No one expected that what seemed poised for a grand battle would turn into both sides sitting down to talk.
Jason, in particular, was mortified, realizing he'd been duped.
"Some guy dreams of burning all human history to fuel a return to the past. Guess how strong the Ark would be, powered by a goddess sacrifice?" Morpheus asked.
Jason replied instantly, "Incredibly strong."
"And where would that power manifest?"
Jason fell silent, not daring to claim the Ark would "bring human happiness" with a goddess as its fuel.
If he said that, he was sure everyone present would thrash him.
He wasn't brainless, though. After a moment's thought, he found an answer.
"The Ark can kill anyone who touches it instantly, even through Heracles' Twelve Labors. If a goddess' sacrifice amplifies it… could it wipe out all humanity in a flash?!"
"Not bad. You've got some brains," Morpheus said.
Jason, though irked by the comment, didn't argue.
It was better than being called "brainless."
This was a silver lining, and Jason perked up.
"After you took down the Mother of Monsters and vanished, we missed you. But an oracle told us not to worry and to keep going…" Jason said, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
He asked, "Where'd you go? You disappeared completely. For decades, I heard nothing about you."
He lowered his voice, "Also, you know Atalanta swore off marriage, but we could all tell she missed you terribly."
He glanced cautiously at Atalanta, relieved she wasn't paying attention.
"I thought she'd hear me," he muttered.
Atalanta's voice cut through. "I heard you."
Jason jumped. "I-I didn't say anything!"
Atalanta gave him an odd look. "I wasn't going to do anything."
"Huh?" Jason blinked, then looked between Morpheus and Atalanta, realizing. "So, you're together?"
"Yup," Morpheus nodded.
Jason leaned in, patting Morpheus' shoulder. "Impressive, bagging her."
He glanced at Medea and Artemis, suddenly at a loss for words.
Impressive didn't cover it. These women's identities? Who in Greece could compare to Morpheus? Maybe Zeus.
But Zeus sneaked around, fearing Hera's wrath. Morpheus? His harmony with these women would make Zeus green with envy.
Jason was jealous but pulled out the Holy Grail. "So, I hand over the Grail, we return to the Throne of Heroes, and history goes back to normal?"
Morpheus nodded. "Exactly."
"Not hard, then. I trust you with it. But can we wait a bit?" Jason grinned. "It's been ages. We've gotta celebrate!"
He activated the Grail's power, and a feast materialized, transforming the ship's deck into a banquet hall.
Roasted lamb, mushroom lamb stew, fresh lettuce, abundant fruits, and, of course, wine filled the scene.
Jason laughed heartily. "We never got to feast together back then. Gotta make up for it now!"
Morpheus looked at him, then smiled and nodded.
Though their past adventures were for fun, those days on the Argo were unforgettable. Reuniting with old friends, feasting, and celebrating felt right.
At the banquet, Morpheus, Jason, and Heracles chatted.
Jason and Heracles were curious about Morpheus' journey, and he didn't hold back, sharing his experiences.
"So you crossed to another world with a completely different history?" Jason asked.
"Yup. I went there too, as my older self," Medea said, smiling. "That world had multiple Holy Grail Wars, but unlike here, it wasn't so chaotic. Its timeline was stable."
"Still wild, right?" Jason took a swig of wine. "The stuff you gave Atalanta ended up in that world. We all knew she treasured it, buried with her. How could it cross worlds?"
Atalanta's cheeks reddened, but she stayed silent.
"Maybe the item itself, or interference by another entity," Morpheus mused. "Could be my future self, or an Outer God, like the Key and the Gate or even God Himself. All possible. My story mentioned my future self appearing in that world's past."
Jason asked, "So, your future self mastered the Fifth Magic?"
Morpheus shook his head. "Maybe not the Fifth. My time-related spells might tie to the Key and the Gate. Could be connected."
"Outer God?"
"Yup, Outer God."
It was too complex to unravel, a waste of time. They decided to set it aside and enjoy the feast.
"They seem close, Senpai," Mash said to Ritsuka, who was eating with Drake and the others.
"Normal, right? They haven't seen each other in ages but were adventure buddies," Ritsuka said, chomping on a chicken leg.
She added, "Didn't expect this adventure to be easier than the last ones. No fighting, just eating and chatting."
Ritsuka glanced at Euryale, the frail-looking goddess gorging on food, far from divine.
Then she saw Artemis, realizing this might be normal for gods.
Asterios, the Minotaur, happily devoured lamb and chugged wine by the bucket.
Despite his bull lineage, he was omnivorous, with a massive appetite for meat.
The feast clearly delighted him.
…
In the command room, Romani and the others watched the feasting group.
After a while, Romani turned to Da Vinci.
"I'm hungry."
Da Vinci sighed. "I'm starting to think we're the ones overreacting, stressing about saving the world. These adventures don't seem tense at all. Look at them... so relaxed!"
"Eating with this Singularity's enemy?!" Olga Marie struggled to comment. No battle, just surrender, feasting, and handing over the Grail?
Was this the grand quest to save human history? It looked like a backyard picnic!
But no matter how Olga Marie wanted to deny it, she knew this was indeed saving humanity's future.
It just felt too easy, thanks to certain people.
After holding out, Romani stood. "I'm getting food. I'm starving!"
Da Vinci hesitated, then followed.
Olga Marie sighed. "Bring me something to eat."
Romani and Da Vinci glanced at her, their looks saying, "A ghost needs food?"
Olga Marie protested, "Ghosts can eat too!"
Servants could eat... why not ghosts?!
And they could eat like normal people!
Her wish granted, a plate of spaghetti arrived, tomato and meat sauce entwined with noodles, sparking her appetite.
It wasn't as lavish as the Singularity's feast, but it comforted Olga Marie.
At least it was good food!
In the cafeteria, Romani and Da Vinci grabbed their favorite dishes and sat together.
"So, how confident are you in that theory?" Da Vinci asked.
They were there to eat and discuss.
"Ninety percent," Romani said, his expression serious. "It suggests Goetia wants to return to the planet's origin, becoming the sole god to control the future."
"You know how to stop it?"
"I do…" Romani took a deep breath. "Even if they fail, I have a trump card. If needed, I'll use it early to give them a shot at victory."
Da Vinci sighed. "You gave up everything for a human identity, and now you'd abandon it for this?"
"A choice has to be made, but I'm not too worried," Romani smiled. "Morpheus' power is unique. He might save humanity without my help."
"True. Lev singled him out for a reason. He's a major asset."
"I have another suspicion," Romani added.
Da Vinci waited for him to continue.
"With Durandal's power in Morpheus' hands, I doubt even Goetia could win. If that sword unleashes its full might, it could slice the planet in half. If needed, he could cut those light bands, disrupting Goetia's spell.
"Without enough magical energy, the spell can't activate."
Romani grinned.
"Once the world's restored, we could spread Morpheus' magic system. It seems better than modern magecraft."
Da Vinci shook her head. "The Clock Tower won't agree."
"They'll be too busy to care. Morpheus' magic is simple to learn, with no talent or Magic Circuits required," Romani said, eyes narrowing.
"With knowledge shared, people will learn fast, growing strong quickly. The Clock Tower won't keep up.
"They might handle ten Magus of equal strength, but a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand?"
Da Vinci stayed silent as Romani continued. "Mystery's fading. Magus are clinging to survival, seeking ways to endure. Morpheus' magic is their best shot.
"To survive, they must abandon their pride in bloodlines and embrace this new system, or they'll be left behind."
"You're confident."
"Of course. Marie and the others didn't see it, but I did. As a high schooler, Morpheus crafted a temple and wore it as armor... a feat beyond imagination.
"With that magical knowledge, he could take on the entire Clock Tower single-handedly."
***
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