Thud!!!
"Grr...!"
"Hang in there a bit longer, Mash~ The enemy might be stronger than Shirou?"
"Even so, against a bear...!"
"We can't afford to be picky about our opponents. No matter what enemy we face, we must fight. That's what it means to be a Servant, Mash."
I and Sitonai are training Mash. Since she is different from a typical Servant in many ways, she hasn't inherited their skills. Therefore, she has no choice but to improve her own abilities. It's both an advantage and a disadvantage. Generally, Servants cannot grow. After all, they are records of heroic spirits. But she is different. She can grow, and in theory, she can continue to become stronger.
In theory, that is...
"Ha... ha..."
"Let's stop here for today. We have the Servant Summoning Ceremony soon."
"Understood."
"Let's have shaved ice together later~"
"Ah, yes! That sounds good."
After finishing the training, we leave the simulator room and head to the summoning room.
In the summoning room, Ritsuka and Umin were preparing.
"Ah, Fergus."
"You're finally here? Hurry up!"
"You're prickly... Is Olga really not going to do it?"
[I already have you all. I'm more worried about those two than myself?]
Indeed... I'm more concerned about the clumsy Umin and the ordinary Ritsuka than Olga. Those clairvoyants aren't very reliable... They do their job when needed, but on average...
It would be better to have more reliable members than the clairvoyants. I wonder if Emiya will come...?
"Then... here goes!"
Since there's a chance that strange Servants might appear and there are limits to management, we decided to summon only once each. Ritsuka summons first... Flames flicker, and the figure reveals itself.
"Fuhahaha! You have summoned me, foolish human! My name is Ibaraki-douji. I am the leader of the oni of Mount Ōe...!"
Sigh... This really is turning into a nursery... She's strong, very strong... She's a great hero-level oni who can even fight the great hero Kintoki. But... *sigh*.
"Sitonai, do you think you can become friends with her?"
"Hmm... She seems like she'd be fun to play with in a different way than Rin?"
"Please be friends with her..."
Ibaraki looks at Ritsuka and surveys the people around.
"Hmm... You, are you an oni?"
"... What? No, I'm not?"
Is she talking to me?
"No? But that... no, never mind. Shuten is the expert on this, not me, so it doesn't matter. But, we're about the same height... If you include the horns, I'm taller!"
"It's about a 1mm difference including the horns..."
"Anyway, I'm bigger. You, I quite like the feel of you... kukuku."
Rather than seeing me as a man... it feels like she's found something truly amusing. No matter how clumsy and awkward she is, an oni is an oni. In Japan, oni are considered the strongest phantasmal species. And Ibaraki-douji, infamous as the second strongest oni in Japan after Shuten...
Can she see something in me?
"What, you didn't know?"
"Know what?"
"Hmm... I'll tell you later."
Can Sitonai see it too? Was I the only one who didn't know? What is it?
"Are you my Master (subordinate)?"
"Yes, I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka."
"Hoh? Where are you from?"
"Tokyo, why?"
"Not Kyoto... no matter. I roughly understand the situation... But that won't do! Tormenting humans is the joy of an oni's life! Plus, sweet snacks too... Anyway, I shall gladly cooperate!"
"Uh... nice to meet you?"
Ritsuka tilts her head and shakes hands with Ibaraki. She's an oni, but she acts like a grade-schooler. She must be older, though...
Next is Umin's turn. I place my hand on her shoulder and say.
"It's not 100%. The probability is low, I'm telling you."
"It's fine. If it's the bond between me and Xiang Yu, there won't be a problem."
That's a death flag...
Whoosh!!!
Then, the light of summoning rises... this is...
"Servant, Caster, reborn as an Alter Ego. True name is Xu——U, U-sama!? U-sama summoned meeeeee!!! I'm so happy!!!"
"Xu Fu.... why are you here!!!!!!"
"Uheeeek!? S-sorry! But I'm happy! Even when you're angry, U-sama is beautiful!"
This is, perhaps, inevitable. A blowout is to be expected...
Xu Fu, the woman who was ordered by Qin Shi Huang to find the elixir of immortality, then deserted and met Umin, and researched the immortality-killing spear to kill the immortal Umin. And, she's a crazy psycho lesbian who loves Umin... that's right.
It's only natural she appears. Her own luck is terrible...
[In Japan, it's the famous oni and the elixir-seeking Xu Fu. We can say they came out quite decently. You two, bring your Servants to the medical room. We need to do a checkup just in case.]
"Damn it... follow me, Xu Fu!"
"Yes, U-sama!"
"The medical room... do we have to take medicine?"
"No, that's not it, Ibaraki. It's just a checkup, so no need to be scared?"
"Who said I'm scared!"
"No? You're brave~"
"Urk... staring at me with eyes like Shuten's...!"
Following Olga Marie's words, everyone leaves the summoning room and heads to the medical room. Soon, we'll be going to France... I wonder if it'll be okay? I'm uneasy.
Still, it seems like they all get along well, perhaps because their personalities match.
I return to my room and plan to take a light shower before bed...
"Ah, Fergus?"
"You came back early today?"
"Ah... now I'm also a field worker. So everyone told me to leave early and rest for a while... Just as you said, they're all genuinely worried about me."
"I told you, right? It's a clean sweep. The trash that's been accumulating since the previous generation has been cleared out. The staff also trusted and followed you quite a bit. It's just that, since most of them aren't mages, they couldn't show it openly."
"I see... Are you going to shower too, Fergus?"
"Hmm... I'll do it later."
"Is that so?"
I sit on the bed in the room. We've been sharing a room for a year now, and I do have my own room separately... but still, even after all this time, she's still the same. In a way, Olga is a natural airhead.
After finishing her bath, Olga sits next to me.
"We're going to the Singularity in two days... Aren't you worried, Fergus?"
"It's my job. And, since it's France, she'll be there, so I'm actually looking forward to it."
"I guess... since it's France, she'll be there..."
"... Are you jealous? Olga."
"Jealous... no way."
"For someone who says that, your body is honest, isn't it?"
I caress her legs, and then my hand moves up to her thighs and enters between her legs.
"Eek♡! Ah, no..."
"You want it too, don't you? Rather, you want me to fill you up completely, right? As a husband, I can't not notice my wife's desires, can I?"
"Th-that's..."
I gently caress and knead her breasts, kiss her, caress her waist, and touch her soft yet firm stomach.
"Or should I stop here...? I want to know more about the body I've made for you."
"... More, do it... fill me with you..."
"Fufu... you're cute, Olga."
"Pee..."
"Hmph."
Merlin is in a bad mood for failing to peep in real-time. Who was she trying to spy on...
Today is the day we go to the French Singularity. In a short time, they seem to have gotten along. Except for the utterly self-centered Gilgamesh and Solomon.
"Alright, everyone ready? Did you pack your lunches?"
"Yes~ But it's really amazing. How does lunch fit into a stone?"
"Runes are omnipotent."
"The omnipotent genius weeps..."
"Haha."
The special lunch I made is stored in a stone made with primordial runes. It's literally an inventory.
"Additional supplies will be sent from Chaldea once we secure a leyline and establish a terminal point. But it's better to procure most things in the Singularity... Then, let's get into the Coffins."
Following Olga Marie's instructions, Mash, Ritsuka, Umin, and finally Olga Marie enter the Coffins.
As the fluid fills, the four undergo Rayshift. And following those Masters, we also spiritualize and are sent to the Singularity.
"This place is..."
This place is... where? Everyone, where did you go?
"... I can't feel the path?"
Where... am I now?