she noticed one, and that was something he couldn't afford.

"Well, the ball's in your court now," the Phantom Thief stated simply with a shrug. "What can you offer me to have me seriously consider keeping you around here? And what do you want as payment?"

Draco paused for a moment to consider. Then she smirked. "An insurance policy," she stated.

That caught Ren off guard. "Come again?" he asked.

"Your journey will take you to places that are treacherous for any human, even one as… interesting as you, Trickster," she elaborated, her smirk widening now that she had Ren's full attention. "I can exercise a portion of my strength to save you from death. I believe you would find such an opportunity invaluable, would you not?"

The Phantom Thief gulped slightly as he thought on the implications and how it would happen. "What would 'saving me from death' entail?" he inquired. "And how often would you do this?"

The Beast Candidate thought for a moment. "When you are mortally wounded, I will channel my power through you and restore you to full health and make sure the area around you is safe," she detailed. "It would not do for someone as entertaining and intriguing as you to perish so easily. And as a gesture of good faith, I shall do so minimum of once." She held up a finger for emphasis and her smile widened. "However, any more than that shall depend on my mood… and what else you have to bargain with."

Ren frowned as he considered it. Having such a backup option would be invaluable, especially with so much on the line. "And what do you want for return for that?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Draco smiled one more, her wine-red eyes glinting malevolently in LeBlanc's dim light. "A simple matter of influence," she answered. "I may appear and communicate with those who are aware of my existence. It matters little whom or what – if they are aware of me, then I can speak to them without your interference."

The Phantom Thief's eyes widened before he could stop himself. "You're asking for a lot," he stated flatly.

"And I offer you a considerable boon in return," the Beast Candidate countered. "I have told you my power is considerable, did I not? Both bringing you back from the brink of your mortality as well as speaking to those outside your being are well within my power."

Then she leaned casually on the counter, picking up the shot glass and watching the one droplet of Ren's memory swirling within. "Of course, if you have a means to match it, then proceed by all means," she added. "It shall be entertaining to see how you shall do so." With that, she lifted the shot glass and let the last drop fall to her outstretched tongue before licking her lips in relish.

Ren fought back a scowl. He didn't have something like that, and they knew it. He didn't have Enduring Soul in the real world – at least, most likely not at the effectiveness it should be with his magecraft. It would be more reassuring if he had a method to test it, but he couldn't think of one. He doubted even Da Vinci, for all her genius, could come up with something so all-encompassing or guaranteed as what Draco offered.

"So, let's sum this all up," the Phantom Thief mused. "I will grant you access to my mind and my perception, allowing you to experience what I have, am, and will go through. And if anyone gains knowledge about you, you have freedom to communicate with them as you please without my interference. Is that correct?"

"Yes. And in return, I shall grant you my own knowledge and insight on your matters," Draco answered. "As well as protection for when you are mortally wounded. I shall do so at least once. Any more is up to my discretion and further negotiation."

As they spoke, the contract shifted to reflect the terms they had discussed. Soon, everything was written out, once more with the stipulation that anything not mentioned acted as restrictions for Draco. A clause was added so that the contract could be subject to renegotiated with consent from both parties. Ren wished he could have Sae look at this and advise him when it came to legally binding contracts, but all he could rely on was his own intuition – and trusting in Draco's interests to not poke and prod at every loophole she could.

Once that was done, Ren looked over the contract, making sure the wording and all the conditions and offers were present. He lifted the pen, hesitated for a moment, then with a barely perceptible gulp, signed on the dotted line. Under normal circumstances, he never would ever accept such a contract from a being like Draco. However, nothing about his current circumstances was normal. And if he had to sign his soul over to a devil to ensure his success…

Well, that was his price to pay.

Draco cast a lazy glance over the terms, her wine-red eyes scanning the document. Finally, she opened her mouth. Her hand transformed into a red claw as she reached up and punctured her outstretched tongue, soaking the tip in blood. Then with a flourish, she signed her name beside Ren's with the bloodied claw.

Once that was done, the text and signature flashed red for a moment before fading away, with the contract rolling up into a scroll and a dark red ribbon wrapped around it. "Contract sealed," the Beast Candidate announced with a satisfied smirk as she slowly licked the blood off her finger. "I do look forward to our partnership, Trickster."

Ren nodded with a face of stone. Once more, the familiar sensation of warmth bloomed in his chest as an arcana was formed. Tower. Unlike with Nero, however, this one was reversed. Just like Loki with their reversed Fool. He couldn't find it in him excited about this prospect, not with a being like Draco. It felt like he had signed himself over to Yaldabaoth – a sensation that disgusted him to the utmost degree.

Pointing at the contract, he dragged his finger to the side. A copy of the rolled-up contract slid into being. He looked over to Igor. "You guys mind keeping a copy?" he asked, holding it up. "For safekeeping in case something goes wrong here."

Igor's grin widened slightly. "It would be an honor, my dear guest," he agreed. Reaching out with his spindly fingers, he plucked the copy from Ren and slid it into his coat pocket. "I thank you for your trust. Now, I believe our business has been concluded. To be able to form a contract with a Beast Candidate – you truly are a most remarkable guest. I bid both a good day." With a small bow of farewell, he strolled through the door of the Velvet Room and vanished into the blue void.

"Amamiya, please see me at your earliest convenience," Olga requested in a clipped tone. "I wish to discuss with you my findings about your magecraft and how it pertains to your personas." Without waiting for a response, she marched through the door after Igor and also vanished. Ren could only sigh to himself. He knew all too well that wasn't what she wanted to talk about, though he couldn't exactly blame her at this point.

A chuckle snagged Ren's attention. Amusement danced in Draco's wine-red eyes as she smirked. "You are well loved, I see," she noted. "Already this deal is bearing fruit. Perhaps this will be more entertaining than even I predicted. In the meantime, I shall familiarize myself with my new home for the time being." Sliding off the chair, she waved farewell as she sauntered out the door, barely even giving a glance as the army of personas all glaring at her.

The Phantom Thief glanced over at Arsene. "Keep an eye on her, would you?" he asked.

His true self nodded. "Of course," he murmured before floating out of café as well. The door closed with a jangle of bells, leaving Ren and Lavenza alone.

"That was marvelously done, my Trickster," the Attendant complimented softly. "However, are you alright? Dealings with a Beast Candidate is no light matter, and it has undoubtedly exhausted you."

Ren forced out a weak chuckle. "It was that obvious, huh?" he remarked as he slumped forward on the counter, burying his hands in his hair. His body had finally given out, leaving him trembling from the adrenaline running through his system as he caught his breath. "It was… definitely something, I can say that much. But so long as she keeps her end of the bargain, I'd say that I got something pretty good out of the deal."

Lavenza nodded pensively, then quietly walked around the counter. "You are always my marvelous Trickster," she murmured as she gently wrapped her hand around his. "However, I have seen much of the burdens you have taken on yourself, both in your past journey and your current one. I do not mean to doubt you, but… I worry you have taken on too much on yourself."

The Phantom Thief's eyes widened slightly, then he smiled. Kneeling down, he covered Lavenza's hand in his own. "Thanks, Lavenza," he replied earnestly. "I'm not gonna lie, it's all been… extremely tiring. And I'm scared to death about what this whole deal with Draco entails. Still, it's good to know you have my back."

Lavenza smiled, her glowing, yellow eyes meeting his exhausted, grey ones. She reached over and gently brushed back some of his hair. "I always will, my Trickster," she reassured him gently. "After all, you are still the greatest man I have ever, and ever will, meet. However… might I indulge one bit of selfishness?"

The request caused Ren to chuckle despite everything. "After all you've done for me, you're more than entitled to that," he easily replied.

The Attendant smiled. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the Phantom Thief, catching him momentarily by surprise. He soon returned the embrace, however, with a smile. "I cannot offer much comfort, my Trickster," she whispered. "This is the most I can do. I can offer some counsel, at the very least: this honesty can be formed from your bonds as well. Please take heart in this, and it may develop into great power… and perhaps even relief for you."

Ren frowned slightly, but he nodded. "I'll keep that in mind," he murmured.

Lavenza smiled. She slowly stepped away from Ren. "Please do visit Olga at your earliest convenience," she recommended. "Her counsel and admonishments, though at times exaggerated, always hold merit."

With that, she walked back around the counter. Ren watched as she stepped into the blue void, vanishing within as the door closed behind her. Standing up, he sighed deeply as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Honesty… it was such a simple thing, yet for some reason it never came to him easily - at least, when it came to his own problems. When would he reach that point with those in Chaldea? Would it be too late by then?

Reaching over, he quietly picked up the contract. He could only stare grimly at the rolled-up paper. This was his price to pay to make sure everyone could come back. Telling anyone else about this… aside from the condition Draco had set, this wasn't a burden he could share with anyone else. Not when they all had their own troubles and were doing their best to improve and grow.

No. He was the one that made the deal with the proverbial devil. So long as he succeeded, then he would walk this path – even if it would drag his soul down to hell.

In the meantime, he took one more glance at the open Velvet Room door, then reached for the door of the café instead. So long as he was here, he might as well take care of an errand he had been putting off for a bit too long.

"What were you thinking, Ren Amamiya?!"

The first line Olga spat out at Ren as soon as he walked into the Workshop was expected, though he wasn't sure if he could ever prepare for the sheer vehemence of it. After he had stopped by Igor and Lavenza to run his errand, he found the former director poring desperately over an ancient tome. There were even more texts and books on the table around the astrolabe than usual. Most likely she was researching material on Beasts and Beast Candidates.

"I've seen you take innumerable risks since the Grand Order started," she ranted. "But to deal with a Beast Candidate?! And make a deal with her?! This is beyond taking a calculated risk. If I didn't know better, Amamiya, I would say you are outright suicidal! Are you at this point?! Inform me if you are because I can't clearly tell anymore!"

"I'm not," the Phantom Thief reassured. "It's just-"

"Just what?!" Olga screeched. "A Beast Candidate, let alone a full-on Beast, is bad enough in the real world, where we have Servants to hopefully deal with them! And right now you have one sitting! In! Your! Soul! Do I have to emphasize how enormously disastrous that could be at any point in the future, including the IMMEDIATE future?! You may be capable and even powerful, Amamiya, but you've surpassed confidence to the point of foolhardy arrogance!"

"It's not exactly arrogance," Ren tried again. "The offer was good, all things considered-"

"You have considered nothing!" the Attendant snarled. "If anybody at Chaldea knew about this – which they now can't now without risking a cognitohazard, by the way – you would be treated as a high-priority risk! Which is not exactly ideal when you are one of the last Masters of humanity, AND the biggest chance of the mission actually succeeding?! What the hell actually possessed you to take such an enormous risk for-"

"BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CHANCE IS ALWAYS THERE!"

Ren glared in sheer frustration at Olga, who was shocked into silence by his outburst. "You think I don't know any of that?!" he spat out, finally at his limit. "I KNOW I'm the last chance here! Ritsuka and Morgana are great, yeah, but I know it all falls on my shoulders! What do you think I've lost here?! My family, my friends, my home - everything I have ever loved and cared for, gone! Just like that! And even now, we still aren't any closer to dealing with the actual cause!"

The former director could only keep watching in silence as the Phantom Thief continued. "And the threats are even greater than ever!" he roared. "Monsters, heroes, villains, and gods know what else are out there! Are they friend? Foe? Can they destroy any of us before we could even react?! One slip up, one bad call, one stroke of bad luck, and that's it! It's over! The world is gone! You think I wanted to make this deal because I like taking these kinds of risks?! If it's a chance to come back, to make sure we succeed, then for everyone's sake, I have to take it!"

"And that's why I'm running everywhere like a madman!" he continued to rant. "Any scrap of advantage I can get, any way to help everyone else be prepared for upcoming battles up ahead, any way I can get stronger so we stand a chance, I need! I don't have the luxury anymore of simply kicking back! There's far too much at stake and far too much to do! So don't ever tell me off for these kinds of risks like I'm some sort of idiot – if I have to let myself be dragged to hell a thousand times over to bring everyone I love and care about back, then I will do it in a heartbeat."

Olga could only stare in stunned silence as Ren panted for breath. In front of her wasn't that suave, always confident guest of the Velvet Room she had always talked to. Nor was it even the quietly struggling Master she had observed with Lavenza and Igor who had taken on burden after burden on himself. No – in front of her was Ren Amamiya, a young man who was all too aware of the key role he played.

And more than that, she saw herself. The burden of responsibility lay heavy on him as it did for her when she was the director of Chaldea. She took on every single burden and made it her mission – no, her life's work to make sure their mission would succeed. For her though, it was just her own world that was at stake: Her family's and her own reputation, her pride, her own place among magi. For Ren, his world encompassed far more than that. It was a grief that ironically stemmed from selfishness and greed – but one that was all too understandable.

Was this what Draco meant when she remarked he indulged in sin? That term didn't exactly make sense to her at the beginning, but now she was understanding it a bit more.

She snapped out of her reverie when Ren covered his face and blew a very long, exhausted sigh. "Heh, sorry," he muttered as he lowered his hand, revealing a forced, tired smile. "Guess I'm more worn out than I thought. After everything's done, I'll definitely go on vacation – I think I've earned one. But for now, well, like I said – there's a lot to do. Thanks for looking out for me though, Olga. And… well, for everything." He turned to leave, walking toward the void beyond the Velvet Room.

"Wait."

The word was out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Ren stopped and turned slightly, indicating his attention. Olga's mouth worked for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. "You…" she began. Her voice cracked slightly, forcing her to stop and clear her throat. "You don't have to take every burden on yourself. It's… it's inefficient and it would… not…"

Her speech died out as Ren slowly turned toward her with a sad, tired smile. His grey eyes reflected understanding and even sympathy, but he nevertheless shook his head. "I'm sorry, Olga," he whispered. Before she could say anything else, he turned away and stepped into the void beyond the Velvet Room, vanishing from view.

The former director could only watch helplessly as the Phantom Thief disappeared. She stumbled back to her table in a daze, staring sightlessly down at the book she had been researching. This was her fault. His personas had the power to save his life at least once when necessary – and she even knew there were personas that could basically restore him and his allies to full health whenever he won.

But he had none of those abilities. Instead, to increase his chances of victory, he had made a deal with a Beast Candidate; a horrific idea even in the best circumstances, yet he had done so anyway. Who knows what Draco could or would do to him, both directly and indirectly? Dealing with a Beast or a Candidate in the real world was one thing, but having one directly in his soul?

A cold chill ran down her spine. What if Ren became a Beast in turn? She wasn't sure what was necessary to make one into a candidate, let alone earn the title, but considering Ren's versatility, powers, and most importantly his ideals and obsessions, there was a non-zero percent possibility that might happen. If so, what would happen to the world? Their mission?

What would happen to Ren?

Olga's nerveless hands balled into fists. No. She would not let that happen. She refused to. It was her helplessness and inadequacy that led to this situation in the first place. Her negligence in her studies and work in the Velvet Room, and even before that with her management of Chaldea. For the good of the mission, and for Ren's sake, she needed – no, she would do better. It was the least she could do at this point.

With that, she delved into the book once more with a fury of a possessed woman, her copy of her Compendium sitting nearby for her studies next. This was a Beast Candidate; incredibly powerful and dangerous, but not invincible in the slightest. After that, she would delve further into personas as well as their astrological legends and placements.

She had failed him before. And she would not fail him again.

A sterile white ceiling. The hardness of the bed. The creaking of a metallic frame.

Ren blinked for a moment. Odd. He was sure he passed out in the kitchen. So why was he-

"REN!"

That was the only warning he had before something warm and furry immediately pounced on his chest. "I told you that you were working too hard!" Morgana yelled. "Collapsing in the kitchen of all things too! What the heck, Ren!"

The Phantom Thief blinked with surprise and looked up to see himself surrounded by the relieved – and in some cases irritated – faces of Mash, Ritsuka, Roman, and Da Vinci. "Your readings were all regular," Roman told him. "Aside from some minor bruising where you had collapsed. If anything, it seemed like you had just fallen asleep. However, no matter what we did, you wouldn't wake up."

"I saw all the signs, Ren," Morgana supplied. "You used a sleep spell on yourself, didn't you? What happened?"

Ren chuckled ruefully and rubbed the back of his neck. "A few of my persona were getting a bit rowdy," he explained. "It was starting to get a bit heated so I kind of panicked and sent myself to sleep. It's all cleared up so there's no big deal, thankfully. Just needed to resolve a few arguments in there." Technically, it wasn't a lie. His personas were in a sense arguing – only it was literally every one of his other persona opposing Draco, who took Mother Harlot's position.

At the information everyone immediately frowned in concern. "Ren, you know that's not normal," Morgana pointed out warily. "Personas aren't supposed to rebel or argue like that, since they're all in a sense 'you'. If they're arguing-"

"It's not like we don't argue with certain thoughts we have from time to time," Ren easily retorted. "Mine were just being a bit louder than usual this time. It's more a problem of mental discipline at this point. But I got it resolved and cleaned up. Won't happen again. Promise."

"And I wonder, ragazzo," Da Vinci remarked. Her smile was still there but it was clear from her cool tone and her eyes that she was irritated. "How many of these kinds of promises you will make – or at this point, keep. For now, until we have confirmed your condition, you are confined to the bed for the day."

The Phantom Thief's eyes widened in shock. "What?!" he stuttered. "But I have to meet up with El-Melloi and see what I can learn about magecraft! I also have to check in with the other Servants and-"

"You will stay here," Ritsuka growled. "Or I will give you an actually good reason to keep you here. Got it, Ren?"

The memory of the suplex flashed clearly in his mind as Ren gulped. "Yep, got it," he quickly replied. He wasn't sure where Ritsuka learned such a move but he wasn't keen to experience it again. Once was more than enough.

"Um…" Mash stammered. "If you wish, I can bring you some books? It can help you pass the time while you're here, senpai."

Ren blinked, then nodded with a grateful smile. "That would be great," he replied honestly. "Thanks, Mash. I could do with a bit of lighter reading at this point." The sight of the Shielder smiling happily lifted his dampened spirits slightly. Seeing her smile always brightened his day, no matter when or where.

As everyone else discussed among themselves, a shift of movement caught his eye. He turned – and felt his heart almost jump out of his mouth when he saw Draco sitting on the neighboring bed, her legs crossed as she lazily smiled over at him. It took every bit of will to master himself and not show any expression or surprise. "So, these are some of your closest allies," she commented, her sultry, dangerous voice whispering into his mind. "This is quite a gathering, Trickster. Already, you have captured my interest."

Ren turned away from her to face the others. However, he forced himself to smirk inwardly. "Then sit back and enjoy the show, Draco," he shot back. "And I'll show you real entertainment before long."

Draco's laughs echoed in his mind as he steeled his resolve. It seems this little game of theirs has just begun.