Epilogue: Those who loom in the dark

[A/N: WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!

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Finally, on the last chap for this volume.

I will post a poll after this... a very important one to be exact for it will involve the HAREM thingy which many of you would be interested at.

Well, to be honest, this upcoming poll would 'somehow' invalidate the previous one... depending on your votes of course.

Anyways, here's the chap guyz]

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[Mash PoV]

"Senpai... the leyline here is still not potent enough to connect ourselves back to Chaldea. Considering that this is the main point of this 'abnormal singularity', it's still unexplainable that we haven't encountered even one Servant during our stay here..."

There was also the fact that the Servants that were supposed to come along with them on the rayshift process also wasn't present nor did show up.

Either they were transported elsewhere or they were not caught up in the rayshift. Both spelled more difficulties for Mashu and her Senpai.

"Having a Caster to support me in establishing a proper leyline might have been the best way to connect ourselves to Chaldea easier...which isn't possible at the moment"

But summoning a Servant was something that they already tried. Even with a catalyst and proper preparations, the summoning failed. They don't know the reason why but it was clear that it has something to do with this place—singularity that they are staying at.

"Two months have passed huh... This is the longest and the most abnormal rayshift we have ever since before," Gudako said with a frown which a second later disappeared as she tried to think about something.

"Yes, senpai..." Mashu replied with a dejected expression.

It was then Gudako looked at Mash and inquire as eyes glowed in curiosity.

"But still, about what you felt about Rei when you first laid your eyes on him. Are we sure that it wasn't a mistake?"

"...." Mashu couldn't reply for a while. After all, even she wasn't sure about her evaluation about describing Servants in a perfect manner.

Bedivere after all in the sixth singularity was actually a human in flesh and not a Servant in the first place who had traversed the world searching for his king to return his sword, Excalibur, for a thousand and five hundred years. "I'm still not sure... but I can affirm that he is not a normal human. I can detect some similarities of him being a Servant but..."

"A [Foreigner] Servant then?"

Foreigner Class.

Those Servants who wield power drawn from outside human boundaries. Entities from different dimensions that are foreign to human comprehension.

In short, something out of the scopes of their world. An example of that was Koyanskaya who they encountered a few times in lostbelts.

Tamamo Vitch, who she is also known as, is one of the Tamamo Nine. While she shares a name with Tamamo Vitch Koyanskaya, they are unrelated. She likely describes herself as Tamamo from another universe.

That only gives more reason for Rei Ainsworth being a Foreigner but many things still doesn't add up.

"...Most likely, but he denied the claim that he is a Servant though"

"But he feels like one? Or rather, these Spirits that have been occuring here and there before we even arrived here. It seems that this is normal for the people already, about the Spacequakes. More likely this is similar to Lostbelts but some points don't match... and they classify you, Mashu, as a Spirit too"

"I don't even know what to say about this Senpai. These Spirits...."

There was an apparent agitation that was building up on Mashu's tone, she couldn't even finish what she wanted to say.

"Senpai, I think we should observe more.."

"I get it. You are worried that many things would've changed after all this time. We have stayed far longer than expected—"

It was then.

A rumbling happened

"..? Huh? An earthquake?"

"Eh?"

What followed next was a baffled sound coming from Mashu. The Shielder didn't even notice the earthquake but only focused on what she was doing.

"Mashu? What's the matter?"

"The connection toward Chaldea wasn't at least severed but we can't communicate to them at any cost. But right now...for some reason, a distortion happened which triggered the leylines in the city... and it allowed us to connect now though indirectly with Chaldea! We made it Senpai! At least, they could grasp a hold of what our situation is!" Mashu said as she observed their palpable situation with excitement and relief on her voice.

[A/N: BS I know]

However, Gudako seemed to have a different idea. "But for now, we can't. It isn't safe out there… we are uncertain whether those CR-Units can detect us using your any kind of transmission. We should try this tomorrow or with some assistance from others at least," And after that, Gudako smiled as she patted Mashu's head and said, "But you know what. Good job Mashu, I really could count on you!"

Feeling the warmth on top her head head, Mashu could only smile happily as she responded back.

"Yes, Senpai!"

——

[Tokyo Japan]

In the suite room of the top floor in the Imperial hotel located at the Capital of Japan, a man dressed in a expensive black suit sat down while sighing. He raised his chin while slightly flicking the tip of his dark ash blonde hair, and further narrowed his eyes which looked like sharpened blades.

He is a tall man often seen wearing a formal jet black suit. His hair is dark ash blond, and he has a pair of sharp eyes as if a knife was used to cut slits on his face. The color of his eyes are dull blue and give off a lifeless look that is only strengthened when complemented by his extremely pale skin.

Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott.

That's what his name is.

Right now, the thing that Westcott was looking at was a bundle of documents bound together with a clip. He distorted the side of his lips while shifting his sights to his left.

"...I see. Not only the S or SS rank Spirit <Seraph> but also an AAA rank Spirit which is <Princess> not only managed to escape, but also annihilated the team that was present in the process"

"Yes"

The one that was on hold there was, the girl that created those documents.

Ellen M. Mathers: DEM industries prided, humanity's strongest Wizard.

"What's more, the <Heptameron>, which is one of out top-class airships which we had manufactured has been decimated on the spot. There were no salvageable materials or so... Truly obliterated to the dust"

"Yes"

"I see.... such a shame for our resources to be wasted just like that"

"As far as we have known, we also culled one of the weeds in our ranks. Though quite adept on his job, his greed was so clear and high that even his own personnel frowns upon it," Ellen replied as her brow twitched for a split second before heaving a sigh.

Plucking out weeds in your garden is beneficial no matter how you look at it.

In response, Westcott only smiled as he tapped his finger on the document not breaking his gaze away from it. "There's nothing wrong with being greedy, my dear Ellen. Greed after all is an essential factor that drove the advancement of humanity up to this very moment"

"But... excessive greed would only result into something negative. A demerit I say"

"Then that also applies to us as well. Quite ironic actually"

"...I suppose we are"

"But there's no point about thinking about it any further. The person who was decided to take the blame was gone. I can't possibly punish a dead man could I?"

"Yes, you couldn't. Also, we have made some progress about that 'subject' just recently"

"What 'subject' are we talking about here, my dear Ellen? We have so many at the moment that I can't—"

"It's about <Ratatoskr>. We have found some traces about them, though not solid. The fact still stands that our sources have found some leads about them"

"And where would that be?"

"Tenguu City"

"Hoh?"

The very same place where the recent events written down on the document he was holding at the moment. He then let out a mocking laugh as his hand began to clench the document harder.

<Ratatoskr>. That name had a deep connection with Westcott and Ellen.

Using peaceful means to contain the spacequake outbreak, and providing protection to the main cause; the Spirits. It was an organization that held the ideal that spat out random words that could only be spat out while drinking sake.

Westcott couldn't hold back his smile and placed his hands on his mouth.

"Kuku, I wonder why, I am a little happy. Those greenhorns, to think they would escape from me"

"I wonder if that is so. I can only feel discomfort"

Ellen replied without leaving any gap in between. Finding Ellen quite weird, Westcott used the hand that was placed on his mouth, and covered his face before laughing.

Probably not satisfied with Westcott's reaction, Ellen did not change her expression, and looked at Westcott with a slightly stern expression. After Westcott swung his hand around as if to apologize, he talked.

"So, how is that side going? Any problems on our main project?"

"Everything is going smoothly as expected. Ten personnel under Adeptus 3 have been assigned to the executive team starting today"

"Hm... Great, this is enough"

He nodded, satisfied. In order for this to be forced through, several bribes would be needed, but—well that was probably trivial.

It's true, establishing a new system or organization was the better and efficient way to move his Wizards around. Especially in a foreign country. But it required a large sum of funds as well as time. In order to use military weapons in public, this was the most reliable and quickest way to do it.

"<Seraph>...."

He lowered his sights at the documents once more and read out the name written on it.

At that moment, Westcott exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders.

"I wonder where you came from... or what you truly are in the first place. One of the many things that I, or DEM, as a whole should acquire"

Yes. There were several pictures of <Seraph> taken from a distance attached on the documents which were roughly caught due to the rush of taking it while sending it in the process to the headquarters before <Heptameron> was shot down.

Retrieving all the data would take a few more days up to weeks, but the thing in hand should suffice.

"I didn't think any other document other than things related to Spirits was needed. I will get it ready immediately," Ellen said as she stepped back.

"No, it's okay—instead, I want to meet the real him soon! An Inverse Spirit, or rather an anomaly—Spirit that we had never seen before, that could retain its urge for chaos and destruction for everything around it? Not even showing signs of going berserk! This defies most of the things we've known Ellen. At least, we should capture him at all costs!"

When he said that, Ellen made a small sigh.

"Understood. Without fail"

"Aah, I'm expecting it"

After Westcott said that, he threw the documents onto the table and stood up from the sofa.

"Oh yeah, one more thing"

He then slowly walked over to Ellen, and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"If <Ratatoskr> is about to get involved in this matter at a later date.....then don't you think we should give them a grand welcome?"

"A welcome?"

Ellen questioned in a slightly curious tone.

Upon seeing this, Westcott smiled.

"Aah, that's correct. A big welcome grand enough to give those arrogant pacifists a good punch in the head and a wake up call"

After saying that, Westcott leaked out a chuckle.

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[A/N: Yeah~ That's it for the second volume guyz.

One thing to add is that I would take a temporary break from writing. I will mainly check some grammar errors or so on the chapters and edit them. I think it would take a while but meh.

Also, I would soon post a poll chap after this.

With that said, Bye guyz!]