This was Morpheus's second time stepping into Chaldea's interior. Gazing at the base, half-destroyed but under repair, he felt oddly relaxed, taking in the sight.
Romani was already there to greet them. Olga Marie immediately asked, "What's the status of the frozen personnel?"
Romani replied promptly, "They're stable but can't be treated yet. We need more time."
After speaking, he studied Olga Marie. "Director, your body is indeed like a Servant's... composed of spiritual essence."
"Spiritual essence?" Olga Marie pondered, stunned that she'd return to the real world in this form.
"Yep. You can phase through walls now, no need for doors. You could even sneak into kids' rooms at night to spook them... bet that'd be fun," Morpheus teased.
Olga Marie's face tightened. "Do I look like someone who'd do that? I'm the Director of Chaldea, head of the Animusphere family! I'd never stoop to such nonsense!"
Morpheus smirked inwardly. Despite her denial, her eyes betrayed an eager glint she couldn't suppress.
Clearing her throat, Olga Marie declared, "Romani, I'm resuming my duties as Director. Return to your original role!"
"Understood, Director. You're back in charge." Romani quickly handed over operations, visibly relieved, before heading to the medical bay.
He waved to Morpheus and the others. "Come with me. You need rest to recover. We might face bigger trouble soon."
"It's not over, is it?" Ritsuka asked.
"Right. The Fuyuki Singularity is gone thanks to you, but we've detected seven new Singularities... far worse temporal distortions. Rest while you can!
"During this time, we'll investigate further. The Director's expertise and capability ensure she's got this handled."
Romani paused, turning to them. "Master 48, Ritsuka, and our only Servant, Mash... though I know it's dangerous and a lot to ask, please work together to save humanity!"
Ritsuka and Mash exchanged glances, smiling and nodding, like ordinary people stepping onto a heroic path.
"Don't worry so much. You've got me," Morpheus said, easing the tension. His proven strength reassured Ritsuka and Mash... if the next crises were like Singularity F, they might not face much pressure.
Romani addressed Morpheus. "As Master 49, once the summoning system is fixed, prepare to summon a Servant. Your strength is impressive, but Servants are more reliable and safer."
"We'll see. I'll summon if needed," Morpheus replied.
"Normally, summoning specific Servants requires a Saint Relic. Without one, it's still possible with a complete magic circle and sufficient mana, but the result is random. The less distinct your identity, the more random it gets."
"I get it. You're saying my unique background might summon a Servant tied to me, right?" Morpheus asked.
Romani nodded. "Exactly."
"Like, if I were Zeus's descendant, I could theoretically summon Zeus."
Romani shook his head. "Gods are nearly impossible to summon, even with a relic. But a hero from your lineage, like a demigod tied to Zeus, is feasible."
"Just an example. With the right circle and mana, summoning a god's possible," Morpheus said, lips curling. "Don't worry... I'm quite experienced with summoning Heroic Spirits."
"Is that so? That's great news." Romani smiled. After ensuring Ritsuka and Mash went to rest, he turned to Morpheus. "Care for a private chat?"
"About what?"
"Your thoughts on the current situation."
"What thoughts could I have?" Morpheus rubbed his eyes. "Honestly, I'm not sure what's going on. Saber... Artoria... said she was protecting Human Order. Why would stabilizing Singularity F protect it? Got any theories?"
Romani fell into thought, hesitating before replying, "It's possible we don't fully understand the 2004 Holy Grail War, which leaves gaps in our knowledge of Singularity F."
Seeing Romani play dumb, unwilling to reveal too much, Morpheus didn't press. "Is that so? I'm curious, then. The winners of 2004... Saber and her Master... what wishes did they make, and how did they impact the world?"
"You'd have to ask them directly…" Romani gave a strained smile. "But they're elusive, so we can't dig too deep."
"Really? I thought, as a key figure in Chaldea, you'd know everything," Morpheus said, smirking. His words made Romani laugh awkwardly.
"By the way, what did you mean about using my blood to craft Solomon's Ring?"
"The legendary Solomon's Ring isn't much of a legend. Replicating it is simple with enough knowledge," Morpheus said, spreading his hands. "Of course, materials can ease the process. I'm not the best craftsman, so I take shortcuts, like using specific materials."
"But my blood? I'm not exactly brimming with mana," Romani said, shaking his head. "You'd have better odds with any random magus's blood."
"No, no, you're selling yourself short. I dabble in astrology and divination, and my readings say your blood is key... other materials don't matter as much!"
Morpheus spoke earnestly, not joking. Romani wanted to argue but found no grounds.
For a magus, following divination's guidance was common. The prouder the magus, the more they trusted their craft. Romani couldn't tell if Morpheus was that proud, but he suspected so.
Giving up, Romani sighed. "Fine, I'll provide some blood later. Not much, right?"
"Just a few drops, like a routine test," Morpheus assured.
Seeing Romani refuse to admit he was this world's Solomon, Morpheus dropped it, shifting topics. "So, about the situation. CHALDEAS is glowing red, signaling humanity's doom. Does the outside world still exist?"
Even if Solomon wouldn't admit his identity, Morpheus trusted he'd offer hints when needed.
"I suspect it's already over. The human world may have ended. Our inability to contact the outside supports this," Romani's expression darkened. "The future isn't unobservable... it ceased to exist when it turned crimson, as if locked in an instant."
"You mean the outside world is like Singularity F's Fuyuki, but Chaldea's unique nature lets us persist here?"
"Exactly. It's a theory, but we can't contact anyone because they're gone."
Romani's face grew grim. "If we can't change history, Chaldea might vanish too. Lev spearheaded these plans... he wouldn't leave loose ends."
"How long do we have?"
"It's late 2014. If I'm right, we've got about a year…"
"A year? So, by the end of 2015, if we haven't resolved the seven Singularities, we're done?"
"Just a guess," Romani forced a smile. "Rest up. Mash and Ritsuka lack your experience and strength. We'll need your help to explore and fix history."
"Leave it to me. I came here sensing trouble, but Lev got the jump on me…" Morpheus rolled his eyes. "He knew about me beforehand... cheating bastard!"
"Haha, no helping it. He's a Demon God Pillar, aware of the past. Knowing you isn't surprising," Romani said, then asked seriously, "So, how did you end up in ancient Greece? Are you really from the Age of Gods?"
Morpheus resisted the urge to snap, giving a brief explanation. Romani marveled, stunned by the wild twists of Morpheus's journey.
"So, you sensed trouble here through divination and came to investigate, but Lev targeted you, sending you to ancient Greece.
"There, you adventured, seeking a way back, and got pulled into another universe, joining a different Fifth Holy Grail War. After it ended, you returned here?"
"Yep, you summed it up well."
"That's… an unimaginable adventure. You were even summoned as a Servant in that universe's Grail War…" Romani shook his head in awe. "No wonder your body's stats are so odd. You look human but have Servant-like traits. And to achieve such feats in ancient Greece…"
Romani reached out, patting Morpheus's shoulder, prompting a step back. "Whoa, my preferences are strictly normal!"
"I mean, can I examine you? Your body's human, but there's got to be a secret!"
"No chance. My magecraft's just different. I'm an ordinary human!"
"Ordinary? You've got divinity in you... don't think I didn't notice!" Romani exclaimed, exposing him. "A magus who killed Typhon? Something gods couldn't do? You expect me to buy that you're ordinary?"
Morpheus chuckled. "Everyone's got secrets, right, Dr. Romani?"
Romani promptly shut up.
***
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