Mash walked along the halls of the governor’s house, her eyebrows furrowed in concern. She had just received a telepathic communication from Ren-senpai to gather in Ritsu-senpai’s room. He wouldn’t be calling if it wasn’t something serious. And he did promise to inform them of what him and Nero talked about. But serious enough to summon the other Servants as well? That was a different case altogether. Even Loki was summoned to the gathering, despite everyone else’s clear reservations.

She wasn’t sure what to make of the Avenger. Absolutely no one liked Loki, not even Ritsu who normally seemed to like everyone, especially the Servants. It was made more complicated by the fact that the trickster god took the body of Goro Akechi, whom Ren-senpai held a complicated relationship with. She was confused how it could come about. How would she even define it? They had fought together and spent time together, so they were friends? But Akechi betrayed him so they were enemies? Yet Ren-senpai wanted to save him regardless?

Humanity was more complicated than she expected. She thought she learned quite a bit already from Roman’s lessons and conversing with Ren, but obviously there was a lot more she had to learn.

The shielder glanced in the direction of Nero’s room. She wondered what Ren-senpai and the emperor were talking about. Ever since she heard that the two shared a bath together (a complete accident by Ren-senpai’s account), she felt uneasy. She wasn’t precisely sure why, overall. Just a tight feeling in her chest whenever she thought about it, and an overwhelming desire to stand by her senpai’s side.

Was it because she wanted to protect him? Well, that was part of it, but that didn’t make sense – he was in no danger, and even if he was, he was more than capable. No, she simply wanted to stand by him and learn from him. And perhaps, like before, being able to stand equally beside him. She wasn’t there yet, and frankly, she wasn’t sure if she would. Every tale, every deed of his seems to widen the gap between them.

To that end, she did what she could to improve herself. Sparring with various Servants. Learning about strategy and tactics from Artoria and Archer. She even tried to get Roman to teach her more medical knowledge so that she could act as a field medic if need be. Sure, she had healing scrolls made from other magi but they were of limited supply, and who knows if they would be readily available. Unfortunately, the doctor had simply been too busy to do so, which at least she can accept.

Thus, she plunged back into her studies. Pulling up the archives on her computer, she had pored over ‘personas’ and ‘shadows’ and other terms. She quickly immersed herself in the works of Carl Jung in order to understand more. But the more she learned, the more she had questions. How did Ren-senpai and Mr. Morgana’s powers ultimately work? How could they match that of a Servant?

The charisma to charm everyone around him, even queens and emperors. The knowledge to keep up with their thoughts and stratagems. The bravery to plunge into danger despite being a ‘mere’ human who possessed extraordinary capabilities. The skill to keep up with Servants in combat and technique. How did Ren-senpai learn all of that? Was he some sort of prodigy? Maybe even a heroic spirit in the making?

The shielder shook her head. No, she couldn’t focus on those thoughts. They weren’t relevant or pertinent. Right now, there was a meeting she needed to attend. If Ren-senpai was calling it after meeting with the emperor, then it must be something serious.

“Oh? Fancy seeing you here.”

Mash whirled around in surprise to see Loki leaning up against a pillar. As usual, a smirk was on their face as their mischievous auburn eyes lazily gazed at her. She gulped, trying to steady her nerves. Aside from being surprised, she couldn’t deny there was an air of menace around Loki – one she found rather uncomfortably familiar, forcing her to suppress her revulsion.

“Ren-senpai called for a meeting,” she explained, keeping her gaze steady as she prepared to summon her shield at any time. “Are you not joining us, Avenger?”

Loki smirked. “Your worship of our Master is honestly adorable to watch,” they commented. “It’s rather amusing. But to answer your question, not quite yet. I’m keeping a lookout.”

That caught the shielder by surprise. “A lookout?” she inquired.

The Avenger rolled their eyes. “You think someone won’t notice all the ‘foreigners’ heading into one room, especially after their leader met with the emperor?” they asked in an exasperated tone. “Just making sure no one sees what they don’t need to.”

“And… what do you do if someone does come around?” she asked with trepidation.

The trickster god’s smile widened. “Why, ask them politely to turn around of course!” they replied simply. “You would be quite surprised how persuasive I can be when I wish to be.”

Mash blinked again. As much as she didn’t want to believe Loki’s words, she couldn’t find proof to the contrary. Her eyes darted about. Indeed, there was no sight or sound of soldiers patrolling or keeping a lookout in the vicinity. She looked back at Loki, who was watching her movements closely. The intenseness of their gaze made her even more uncomfortable. “Um… is there something the matter, Avenger?” she innocently asked.

Loki didn’t answer her for a moment. For a moment, their smile was gone, replaced with a small frown. “… no, it’s nothing,” they replied before turning away. “You should head to the meeting. I will be joining you shortly after making sure no one else is watching.”

The shielder was caught off guard by the dismissal, but there was nothing more she could say. She bowed a bit before walking off toward Ritsu-senpai’s room. She wasn’t sure what to make of Loki at all. Perhaps she could talk to them more? Ren-senpai would advise against it. Actually, everyone would, and she couldn’t find any reasonable arguments against it. But… perhaps she might be able to approach one step closer to Ren-senpai that way.

Meanwhile, the trickster god watched the demi-Servant walked off. They blinked, and for a second, Mash’s figure was replaced with a girl with long red hair, running off to meet her senpai like a puppy dog. Then they blinked, and all they saw now was the shielder’s silhouette fading away. They looked back up at the gleaming moon as they slowly morphed into a more masculine form. A young man’s voice echoed in the air.

“I wonder what stories you could’ve told me.”

----------------------------------------

When Mash entered the room, she noticed several things at once. Ren-senpai was sitting in a nearby chair, hunched over with a grim expression on his face. Morgana was perched up on the armrest beside him, looking concerned for him. Tamamo was checking her talismans on the walls to make sure their seals were properly implemented. To Mash’s side as she came in was Archer, leaning on the wall beside the door.

what got her attention the most was the fact that Ritsu-senpai was currently laying down on her belly on the bed, with Rider above her currently massaging her back. “Erm, Ritsu-senpai?” she asked timidly. “Is this the right time for that?”

“Normally, I would agree with you, my dear Mashumallow,” Ritsu groaned out. “But Rider’s massages are beyond divine. You should experience it for yourself – this is beyond heavily.” She let out a groan as Rider worked on a particular part of that. “Agh – more of that if you could,” Ritsu pointed out. “I’ve been feeling really sore and tense there.”

The shielder looked about in concern. Was it wise to utilize a Servant in such a manner? She tried to see Rider’s reactions but as usual, her expressions were impossible to read, neither showing pleasure nor displeasure at the matter. “Are you okay with this, Miss Rider?” Mash asked, unsure of the Servant.

The taller woman faced the before focusing back on her task. “It is of no consequence,” she murmured, her quiet voice somehow still easily carrying in the room. “It is a Servant’s duty to attend to their Master’s commands. No more, no less. Our wills and wishes are irrelevant.”

That caused the redheaded Master to look up in concern. “Er, if you don’t want to do this, you really don’t have to,” she worriedly replied. “I was just kinda whining about sore muscles from the march. If it’s too much trouble, then you can just knock it off and I won’t ask again.”

“Do not worry yourself overmuch, Masters,” Rider replied. “As I said, it is a Servant’s duty to obey their Masters, even if the orders were to lead to certain death.” Ren, Ritsu, and Morgana all looked up, outraged, and were opening their mouths to speak when Rider continued. “That being said, I do not mind massaging you,” she said “It is a decent change of pace. I am simply glad my Masters enjoy it.”

There was a moment’s pause as Ritsu flopped back onto the bed. “Well, just let us know if you’re up for i-i-i-oooooh god yes that’s the spot,” she groaned out as Medusa worked on her lower back.

Mash could only blink as the Servant continued with a faint smile on her face. Glancing over, Ren-senpai and Mr. Morgana had relaxed and were smiling as well, alleviating the mood of the room a bit. It soon grew heavy again as Loki stepped in. Immediately, Ren and Morgana stiffened at the sight of the Avenger. The shielder noticed that the trickster god had taken a male form this time.

Loki smirked at the two Phantom Thieves. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” they said in mock concern. “What ever is the matter? You should be used to this by now – you’re surrounded by them, after all.”

“Cut the chatter, Loki,” Archer cut in, glaring at the Avenger. “We don’t have the time or patience to deal with you right now. If the Masters have called us here, then it must be serious.”

Waving his hand dismissively, Loki rolled their eyes. “Yes, yes, I know,” he drawled. “Such a stick in the mud. If you must know, no one knows we’ve gathered here. I’ve already sent away any soldiers that were in the vicinity. That should give us some time to work with.”

Morgana blinked in surprise. “What’d you do, Loki?” he asked sharply.

The Avenger raised his hands disarmingly. “I merely convinced them to leave,” they replied, the smirk still never leaving their face. “Grab a snack, relieve themselves, check in with their superior officer, what have you. They’re fairly lax when in their own territory, I found. It was surprisingly easy work.”

The catlike being glared at him suspiciously as Ren glanced at Loki. “Thanks,” he said shortly before turning to Tamamo. “Caster, are the seals up?” he asked.

The miko’s ear twitched as she finished looking over the talismans. “They’ve been in place for a while, Master,” she confirmed. “And I’ve double checked – not a peep or glimpse will escape this room. As you’ve requested, if they try listening in, they’ll only hear muffled noises. If they look in, they’ll only see Master Ritsu here getting a massage.”

Ritsu looked up frowning. “Hey, is my dignity so cheeee-gah gah gah…” The redheaded Master flopped back down in ecstasy as Rider worked out yet another knot of muscles. Ren had to smirk for a bit. It was certainly a testament to his experience and will that he could resist Medusa’s skilled fingers. Though frankly, seeing how Ritsu was enjoying it that much, he was tempted to ask for one yet again.

But first, to business. Ren’s smile faded as he looked at the gathered Servants and Masters. He reached over and turned on the communicator. Roman’s face appeared in a holographic display. “Ren?” he asked. “I thought you’d be resting. What’s up?”

“The situation’s worse than we expected,” Ren stated grimly.

----------------------------------------

Everyone listened as Ren gave the briefing. It was short and to the point: Nero showing Ren the various military failings of the United Roman Empire, the battle from earlier in the day and how utterly unprepared they were… and the damning fact that the United Roman Empire had spectacular leaders and therefore weren’t even trying, and yet Nero has been pushed to the brink. It was a grim situation, to put it simply.

They all listened attentively, with Ritsu even sitting up partway through, her massage completely forgotten as she frowned and digested the information. No one said anything as Ren finished. Then…

“Does it ultimately matter?”

Everyone turned in surprise to Archer, who hadn’t expressed any shock whatsoever. “We knew from the beginning that the emperor and her empire were in dire straits,” he explained. “The fact that they were this lackadaisical about it only gives us more information and leeway to work with. Frankly, whether they’re trying or not doesn’t matter in the end.”

Roman gawped. “Um, Archer? Weren’t you listening to Ren?” she asked incredulously. “The fact that they aren’t trying means they CAN try, and if they DO try, then the empire is kaput! We basically have our backs to the wall here because it’s only a matter of time before they get serious!”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“True, it IS only a matter of time,” Archer agreed with a nod. “Therefore, we simply utilize that time to our advantage. The only real difference between the situation before and now is simply a faster timetable. Other than that, what we do now and what we must do hasn’t changed.”

“And what would that be, Archer?” Tamamo asked, raising her eyebrow. Despite looking relatively neutral, a swish of her tail revealed her annoyance at the red-mantled hero’s words.

The man smirked. “That would be a question for our Masters,” he replied simply. “And judging from Ren over here, it seems that he already has something in mind.”

Everyone glanced over at Ren who was hunched over in thought. Under normal circumstances, he would indeed be panicking. If he had been anyone else, he would agree with Ritsu – that the situation was infinitely more dangerous than they had hoped, and as soon as the United Roman Empire turned up the heat, they would be dead in the water.

However, a familiar smirk started spreading across Ren’s face. Morgana immediately saw it and grinned enthusiastically. “I know that look anywhere, Joker,” he noted. “I’m guessing you’ve got a plan?”

Ren glanced over and chuckled. “Not quite a plan yet,” he admitted. “But I will admit it’s familiar territory for me – and for you too Morgana.” At Morgana’s questioning glance, he smirked. “An enemy far too great and big for us to defeat conventionally. We’re beneath their notice for the most part. And we’ve a time limit before they decide to ramp things up and crush us. Any of this sound familiar at all, Mona?”

The catlike being blinked several times as everyone looked at them confusedly before matching Ren’s smirk with his own. “Ooooh, I get it now,” he replied before chuckling mischievously. “We can’t hit the Metaverse, but the same concept applies. Good thinking, Joker. For a second there I was actually getting worried.”

“Um… Ren? Morgana? What are you guys talking about?” Roman interjected, speaking for everyone.

The two looked back at her before grinning. “Nothing much, doctor,” Ren replied casually. “Let’s just say that we’re old hands at this kind of predicament.” With that, he stood up from his chair as he turned off his communicator. “I’m gonna have a talk with the emperor real quick. Mona, you coming?”

“Heh, anytime, Joker!” Morgana crowed. With that, both of them confidently walked out the door, leaving everyone in the room blinking at what just happened. And the first one to break the silence was Ritsu.

“That…” she said slowly. “Was… so… COOL!” She jumped up from the bed and grabbed Mash. “Did you see that, Mash?!” she demanded. “It’s the Phantom Thieves in action right there! Oh gods I wish I could join them but maybe I should join them now but I don’t think I should oh god Mash what do I do WHAT DO I DO”

“C-calm down, senpai!” she stammered as she tried to extricate herself from her manic friend. “I-I’m sure Ren-senpai would be glad to tell you what’s going on once he’s done-“

There was the sound of an opening door, catching everyone’s attention. Ren poked his head in. “Oh yeah, almost forgot,” he added. “Ritsu? Mash? Wanna join us?”

The sound of Ritsu squealing like a boiling tea kettle was all the answer they needed.

As the two girls left, the Servants watched the door close. “You seem to have a lot of faith in them, Archer,” Medusa commented, barely moving.

The red-mantled hero smirked. “They’re rough and inexperienced overall, but they learn quick,” he explained. “And despite everything, it seems Ren has been keeping a cool head overall. Guess he wasn’t the leader of the Phantom Thieves for nothing. They’ll figure it out from here. Like you said, Rider – our job is to do what our Masters wish. I’m just giving a helpful nudge.”

The Rider was silent. “And if they make a choice you do not approve of…?” she asked quietly.

Tamamo huffed. “Well then we’ll have to admonish the Masters now, don’t we?” she explained like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Then her frowned softened into a smile. “But it is best to have faith in them – a child constantly babysat will make no mistakes, and therefore learn no lessons. If they do, we chastise them, but ultimately serve their will if it cannot be swayed. That is our duty as Servants, is it not?”

“I hate how you’re phrasing it,” Joan grumbled. She had been silent, mulling over the words but having nothing to contribute. “But frankly, it seems they have a habit of pulling victory out of their ass – I mean, look at what happened to me, for fuck’s sake.” The Archer’s smirk grew in response. Indeed, the victory at Orleans had been nothing short of a miracle, with a thousand different circumstances and variables pulling together to come away with perhaps the best outcome possible.

And as the Servants spoke, Loki for the first time kept quiet, listened, and observed.

And their eyes were on Rider.

----------------------------------------

“WAGH!”

A soft thunk was all the sound that echoed through the director’s office. Roman groaned in pain and exhaustion, untangling himself from his blankets and he struggled up from the floor. He had been sleeping on the couch but rolled right off onto the floor. He picked up his watch on the table and turned it on, blinking a bit as his eyes adjusted to the fluorescent lighting. He slept for about two hours.

He sighed as he tossed his blankets back on the couch before reaching for some aspirin sitting on the desk to deal with the headache. Da Vinci had once more kicked him out of the command center so he could get some rest. He had been working far too long and far too hard – it was either rest or he would collapse on the spot.

As a medical professional, he agreed with her. As the interim director of Chaldea, frankly, he just couldn’t sit well with everyone else risking their lives. He had to do something, anything. Honestly, he really wished he could’ve given Mash some medical lessons when she asked for it but he had been halfway to collapsing when she did. He had to refuse her.

That pained expression on Mash’s face wasn’t something he wanted to see, even if she understood.

He stretched to work out the stiffness in his body and yawned before grabbing his long-empty mug from the desk. With that, he shuffled out the door, blinking as his eyes adjusting to the bright light. The hallways were deserted save for a robot quietly wheeling by. It was quiet overall. With the Masters and their selection of Servants on a mission, most of the staff were in the command center or doing other tasks.

Walking through the polished floors of Chaldea, he eventually came to the cafeteria. It was deserted save for the one robot chef currently on standby. Ignoring it, he wandered into the kitchen as he fished out a note from his coat pocket – one written by Ren and emailed over to him: A coffee recipe, complete with preparation and how to use the various devices.

He had asked for it before Ren left for the singularity. Frankly, the robots here couldn’t make a good cup of Joe to save their life, and after the Master’s brews, all the staff in Chaldea had to admit they were spoiled. Every single wince as they took a sip from the robots’ coffees or – gods forbid – the instant coffee spoke volumes to that. And if he had to drink that travesty the entire time Ren was in a singularity…

No. Absolutely not. He could subject himself to a lot of cruelties, but such torture was simply too much for anybody.

The doctor looked around the kitchen, quickly identifying where everything was before shuffling back to the storeroom. There hadn’t really been time or place to do this beforehand, what with Mash or Da Vinci nearby. He certainly couldn’t ask them to make him a cup, and he had a feeling they would be judging him for further extending his caffeine addiction. Now that it was nice and quiet, he could do it himself.

Reading the recipe, he grabbed the beans as well as a measuring cup and worked to an exacting quantity. A habit ingrained from his training as a doctor. Ren had told him he could follow the recipe relatively loosely as it’s more an art than a science, but frankly he decided not to take a chance. He had never done this before – the most culinary skill he had was either instant noodles or simple breakfasts – so it was better safe than sorry.

Heading back out to the kitchen, he found the grinder and began grinding up the beans to a fine powder. He wondered if Ren always had premade blends ahead of time just in case. Judging from how he worked in a café, he most likely did – but then, how was he able to always make coffee tailored to people’s requests?

Man of talent and mystery he was, it seemed.

“Oh? I didn’t expect to find you here, doctor.”

Roman blinked as he looked up. Artoria had seated herself at the counter, looking over him in curiosity. “And what brings you behind the counter today?” she asked. The robotic chef meanwhile rolled over and took her order – a large beef bowl.

The doctor blinked again before smiling. “Ah, well…” He held up the crumpled recipe. “Ren gave me a recipe for one of his coffees and I thought I’d try my hand at making it,” Roman explained sheepishly. “Can’t rely on him all the time for a good coffee. And as well made as these robots are, they really can’t make a good brew to save their life.”

The Saber shuddered. “A fair reason,” she admitted. She had also been one of the people engrossed with Ren’s coffee making skills herself. Not even Archer could brew something as good despite his best efforts and culinary skill. He was certainly better at making tea though, and that worked just as well for her.

She watched as the doctor fumbled about with the machines and the beans with all the inexperience of one of her knights in the kitchen. It was honestly endearing to see him act like this. Every time she had seen the doctor, he was always keeping his eyes on data with the fervor of a man possessed. What few rest periods he had were spent online with an… online idol, as they were called?

Well, she wasn’t one to judge another’s hobbies overall. Besides, her knights were far more problematic than Roman ever was.

“Make me a cup as well,” she requested. “I wish to judge for myself whether you are able to make a decent cup of coffee.”

Roman blinked in surprise and laughed nervously. “Those are some high stakes, your highness,” he replied shakily as he continued his work, now with a telltale tremor in his hands as he carefully and painstakingly worked through each step.

Artoria smiled – a smile that was equal parts gentle and mischievous. “I will assure you I will be generous,” she reassured him. “It wouldn’t do for me to be a harsh critic for a first ever attempt at something. Please, proceed at your own pace.”

The doctor slowly nodded, only slightly reassured all things considered. Still, there was nothing else to consider. He began working again, gradually narrowing his focus until there were only the machines and the steps he had to do. It felt like he was operating again, albeit with less drastic consequences. The right amount of water, brewing it at the right temperature, carefully straining and filtering it…

Before too long, Roman had two cups brewed. As promised, he passed one over to the Saber, who nodded in thanks. They both took slow sips of the coffee – and both of them winced. “Bitter,” Artoria judged. “Without many of the notes that are present in Ren’s coffee. My apologies, doctor, but I hesitate to even call this passable at my most generous.”

“Ugh, can’t fault you for that,” Roman grimaced. It was a far cry indeed from Ren’s coffee. No way could he serve this to anybody, and he certainly wouldn’t be able to stomach it for long. Frankly, for all the effort he went through for this mess, he would’ve gone for the instant stuff instead. Tasted only slightly worse with not even half the effort.

They both took their time sipping their coffees, trading thoughts on what could’ve went wrong but ultimately getting nowhere. “I must ask, doctor,” Artoria inquired. “Why did you wish to make coffee? While the robots are not on the level of our Master, their brew should be passable enough. You have been running ragged with your duties as of late.”

The interim director blinked in surprise. “Does it really seem that bad?” he asked, chuckling sheepishly as he ran a hand through his orange hair. “Yeah, it’s been pretty bad overall. But I can’t easily take a break. I just hate the feeling of not being able to do anything except just… sit back and watch.”

He stared into his cup of coffee, the dark liquid barely reflecting him in a tinted light. “I don’t know how you handle it personally, Saber,” he murmured. “I just feel like there’s always something more to do, more I could help with. But no matter how I think about it, logically, I’m doing everything I can. There really isn’t that much more I can do at this point, especially with this… Metaverse and personas appearing.”

The doctor sighed in exasperation and exhaustion. “I definitely haven’t seen such things in a really long time now,” he mumbled. “Not since I’ve had to oversee people like this.”

Roman glanced up at Artoria, who had been patiently listening and not responding. He gave another sheepish chuckle. “Heh, sorry, guess I’m rambling,” he apologized. “You’ve probably dealt with far worse than this. I’m just whining at this point. Don’t mind me.”

“You are,” Artoria admitted, causing Roman to wince at her frank answer. “But your problems in of themselves aren’t an issue. Rather, I can understand quite well.” She gave a wry smile. “When I sent my men out to war or my knights to quests, did you not believe I felt the same way? Sitting at my throne, listening to the concerns of my people and pushing papers, while my trusted men fought and died in my name? I would love nothing more than to rush to their aid.”

“But you didn’t,” Roman finished for her.

“I didn’t,” the Saber agreed. “There were tasks only I could do from my position and location, just as they were the only ones who could fulfill their duties. I believed in my men to the very end, no matter how much the urge struck me. As for me, I made sure I did what I could so they could focus in front of them.”

She gave a reassuring smile. “The fact that you are so concerned with what you can do for them is a mark of a good leader,” she said. “But at the end of the day, you must be able to trust in your men to be victorious, just as I trusted in mine and my knights. We must have faith in our Masters and fellow Servants, which I’m sure you do.”

The doctor blinked in surprise, then chuckled once more. “Yeah, I do,” he agreed. “Ren and Morgana have plenty of experience and can keep their cool, push comes to shove. Ritsu’s a bit rough around the edges, but she’s got the energy needed to bulldoze through anything. Seriously, give me some of that energy – I need it.” They both chuckled at Roman’s joke. “And Mash…”

Roman fell silent. Saber observed him. “Are you concerned for her?” she asked.

“I am,” he answered frankly. “For a whole bunch of reasons. We still don’t know what Heroic Spirit has taken possession of her and because of that, her potential as a demi-Servant is considerably limited. She’s inexperienced – she hasn’t been anywhere outside of Chaldea. I tried remedying that with education but that really only go so far. And…”

His words began taking a more frantic tone and cadence before hearing an odd sound – coming from Artoria. He glanced up and realized she was chuckling. “Hey, it’s not that funny!” he complained. “This is serious!”

“My apologies,” she replied earnestly as she did her best to stifle her laughter. “You remind me of a father fretting about a child who’s leaving the nest. It is amusing to witness as much as it is reassuring.”

Saber smiled at Roman. “From what I’ve seen of Mash, she is intelligent, learns quickly, and takes the initiative to learn more,” she told him. “Without a doubt, these are traits that will carry her far by themselves. It helps that she has multiple role models to work from. I assume you know of whom I speak?”

Glancing up, Roman frowned in thought. “The other Servants? Like you?” he guessed.

“Partially correct,” she replied. “But her fellow Masters as well. Ren Amamiya, Morgana, and Ritsuka Fujimaru. They shall set an example for her to learn from, and become all the stronger for it.” Artoria smiled reassuringly. “She has powerful figures to learn from in front of her, allies at her sides, and above all, supporting influences from you and Da Vinci behind her. I assure you, before long, Mash Kyrielight will be a force to be reckoned with.”

Roman blinked at the analysis before chuckling one more time. “Well, if the legendary King Arthur says so, then I just have to listen,” he admitted, his misgivings melting away. He raised his mug. “Here’s to growth, then. For her and for everyone else.”

Artoria raised hers as well. “To growth,” she echoed. They both drank once more – and simultaneously winced once more. “Though growth to your coffee making skills perhaps should be added to that,” she added, looking into her mug with consternation. They both laughed once more.

It was a quiet day in Chaldea.