Fafnir’s head faded more slowly than expected so they managed to extract a few more fangs before it faded completely. Setting up the shield, they transferred the fangs over to Da Vinci, while Chaldea in turn resupplied them. Everyone in the vicinity did their level best to avoid noticing just how giddy the Caster was being – especially Romani who was right beside her as she cooed over the new materials. But still, Ren and Morgana trusted Da Vinci enough to have something decent in mind for those fangs. Probably.

With that, they made their way back to Bordeaux, where Saber was at the front to greet them, her sword in hand. Her, Marie, and Mozart had shepherded the townspeople and refugees into the various buildings before patrolling and keeping an eye out for any other invaders. Surprisingly enough, there was none. Archer had reported he didn’t see any other signs of movement either, not even a spy. Fafnir had truly come alone.

“But that makes no sense,” Morgana mulled as he stared at the map. The group had set themselves up in a former noble’s house on the second floor and were in the study. The building itself was relatively unharmed, making it a good shelter overall. The first floor was occupied by refugees and the injured. There was some panic when everyone saw Jeanne but settled down with Georgios’s reassurances. “Why would Fafnir have been sent here by himself without any backup or plan? Even if it was the doppelganger, she would’ve sent swarms of wyverns and Servants with him.”

“It’s possible that she didn’t send Fafnir at all,” Archer pointed out, frowning. “So far, we haven’t seen any activity from the doppelganger. Even wyvern sightings have been sparse to none. It’s possible she may have been consolidating her strength at Orleans and Fafnir simply got impatient.”

“I can agree with that,” Siegfried replied. “Fafnir was never known for his patience. Most likely with my presence he decided to make a move, the doppelganger’s orders or no.”

“There has been less wyvern and monster sightings as of late, much to the relief of the refugees,” Georgios added. “However, I feared it was simply the calm before the storm.” He pointed to Orleans, a couple miles to the northeast from Bordeaux. “With Orleans here, it would be trivial of her to amass her forces and send them anywhere she wished. What amazes me is that she hadn’t done so before. Something must have seriously unnerved her for her to reconsider her original rampage.”

At those words, Morgana, Archer, Saber, Jeanne, Marie, Mozart, and Mash all slowly turned towards Ren. The others followed their gazes and also turned toward the Master, who had been sitting on a couch, resting his head against the back. He opened one eye and waved. “My fault, sorry about that,” he admitted ruefully.

Siegfried, Georgios, Elizabeth, and Kiyohime (the former had been lying down on another couch kicking her feet and the latter was sitting on the furthest side away from her) all stared at Ren still. Kiyohime narrowed her eyes beneath her fan. “As I stated before, Master of Chaldea, you seem to be far more dangerous than you appear,” she murmured.

Ren just chuckled as the ones who had been with him the longest sighed in deep exasperation. “Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about it at this point,” Jeanne said, looking back at the map. “But it is thanks to His grace and Ren that more people have been spared as a result. We’ve accumulated as many allies as we can muster at this point. It’s time to march on Orleans.”

“Indeed, though it would be best if we had a plan of attack before we do,” Saber mused. “The area around Orleans is flat all around, meaning we could approach from any angle. Conversely, however, it means we have no cover should the doppelganger decide to send her wyverns out. Numbers are not something we have on our side, nor is power. I do not doubt your strength.” She looked pointedly towards the two dragonslayers. “However, if Orleans truly is crawling with wyverns and Servants, it may not be enough.”

The mood was dampened as everyone mulled over the prospect. They had accumulated a good corps of Servants, but even then they were facing an enemy with perhaps unlimited resources. Even if they threw everything at the doppelganger, there was the all-too-likely possibility that they would exhaust themselves and be easy pickings in turn, depending on how quickly she could recover. Not to mention, at minimum she still had three Servants at her call: Sanson, Carmilla, and D’Eon, and possibly summoned more since then.

The silence was broken as Marie clapped her hands together. “Come now, we’ve all had a long day,” she commented with a gentle smile. “Perhaps a good night’s rest is what is need. We can continue to discuss like generals in the morning, non ? Even in war, there is always a time for peace, after all.”

Jeanne blinked in surprise, then smiled. “Yes, you speak truly, Marie,” she acceded, stepping away from the table. “It is perhaps better we rested and recovered. The sun has only just set, however. I shall see to the refugees and give what aid and succor I can. They have experienced considerable tragedy by my doppelganger’s hands, and I wish to relieve them.”

“I shall join you, then,” Georgios added, stepping forward. “A few of the refugees may need a bit more reassurance that you are not the Dragon Witch, and two saints working in tandem should be more beneficial than just one.”

Chuckling a bit, Jeanne nodded gratefully to Georgios. “A fair argument,” she acknowledged. With that, the two stepped out of the room and went downstairs.

“If we’re dismissed for the evening, then I shall keep watch,” Archer casually stated. “It’d be best we weren’t ambushed in case we misread the situation.” Turning on his heel, he strode out as well.

Ren gave a weak chuckle. “Well, guess we should all take some R and R, then,” he murmured as he stood up from the couch. “I’m gonna head out for a walk. It’s a nice night for it anyway. I’ll catch you guys later.” He strode out as well, descending down the stairs. He glanced over to see Jeanne kneeling beside one of the refugees – an older woman – gently grasping her hand and their heads bowed in prayer. He didn’t see Georgios but was sure he heard his voice further down the house.

As he stepped out, he saw a few torches were being lit for illumination as villagers started to head home for the night. He smiled as he walked.

A nice night indeed.

—-------

A rustic town like this, with a serene feel to it and a picturesque view. A quiet river ran through the town, with acres of farmland stretching on and on. It felt like a place one could get away from the troubles of the world, live a more simply life overall compared to the hustle and bustle of a city. A perfect getaway for those who wished to lived simpler lives in simpler days.

So why the hell is an idol like her in such a ramshackle, miserable little hole?!

Elizabeth tromped through the towns in a foul mood. She had thought to set up a concert here, get word of her out where people had gathered the most, but she had been shooed out by the girl Saber and the Saints for suggesting it. Apparently they needed ‘peace and quiet’? What nonsense. They haven’t even heard her sing! One song would be all that was needed to change their minds, but they no, they turned her out like some unscrupulous squirrel! Oh, she was fuming!

She thought to soothe her nerves by heading into town and setting up a concert there, but no. Everyone immediately bolted indoors at the sight of her! Or rather, they were doing so anyway but only did so faster when they saw her! Her tail lashed about angrily as she stomped through the dirt streets. That damn puppy had been making such a big deal about using her savior credentials here to make a big debut as an idol, but so far, nothing! Didn’t they see her fighting against that ginormous dragon?! They should be heaping adulation and praise for her heroism!

As she moved through the town, a figure caught her eye. It was that Master from Chaldea – the human one – over at a small dock nearby. As she marched to him to give him a piece of her mind, she noticed that he was… fishing? She had to wonder where he found the fishing rod. It was probably lying nearby. Well, no matter. What did she care?

“Hey, puppy!” she demanded. Without turning around, the Master held up a hand to silence her. She froze, not out of respect for his wishes but at the sheer nerve and audacity to tell her to be quiet. Before she could shout another word, however, the fishing rod began bending forward as something tugged at the line. He began pulling at the rod this way and that, drawing at Elizabeth’s curiosity as he played and fought with the fish.

With a massive heave, he pulled up the fish, still wriggling on the hook. The puppy looked it over, sighed, unhooked the fish, and released it back into the water.

Elizabeth blinked with surprise. “Wha – all that effort and you just let it go?” she asked, incredulous.

Ren shrugged. “It was too small,” he replied simply. “Gotta let them go so they can grow bigger and reproduce. Besides, pretty sure I can snag something else anyway.” As he walked, he grabbed another worm from a small mound of dirt he had nearby. Hooking the worm, he cast the line back out.

The Lancer walked up beside the Master of Chaldea and looked over the river. It was rather idyllic. The waters were green and glinting as the last bit of sunlight shone beyond the horizon. There was some illumination from the torches behind them from the houses but otherwise, it was quickly getting dark. It was also quiet all around. Everyone was more or less indoors and there wasn’t even the sound of a wyvern roar. Only the sound of crickets broke the still evening air.

Elizabeth looked over at Ren. He was staring at where the line had landed in the water, but his face was impassive. Not relaxed or blank. It was the face of someone who had a lot to think about and never really seemed to stop. If she left right now, she doubted he would react. And in the setting sun, the orange light brought his sharper features to bear, contrasting with the shadows, making him look remarkably handsome-

She immediately shook her head and smacked her own cheeks, drawing Ren’s curious glance. That wasn’t what she was here for! “I thought you said people would be lining up to see me perform!” she demanded. “But nobody is! They’re all skittering away like little mice! What gives, puppy! This isn’t what you promised me!”

“You’re scaring away the fish,” Ren admonished her with a small frown. He pulled up the line – the worm still dangling on the hook – and tossed it in another direction. “Besides, as an idol, you need to read the mood and work from there,” he added. “Everyone’s scared right now. New, loud, exciting talents? They’re really not in the mood for that. Once the doppelganger’s taken down, they’ll probably be a bit more accommodating.”

Elizabeth huffed. “Hmph, and why should I listen to you at this point?” she growled. “I don’t think you’ve been an idol before – I’m not even sure you’re in the business at all! How do I know you’re not just pulling all this from your butt and making stuff up just so I’ll come along with you?!”

The Master shrugged again. “Fair point,” he admitted easily. “You don’t. I haven’t looked much into the idol scene myself. I just observed things from news and people around me.” He sat down at the edge of the dock, his legs dangling over the edge. “You tend to hear a lot of things from everyone, and eventually you get a picture overall of how people work. Or try to, anyway.”

“And what does have to do with me?” Elizabeth demanded.

“You’re an idol, aren’t you?” Ren retorted. He could practically hear Futaba screaming in his head a thousand retorts at Elizabeth. “Then it has everything to do with you. An idol lives or dies by their audience, after all. If you don’t know them, then how can you entertain them or bring them any happiness? How are they supposed to look up to you if there’s nothing about you they want to look up to?”

The Lancer scowled and opened her mouth to retort when something began pulling on the line again. Ren blinked as he scrambled to his feet. He began fighting with the fish again however, it was clear that he was struggling much harder this time, almost stumbling once or twice. “E-Elizabeth, give me a hand over here!” he growled out. She blinked once before running over, grabbing the rod with him and pulled as well.

Then out splashed a huge trout, with the two anglers falling back onto the deck as the fish could no longer pull against them. Ren blinked and looked over at the fish flopping around on the deck and grinned. It was a nice, large catch. This would do nicely.

“How’d you catch that?” Elizabeth asked incredulously as she sat up. What few fishermen she had seen usually caught smaller trout. This one was just massive.

Ren glanced over at her before picking it up. “I’ve done some fishing and even read up on it before,” he explained, looking over his catch. Although he played it off, he was still beyond impressed. He only rarely landed anything nearly this big back in the fishing ponds in Japan. To think he would be able to fish something like this in medieval France… Ryuji would freak out if he saw this. In fact, he should take a picture. Though not here – the light was quickly going and it’d make for a terrible shot.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

Elizabeth blinked multiple times. “Just… just from that?” she stammered.

“Well, a bit of luck too,” Ren admitted as he picked up the fish. “But hey, at least knowing about fish and fishing helps me land a bigger one. Wouldn’t be nearly as effective if I didn’t. Maybe if you knew your audience, you could make a big catch like this too.” With a smirk, he began walking back to the manor toting his prize.

The countess could only frown. Why would she need to understand her audience? She was an idol – she was supposed to stand above them, after all. That Master probably was never in show business. But… she remembered her time as the bloody countess of Castle Cjeste. Her people abhorred and hated her. They were perfectly fine with her dying, forgotten and alone.

If she disregarded her audience… would it be the same all over again? Would she just be forgotten and alone once more? As she mulled over Ren’s words, a thought occurred to her. She whipped around in the direction of the Master. “Hey, you can’t use a fishing metaphor to make yourself look smart!” she screamed.

His laughter was her only answer.

—--------

“Please lift your arm.”

As Kiyohime unwrapped the victim’s arm, she frowned. There was a nasty gash on it that was thankfully healing up without infection, though it still looked quite painful. Taking a handful of medical herbs, she ground it into a paste with a mortar and pestle before applying it to the wound. “Tch, ah, c-careful with that, that stings,” the victim, a young man, complained.

“Whine more like that and I shall complete the wyvern’s job of taking off your arm myself,” Kiyohime growled. The victim paled and laid back down, not willing to stoke her temper further. Taking a set of cleaned bandages, she wrapped the young man’s arm back up before tossing the used ones inside a basket filled with dirty bandages and moved on to the next one.

Throughout the first floor of the manor, various refugees and infirm have set up a shelter here. The lord who had lived in the manor had been among one of the first casualties of the doppelganger saint after he mustered out to valiantly – and futilely – fight off the wyverns. The retainers and lady all fled, leaving it completely deserted. Everyone else had been too terrified to even think of looting, trying to keep under cover from the wyverns and monsters that lurked outside.

However, with the various Servants keeping an eye out, medicine women and apothecaries had been moving about, aiding the sick and injured if they could and offering prayers if they couldn’t. Marie and Mozart were among them, the former talking cheerily to the refugees and lifting everyone’s spirits up while Mozart had summoned a violin and played soft melodies of his own composition to the small crowd of awestruck children and their parents.

“I didn’t expect to find you tending to the wounded, Lady Kiyohime.”

The dragon woman glanced up to see Georgios kindly smiling down at her. Turning back to grinding more herbs in her mortar and pestle, she blew a strand of turquoise hair that floated down her face. “It is not out of the kindness of my heart, if you wish to know,” Kiyohime muttered. “Anchin-sama would never leave these people wounded, not if he could help them. When I find him again, I wish for him to be proud and glad I had done what I could to aid them.”

“As valid a reason as any,” Georgios accepted easily. “I wasn’t aware you knew of such medical treatments, however. Were you trained?”

Kiyohime shook her head as she administered the salve to another victim, wounded on their leg. It was trickier as the victim was currently unconscious. “No, I taught myself,” she replied. “With all these dragons and monsters about, I thought it would be best to pick up the needed knowledge in case Anchin-sama was injured. I did not expect to treat anyone else except for him, but if I cannot find him, then at the very least I can do what he would have done in turn.” So saying, she carefully bandaged up the treated wound. Georgios noted that even though she wasn’t enthusiastic about treating them, she was still doing so with surprising care and precision.

As the Berserker picked up the basket of dirty bandages, Georgios went back to attending the other residents. She passed by Jeanne who was currently leading a group prayer with a small gathering of refugees and entered the kitchen, where a tub of hot water sat above a fire. Dumping the bandages in and pulling up her sleeves, she began to wash them, the heat of the water not bothering her in the slightest. It wasn’t typical work she would do, but a model housewife was a master of many skills, and medical aid was a good one to learn indeed.

Hearing a bit of movement behind her, she turned to see the Master of Chaldea walk in, holding a large trout. “Hey, Kiyohime,” he greeted her cordially as he laid the fish on a nearby counter. “Where’s everyone else?”

She glanced over at the fish before turning back to her duties. “The two Sabers, the Shielder, and the cat Master I believe are still discussing in the study,” she replied. “Marie, Mozart, and Jeanne are attending to the refugees. The rest, I do not know.”

“Yeah, sounds about right,” Ren murmured. He glanced out of the kitchen and could only feel pangs of guilt. There were so many people here injured and hurt. He wanted to heal them but as soon as he even mentioned the possibility, Morgana and Saber had shut him down. There were simply too many people here to heal and it would drain his strength, right on the cusp of marching on Orleans. At this point, they couldn’t afford any more delays and wait for Ren to recover again.

“And you’ve been fishing?” Kiyohime asked rhetorically as she took out the bandages, wrung them out, and hung them to dry and for reuse.

Ren blinked and glanced back at the fish laying on the counter. “I did,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “I needed to relax and calm my mind a bit. Though, looking around, I probably should’ve caught more…”

“If you could catch more than one fish in the couple minutes you’ve been out without using a net, I would consider you a god of fishing,” Kiyohime retorted, cutting of Ren’s guilt. “Even Anchin-sama would not be an angler of that level. He was many things, yes, but he was mortal after all.” She walked over to look over the fish Ren brought in, frowning as she looked it over with a critical eye. “Fairly fat, packed with nutrients,” she murmured. “Yes, this should make a good fry.” She walked about to check the various shelves, murmuring as she collected some of the various herbs and the stockpile of vegetables the refugees had managed to bring with them.

The Master of Chaldea could only stare as Kiyohime started bustling about. “I’ll see if I can catch some more,” he explained a bit lamely, turning around to leave – and almost running into Archer who came in with a string of various other fishes. “Archer?” he gaped in surprise. “I thought you would be keeping watch!”

Archer smirked. “I was, but I saw you were fishing and thought of a few dishes I could make,” he replied. “Not to mention, Siegfried is currently patrolling so there shouldn’t be any problems. It wasn’t too hard to create a few more rods and fish up some more catches for dinner tonight.” With a flick of his wrist, a fishing rod appeared in his hand before vanishing.

Ren blinked before chuckling. “You are really versatile, you know that, Archer?” he commented. Archer’s smirk only widened as he walked in to place his own fishes on the counter, surprisingly followed shortly by Elizabeth, who had caught a fish of her own. It wasn’t the largest fish – a carp – but it was still a good size. She held it up with a small blush on her cheeks.

“I thought everyone might be a bit hungry, so…” Elizabeth trailed off, slightly embarrassed.

The Master only gaped for a second before chuckling. “I think everyone will appreciate it regardless,” he replied, taking the carp off her hands and looking it over. It wasn’t the best catch ever, but the fact she caught something for her first time fishing was impressive in its own right. “It’s a good catch. Thanks a lot, Elizabeth.” He turned away moments before the Lancer’s face exploded into the hue of a tomato.

“Hmph, w-well, it’s o-only natural f-for an i-idol to h-have a lot of talents, a-after all!” she huffed, turning away before walking out. Ren back at Elizabeth as she left the kitchen before turning back – and saw both Archer and Kiyohime staring at him.

“What? Something the matter?” he asked.

Archer chuckled as Kiyohime shook her head. “Do keep your philandery in moderation, Master of Chaldea,” she replied simply, exasperated. Ren could only rub the back of his neck in embarrassment once more as he smiled ruefully. “Now, do you have any skill in a kitchen?” she inquired. “We are making food for no small number of people –“

“One with a king-sized stomach,” Archer snarked.

Kiyohime shot a glare in his direction before looking back at Ren. “And a set of extra hands may be necessary if we wish to be done in a timely manner,” she finished. Ren glanced outside at the other refugees, then pondered something. “Do you think we have enough here for everyone, including the villagers?”

Both Archer and Kiyohime blinked in surprise as they looked at each other, then looked over at the other food supplies they had. Archer frowned. “We’ll be a bit tight on food supplies even if we make some sort of stew,” he pointed out. “Perhaps if the villagers were to contribute some of their own supplies, we can make up for the difference.”

Ren nodded with a grin. Popping his head out of the kitchen, he called out, “Georgios! Elizabeth!” The two Servants blinked and made their way over to him.

“Is something amiss, Ren?” Georgios asked, concerned.

The Master shook his head. “No, not at all,” he replied. “It’s just that we were thinking of making dinner for everyone, including the townspeople. We do need more food supplies though. Do you think you could bring the townspeople over and see what they can spare?”

Georgios frowned. “Ren, these people have been trying to ration whatever food they have left,” he said. “They can’t trade nor farm, and fishing is a risky venture. To use it all at once in such a manner would be very wasteful, not when it can possibly buy them another few days.”

“It definitely would,” Ren agreed. “Still, spirit is just as important in the right circumstances. After all, you’ve seen the refugees and the townspeople. I’m guessing you’ve seen how afraid and despairing they are? Even if things go back to normal, they’ll be spending a very long time trying to recover.” He still remembered his first days at Shujin, with everyone glaring or glancing at him with suspicion. Sojiro was especially wary, snapping at him that if he put so much as a toe out of line, he would be kicked out.

If he hadn’t met Ryuji that day, if they hadn’t entered the Metaverse… it was all too possible his year in Tokyo would’ve been nothing but fear. He would’ve become just like everyone else: Cowed into submission, unable and unwilling to make waves, even if injustice was happening in front of him. Exactly what the God of Control would’ve wanted.

“Something to break this fear and show them that things will be better is essential,” he continued. “We’ll be marching on Orleans tomorrow, right? It’s better we go with a sendoff rather than leaving everything in a hole like this. Please.”

Georgios stared hard at Ren for a moment, meeting the young man’s stern grey eyes. Then he sighed and smiled. “Very well, you speak sense,” he acceded. “I will go round up the townspeople and see what supplies they can spare. I warn you though, I can promise nothing.”

“Well, that’s why Elizabeth is coming with you, isn’t it?” Ren asked, looking towards the surprised Lancer with a smirk. “After all, it’s an idol’s duty to shine bright and bring hope to everyone. I don’t doubt she’d have the confidence and charm to pull it off. Between the two of you, I’m sure you guys will make it work.”

Elizabeth blinked several times, then drew herself up, flipping her hair. “Hmph! Glad to see you know my talents and beauty, puppy!” she declared. “I’ll work with the saint here and get everyone together, with food! We’re gonna throw the biggest party France has seen yet!”

Ren and Georgios chuckled. “I don’t doubt it,” the former replied cordially. “I’ll see you guys in a bit.” The two walked out of the manor, the rather nonplussed Jeanne staring as the mismatched duo left before haltingly turning back to her prayers with everyone.

The Master turned back to see both Archer and Kiyohime staring at him once more. “What?” he asked again.

“… Very dangerous, Master of Chaldea,” Kiyohime simply stated before turning back to chopping up vegetables. Archer simply smiled while shaking his head before projecting a knife and handing it over. Ren smirked as he took the knife, and under Archer’s supervision and tutelage, got to work.

----------

Georgios and Elizabeth had been successful beyond what a lot of them expected. With Elizabeth’s confidence and cheer as well as Georgios’s reassurances and protective presence, the townspeople came out with no small amount of supplies: Ale, bacon, vegetables, herbs, bread, and more. Thanks to everything that was brought over, they had to have a discussion of what to use or not. A party or not, it wouldn’t be proper to eat everyone out of house and home (Saber notwithstanding).

Thus, they decided to use whatever was most in danger of going bad first: vegetables and fruits as well as various meats, including the fish. Using the bacon to grease the cookware, Kiyohime used one of the pans to fry the fish over an open fire, the heat from the flames not affecting her whatsoever. Ren with the guidance of Archer stirred a large pot of stew filled with various vegetables. Meanwhile, both Ren and Archer moved together, working and preparing various ingredients and adding them to the stew or passing them over to Kiyohime. The aroma of the cooking attracted attention from various Servants, refugees, and townspeople, who glanced in curiosity at the three working.

After an hour or two, it was all passed around. A hearty vegetable and bacon stew with a plate of fried fish steak and bread on the side. It was simple, given they didn’t have a lot of spices to work with, but it worked out surprisingly well. Within moments, everyone was digging into their food with gusto, laughing and cheering as they guzzled down ale. They had dispersed all around the manor on both floors, collecting in groups and swapping tales and stories. Sometimes, the air became grim as they reflected on their suffering, but swiftly moved on from there.

Ren himself was outside with his own plates of food. He eschewed the ale for a bottle of water. After dealing with Ohya for so long, he was going to avoid alcohol like the plague if he could help it. He took out his cellphone and took a picture of the food. Food made in medieval times. Just the thought of it was wild. Putting it away, he spooned a mouthful of the stew. He smiled. No seasoning, but Archer was as good a chef as always.

“Was wondering where you went!”

He glanced over to see Morgana happily carrying his own bowl and plate out. Despite both things being considerably larger in his tiny paws, he had no trouble carrying them as he sat beside Ren. “You even managed to get fish!” he exclaimed. “It’s not sushi, but after those military rations, this is practically heaven!” He took his knife, cut off a bit of the fish, then popped it into his mouth with a spoon. His short legs waved in the air in excitement. “So good!” he exclaimed. “Did you or Archer do this, Ren?”

Ren chuckled. “No, it wasn’t,” he replied, shaking his head. “It was Kiyohime. She took over frying the fish, and she did a great job of them. I might need to ask her for some tips. I think Archer already is.” He looked over at his best friend. “Were you busy hashing plans out with Saber or something?” he asked.

Morgana nodded as he took another bite of food. “Yeah,” he answered. “We were trying to see if there was another approach we could take and coming up with plans A through Z, though we stopped at around G when Saber smelled your food and her stomach rumbles kept interrupting our discussions. Mash was there, but she didn’t say much. I think she wanted to just listen and learn more than anything. Guess she’s trying to grow.” With a nonchalant shrug, he dug into his stew.

Taking his bottle of water, he sipped contemplatively. He didn’t know Mash all that well, aside from the fact that she had been living in Chaldea her whole life. He had to wonder: what were these Singularities like in her eyes? Was she as focused on combat as he was? What did she like or didn’t like? She had been doing her best to ask about him, but he hadn’t asked much about her in turn. He had to admit, he was curious. Maybe he should talk to her more when they got back to Chaldea…

The doors burst open, causing both Ren and Morgana to whirl around to see what the disturbance was. Out staggered Mash, a flagon in her hand. “Th-there you are, M-Mashter, hic!” she slurred. “Y-you are alwayssss s-s-so hard to keep up, y’know? Why-why-why don’t you teeeeell meeeee your sheecrets?”

“Girlie, you had just one sip of that ale!” came the shocked remark from within the manor.

The two Masters looked at each other. Ren sighed, stood up, and walked to Mash to get her to bed.

Well, at least this situation felt familiar.