Antioch, Palmyrene Empire
Ritsuka POV
It had been a fun week that they spent with Zenobia, exploring the city and trying the local cuisine, but all good things had to come to an end. Now they had to get back to business, which is why they were in the ports of Antioch, where the ship they were promised was ready to depart.
The call of adventure screamed above their heads, as if the gulls themselves demanded they hurry up and get their journey started already.
But it would have to wait, because they still had a few more things to talk about to the person they were deeply indebted to before they left.
[Man, time sure flies doesn't it? ]
[Yeah, I can't believe it's already been over a week since we've met Zenobia, and now it's time to leave. ]
[Heart0f6old: I am gonna miss that well-toned pecha berry butt of hers. ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Me too. ]
[JAlter: Good riddance. Master has been distracted for long enough. ]
[Best_Kohai_BB(MOD): Oh, someone is jealous~ ]
[JAlter: I'm not. I just don't trust that slutty queen okay? Especially around Master. ]
[Yup, definitely jealous. ]
[Have you guys noticed how… quickly Ritsuka and Zenobia clicked? ]
[Yeah, who DIDN'T notice? They've only known each other a week and they already act like they've been a couple for months!! How?!! ]
[GARcher: Servant dreams, the answer is servant dreams. It's easy to get close to a master through dreams in that small a timeframe. ]
[CasCu: Kind of hard not to when you experience the intimate parts of a person's life every night. ]
[OrochiMochiHime: :nods head emote: ]
[OrochiMochiHime: :crying emote: ]
[Bunny_Aachan: Yup Yup Yup!! I saw the same happen too! An old master of mine wooed a female servant in that small time! Though usually, everyone is fighting for their lives during those grail wars, so there are few times to get close and lovey-dovey with each other. ]
[Zenobia and Gudao having their romantic date, meanwhile poor Mash is just the third wheel going along for the ride.
Like, come on girl! You're not even trying to protect your man!! Fight dammit!]
"So, can you tell us about the island you mentioned when we first met?" He had put the question to the wayside the past week, since it wouldn't be something they needed to know until later. But later arrived, and now they needed to know what to look for.
"Yes, I can. I flew near it when I made my way to confront Alexander, actually. It's a small island with a sandy beach and dense foliage, but none of that will help you since the Mediterranean Sea hosts many islands with that description. But worry not, for I gave the exact location to the ship captain. Once you arrive at Mt. Etna to call for your allies, he'll take you straight to the island."
Zenobia truly has done more for them than they could afford to repay.
"Thank you so much for all the help you've given us, Queen Zenobia." Mash's sincere thanks made the queen smile.
"Again, it is no trouble. We're on the same team, aren't we? We all want to make a better, happier future for the world, for humanity."
They both nodded at her statement.
Suddenly, Zenobia turned serious, "where will you two go after you've finished investigating the island?"
That was a good question, "we're not exactly sure. It depends on what we find on the island, though considering the original location Chaldea wanted to rayshift us in, it's very possible we might just take a trip to Rome to continue our investigation there."
What kind of time travelers would they be if they didn't make a pit stop at such a famous place during its heyday?
However, Zenobia didn't seem to find their plans agreeable, as she gained that concerned look she got when she found out about the shitty state of his house and neighborhood.
It made sense to him, given how we were visiting the very place that destroyed her home.
"Mash, Ritsuka, I do have a favor to ask, will you listen?"
"Sure, what is it?" he asked, part of him already knowing what she was going to ask.
"Please, stay away from Rome." Her request was spoken politely but firmly. It almost sounded like a demand.
"We can't keep that promise, Zenobia. If our investigations lead us to Rome, we have to go there."
"I know, but… it's too dangerous for you guys to go there now." Zenobia insisted, a bit of urgency in her tone.
"Why is that? Is something happening over there?"
Zenobia looked at Mash and then at him, he could see conflicting emotions in her eyes, but then she resigned to whatever decision she made in her mind.
"It's not about what is happening in Rome, but rather, what is going to happen."
[Zenobia's being cryptic.]
[Ma'am please elaborate. We don't have time for that anime misunderstanding bullcrap when we have a world to save!! ]
"I've heard rumors of a slumbering Beast that lurks within the borders of Rome." And in one sentence, the wind howled in fear. Even the gulls' screams quieted into murmurs.
[Is it just me, or did anyone else hear the capitalization when she said the word "Beast?" ]
"A slumbering Beast?" He parroted back at her, to which she nodded to confirm the word he spoke was not misheard.
"Yes, a Beast. And while I do not deny your ability to fight and the power your allies bring you, it will mean nothing should the Beast awaken. They are beings that bring calamity to the world and are far above anything that you can handle. So please… stay away." Zenobia said, the concern in her eyes made clear.
[Burning_Jealousy: …Truth. O_O ]
[GARcher: Shit… ]
[Bunny_Aachan: Uh oh. The difficulty just jumped from easy to hard. ]
[What? What is a Beast?! I'm confused!! ]
[GARcher: Beasts of Calamity are walking, living, breathing, and intelligent calamities. Think of them as your Legendaries, but they love humanity in a way that'll kill you all. ]
[So basically, they are super powerful, legendary Bewears? ]
[GARcher: If these Bewears are able to crush continents, then sure. ]
"Alright, thank you for the heads-up, we'll try our best to avoid Rome then," he promised, much to the queen's relief.
"Thank you."
The wood of the pier creaked as heavy footsteps walked toward them, taking their attention away from the serious topic.
"I apologize for interrupting your meeting, My Queen and her honored guests, but the ship is ready to set sail."
Oh.
A feeling of disappointment washed over him, one that made his heart ache. He thought they had more time.
Zenobia also looked saddened by the news, but she remained professional when replying to the man, "thank you for your service captain. Please give us a moment, we will say our final goodbyes soon."
The captain bowed at her, "of course My Queen. Please excuse me."
The man got up from his bow and walked towards the bridge that led towards the ship.
Zenobia looked at them once again, "well, you heard the man. You should get going. I've kept you long enough."
"It was nice meeting you, Queen Zenobia. We really appreciate you for saving us and guiding us through your home," Mash said with a sincere, full smile.
"It was my pleasure Mash," Zenobia walked closer to the shielder, leaned in, and kissed her on the cheek. The action caused Mash to blush in embarrassment.
Zenobia's eyes then locked onto him, and he felt a shiver run up his spine. A shiver of anticipation, and he braced himself for the kiss she was going to give him as she got closer to him.
He remembered the small breakdown on proskynesis he learned from Lord Vlad's comments. He might be her master, but she was still a queen and he a baron, so he was expecting a kiss on the cheek.
He was a fool.
The kiss, which was meant for his cheek, was instead given to his lips.
The warm sensation of Zenobia's lips caught him off guard. But just like with Marie, he just accepted it.
Ironically, while the prim and proper Marie gave him a lewd kiss, the barely clothed, sexy Zenobia gave him an innocent, pure kiss.
Yet, even though it was not as wild as Marie's, it made his mind go numb and fuzzy in a way Marie's kiss couldn't achieve.
[PerfectlySaneHex: Yup. I figured this would happen sooner or later. Queens are unfair. ]
[Burning_Jealousy: Ah, Anchin, why do you seek the warmth and comfort of tramps, when you have me? ]
[JAlter: How shameless, and she claims to not want to have unnecessary contact with men. :rolls eyes emote: ]
The temporary connection snapped, causing his heart to cry out in sorrow, but it had to be done. Their contract was temporary after all, and they had only agreed to make the connection last while they were together.
His lips wavered as they felt Zenobia's lips part from him, and he could see the reddened skin on her cheeks and ears.
"I wish you safe travels, my young soldiers. May we meet again soon."
"I…um…me too." Ritsuka fumbled his words, his lips already cold and wanting more, but he restrained himself.
[GudakoBot: Waifu Counter 10 ]
[Huh? Where did this one come from? ]
[Rizzuka is rizzing so hard it's even causing the waifu counter to spazz out. ]
[Heart0f6old: She is so womanly that the waifu counter values her as twice the worth of other women. Sasuga Zenobia-sama. ]
With their goodbyes said, both he, Mash, and Fou climb onto the ship.
As soon as they boarded, the plank bridge was raised and put away, and the anchor was pulled from the water.
The ship's sails, now untethered, began to push the ship away from the port and into the open sea.
He and Mash looked back at Queen Zenobia, who was still standing by the docks, and waved a final goodbye to her.
She saw them and did the same.
The figure of the queen shrank the further they went into the sea until she was no longer visible; However, Queen Zenobia still somehow made her presence known when they saw the glowing light of her activating her noble phantasm.
The queen ascended high into the sky, like a newborn star.
Then the sky roared as Zenobia's glowing body flew north with enough force to break the sound barrier.
…He already missed her.
✦✧✦
Catania, Sicilia
"I can't believe we're already here."
Their ship ride, which would have normally taken a week, had already arrived days after their departure.
It was an unbelievably fast travel speed for this time period. It almost resembled a dream, but the mountain looming over the sprawling city before them was too imposing and real for him to deny.
"Queen Zenobia did say the ship was enchanted by local mages so that we could easily make the trip. So it's not too surprising," Mash reminded him, to which he simply nodded.
Magecraft was bullshit.
"Alright you two. Now that you have arrived, it's time for you to get going. That leyline isn't gonna connect itself, you know?! "
Mash raised a brow at Romani, "you're acting unusually pushy today, Dr. Roman."
"Well, you can't really blame me for being a bit pushy. You guys basically spent an entire week as tourists while the rest of us just watched."
Oh, he knew what this was about.
"So you're just jealous you didn't get a chance to be a tourist, huh, Dr. Romani?"
"Enough of that, adventure awaits!! Mash, you know what to do!! As Director of Chaldea, I order you to climb to the top of the mountain as fast as you can!! "
Suspicious.
Mash seemed to think so too, but she didn't push back his direct order and made the "princess carry" gesture towards him.
He sighed but didn't argue as he allowed the overly enthusiastic Mash to carry him in her arms. He was getting tired of being carried like this, but there's not much he can do since it was the fastest way to travel.
He could feel the stares from the local seamen. And while he couldn't see the sailor's faces now, he could hear their mocking cackles and whistles.
"Are you comfortable, Senpai?" He tried to look up and meet Mash's gaze, but her breasts blocked the full view of her face.
Heh, those sailors can mock him all they want, but unlike them, he actually had a nice view from down here.
Though the view would have been nicer if he were in Zenobia's arms… Wait, why did he think that?
He pushed those intrusive thoughts aside for now and issued his command.
"Yeah, I am. Let's go."
His eyes widened as Mash's chest came dangerously close to his face as she bent her legs into a crouch.
What was she doing?!
The question was answered mere moments later as Mash jumped.
Gravity used him as a piece of rope and played tug of war with Mash's arms as she ascended into the sky.
"AAAAAHHHH"
The wind roughly brushed his ears as the demiservant pierced the sky with her body.
Thankfully, Mash slowed down enough that the wind couldn't force his eyes shut.
Opening his eyes, he could see the various forests across the island, the city below them, and the glistening sea on the horizon. However, the most breathtaking view was that of Mount Etna. Due to some natural phenomena he forgot the name of, the mountain appeared close enough to be within reach.
It wasn't.
It was too far away from where Mash jumped, but his gut told him that this joyride was far from over. And he was proven right when he felt Mash's thighs press on his back as she readied herself to perform the same move she did back in Fuyuki.
"Fixing shield in space to the rear, deploying shield catapult!"
[Oh shit, it's a blast from the past!! Mash is using her special shield catapult!! ]
[Is this really necessary? Can't they just take a nice jog through the city?!! Must they scare all these poor cows for the sake of speed?! ]
[BattleMANIAC: Shut up!! That's all they've been doing since they got to this singularity!! Fuck the sidequests and the tourism!! Go Mash Go!! ]
She sprung from her shield with a bang, and unlike last time, he kept his mouth closed to avoid biting his tongue.
CRASH
Mash landed near an open field, but the soft ground did not stop her body from leaving a small crater on the soil.
The cows, who were feeding nearby, mooed and stampeded away in panic after Mash made her rough landing.
Oh god, it was just as horrible as the last time!!
However, Mash wasn't done.
"First jump successful. Preparing for the second jump."
The second what now?!
Before he had a chance to make a protest, Mash jumped into the sky again, and like last time, she catapulted herself forward and crash-landed on another open field.
"Preparing for the third jump."
Mash… Mash, why?
✦✧✦
Mt. Etna, Sicilia
CRASH
"Fifty-seventh jump successful, we have arrived at our destination, Senpai," the cruel woman who called herself his kohai said after she made him experience one of the most nauseating roller coaster rides he had ever experienced in his life.
She carefully placed him on his feet, but due to the intense game of leap frog, they gave out. Hot bile burned his esophagus as he fertilized the grass beneath their feet.
He could feel her soft hands rub his back as he threw up on the ground.
[: Vomit Emoji: ]
[And that is why you should never ride a Pokémon using the move 'Bounce' for extended periods of time. ]
[Mash is honestly lucky Gudao didn't puke all over her along the way. ]
[I'm amazed he managed to endure that many bounces. Guy is built different. ]
"Sorry for the bumpy ride, Senpai, but Dr. Roman made it explicitly clear that we get here as fast as possible, and that was the only method I knew that would get us here in record time.
Well, it was comforting to hear she didn't do that because she wanted to make him suffer.
The heaving stopped, as he had nothing left to expunge.
Taking a breath, he finally responded to Mash.
"It's alright Mash, I get it. I don't blame you, I blame Romani," he pulled out a water bottle from inside one of his pockets. He took a swig to rinse the inside of his mouth of the horrible taste on his tongue.
"You can blame me once you establish a connection and summon your servants by your side."
Geez Romani was really being heartless right now. He gets that Chaldea has been in the dark for a while, but is it really okay to push them like this?
He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and slowly got back up from his position.
"Give me a moment to rest, then I can bring Lord Vlad and Martha over."
"Change of plans, Ritsuka. Siegfried will take Vlad's place as one of your accompanying servants. "
He raised a brow at Romani's command, "why the sudden change?"
They had been planning to bring Lord Vlad over since he had a very effective anti-army noble phantasm. Even though he didn't want to stake people, his stakes could be used to slow down or halt large numbers of soldiers from getting too close to him.
However, Romani now had other plans.
"A different set of priorities, but we can discuss this… after you establish your connection."
Ok, weird.
While he recovered, Mash placed her shield on the ground to establish the connection with Chaldea like Romani wanted. It barely took any time at all, and the end result was Romani's jovial hologram appearing before them.
"Hey guys!! You did it! You successfully established a secure connection with Chaldea!! Now please, summon your servants. Martha will head over first. "
"Alright, I'm going. Geez, calm down, Romani." It was starting to get annoying how pushy he was.
He got up from where he was sitting and stepped in front of Mash's shield.
Like the dozens of times he did prior, the shield lit up as he transferred Martha to their location. However, things went south quickly the moment the Rider manifested before him. She was looking at him with a very serious look on her face.
"Martha?" To his surprise, she raised her staff and pointed it at him.
"Miss Martha!? What are you doing?!" Mash instinctively got in front of him, but it was too late.
"I call upon the power of God to cleanse the ailments that cloud my companions' souls!" His eyes burned as the bright light hit him with the force of a punch to the face. He wasn't the only one, as Mash also groaned from the light show.
The blinding light did not last long, as it died out as quickly as it came, but the spots in his vision still lingered in his vision.
"What was that for Martha?!" He asked as he rubbed his eyes, unsure why she just randomly decided to flashbang them.
He glared at Martha, who looked apologetic for her actions, "I apologize for the unprompted blinding Master and Mash, but it was necessary. For you see, you two have been under the effects of a strong charm skill."
He furrowed his brows,"a charm skill? What are you talking about?"
Romani spoke up again, but this time, his jovial tone was gone. He was now speaking to them as the Director of Chaldea.
"When a person is under the effects of a charm skill, they usually become unwilling servants or slaves for the person that bewitched them. "
[GudakoBot: Martha's skill has removed the charm debuff from chat. ]
[JigglyWiggly: Ah snap! It's true!! GudakoBot confirmed it!! ]
[What?!! When did this happen?!! And who dunnit?!! ]
[MagnetKing: Fuck!! Someone messed with our minds… again!! ]
"But how can that be possible? We haven't met anyone that could have placed something on us like that." He would have noticed if someone did such a thing to them.
"Guys… I hate to break this to you, but you have been in contact with the bewitcher for a long time."
"Wait, who are you-" His eyes widened as he realized who Romani was referring to.
"No way, you can't mean…" Please don't say it, Romani.
Romani's lips pursed as he finally revealed who the culprit of their condition was.
"Yes, I do. The person who placed a charm on you was none other than Zenobia herself. And not only that, but the charm has been on you for the past week. "
"But she was so nice… There has to be a mistake…"
"Sorry Lass, but it's the truth. Trust me, I know a charm skill when I see one. " To their surprise, it was actually Caster Cu who spoke through the intercom this time. His hologram showed that he also had a serious expression on his face.
[JAlter: I FUCKING KNEW IT!! I KNEW THAT NAKED WHORE COULDN'T BE TRUSTED!! HOW DARE SHE!! ]
[ShortShortsQUEEN: …I can't believe it… how could she do such a thing… we trusted her… :sad emoji: ]
[This charm skill sounds like a really messed up version of attract. ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): And like Martha said, it was a really strong one too. ...I didn't even notice. ]
"N-No, it can't be… I didn't sense anything. I should have sensed something if she were doing that!!" Mash was taking the news harder than he anticipated, as she sounded like she was on the verge of tears.
Caster Cu just sighed, "it depends on the charm. Some of them are obvious and easily detectable, but others can slip by after certain conditions occur. In Zenobia's case, the condition for her charm activated the moment you two agreed to join her army."
He hated that everything Cu was saying was lining up with the facts and making sense.
"It makes sense when you think about it. Why were you guys so complacent when Zenobia massacred so many people?
Why did the army she recruited not only join her but also submit to her completely that she trusted them?
That charm she placed on you made you more willing to ignore her horrible actions and see her in a positive light. "
He tried to retort, but the words couldn't come out of his mouth.
Then it hit him.
The explosions.
The dying screams of men.
Lord El Melloi II's headless corpse.
The nights he spent talking Zenobia…
And her goodbye kiss…
His stomach lurched, but nothing came out.
[SurgeOfLightning: I see… so that explains why I didn't feel as disgusted by the massive amount of casualties that day. She messed with my brain. >:( ]
[TheIcePryce: What an insidious ability. ]
"So this whole time… she's been lying to us…?" He had desperately hoped it was all a lie, but he could not deny it. Zenobia saved them, yes, but she also used brain manipulation magic on them.
"Actually, that's the interesting part, she hasn't lied to you guys. "
His eyes widened in shock at the revelation. An action that earned a shrug from the Caster servant.
"Dunno what to tell you, except that it's the truth. If she was intentionally misleading you, then it would have been a waste of energy on her part.
If she were as rotten as that bitch Medb, she could have easily put you under her control and made you kiss her feet from the get-go, but she chose to let you guys have autonomy. And if you don't believe me, ask the crazy petite dragon lass."
[Gudao: Kiyohime, is it true? ]
[Burning_Jealousy:Yes, it is Anchin. Despite how much I DESPISE that woman for bewitching you, the hound is right. She never directly lied to you in the entire time you spent with her. Though she still neglected to bring up the subject, she is still a liar by omission.
The only time when I sensed she skirted the line between truth sayer and liar, was when she mentioned the slumbering beast in Rome. ]
"Are her claims about the slumbering beast in Rome and the island credible then?" If she never lied to them, then it's possible she is still on their side and that her intentions to help them are genuine.
Romani's hologram replaced Cu's, and this time, he seemed more relaxed.
"Surprisingly, yes. We just finished looking into it actually, and just like she said, we detected a major anomaly that happened not just on that island but also in Rome. "
Well, that was good at least. Then, he remembered her words, and a drop of sweat fell down his temple.
"Does that mean we are going to fight a Beast when we head to Rome?"
Whatever positivity was present in Romani's face faded when he asked that question.
"... Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Queen Zenobia was right, you are definitely not ready to fight a Beast of Calamity with your current strength. It would be an instant loss worthy of an emergency rayshift. "
"Is a Beast of Calamity that horrible of an opponent?" Mash asked this time, her sweet voice quivering as she asked.
"Yes, they are. Beasts of Calamity are born from the sins of humanity and are powerful enough that they could easily decimate the entire world individually by themselves.
The slumbering Beast Zenobia was referring to was likely a person who meets certain criteria required to become a Beast, though they haven't done so yet for various reasons."
[Well shit, things really are that serious, huh? ]
[And they supposedly want to destroy humanity and the world because they love it so much? It's rather confusing. ]
[Junior_Researcher: A very extreme form of tough love I suppose, or a toxic relationship depending on how cynical you want to view it. Either way, it's better for the group if that slumbering beast remains slumbering long after they resolve the singularity. ]
"So all we have to do is make sure we don't wake the Beast up right?" That would probably be the only way they could get their mission done safely.
"Correct. That is why you need to summon Siegfried, because he is one of the strongest servants in your current roster. He can't defeat a Beast by himself, but he should at least buy you enough time to escape should you encounter them. "
[Beaumains: Are you okay with Siegfried making a heroic sacrifice like that @ Kream? ]
[Kream: As much as I loathe to allow my husband anywhere near that woman, Master's safety comes first. But we can bring Siegfried back should the worst come to pass. Though I only allowed him to use such a move if the Beast appears, so if he tries to do it when it isn't appropriate, I will punish him when he comes back. ]
[Sumanai: I promise I won't Kream. ]
[Kream: You better not. ]
"I don't understand…" Mash's voice was hurt, the soreness from the truth preventing her from raising it.
"Queen Zenobia was beautiful in life, yes, but she was never known to bewitch her enemies. How can she have such a powerful charm skill in the first place?"
"It could be tied to the fact that she had a fame boost while in Palmyra. Many servants gain different abilities tied to them when they are in their homelands.
That or it's somehow linked to her newfound divinity somehow. Though we couldn't really get a good read on her when you were in Palmyra. "
Her what now?
Both he and Mash looked at Romani like he had grown a second head, to which the man just replied with a scratch to the back of his head.
"Did I forget to mention the part where we detected divinity inside her when you made a temporary contract with her?"
"Yes, you did." Mash pursed her lips, "how is that possible though? Zenobia isn't a demigod or goddess, she was a human in life."
"That's the thing. We're not sure how that could have happened. Though we have theories, we won't really know unless you ask her yourself, although given her straightforward personality, she will likely tell you if you asked. "
"Wait a moment, why didn't you tell us Zenobia had divinity in her or that she charmed us?" Normally Romani would have been surprised and mentioned something like that during the connection that happened in the Temple of Bel.
For him to not just blab the truth out loud, it was very out of character for Romani.
Romani gave him a deadpan stare, "you're thinking something rude about me, aren't you Ritsuka?"
"No." He lied as easily as he breathed, however, such a luxury proved too expensive for him to keep hidden.
[Burning_Jealousy donated 100 bits. ]
["Lie. "]
…Thanks for the useful input, Kiyohime.
He ignored Romani's judgmental stare until the man finally gave up and turned serious again.
"I apologize for the deception, Ritsuka, but I had to do it. The reason I kept quiet during our exchange in the Temple of Bel was because I did not know how Zenobia would react if I revealed these things to you. I didn't want you guys to be forced to fight off a woman who was easily able to solo an army by herself on her home turf. So I kept quiet. "
He nodded at hearing Romani's reasoning, "we understand Romani. Sorry for calling your decisions into question like that."
While he was satisfied with the answer, the same couldn't be said for Mash.
"So all this time… Senpai has been in possible mortal danger… and I never noticed?"
Hearing her words made Romani look at the shielder with concern, " Don't beat yourself up so much, Mash. You couldn't have known. In fact, ignorance was the better option, since you were genuine when speaking to her. And knowing how bad of a liar Ritsuka is, it would have compromised your safety, and it could have opened the path for Zenobia to turn you two into her slave soldiers.
What's important now is that now you know what to expect and hopefully avoid falling into the same mistake twice. "
Romani's words of comfort didn't help unclench Mash's fists, nor did they get her to look away from her feet.
He had to ask.
"Should we consider Zenobia an enemy servant from now on, then?"
Romani hummed as he crossed his arms while thinking of a response, "while I want to say yes, the possibility exists that she may be open to cooperation. Even though she had power over you, she never abused it, so continuing your alliance could still be possible…"
[Best_Kohai-BB donated 100 bits. ]
["That or you can just beat her until she submits to you Senpai. She's a Queen who lost against the Roman Empire, so all you have to do is dress up like a Roman and discipline her until she becomes yours!! "]
Did she really need to make her suggestion sound so sexual?
"...I don't think I will do that, BB," he deadpanned. His choice was well received by Mash and Martha, who both looked relieved he denied his mod's suggestion.
Romani coughed into his fist, which cleared away the awkward atmosphere that BB made.
"Well anyway, this conversation can wait for later. "
Suddenly, the air around the doctor changed as he delivered his next command.
"Once you have finished your preparations here, you two are to head west and investigate the mysterious island.
Then, once you have finished investigating, I order you to ignore Queen Zenobia's favor and use whatever means you can to reach Rome and investigate. Understood?"
"Yes!!" Mash's voice drowned out his own, but Romani seemed to have heard both and nodded in approval.
"Good. And don't worry, if things get a bit dicey, we will have an emergency rayshift ready at all times.
Ehem, now, hurry up. Your extended vacation is over, get to work! You can start off this mission by fighting off those monsters coming towards you! "
Huh?
The familiar click-clacking of bones sent him on high alert.
Turning around, he noticed dozens of skeletons approaching them. Their rusted blades thirsted for the iron in their blood.
"Guys, battle stations!!" he cried out.
Martha replied with an "Understood!!" Then, with a wave of her staff, she manifested a pillar of light that obliterated a group of skeletons in one hit.
"HYAAAAHH!!" Meanwhile, Mash let out a war cry and threw herself at the skeletons, but whether through absentmindedness or intent, she did so without her shield.
However, the panic in his gut dissipated as Mash proved confident enough to decimate the skeletons with her bare hands.
[Oh damn… Mash is pissed. ]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): I would be too if I found out someone I considered a friend placed a debuff on me that would make me into their slave. ]
He watched as the two women easily dispatched the skeletons surrounding him.
By the time he realized he could call in Siegfried for support, it was too late.
The dragon slayer never got a chance to show off his abilities when he summoned him, as the duo had already finished off the last of them.
Mash walked towards her shield and picked it up without saying a word.
"Mash, are you okay?" He asked his unusually quiet Kohai, but she was too lost in her head to respond right away.
"Yes, I am, don't worry about me, Senpai. I promise I'll be a better servant from now on."
His heart ached at hearing Mash's neutral tone, and that ache burned as his thoughts drifted back to Zenobia.
Queen or not, once they met again, he was going to give her a long, hard lesson about consent.
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AN: Thanks for reading everyone.
My Expert in explaining Bullshit with more bullshit: Flowerman (He helped me plan the outline of this arc).
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