Chapter 2: [Prologue - 02]

I adjusted my hair while putting on my Chaldea uniform.

Fate/Grand Order. In my previous life, it was a 'game.' It was the kind of app that was practically a dictionary or a novel, played more to see the story or to hear the characters' voices and lore than for the gameplay itself.

Still, for the fans who loved it, the occasional peak story moments and character charm combined to keep it at the top of the mobile game revenue charts.

Well, there were certainly lines, characterizations, and plot points that went off the rails and drew criticism, though.

And this workplace I’d joined without a clue, simply because I wanted to talk to a hero of the past at least once—the Security Organization for the Preservation of Human Order, Finis Chaldea—was the stage for that very Fate/Grand Order.

To put it bluntly, staying here meant either dying or suffering enough to wish I were dead.

Chaldea’s role was the preservation of human history. Simply put, it was created to prevent the extinction of humanity.

Perhaps because of that, it was a place with more scientific elements than most. Mages, by nature, generally dislike science and modern things.

They claim it thins the 'Mystery' or whatever.

"Seriously... Screw you, past me."

Even if I left things alone, the final Master, Fujimaru Ritsuka, would take care of it.

The protagonist of Fate/Grand Order would handle smashing the Demon God Pillars, go to the Time Temple, beat the Goetia-wearing-Solomon's-face with a shield, and create a happy ending!

But I had walked into Chaldea—the partner in all that hardship—on my own two feet without a single thought.

No, wait! It’s true that since I was an orphan, I entered the Clock Tower through the old man’s connections!

And I hated how stifling it was!

So, around the time I was debating whether to move or emigrate, I saw the job posting for Chaldea and thought, 'Ooh,' and joined! That part is true!

But I never heard it was this kind of workplace!

I’m sure the person who wrote the ad, and even the Director, didn't know they'd end up having to restore the Human Order!

'Calm down, calm down. Even if I do nothing, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash Kyrielight will handle it. I just need to stay still and work as a supporter. There won't be any big issues... Ah, holy crap!!'

The bomb!

Right, I remembered.

The prologue of Fate/Grand Order begins with a bomb exploding here in Chaldea.

Because of that, the original staff and the elite Masters of Team A are all put into a state of suspended animation.

That’s why the basic story of Fate/Grand Order involves Fujimaru Ritsuka, the sole remaining Master of humanity, clearing Singularities alongside his partner and Demi-Servant, Mash Kyrielight.

In other words, if I stay still like this, the bomb will go off. And a lot of people will die.

Ugh. I covered my mouth as the urge to gag returned.

The realistic dream I had earlier resurfaced. The atmosphere and scenery were definitely similar to what I had seen in the game.

Should I call that a prophetic dream?

Was that the future that would have happened if I hadn't regained my memories?

Those vivid sensations still made my skin crawl. Certainly, if I stayed still, I wouldn't die.

No, only I wouldn't die.

'So what? It's not like I can do anything about the bomb now. A mere employee like me doesn't have the authority to stop the experiment. Even if I said there was a bomb, no one would believe me. There's no way my credibility is higher than the culprit, Lev Lainur. Yeah, it can't be helped. It's not like I'm Kirschtaria. Heroic deeds don't suit me. It's just how it is.'

I couldn't stop the bomb from exploding.

Yes, it was unavoidable.

...But was there really nothing I could do?

The Director might not believe me, but Doctor Roman or Da Vinci-chan might.

But even then, I had no evidence, and the ultimate authority over the schedule lay with the Director, Olga Marie.

If she dismissed my words as a delusion, that would be the end of it. If Lev Lainur, the person she trusted most, believed me, the story might change—but that bastard is the one who planted the bomb.

He wouldn't believe me, nor would he defend me.

Meaning... no matter how much I struggled, I couldn't stop the explosion itself from my position.

"Dammit, I'm not this kind of person."

I quickly grabbed my coat, stepped out, and checked my watch. There were 10 minutes left until my shift started.

A diligent person would have already arrived... No, wait. In that dream, my arm was blown off because I was hit by the blast from quite close range.

Whether it was a dream or not, there was a possibility it was the future that would have occurred if I had known nothing.

Delusion or reality, it didn't matter to me now that I had regained the memories of my previous life.

I didn't know if it was a hallucination, but the light had definitely erupted from right beneath the Director.

In other words, the bomb was right under Olga Marie, the Director.

The reason a lowly employee like me was right next to a high-ranking person like the Director wasn't because she liked me or because I had a special mission.

The Director had personally kept me there to give me a lecture after the experiment as punishment for being late.

If I ran now and arrived on time, she might not keep me there since I wouldn't be late.

I thought rationally.

What would change if the Director lived?

Did it mean only the Director was important, and the others could die for all I cared?

Various moral dilemmas and emotional questions dominated my brain.

It provoked me, making my state of mind unstable.

'I can't save the others. I don't know where or how all the bombs will go off. I can't save everyone in that massive control room by myself. But I know the Director's position. I saw with my own eyes where that specific bomb exploded. Dammit, forget whether it's a delusion or not!'

Saving her might change things strangely.

The progression might get twisted.

No one knew if the Director's survival would be a plus or a minus.

The Director I knew had a bit of a petty streak, so that might negatively affect Fujimaru Ritsuka.

Saving her might even lead to the failure of the Singularity restoration.

But unfortunately, it seemed my hypocrisy wouldn't let me stay still when I knew someone was going to die and I might be able to save them.

And above all, whether as a person or a superior, even if she wasn't the 'best' person, I respected the way she ran toward her goals.

"Fine, let's be late."

"Ho, that's quite a bold statement. So bold I can't believe it's being said in the middle of the hallway. Putting aside the content of the remark, that is."

"...Director?! No, why are you here? I thought you'd already be in the control room thinking about today's Rayshift experiment."

"I remembered I left something in my room, so I'm on my way back from picking it up."

The Director, Olga Marie Animusphere, said as she showed me the documents in her hand.

She was the Director of Chaldea—the highest-ranking person here, so to speak. She was likely in her mid-twenties.

Being in such a high position at a young age, the pressure weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Perhaps because of that, she was stricter than necessary. Honestly, while she was someone I respected, if you asked if she was a 'good' superior, I’d have to tilt my head in doubt.

That aside, she was quite a beauty, possessing striking silver hair and gold eyes.

Her complexion was pale.

It was clear she hadn't been able to sleep or eat properly because of today's Rayshift experiment.

She wasn't fragile enough to run away from extreme tension, but she wasn't strong enough to face it with composure either. Simply put, she was an ordinary person.

Though her talent and achievements were anything but ordinary.

"But... to think I'd run into you on the way. Did the sun rise in the west today? You, actually attempting to arrive on time? You're famous alongside Romani for never keeping to the clock. I thought, 'Ah, since it's the day of the important Rayshift experiment, even he's pulling himself together.' ...Let's be late?"

"I can't explain the reason, but there is one, so I'd appreciate it if you'd forgive me."

"A reason you can't explain to your boss is the same as having no reason at all. You idiot!"

"Wait! Director!! My ear!! My ear's gonna tear!!"

"Human skin isn't weak enough to tear from just this! Don't worry! Even if it does tear, the Chaldea medical staff here will treat it properly! You're getting a lecture after the experiment! Today, I'm going to fix that flimsy spirit of yours! Stay in the control room quietly until the experiment is over!"

I mean, I got what I wanted!

But not like this... I didn't want it like this! My ear's gonna rip off!

***

The Rayshift experiment.

A form of time travel that involves spiritron-converting a mage and transmitting them into the past—commonly known as a Rayshift.

A low-level staff member like me didn't know the details, but it was said to be a ritual to intervene in events, find Singularities occurring in space-time, and either resolve or destroy them.

Using this system, it was possible to perform Heroic Spirit summoning, which would normally require the backup of a Holy Grail, and at the moment of summoning to Chaldea, a temporary form of pseudo-incarnation was possible.

Since magical energy was provided through Chaldea, the burden on the Master was relatively light.

Today's experiment was to correct Singularity F, a Singularity that had occurred in Fuyuki City, Japan.

It was the first practical experiment and a crucial one that would determine how the Clock Tower judged Chaldea's value.

'Everyone's working so hard.'

I thought as I watched the people moving busily. I myself had never lived that diligently.

I could only use two types of magecraft, so honestly, it was embarrassing to even call myself a mage.

My total mana capacity was perfectly average, and if you asked if my Circuits or quality were excellent, the answer was no.

If there was one thing unusual, it was that my mana recovery speed was faster than others, but if you asked if that was a major advantage, the answer was also no.

"Tell the Team A Masters to stand by in their Coffins soon. And do one more vital check just in case. It wouldn't be good if something happened to them. Also, keep the observation of Singularity F going without pause."

As I was thinking how hard she was working, someone approached me from the side.

"I heard you made Olga angry again today. Good grief."

"Calling it 'making her angry' is a bit harsh. I just had the bad luck of getting caught. It's not like a low-level guy like me is much help in an important place like this anyway. Yet the Director gets angry at me, argues with me, and even drags her exhausted body to give me a lecture after everything's over. Her diligence has reached the level of madness."

"The madness of diligence, huh... Hehe, that's an interesting expression. Talking to you is always pleasant because I get to hear such amusing things."

"Glad to hear it."

Lev Lainur. One of the people belonging to Chaldea, and a Demon God Pillar... a person on the side of the masterminds. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say this man started the events of Fate/Grand Order.

Because of his bomb, Chaldea reached the brink of collapse. If Fujimaru Ritsuka, the single Master, hadn't survived, human history would have ended.

That was how much this man was trusted and how deeply he had infiltrated Chaldea. In particular, the trust the Director placed in Lev was extraordinary.

That’s why no matter how much I shouted about a bomb being planted, no one would believe me.

Without evidence, claiming there's a bomb is just shouting into the void.

Furthermore, since this experiment was so important, they would ignore an opinion like mine. ...It was painful to remember the saying that one should build up trust in advance at a time like this.

"It's a bit late to ask, but I never understood why you came to Chaldea. I didn't feel any passion from you. You don't seem particularly curious, nor do you seem to have a spirit of service to devote yourself to human history. Of course, you might have just come here without knowing anything at first, but when you realized the work here wasn't that easy, you could have quit. May I ask why you specifically stayed at Chaldea?"

"Mr. Lev, you sound too much like an old man."

"An... old man?"

"People don't always have a reason for being where they are. Often, they just end up there by going with the flow. That's me. There are people like me who drifted here without a sense of purpose, and there are people like the Director over there who work diligently with a clear goal. Don't you agree?"

"Hearing you evaluate Olga so highly is very pleasing as her acquaintance. However, I'm somewhat skeptical about her having a 'clear goal.' She is simply wishing. For something stable. Something to comfort her heart."

"That is a sense of purpose."

"...Ho, so you call running just to escape a sense of purpose?"

"Who knows what's at the end of the path? And wanting stability is also a goal. Doesn't everyone say it? A stable job, owning a home... humans tend to wish for stability. Among such humans, wouldn't the ones who uniquely wish for chaos be the ones called heroes? Or maybe there are those who become heroes because they want stability to an extreme degree. Either way, once something crosses a certain threshold, whether positive or negative, it can be called a purpose."

"I see. So even if one runs to escape, that too is a sprint for a purpose."

I didn't have that. I was coincidentally picked up by the old man, coincidentally learned magecraft, coincidentally entered the Clock Tower, and coincidentally ended up at Chaldea.

Even though the memories of my previous life had returned, what I had to do wasn't much different. It wasn't like I had possessed the protagonist of this work, Fujimaru Ritsuka, so there was no need for me to step forward.

Even my move to save the Director was just because I personally wanted that person to live.

A selfish, timid, and self-centered guy like me could never be the protagonist of a story.

I’ll just quietly act as a supporter and watch the 'beautiful story'—as certified by a Beast—of Fujimaru Ritsuka clearing the Singularities.

"Hmm...? Uh?"

"What's wrong?"

I felt a sense of dissonance.

Something was wrong. There was supposed to be a scene where the Director slapped Fujimaru Ritsuka for dozing off during the Master training and kicked him out of the room.

But why... wasn't that event happening? While the Director was explaining things to the Masters, no such event occurred.

No one dozed off, and no one moved. It ended normally and boringly. Huh?

The dissonance grew stronger. My body froze because I couldn't understand what was happening. My brain seemed to freeze too, as I repeatedly replayed my memories of the Director's Master training.

Whoosh. The door opened, and a somewhat unreliable-looking man walked in with a grin.

"Oops, sorry I'm late. But I'm not technically late, right? Just barely on time?"

"You're late! How can the head of the medical team arrive at the very last second?! Especially on a day like today! Get ready, quickly!"

"Urgh, the Director seems in an even worse mood than usual today."

"It's probably because she caught this fellow here trying to be late as well."

"Oh, you too?"

Romani Archaman. Despite his high rank as the head of the medical team in this massive Chaldea, he had a down-to-earth personality.

He was friendly even to low-level staff like me and occasionally showed a clumsy side, so in terms of popularity among employees, he was in a different league compared to the Director.

Since he was good at his job, he was what you'd call an elite among ordinary people.

Well, as anyone who played the game would know, his true identity was Solomon.

His end was said to have touched the hearts of many. I didn't dislike him to begin with, but now that my memories had returned and I recalled the game's content, he seemed like an even better person.

I wanted to do something about that too, but that seemed beyond my reach.

No, future events weren't the problem right now. I quickly approached Romani.

"Doctor Roman! The Masters—you remember the names of all 48 Masters, right?!"

"Uh, yeah... I'm the one in charge of their physical and mental exams, including health checks. I at least remember their names."

As expected, he was an elite (lol)! He was much smarter than someone like me, and though he seemed full of openings, he was a diligent man! That’s the Doctor for you!

"Is there... a person named Fujimaru Ritsuka?"

"Huh? Hmm..."

The Doctor thought for a moment. According to the original story, you should have already met him. I don't know if it's 'him' or 'her,' but you should have met and chatted.

You were slacking off in his room until the Director called! That’s the original story!

Why are you tilting your head like you don't know? After thinking for a moment, the Doctor looked at me and waved his hand.

"No, there's no one with that name among the 48 Masters this time. Are you mistaken about something? More importantly, are you okay? Your face is pale."

"I'm... okay. Just a bit dizzy."

"Really? Sorry, I have to get to work. If you're feeling unwell, come by for a checkup later."

"Oh, I should be going too. Have a pleasant time, then."

I slowly stumbled and leaned my hand against the wall. What is this... He's not here? Fujimaru Ritsuka isn't here? Meaning, this world is a 'FGO world without Fujimaru'?

How can that be? This is practically a Singularity in itself. If he's not here, who on earth is going to restore the Singularities? ...No, wait. Wouldn't Team A be able to do it?

Up until now, I hadn't thought deeply about it because I figured Fujimaru Ritsuka would handle everything regardless.

Even if Chaldea's situation turned dire due to the bomb, I believed Fujimaru Ritsuka would save human history.

But if things were like this, the story changed.

Right now, the existence of human history was about to vanish.

At least Team A... at least... if Kirschtaria is alive, it might work out somehow.

Dammit, I have to stop this somehow. But how? Even if the situation has changed, what I've been given remains the same.

I couldn't persuade anyone, I couldn't stop it, I couldn't do anything.

Should I give up on saving the Director and try to rescue Team A? No, they're already in the Coffins, how would I save them?

If they've already entered the spiritron state, a mistake might actually kill them.

"Then, we will begin the Rayshift experiment for Singularity F."

"Wait! Director! Stop! Stop the Rayshift right now!"

"What?! What are you talking about now?! Stop saying nonsense and go back to your post!"

"I'm not joking! It's dangerous like this! You might not believe me, but we have to stop right now and investigate the control room!"

"Don't be ridiculous. I can't listen to such nonsense. If you don't stay quiet, I'll really fire you."

"Fine, do whatever you want! Just stop and listen to me! If we investigate the control room and nothing is found, you can fire me right then and there! I'll even give you all my savings!"

The Director looked at me with cold eyes and said.

"You... don't have any money."

"No, how do you know that?! No, that's not what's important right now! I'm that desperate!"

Only then did the Director understand that I was serious. Narrowing her eyes, she turned her gaze back to CHALDEAS.

"I don't have the luxury to play along with nonsense. This is the final warning. Return to your post. If you want to investigate the control room that badly, do it after we're finished. I won't care then."

It can't be after! Now that Fujimaru Ritsuka is gone, if we lose the Team A Masters, it’s really over.

Even if there are people among the Chaldea staff with Master aptitude, they might lack the 'Destiny.' In this damned Moon Cell universe, there is no weapon as strong as Destiny.

Even if Fujimaru Ritsuka was ordinary, he held that Destiny in his hands. That’s why he could correct all seven Singularities, win at the final Time Temple, and return alive.

But it's not certain if others have that Destiny. In the first place, I don't even know if such a thing as Destiny is given to multiple people.

At the very least, we need the talented and strong Masters of Team A.

Beeeeeep! An unpleasant warning sound rang out.

"What is it?"

CHALDEAS turned blood red. The warning sound blared loudly, as if replacing my heartbeat. Without thinking, my body moved first.

Grab. I pulled the Director's arm. She looked momentarily startled, then frowned.

"What are you doing—"

I knew the location. But bombs would go off in other places too. That was unavoidable.

But at least we could avoid a direct hit.

Chaldea Mystic Code... Momentary Enhancement. I cast Momentary Enhancement on myself.

Then, grabbing the Director's shoulder, I cast Emergency Avoidance. The magecraft attached to the Chaldea Mystic Code is quite excellent.

If it's Emergency Avoidance, it should hold up as long as it's not an attack based on Mystery or a Servant-level attack.

I had also reinforced my body with Momentary Enhancement, so as long as it wasn't a direct hit, I could survive.

The Director realized that Emergency Avoidance had been cast on her and frowned even more.

If a beauty frowns like that, she'll age early...

I was having such stupid thoughts even at that moment.

"You've really lost it. If you want to be fired that badly..."

BOOM!!!

The light erupted first. I felt my body being blown far away. My vision momentarily went black.

The explosion... was stronger than I thought...

I was foolish to think I could withstand it with just Momentary Enhancement. Right, modern science is only ineffective against Servants... even for a mage, it works just fine against an ordinary human.

My skin was torn.

But it wasn't the situation I saw in the dream, where my lower body was crushed, my left arm was blown off, and I died because shrapnel was embedded in my body.

I was bleeding, but it wasn't fatal.

Momentary Enhancement... it’s effective. With this, I could take a blow from a decent Servant with my body...

No, that's impossible. If I got hit, it wouldn't end with just broken bones.

"...What am I supposed to do now?"

Beeeeeep! The unpleasant siren continued to wail. Looking toward CHALDEAS, I could see the ruins of the collapsed building and the burning flames.

Thinking that, I checked my surroundings. The Director was lying there.

Since she hadn't taken damage from the explosion itself due to Emergency Avoidance, it seemed she had momentarily lost consciousness after being blown away by the resulting blast. At this level, her life wouldn't be in danger.

...Team A must have already been wiped out.

What should I do? Now that Fujimaru Ritsuka is gone, what do I do now?

Mash... right, Mash.

I should have Master aptitude as well. If so, if I can somehow save Mash and awaken her, won't something work out?

Someone might be able to take over Fujimaru Ritsuka's role.

But no one can replace Mash's role. There was no one who could take her place.

I ran quickly.

Mash wouldn't have gone to Singularity F as a Team A Master. In the original, it started with Fujimaru Ritsuka grabbing the hand of Mash, who was pinned under the rubble.

...I don't know if she'll awaken through the hand of a selfish guy like me, but still, if I can just grab her and somehow make Galahad awaken, restoration of the Human Order might be possible even without Fujimaru Ritsuka.

'Where is she? Mash, Mash...!!'

As I looked around, I saw other people who had fallen. I could tell they were already dead without even approaching.

A meaningless sense of guilt crept up my spine.

Just because I didn't do it doesn't mean I didn't kill them. But I knew.

I had even tried to act like a bystander until the very last moment. It was because of that ridiculous idea that things turned out like this. "Dammit," I cursed as I kept running.

No matter how much I minimized the damage with Momentary Enhancement, I had essentially taken an explosion with my body, so there was an impact.

If it weren't for the Chaldea Mystic Code, I might not have even been able to move.

As I ran, I found someone pinned under rocks.

"Mash!"

I ran over and immediately grabbed Mash's hand. Was I too late? Mash's eyes were closed, and she already seemed unconscious.

I have to save her somehow. It's fine if you awaken later, I just need your strength. I placed my right hand on the floor.

As I whispered a small incantation, Thump! The shape of the ground shifted, lifting the rocks that were crushing Mash.

'Good,' I thought, and used the Chaldea Mystic Code to treat Mash. The bleeding is okay. The wounds look severe, but if I take her to Roman, he might be able to save her.

As long as Mash is alive, there is still hope. No matter how much I lack affection for this damned human history, I've never thought it would be okay for it to vanish.

And for an otaku like me, the fact that the next game or anime wouldn't come out was truly the worst.

...I'm begging you, please live.

Vroooooom...!! An unpleasant sound echoed.

[The vitals of the Masters in the Coffins are below the standard. Searching for nearby Masters... Found.]

"What?"

My hand, which was moving to lift Mash, momentarily stopped. And CHALDEAS moved.

It's... operating? I was certain I'd be dragged to Singularity F if I stayed here. They definitely said I had Rayshift aptitude when I joined.

I also remembered how I had thoughtlessly babbled about whether I could go too when I heard that. It's dangerous if I stay here.

[Master authentication, resetting. 3... 2... 1... until Rayshift commencement.]

I'm not even in a Coffin. This isn't right. And Master authentication? I'm not a Master candidate, so why am I being authenticated? That CHALDEAS doesn't have my information.

There's no way I should be authenticated. I must not be authenticated.

Did that damned machine malfunction and just recognize me as a Master simply because I have 'Master aptitude' and 'Rayshift aptitude'?

There's no way they built the system that poorly. Then why is that thing moving?

I don't think there's anyone else here who is a living Master and has Rayshift aptitude at the same time... besides me.

Ignoring my confusion, the voice continued to ring out.

[All processes complete. Commencing First Order verification.]

Light spread until it covered my entire field of vision. Along with the sensation that my body was no longer my own, the feeling of my consciousness drifting far away finally dominated my body.

[Singularity F - Flame Contaminated City, Fuyuki]

Comments (0)

Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register