It wasn’t long before everything was in full swing. The cooks took the food and wine from the URE convoy and, after thoroughly checking they weren’t poisoned or tainted in some manner, began cooking with gusto – under close supervision of a superior officer to make sure they didn’t try to gorge themselves on the delicacies and liquor. While the soldiers were normally disciplined, it was better safe than sorry.
Nero and Legate Asisculus were in the dining hall, as well as Alexander and Waver. The lower ranked officers and soldiers were furtively given orders to continue strengthening and preparing what they could, as well as keeping an eye on the URE forces and making sure they didn’t push while they were all distracted. The URE soldiers that came with the convoy were closely watched in case any of them made any sudden movements, but aside from offloading their chariot and standing by, they didn’t do anything else.
That was about what Ren expected – there weren’t any URE officers around giving them orders directly, so they had no reason to do anything beyond what was ordered already. Regardless, the Roman soldiers were uneasy and thus unwilling to leave them alone. As long as neither side caused a fuss, it shouldn’t be a problem, however.
As Ren made his way to the governor’s house, he mentally contacted Loki and explained the situation about Waver Velvet. “Got any ideas what’s going on?” he asked.
Loki was silent for a moment as they considered. “The doctor is right,” the trickster god agreed. “There’s no way for a modern human to become a Servant. Most likely it’s a pseudo-Servant like me. However… I’m not aware of any legends about a ‘Waver Velvet’. If it’s not a pseudonym then most likely the heroic spirit within has ceded control to its host.”
Ren blinked in surprise at the answer. “They can do that?” he asked incredulously. Granted, his only experience with pseudo-Servants was with Loki and there was still much he didn’t know, but that bit of information caught him off guard. Still, it gave him a tiny bit more to work with, albeit not much – it’s a heroic spirit who was willing to cede control to their host, meaning they were either humble or lackadaisical enough to do so. There could be a few other reasons, of course, but those were the most likely ones.
“If you’re wondering, I won’t cede control to my host,” Loki drawled, catching Ren’s attention from his contemplation. “I have no desire to, nor do I think my host will be most amused about the circumstances he’ll find himself in regardless.” He could practically hear the Avenger smirking through his mocking tone. “A shame – you just found out your friend is actually here and yet they’re still impossibly distant from you. My condolences.”
The Phantom Thief sighed aridly in irritation. “I wasn’t going to ask you to,” he snapped, his patience for the Avenger exhausted. “You’re Loki and Akechi is Akechi. I’m not about to interfere with something that fundamental simply because I want to. Now, meet me at the governor’s house. I doubt things will go bad but better safe than sorry.”
Ren felt something akin to a sarcastic agreement from the trickster god before the mental communication was cut off, leaving him to his own thoughts. He had to sigh once more. As much as he hated to admit it, Loki was right – he had thought of Loki ceding control to Akechi for even just a bit. They could converse, catch up, and perhaps put their regrets behind them. Perhaps they could even fight alongside each other – Akechi’s adaptability, intelligence, and ferocity weren’t to be underestimated, after all.
But how long would that take? Did they have the time or common ground to do so? Would Akechi even be receptive at all? The last time they truly encountered one another was back on Shido’s Palace, after he had sacrificed himself dealing with his cognitive self and an army of shadows. The Akechi he fought alongside in Maruki’s world was… both him and not him. An accurate cognitive facsimile down to his rage, formed by the doctor as a way to have Ren agree with his ideals. But ultimately, it wasn’t Akechi.
No, Goro Akechi was gone. He thought he accepted that, but Loki unwillingly dragged that wish back out of him again. Again, he could only sigh. It seemed he still had a long way to go.
Still, he had to wonder: what would happen if his other friends had been summoned? Loki took Akechi as a host because of their connection – Akechi’s true persona was Loki, after all. What would happen if Captain Kidd or Sun Wukong were summoned with Ryuji as a host? Or Carmen or Hecate with Ann? Would he have remained as calm then? Would he have accepted that it wasn’t them so easily? In the end, what would he have done?
He shook his head to clear his mind. No. This wasn’t the time to get caught in ‘what-ifs’. If it did happen, he’d deal with it, one way or another. For now, there was yet another front of the battlefield that awaited him, and his allies needed his support. Just like old times.
And thus, he sat in the dining hall beside Nero. Loki stood guard nearby, looking rather disinterested. Alexander and Waver sat across from them, the former almost bouncing in his seat and the latter calm and impassive. Once introductions were finished, the former talked garrulously with Nero about his past conquest and the lands he had seen. Waver himself merely kept quiet. However, though he looked impassive, he certainly seemed more tired and strained than Ren expected. Asisculus sat on the other side of Nero, also keeping quiet from the conversation.
Although he didn’t see her, he had no doubt Jing Ke also lurked nearby as well. It would’ve been ideal for her to move in and strike down both Alexander and Waver, well away from their forces and isolated. However, to do so would be violating the rules of hospitality, which would taint Nero’s name and reputation – something they couldn’t afford if they wanted both the Roman army to remain loyal and for the URE to remain as civil as they could.
“There’s probably something else at play,” Loki noted.
Ren blinked. Without turning or showing anything on his face, he asked, “Am I that easy to read? And what do you mean?”
Loki scoffed. “I merely followed your chain of thought and answered,” they replied without a change in their disinterested expression. “If that Waver Velvet is such a huge deal at the Clock Tower, then I have no doubt he has some mysteries at play to detect any oncoming attacks, especially if he willingly entered enemy territory. Assassin’s probably also playing it safe.”
The Phantom Thief frowned inwardly. “You think he’s a Caster, then?” he murmured.
He almost felt the mental shrug from the trickster god. “Who can say?” they replied. The answer almost caused Ren to sigh. The observation was a lot of help and no help at all at the same time.
“So, Alexander, for what reason do you face off against us?” Nero asked as soldiers came in with their dishes – a spread that was definitely far more decadent than anything they had in a while, even when Ren privately dined with Nero the other night. Alexander certainly wasn’t lying when he said he brought forth a large amount of delicacies to share. Even he had to prevent himself from drooling.
Then he looked back across the table at the young conqueror and his retainer, and his appetite immediately receded. He needed to focus. Even Ryuji would know that this wouldn’t be the right time to ogle at the food.
Alexander beamed. “Why, is it not obvious?” he asked. “I wish to conquer and push forward to the lands beyond, until I reach Okeanos – and even then, beyond! To witness new lands, bring in new comrades and allies, and unite them all under one banner and one dream!” His words were said with such an innocent yet powerful conviction that Ren almost felt himself swayed by them before coming to his senses.
Nero nodded contemplatively. “In that case, I presume my empire is another matter to conquer for you then?” she asked, grabbing a grape and popping it into her mouth. Ren glanced over at the emperor, noting how impassive she looked. Normally she was far more boisterous and would easily match Alexander’s enthusiasm, but it was clear that something had annoyed her.
The young conqueror seemed to have picked up on her displeasure as well. “Not ‘merely’ another matter!” he boomed. “The Roman Empire is known throughout the world! Its power, its architecture, its conquests, everything! There is no more worthy opponent for my conquest, and it is a genuine honor to fight against you and yours, emperor Nero!”
The emperor grinned broadly. “I’m glad you understand the weight of your opponent, Alexander!” she declared. “I’ll admit, I had thought you were making light of my empire, but it is good to hear, nevertheless.”
Alexander laughed. “Ha! Undervaluing my opponents is the last mistake I wish to make!” he replied with a broad grin. “But come, I propose a toast!” He took the goblet and stood, holding it aloft. Everyone else followed suit. “To conquests and ventures, new and old!” he roared. “May the flames of our dreams ever shine brightly, and their roar reach all four corners of the world!”
“Hear hear,” Asisculus agreed - much to Ren’s surprise – and they all drank. Ren had taken his own goblet and stared at the dark liquid within. Frankly, he had been hoping he could go his entire life without drinking whatsoever but it seemed like he didn’t have much of a choice here. He pondered for a brief second if he could pantomime drinking but decided against it. If someone noticed, it would put them in a sticky situation.
With that, he drank, letting only a trickle of the liquid past his lips. It met his tongue – and he had to resist the urge to recoil. It tasted like some weird combination of sweet and sour, combined with that sharp acrid taste of… alcohol. It definitely had to be the alcohol he was tasting. If he remembered corrently, wine typically had a pretty low alcohol content, yet just this much tasted disgusting. How the hell did Ohya and Jing Ke just knock this stuff back without any issues?
He could only take a few sips before lowering the cup, mastering his expression as best he could – and noticed everyone staring at him. “Is it not to your taste?” Alexander asked in bemused curiosity. “This was the finest vintage I could find.”
“It is not an insult,” Nero immediately jumped in before Ren could say anything. “My centurion merely has a distaste of liquor. I, however, must commend you on your selection, Alexander – it has been a long while since my palate was so tickled.”
Alexander looked between Nero and Ren, then burst out laughing as he sat back down. “A distaste for liquor?” he boomed. “This is the first I’ve heard of a man who doesn’t like a good drink, but the world is a vast place! I am glad to hear that it pleases you, regardless! Please, have more, for the night is still young!”
Ren breathed a silent sigh of relief. What she did was something Yoshida taught him some time ago – defuse the situation, then follow it up with a relevant compliment to soothe over any possibility of damaged egos. It didn’t entirely fix things, but it was clear Alexander was willing to let it slide for now as everyone took their seats once more. There were more important things on hand to deal with right now anyway.
Like the fact that Waver was staring at him. “I didn’t expect to see someone from the modern era here,” he commented. “You aren’t a Servant, yet you are here at this table. And there is another Servant here that is unknown to me.” So saying, he glanced at Loki, who merely shot him a sardonic smirk but otherwise said nothing. “This leads to the obvious conclusion that you are a Master, are you not?”
Well, that was pretty direct. He further remembered his lessons from Yoshida when it came to speech: Tell them what was necessary, no more, no less. And remember if they wished to play games, then play along – and once he knew the rules, see what advantage or information he could glean and work from there. Ren smiled and opened his arms. “You caught me,” he replied casually. “I am a Master, working with the Chaldea Security Organization. Glad to make your acquaintance, Waver. Or should I call you Lord El-Melloi II?”
Waver narrowed his eyes at being addressed by his title. However, Ren noticed he seemed more confused by the title of Chaldea Security Organization than recognizing it. Interesting. Was it that secretive that he didn’t know anything about it? Or was there something else at play? Regardless, it seemed that whatever chain of thought the man originally had was disturbed. Most likely he was thinking Ren was some sort of magus. Not wrong, but far from the full story.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Still, he had to be careful. No doubt the man would be trying to decipher his magecraft now that he knew. Whether he’d be able to even make heads or tails of personas was something he didn’t want to risk quite yet. And frankly, if what Roman told him was true, Waver was incredibly intelligent and perceptive. He couldn’t let his guard down.
The dinner proceeded apace as they ate and discussed, with Nero describing the glories of the Roman empire (though being careful about giving Alexander any information he could exploit about their military), and Alexander in turn describing the lands he saw and his conquests. They talked so much that frankly, it was difficult for Ren, Waver, or Asisculus to really get a word in. That suited Ren just fine – as he ate, he preferred to just observe and listen. However, he noticed Waver once more staring at him – no, not at him.
Then he glanced over at the bottle of water he had on the table in place of his wine. Wait, was he-?
“I must admit to some curiosity, emperor Nero,” Alexander said as he chewed on some beef. “I have heard many stories about you. Many of them rather unflattering.”
Nero nodded, her expression casual as she took yet another sip of her wine. “I would not be surprised,” she admitted. “One of my station has no small number of enemies above and below, all with their own grievances and criticisms, be they valid or not.” She eyed the young conqueror over her cup. “For what reason do you bring this up, Alexander?”
Alexander chewed thoughtfully for a second, then swallowed. “I was wondering – you have all these resources still at your fingertips, yes?” he inquired. “That is your prerogative as an emperor. I have been briefed on what had happened with your campaign, including your many losses and even weathering a possible attack on Rome.”
With each word or statement, Ren could only glance at Nero fearfully. Though she still remained as neutral, even blasé about it, he could tell she was getting steadily more annoyed at the inquiry. Both Asisculus and Waver seemed on guard too and he could hear Loki shift slightly behind him. A lot could happen within the next few seconds depending on what Alexander said. At least they held the advantage here but still, would it be enough?
If the young conqueror noticed the tension in the air, he didn’t show it, picking up a chicken leg and munching on it. “So, with all your resources, why do you not focus them on yourself?” he asked, genuinely curious. “If you are to lose regardless, then you can at least enjoy your own decadence as you will, right? As an emperor, I would have no doubt you would receive good treatment from the United Roman Empire. So, why didn’t you?”
Nero didn’t immediately answer the rather pointed question. The air was incredibly tense as everyone waited for the emperor’s reaction. Ren felt his circuits warm up as he prepared a persona as his hand reached down towards the pistol Chaldean Arms. He had one on hand that, while it may not defeat them, would at least give them a lot of space to retreat and regroup if necessary. He saw Waver glance over, most likely noticing him activating his circuits, but it couldn’t be helped at this point.
Instead, the emperor nodded pensively. “What you say is true, Alexander,” she replied slowly. “I could easily have consolidated all my resources and simply wasted it all on myself. After all, as emperor, who would dare criticize me or tell me it was wrong? Especially when everything I’ve done was for naught and my defeat was inevitable.”
She looked up, her green eyes strong and clear. “But this is my empire and my people,” she declared. “These are my treasures that I value and hold dear to my heart, as glorious as I am! To neglect all that simply because of repeated defeats, to throw all that away simply to indulge myself would be discarding what I value the most! No, even if my possessiveness becomes abhorrent to witness, I will still hold onto what I have with all my might! That is my prerogative as emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus!”
At the declaration, all of them were struck dumb for a second. The first to break it was Alexander clapping his hands as he laughed delightedly. “A wonderful response!” he declared. “No less than what I expect for the emperor of the Roman empire, with all its glory and power! I truly commend you, Nero, and I am truly glad to have met you!”
Alexander grinned as everyone relaxed, the tension in the room fading away. Ren’s circuits cooled off as he took his hand off the pistol, taking his bottle of water and wetting his throat. “Then a proposal,” the young conqueror said. “What say you join me? You would be a gallant ally to fight alongside, and together we would create an empire that would encompass the whole world, and perhaps even beyond! Your treasures would expand a thousandfold!”
That nearly caused Ren to choke on his water as Waver rolled his eyes exasperatedly. Nero instead smiled and shook her head. “I thank you for the offer, but I must decline,” she replied. “This empire is my own, and I will not give it up for anyone, nor would I take any station less than that of an emperor. I’m sure you would understand if I offered you a place as a general in the Roman empire.”
The young conqueror blinked, then laughed again. “A fair point,” he acceded. “Then it seems we shall be fighting in the end, then. I am happy, though, my opponent is so worthy. Come – another toast!” He stood up once more, holding up his cup. “To victory!” he roared.
Nero grinned. “To victory!” she agreed before downing her cup.
Ren smiled, drank his wine – and once more recoiled at the taste. Yep, he’ll never understand Ohya or Jing Ke.
-----------
“Ah, that was a good time!” Alexander exclaimed, stretching.
“It was quite productive,” Waver agreed as he watched his young liege beam happily. The two of them had finished up with the banquet and returned to their army. They had set up camp some distance away behind a ridge, far from any arrows or siege weapons the Roman army could possibly field. With a large number of officers commanding the vast numbers of artificial soldiers, there simply was no way for the Romans to properly retaliate.
Combined with their backs towards the United Roman Empire capital to assure a good stream of supplies solely for the officers, and frankly conditions could hardly be more ideal for a siege.
“What’s your take on all of them, Waver?” the young conqueror asked curiously as he started performing stretches.
Waver rolled his eyes in exasperation and slight amusement. Alexander was never the one to stay still, no matter what. Still, he was his king, be it young or old. Growing serious, he thought back. “I have also heard of many tales about Nero,” Waver mused. “She was known as a decadent tyrant who constantly squandered her empire’s resources and finances for her own whims. Small wonder in the end she was betrayed and, in the end, committed suicide.
However, the Nero they had dined with was a far cry from the tyrant they had expected to come across. The strength of will and personality reminded Waver heavily of that of Alexander – no, of his older, more experienced self, Iskandar. An emperor who dearly loved herself as much as she loved her people and vice versa, and would sooner die than yield. Was it selfishness to the utmost? Most likely, but then so was for him and Alexander. Despite everything, he left that banquet with a new respect for the emperor, one he hadn’t expected whatsoever. Quite honestly, he had thought it would be an easy campaign but now, he had doubts.
“Well, I’m sure you already have a plan or three thought up, right?” Alexander commented easily with a shrug. “With you by my side, I’m sure victory will be assured.”
Waver sighed exasperatedly. Nevertheless, he bowed to the young conqueror. “Your will, my hands, my liege,” he intoned. “I do have a few plans in motion right now. It won’t be long before they bear fruit. The city will be captured by us in the end, without a doubt.”
Alexander beamed. “I have absolutely no doubt!” he stated confidently. “Now then, I believe I will treat the officers to some of the wine. We have a spare barrel and they’ve done a splendid job getting everything set up. Will you join me?”
The Caster smiled and shook his head. “Unfortunately, I wish to review the information we have gleaned in the meeting, as well as from the scouts. I will brief you once I have a concrete picture, and then we can decide where to go from there. Will that be serviceable?”
The young conqueror sighed in frustration. “You work far too hard, Waver!” he complained. “Your skills are without a doubt indispensable, but you must learn to relax!”
Waver smiled. Alexander’s complaints brought back memories of Iskandar telling him he needed to relax whenever he had been particularly high strung. The Rider was without a doubt his liege. “I believe once the city has been captured, we will be at far better liberty to relax,” he argued calmly. “Please do not worry – I simply wish to review the information. I will formulate a strategy tomorrow. Will that suffice?”
The Rider glared at Waver, then sighed. “I give up,” he replied, grinning back up at him. “Do whatever you feel is best, my retainer. I have nothing but the utmost confidence in you. Have yourself a good evening, then.” With that, he strode out of the command tent.
“A good evening to you too, my liege,” Waver murmured as he watched him leave. Once he left, he sighed to himself as he took out small wooden pieces and began lining them on the map, focusing on what he saw as he approached and entered the city. He quietly considered the strengths of the Roman army.
The Servants were the most obvious threat. Scouts had reported Lu Bu over to the north, likely there to prevent them from fully surrounding the city. There was another Servant on top of the walls. One he couldn’t identify off the top of his head, though she did look familiar somewhat. There was also the Servant that was standing guard at the banquet. As disinterested as she seemed about the whole affair, the Caster noted that she had been ready to move at a moment’s notice. The Assassin he didn’t see, but he didn’t expect to.
All told, four Servants. Not quite enough to counterbalance the sheer number disparity between the Alexander’s army and the Roman forces, but enough to make things incredibly difficult if they didn’t take this seriously.
Not to mention, he had received news that Caesar had fallen in Gaul and the southern isles had been retaken, with Caligula missing – presumed dead. If that was the case, at minimum Boudica and Spartacus would likely be coming from the north to rendezvous with the Roman army and control of the sea would quickly put the squeeze on any reinforcements and resupply.
In short, they had a time limit. If they didn’t capture Masila in a matter of days, then they would be pincered and the most they could hope for was a pyrrhic victory.
Then there was the Master – Ren Amamiya. Theoretically if he was dealt with, then the Roman empire would fall like a house of cards. It was certainly reminiscent of the Grail War. A Servant relied on their Master to root their existences to the world, after all. Without them, the Servants that accompanied him would dissipate. How many would disappear? He wasn’t sure, but it would most likely be devastating to the Roman forces.
But there was something at work here. Amamiya had addressed him as Lord El-Melloi II despite his liege never introducing him by such a name. There were a number of reasons he would know of that title. The most obvious reason was that he was a magus of the Clock Tower. He was aware that he was well-known among the magi there, especially the younger ones (to his consternation – apparently, he won some sort of vote of ‘teacher they would most like to sleep with’). Ren would certainly be in the age range to know of him by reputation and sight.
But there was that niggling feeling that something was missing. Asians weren’t common in the Clock Tower – not surprising given the magi there see Asian countries as some sort of backwater – so at the very least he likely would’ve heard of the name while teaching. A foreign name like Ren Amamiya wouldn’t have escaped his notice. Hell, he would’ve personally met him to see if he knew much about anime or video games over there. Perhaps he would’ve known for sure if he saw Amamiya’s magecraft, but the Master had been very careful not to utilize it throughout the entire meeting.
A cautious magus, especially in front of a Lord. Well, it was clear that Amamiya at least had a brain on him, unlike his younger days where he absolutely would’ve flaunted something in front of his superiors. That would make things more difficult.
Not to mention, there was the Chaldea Security Organization… he had never heard of such an organization before. It was a given that magi kept many secrets to themselves, but as a Lord, he had eyes and ears in many more places than most common magi. And considering everything he had noticed and seen thus far, frankly, there was no way he wouldn’t have at least heard of them.
He listed the facts in his mind. Just from what he saw, this Chaldea Security Organization had the capability to 1) transport a person to a different time entirely, 2) to a pinpointed singularity as opposed to the myriad of other branching timelines, and 3) be able to monitor and maintain the Master, his Servants, and anchor their existences both in their actual time and in this singularity as well. Such a feat would require a vast number of resources, manpower, and knowledge, both technical and magical –enough that he should’ve at least heard of it.
So that circled back to his first question: Why hadn’t he heard of them? The only conclusion he could think of was that this Chaldea Security Organization didn’t exist in his timeline. Most likely, it existed in some other timeline and he coincidentally was summoned here from yet another one. It all sounded ridiculous, but he learned long ago to simply accept things as either ‘probable’ or ‘improbable’ and work from there.
With a sigh, Waver took one last glance at the map before stepping out of the tent himself. Taking out a cigarette holder, he opened and plucked one out before popping it in his mouth. Reciting a small aria, a small flame emitted from his index finger, which he used to light the cigarette. Taking a long drag, he breathed out a long stream of smoke, watching it curl into the air before finally disappearing. A small benefit of being a Servant: his cigarettes always seemed to refill when he wanted them to. A damn shame they weren’t his usual cigars, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
He stepped back slightly as some of the Grail-created Roman soldiers marched by. It was certainly a unique circumstance he had found himself in. He knew he didn’t qualify as a heroic spirit by any stretch of the imagination and never would. Instead, his body was used to house an actually worthy heroic spirit. And even more peculiar, said heroic spirit was more than happy to cede full control to Waver, allowing him full access to not only his Taoist magecraft but also to his peerless strategic prowess as well.
What Zhuge Liang wanted or planned was honestly beyond him. However, the strategist seemed content with letting him do as he pleased for now, so he would have to take full advantage of it.
And speaking of strategic prowess, one of the Roman soldiers, designated as a scout, rushed up to him. Handing Waver a small scroll, it saluted and ran off. Before they had properly even arrived, he already had begun moving everything in place. It wouldn’t entirely be the glorious victory Alexander precisely wanted, but the young conqueror understood and more importantly, trusted Waver. If everything went well, then the defenses would practically collapse in on itself with only some prodding on his part.
Roman or not, they were only human. And humans often had their limits.
Unraveling the scroll, he read the newest fruit of his plan: information about the defenders, and in this case, the Master Ren Amamiya, including how he captured the city and helped with the defenses. The more he read, the higher his eyebrows raised as he puffed on his cigarette. So that was Amamiya’s magecraft.
Interesting indeed…