Roman felt as if he had just seen a ghost.
The other members in the control room also felt like they were experiencing hallucinations.
At that moment, at the door of the control room, Naoki stood there, completely intact.
"You're still alive, Natsukawa?"
"After not seeing each other for three days, that's the first thing you want to say?" Naoki glared at Roman angrily. "What, would it benefit you if I were dead? Did you make a bet on my life?"
"No way. I just thought that even if you survived, you'd be skin and bones. I didn't expect you to look perfectly fine."
Roman said as he placed his hand on Naoki's wrist to check his pulse. "Hmm, and it doesn't seem like you're just pretending to be energetic."
"What kind of person do you take me for? Even if I were completely drained, I'd recover after a ten-minute rest, okay? Don't compare me to your bean-sprout body." Naoki said while putting Roman in a headlock, making him quickly tap his arm, begging for mercy.
While roughhousing with Roman, Naoki didn't forget about Marie, who was standing near the main commander's chair. "Long time no see, Olga. From my perspective, it's only been about ten days, but from yours, it's been over five months. Sorry I wasn't around during that time."
With her arms crossed and feigning calmness, Marie sneered coldly. "What does your absence have to do with me? Chaldea can function without you. Don't think you're that important. I wasn't worried about you."
(Natsukawa wasn't talking about worrying…)
(Can I still see a tsundere with this level of purity in this day and age?)
(The Director is so pitiful, kicking herself out of the race.)
"…"
Marie suddenly felt the atmosphere in the control room shift. Was it just her imagination, or did the staff's gazes carry a hint of… pity?
What weird things were they thinking about now?
Naoki smiled slightly. "I see, that's good then. I was worried you might have built up a lot of stress since there was no one to listen to your complaints while I was gone. I was planning to stop by your place tonight, but since you're doing so well, there's no issue. Looks like I was overthinking it. You've grown a lot too."
*CRACK…!*
Maybe it was a hallucination, but there was a sound like something breaking from Marie's body.
The staff looked at Marie with even more regret and pity. Because of her tsundere act, she missed a chance to spend time alone with him—Director Olga, what are you doing?!
At that moment, Roman, who had finally freed himself from Naoki's headlock, said while catching his breath, "Sorry, Natsukawa, but I think you might not have time to go on a date with the Director tonight."
"What do you mean, a date? Olga and I have nothing going on."
"Yeah, yeah, sure. I know you two have 'nothing going on.' Go ask around—see how many people would believe that. Stop messing around and look at this."
Roman said as he opened an email he had recently received. Naoki leaned in beside Roman, paused for a moment, then sighed. "Roman, while I don't mind your state-sponsored fandom, do you really need to show off a personal email from Magical Merry trying to scam you? Or do you want me to help you pay for it?"
"As if the money wouldn't just go back to your pocket—no! Stop talking nonsense! Don't focus on the weird part at the top!" Roman, his face flushed, quickly scrolled to the bottom of the email. "Look at this part! This is the important bit!"
"The important bit? Let's see… Since they know Chaldea can't observe the Sixth Singularity, as thanks for your support, Romani, they're giving you a special gift. After feeling their sincerity, keep working overtime until you drop—"
There was another link below.
After reading this part with a complicated expression, Naoki furrowed his brows tightly, then quietly stepped back about four or five meters from Roman.
Roman frowned. "Natsukawa, why are you suddenly standing so far away?"
"No, it's just… uh… Roman, you're not interested in men, are you?"
"No! Who'd be interested in that jerk Merlin?! The virtual avatar and the person behind it are two different things! Don't mix up the concepts!"
Roman shouted angrily while opening the link. As a petal-shaped emblem appeared before them, a series of contents materialized in front of their eyes.
The content wasn't much. It only explained that Artoria had already gone to the Sixth Singularity and was preparing to summon the Knights of the Round Table there to assist with Chaldea's operations.
Up to this point, there was no issue. But what confused them both was the final part.
[The initial situation of the Sixth Singularity wasn't like this. At least when the Incineration of Humanity first occurred, I saw part of the situation there, but it quickly became unobservable. I think it's related to what I saw at the time.]
[If Chaldea wants to conquer that place, it's an enemy you'll have to face. At that time, make sure to bring Natsukawa with you. Other than him, there shouldn't be anyone else who can defeat it.]
It?
What's "it"?
(As usual, only half the story, that jerk Merlin… But, only I can defeat it?)
Naoki paused for a moment, then gently clenched his hand, summoning his Holy Sword from thin air—if there was a weapon unique to him, it would be this Holy Sword. His Mystic Eyes might count too.
Was the enemy of the Sixth Singularity something that only his Holy Sword and Mystic Eyes could counter?
"Roman, I remember you said you had something to discuss with me?"
"Oh, right." Roman nodded. "In the Fourth Singularity, we received help from one of the Knights of the Round Table, Mordred, in London. But she wasn't a Servant at the time—she was a real human. I think she must be your daughter."
"She asked us to pass on a message to you: [My mother and I will be waiting for you in the Sixth, Father]."
The Sixth… the Sixth Singularity?
Mordred and Morgan—Naoki hadn't seen them in a long time. Unlike others, after the two of them settled in Glastonbury, they only stayed there for a few years. That was shortly after Naoki first returned from Chaldea. When he went there, Morgan and Mordred were already gone.
For the years that followed, both of them had been missing.
(Have they been preparing for all these years? Morgan, and… Mordred is ready to help?)
This won't be the Holy Round Table Domain anymore…
Taking a deep breath, Naoki said, "Are Fujimaru and the others here?"
"No, Fujimaru and Mash went to Mifune City yesterday afternoon. After returning from each Singularity, they go back there. It's a break I gave them—should I call them back?"
"No need. Let them keep resting. Interrupting their family reunion isn't a good idea."
Naoki shook his head, then stored his Holy Sword. "Roman, stop observing the Sixth Singularity. Instead, start observing the Seventh Singularity and prepare for quantum shift operations. After Fujimaru and the others return, have them begin conquering the Seventh Singularity."
"I'll handle the Sixth Singularity for now."