-935- Nostalgic?

After leaving the medical department, Rozen found himself unsure of where to go.

Should he return to his room?

Playing games or practicing magic would be the usual options, but he didn't have the mood for either at the moment.

Should he go to the library?

He had already read all the books there, memorized them even. The prospect didn't excite him.

Meanwhile, Olga Marie, Roman, and Da Vinci were busy with Mash's situation. The remaining staff and technicians in Chaldea had their own tasks, and even training areas were temporarily shut down due to resource reassignment. Rozen, at this moment, felt completely directionless.

No, it would be more accurate to say he didn't know where would be a better place to go.

In the past, Rozen might have enjoyed such peace, free to either play games or practice magic without worrying about a lack of things to do. But now, he felt indifferent to everything, as if there was no taste in going anywhere. He stood in the corridor, lost in thought for what felt like an eternity.

When Rozen finally snapped out of his daze, he realized he had unconsciously sat on a bench, staring blankly ahead, completely forgetting the passage of time.

What brought him back was not a person.

"Fou."

With a cute call, Fou appeared in front of Rozen, having silently approached. Fou stood there, looking up at him, making sounds as if expressing emotions with its innocent eyes, conveying a sense of comfort.

"Little guy."

Rozen unconsciously called out to it, prompting Fou to come closer and rub against his ankle.

From Fou's actions, Rozen felt a hint of comfort. It seemed Fou was trying to console him, telling him not to think too much.

Rozen reached out, picked Fou up, and placed it on his lap, stroking its fur.

Looking at Fou in this way, Rozen spoke.

"You're worried about Mash too, right? But because you can't enter the sterile room, you can only run around here?"

Rozen said so.

"Fou."

Fou responded, but it was unclear whether it was an affirmation or not.

However, Rozen was sure that Fou must have visited Mash. After all, in Chaldea, Fou's closest relationship was not with Rozen but with Mash. Now that Mash was down, this familiar little creature must be worried.

The evidence was Fou looking a bit dispirited, its fur a bit droopy.

"It seems we're in the same boat."

Rozen joked, but in this situation, there was a hint of self-deprecation.

"Fou..."

Fou's voice began to sound weak, indicating that its mood was indeed quite low.

"Don't worry." Rozen comforted, while stroking Fou's fur, "No matter what, I won't let Mash die."

Only when saying these words did Rozen's tone carry a strong and resolute determination.

Even if he hadn't found the most effective method yet, when it came to the last resort, Rozen could only resort to extreme measures. Either engraving Mash into his soul, forming an absolute contract, or manipulating her soul with "Taizan Fukan Ritual," even if she had no physical body, he could turn her into his shikigami and let her continue to exist.

Rozen had knowledge of more than one method to keep Mash alive; they just all had their drawbacks.

Therefore, until he had absolute certainty, Rozen could only wait patiently. Mash would continue to stay in the sterile room, adjusting her condition until the final day arrived.

"..."

Fou seemed to sense Rozen's determination, remaining silent with what appeared to be complex emotions in its human-like eyes.

But then, as if sensing something, Fou suddenly raised its head from Rozen's lap, stood up, and puffed up its fur, appearing threatening.

There, a figure was approaching.

"Even in a place like this, being gloomy won't lead to a satisfactory resolution."

When a cold and emotionless voice echoed from the figure in front, Rozen lifted his head and looked ahead.

Soon, a girl dressed in white, with an exotic exposed outfit and a pure white headscarf, standing with an imposing and present demeanor, entered Rozen's view. Her brown skin resembled long white hair cascading down.

"Altera..."

Rozen unconsciously called out her name again.

After the spiritron transfer ended, returning to Chaldea from the control room, the mysterious Servant who disappeared after leaving the room had finally reappeared in front of Rozen.

"Oh, so you're here."

Rozen said to Altera.

Since leaving the control room, Altera had silently vanished, not following Rozen. She seemed to have her own destination, and Rozen didn't stop her, allowing her to move freely.

This seemingly carefree attitude caused unnecessary concern for Olga Marie and others.

After all, Altera was the embodiment of destruction, an invader of civilizations, even feared by Solomon. Allowing such a being to move freely in Chaldea made everyone uneasy.

However, Rozen let Altera go as long as he found it interesting, as she wouldn't be able to exert any power if Rozen didn't allow it.

In this way, he let this girl, who had been confined in a stone chamber, unable to move freely and had been sleeping for an unknown period, explore freely. Perhaps it wasn't a bad thing.

Now, Altera had reappeared.

Rozen's unconventional remark was met with Altera's indifferent response.

"I've always been here, just wanted to see the civilization here."

Altera said so.

"I've seen the outside world too."

As she spoke, Altera's tone changed slightly.

"No life, no vitality, just the taste of desolation and flames, a world that makes one feel a bit nostalgic."

When she said these words, Altera's voice carried no nostalgia, only a strange emotional fluctuation.

Having witnessed the destruction caused by Incineration of Humanity, Altera must have her own thoughts on it, right?

Naturally...

"I already know about the Shield Maiden."

Altera turned her gaze towards Rozen.

"Aren't you planning to save her?"

Such words indicated that Altera was confirming Rozen's ability to save Mash.

At least, Altera confirmed that, as long as someone formed a contract with her, just like Rozen did, they could avoid death.

This point, Altera couldn't have failed to notice, right?

"Make her your possession, just like me. That's all you need to do with that girl."

Altera spoke coldly and straightforwardly.

"Aren't you going to do that?"

She asked Rozen in this way.

Rozen, accustomed to Altera's personality, sighed.

"Let's talk about it later," Rozen said with a sigh. "At least wait until my magic power has grown significantly, or when I have no other choice."

"Is that so?" Altera fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

A complete silence fell between the two, making the atmosphere somewhat awkward.