After returning from Northern Europe, New Chaldea enjoyed a rare period of rest and recovery. During this time, the Lostbelts of the outside world still hung over their heads like the Sword of Damocles, but life inside the special spacetime bubble of the Wandering Sea was unexpectedly—or rather, strangely—filled with a normal atmosphere.
Of course, the source of all this was Steve, the self-proclaimed Savior belonging to all humanity. However, when pressed by Sion, he confidently presented his own theory: "Without building relationships, exclusivity cannot be born," and used it as a shield to survive.
But as the law of inertia dictates, once an object starts moving, it is not easily stopped. And Steve's restless heart was moving in the same way—especially toward Fujimaru Ritsuka.
Ever since that accidental contact in the maintenance tunnel, a subtle chemical reaction had begun to sprout between the two. What was originally a simple senior-junior or master-servant relationship had now taken on an inexplicable, persistent quality.
In any case, she—the last Master of humanity—had begun to radiate an irresistible maternal glow.
On the other hand, Steve was shamelessly drawn to it.
"Ahh… I'm so tired. I over-adjusted the Shadow Border's engine parameters, and my head feels like it's about to overheat…"
One afternoon, in the public lounge.
Steve let out an exaggerated sigh and flopped heavily onto the sofa. Just before his head could hit the hard armrest, a pair of thighs—not particularly plump, but exceptionally soft—naturally caught him.
"Steve, good work today."
Ritsuka held a book on basic magical theory in her hands, her eyes never leaving the page. She gently reached out and stroked his hair as if soothing a large cat. "Want to take a nap? I'll wake you before dinner."
"Mmm… Then I'll leave it to Master."
Steve let out a satisfied sigh and snuggled even closer to her.
That touch, that scent, that gentle sensation that enveloped every whim—it was truly a miraculous remedy for a weary soul.
His apparent age did not always match his own expectations, but his charisma was undeniably striking. However, this heartwarming scene (for the parties involved) was undoubtedly nuclear-level mental pollution for any onlooker.
Not far away, Sion, who had been pretending to drink tea, crushed the titanium-alloy pitcher in her hand to pieces.
"…According to Article 72 of the Chaldea Employee Code of Conduct, excessively intimate behavior in public spaces is prohibited."
Sion pushed up her reflective-lens glasses and spoke through gritted teeth. "Steve, you said you belong to no one, but that doesn't mean you can treat the public lounge like your personal harem!"
"And Ritsuka! Don't accept it so easily! Where did your sense of caution go? Where did your sense of shame go?!"
"Eh? But Steve looks really tired."
Ritsuka looked up with a completely innocent expression. "Besides, everyone works so hard in battle, so it's only natural to rely on each other, right? It's the same as when Mash leans on my shoulder when she's tired."
"That's different! Completely different!"
Sion frantically tugged at her hair. "What is this? Is this what they call innate cunning? Is this the glow of motherhood? Damn it… I didn't account for this factor in my calculations at all!"
Seeing Sion's face filled with anger and helplessness, Steve, who had been using his lap as a pillow, showed a faint, almost imperceptible evil smile.
This was truly the art of balance.
…
Late Night at the New Chaldea Cafeteria
However, this peaceful daily life, filled with the sweet-and-sour scent of romance and the tension of the battlefield, would soon encounter a small "interlude."
It was a dark, windy night.
A strikingly beautiful woman, clad in a black bodysuit and radiating a dangerous aura, quietly infiltrated the Wandering Sea base.
Koyanskaya.
This Alter Ego, an apostle of the Alien God, was also a larval Beast who had decided to toy with humanity.
The purpose of her visit this time was simple: to poison the animals.
According to her script, New Chaldea should currently be in a peaceful post-war period. If she could sneak into the cafeteria and add a little ingredient to the cake that the chubby Goredolf loved so much, she could easily paralyze the troublesome humans, force them to head to the next Lostbelt—Chinese Lost Belt—in search of an antidote, and conveniently turn them into pawns for her own entertainment.
"…Hmph, you fools with not a shred of caution."
Koyanskaya stood at the cafeteria entrance, a small bottle of poison in her hand emitting an eerie purple glow as she wore a smug smile. "Let me teach you the taste of despair…"
She reached out and gently pushed open the cafeteria door.
"Excuse me~ I've come to deliver a late-night snack…"
However.
Her voice caught in her throat.
What she had expected was a quiet scene of a few staff members having a midnight snack. That did not happen.
Instead, a grand spectacle unfolded, as if it were a team-building event in Throne of Heroes.
The cafeteria was brightly lit and full of vitality. Long tables were piled high with all kinds of delicious-looking dishes, and people were packed tightly around them as far as the eye could see.
On the left, the Artoria Team led by Artoria Pendragon (Saber) was engaged in an eating contest, with plates stacked so high they nearly reached the ceiling.
On the right, Gilgamesh (Archer) and Ozymandias (Rider) laughed together, their golden radiance dazzling.
In the corner, an Assassin quietly cut into a steak. His massive sword, capable of severing cause and effect, leaned against a chair.
At the very center of the crowd, surrounded by countless Heroic Spirits, stood the last human Master, Fujimaru Ritsuka.
She was smiling as she fed cake to a tiny Jack, who was no bigger than the palm of her hand.
Behind her, Minamoto no Raikou, Boudica, and other maternal Heroic Spirits watched her with loving (and special) gazes.
A rough count showed there were at least 200 Servants present.
And the most terrifying thing was…
The moment Koyanskaya pushed open the door, the 200+ Servants—who had been eating, drinking, or chatting—all stopped at the same time.
Over 400 gazes.
They carried the weight of divinity, demonic killing intent, and the gravity of legend.
All eyes focused on the pink figure standing in the doorway.
The air froze.
Koyanskaya felt as if an invisible hand was tightly squeezing her heart.
It was terror born from biological instinct—the terror of facing an invincible natural enemy.
Poisoning them was out of the question.
She even suspected that if she moved a single finger right now, at least 50 Noble Phantasms would rain down on her face in the next instant.
"Th-that is…"
Koyanskaya's smile froze like a cheap mask, cold sweat dripping down her forehead. "In other words… I… came to deliver takeout?"
"Oh?" Steve, seated at the main table with a glass of red wine in hand, raised an eyebrow. "Takeout? We didn't order fox meat, did you?"
"Kyaa!"
The moment she heard those words, Koyanskaya's fur stood on end.
"I'm sorry! I got the wrong door!"
Without the slightest hesitation or doubt, this toy known for her cunning and cruelty displayed the fastest speed she had ever shown.
She slammed the door shut and vanished down the corridor in a pink afterimage, almost instantaneously.
Her speed was so great that even Chaldea's alarm system didn't have time to finish sounding the first alert.
"…"
A brief silence fell over the cafeteria.
"Was that… Koyanskaya?" Ritsuka, still with half a piece of cake in her mouth, blinked in slight confusion. "What was she doing here? Was she really delivering takeout?"
"They were probably here to test Chaldea's security system." Steve shrugged and downed his red wine in one gulp. "It seems our security is quite solid. Not even a fly could get in."
"Really?" Ritsuka tilted her head but quickly stopped worrying about it and continued feeding Jack. "Well, whatever… Everyone, keep eating! We've finally got everyone together, so we can't let some weirdo ruin it!"
"Ooh—!"
Morale soared, and the cafeteria regained its lively atmosphere.
Only Steve kept his gaze fixed on the door, a faint hint of mockery in his eyes.
Even though the poisoning incident from the original story had been turned into a farce, they could not let their guard down.
Because that lost belt—the unified kingdom of human intellect—was still waiting for them.
…
Several Days Later – Strategy Meeting in the Central Control Room
Although the immediate threat of poisoning had vanished, Chaldea's journey continued without pause.
A holographic model of Earth was displayed on the massive screen.
The area where China once stood was now covered by a colossal storm, its landscape starkly different from the surroundings and exuding an atmosphere of solemnity and oppression.
Lostbelt 3 – The Unified Wisdom Nation of True Qin.
"According to Trismegistus II's calculations, the coordinates of the next Lostbelt have been identified." Sion stood before the control panel with a serious expression. "It is located in China in 210 BC, with a Lost Depth of E—the shallowest depth detected so far."
"Depth E?" Director Goredolf stroked his mustache, looking somewhat puzzled. "Does that mean this Lostbelt is extremely fragile? Does it mean it will be easy to resolve?"
"No, Director." Steve shook his head, his gaze fixed on a point on the screen. "A low Mystery level does not necessarily mean weak power."
"On the contrary, it may mean that this world's perfection is extremely high, capable of maintaining a highly stable state without relying on the magic of the Fantasy Tree."
"A world that achieved perfection solely through human wisdom, without needing gods or mysteries."
He turned around and looked at Ritsuka and Mash, who were already fully prepared to depart.
"This enemy may be more troublesome than the previous Thunder Emperor or Surtr."
"Because we are facing the emperor who achieved unification for the first time in human history—the ruler who transcends spacetime and holds the entire world in his grasp: the First Emperor."
Ritsuka took a deep breath and clenched her fists.
She no longer felt the pain of addiction, but the heavy sense of oppression remained.
It came from the weight of history and the challenge toward the future.
"No matter who the opponent is, it doesn't matter."
Her eyes sharpened. "To reclaim the future… we must all overcome the past."
"Shadow Border, engine start!"
Da Vinci-chan's voice echoed from the radio.
["All personnel, ready! Destination: Chinese Lostbelt! Let's go!"]
With a roar, the vehicle broke through the Wandering Sea's barrier and charged toward the unknown True Kingdom and its legendary emperor.
…
…
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