The morning came, cloudy and grey. There was no threat of imminent rain, but the dampened sunlight filtered through, giving the barely lit palace an even further desolate air. The staff focused on cleaning what they could and attending to the emperor and guests, with the guards once more helping them. Footsteps sounded in the hallways, their ghostly echoes bouncing off the walls and eventually released into the world through a window or opened balcony.
The Chaldean group had gathered in the dining hall once more and served more bread and cheese, as well as a few fresh fruits – again one of the few luxuries Nero retained for herself. At the table were Ren, Morgana, Ritsu, Mash, and Joan. Tamamo stood guard nearby as Loki lazed about on an alcove above. Archer and Medusa had taken off into the city itself to scout and explore.
Ritsu looked around as she ate, her eyebrows furrowing. Swallowing a bite of bread, she looked at one of the soldiers nearby. “Hey, where’s the emperor?” she called over. “It doesn’t seem like her to just leave her guests to have breakfast by themselves.”
The soldier huffed, narrowing his eyes at Ritsu. “The Imperator has more important matters to attend to during the mornings than dealing with foreign… ‘guests’,” he replied. “Consider it a miracle you were even recruited as auxiliaries, let alone be able to stay and dine here.”
The female Master blinked in surprise and was about to angrily retort when Mash pulled at her arm. “Please, Ritsu-senpai, not here,” she hurriedly whispered. “We don’t want to cause more trouble for the emperor.” That being said, even she shot a glare towards the soldier that had so rudely spoken to Ritsu. The soldier for his part didn’t deign to notice.
The redhead blinked over at Mash, then huffed as she returned to her food. “That’s a rude way to say ‘she’s busy’ though,” she grumbled as she tore into a piece of cheese.
“Yeah, what’s the big idea here?” Morgana snapped, glaring at the soldier. “We’re guests of their beloved emperor and their reinforcements besides. Shouldn’t they be treating us a bit better? A bit of respect isn’t exactly asking for much!”
“You’re barking up the wrong tree,” Joan grumbled, popping a grape into her mouth as her words drew everyone’s attention. “Romans weren’t exactly known for their love of foreigners, especially in the capital here. As far as they saw it, you were either Roman or you weren’t. And women especially weren’t exactly highly thought of either. Guess the emperor is an exception.”
There was a moment of silence from the group. “Where did you learn all that?” Ren asked curiously. He certainly hadn’t expected Joan of all people to start pulling out Rome trivia.
The incarnated Servant shrugged. “Did some reading last night about the Roman Empire,” she replied. “Thought it would be a good idea to come in at least a bit prepared instead of charging in half-assed. It certainly didn’t do me any favors before.” The events of Orleans never left her mind, be it her own actions or crimes.
Behind her, Tamamo raised a sleeved hand to her mouth and giggled surreptitiously in response. She could certainly vouch for her studies.
“Huh,” Ren said, blinking in surprise. “Well, good call, Joan.” He took a sip of water as he considered. He really should’ve thought of that himself, but he had been occupied with everything else. Already, the Lancer Servant in front of him was very much a far cry from the incompetent doppelganger they had to deal with back in Orleans. He hadn’t expected her to learn so much and keep going.
She would definitely be a valuable ally.
One of the staff stepped forward, dressed in white robes. He bowed low towards them. “Honored guests,” he murmured. “When you are finished with your repast, I shall show you to the Imperator.”
By then, they had all finished their breakfasts and stood up. Ritsu shot one last glare at the soldier as Tamamo joined them, her fox tail swishing elegantly behind her. They all turned to leave – then heard a blast of wind and a surprised yelp from behind them, followed by a painful crash. The guard had been apparently blasted into the air and landed on his back, groaning in pain.
Morgana blinked in surprise, then grinned over at Tamamo. “Neat trick, Caster.”
“What ever do you mean~?” Tamamo feigned innocently, though the mischievous glint in her eye spoke a different tale.
In the alcove above, Loki’s mocking laughter echoed through the hall as they left.
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As they walked down the hallways, Archer and Medusa had rejoined them at a notification from Morgana. For Ren, last night’s events hadn’t left his mind. The emperor had been rather forward last night and he wondered exactly what that meant for him. How should he act or react around her now? It wasn’t exactly his first time dealing with girls, sure, but this was an utterly unique situation. It was a small blessing that none of the others seem to have noticed it at least.
They entered the last room, guarded by grand doors. It opened up into a large room, with a balcony overseeing the city of Rome. In the center was a large square table with a massive map of the Roman Empire and its territories, with various carved wooden effigies standing on various areas and territories of the map. Unlike most other rooms in the palace, all the torches and braziers were lit, allowing full illumination of the room whether there was sunlight or not.
At the table were three people. Two of them seemed to be commanders, judging by their gear. The third was Nero herself. Her golden hair was once more done up in a proper bun. However, as opposed to her golden armor, she wore a resplendent red dress that accentuated her form and beauty. The front part of her skirt was transparent, allowing one to see her bare legs.
Nero looked up at their entrance and beamed. “Ah, welcome, auxiliaries!” she crowed as they stepped in. “I once more apologize for your meager fare but it seems it hasn’t dampened your spirits in the slightest! Wonderful! Allow me to introduce my two generals – Legate Lanius Felix Evander and Legate Gaius Marcus Acisculus!”
The two men looked over, narrowing their eyes at the new arrivals, but simply saluted. Ren had a feeling the only reason they were receiving any better treatment at all was because of the emperor, a conclusion that was shared by everyone else by Chaldea as they returned their salute with either formal nods at best (Archer and Tamamo) or suspicious glares at worst (Ritsu and Morgana).
Nero simply beamed at all of them. Under normal circumstances, Ren would believe that the emperor was oblivious to the tension between the two groups. However, after last night’s talk, he had to re-evaluate. There’s no way someone who was this savvy and concerned with her empire would miss all this. In fact, her cheerfulness from the very beginning was most likely a façade.
As they approached the table, everyone could quickly see what was going on. The first location one would check was Rome, which was occupied by lighter colored wood figures. Once that was figured out, it was a sobering tale of just how much the darker representations of the enemy outweighed their own just from a quick glance at the map.
“Scouts have reported that the enemy has taken the southern docks,” Legate Acisculus reported, getting back to his own briefing as he moved several darker pieces to the appropriate positions while discarding the lighter colored ones. “Which explains their presence on the Appian Road. In order to do that though, it is safe to assume that the surrounding islands, including Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily have also been taken over.” He moved the darker pieces in place, further illustrating their plight.
“And if we count Florence as well, the enemy forces have Rome surrounded,” Legate Evander growled as he crossed his arms. Indeed, the stated city, just north of Rome, was covered in more dark effigies. “I’m uncertain our forces here will be enough to break through at this point. They’re exhausted and weary as is.”
Nero nodded contemplatively. “Indeed, my legates, you speak true,” she agreed. “However, we have new factors to consider!” She pointed out the Chaldean group with a broad grin. “Our new auxiliaries! I have seen a bit of their power in the skirmish at the Appian Road! It is a force the enemy will not expect!”
The two legates turned again to look suspiciously at Chaldea. “Imperator, permission to speak candidly,” Acisculus said tersely.
“I welcome it!” Nero cried.
“I’ve heard a few tales of what happened with the skirmish at Appia Road,” the legate commented. “For them to show up right when the enemy forces have been able to reach so easily to the heart of the empire, within striking distance of Rome itself, is all too suspicious. How can you be so certain these aren’t spies or saboteurs, who will be our ultimate downfall and humiliation?”
Legate Evander nodded in agreement. “He speaks true,” he agreed. “As well, their story seems far too fantastical for us to believe. Imperator, I must ask you to reconsider and place them under interrogation, or at least under probation so that we may verify their intent.”
Ritsu rolled her eyes in irritation as Morgana scowled in turn. Mash looked around worriedly between the legates and the group, trying to gauge everyone’s reaction. The Servants didn’t move, but the air around them subtly shifted into a razor’s edge. Should there be any hostilities, it was clear they were ready to kill everyone in the room and make their escape. As for Ren…
His and Nero’s eyes met. For a second, he saw the emperor’s eyes flick almost with annoyance at her two commanders as she considered what to do. Then she began laughing. “You two legates are far too distrustful!” she boomed out, smiling brightly. “What traitors would fight with such valor like we had seen in the skirmish at the Appia Road? No, I’m not mistaken in my judgement! They are our valued allies and I’m proud to welcome them as auxiliaries!”
The two legates ground their teeth but saluted to Nero. “By your will,” they intoned in sync. Nero nodded, apparently happy the matter was settled as the Chaldeans settled down. However, once more, that smile had those cracks that he caught a further glimpse of the night before. He glanced back to the map, seeing the large number of darker figures surrounding Rome.
Nero’s situation was definitely desperate.
“Um, excuse me,” Mash spoke up quietly, raising her hand and garnering the attention of everyone else. “Permission to speak?”
“Please, auxiliary Mash!” Nero approved.
Mash blinked at being addressed as such but nodded. “We never received a briefing on who exactly our enemy is. Perhaps we may be able to contribute more if we had more of an explanation?”
The three Romans blinked in surprise, then Nero nodded. “Very well,” she agreed. “It is true that throwing you to the enemy blind will not avail anybody.” Her smile faded as she faced the Chaldeans with a serious gaze. “They are also Romans, like us,” she explained. “From tactics to equipment to men to loyalty, they are without a doubt Roman as well. They have declared themselves the United Roman Empire, and their goal is to take over the true empire utterly.”
“Well, seems like business as usual,” Loki commented, checking their nails disinterestedly. “Romans are known for backstabbing on top of everything else they’ve done. From senators to generals to the imperial family, it’s all turn and turn about.” They glanced over sardonically at the map then at the legates. “Looks to me it’s a standard civil war. All that’s needed is some general – or legate – burying some blade in the leader’s body and it'd be a picture-perfect story, wouldn’t you agree?”
“You dare-?!” snarled Acisculus, reaching for his gladius.
“Legate, stand down,” Nero barked, glaring at the officer. The legate blinked and hesitantly withdrew his grip, though still glaring at Loki who only responded with a sardonic smile. “That is true,” she continued, keeping a neutral tone as she turned back towards Loki. “However, this isn’t just a regular civil war. Our scouts have managed sightings of key figures that shouldn’t be possible – my predecessor Julius Caesar and the legendary Spartan king Leonidas among them.”
Ritsu’s eyes widened. “Wait, wait, Julius Caesar?” she gasped. “As in the Julius Caesar?! And Leonidas too?!”
The emperor nodded. “Judging by your tone you already know of them,” she answered. “Though they have not taken the field, their tactics are far too similar to what they deployed in their days to be a coincidence. And while I would like to believe we are simply dealing with impersonators, they simply have gained far too much momentum and strength for that to be the case.”
The Chaldeans all had to resist the urge to look over at Joan, who simply narrowed her eyes and scowled at the news. The last thing she wanted to hear or deal with was more doppelgangers. Frankly, that simply seemed like a cruel joke or twist of fate than anything at this point. Then again, fate often had a cruel sense of humor – at this point, it wouldn’t surprise her.
“Hm, so at minimum we have the legendary emperor Julius Caesar and the infamous Spartan king Leonidas standing against us,” Loki mused, once more drawing everyone’s attention before anyone could stop them from speaking. “It would be tricky to have such opponents. Ah, no doubt your people would be conflicted in fighting against them. Perhaps they might even defect and join them. Oh, but what am I saying – people wouldn’t so easily defect from their emperor, would they?”
There was a pointed silence as neither Nero nor the legates answered, instead staring stonily at the map. Loki’s broadening smile only confirmed that was the exact reaction they expected.
“Knock it off, Loki,” Ren snapped, glaring at the Avenger. “We’re here to help them, not poke and prod at them. If you have something useful to say, then say it. Otherwise, cut it out.” Loki’s smile widened yet again as they raised their hands easily in surrender, instead choosing to keep his silence.
The Master turned back to the map. “Right, so we’re facing other Romans,” Ren commented, wrenching the conversation back to the topic at hand. “That’s good to know. So, what’s the plan? You guys know the terrain and enemy better than we do. We’ll help out how we can.”
Nero nodded gratefully. “That’s heartening to hear,” she replied. She pointed out Florence. “Right now, recapturing Florence will be key before they fortify. If they manage to secure the city completely, they’ll be simply a short march to Rome and can easily resupply from the sea while we’re too pinned to do anything about it. I will join Legate Asisculus in retaking the city. Auxiliaries, you shall come with me as well.”
Legate Asisculus saluted at the orders as Nero turned to her other general. “Legate Evander, take your forces and recapture the southern docks,” she ordered. “We shall need a staging point to recapture the islands as necessary, and to stop further incursions. Once that is done, prepare what you can for a naval campaign so we can secure the seas once more.” Evander saluted in acknowledgement.
“Now, are there any questions?” Nero asked, looking at the group. The Chaldeans looked at each other, but no one seemed to have anything to add. The emperor nodded. “Make any preparations necessary,” she said. “We march after noon. For Rome.”
“For Rome,” the two generals saluted before marching out of the room, not bothering to give the Chaldeans another glance.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Nero sighed as she rubbed her temples. “I apologize for the harshness of my legates,” the emperor murmured. “They do mean well – for me and the safety of the empire.”
Morgana sighed and hopped up onto the map table. “Eh, not something we need to worry about for now,” he replied, waving off the excuse. “So anyway, do we have any allies of our own or is it just us?”
The emperor shook her head. “No,” she replied. “They might have Caesar and Leonidas, but I’ve had some allies as well. They are currently stationed here in Gaul and Mediolanum.” She pointed out two cities – one where the European continent met the Italian peninsula, and the other far to the north in Europe. “That’s the other reason why we need to secure Florence. Otherwise, any communications with them will be cut off and we won’t be able to recall them in time.”
Ritsu raised an eyebrow as she looked over. “Er, aren’t they kinda far to call back anyway?” she asked skeptically. Indeed, while Europe and Italy weren’t as big as the States, that was still several hundred miles for them to cross on foot, or horse if they were lucky.
Nero nodded grimly. “They are, yes – which is why it falls on us to defend Rome,” she replied with a sigh. “I had not expected the enemy forces to attack us so quickly and suddenly here. It was my lack of foresight that allowed them to reach this close in the first place.”
“And it would appear you’re stretched thin,” Archer noted, glancing critically over at the map. “It seems every force of yours is currently occupied – do you not have any other forces to distribute or send?”
The emperor shook her head miserably. “This is all I have left,” she replied softly. “All other forces have either been dispatched or… or left.” Everyone besides Nero looked over at Loki, who merely smirked before looking disinterestedly back at their nails once more. Ren had to sigh as Ritsu ground her teeth. It seemed Loki was right – though no one wanted to say a word.
“Well, now there’s one variable that the enemy hasn’t counted on,” Morgana stated, nodding confidently. “And that’s us. It won’t last for too long once we hit the field but if we hit fast enough, we might be able to make a good amount of headway before they can retaliate. Once we open up with Florence, we can go from there. Until then, we should get ready. It’s gonna be a long day today.”
All of them nodded and began filing out to make whatever preparations they needed before the march. Ren was the last to leave, and he turned to look back and saw Nero still grimly looking at the map and all the different pieces on it. “Nero?” he asked gently.
The emperor blinked and looked up before placing a smile on her face once more. “Ah, it is nothing, auxiliary. Come, let us make ready. The United Roman Empire may be Romans, but they are not Romans of this time – and we shall show them!” With that, she easily sauntered out of the war room. Ren watched her leave before glancing back at the map with a light frown.
What did she see that they all missed?
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The legions were quickly assembled: Several hundred men clad in iron armor, wielding large square shields and spears as well as bows. A few were mounted on horses, though not nearly enough for a cavalry regiment. It was clear the mounted ones were officers of some regard. They were carrying the red banners once more, their red and gold cloth gleaming despite the shrouded sunlight. It was an impressive display – at first glance, anyway.
Once Ren got over his awe at watching an ancient army move out, he began noticing details: the exhaustion on the soldiers’ faces, the oddly lackluster tempo of their marching, and the angry commands from various officers. The Chaldean group were close to the front, allowing Ren to glance over at Nero, who was in discussion with legate Asisculus and didn’t seem to notice. No, that wasn’t the right term. Someone like Nero would’ve noticed her troops’ discontent very quickly.
Perhaps they were simply used to it?
“Have you done anything like this before, Ren-senpai?”
Ren blinked as he looked over at Mash, who had come up beside him. She didn’t have her shield out so she could move more easily with everyone else. He chuckled. “Can’t say I have,” he answered easily. “My high school could be strict at times, but I certainly didn’t have a time where they dressed us up in armor and marched us down the roads. Honestly, it would’ve been way more fun than sitting through boring lessons.”
Mash blinked in surprise before letting out a chuckle. “Japanese high schools certainly aren’t that harsh, are they, Ren-senpai?” she asked curiously. “What was your school like, then?”
The Phantom Thief shrugged, easily tuning out the sounds of the marching behind him. It got monotonous after a while. “If you meant Shujin, it was much like any other school,” Ren replied. “Well, aside from the suspicious glances I got from my classmates and teachers. The rumors especially went crazy – saying I killed someone or was carrying a knife or that I even smuggled ivory.” Ren had to chuckle. “I got a laugh out of that one.”
Mash’s eyes widened. “Did you?” she gasped.
That caused Ren to guffaw in laughter. “Oh, it’s true, all of it,” he replied with a broad grin. “I even drove around without a license too if you can believe it! I did everything and more!”
The shielder’s eyes widened even further before her shock was broken by Morgana and Ritsu chuckling beside Ren. “Come on, Joker, it’s not nice to lead Mash around like that,” Morgana admonished, grinning. “You got her going the entire time.”
Ritsu giggled and smirked at Ren. “But still, a legendary Phantom Thief is bound to have a lot of deeds under his name, hm?” she pointed out. “Maybe there’s a hint of truth to them.”
Ren grinned back. “My lips are sealed,” he replied cheekily.
Mash in the meantime looked between all of them before finally pouting at Ren. “That was mean, Ren-senpai,” she grumbled. “I had genuine questions about your school.”
The Phantom Thief chuckled. “Sorry, sorry,” he apologized earnestly. “But yeah, Shujin wasn’t all that different aside from that. It… holds a lot of memories, both good and bad nowadays. I’m still glad I don’t have to go back though.”
Nodding, Mash lowered her head in thought. She researched a bit about high schools and got all sorts of conflicting information – from different facts to opinions, some opining it at the best time of one’s life or some crucible of puberty and social structure on the way to adulthood. The debriefing gave a small window into Ren’s time at Shujin, but from what she could tell, it wasn’t exactly under ordinary circumstances whatsoever.
Was Ren truly just that extraordinary?
“If you don’t mind me asking,” she continued slowly. “What about your old school? What was that like?”
At the question, Ren froze. Even Morgana was intrigued by the question. Ren rarely spoke about his time before coming to Tokyo. He mentioned that was where he was falsely accused by Shido and arrested. Even when they went back, it had only been a month or so. Morgana had some hints here and there of his home life but not a huge amount – or at least, none that Ren had been particularly willing to divulge. He had to just observe all on his own.
“It was… ordinary,” Ren murmured finally, staring ahead of him. “I wasn’t anyone special – my grades were average, friends were average. Didn’t really go to any clubs either – just the ‘go-home’ club.” Indeed, it was ordinary. His parents treated him… well, not coldly but they were a bit distant. They were always busy with their jobs. He hung out with his friends, but once the school day was over, that was about it. And grades… well, he got by.
After the arrest, that all changed. His parents shipped him off to Tokyo after yelling at him for sticking his nose somewhere that it didn’t belong. They didn’t contact him except for some cursory texts. His friends all evaporated after the incident – none of them responded when he tried to text them, and quite a few even blocked his number.
And just as he had forgotten all about that with his adventures in Tokyo, with all the friends and found family he made, he was back. A home that didn’t feel like home. A family that didn’t feel like family. No one to greet him when he got back home, with only suspicious looks from neighbors and former classmates alike when he saw them.
Faced with that, everything from the past year almost felt like a dream. Even now, he had trouble reconciling that, despite having his persona powers back as well as Morgana by his side. And now here he was on an even grander adventure. How would he feel after everything? Would he even be able to ever feel like he actually went back home in the end? Could he?
“Well, even the most extraordinary people come from normal circumstances, I guess,” Ritsu remarked, her hands behind her head and relaxing as she walked. “Never know when or where the next badass or hero’s gonna show up, right? We just make do with what life throws at us – even if life throws us a curveball.”
She stopped, then considered. “Actually, this is well beyond a curveball,” she mused. “This is a baseball that’s gone a full rollercoaster, swirled around a black hole, shot out at light speed, then did a full reverse.” She glanced over to see everyone else staring at her and blinked. “… I totally forgot where I was going with that,” she muttered abashedly, scratching her cheek.
Morgana chuckled. “You’ve got a point regardless, Ritsu,” he agreed. “The circumstances he was in and came from may not have been the best, but he rose to the challenge magnificently – with my expert guidance, after all. That’s why he’s the leader of the Phantom Thieves.”
Ren blinked and forced himself to smile. “Heh, you’re giving me far too much credit, Mona,” he replied easily. “But if that’s the case, then all I’ve gotta is to do it again.”
Both Morgana and Ritsu nodded confidently. “Spoken like a true Phantom Thief!” Ritsu crowed.
However, Mash frowned as she stared at Ren. Despite everything and what Ren had told them, despite his air of confidence, Loki’s words from yesterday hadn’t left her mind.
“It’s the same smile you plaster on day in, day out. A rather brilliant smile in its complexity and purpose, don’t you think?”
Mash has been observing the emperor closely after that. She couldn’t help but notice how Nero look so aggrieved yet kept pretending otherwise. She had never met an emperor before. The closest would be Artoria, and she hadn’t had a decent chance for a conversation about her kingship. And now that she was back with her senpai, she observed him closely too. So that she could learn from him and become stronger, a greater shield. So that she could stand by his side.
And she could see the meaning of Loki’s words. Was that the burden that came with being a leader? That came with being ‘extraordinary’?
What could she do to shoulder the burden with him?
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As they marched, the sun moved in the sky. Afternoon turned to evening as it began setting on the horizon, bathing the Italian landscape in a fiery glow. At an order from Asisculus, the soldier stopped and brought out shovels and various other tools. Immediately setting to work, they dug a perimeter ditch in a large rectangular area while using the excavated earth to form impromptu walls. Meanwhile, various soldiers took axes and marched into the nearby forest for lumber.
In the meantime, other soldiers began setting up tents, keeping everything in tight formation. Yet more brought out other supplies from the wagons they were carting. Any offer of help died in the mouths of the Masters as they watched with astonishment at the sheer efficiency of everything being built.
“Right, Romans were really good at making encampments,” Joan remarked, scratching the back of her head casually. “The book said something about that.”
Before long, as the sun dipped over the horizon, campfires were set up as various soldiers were assigned patrols and watches. The Chaldean group stuck together as they ate, having their rations so they wouldn’t dig into the Romans’ already precarious food reserves. It was a quick dinner and nobody felt much like talking, with the Romans constantly staring at them and the exhaustion from the march catching up with them.
Frankly, for Ren and Morgana, it felt like being back in Shujin all over again – a sensation neither of them relished or wished.
The Chaldeans were given their own set of tents – one for Ren and Morgana, and one for Ritsu and Mash. They were situated right next to the emperor’s grander tent, at her orders. Other than that, they weren’t given much else in terms of amenities, which was just fine – they still had their sleeping bags from their various supplies, after all.
Ren relaxed inside his tent, lit only by the campfire burning outside. It was quickly getting dark but his eyes easily adjusted to it all. Morgana had decided to wander around the camp and keep eyes and ears out in his cat form, leaving him alone. The conversation with Mash had him thinking once more of… home? Was it really home now that he thought about it? The month he had been back felt far less like home than it ever did. Not even his bed – softer as it was – felt as comfortable.
No matter how he thought of it, Tokyo had become his home in the end. The dusty attic in LeBlanc with the permanent smell of coffee. All the friends he had made there. A family that consisted of Sojiro and Futaba. All the different spots they would hang out in, including their hangouts. Over and over again, he thought if he truly wanted to go ‘home’, but that conversation had solidified things for him.
Of course, that was a decision for when everything had been resolved. For now, there was much to do.
“You are still awake, Master?”
The Phantom Thief blinked as Medusa appeared before him in a shower of golden light. He smiled up at her and waved. “A bit too early for me to get to bed just yet,” he replied. “It’s kinda hard to tell the time though. Guess I’m more used to modern lighting than I thought.”
Medusa nodded. “Modern society seems to have very little need for sleep,” she agreed. “But rest is necessary with trying times ahead. Would you like me to assist with that?”
Ren blinked in surprise, then grinned. “Well, if you’re offering, I’m certainly not refusing,” he answered easily. Standing up, he slipped off his white coat, revealing the black t-shirt underneath, and laid down on his stomach on the sleeping bag. Medusa stepped forward, knelt, and began kneading Ren’s muscles, easily controlling the strength in her fingers as she found out the knots and began working them out.
“You are under considerable stress,” the Servant murmured as she continued working on him. “There is no small amount of stiffness in your muscles.”
Chuckling, Ren waved it off. “Yeah, got that all the time,” he replied easily, grunting and sighing in relaxation as she worked on certain points of his back. “But trust me, what you’re doing right now is helping immensely. I’ve been meaning to ask you to do this more but I’ve been kinda preoccupied lately.”
“That is understandable,” Medusa murmured. “But do not hesitate to call upon my services, Master. I will do what is needed.”
“Noted,” Ren grunted out.
They were silent for a while as the Rider kept massaging her Master, illuminated only by the crackling campfire outside the tent. “Master,” Medusa murmured. “Permission to speak about something privately?”
The Master again blinked in surprise, trepidation quickly mounting. “Um, sure?” he asked hesitatingly. “What’s on your mind.
The Servant spoke again, this time with her mind. “Why did you reject a possible paradise?” she asked.
She immediately felt her Master’s body stiffen at the question. “… You eavesdropped on me and Morgana after the debriefing, didn’t you?” he asked, his tone carefully neutral as he responded with his own thoughts.
Medusa hesitated, then reluctantly nodded as she continued massaging Ren. Despite the fact that Ren hadn’t moved from her grasp, she knew that he was more than ready to spring into action despite everything. “Forgive me, Master,” she murmured. “I simply sensed there was more to your story than what you told during the debriefing and wished to know. There is no one talking here except the two of us. It is simply my curiosity.”
There was a moment of silence before Ren sighed, both mentally and physically – and not in relaxation, despite the massage. “There’s really not much to tell,” he replied. “There was someone who was just at the right place and the right time – or wrong place and wrong time, depending on how you interpret it – and he was given the power to do anything he wanted. He used it to grant everyone’s dreams and desires. Even… even impossible ones.”
“Impossible ones?” Medusa asked.
Ren hesitated. “He could bring back people that had passed away,” he reluctantly admitted. “They weren’t real, just… copies made from memories. But they were real enough.”
He felt Medusa’s hands stop moving. Glancing over, he noticed that her body was stiff and tense. He couldn’t see her eyes thanks to her blindfold, but what he felt and saw were clues enough to her reaction. This was why he didn’t want to tell anyone about it. “And why did you reject it?” she asked again. Her tone carried a note of agitation despite very obviously trying to control it.
“Because in the end, it wasn’t our world,” Ren replied. “We may struggle, we may trip and fall, but that’s how we grow and develop. My best friends came from the struggles and battles we had together. It may have been a ‘perfect’ world but… it wasn’t our world. No one could reach true happiness that way.”
“And what of the impossible dreams and desires?” the Rider pressed. “How did the ones with those react?”
Ren gulped. All his friends had ‘impossible’ dreams, come to think of it. Ryuji’s leg was perfectly fine and he was still in track. Ann had Shiho back and they were both perfectly happy. Makoto had her dad and was a happy family with her and Sae. Yusuke had Madarame as a perfect mentor figure as opposed to the con artist that killed his mother. Futaba had her mother back after all her trauma, with Sojiro as a dad. Haru’s dad had become a considerate businessman that Haru was happy to learn and support as opposed to a corrupt, sacrificing scumbag. Morgana even had a human form like he had always wanted.
But Sumire and Akechi… Sumire would’ve become Kasumi permanently. She even wanted it. And Akechi wanted absolutely nothing to do with the paradise, for good or ill. Two opposite extremes. Maruki’s words rang out in his mind.
—--
“In all honesty, it’s best for a person’s growth when they tackle their own hardships,” Maruki ground out. “But reality doesn’t always make that so feasible! No matter how much you try or work for so long, the smallest injustice can wipe it all out, leave you with nothing!”
The doctor stared at Joker pleadingly, begging him to see his truth. “Don’t you, of all people, understand that?!” he demanded.
—--
Ren could only sigh. “They… accepted it and moved on how they could,” he replied quietly. “If you’re asking me if I did the right thing or not, I can’t tell you. We thought we did. But I know there’s a lot of people who will probably disagree with us. We made our choice though, and we won’t – and can’t – take it back.”
Medusa was silent as she considered his words. “And what about you, Master?” she asked. “What would your ideal world be like?”
That question caught him off guard. His ideal world? He thought about it. When Maruki drew him into his world, he was the only one who really noticed that the world was off-kilter and quickly pieced together what was going on. The only real difference in Maruki’s world compared to the real world was the presence of Akechi – who, true to form, demanded that Ren fight.
If there was one thing he knew about Akechi, it was that he refused to be tied down by anyone else. Ironic that now he was the host of a trickster god.
“I don’t know,” Ren admitted. “The closest I have is a world where I have my friends and family with me, no matter what comes my way. It’s… certainly more achievable than many others, admittedly, but there’s not much else I want. The only thing I knew was that world wasn’t the right thing to do in the end, even if – IF – it could grant everyone happiness, no matter how true or false it seemed. It was just our decision in the end.”
The Rider was silent as she considered his words. “You are more selfish than I had expected, Master,” she murmured, her tone quiet and neutral.
Ren said nothing as the Servant stood up and left, vanishing as she stepped out of the tent, leaving the Phantom Thief to the darkness and his thoughts.