The suggestion for Naoki to go alone to conquer the Sixth Singularity was immediately rejected by Roman, Marie, and the entire control room staff.
Previously, he had said he would go alone to resolve the Tokyo Singularity, and the result was that he was gone for over five months. Now he was saying he'd go alone to tackle the Sixth Singularity. Who knows how long he'd be gone this time!
"So they don't really trust me…"
In the Chaldea cafeteria.
Lying on the dining table, Naoki complained with a hint of frustration.
The reason he was gone for over five months was purely because Merry had interfered, not because he intended to. This time, the Sixth Singularity likely wouldn't have such complications.
And with his strength, he wasn't being arrogant, but there shouldn't be any opponent he couldn't handle. Even if he couldn't win, he could at least hold his own.
"I think Dr. Roman and the others are worried about you, big brother."
Gray, who had brought a plate of fried rice from the kitchen.
"When you didn't return after conquering one Singularity, Dr. Roman actually wanted to send Fujimaru and the others to the Tokyo Singularity to help you right away. But he was stopped by Sister Rei."
"Dr. Roman cares a lot about your safety. Please understand that."
(I understand, of course I understand… That's why I want him to trust me more, to believe that I can handle everything alongside him.)
Sighing helplessly, Naoki picked up a spoon and scooped some fried rice. "Mmm… this taste… it's not your cooking, Gray?"
Having lived together for so long, Naoki was very familiar with Gray's cooking, but the flavor of this fried rice wasn't like hers—it felt like it was made by a beginner. The texture was also slightly burnt.
"Kaname-chan made it." Gray said as she walked to the back kitchen and brought Kaname out.
After not seeing her for three days, Kaname was now wearing a Chaldea uniform with an apron over it. From head to toe, she clearly showed signs of being well-cared for. Though she still had a gloomy and reserved aura, she looked much brighter overall.
Gray explained, "Kaname-chan is staying with me now. Since Sister Rei and Sister Atalanta are with big brother, and Sister Okita doesn't seem like the type to look after kids, I'm taking care of her for now. You took care of me like this back then too, didn't you?"
"You were way clingier than Kaname is now. I still remember in that parallel world, you said you'd never leave me no matter what." Naoki said with a wry smile, then turned to Kaname. "Are you getting used to life here, Kaname?"
"Uh, yeah… it's much better than before…"
Kaname's face flushed.
The era she had lived in was the end of World War II, with Japan under invasion. Given the circumstances and the Army Ministry's standards at the time, there were no lightbulbs in Kaname's room. She could only use candles for light.
By comparison, Chaldea's living environment was practically paradise. No wonder Kaname now seemed much more lively.
"Um—"
After hesitating for a moment, Kaname gripped her apron with both hands. "Um… may I know how the fried rice tastes…?"
"It's delicious, of course. But it seems like it was fried a bit too long—some parts are burnt."
"Okay, I'll be more careful next time… I'll go make a note first!"
After a slight bow, Kaname ran back to the kitchen.
Watching her retreating figure, Naoki asked, "Is she helping out in the kitchen now?"
"Yeah, she said she can't just eat and live here for free, so she wanted to do something she's capable of. I let her help me in the kitchen. I guided her in making this fried rice too. You have to finish it all, big brother."
"In other words, this fried rice is your doing. When have I ever not finished food you made?"
Come to think of it, that was true.
Gray smiled slightly. "By the way, big brother, about conquering the Sixth Singularity this time… what's the plan?"
"Ah, well… just wait for now." Naoki said while eating. "Roman said he'd order a Mystic Code for me from Da Vinci and Touko, so I won't disappear for another five months."
(A Mystic Code for tracking?)
(If that's the case, it's better if big brother takes it.)
Gray, accustomed to Naoki's occasional sudden disappearances, nodded in agreement. At that moment, as if remembering something, Naoki asked, "By the way, where's Jalter?"
Jeanne Alter—at the end of the First Singularity, though she was blown up along with the Demon God Pillar by Aoko, Rei had collected a small fragment of her before she completely vanished and preserved it.
Rei's energy source was the Holy Grail. Using the Grail's power, it wasn't difficult to restore Jeanne Alter, who had nearly disappeared, back to her original form.
It had been over five months since then. It must be done by now, right?
After Naoki's question, Gray paused for a moment, then suddenly lifted her hand to brush back her bangs, showing an angry expression toward Naoki. "Are you the jerk who meddled and told someone to save me?"
Naoki: "…?"
(This situation is…)
"Jeanne Alter is inside Gray's body? A Demi-Servant like Mash?"
"What do you mean Demi-Servant? Well, it's more or less the same. This girl seems to have merged with the normal me before, and our compatibility is pretty good. So after I woke up, that evil puppet sent me to her side, though part of it was this girl's own wish."
She said, "Since it's Miss Jeanne, let me take care of her." even though I'm Jeanne Alter, not that saint!
But more importantly—
*THWACK!*
Ignoring the mini skirt she was wearing and the fact that she was using Gray's body, Jeanne Alter lifted her leg and stomped on the chair between Naoki's legs. "It was you, wasn't it? The one who told that evil puppet to save me? Meddling! I didn't ask you to save me! What right do you have to act on your own? What's your goal?!"
At that moment, Jeanne Alter had been ready to die completely. After all, she was a fake, so it didn't matter whether she lived or died. But after some time, she realized she was still alive and well. Though she had lost her physical form and could only cling to someone else, she was still alive.
What was going on? She couldn't even die when she wanted to?
["My master hopes you can live, so until my master allows it, cast aside all your pride and live with all your strength."]—those were the words of that evil puppet named Sajyou Rei.
And now, Jeanne Alter had finally met the mastermind who caused her to be unable to die completely.
[He saved me for some specific purpose, didn't he?]
Jeanne Alter thought so, and she had also decided—no matter what purpose the other party stated, she definitely wouldn't listen!
Snapping out of his shock and seeing Jeanne Alter aggressively occupying the chair in front of him in Gray's form, Naoki thought for a moment, then said, "Well, if you're asking about a purpose, there is one."
(I knew it, men are creatures who won't act without some gain.)
"I've been to the Root, and there I learned everything about you."
(Hm? The Root? What's that? Everything about me… everything? What does that mean?)
"And after learning everything about you… Honestly, I really like you, so I didn't want you to die just like that." Naoki said seriously. "You can think of it as me saving you based on my own personal desire."
(…)
Jeanne Alter, along with Gray observing from within her body, fell silent after hearing these words.