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Within the walls of Novum Chaldea, times were monotonous, much different compared to the common daily life of the people who lived there. Considering that this place was the center where various Servants from different places and periods of human history resided, Strange things happened constantly—they certainly did, to the point of being almost comical.
Even so, the Queen of Fairy Britain wasn’t interested in these antics for now. Her attention was meticulously organized. Due to this defined hierarchy of interests, one principal question had infested her mind.
"Where is the Master?" The question was simple, born from equally simple curiosity. Morgan lightly tapped her fingers on the arms of her throne, observing her loyal knights kneeling before her.
“He is gathering resources, Your Majesty,” Barghest responded first, keeping her head bowed before her queen. Her sense of duty left her tense while waiting for Morgan's voice to express her thoughts, perhaps explaining her immediate response.
So, gathering resources again? No surprise there; his daily routine was constantly divided between such tasks, even before she arrived here. However, wasn't it a bit late for a resource collection mission? The mediocre magus followed schedules and this does not look like his normal schedule.
“Tsk, that's all this small fry has been doing.” The vampire fairy didn’t bother hiding her annoyance, clicking her tongue in frustration. “It's always training this, simulation that, resource gathering here, 'sorry Baobhan' now, 'I'll make it up to you' later... honestly, how dare he.”
Oh? He’s been busy because of work...
“Master is the only one who can lead us, Baobhan. He has responsibilities to fulfill. You can't act so spoiled towards him all the time.” The blonde hound quickly rebuked her colleague’s lack of professionalism, receiving an eye roll in response.
“Ridiculous, he summoned me; it’s his responsibility to entertain me when I’m bored.” Baobhan’s mocking tone would have earned another retort, but the vampire didn’t bother paying attention, instead turning her gaze to another present in the room. “Hey! Pay attention you oversized lizard ass! Mother asked a question.”
Melusine opened her eyes when called, a quick yawn escaping her as a result of drowsy fatigue. She hadn’t been sleeping but clearly wanted to at that moment. Her eyes blinked briefly, unfocused on anything, mirroring her clouded mind.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I spent the morning helping Master with a mission and couldn’t sleep properly.” Morgan nodded at the explanation; she knew the dragon well enough to understand her sleep cycles. Missing sleep in the morning would certainly make her slow and drowsy later.
But, of course, to help Master with his missions, she would break this cycle. Perhaps because she couldn’t drag him to sleep with her during those hours, her clingy desires to be constantly by his side were mostly hindered by the knowledge that the young man had work to do.
Not that this had stopped her from contemplating the destruction of Chaldea... several times, actually.
“Don’t worry, Lancelot, I understand your reasons.” Even so, the Queen had her questions for the dark-scaled dragon. “Now tell me, you mentioned you worked with Master today.”
At the mere mention of that word, the dragon’s expression shifted dramatically from lazy and distant to more interested and enthusiastic. Notably, Morgan was sure she could see the tail, usually only visible when using Albion's power, wagging happily behind her.
“Yes, my Queen! Flying targets in this expedition. Master trusted me to handle most of them.” Melusine’s aerial combat techniques were unparalleled, and she wasn’t shy about flaunting herself as the best in that regard, in that regard, Master often trusted her on this kind of combat, and others too, considering that... well... the remnant of Albion is strong, even on this servant version, what made her bond with him grow quickly, not much different with the other fae knights of course. “I was sleepy since it was morning, but they were very weak. Besides, I got to be with Master all morning, so I can’t complain.”
“I see. Tell me, Melusine, during the mission, did you notice anything different about our contractor?” A final question to confirm the Queen’s suspicions.
“Different...? I can’t say for sure, Your Majesty. He seemed very focused on finishing the expedition... now that I think about it, maybe too focused.” Melusine gave her observation, a saddened look falling over her as anyone could see that her quota of attention hadn’t been adequately met. “Honestly, he focuses so much on work; it’s good that he’s a dedicated master, but lovers should spend more time together... hmm, I’ll visit him tonight...”
The last part was followed by continuous murmurs directed solely at herself. Morgan closed her eyes at that, reaching the conclusion she needed with that final piece of information... and tried to ignore what she was hearing from Albion’s mouth.
Typical Lancelot.
“I don’t understand, Mother, what made you ask about him?” Baobhan had to ask; after all, what would make the Queen interested in the most normal and 'meh' person in all of Chaldea? Sure, he might be the only master managing all the Servants right now, which made him slightly better than the others 'meh' around, but still, a nobody! “Don’t tell me that small fry offended you somehow?! You demanded his presence and he didn’t show up, didn’t he?? I swear when I get my hands on that neck—”
“Calm yourself, Baobhan.” Morgan promptly stopped her daughter's rage from making further assumptions. “His recent busier routine merely piqued my curiosity.”
A half-truth, the master of Chaldea had indeed forgotten something, which was one of the main factors that made Morgan aware of his recent overworking. But it's okay, Morgan do not judge him for having forgotten the tea meeting with her, he's only a normal, trying to live human and that's part of the charm.
“With your reports, it’s clear his mind is troubled, and it’s causing him to overwork.” She continued, already revealing her thoughts, though not completely.
The fae knights exchanged glances for brief moments, a general confusion that made their momentary incomprehension clear. It lasted only a short time, as the Queen’s words made the gears in their minds work to reach the same conclusion. Their expressions changed quickly, with Baobhan showing more aggressive emotions, something the Queen saw as equivalent to Barghest’s worried face. Melusine kept her expression relatively free of interruption, but of the three, melancholy was most present in her eyes.
“That damn pest keeps ignoring me because of this...” The vampire bit her finger with a look of disgust, not specifically directed at the person she called a pest. Morgan looked at her heir, a smile almost appearing on her face.
How attached she is.
“Perhaps there’s something we can do for him, Your Majesty? Master’s health is of legitimate importance!” A rational request from the wielder of Galatine, one Morgan indeed intended to fulfill.
“Indeed, Barghest. If Master continues at this pace, it may not be long before something harmful happens to him.” The mere possibility of something bad befalling him was unpleasant enough. “Therefore, I’m assigning you all a new mission...”
Morgan rose from her throne, raising her hand towards the knights serving her. A noticeable determination appeared on her face, her cold blue eyes seeming brighter just by being about to deliver her message. Baobhan could almost swear she saw a small movement in her mother’s lips heading towards a smile.
“Listen carefully, my Fairy Knights! You must discover what troubles the Master of Chaldea’s mind and prevent him from continuing at this pace before he gets hurt.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” They responded in unison, as expected by Morgan.
Now, then—
Her train of thought was interrupted as the fae' sensitive ears suddenly picked up animated sounds from outside. Even though silence was made to understand, everything was too muffled to reach a consensus on what was happening. But one thing they could notice: it wasn’t excitement; it was more like urgency and anxiety.
What could be happening now within the corridors of Novum Chaldea? Another singularity? If that were the case, Morgan's mind already felt somewhat troubled at the mere thought. Ritsuka already had enough on his plate; the emergence of a singularity now would only worsen things. She couldn't allow him to be in his worst condition, even if it meant volunteering to resolve the singularity herself.
Sensing the somewhat anxious eyes of the knights upon her, Morgan imagined they were wondering what had happened and sought permission to check. There was no reason to deny them, so the queen waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, releasing the three from their positions to do as they wished.
As they moved towards the door, followed by the queen who also wished to know the reason for the sudden commotion, they found the outside world indeed in a state of agitation. Some Servants were materialized in the corridors, forming a small crowd among themselves, whispering and discussing with a certain urgency.
“Please, calm down. The danger has passed, he will be fine.” A familiar voice immediately caught the attention of the residents of the Sixth Lostbelt. Looking towards a specific spot, they saw a girl with pink hair and bangs over one eye, dressed in casual clothes. She seemed nervous, Morgan could tell, as nervous as the others, but maintained a more professional image, probably to avoid further unsettling an already tense situation.
“Mash...” Morgan whispered, observing her old friend trying to contain some of the emotions around her.
“We haven’t been able to see him since we heard what happened, Mash.” A clear statement of the reason for discontent was delivered, but with this small crowd, it was hard for Morgan to identify who said it.
“Yes! My Master is hurt right now, and I can’t see him. How can you expect me to calm down?!” This time, the voice was identifiable—Kiyohime, another of those who constantly tried to cling to her man. Morgan already had a full list of such people.
This small comment was enough for the discussion to spread again, words flying back and forth in both low and elevated voices. What a commotion; this emotional frenzy was irritating her senses. Morgan crossed her arms; as a queen, her instincts promptly made her seek order in the environment. She couldn’t quite understand what was happening, only hearing repeatedly that her husband had been hurt. The situation worsened when she noticed her friend slowly losing control of the already limited situation.
Enough... it's time to—
“Enough of this ruckus!” A sudden elevated voice quickly drew everyone's attention. A golden presence with a strong aura directed his red eyes at those present, Gilgamesh tapping his fingers on the armrest in clear impatience with the situation. “The mongrel is not in condition for visits. If you’re anxious, return to your work and wait for the proper time.”
Morgan closed her eyes, feeling more relieved internally. Gilgamesh, the proclaimed King of Heroes, was one of the oldest Servants present in Chaldea, here since before the Lostbelts and the first singularities Chaldea faced. She had heard a few times that the arrogant leader of Uruk had a ‘soft spot’ for the Master, at least enough to follow his guidance during missions. As Mash had said, 'They’re strangely in sync with each other!'.
Seeing him act first in defense of the Master seemed to confirm this relationship, one of the first servants of chaldea and part of the master oldest allies, downright direct to the point in ensuring an uninterrupted recovery to his master. Even though they were Servants, the charisma of a king was hard to contest. Naturally, others felt inclined to listen to him, though obedience itself was a more complicated step.
This led to another round of debate, more controlled, but the action of the first legendary figure of humanity encouraged others to take measures of control. Even the dark and strange version of her sister was present, along with that blonde woman in refined clothing she once met at a hotel pool.
Good, the situation was getting under control; it didn’t take long for the golden king to take command of the moment. This meant that Mash was now freer and calmer... in that case.
“Lady Kyrielight.” Barghest moved first; she must have thought the same in this situation. Her sudden approach made the eggplant-haired girl let out a faint squeak of surprise, but she quickly recovered, not without a blush of red caused by the embarrasment of making such noise showing up. “I... apologize for the sudden appearance, but we overheard a bit and couldn't help but ask; what happened?”
“Ah, Barghest.” Mash gave a relieved smile, noticing the fae knights approaching her. “Yes, don’t worry. As for Senpai, well... he got hurt during the last expedition, a chimera hit his torso, so we brought him to the doctor. But it’s all right! Florence and Asclepius have already provided the proper treatment, and Senpai is recovering now.”
Morgan had to hold back a sigh upon hearing this explanation.
“Well, mission failed then... shortly after receiving...” Baobhan didn’t bother hiding her annoyance. “That idiot...”
She had a point. They had recently set the objective of understanding what was troubling the Master's mind to prevent his careless work habits from causing him harm. Yet here they were, discovering that such a thing had already happened while they were talking.
“So, we can’t visit him while he’s recovering?” Melusine needed to reconfirm what she had heard in the discussion, but her somewhat dissatisfied tone already showed her displeasure about it.
“Yes, doctor’s orders. Senpai needs tranquility now to recover. If they open up for visits, it could be harmful... please don’t destroy Chaldea.”
“I’ll think about it.”
"We shouldn't consider ourselves failed," Barghest mentioned, trying to steer away from the topic brought up by the dragon. "I believe we can shift our priorities to ensure that Master has a good recovery now."
"Do you see me as some kind of nurse, mutt dog?" Baobhan promptly protested; the idea of taking care of the injured boy was not appealing to her in the slightest.
Barghest opened her mouth to respond but then her eyes drifted in another direction, causing her to close her lips again. The hellhound of Great Britain let her mind wander to the thought of the vampire having access to the more vulnerable Master, which obviously wouldn't yield good results.
Not that she underestimated his patience; in fact, the knight was certain that patience was one of his greatest virtues. Even so, for the boy's greater good, it was better to leave Baobhan disinterested.
“Hmm.” Morgan finally expressed something, but it was so brief that it was debatable whether it even counted for anything. “Since this has already happened, you are dismissed from the meeting.”
These were the words that followed the murmur shortly after it left her mouth. With the same stoic expression and cold gaze, she dismissed her knights and turned in the opposite direction, walking away from the group.
“Wait, Your Majesty! Where are you going???” Mash expressed her confusion at the queen's sudden actions, but Morgan didn't even look back when she responded.
“Claiming my civil rights.”
Of course, this explanation didn't help anyone, as the confused and lost expressions on the faces of the knights clearly showed... except for Melusine, who allowed herself a small, soft smile.
“Send him my regards as well, Your Majesty,” Melusine requested, but the queen didn't react to this comment.
“What... just happened?” Mash looked at the Fae versions of Gawain and Tristan, who couldn’t respond with certainty.
“I... am not sure, Lady Kyrielight...”
---
In his first moments of consciousness, the weight of his own body hit the Master like a train. A sensation of physical inhibition promptly forced him to remain lying on the bed, which felt so soft that it paradoxically created a sensation of chains pulling his body downward.
Ah, what a mess...
Ritsuka didn’t open his eyes. The little he had lifted his head, he decided to rest it back on the pillow. The following seconds were spent like this, with memories of what had happened slowly returning to his mind. The chimera’s attack had hit squarely when he got too distracted. He could still remember how it felt to have the creature's claws rake across his body—a blow that could have been fatal if Cu hadn’t reacted at the exact moment of the attack.
He had kept his wits about him for a while, likely thanks to the adrenaline, but as soon as the rayshift to return to base was complete, his mind blacked out a few minutes later.
Right, this is the result of his carelessness. Maybe it could be considered a reality check? Being brought back to focus in such a manner seemed... unnecessarily harsh, but hey, Ritsuka wasn't going to question its effectiveness.
...What am I talking about? That hurt like hell!
"Husband."
It took only one call, just one word, but it was enough to send a shiver up his spine from the base to the back of his neck. That voice, monotone, filled with softness and patience, yet also cold and stoic, carried enough authority in just that one word that the last Master of Chaldea knew well enough that not responding was not an option.
Servants, over time, had found different ways to treat him. Some were more honest than others; sometimes they weren't friendly, and other times they seemed... quite intimate. One way or another, he had grown accustomed to it.
But that voice... he could recognize it without needing to open his eyes, even from a distance.
Slowly opening his eyes, Ritsuka had to blink several times to adjust to the brightness. The discomfort was quite noticeable as he struggled to adapt for a moment, but fortunately, the process was quick. After a few seconds, his head stopped throbbing, and his eyes got used to the light.
Okay... his injury didn't hurt. Asclepius was indeed dedicated to his craft.
Turning his head slightly to the side, the Master found himself facing the person who had called him. She sat a bit away from the bed, patiently waiting for him to be fully awake. There she was, her blue eyes as cold as winter, staring at him so intensely that it felt like a predator analyzing the small prey it intended to hunt. In other times, that same gaze would have preceded his death, and he had often wondered how he managed to survive those events day after day.
But does that really matter? As much as those memories were etched into his mind, comparing the way she looked at him now to the disdain her “other” self had shown when she gradually dismantled each of his efforts on the battlefield... It's likely to offend her now; after all, they were far from having that kind of relationship these days.
“Your Majesty!” Even injured, the Master managed to give her a pleasant smile. “How did... you managed to get in?”
Ritsuka was aware of how strict Nightingale and Asclepius were about their hospital rules. No visits during the recovery phase; they didn’t want any disturbances affecting the patient's psychological state, let alone risk any infections.
It was no use trying to argue against them in such cases, so the main question was how Morgan had obtained permission to visit...
“Yes, being able to visit you during your recovery is just part of my rights,” she affirmed, nodding her head. “Even that nurse and the doctor cannot deny it.”
“Eh?”
“Of course.” The voice of Asclepius by his side caused a small startle. Ritsuka turned his face, noticing the doctor in the background, fiddling with a notebook while maintaining the usual stoic expression on his face. “The presence of a spouse can aid in a patient's recovery by improving their psychological state. However, I must ask that you keep the visits brief.”
Spouse?!
“Certainly, Doctor. I do not intend to hinder his recovery.” The Queen of the Fae confirmed the doctor's request. Ritsuka swallowed hard at this.
It's hard to believe she managed to make someone like Asclepius believe this of all people.
“Husband, focus on me.” Perhaps his distraction had displeased the queen, for he felt her gaze almost piercing his head as she delivered the command. Naturally, he obeyed. “Tell me, Master, what led you to make the mistake that brought you here?”
Of course, she would know. The queen of the sixth Lostbelt had more than enough capability to notice when something was wrong.
Maybe it was the post-injury clarity finally giving him the necessary insight to realize the behavioral mistake he had been repeating these past few days. Damn... Had he really been working himself to the point of such negligence?
A sigh escaped his lips; the words died in his mouth the more he thought about what to say. Lying was not an option, not just because he wasn't a person who lied and deceived, but also because the queen's piercing eyes could see much more than just images.
If he lied, she would know, and Ritsuka wasn't willing to risk the consequences.
“Forgive me for this...” He shamefully scratched the back of his neck, unable to meet her gaze directly at this moment. “I was feeling tired, but there was so much to do...”
“So you started working more as you grew tired.” Morgan closed her eyes. It wasn't the first time she'd heard something like this. In fact, she believed she'd heard about the reclusive girl with the bat hood going through the same thing... though with different matters, of course. “You know the damage that can cause.”
“Well, the damage has been done...” Ritsuka laughed a little, an attempt to lighten his own situation. His joke wasn't received with the same grace; the woman opened her eyes to continue staring at him, which slowly killed the boy's small laugh.
“It is normal to make mistakes sometimes, but don't dismiss what happened, my Husband. This injury has caused concern among other Servants within these walls.” Including her, obviously, but she wasn't going to say that. “Learn from this so you don't repeat it. If you’re tired, then step away and rest.”
It was quite obvious with her speaking now, but he hadn't even noticed he was stuck in a loop when... well... he was actually in it. A different perspective always makes us notice details we couldn't see from our own viewpoint.
“Sorry, Morgan, I'll be more careful now.” Self-pity wouldn’t get him anywhere, so accepting the scolding and smiling seemed a better response to the situation.
“I'll be expecting that.” Morgan moved closer, dangerously close. Ritsuka would have backed away if his back hadn't been impeded by the bed.
Nervousness was an understatement to describe what he felt at that moment. She was close enough for her soft breath to be felt on his skin, cold, perhaps like any other attempt to describe the Queen of the Fae, but still so calm that attributing something negative to it was difficult. Without ceasing her gaze, fixing her blue eyes intently on him, Morgan effortlessly cornered the master, placing just a bit of her weight on the hand that kept him pinned in that position.
“Remember, Husband, offer and devote everything to me, that's what I ask. So recover well to do just that.” Her stoic face was decorated with a small smile, but it was this expression that really made him anxious.
“But, Your Majesty—”
Ritsuka didn’t finish his sentence. Not when Morgan leaned in more and closed the remaining space between them. Silence reigned in the room, so much so that any slightest noise would easily echo and its effect would be amplified, even the scribbling sound of a pencil on paper coming from a certain someone.
He froze—how could he not? It was a low blow, made when all his defenses were down, and he didn’t even have the strength to try to oppose what was happening. The air got trapped in his lungs, a consequence of the surprise, not escaping in even the slightest sigh throughout the whole process. When she finally pulled away, he was able to breathe again, even though she had touched him, again and again, in small intervals, until she felt satisfied... for now, at least. And they continued in silence, just looking at each other.
“Queen, you must leave now.” Asclepius emerged amidst the moment, informing Morgan about the visiting time. “Also, do not get so close; we can't risk an infection.”
“Very well, God of Medicine, I will take my leave. My matters with my Husband are clear.” Morgan confirmed, finally stepping back, leaving Ritsuka staring at nothing with a blank expression. “Recover soon, Master, I have other plans for the two of us.”
Again with that smile that could only be described as cynical, enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine, accompanied by the mystery of the shadows that surrounded her intentions and meanings with such a smile. Morgan stood up from her chair and walked away, the last thing she did before passing through the door was to give one last quick glance in his direction until she finally left the room completely.
Raising his fingers, the injured master lightly touched his lips with the tips, without words to describe what he felt in that position.
“Very well, Master, since you’re finally awake, I will begin a check-up. If your condition is good enough, I can allow visitors today.” The doctor slowly approached the bed, his stoic gaze bordering on uninterested, which was surely true. As dedicated as he was, he still preferred challenges for his medical knowledge. “Also, Master, I recommend getting rid of that lipstick.”
Eh?
“L-lipstick?” The confused magus didn’t quite understand what the god was talking about until a click occurred in his mind. As if a revelation, he brought his fingers back to his lips, then rubbed his hand, using enough force to try to clean it. “Did it come off?”
“No.” Simple and direct, typical of the servant.
This time, Fujimaru grabbed the bed sheet to rub against his lips, trying to clean it for about a minute.
“And now—”
“No.” Asclepius delivered another negative response. “Is it permanent then? Master, if you continue like this, I don’t think I can cure post-Kiyohime death... although... yes, it seems like a good challenge.”
“P-post what?!”