Second Singularity.
A.D. 0060 – Eternal Madness Empire: Septem.
Chapter 90 – The Wind in Rome Feels Melancholic Today
"Senpai! Senpai!!"
Someone was calling him.
Ethan slowly opened his eyes.
Above him stretched the vast sky. The sky of this era still retained its deep, pristine blue, with a massive ring of light hovering high above.
"Thank goodness, Senpai finally woke up."
Mash let out a relieved sigh.
But just as she relaxed, two massive shadows suddenly appeared in Ethan's vision.
Behind his head, he could also feel a soft sensation.
This angle… this feeling!!!
There was no mistaking it—this had to be the fluffy Beast IV again!
If he turned around now, he was certain he'd hear that cheerful voice yell:
"You thought it was Mashu-chan's lap? Nuh-uh, it's me, Fou!!!"
With the face of that obsessive gay vampire.
Ethan jolted upright in shock.
"Senpai, are you alright? Would you like to rest a little longer?"
Mash asked worriedly.
"No, staying here any longer will just make me feel even more empty inside."
"Hmm? Why's that?"
"Fou…?"
Suddenly, Fou—perched on Mash's shoulder—tilted it head in confusion, just like her.
???
Ethan froze.
Fou… why are you here?!
Wait, the real issue isn't where Fou is… but what exactly I was resting on just now—
"Alright, Senpai, let's get moving!"
Mash stood up, grabbing the shield beside her.
"What's wrong, Senpai? You don't look very happy."
"No, it's nothing…"
Ethan tried to recall that sensation from earlier, but for some reason, he just couldn't remember.
A gentle breeze blew past.
The wind in Rome feels melancholic today.
...
"Ethan, Mash, can you hear me?"
Doctor Romani's voice came through the communication device on Mash's wrist.
"We hear you, Doctor!"
"Great! We finally reestablished the connection!"
Doctor Romani exclaimed in relief.
"Following Da Vinci's suggestion, we converted Chaldea's electrical energy into mana to stabilize the communication signal. But doing so means we can't transfer as much mana to you anymore."
Ethan never relied much on Chaldea's mana anyway, so while losing that option was inconvenient, there wasn't much choice.
"Right now, this is the era of the fifth emperor of the Roman Empire—Nero Claudius. Your current location should be near the capital, Rome. Look around and see if there are any major cities nearby."
"Doctor, this place seems to be all hills and mountains. There's nothing here."
Mash confirmed as she scanned the surroundings.
"I see. It's best if you avoid conflict with the locals as soon as you arrive. Your mission is still to repair this era's singularity. Unless absolutely necessary, refrain from using force."
Doctor Romani reminded them.
"Yes, I think so too," Ethan nodded.
"By the way, Mash, where are the other two?"
Ethan glanced around. He didn't see Jeanne Alter or Mordred anywhere.
"Jeanne Alter-san and Mordred-san went out scouting early this morning. They should be back soon."
"…They what???"
Ethan was stunned.
BOOM——————————!!
BANG——————————!!
A series of violent explosions erupted from the distant hill.
"Senpai, there's combat activity nearby."
Mash immediately tensed up, her eyes locking onto the source of the disturbance.
"It looks like Mordred-san and Jeanne Alter-san are engaging the enemy!!!"
"..."
"..."
Ethan and Doctor Romani exchanged helpless glances.
"Doctor, I don't think we have a choice here…"
"Sigh… Yeah, I figured my earlier warning was wishful thinking."
Indeed, from the moment they decided to bring Mordred and Jeanne Alter along, a stealthy approach was no longer an option.
"Mash, let's head over there."
"Understood!"
"Fou!!"
The two of them—plus one small squirrel-like creature—rushed toward the source of the commotion.
...
"Halt! Unidentified warriors!!"
A loud voice commanded.
Mordred frowned, hoisting Clarent onto her shoulder as she surveyed the surroundings.
She found herself encircled by a well-disciplined army, their shields raised in formation, clearly attempting to trap her.
"Tch, I just wanted to ask for directions—how did it come to this? Eh, whatever."
Without hesitation, Mordred unleashed her mana through Clarent.
"Crimson Lightning!!"
BANG——————————!!
A blazing red bolt of lightning struck from the heavens!!!
Standing at the center of the impact, Mordred remained unscathed, while the soldiers—who had raised their shields in defense—were sent flying in all directions!
"M-Monster!!!"
Terrified, the soldiers abandoned their shields and weapons, fleeing in a panic.
"Oi, who the hell are you calling a monster?!"
Suddenly, a burst of laughter echoed from afar.
"Muahahahaha, HAHAHAHA————————!!!"
A woman clad in black armor playfully unleashed dark flames, sending the soldiers scattering in sheer terror.
"Between me and her, isn't she the real monster?"
Mordred muttered in irritation.
Neighhhhh————————!!
A sudden horse's neigh cut through the air, followed by a blinding sword aura that shot toward her in an instant!
Clang——————————!!
Mordred instinctively raised her sword to block the attack.
Her opponent dashed past before coming to a stop some distance ahead, revealing his true form.
A bold, red-haired young man astride a sleek black steed—this was the warrior who had just clashed with her.
"Just as my teacher predicted—the anomaly has arrived."
His piercing gaze locked onto Mordred.
"You're a Servant, aren't you? No Master? How about joining me? I can offer you a share of my vast wealth."
"You've got some guts…"
Mordred grinned menacingly.
"Too bad I already have a fantastic Master, and your offer is far too cheap."
She raised Clarent, pointing it straight at him.
"My Master and I aim for something far greater than petty wealth!!!"
Tightening her grip, she swung her sword down in a decisive strike. But her opponent merely nudged his black steed to the side, evading effortlessly.
"Oh? My teacher was right again. Servants never submit so easily."
The red-haired warrior chuckled.
Mordred launched another attack, but he showed no intention of fighting back, instead continuing to nimbly avoid her strikes.
"Oi! Are you gonna fight or what?!"
"If I could, I'd love to test my strength against a warrior like you. But my teacher has ordered me—if I encounter a powerful Servant, my job is to keep them occupied. That way, my teacher's plan can proceed smoothly."
He tightened his grip on the reins, his sharp eyes still fixed on Mordred.
"Tch, so your 'teacher' is some arrogant bastard, huh? And if there's one thing I hate, it's being used in someone else's schemes!!!"
Sparks of crimson lightning crackled across Mordred's armor!
"Come on!!"