Penguin Colony, Chaldea Security Organization
Several days later.
Ritsuka POV
Two metal buckets slammed down on the ice, which drew the attention of the penguins that were huddled nearby.
He flashed the penguins his friendliest smile and said, "Alright everyone, feeding time!!"
The cute flightless birds excitedly trumpeted and squawked while waddling over to him and his group.
[Penguin feeding stream LET'S GOOOOO!!! ]
[ILiekQTThings: Look at them all!! They are so adorable! ]
[PiplupPal: Meh, Piplups are cuter plus they aren't as fragile as these guys.]
The incineration of humanity was a bit of a misnomer, the truth is that the incineration affected both humans and animals. The flames killed all the wildlife on Earth, and unfortunately for the penguin colony that lived near Chaldea, both their prey and their predators were included in that list.
They were all stranded on a barren wasteland with no access to the ocean, which meant they could not hunt, and even if they did make the long trek to the coast, all they would find is an empty ocean.
They were the only remaining life besides humanity, and as an amateur wildlife influencer, it was his duty to ensure these guys didn't die of starvation. Which is why he had the colony relocated closer to Chaldea and had a portion of the fresh fish in storage be reserved to feed them.
The only reason why his original request wasn't rejected outright was because the colony was small, only a few dozen large, so it didn't make a big dent in their food supply.
Food concerns became less of an issue now that they had a great supply of food delivered to them on a monthly basis. That being said, he is grateful his chat helps feed him and does his best to not let their contributions go to waste.
He reached a gloved hand into his bucket of fish. The bucket was actually a mystic code that kept the fish fillets inside from freezing into bricks. A gesture the penguins were grateful for.
[Bethany_Brawler: It never fails to amaze me how great god is. That he made an entire continent of ice that is populated by these cute birds, it's truly a wonder! ]
[Sumanai: I agree. I don't think many heroic spirits can claim to have seen a penguin the moment they step off the summoning circle. ]
[Junior_Researcher: Well, personally I think that may have been for the best. I fear people of your times would have devoured this bird into extinction, just like the dodo bird. ]
[Bethany_Brawler: (◞‸◟) ]
He began to distribute the fish to the penguins, who took the fillets with glee.
Originally, they refused to eat the fillets given how they did not look like food to them, but an ethical use of a hypnosis spell later, they no longer held any complaints.
As for the fillets themselves, he had no idea what Veluza were, but it was one of the few species he didn't feel guilty eating or feeding to the penguins from the start. According to his chat, they were famous for taking advantage of its extreme regeneration powers by constantly discarding its own flesh(which tastes delicious by the way) to boost its psychic powers and agility to catch their prey.
It was also one of the most abundant seafoods that was shipped over, and it was definitely more than they could eat in a month, so he put it to good use.
"Here you go~" Mash cooed at one of the penguins as she gave a fillet to the penguins near her.
Meanwhile, Chiyome just stood on the sidelines, content to just observe their work.
Chiyome had helped with the feedings before, but that changed after he found out that any form of clothing like gloves would cause her literal physical pain.
Penguins have a special oil on their feathers that protects their bodies from the freezing cold. Human skin can actually remove this layer and cause the penguin to experience hypothermia and die, which was why he forbade his servants from petting the penguins.
Magical constructs or not, he was not taking chances with these guys' lives.
"Aren't you cold Chiyome?" While she wasn't almost nude, she was still heavily underdressed to be out exploring an icy tundra.
The assassin shook her head, "I am a servant, I don't feel cold as easily as humans do."
[I've seen some crazy trainers knee deep in snow while sporting miniskirts. Some people are just built different. ]
[MalasadaMayhem: Ugh, I know some members of the Comfy Shorts Club who do that. Crazy bastards. Shorts are comfy, I agree, but they are meant for warm weather!!]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: @ MalasadaMayhem Skill issue. (⌐■_■) ]
He shrugged before he focused back on the penguins. After a few minutes of distributing fish, he heard a crunching noise behind him. He turned and saw that Caster Cu had manifested just behind him.
"Yo Master, so this is where you were."
"Hey Cu, need something?"
"I was just a bit bored, don't mind me. Keep doing what you're doing. " Cu waved him off.
Suddenly, one of the penguins in his group waddled over to the Caster and made noises at him.
Cu just looked down at it with a brow raised, "You're barking up the wrong tree, bird. I have no fish for you."
The penguin just tilted its head, confused why he wasn't receiving food but he didn't give up and continued making noise for food. Cu sighed and crouched to get on the penguin's level. "You really have no idea who you're trying to beg for food, do you, you dumb bird?"
[Dragon's-Iris: Hey!! Don't insult him. ]
[CasCu: Aren't you supposed to be training for that pokemon battle of yours? ]
[Dragon's-Iris: Don't change the subject monster! You don't have to be so mean! ]
[CasCu: It's a dumb bird, it can't understand me even if I insult it.]
"Well, penguins live in an environment away from human contact, so they really don't fear humans the way other animals do." He told Cu who just barked out a laugh.
"Hah, so they are dumb and too trusting, that Junior Researcher guy was right, you birdbrains are so lucky modern humans found you first, else you would have gone extinct by now."
Cu got back up and ignored the penguin despite its protests. Eventually the bird gave up and got back in line in front of his bucket.
From then on, Cu was just content to watch as they fed the birds. That moment only lasted briefly as Cu spoke up again.
'Incidentally Master, I've been meaning to ask you something but I never got a chance to ask until now.'
He tilted his head at the sudden mental question from the man. It must be serious if he's asking mentally rather than out loud.
'What is it?'
'Do you regret killing the goddess Stheno?' Cu's blunt question made him pause. Thoughts which he had buried under busywork rose back up to the forefront once again.
[What's wrong with Gudao? ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): He's having a mental conversation with someone. ]
[Krystal: No matter the world, seeing psychics communicate silently will never stop being creepy to me.]
'I regret that the situation had escalated to that point. If you mean that my regret will get in the way of doing it again, then you can rest assured. If I am put in that position again, then I will do it again.'
'Would you still do it if Stheno herself begged you not to kill her while still actively trying to destroy the world?'
He wondered if Cu was asking these questions as some form of test, but he chose not to mention it and kept answering.
'If there's one thing I learned from the last mission, it's that I am not superman. I am not some superpowerful alien with an endless amount of powers that can save the day without having to get my hands dirty. I am just a human, which means I cannot afford to whine about the circumstances and I have to power through them… even if it comes at my expense.'
Whatever it is he said seemed to satisfy Cu. He felt the man firmly pat shoulder, 'It's good to see that you've grown up a bit from that shitty experience Master. You're on the road to becoming a true hero.'
Once they ran out of fish, he and Mash took their empty buckets and bid farewell to the happy, well fed penguins.
Checking the time, he noticed it was near lunchtime.
"Alright, let's go get something to eat, once that's done, we'll go to the summoning room for the scheduled summoning."
His servants all agreed with his order and they headed back to the building, and just in time too since a snowstorm had started to pick up again.
✦✧✦
Summoning Room, Chaldea Security Organization
"Alright, before I get this summoning session started, I have to set some ground rules." He turned to his servants with a face that didn't hold any levity in them.
"From now on, whoever I summon, please do not immediately attack them. You can only go for the attack if they are hostile and attack first. I do not want a repeat of what happened to Jalter to happen again this time."
He received a lot of headnods, though he noticed some nodded more reluctantly than others. Well, it was the best he was going to get, so he decided it was good enough and chose to move on.
He set his sights on chat.
"As for you guys, what I am about to say is applicable both here and on missions. It doesn't matter what servant answers my call or what kind of person they are, if you want to interact with them, you have to be courteous and do NOT antagonize them."
He narrowed his eyes at Chat, "I spent years thinking all of you were fiction, so I will not hesitate to go back to those days before we met if it means you guys stay safe. Understood?"
[(ᵕó_ò) ] x 421
[ : Salute emoji: ] x 412
[PerfectlySaneHex: I promise I won't do any of that Gudao!! I don't wanna lose access to your stream. ]
[Gible_Archeologist: I couldn't have said it better myself. ]
[Best_Kohai-BB(MOD) clipped a video.
"Gudao puts his foot down" ]
[Best_Kohai-BB(MOD): By all means, keep shit talking everyone. It's always fun to see idiots FAFO and get murdered live from their safe space lol.]
[Top-Hat-PSY: Point taken ma'am, geez… ]
"Good. Now with that out of the way, I am going to start."
Without wasting any more time, he faced Mash's shield and stuck out his hand.
Three halos of light emerged from the shield and spun until it collapsed and flooded the room in light.
[V-is4Victory!: Oh boy!! Spin baby, SPIN!! ]
The blinding flash of light came and went, leaving behind a busty woman dressed in a typical salaryman business suit. She looked exactly like when they had previously met.
"Um!! Servant Lancer, Biscione. I applied to this company as per our prior agreement. I hope you'll consider me for the position!" Biscione said while giving him a near perfect Japanese salaryman bow, a gesture which he returned with a smile.
"Glad to see you again, Biscione," He said with a smile, which made the girl smile, but it was short-lived. She hung her head in shame, unwilling to meet his eyes.
"I-um… I wish to apologize for my shoddy performance last quarter. I was underqualified for the task of fighting that Demon God Pillar and got taken out early."
He saw where Bisciome's train of thought was headed and immediately shut it down before it could leave the station, "None of that Biscione. You were not underqualified, Flauros caught all of us by surprise. It could have happened to any of us. So don't beat yourself up for something you couldn't control."
"So you're not going to reject my application?"
He shook his head, "No. We are currently understaffed and we could use the help. You've more than proven your worth. If anything, I should apologize to you for making you put up with Jalter's shenanigans."
Jalter grumbled from behind him, but she was too far away for him to hear what it was. Biscione seemed to hear and started to fidget in place.
"It wasn't too bad, Miss Jalter might be a stern boss, but she's a very results oriented person and cares deeply for the company's goals, so in a way, it's admirable. I wouldn't mind working with her again."
Jalter nodded at her words, completely satisfied by the answer like she didn't spend most of their previous mission just bullying the dragon girl into being a discount Fafnir.
"In any case, welcome to the team Biscione." He told her, which excited the dragon girl enough to where he could see stars in her eyes.
"Thank you for the opportunity!! I swear you won't regret this decision-wah!!"
Biscione let out a surprised eep and jumped when the holographic screen of chat appeared before her.
To her credit she recovered quickly and tried to make sense of the phenomena that all his servants go through when they join his roster.
Out of curiosity, he looked at the username that GudakoBot assigned to Biscione. The moment he read the name, his lips dried up and he visibly winced.
[GudakoBot: Welcome to the stream,{Ophis }]
[Dragon's-Iris: Glad to have you here @ Ophis!! ]
[Woo!!]
[DRaighan: Heck yeah!! Shapeshifting office lady is in the house!! ]
Biscione opened her mouth to ask something, but her words were interrupted by the sudden rush of information twitch chat flooded her mind. Her spectacles turned an opaque white as she readjusted them, "So this is what you meant when you said you had an audience of people following you around and watching us."
Her eyes drifted toward the current amount of people watching and she instantly turned to face him, her features now much more shocked.
"Wha- What's with this view count?!! You're not just famous, you're SUPER famous! There's enough people in here to make advertisers drool with greed!"
"Yeah, though my twitch channel doesn't really do ads." Honestly, while he wouldn't put down other creators for having ads in their streams, he wasn't much of a fan of them so he refused to monetize them.
[And we love you for it! ]
[Ranger75: It's one of the major reasons why I am here. I can enjoy watching something entertaining for hours on end without having to sit through regular 30 second unskippable ads about pokeblock mixers or pokemon supplements.
It makes my patrol shifts much more tolerable. ]
Biscione's face turned to disappointment before she cleared her throat, "A shame truly, but you are my employer so I will trust your judgement."
That was one way to put it yes, but truthfully he wasn't really an employer of any kind. He didn't pay anyone, even his mods. Technically, his powers did, but bits don't really count.
He saw a notification pop up next to him and the message made his brows raise in surprise.
[GudakoBot: Would you like to turn Ophis into a moderator? Y/N ]
This is the first time in a while he was asked by GudakoBot to add someone as a mod. Both Frisk and BB made themselves mods, but he let it slide since he knew them already.
The question now is, will Biscione accept?
"Hey, Biscione, do you want to become a moderator for my twitch chat?" He skipped the formalities and just offered the job, and the dragon girl responded by making a professional poker face while adjusting her glasses.
"What are my job responsibilities… if I may ask?"
He explained the job role of a moderator, but he was explicit in telling her that she would be tasked with a level of authority to ensure the discussions and debates in chat follow his channel's guidelines.
"So, in other words, you wish for me to be a rule enforcer of sorts, correct?"
"Yes, I do, but it's unpaid, so it's not mandatory. You can refuse and I'll still hire you." He would never force his servants to do a job they don't want to do, unless they are being lazy and there's no one else who could do their job.
If that happened, he would have to resort to different tactics, but that is neither here nor there.
Biscione considered the offer for a moment, then when she seemed to have made up her mind, she accepted his offer.
"So it's an unpaid internship to prove my worth to the company huh? I understand, I accept my newfound position as your company's Moderator."
With her consent given, he clicked on 'Y' for yes on his prompt and… that was it. Biscione was now officially a mod.
[GudakoBot: Ophis is now Ophis(MOD)]
[GudakoBot: Stream goal reached! Compensated Moderation has been UNLOCKED!
From this day forth, all moderators will receive a biweekly paycheck for their services.
Moderators who have been working for Gudao since he joined Chaldea will be given a lump sum of currency they would have earned had this feature been unlocked from the beginning.
Thank you for your hard work. ]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): Let's GO!!! Gudao finally gave me pocket money to go shopping!! ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): Interesting, I merely became a mod for the opportunity to learn more about Earth, but I will not say no to some extra revenue to help with some expenses. ]
[Best_Kohai-BB(MOD): Meh, as an AI, I have no need for human currency. I just love messing with people and spending time with Hakunon-senpai. ]
Well that was one concern that he no longer had to worry about.
"On second thought, it looks like we just got a budget increase. Your position is now paid. Welcome to the team, Ophis."
Biscione's mood instantly brightened at the prospect of payment that her body was vibrating from the excess energy.
"Thank you so much for the opportunity, you will not regret it!!"
[Ophis(MOD): Good day everyone! I am now in your care!! ]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): Welcome to the stream Ophis!! It's nice to finally see a SANE and NORMAL moderator join the chat for once. ]
[Gudao: Sorry I went ahead and did this without consulting you guys, hopefully it's not too much of an issue.]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): How dare you call Ophis an issue!! But seriously, I have no qualms about this development. Moostache? ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): None. ]
[Best_Kohai-BB(MOD): I don't really mind either, I saw her performance in Septem, and all I have to say is that I am really looking forward to teasing her~ ]
[Frisky1ntheFlowers(MOD): It's unanimous!! Welcome to the team Biscione-chan!! ]
[Ophis(MOD): Thank you!! ]
[Ayo!! Frisk is back!!]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): Well look who finally decided to show up. ]
[Frisky1ntheFlowers(MOD): I had a bit of extra time to kill. ]
[Gudao: Good to see you back Frisk. ]
[Frisky1ntheFlowers(MOD): Yo!! I saw you had a rough time last singularity and decided to drop by to check up on you and since I am in the neighborhood, I couldn't pass up meeting a cute Kohai.]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): So the serial sexual harasser desaparece for over a month and the moment he returns he does it because he wants'ta flirt with the nouvelle fille. I am SHOCKED that it took you this long to show up again. ]
[Frisky1ntheFlowers(MOD): Oh? Is that jealousy I read in your text? Now, now Iono-chan, life is not an eroge. I am here to platonically welcome a new mod, so you can be rest assured I am still madly in love with you, even when we are so far apart. ]
[GudakoBot: Ophis(MOD) chose to show her servant dreams. ]
He raised a brow at the decision and looked up at the dragon girl.
"Are you sure about that? You're basically giving consent for thousands of strangers to see your life, which includes even your most embarrassing moments."
Biscione didn't back down from her decision despite his warning, "Master, while I may appear as a typical Japanese salarywoman with dragon features, I am actually a collection of dragons without a name. I was not born in a traditional sense like most lifeforms are.
Frankly, it would be selfish of me to not show the lives and habitats of the nameless dragons that make up my legend to people who are genuinely curious and excited to learn about my kind."
[Mighty1Oak: To sacrifice your own privacy for the sake of giving exposure and awareness to the collective dragons that make up your being. That is truly admirable. ]
[Dragon's-Iris: Biscione… truly you are too good for this world. ]
"By the way, Master, what does my username mean? I feel this strange tug towards it, like a kinship of sorts." Biscione inquired, unaware of the building dread in his stomach.
How does he explain to her that her username is a direct reference to a character in an ecchi anime?!!
[Bro… what does her username mean? ]
[Dragon's-Iris: I swear to Arceus GudakoBot It better not be something vulgar!!!! ]
[Heart0f6old: It's probably not something like that. Ophis doesn't sound rude or vulgar, not even sexual. ]
[Seeing how the expert pervert in chat doesn't see anything wrong with the username, I will put my faith in him. ]
"Ah, about that…" He didn't pray to god, but whoever was up there decided to give him a break and had someone else answer the question.
"Ah, I know this one! " He just never expected it would be Mash who would be the one to be aware of such knowledge.
"Ophis is a character from an anime called High School DXD. She is the Dragon God who represents Infinity, Chaos, and Nothingness. She is known as the Ouroboros Dragon and the Infinite Dragon God and is one of the most powerful beings in the show."
Huh, she actually got it right. He barely remembered DXD, but it was hard to forget Ophis.
He turned to Mash with an inquisitive brow, trying his best not to appear judgemental, "How do you even know about High School DXD Mash?"
Mash's facial expression shifted into her 'disapproving kohai face number 20' when she recounted her experience, "I caught Doctor Roman watching the episode where Ophis showed up. He panicked and desperately tried to explain to me why he wasn't watching hentai. I aroused my curiosity about the show and ended up binging the whole thing."
[MinaPaint: Mash, you probably should have phrased that a little differently. ]
[Ms.Roxanne: The fact that the name originated from an animated show that made Mash believe her father was watching hentai does not bode well.]
"What did you think about it?" He had to ask, it was rare to bring up these kinds of topics with girls without coming across as a creep. Sure enough, her face of disgust proved his point.
"It was awful Senpai, not only is the main character an insufferable, boob obsessed pervert, but the mythology aspects were highly inaccurate to real history and myth."
He nodded in agreement,"Yeah, that sums up a lot of my gripes with it too. Though some of the fights are cool. How far did you get into the show?"
"I watched the entire anime." Mash said with a neutral tone.
"Huh, but I thought you said you hated it? Why would you force yourself to experience something you hate?"
She shrugged, "I cannot form a proper opinion on any form of media without experiencing it in its entirety, it would be disingenuous."
While he and Mash continued their insightful discussion of High School DXD, Biscione was busy muttering to herself, "Ophis… Ophis…. Silence…. Baka red … ?"
Without so much as a warning, Biscione abruptly exploded in a flash of light, which interrupted his brief discussion with Mash.
By the time it was over, Biscione was gone, and in her place stood a young girl with black hair long enough that it touched her hips. Her eyes were as black as her hair and she was sporting pointed ears like an elf. She was also dressed in a rather cute gothic lolita outfit.
Biscione had transformed into Ophis herself, and she was now staring at her tiny hands as if they held the secrets of the universe, "Woah… so this is the dragon god ouroborous… so pretty."
While Biscione was entranced by her form, the rest of the room had much more different reactions;however, none of them were as dramatic as chat.
[Ms.Roxanne: GAH!! Why is this child only using pasties to cover her chest??!!! Lewd!! That is too lewd!!]
[Nugget_Digger: Who designed this character!! He should be in jail!!]
[IliekQTthings: She's so cute… but she's also lewd!! But she's so cute…. But she's so lewd!! ]
[DarkerThanBlack: If anyone asks me to draw Ophis like this, I will report you to the authorities. ]
"Aaaah!!!"
"Aaaaah!!"
"No!! Senpai don't look!!"
Before he realized it, his world turned dark when a pair of soft hands cupped his eyes, denying him his ability to see.
"Eh?! What happened?! What's wrong!?" Biscione's voice asked, clearly panicked by the sudden commotion.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?! Have you looked in the mirror?! You're practically naked from the waist up!!" Jalter scolded her, which caused the dragon to let out an embarrassed squeak.
"Ah!! Sorry!! This outfit is too unprofessional!! I'll turn back just please don't let me go!!" Biscione pleaded before she went silent again. After a moment in the dark, Mash finally let him see again and Ophis was gone.
Biscione had turned back into her OL form but the smile and excitement was gone. All he saw was a terrified girl who had tears threatening to spill out from the sides of her eyes.
"It's okay Biscione, chill. I am not going to turn you away for this."
His placation attempt worked and Biscione let out a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness, I was worried there for a second. I promise to be more careful in the future."
He chose not to let Biscione dwell on the issue too long and tried to lift her spirits a bit.
"Anyways, wardrobe choices aside, all you need to know is that Ophis is a really strong character. Strong enough that most dragonslayers would hesitate to pick a fight with her."
Biscione's mood eased, but the anxiety was still present, if not more pronounced than before.
"Those are some big shoes to fill… very well, I accept the username and will do my best to live up to Ophis Senpai's name!"
He furrowed his brows, "Ophis… Senpai?"
Biscione's excitement returned in full force, "Of coarse!! Ophis Senpai is a dragon god who has lived for a looong time!! Even though her story is recent, her concept has been around for generations!! She is the most ideal Senpai I could ask for!"
Biscione cleared her throat, "Sorry, I got carried away, if you'll excuse me."
She stepped to the side and walked toward Jalter. The Avenger stared intently at the girl, which made the girl fidget in place. Just as she was about to go stand somewhere else, Jalter patted her head, much to the girl's delight.
This is just the first summon, and yet things have already gotten this crazy.
He shook his head and performed the ritual again.
Once again, another familiar face had answered his call. Her golden head of hair looked just as radiant and her ahoge just as stubborn as he remembered.
"Servant Saber, Nero Claudius has answered your summons! Bask in my imperial glory and flawless beauty UMU!!" Nero exclaimed with her arms on her hips and her chest puffed up in pride.
[MalasadaMayhem: Umu has arrived!!! ]
[ : ROMA emote: ] x 541
[ : Umu Emote : ] x 661
[ : Padoru Emote : ]x 221
"Do you remember us Emperor Nero?"
Emperor Nero was alive in Septem, so he was both nervous and curious if the memories transferred to his servant self. To his relief, that seemed to have been the case.
"Umu!!! Indeed I do My Praetor! So set aside your woes, for your emperor remembers the adventures we experienced together against the dastardly heretic goddess and that bastard Flauros!!"
Suddenly, the confidence dropped and she scratched her head with a puzzled expression, "Well, everything up until Zenobia obtained the grail. After that, it's all a blur up until I saw you all start disappearing."
"That's strange, could it have something to do with the fact that the singularity almost turned into a lostbelt?" Mash postulated but Nero just waved her off.
"Bah! Tis unimportant! What is important is that now I am here and I have come to join your expedition against Flauros's allies and save the future of my Roma! "
Just as Nero was hyping herself up for a grand speech, chat's holographic screen interrupted her midsentence.
[GudakoBot: Welcome to the stream,{Umu_Emperor}]
Her eyes showed annoyance and outrage for a split second, but the moment the memories slammed into her head, her fury turned into excitement and awe.
"So the mysterious audience finally shows its face!! How fortuitous!! Now I shall be able to perform interactive concerts for them to enjoy!"
[Fashionista: Hello Umu_Emperor! No one else can rock a butt cleavage dress like you can! ]
[Heart0f6old: : pointing up emoji: This. ]
[I'm looking forward to your upcoming performance emperor Nero!! ]
[ : UMU Emote: ] x 272
[: ROMA Emote: ] x212
Nero preened as she read the comments but she winced when she saw the next pop up window show up. She quickly pressed her finger on her screen without hesitation.
[GudakoBot: Umu_Emperor chose not to show her servant dreams. ]
"I will admit, I can see the appeal of having an audience witness my greatest triumphs of life as they occurred from my point of view; however, dreams between a servant and Master are meant to be private and intimate affairs meant only for each other's eyes.
After all, even the most talented of actors deserve to have a private life to themselves, but worry not chat!! For your Emperor shall endeavor to give you the greatest performance she can muster to make up for it!! Umu!!" Nero declared to the screen which caused the screen to start speeding up from people sending an influx of messages to the red emperor.
"In fact, I believe I should regale everyone with a song to herald our reunion! Ehem!"
"Thank you for answering my call, your majesty, but I believe it would be in your best interest if you held off on the performance until after the rest of the audience shows up."
He gestured below her feet, a gesture which the emperor immediately understood what he was trying to say.
[DuRanter: He means GET OFF THE STAGE!! ]
[Dude, Gudao warned you not to talk shit when summoning. ]
[DuRanter has been timed out for 5 minutes. ]
[Ophis(MOD): You've already been warned once by Master, and you refused to listen. Please be courteous toward the summoned servants or else I will time you out again. ]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): Already putting in the work!! Good job Ophis!! ]
"Oh! Of course, forgive my absentmindedness, My Praetor. I will step out of your way so you can continue summoning more servants to fill the seats of my concert hall," Nero stepped off of the shield and her eyes shone when they saw the retinue of servants in the room.
"Ah, to have so many beauties await my arrival truly is wonderful. Truly, I made the right decision to answer your call my Praetor." She sent a wink to Jalter, who just clicked her tongue at the gesture.
Nero walked off and approached Siegfried, "Ah, Siegfried, it is an honor to see you once again!"
Siegfried returned her greeting with a polite nod, "Good to see you Emperor Nero."
"Umu!" Suddenly, Nero's eyes turned to the side and noticed Kriemhild.
"Oh? And who might this breathtaking beauty be?" Nero asked, which drew the berserker's attention closer to her.
Siegfried gestured at Kriemhild with an open palm, "This is Kriemhild, she is a berserker servant who Master Ritsuka summoned before me. She is the princess of Burgundy…
and she is also my wife."
Nero heard the word 'wife' and her mood drooped slightly, but she didn't let that fact break her stride.
"It is nice to meet you, Lady Kriemhild. I hope you do not mind me if I stand next to you two?"
Kriemhild shook her head, "Be our guest. You treated Siegfried well, unlike his previous employers so I do not mind."
Nero nodded and stood next to Kriemhild, a bit too close honestly. The woman shifted in place uncomfortably due to the proximity and scooted closer to Siegfried.
✦✧✦
The next person who answered his call was someone he did not recognize.
He was a very calm and relatively handsome looking man who was sporting long, dark brown hair that was tied in a low-end ponytail that reached his waist. His bangs hung on both sides of his face and touched his shoulders.
He wore old school looking leather armor and sturdy sandals.
The man's eyes met his, and gave him a smile that held a weight that eased his worries.
"Servant, Archer. Chiron has come at your call. I hope my knowledge will be of some use to you… Either way, I am pleased to meet you. I shall do all I can to aid you in your journey."
[Nugget_Digger: Kyaaa!! Another handsome man appeared!! ]
[Downbad_Cowgirl: Finally!! More eye candy for us ladies!!I was getting sick of the Cloyster smell in this stream!! ]
[SoniaYampers: Woah!! Chiron?!! As in THE Chiron?!! The wise and noble sage who taught the Greek heroes of old?!! Eee!! ]
[Ms.Roxanne: It is an honor to meet a wiseman who has taught many legendary students. The fact that he is extremely handsome is just a bonus. ]
"Wait, isn't Chiron supposed to be a centaur?" He asked and Chiron nodded his head.
"Half centaur actually, and yes, you are correct. In my legends, I am depicted with the lower half of a horse, but when I am summoned for a grail war, I appear as a two legged man. Simply put, there aren't many famous centaurs aside from me, so my real name would be uncovered right away."
"Ah, I get it. Well, regardless of your appearance, I am glad you answered my call.
He went up and offered his hand to Chiron, who took it and clasped it firmly, "Our contract is sealed, I look forward to working with you, Master."
[I<3HorsePKMN: A half horse man heroic spirit? Based. ]
Once again, the screen showed up next to Chiron who looked taken aback for a second. He composed himself in record time and read the prompt with an inquisitive brow, a brow which became more defined as he experienced the influx of information.
[GudakoBot: Welcome to the stream,{Sagittarius}]
"Interesting."
Chiron turned to him, "Master, do you know if you have any Greek ancestry by any chance?"
Now it was his turn to raise his brow, "No? While I am American, I am not a halfu, my family members are all from Japan. Why do you ask?" What did having greek genes have anything to do with his floating twitch powers?
Chiron hummed before he dismissed his question, "Oh nothing, I just had a hunch based on what was presented to me, but I was mistaken."
[GudakoBot: Sagittarius chose not to show his servant dreams. ]
Chiron chuckled, "It's not polite to pry into a person's personal life, so I will have to decline such an offer. Although I am not averse to having open discussions with you all and imparting some of my knowledge."
[Downbad_Cowgirl donated 100 bits]
["It's okay if you don't want to share your dreams with us Horse daddy. Your presence alone is treasure enough. "]
Chiron actually let out a good natured chuckle at the rather thirsty comment.
"Thank you for understanding miss cowgirl, and I appreciate your kind words."
Is he just going to ignore the "horse daddy" bit?!!
"Well, I believe I've wasted enough of your time Master. Based on the fact that you have multiple servants already, I assume you will need me to step off the shield to summon more servants, am I wrong?"
Seeing his nod as confirmation, the half centaur archer calmly walked off the shield.
Chiron observed the group of servants and paused when his eyes met Cu Chullain, who gave him a raised brow. The man made his choice and walked towards Cu Chullain, much to Nero's disappointment.
"Do you mind if I stand next to you?" Chiron asked.
Cu shrugged, "Be my guest."
The two male servants came to an agreement and said nothing more.
With the board clear again, he repeated the ritual a fourth time. The moment his eyes landed on the new arrival, his mood lifted as the person who he had been expecting to answer finally arrived.
Boudica still wore the same clothing as she did in Septem, but without the cape and her hair was cut short and tied up neatly in a pigtail.
"I am a woman of my word, I, Rider Boudica, have answered your summons just like I promised. You already know I am not one for formalities, so you can call me Boudica if you wish."
The red headed rider, the woman who was once his enemy twice over, was now his servant.
"Likewise, you can call me Ritsuka if you want, and welcome to the team Boudica."
They both shook on it, solidifying their contract.
[GudakoBot: Welcome to the stream,{ Victorious_Boudi}]
He gave a deadpan expression at the holographic panel. Why was he not surprised that Boudica's username would be a subtle crude word play on the word 'booty?'
Boudica was smart enough to catch onto it too, but she seemed to find it amusing, though he could hear the embarrassment in her tone.
"Well, it's not an inaccurate alias, because my name does mean 'Victorious Woman.'" Boudica mused.
[V-is4Victory!: Victory is good!! Don't pay attention to what the others say! I'll even let you spin my… V-WHEEL if it makes you better!! ]
"Are you not bothered by it?" Mash asked, and Boudica shook her head.
"I would be lying if I said the obvious innuendo didn't make me want to roll my eyes at the person who came up with it, but it's subtle enough to not offend me."
"I mean, if you look at the username through a Brythonic perspective, it's actually really silly.
Victorious_Boudi literally means 'Victorious Victory' or 'Victorious_Win' because 'Boudi' can mean both victory or win. It's unnecessarily redundant."
[V-is4Victory: You can never have too much victory @ MashuMellows, ]
Boudica let out a chuckle, "I appreciate your effort to make me feel better about my alias Mash. I am grateful, truly."
Suddenly, mischievous smile emerged from Boudica's face, "Speaking of which, now that we are comrades instead of enemies, I can finally do something I've been dying to do for such a long time!!"
Mash was confused by Boudica's words, but it became clear what she meant when the woman approached the shielder and enveloped her into a smothering aunty hug.
Boudica patted Mash's mop of lavender hair and spoke in a soothing voice, "You went through a lot haven't you? You worked so hard to stand up tall and defend all of us against that big bad guys. I'm so proud of you~"
Mash was obviously confused by the sudden affection, unsure how to feel about being coddled like a little girl.
"Mphf!!" Oh and there was also the fact that Boudoca was also smothering Mash's face between her massive chest.
"U-Um, y-your chest… I can't breathe…" Mash tried to speak but Boudica was too busy spoiling Mash that she either didn't hear her or chose not to listen.
"Good girl, good girl."
[Heart0f6old: Arc, I wish that were me. ]
Mash sent a desperate mental plea for help, but he just shrugged and told her his hands were tied.
Smothering aunty hugs were inevitable and escape was futile. Holding your breath and waiting it out was the only option.
Thankfully for Mash, Boudica's doting paused when a holographic screen gave her the option to allow chat to see her servant dreams or not.
Boudica released the aunty hug, which gave Mash the opportunity to take a deep gulp of air.
The redhead queen read the text and her face went through a myriad of emotions. Anger, hatred, sadness, but eventually it stopped at resignation.
[GudakoBot: Victorious_Boudi chose not to show her servant dreams. ]
"If it was me of the past, I would have gladly shown people the betrayal and horrors that Rome unleashed on my family and my people. That way they could not deny the evil of Rome… but I don't feel that way anymore.
People of the future know of Rome's wrongdoings and have solemnly stood by my side regardless of the attempts of Rome's historians to smear my name.
That is enough for me."
With her peace said, Boudica immediately clung to Mash again, thankfully for his Kohai, she learned from last time and was able to position her face in a way that allowed her to breathe even when her head was mostly buried in boobs.
Well, now that the mother had arrived, he hoped that meant the daughter would be next.
Sure enough, he was proven right when an adorably tiny, dark-skinned little girl appeared before him.
Altera's monotone expression turned into a beaming smile when he caught sight of him, "My name is Altera Larva, it's good to see you again, Fa-Aaah!!."
He barely had time to register the feat of sheer speed he just witnessed. One moment, Altera was standing by herself, the next, she had been picked up and put into a motherly embrace by Kriemhild.
Even Altera herself was caught off guard as Kriemhild held her like she was the most precious thing in the world.
"Altera my cute little girl!! Your mother has finally come to claim you!!" Kream claimed while she held her in a firm hug.
[A wild Kream has emerged from nowhere!! ]
[IliekQTthings: NUU!! Ma'am!! That baby is not yours!! ]
[Beaumains: Oh boy, here we go. Looks like Kriemhild is going to get toilet scrubbing duty added to her next shift. ]
Altera quickly recognized the voice and looked up, surprised by the berserker who was forcibly adopting her.
"Kriemhild, hello. Sorry but I already-" Kriemhild did not allow Altera to continue that sentence and smothered the little girl the same way Boudica had been doing to Mash earlier.
Speaking of Boudica, he could feel the intense hostility she was aiming at Kriemhild, who seemed to not pay it any mind because she was more focused on cuddling Altera.
"Shush, none of that Kriemhild stuff, it's mother now. Now come along, we have still have to go see your father-"
Before Kriemhild could whisk Altera away, Boudica stopped her by holding the berserker's shoulder in a vicegrip.
Kriemhild's happy mood quickly cracked and her sharp glassy eyes looked down at the offending hand. She looked behind herself and stared at Boudica like she was a pest.
"Unhand me wench." Kriemhild demanded but Boudica refused to budge, instead choosing to tighten her grip on Kriemhild's dress.
"That's my line, unhand my daughter this instant or else you lose your arms." Whatever warmth Boudica had shown prior had frozen into a chilling death stare. Uwah, she's making the same face that her corrupted form gave them in Fuyuki.
Kriemhild was not intimidated by her glare and scoffed at her threat, "YOUR daughter? Please, you might have tricked Altera into believing she was your daughter while I wasn't present, but now that I am here, she can finally be with her true mother. Now back off or I'll make you feel a percentage of the pain Hagen felt when I got my hands on him."
Boudica grunted when a controlled burst of magical energy forced the rider servant's hand away, but the woman did not let up as she bared her teeth at the Berserker.
"So, you're the one who was making those comments about Altera back then weren't you? Kriemhild, was it? Don't you think it's inappropriate and weird for you to claim your ex-husband as your daughter?"
Kriemhild huffed indignantly at Boudica's words, "No, not really. The other Altera is a completely different person altogether. This girl may look like Altera, but she isn't… actually, I should probably change her name to avoid confusion. Gretel sounds like a good one. "
Boudica tried to reach out to Altera, but Kriemhild pulled the little girl away.
"That is a weak excuse and you know it!! You saw that she can turn into her adult self, so frankly speaking, I cannot trust you to be near her. Who knows what you might do to her if you suddenly regained feelings for your ex husband."
Kriemhild gritted her teeth at Boudica's accusation, "How dare you?! You're sick in the head if you believe that is what my intentions toward Altera are! I am not some monster like Gilles de Rais who would ever see a child in such a way!! Even if Altera turned into an adult this very moment and tried to seduce me, I would refuse because I already reaffirmed my vows with Siegfried!!"
While the two women verbally lashed out at each other, Altera took the opportunity to slip away from Kriemhild's grasp, much to the berserker's dismay.
Boudica opened her arms to try and welcome the little girl into her embrace, but Altera ran past her and instead she stood in front of him.
"Sorry for the delay, Saber Altera Larva, has answered your summons!! It's nice to see you again, Father!!"
Before he could process what Altera just called him, the little girl hugged him.
Altera's proclamation and hug caused the entire summoning room to fall silent. All of them wide eyed at the sudden development.
[Huh?!!! ]
[Gudao became a dad?!! ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: DILF GUDAO IS REAL!! ]
[Lol, Gudao got adopted into fatherhood, so who is the mom gonna be? ]
[HakuNon: ( ͡º ꒳ ͡º) ]
When his brain finally caught up to the situation, he realized that there was only one logical thing to do.
He accepted his new role with grace and headpatted his new daughter.
Altera smiled under his pats but her attention was diverted by the screen that appeared in front of her face.
[GudakoBot: Welcome to the stream,{SmolTera }]
A broken clock is correct at least twice, so good job on the name GudakoBot.
[GudakoBot: SmolTera chose not to show her servant dreams. ]
Suddenly he felt a soft, warm sensation touch his back, "Congrats on your successful adoption by my daughter Ritsuka, but…"
He felt Boudica's warm breath on his ear as she spoke, "I'm not so easy to win over, so you're going to have to work hard if you want to complete the family and make her mother your wife."
It seems like he has come down with a fever, he'll have to remember to stop by Romani's office and get some tylenol or something.
[GudakoBot: Waifu Counter 12 ]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): It's official folks!! Kream has lost the Mommy Wars!! And it was sunk by the Victory Ship!! ]
[V-is4Victory: VictoryShipping banzai!!!]
[Banzai!! ] x 512
GudakoBot, you aren't helping!!
Boudica had her fill of his suffering and stopped pressing her warm body over his.
She then playfully winked at him, "Just kidding!! You don't have to worry about settling down right now, Ritsuka. Marriage is a serious commitment and it's not something you should take lightly, although Altera's adoption still means you have to take responsibility… will you?"
"I would be a scumbag if I didn't," His words reassured Boudica and she turned her attention back to Altera.
"Come here Altera, your Father needs to summon more servants, so let's give him some space."
Altera nodded and held her Mother's hand, "Yes Mother."
The little saber's words seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back for Kriemhild.
The berserker was now hugging her knees, dejected by her loss of motherhood, much to Boudica's smug satisfaction. The Iceni queen led the small little girl to stand next to Mash, who seemed to have conflicting emotions about what had happened but chose to stay silent despite wanting to say something.
Meanwhile, Siegfried apologized to everyone for the trouble before he picked her up from the ground and left the room.
Looks like Kriemhild is going to join Kiyohime on the summoning room banlist for the foreseeable future.
Deciding he wasn't going to put more energy on that incident, he stuck his hand out and called out his next servant… hopefully the next one will not trigger another incident.
Who was he kidding? That was just naive, wishful thinking on his part.
The light died down and revealed the woman who he had been expecting to show up from the beginning.
She looked drastically different than before. She was no longer completely exposed in a black micro bikini. Instead, she now wore an exquisite, fancy roman robe. A stola if he recalled correctly, or was it a palla? He can't recall exactly what the difference is between the two outfits, all he knows is that it's clothing that he saw the roman noblewomen wear while he was in Rome.
The woman was missing her crown, which exposed her beautiful long silvery hair with pink tips. Her signature chains were gone but she now had two gold bracelets attached to her arms, and a golden choker on her neck.
Her eyes were also the same beautiful shade of blue they were when they first met.
Unlike that time however, her eyes now held a much colder feel to them. She wasn't sneering or looking down at him, she just looked distant, dispassionate, and like she was not happy to be here.
The moment his servants recognized who the new summon was, the tension in the room instantly thickened.
He could hear several of his servants shift in place, ready to pounce on the woman who nearly killed them all just a short while ago.
Thankfully, none of them did so prematurely, and just let the scene playout like normal.
[Fashionista: I will admit, I am impressed. Her body truly really can pull anything off. A natural born model. ]
[AltariaFloof: Well, at least she's not a fashion hypocrite anymore. She's completely covered!! ]
[Heart0f6old: Ngl, she still looks fine, even if she isn't completely naked. ]
The woman paid them no mind and just kept her eyes on him.
"I am Zenobia Gorgon, but you may refer to me as Zenobia if you wish. I am an Alter Ego class servant and I have been sent to serve as a hostage for my conqueror."
His blood pressure spiked when he heard how she referred to herself, "H-Hostage!!?"
Zenobia did not show any emotion over his outburst, and instead, she merely confirmed what he just heard.
"Yes. My army was defeated and I was murdered, so it stands to reason that the Palmyrene Empire has been trampled and conquered by Pan Human History. As the conquered party, I had no choice but to surrender my crown and be sent away as a hostage, though considering your current dilemma, I would likely serve better as a conscript than as a hostage."
[SurgeOfLightning: Makes sense to me. They did this kind of thing all the time in the past, so it's only to be expected she would be so accepting of it. ]
Nero seemed to not like her response and called the woman out, "How can you be either of those things!!? Answering my Praetor's call is a voluntary choice, you could have denied him and just stayed on the throne Zenobia."
Zenobia did not acknowledge Nero's presence but she did answer her question, but she did so as if he was the one who asked,"While normally that would have been the case, the truth of the matter is anything but. Composite servants, like myself, follow different rules, and unfortunately for me, Stheno's love for you proved enough to allow us to be summoned by you."
Well shit, this day just keeps being filled with surprise, "Oh, sorry, do you want me to send you back?"
Zenobia pursed her lips, "That is not an option. I am a hostage, and the rules of war dictate that I have to be held by you to secure peace between our two factions. That being said, as a hostage, my life has already been surrendered into your hands. If you wish to send me back to the throne or kill me again, I will have no qualms about it, but I do not believe Stheno would allow such a thing to pass. Her love for you is that great, so it's very likely she will just keep showing up in your future summonings until you allow us to stay."
He really didn't like forcing people to stay if they didn't want to be here, but she also rejected being sent back. So he might as well take that as very shaky consent, though he will have to have a serious talk to Stheno afterwards.
"Okay, I accept you as my servant, but I won't force you to fight if you don't want to."
"I thank you for your hospitality Ri- I mean, Master." Zenobia then looked around and her features hardened the slightest bit.
"It seems I have overstayed my welcome. Well, now that we have our relationship established, I will take my leave and let the person who truly answered your call finally take my place."
Zenobia closed her eyes and her hair started to glow. He could see her body shift into a smaller frame in real time.
The red sash of her attire vanished and the dress wrinkled with frills as the white part of her outfit shrank into a dress that hugged her curves. The dress finished off its transformation by making a large, black rose blossom on the right side of her dress.
When the glow of her hair vanished, the previous colors were replaced by a divine purple.
The moment she opened her eyes it confirmed that this person was not Zenobia anymore.
The woman flashed him a toothy grin and gave him a peace sign, "Darling~ your beloved goddess Stheno has arrived!!"
Stheno closed the distance between them and enveloped him in a soft, warm and affectionate hug.
[PerfectlySaneHex: Kiyo!! She stole your line!!! ]
[Burning_Jealousy: I'LL KILL HER!!! ]
[Burning_Jealousy has been timed out for 30 minutes. ]
[Ophis(MOD): Servant or not,threats are not allowed in chat. ]
[Blue-TheCHAMP: Ophis has already done more for chat in the last few minutes than Iono has for years lol. ]
[Blue-TheCHAMP has been timed out for 1 minute.]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): SHADDAP!! Go outside and touch grass!! ]
The tension from earlier lessened when the goddess emerged but it returned in full force the moment that she hugged him.
Without thinking about it he hugged her back, and the warmth of her body caused memories of that day to come rushing toward him.
The feeling of her heartbeat, the warm fluid pumping out of her body and onto his hands, the kiss that led to her death…
"Ehem!" Both he and Stheno were startled by the sudden clearing of someone's throat.
The source was from the red faced Jalter, who was looking at them, or rather, Stheno, with poorly hidden disdain.
"I hate to interrupt your reunion Master, but it's starting to get awkward. Can you wrap it up? You have more summonings to get through."
"Oh, right! Sorry!" Both of them disengaged their hug, though based on the discomfort on Stheno's face, it was harder for her.
"Erm, I'm confused. Are you Stheno or are you Zenobia? And what does that have to do with your extra class of Alter Ego?" Mash asked, which made Stheno hum.
"Well, our case is a bit complicated to explain, but just to avoid confusion, I am the Stheno that you met in Septem."
Her face turned into a scowl, "However, because of what that bastard Lev did to my divine core, Zenobia's and my existence was partially fused. When I tried to answer Darling's call, Zenobia refused to come. As a weak divine spirit, I was rather helpless in strong-arming that woman to let me see you, so instead, I got… creative."
"Creative how?" Mash asked..
Stheno sighed, "Essentially, I was forced to attach myself to parts of Zenobia's spirit origin that she rejected about her legend so I could rip myself free from her without it failing. As you can see, it did work and using my divine authority, I made the remnants of Zenobia into a vessel for me to inhabit."
"That must have been painful." Mash said while holding herself in a hug. Boudica put a hand on her shoulder in sympathy, even if she didn't know what Mash went through, Mash still appreciated the gesture.
"Oh, it was excruciating, for both me and Zenobia. Mostly for me though, since most of my existence was already heavily damaged when we were fused."
Stheno then grabbed his hand and leaned into his body, "but it was all worth it if it meant I could be with my Darling Ritsuka!"
Whatever words of rebuke he had for Stheno dragging Zenobia into a contract without her consent vanished the more she spoke about what she went through to see him.
Sighing, he decided it was better just to accept the situation for what it was and welcomed Stheno to the team as well.
[GudakoBot: Welcome to the stream, {SthenoBia }]
Stheno didn't seem to react much to her username or the influx of information chat gave her;however, that all changed the moment the prompt to show her servant dreams to chat popped up.
Stheno's cheeriness faded into a scowl,
"Hah?! Are you seriously asking me to show MY servant dreams to a bunch of randos?! I am a goddess, not a slut, so fuck off!! My dreams are for my Darling's eyes only!"
Stheno rejected the offer by throwing a punch at the floating box like it owed her lunch money. The screen faded and a new message popped up.
[GudakoBot: SthenoBia chose not to show her servant dreams.
PS, There's no need for violence, just click no like a normal person you crazy lovesick goddess. ]
Stheno looked away from the screen with a huff and refused to apologize.
…
A minute passed and Stheno hadn't let go of his hand.
"Um, Stheno, I have more summonings to do, so if you want, you can go stand with Boudica over there, or wherever you want."
"Hm… no thanks. I am fine right here, with my Darling Master~"
"Oi, don't get in the way of the summonings you cheeky goddess."
Stheno sent Jalter a matching glare, "Who said I was getting in my Darling's way? I am using myself as a catalyst, after all, my Darling did promise me and my sisters a home in Chaldea with him."
Oh right, he did promise that.
[Do we really have to summon Medusa? ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): Yes. Ritsuka's plan hinged on him making this promise, so it cannot be helped. I know how most of you in chat feel, but as you've seen, we have a no tolerance policy active now.
So be on your best behavior and do not judgea servant for whatthey did in the past. ]
[Yeah, yeah, sure. We got it. ]
Jalter grunted, aware that what Stheno was saying was a valid reason to stick so close to him.
"Fine, I suppose you can cling to him just this once, but if you keep sticking to him even when your sisters are here, I'll pry you off of him myself."
Stheno gave Jalter a mocking smile, but she didn't say a word.
He wisely chose to ignore whatever feud they were inciting and focused on the ritual.
He's already summoned so many servants, so a part of him was afraid that he would get mapo tofu rather than another servant. Yet, he would still try to fulfill his promise to Stheno.
He focused on the warmth of Stheno's hand, and the sweet scent of her hair.
He remembered the shapeless island, and Stheno living with her sisters. He tried to focus on Medusa, but despite his best efforts, his mind constantly wandered to the softness of Stheno's lips.
The fading warmth of her lips because of what he did.
"A goddess's first kiss is something precious, cherish it…"
The glow of the summoning circle faded once more, and the person who stood before them was not Medusa, nor was it Eurayle. This woman looked nothing like them at all.
The woman was dressed in a soft white greek looking outfit with a purple sash draped on one side of her body. She also wore thigh high stockings with straps on her legs and wore stylish golden shoes.
Her most striking features were her golden eyes and her rich dark and curly hair that reached her shoulders.
"Rider, I'm Hippolyta. As a warrior and daughter of the god Ares, I have come to lend my aid in the upcoming battle. Which of you is my master?"
[Heart0f6old: Holy cow!! She's gorgeous!! ]
[Downbad_Cowgirl: I will admit, she really is stunning but I am disappointed we didn't get another handsome guy. ]
He raised his hand, "I am. My name is Ritsuka Fujimaru, and I'm the one who called you here."
He gestures at Stheno, who was staring at Hippolyta warily, "This is Stheno, she is one of the many servants I have called to help us save humanity."
Hippolyta saw the goddess clinging to him and she looked surprised, "Stheno you say? One of the exiled goddesses of the Shapeless Isle? How unexpected that you could be summoned at all. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I should say the same for you. How is it that the warrior queen of the amazons managed to answer a man's call to be their servant?"
"You are right, it is a difficult feat for most men to summon me, however, I felt a rather strong pull when I heard his plea for help."
Her golden eyes drifted towards their held hands,"Which means that whatever relationship you have with him served as a catalyst for my summoning… among other things."
Her eyes drifted to Chiron, who merely offered the queen a respectful nod and a smile, a gesture that she returned.
[Gible_Archeologist: She was one of Heracles's 12 labors wasn't she? ]
[CasCu: Not her specifically, but one of the items in her possession. Long story short, she was Heracles's lover and was going to give the sash on her body, but a nosy goddess got involved and it ended with Heraclea killing her. ]
[Junior_Researcher: I see, so the catalyst that called her here was likely the history that Stheno and Gudao share. How morbidly fascinating. ]
[Sagittarius: Hm… it is not my place to ask, so I will refrain from doing so. ]
[GARcher: It's not a personal secret, we all witnessed it. He was forced to kill someone who loved him to complete his goal. If you want to know more, I would advise you to watch the archived videos of the last mission after this. ]
[Sagittarius: I see… I'll be sure to do that. ]
Hippolyta focused back on him, "In any case, while I do not know your character on a personal level, I will give you the benefit of the doubt given how many great heroes have come to your aid already and accept you as my master. However, as a warrior, I wish to see what kind of Master you are, so be prepared because I will be observing you."
"I don't mind, welcome aboard Hippolyta," Both him and Hippolyta shook hands, sealing their contract.
[GudakoBot: Welcome to the stream,{WonderWoman}]
Hippolyta furrowed her brows at the screen, her hand under her chin like a philosopher pondering about the workings of the universe, "Wonder woman? I am not sure I understand why this alias was chosen for me."
"Ah, I can answer that one for you Miss Hippolyta!"
Hippolyta turned to Mash with an inquisitive look, "You are?"
"Ah, Mash Kirielight, I am a demiservant of the shielder class. I am Senpai Ritsuka's sworn shield!"
"Oh? Is that so, well met Mash Kyrielight, now what can you tell me of this moniker?"
Mash stood up straight like a student being called to answer a question by a teacher,
"Wonder Woman is a superhero character from the Wonder Woman comic books… erm, comics are basically stories that are fully illustrated. In comics, Themiscarya survived to the modern day and the original wonder woman was actually a depiction of you."
This news came as a surprise to Hippolyta, but it turned into something more when Mash continued to explain.
"In the story, Wonder Woman becomes an alias that gets passed down to your daughter, who your counterpart names Diana."
Hippolyta's eyes softened and a small smile crossed her features, "Diana huh? Very well, as Queen of the Amazons, I will wear this alias with honor, just as my counterpart and her daughter proudly wore theirs."
[GudakoBot: WonderWoman chose not to show her servant dreams. ]
After rejecting chat, she stepped off the side to allow him to continue summoning more servants. Unfortunately, the gesture was in vain because all he summoned after her arrival were bowls of Mapo Tofu.
_____________________________________________________________
New Chatter:
PiplupPal: A pokemon fanatic who loves the piplup line. He moved regions and went to great lengths to pass Professor Rowan's sponsorship program, just so he could have a Piplup.
HakuNon: You didn't see anything, I wasn't here.
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AN: Figures that the moment I come back from my trip I get sick. Meh, whatever, hope you guys enjoyed this mammoth chapter.
Originally, Chiron was supposed to be summoned all the way back in Fuyuki, but after some feedback, I was convinced it would be better to push his summoning for later.
It's now later, and Gudao is officially a Greek Hero. May his clingy goddess have mercy on his soul.
As some of you have seen, Chiron isn't the only one who has ties to Heracles that was summoned. For the record, his Hippolyta is not the same Hyppolita from Fate Strange Fake, given how she was summoned with her hair down rather than like in a bun.
Ngl though, she looks hot in the Arty-bun.
Maybe I'll have someone down the line fashion her hair like that, for now it will stay like that.
As for Zenobia Gorgon, I know people are fatigued by her at this point, so it's mostly going to be Stheno for a long while. She will show up again, but only after enough time passes.
Also, I am not a great artist, but I also didn't wanna generate images on AI for the portrait images of SthenoBia. So I did what the old school artists did when they wanted a good drawing done quick while lacking some fundamentals, I started tracing. I traced the shit out of different official fgo artwork sources until I got what I wanted.
The exception being Zenobia's clothes, as I traced it and modified it from a dress I found on google.
Anyways, please leave a like if you enjoyed the story and leave some comments if you wish.
I'll see you guys next week.