chpater 10

7

Chapter Text

"Ah, good morning guys!" Doctor Roman said cheerfully as we entered the summoning chamber. Next to him was Da Vinci with her typical mischievous-looking smile present as she waved casually in greeting. I nodded in response.

"Good morning, doc," I said. "Is everything ready for today's summons?" I asked.

"Yep! All we needed was for you and Ritsuka to arrive. Before we do that, however, I have something to say. While I am the acting-director for the duration of this situation, I am still the head of Chaldea's Medical Department as well. I was hoping to get a chance to talk with the two of you before the next deployment," Doctor Roman explained, sounding rather professional.

"Fair enough. When would you like to have these meetings?"

"I was thinking of doing it tonight after dinner, at least for you. I was hoping to do Ritsuka tomorrow. That is, if neither of you have any objections?" I shot a brief glance at Ritsuka, who was doing the same thing, and we exchanged a nod of agreement.

"Very well" I agreed, earning a soft smile from the ginger-haired doctor. Da Vinci released a polite cough finally.

"Well, while I am glad everyone is having fun, I don't think it will be very useful to continue standing here and chatting," the Caster chided us in bemusement.

"Right," I said, rubbing the back of my head with a laugh. "Rits, why don't you go first?" I said, and the Japanese youth nodded, his bright blue eyes gleaming with excitement as he walked over to the switch, before pulling it.

Instantly the familiar bright light and the three spinning bands appeared, indicating yet another successful attempt. In the back of my head, I wonder what happens if the machine is activated but a Servant doesn't answer the call?

Before I could continue down that rabbit hole, however, the light began fading, and a petite figured could be seen, though their features are hidden. For the sake of Ritsuka's mental health, I'm silently praying that it won't be Kiyohime. The poor lad just isn't ready to deal with that kind of….drama.

Thankfully, my prayer was answered as the new Servant suddenly moved forward, though non-threateningly at least.

The newcomer slammed into a startled Ritsuka before the light had even fully faded away as a familiar voice began speaking rapidly and joyfully.

"Ritsuka! Jacob! It is wonderful to see you guys again!" Marie Antoinette gushed. . Mordred sighed in slight exasperation, though there is not a single ounce of disgust in her response.

"It is great to see you too," Ritsuka said as the Rider released her grip on him, smiling with a slight blush. Yeah, probably going to tease him about that sometime later. I could hear Mordred snickering from her position besides me, and I shake my head good-naturedly.

Yes, Marie's presence here will be a most welcomed addition Chaldea, both on the battlefield and off it. The Flower of Versailles then turned to me. "Are Jeanne and Amadeus here as well?" She asked hopefully. I shook my head slightly.

"No, not yet. We're about to summon one more Servant for the day, however, so fingers crossed," I added as I walked over to the switch, the machine finished being reset. With a nod from Da Vinci, I gripped the metal handle firmly before pulling it down with a soft grunt, activating the machinery.

Once again, the room was filled with light, and I stepped back to stand alongside my first Servant as we waited for the newest one to arrive. I repeated my chant from earlier, especially hoping to avoid that demented Caster Servant responsible for the whole mess In Orléans.

As the light faded, I smiled widely at the figured before us, while the others made their own sounds of excitement (well, other than Mordred). She looked a little different this time, in that she had a simple dark blue cloak with a white mantle and a pair of giant silvery crosses stitched onto the blue was draped over her shoulders and back. Opening her turquoise eyes, she returned the smile instantly.

"Jacob! Told you my intuition was good, didn't I?" She said happily. I couldn't help btu chuckle at her words.

"You did indeed. Welcome to Chaldea, Jeanne d'Arc."

"Hey again, Ruler," Mordred said next to me, giving her fellow blonde a simple, lazy wave of her hand as a sign of greeting.

"Saber of Red," the Ruler replied in an even tone that had Mordred chuckling a bit awkwardly.

"I'm guessing you have all your memories back this time?" Ruler nodded, a stern expression fixed to her features as she eyed the Servant.

"You mean such as how you exhorted me for Command Seals while dealing with Caster of Black's golem threatening to destroy all life?" She asked dryly, causing me to look at Mordred with my own stern expression.

"Mordred…" I said in disapproval, thought in all honestly, I couldn't find myself to be surprised about it.

"Hey, it was a Grail War!"

"Mordred…." I said again, this time in disappointment, though I could understand her logic.

"Well, I did help stop it," Mordred grumbled, crossing her arms.

"That said, let's treat that as being water under the bridge, oui? I look forward to fighting alongside you just as we did in Orléans," Jeanne said, softening her stern expression.

"Yeah, you were pretty good out in the field," Mordred said. I relaxed slightly, having tensed up slightly when Jeanne began looking critically at Mordred. Well, things looked to be going alright again, so that's nice.

"How about Ritsuka and I show you guys around Chaldea?" I interrupted the reunion, getting an eager nod from both of the new Servants, with Marie's being especially energetic.

The tour wasn't exactly anything fancy, especially since most of Chaldea was still closed due to Lev's treachery. We had shown Marie and Jeanne the locations of their assigned rooms, and both of the girls seemed very please with them, though Marie had asked if there were any rules about decorations.

I had paused at that question, before shrugging a bit sheepishly, replying that I would ask Doctor Roman tonight. Honestly, though, that seems like a good idea, seeing that this would take at least several months, if not more, to fix. If that is the case, then it would be rather unfair to deny the Servants who would answer Chaldea's calls both now and in the future the chance of making their own rooms have a more personal touch to them.

Next was the small chapel that Mash had told me about shortly after Singularity F. The late Director Animusphere's father had it constructed during his tenure as the first Director of Chaldea to satisfy the potential wishes of more religious-oriented Servants that might be summoned. To that end, the chapel wasn't devoted to a single religion, to avoid the feeling of exclusion, but regardless of that approach, the serene-feeling room hadn't really been used.

Jeanne's eyes lit up though when she saw it, as I had expected it to. I had figured the Maid of Orléans would appreciate having somewhere to pray, seeing how her religion had formed a huge part of her history.

Then we showed the duo the training rooms, as well as a brief explanation courtesy of Mash about the various functions and uses one could have with them. At that point, an idea popped into my head, and I turned to Jeanne and Marie.

"So, now that we've finished most of the tour, would either of you be interested in requesting everyday-type clothing from Chaldea's seamstress? Since we won't be always on missions, and therefore probably spend a fair chunk of time in Chaldea,

"That sounds exciting! I would love to!" Marie said with her typical energy, while Jeanne nodded with a more serene smile.

"Do you wanna tag along, Mordred?" I asked, whose face went pale. The Knight of Rebellion shook her head frantically, eyes wide.

"No can do, master! I, uh, I wanted to try out some new techniques that I saw from, uh, Sasaki," Mordred said hurriedly, trying to (and in my opinion, failing) mask the fact that Isabella unnerved the English blonde.

I stifled the chuckle by nodding. "Fair enough. So, I guess we will see you in the cafeteria for lunch once Ritsuka and I finish helping our newest members of the team?" I asked. Calmer now that she has avoided the seamstress Magus, Mordred nodded.

"Sounds good. Good luck," she said before spinning around and heading in the direction of the combat simulator room, her hands in her pockets.

"Well, let's go visit Isabella, then," Ritsuka commented, looking at the others with a now-nervous expression. Ah, that's right, he wasn't there when Mordred and I first met the rather….eccentric lady.

Eh, I'm sure it will go well.

….So that was what Mordred had to deal with when I left her with Isabella. That hour-odd long appointment must have been one of the most awkward moments of my life so far.

It had started off fairly well, Isabella having been very genial and welcoming, and also not threatening to fillet the others. Either she was in a mood when I first met her, or she had been more interested in the two French Servants that had stood behind Ritsuka and I.

The orgasmic look she in her eyes at seeing the chance of having two Servants to model on clothing was matched with the idle comment of how she just might have to 'take' Ritsuka and I one day. Thankfully, Ritsuka was just a tad bit too dense to understand either what the woman had said, nor why I had blushed fiercely at that bold statement, as had Jeanne.

Marie, of course, just rolled with it, and of the two, she seemed to have had the most fun throughout the entire duration. Thank god it was done now, and I need to have the doc give Isabella a psyche evaluation or something!

On the bright side, both of the French Servants seemed most pleased with their outfits.

Jeanne was dressed in an outfit that reminded me almost of a college or high school uniform, with a bark blue blazer jacket and matching pants, and a white dress shirt of sorts, complete with a dark blue tie. I felt that the outfit looked smart for the saint, and found myself wondering if there was a particular reason behind her choice of outfit.

As for Marie, she had chosen an elegant, white Sunday dress with red lace trimming. It was simple yet elegant, and rather befitting of the Servant.

As much as she makes me uncomfortable, there is no denying that she has skill and style.

"Looking familiar there, Ruler?" Mordred called out as she leaned against the wall outside the cafeteria, apparently having waited four the five of us before she went inside. Jeanne quirked an eyebrow at the shorter blonde.

"I could say the same to you," the Ruler pointed out. Mordred shrugged lazily.

"Hey, if it works it works. So, how was the experience?" The question was asked for all of us, but I had a feeling she was mainly asking me as she was staring intently, an inquisitive glint in her emerald eyes. I walked over and rested a hand firmly on her shoulder, gripping the red leather softly.

"Mordred, I am truly sorry now for having left you alone with her last time," I said, before letting go with a rueful smile. Mordred blinked once, then she released a bark of laughter.

"Ha! Guess that's karma then, huh?" Mordred teased, and I shook my head. The Saber certainly did seem to be in better spirits compared to when I first saw her this morning. I suppose my words had lifted an invisible weight perhaps. I certainly hope so, and it did feel nice to be able to do something in return for the Servant that has directly saved my life multiple times.

Regardless, I smiled warmly at my partner. "So, how did your 'training' go?" I teased back, causing Mordred to fall silent with a glower before we all entered to eat.

Just as it was for breakfast today, our lunch was most pleasant, especially since this time Mordred didn't have around fifty plates of food to demolish. A part of me still felt like I was dreaming at that moment. The conversation and mood were both light-hearted, mostly involving Ritsuka, Jeanne, Marie, and myself trading stories from our lives back and forth while Mash and Mordred listened in with various degrees of interests.

Therefore, I was unprepared when Ritsuka turned to look at me with a rather intense expression on his face. "I would like for you to start teaching me how to fight today," my friend and fellow Master said, causing the table to fall into silence. Ah, I had been wondering when he was going to ask about that. Well, no time like the present, I suppose. Especially considering the circumstances we are dealing with. I gave Ritsuka a single nod as I swallowed the food I had been chewing before answering.

"Very well, then. Let's see if Doctor Roman has any protective gear, and then we can start in an hour in the training room."

The last time I had been in here, I had gotten my ass handed to me, repeatedly, by Mordred. Ironically enough, I was about to repeat that experience, but this time, I was going to be in Mordred's sabatons, so to speak.

I rolled my shoulders before then cracking my neck, loosening my body. Opposite of me, a nervous Ritsuka had decided to copy my actions, clad in padded gear for protection. A quick explanation to Roman about Ritsuka's request made when we were in France had soothed the doctor's alarm at having been asked for such gear, which he then provided, though with a stern warning that we were not to seriously hurt one another. That, I had told Doctor Roman, was a condition I was more than happy to comply with.

That wasn't to say that Ritsuka wasn't going to experience some pain today, however.

While I preferred to use a sword, having greatly enjoyed the activity thanks to several years worth of fencing, my father had ingrained into me at a young age one of the cardinal rules for Magus: To be a Magus is to walk with death. That meant that he taught me self-defense at a young age.

Older and more renowned Magi family might look down at mine, and call us third-rate magi at best, but one shouldn't have to rely solely on magcraft to defend one's self, as I was to demonstrate personally to my friend.

A number of employees, as well as all our Servants, were watching us from either side. Good to know that in the thousands of years since humanity recorded its history, the idea of watching two guys beating the shit out of each other was still appealing somehow. I resist the urge to roll my eyes and instead focused on Ritsuka.

"I promised that I would teach you how to fight. That means knowing how to fight both with and without a weapon. Today, we begin that process with the step of learning how to attack and defend with just your body. Neither of us will be using magecraft. Agreed?" I ask, to which Ritsuka nodded. The kid's got guts alright. "Good. Now, I want you to try to attack me. I will not move until you swing, so take your time," I said calmly, causing my fellow Master to tilt his head slightly in curiosity before circling around me slightly.

Finally, with a yell, he charged forward, one arm pulled back in preparation to deliver what I think is going to be a right hook. Already, I could see some faults in his stance, giving me the impression that he was trying to copy the actions of actors or comic book punches. His angle of attack was clearly telegraphed the moment he had tensed up, and the fist he had made wasn't the ideal way to make one for punching. That is, unless you wanted to damage your knuckles. Going to have to fix that as soon as possible. I continue to wait with a neutral expression as he throws his clenched fist forward with a grunt.

I tilt my head to the side, and the fist pushes harmlessly by my ear as I lashed out with my own response. I slammed an open palm into his solar plexus, sending him back a yard or so, before shifting my weight into my legs, and lashing out with a roundhouse kick. My foot connected firmly against him, sending him sprawling backwards with a pained yelp.

"Ow! W-what was that?!?" Ritsuka groaned, propping himself up off the ground as I bent down to give him a hand.

"Savate," I said as I hauled him back up onto his feet. "Or rather, a bastardized form of it. My grandfather learnt the basics about it in the forties when he was in France. He taught my dad, who taught it to me. Personally, I prefer using a sword," I said, releasing him.

"Then why aren't we focusing on that first? I highly doubt that kicking a Servant would work," Ritsuka said. I shook my head at that.

"Two reasons, really. The first is that you and I are no match for a Servant, or at least, not in a direct confrontation without Servants. The second reason is that we have only six days or so before our next deployment. We can start on swords when we return, but I'd rather focus first on teaching you how to defend yourself in some way. Makes sense?" I asked, finished with my explanation. Ritsuka nodded after a moment.

"Good to hear that. Now, as you have felt, this might be a bit brutal, and I will apologize for that fact in advance. However, I'd rather you feel sore and tired from sparring and taking hits than seeing you bleeding out on the ground," I said sternly, before softening my expression. "Now, let's get back to it. I want you to watch me, as I show you how to make a proper fist…"

8

Chapter Text

Mordred watched with a raised eyebrow as Ritsuka was sent skidding backwards by another kick. Jacob certainly wasn't holding back, it seemed. At least his training seemed far kinder than hers. Mordred's lip instinctively curled upwards in a sneer for the briefest of moments as Morgan's face appeared in her mind.

Most of her fellow Servants had left after an hour or so has passed by, as did most of the human onlookers. Jeanne and Mash stood a few feet away, but remained silent, watching the two Masters sparring. Unfortunately, it was the other group of people still in attendance that were starting to become a source of annoyance.

The way that some of the young female staff members were giggling at the two reminded her of Camelot. Seeing the Knights of the Round Table sparring against one another had almost always turned into a spectacle, especially for the ladies of the court. Mordred had found them to be vapid airheads at the best of times. Thankfully, only once did one of those pests try to court the blonde knight, having been under the impression like everyone else that she was a man.

After a rather brusque dismissal, no one tried to court the knight. In all honesty, it was still worth the mild rebuke she was given by the king the next day.

Another round of giggles and hushed voices from the bunch of brats had Mordred rolling her eyes before concentrating at seeing her Master demonstrating some kicking techniques.

"He's quite invested in this," Jeanne suddenly remarked softly. Mordred grunted in agreement.

"He's a big fan of teamwork and all that stuff, after all," Mordred replied, still watching Chaldea's two Masters as she spoke. It certainly didn't hurt that Jacob had continued to show many similarities with Kairi. In all honesty, if the guy began dressing in a black leather jacket, wore shaded sunglasses even at night, and began smoking, she would begin wondering if her former Master had somehow been reincarnated.

"You seem protective of him," Jeanne suddenly said, causing Mordred to snap her head to the side, staring intensely at the calm Ruler.

"Yeah? Shouldn't we all be? If they both die, humanity is gone. If humanity is gone, we're gone. I've already died once, technically twice. I'm not exactly interested in living up to the saying of 'third time's the charm'," Mordred snapped defensively.

"Be that as it may, I was just commenting on how you seem to be more focused on protecting your Master, and not just both of them," Jeanne replied unflinchingly. Mordred scoffed and shook her head, looking away from the now-smiling Ruler. Instead of answering, Mordred refused to respond to that comment, having grown both bored and disinterested in it. She noticed that Ritsuka had managed to dodge a kick her Master had sent at him, and managed to tackle Jacob to the ground, though her Master quickly recovered with a laugh and a wide, pleased smile as he congratulated his 'student'.

What nonsense was she implying? Jacob was a friend, and a damn good one at that! She wasn't exactly in a hurry to have to see the end of his company, so of course she would protect him! The fact that he was willing to look past her actions in life certainly did help.

So just what was Ruler trying to say, then?

The thought bothered Mordred as she continued to watch the two sparring, left alone in her thoughts until the session finally ended.

Apparently, the kitchen staff of Chaldea, which turns out to have been the only department to have been unaffected by Lev's sabotage, had decided to make a celebratory dinner for the efforts of Ritsuka, myself, and our Servants.

With much gusto did I devour a medium-rare ribeye, the center of the beef a cool red, and I savored every bite. Mordred had gotten two steaks, while Mash and Ritsuka had settled on hibachi-cooked rice and beef, and the two seemed to enjoy it.

Just as much as the desire to save and reunite with our families bolstered the spirits of Ritsuka and myself, the sight of such pleasant scenes further helped reinforce our moral. Despite a number of minor bruises, the unenviable result of training to fight, Ritsuka seemed extra energetic. No doubt that was because the feeling of being less useful than everyone else was being counteracted. By the time I had called today's round of training over, the Japanese Master had learnt how to block blows with his forearms and to throw fists properly. A very good start, especially considering how he had tried to punch me when we started. He was a good lad, his heart in the right place, and I am proud to call him friend.

Sadly, I couldn't stay for too long, and after I had finished eating, I politely made my excuses before heading out for my meeting with Doctor Roman.

I rapped my fist against the closed door of Doctor Roman's office a bit nervously. The reason why was not so much for any particular reason, but rather just my nerves playing up. I could hear the muffled sound of movement, and took a half-step back from the door as it slide open, revealing a smiling Roman.

"Ah, right on time, Jacob! Come in, come in," he said cheerfully, gesturing at me, and I stepped inside, taking a quick look at his working station.

It looked like a chaotic mess in a way, and yet it felt organized at the same time. Stacks of papers covered the desk that was pushed against the wall, and I could see a mixture of clear and somewhat messy handwriting. Mission reports, perhaps?

Doctor Roman gestured at a pair of chairs in another corner, sitting down in one, and I sat in the other, looking intently at my boss.

"Okay, so, first thing's first, Jacob. This conversation will be kept between us, and only us. Second, right now, I am not the acting-director of Chaldea, but a doctor, so feel free to share as much or as little as you want. Does that sound agreeable to you?" I shrugged but nodded, curious to hear what kinds of questions the man had for me.

"Great! So first, let's start with some simple questions. How are you doing? I don't mean at this moment," Roman added hurriedly as I titled my head in slight confusion. "I mean, how are you doing overall? Are you finding yourself adjusting well to Chaldea, stuff like that," he explained, resolving that brief bout of confusion.

"Ah, ok. I think I am doing well under the circumstances," I said slowly, and the doctor nodded and wrote something down on his clipboard, having angled it slightly so as to prevent any temptations or attempts to read whatever it was that he would be writing. "Honestly, if it wasn't for Mordred's insistence on confronting me after Singularity F, I don't think I would have been as much help as I suppose I have been."

"So, would you say that you and Mordred are close?" Roman asked. I nodded once.

"Yeah. At least, I would like to think so."

"I do, too. The two of you seem to have a good work chemistry, just as Mash and Ritsuka have between them. A Servant and a Master who work very well together is a most formidable pair," Roman commented.

The conversation continued along these lines for the next five or so minutes. I had a feeling that, in addition to being the standard procedure for this kind of thing, Doctor Roman was trying to ease me into this, before he began asking more serious and heavy questions. Sure enough, it appeared that was the case.

"How are you coping with witnessing Olga Marie's death?" Roman asked rather kindly. I sighed and bit the corner of my lip. A part of me instinctively wanted to say that I was fine, and that I wasn't letting it affect me. Considering how I lost my composure at Caster Gilles, however, that would be a lie.

"With difficulty," I finally admitted, sighing once more. "My parents always told me that I had a bit of a protective streak. No one can argue that what that bastard did to her was beyond cruel, but it was horrible to see it first-hand and do nothing."

"I see. Do you think it has impacted your decisions while in France?" Roman asked without judgment, writing another thing down on his clipboard. I hesitantly shook my head.

"No, I don't think so. Or at least, not seriously," I admitted. "I didn't want to lose any of our teammates. That doesn't mean that I am convinced that we can win without loss," I admitted, reflecting on the loss of Marie only a few days ago.

Even though she was back with us, the memory still hurts. Roman hummed softly, saying nothing for a minute or two before finally breaking the silence. "What do you intend to do if you come across Lev?" I felt my face harden, as a cold fury gripped my chest tightly

"What would I do, Doctor Roman? I will make him pay," I vowed solemnly, unwilling to waver from this goal, short of allowing it to distract myself from aiding in our efforts to save humanity. "What else would I do?"

Far away from Chaldea, in a place outside of time and space, seventy-two shadowy figures stood in a circle, deep in discussion.

"The defeat of Demon-Lord Gilles was unexpected."

"You made a mistake in not truly finishing the job."

"This is of no consequence. I will be going to the Second Singularity, and deal with matters there personally. This is not a setback, only a delay," the first voice responded in a mixture of what humans might call confidence and arrogance. They were not humans, though, and so the ideas of human terms mattered not.

All voices fell silent as a new voice spoke up. It sounded like it had a reverberation, speaking not as a single voice but as if of many.

"Ensure that you do, Flauros. In the meantime, we will continue moving forward. You will leave now, however. Understood?"

"Crystal."

"Good. The plan is proceeding as intended. That will  continue to be the case. These two 'Masters' are nothing more than lucky insects, who will be crushed by the next Singularity. They can only delay us, and soon they shall not be able to do even that."