Attendance… plz…)
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The Director tapped his foot against the floorboards.
Thud.
The sound echoed, not just in the room, but deep into the earth, signaling the existence of the Spirit Tomb Albions lumbering beneath their feet.
"When the two are severed, and the veins of the future are laid bare before us, you will realize the truth. Somewhere along the line, Primates and Phantasmal Species became opposing forces on this earth. And their union... is something this Era does not permit."
The conflict between Alaya and Gaia?
Rimuru sat in silence, his mind racing.
Phantasmal Species were the tactile organs of Gaia (the Planet). Humans were the essence of Alaya (the Collective Unconscious of Humanity).
Right now, they hadn't completely torn each other apart. They likely hadn't even formed distinct consciousnesses yet.
They were just the "Counter Force", the mechanisms running the world system, like an automated operating system.
But Rimuru knew the future. He knew about the Land of Steel. He knew that eventually, Gaia would call upon the Ultimate Ones to wipe humanity out.
But... Rimuru thought, bewildered. What the hell does that have to do with me?!
Seeing Rimuru's confusion, the Director finally finished his prologue and connected the dots.
"According to the observations of the Core, as a hybrid of Phantasmal and Primate, the destruction of the Tempest family was almost a predestined certainty. It is why the World allowed them to rise as the 'Thirteenth Candidate Family' only to crush them."
"They were an Official Noble Family," Rimuru couldn't help but interject with a petty correction.
The Director didn't mind the interruption. After all, Rimuru was the victim here, and he was young.
"Regardless... you were the hope they left behind. They begged me to save you, at any cost."
"But to overturn a Sealing Designation from the Association, we had to prove you were safe. We had to ensure you wouldn't cause a magical catastrophe."
"Tch. So you sealed the majority of my spiritual power and my Magic Circuits, didn't you?"
The puzzle pieces clicked into place.
His memories of his past life hadn't fully awakened until recently. His circuits had been largely dormant, only 57 active out of 173. It all made sense now.
Rimuru sighed. He couldn't really be angry. Even if he had possessed the mind of an adult at birth, how could a baby convince a tribunal of paranoid Magi that he wasn't a ticking time bomb?
The Director had saved his life. He had shouldered the pressure from the Association to keep Rimuru out of a jar.
"Thank you."
Rimuru spoke the words with genuine complexity and gratitude.
"You really are clever."
The Director seemed delighted. He picked up a manual coffee grinder and started cranking it enthusiastically.
Grind, grind, grind.
"But there is no need for thanks. You must know... we have a favor to ask of you as well."
"Hm?"
Rimuru paused. "Don't tell me you want me to give up on revenge?"
"I understand your theories about 'Fate' and the 'Era,' but just because a family is 'destined' to fall doesn't mean I have to forgive the vultures who kicked us while we were down, right?"
"No, no, no. You misunderstand."
The Director wasn't annoyed by the interruption. He finished grinding the beans and poured a fresh cup for Rimuru, his demeanor as kind as a grandfather offering candy.
"I do wish you would all get along, of course. Infighting is tiresome. But I will not interfere with your choices. Do what you must. After all, you have a far more important mission, Rimuru."
"?"
The Director leaned forward, the shadows shifting.
"We hope that in the distant future... you will change the path of human extinction."
Bang!
It was like a sledgehammer to the skull. Rimuru's brain stalled.
"Save... Save the Human Order?!"
Pfffft!
Rimuru couldn't hold it back. He sprayed a mouthful of coffee across the table.
"Cough... Cough! Are you insane?!" He wiped his mouth, staring at the Director in disbelief. "I'm just a Mage from a fallen family! Even if my talent is quite high, saving the Human Order isn't my job!"
It's 1987! Go find the Chaldea Security Organization! Go find Fujimaru Ritsuka! Why are you dumping the plot of FGO on me?!
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Aghhhhh… Screw that!
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Rimuru's reaction didn't surprise the Director in the slightest. The old man just kept slowly turning the handle of the manual coffee grinder, ignoring magic entirely for the manual labor, and sighed with nostalgic envy.
"Ah, it must be nice to be young."
Nice to be young, my ass! Rimuru shot up from his chair. Without a word, he turned on his heel and sprinted for the exit.
"Goodbye, Director!"
BAM!
The heavy door to the Director's office slammed shut automatically, right in front of Rimuru's nose. It sealed with a heavy, magically reinforced thud.
"Director... Sir!!"
"Now, now. Don't be so impetuous." The Director blew gently on the coffee grounds. His raspy voice grew solemn.
"Rimuru, you may be confused..." He set down the grinder and turned to look at the petite, blue-haired figure standing by the door.
"But we are also confused about a few things. You are a genius. That is beyond doubt," the Director said softly. "But talent that deviates this far from the norm implies an unknown Mystery within you. Are you familiar with the Theory of Magical Dreams and the Theory of Origins?"
"..."
Rimuru paused. He turned around slowly. "Of course. It's required reading for the Department of General Fundamentals."
"Then you should understand the state of a being who remains in a perpetual 'childhood,' constantly interfered with by magical energy, yes?"
"A Witch..." Rimuru thought for a moment, and the answer came naturally. Realization dawned on him.
"Like a Witch, born with the innate capacity to wield magic... Is that why, for as long as I can remember, I was raised alongside May and Alice?"
"Your parents loved you very much, Rimuru." The Director let out a sigh. "You must understand. Before your birth, the Tempest family was the second most powerful family within Inorai's Democratic Faction."
The Director didn't need to spell out the cost.
To secure the environment and knowledge necessary to raise a "young witch" safely, the Tempest family had betrayed their faction.
They abandoned their stronghold in Edinburgh. They moved to be near the Archelots and the Kuonjis, families with Witch bloodlines.
They had essentially sold their soul and their assets to the Archelots in exchange for Rimuru's survival.
Rimuru now understood why Inorai had smiled at him during the meeting. He was the living legacy of her former right-hand family.
"Maybe they just cared about the continuation of the bloodline," Rimuru retorted, trying to keep his voice steady.
But internally, his heart wavered. He almost wanted to curse.
Shit.
The Director's words hit hard. He didn't doubt May's feelings for him, her friendship and affection were genuine. But clearly... the Archelots' help over the years hadn't been charity.
In fact, one could argue the Archelots had taken advantage of the situation. They had used the Tempest family's desperation to swallow up their assets and wealth.
But after a moment of internal conflict, Rimuru calmed down.
Equivalent Exchange.
To a Magus, this was reasonable. It was fair. The Witches had kept their promise.
They took the money, yes, but they protected Rimuru. They ensured his survival. And they never interfered with his life or tried to manipulate May's friendship with him.
"So?" Rimuru asked, his voice hardening. "What does any of this have to do with me needing to save the Human Order?"
He wanted to leave. This place solved his mysteries, but he didn't want to hear anymore. Knowing too much would only shake his resolve. It would mess with his judgment.
It was like playing a video game. If you skip the cutscenes and just focus on the gameplay, clearing the level is easy. You don't care about the NPCs.
But if you get invested in the lore, if you immerse yourself in the story... and the only ending available is a Bad End? Then you might not even have the will to finish the game.
His past life's education reminded him of a core principle of negotiation: Only the main objective matters. Everything else, emotional appeals, background stories, shared secrets, is just smoke and mirrors designed to shake your resolve.
The Director's goal was obvious: Save the Human Order.
All this talk about his parents, the truth of his upbringing, the kindly face, whether genuine or not, was just a tool to manipulate him into accepting the mission.
….
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