For the Restoration of the Human Order, the existence known as 'Ritsuka Suse' is absolute.
This is a truth that both Goetia and I recognize with absolute clarity.
Through some mysterious means, Goetia has grasped the events of the future. As for me, I perceive what is to come based on memories of my past life obtained from the Root.
However, between the information I possess and that which Goetia holds… there are several discrepancies, each with their own merits and flaws.
First, Goetia knows the Compilation of the Human Order that will occur after the Incineration, the true goals and identities of the masterminds behind it… and absolute data regarding the Singularities themselves. It is only natural, given his vision through Clairvoyance, his unique Beast-class skill of Independent Manifestation, and his role as the architect who designed the Singularities.
But there is one thing that Goetia lacks: humanity.
He knows Ritsuka Suse only as 'information.' He fails to comprehend why she succeeded in the Restoration of the Human Order. That realization was something only King of Humans Goetia, who awakened at the very end of the Final Singularity, managed to achieve…
To put it simply, it's like a past version of Thanos looking at a Thanos who has already completed the finger snap.
The Thanos who completed his work apologized to his daughter Nebula, whom he had treated so harshly. Yet, the past Thanos—who had not experienced that spiritual growth—treated everything as mere components and died without fulfilling his mission.
'Of course, I can't say for certain. I never imagined he'd come up with a mad plan like sending a Holy Grail to Emperor Nero…'
But ironically, thanks to this situation, I've realized one vital fact.
Goetia, after all, truly does not understand the human heart.
'I had my suspicions from Lev Lainur's attitude and the King of Demon Gods' machinations, but this confirms it. Though, I won't know the full details until I reach the fourth Singularity…'
At any rate, Ritsuka successfully retrieved the Holy Grail and stored it within Mash's shield. In place of a formal farewell, she received Catalysts from each of the Servants we encountered in the Singularity.
"It would be great if we could just take them back directly."
[I'm sorry, but unless it's a Servant you summoned yourself within the Singularity, bringing local Servants back is impossible.]
"It can't be helped…"
Even if they lagged behind the likes of Iskandar or Hassan-i-Sabbah, in a roster abnormally skewed toward front-line combatants like Altera and Gareth, utility Servants of the Rider and Assassin classes like Boudica and Jing Ke would have been a massive help.
"Well, we received their Catalysts, so let's place our hopes in the summons."
"…Says the old man who already pulled Altera-chan!"
Fortunately, Ritsuka didn't throw any more of a tantrum. Romani let out a sigh of relief and began preparing for our proof of existence and the Rayshift return.
When I turned my head, I saw Ritsuka and Mash receiving farewell hugs and kisses from Nero. Meanwhile, I stood before Boudica and shook her hand.
"…In the end, I couldn't kill the Emperor, but I did succeed in dealing with the root cause of this incident."
"It's a shame Spartacus isn't here."
"Better that he isn't. If Spartacus had lost it and gone on a rampage here… it would have been truly troublesome. But are you sure you don't want to talk to Ritsuka?"
Ordinarily, Boudica would have become quite close to Ritsuka. But the current Boudica merely watched with a bitter gaze as Ritsuka received Nero's passionate embrace.
"I know she isn't a bad girl. If she heard my story, she would likely grieve with me… but I can't help feeling repulsed. She's already grown close to the people of Rome. So, I'll decline to say goodbye for now."
"…Do you think you'll get angry?"
"Not at that child."
Then it was ten-to-one she meant Nero.
"Well… I'll still answer the call if I'm summoned. I just hope that damned Rome isn't present in Chaldea."
After uttering that short curse, or perhaps it was her wish, Boudica vanished into a shroud of light.
Emperor Nero, having finished her own goodbyes, was waving her hands enthusiastically while shouting whatever came to mind.
"If Rome is the world, then this is no true parting, Ritsuka! We shall surely meet again one day, my friends!"
Watched over by those we had built bonds with, we commenced the Rayshift.
…And immediately following the Rayshift.
"…I'm sorry to drop this on you the moment you're back, but new Singularities have been observed."
"This is getting out of hand."
With a grim expression, Romani delivered the worst possible news.
*
While the first Singularity was merely an ordinary Singularity, the second had been one where the intent to target Ritsuka and myself was plain to see.
To put it bluntly, if I hadn't performed the ultimate circus act of breaking through that insane lineup of Caesar, Iskandar, and Zhuge Liang to summon Altera—and if Ritsuka hadn't fully won over Nero with her peculiar affinity—this Singularity would have turned into a catastrophe.
Had I fallen to the Servants' offensive, the Roman Alliance led by Iskandar would have surely crushed our enemies with overwhelming numbers, and had Ritsuka failed to persuade Nero, a Beast of Humanity would have stepped forth to trample the Human Order.
"The locations of the Singularities?"
As I asked, Romani swallowed hard before attempting to answer.
"The locations are…"
"Cannes, France, December 2001. Fuyuki City, Japan, 1934. And finally… a certain mansion in an indeterminate time period."
"…Godword."
Godword, who had cut Romani off to list the times and locations, sent me a subtle look.
It was only natural.
'France, December 2001… I don't know the exact site, but the only major event in France at that time would be the France Incident.'
Though they were nothing more than punching bags for Arcueid and me back then, it was nonetheless a grand event involving the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors.
According to the Holy Church's archives, the number of Ancestors involved in that incident alone was nine. Michael Roa Valdamjong acted as the host, inviting the 15th Ancestor Rita Rozay-en, the 19th Vlov Arkhangel, the 22nd Chromeclay Petrastructure, the 12th Lulu-Lily Paranodallia, the 14th Van-Fem, the White Wing Lord Trubbin Ortenrosse… as well as Roa's friend Nrvnqsr Chaos, who intended to participate, and even Enhance, who directly intervened and ruined the event.
It was a horrific slaughter that made the Fairy Round Table Alliance of the Compilation of the Human Order look mild by comparison. Survivors of that ordeal, such as Ciel Elesia and Noel, were left with severe trauma… If that place has become a Singularity, it is guaranteed to be a massive headache.
"…It seems the King of Demon Gods has made his move. He is actively recruiting entities with the attribute of 'Enemy of the Human Order' similar to himself."
Manaka chimed in.
After sending Ritsuka and the rest of the staff back for some rest, I gathered those who shared the same 'information' in one room.
There was the resurrected Solomoni-Romani, Godword—who served as the backup storage for my memories—Sajo Manaka, whose vision rivaled Clairvoyance, and… even big sister Aoko.
"Still, 2001 France might be easily resolved."
"Hmm?"
"We can dispatch the Crypters there, can't we? Besides, Arcueid Brunestud already knows how to handle the Dead Apostles there… why not just send Arcueid directly into the Singularity?"
"That's difficult. Do you have any idea how hard it is to provide Proof of Existence for a lifeform as significant as a True Ancestor?"
"If I use my Magic, somehow…"
"Don't talk nonsense."
When Godword joined Romani in rejecting the idea, Aoko slumped her shoulders in disappointment.
Watching her, Manaka brought up the second Singularity.
"By the way, we should pay close attention to the second Singularity. No matter how you look at it, this seems to be the Third Holy Grail War… didn't the Einzberns summon a Servant with Beast aptitude back then?"
"…Come to think of it, that was when that damned bastard entered the Grail…"
Angra Mainyu—All the World's Evil.
Including this Singularity, it would be my third time encountering that disgusting, yet strangely familiar, entity.
"…What shall we do?"
"We'll need Irisviel's help for this. My information doesn't cover the specific details of how the Einzberns blundered seventy years ago."
"And the Beast aptitude…"
"We'll handle that with the help of the local Servants."
And then, the most important matter.
"This Singularity's timeline is unstable… so either Ritsuka or you will have to go."
"…Why can't both go together?"
"Fuyuki City is one thing, but the Paris Singularity will be absolute chaos thanks to the Dead Apostles. Self-sufficiency will be impossible. We need Mash's shield to provide a minimum level of supply."
"The emergence of multiple Singularities at once is another problem in itself… If left alone even for a moment, these matters will grow critical."
My Hell Path and Mash's shield. In truth, that was the extent of our available supply lines.
While there was a method of drawing a magical circle to link back to Chaldea, it required finding a leyline, and the efficiency was trash compared to Mash's shield. It wouldn't even be able to transmit something on the level of a Mystic Code.
"If that brat from Modern Magecraft saw this, he'd be crying. To think the best students of his classroom can't even perform basic lifestyle magecraft."
"If you're going to put it like that, big sister Aoko can't do lifestyle magecraft either, so she always—OW! Sorry, Sis!"
As Aoko put me in an armbar, I quickly repelled her with Shinra Tensei and looked back at the data Romani was displaying regarding the final Singularity.
"If there's anything unusual… though the era is unknown, a brief observation showed numerous modern buildings."
"Doesn't that mean the era is the modern day?"
"We don't know that. Elizabeth Bathory is a Heroic Spirit of the past, yet she summons amp speakers and blasts acoustic bombs, don't she?"
"…That's true."
"In a situation where the era is unknown, sending Crypters who can only travel up to 100 years into the past is practically suicide. You know that, right?"
As Romani spoke to Manaka as if lecturing her, a sulky Manaka pouted and began sucking on her iced tea.
"But anyway, a mansion…"
"What is it? Do you have an idea?"
"No, it's just that there was one individual I missed back when I was dealing with the King of Demon Gods."
"Ah, I remember now. You mean that Souren Araya fellow? Come to think of it, you mentioned it after the Rail Zeppelin incident. You said to watch out for a place called 'Ogawa-heim.' It eventually fizzled out when the Mages' Association launched an attack."
Aoko said.
Just as Manaka was about to ask Godword who 'Souren Araya' was, Romani cried out.
"…Wait a second, isn't that Singularity possibly that mansion?! If that Araya fellow was on the Rail Zeppelin with Lev Lainur… it means he made contact with a Demon God Pillar's terminal!"