Amid the cheers, Mash looked around but couldn't spot Morpheus. Fujimaru Ritsuka glanced about too, puzzled. "Did Morpheus go back to rest?"
Romani considered, "Maybe the blood loss made him tired?"
He shook his head. "No, that shouldn't affect him. Still, he should come for a checkup before dinner to confirm he's okay."
He turned to Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash. "You two, go tell him I said he needs a physical before dinner to ensure everything's fine."
"Got it, Dr. Romani," Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded. She and Mash headed toward Morpheus's room.
Watching them leave, Romani sighed, leaning back in his chair. He stared at the data, marveling.
"As expected, the Son's blood can heal any ailment. A condition I thought was hopeless, and it was resolved just like that… The Sanctification spell, turning oneself into the Son, Jesus... this single spell could make Morpheus's family the most powerful Magus lineage.
"What Goetia's doing… If Morpheus had arrived a decade or two earlier, this crisis might not have happened. With his magical knowledge, he'd have reshaped the entire magecraft world…
"His uniqueness means he can't be recorded by the Root, including his magical knowledge. If that knowledge spread, the world would start slipping from the Root's control. Even if Goetia activated this Incineration of Humanity, it couldn't interfere with future human history."
Romani clutched his head, overwhelmed.
"If only it had been earlier, the Holy Grail War might never have started. With that knowledge, why chase the Root with a Grail? This crisis, at its core, is my fault. If I hadn't chosen to become human, Goetia wouldn't exist…"
Romani sighed again, feeling immense pressure.
"So, you're wallowing in self-pity again?"
A sudden voice startled Romani. He turned to see Morpheus standing there, holding a drink and snacks.
Romani adjusted his demeanor. "Why are you here?"
"Didn't you tell me to come for a checkup?" Morpheus said, stepping inside. "I was worried I'd oversleep and miss dinner, so I came now. And look at you... anyone would think you got dumped."
Romani rolled his eyes at Morpheus's teasing and pointed to a bed. "Lie down, and take off that ridiculously tough coat!"
Morpheus casually removed his highly protective coat and lay down, letting the machines scan him.
As the checkup proceeded, he said, "I don't think this is necessary. My body's fine. Losing a bit of blood? I can recover with mana."
"No way. I'm a doctor. Checkups are mandatory!" Romani replied, quickly reviewing Morpheus's stats. He nodded. "You're as healthy as can be. But…"
"But what?"
"Your body's becoming less human… I mean, your divinity is causing changes. You know about Phantasmal Species, right? If you fully become one, surviving in this world might be tough unless you retreat to the Reverse Side."
Romani frowned slightly.
"Aren't you worried? If you fully turn into a Phantasmal Species, existing here will be difficult without going to the Reverse Side."
"Even if I become a Phantasmal Species, the outside world poses no problem. My magic is entirely different from your magecraft. I can freely replenish my mana without relying on the World's mana source. Plus, I'm already suppressing my divinity. Soon, the process of turning into a god will stop."
Seeing Morpheus's confidence, Romani relaxed but asked, "You're avoiding godhood. Do you have another goal?"
"Gods, embodiments of concepts? The gods I know from my world are personifications of phenomena... natural ones in ancient times, artificial ones later, including heroes. They're just humans deifying these things.
"I'm not interested in that. I've got my own small goal. Once I achieve it, I can aim for something bigger."
"Small goal?"
"Yeah, like an ordinary person wanting to be rich. You don't just say you'll be a billionaire. Start with a small goal, then move to the next step... like earning a hundred million first!"
Romani's expression was a mix of amusement and disbelief. As a Chaldea employee, he dealt with magecraft, but he knew what a hundred million meant. In dollars, Chaldea's currency, that was no small goal!
A hundred million yen, though, could be a stepping stone to wealth.
"For me, it's absorbing the Abyss's knowledge, making it my own. Only then can I aim higher and farther!"
"The Abyss? The place where demons live?"
"Yeah, there are demons, but it's not the Abyss you know."
Morpheus pondered how to explain, then gave a simple version. "Think of it as a test to reach the three upper sephirot on the Tree of Life. You must cross the Abyss between the middle and upper sephirot, gaining knowledge from the hidden sephirah... Da'at... and successfully passing through.
"In the Abyss hides a demon, the guardian of knowledge. Only by overcoming it can you truly reach a non-human state and transcend life and death."
"Transcend life and death? You mean achieve immortality?"
"Not that simple. Truly crossing the Abyss and death means your death ceases to exist... not just physical death by a blade, but the final judgment, independent of the world's judgment."
Seeing Romani's shocked expression, Morpheus smiled. "Now you see why I'm not worried about becoming a Phantasmal Species?"
Romani nodded slowly, understanding. The non-human state, the godhood Morpheus sought, was unlike any god he knew... a transcendent existence that could persist even if the world ended!
"But these are byproducts of pursuing magical knowledge. I'm just a magician chasing occult mysteries. You, on the other hand, are a man who gave up power to live as a human."
Romani smiled, saying nothing.
Morpheus added, "By the way, speed up your studies. Later, we can stabilize your mental state and help you break free from the Root to truly exist independently."
"I know. Once this crisis is over, I'll study faster."
"Worried breaking free too soon will ruin your trump card?"
Romani stayed silent. Morpheus chuckled. "Why worry? The Root rejects me, but I can still use my Noble Phantasms freely. No big deal. Plus, I've got one of Solomon's rings... a little trump card of my own."
Romani laughed, then said after a pause, "Thanks."
"Mash already thanked me."
"This is my thanks."
"Alright, since you've thanked me, I'm off to sleep." Bidding Romani farewell, Morpheus didn't linger, swiftly returning to his room and diving into bed.
…
Another transfer, the familiar sensation. The group found themselves in a dense forest.
"No issues with the timeline... it's 1783, and we're in North America…" Mash checked their coordinates. "The United States hasn't been born yet. It was through the Revolutionary War, ending this year against Britain, that America became a nation."
Fujimaru Ritsuka asked, "Could the enemy be Britain?"
"If Britain's attack prevents America's founding, history would change drastically… It's possible, but a mere war's outcome wouldn't fully alter history. With America's will to independence, the United States would form, even if delayed by thirty or fifty years."
Mash hesitated before continuing, "The meeting mentioned three factions, so I suspect another force is involved. It's likely America, Britain, and a mysterious third party."
Romani's voice came through. "Sorry, an emergency just came up. There's a large-scale battle in the wilderness ahead. Details are unclear, but hurry... it's no ordinary fight!"
Mash immediately prepared for combat. "Understood. Let's go, Master!"
Morpheus shrugged. "Let's check it out, but don't rush in. See what's happening first."
The group headed toward the sounds of chaos Romani indicated.
Then they witnessed a surreal scene.
Soldiers with muskets and others in mechanized armor faced off against ancient warriors wielding spears and other cold weapons, locked in fierce combat.
If not for knowing this was 1783 America, they might've thought they'd stumbled into a bizarre fantasy world, with magic troops battling warrior units.
Suddenly, the mechanized soldiers spotted Morpheus's group and entered combat mode.
"Enemy reinforcements detected. Commence elimination!" they shouted, charging forward.
Morpheus stepped aside, leaving the fight to Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others.
As expected, Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka's combat prowess was overwhelming, easily dismantling the mechanized soldiers. The regular militiamen gaped in shock.
"How… how is this possible?! They destroyed His Excellency's enhanced exoskeleton, Hard Work MK-2?! And they're just delicate girls... could they be the reported Servant types?
"No, fall back! Retreat until reinforcements arrive!"
As the soldiers fled, Morpheus stroked his chin, intrigued. "They've got tactics for dealing with Servants and tech beyond this era. Looks like the American side has a scientific Servant helping them…"
Fresh from the fight, Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others hadn't rested when the classical soldiers charged, engaging them. Clearly, these foes couldn't match the girls and were quickly routed, fleeing in disarray.
Just then, a whistling sound came from above. A grenade was falling!
Without hesitation, Mash deployed her shield, protecting Fujimaru Ritsuka. With Ame no Murakumo in hand, Ritsuka reacted swiftly, slashing upward. A sword wave sliced through the airborne grenade, cutting it in half!
The strike disabled the grenade's detonator, rendering it harmless as it hit the ground.
The group quickly retreated to a hidden spot, observing the battle. As the mechanized troops fell back, the opposing force pressed forward. Morpheus rubbed his chin. "Should we follow them?"
Mash asked, "Follow them?"
"Yeah. That's probably the American army. We can make contact and figure out what's going on. They're retreating, so they're the weaker side. If we offer a few Servants' help, they'd be thrilled, and we can gather intel. Once I confirm the Grail's location, I'll charge in and resolve it."
The group agreed Morpheus's plan made sense and quietly followed the retreating army.
***
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